Simple Joy ~ updated

He didn't pick a flow'r

as ev'ry girl desires;

He didn't sing a love song

to ignite passion's fires.

He slipped out in the morning

as he often did as a boy;

And bro't to me an everlasting

dew-laden Simple Joy.

(written by Lana Manis 2008)

~*~

My husband enjoys rising bright and early, feeding the horses and mule, and walking out to the garden to see how things are growing, and sitting on the back porch and drinking his coffee. One morning last week, he came back in and asked where my camera was. I gave it to him, but he wouldn't say why he wanted it. When he came back in, he gave it back to me, not saying anything, as is his usual quiet way. When I put the photos on my computer ~ there were beautiful photos of tulips loaded with dewdrops! I nearly cried! That was so thoughtful of him. He knew that I love the flowers out in the yard, and instead of picking them, he left them for others to enjoy and brought me an everlasting simple joy ~ the photos AND the memories.

~*~

I've made antique style puzzle blocks using prints of ladies from the Jane Austen era, and they come in their own little keepsake box. Visit my auction for this quaint keepsake here. If you bid in the first 24 hours of the auction AND are the winner, you will receive a set of my fraktur watercolor cards along with your auction item. Several other artists of The Eclectic Artisans are offering a free gift with the same requirement in their ebay auctions. Search TheEA to find them.

Have a beautifully blessed day!
~*~

And the winners are...

I'll tell you in just a minute ~ I had closed the entry comments and had a little time in between work and cooking supper, so I thought I'd go ahead and draw the names. I put them in an old ironstone mold (look familiar C? ~ I guess not because I accidentally deleted the pic!) and yes, I printed them all out and cut them up. I don't know how to do the generator thing. I sifted through them over and over to mix them up really well and drew out 3 names........

I'll be emailing all of the winners in just a few minutes. Each one will receive a $10 credit for anything from Honeysuckle Lane.

Thank you all for participating, plugging my giveaway, and for all the very sweet comments! I'll try to make it around to everyone's blogs over the weekend.

~*~

One more thing...

Several of you emailed me about the handmade / handtied, French Toile Bebe` Quilt I made some time ago. I have added two more to the Needlework page of my website ~ a blue one and a green one. I didn't really have a good category for them, but that will suffice for now. Click HERE if you'd like to see them.

Take Care & God Bless,
Lana
~*~

All I Have ~ An Anniversary Give Away

It's all I have to bring today

This, and my heart beside

This, and my heart, and all the fields

And all the meadows wide

Be sure you count

should I forget

Some one the sum could tell

This, and my heart,

and all the Bees

Which in the Clover dwell.

by Emily Dickinson

~*~

I do like this poem ~ very much, and believe I posted it last year as well.

All I have to offer you today is a chance to enter my 1 year anniversary. I think my anniversary was on the 18th, but I've been so busy, I just didn't have time to blog about it. I really appreciate all that visit and that comment. When I first started, I thought "who in the world would want to read what's going on in my life?" and I almost didn't continue with it. I'm so glad I did keep it going, because I have met so many kind and thoughtful people through this blog. Thank you for stopping by and for letting me be a part of your life as well.

Getting back to the gift ~ I am still very busy, so please forgive me for not making a grand gift for you ~ there just isn't time with all the things going on here at home. However, I will be drawing 3 names from those that comment on THIS POST. Each name drawn will receive a $10 gift certificate good toward anything for sale on my website or any of the other online markets that feature my handmade goods (no special orders please ~ no time, remember?). You may see a list of the websites in the sidebar under Honeysuckle Lane wares are found here. And don't worry, there are some $10 items on my website so you don't have to spend any extra $$ if you are being thrifty, like me! Also, if you choose only $10 worth of goods, I will pay shipping costs. When you comment, please make sure that there is a link back to your profile with email address, or include your email address in your comment. You don't have to have a google account to comment. If you blog about this on your blog, let me know with a link back to yours, and I'll add your name twice! I will be closing this Wednesday night (April 23rd) at midnight. I'll announce the winners Thursday morning...

Thank you for making this first year a joy!

Take Care & God Bless,

Lana

of

Honeysuckle Lane

~*~

p.s. My very dear friend Suzanne is also celebrating her 1st year ~ be sure to enter her giveaway at Painter of the Past.

p.s. ~ again, lol! I forgot to let my mailing list know about this until 10pm Wednesday night. So, I will still take comments till noon Thursday.

4-24-08, 12:15 ~ THANKS FOR ENTERING! NOT ACCEPTING ANY MORE COMMENTS FOR THE DRAWING.

I'LL POST WINNERS A LITTLE LATER THIS EVENING.

THANKS!

Celebrations & New Creations ~ updated

It seems like I have so much to do anymore that it's getting harder and harder to check in for a few minutes. I'll try to check in once a week...if I can remember.

First of all, Smokey and Gypsy are doing well. Gypsy is letting Smokey roam a little farther away from her side before she goes chasing after him. And Smokey is growing like a weed!

Be sure to visit The Primitive Gathering's blog, Birds of a Feather. We are having a BIG GIVEAWAY! Just comment and make sure there's a link back to your email so we can contact you if you win!

Also, The Eclectic Artisans will be closing the web show on the 21st. We will have another show in June. If you want something that's offered there now, you'd better hurry!

Three online markets that I am a member of updated today:

Simply Primitives

The Primitive Gathering


TDIPT Mercantile

and I have 2 new dolls on my website. They were inspired by Jane Austen's heroines.

(update: both are SOLD)

Thanks for visiting!

~*~

Now taking orders for MAY DAY BASKETS

Hi again! Two posts in one day ~ what's the world coming to? I happened to think I'd better offer these soon so I will have time to make and ship them before May Day. I have already sold out of the first batch and I am in the process of making more this week. What am I talking about, you ask?


I adore reading 19th century books for young ladies, explaining all the dos and don’ts of etiquette, quaint traditions, and how to stay occupied, particularly with one’s hands. While reading a book written for young girls in 1887, I learned that according to traditions of merrie England, maids and matrons would go out bright and early on the first day of May and wash their faces in the dew. The dew, they believed, held magical qualities, which kept them looking young and beautiful for a year. Some ladies even went so far as to gather and save the glistening dew to moisten their faces until May 1st came ‘round again. To continue this quaint custom, I have made for your pleasure, ~ MAY DEW GATHERING BASKETS ~. Just imagine this May, you and your friend, sister, mother, daughter, or granddaughter rising early on the first morn of May and gathering your very own May Dew! That will be such a sweet memory to cherish forever. The May Dew Gathering Basket is an original Honeysuckle Lane creation, with the looped basket design coming from a 19th century book that I have in my collection. You may visit my website to read more about the making of the baskets and to see more photos, here.


Just email me (honeysucklelane@hotmail.com) if you are interested in placing an order. I will take orders until April 21 in order to get them to you by the end of the month. If you are overseas and want to order, keep in mind the shipping is a little longer. PayPal, check, and money order are accepted.


You will receive the basket, miniature apothecary jar, and a card explaining the custom. The cost is $18 each plus shipping.

Thanks for visiting!
~*~

An invitation to TEA...

The Eclectic Artisans are having their first webshow beginning today! Some of those wonderfully talented ladies have already sold their creations, so hurry on over to see what's left!

You may find my latest doll listed under Honeysuckle Lane, and you may see more detailed photos on my website. Invite your friends and come visit for a while...

~*~

Giveaways and Catching Up

There's not a lot to post about here at home this weekend, so I'll send you off on a couple of giveaway adventures:

My friend, Betty, has made a beautiful little dolly and is drawing the winner's name next week. Hurry on over and enter to win! I've already asked her to put my name in the pot!

Another friend, Doreen, is giving away a few bottles of her delicious Maple Syrup and other goodies! I hope I win a bottle, but it wouldn't be nice if I didn't tell you about it to give you a chance as well.


~*~

A while back Suzanne and Lorraine both tagged me. Suzanne asked me to write my memoir in 6 words and Lorraine asked me to explain my business name.


Here are the instructions for the Memoir tag:
Post six words that sum up your life. Ernest Hemingway was bet $10.00 that he couldn't sum up his life in six words. He won that bet when he wrote, "For sale, baby shoes, never worn."

The Rules:

1. Write your own six word memoir

2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible, so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere

4. Tag five more blogs with links

5. Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!


My response to Suzanne's tag: "Faith, family, friends: make life beautiful"
If you'd like to play along ~ consider yourself tagged.

And for Lorraine's tag: Honeysuckle Lane is the name of my business. I grew up in the country, country dirt roads and gravel roads, honeysuckle vines growing with wild abandon.... I can close my eyes and go back to days when I was a young girl, riding in the back of Daddy's old pickup truck, and smelling the honeysuckle as we drove past on our way to the river. I can imagine the walks with Mama along the edge of our yard, picking the honeysuckle blooms and letting a drop or two of sweet nectar touch my tongue. I see the pop bottle in the window where Mama proudly displayed the bouquet of honeysuckle vines and blooms that I picked for her. Honeysuckle Lane was an obvious choice for me.