ByLightOfMoon

My treasures!

2012-03-09T09:46:00.000-05:00

I thought I would share with you today some of my treasures! I am a collector and I saw on TV this morning about the New "Oprah" magazine about clutter and hoarders. I guess I fit into both categories as I do save way too many things than we have room for in our new cabin that may well be the last home we ever have.

I do need to rid myself of so many things! These photos are of some things I can NEVR get rid of and I treasure with all my heart! My Mother used to paint on china as her hobby. She made so many items, and she was so good at it. She is good at everything she attempts and now is focusing on quilting and appliqué. She made all of this jewelry in this case I found at the thrift store. It is a shadow box with glass lid. I need to adhere them to this box or wear them. I used to wear all of it in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. It just seems today that I keep three necklaces on all the time. I never take them off. I do occasionally wear another longer necklace over them that hang longer, but even earrings are getting caught on tree limbs as I explore the woods I cannot stay away from. I had some hoops in my second ear hole and finally had to take them off. I do always wear the diamond studs my husband gave me many years ago and they have always been on, so I got second holes for my other earrings that I changed out a lot, depending on what I was wearing or going! In Alabama it seems I always dressed up more than now. Living n the woods and being home much home, I am much more casual everyday plus I am getting older and just don't go out to so many places as we live about 100 miles from any large city, like Atlanta, Chattanooga, or Ashville. We do have several small towns nearby that provide our needs but do not run to Michaels, Joanne's, or Hobby Lobby anymore. I get the coupons and they used to burn a hole in my pocket.

Anyway, here are some photos of the Jewelry my Mother has painted for me, she made rings, necklaces, brooches, earrings, stick pins, and lots of china plates, trays, and dishes, etc.

You can see how she advanced over the years in her china painting. Her green flowers paintings were some of her first paintings. Note the ring out of the ring holder china oval that has a carrot and one-half a carrot on it, she gave that ring to my daughter when she was around 7-8 years old. Also the little blue bird ring is my daughter's.

I don't take very good pictures but I love these so much. But, some things I love I have to offer in my Etsy shop! I was straightening my dresser one day while looking for the vintage Peace rings I used to wear. I am going to list them for sale as I do not wear them and what went around has come back around now.

They are very sentimental to me, the Pink Peace Symbol is a ring given to me by a guy I dated and it opens to hold a special message inside. The other gold Peace ring I just got at a hippie shop I guess as I really don't remember. They used to be all over and I wore a lot of clothing that represented those times n my life. I guess I am still a hippie or gypsy and could wear them but maybe someone else can enjoy them better. The purple Bling was a ring I wore also just everyday with my jeans and clogs almost like the ones coming around again today. Maybe not quite as high in the heels! Darn, I would break my neck in the ones today. The other Ankh ring was very special to me as a very good friend of mine came it to me one might while we were out clubbing. We used to go clubbing a lot to listen to wonderful bands and be together if not at home with a crowd and partying at home. Anyway, the Ankh used to belong to Billy Preston he told me, he traveled with several bands in the day and was a roadie along with his brother. I wore it and had yarn on the inside to make it fit better as it was too big for my fingers but I love it so much, I also used to have a wood Ankh hanging on our wall at home but I suppose we lost it in our home auction after 911 in Seattle. It was a World Bazaar, Cost Plus, and Pier One like store, but before they existed. Anyway, I also need to money! We are living on Social Security like we never expected, things have changed so much in our lives. Please plan better for your retirement and never take your health for granted. I guess I preach this way to much but it is so important.

I will take better photos before listing them in my

"frstyfrolk Etsy Vintage Shop"

I was reading in a library magazine about birds and nesting and it said to leave out stings and fabrics for the birds to make their nests from so I filled my suet feeder with leftover strings to re-cycle for the birds and we have many at our feeders, including the squirrels.

Here also is a photos of a field of turkeys and goats I see frequently here.

And my cat Lily is a tree climber

Here is the moss terrarium I have my by my rocking chair on the front porch. The glass holder is a re-cycled up-cycled misting bowl from the thrift store.

Thanks for reading and commenting!

Smiles, Cyndi

The Mountains Of Appalachia - Blind Pig & The Acorn

2012-03-09T09:08:00.001-05:00

The Mountains Of Appalachia - Blind Pig & The Acorn:

'via Blog this'

I Adore Tipper Blog, she is always helping me learn about the Appalachian Mountains!

Smiles, Cyndi

I am a Picker!

2012-03-08T09:47:00.000-05:00

I stop along my way to various places and if I see old rusty crusty, it inspires me even more. I found this little ol' vine covered cottage by accident one day and I had stopped to get a photo of the street sign which I do often. I found a whole boatload of fabulous stuff!

I pass this site often and had never stopped before. But, this day, I was just in the mood. I was dressed in my fairy good clothes too and just got out for the sign photo. Then I saw an old oak tree and looking for wood for my mushromn class I went closer to it. WOW, I found this wagon and wheelbarrow filled with what I think to be old flower planting.

It is February here and everything is dormant and yellow or dead. Who knows what might re-bloom here. The place is boarded up and looks abandoned so with a No Tresspassing sign "NOT" in sight anywhere I feel OK to wander around and just look. I love to take photos of nature findings and old things so I felt OK walking around with camera in hand.

I took photos of the tree strange markings and the flower bins, and wander to the side of the house. It was all grown over with weeds and long yellow curly dried vines which Oh, I think great for bird nests! So, I figure no one will mind f I help yourself to a little nature, I pull some yell straw like vines and WOW! underneath is this old bottle jar! A large one! Wow, and I find another and another. Then as I am looking at the ground wandering around, I look up and see an old building structure that is falling down and no door, looking inside is full of junk stuff, But Gold to me! Wow!

I lurk around and the grass is still full of items overgrown with the grass. The shack is full to the brim and overflowing with someone's old stuff. They must have loved it, I wonder what happened to them and their story! No one is around to ask so I just wonder!

Is this a Chestnut shell or a Chinkapin?

Smiles, Cyndi

Free Projects « Lark Crafts Lark Crafts

2012-03-08T09:33:00.000-05:00

Free Projects « Lark Crafts Lark Crafts

Midnight Snowflakes beading project from Diane Fitzgerald Lark Crafts

Fortune Teller Beads necklace from Diane Fitzgerald's Favorite Beading Projects

Easter Baskets

2012-03-04T15:26:00.000-05:00

I purchased this special Easter Basket Present and I wanted to share it with you for your children's baskets.

It has a basket of jelly beans wrapped in plastic and attached is the "Jelly Bean Prayer Poem" for your children to read and enjoy along with a small basket of jelly beans.

You could pass them out to your Sunday school class or school friends; even add them to your Easter Egg Hunt as they are wrapped in plastic.

I think it is wonderful and just wanted to share! Does your child have an Easter Bonnet; I remember getting a very Special Dress, Bonnet Hat and White Gloves along with New Shoes as a child for Easter Sunday and the Easter egg hunt.

Our local community Center in Warne, NC is having an Easter Egg Hunt for the children in the surrounding communities this year and I plan to attend and just be in awe of the children hunting for the planted eggs by the Warne Community Center Members. They insert a gold and silver dollar coin in each age group's hunt and I think this is a wonderful idea for making it even more special fun. This is our first Easter in North Carolina and I enjoy the sense of community here as we have a pot luck dinner each 4th Tuesday of the month and we never know how many will attend or what will be on the buffet. Many of the Community members live here part time in their vacation homes, even in our neighborhood. Many of the homes are second homes for so many people here that plan to retire here one day. I am so glad we did this also.

Small community living is as new to us as I barely knew my neighbors back in Alabama. SO many people worked and never really got out except to mow their yards and even that was a hired service for many people so we never got to really know each other. Things are so different in these mountains!

I hope you enjoy making these little baskets for your children. My daughter is grown but I still may send her by mail an Easter basket. Last year her basket was really a Two (2) quart pitcher and I put a Lemonade packet in it along with her candy goodies. I remember always getting socks or Barbie clothes in my baskets as a child; they were not just for eggs and candy! Yours don't have to be either, include some pencils and a paper game or coloring book.

We do make handmade "Recycled Crayola Paw Prints" that would be nice in your Easter Basket you make too. They are in my Etsy Shop "ByLightOfMoon" and I am happy to ship however many in quantity you like. It is not too early to start gathering your Easter Basket Supplies.

Smiles, Cyndi

Peace to You and my Giveaway Arrived!

2012-02-19T12:22:00.000-05:00

I received my 5th Anniversary Giveaway Treasure from Dawn at The Feathered Nest! Oh, it is even more beautiful in my house! The detail is amazing and Dawn is one beautiful artist! I so appreciate it and I still can't believe I won from 78 comments, But, I very much appreciate it! I just love reading her blog, she shares her ideas for creams colors. Her nature mixed media is awesome and beautiful! She shared so many vintage images and her grand-daughter Clara growing up on her farm. I cherish her as a friend and blogger to love to read her blog for inspiration and just good mental floss! She also has a beautiful Etsy shop!

I also found this blog about" The Peace Globe" and I have to be a part of it. I am a junker and collector and it has not left my system. In fact, the other day I went by several plastic bags of trash on the side of the road and I had passed it many times as I left our neighborhood road to the main highway. We have country two- lanes roads everywhere here with curves and bends that follow the lay of the land. It used to be the main highway to connect several towns. Well, one day last week, I stopped to collect it and throw it away myself as we do have garbage pick-up at our house. I just could not believe folks throw it by the side of the road when we do have a landfill and they already had it in the vehicle. Well, I stopped and immediately a lady stopped in her truck to ask me if I needed help. People are so friendly here. I told her I just was going to see if the trash had a name in it for the sheriff and she said; "Great Going" to me!

Anyway, when I touched the plastic bags they just fell apart in my hands and I found 6 bags of "Old Irish Rose" bottles. We do not have glass recycling here anywhere that I know of, so I just brought them home to use for my mixed media bottles. It is just more stuff I have dragged home.

My husband says: " When am I going to quit? I guess I never can! I just put them under our deck for storage and back in the yard behind a tree. I will have to move the tree bottles as they are visible from the road and makes us look trashy. I hope I can use them to make something better and someone will appreciate them. I have made a terrarium with one and several have very large openings to really get inside for a terrarium to be made, or maybe a fairy jar! We will have to see how I can use them.

Oh, I wandered from the PEACE event in November. please visit my side bar icons for more information. Add this to your blog and we will all blog for peace and especially on November 4, 2012, with Dona nobis pacem...grant us peace from Mimi's Blog.

Peace to you everyday!

Smiles, Cyndi

My Eventful February Winter Week!

2012-02-15T14:45:00.000-05:00

I still see the picture on my blog before it opens to my French script that I love but it may be our computer connection with HughesNet. It is slower than I am used too from Alabama where we had high speed.

When I go outside in the morning, even at 40 degrees, I have to have my coffee outside and listen to the crows at first because the dogs scare the birds away for a bit but they soon return and I can hear the flutter of their wings! I just love it!

I got some Bird and Blooms magazines from the library checked out and I read through them getting ideas for spring plantings.

There are also lots of ideas for birdhouses and one is made from an old straw hat. It says to put a foam plate behind it for the back and cut a hole in the straw for the opening. It may only last a year but good cheap housing for all the many birds around me. Of course, they probably have their own nests in the trees. We will see!

I have 5 bluebird houses out and was thinking of painting a couple of them blue just for the fun of it. I see them all along the fence posts of farms around here so I expect to see many this spring! We always had them in our birdhouses in Alabama!

I have been busy this week; on Monday I took a Shitake mushroom class where we learned how to grow them on preferably oak logs. I brought a few and some to share but my logs were smaller than the ones the Brasstown Community Center provided so I also got one from them with a small donation. The class was only $10 and my husband insisted I take it because of all the mushroom hunting and photo taking I do of them all around me here. The article in the newspaper said they are always full classes so I registered early.

It was an experience, as I had no idea how growing mushrooms was done. You drill holes in the logs and implant the spores, then cover with wax, we used cheese wax and I had it all over me. I should have worn gloves and will if I ever do it again. I believe we have the perfect growing conditions here and I will watch and just see what happens. Now, they are just lying in the woods to grow the spores.

Here are my three logs placed in the woods behind our home.

See the waxed spore holes below

Who knows, maybe I could be a commercial grower one of the years as it take 600 logs to make money and I have no idea how to handle a saw. Hee hee! But, they can be stacked on 1/4 acre and you just have to watch and make sure they get water.

I also went to the Tri-State Gem and Mineral Club meeting Tuesday where they shared Dolomite Stone and I had no idea it was so beautiful. We all also took amethyst if we had any for show and tell. I took the piece that was given to me at my Grandmother's funeral. I did not want to go into the room where she lay as I wanted to remember her as I last saw her and many folks thought I was in worse shape than I really was but everyone respected my decision. But, a friend of my Mother's gave me a piece of amethyst to put of my forehead if I had trouble sleeping! I swear, true story! I cherish this amethyst and it is the stone for February.

The jewelry demonstration was to make spinner rings. I should have taken a photo, so unusual for me not too, but the lady (Cathy Morris) that showed us how to do it teaches at the William Holland School of Lapidary in Young Harris, Ga. This is very close to where I live and you take week long classes and live at the school. I can take my "Daisy" camper if I wish but I can never afford the classes I am sure. Maybe I will win a lesson through the club through winning points through contributions to club doings!

I get a point for attending, show and tell, field trips, hosting treats at meetings, etc. So far, I have missed two meetings as I joined in November, 2011 and this was my second meeting to attend.

Anyway, the rest of the week I need to be spending on my craft room and crafting, if I can stay away from the cold front porch. I live there I do believe!

I just bundle up and listen to the forest. I have deceided I am a " Spirit of the Forest" as I subtitled my blog. It just feels like home and peace. I was looking for some stones the other day to put under where our water faucet attaches to the house

(they installed it after we moved in) I could not believe there was not one already. It runs to the well where we get our water so it is natural well water.

Here are also a photo of some wild turkeys I saw in a field eating the other day when I was out on the nearby roads.

I found a Mountain Laurel grove where many branches had broken in the wind or the deer movement and brought many home. Many people here make unique structures with them like pergolas, garden fences, etc. It is a curvy branch and the flowers this spring will be like heaven. I first saw the mountain laurel when we were here pet-sitting and took many photos. I believe it is the most beautiful flower I have ever seen. I will be selling this print in my" ByLightOfMoon" Handmade Etsy shop!

I sold a pine knot on Etsy yesterday and it was the biggest one I have. I found it would cost $15.00 to ship so I deleted it and refunded the money paid at just $4.50. What was I thinking? What a huge mistake on my part! Well, she sent me a conversation was it still for sale, so I re-listed it and we will just wait and see. It weights almost 4 lbs. But, I do have many smaller ones I will list that are beautiful with the moss and lichens and just the wood patterns are fabulous in a terrarium or just on the porch.

Pine Knots

I also found out over the weekend I had won a giveaway on Dawn's blog," The Feathered Nest"! I can't wait for it to arrive. I already have a special place in mind for it as it is a wall hanging and we are very short on wall space, BUT, it is so special to me that she made it! I love her blog and followed here posting and life she shares with us. It is made with lace and here ephemera, just like I love! It was her 5 year blog anniversary and she always has so many comments I never dreamed of winning. I am over the top with JOY!

This is the fabulous wall hanging I won!

This next set of photos I cannot believe I am going to share with you but here I go! I have a start that says Believe and I do Believe I will get my craft room cleaned up. Right now, it looks like an episode of Hoarders but I have finally gone through all my crafting boxes and unloaded them everywhere. Now, to place everything where I can work with it and hopefully make some sales to help out AND give myself my creative spirit something to do that finally with me a finished product. I do believe that I will have to go even more vertical as our attic is only 900 sq ft as our house is. The whole area will be my crafting room and storage for some of our clothes we have that will not fit in our bedroom closet and will probably never wear but I have lost some weight and can fit in more clothes that I used to wear. We are very casual here so I don't get dressed up to often. This house is very short on closets, not even a linen closet anywhere, but we do have a pantry room.

I think I have it mostly back

2012-02-10T16:03:00.000-05:00

I played around and reset that darn picture window it take a while to load but at least it has my favorite gadgets back. Oh, the thought of recreating them was awful!

Thanks you for NO help on this Blogger help support!

pure awesomeness. |

2012-02-10T15:18:00.001-05:00

pure awesomeness. |

I want my old blog back!

2012-02-09T20:51:00.002-05:00

Something happened to my blog and I lost my header and all my sidebar gadgets, even this way to post is not normal. I just want my old blog back!

The Passing of my Grand Dog " Barkley" !

2012-01-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

The Beginning

Oh, tears well up in my eyes as I try to post this. We had him 12 years and would have been 13 in June 2012. I remember the day he was born as our Golden Retriever's Megan and Jordan were his parents. They had one litter till we had Megan fixed and what a fabulous experience it was. She had 11 puppies and Barkley was the one my daughter picked out to be hers' the day he was born. HE was a beautiful dog and grew very tall and large. He had a beautiful red coat and shiny as could be. He is in my heart and will be forever as his parents are also. I guess he is with them at the " Rainbow Bridge" in heaven with his sister " Ally" and brother "Bailey" that kept in touch with us.

eating from food bowl of mush milk and softened food

We came to North Carolina pet-sitting "Ally" and her sister "Maggie" , a rescue Golden when their parents traveled. This is how we fell in love with this area and moved here after my husband retired from his work.

Barkley

Playing TUG with Mom and Dad

First 1st Birthday Party

When Ally and Megan passed very soon to each other, we had a ceremony at the Hiawassee River they all so much loved to play in. We had a priest and many friends in attendance for their good-bye's. I can't imagine a more fitting way to release them to where they loved and we also brought "Jordan " a few years later when we passed. Barkley never came to this river but he went boating with my daughter and fishing with my son-in-law on their boats. He went everywhere they did as did our dogs. He was just like their child! He also slept with them in their big king bed and made friends with all you came into the store they opened, in fact he was their mascot at " Big Dog Trading Co.". They even had to finally ask the mail lady to NOT bring treats to him as he was eating everything everyone brought to him.

He just had that kind of personality and shared his love with everyone. As he aged and got a tumor on his head, everyone always asked about him and how he was doing. I thought we would lose him a year earlier as the tumor was like a tennis ball on the side of his head. It was drained and came back several times. But, he was happy when he had that weight off his brain and no more migraine like feeling the vet told them. He lasted another year and that was a gift for all of us.

Barkley and Megan, his Momma

They came up here at Christmas last December and then to his other grandmother's house traveling many miles on that adventure. He was a delight for us to see and he had fun playing with our two new golden's, Emma and Bailey", also our two cats, Lily and Blak!

Christmas 2011

Then we got to see him again in January when we went back to Alabama for a doctor appointment and to get more of our things still there. He perked his ears when he saw grandma come in the door and call his name. He was having trouble getting up but he did! We attribute the MSN capsules to his lasting that last year. It seemed to keep the tumor smaller and it almost went away completely to everyone's amazement. He loved to leave his daybed and get on our airbed and my last photos of him are with his head out of our quilt covers. I adored these photos even before I knew it would be the last visit with him.

He was born 6-15-99 and passed 1-17-12 and he lived his dash to the fullest. He was the sparkle in my daughter and son-in-laws eye's as he was in their lives for so long, in fact their whole married life. They are experiencing a huge loss in their lives but will get a rescue Golden Retriever when it comes along to them.

January 2012

I cannot say how much he is missed by everyone with his presence! He just glowed with delight! My tribute to him is small in the hugeness of his wrapping me around his paw. I would do anything for him as he knew it.

God Bless you Barkley, I love you!

Smiles, Grandma Cyndi

Take a walk with me though the woods in January

2012-01-19T14:37:00.002-05:00

Take a walk with me though the woods in January

Since we moved to North Carolina and we live in the woods I cannot stay inside anymore. It is so different from living in a garden house sub-division. My front porch beckons me. My rocking chair is so nice to just be in. I know the white wicker is not North Carolina style but that is what we had. We never see a car go by unless they are coming to see us. That is really one big difference from city living.

I love walking through the woods and I see where the deer have been. I can just follow their path through the pathways they have created. The rhododendron is very hard to walk through. You almost need to scoot through on your belly and that I am too old to do. It just fascinates me. We used to drive hundreds of miles to get to the forest when in a hiking club. We also used to have three different jeeps; CJ7's that we spent many hours with a trail of friends roaming the woods in Alabama. We went old coal mine roads and I loved having the top and my door off to just watch the mud holes as we passed. The frogs leaping and small flowers along with all kinds of greenery and mushrooms where to be seen only by wood wanderers.

Now, I can just walk out my door and there they are. It is hard to imagine this life is really true. We are really living our dream. It is not what we imagined as we aged, we thought we would own a house and not be so money strapped but we make do.

Anyway, come with me and I shall show you what I see:

You can also click on any on the photos to see them enlarged and closer for more details, Thanks!

The photos got out of order, this is the entrance to the woods from our road, our house in behind me as I walk.

Here are three different size pine cones all in one place so I really have a variety to choose from!

This plant( you see the root)had neat curly-cues on it and I could not pick one off so I decided to get a piece of it and it was very hard to pull with a long root system so I pulled on it till it put me on my butt as I fell backwards. I will have to search to find out what it is! The curly-cues will be neat in my nature jars though and I will re-plant it at our house. I got many wildflowers last year when we moved to North Carolina so we will see what re-appears this spring and summer.

I found from a neighbor this is the brown dried fruits from a Sourwood tree and many make honey from this tree. It is very popular here and I had never heard of a Sourwood tree before we moved here.

Wow! What caused this?

I wonder what made this tree grow this way?

My dogs on a road that was made to go to an un-built house. It appears to just be a gravel road to no-where except a short cut to another neighbor's house. They take it a lot to visit her dog.

I wish you could really see the glitter on this stone.

A knarley branch!

The deer kick up the moss and it is upside down, this is what I collect and I have put it in my outside pots and indoor ficus tree. I even have stored it in turkey roasters to include in my nature jars I make. It doesn't seem to ever turn brown. I started out misting it also but as time went by I saw I really didn't need to but now and then I do, just to be sure it stays lush and green.

I have been selling handmade things when I get the time to make something but I have decide to start sharing the moss I collect with you also. I also collect pine cones, a few mushrooms I have dried, pine knots, lichens, and just anything nature presents itself to me.

When I was in the grocery store yesterday, I saw a magazine , "Country Gardens, Early Spring 2012" that had moss gardens featured which helped me identify and find the names for the mosses I am finding. I am finding there are two types of moss, The cute cottage house on the cover appealed to me to pick it up and it also features "Beatrix Potter" whom I adore. I don't get to many magazines on the store shelf anymore, but, this I had to have!

Here is where I go and what I see in January in our woods:

I am also very taken with oles in trees, maybe little gnomes and fairies live nearby. I am still searching for a fairy ring like the one Steven Tyler showed in is Oprah Winfrey new show on OWN network and he also mentioned his visit to his special place with the fairy ring in his book, " Does the Noise in My Head Bother You" I adored reading his book and love his music.

The broken branches show a larger animal has been through but many trees are down and growing fungi. It just astound me what is still live in winter in the woods. I can't wait for spring to see what it brings. The photos I share are just natural. I did not move many leaves as you can see. I just pointed my camera (I did find my Kodak Easy Share) as I had been using my cell phone for my camera the last few months. We will see how long it continues to work. I hope along time. I have to use the sport setting as I do shake a bit and sometimes the second photo I take is better than the first one. I guess age is showing itself, plus I take many RX for my neuropathy.

Yes, even Deer Poop!

This moss I have not been able to transplant, it covers a large area in the forest and then I end up in brown leaves again everywhere. It is just there to adore!

More broken branches cover this area where the deer live, I suppose.

I had to add one selected bulb I am growing, the paperwhite flowers smell so DeLicIous!:-)

More deep Poop!

I do know I get carried away taking photos, everything is so magical in the woods. AS I also showed you my dogs, Emma and Bailey caught up with me now and then while I was out walking and then low and behold, my cat Lily also appears. She follows the dogs through the woods and knows them pretty well herself.

When we walk the road she comes along and gets ahead of us, like "Come On, you are so slow"! I do tend to watch where I walk since my neuropathy and I do NOT want to fall, so I always am stopping and lurking at something on the ground or tree bark, etc, even the stones and rocks! Just anything is so new to me being back in the woods after so many years.

Enough for today, I need to get to listing some moss in my Etsy " ByLightOfMoon" handmade and supplies shop!

See you later and many thanks for looking at my blog post. I really enjoy your comments and thoughts!
Smiles, Cyndi

Visit the Junk Gypsies!

2012-01-17T18:48:00.004-05:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/EASTbound---down--NEW-BLOG--HGTV-mag-.html?soid=1102685122132&aid=wIsHQz6yyuY

I have to share with you my friends, The Junk Gypsies! It is so much fun to watch their Biggo Dreams come TrUe! And they come from Texas so you know nothing is small, they do live up the Biggo Time's Texans offer to everyone.

Be sure and follow their blog and TV show on HGTV as it grows to as big as their friend, Rachael Ashwell and Miranda Lambert! Scroll down their blog to see the reception they gave Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton after they married. You will see what I mean by "Nothing is done small by them"!

Be sure to check out the chandeliers' and chair backs, all the super fine details they gave Blake and Miranda. They also even before that decorated Miranda's new airstream as you cannot believe. I still wonder how they got that Biggo sofa in there.
Believe in your dreams as they do!
Smiles, Cyndi

My Days

2012-01-06T10:57:00.000-05:00

My front porch is my natural place I seem to not be able to leave. I find myself there all the time. My rocking chair and my blankets keep me happy.

It also seems like every time I leave to go out anywhere it becomes a photo opportunity, even walking around our neighborhood forest. I love living in the forest, it is actually the Nantahala National Forest and our neighborhood is a no trespassing and no hunting neighborhood, so we hope to see no deer or bear hunters. We saw ducks on our pond yesterday and it is a perfect place for them although I have not seen them before, it is nothing like the river and the geese we always saw when visiting here to pet-sit. We also have many birds and I made new feeders from a plastic bottle and wood spoons since the old feeder bottom fell off. I have not yet seen the turkeys, although I am always on the lookout for feathers, neighbors say they come here as well as four bears live in this area.

I have dirty hands all the time, even my nail brush is becoming frayed, I use it so much but my nails still stay like garden hands all the time. Last week, when we were at the hotel my daughter and son-in-law were checking out of and I collected two doggy bags full of tiny pine cones . I always have doggy bags in the car for a couple of reasons. Our dogs travel with us almost everywhere we go and I am picking nature things up all the time. I am always finding nature items to collect or neat photos to take. I see a bird and squirrel nests in the trees and rusty crusty trucks, barns, a sawmill, pastures, horses, beautiful Christmas decorations at homes all over this countryside. Smoke is always coming from the chimneys around this area also. Many homes have outdoor heaters or fireplaces for their heat source.

When we first moved here I remembered the car steering wheel handles that folks used driving the mountainous hilly swerve roads that folks used to have a handle on their car steering wheels to maneuver the turns that are everywhere on mountainous roads. It really would come in handy up here.

We never know what will be around the next curve. We drive slower and I love not being in a larger city with faster life. But, it seems I never have everything done. I am always making projects in progress and never completed. That is one of my New Year vows, a commitment to finish what I have started! Always! I have that and that going on all over my craft room that is slowing getting organized. I can't wait to really have it finished! Oh, I hope I do! I have too. I have so much in my head to do and I HAVE the needed tools to make about anything, soap, candles, fabrics out the kazoo,

Oh, and the pinecones I am drying in the oven from the doggy bags smell fabulous. Even my husband has commented on them. The house smells woodsy and feels cozy. I had the heater from the flea market we used on to help stay warm going through them picking up the stems I also picked up. But, I wish I had not tried to remove so many because when I was making a bird nest last night I found they are fabulous to help make it more natural looking, instead of the grapevine I was wrapping that was dried and breaking so I wound a few this morning that I had in the yard. Now, I just need to tie them wound to dry. So much to work with as far as natural nature goes, I love it!

Dried Pine Cones, TINY!

My Bird Nest for Swap above

My Swap Gifts

I received my Junk Revolution swap gift in the mail and I have not even mailed hers yet. I am so behind and actually I was waiting for our monthly check to come for the postage for it. I have gathered junky items, well, not junky, but FOUND items that can be used in mixed media art and or whatever she desires to do with what I send to her. She make want to trash it but I try so much to keep things from the landfills and I am always finding things on the ground that I keep and collect. You know, I forgot to take a photo of my sent swap presents, I just started filling up a box with all I could find that I thought maybe a junk addict could use in their art, recycled mixed media.

Anything from a bottle cap to a button, plus at the flea market I started trading for things before we gave up our weekly booth.

My greatest trade was two leather bags we had that are wonderful for a laptop or whatever and one that was a good duffle travel bag for an OLD ANTIQUE Garden Cart. Oh, how I love it. It says carved in the wood "The Original Garden Way Can, Charlotte, Vermont 05445. It will be fabulous for me to use around the yard and my collections, even bigger than a wheel barrow!

Emma in Garden Cart

I have been trying un-successfully to get our two golden retrievers to sit in it with their Santa Hats and jingle bell candy cane collars with Jingle bells attached. I sure can keep track of where they are kind of like the bells on the cats collars.

I found an old saw mill the other day and had to take some photos of it. IT started with a rusty truck we stopped for and the saw mill was hidden from the street.

Those saw blades were as big as I am! HUGE!

Anyway, this started out to be a face book post and grew into this blog posting. My blog posting is kind of a way for me to go over in my head what I have been doing and releasing it to be whatever. I started blogging with my pain journal to release the pain thoughts. Writing them down helped to let it go. I got a spinal stimulator when you may already know and from St. Jude's so I like to promote that with them as they have helped me every day to go on and be busy.

We do buy locally and spend our money locally as much as possible. Sourwood honey and the best kettle corn is here along with local crafts I have some of mine at" Carolina Crafting "in Brasstown, NC just 5 miles away from us. I don't buy much home decor anymore as we have no room and so much so I am starting to list more in Easy and Bonanza to try to sell and make so extra money also. Extra Money is a sad word with us lately, learning to live on Social Security is really very hard to do and we have got very good help from the state of North Carolina.

I am late posting my Christmas Photos, my Mother wanted me to get a new camera as my old Easy Share Kodak quit working one day so these photos have been taken with my cell phone.

Well, here are a few:

The dogs loved opening their presents!

My Grandog " Barkley"!

Can you see my Mother's angels on this light? They were made back in the 1970's with depressor sticks! They are so special to me!

Something about these white or light leaves surrounded by dark brown ones just spoke to me. I love the veins and blotches on them. I wish I knew what tree they were from? Maybe a birch?

More Christmas display:

Here is our booth we had a Decker's Flea Market but we closed up till spring as sales were really low after it got cold here

My Daisy trailer, 1963 Shasta

Lily Beth is growing up so fast, she is the abandoned kitty our dogs brought to us weighing 10 1/2 ounces

Here is a pony we are watching grow up, she is still nursing from her mama

Here is a car I saw at an outdoor sporting goods store

We also got a shotgun when we moved here but the protected neighborhood is very nice. We first looked at a cabin in a subdivision that had no rules and was very isolated so that is when we got the shotgun. I have been saving cans to learn to shoot it. I have never in my life shot a gun but I want to learn just for the heck of it. I watched Amie and Jolie on the Junk Gypsies TV show on HGTV and Jolie shot up a restaurant can for a light fixture. I don't know about that but it is good target practice I hope. I also have found another idea to use cans for in Somerset magazine I got at the local scrapbook store had on sale as they are both retiring and having a big sale. I hope to go their Monday when it even gets better. I shouldn't have but last week I dropped by there and with my PayPal money I got a couple of magazines and some stamps. Very good prices and even a "kewpie and Tim Holtz stamp! I couldn't believe they were still there as his sale has been going on but I have been trying to avoid it as I know I needed nothing from there as I shopped there big time when we came up here to pet sit at the river. They also teach classes on about everything to do with scrap booking and now that I live here they are retiring and closing. I hope to go Monday though for another magazine or two or three if I can. Somerset at half price or even maybe cheaper now is great for me to get ideas and learn without formal lessons.

I like mixed media using a little of everything. Not just a piece of stamped paper but adding fabric, natural items, vintage finds and whatever I think of. Once I get stated it is hard to know when to quit but I need to get busy with Valentine's Day coming up. I will, I vow I will! ( grins) I did do some walnut staining. I have to give it to the squirrels for eating most of my walnuts I collected. I just could not get them open to eat ourselves, so I stained.

Trying to open the shells by using a rock and hammer! NOT!

This post has really turned into a book chapter which is really what I think of reading blogs, folks just tell another part of a story every time they post.

I love reading these blogs " The Feathered Nest" , "My Owl Barn" blog I found which always features something about "Owls"! Also, Tipper of " Blind Pig & the Acorn" tells stories of the Appalachian way of life in the olden days, so I learn stories from what it was like up here in these mountains and she is very creative.

I also saw these cute owl boots at a shop while I was waiting for my DH in the Radio Shack store next door.

We just returned from Alabama again with another trailer load of our things and I had a Doctor appointment so I have a trailer load to unpack from our porch, thank goodness we have lots of outside space as I have to work it inside.

Well, I will see you again later and I will try to posy more often.

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.

Smiles, Cyndi

An interesting Day!

2011-11-10T12:14:00.000-05:00

I finally yesterday remembered that the Tri State Gem and Mineral Club meeting was to be that afternoon so I made my first trip to this meeting and joined the club. Many of the teachers from the William Holland Lapidary School are members so what a bonus to find this out!

They do take field trips and is a very active club. We learned about the process of identifying Gold yesterday and it was very interesting. The next meeting will be a Christmas Party! Whoo Hoo!

After the meeting in Hayesville, NC we wandered down to the town square where the" Airing of the Quilts" is happening and several were hung at the gazebo in the square at the courthouse in the middle.

We also wandered into an old museum I was taking a photo of the door sign when the daughter of the past owner invited us in and unlocked the door for a tour that was just incredible. Her father ran this General Store when she was a child and was known as Wayne " Cutworm" Philips. He was a character and very well know in the community! He was also a collector and the store museum is just full of vintage everywhere! I can share a few photos I took with my camera phone as my camera is broken. It is better than nothing for my memories!

This is the note that got me in the front door.

If you have trouble reading it because of the reflection is says:
Office Hours
Open Most Days about 9 or 10
Occasionally as early as 7, but some days as late as
12 or 1
We close about 5:30 or 6
Occasionally about 4 or 5 but
sometimes as late as 11 or 12
Some days in afternoons we aren't here at all and lately
we have been here about all the time
Except when I am someplace else
But I should be here, ??? Bob

Judy, is daughter showed us around the museum and described some things I had no Idea what it might have been. I think the oldest thing I saw was a washing machine. She lifted the middle part up as it worked. Very unusual and long before the wringer washer.

Quite a contraption, isn't it? We also saw a rope woven blanket that was put on horses to keep the flies away

Another fly swatter to keep them away from the dinner table is this paper cut flyer that her father made from newspaper. It is on a pole with fringe that someone would move over the dinner table.
Check this out, Judy is holding it.

This little pattern is the smallest I have ever seen. It measures abut 4 x 6 inches maybe and features a darling dress for little girls.

Here are some more shelf photos, these shelves used to hold boots her father sold. She remembered making trips to Atlanta to order inventorey and they also brought it home with them that same day. Also, salesmen called on her father at his store to sell their wares.

Here is a photo of Judy in front of the store on the square in Hayesville, NC

Here is "Cutworm" on a wagon ride.

And here is Judy after she worked hard to re-open the museum

I hope you enjoyed our day as we did. I also went to the Old Jail Museum, but it had closed for the season and will re-open in March but I found a very interesting Indian tee pee and some heritage information I will share with you on another day. I have to get busy for the week-end at Decker's Flea Market on Hwy 129 in Murphy, NC for our new merchandise to add I got from our storage unit.

Smiles, Cyndi

A Giveaway to Share

2011-11-04T09:57:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking of my blog and meaning to post but life is very busy these days getting settled in our mountain home. ( I know you have heard this for over 3 months now but, we made another U-Haul trip up) and we are opening a permanent booth at Decker's Flea Market near Murphy, NC on Hwy 129. We started making trips to set it up earlier this week and add merchandise. I am hoping to clean out my storage warehouse and attic so I can get back to life of crafting and just loving to sit on my porch and watch the leaves fall.

But, Cinderella's Moments has been my friend for several years now and she is having her first Giveaway on her fabulous blog! She has made several things for me and I adore my paper sailboats and painted buttons from her. Her giveaway is for a Shabby Chic Mantel as she makes "Magical Shabby Chic Everything" but mostly houses and they are incredible!

Please go see her at Cinderella's Moments blogspot and you can also follow her on Facebook as I do!

Look at this cute little detailed mantle and extra's she has made for one of us!

I am so happy to share her friendship with you, she also has a fabulous Etsy shop with many of her tiny houses and makings!

Smiles, Cyndi

Last Saturday's Adventures

2011-10-13T13:48:00.025-04:00

There is a Sorghum Festival is this weekend at Meeks Park in Blairsville, GA! I missed it last weekend so I have another chance! I did go visit Lost Arts Artisians Resales on North 129 state hwy at the border, the cottage is fabulous and I met CJ, the owner! She is a wonderful lady with a fabulous shop she just opened.

I also met Elizabeth and Debra at the 5&10 store in Blairsville, GA on the square by the Hole in the Wall Cafe. She has consignment booths full of beautiful things and many sewing items. I did get a "Home Sweet Home" Sign I have been wanting for $2.00 and also a $2.00 fairy I could not pass up.

I also visited the Lavender Garage at South 129 Hwy which had lots of beautiful jewelry and crocheted items. She is really good at crocheting the unusual. Both shops are fairly close to each other and to my cabin.

No wonder I missed Meeks Park because I talk to long to everyone I meet. LOL! I even met two guys sitting on their porch on a beautiful farm that I thought was Lavender Garage but with their directions is was just a little further down the road. But, I made many nice friends! Their front porch was fabulous and I had to take photos, Oh, how I wish I had the Fairy Silhouette.

I am enchanted by the little houses folks here have at their driveway edge to the road. Maybe it is for the school children to wait inside for the school bus and maybe small storage unit. Here is a photo of it. I love taking photos up here the land is just full of unusual to me buildings and farms, etc.

I need to sell some of my things at, "Union County Trash to Treasures" sale Friday and "Decker's Flea Market" Saturday to get $$ for trailer I need to rent to get more stuff in AL to bring to the NC mountains. I need it badly as I look for items to craft with that I know I have somewhere! I am selling some of my gold jewelry also, it is hard to part with but I am not wearing it and need the money worse than the jewelry. I just wish it would bring more than it does or that I had more. My husband surprised me with fixing an ankle bracelet he had given me on Valentine's Day 1979. It is engraved with my name and date on the gold plate with the chain.

I have gathered walnuts to clean and I do have stained hands as everyone warned me. I also gathered sassafrass roots for tea and I enjoys some last night! Oh!, fun in the mountains. I do have trouble staying inside to still unpack and get organized. But, I am working out of boxes as I did before. I WILL get it all together when I get it all up here to my unfinished attic craft room.

When I went to the Recycle Fire Dept that is only open on Wednesdays I saw these fabulous sweet potatoes. I had to also take a photo with the milk carton to really show how HUGE they are. Unbelievable!

He said they were going to make sweet potato fries with them. Have you tried the ones Arby's is now offering. The sauce they come with can be addicting! I just love them!

Well, enough for one weekend. I love to go around and see things happening up here as so much goes on all the time.

Smiles, Cyndi

Link to the ME Contest

2011-10-06T21:33:00.000-04:00

Link to the ME Contest

Mary Engelbreit is having a fabulous Drawing for the Grand Opening of her On-line store and is re-considering to re-start her much loved magazine back to us!

Here link is above and I love sharing it with you! I have always loved Mary E and I have her page-a-day calender on my desk as well and many of her other items in my home and crafting room. She is such an inspiration and fun loving lady.

Go look for yourself and Enter to Win also!

Smiles, Cyndi

true-blue & tragic. |

2011-09-20T16:06:00.023-04:00

I got an email from my friends in Texas, the "Junk Gypsies" and I had to sit right down and share their enthuseam and frolic with my memories!

true-blue & tragic. |

What a fabulous trip we had with our inaugural trip in our new/old vintage 1963 Shasta camper when visiting the "Antiques week at Round Top, Texas" and meeting the Junk Gypsies, their children and Moma and Pop! Also, I can't forget Ashlyn too! Your tent and Prom was the most magical place and time to be for us, (my husband "Bob", me, and our Golden Retriever, "Emma"! Your welcoming me by name just blew me away and your sweet attitudes are just like your blog, so Full of Frolic and Fun times!

I walked as far as I could and then had to rest the Event is sooooo BIG! But, I kept going to see and experience all I could for the whole event and we also drove down to see the fantastic Church's around Schulenburg,Freyburg and La Grange. TX. The blue bonnets were blooming everywhere and I discovered the round balls of moss on the trees and fallen so I also was able collect FREE stuff to take home as well.

We met so many fabulous people and our campground.Even Magnolia Pearl had her trailer there and we met her and I even splurged on an outfit and her book as well and your book from Country Living. I still wear my clothes from you(the Junk Gypsies)and use my drink cozies, and Junk Queen bag that everyone admires. I also even met and got books signed from "Sue Whitney" of Junk Beautiful! Another sweet soul was "Fancy" from Catcus Creek Daily as well and visited the Art Gallery in Round Top to love our new wind chimes and the "Royer Pies" are as good and delightful as anyone can say! Zapp Hall is awesome!!!!!

I need to pay my pro account on flickr to see all my photos from Texas uploaded there. First I have to get some money!

I do think all of you should try to go if you love Junk'in! Don;t make the tragic mistack of missing this event that happens twice a year.

Now, on another page I had my first craft show last weekend and we had so much fun. There were two alpaca's there from " One Touch of Heaven" from Warne, N.C. and I got to meet them and visited almost all day long. I could not keep away from them. They hummed so sweetly and I really need to get myself a pair off socks from them. They sure are soft and everyone says that I probably could wear them with my neuropathy as I can't wear most socks and even closed toe shoes, but this winter here in North Carolina I need something on my feet to keep warm and they may the just the thing!

It was a small country Fall Festival in Warne, N.C. with music, even a plunger was played call a flowbee! They had a spagetti dinner and played horseshoes and corn hole. An auction was held for crafting items and I got a Barnwood frame handmade with a Conway Twitty record album in the frame. I plan to change out the record with a family photo or maybe a nature photo I have taken.

Also this wee my cat "Lilly" was fooling around with a black racer snake which really freaked me out. It was striking toward here and she is fearless so I had to intervene and fortunately I had a BIG shovel nearby. It may have been cruel and mean but I slammed it down n the snake's neck. My husband got the gun and he thought I would be in the next county as I fear snakes terribly but I also love my Lilly Beth a lot too.
. I didn't want her bit or hurt and I know nothing about snakes but that I fear them. I googled it to find out the breed of it as it had a while belly and solid black topside. It also was very long!

I have been planting the garden plants I brought back from Birmingham, AL and I hope they survive the winter here. We have so much clay in our soil here but digging is so much fun to discover what stone will turn up in my shovel and pick. They just break apart with a lot of green shiny shale and red color also. I will have to take them somewhere and see what they really are. I met a lady that wants to be a "rockhound buddy" and go see what we can find together in searching the area for gold and rubies. Maybe we will get lucky one day. That would sure help us out and I also LOVE to search the glorious mica on the stones here to see more and learn about these gems

I have so many things to talk about but I better get busy with this house. We are still trying to settle in from the move which I think may take forever! I want to go to the Friday craft market in Blairesville this week and also get back to Decker's Flea Market on Saturday. I also want to talk to Jackie in Brasstown at her "Carolina Crafting" studio. I really need to sell some craft items or household things from my consignment shops to get some extra money.

See you again later,
Smiles, Cyndi

Planet Sark Journaling Fun Imagination and Adventures

2011-09-07T09:22:00.001-04:00

Do you love to Journal your Crafting and Adventures! This is one of the most fun and creative sites you will ever encounter. I have love Sark Books forever and even used to have a poster hung on my wall of her sayings!

Click here for Artella land fun and frolic, use your imagination!

Smiles, Cyndi

Getting settled while relocating to North Carolina

2011-09-06T22:49:00.001-04:00

We made another (third) trip to Birmingham last Wednesday for another load of stuff! We rented a U-Haul and quickly got it stuck again on our mountain road, they are gravel and we had to go look for the dogs before we left so we changed out our route to going uphill to find them and backed into a tree trying to get unstuck in the sandy gravel which we just dug into making ruts even bigger than they are naturally., and all this is by our driveway! We are going to have to get a four wheel drive car. Our Ford escape SUV just doesn't have the power for a heavy load. But, the truck was empty except for a few packing boxes we were taking back to pack things in.

We already had to call a wrecker before for our 2nd load as we dug in the road then going uphill so we dropped off the U-Haul down by the mailboxes and pond inside the sub-division this time and unloaded it with our things there into our car and made several trips to our house this time. It took us 5 1/2 hours to unload it with 8-10 trips to our house as it was due to be returned by noon on Sunday. We still had three bookcases full of our clothes and saw it would be a late return so we called the rental place, where we also have a storage unit and asked for an extra hour. They agreed to return it by 1PM so we really hurried and just unloaded our truck in the front driveway and left everything there to return it and then in the afternoon we brought it into the house and just dropped everythng where we could find a place. Boy, we are packed into this tiny house but I hope to sell some things at the flea markets up here. They are all over the place in 5 cities we live close too. I really love that idea. We also were trying to get unloaded before the rains were to come that afternoon. It did hold off for us thank goodness and did not start raining until 7PM Sunday evening. It is just a gentle shower now as Tropical Storm Lee is headed this way with harder rains to come during this week. Our Atlanta Television stations are covering the weather very good telling us how it is coming our way.

Monday morning it really started raining harder but I still have some windows open in the unfinished attic (this will be my crafting room) for the cats to lay by. They dearly love the window sill padded rack we put up for them, plus the windows with the two fans with air coming in one side and going out the other of the house. It really is quite comfortable up there today, Labor Day. I am working as I have to get things strainghted out here and not be so packed in. We have walking paths now in the house upstairs and down.

We brought back 5 bookshelves and I found when I went to put the shelves back in that I had left all the shelf holder brackets in the bag I was putting them in back in Birmingham, I suppose as I cannot find them. Fortunately I have a few 3/16 inch poles for other uses but they fit perfectly and my husband made the shelf holders for them. Fine! I so appreciate his help in his mechanical skills I totally lack.

The TV is really covering tornados all over Georgia and I am learning the counties in northern Georgia and Southwestern North Carolina. I am learning them anyway so it is really helpful to have a map handy. I also rented some tree and Carolina bird books from the library in Murphy to try and identify the trees and bushes around where we live now. We live in the Natahala National Forest and it is very wooded here.

I took many photos driving around our wooded sub-division yesterday afternoon also before the rains would probably take many of the leaves down. I took photos and collected leaves and bark where I could, also the berry pods that are so beautiful here.

Water hold in three tree trunks, is it a hobbit hole?

Water hole tree in our backyard

My collection

I have myself in school again learning the minerals and trees around this area. It is so interesting to me, especially where we moved from a garden home subdivion and we had one lone oak tree in the front yard and a fence in the backyard closing off the lime quarry behind our house. We also could hear the trains going to the quarry unlocking and locking the trains there that I miss up here. I never thought about the trains being interesting, it also was a main line to Mobile from the Alabama, Birmingham area.

We do have a bear with three cubs here and many deer, turkeys, bunnies, and assorted birds and I just love nature items to collect for my nature crafts. I signed up to be at the Warne, NC Fall Festival with a craft table and hoping I can get a few more things made but I am very busy just un-packing all we have to find what I can make. We still have a lot of (stuff) in Alabama that has not been brought up here and I don't know how many more trips we can afford to bring up.

My family is telling me to get over my collecting stuff but I paid for it and have a lot invested in my several years of collecting flea market, estate sales, charity shops, and my buying frenzy. I do think I am addicted to it and it will be hard to break this yearning to browse around and what I can find.

I hope to one day just relax on my front porch with a good book from all I have been purchasing over the years. I think my book collecting is from all the ones I lost in our home auction in Seattle after 911 when my husband was laid off his Information Technology job he had been in the industry for 15 years or so and that is one job that moved to India as everyone knows about. We moved into a Class A RV with our two golden retrievers, Megan and Jordan and lost many of our personal items. Up to that point my main collection was "Dept 56 Snowbabies" that I collected and had many bookshelves full of them. I saved a few of the older retired ones thinking one day we would just start over and have room for them again. Plus I never thought about the market just collasping on collectibles as they are not nearly worth anything near what I paid for them. But, I love them and am trying to fill a curio cabinet with what I have but it will overflow bad. I have no idea what I will do with them and displaying them where I can see and enjoy them.

But I found nothing is wrong with buying second hand in fact it is the best way to purchase things we need as I usually break them anyway especially my clothing is fine from thrift stores, especially and most of my wardrobe came from the Alabaster thrift I lived so close too. I wear a of of long crinkle skirts when going out and I have to wear something I can fold up my legs when sitting due to my neuropathy, I also have to wear sandals with an insole from my feet neuropathy. It all just came out of the blue and I never thought about ever having health problems. So we live day to day as my husband also retired with health problems and I am grateful for all I have as I have many blessings to be thankful for. My family first of all! I am so grateful for a loving family and I was just overwhelmed on my recent birthday with the love I received.

Back to the rain, sitting on our front porch for breaks is so much fun. We have no gutters on the house so when it rains hard, it is like sitting under a waterfall. Just really neat to see and enjoy!

Tuesday AM resume because I quit yesterday when unpacking and just on a break.

It got so cool last night with the rain and tempeture drop to 60's that I got out my Mother's shaw she knitted for me in the 1970's. Oh, I wore this shaw all the time then and I love it.

I wore in on the porch while it was raining and then again this AM also as I had to change from nightwear to long lightweight sweats and a long sleeve shirt when drinking AM coffee outside.. Do you put your nightwear underyour pillow when you make your bed? That way, I keep the bed made without dog hair on them. LOL!

This morning it is dry outside as in not raining but it did fill my V8 jug with about 9 inches of rain water. Maybe I will use it to rinse and wash my hair as I still hate the smell of our well water. They installed a filter which was missing altogether and the cold is OK just the hot smells so bad still. I think they need a new heater altogether as it has sat under the house for several years that the house has not been lived in.

It looks to be an awesome fall here in the NC southernwestern mountains with all the bird migration and habitat to learn about. I am so excited to be here!

This house also had a satellite antenna on the side

Honey with comb in it I got at Farmer's Market in Hayesville, NC

Cute garden shed

Cave Springs, Ga.

My Fabulous Birthday and Surprises! They Got Me Good!

2011-08-16T13:03:00.000-04:00

I thought my birthday would be a quiet weekend with my husband in our new cabin. Little did I know plans were made to surprise me with wonderful and thoughtful blessings from my family!
Last Saturday night we were sitting on the front porch just relaxing when on our gravel road I heard a vehicle coming our way. Now, we never see or hear a vehicle here unless it is coming to see us! I turned my head to look at the corner to our house and I could not believe my eyes! It was my daughter's car pulling their pontoon boat! They had called us earlier that day and said they were having trouble with the trailer lights but got them fixed and were going the lake. Faked me out! I thought they meant their normal day at the lake in Alabama. Not!

Here they were in North Carolina and the cover was on the pontoon boat. I thought good traveling idea to keep it protected from flying debris on the road. Well, when the uncovered it after they arrived, I saw my garden plants from Alabama. I had said I needed a horse trailer to get them up here as a U-Haul would be to hot and burn them up! They had traveled wonderfully and a sight for my sore eyes.

I had been having plant fever and had collected wildflowers along the roadsides to plant to have some garden plants in our yard. I also got eat up with chigger bites getting them and am still a week later scratching but not trying too. It is impossible when I wipe my leg to it and get it started itching. They had brought our two cedar trees we had planted in pots and by our front door and also our garden table and chairs. We later had a pork chop dinner at the table and it was wonderful.

They also brought us my internet items I needed to re-list because I forgot them on our last trip to Alabama for our second load. Now, maybe I can sell more extra merchandise I have to make enough cash to go back again for a third trip. I am glad I hear the price of gas is going down.

They also brought me a dozen cupcakes from the newest store in Alabama than has lines out the door when she arrived to get them. They are (were) an assorted batch of various flavors and colors. Oh My, They are awesome, but sweet! You can really feel the sugar in the icing! Sugar buzz!

After that surprise they said they were taking us boating on the Hiawassee River which they had already contacted a marina and make plans for Sunday my Birthday. We were excited and I just could not believe that they were really here and all they had done for us. I was in tears many times this past weekend. We drove around the Hiawassee River all day Sunday looking for a better marina than the one they had contacted as it was a 45 degree angle to put in the boat and that was also the case at several other marinas we checked out. So, we never made it into the water on Sunday but we had a good time just seeing the scenery around the lake as we drove around it. We also went to Thunderbirds in Murphy for lunch that day and had an awesome lunch of deli sandwiches and they told Frosty (the owner) that it was my Birthday. I was so in awe when they brought me out a huge triple chocolate chip brownie cut in half and ice cream in the middle with caramel and hot chocolate sauce drizzled on top. Then, I even noticed then at the plate top was the name T Birds was written on the top of the plate. See photo below:

What an awesome birthday lunch with my family! They had planned to go back to Birmingham on Monday after a conference call my daughter had to be connected to with her work so they stayed longer than expected on Monday to take us to another boating site fun filled day on Lake Chatuge. The river access there was first - class, everything was all we could ask of a boating marina.

We spent several hours boating and riding around the lake on a beautiful weather day of 75 degrees and just lurking and spying on some beautiful homes on the water. We even found a sandbar island we stopped at for lunch and I got off and went looking for gold stones or whatever was available to find. I had seen at the Chamber of Commerce in Haysville that gold and rubies, plus other gems can be found on the lake when the water is down from the old gold mines in this area. And there are many places to go look. I do love stones anyway and always collect a few when I go see new kinds.

We even saw a seaplane at a house reminding us of Jimmy Buffet style of life. A "Manatees Protected" sign is a sure thought of him and his charitable causes. After a day on the water they left to go back home and my daughter had to stop again and make a call to her work around 5PM for something, they sure keep her tied down even on a vacation day with mandatory events!

When we got back to our house, I found a UPS package from my sweet Mother that she had sent from Missouri. She had told me to expect a box of books which is common for her as she reads fast and sends me good books to read so I am never in need of a new book to read. Well, when I opened it I only found two paperbacks, a Danielle Steele and a Nora Roberts book, but I did open my eyes in wonder when I saw a "Dept. 56 Snowbabies" box. Oh my, I used to collect them in the 1980's to 2000 every time a new one came out and it was also fun looking for retired "Snowbabies " before the internet sold them. I had to just look in gift shops when I traveled to find them at over retail price. IT was called:" The Little Diva and she is like a snowbaby overdressed in a floppy hat and oversized high heels carrying a big bag with a puppy inside while also holding a leash with a puppy dog on it! When I cried opening the package I had to clear my tears from reading my awesome card and seeing what she had sent to me for my Birthday.

I just could not believe so much attention had been paid to me. They all use their phones more than I do to see emails, and check face book. They told me I had pages of "Happy Birthday Messages and when I finally read them last night I cried again. How many wonderful people wishing me a nice day had taken time to post to me their thoughts! I am just overwhelmed with new good thoughts on my life and the folks who care about me even if they barely know me.

We were both very tired last night but I woke up around 4 AM this morning and as I type it is 56 degrees outside and still dark. The cats and Bailey got up with me but quickly went back to sleep in various sweet spots they cuddle on. I now think Bailey has gone back to bed where it is even more comfortable.

This Tuesday will be a glorious day as I reflect on my special weekend with my family and thoughts. I had no idea this many folks thought of me and took time to write messages to me. What thoughtful gifts we received! We even have our old toilet on the back porch now like real hillbilly woodsy folks with no room inside for it. It is funny but they also brought us a new Higher Seat Jacuzzi Toilet for my husband after his back surgery and I admit it is nice. It flushes better and also my toes barely touch the ground making it easier for my husband to get up and down on it. This back fusion surgery and his osterioposis have really taken an effect on him making him retire earlier than planned and one reason we are here today. We had to find a less expensive home we could afford on Social Security living only. And, we are adapting!

This is a good way to wake up for a new day, I had my other new trip around the sun with my family and a glorious unforgettable Birthday Party weekend! Thanks for reading about it with me reflecting. This is one reason I blog. To share my thoughts even if only for me to make a journal of thoughts and reflections on days gone by.

My photos of My Birthday Day at the Lake Chatuge, Georgia are at frstyfrolk on flickr
Slideshow

Getting moved into the Cabin in Western North Carolina

2011-08-11T17:02:00.000-04:00

I keep thinking of things I want to share with you in my blog, it seems when I am sitting on my front porch for every break from unpacking and sorting things to save and sell or donate, I don't have the laptop with me or I am just plum beat!

I do manage short log in's on facebook to see what is happening with my friends but I have been short on time to just sit here and browse blogs or crafting sites like I used to with morning coffee. In the evenings I am just so tired and usually with a backache so I see myself on the sofa with some dumb TV show or go straight to bed and read myself to sleep. And, I have so much to tell you!

Things have been happening so fast around here. I have some very nice Bonanza sales and they usually come in two sales when I have them. Very odd, isn't it? But, I am very happy that sales have been picking up. The trouble is some of my things are still in Alabama until we can make another trip to get them. My husband has been selling on EBay or old electronics we can't use anymore and we even had to get new cell phones with another company that somewhat works up here in the mountains.

We are in the mountains in the country with life so different than we were used too. I have not seen one car go by our place that was not coming to see us. We have very nice neighbors and two have specifically come by to introduce themselves and then we were invited to the annual home owners meeting where we got to meet more folks than actually have moved into this subdivision. Many still have Florida homes it seems and to move here has been put on hold due to the economy or whatever reason. This house has been rented twice before but we have found in being here so many things that have never been hooked up to really live here. There was not even a water filter on the well water. I think well water is supposed to be wonderful but it has been sitting for so long that it stinks and I think tastes bad. I am even brushing my teeth with bottled water. They did add a new filter for us but now I think it is rusty in the holding water tank and that too may need to be replaced. The fireplace had never been hooked to the gas in fact there is no gas to hook it too, so I assume no one ever used the fireplace, The same thing with the icemaker for the refrigerator and they installed a water line for us while we were back in Alabama for the second trip. The ice finally tastes pretty good in my lemonade also with fresh lemons; it looks and tastes so good. We do have our own well here; it is not a community well.

We went into Historic Hayesville to see the town square and got sidetracked at the Welcome Center. I am a brochure picker-upper everywhere I go to learn what is happening with events and services. I no longer walked in from the door and said we just moved here and they asked me to volunteer to help them on Friday 1-5 each week. I accepted and then went to see a shop they thought might sell things on consignment, they did not but do teach classes or lovely items which I would like to take a couple when I can. They make beautiful crafty items that appeared easy to learn with a couple hour classes. Maybe you will see me doing one or two in the future.
So, we still have not made it to the downtown area. Warne, NC has no downtown area just a T in the road; we are between the cities of Murphy and Hayesville, NC with more cities Hiawassee and Blairsville very close also. I still go to Murphy when out and about myself where my husband is exploring the new towns.

I went to put up some "LOST CAT" signs at the main road we live off of and got sidetracked picking. I love picking like "American Pickers" show but I did free picking. I picked "Wildflowers"! So, the next two days I spent planting them in our yard. There were no flowering plants here but lost of trees and greenery. So, I started in a ditch that water runs down clearing the dead leaves and debris from it which runs the left side of our cabin. They don't look like much yet even though I kept them in bins of water but hopefully in time they will adapt. They were all on the roadsides and in clusters so no one will miss the few I picked from as many more are available to the passing car. In fact in some places it was hard to find a pull over site on these two-lane roads. They are all very windy and curvy everywhere to go. I don't like big cleared highways anyway.

I love to pass folks farms and wildflower fields. The Queen Anne's lace is so abundant here, there are just fields of it! Also the farmers are cutting the hay and corn is growing tall but we did have some much needed rain. I can see horse, cow, alpaca, and goat farms all over. They are just beautiful. They have many Saturday Morning farmers markets here along with a Tuesday Morning flea market but we have not been to any of them yet. They had a huge fire at Foster's flea market mall which is really wood shacks with roofs and only open on weekends. It is a huge business in Murphy and a big loss until they decide what to do about rebuilding. That was one half of the marker, the other half, Decker's was OK but maybe this weekend we can go. We have been to all on previous visits here when pet-sitting and love them.

I also have visited Pam at Silva's Gallery in Brasstown and we had a lovely visit at her shop. She weaves fibers and makes wonderful felted hats, shawls, and other items. . She also does beautiful mixed media and takes consignments but is full to the brim. Her husband does clay making ceramics and awesome handmade items.

The John C. Campbell Folk School is also very close and I would love to go by there again too. There is just so much creativity in the mountains and everyone has been so nice to us.

Losing our Russian Blue Cat " Bleu" has also been very devastating. He just disappeared one day while the doors where open a lot after our second trip from Birmingham while we were bringing thinks into the house. I have called for him, driven the gravel roads here and put up signs for him. We also told everyone at the Home Owners' meeting to look for him. I keep hoping he will just show back up as folks say they do but it has been a couple of weeks now. Lily is like a caged animal when trying to keep her inside, she loves to wander to watch the butterflies and insects, but she is close to my eye when outside and comes to check in with me often. I try to stay outside when she is out or she stays in with me and just howls at the doors and windows. "Blak" seems content being inside. He loves to get in high places and goes to the attic that I am making into my crafting room and he lays on top of the refrigerator there.

When reviewing our photos I have taken while driving here from Alabama and just around the area once up here I love to take pictures but many are while we are diving down the road, I am not able to stop and take really good shots but just a glimspe of what we pass and I love seeing the things we go by so what I share is not perfect but just passing shots.

The gas station photo of the "Elvis" Black Limosine was so funny, They looked like they just got off their tractors and needed gas. I am just sharing some smiles!

Once here, our first neighbor we met was just wonderful to us, she delivered a kitty balloon which the cats and dogs had a fun time figuring out about this thing floating in the air and a very pretty plant in a birdhouse planter. She is so nice and has helped us so much already.

She even gave us the "Welcome Flag" for our yard and it was put there while we had gone back to Alabama and came home to find it.

I also took many photos at the Georgia Mountain Fair and I uploaded them to flickr as wag to many to show here. See them at frstyfrolk's Carnival/ Circus/Fairs Set .

I also took many photos of our yard area before I planted anything and the side and back yard are where these are taken, moss and trees, with mushrooms mainly so far along with a sasafrass tree.

Another things I love is reading the road signs, so many have unusual names. I really got a laugh as some of these! They are in our area of Warne, just go left off main road to find the "friendship" and "On our way" Left to find refraction and "whatever"! I also love tire swings!

I have more photos to share, I am unpacking my bedroom dresser today and finding so many things I love but that take up precious space. Oh, What to Do? I really love my ceramic shoe collection. Photos to come when presentable.

Smiles, Cyndi

Getting moved is a Pain, especially in July!

2011-07-29T09:08:00.001-04:00

Sorry I have not blogged in a couple of weeks. It has been very, very busy every day with packing, getting the moving truck loaded and my daughter brought my "Daisy" 1963 Shasta trailer for me. She and her husband did so much for us and were so MUCH help to us; I don't think we could have done it without them.

We arrived here about midnight and the gravel roads were so bad and getting to the house was really a tremendous effort. We were all tired and just spent with all that had been happening, so we called the - Haul unpacking men and asked them to wait a day to give us time to really think, "Is this want we want to do and where we want to be"? We really were having doubts! They had moved the weeds like a hayfield and the stones driveway was very easy to turn your ankle on. I have to wear sandals with my Neuropathy and you really need shoes and socks here. Sturdy ones!

We sat on the porch all day Sunday and had pro's and con's. I knew I did NOT want to return to Birmingham, AL. I have never felt like home there but my daughter grew up there. I do LOVE these mountains and feel serene here so we were already here and knew we wanted to stay. Next, to decide if this was the house we wanted? We loved the house but it IS a one bedroom and one bath and we had 3 bedrooms and two baths in Alabama. This house also does not have a bathtub. It is upstairs were the owner stopped building and the tub, shower floor, double vanity, doors, molding, etc. are all on the upstairs attic area. One reason to look for a used hot tub! Anyway, we said this house is big enough for two people and our rescue animals; we just need to down-size so bad. And this is very hard for me to do, especially since we had to lose so many belongings after 911 happened to auction and my husband lost his job, not to find another one.

It is especially hard to me to give up my books, music, and knick-knacks that I have gathered many places we have visited. I also have become a crafting supplies goddess. I could open a store and have enough for any crafting need. But, I have so much money invested in them, now is the time to TAKE TIME and spend using them and creating mixed media art. I have so many items to begin with and probably will find I do not care for some crafting projects I think I want to do, but I want to try.

Time is something I hope to have access to spend better on projects like reading and being creative. At least I want to use my time better for things other than always moving something around to try to make more room. I still have several truckloads at home and will have to decide what to do with it. Many things I really still need, I think! I have my record albums I have been recumulating, CD's, and DVD's. Also I could make a whole truckload trip with my backyard plants. After finding many were hard to replace, I cherish them now and am harder to let them go and cannot be replaced. I will just have to look at what I listen to and watch as my tastes have changed back to the old good time rock and roll of the 80's and 90's. And some are hard to find. I loved Walter Egan, "Magnet and Steel" and it is way too expensive on Amazon for me to afford. Also Bob Welsh and " Sentimental Lady". Just a couple off the top of my head. I thought I had the CD but have been unable to find it. My husband just buys a song on ITunes and books on kindle but I like a book just like my music. Give the it to hold in my hand and read the liner notes or the record holder paper.
We did take a day off last week before we made our second trip back to AL to get another truck load, just a small U-Haul. We went to the Georgia Mountain Fair that attracts folks from all over and the cabin rentals are the busiest time of year according to our realtor. Of course, we had cabin problems to get fixed. We had no water filter and the water smelled of rotten eggs. YUK! We do have our own well here and it does take funny to me even after getting it repaired and installed. The icemaker was not anywhere near a water line, the previous folks used bagged ice our realtor said! How is that? Anyway, we brought our own refrigerator because of the door ice access and they moved the one that was her to the upstairs so now I DO have two refrigerators. It will be nice to keep things for the winter snow inns'. They had two 8 inch snowfalls here last year and no one gets anywhere for a few days. We will just have to not need to go anywhere I hope!

I loaded a few of the photos of the fair and house to my flicker account" frstyfrolk" as it is so easy to work with. I still have more fair photos to upload but I am getting there. The Hughes satellite is slower than I am used to having.

I unpacked the second trailer load yesterday after a least getting it on the front porch the day we arrived so we could return the trailer. WE did have to get a wreaker to come and pull the trailer up the hills here in our subdivision. At least it was a very reasonable charge of $40.00, not the $150.oo charged to us in Arkansas last year!

I added to my flicker albums" NC Cabin" and "Carnivals and Fairs".

Our neighbor has been a very nice welcome here, she brought us a kitty balloon and a plant birdhouse to welcome us and then even a flag with lavender on it. I do love lavender plants and the color purple.

Till next time, I need more coffee!
Smiles, Cyndi

Moving to North Carolina

2011-07-13T07:05:00.000-04:00

My goodness it has been a busy month! We are moving but did not really start packing till we got the lease agreement and that wasted a couple of weeks. We had to make sure it was a livable lease for us and they did change a few things for us we had agreed to previously.

This will be a much smaller house for us and my workroom will be the whole upstairs as it is unfinished. and THAT will be more room for me! I am really looking forward to that. We have wanted to move there since we started pet-sitting almost 10 years ago. We fell in love with the area and I sure hope it is cooler than this heat wave in Alabama.

We packed in the garage yesterday and the heat index was 108 here. It is a good thing I did not sit down to read the newspaper headlines until last night , as it said to curtail outside activities. Oh yes, we can wait till next week. Not, the moving van will be here Saturday, and I still have so much packing to do.

I am amazed how I have been a pack rat here and everyone is saying how are you going to get it all in that truck. Well, we may not, we plan to return with a trailer the following weekend to get the rest and I hope one trip will make it. Maybe that will encourage me to give it away.

I hope to really have more time now to spend on my crafting and learn more about what I love. Goodness knows, I have enough supplies! I did just get the last two books last week with my 40% coupons, the book of "Stamping Metal Jewelry" and "Tim Holtz Curiosities". I know I will love reading them as I will keep them out with my bedside book for easy access.

I have put several new sidebar sites on my blog because I want to be able to find them when we get the computers set back up. We will have to get Hughesnet as we are in the mountains and remote compared to what we are used to. It even has a weekly newspaper instead of daily. That my husband will miss every day!

But, I plan plenty of porch time. It has a three side porch around the house, fabulous!

Our cabin in the woods is exciting to us! We used to go hiking in the Smoky Mountains and North Georgia and always loved it. Just so peaceful and quiet. I hope we can start walking more than we have been. My husbands hip and my feet are both problems for us as we have had medical problems the last 10 years, Oh My, has it been that long? Well, it does seem like forever compared to when we lived in Washington State and hiked everywhere and walked long distances. There was always something outdoors going on there and there is in these mountains also.

So, I will be closing my Etsy and Bonanza shops for now until we get the computers back up and going and also locating and unpacking my on-line listed goods. And my, I will have so much more to list as I will have gone through almost everything.

I will be back and maybe posting on facebook with my husbands I-Pod soon and I hope on this computer again next week sometime after it is all set up again. I know that will be his first duty as well as the TV satalitte hook-up. Everything has been scheduled, now for it to all go smoothly.

See you again soon!
Smiles, Cyndi