new update....with little to no sales for the last 2 months at the new 'brick & mortar' store, we have made the decision to close the store.  We've gone through our 'seed' money and now is the time to stop the flow, sine nothing is coming back in.  the store should at least maintain itself..cover rent/utilities/payroll...if not, must regroup...rethink!  had an inquiry from a potential wholesale customer, so if this is where the Lord opens the door, we'll be walking through. 
I'm down to 6 weeks left on the 'public' job..then it's off and running into the unknown world of building a business with my 'artistic' endeavors and 'craft' talents.  now to decide which ecommerce to base it in....volusion, big cartel, open cart...

Let's Try This Again!

we'll try this again!  alot has changed since the first of the year.  Losing public job due to merger with another company.  our work group has 5, counting me, to leave.  the first is leaving this week and then I leave the end of October with the rest to other every couple months.  with the 'lay-off' pending, we are selling our house and making a move to Southport, NC.  Closer to water for DH, his pontoon and his love of fishing.  Closer to the 'beachy' way of life for me! 
New move calls for new life.  getting rid of the old and starting off fresh.  Went through the craft studio and came up with loads of yarn to donate.  When I say loads, it was actually 15 large kitchen sized garbage bags!  and I was fortunate to find a fantastic home for it.  I thought about craigslist and placing an ad--'free for the asking'...when I opened craigslist, I felt the need to check in the 'wanted' column.  Pay dirt...there is a group of ladies in the Cary area that make blankets for the sick...crocheted afghans and crocheted edging on fleece blankets.  They rely solely on the donations of others their yarn stash.  Hopefully my donation will help them for awhile.  I feel blessed knowing how the yarn will be used.
the past 7 months have been a growing/learning experience for me and DH.  we made our decision for the move and discovered the condition of my parents'.  after 6 months of hard work and then having the backfire in our faces and be thrown out at the hands of the law.  maybe one day i'll write the long version, but the end result...I have been able to come to terms with my childhood and movedpast the heartache and gained my voice.  I have now walked away from the situation and can put head to pillow without losing any sleep...Praise the Lord!
More later...
N

New Year's Resolution...pul-eeze!

It's now into the second week of the new year and I'm just getting around to making a post.  no resolutions, but maybe some goals for the new year.  learn how to do alittle more on this blog, like insert a pic...or even just do more posting. 
Let's update the current activities....
House Remodel: 
Done: Master Bedroom, Guestroom, 2nd Guestroom, Dance Floor area, Living Room (except new flooring, Pantry, Laundry/sewing room
To Do:  Finish up on-suite, hall bath, dining room, kitchen.
Attic:  a task since there is 17+ years of stuff to go through.  but following the adage:  not seen/touched/smelt/felt...then it's obviously not needed...except those sentimental things up there for storage...son's baseball cards, old books/records...but the rest...gotta go!
Self Improvement:
Dance/exercise more often
Clean out closet....if I can't wear it right now, then it's gone.  New Theory:  When I get back in that smaller size, I want new clothes.  old clothes/old ways/old memories....time to go for the new!
Business/Job:
waiting on 'merger' news as to when I may actually 'volunteer to leave' and start new life/business in new house/new town
Artistic Endeavors:
knitting more now that winter is here...learning to sew.  currently knitting slippers for self.  Sewing several items for the grandkids.  Bibs, snuggies, growth charts
back again later!
N

now it's goodness gracious grannies! another year!

You know I have got to get better with the postings but life sometimes gets in the way! As it did in my case! no excuses, just fact! Let's go down memory lane and get updated! Since last September/October.....
We acquired a boar and a sow...a boy and girl pig. Once they reached maturity, we tried to go the 'make more piggies' route. No babies yet, fingers crossed for the next few weeks, but 'mama' doesn't appear to be preggers, but she is very large, so it could be hidden. Mr. Pig, topped out at 495 pounds, went to market, to market this past Monday, so he'll be in somebody else's pen or freezer soon. as for Mrs. Piggie, she'll either have babes in the next few weeks, or be gracing our table/freezer in Dec/Jan.
The chickens are still hanging in there, having had 3 hatchings this past summer, we sold off 25+ hens/roosters, so others are now enjoying farm fresh eggs and natural meat!
The garden area has been reduced, as we grow way too much for ourselves, much less our neighbors/friends!
the remodel on the house is continuing...with our dance floor complete and in use! the living room painted and the pantry is being built. next will be the bathrooms and kitchen last!
now for the big news....We've decided to make a move and really start OUR lives anew, in a new house, a new town...and to reopen our store.
Southport, NC is the happening place for us. More on that to come.
I should start to learn more about posting and get some pictures posted! Is there a book called...Blogging for anybody! LOL!
hopefully the next post won't be long in coming!

Good Gravy! Has It Been a Year!

wow! What a year it has been! Let's see, news of the kids. my granddaughter is now 16 months old with a little brother on the way. Due to arrive in this world on January 10th.
Home news! We started out with creating a working co-op for gardening, but during the process, our life has taken a turn in a different direction. The co-op is now just a teaching opportunity for David to work with anyone who wants to learn to garden and become self-sufficient. This has allowed him time to work on the house, back yard, and gardens.
We were approached by a local vineyard, Hinnant Vineyards, to create a skin care line incorporating their grape extract, Resveratrol. Done and now waiting for the Hinnant's to work out a business plan.
in the meantime, we have been working with a great group of guys, with a new venture. BioDiesel Fuels....recycling used oils from restaurants into fuel for running vehicles! too exciting! just getting that started with loads of promise.
I have stated to friends with David being home every day, I come home to something new every day. Both of us are natured such that we have several projects going at one time...you know how it is...depending on the circumstances, is how you choose which one to work on. anyway, the kitchen has new cabinets added, a gas stove, a second dishwasher...along with relocating the pantry temporarily to the dining room. Cleaned out half of the 2-car garage...and now constructing a laundry room in that half of the garage. David has the first of 2 walls built....the former laundry room will become a HUGE pantry! Like I said, it's always something going on.
the chicks....we can't forget the chicks....we started in the spring with 3 hatchings....all the Hens have been introduced to the group...and the Roosters were culled out and given away. we now have 50+ hens and 4 roosters. plenty of eggs....sometimes too many. But, with cooler temperatures coming, and we are all natural...natural grain, no artificial lighting, the egg production will drop off...
Put up loads of jelly this summer...strawberry, cherry, blueberry, grape and blackberry.
David put up veggie soap, tomato sauce, salsa, pickles-dill & sweet.
All with produce from OUR garden!
I'm doing more sewing and playing with some pattern creation...
Favorite baking....Homemade cinnamon rolls...the envy of Cinnabon! LOL!
We just celebrated our second wedding anniversary!....with the purchase of a Golf Car...LOL. It's amazing how nice it is just take a quick trip up to the mailbox...instead of taking the car! it is a 1/2 mile round trip to mailbox and back....and David can zip around the garden, loaded with garden tools/supplies and not have to walk several trips back and forth to the shed! now he's not quite as tired at the end of the day!
I've been following several blogs...and once I get in the habit of blogging, I'll tag them...once I do that, I'll probably amaze myself with the variety of content! LOL!
see you sooner than the last time!

Time to Make Time

David and I are working on creating a school for learning the crafts of yesterday, organic gardening...and reopening his store. The spring/summer have been a very busy time for us. After working a public job, looking at a computer all day, I haven't really been wanting to look at another one at night..but alas, one must make sacrifices! :)
We set up a blog as an outlet for his nutritional knowledge. We named it Life Force 60...hopefully between the two of us, we'll put alot of helpful info out there. I know that my health has made tremendous strides to being the best I can be. I am eating healthier..and you know it doesn't take anymore of my time to do it right than it does to do it wrong..just have to make the committment!
Anyway, I'll probably be setting up another blog, for putting all my crafting ideas on...
and once we get the school establised and the store reopened, there will be plenty of stuff to talk about.
see ya soon.....

Wow....it has been some time

Just goes to show how you can get wrapped up in the things around you and not take time to post. Between the holidays, the chickens, remodeling the house...and working a full time job, looking at a computer in the evening is the furthest thing from your mind. Anyway, for an update. The remodel of our bedroom was started around the holidays...removal of carpet, building a new wall within the room, to enlarge the existing closet and add another closet. Very nice to have 2 closests...one for hanging clothes, one for folding clothes! The only furniture in the bedroom is minimal...bed, easy chair, small writing desk/chair, new flat screen tv hanging on the wall...and we're done! We put hardwood flooring down, painted the ceiling/walls, put up crown molding. God, our Father, knew what he was doing when He put David in my path! I don't believe there isn't anything that he can't do.....and the little he can't, I can! LOL....you know, knit, crochet...the small crafty stuff. With the advent of my first grandchild, he is learning to knit, so he can have a hand in the first afghan I'm working on for her. It's the Friendship Blanket from the 'last minute gifts' book. Very Grownup colors....gold/rust/purple/cream/brown....
of course there are the obligatory bibs, booties, bonnets.....this child won't be lacking in anything to wear!
The chicks are no longer chicks. they are now full-fledged Chickens! We started them on laying mash last week. We should be getting eggs soon. Probably more than we can or want to eat! but that's okay.....I'm planning on renewing my 'pysanky' talents! and now I won't have to buy eggs to do it!
We have started getting visits from the local deer at night, so we've put up an electrica fence to see if it will be a deterent for them. We have put in a small orchard of fruit trees, and we certainly don't need the deer to eat the new buds come spring time!
well, enough rambling for now....once i figure out how to post pics...then you can see the chicks...the garden...the craft village....all coming soon to a screen near you!