Insect and Spider Identification: CLOSED: Interesting Spiderwhat is it???, 1 by WakeForest

WakeForest wrote:
Hello!
I have a beautiful spider that has been living on my Crape Myrtle for several months now. It is sitting on top of a huge "nest" of some sort. About 3 weeks ago there were hundreds of baby spiders inside but they all appear to have left the nest. This spider is very protective of her nest, as you approach, she comes out and hovers over it. The picture is as clear as I could get, she blends in very well. Does anyone know what kind of spider this is? I live in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Thanks!