Honeysuckle Lane

Cats

2012-01-29T15:58:00.001-06:00

Remember Scooter, formerly known as Benjamin-Thomas-Scooter?

Well, he's all grown up now! He's mostly an outdoor cat, but when it's cold he and Sam like to come in my workroom and snooze the hours away on a 30" square pillow under my work table. If I'm rummaging through boxes Scooter has to come watch and see what I'm doing.

Sam... not so much. He may make a little sound and then roll over and continue dreaming about the mouse that got away. And when it's nice outside, he likes to go out on the porch... and dream some more:

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday!

God bless,
Lana
~*~

Paper Whimsies

2012-01-27T14:26:00.001-06:00

I've been working on some paper whimsies for a wedding shower tomorrow.

I can't reveal much today because I want it to be a surprise...

but I'll share everything in a few days once it's over.

Have a blessed weekend!
Lana
~*~

Photo Story of the World's Longest Yard Sale Pt.3

2012-01-26T20:05:00.002-06:00

I completely forgot to show you the rest of the photos from the 2011 World's Longest Yard Sale! The first Photo Story was here, followed by the second installment here. Needless to say, I took LOTS of pictures and had to narrow them down to keep from completely boring you with photos.

The vendors and their modes of transportation were pretty interesting:

Old hardware was not hard to find...
but it was hard to resist:

There was a potter there from Alabama who made face jugs:

There were all kinds of glaze colors and facial expressions. The artist was Mike Williamson and you can find out more about him here. If you visit and comment or make a purchase, tell him Lana from last year's 127 Sale sent you over.

He also made these shown below. Had I seen the white one, I may have had to make another purhase. :)

I think this recycled tin roof art was also at Mike's booth:

I think I found my antique ironstone bowl / wash basin at the Country Boy's Junk booth year before last:

You could find nearly anything there, maybe even a long-lost relative. I loved this portrait and frame, but I think it was pretty expensive. Otherwise, I can't imagine why I didn't buy it!

We felt like we'd traveled around the world by the end of the day...

Burlap coffee sacks ~ I didn't need to start another project so I left each and every one of them behind.

By the time we got to the car, it was looking rainy...

And it's a good thing we left when we did because traffic was beginning to back up on the highway... something that the 127 Sale is well known for:

Jessica and I couldn't pass through the area without stopping here (seen below). Can you guess why???

Mayfield butter pecan ice cream!!! Two scoops, please!!! ;)

What a way to end a day! Slurrrrp!!!

Vintage Sale

2012-01-18T11:40:00.000-06:00

{antique, hand painted, paper fan}

It's that time again and I have gone through more boxes of items to list on the VINTAGE page of my website.

{I think would be lovely with one of Nicol Sayre's dolls sitting in it}

Some things are antique, some are vintage, and some are just odds and ends that I had saved thinking that I may repurpose them someday.

{one of three salt cellars}

And some things just don't fit my decor anymore or I have too many and need to pare down.

{vintage buttocks basket}

{silver and mother of pearl candle snuffer}

{antique / vintage bow ties}

So if you are curious CLICK HERE to see all of the other treasures just waiting to find a new home.

Happy shopping!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Reminiscing About a Turkey...

2012-01-17T14:29:00.001-06:00

I was browsing the "you might like" suggestions at the bottom of my blog posts and found this one about one of the turkeys we used to have. I laughed out loud when I was reminded of how he chased after cars like a dog!
You can read about it here.

Happy Tuesday!
Lana

Friends

2012-01-14T11:22:00.000-06:00

Friends are kind to each other's hopes.
They cherish each other's dreams.

{Emerson}

Happy Saturday! :)
Lana

Ahhhhh.....

2011-12-29T13:24:00.001-06:00

I am so enjoying my time off from work! So much that I was inspired to.... work! ;) As you well know from my past posts, I can't stay idle, not even when I'm taking a break. While sitting with Roger in the evenings and watching tv, I have been doing some simple needlework. When it's not a rushed thing, I find handwork very relaxing.

Silk ribbon hearts and cotton French knots on linen made into sweet accent pillows...

They have been sewn up into small accent pillows and tonight I will stuff them and sew on the trim.

UPDATE:
I have taken pics and have listed them for anyone who is interested in them.
The pillows are now listed on my Honeysuckle Lane website with buy now PayPal buttons.

Enjoying the rest of 2011...
Lana
~*~

P.S. My 30% off Etsy shop sales end Saturday night! Visit this page to read about the sales at Simple Joys Paperie and Honeysuckle Lane.

A Winner & A Thank You

2011-12-19T11:05:00.003-06:00

{While looking through photos on my computer, I realized I hadn't even posted about the Country Living Fair in Atlanta this year! I'll do that before the end of December during my break.}

Jenni over at Dear Lillie had the drawing for my Joyeux Noel vintage book wreath.....
Congratulations to Tanja in Colorado!

Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway and that ordered wreaths. You have kept me extremely busy as you can see, but that's a very good thing! :)

{just a fraction of the packages I have shipped the last few weeks!}

I am taking a break for the rest of the year (and maybe a week of January) from handcrafts...mostly. You know me, I have to keep busy and I can't go very long without making something! However, I will not be resting. I have so much to do here at home and hope I can get a lot accomplished in just 2 or 3 weeks. Wish me luck!

To thank everyone for their friendship, support, and business during the past year, everything (that's more than 70 items!) in my Simple Joys Paperie Etsy shop and Honeysuckle Lane Etsy shop is 30% off! You just need to insert a code in the "apply code" box during the checkout process. Details are in the shop banners. If you have trouble with the codes, please email me and I'll take make a special listing for you with the discount.

{soldered heart in hand charm ~ SOLD ~ thank you!}

{heart in hand paperweight ~ SOLD ~ thank you!}


{silk dupioni make-do with antique European metallic trim ~ SOLD ~ thank you!}

Thank you, again, for your interest in Simple Joys Paperie and Honeysuckle Lane. I'll be back later in the week to share some simple, primitive Christmas ornaments that are gracing our tree this year.

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Vintage Book Wreath Giveaway!

2011-11-30T08:44:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone! I'm busy working on orders this week, but I wanted to let you know about a giveaway. Jennifer over at Dear Lillie is hosting a Joyeux Noel vintage book wreath giveaway for me! Yes, I know, I should have done a wreath giveaway long before now, but better late than never, right? :)

Please visit Jennifer's blog and leave a comment to enter to the giveaway. When she draws the winner's name, and we have the shipping info, I'll ship the wreath asap!

~*~

In the meantime, if you are still shopping for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers, I have added a couple dozen more Felted Flower Pins, made from recycled cashmere and wool, to my collection yesterday. These are adorable on a lapel, a scarf, or a hat! You may find them on the Jewelry and Accessories page of my Honeysuckle Lane website.

And if you are looking for Christmas / winter decor, my 2011 Snow Folk collection is featured in this post.

Thanks for taking time out of your day to visit, leave a comment if you wish, and good luck in the giveaway!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

The 2011 Snow Folk Collection is Here!

2011-11-26T09:52:00.001-06:00

This year I really wanted to debut a large collection of Snow Folk.... a few dozen pieces... some on stands and bases, some under glass domes... scattering a few handmade trees here and there... and display them as a large snow village... but that was not meant to be. Instead, I did well just to get these few things made to list just after Thanksgiving. Oh well, there's always next year! :)

I did manage to create two snowmen, Jack (above) and Frost (below).

These guys have been pals for a long, long time, spreading sparkling snow and frost each winter, traipsing about with their faux feather tree twigs that double as walking sticks when they happen upon a deep snow.

I also made a pair of Snow Angel Candy Containers, Peace and Joy.

They are busy spreading peace and joy throughout the world. We sure could use it, don't you think?

And last, but not least... he's actually the largest... is an Old World Belsnickel / Father Christmas.

I made a faux feather tree out of crepe paper (similar to one I shared in this post a few years back) and perched a vintage spun cotton dove on one of the branches.

He has sheep's wool for a beard and mustache and his clothing (as is the clothing for all the other Snow Folk) is made from some old cotton quilt batting I've had saved for years.

I suppose there's enough for a small village here...

At least it's a start....

The Belsnickel in the center with the little wax lamb beside him will be up for auction on eBay Sunday night in a TDIPT Mercantile group launch. You will find him here after 9pm Sunday night.

And I couldn't do Christmas decor items without making a few whimsical cones

with tarnished silver tinsel, mother of pearl buttons, vintage crepe paper ribbons, and handmade faux feather tree twigs.

As usual, I had to have something to work on while I was watching tv later in the evenings with my husband, so I made over two dozen ribbon rose pins and recycled, felted flower pins. These are available on my Honeysuckle Lane website or in my Honeysuckle Lane Etsy shop. I've made the ribbon rose pins for years, ever since I saw them being made on The Carol Duvall Show long, long ago...

All of my work shown is listed on my Honeysuckle Lane website, but if you want to purchase immediately, just visit Simple Joys Paperie and Honeysuckle Lane on Etsy.

~*~

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by loved ones. We had a traditional dinner at home with our kids... simple and cozy... just the way I like it! :)

Thank you so much for dropping by ~

Take care and God bless,

Lana

~*~

Hello!

2011-11-22T10:25:00.001-06:00

{one of my designs, photo courtesy Create & Decorate}

Hello everyone! I just wanted to pop in to say hi so you don't forget me! I have been swamped with custom orders for glass glitter pumpkins and vintage book wreaths over the past couple of months and have barely had time to check in. I'm not complaining though, business is great! :)

I have lots of things to do, but if time permits, I still plan on making one of a kind jewelry pieces to offer just before Christmas, hopefully by December 10th. Most likely I'll announce here on the blog just where and when I'll be selling them.

Also, I plan on working on several new fabric designs over the winter to introduce in the spring. These will be patterns, not finished products. I sold wool felt applique patterns to quilt shops in the past and I also had designs in Create and Decorate for some time, so I would LOVE to get back to that sort of thing.

(another design of mine that was in Create and Decorate)

I think I'll work the rest of today (most likely till about midnight, as usual) and then take off tomorrow and Thursday for a little holiday break. Then it's back to the custom orders list on Friday. No Black Friday shopping for me! If any of you do go shopping, please don't forget to shop local as much as possible and support small businesses.


Small Business Saturday

I have items listed in my Etsy shops here and here and a few items on my main website. I will be adding more than 2 dozen ribbon rose corsages to my Honeysuckle Lane Etsy shop by Thursday night

and by the weekend I'll have at least a couple of Belsnickels with faux feather trees made of crepe paper to offer somewhere, maybe one on eBay and another on my website. I'll be sure to come back here and let you know where they can be found.

I hope all of you have a blessed Thanksgiving and enjoy time spent with family and friends.

(Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum)

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Just Because

2011-11-04T15:53:00.000-05:00

I wanted to thank my customers (and future customers) by offering this FREE SHIPPING coupon code over the weekend. It is good through Nov.6th in my HONEYSUCKLE LANE Etsy shop. Ordering and entering the code is simple: just add items to your cart, then above "item total" click on "apply shop coupon code" then type in JUSTBECAUSE116 and then click "check out with PayPal". This code is applicable in the US only, but if you are outside the US, add the code to the "note to seller" box and I will refund 1/2 of the shipping costs.

Anything and everything in the shop may be shipped free with this code:

A snow angel:

block prints:

an original owl painting:

poppet watercolors:

and even make-do pincushions!

So if you've had your eye on something for yourself or for a gift this Christmas, be sure to use the coupon code, JUSTBECAUSE116, and take advantage of free shipping.

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed weekend!
Lana
~*~

Glad & Merrie

2011-11-01T19:04:00.001-05:00

The TDIPT Mercantile members have updated for the 1st of the month and are having a Holiday Open House and Giveaway! For my update, I have made a pair of whimsical Snow Folk Angels, Glad and Merrie. You may read all about them here.

Then when you have finished visiting all the wonderfully creative shops, pop over to the TDIPT blog to enter the giveaway.

I'm still taking orders for vintage book wreaths. You can see all the styles in my Simple Joys Paperie Etsy shop. Prices will be going up in 2012, so now's your chance to order at the price I've been selling them for since 2008.

Take care and God bless,
Lana

One's Woman's Trash...

2011-10-15T20:40:00.000-05:00

... is another woman's treasure!

Ok, so these items aren't really trash, but I do need to clear out a bunch of stuff

and make a little spending money for my trip to the Country Living Fair in Georgia next weekend! :)

That's why I'm going through boxes in the closets and my workroom and the basement and listing them on my website.

I've got several things listed and will have more listed by tomorrow night.

Come on over and browse when you have time and feel free to share the sale with your friends! :)

Thanks! Lana

~*~

Red and Yellow Make...

2011-10-08T07:32:00.001-05:00

... this fun Etsy treasury!You can visit the Etsy page and leave a comment here if you wish.

Once in a while I get in the mood to put together treasury collections from my favorites.I guess recently was one of those times.

Here's another one I made called October's Party:

It can be found here.

I hope to be back later this evening, or perhaps tomorrow to share part 3 of the World's Longest Yard Sale.

See you then! :)

This 'n That

2011-10-04T14:31:00.000-05:00

I've been a bit under the weather recently, and although I've not felt very well, I still can't stand to sit and have idle hands. I feel a little better if I sit still, so I have been getting up in the mornings, making the coffee, getting laundry started, and then gathering supplies that I will use during the day and sitting at the dining table to work for the biggest part of the day.

I've been making paper whimsies for fall decor (as seen above)

and

I've been painting more HOMES (as seen below).

As of today, I have 29 tall skinny whimsical homes painted. I just can't stop. When I don't feel well, I can still sit at the table and work on these. I ran out of the Aquarelle Arches watercolor block that I had purchased some time ago and need to get more when I feel like traveling out of town to the art store.

I'm not quite sure what I will do with these, but I want to do more... maybe a series of 100. Since they are an odd size, I'm sure I will have to have them custom matted before offering them for sale. I wonder if that's something I could do myself?

They are all painted ... I can't think of the correct term ... but they are all painted without sketching them first. They are similar in shape and size, but each one has its own quirky personality with different color combinations and details.

I also painted a few larger house watercolors. This one is framed and now listed at TDIPT Mercantile. It is inspired by one of my favorite verses found in Joshua 24:15 ~ "... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

I also managed to make one of my black cats. It tired me more though, since I had to go back and forth to my workroom to use the sewing machine, find the stuffing and paint and buttons. He is also available at TDIPT.

And as long as Sam sees me through the French doors in the dining room, he sits on the porch, just hoping I'll feel sorry for him and let him in. You can't make eye contact with him, for if you do, he starts quietly meowing and tumbling onto his back, wanting you to come rub his tummy. This photo was taken when he spotted me through the screen door. It's so hard to resist that gaze!

Sigh... he's my sweetheart, and if I can get my workroom in order before winter, I may succumb to his pleadings and let him and Scooter take up residence there till spring.

Thank you for stopping by. Hopefully I'll have more things to share when I'm feeling better. I didn't get to go to the pumpkin festival over the weekend, but my daughter did and maybe she'll share a few photos with me to post soon.

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

HOME Multiplied with Koi Watercolors

2011-09-24T15:46:00.003-05:00

Welcome to my home, and my other home, and my other one, and another and .... yes, I got carried away painting whimsical homes! :)

I had been reading about Koi watercolors for a while. Some of the artist bloggers that I visit use Koi watercolors, such as Lori Vliegen and Alisa Burke, and I was anxious to try them.

At first I wasn't so sure about them ~ a little plastic tube of water and a cheap looking synthetic brush that screws on the end? Hmmm, I decided to at least try them out before passing {more} judgement.

I scribbled a little on some scrap watercolor paper to get the feel of the tube and brush and then painted this tall skinny house (also seen in my last post here):

I must say, I am impressed! I really like the vibrant colors and once you get used to not sloshing your brush in a jar of water (which I enjoy doing!) it is fun to paint with the water brush. It was so much fun that I did a whole set of more tall, skinny, whimsical houses...

... and cut them out individually. I think they'd be sweet matted and framed as a set, either in 4 separate mats and frames, or in one large mat as I showed in the photo at the top of this post.

I would LOVE to create beautiful, soft, flowery, romantic paintings, but for some reason I always end up going back to the fun and whimsical art. Oh well.... maybe next time!

Now that I've tried and like them, I'd like a larger set and a larger brush! :)
Any one out there reading this blog that uses Koi watercolors or another brand? I'd love to hear your preferences. Feel free to leave a link to your art in the comments!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

A Seed Has Sprouted

2011-09-23T18:12:00.002-05:00

The girl from the toppling tower of too much has been busy...
busy going through boxes of all of her bits and bobs,
checking what she has in her stash,
making note of what she might put to use,
and what she can let go of and only keep in her heart.

For she has found an extraordinary* joy
in digging through old things forgotten
and new things hidden,
knowing that some will stay and some will go
and all will serve their purpose in one way
or another.

As she sorts and sorts
and divides into this box and that
something feels different within her.
It's as if a little seed that was planted long, long ago
has finally sprouted and has begun to grow...
growing higher and higher...
branching this way and that...
searching...
stretching...
reaching for the daylight that was once hidden
by the toppling tower of too much...

Please come back for another visit as the girl shares more of her heart and home.

What bits and bobs do you have that need to be cleared out
so that daylight and creativity can burst through?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
these snippets of
The Toppling Tower of Too Much
are light-heartedly written and whimsically illustrated by
Lana Manis (c)2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* extraordinary ~ thank you to Minnie the maid for providing us with her amusing enunciation of the word.

How Bright Is Your Light? ~ Guest Post

2011-09-22T12:58:00.000-05:00

The folks at OttLite and I have been visiting each other via social media (blogs, facebook and twitter) for a while now. They are always friendly and ready to help.

Most of my readers do some sort of handwork that requires good lighting, so I recently asked someone from LiteSource (a retailer for OttLite) to do a guest post on my blog about lighting for your craft room or studio and Charlene has written a very helpful post!

~*~

How Bright is Your Light?

If you’re sewing or working with crafts, lighting plays a key role in your creation. Dull or poor lighting can strain your eyes, cause a headache and even throw off the hue or tone of your project’s actual color. With OttLite natural lighting technology, you will be able to see things in their true color state. Words will also be clearer and squinting should no longer be necessary to view fine the fine details of your craft.

Whatever your hobby may be, there is an OttLite for just about everyone. Even if you just want to save on your electric bill, OttLite can help. The following examples are a few suggestions below that might make working easier on your eyes!

Below is a photo of a great, versatile lamp that is made for a craft table. Say hello to the Jupiter Magnifier Lamp from The Lite Source. This lamp is adjustable and also includes a handy magnifier to see your creation up-close.

Jupiter Magnifier Lamp

Another great lamp that can come in handy for artists of all types is the 3-in-1 Craft Lamp by OttLite. This convenient fixture, also sold by The Lite Source is fully adjustable. It appears as a floor lamp, but can be converted to meet your needs with included hardware. The added clip is a great way to hold your work when you need an extra hand!

3-in-1 Craft Lamp

Here’s a perfect tool for viewing things on the go. The Mini LED Flip Light is a take-along light that can be easily stored in your purse or pocket when out shopping. Instead of coming home with an off-toned fabric swatch or paint hue, you can see its true color before you even purchase it!

Mini LED Flip Light

Whether you are an artist, knitter or seamstress, proper lighting can definitely be beneficial to your work. The following link shows a video about how an OttLite can assist you. http://youtu.be/ibEkQKduaEg

Here are few testimonials about how OttLite Lighting helps crafters with their creations. Feel free to check them out! http://youtu.be/6sjyFFJtkEc or http://youtu.be/BBL-pPgHDes

Why not feel good about the light you’re in? If you would like to try an OttLite, The Lite Source offers free shipping and a free OttLite bulb with your order. For more information, visit: http://www.thelitesource.com/

Here’s to a bright day!

~Charlene Marie

~*~

Thank you so much, Charlene! I'll admit I don't have an Ott Lite yet, but it is definitely on my wish list! :)

Well...

2011-09-19T18:39:00.000-05:00

... here we are on Monday evening and I am not ready as mentioned in my last post about the Toppling Tower of Too Much. I'm finishing up orders (it's so hard to say no), we attended a family birthday dinner over the weekend, and I just haven't had time to take photos of all the things I am letting go.

Please bear with me and one day this week I'll continue with the previous post. I have work to do tomorrow, there will be a guest post Wednesday, so maybe I can do it Thursday... fingers crossed! :)

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

The Toppling Tower of Too Much

2011-09-16T13:50:00.002-05:00

Once there was a girl who loved life
for life was a lovely thing.
She loved everything about it.
She loved the people in it.
She loved the music in the air.
She loved the smells of nature.
She loved the colors around her.
She loved learning about the old ways.
She loved learning about the new ways.
She loved creating things that looked old.
She loved creating things that looked new.
She loved reading about things both old and new.
She collected books and magazines about all that she loved.
She collected bits and bobs
of this and of that
and of these and of those
in the hopes of re-creating all that she loved
for others to love... and to enjoy.

Perhaps, she decided, she loved too much?

For one day, it dawned on her
that she did not find joy in all that she loved,
that some of what she loved
had grown into a toppling tower of too much.
How could this be?
If you love it, is must bring you joy.
But this girl thought about it
and pondered about it
and pondered some more
and realized
that she can love and enjoy from afar,
that she doesn't have to surround herself with everything she loves,
that she could hold many of these things
in her mind
and in her heart,
that she doesn't have to create everything she loves for others to love,
that she could tell them about these things
so that they could learn about them,
that she could still share her love of all things lovely
sometimes from her hands
or
sometimes from her heart
and still find joy!

And so this girl has decided to offer things
from her toppling tower of too much
in hopes that others will enjoy
learning about lovely things
and creating lovely things
for themselves and
for others.

{to be continued...}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Toppling Tower of Too Much
light-heartedly written and whimsically illustrated by
Lana Manis (c)2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do any of you ever feel this way?

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are invited to come back Monday evening
to acquire any or all of the things this girl
has decided to pass on to others.

Just Because

2011-09-15T12:57:00.001-05:00

Here is a scan from a children's book of the late 1800s.
Feel free to use it in your art.
Enjoy!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Remember

2011-09-11T08:12:00.001-05:00

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. Psalm 22:27

God bless America.

{photo of the World Trade Center cross courtesy of Wikimedia Commons}

Photo Story of the World's Longest Yard Sale Pt.2

2011-09-06T11:52:00.001-05:00

I hope you enjoyed Pt.1 of the World's Longest Yard Sale blog post! I had so many photos to share, I split it up into 3 parts.

I don't know if taking so many photographs was such a good idea. I am feeling remorse over so many things I left behind. This wonderful iron piece was only $10. I went back the next day to get it only to find that the vendor packed up earlier that day and headed back home to Nashville. This was probably my biggest regret. I would have looked great hanging on the front porch.

::::::: CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE :::::::

There was plenty of glassware for the collectors!

Looking for a license plate?

More gorgeous glass!

A camera crew arrived while we were there. I don't know which station they were with, but they had all sorts of equipment and folding chairs, a hair and make-up artist, assistants in tow with bags and notebooks, reporters practicing their stories, etc. It was fun to watch but we didn't hang around long. Jess and I had more shopping to do!

Several booths had old store signs...

Maybe this was for the thrifter who had the best find?

I didn't even see the sewing basket to the right of the candy dish until I was back home editing photos...

Don't know if this horse was old or not although I think it was old. I didn't get very close to examine it, but I loved the way it looked!

Wish I had bought this. I could have made it into a rustic farmhouse coffee table.

Of course I had to take a photo of this 40+ pound book!

More burlap sacks... think these were for coffee...

This wedding cake chandelier was gorgeous when the sun light hit the crystals!

I didn't have (nor would I have spent) the $300 that the seller was asking for it.

More signs...

And more lavender glass ~ or is it called amethyst glass? Either way, the bottles were gorgeous!

I resisted buying more jewelry pieces. I have several drawers full waiting to be used in my assemblage necklaces as soon as I find the time.

I know Roger could build this for me. Wouldn't it make a pretty display case?

Tennessee honey! Delicious!

And this one left Jess and I wondering "what in the world???" Could someone please tell us what it is?

That's it for part 2 of our World's Longest Yard Sale trip. I'll have the last post ready in just a few more days.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I've been painting more pumpkin watercolors! I'll be sad when fall is over and I need to choose a new subject.

These were finished last night. They are 9" x 12". I'm not sure if I should sell these un-matted and unframed, or perhaps in shabby white frames. What do you think?

The following ones are already listed in shops:

{available at TDIPT Mercantile}

I shared a few pumpkin watercolors I recently painted and wasn't sure if I'd sell the originals or just prints. I have decided to sell the originals and they can be found on my TDIPT Mercantile page.

{this one has a spiderweb in the tree and is for sale in my Etsy shop}

and in my Etsy shop as seen above.

I have larger ones painted that will be sold unmatted and unframed so that the buyer may display them however they wish.

I'm still wondering about a scanner for artwork, as mentioned in this post. If anyone can suggest something, I'd appreciate it. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Take care and God bless,

Lana

~*~

Photo Story of the World's Longest Yard Sale Pt.1

2011-09-01T22:17:00.000-05:00

My daughter and I spent a day at the 127 Corridor Sale this year. With the high cost of gas, we chose to shop local instead of driving for miles and miles and miles. We stopped at 3 locations where vendors had gathered, all in Fentress County {our home county and the place where the idea for the sale originated}.

::::::: CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE :::::::

{first stop}

{lovely queen anne's lace on the side of the road where we parked}

The weather had been hot all week, but on Saturday it was overcast for quite a while and a bit cooler ~ at least cool enough to be bearable till the afternoon.

You can believe it when they say there's something for everyone!

{$6 each ~ I don't know why I didn't buy these!}

{love the little aqua jeep!}

{the engraving on this was so beautiful! I think it was priced $45}

{Jacks, anyone? They were in their original jar! About $50, I think}

{100 bucks}

{these were so pretty grouped together}

I saw this crown crock sitting on a table and had to take a photo... I knew I couldn't afford it. I started to walk away and as I went around the table I saw the price sticker on the side of the crock. You won't believe it...

{my ABSOLUTE favorite find!}

FIVE DOLLARS!!!

{took this shot at home just so you'd believe me}

Yes, you heard me... FIVE DOLLARS!!! I grabbed the crock right away and held on to it! :D
When I found the guy who had the items for sale, he jokingly said I took the photo of the crock so he couldn't price it higher to me, lol! He said it had been $20 {which was still a deal I thought}, but it was the next to last day of the sale and he didn't want to haul it back to Indiana where he lives.

{I'm trying to be careful with it so that pieces don't flake off. Don't you just love the crazing?}

I was so inspired by this piece that I painted a watercolor of it:

and have the finished, framed painting listed at TDIPT Mercantile.

{this was so pretty and yes, I did buy it for 1/2 price to use on something I make}

{these sheep were adorable, but too high for me at $40 +}

{as soon as I saw these chenille ornaments I thought of my friend Stephanie at Old World Primitives}

{lock it up!}

We didn't realize until we were leaving that we had parked soooo far down the road from our first stop, but as you can see it was a popular stop!

I hope you enjoyed coming along with us! Check back in a day or two for pt. 2 of the Photo Story of the World's Longest Yard Sale.

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Lumina Pumpkins {& a question at the end}

2011-08-30T14:02:00.001-05:00

I love white pumpkins even though I have difficulty finding them for sale around here. So, most times I make my own, whether it be fabric pumpkins,

pumpkin block prints,

or paper pumpkins.

This week I have done lumina pumpkin watercolors. I'm having trouble deciding if I will sell the originals or just sell prints and note cards.

I really enjoy working with watercolors...

you never know just exactly what you're going to get when it's finished...

I'll have some paintings available at TDIPT Mercantile Wednesday night. One will be a watercolor of an old crock I recently purchased:

and maybe I'll list the pumpkins, too! :)

Here's my question ~ to all the artists out there: Can you recommend a scanner for scanning artwork? The one I have {HP Deskjet F4240} is a great all-in-one but it doesn't get true colors in a scan and that is so frustrating! I have to edit all my art scans to get close to the actual color and even then I usually don't get the exact color. I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks so much!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Hurry Fall ~ Cool Autumn Interiors

2011-08-26T07:16:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! I've been so busy with canning and freezing things from the garden that I haven't had time to blog, so I must say it was a relief when the folks at Arcadian Lighting offered to do a guest post for me ~ thank you, Reyna and Susi! :)

~*~

Today’s guest post is from Susi, a writer for Arcadian Lighting a must-shop resource for beautiful lighting fixtures.

Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer are right around the corner. We're already thinking of fall colors, mums and asters filling pots and flower boxes, and pumpkins sitting on steps. Here are some cool autumn interiors to help get you in the mood for the coming season.

Creamy Life (via)

The mural on the bedroom wall is a literal interpretation of autumn foliage. The colors of the linens and lamp are more loose interpretations of the season, inspired by foliage.

Bright Bold Beautiful (via)

Classic fall décor elements of leaves and pumpkins give an autumnal feeling to this farmhouse dining room. A few understated nods to the season are better than too many. What this dining room is missing, is a rustic ceiling light to tie in the decor.

Pinterest (via)

Rich brown leathers remind us of riding boots and cool fall days. Adding a wool rug in foliage inspired colors to a room definitely gives the room a cozy, fall feeling.

Creamy Life (via)

Reds, russets and oranges color this living room in autumn glory. A warm fireplace and beamed ceilings create a warm, inviting space.

Better Homes and Gardens (via)

Yellow and burnt orange walls give this living room an autumn look. Mixed with warm and cool blue sky blue accents, this room is ready for fall. A warm throw is perfect for cooler nights.

The Inspired Room (via)

Reds and browns give this foyer an autumn look. Changing out curtains and rugs as the seasons change makes a big difference. Go for plaids and paisleys in the fall for a cozier look.

Country Living (via)

A few fall colored accessories like accent pillows and throws can turn a neutral living room into an autumn interior. Flowers or leaves from the farmers market add to the feeling...as does a roaring fire.

Pinterest (via)

Plaid is a quintessential fall fabric. From football games to back to school, plaids make us think of cool evenings and crisp mornings. Always aware of light fixtures in an interior space, we're loving these bedside reading lamps. A plaid blanket or throw is an easy autumn touch for a bedroom or living room.

Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality light fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

"Arcadian Lighting is the best source for lighting fixtures and accessories at discount prices. Arcadian Lighting has been in the lighting industry for over 15 years selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products."

~*~

Susi, thank you so much for writing this post for me and my readers! This has put me in the mood to decorate for fall and has provided me with some great ideas! How about all of you?

Thanks for stopping by.
Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Cats Have It Made

2011-08-09T09:19:00.000-05:00


{Scooter doin' his usual thing}

Catnappin' would be nice, but I've been canning and freezing things from the garden.
I've also been finishing up some orders, and if any of you are reading this, I'm nearly finished... finally! :)

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Power Outage - A good thing?

2011-08-04T08:57:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we had storms in the area. They quickly blew through, but the winds did some damage in the area. Our power was out for a few hours, no lights, no a/c, no tv, no internet, etc. With no lights to better see the artwork I had set out to complete, I decided to go through a large stack of home decor magazines and thin out my stash ~ you're welcome, sister & thank you for taking them! ;)

Had it not been for the storms, I most likely would not have sorted through and gotten rid of all those magazines that were just taking up space. I also wouldn't have taken the time to sit in my grandmother's old rocking chair while going through them. It's old and a bit creaky, but very relaxing. I didn't realize how much I missed rocking in it.

I'd been cooking beans in the crock pot, but unfortunately they weren't done in time for supper due to the power outage. So, when the power did come back on, I quickly fried bacon and scrambled eggs and we had BLTs (+ eggs and cheese). The tomatoes were fresh from the garden and were delicious!

Not long after I got supper finished, the phone went out and of course, so did the internet ~ for several hours. I had planned on working on my websites and Etsy shops, but with no internet service, I decided to play around with some photos I took yesterday morning of a hydrangea bloom on my windowsill.

I love how the sun, once it rose above the trees, illuminated the bloom and the leaves. And yes, that's the clothes line in the distance. I haven't used it much at all this year. Everyone has been bothered so much with allergies, I didn't want to make them worse by hanging laundry out on the line and then bringing in all the pollen. I miss laundry dried on the line in the sun.

So, this was another thing I accomplished due to power {and phone and internet} outages ~ I took time to edit and play around with these photos. I can't decide if I like them better with more color... or a soft, summery, sun bleached look. Which do you like best?

I also thought of changing my blog banner... again. I like the gray monochromatic banner I have now... but I do love color! :)

{should I use this one?}


{or this one?}

I'm sure I'll be changing it in the fall again. There'll be lots of colorful photo ops!

I was just thinking, I wish I had a Photoshop program to try all the wonderful textures that Kim Klassen creates. I have PS Elements 2.0, but it's pretty old and things look different and I had trouble finding my way around. Maybe it's just me. I seem to be technically challenged a lot lately. Oh well, one of these days... :)

Thank you for stopping by to visit ~ have a lovely day!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

p.s. I'd love to order cards made from some of my photos I've taken over the years (instead of printing them at home and making cards as I usually do). Could anyone recommend a company that's economical AND makes quality note cards? Thanks! :)

The Little Busy Bee

2011-08-02T16:14:00.001-05:00

"How doth the little busy bee

improve each shining hour

and gather honey all the day

from every opening flower?"

I went out to the garden today to check on the beans, corn, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers...

and ended up mesmerized by this little busy bee.

Have a lovely evening,

Lana

~*~

Full Circle ~ almost

2011-08-01T09:52:00.000-05:00

Happy August! Wow ~ it's hard to believe that August has arrived. Seriously, it seems like this year has really flown by... more so than other years. There are so many things on my "to do" list for this year that aren't checked off. I'm getting a little worried. Can I get them completed in 4 or 5 more months? I hope so!

I'm still trying to find my place in the folk art world. Several years ago when I joined an online group of early American folk art enthusiasts, my eyes were opened to a whole new world ~ primitive folk art! Previously, I loved this style, loved the history, loved the whimsical pieces made by nowadays self-taught artists, but never really knew there were groups that talked about it and shared their knowledge of folk art and folk art crafts.

Over time, my style changed somewhat. I still enjoyed learning about and making primitive and folk art pieces, but with a lighter, softer look about them to match my home decor. More and more my designs seemed to be lighter, more cottage / shabby chic / whimsical in style. I finally nearly abandoned the primitive, folk art crafts, but not because I didn't like them, but for lack of time because I was so busy with my new found love ~ paper crafting!

Although I am sure I will always be playing with paper and making all sorts of things that go with a cottage, shabby chic, whimsical decor... I do want to get back to early American, primitive, folk art. Maybe it'll be a combination of styles, maybe I still haven't found my niche, maybe I just enjoy way too many things to settle down... oh well... I can honestly say I'm never bored and never run out of ideas. I have stacks of sketch books filled with all sorts of creations just waiting to be made. Like I told my daughter a while back, "I'm so glad we have eternity!." :)

Since I am working on more primitive folk art pieces, I have re-joined TDIPT (To Dwell In Primitive Thymes). The TDIPT Mercantile updates twice a month on the 1st and the 15th. My updates will be on the 1st of each month. You may see my page HERE. I need to make another banner for my page when I have time but for now I used a cropped border from one of my watercolors.

I've made whimsical owls (can't seem to get away from whimsy for long!), more petite poppet portraits, a pumpkin on candlestick, and a few more items that may be seen at the TDIPT Mercantile.

If you enjoy early American, primitive, folk art with a bit of whimsy, you'll enjoy visiting TDIPT. Come on over when you have time!

That's it for today. I have three 5-gallon buckets of corn waiting to be shucked, washed and frozen.

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

One Day Left

2011-07-30T12:27:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone!

Just posting a reminder that the 50% off sale ends Sunday night at midnight.

Here's the deal:

I'm having a HALF OFF SALE of everything in my 2 Etsy shops:
Honeysuckle Lane
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HoneysuckleLane
and
Simple Joys Paperie
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimpleJoysPaperie

Just use this code during Etsy's checkout: HALFOFFJULY2011

This discount is valid through July 31st.
ANYthing and EVERYthing you purchase is 50% off!
This includes

wreaths

cuffs

soldered charms

paperweights

folk art

snowfolk

puncushions

and much more!

27 years today {updated}

2011-07-29T10:05:00.003-05:00

Roger and I have been married 27 years. Wow, 27 years. When I type that out, it seems like such a long time. Three children, four houses, several cars, trucks, jeeps, a mini van, a station wagon and back to a car and a truck, many family pets, elementary school, high school, college {and more college}, job changes, relocation from one county to another, family births... and family deaths... old friends, new friends, heartaches and joys, reminiscing about the past and dreaming of the future --- so much condensed into what now seems like such a short time.

{I was going to post more photos, but it was a struggle to get blogger to finally upload these two photos}

It's a simple thing really. I love him and he loves me ... sounds naive, but that's what matters. What do you have if you don't have love?

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
1 Corinthians 13

I hope all of you have a blessed weekend ~
Lana

~*~

{update}

Ok, blogger is finally letting me post more photos {which I may regret} but here we are today ~ actually here we are last December 2010. I don't have many photos of us together since I am the one always with the camera.

I was working on watercolors today and the front door opened. I thought Roger was at work. Turns out he finished the job early and came home with these:

Aren't they beautiful? I wasn't expecting flowers. We usually don't do anything for our anniversary as far as gifts or flowers, but sometimes we try to get away for a few days. It just wasn't possible to go anywhere this year.

Roger was working on the job site and I was working at home, but he came home early and surprised me!

And he remembered that I prefer a mixed bouquet of flowers as if just picked from the garden...

Did I mention that I LxoOxoVxoE him? :)

Feeling Fallish

2011-07-28T07:52:00.002-05:00

I know, I know, it's still July, but a girl can dream, can't she? It's been so hot and humid and I {along with many more of you I'm sure} am ready for the crisp, clear air that fall brings. I'm trying to walk several days a week and although I am up to 3.5 miles, it will be so much easier when it cools off.

I'll be joining the TDIPT Mercantile again on August 1st and have some autumn inspired folk art pieces to be offered then. I have a long list of things to make for fall decor and thankfully working on fall things takes my mind off the hot weather. For now, I'm giving you a little peek of just a few items...

Tomorrow's my 27th wedding anniversary and guess what I'll be doing??? ~~Canning~~ Freezing green beans (it's too hot to can them)! Oh well, at least I'm carrying on the tradition.

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Peanut Butter Smooshies

2011-07-26T10:06:00.000-05:00

I'll admit, I am not a great cook. My mom was a great cook, but I just never had an interest in cooking and baking. I can cook, I cook daily, my meals are edible, and my family isn't starving, but I don't consider myself a great cook. Some of my dishes turn out great, but I am still not a great cook. Does that make sense? Most of what I make is from scratch or from memory of having learned it long ago and from having made it over and over and over. I suppose you can say I am a dependable cook, lol! I do try new recipes, though not that often, but I am hoping that will change when we renovate the kitchen. I won't have new appliances, but it'll be a fresh new kitchen just the same and maybe I will be inspired to try new recipes more often.

Yesterday was our daughter Jessica's 23rd birthday. Even though our kids are now in their 20s, I still like to do something special for them on their birthdays. Mamas are like that, you know. :) Jess is the dessert maker in the family. I'm not that crazy about sweets for the most part... but I do enjoy something fruity or nutty or gooey once in a while. Both Jess, and her dad, love dessert. My mom loved something sweet after a meal too, so I guess Jess didn't have much of a chance to turn out differently.

Anyway, I could hardly ask Jess to make her own birthday dessert so I chose something I knew that everyone liked, peanut butter cookies. I thought that was too plain for a birthday and I tried to think of something I had on hand to add to them. We live about 30 minutes from town and about 20 minutes from a small grocery store, so it's not like I can run down to the corner market for an ingredient or two ~ especially with today's gas prices! Sorry for rambling... so I happened to think of a recipe I'd seen on a blog for simple buttercream frosting. Seriously, I'd never made homemade frosting before. My mom had made it lots of times, but for me, it was so much easier to pick up a can of frosting at the store right beside the cake mix!

My dessert was a hit last night and when asked what it was called, I came up with Peanut Butter Smooshies. They are very rich and it was all I could do to finish just one. The rest of the family ate two each. Guess they liked them! :)

I'm all for simple, so here's my recipe, with links to the other recipes I used for the main ingredients:

Peanut Butter Smooshies

Peanut butter cookies (never fail recipe we've used for years from Crisco here)
Vanilla buttercream frosting (easy-peasy recipe from Shelly at Cookies and Cups here)

Bake cookies according Crisco's fantastic recipe and let cool completely. Hide them while cooling because other family members will smell them and come looking for them. ;)

While cookies are baking and cooling, make buttercream frosting. Again, guard from family members who think it's a dessert all by itself and keep walking by to "just sample".

I didn't add the vanilla or milk that was in the frosting recipe. I wanted pure buttercream taste (no vanilla) and the consistency of the frosting was perfect without the milk, but you can decide when making yours if you need the vanilla or milk.

Put a spoonful of frosting on the flat side of one cookie...

... and SMOOSH a second cookie on top of it. That's it! :)

Really, could it be any easier? Ok, I guess you could buy peanut butter cookies in a package and frosting in a can, but you know it's not going to be the same.

Enjoy!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

From Me to You

2011-07-25T11:25:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone!

I've got 2 things for you today ~ a freebie and a 50% off sale!

Here's the freebie. It's a scan from one of my old books of a little Victorian boy. I hope you enjoy using it in your art! :)

{click twice for the largest view, then right click to save}

~*~

And here's the sale:

Roger and I are celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary on July 29th. We are hanging around home instead of taking a vacation this year, but we'll be together and that's what is important! :)

In honor of our anniversary and to thank you for reading my blog and to thank you for your support of my folk art, I am having a HALF OFF SALE of everything in my 2 Etsy shops:
Honeysuckle Lane
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HoneysuckleLane
and
Simple Joys Paperie
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimpleJoysPaperie

This discount is valid through July 31st.
It is better than the Summer Sale {buy one regular price / get one half off} because ANYthing and EVERYthing you purchase is 50% off!
Just use this code during checkout: HALFOFFJULY2011
If you don't have an Etsy account, please email me with your list and I will remove items from Etsy and send you an adjusted invoice. You may pay via PayPal, check, money order, or credit card.

If you know someone that would like to get in on these savings, feel free to tell them about it.

Have fun shopping!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Petite Poppet Portraits

2011-07-23T19:45:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!

I'm so glad you came back for another visit ~ or that you are here for the first time. :)

Here are the watercolors that I have been working on in between everything else.

They are called Petite Poppet Portraits and as the banner reads, they are inspired by English Wooden dolls of the 18th century. I have painted them on aged watercolor paper in keeping with the antique, naive feel of the artwork. I wanted to create the look of a well-loved painting passed down in the family that was perhaps done by a mother for her daughter to hang beside her cherished dolls.

{click on each photo for a larger view}

Each watercolor is about 4" x 6", not including the mat or the vintage frames. They have screw eyes and pale, pale aqua vintage ribbon for hanging, or you may remove the ribbon and replace it with a string or wire. If you prefer a cream colored ribbon, I can accomodate you with that.

Matilda, a bit homely looking, is in the horizontal frame with the textured aqua mat. It is a vintage piece of thick paper that I had saved for a special purpose. There is no glass is this frame, but not to worry, for both watercolors have been treated with an acid-free, archival-safe coating. Matilda has been washed with pale aqua, light peachy salmon, and light brown watercolors. Details were done with a sepia PITT artist pen.

Lucinda {shown below} a bit prettier in the face, is in the vertical frame with glass. She, too, is dressed in soft aqua, peachy salmon, and light brown colors. All of her details have been done with a tiny, liner watercolor brush using hand mixed sepia watercolor paint.

For now, I only have two completed. These are for sale but I won't be listing them on my websites with my other wares since there is a Summer Sale going on at those places for now.

If you wish to purchase a Petite Poppet Portrait for your early American, folk art home or to accompany your doll collection they are $50 each plus shipping. Just email me {lanamanis at gmail.com} with your request. I accept PayPal, check and credit card payments. If you wish to talk to me, just email and I'll send you my phone number.
Sorry, these watercolors are not included in the Summer Sale.

Thank you so much for stopping by again and don't forget to leave a comment if you have time. I enjoy hearing from all of you! :)

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Sneak Peek part 2

2011-07-23T10:07:00.000-05:00

I just finished another little watercolor that I'd like to share with you. It is similar to the first one shown here.

I'll have both of them framed and ready to show in their entirety this evening. I'm slowly running out of smaller antique and vintage frames. Guess it's time to hit the thrift stores again! ;)

If you want to see the finished items, check back around 7 or 8 pm central tonight.

Have a lovely Saturday! :)
Lana
~*~

Sneak Peek

2011-07-22T12:55:00.001-05:00

Don't you just love sneak peeks? You can't resist looking, but then it always leaves you wanting to see more.

So, here's a little more...

And just a bit more...

I just can't seem to stay out of my workroom. I know I said I wasn't working on anything for a while {other than special orders} because I have things to do around the house ~ inside and out! But when things slow down, and I sit to rest a while, I just have to have something to work on.

Check back now and then, or subscribe to my blog {link is in the sidebar} if you want to see what's going on around here. I hope to have the finished piece {and more like it} to show you very soon.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leave a comment if you wish. I love hearing from you! :)

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Color, Color, Color!

2011-07-20T11:49:00.003-05:00

Watercolor, that is!

I'm finally finishing up a commissioned watercolor this week {late, I might add and not shown in these photos}. While I have my supplies out, I thought I'd experiment with some vintage watercolors that I recently purchased.

The first set of watercolor paints below are from West Germany and are called Angora. There's a cute little cat on the lid.

I like the colors, not too bright and with a vintage look ~ how coincidental ~ vintage watercolors look vintage! ;)

The two photos below show a sample I did using Guitar Watercolours. Though the tin isn't marked, I think these were made in Japan.

Again, I like these colors as well.

I think my favorite is Revoli Paints. I think these were made in the U.S.A. 1920's - 40s according to another source I found online.

Can you tell I'm having fun doodling flowers? :)

Detals are done with a sepia PITT pen.

My least favorite were the Artista watercolors made by Binney & Smith as seen below.

There was nothing wrong with them, they were just too bright and vivid ~ but that's something that many artists look for in their paints. It just wasn't what I was looking for this time.

I have done so many fraktur inspired watercolors, first drawing the artwork in pencil then painting and staying in the lines, that I decided to try a little looser approach with these designs.

I painted basic flower shapes, then after the paint dried, I drew the flowers and leaves and curlicues with the PITT pen.

I kind of like it!

A lot! :)

I think I'll keep all but the Artista set. It will most likely get listed on my website when I list another batch of vintage items and supplies.

Do you doodle or paint? What's your favorite medium?
Feel free to share a link in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by!

Take care and God bless,
Lana

~*~

P.S. I've recently started listing on eBay again... once in a while. You can see my current listing {an antique make-do pincushion} by clicking this link or by clicking on the link in the sidebar where it says: My eBay Auctions.

Peat Pot Tassel Tutorial

2011-07-15T10:21:00.001-05:00

Making a tassel is most likely very basic for most of you, but for those few that have just started crafting or those who have never made a tassel, I thought I'd share a very simple project. This is how I made the one pictured, but you certainly may substitute whatever supplies you have on hand to make it work. Using different colors of paint, yarn and ribbon can give the tassel a whole different look.

Supplies:

Yarn ~ I had a skein of chenille yarn bought on clearance quite some time ago
Ribbon ~ I used 1/2 a yard of vintage seam binding ribbon
Peat Pot ~ cheap ones may be found in the gardening section of most stores
Craft Paint ~ I used Apple Barrel's licorice {black} and Folk Art's maple syrup {brown}
Craft Glue ~ Alene's Tacky Glue is my favorite {not shown in the supplies photo}
Scissors
Something to poke a hole in the peat pot, old dental tool, skewer, etc {not shown in the supplies photo}
Stiff Cardboard or Mat Board {Mine was about 6" long x 4" wide}
Paint Brush ~ obviously not my good brush. It's scruffy and has been taped over and over...

First, I painted the peat pot with a base coat of black and then dry brushed brown over it to bring out more of the texture of the peat pot.

Next I poked a hole in the center bottom of the peat pot using an old broken dental tool I found in a junk store. It has really come in handy over the years!

Now it's time to wrap the yarn around the cardboard.

Just start wrapping.... and wrap and wrap some more...

And when you think you have enough, wrap some more...

I stopped when it looked like it was enough to stuff inside the peat pot without any wiggle room.

Slip your ribbon between the cardboard and the yarn...

And knot off very tightly...

Then carefully cut through the loops at the other end of the cardboard.

This is what it will look like:

Using the tacky glue,

glue around the top of the tassel

Slip the ribbon ends up through the peat pot and pull out the top, being careful not to get glue on the ribbon.

Pull the top of the tassel snug inside the peat pot.

Your tassel will be uneven, so using your scissors, trim the bottom as evenly as possible.

It will be a bit messy, especially with chenille yarn!

Tie a pretty bow and this is your finished project:

I chose to leave this one plain, but the sky's the limit when adding all sorts of trims and embellishments.

Have fun!

Thanks for stopping by today!
Take Care and God Bless,

Lana

~*~

Hello :)

2011-07-11T13:18:00.000-05:00

If wild daisies don't make you smile,
I don't know what will.

Have a lovely week! :)

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

A Mystery to Me

2011-07-06T17:40:00.002-05:00

I found this bangle bracelet in my favorite antique / junk shop years ago. Its tarnished silver, its 25 petite bangles, and its engraved name plate all drew me in for a closer look, and then I bought it.

The plate which holds all the bangles together reads: "1911 Helen 1936". There are a total of 25 bangles, the difference between 36 and 11. I wonder if it was made in memory of a girl named Helen whose life spanned those 25 short years? I did an online search and found a few girls named Helen who lived from 1911 to 1936. I wonder if she was engaged or married? Did she have children? Someone must have loved her to have this bracelet made.

{click the photo for a larger view}

I think it is silver, from the way it is tarnished and the way that one of the bangles cleaned up with silver polish. Can someone tell me, is there a way to tell if something is sterling if it's not marked? I have an idea for it, but I wanted to find out if it was sterling or silver plate. Regardless, I am looking forward to showing you what I do with it at a later date.

Thanks for stopping by ~
Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

***** UPDATE*****
Pam of Kingfisher Farm Teddies mentioned this:
"Lana, I think it is sterling. and I think it was a 25th anniversary gift, 36-11 = 25"

Pam, I never thought of an anniversary gift but it makes perfect sense! Silver was the suggested gift for a 25h anniversary. Thank you! :)

A Prayer on Independence Day

2011-07-04T08:32:00.000-05:00

{photo by Michael Manis}

Dear Lord,

There is no greater feeling of liberation than to experience this freedom from sin and death that you have provided for me through Jesus Christ. Today my heart and my soul are free to praise you. For this I am very thankful.

On this Independence Day I am reminded of all those who have sacrificed for my freedom, following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ. Let me not take my freedom, both physical and spiritual, for granted. May I always remember that my freedom was purchased with a very high price. My freedom cost others their very lives.

Lord, today, bless those who have served and continue to give their lives for my freedom. With favor and bounty meet their needs and watch over their families.

Help me to live my life in a way that glorifies you, Lord. Give me the strength to be a blessing in someone else's life today, and grant me the opportunity to lead others into the freedom that can be found in knowing Christ.

Amen

{prayer by Mary Fairchild}

~*~

God Bless America!

Scooter, again

2011-07-02T11:04:00.001-05:00

Remember when I first got Scooter? He was a little thing, set off at my sister's house by someone who didn't want their kittens. :(

He quickly made friends with Sam, who makes a very good snuggle-buddy:

He loves it here, mostly playing on the back porch, pestering Sam, chasing squirrels in the edge of the yard, and sleeping in the barn loft. He has a certain spot in the loft where he sits and watches for us to come out on the back porch. Then he jumps down and runs to the house! He also lets us know when he and Sam are out of food. He pulls the screen door open and lets it slam (!) and then quickly runs away to the other side of the porch, acting all nonchalant. He reminds me of a kid ringing the doorbell and then running away, lol!

He sat {almost} still for me to take some photos a while back. Scooter is such a cutie!

You can click here to see all the previous posts about Scooter, if you want to see more pet pics. :-)

You can usually tell when it's a slow blogger day here with no news ~ I post about animals!
Same old stuff going on here ~ finishing up one last watercolor for a customer, and working on the house, so there are no new creations to share for a while longer.

But don't forget the SUMMER SALE that I'm having until.... whenever..... at least until I have time to make new things for my shops, which will be a while. Feel free to share the link with others if you think they would be interested.

Have a lovely weekend!

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

Getting Down to Business

2011-06-28T20:14:00.002-05:00

That's what I have got to do or I won't get very much accomplished this summer. It seems like I've talked about home renovations forever and we still aren't finished. It's not that our house is that big, but we are doing a little at a time, when we can work it in between my husband's regular jobs and my handcraft business.

But it's time for me to cut back on handcraft work and get as much done during the day that I can, so Roger can do what he needs to do when he has time in the evenings or on his days off (which are not very often).

we have gone from this

to this - we replaced the light fixture but i don't have a photo of that yet...

to this

and this in the bathroom.

Since we are renovating with the idea of selling in the future (more on that later), we are also clearing out more than 20 years worth of stuff as we go from room to room. It's not that we never throw anything away, but I've discovered that one can be just a bit too thrifty or sentimental at times. Just how many boxes of "I may use this some day even though I have no idea what it is" or "didn't he / she look cute in this?" can a person ~~stuff~~ store under the beds???

A big antique / junk / yard sale will most likely happen here at the Manis home late summer or early fall, but besides household items, I need to clear out my handcraft inventory, which leads me to the reason I'm writing this evening.

I have decided to have a SUMMER SALE ~ all summer long, and hopefully it will be a sale that is worth your time to browse my websites and Etsy shops. All of my ready made items (and antique and vintage items) that are on these websites are included in the sale:

Honeysuckle Lane ~ southern appalachian folk art

Honeysuckle Lane on Etsy

HL Shop (a little sale blog)

Simple Joys Paperie ~ handmade paper whimsies for your heart & home

Simple Joys Paperie on Etsy

What kind of sale is it, you ask? It's a buy 1 at the regular price and get 1 of equal or lesser value at 1/2 off sale! For instance, if you buy 4 items, the 2 highest priced items are regular price and the 2 lower priced items are 1/2 off. I've already had customers placing orders this afternoon and saving $25 or more!

If you'd like to see the entire newsletter, just click this link: SUMMER SALE.

Feel free to share this sale with your friends, or tweet it or share it on facebook. Who knows, you may find lots of birthday, anniversary, wedding or Christmas gifts and I really do need to clear out as much as possible! :)

Even though I will be too busy to create for a while, I will still be blogging to keep you up-to-date with what's going on around here.

Thanks so much for hanging around to

the end ~

Take care and God bless!
Lana

~*~

French Milliner's Head

2011-06-27T10:46:00.004-05:00

A while back in one of my blog posts I mentioned a French Milliner's Head that I had been working on as a custom order. I didn't want to show any photos because the customer wanted to be surprised. She lives in Australia and it took a few weeks for the package to get to her. Now that she has received it, I can show you what it looks like.

Although I'd sculpted dolls heads before (several are shown in this post), and had previously made milliner's heads, I hadn't made any as big as 20" tall as requested.

It took a while to get a base going, building it up with various chunks of styrofoam, carving away parts of it, adding layers of paper mache and letting it dry very well in between layers before adding a layer of paper clay.

After the paperclay was dry, then came sanding, painting, sanding, staining and a hand rubbed beeswax finish. The stain really brought out all the little crackles and crevices when you view her up close. I intentionally kept her looking a bit rough and handmade, since she was inspired by those of the 1800s that sat in shop windows.

You may see some examples of the antiques at Adrian Morris Antiques, Hanes and Ruskin Antiques and Cowan's Auctions. If you are like me, you could spend hours browsing their antiques!

That's all to share for now. I have a few custom orders to finish this week and then I have to schedule more time for even more renovations.

Have a blessed day!
Lana
~*~

P.S. ~ I have just a few of these mini French lavender cones left from the Lavender Festival. They are paper mache cones wrapped with French book pages, stuffed with crinkled lavender paper shreds, embellished with tarnished silver tinsel. Each one has a little black wire loop for hanging on the back and comes with sprigs of dried lavender. The cones are 4 1/2" tall. I'm selling them in sets of 3 for $15 plus shipping. Just email me if you want a set and I'll send you a paypal invoice: honeysucklelane (at) hotmail.com.

Just one more post about jewelry...

2011-06-21T14:49:00.000-05:00

I've been sharing sneak peeks of my jewelry and I finally updated my website with photos, descriptions and prices.

I'll leave them on my website and maybe put some in my Etsy shop until I make a display for a shop to carry the soldered glass charms and soldered pottery shard charms.

Once I finally got started using my aged, distressed and water-colored papers to make little collages to go inside the glass charms, I didn't want to stop. There were so many more color combinations and designs I could have done, but those will have to wait another month or two while we get going on the renovations again.

I will have to continue making and selling some items, since the sales from my handcrafts will go towards purchasing things for the new kitchen such as paint, bead board, a counter top replacement, etc. :)

I have so much I need to blog about: the renovations with actual before and after photos, some how-tos so you can see just how simple it is to make displays for your products, and of course some photos of vegetables from our garden... when we start getting some! ;)

Happy Summer everyone! :)

Take care and God bless,
Lana
~*~

We Have a Winner!

2011-06-20T19:06:00.000-05:00

Ok, everyone ~
we have a winner for the wonderful Shabby Apple dress giveaway!

I used random.org to generate a number and the lucky number is THREE ~
How funny, because I just recently did a blog post about good things coming in THREES.
Back to the winner, number 3 would make the winner the lovely Alex!!!
Congratulations Alex! :D

Alex has some fantastic Etsy shops that you need to visit when you have time:
Her jewelry shop has some wonderful pieces.... and ooooh, I see something I really want!
And this is her vintage shop where you will find a little of everything for your vintage home.

Thanks for participating!

Lana
~*~

Just a Few More Teasers ...

2011-06-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd share a few more photos of the soldered glass charms and pottery shard charms that I will be listing soon.

I'd hoped to have the photos and descriptions ready tonight, but it will be tomorrow before I can finish.

In the meantime, would you mind commenting and let me know which style you like best?

Thanks! :)
Lana
~*~

A Sneak Peek ...

2011-06-18T23:50:00.002-05:00

I thought I'd give you a sneak peek of what I'll be listing in a day or so. Just click on the photos for a larger view.

After making LOTS of these {see the charms below}...

and then getting LOTS of rain...

... I am going to have a Stormy Weather Sale.

Sales were down, I think due to the weather {rain, thunder, lightening, etc.}, so I will be offering most of the items that I brought home online. Please be sure to stop by and get in on the new items sale!

Take care and God Bless,
Lana
~*~

p.s. I will try to have things photographed and ready Sunday night (the 19th), if not, it will be some time Monday. I'll be sure to let you know here on my blog. :)

Good things come in 3s ...

2011-06-16T12:46:00.002-05:00

… at least that’s what they say. :)

1. I’m making something with

3 spindles

3 wooden base things

3 robe hooks

Check back next week to see what I did with them!

just ignore the tube of spackle stuff, hammer, iced coffee and sudoku puzzle book ~ i'm a busy gal!

2. We are in the midst of renovating. We have the new flooring in the living room, dining room, hall, and bath. Fresh paint is on the walls and ~~all~~ most of the trim is up. I had to go back and patch nail holes in the trim, sand, and touch up with paint. That was not fun. I don't mind doing it, but I am not as good at it as my carpenter husband. I work slower and I keep seeing little imperfections that need fixing, so I go back over it again... and again... and again...

this is after the old floor was torn up and before the new flooring was installed. i'll do more posts soon with lots more photos and share more of what we did.

3. And since I didn’t have enough to fill my 30-hour days (there are 30 hours in a day, right?), after getting a phone call from the shop owner in Oak Ridge who puts together the Lavender Festival, I reconsidered and decided that I will be doing it. After all, I will have at least a week to get ready for it! Am I losing it, or what???

3a. No, I didn’t mess up. We’re talking good things in 3s so I didn’t want to jinx it by listing number 4. ;) I have a big 75-quart plastic tote box filled with old linens that I have collected over the years. Some are near perfect and some are more suited for recycling into some sweet doll’s dress or a pincushion or pillows or whatever else you can think of. So in a few weeks, I'll be offering all of those for sale. It's about time someone put these lovely oldies to good use!

{***just pretend this is a photo of the tote box overflowing with antique and vintage linens. the box is in the basement and I and my camera are not.***}

So... in the evenings I’ve been working on custom orders, but this week I had to finally stop and get something made for the festival, which (by the time I'm finally posting this draft) is day after tomorrow!

I will be taking mostly paper pretties. I've had trouble finding the silk ribbon I normally use to embroider my pillows and just don't have time to hand dye white silk ribbon... maybe next year.

I have botanical cones filled with sprigs of dried lavender. I also have paperweights, book spine cuffs, vintage book wreaths, puzzle purse valentines (it doesn't have to be Valentine's day to give a token of love to someone), matted photographs, sets of my watercolor cards, and I'm currently working on soldered glass charms featuring hearts and hearts in hands and antique lace, soldered pottery shard charms, and blogging this post of course!


paper art has been done and these pieces are ready to wrap with copper foil tape. yes, i use those big utility scissors to cut the little 1" and 2" designs. i never could get the hang of using teeny tiny scissors.

i save all my paper scraps for smaller projects that i work on later such as the charms.

I've had some trouble with my soldering iron. The first one I had died a year or so ago, along with some tips. Then I purchased a new one, same make and model, opened it for the first time last night, used it to solder about 10 charms and the tips went out. What is it with me and soldering iron tips? I thought I was keeping it tinned while working, but maybe I wasn't doing it enough.

Thankfully, I had a spare that I purchased with my first iron. I'm using it today, and so far, so good! However, I am considering buying a different soldering iron soon, so if anyone has a favorite, please let me know. I currently have a Studio 100 which cost about $50 - $60 and I'm considering a Weller iron, but then again, if I can get this one to do the job and if I can find a smaller tip for it, I may stick with what I'm familiar with.

these look a little rough at first, but after i use the Dremel on them, along with the patina mixture, then buff and wax, they will look MUCH better!

some of my handy tools

and my messy work station.

Wish me luck, I am running a bit behind, but hopefully I can get caught up by late tonight --- I'll be sure to have lots of this to keep me working as late as possbile:

Oh, I nearly forgot! Visit this link to read more about the Lavender Festival. If you come, please be sure to drop by and say hello ~ I'll be set up at my usual spot in front of The Ferrell Shop. :)

Take Care and God Bless,

Lana

~*~

Shabby Apple Giveaway!

2011-06-10T21:07:00.002-05:00

Don't you just LOVE a giveaway? And don't you LOVE, even more, a wonderful giveaway?

Well the folks at Shabby Apple are doing just that ~ sponsoring a wonderful {and generous} giveaway here on my blog!

To be honest, when Heather at Shabby Apple contacted me, I'd never heard of them, but I went to their website and they have beautiful, fun, stylish women's dresses, accessories, children's clothing, and much more!

Besides the giveaway {that we will talk about in a minute}, Shabby Apple has supplied a code for you to get 10% off your purchases. Just enter honeysucklelane10off during checkout. It will expire in 30 days.

This giveaway is for their Da Vinci dress, a gray jersey knit dress, pictured below. It looks soooo comfortable!

Here's Shabby Apple's description of the Da Vinci dress: "Sometimes choosing an outfit is as complex as cracking a Da Vinci anagram or reading backwards italian cursive without a mirror (or a dictionary!) Take the guesswork out of dressing with the soft and simple Da Vinci dress. One part sweatshirt, one part puff-sleeved perfection, this easy-wearing number has a flare for the informal with its drop waist, A-line skirt and kangaroo pockets. Pack it for your next weekend getaway or make it a part of your everyday routine."

For this giveaway, the winner must have a US shipping address. There will be no exchanges for the winning dress.

Now, for 3 ways to enter; do one, two, or all three of them to increase your chances of winning:
1. Leave a comment on this post.
2. Visit Shabby Apple and come back and leave a comment about your favorite item.
3. Like Shabby Apple on Facebook and come back and leave a comment here telling me you did so.

The drawing will be held on the evening of June 19th. I will use the random number generator.

If this dress isn't your style, enter anyway! Perhaps you have a friend, sister, mother, daughter or granddaughter who would love it!

Feel free to share this giveaway post on Facebook, Twitter, by email, etc. The more the merrier! :)

Good luck!

Lana
~*~