Oak City Treasures

Its become a thing to go to the flee market on my weekend off. I never really had weekends off since I was 16 and had my first job. Well, maybe not that long but, it has been awhile. I am enjoying, it makes me smile.
I have been looking for small home decorations that remind me of NC. I recently found this oak leaf shelf at the flea market. The guy wanted $3- sold! I love this little shelf it is awesome for the crystals and shells I have collected.

 

 I really liked the Indian bags that were made of leather and woven pieces. They wanted too much for the bags. I would have bought if they weren't $40, I am sure they are worth it but, I wasn't that loaded.

One guy had all of these large pieces of coral.  I am not sure what I would do with it but, they sure are pretty. I love organic forms. Yes, those are my green toes and hubby's abnormally long ones. Not pictured prizes are NC state glass with wolf. maybe 70's  for $2, and a Jersey for hubby, NC state Basketball- I think he paid $7.
We did rather well and had a bit left over for the farmers market. Pictures Tomorrow

Good Summer Eats!

 Have I ever mentioned that I live really close to the NC state farmers market... so close that it is dangerous. We have had fresh corn and peaches in our home for the last 2 months. I am not really sure what I am going to do with out it. I buy the peaches from Pee Dee Orchards stand at the farmers market, there are many other options but, theirs are the best, sweet and juicy. Their orchards are loacted in the Sandhills part of NC. We drove past the hwy road stand every time we went to my Mom's hometown when I was a kid. If we timed the drive right you could stop to get homemade peach ice cream. The Pee Dee Orchard family produces an amazing tasting freestone peach.

The lady who sells the corn out of the bed of her truck wears a shirt that says, "Born to Sell Corn". I love it, I love her sweet southern drawl too! You can get Silver Queen from other trucks, but my lady sells a variety of corn called Delirious. Oh my, it makes me feel really delirious, it has a crisp and creamy flavor. It makes me delirious happy to pay her $5 to get 20 ears of corn.
Hubby makes a mean meal and made an awesome piece of Sockeye with cool fresh herbs on top.  Don't you wish you could come eat dinner with me?
If you are really nice I might try to make a peach cobbler. It wont be as good as my grandmother's. I haven't actually made one of these this summer. I feel this is a dessert that requires vanilla ice cream. I quit eating dairy about 8 months ago and I haven't enjoyed any ice cream replacement since (or found one under $3).
Can say that I made the tabbouleh, I wish I could say that the tomatoes came from our garden. Ours just didn't make it in the heat. There are fabulous heirloom tomatoes that have an amazing flavor and texture at the farmers market. We are so fortunate to have the treasure of the farmers market so close, but sometimes we wish there was a CSA option at the farmers market that was affordable. We are not vegetarians and Hubby is a well versed cook, but we lack the time to prepare food. I wish I was a better planner with food. The corn and peaches are wonderful rather immediately. Brussels Sprouts and Eggplant are not and greens go bad too fast.  I think I am need to learn how to can peaches and freeze corn so I can have it in January.

Still a Kid

 I am close to being on this earth for ahem, 30 years. I still feel like a kid, with more responsibilities I don't really want. I am messy, sightly irresponsible and still trying to get a hang on what is going on out side of my brain. There are things that I have not lost, and do not plan on loosing. 1. Love of friendship bracelets. I made many back in the day. We started selling these at the store and I fell in love all over again. This falls right in lines with wearing stacks of colored bangles, I do this on the regular also. I have hardly taken off the colorful patterns of the friendship bracelets 2. Doodleing....I also have done more henna drawings. I have a blast doing it. I like doodles, free flow drawing. I am not very good at it but, something in my being wants me to do it. Henna is an awesome medium for me as is a thin tip prisma color. 3. Is swimming in a river/ lake.  I don't do this enough. I crave to swim in water the color of the earth and smell like rain. I love finding a cool spot and balancing on a float until I become like a prune. I am a water child. I need it, it needs me. Floating is something I must do more and hope to do this weekend with my Dad at the lake.

4. Swinging, 

high, 

working hard, 

and getting up there, 

pumping my legs and flying. 

Laying back, 

locked elbows, 

knees straight, 

toes pointed. 

Soaring through the air weightless,

careless.

Business Statement to Live By

Continue the traditional crafts skills by bringing them into today’s environment.

This is what I do and want to develop!

Handwriting and Books

I come from a long line of ancestry buffs on all sides of the family. I spent many childhood summer days with a family member in particular who wanted me to take an interest in my family history. Of course, I didn't really appreciate it at the time. I did fall in love with old handwriting, and would attempt to decipher it. Folks took their cursive seriously back in those days. They wrote captivating prose. You get a true sense of who the person is who wrote it. It is not a simple automatic response but with a narrative. I truly love seeing the original papers much more.
A cousin recently found a copy of a relative's old will in state archive.This lawyers hand writing is tight and precise. He uses a lot of legal rhetoric which is entertaining. I took pictures of the photocopy not for documentation of the content, but for the love of handwriting. I now enjoy looking into my ancestry lines and can get a super kick out of finding handwritten documents like that.

I also love books, especially really old books like these from the turn of the century. Such beautiful gilded binding. Oh, smell of the pages and the crack of the spine. I am in love! I don't dare open these.

All Complaints Aside

 I was recently complaining about how the nasty heat has killed my oasis of a backward. I failed to mention that my yard is full of blooms. We have a crape myrtle in the front yard that is going nuts.

 Along the fence in the back I still have sunflowers, the smaller ones now. The morning glories took over this sunflower stock. Oh I love that dark purple!

This is the real beauty. This is our potted Hibiscus that was headed for a dumpster. When my hubby brought it home it was two sticks off a nub of a trunk. It has been with us for years and only bloomed once before that I recall. Hubby put coffee grounds in it this summer and it went nuts. I counted 12 buds the other day. She is a real beauty now, so green and bushy too. The summer hasn't been so harsh on some things... they actually seem to love it. Just wish I did.

Shell Necklaces and Earrings

 This project comes from two friends who stayed at our house after a family trip to the beach and before their trip to Chile to visit an orphanage. The were returning and wanted to bring small items for gifts. They picked up shells with tiny holes at the top. I taught them how to tie slip knots so the necklaces could be adjusted short and long (Yeah Girl Scouts!). We made quite a few. I loved how this turned out and thought it would be a great project with a few knot tying skills with kids.

 The rocks were for the boys and our friends tried writing on them. I think we needed a better ink pen than a sharpie, but it wasnt bad.

 We also made earrings. The ladies had sets of shells, I always loved picking these up. They were thankful for my love of craftiness. I had a few materials to help them with. E6000 being one and earring backs being the other. They loved how these sets of earrings turned out.

 These gifts were almost free and super awesome. They are items from NC coast. My friends said they had a hard time thinking up gift ideas that weren't too showy or unusable. They were going to workers and children in the orphanage. I hope they really enjoyed giving these out.

Summer Kaffe Quilt

 Here is a sneak  shot of a project I have had in the works for awhile. I need to rap it up soon. If I get too comfortable with the mess a quilt creates, the project will never get finished. I have truly loved working with the Kaffe fabrics. The quilt is a play on the dark and lights. It has been a crazy last few weeks off with every moment off of work planned out. That has come to an end for awhile. It is also become so incredibly hot here in the south, all I want to do is be inside near an air condition vent. I had beautiful sunflowers, tomatoes and green grass that is now a crispy brown. Really wishing I had a swimming pool right now. Hope to be able to show you the finished product soon on the quilt.

Great Aunts House

 I have a great aunt that is 92, she lives off a finger of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. She is a staunch democrat and environmentalist and historian. She lives in a home that was built in part of a 1800's farm house. It was added on to a few times with close attention to detail. She has a wonderful eye for antiques and decorating. We picked a wonderful weekend to visit. There was a nice cool breeze the entire time we were there. She has no air condition.

 She lives on a few acres of land that consists of two fields split by this cedar lined driveway. The cedars were planted in the late 70's it is amazing how big they are.

 Part of the family sitting on the dock. We had a great time together visiting, laughing and educating.

I took many pictures but, this is my favorite. I couldnt help but feel that the rest of our family who is no longer on this earth was with us in heart and spirit. I found it very healing to be in her home and with my family on such a beautiful weekend.

Pink Bunny For Emily!

My niece turned 1 years old today! Happy Birthday Emily, we love you very much.
I made her this bunny and blanket last week before we went on a family vacation. 
I know she will love the snuggle bunny! I looked at a few images on flicker and then freehand cut the pattern. I was really happy with the way it came out. I embroidered the eyes and mouth. She is slightly sad looking. It grew on me. I made the blanket from a scrap from the quilt I made for her when she was born. She has unstuffed arms and legs with knots tied at the ends. Her ears are also unstuffed which makes them super floppy. She would be fun to tie around your arm or stroller. She also has a a sweet dress that can be removed. No bunny is complete with out a fuzzy tail. I almost forgot....but found a scrap of santa hat trim. It worked perfectly. This project in total took me 4 hours. I loved every minute of making her. I will be making more very soon.

Kate and Wills

So, yes I went there, and yes it is totally off topic. I am also not the type to keep up with celebrity doings, but I am having a total lady crush on Kate!

Look at this dress. She looks amazing! Oh and the hats! I love the hats! Why is that not appropriate here? Here being southern US. My mom has a nice set of vintage hats that were my great aunts. I just don't see me rocking them on top of my curls. Just saying.

Ohhh Babies

Not Me Folks but, I found out two people I know are having babies. My Step-sister and her hubby are having their second and our good friends are having their first. We are so happy for them all! Of course I am excited for rather selfish reasons, other then getting to hold sweet little babies in 7 months... I get to make super  awesome baby gifts! I love baby stuff. I worked in the baby section in a dept. store. It was awesome inspiration. I all ready have a few ideas floating in my head. Baby stuff is also super easy to make and always makes it that much more special. I have made a few items for my niece and nephew (who are almost 1 now!). I made a flannel quilt and baskets and these soft baby toys. How about a bag with a changing mat? More baby stuffed toys? How about a little outfit? Maybe these precious booties.