What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Some days when you are working on smaller projects, it just seems like tinkering.  At the end of the day you have accomplished several things, but none of them are that big feeling of accomplishment.  Such was the case for Hubs.  He had been asked to create several small things, but it didn't give him the *wow* factor he gets when he smiths larger projects.

First, there was the sword.  He has made the two older grandsons wooden swords and some that were in our online shop.  (Speed Demon isn't even a year old yet, so he hasn ...

Christmas is coming!  We have six kids (plus significant others) and seven grandkids.  If you let it, things can get expensive.  A few years ago we decided that the adults would each make something for the others rather than spending a bunch of money.  It's been a lot of fun for Hubs and I to see what the kids come up with.  We have actually been pleasantly surprised at their creativity!  I prefer getting something homemade rather than store bought for sentimental reasons.  We had no idea our kids could be so artistic.

Prodigal Son is probably the most ...

 ...but I couldn't be more excited!

Cracker Barrel is re-decorating and getting rid of their wood cookstoves that they use for display.  I saw it on FB, so it has to be true!  LOL

Remember the Pioneer Princess I wanted???  Well, they aren't as big (or as nice, frankly), but I have scored!

I told Hubs about the FB post and that all the Cracker Barrels were selling off the display units.  While I was on a call this morning, he went to the nearby CB to check it out.  I count on him to check out fireboxes ...

Sometimes I have to remind the fellas that we need to post more of what they are doing.  They've been working on this piece and I have been chomping at the bit to show it to you.  A local lady owns an olive oil shop.  She sells olive oil in various vessels, including wine bottles.  She was looking for a custom piece and contacted us.  Going from rough sketches of what she wanted, this is what they came up with:

 I will warn you, I foresee this being a very long post.  But, there is a lot to opening a business.

The name "Appalachian"...my family is from West Virginia.  If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will remember that my 'real' father committed suicide a month before I turned 3.  My brother was 6 months old.  When he died, Momma didn't have a driver's license nor did she even know what they had in their bank accounts.  It was a hard reality check for her.  As a way to pull some of the ...

While fencing (which we will now refer to as sword fighting, because it just sounds way cooler) actually is believed to trace it's roots back to Spain in the 12th century, France has actually dominated the sport for hundreds of years.  En Garde signals to your opponent to be ready - or as we like to say when we play "ready or not, here I come".

We have a grandson who is obsessed with all things 'manly'.  He loves power tools, tractors....and swords.  His birthday is this month, so Hubs thought it would be a good idea to make ...

For about a month (maybe longer) I have been needing to go to Lehman's.  Something has always come up and I haven't gotten to go.  Yesterday Hubs loaded me up and off we went.  We took the back roads up and back for a nice peaceful day.  I guess I should put a bit in here about us....we enjoy quiet.  It's not that we don't enjoy people, it's just that when we go somewhere like Gatlinburg or Amish country, we aren't in to the touristy things.  Gatlinburg finds us on the artisan trail ...

I'm a fan of the Alaskan shows.  My favorite is probably Alaska the Last Frontier.  I love how they work as a family and have such a strong work ethic.  While watching Life Below Zero a LONG time ago, I fell in love with the Alaskan Ulu knife.  I told Hubs I just had to have one.  He offered to make me one, but time passed, we were busy and it just didn't happen.  He surprised me with one for Mother's Day.  He had started one for Christmas when he got his shop all set up, but ...

Hubs had been making things to take to all the homesteader gatherings we were going to.  We were vending and in addition to the things I would be taking, he was looking to jumpstart his business.  As an increasing number of them have been getting cancelled, I was feeling a little pressure to get his items listed on the website. 

It's not easy being me - I am webmaster, order filler, buyer, quilter, soapmaker, candle maker, gardener...I wear a lot of hats!  But I wouldn't have it any other way.  

So, I bit the bullet.  I had already ...

My fellas took 'social distancing' to a whole new level yesterday.  Here's the backstory:

The neighbor to the west of us built a barn within about 10 feet of the property line right by our house.  Before we bought the house, it was his intent to buy it.  When he found out we had purchased it, he was a little *ouchy*.  It took a little bit for him to come around, but he is OK now.  They were tearing down an old bowling alley and the neighbor, we will call him John, got four pieces of the alley.  He ...