Rural North Carolina

Yesterday I went to Seagrove with my mom and dad.  For those of you not familiar, Seagrove is a small town in North Carolina, known for its deep roots in pottery.  It is a wonderful place anytime of year.   I am fortunate that it is just a short trip from High Point.  I snapped a few pictures to share with everyone!  This area is so typical of what life is like in North Carolina.

As we were riding down the one of the roads we spotted this old place.  You feel as if you just stepped out of time when you see it.  I wondered who lived here and what is was like.   The entire countryside and sprinkled with places like this, old barns, and out buildings.  And for me I was in heaven taking pictures of everything.

I just love anything that is old and rusted.  This old churn was just sitting in the yard at one of the potteries.  The place had so many relics from its earlier times scattered all over the yard.

My dad, sitting in a rocker at the Cagle Road Pottery.  He is love'n every minute of it.  Cagle Road Pottery is in an old log cabin set off the main road.  There are old dogs laying on the porch waiting for someone to have a seat and give them a scratch on the head.  My dad struck up a conversation with one of the owners there, who told him the property has been in this family since the 1700s.  There pottery is beautiful too!

Ray Pottery is a MUST stop!!  It has become one of my favorite places to stop.

This little guy was there to greet us when we got out of the car!  OMG....he was so cute.  A little black dachshund, with a grey muzzle and a tail that didn't stop wagging!!

Here is some of their pottery.  I love the combination of the salt glaze with the shiney red glaze.  I DID bring a piece of this pottery home with me.

I want it all!!!!


On our drive down to Seagrove we made a stop a the Pisgah Covered Bridge.  There are stories of it being haunted.  Haunted or not, it is old and a perfect time capsule from about 1911.  You can walk in it, around it, and under it.  A must stop if you are in that area!

The day was overcast and cool, and perfect for taking pictures.  It is so quiet here, even with the main road in plain sight.  You hear nothing but the sounds of the woods and the water.  

If any of you are curious about North Carolina, I think these few pictures I have posted say it perfectly. It is beautiful place to live.  

I wish I had some crochet to share this evening.  I am very close to finishing up a crochet scarf.  I am going to give it a post of its own!  It is something new I have learned to do with  crochet!  I don't want to give anymore away right now.  

I hope everyone has a great week!!!  

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how to create a tablescape {thanksgiving}

The following is a sponsored post as part of Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores® Celebrate the Season campaign. All opinions are my own.

 I was surprised to learn recently that my oldest son's favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Not Christmas? I'm sure that's a close second, but after thinking about it I had to agree. Thanksgiving has all the warmth, family, and good food of Christmas without all the stress. So I decided to put a little extra into my Thanksgiving decorating this year. I give you my Thanksgiving tablescape! More than a centerpiece, a tablescape is a grouping of items that gives you an opportunity to really decorate a dining table, a console table, or even a entry or coffee table around a theme or season. If you haven't done it before, here are a few tips for creating a tablescape.

How To Create a Tablescape

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Changing Seasons ...

Fall is here, there is no denying ...

This is what my bike ride with my daughter 

looked like yesterday afternoon ...

The air is crisp ... just as the leaves and grasses are. 

42 degrees but snow will be here soon enough, 

so pedal while the pedaling's good.

Once all of the Wicked Halloween decor was removed,

we realized our Fall/Thanksgiving fare is mighty low, so ...

Using Nancy Halvorsen's Bittersweet book,

and Sandy Gervais' Soho Chic collection ...

I don't think there's a single swatch in this line of

Sandy's that I don't love ... and yes ... a bit of

yardage found its way home with me along with

a charm pack from my LQS .... 

imagine that!

I put together this sweet little number ... 

and have decided to use it on the table for now...

I think I really like it ...

{grin} 

so I guess I'll have to keep this one for me!

However, I have noticed that somehow, I have

recently been blessed by a number of followers

over 500 ... and ... I've had over 300 posts

{crickets chirping}

seriously! 

who'da ever thunk it?!??!

{hahahaha}

Therefore, I do believe a giveaway is in order ...

A follower's giveaway ... 

and that means I need to make it a good one

so it won't be today, but very, very soon ..

so please be sure to come back again.

Until later, I wish you all ~

Happy Hearts and Happier Stitching!

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travels with gannon and wyatt book series {& giveaway!}

My boys love to read! That makes me so happy because I love reading and I know it is such an important part of learning and development. Having a 9 year old boy, I have learned that it can be hard to find fun books for his age that he can get enthralled in and that will challenge him (his perspective, his vocabulary, his reading level, etc).

I was excited when I heard about Travels with Gannon & Wyatt. Travels with Gannon & Wyatt is a middle school adventure book series that takes children to exotic locations around the world. Each novel entertains through fun tales of exploration, while promoting an understanding of world geography, cultures and wildlife. I knew my 9 year old would love this! He loves adventure and I knew it would be so neat for him to learn about different places and cultures.

There are three books in the Travels with Gannon & Wyatt series. Botswana, Great Bear Rainforest, and Egypt (to be released in January 2014). The first book is Botswana and my son loved it! When Gannon and Wyatt travel to Botswana for an African safari, they hear that a poacher has shot and wounded a lioness. They set off into the wild in the hopes of saving the mother and her cubs before the poacher finishes the job.

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Crazy Insane Variegated Madness!

Pure nervous energy started this little project.  I was at an impasse.  I had finished the Laura's Wrap and not certain on what to start yet.  So I picked up my circular needles and variegated yarn, next thing you know this is the result.  

I added a granny edging in teal blue.  I didn't want anything fancy-shmancey, just something clean and simple.  I think the variegated insanity framed by the calm blue is perfect.  It rather reminds me of myself these days!  LOL!!!

It is fascinating how variegated yarn works up.  How can anyone not like the color.  I want to dive right into it and get lost!!!  

I have been looking at shawl patterns on ravelry.  I have so much yarn that needs to be worked up, and I am in a crochet mood.  

These days Goodwill has been a fun break for me.  I am always looking for that treasure.  This long green sweater is my latest score for $3.75.  It looked in need of love hanging there on the rack.  it was dirty, out of shape, and had some pilling on it.  I gave it a good cleaning and hit it with the steamer. Ran it over with the little sweater shaver and a lint roller, and ta-da!  It is my favorite.  And I love it with denim. Olive green and blue is so pretty together.  Oh...the belt, a total score too!  

For those that don't know me, I love Goodwill.  Like my mom says, "It makes her happy"  LOL!  It really does.  Plus finding a treasure for under 5 bucks is so freaking fun, I can't explain it!  I must say, this is the grooviest sweater I have ever had!!!  

I  love this peaceful Sunday evening.  Hubs is gone to bed, Girlie is laying here next to me in peaceful slumber and I am enjoying the quiet.  I have a new little crochet project going, and a rather large order to get started on.  The beginning drowsy feeling is kicking in...it can't get much better.  You see, anxiety has been high these days.  I can't pin down one particular reason, maybe it is several things causing it, but it has crept in and really done a number with me.  So these moments where I feel calm and content are the best!!!  I think part of it is the fact that 51 years have hit and certain chemical changes are effecting my temperance, leaving me in an agitated state everywhere I go.   LOL!!

About the new crochet project, it is something kind of new to me.  I won't share a lot until next week when I can share some pictures, but I can say learning the technique has started the creative wheels in my head and I already have ideas on where to take it.  That's all I will say for the moment!

I hope everyone has a great week.  And may it include some yarn, too!!!

Dawn

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michaels dream tree challenge {reveal}

 This post is sponsored and written as part of a campaign with Michaels, but all opinions are my own.

Remember how I told you I was a part of Michaels dream tree challenge this year? I promised you I would reveal my tree on November 1st. Well, guess what folks? It's November 1st! That came along faster than I anticipated but that seems to happen to me quite often. Well, it has been like Santa's workshop over here and I am excited to share my tree with you.

Michaels sent me a pre-lit tree so the first task was unboxing it, setting it up and making sure the lights all worked. That's my least favorite part about decorating a tree so I had my little elf (actually big) help me. He's always willing to do the dirty work for me.

Lovely lights that are all in working order!

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