Monday, December 28, 2009

Photos from Christmas Morning

We were blessed to have all three of our grown kids home with us on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. My youngest is a photographer, and after a wonderful Christmas brunch and the opening of gifts, he got out the camera and had fun with an interesting lens, capturing several aspects of the family, the home, and the grounds. I hope you enjoy his photos which will give you a chance to look around our place a bit.

Our home from the hill behind the house. In the yard you can also see our "doggie deck and private room" for when the dogs spend time in the fenced yard.

Our source of heat... a soapstone woodstove that works wonders!

Looking up... directly above the ceiling where the globe lights hang is my 5 x 8' beading studio, part of the old home construction which we decided to keep intact, and am I glad!

The family gathered round the stove. At the top of the stairs is our bedroom and my small office. Also upstairs is a very large bathroom and laundry facility with skylight. And my beading space.

Our dog Bruschi... in one of his favorite poses in one of his favorite observation spots... at the sliding doors where he can see all the comings and goings (and there usually aren't many!).

Jesse's dog, Empi... in the shot, our cat's built-in scratching post.

Empi in the snow... which at this point had been around for a week.

My studio... with painting in progress

John's workshop... side additions added last spring and summer... room for his forge!

Inside the workshop where John makes knives and occasionally works on cars and motorcycles.

John's source of heat... the old Carolina Pride, from way back in the day!


And now I hear the woodsplitter outside my window, singing away... a call for me to go out and help with this never-ending winter chore!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

My Holiday Wish for You!


HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL MY FOLLOWERS AND FRIENDS!
MY WISH FOR EACH OF YOU IS
PEACE, LIGHT, AND LIFE
AND THE TIME TO REFLECT ON AND APPRECIATE
THE DAILY BLESSINGS THAT SURROUND US....
AND HERE'S TO A FABULOUS NEW YEAR!

Monday, December 21, 2009

My First CD Arrives With Winter!

Here, winter arrived with a bang... but today, the first day of winter, it is sunny with a bright blue sky and blinding with the snow still on the ground. We made it through the weekend just fine since we got only snow, 9 or 10 inches, and no ice. We have not left the house yet, but we're planning to this afternoon - with a trip to the post office to mail a few packages and to do a little bit of shopping.

I listed my Homespun Girl CD on Etsy last night and have had one sale so far! Yay... what a wonderful surprise to wake to this morning! You can check it out by clicking here.

Here are a few snow photos for you to enjoy!

Still snowing when I woke up on Saturday morning...

Our house in the snow...

Front yard wonderland...

Our snow dog, Abby...

John's footprints up the hill to the mountain...

The woods...

Hope everyone has a spirited, festive, and fabulous holiday!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Homespun Girl

It appears that I will be a homebound girl this weekend if the weather forecast is on target. Starting this afternoon, we are supposed to see some lovely snow start falling in these parts, with a total of approximately 6 inches, and maybe more, before it's all over tomorrow night. That's enough to keep the wisest folks at home, hunkered down for the duration. We've got the woodstove nice and toasty and plenty of wood to keep it going, lots of food, good books, and hiking boots for a walk around the mountain.

We're all set... unless the power goes out. We can stay warm, for sure, but since we have well water, if the power goes out, so does our ability to have water for bathing, and most important, toilet use!!! And with several inches of snow on the ground, I am not too keen on going out to the woods for that purpose! We're just keeping our fingers crossed that it is indeed snow that we get and not ice, which tends to wreak havoc on all things higher up, like tree branches and power lines. We will be able to have coffee and tea since we keep a camping stove, fuel, and an old camping percolator-type coffee pot for just this reason, and a few extra gallons of clean water.

So it will be interesting to see what the weekend holds for us. One thing that will keep me busy is getting cover art and labels on my CD, which I am soooo happy to say is finally finished! Thanks to a huge effort by my bandmates, Trey and Diana, we were able to complete the mixing on Wednesday night. While it isn't perfect, we all agreed that it sounds pretty darn good and we were pleased with the outcome. And we really weren't aiming for perfection, more for a real sound. As long as the electricity continues to hold out, I will need to burn the CDs, affix the labels, and get the cover in the cases.... just in time for Christmas! That was the plan from the start, and we worked really, really hard to achieve it!

Here's the cover... that's a dress by freeflightclothing on Etsy... and it's so soft and comfortable!

And here's the playlist, 12 original songs...

The three of us learned an awful lot from this process... it was a challenge, for sure. And it was amazing to see how it all came together, to hear what Trey did with leadwork and Diana did with cello arrangments, and to learn about the recording and mixing world. It's a huge, huge job, but we are glad we made the effort. It was definitely worth it, and I am indebted for a long, long time to my friends, Trey and Diana. Thanks, guys!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Five Fabulous Finds... X 2 (almost)

This week's post of my favorites on Etsy features members from the Etsyveg Team... a team committed to a healthy diet and responsible and ethical treatment of animals and the earth. I am proud to be a member of this team and to showcase some of the fantastic work produced by these folks! The theme is green because the team is dedicated to caring for the planet.

If you like what you see, be sure to follow the link to these items in the Etsy shops... all are very reasonably priced and would be perfect for a gift, or for you!

A Long Walk choker by PrettyinPeace

Margarita Soap by krugsecologic

Mother of Pearl and Crystal earrings by naturalartist

Cucumber Oakmoss Massage Candle by chickscratch

Birds on a Wire enamel pendant by AnnabellaDesigns

Okay, I know that's five, but there's more... just because it's my blog and my choices... so enjoy these too!

Chartreuse Pillow by ravissant

The Owl and the Wind linocut by bluecicada

Brown and Green Dangle Earrings by lochristine

A Breath of Fresh Air photograph by aktie9


Until next week, remember to buy handmade and shop Etsy! Happy Holidays, everybody!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Giveaway Winner, Treasuries, and More!

It's another busy week and this will be a full blog post! First I want to announce the winner of my Holiday Giveaway... it's Jill of GlazedOver on Etsy! Congrats, Jill... your Blue Moon jewelry set will be mailed out today! And thanks to everyone who entered!


This morning we woke up to another very foggy morning! All the fog we've seen lately has been so beautiful and inspired my newest treasury... click here to see it on Etsy.


Finally, I learned yesterday that I won the Etsyveg team November Challenge! I'd entered my Cinnamon Apple earrings for the theme of Autumn Harvest. So I will have a free ad on the Etsyveg Blog for one month. Here are the earrings I entered, and the ad I created.



And now I'm off to the post office to mail out a couple packages! Please check back tomorrow when I will post my Five Favorites Finds for the week!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Winter's Beauty

Each season brings to us gifts from nature. The gifts of winter, for me, include a chance to simplify, to rest, to meditate, to reflect. And perhaps above all, winter brings the most majestic sunrises... maybe because of the deep darkness of the season, or the lateness of the sunrise, or because the air feels so clean and crystalline pure. The other morning, around 7:00, as I was drinking my coffee, I saw the most beautiful streaks through the sky and I ran for my camera. Here is what I captured... the progression of the rising of the sun and the light across the mountain.







May the winter season, as it approaches, bring into your life wonder, magic, light, color, and beauty. Happy Holidays!

And if you haven't entered my holiday giveaway, there are just three days left to do so! Click here for more details.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

New Jewelry Soon to be Listed

There was some wonderful light through the windows this morning, so I took advantage of that and shot some newer pieces that I will be listing on Etsy in the next few days. What do you think?

Circle of Life earrings...

Winter Night earrings...

Red Velvet earrings

Winter Ice necklace...

Purple Majesty necklace...

Earthen Roots earrings...

Simple Pleasures earrings...

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Fabulous Holiday Finds

Perhaps Tuesday's Treasures should become Wednesday's Wonders! The holidays and all the activities revolving around them are keeping all of us busy, and that's my excuse this week for not getting my favorite finds posted on time. So much going on, so much to do, so many things bumping up against each other in my brain... it's getting rather hectic!

And speaking of holidays... here are my five favorites for this week, all holiday items, though they would be lovely in your home, or on your ears, at any time of the year! As always, follow the links to check out the fabulous work of these incredible artists and sellers on Etsy.

Words of Wisdom star ornaments by zinniadesignstc

Beautiful holiday Holly Bell earrings by annaCsophia...

A rustic Star Ornament by arianaalysedesigns

A cozy Holiday Birds flannel pillow by allisajacobs...

And a lovely Red Bird glass ornament by katiediditglass...

There's still time to purchase a holiday gift from a seller on Etsy... but you better hurry! Until next week, remember to BUY HANDMADE, SHOP ETSY!