My art studio

Thought I would share a little of my work studio with you. This is where I do my painting. It is a little room on the back of Darrell's wood shop. Only about 10 feet wide and 20 feet long. Just about the right size. For year I had a large studio up stairs over the shop but we decided to turn it into an apartment and my oldest brother lives there. Darrell created this for me and I moved in it in 2006. I have a building just outside the door where I store all my supplies and keep my inventory. I have a room inside my home that I use as a studio for sewing and other work. Painting can get messy so I keep the two apart.

This is Darrell's wood shop. I debated as to show you or not because it is so messy but he says it is his and he knows where everything is located. A typical man for you. He makes patterns for anything we make so when I want it again it is easy to produce. These are hanging on the wall. Maybe when he see I have shown it he will clean it up a little. Hey! a girl can hope.

Kitchen Angel

This sweet little Kitchen Angel is one of the items we are working on for our coming shows. She will watch over and bless your Kitchen. You can have her personalized if you like. You will find her on our web site. Can also be painted in custom colors to match your decor.

West Virginia State Flower

Have been to busy for the past week to come in for a visit. Darrell has been busy cleaning the yard so thought I would share one of our favorites with you. This is our West Virginia State Flower, the Rhododendron, This one is in our back yard and is about 25 years old. It is about 15 to 18 feet high or more. Such a beautiful site. This was last year. It will be in full bloom by Memorial day. We have others scatered over the property but this is the largest.




This is a close up of one I took from the web this morning so you can see the bloom. They come in different shades. Hope you enjoy as much as I do.

Find the robin

Just wanted to share with you. I have a weeping mulberry tree in my front yard that is just starting to bud and this morning I found a Robin sitting on her nest in the tree. See if you can find her in the picture. It is raining Cats and Dogs here this evening. Going to spend a lazy night watching TV. Hope all of you have had a blessed day.

NEW SALE ON WEB SITE

Hello,
A beautiful day for us today. I have spent the week painting some furniture that I want to sell in a yard and craft sale at the first of the month. Will post some picts. when I get them finished.
Wanted to let you know we are starting a new sale on the web site. Each week, beginning on Mondays we will offer one item at a drastically low sale price. Half price or below. Be sure you take a look as it may be the item you have been looking at. First one is up now.
Hope you all are having a wonderful and blessed week.

Hey,

A dreary day in the mountains today. Don't think it got out of the 40's today. Suppose to warm up again by wed. and I will be glad. Got to cover my lilac bush tonight so the frost won't get it. Just starting to bud. I love the blooms and i t smells so good.
Back in my painting studio today for the first time since Dec. Glad to be back to painting, Got to get started on inventory for the fall craft fairs. Always looking for new items. We have been working the Gatlinburg Craftsmen fair for over 20 years. The last two weeks in July and 20 days in October. I'll give you the exact dates as we get nearer to July. Started new project today and will give you a peek when it is finished. The picts. are a little of my booth at the fair last year.
Darrell has doctors app. tomorrow so we are off to Huntington, West Virginia for the day. We drive 100 miles each way to the doctors. We live in a wonderful place but very inconvenient for doctors and shopping. We have learned to live with it. Hope you all are having a blessed day.

more dolls

Three little Toddlers that sit at the foot of the bed. Hand Crafted.

This is Prissy and Mammy from the Gone With The Wind collection.

I have them on a hutch in my dining room.

Doll collecting

These are two of my favorites from my doll collection. They are hand sculpted from clay and each is a one of a kind, I purchased them about 10 years ago in Georgia, They are from the Kropp collection in Hearne Texas, So amazing as you can see every wrinkle and detail. The body is made from an old sewing machine spool. Each one is about 28" tall and came with their own chair. I have now come across this lady since or I would have more of her collection. The black lady is from th Bayou and is named Maddie Mae and the other one is Addie Mae.

Wonderful day

Was up late last night due to my cold, so decided to work a while and created these memory boxes for the web site. I love seeing how each one turns out. The sun is shining today and we are suppose to get to about 70 degrees. I love it. The flowers are all budding, but then that means the yard has to be mowed also. That is Darrell's job of course. HA!

Thought I would share this with you. This Victorian bench sits on my front porch. Some years ago I visited my Aunt in California and she had this bench on her porch and it was painted by a local lady there, of course I loved it, A few years later she moved to West Virginia for a couple years and upon moving to Vegas she Gave it to me. Looks as though the couple are sitting on the bench.

Candy Recipes

The chocolate is called summer coating. We use a brand called merkins, wilton also makes one. You can melt your choc. in the microwave but be very careful, if you get it to hot you will destroy. Put about a pound in a bowl and start with a minute, stir choc. and continue 10 seconds at a time stirring each time until melted. You can get white, pink, yellow, red, orange, green and a few others. these are all the same vanilla taste. you can get milk chocolate, dark choc, butterscotch and peanut butter flavor.

Coconut Bon Bons:

2 cups dry coconut ( dry coconut can usually be purchased at the candy store)

1/2 cup regular coconut

3/4 cup hot light Karo syrup. Heat the syrup until just hot, do not boil

Mix syrup with coconut and let set until cool. With damp hands roll mixture into balls and set on waxed paper. Melt your candy coating, Any color you like.

Using a dipping spoon, which you can purchase or a reg. spoon dip the candy balls in the chocolate and put on the wax paper to dry. Store in a candy can or covered container. Will last for weeks. You will love these.

Spread peanut butter between 2 ritz crackers and dip in white chocolate for a wonderful treat. Set on wax paper to dry.

Send me an email if you have any problems or questions, Be happy to help.

We had a little get together over the weekend. Served finger foods and made some home made candy. I always make many different candies during the holidays. Since chocolate is still available I decided to make a few kinds. Made Coconut Bon Bons, two kinds of fudge and Ritz crackers and peanut butter covered with chocolate. When I had my craft shop our number one sale item was candy supplies and teaching candy classes. I am going to share some of the recipes with you as we go along. I will put these two in for you today. The chocolate we use is called summer coating and comes in many different colors, milk chic, dark choc, and butterscotch, Can make so many different recipes and also all the choc. bunnies and such that you see at Easter. If you don't have the candy available in your area let me know and I will be happy to send it to you. My sister sells it in her shop now along with all the molds, utensils and such. The pink ones are the cocoanut bon bons. You won't believe how simple they are.

Not feeling so good today.

Boy do I have a horrible cold. We have all been sick around here. Seems like we have just passed it around for the past month. Can't seem to shake it. Darrell has been sick for about 2 week and just as he is getting over it, I get it. Really bad sore throat and cough. But unlike him, being a man, I went to the doctor yesterday, Gave me a shot of antibiotics and 2 meds. to take at home. Hope I don't suffer as long as he has. If I am not well it will postpone my lap band surgery for Monday. I sure don't want to have it done and have a bad cough as I think it would cause problems with the healing so guess it will be a couple more weeks before I get it done. Don't feel so bad today just coughing a lot.

Great News

I am so excited to let you know that I have joined a wonderful new shopping community of ladies. You can find me at the Village in the Shabby Lane Shops. You will find our advertisment in several magazines in the next few months, so keep your eyes open for us!www.shabbylaneshops.com.

Typical Day in the Mountains

Has been raining here in the mountains most of the day and kind of cold. Typical spring for us, one day in the seventies and next down to the forties.

I spent most of the day finishing up some sewing and getting them listed on my web site. The sweetest sachets, some are heart design and some large strawberry designs. Each is a one of a kind.

Done a little house cleaning, Will spend the day tomorrow baking as we are having a little political gathering on Saturday for some local candidates. My first venture into politics. Wondering what I am doing. HA!

Hope you have had a great day.

Spring is my Favorite time of the Year.

Things are finally getting back to normal around here. After taking our grand children home over the week end I spent the last two day at doctors app. and the hospital doing the pre opt for my lap band surgery. I am anxious to get on with it now. Got to talk to a nurse at the hospital who had it done in October and has lost 55 pounds now. She said she wish she could have had it done 30 years ago. She is age 60 so just a few years older than me. Mine is scheduled for April 14. I will keep you posted as I go along on this journey. I hope to have most of my weight off by Christmas.

Darrell has spent the last few days spring cleaning the yard. Was about 70 degrees yesterday. Flowers are starting to bloom. This is my favorite time of the year, nothing better than to wake up in the morning with the sun shining and to hear the birds singing. We have a large deck on the back of our home and enjoying entertaining in the summer. Darrell, as most men, likes to cook on the grill, We have an outdoor kitchen on the deck.

This old fashion bleeding heart bush is beside my front steps. I have pink on one side and white on the other. They are so hardy and easy to grow and last quiet a while. Beautiful bloom. Also have a weeping mulberry tree in the front yard that I love. I will get a picture of it when it is full.

I have been working today on a new heart sachet. Will get them pictured tomorrow so I can show you one.

Got some work to do on the web site. Hope you are having a wonderful week.

We have a Winner

We have a winner for the ad in the May issue of Romantic Homes Magazine. Congratulations to Patricia from Florida. She was the first to notify us of the page number (87) for our ad. She will receive the beautiful candle lamp pictured as her gift. Be sure you watch for the June issue and be the first to contact me with the page number. We are also working on a new contest for the web site so check in often as you will want to play. We also have an ad in spring issue of Romantic Country.