apple pickin'

well, it was that time of year again... pick your own apples (or apple pickin' as it's called here in the south!). this year, it was a drive up to ellijay (the apple capital of georgia), with a stop along the way to eat a picnic lunch by a lovely lake. thanks to my sister's in-laws for the amazing 'picnic', which included clam chowder, pasta, and bread with a variety of cheeses (my picnics usually consist of peanut butter and jelly!)... complete with jack-0'-lantern grilled cheeses for my niece and nephew. i should have captured a picture of this lovely spread, but i was too busy eating ;)

this picture reminds me of a gateway to a fairyland!

yummy rome beauty

we were there for the last week of the harvest, and enjoyed munching on the delicious rome beauty variety, which ended the season. my niece shouted 'hooray' everytime she picked an apple, while my nephew waited excitedly for his turn with an 'apple cannon.' we finished the adventure with some apple donuts and apple cider slushies (again no pictures of the food... you can see a pattern here!)

'hooray'

apple cannon

i had to include these two pictures as well... these side eyes are a flash forward to the teenage years! makes me laugh every time

saturday shopping list - october 17th

fingerless mittens by shadeofshadow

village town blocks by prettydreamer

fresh meyer organic lemons from horticopia

vintage lumberjack dress from thevintagemistress

mother and child textile by palancahome

although it is a bit cloudy to start this saturday morning here in atlanta, the weather report calls for abundant sunshine with brisk (by georgia standards) autumn temperatures... high in the low fifties. can you get a more beautiful blue sky than you find on a crisp sunny fall day... with golden tones shining all around... people bustling about in bundled up contentment. the list today is definitely a reflection of nature around me right now

off to watch my nephew's soccer game in just a bit (go fireballs!)... some time with the family, and perhaps a few cups of hot chocolate! drinking a warm cup of cocoa takes me instantly to that place in childhood... the excitement of a new season and approaching holidays (even in california, where i grew up, and where the temperature often remained quite hot this time of year!). hope everyone is enjoying their october weekend ;)

you can find links to all the saturday shopping lists over on fancypicnic

fly, fly away

vintage partridge by sweetlovevintage

the pearly eyelet dress by jessjamesjake

flora retro cream pitcher by brightwallvintage

fringe in copper by seedknits

apologies for the lack of posts this last week ~

it has been a week where i've felt continually anxious to do something, yet can't settle to actually accomplish anything i really need to do... does anyone ever feel this way?

hmmm, i guess the best way to describe it would be that i feel that i have some really wonderful and exciting life changing event about to happen that i can't wait to begin working on, yet i've somehow forgotten what that event is? it is a mixture of excitement, anxiety, and frustration all at once... perhaps it can be attributed to the change in weather and season?

hopefully my mind and body will settle this week to something productive... i have many ideas for the shop for this holiday season, so i'd best get creating!

in the meantime... i thought i'd share a few of my current etsy favorites ;)

the bird or the egg

phewwff... we are finally swimming out of the rain here in atlanta... in my befuddled, soggy state this weekend, i accomplished very little i must say (fortunately i was able to stay safe and dry in my home)... although i did take a pair of scissors to my hair for some new bangs. a new season always seems like the time for a new look (and i am rather impulsive when it comes to my hair)

the emerging sunshine has been moving my hands to create once again

just added this set of two pieces of mixed media fiber art to my shop... which asks the question of which came first 'the bird or the egg'

combining ink illustration, hand stitched fabric, felted and stitched roving, and needle felting on canvas, each piece is mounted on a vintage metal embroidery hoop, with a circle of wool attached on the back

pretty things

1. dream bus, 2. When the forest meets the ocean.., 3. hand knitted scarfette from handspun wool, 4. Sintra, 5. Secret Embroidery, 6. 191|365 ||| golden horse

some pretty images on this stormy night (here in the peach state anyway)... we've had three consecutive days of rain... or should i say RAIN! the sky has just seemed to open up, spilling out the oceans over our heads... where is noah when you need him? they're forecasting two more days of the same

it is nice to sit on my covered deck, watching the sheets of rain... when it's not lighting that is. although last night, we has such torrential storms and strong winds, the rain was actually hitting the roof and returning skyward in a solid sheet of upside down rain!

on days such as these, i really spend too much time here on the computer... as does my kitten tula! i heard strange voices in my house today, and, before i could pick up my phone and dial 911 to report burglars in my home, i found tula sitting in front of the computer. she had somehow managed to get on youtube, and was intently watching a 'twilight' trailer... she just gave me a look like 'what?... i get bored too'. i guess she's a fan, who knew. i guess she'll have to catch me up on the 'twilight' phenomenon

i did manage to create a bit as well today. just listed this new acorn wreath in my shop... again, created using found branches, wrapped in a lovely leaf print cotton. the fabric acorns are made using a mixture of new and vintage cotton, attached to real chinquapin acorn tops. the leaf was made using a delicious green wool, from purl soho in new york

blackened salmon ~ a delicious mistake

here are a few meals made using ingredients from this week's trip to the decatur organic farmers market:

first up, one of my very favorite summertime meals (you'll find this one in my house at least once a week during the season) broiled salmon, green beans (deliciously combined with fresh tomatoes and onions), and red potatoes

i have to say, this week i had a blackened salmon... a delicious mistake! quite the drama in my kitchen as the aluminum foil the fish was cooking on somehow caught fire! of course, i naturally assumed it was simply one of my neighbors ("hmmm... someone must not be a very good cook!", i thought), only to open my oven to flames growing by the second! fortunately, i was able to keep my head (while screaming... with images of my charred apartment, gone up in flames, racing through my mind), and instead of whipping out the fire extinguisher and ruining the fish, i grabbed a cup of water and splashed the aluminum... after a few last bursts of flame, the fire went out with a hiss. the salmon was now a little blackened, but actually quite yummy. i may have to try my hand at blackened salmon again... but, perhaps without the fire next time ;)

the salmon was seasoned with fresh basil, rosemary, and garlic chives from my garden (oh how lovely it is to finally have a space for growing herbs!). these herbs were all purchased from my local community garden. the green beans and heirloom tomatoes are from the farmers market

tonight, i made a lovely eggplant casserole, made using this recipe (only substituting with fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella) , with the gorgeous local purple japanese eggplant, also from the organic farmers market... no fire tonight ;) so yummy, and i think left overs will pair nicely with a bit of pasta

(oh, and the milk i scored this week is positively scrumptious!)

local food 9/9 ~ a season of change

summer was definitely shifting into autumn this week at the decatur farmer's market... apples, gourds, baked goods, and pumpkins are beginning to appear in abundance. autumn being one of my favorite times of year, the sight of harvest produce excites me greatly... makes me want to settle down with a warm drink in front of the fire (although i think the weather still has a ways to go before this becomes a reality)

it makes me sad, however, to see the summer crop coming to a close... the farmer from whom i bought these luscious heirloom tomatoes told me these were the last few of his crop. and, oh, the end of green beans! a vegetable i eat at least twice a week during the summer... i suppose i will have another good month before these beauties say goodbye for the season. instead it is time to begin focusing on pumpkins and mums, pies and savory stews (vegetarian for me). there was an absolutely gorgeous sage green pumpkin at the market this week... i'm regretting that i didn't take that one home. the farmer selling it told me it would make at least two large delicious pies... perhaps he'll have another next week. i did pick up a sweet little pumpkin... of the decorating variety... to get me started on my autumn adventure

and the milk hunt was a success this week! i knew immediately from the long line in front of the johnston family farms booth, that i would finally be in luck (these family farm tours look like such fun too!). can't wait to try the milk out... i was told by the farmer selling the pumpkins that his wife raves about this milk, although has had to adjust her baking measurements accordingly... tastes and cooks so differently from the grocery store variety

~ in shop news, i'm continuing to add to new autumn pieces to the shop this week, and am excited to see that i'm only one sale away from one hundred ;)

and the winner is...

congratulations to emmaandmaha, the winner of the handmadecharlotte and nest with eggs giveaway! and a big thanks for all the lovely entries!

look for another giveaway this autumn ;)

freshly roasted peanuts

today was peanut roasting day... these were the raw peanuts i picked up from the decatur organic farmers market this week. here they sit awaiting their oven roasting ;)

oh, that smell, that delicious aroma... the scent of autumn has entered my home!

i used this recipe i found (incredibly easy!)... i didn't have any peanut oil on hand, so i used olive oil instead, which worked really well

the deep purple color of the peanut is just gorgeous

i have another batch in the oven now, so i may make a bit of peanut butter... if i can keep from eating them all first!

*** one more reminder, tonight (sept. 6th) is the last night to enter for a chance to win the lovely handmadecharlotte skirt giveaway below! good luck everyone! i'm enjoying reading all the entries

reminder, giveaway

just a quick reminder that today is the last day to enter the lovely handmade charlotte giveaway for this beautiful skirt... you have until midnight tonight, so don't miss out!

in other news, my mixed media/ fiber art tableau, 'home of the bird', is all finished and has been added to the shop

did you ever dream as a child (or an adult!) that you could fly like a bird or shrink to a wee size and fit into such a little tableau... swinging on this tiny swing...

i've also added a new wool conifer tree, perfect for your autumn nature or thanksgiving table... or for anytime of the year

in progress...

wanted to share a new mixed media/fiber art diorama i'm currently working on

it's a bit slow going today as i've pulled a muscle in the base of my neck... really my own fault. it's a muscle that i've pulled many times in the past, and did i listen to my body this time? sigh, that would be a no. the neck was sore yesterday, but today i decided that some heavy blinds in my apartment needed to come down at that very moment (my next project is to either find some vintage curtains or make a pair)... it just could not wait another second!

and there went the neck. i would like to think i learn something in such moments, but i'm afraid i never really do... i'm just a bit too impulsive and impatient (with quite a stubborn streak!). this can actually come in handy when creating... when ideas come into my head, my hands must start working that instant, and i just go with the moment... but in other aspects of life? well, i'll be lying with a heating pad tonight ;)

tomorrow is another day, and another chance to work on this new piece...

*** don't forget to enter the lovely handmadecharlotte skirt giveaway below! goes through sunday, september 6th... good luck everyone! i'm enjoying reading all the entries

local food - 9/2

another week at the decatur farmers market... another delicious crop of food!

my sister, niece, and nephew came along this week, making it all the more fun... the kids enjoyed some yummy honey sticks while we perused the selections. and who knew how helpful a six year old could be... my nephew had fun helping me select the produce, as well as handling the weighing and money... although, he did ask each time if he could keep the change, which one time came out to be sixteen dollars... it was worth a try ;)

found this lovely bunch of raw peanuts, which are delicious as they are (well, not apparently to my niece and nephew!), but i think i will try roasting them... looks super easy, here's a recipe i found. i may even try my hand at making peanut butter!

i'm also excited that i made it in time to pick up some eggs this week. so deliciously farm fresh... they even had a few chicken feathers still attached! i'll have to try again next week for the milk... they were sold out in the first half hour and were awaiting more!

i've also added a few new autumn pieces to the shop:

acorn wreath

acorn branch

*** don't forget to enter the lovely handmadecharlotte skirt giveaway below! goes through sunday, september 6th... good luck everyone! i'm enjoying reading all the entries

pretty images

1. working, 2. Pedestal Cake Stands, 3. sunroom, 4. dining room windows, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled, 7. dancing is your weapon, 8. delantal al viento, 9. good afternoon, 10. 181|365 ||| I want.., 11. shelf, 12. stove discovery 02, 13. savoring summer : picnics

pretty images from flickr to give your tuesday a little loveliness

as you can see, many are images of beautifully soft rooms... on my mind a lot as i spend time decorating my own home

new autumn nests, trees, and other creations are also making their way into my shop this week... here are a few that have just been added... along with a new house 'une petite maison' that has been added as well

acorn branch

acorn branch

pinecone nest

'une petite maison'

'une petite maison'

*** don't forget to enter the lovely handmadecharlotte skirt giveaway below! goes through sunday, september 6th... good luck everyone! i'm enjoying reading all the entries

vintage finds

my sister and i hit up the thrift and vintage markets yesterday, in search of some good bargains... i of course found way to many ;)

found wonderful vintage pieces at kudzu, a local antique market (i live only a few minutes from here... this may prove to be dangerous!)... of course many were out of my price range, but i did find three or four wonderful deals, including this lovely vintage yellow metal picture frame

we moved on to a local thrift store, where i was thrilled to find this vintage round footed pottery bowl... i've been searching for one to use as a planter for a while now... love the soft color

well, it will eventually become a planter, for today it is currently in use as tula's latest toy ;)

*** don't forget to enter the lovely handmadecharlotte skirt giveaway below! goes through sunday, september 6th... good luck everyone! i'm enjoying reading all the entries

handmadecharlotte giveaway!

the giveaway is finally here! rachel, from handmadecharlotte, has offered this gorgeous girls' skirt for giveaway here on my blog! rachel, a mom to five children, is a gifted designer, making exceptionally cute, original, and high-quality apparel for children. she is also just a really cool person all-around. i was fortunate enough to visit her amazing farm here in georgia this summer, complete with huge lake for swimming/boating and horses for riding! maybe she'll adopt me to come grow up on her farm ;)

depending on the size of the wee one, i would say this elastic band skirt is in the 9-18 months range... what an absolutely fantastic and original handmade shower gift... or as a lovely (and oh so stylish!) addition to your own little one's closet

for a chance to win this giveaway, simply leave a comment to this post telling me you'd like to enter, along with your email address (or you can contact me privately with your email address upon winning if you'd prefer). i will also give an extra entry to anyone who posts and links back to this giveaway or handmadecharlotte's shop

just leave the link to your post in the comments, so i know to enter you twice

***giveaway will go through sunday, september 6th

***as an extra bonus, i will also be including one of my own 'nest with eggs' with this giveaway... good luck!

nest with eggs

fall garden apron, by handmadecharlotte

visit handmadecharlotte for more adorable pieces

pizza with local organic toppings

since i so rudely ate all the beautiful green beans last night without taking a picture, i thought i should share my lunch meal today, a pizza prepared with the heirloom tomatoes and red peppers from the decatur organic farmer's market

can you even call it a pizza anymore, with fresh, beautiful ingredients like this? the word just doesn't seem to do justice to the deliciousness of such a meal

and how nice it is to pause and view the food your preparing through the eye of a camera... making it feel just that much more special when you take the time to appreciate the beauty of it all

local food - 8/26

paid my first (of many to come i'm sure) visit to the decatur organic farmers market yesterday... all of the food is organically and locally grown

picked up a delicious crop of food... i should have taken a picture of the scrumptious green beans and heirloom tomatoes from my dinner last night, but i dove right in and ate it all up before i could! they were even more beautiful to my taste buds. does a delicious, fresh piece of produce ever bring tears to your eyes (did i mention i love food!)

this will i'm sure become a weekly event for me, and the market is open year round... i will try to take a picture each week of what i've picked up, and some of the market itself. i hope next week to find some fresh eggs... i was a little too late this week... the woman in front of me purchased the last dozen :(

as one

a new piece has finally been added to the shop!

'as one' is a mixed media fiber art, combining ink illustration, hand sewn fabric, and hand embroidery on canvas and wool

as always, i began with a sketch, and then began my work on canvas... i was trying to capture the harmonious world of nature, blurring the lines between the beginning and end of the bird and tree... to feel as if they breathe and move as one

the leaves/feathers are made using a lovely hand felted wool, with hand embroidery used throughout the entire piece

you can see more images of the piece on my flickr

busily working on a new house as well, which i hope to add to the shop this week... so lovely to be creating once again... looking forward to some autumn inspiration to really move my hands in the upcoming months as well ... summer always seems to draw me outdoors to other pursuits! it looks as if summer will last quite a bit longer though, here in georgia, so i must find a way of settling down and focusing on my work!

**** here is another sneak peak at my upcoming blog giveaway from handmadecharlotte

later this week... you can see the post below for another look at this sweet, wee skirt ;)

tula

meet tula, my new sweet kitty... a georgia girl now, by way of kentucky. she and her siblings were actually rescued by my aunt (from a racoon)... the litter was born behind her house to a feral cat, who has since fortunately been spayed after giving birth to several litters of kittens. this litter was than fostered by a wonderful woman, who actually fostered my sister's kittens as well... tula's nieces! oh the hilarity this caused in my niece and nephew... that an 'aunt' could simultaneously be a baby!







tula, the smallest of the litter... yet oh so affectionate and loving... and a bit of a trouble maker! fortunately, she's pretty darn cute, so i tend to often look past the trouble part ;)







she was originally called thumbelina, for her tiny size and love of being held in a little ball, but i decided to give her the name tula, which means 'jumping water'. how surprising to find how well this tiny one can jump all over the furniture! the first night home, i spent time making a nice bed for her on the floor beside my own... i than crawled into my own, only to find this wee one springing onto my tall bed, curling up next to me










*** look for this lovely giveaway, via my friend rachel, from handmadecharlotte, coming next week on my blog... a darling skirt for babies, perfect for your own little one, or as a shower gift... i'm planning on including a little something from my own shop as well ;)

busy excitment

well, the last few weekends have been quite busy... but full of excitment. finally found a home to call my own a few weekends ago... as well as a car, all in the same weekend! much unpacking to do, but everything is beginning to come together... after so many months in limbo, staying with family, it's beautiful to discover old treasures as i unpack

thrilled to finally have a fireplace and mantle once again, after living without one for so many years in new york... i've dreamed of building fires over the holidays for quite some time ;)

some old favorites... lovely sea finds from my time in north carolina... i do miss living by the ocean

antique wooden spools from berea college, in kentucky... a favorite community... i bought these lovelies from my mom, imsovintage

glad to find this one arrived in one piece... an antique stained glass window... a gift from my mom several years ago

a favorite gift from my last birthday... from my sis, littleloveblue

so special to me, as she created this one using an old shirt from the little girl i used to take care of for many years... i think of my sweet little one every time i see this birdie

a new favorite... an antique trunk i picked up from a moving sale, here in buckhead... fits perfectly in my new living room

wedding

picture by littleloveblue

and this last weekend, i was so very honored to stand up with my beautiful friend, andrea, as her maid of honor... i've never seen her so happy as on this day, which filled my heart with joy

picture by littleloveblue

we've talked and dreamed of our wedding days over the last fourteen years we've been friends

such a gorgeous bride, and what a special feeling to stand with those you care about most in the world on their special days

now i'm looking forward to spending a little time settling into my new home... and getting busy creating new pieces for the shop!

pretty pieces

de colores -m- papel picado banner by aymujer

french glass bee catchers by extravirginhome

~ sold, but so lovely, i included them anyway... there are many other lovelies in their shop as well

spin by f2images

marta, original watercolor by holli

beachfront cottage by hareanddrum

a wish for springtime by stitchado

just pretty pieces i'm admiring right now... no other reason, but that i just wanted to share the loveliness

happy weekend

bluegrass

1. Companionship in B&W, 2. In Her Eyes, 3. Sun & Fog, 4. Renae Price, 5. Old Man On Horseback In Mercer County, Kentucky, 6. Blooming Dogwood in Fog, Kentucky 2005, 7. Kentucky Club Tobacco Barn Ad, 8. Red River Gorge in the Daniel Boone national forest Kentucky, 9. Mill Springs, Kentucky, 10. Great Blue Heron at Lake Barkley state resort park Kentucky., 11. kentucky grass, 12. Kentucky colors, 13. Old Kentucky, 14. Crooked Birch Tree located off of Sulfur Creek Road in Adair County, Kentucky, 15. Dedicated To Eight Belles Who Died At The Kentucky Derby, 16. South Union, Kentucky, 17. Ezel, Kentucky, 18. Kentucky dawn4, 19. Quilt Pattern Barn in Kentucky, 20. Woman Carrying Laundry on Her Head Somewhere in Kentucky

off for a weekend road trip with my sister to kentucky, the state where i was born.  some visiting time with our 'granny' and aunt 'laine', and a bridal shower for my best friend who is getting married next month

in honor of this trip (and since i will be missing the shopping list tomorrow), i found some lovely images of kentucky on flickr

enjoy this little tour through the bluegrass!  i hope to have some pictures of my own to share when i return