A hillbilly gets fancy

Twas long bout yesterday that I had one of them there whatcha call 'em...

TUNA SANDWICHES

Tonight I was ponderin what to fix my man for dinner, and I thunkd of a good idear. Well, you know, we's just plain folk roun here. And a tuna san'wich are a tuna san'wich. But, over yonder, up in the city like...well now they say them folk make a mean tuna sandwich. So's for dinner tonight, I fixed my man a high class meal.
 
Course I started with bread an my leftover tuna vittles.

Next I piled it high with some yummy frigidator pickels.

Then I got really fancy like, and added some purple grapes. Jes don't ya all tell Pa bout that. Thems his good grapes for makin wine. You uns know, for medicine and the like.

Well, I heard about that them fancy city folk like to add garnishes to their meal. So boy did I get fancy!

It must've pleased my man jest fine, look at him chow'n down and the like:

This here be the sign of well-fed kinfolk

NIGHT YA ALL, HAVE A GOOD ONE, YA HEAR?

I would title this iCarly, but someone else has that copyrighted

In case you haven't figured it out by now, I am a person of a different sort. When I write a recipe, you can bet that it's just unusual enough that you probably won't find it on another blog. {Come on now, you know you enjoyed that Possum Stew recipe!}

 Well, the same goes for when I feature someone. You will find a lot of etsy bloggers featuring this person, or that person. I've even been featured, and for that I am very grateful. I hope that you all understand that I may not return the favor. Generally, when I do get around to featuring someone, they have to fall into one of two categories...1) They are non- profit, or they are making a difference for someone in some way, or 2) They are a 'newbie'... They are just making their start in the land of Etsy.

Meet my newest 'newbie' friend:

Hello, my name is Carly. I'm a mom of a very active 8 year old young man and work part time as an RN on the weekends. My husband and I have been married almost 15 years.

I love to make things for others to enjoy and I was very much in need of a creative outlet to offset some of the responsibilities in life! I've been making jewelry for years as gifts and for myself. I started to sell some stuff in the past few months, just as a way to "fund" my hobby.

I enjoy making all kinds of jewelry, but some of my favorite pieces once lived as something else. I create one of a kind handmade necklaces, earrings, and bracelets made from vintage or new jewelry that is either broken or outdated. I work with Vintage ( 1950's mostly ) beads when possible and also many other materials including polymer clay, glass beads, brass and many more...I wanted to share my passion for fun, repurposed art that you can wear!

Along with designing jewelry I am also passionate about my Holistic, eco-friendly lifestyle, mindful living and parenting. I also enjoy the ability to help others bring a balance back into their lives, So many times I was a pushed and pulled in a million directions by my family, work, child, spouse, etc. I've been able to strike a better balance in my life, reduce stress and become more mindful of how I am living and the energy I am putting out into the world. I wish for others to share in that joy....

I think the key is to take responsibility for your own health and well being, not to rely on someone else to make you happy. That means different things for everyone, but for me it is about making sure I am taking care of myself first and using my creative energy to make others feel special as well!

You can find Carly...

Here for her Etsy Shop

or

Here for her facebook fan page

Fix Your Eyes Upon the Dawn

ASPIRE

Ideals are like stars, you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you reach your destiny--Carl Schurz

The above photo is a dream come true for me. It's a bit dark as I don't have all my lighting done yet, but this is my new workspace.

Success lies, not in achieving what you aim at, but in aiming at what you ought to achieve, and pressing forward, sure of achievement here, or if not here, hereafter. --R. F. Horton

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. --Thoreau

See that dowel rod, and that big blank wall? Soon to be a staging area for photos of wallhangings.

This may be an ugly floor to you, but it's one of my inspirations. I hope to sell enough to purchase a huge cutting table and cutting board. Here is where it will go. Can you see it? It's invisible now...but it's there.

A handful of pine-seed will cover mountains with the green majesty of forests. I too will set my face to the wind and throw my handful of seed on high.-- Fiona Macleod

A bit untidy right now...but this is just a small amount of my fabric.

Before men can come to Utopia, they must learn the way there. Utopia, I see, is only a home for those who have learnt the way...it is not the place for men who grow wealthy by intercepting but by serving.--H G Wells

Stephen, of course, gets a nice section of the new workspace. Decorated bright and colorful, he loves it!!

As you leave...this is what you see. Thanks for visiting!

Emerson said: "Hitch your wagon to a star." One can see in those six little words the summary of human achievement, and an everlasting inspiration to the future races of men. From Socrates to Edison, every forward step taken by mankind through revolving centuries, every advance by humanity towards the ultimate goal, has been led by some valiant dreamer whose eyes were fixed upon the dawn. Moses, with dying eyes, saw a star that blazed in the Promised Land; the radiance of an eternal star led Three Wise Men to the manger in Bethlehem; Columbus pinned his faith in the dawn of a new day; Kepler, announcing the laws of the unchanging spheres; Newton, watching the apple fall, each looked beyond, and into the future. --J. E. Dinger

Did you see Him?

Thoughtful Thursday

Like many of you, no doubt, I enjoy browsing through antique, thrift, or otherwise 'junk' stores. But, I am not after furniture, or gadgets. Books are my 'thing'. I love old books. When I met my husband, I was thrilled to find out that he felt the same as I. We have already checked out the antique store in our new town, and have our eye on several wonderful old classic books. They are a tad pricey, but when I have a bit of cash to spare I will probably slip back to the store and buy a few favorites. It is sad that when we moved a couple of years ago, we had to leave piles of beloved volumes behind. We both agonize over that frequently. There are some treasures that we just couldn't leave~such as this one. It really is a handy little book. Some of the chapters include: Appreciation, Courage, Friendship, Opportunity, Trifles...I just love the good old fashioned values in these words of wisdom. Today the Big talk around internet town is Earth Day. So, we will let today's thought come from the "Nature" chapter:

TRANSCENDENT

Author Unknown

Dear heart, perhaps you can not find God's hand

Or see His face through some hour of despair.

Do not be grieved, go seek the good, clean land,

And you will find Him there.

He is part of every wind that sweeps

Across the furrows, down their upturned length.

Breathe deeply of it~here is where God keeps

Stored healing and stored strength.

Wander awhile down some still wooded way;

Stoop to the lichen, dig through the mossy sod.

Stir in the leafmold~and the feathery spray

Of a fern can show you God.

You can touch Him as you touch the bark of a tree;

You can hear His voice in the voice of the singing birds.

Dear God, may we listen~God may we look and see

Thy face, and hear Thy words.

Did you see God today? That, my friends is what Earth Day is all about.

Mad Hatter's Fave

Well-Within Wednesday

I have gained several new followers while I was away, what a blessing! For those new to my blog...I think you will be quite surprised. You just never know what I might come up with. Wednesdays belong to my 12 yr old son, Seth. He loves herbs...

As you know, my mom was moving and I was unable to write my blogs. Well, we are here now, and today I am going to tell you how to make simple herbal tea, especially since the last few of my blogs I told you to make herbal tea.

So, hear it goes~ The leaves and flowers method: Begin with 1 ounce dried herb or 2 ounces fresh herb. Bring one quart water to just under the boiling point. Pour in herbs and let sit for 20 minutes, or until the water has absorbed the color of the herb. This yields 3 cups which is one days dose.

p.s. I would start with catnip or dandelion tea.

Method for hardy roots, seeds and bark: First grind, mash, or chop the herb. Measure one ounce dried or two ounces fresh herb. Combine in saucepan with a quart of water. Simmer 20 minutes to an hour. Burdock, ginger, Mullein root . Should be left uncovered.
Next time I will teach you how to make herbal syrup, but until next week, Bye! SETH

Stephen's Big Move

Boy have I missed writing blogs!! Since I am completely off schedule, Stephen asked me if he could write the first one...so why not?! (Keep in mind I am doing a 500 fan giveaway very soon~like when I get the quilts unpacked!) Here's Stephen now...

Remember when my momma took me on a big adventure? Well, she said we were going on an even bigger one. She said we were going to move away. At first that kind of scared me!

But then, she told me that I would live closer to my sissy, and that made me happy!

My daddy got me a new shirt for my big adventure, and when we got donuts for the trip the nice man gave me a hat. (The shirt says 'My mom is hotter than your mom'. Everyone laughs when I wear it, and I don't know why.)

This is me saying goodbye to my 'grandma' Helen. Momma said she's not my real grandma, but she is just like one to me. She helps my momma alot. That is Grandma Helens' Aunt Jean next to us. She gave me lots of baby stuff!

This is how I feel about moving away from Grandma Helen. Momma feels the same way too.

Finally, moving day came. I helped ALOT with packing. It was hard work.

Our first stop was to see Sissy. I love her so much and I am so glad I get to see her more!

Sissy has a dog named Coco. She and mommy had fun together.

After we spent the night with Sissy, we went to our new home. I get my own bedroom!

I get to play outside alot at my new home.

My brother sure is happy too. He has his own herbal workshop. He won't let me show you too many pictures because he wants to write about it himself, but here are some dandelions he is working on:

I sure do love my big brother. We have lots of fun!

Mommy said I wrote a really long story this time. I hope you lked it! Bye!