My treasures!

I thought I would share with you today some of my treasures!  I am a collector and I saw on TV this morning about the New "Oprah" magazine about clutter and hoarders.  I guess I fit into both categories as I do save way too many things than we have room for in our new cabin that may well be the last home we ever have.

I do need to rid myself of so many things!  These photos are of some things I can NEVR get rid of and I treasure with all my heart!  My Mother used to paint on china as her hobby. She made so many items, and she was so good at it. She is good at everything she attempts and now is focusing on quilting and appliqué.   She made all of this jewelry in this case I found at the thrift store. It is a shadow box with glass lid. I need to adhere them to this box or wear them. I used to wear all of it in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. It just seems today that I keep three necklaces on all the time. I never take them off. I do occasionally wear another longer necklace over them that hang longer, but even earrings are getting caught on tree limbs as I explore the woods I cannot stay away from. I had some hoops in my second ear hole and finally had to take them off. I do always wear the diamond studs my husband gave me many years ago and they have always been on, so I got second holes for my other earrings that I changed out a lot, depending on what I was wearing or going!  In Alabama it seems I always dressed up more than now. Living n the woods and being home much home, I am much more casual everyday plus I am getting older and just don't go out to so many places as we live about 100 miles from any large city, like Atlanta, Chattanooga, or Ashville. We do have several small towns nearby that provide our needs but do not run to Michaels, Joanne's, or Hobby Lobby anymore. I get the coupons and they used to burn a hole in my pocket.

Anyway, here are some photos of the Jewelry my Mother has painted for me, she made rings, necklaces, brooches, earrings, stick pins, and lots of china plates, trays, and dishes, etc.

You can see how she advanced over the years in her china painting. Her green flowers paintings were some of her first paintings. Note the ring out of the ring holder china oval that has a carrot and one-half a carrot on it, she gave that ring to my daughter when she was around 7-8 years old. Also the little blue bird ring is my daughter's.

I don't take very good pictures but I love these so much. But, some things I love I have to offer in my Etsy shop!  I was straightening my dresser one day while looking for the vintage Peace rings I used to wear. I am going to list them for sale as I do not wear them and what went around has come back around now.

They are very sentimental to me, the Pink Peace Symbol is a ring given to me by a guy I dated and it opens to hold a special message inside. The other gold Peace ring I just got at a hippie shop I guess as I really don't remember.  They used to be all over and I wore a lot of clothing that represented those times n my life. I guess I am still a hippie or gypsy and could wear them but maybe someone else can enjoy them better.  The purple Bling was a ring I wore also just everyday with my jeans and clogs almost like the ones coming around again today. Maybe not quite as high in the heels! Darn, I would break my neck in the ones today.  The other Ankh ring was very special to me as a very good friend of mine came it to me one might while we were out clubbing. We used to go clubbing a lot to listen to wonderful bands and be together if not at home with a crowd and partying at home.  Anyway, the Ankh used to belong to Billy Preston he told me, he traveled with several bands in the day and was a roadie along with his brother.  I wore it and had yarn on the inside to make it fit better as it was too big for my fingers but I love it so much, I also used to have a wood Ankh hanging on our wall at home but I suppose we lost it in our home auction after 911 in Seattle.  It was a World Bazaar, Cost Plus, and Pier One like store, but before they existed.  Anyway, I also need to money!  We are living on Social Security like we never expected, things have changed so much in our lives. Please plan better for your retirement and never take your health for granted. I guess I preach this way to much but it is so important.

I will take better photos before listing them in my 

"frstyfrolk Etsy Vintage Shop"

I was reading in a library magazine about birds and nesting and it said to leave out stings and fabrics for the birds to make their nests from so I filled my suet feeder with leftover strings to re-cycle for the birds and we have many at our feeders, including the squirrels. 

Here also is a photos of a field of turkeys and goats I see frequently here. 

And my cat Lily is a tree climber

 Here is the moss terrarium I have my by my rocking chair on the front porch. The glass holder is a re-cycled up-cycled misting bowl from the thrift store. 

Thanks for reading and commenting! 

Smiles, Cyndi

The Mountains Of Appalachia - Blind Pig & The Acorn

The Mountains Of Appalachia - Blind Pig & The Acorn:

'via Blog this'

I Adore Tipper Blog, she is always helping me learn about the Appalachian Mountains!

Smiles, Cyndi

I am a Picker!

I stop along my way to various places and if I see old rusty crusty, it inspires me even more.  I found this little ol' vine covered cottage by accident one day and I had stopped to get a photo of the street sign which I do often.  I found a whole boatload of fabulous stuff!

I pass this site often and had never stopped before. But, this day, I was just in the mood. I was dressed in my fairy good clothes too and just got out for the sign photo. Then I saw an old oak tree and looking for wood for my mushromn class I went closer to it. WOW, I found this wagon and wheelbarrow filled with what I think to be old flower planting.

 It is February here and everything is dormant and yellow or dead. Who knows what might re-bloom here. The place is boarded up and looks abandoned so with a No Tresspassing  sign  "NOT"  in sight anywhere I feel OK to wander around and just look. I love to take photos of nature findings and old things so I felt OK walking around with camera in hand.

I took photos of the tree strange markings and the flower bins, and wander to the side of the house. It was all grown over with weeds and long yellow curly dried vines which Oh, I think great for bird nests! So, I figure no one will mind f I help yourself to a little nature, I pull some yell straw like vines and WOW! underneath is this old bottle jar! A large one! Wow, and  I find another and another. Then as I am looking at the ground wandering around, I look up and see an old building structure that is falling down and no door, looking inside is full of junk stuff, But Gold to me! Wow!

I lurk around and the grass is still full of items overgrown with the grass. The shack is full to the brim and overflowing with someone's old stuff. They must have loved it, I wonder what happened to them and their story! No one is around to ask so I just wonder!

Is this a Chestnut shell or a Chinkapin?

Smiles, Cyndi

Free Projects « Lark Crafts Lark Crafts

Free Projects « Lark Crafts Lark Crafts


Midnight Snowflakes beading project from Diane Fitzgerald Lark Crafts

Fortune Teller Beads necklace from Diane Fitzgerald's Favorite Beading Projects

Easter Baskets

I purchased this special Easter Basket Present and I wanted to share it with you for your children's baskets.

It has a basket of jelly beans wrapped in plastic and attached is the "Jelly Bean Prayer Poem" for your children to read and enjoy along with a small basket of jelly beans.

You could pass them out to your Sunday school class or school friends; even add them to your Easter Egg Hunt as they are wrapped in plastic.

I think it is wonderful and just wanted to share!  Does your child have an Easter Bonnet; I remember getting a very Special Dress, Bonnet Hat and White Gloves along with New Shoes as a child for Easter Sunday and the Easter egg hunt.

Our local community Center in Warne, NC is having an Easter Egg Hunt for the children in the surrounding communities this year and I plan to attend and just be in awe of the children hunting for the planted eggs by the Warne Community Center Members.  They insert a gold and silver dollar coin in each age group's hunt and I think this is a wonderful idea for making it even more special fun. This is our first Easter in North Carolina and I enjoy the sense of community here as we have a pot luck dinner each 4th Tuesday of the month and we never know how many will attend or what will be on the buffet. Many of the Community members live here part time in their vacation homes, even in our neighborhood. Many of the homes are second homes for so many people here that plan to retire here one day. I am so glad we did this also.

Small community living is as new to us as I barely knew my neighbors back in Alabama. SO many people worked and never really got out except to mow their yards and even that was a hired service for many people so we never got to really know each other. Things are so different in these mountains!

I hope you enjoy making these little baskets for your children. My daughter is grown but I still may send her by mail an Easter basket. Last year her basket was really a Two (2)  quart pitcher and I put a Lemonade packet in it along with her candy goodies.  I remember always getting socks or Barbie clothes in my baskets as a child; they were not just for eggs and candy!  Yours don't have to be either, include some pencils and a paper game or coloring book.

We do make handmade  "Recycled Crayola Paw Prints"  that would be nice in your Easter Basket you make too. They are in my Etsy Shop "ByLightOfMoon" and I am happy to ship however many in quantity you like.  It is not too early to start gathering your Easter Basket Supplies.

Smiles, Cyndi