Happy Fall...

I so love the way they decorated with the little pumpkins

So it's beginning to look a lot  like FALL!!!!!  I so love this time of the year, something about seeing the lovely trees and beautiful fall decorations warms my soul.

It also helps that I'm a Thanksgiving baby!!!

Now that I've been in my apartment for a month and 4 days, I think its time I started bringing out the fall decorations! I have two lovely apothecary jars that I purchased at Wal-Mart on clearance at $7 each, I know too lucky, I'm going to fill them with some acorns.

I so wish I had a camera to share everything, including the 2 cute bistro style chairs I got at a local yard sale for a whooping 2 BUCKS!!! Yes, yes, I am the Queen Of Deals and I wear my crown proudly:)

After work yesterday I was able to stop buy Wal-mart again just to give their fall inventory a glance.

 Of course I ended up buying something but it was worth it, they have these very lovely artificial bouquets selling for $5. I got a single bunch for this lovely green vase I purchased at a local thrift store for $2. I was also able to checkout their paint section.

I think I'm going to try their Better Homes & Garden paints for the walls, I would love to use my original plan and go with paint by Behr, but I don't have the transportation. You have to make the best out of every situation!!! Well back to the drawing board!!!

I hope everyone enjoys this fall weather, I love the chilly weather!

~N~

Georgia Peaches

* In remembrance to those who lost their precious lives on September 11, 2001, I say may the Lord bless you and your families*

Georgia Peaches on my mind

Today I have the morning to myself, which is very rare because I mostly work during the morning. But I intend to enjoy every bit of this morning until I go to work this evening.

Since I work at a grocery store, I often come across the most awesome deals.

My awesome deal yesterday?

Fresh Georgia Peaches!!!

Now being as I myself am a born and raised in Georgia, Georgia Peach, it safe to say that I absolutely looooooovvveee PEACHES!!!! I love their softness, their sweetness and I especially love to cook with them!

    

     Last year I was determined to teach myself how to make Homemade Peach Cobbler, but since it was a cobbler for Thanksgiving all the lovely peaches were out of season. I would never use canned peaches, only fresh or frozen,but OMG how expensive the frozen are!! $4.99 a bag at my grocery store, even with my employee discount, I was still looking at spending $3.78 a bag.

The bargain shopper inside of me could only agree that we had no choice, we needed them, so we paid for them. The cobbler was great but after spending well over $10 for the peaches alone PLUS the other ingredients for a grand total of $25, I decided that as soon as this beautiful fruit was back in season I was going to freeze my own!!!

After combing the internet for an easy way to freeze them I came across what I was looking for at PickYourOwn.org. The steps look so simple, so here's hoping that I'm correct and they are. I have to pick up a few more items and maybe some more peaches but I'll share my adventure as soon as I'm done. Be blessed everyone!

~N~

It's Been A Long Time...

I Love My New Apartment!!!

WOW... I have no clue when my last post was made but I'M BAAAACCCCK!!!! LOL

Everything has been a little on the hectic side as of late, I recently moved into my first apartment and boy am I excited!!! This is a moment that I have been waiting for for a good while.

I'm so proud of myself, because I met my goal, and I plan to meet many more. As you all know, moving can take A LOT out of you, but now that I've been here for a week and 4 days, I'm pretty much settled as far as unpacking and setting up what I already have.

Now comes the good stuff! -cue mischievous smile & laugh- I read so many inspiring blogs from truly phenomenal women! So it's my turn to show you all what I'm made of.

So far, I've chosen my paint colors, yes I can paint here as long as whenever I decide to leave I paint it back boring white, and spray painted 2 picture frames white. Now while I'm on the topic of spray paint, let me voice very loudly my frustration with the fact that I CANNOT find Rustoleum Heirloom White at any of my local paint shops!!!!

 I have one more shop, if it's not there then I will throw in the towel and continue my quest with another color. The 2 frames that have been spray painted were done so with a simple flat white that can easily be renewed with a beautiful spray of Heirloom White, if I can find it...groan.

Hopefully I will find the right camera for me and I will be able to share my progress with you all!!!

~N~

My Search May Be Over...

     Have you ever wanted something so badly that you find yourself searching for it all the time?

 That's how I've been feeling lately about finding my own china cabinet. Oh how I've searched!!! Since most of my time is spent working, I don't have a lot of time to thrifty shop the way I would like to.

So, I have to settle for the internet and boy is that hard!!!! Some places only offer pick up and then others are just priced so high that it actually made me feel as if I would never have my own. I had actually almost given up my search...

     Well...that was until I came across this lovely diamond at Kmart.com:

Hello there beautiful.

It's PERFECT, for me anyways! I wanted a cabinet that wasn't too big, but that also had an open shelf. To find this is the best feeling! I love the crown molding detailing at the top. Once I have everything in my new place, I plan to paint!

I love the paint Heirloom White. I know it's been talked about all over the blogging world but I can't help but to jump on this band wagon. Now all I have to do is save the money and have it delivered.

Hoping to have it within at least the next month. *fingers crossed*

~N~

Home is where the heart is...

I would love to create a space like this, to read & nap

There comes a point where you have to just step out on your own and give it your best try! Soon I'll be moving into my very first apartment (alone) and I'm so excited that I can barely contain myself. This is entirely new territory for me compared to when I first moved out and lived with a roommate and her young daughter.

 That girl and her child drove me MAD!!! I had attended high school with her so I knew her a little but obviously not well enough. She was so the opposite of me. Instead of getting up and getting a job, she relied heavily on a government check that she would receive every month. It was enough to cover her portion of the rent, but she had no clue how to save money! 

Whenever I would bring home something new like my much beloved sleigh bed, she would have hissy fits and call her ex-husband to complain to him about the fact that she and their daughter was sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Not truly realizing that it was her own fault, because all she wanted to do was go to clubs and party while I babysitted for her.

Then it got much worse. She started bring pets into the apartment and the place would be so filthy that sometimes I wouldn't even go home. For the life of me, I still cannot understand why she would bring pets into a home that she hated to clean. Especially when she was dealing with a toddler at the time.

First it was a cat. Don't get me wrong, I love cats but when I told her this I had no clue that she would just bring one home, especially since we had never paid the $300 pet fee. After promising me that she would pay the fee because I hated the fact that we were violating the lease, she decided NOT to help me care for him.

If he made a mess, she would call me. If he needed to be fed, she would call me. If his litter box needed to be cleaned, you got it, she would call me. I literally paid EVERYTHING, for a pet I never wanted.

She, of course, received all the other benefits of having a pet in the home. Then came the puppy. That was the last straw! Not only did the puppy go potty every where, but she would pretend not to notice.

That's when I decided to leave. I forfeited my apartment and moved back in with my mom and younger brothers. I have been with them ever since

.

     Now it's time for me to establish my own. I'm so proud of myself because I saved every scrap to be able to get to this point. There have been a LOT of struggles and I've made it through. I know I can make it on my own and that's the best feeling in this world.

~N~

My Best Friend's Wedding.

(the Mr. & Mrs. sharing a great moment)

     I must be losing my mind, I sooooo forgot to tell you all about my besties wedding!

 It was so beautiful!!!

I cried, she cried, we ALL cried!!!

 I've never been to a wedding, so this was a great experience for me. I was also the Maid of Honor, so I felt like I needed to be on my P's and Q's!! The day started wonderfully. Since I like to pack early, I was ready to go when my bestie arrived to pick me up so we could take care of picking up our bouquets and other last minute errands.

We relaxed at her parents home until it was time to make our hour long journey to the wedding venue. I didn't know what to expect when we pulled up and was floored when we did.

The wedding was being held in Dahlonega, Georgia at the Cavender Castle. The place is GORGEOUS!!! The owners Cyndi and Rick Durham are the absolute BEST!!! Cyndi single handily takes care of the brides and their planning needs and Rick officiates the lovely ceremonies.

I so wish I had been able to get a camera in time to show you all the lovelyness outside and inside of the castle. It's so shabby chic and lovely altogether. The bridal suite was decorated so beautifully!!! My bestie and her hubby picked the right spot to begin their lives together.

 Since it was a hour away from Atlanta, we had to wait for the guest to arrive.

So I made sure my bestie was content and tried to keep her as relaxed as possible. We grabbed a bite to eat with her parents and got to do a little sight seeing.

The town has 2 antique shops that I hope to be able to come back and check out very soon. I made my bestie promise to bring me back! Once we returned to the castle it was all business!!! I got my bestie dressed, did her hair and applied her make up. Then I had to do the same for myself.

After that it was time to start the pictures.... insert groan here... OK it's not that I don't like to take pictures, it's just... well usually when others take my pictures they tend to get me at the worse moment.

So I was a little hesitant. WHY!!!??!! Cyndi handle that camera like a true professional! The pictures are all so beautiful, they turned out so well. I even copied some and used a few Photoshop techniques on them. Cyndi even loved my jewelry!! That made my day even more!!!

Then came showtime!!! I admit I was nervous about tripping on my gown or my make up messing up but, nope everything went smoothly!

 It was inspiring to witness. My best friend had been waiting for so long to find her knight in shining armour. There were a lot of struggles that they both overcame TOGETHER! They made me realize how much I''m ready to start my life with the same kind of love and devotion with someone.

Here's hoping yall:)

~N~

ps... the jewerly was perfect!

~N~

Suffering from Thrift Store Withdrawl

So it's been a long minute since I've darken the doors of my favorite thrift store and I think I'm about to go insane!!!

This exile is self imposed so I can't be too hard on myself. See, I'm trying to save every penny for when I move into my new place. I have roughly 15 more days to go. Why roughly? Because I'm here with my mom and younger brothers and they are driving me a little mad!!!

Though I am keeping busy, Tuner Classic Movies has dedicated todays' "Summer Under the Stars" to Bob Hope, so they are playing the infamous "Road Tour" movies with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour.

 I love old black and white pictures. They are so entertaining and original.

Bob, Dorothy, & Bing

This should hold my attention until my show, True Blood, comes on. I  loved the books by Charlaine Harris, and love the show even more. Tonight we discover what Sookie Stackhouse really is, for human she is NOT.

Bill, Sookie, & Eric

The Best Thrift Store Find!!

Ok, so remember my last post about my search for the perfect stools for my new dining table?

Well, the search is FINALLY over!!!! After working the graveyard shift, I was so tired and all I wanted was to get home and climb into bed. Yeah that didn't work out so well since I live so close to my favorite thrift store.

As I tried to make the turn to go home, I saw the most beautiful stools out front and I HAD to check them out.

There were 4... 2 in good shape and 2 in not so good shape. The deal was $70 bucks for all 4, but I only need 2, so I was able to them a good price,  $20 each instead of the original $25.

It was so meant to be, they fitted perfectly inside of my car! That rarely happens for me. But now that I'm thinking about it, I did see some lovely candle holders so worth the price of $5 each for the pair. I so should have scooped them up. Here's hoping they are there on Friday!*fingers crossed*

My lucky thrifty finds:

Cushions included! Even better!

Please ignore the clutter, packing in progress

Barstools Anyone?

My inspiration pic

                                                                 

So, next month I officially move into my very own apartment and boy I can't wait!!!!! Currently I'm trying to figure out which stools will look good with this cute kitchen set I plan on buying.

It comes with 2 stools of it own, but they are backless and though I plan to eventually replace them they will do for now along with the additions I want to incorpoarte with them.

My bestie and I stopped by Target yesterday and I got a feel for what they had on hand but I was hoping to find more options online and boy did I :

These looks similar to the ones I like in the above pic, and reasonably priced $89.99

          

This one is more decoravtive but the style is amazing, $79.99

                               

Simple but it looks so comfortable, $89.99

                                         

I really like this one but I'm still tryin to figure out if it will go with the look I'm after, $69.98

  Well hopefully I will find what I'm looking for soon...

~N~

MY BESTIE IS GETTING MARRIED!!!!



The lovely couple

Can you tell how excited I am by my title alone?

The day has finally arrived for my bestie to walk down the isle and marry her guy and I , of course, will be her bridesmaid. Last week I was fitted for my dress and boy was that a horrible experience!

I had to try on a bustier, that turned out to be USED and DIRTY...ewwwww, but all in all the dress was amazing. But of course I was forgetting something right?... Yes you guessed it, the JEWELRY!!!!

My bestie asked me if I had my jewels and just so I didn't have to witness a bridezilla moment, I fibbed and said yes!

As soon as she and the soon-to-be hubby dropped me off, I immediately ran to my computer and got on, http://www.forever21.com/er21.com/, and ordered the most beautiful jewels!

They all match so perfectly and you know I'm going to share:

This bracelet matched so well with the necklace & earrings

I so adore this necklace



Silver floral with faux pearls in the center, great match for the necklace

A lady must always have a purse for any occasion

I bought this but I gave it the Bride for her somehing new

Isn't everything so adorable? Awww I CAN"T WAIT!!!

It's Saturday.......Yea....... I guess?....

So as the title says, yea its Saturday!... but I'm so not in the Saturday mood! Weird huh? This is a day off for me and I'm utterly no enthused in the slightest bit.

See, besides work, which is a whole other blog, I have absolutely nothing to do! I want to start an Etsy shop, but with no car and the longest walk of my life to the busstop, it just doesn't seem to be in the cards for me to go and purchase the supplies I need.

Now I know what you're saying, why don't I just go and order what I need online? Well, ya see I'm a baragin shopper, I like going to different shops and thrift stores and finding what I need. Being as I can't, I have no choice but to wait patiently until I can do something.

Borrowing my mom's car would be a go, but being as she doesn't take good care of her vechiles,( I bought my now transmissionless car from her), I so do NOT have the courage to try to trek all the way to Fayetteville and where ever else I would need to hit.

 Trust me, you wouldn't either. Normally a day off would mean a much needed trip to the thrift store but I haven't had the energy lately... especially not since I discovered Etsy.com. As soon as I discovered how much was in my stash account, stashed for dire thrifty store fiend fixes, I immediately ordered 3 items that I had my eye on and am now awaiting their arrival.

Atleast I have my besties' wedding to look forward to. In exactly 27 days, I will get to be a bridesmaid for the first time in my life.

My dress has arrived at the shop, my jewerly arrived yesterday and my MUCH needed bustier, (ladies I don't know if its a blessing or a curse but I have 46DD...all natural mind you) was delivered about 3 days ago. So as far as the wedding is concerned I'm all set. But again that's not for 27 day and on this Saturday I'm still bored out of my skull... What Am I To Do?

More Etsy.com I guess...

~N~

HOME SWEET HOME

Well said

Ok.... So I'm technically not moving until August, but I like to have a plan and my plan has already kicked into high gear!

At the moment I'm taking a little break (which will be one on many because I have to work a night shift tonight), but I'm in the process of vacuuming AND shampooing my carpet because my brother decided it would be cool to bring a kitten in from outside and now I have carpet fleas!!!!

Can't describe to you how irritating they are but I refuse to be conquered so I'm on a mission to rid myself of their company. I finally got my old dresser out of my room and into my mom's room, so now I can finally put to REAL use my, great thrift store find, armoire.

My goal is to have as few big furniture pieces as I can manage. Along with the armoire, my great sleigh bed WILL be staying but I will be getting rid of my computer desk and TV stand, so that I can go with something that's more my style, Shabby chic and vintage.

Hopefully when I find such pieces I can then upload the pics.

Guess my little break is up....

~N~

REST IN PEACE SIMS 3!

Sims 3

So it's been a little over 2 or 3 months since I last had the chance to play my Sims 3 pc game, and they have been the saddest months of 2010 so far. See, I rely heavily on sims to keep myself occupied especially since I live in a household that I no longer wish to be apart of. Don't get me wrong I love my mother and my little brothers but I need more space and more quiet and most definitely more PRIVACY!!!! So until it's my time to move out, I play any and all Sims (via my personal comp), because first of all the games are addictive, and secondly so I can pass the time a whole lot faster. Trust me, I've started at like 9 am and ended at like 12 pm, like I'm so for real!!!!

But a while back my comp stopped reading my sim disc, so I've been stuck with nothing. I have no clue what to do, because I can't have my comp repaired any time soon and I can't afford a new comp right now. When you are trying to move out, your priorities shift completely and thoughh I'm sad without my sims....there's nothing I can do.... sad isn't it....

~N~

A Lovely & Thrifty Day

Today was such a nice day! Not only did I have the company of my friend Brittany, but we also got the chance to hit up the local thrift stores to find some stuff for her future apartment and mine as well. This is her first apartment and we've all been there, needing to find the things we need to make our new place a real home. She purchased a mattress set and she found a great sofa bed in wonderful condition for a steal, just $75!!!! Can you believe it?!?

I did pretty good too, though I'm not moving into my future place until August, I like to be prepared. So every chance spent inside of a thrift store is a chance of making my home truly complete for when I move in. Here are some of the other steals that I made away with:

(purchased for $3; great with some paint, a flower pot and some great blooms)

(purchased for $3; so happy I found this priced one at a local shop and they were asking for $9.99, I'm so going to use my Grandma's Baked Mac & Cheese recipe for this one!!!)


(altogether purchased for $2.50; some great nicknack for the apartment)


(purchased for $4; still don't know what I want to do with these but I will find something)
(purchased for $1 & $1.25; I like these for my half bath, I want to use them for qtips and cotton balls)

(orginally $5 BUT purchased for $2.50; the shop owner saw that it had a chip and instantly told me I could have it half off, I didn't even have to ask!!!. Great for flowers!!)

Let's Light This Sucker Up!!

So around late 2006, I discovered Marshall's for the first time. Well let me clarify, I'd been to the store but that was when I was younger and you can never appreciate anything at the age of 9 or 10. So when I moved into my first apartment, with a psycho roommate (another blog for another time), I decided that I needed to decorate ASAP and that's when it happened.

I remember it as if it was yesterday.... I walked in out of the warm humidity and I was instantly cooled, refreshed and ready to shop! I saw a lot of cool and wonderful things that I knew I could not bring home, my psyhco roommate wanted to control the decor, but the ones that I loved the most were these beautiful pink glassed hanging lanterns:

Glowy & pink... a perfect combo

Now at the time, in 2006, they were going for $30. That's not a bad price but when you barely make enough to pay rent you tend to focus on what really matters, so I refrained from purchasing them and hoped that one day I could. Well yesterday was that day and boy did I get this for a STEAL!!!

 Only $12!!!! 12 bucks!!!!!!!! I'm still in awe of the price, I so lucked up on this shopping trip. Though the other lantern was not there I'm sure if I continue to look around I will find it some where or maybe something better, but just the fact that I have this one is enough.

Now all I have to do is figure out how I'm going to hang it up and where.... hmmmm...

~N~

~~ Update ~~

Well my lovely lantern found a nice comfy spot hanging in my upstairs bath,

Perfect spot...

I made the rope myself with a knotting skill I learned when I was a little girl

Can you make out the tea light?

So beautiful...

Potential Country Living...

Hydrangea I picked from a bush beside the house

Today my sister and I stopped by my dream house and she fell in love with it!! It was such a spur of the moment trip, but well worth the 30 minute drive. The minute we pulled up she was in awe!

Nothing had changed but I was still overwhelmed by its beauty. We walked around to the back and I showed her the little garden shed and demolished chicken coop. She was blown away by the size of the lot, heck so am I every time I see it. It's such a diamond in the rough, one that I would like to renovate from the inside out and make magnificent all over again.

 

I have so many hope for this lovely house, it's hard not being able to obtain this piece of glory but I have so much that I have to get out of the way until I can even begin to sit down and truly talk to a realtor about it. I have no clue how longs its been on the market, but I hope it can wait patiently for me to get my stuff in order..... until then I think I'll just enjoy this hydrangea flower from my dream home...

~N~

Iman Park Festival 2010!!!!!!

source: immanparkfestival.org

So this weekend, I was able to attend the Inman Park Festival with my aunt and I saw some AMAZING arts and crafts. I've lived in Ga my entire life but I had never truly been to the Little 5 Points area, where the festival was located, but let me tell you I had a ball!

There were so many booths!!! I had no clue where to begin, so we just walked all over and witnessed some great things and some not so great things, yikes.

After a few minutes of browsing, we decided that it would be so much better to grab a bite to eat first then dive into the madness. We walked to a great little pizza place and had some pepperoni and onion slices with a side of Blue Moon beer...yummy:)

After ordering some friends arrived and decided they wanted sushi yuck, so I downed my beer and pizza and we were off. I don't do sushi but I do shrimp fried rice, had to soak up the rest of the beer , and off we went back to the festival.

Well...not right back to the festival... Little 5 Points has some great clothing stores and the fashion designer inside of me had to witness the glory! So after an hour of browsing we hurried back to the festival and I began my search for the perfect item to take with me.

I wasn't expecting to go to the festival so cash wise all I had was $5, and I refuse to remove cash from ATMs unless it's my banks. That's when it happened, my eyes landed on a gorgeous bracelet for, yes you guessed right, $5!!!!!!!

Where have you been all of my life?

Needless to say I'm in love with this bracelet and since I'm going to a concert in June, now all I have to do is find a great pair of heels and an awesome dress for the concert!!!:)

~N~

Interview With A Victorian House



I had to take a keepsake, so I plucked these off a bush next to the house

So... Today I finally got to see the glory of my dream home.

It was everything I imagined and more! My dad and I took the long 30 minute drive (if you don't know where you are going it's about 30 minutes , though now we do so hopefully it will only be 18 or 20 minutes next visit), and after a few misguided directions, mapquest sucks, we arrived!

It was too beautiful in person versus seeing it online. It has so much character AND so much land!!! Coming from my background (I've lived in apartments since the womb) there's never enough land and this was just what I want. I can build a personal design studio, put in a pool, build up a garden AND create a playground for my future bambinos!

I recognized the area as soon as we pulled up, I had attended a summer camp just 2 houses away when I was younger, so I was slightly familiar with the area. Palmetto, Georgia is actually lovely & peaceful. It has a very small town feel, which is something that I've always enjoyed since I was child and I would take summer vacations at my grandparents house in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Working in their cafe allowed me to see a lot of the old scenery from the old days because all of the original shops and houses were around the cafe.

The house definitely needs some MAJOR love and care. The wood is quite old and some boards are missing, a private fence needs to be installed for extra privacy and security, the overgrown trees and bushes need to be tamed, and the bottom half of the house needs to be rebricked. That's a lot of work for someone who has no money, no career (until school is finished) and no real knowledge of home improvement (besides what I've seen on TV).

But........ There's something about this house that screams to me. Even if I can't purchase it, I like that fact that I'm going to still try.

Its always good to try....:)

~N~

FAMILY FISH FRY!!!!

Shimber me timbers!... i think

So as you can gather from my title (BIG HINT),  I'm getting ready to have a fish fry with my family. This is VERY new to me, I've never been to a fish fry, especially not with all of my family around.

See the fam and I have decided that we all should be closer, so once a month we all come together and enjoy a meal that my grammie and I cook together. Thats actually my most fav of all, is cooking with my grams. We try to do different themes so that everyone doesnt get too sick of eating the same ole same. So this month is the fish fry and I can't wait!!!!!!!

At the moment I'm trying to muster up the energy to finish cleaning my room and I havent even begun to contemplate what I'm going to wear. What does one wear to a family gather like this?... (and I'm the fashion designer huh? lol).

 Well no matters I'll hopefully find the energy to do both, lacking a little bit because my mother awoke me this morning saying she wanted to go for an imprompto 2 mile walk, but I did it for the extra bonding with my mom and I'm happy I did.

Oh well I guess it's time to get this show moving forward. Have a blessed day all!!!
~N~

I Found My Dream House...Too Bad I Can't Afford It :(

So I found the house of my dreams!

Where have you been all of my life?...

It's a beautiful 120 year old Victorian 9 bedroom, 1 bath house.

When I saw it I absolutely fell in love with it.

The sweet front porch is what really caught my eye. It would be an amazing wrap around porch I think.

Add a cute swing and some hydrangea bushes and it would be my dream come true.

Too bad it's out of my price range... like waaaaayyyy out of my price range.

I've been looking for homes pricing for $50,000 to $75, 000, with no luck. Some of ones I have found are new models that do not appeal to me and the others are no better. I like homes with character and uniqueness.

Now to see this and for it to be so much, $125,000 to much, makes me wonder if I can some how swing it..... I have a long way to go career wise so if I did some how obtain this home, I most likely would not be able to start any renovations any time soon but it has SO many possibilities and I have SO many ideas. What is a woman to do?

OH MY...

~N~





Hi World!

     Hmmm...

Well this is very very new to me but I'm a firm believer in giving something a try at least once. My blog is titled Old Country Soul, though I'm in my mid 20s, because growing up around both my grandmothers has left a great impression on me to say the least.

 Since the day I was born, I have been surrounded by the constant love of both grandmothers. The bond I have with them is one that I treasure and hope that I can have with my own grand kids one day later on in life.

     My Grandmother Louiza, affectionately called Big Mama by us grand kids, was my everything!

If I was afraid to try something new, she would always tell me that anything she could do, I could do. I use her motto in EVERY aspect of my life! She was always fearless and that's what I miss about her the most. Her strength!!!

I remember when I was around 10, she and my Granddaddy Shot owned a cute little cafe in Mississippi and they served everything southern food had to offer. She allowed me to work as a waitress and helped me with my fear of people. I was terribly shy, but I would work and the next thing I knew I was enjoying myself so much that I never thought about being afraid again.

 My pillar of strength and protection passed away February 20, 2008. The same day of my mom's birthday. That day is bittersweet for me each year since her passing. But no matter what, I celebrate her life and the love she had for her entire family. She is the one who taught me the beginnings of crocheting and though she is not here to teach me all that she knew, I am determined to teach myself. I hope to share her creations with you all one day. They are so beautiful.

Grandmother & Grandfather Harris holding yours truly! I had some of the best summers of my life with them in Mississippi. Miss you both!!!

Now my Grandmother Charlotte, known by all as Grandma, is my thrifty shopping buddy!

Man do we hit the thrift stores HARD! Sometimes I think the shop owners want to run when they see us coming. My Grandma ALWAYS knows where the hot stores are. I tell her all the time she's too hip to be 65! Not only are we thrift store buddies but we are also cooking buddies.

Since I was born on Thanksgiving, which is my FAVORITE HOLIDAY, we make it a habit to try to top ourselves each year. Last year was so spectacular! We wanted everything just right!

Grandma hard at work on the collard greens, my fave! Is it Thanksgiving time yet?

Please excuse the rice box on the table.

 I made the center piece myself. EVERYTHING came from Dollar Tree, I so love that store!

I found those cute little vases and instantly thought of how perfect a pair of carnations would look in them

Can you see the napkins? We searched EVERYWHERE for those napkin holders, so lucky to have found theses at the Goodwill store

Can you see my peach cobbler? I went through a lot of work to make it and it was so worth it!

I rolled out the dough myself. So yummy!

     I'm constantly shopping at thrift stores, in the process of continuing my crochet lessons, and always up for cooking/baking something new! Its who I am and I love it. I thank these two beautiful women for filling me with so much that now I'm bursting with so much love and creativity! 

I only hope I make them proud of me! OK, I guess that was decent enough, I think I'll head out and will try this again later, hopefully soon. Bye world!

~N~