Puzzle Purses for Mothers are ready...

I have a few of these on my website now if you would like to take a peek.

Puzzle Purses for Mothers

Per request, I've decided to make a few puzzle purses for Mother's Day. Though these were most often given on Valentine's Day, they were given as expression of one's love for another ~ and who better to receive a token of your love than your own mother? If you'd like to read the history of the puzzle purse, please visit the Artwork page on my website (it's about 1/2 way down the page). There's also an article about puzzle purse valentines in Early American Life magazine (February 2007) along with photos of some that I made. The photo above shows puzzle purse valentines that I made in the past. I am currently working on the ones for Mother's Day and hope to have photos of them up tomorrow night. They will be available with coordinating baskets (instead of a box as pictured).

Tag! ~ You're IT!

Wow! I just realized that I'd been "tagged" by a favorite blogger of mine, Sadie Olive ~ thank you Sara! So, in keeping with tradition, I'm assuming I choose 5 of my favorite blogs? I've just recently started blogging and am discovering beautiful and inspirational blogs everyday, but I'll list my 5 favorite blogs as of right now...

~ Garden Antiques News - I am still looking through all of her antique / junk sale photos. I keep going back and finding more and more.

~ The Plum Tree Antiques & Gifts - MORE photos loaded with all sorts of vintage and antique treasures.

~ Painter of the Past - An online friend of mine with a natural talent of capturing the early charm of the portraits of times past.

~ Southern Hospitality - Don't know which I like the most: the delicious recipes or the yummy home decor and flea market finds photos!

~ Homespin Living - I love her before and after home re-do photos as well as the home decor pics!

Fresh Eggs

A friend had called me today and while we were talking she asked about my chickens. I have a couple of hens that have gone broody... walking around all pouffy and clucking at everything that moved... so I let Buffy have 12 eggs in her nest and Henny Penny has 8 eggs in her nest. They should hatch in about 3 weeks. Buffy and Henny Penny are two of my best hens, both sitting on their eggs, softly clucking so when the babies hatch they will know their mama's voice, and nudging an egg back up under a wing if it should roll away. I have several more hens and two roosters, so even though two of my best hens aren't laying, we still get several eggs a day. Just look at the colors... from the softest white, to olive green, to pale blue, to speckled brown... it's a surprise each day when I go to gather the eggs. For the photos, I've placed these in a nest of shredded paper in one of my ironstone bowls. I love the old chipped and crazed ironstone pieces ~ so much age and use and they are still beautiful.

Paper Ruffles & Memories

I've been working on baskets for Mother's Day gifts... pretty paper baskets with crepe paper ruffles and ribbon handles just waiting for a special trinket to be tucked inside the nest of shredded paper. I enjoy making things that bring a smile to others, but I also enjoy making things that bring back memories ~ like the ones I have of my Mama making bouquets of crepe paper flowers when I was a little girl. I loved watching her making something beautiful out of something so simple as paper.

Foggy Mornings on the Plateau

Living on the Cumberland Plateau is a blessing ~ if you love nature and wildlife and fresh country air ~ you'd love it here. Though I'm a little under the weather this morning, I couldn't resist grabbing my camera and taking a few photos to share this foggy morning with you. I didn't even have to leave my back porch for these shots.

If the weather is fit, my husband and I often sit on the back porch early in the morning and drink our coffee, listen to the birds singing, watch the squirrels jump from tree limb to tree limb, and listen to a turkey gobble in the distance. We have chickens and turkeys here at home, but we've been hearing a wild turkey down in the hollow from our house. Though I'm inside now, adding another entry to my blog, I can hear the bluejays quarrelling outside. Maybe they will settle matters and enjoy the day ~ that's what I plan on doing and hope you do as well ~ enjoy the day.

Morning Dew and Faded Blooms

I need to get started with housework and more May baskets... but first I had to get out in the fresh morning air if only for a short time. I wish you could have heard all the birds singing and the squirrels chattering! Sometimes when I'm outside I just stop and close my eyes and *listen* to nature ~ it's the most beautiful music one could imagine. I live on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee and a couple of weeks ago the dogwoods and redbuds were nearly in full bloom ~ then the several nights of 15 - 20 degrees came. The hard frosts completely wilted anything that had started to bloom or "green out". Even wilted, there is still beauty to be found in the blooms of the dogwood. I'll share a few shots I snapped this morning in my back yard of faded dogwood blooms and the remains of dandelion puffs and the morning dew...

Sisters Dolls

I made the Sisters: Charlotte, Emily, and Anne just a while back ~ to read the story about them, please visit my website, Honeysuckle Lane. They have a very personal meaning for me.

May Baskets

I have been making May baskets for my website, Honeysuckle Lane, and a couple of shops that sell my things. There's just something nostalgic about paper cutting and folding. I loved things like that when I was in elementary school. Art was one of my favorite subjects ~ mind you it wasn't anything fancy ~ just a small country school and a small classroom ~ but it was so fun to be creative!

These paper basket designs are from 19th century books for young girls and the crepe paper flowers were inspired by those described in early 20th century party booklets. I'll share a few photos here and then I'm off to make more...