A former stay-at-home mother with two sons, Alyson Tunnell has always enjoyed creating artistic things.
"When my kids were younger, art was a way for me to have me-time and create art and do something I enjoyed," she said.
With Camden now 13 and Cooper now 9, she recently decided to take her artistic talent to a new level by opening her own business in downtown Ringgold.
Alydots, located at 7767 Nashville St., expands upon her home-based business of the same name, through which Tunnell has been selling her own creations and hosting private paint parties for friends for years.
"I started [this business] as a stay-at-home mom and then I started working. I never could fully give it up because I knew that's where my heart was," she said. "I've sold handmade gifts and decorations [out of my house] for seven years."
Tunnell said she primarily paints unique door hangers and also creates a lot of farmhouse type signs using pallets and metal letters.
Now, the general public can not only order a custom door hanger from her, they can attend a painting party and create their own. Tunnel provides all the necessary equipment and shows guests how to paint one.
"People come into Alydots and say this is the best $20 therapy they've ever had," said Tunnell, adding that customers can bring their own beer or wine to the painting parties. "It's great for girls' night outs and bachelorette parties."
She said she averages three to four paint parties a week and still offers private parties as well as birthday parties.
Her husband Chase said Alydots brings a lot of people to downtown Ringgold who don't realize how much has been built back since the tornado took so much out of the small town.
"We first opened for painting parties, but now we also have a boutique with clothes and iron- and metalwork," Alyson Tunnell said. "We have inexpensive gifts like local-vendor candles and local-vendor cookies. A lot of gifts are less than $20 on hand."
To learn more, call the store at 423-432-6769 or find Alydots on Facebook or Instagram.