Lotta Sue Ingram

Hand-crafted Wooden Luminary Boxes

Lotta Sue Ingram has natural talent. Growing up on a farm in the tiny rural community of Pigeon Roost, North Carolina, Lotta learned early on the value of self-reliance and craftsmanship. Her father Roger built the family home and constructed most of its furnishings. Roger Miller passed along his skills and talent to Lotta and her older sisters.

“In one of my art classes in high school, Billie Ruth Sudduth led a demonstration on basket weaving. At the end of the class, my basket was selected to be the centerpiece at our class graduation.”

After Lotta graduated from high school, she took a job in a manufacturing facility, which required her to travel nearly two hours one way to the plant. The job was third shift. “Most of my time was spent traveling to and from work,” Lotta reflects. “I knew I wanted to do something else.

After Lotta and her husband Rocky completed construction on their house, she decided to try and make it as a new entrepreneur. She currently produces woodwork including unique hand-carved luminary boxes for the Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree store. Lotta plans to expand her line of craft products in 2008.

“I want to use the skills I acquired growing up to make a living,” says Lotta. “Being my own boss is important to me. Both of my parents worked in factories that closed. I figure I must learn to depend on my skills and resources, which cannot be taken away from me and shipped to another country.”