To Virginia and back

Last Friday I drove down to

VintageEmbellishment

peppercorns2

It was a beautiful drive on a nice sunny day. The views were fields much like this painting;

ssbaud

and like this;

VintageStation

There were lots of farmers markets every where you went.

SaturatedColor

 

And several flea markets, or antique malls (as they were called there)

We went to one of the antique malls and as I browsed around I saw that they had several stalls that had some vintage jewelry.

DoodleVintagePlus

 

Of course they had plenty of other items. Being in a farmland there were tons of old tools. Some had such a nice patina and wear to them I was tempted to buy some. (I don’t know what I would do with them once I got them though)

Then came Sunday and it was time to head home. As we were getting ready to leave it started snowing. According to one man we met there, he said he heard it was going to be “one humdinger” of a storm.

LChaserpHOTOGRAPHS

So I drove and drove, and as I got closer to home, the skies got bluer and it got warmer and warmer. I was heading north and it was warmer than Virginia! The drive was only about 5 hours, but I didn’t stop once…..man, my butt was stiff and sore.

goodgosh

 

It was good to be home.

WhimzettisWorld

(jj)

Old Man of the Mountain

JustOldStuff

OldPostCards

I had a couple great Aunts and an Uncle that lived up north in and around New England. We would spend a week each summer going up to visit them. We would stay with my Aunt Helen at her summer house on the lake.

I remember she took us one time to a place where an old homestead used to be and she and my parents dug around and found old bottles and things buried there.

She also would go with us when we would go to see some of the touristy sites. One of my favorites was going to see the Old Man in the Mountain.  

vintagephotosjohnson

As a little kid, I was pretty impressed that this old man’s face was way up there, but I was also a little disappointed. I had expected to see much more detail in that face.

WmMacGregor

Well, what do you expect from a little kid? I listened when my parents and Aunt talked about it and really thought it was going to look exactly like and old man’s face. I remember looking way up there and squinting my eyes so the details seemed to be there just not too clear.

landscapelady

Over the years I have kept fond memories of going there with family and getting to see the grand old man.  I also thought it was pretty cool that it was on the state quarter.

neleh88

smalls4utoo

cornucopia

VintageBeth

 

 

itsfound

I was saddened like so many others when the old man crumbled away in 2003, but his image does live on. 

 There is an old man legacy fund site (which I found interesting);

http://www.oldmanofthemountainlegacyfund.org/default.aspx

and a cool video;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MYYPru077vg

The old man may be gone but he is a long way from being forgotten.

(jj)

A Favorite Gift....

This year for Christmas my sister, fondly called pepper by the group on this blog....gave me one of my favorite gifts!

Some of you may remember when she shared a small painting she had just completed....

Well, I was thrilled when I opened my Christmas gift from her and found the wonderful bird painting, plus a little stand to display it on...WooHoo!

I wasn't sure just how or where I would feature it in my home, I just knew I wanted it sitting somewhere I could see it every day.  We spend a lot (I mean a LOT) of time in our family room so that seemed like the perfect room to place it in...but where in that room should it be put????

I happen to collect bird's nests that have fallen (or been blown) out of trees.  I do know NEVER to touch a nest that a bird may still be using...but some are discarded or damaged and end up on the ground...these I take home and display...here is my collection (so far!)

Hmmmm, how about using a bird's nest as a background for the painting???  That works!

I arranged the largest nest with the painting on the stand in front of it and placed them on the top of an old pie safe that holds the TV in our home (yes...THE TV, we only have one), the rustic appearance of the pie safe is the perfect touch to complete the grouping...here is how it looks...

Sitting on the pie safe I get to see it several times a day...and it always makes me smile :)

I went on an internet search to find "found bird's nests", I only located one shop!  So for those of you wondering what to sell...how about real bird's nests????

                     Bird's Nest

This nest is in  AbeilleAMielShop  but hurry, she only has one!  The painting you will need to find on your own, Pepper painted only one...and it is mine :)  Sorry!  (Not really but I thought it would be rude to not apologize, LOL!)

Anyone want to share their favorite gift with us????

VE

the new year....

So we all took a little holiday from posting on the blog and thought we would start the new year out fresh.

Well,

my first idea VE used, then pepper sucked up my second idea….

It’s a good thing I don’t post on Friday’s or there would be nothing left for me to say!

I am really just kidding. We don’t have any idea what anybody else is going to write about, unless we decide we want to do a theme week. Then we all know about what the others are going to write, but not what they will do.

I personally love checking in each day to see what they have to say or show.  It is almost always a surprise.

Anyway I suppose I should get to my post.

I thought I would start my first new years post by finding some brand new shops to show off.

I didn’t get very far….

I found a really sweet illustration and my idea just took off on it’s own.

marisolspoon

nonggagreat

 

Did you guess what I got sidetracked by yet?...lol

Yes, a bunch of owls.

amberalexander

Late one night my husband and I came home and we heard a very weird sound coming from the woods. (it was creepy) It kept moving around and screeching from high to low, left and then right. After my husband said wth is that??? We decided that it must have been a screech owl. (I was able to sleep after that…ha!)

scratchcraft

ccvalenzo

 

I love the way owls turn their heads and barely blink. It is like the effort is almost too much for them

steamduststudios

 

Sometimes it seems like they are looking right through you. 

bedbugs

rockcreekvintage

I do think of owls as being rather regal…

annya127

I hope you enjoyed my little sidetrack with the owls.

If you click on the names below each picture the link will take you to these talented people’s shops.

(jj)

Double Rainbows

curtxdrum

Last weekend my daughter and I were driving to the store in the late afternoon. As we slowed down to pull into the parking lot, we saw this man holding his phone out like he was taking a picture of something. We were trying to figure out what on earth he was looking at that he found so fascinating. My daughter turned to face me and say something but all she got out was a gasp of surprise. To our left was a beautiful double rainbow. Both were full arcs and vibrant color.

kellyannedesigns

It was just breathtaking! I quickly parked the car and we got out.

stellarcustomimages

People stopped wherever they were and just stared up at this wonderful site. Employees and customers in the store started pouring out of the doors taking pictures or just gazing skyward.

glitterglassjewelry

Everyone was caught up in the moment. They were chatting and saying what an amazing site it was.

Shutterbug35Hybrid

People were smiling and I have never seen so many happy people doing food shopping.

AdamDglass

You can find many rainbows in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Each one is  beautiful in it's own way. I hope you enjoy these as much as my daughter  and I enjoyed seeing the double rainbow the other day.

 (see I am right side up this week, even if I am under a rainbow)

(jj)

undecided...

I was only going to pick one new shop for today, but then I couldn’t resist showing both of these shops. I also had every intention on finding and showcasing a new shop that focused on altered art (or collage) but this fun shop caught my eye first.

aspectdesign

http://www.etsy.com/shop/aspectdesign?ref=seller_info

I love how the design flows from one shoe to the other. I also like the simple color palette and the lines.

   

 Check out and see their other fun designs in their shop.

The next shop is Artgoddessmama
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Artgoddessmama?ref=seller_info

 I think these are beautiful and I love that they are done with watercolors.

       

These two shops are creative and have their very own individuality. Both are not afraid to use color in varying degrees.

I hope you will take a few minutes and check out these two new shops.

(jj)

If you can't see you might as well look good when you do.

I forget when I had to start wearing "cheaters", but much to my annoyance I've had to wear them more and more as time goes on.  I figured if people have to wear these why not make them a little bit more interesting?

All you need are reading glasses, (preferably with a wider plastic frame because it won't work on thin metal ones) and paint pens. It's easier if you have the narrow tip ones since the space is so small.

You can go crazy with the colors and designs or you can go more understated which is what I prefer. 

Have fun!

I have probably 6 pairs of these spread out here at work so I have one at hand wherever I'm working. Of course they always seem to disappear, but God forbid I start wearing them on a string around my neck! If I do that you will hear me wail "I've become my mother!" clear to China.

Peggy ~ Goodgosh ~ GG 

Snow days

 Snow days…I love the snow.

JuniperHouseStudio

                  

I like the quiet and peacefulness when it is falling, the sparkles when the sun comes out and shines on it.

I love taking a walk while it is snowing at night. (as long as you avoid the snowplows)

It seems like this year we are getting fresh snowfall every few days. This is okay with me. It keeps the snow looking nice and clean. It doesn’t seem to take long at all for the snow to get all dingy and dirty from all the cars.

summerbreeze

I found some snow related  items and pictures to help remind everyone of the beauty of snow.  Even if you are tired of it already and are chomping at the bit for spring to come, you can’t help but enjoy the prettiness of it.

CozyGirlDesigns

HappyCloudMoment

                                     

So sit back and take a moment to look at the pretty side of snow, and forget all the shoveling, digging out, commuting …the ugly side of snow.

shabbychicskiboutiq

Carynbay

NatureMandala

                 

theaterclouds

(jj) 

( I apologize for being a little late with the post today)