A Little Local Fashion...

Lucy's Boutique in Landrum SC has some new items that I'm fawning over! I wouldn't wear the dresses as dresses but over leggings, 'cause I'm fashnikety that way. Thought I'd share them with you mostly for the reason that I want to pin them on Pinterest and this is the only way I know to do it since you can't pin directly from Facebook and I don't have "java" something or another that you need to view everything on their website. I'm so techy, right?

Anyway, hope you enjoy the fashion show! There probably won't be another one anytime soon...

Here's the link to their Facebook page in case y'all want hop over and have a look-see for yourselves!

Lucy's Boutique

I want this truck! The truck and the clothes!

This is the link to the Facebook page where I got this photo. 

Sherry-Godsey-Cates

Be sure and take a peek at her page. Amazing photography!

I'm finished playing now and it's time for me to get some work done! 

One more share, be sure to visit this page too. Lots of good stuff!

Ground Beef Budget

Makes me wish I had a pig...

I'm-a Workin' On It...

It's been a rough couple of days on my knee and ankle, don't know what's up with the pain unless it's just part of getting older. Well, yippeee! Not that I'm old or anything :D

I'm still working on the shed project and I've actually set an event on the shoppe's Facebook Fan page. I'm planning on opening up for business on November 2. My vision is to totally deck the shoppe out with Christmas merchandise, lights, trees, lighted trees, ornaments, the whole nine yards. I'm stoked! Love me some Christmas decor and I can prove it! I have at least ten huge boxes full of it. I had forgotten about most of it until I ran upon it while I was cleaning out shed #2. Most of it is ever so gently used and some of it is totally unused and I'm going to be selling it when the shoppe opens at really good prices. So if you live in the area and would like to stock up, please visit my FB fan page and get the info. 

Speaking of the FB page, I need a favor. Please click on this link

Facebook Fan Page and give the page a like. This isn't for popularity reasons, it's so that I'll be able to track stats there. I have to have at least 30 likes in order to do this, so I'm pleading! Thanks in advance! I'll do a random drawing for a giveaway in the next couple of weeks to show my appreciation. The give away will be from the page and the winner will be selected from those who gave it a like. I'll give away something from the Christmas themed items. Not sure what yet, but I'll post it when I figure it out. Y'all have a lovely day and hooray for the weekend!

Two Women and A Hoe...

If you haven't checked them out, please do so! Lovely...

Two Women and A Hoe

Love this website, I could sit and look at their photos all day!

A Filtered Lens...

I realize that it's a flaw instead of an attribute in my personality but I tend to look at life through a "filtered lens". When things get rocky or people are just plain old fashioned mean, I pull the curtains. Literally and figuratively speaking, it's just how I deal...

Having said that, I can't help but wonder if that's how I'm looking at the project of turning the shed out back into a shop. Am I seeing things as they truly are or through my filtered lens? I don't know how to explain my optimism except to say that I'm going totally on faith and flying by the seat of my pants.

After emptying ten huge boxes, filling 5 leaf bags full of trash and hauling it to the recycle center in the afternoon heat I couldn't help but ask myself if it was worth it.

And then I came back to the same points I always do:

1- had I begun this years ago as I dreamed of, instead of listening to other's pessimism, I might well be a successful small business owner by now, who knows?

2- if I do make it and I'm able to work for myself instead of putting money in someone else's pocket (as I've done most of my adult life) then you better believe it's worth it!

So as soon as the sun comes up a little more, I'm going back out there and get at it again!

Hey, want to know what I found yesterday? I'll tell you anyway. The doll crib I received for Christmas when I was seven and the Suzy Homemaker oven I got when I was five! Can I hold onto stuff or what...

On The Other Hand...

Remember that old song by Randy Travis? Ahem, neither do I...
Any hoo, I was cleaning out shed #2 in order to move junk much needed items from shed #1 and I had a great idea. Why don't I just use #2 for the shop? It's cleaner, which means a lot less work and it has other advantages as well. Only I don't know for sure if it has electricity, but I'm sure JD could fix that :)
(He's going to kill me any day now.) Let me take you on a tour and see what you think...

This is a pic of shed #1 leading back to #2. Check out the magnolia print that's as big as I am and weights about as much. It would look like a mural inside the cottage :D

It wasn't this messy until I got into it this morning. I would have to move the compost pile which shouldn't be too difficult since the rabbits keep it cleaned out for me....

Please excuse the empty boxes I slung out...maybe I could install a gravel walk way leading to the back shed???

Steps would have to replace the what ever those things are...

Some painting, but much less than #1 would require...

I wish my son would either get his stuff or give me permission to throw it away. I don't have much need for Ninja Turtles and Batman caves...

I'm not even sure where some of this came from...

Nice built in cabinets that I can't get to at the present moment...

So, whaddaya think?

"Shedding" The Old...

Good Sabbath everyone! Hope you're all having a great weekend. Me? I'm okay. After all of the mowing, weed eating, fighting fire ants, and being completely frustrated with four hens, I'm just a wee bit on the exhausted side. But I did make a dent in the shed project yesterday. I say a dent 'cause that's what it is. The dent is that I came up with a plan that I think might work. From inside cottage. I also took this pic from the deck. That's about all I could muster yesterday. My knee is swollen, not sure what's up with that, except that I just plain old fashioned over did it on Friday. But I'm okay, really. I did manage to make a cushion cover for the bench in the cottage kitchen yesterday and also finished up a new tablecloth. At least I got something accomplished...

View of the shed that will hopefully be magically transformed into a rustic shoppe. 

Love, love, love the old light!

Looks like a bunch of work, huh?

I can't wait to work on the little vaulted "ceiling". I have high hopes that this could be transformed into adorable. I'm optimistic that-a-way...

Oh, why am I frustrated with the hens? After laying for nearly everyday for a week, Miss Flossie just cut me off! No eggs for nearly two weeks and she actually had the nerve to peck me yesterday! I announced to them yesterday that they shouldn't mess with a woman who has dumplings in the freezer...

Just kidding...

Tomato Love!

I have a thing for tomatoes. It goes all the way back to childhood and living for summer and fresh tomatoes slipped inside of biscuits. This was my dessert on those warm evenings spent catching 'lightning' bugs. (We don't call them fireflies around here.) Before the lightening bug chase and tag and mother may I and whatever else we played at dusk, there were tomato biscuits. I still eat them every chance I get. The thing for tomatoes eventually led me to my favorite cuisine, Italian. I think I may have a little Italian in me somewhere because I could eat some form of it daily. So the fact that I'm an Italo-phile makes me pretty picky when it comes to the tomatoes I use. Which is why I've been freezing tomatoes on and off for a few weeks. The fact that these were free and sweet made it definitely worth the trouble of stashing them away for winter. I'm dreaming of chicken Parmesan, cacciatore, pizza, spaghetti and on and on. Now if only JD shared my love for Italian... 

Here are some tips in case you run upon some free and sweet tomatoes!

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and wash the tomatoes. Place them in a large bowl, pour the boiling water over them and let them sit until you see the skins starting to split.

Simply peel the skins from the tomatoes and discard. 

They slip off pretty easily.

If the tomatoes have a firm core, cut away from it and quarter the good parts.

This would be the core I spoke of.

This would be the good parts I spoke of :)

Once you've separated the good from the bad you're ready to ladle them into freezer bags. 

This would be the freezer bag. Just kidding. I also can tomatoes which is fairly easy. The reason I chose to freeze these is that I had more freezer space than I did pantry space. 

If you don't have time to put any away right now I'll let you in on a little secret that an Italian friend of mine taught me. Just slip whole, washed tomatoes into freezer bags and freeze. You can then remove the skins and cores when you take them out in the winter. She told me that her mother did this all the time. I have to say that I've tried it and they worked out just fine.

I've got to work on JD's attitude toward Italian cuisine...

Afternoon In The Woods

If I hadn't known better I would have thought that we were in a remote campsite somewhere in the mountains of North Carolina. It was quiet and we were surrounded by nature's sights and sounds. The truth is that we weren't too far from downtown Greenville, S.C. I couldn't believe it, completely unexpected! When JD's daughter invited us to her boyfriend J's apartment for our birthday cook-out, this isn't what I was thinking at all. What a wonderful surprise we were in for to be in the midst of trees and a creek and the best part is that it was actually about ten degrees cooler there than in the front of the apartments. Thanks to JD's daughters and J for a great cook-out and a little camping in the city!
                                                               A perfect Sunday afternoon...

J mans the grill...

JD and two of his daughters indulging in some "burned weenies".

So sweet!

JD on the bridge over the creek...

Love dragonflies!

Gorgeous!

Liam, he's a good boy...

Anyone care to tell me what kind of tree this is? They're everywhere you go in these parts. My grandmother called them weeds, she was kind that way...

Italian Style Chicken Salad!

I adore chicken salad. I adore it even more when I can eat it on top of a garden salad. I'm a salady type person. Salad, salad, salad. everyday in the summer and at least three times a week in the winter. I love me some salad! I just happened to have some left over turkey from the turkey and dumplings so naturally making salad was in the back of my mind. This is an unusual twist on the regular, but so tasty with the creamy Italian dressing and the lemon zest and thyme lent light and refreshing undertones to it as well. It was s'wonderful, mahvelous...

For the turkey/chicken salad:

1 cup cooked, diced and/or shredded turkey or chicken

zest of one lemon

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

2 basil leaves, chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup Duke's mayonnaise

Zest one lemon and chop the basil and thyme together.

Add the mayonnaise, lemon zest, herbs and seasonings to the chicken/turkey.

Mix well and refrigerate until serving.

For the creamy Italian dressing, mix together:

3 tablespoons Duke's mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

I'm particularly fond on chopped salad these days, so I made this one with all of the veggies chopped uniformly. You can do it like this or your way. It's up to you!

Chopped tomatoes!

Chopped banana peppers...

Chopped scallions...

Chopped green bell peppers and red banana peppers...

Arrange it all on a platter...

Top with the turkey/chicken salad...

Help yourself a big ol' bowl of the goodies, add the dressing, sunflower seeds and some croutons and you have got yourself one fine summer supper!