CHAPEL HILL — Little hands are working to cheer up the scenery at the soon-to-open N.C. Children's Hospital.

At a Chapel Hill ceramic studio called Paint the Earth, the Miller quintuplets, N.C.'s first set of quints, were first to lend a hand.

It is called "Hands and Heels for Hope." Artists big and small can paint tiles that will be mounted in UNC's new Children's Hospital building. The painters donate money for their tiles, and the proceeds go the new hospital.

"UNC was wonderful to us during our delivery, during our pregnancy and during the kids' early month or two," says the quints' mom, Nancy Miller. "We're just really excited about the new hospital."

Miller has had her hands full as a full-time mom since giving birth to the babies in July 1998. She is proud that her tiny paint crew is taking a hands-on approach to helping the new hospital.

She gets help with her six kids from family friends, but the question many moms would ask is how does she do it?

"I wouldn't say it's easy, but it's really not that much more challenging that a parent of just a few young kids," she says. "I mean, they're reasonably obedient. We just have a good time together."

Paint the Earth Ceramic Studio is donating all of the tiles, supplies and glaze for the charity painting effort.