Foothill Primitives

Welcome Summer of 2011....

2011-07-05T13:25:00.007-04:00

Oh my goodness, just where does the time go? I can not believe its been almost a year since I've posted. I certainly hope everyone has had a good year so far, ours has been trying to say the least and I know there are so many out there feeling the same pressures as we have been, hang tough, tie another knot in your rope and hold on, it will get better!! The one thing I have in great abundance is faith and hope and wonderful friends...without those 3 things, I'm not sure we'd be as happy as we are today looking back on the rough year we had. Whew!!

I have a lot of good news to announce, I'd like to compress last year into a nut shell for those who are curious as to why we just disappeared here in the foothills...Our daughter became deathly ill last Sept and underwent a horrific surgery which in turn saved her life, but it was a long and at times very hard recovery. That and"other" life experiences kept us on our toes for most of 2010; job losses and health issues here at home have kept us occupied to say the least. Now it's onward & upward!!!

I'm excited to announce that I was asked to offer my handmades on a new online selling venue, please be sure to stop by The Olde Primitive Peddler and have a peek at the offerings, you won't be disappointed...while you're there, be sure to sign up for the great give aways that are being offered during our Grand Opening!!! You can find my new offerings the 15th of every month...

I'll be working on some wool offerings and maybe a few early Halloween goodies too...be sure to check back often as I'll be working my fingers to the bone here in my tiny studio tucked deep into the foothills...

Blessed Be...

Betsy

Happy Winter....

2010-01-26T13:19:00.003-05:00

Thanks for dropping by....I've been in the recovery mode for 90 days now and I'm putting that hat down and moving back into my work mode...The shoulder is doing well, well enough for me to get on with life and back to the grind...which I've missed like you would not imagine...

Lot's going on here in the Foothills...my studio is being featured on the Prim & Whimsy Blog, what a honor!! You can CLICK here to have a peek...I'm proud to be a member of such a great gathering of artisans...be sure to bookmark our site, as this year will be filled with fun happenings...

Be sure to pop over to my Mercantile to see what's there and my Etsy Shoppe...Next month I'll have new offerings on Simply Primitives...oh, the offerings this month were outta this world wonderful...please do stop by...All links to my work are over there ----> on the top right of this blog...

Be sure to check out ALL the pretties that will be listed on Ebay Feb 7-13th...

Until next time...Peace...

Merry December....

2009-12-03T11:58:00.003-05:00

I have been remiss about my blog, my art and most things for the past 6 weeks and I'm sorry....Let me explain..."Lucy, you got some explainin to do"

You see, I had shoulder surgery, yep, the old rotator cuff was wearing down due to huge bone spurs that popped out in my shoulder and they had to go...Go they went and then came the pain...Dear Lord, the pain....anyone who has gone thru this procedure knows what I'm talking about and for those who have been blessed with good, strong shoulders...keep them that way, this ain't for sissy's...I call my Physical Therapy (PT, is the lingo they use) Pain & Torture...because it involves a whole hour of pain and at times it seems like torture...LOL...I can laugh now as the pain meds kick in, but during it...there's nothing funny about it....let's not forget the 2 hours of exercise I do at home everyday to get this shoulder moving again..it's tough...like I said above, it ain't for sissys's....

So now you know what I've been up to, why I have no new pretties to offer and why this blog has been neglected...I made my mind up after weeks of fretting over not being able to do this or do that ...that I will now approach this for what it is (Yes, I am one of the most stubborn people you'll meet when it comes to my health and thinking I can get through anything) This kicked my butt and is continuing to kick on a daily basis...

Sooo, I'll keep this short & sweet..I'll be marking most of my items down to GREAT prices in my Etsy Shoppe and on my Mercantile....now is the time to grab a few pretties and save lots of $$$$ The links to both sites are over there -------> on the right side of my blog...sorry, to many keystrokes to add links in here for you, I know you understand ;)

I'll add a few more posts before the holiday or as my arm allows me...I hope everyone had a blessed and thankful Thanksgiving and now only a few weeks before Christmas...May the holiday spirit live year round in your hearts and after the New Year, we'll be offering up some new pretties from the Foothills...

Simply Primitives Updates Tonight!!!!

2009-10-14T18:57:00.002-04:00

A quick message to let everyone know that Simply Primitives has been updated for the 15th...there are a few Scaredy Cats offered...please be sure to drop by....just click on Simply Primitives above...

This is my 100th post...**YAY**...I'm going to do something different...I'll be having a give away but not until post #110...be sure to check back...this give away will ring in the Christmas season...

PWGL Gallery Show Oct 2nd 2009.....

2009-10-01T10:45:00.001-04:00

We're Having a Give Away!!!!

2009-09-30T17:26:00.005-04:00

Be sure to pop on over to the PWGL blog and sign up for our give away...we're drawing a few names this time around so your chances of winning are great!!!

Please leave a comment on the PWGL Blog to have your name entered between Oct 4th and the 10th...

Fall is here...

2009-09-24T11:01:00.003-04:00

The sweet smell of fall has hit the air here in East TN, you know what I'm talking about don't you? The smell of fresh damp earth, early mornings walking to school with a nip in the air and warm afternoons giving way to cooler evenings...oh yea, its here...crows are calling, leaves are changing and with all the rain we've had, I'm sure Mother Nature is going to put on quite a show this year...stay tuned for pictures...I'll be sure to share...

Speaking of pictures...I'm comtemplating a new camera..just a point & shoot, but new...what got me on this kick you ask?? The $250.00 gift card I won over at The Pioneer Woman's site back in July...It's to B & H Photo and I can't tell you how much time I've spent looking at the site...great place to go and daydream...lol...

I'd like to thank everyone for the kind emails and comments on our sweet Sensi's passing...we miss that little girl, life goes on, but we still miss her...

Stay tuned, some exciting news will be coming up in the next week...a give away and a new Halloween Gallery show is right around the corner...

Sweet Sensi....may she R.I.P.

2009-09-01T10:49:00.010-04:00

This is our Sensi...aka Sugar Bean...

Sensi lived a good,long life with Tim and I. She was a feral cat when Tim befriended her...afraid of any human, but with his love and patience, she gained trust in him at the same time Tim & I were just starting our relationship. He was back at his parents home in TN and we'd spend hours on end, killing phone battery after phone battery talking, getting to know the depths of each others souls, our lives, where we'd been, where we'd like to go, all the while Tim would carve as we chatted and I have those 2 first cherished carvings displayed in our home today...The first one is called "The Bonding"....hours of carving as Tim and I bonded over the phone...a perfect name for a perfect carving...at the same time, Tim was earning his trust with Sensi, the little feral...and she was learning to trust Tim... so I "knew" Sensi before I met her in person...she was a great little kitty...

Sensi was a part of "us"...she was our little girl, she started out in TN with Tim and when he moved to FL to be with me, she came along and what a ride that was for my dear sweet Tim...She had kitty pills to keep her calm on the roadtrip which did not agree with her, needless to say, Tim was thankful for windows that went down and air filling the cab of the truck...lol..we still laugh to this day thinking about it...

Once they arrived, she was uncaged and a house cat...she trusted no one, not even Tim at this point as her whole world had been turned upside down, for the better, she just didn't know yet...she stayed under the desk for hours on end, never coming out until everyone was in bed, then she'd sneak out for a bite to eat and to use the litter box...this went on for days...everyday Tim laying down to talk to her and try to get close to her....she moved from the desk to under our bed...and one day while she was eating our daughter Terri was able to reach down and lightly rub her back...Sensi didn't run, she didn't hiss, she just kept eating...before long Sensi came up onto the bed at Tim's feet...she wanted to be close and to trust us, but she had her guard up...until she discovered Kitty Treats...she then became the most trainable cat I've ever known...Tim would tell her to sit and she would slam her bottom down knowing a treat was coming...soon Tim had her reaching into the treat bag and getting 1 treat at a time...not long after that we could pet her, love her and rub her...but never would she climb or sit on us...

time moved on..we moved into a new apartment and Terri got a cat, good old Fredrick aka Freddy...he and Sensi became the bestest buddies but not before she let him know who the "top cat" was in the house...many a times we would find Sensi standing little crazy Freddy down and he would rear up like a bear on his hind legs and swat at her...gosh it was so funny...and she'd just look at him...by this time she was sleeping in bed with us, allowing us to pet her and still sitting on command for her treats...

We made plans to move to TN, I'd lived in FL for 33 years and was ready to experience more than city life...so we loaded up the truck, cars and we moved to TN with Sensi and Fredrick in the same carrier in my car...Sensi was so sweet to Fred during the drive, we did not sedate them for this trip...Sensi curled up with him, licked him and loved him the entire way...we arrived here, 3 folks and 2 cats starting a new life in TN...to an apartment complex that we'd never seen except on the Internet, no help to unload a 24 ft Uhaul packed to the gills (Thank Goodness for my super strong daughter, for she carried most of the heavy stuff with Tim)...Needless to say, it was a bit overwhelming to me being a city girl, not to mention my daughter and never living more than 2 miles from my parents most of my life...

Here we are in TN, in a small town, in a strange place and the only things we knew were each other and Sensi and Fred...Life was good...full of change...beautiful countrysides and wonderful people and the best part? Sensi was back home in TN along with Tim..he was born and raised in TN, and then traveled about as he was getting into this thing we call life...he'd live on the west coast, in the northeast and in northern FL, which to us southern FL folks is considered the north..lol...

Not long after we got moved in we found a small black & white kitty outside our door...he was a mess, covered in caked on orange clay (we have a lot of that around here)...this little kitty was a mess, he had a fused elbow which I'm sure is why he was abandoned by his mother...Tim loved and loved on this little guy, we fed him, gave him love and got him to a vet...This kitty was named Smoky aka Smoke Dawg....and Sensi did not like him at first, but she adjusted to him and all was well...as time went on, we bought our home, and kept adding kitties to the fold...Tim and I both are huge cat lovers, we've both had cats since we were children...and over that time Sensi was tolerant of him and the others that came into her domain...she was always the "Top Cat" and she knew it...about a year later we lost Smoke Dawg...I found him dead on our bed, he went and laid down and just slipped away...we were crushed, as we loved this fat cat Smoke Dawg...

Right about my 40th birthday we went to a Cat Show, yes a cat show and met a local breeder and I had asked for a Maine Coon for my 40th birthday...my Mom had a silver shaded Maine Coon and I always loved that cat...they are a wonderful breed of cats, the largest breed and the oldest breed...great cats, huge cats and of course we eventually purchased one from the breeder we befriended...Long story short, when we got to pick up King Tut the breeder knew that Tim was the "Cat Whisperer" and offered us Tut's Mommy as well, as she could no longer breed and needed a home. We came home with 2 cats, 2 Maine Coons...Time passes, Liddy, Tut's Mommy passed away, we called the breeder so she would know... the breeder stays in touch and calls with another cat that she can't place...Tim & I go get her...I went along because my fear was that if Tim went alone he'd come home with more than one cat...we came home with 4 more Maine Coons...lol..a lot of good I was...but then none of you have ever seen my husband look at a cat, those eyes, the love that pours out of him..well, how could anyone say no??

At one point we had 11 cats here...OMG!! yes, I said 11...Life was crazy with all these cats, but at the same time, it was fun and our dear little Sensi was still the "top Cat" and she let each and every cat know her status, the "Top Cat" of the pride... a time came when we had to find homes for 2 sisters, Sassy & Starry Night, as they would just not adapt well to our home or our contents...there were very bad scratchers and no matter how many scratching posts they were given, they still preferred our antique's and sofa's...thank goodness the breeder helped us find acceptable homes for them...and then we were down to 9...life goes on....we lost more and now after yesterday, our oldest Sensi passed away and we are down to 6...4 Maine Coons and 2 Short hair domestics...4 are 10 yrs plus and 2 are about 6 yrs old...Tim and I have always said we'd never not have cats, but we'll never have 11 inside again...LOL...where we live, I don't feel good about having outdoor kitties, way to many predators even for cats...my oldest son lost his kitty to some creature on the ridge...

Our four legged family members are the best, they don't judge us or treat us badly...they love us...we loose a piece of ourselves with each one that passes...but we have the memories of the unconditional love, the playfulness and the contentment of knowing we helped each one have a full, happy and healthy life with us...they gave us a lot more than we ever gave them...and we will forever hold each one dear in our hearts...

Dear sweet Sensi, may you rest in peace and give Smoke Dawg, Liddy & Herbie a High Paw Five!!!

4th of July weekend......

2009-07-06T13:15:00.013-04:00

........The Great Smoky Mountains July 3rd 2009...

need I say more? Jules and Grandfather....

anyone up for a hike??

The Sinks in the Sugarlands....my favorite spot...

Julian rock hopping, he's getting so big!!! Love you Buddy!!!

perfect little waterfall along the Sugarlands....

I LOVE this pic, Jules and his moment of Zen in the Smokies, yes, he is a lover of nature......perfect, as it's just who we are...next gen tree hugger....

Peace....this brings peace to your soul.....

Julian Graduates Kindergarten....

2009-05-29T14:05:00.009-04:00

Congratulations Julian!!!!

Now Summer Camp & then 1st Grade!!!

we love you SO much buddy!!

Memaw & Grandfather

2009-05-23T13:35:00.003-04:00

Happy Memorial Day!!!!!

My daughter...My Beautiful daughter turned 30 !!!

2009-05-14T15:45:00.004-04:00

My daughter, Terri (on the right) with her best friend Faye(momma to our granddaughter Angelica)...

Her heart is as bright as her smile....

Happy 30th baby girl....

We love you so much!!!

2009-05-10T23:14:00.003-04:00

April Showers brought May flowers....

2009-05-04T17:35:00.003-04:00

Enjoy!!!

Prim & Whimsy Gallery Hop

2009-05-01T17:41:00.003-04:00

Please Click here to visit

Grand Opening Of Early Work Mercantile

2009-05-01T09:20:00.004-04:00

The Mercantile is now open...... Please be sure to stop by and enjoy all the wonderful handmades being offered...

Please click here

Welcome Spring.....

2009-04-27T12:08:00.003-04:00

Tis such a pretty sight......

Spring Blooms in East TN......

2009-04-14T12:14:00.003-04:00

A New Etsy Shop Announcement............

2009-04-13T16:59:00.006-04:00

I am pleased to announce the Grand Opening of a brand new Etsy Shop. This shop is owned and maintained by my dear Mother-in-law, Sande Heird. Momma, (that's what I call her) has been creating since she was a child and this woman has more talent in her pinkie finger than I do in my whole body. The shop, Follow Your Dreams2 carries an incredible line of handmade jewelry, all designed and made by Sande. She uses semi precious stones, reclaimed antique pieces, glass work beads and so much more in her work. Each and every loop and connection has been hand made...simply incredible handwork. I do hope you'll pop over and have a peek....She'll also be adding her own line of greeting cards...offering incredible pictures taken all over our great country that she will offer as card sets.

Please Click Here to visit, I promise, you will not be disappointed..

oh, please "heart" her shop while you're there, she'll do the same....

Blessings,

Betsy

Happy Easter............

2009-04-12T08:15:00.001-04:00

My Gift.....

2009-04-08T15:19:00.004-04:00

This lovely Heart Pin keep gathering arrived yesterday...I won this from my dear friend Doreen of Vermont Harvest...She gave this away as a gift via her wonderful newsletter....The timing could not have been much better, as it arrived on my birthday...

This is precious, right down to the tiny dried red berries....I love this, thank you again Doreen!!!

To see more of Doreen's work, please click here , you will be so happy you did!!

Blessings,

Betsy

We'll, I'll be........

2009-04-05T16:28:00.006-04:00

It's that time of year again....I stepped out of my front door, looked down and low and behold there was this beautiful Morel Mushroom....

Dry Land Fishing right from my deck!!

My sweet friend Becky and I were just chatting about these last week...I'm so excited!! Time to pull out the hiking boots and hit the hills...

such a precious little fungi, and oh my goodness, yummy too!!

My Egg on Parade.....

2009-04-04T21:27:00.005-04:00

Let the Parade begin!!!!

Please click here to see my egg...

Blessings,

Betsy

Prim & Whimsy Easter Egg Hunt & Give Away..

2009-04-03T11:49:00.007-04:00

Be sure to check out the Prim & Whimsy blog to see the parade of Eggs starting on Saturday April 4th, 2009 & vote for your favorite egg, your entered to win.... then blog hop to members blogs to find the golden egg , leave a comment on the blog that has the Golden egg for a 2nd chance to win one of three baskets full of artsy supplies (pictures of all 3 baskets are on the Prim & Whimsy site for your viewing pleasure)....these baskets are full of wonderful goodies....Hop on by and have a peek, please vote and good luck finding the Golden Egg!!

Blessings,

Betsy

I'm proud to announce.....

2009-04-02T19:53:00.005-04:00

The Grand Opening of Early Work Mercantile... a new online selling venue where I'll be offering my one of a kind original Early American Folk Art. This site is being offered by Doreen Frost of Vermont Harvest and I am so proud to be a part of this new and exciting venture, thank you Doreen... Doreen has gathered a wonderful group of very talented artisans who will offer their wares on the 1st and 15th of every month. Please be sure to join all of us on May 1st, 2009 for the Grand Opening....

Please click here to view the Home page...

Blessings,

Betsy

well okay...a peep...

2009-03-27T11:26:00.004-04:00

I said I wasn't saying anything until April 1st....well, I changed my mind....

It's almost April....and....we have Birthdays, Lot's of Birthdays in April.....Lot's of milestones this year....we have a 50 and a 30....a 31, a 28....wow, see I told ya...Lot's of birthdays!!! Lot's of birthdays means Lots of cake...wooo-hooo!!

more to come!!!

Peace

Spring is here....

2009-03-25T13:35:00.002-04:00

Hard to imagine that we are almost into the 4th month of 2009....where does the time go, why does the time go??

I'll soon be sharing some exciting news....stayed tuned....check back after April 1st...for the news update and the PWGL Easter Egg Hunt links...well, of course, please check back sooner to read my ramblings....but not a peep from me on the other news...not yet :)

It's warm here in East TN...Lot's of wind today, which always has me on my toes with ALL of these huge trees....I'm busy in the studio completing my egg and one more Prim bunny in time for Easter...

I'm remodeling my studio...after over a year of rolling it around in my head, we're almost ready to rip it apart and make it what I've always wanted.....I'll share pics as we start...due to that, I have to catch way up on my work, deadlines and orders so I can take the 5-7 days of down time I'll need to complete this task...I'm so excited about it...my creative juices are already flowing just at the thought of a new work area...

Hope all is well in your worlds....Life if Good, live each day to its fullest and remember to be kind....as kindness does matter.....

Peace

Betsy

Spring Bird Challenge

2009-03-17T12:49:00.004-04:00

This little birdie can be found on Ebay...The ladies at PWGL have started to post the challenge pieces...

Pop over and have a peek, we have some incredible offerings by top notch artisans...

PWGL On Ebay

Peace..

Please Note:

This can now be found on my selling blog at

Foothill Primitives Mercantile

Simply Primitive's Has been updated....

2009-03-15T14:09:00.006-04:00

It's that wonderful time of the month again......Simply Primitive's has been updated...please cleck here to see what's new this month...

Below are a few sneak peeks.....

Blessings,
Betsy

PWGL's Easter Egg Parade & Give Away....

2009-03-06T12:54:00.004-05:00

Mark your calendar's....you certainly won't want to miss this !!!....The ladies at Prim & Whimsy are having an Easter Egg Parade and a Golden Egg Blog Hunt...This parade will run from April 4th until April 10th, 2009...please check the website for more information by clicking here ....

Here's hoping that everyone has a wonderful weekend...I'll be back soon with some exciting news from the Foothills and a few new creations as well....

Peace

PWGL's Gallery Hop....

2009-02-24T11:26:00.007-05:00

The girls over at Prim & Whimsy are having a Gallery Show on March 2, 2009....be sure to stop in and have a peek at all the new spring creations....

We will also be hosting a Easter Egg Hunt after our Gallery show...stay tuned for more information.....

Blessings,
Betsy

My PWGL Swap Gifts....

2009-02-10T14:40:00.008-05:00

Much to my surprise, I walked out on my front porch this morning and found a box waiting for me.....I grabbed it and ran in the house to open it as fast as my little fingers could....and just wait until you see what was inside...

2 sweet heart shaped boxes covered in the best sweetheart paper and hand painted, all tied together with vintage laces...

The MOST adorable Ornie that has been made from a dried Gourd with the most precious smile, holding a heart and his name is "Mr Lovee".....I love this little guy!!

Tucked inside the second heart box was a treasure of goodies....a ticking heart with a note attached explaining the contents of the box which included a great old gold heart, a tiny teacup filled with old buttons, a great little bottle filled with Diane's glitter and a gathering of old trims...what a delightful gift....the bottom of the note reads "Fill your Heart with Art"..

My swap partner was Diane MacNaughtan of Dianie Mac Designs Please drop in and see ALL of her beautiful creations.

Diane, words can not express how much I love everything you sent me.....thank you!!! I've found a new friend thru this swap and for that I am very grateful... I'd also like to thank you for joining in on PWGL's swap....It's wonderful artisans like you who make this world go round...in color and creativity of course!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

My Face Lift.....

2009-02-06T11:33:00.002-05:00

My blog is sporting a new look and I love it....Many thanks to Amy of Amybugsattic for the great template.....please pop over and have a peek at her work...she has some wonderful designs and her customer service is outta this world......

Thank you again Amy....

A Wonderful Bloggie Give Away

2009-01-29T15:08:00.006-05:00

Sara, over at Graphic Pretties is having a great give away...a custom blog...now that's a nice give away!! I know my blog could use a face lift !!!! Please click here to enter....take a minute to pop over and get entered...the winner will be annouced on Feb 14th...what a "sweet" day to pick a winner.....

Thank You Sara!!!

Oh what a beautiful Day.....

2009-01-26T13:46:00.007-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted...so much going on...so little time with so little connectivity...lol...makes posting hard....I like this thing called the internet, but when ya loose service..its enough to make ya feel like you are living back in the good ole days...and I for one, am lost without my connection.it's been on and off for the last week...and finding out that our service has been upgraded is a good thing....mind you, I love the history and reading about all the trying times our ancestors faced during 1800's, one of my favorite times in history.... at times I wish I lived back then....but if I did, then I'd not have this blog, I would not have had the chance to meet so many people who I share common bonds with and I would have never found The Pioneer Woman.....all the simple things in this life that make me smile and feel good.....life is good, live it to your fullest.....

Flash forward to Jan. 20, 2009....what a remarkable day for our country...we do have Hope, we can achieve great things with a great leader....I am excited....I feel as if we have a renewed faith as a country sharing the same common goals.....the "bling" is gone...and now its back to basic's....this shall be so trying for so many, but once it settles in, many will find that there is peace in peace itself....and we never needed all the "bling" to begin with....

I'll sign off with one of my favorite verses..... something that I have stitched and sold well over 100 times....as long as we have faith, we have hope.....

"Faith is the substance of all things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"

Hebrews 11:1

Peace

Prim & Whimsy Girls Valentines Swap

2009-01-10T19:16:00.010-05:00

There's still plenty of time to sign up.....

The guidelines are simple.....Swapsters will be creating a
“Small heart-shaped token of love”

You can create any heart shaped, handcrafted, valentines item - and use any medium and any clolors you like- as long as the finished piece is small enough to fit into a 5X5 inch box.

We'd LOVE to have you join in on sharing the love this Valentine's Day.....please pop over to http://www.primandwhimsy.com/ to sign up...

Blessings,
Betsy

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-01T13:08:00.001-05:00

New Year Myspace Graphics

It's been here and gone....

2008-12-27T14:07:00.007-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas...full of family, love and laughter....Christmas here in the Foothills was great...Santa marked off each grandbabies wish list....we played "Wii" all day...in a blink of our eyes the New Year will be here.....just in case I don't get back online I want to make sure I thank each of my loyal customers both old and new alike for the support thru 2008 and I look forward to sharing all of my new creations for 2009.....May everyone have a safe and blessed New Year!!!

Blessings,

Betsy

It's almost here...

2008-12-21T11:25:00.003-05:00

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect." ~ Oren Arnold

Sneak Peek........

2008-12-11T14:01:00.004-05:00

New sneak peek......its almost update time on Simply Primitives .....you'll be able to see the new handmades on the 15th of December....It's a bit wooly....and that's all I'm saying.... ::wink::

Enjoy the season....I'll be posting a few more times before 2009 rolls in....

Merry Christmas !!!!!

Betsy

Happy December................

2008-12-01T13:54:00.004-05:00

Turkey day is over and now its onto Christmas!!!

The tree is up, the stockings are hung...

I'll be sharing more pics of my ornie's ....

Stay warm.....

Happy Thanksgiving !!!!

2008-11-27T10:54:00.004-05:00

" Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Melody Beattie

May your hearts be filled with gratitude & love on this Thanksgiving Day...

Happy Thanksgiving From The Foothills of East TN....

Blessings,

Betsy

Christmas Ornaments...my collection.....

2008-11-21T13:59:00.016-05:00

Each of my ornie's are different...all are german glass blown ornie's...I've been collecting these now for going on 50 years (thanks Mom for starting such a wonderful tradition)...This is a peek of just a few of my favorites....

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

Blessings,
Betsy

Ebay Sneak Peeks...

2008-11-21T13:42:00.010-05:00

I'm listing on EBay again.... I have a few sneak peeks that I'd like to share....these will be listed by Sunday evening.....I'm offering all of my items at deeply reduced prices as a Buy It Now's....to kick off the holiday season...

You can find my Feather Tree Candles on Ebay again this year....please be sure to check my feedback on these little gems....I can make these candles "ungrunged", that is, without aging if you'd prefer plain candles...drop me a note...I had a buyer in the NE want some that "fit better" in her colonial decor....the plain candles look marvelous in her home....please use my contact link if you have any questions...

this guy has been dressed up for the holiday..be sure to have a peek at him....

this little guy will melt your heart

Click here to see all of my offerings on Ebay ......

Update, Sunday Nov 23, 2008~~ 6 new items have been listed on Ebay.....

Blessings,
Betsy

Distressing..........

2008-11-18T10:07:00.007-05:00

Such a great topic....I could be talking about the State of the Union....but I'm not..It is distressing, but that's not the kind of distress I'm talking about....okay, I'm talking about what I do..I distress things..I make new things look old and enjoy doing it...it's what I do, it's who I am....lolol.....

After popping in PW's site and seeing the update on their Lodge, I had to write about distressing.....see, if you follow Pioneer Woman, you'll then know that the kitchen cabinets have been distressed....raw wood being beat up to look old and let me be the first to tell ya that it looks marvey!! My only regret is that I didn't get to go beat up her cabinets...lolol...pop over and have a peek....you will not be sorry....

Now onto my distressing topic....I distress fabric, wood, wax... anything I can get my hands on and make look old. I have this passion for old dusty stuff...I feel like each piece has a story behind it and with all the China Imports that are being sold here in the USA, nothing, and I do mean nothing seems to hold that certain charm as something handmade does.....handmade to look old...handmade with quality workmanship and care....

This is my realm, the Primitive World.....handmade, using what we have on hand...called "make-do's"....we make-do with what we have and are happy with that.....Please don't get me wrong...I love my dishwasher, my washing machine and I do love my HD TV and my high speed internet...lolol....its the little things that make a house a home like art, hand work, and family pieces...its a nice mix in our modern day homes....blending the old with the new...never forgetting our humble pasts....and if ya can't find it old, by golly, send it my way and I'll make it old for ya..like I said, its what I do...and I love doing it....

Consider buying Handmade In The USA.....items made one at a time from humble hands.....Please support Primitive Artisans .....

Blessings,
Betsy

oh the color........

2008-11-04T14:21:00.006-05:00

The hills are alive with color..Red oaks are just turning...

The state Tree of TN....

and the Maple....I love this tree...

It's a beautiful fall here in the foothills of East TN...we are just coming to peak and its a new view everyday.....

Happy Fall from the Foothills of East TN....

Betsy

ps.remember to go out and do your part..Rock the vote!!!

Year End Sale On Etsy.com

2008-10-29T17:46:00.010-04:00

Please stop by Etsy and have a peek at my shoppe. I've added a few new items and I've marked down almost everything else in the shoppe...kicking off my Year End Sale, oh please go on, have a peek right here.... .....lol...never know what you might find.....

I'll be adding inventory to Etsy weekly and some quanties are limitied... All items have been reduced and will remain at these reduced prices thru the New Year....

Handmade in the USA.....from my hands to your home.....

Until next time.....

Betsy

The sky is falling....

2008-10-22T12:51:00.010-04:00

No it isn't....its only the huge acorns falling from the branches and bouncing down the hill...don't worry chicken little....

Julian, our oldest grandson, who we refer to as our acorn boy says.."look at all that ammo for my sling shot" when he sees acorns, he sees ammo..lolol..

look at the beautiful hats and the great brown color

The acorns that are coming off the oaks this year are incredible.....huge!! and if we happpen to be under one of these trees..we need to be wearing a hard hat, they hurt!!! I included the small green acorn to give you an example of what is a "normal" size acorn around these parts....these are as big as ping pong balls....its crazy I tell ya, crazy....

Folklore says its going to be a hard winter.....we'll see..the woodstack is packed full of seasoned hardwoods and the stove is ready....

Are you ready???

Happy Autumn from the Foothills of East TN...

Betsy

Simply Primitives Has Been Updated

2008-10-15T09:28:00.008-04:00

Pop over and have a peek on Simply Primitives...I have introduced my newest creation, from my hands to your home...a wonderful Penny Rug Candle Wrap/Cozy that fits Yankee and Woodwick jar candles perfectly, as well as, most other 22 ounce jar candles....You can also find these on my selling blog here later this week. I have several new color schemes for you to choose from....

until next time....

Betsy

Please Note....

2008-10-13T10:20:00.007-04:00

Due to some off-colored comments that have been left on my blog, I have decided to close the comment section for the time being. Please send me an email using my contact link in place of leaving a comment... I thank you kindly in advance...

Until next time......

Betsy

Sneek Peeks......

2008-10-10T14:47:00.009-04:00

A Good Thing...

ohhh so perfectly primitive....

Primitive Christmas Thyme....

and more..please be sure to have a look Oct. 15th on Simply Primitives

Blessings,
Betsy

Signs of Autumn in East TN

2008-10-08T13:29:00.010-04:00

these acorns are fresh from the tree and fell overnight, our grandson had the ground cleared the night before...honestly, he could clear this daily and the same amount or more would fall, we've never seen anything like this before.....

the persimmons are almost ripe and bringing the deer in to snack....I've never seen so many on our tree..btw this is a 70 foot tall Persimmon Tree...

look at these dogwood berries?? crazy huh??

The dogwoods are always the first to go.....and its just starting to change over here in the foothills..

Be sure to check back as I'll be adding pictures as the scenery changes ...

Please click on the pink banner over there ---->>> to help fund free mammograms before you leave..its free and its just a click... thank you!!

Until next time......

Betsy

Autumn....

2008-10-05T14:24:00.010-04:00

What a wonderful time of year.....the air is crisp and cool, the leaves are turning into beautiful shades of red,yellow and gold and the acorns...Lord oh mercy, the acorns we have this year..In my lifetime I've never seen so many acorns and I've never seen them so large..really..this is crazy and when walking through my land you need a hard hat....lol...they are falling off the oaks in huge clumps....Oh, the black walnuts and the persimmons have the branches bending down towards earth...it's really a crazy site, ..... we've never seen this before here in the foothills. Yea, every year we have some persimmons, some black walnuts, some acorns, but never like this year..to call it a bumper crop is an understatement...its just plum crazy..

Is it a sign that we are in for a hard winter? Is it from the drought of 2007 making up time? We'll see....the squirrels are busy and the birds are just as busy plucking the berries from the dogwoods,(which also have huge red berries this year)....not sure but from "signs" things are very different around these parts this autumn....and we'll just have to load up the wood pile and sit back and wait...we're ready, fall please bring on winter....and let it be full of white fluffy snow....

I'll have some pictures to post of these bumper crops later ......

New updates on Simply Primitives the 15th of this month....sneak peeks will be shared later this week right here....a few new items from the Foothills for your consideration...

One last note: This is October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I will be running in the Race For A Cure here in Knoxville TN next saturday Oct 11th...I will be running on behalf of my Aunt Gladys who just underwent surgery to remove her breast and she'll start her chemo on Oct. 16th, in rememberance of another aunt and her daughter, my cousin who both have passed away from breast cancer, for Barbara, sweet sister of Lana from Honeysuckle Lane who is doing well and fighting the fight and lastly for Deena, a long time cyber friend who has fought this battle for almost a year now and she is still fighting....please click on her name to read her story if you haven't yet...truly an inspiring woman with so much courage...and while you're here, take a minute to click for mammograms..the button is right over there on the right ----->>> My love and prayers are always with you all......

Until next time...
Betsy

I'm back!!!!

2008-09-26T12:28:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to let everyone in blogland know I'm back.......I took a week long break to spoil myself with mindless self indulgences and it was soooo worth every minute..in the future I'll share what I did...oh it was so relaxing....

With that being said I'm back to work...well sort of...lol...and back to blogging...yes, blogging full steam ahead......

Times are tough for everyone and even more so in the handmade world....funds are tight across the board...and I am blessed to have so many wholesale orders coming in during these very hard times....A huge thank you to all of my customers for your continued support of my craft....it is greatly appreciated. I have new Feather Tree Candles coming out in October. I will always offer my original miniature candles that are so popular, along with my new candles for 2008...ohh they are so cute!! just wait until you see them...

Hope I haven't bored you to death...lol...but I do ramble on at times and this has been one of those times.....lol...

Make it a great weekend......

Blessings,
Betsy

and the winner is.....................

2008-09-17T09:21:00.007-04:00

Moi !!!!!!!!!!

My dear friend Lana from Honeysuckle Lane had a blog contest and guess what?? Yup, my name was drawn as the winner...wooo-hooo!!! Please stop by Lana's blog and have a peek at all of her wonderful work...Lana has talent like no other (please have a peek at her work if you've never seen it before) and when I get my prize I'll post the pictures right here in this post.....check back in a week or so to see my winnings.....Thank You Lana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

until next time.....

Hurricane Ike.....

2008-09-12T14:05:00.007-04:00

is wrecking havoc before it hits land....its killing us here in East TN...Gas prices have gone up over .50 cents per gallon since this morning and they are projecting it to be up over $1.50 by tonight, some stations have no gas, the tanks are dry...rationing may begin today..10 gallons per vehicle....and the blame, so "they" say lies on Hurricane Ike......

Things are tough and dear Lord after living in Hurricane land for 33 yrs I never thought I'd see gas lines like I did at 11:30 this morning in TN...crazy and sad at the same time....

My heart goes out to everyone that will be directly affected by this huge storm....I know, I am complaining about rising gas prices while others are leaving everything they own, not even being able to understand what they may or may not come home to, just breaks my heart...please know that I understand .....I have been in those shoes.....my prayers are with you....

I'm off to do something that does not require gasoline......lol....

make it a great day....and keep the gulf coast states in your thoughts...this storm is going to give that entire area quite a blow in the next 24 hours......not to mention the water.....

until next time....

Betsy

okay....

2008-09-10T13:24:00.006-04:00

so we didn't move furniture around.....and we didn't get to see any cows either....what a bummer!!! No, not really a bummer ..well yes a bummer because we didn't see cows or move furniture but we got to see GG....

and who is GG you ask??

GG is Tim's Mother, the sweetest and kindest woman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.... that's who GG is...we refer to her as GG because she is a great grandmother....yes a great grandmother....to all the grand babies....we took Julian, our little man (who's 5 yrs old,our oldest grandson) down to visit with GG and what a visit we had.....

we ate, played Go-Fish.."GG do you have any K's?"lolol.....tossed a pink octopus around like a ball because Julian wanted to play ball with GG.....lol....

and he really wanted to see her Nutcrackers...he remembers them from Christmas and loves them....really loves them...but they were packed away awaiting this Christmas to come back out for his viewing/playing pleasure.....and since he loves Nutcrackers so much...GG told him that this year she'd start his very own Nutcracker collection...(the boy is outta his mind, as we are a "collection" family) he'll have to move all of his helmets to make room for his nutcrackers.....

Julian loves helmets...he has about..oh I don't know..the kid could have 10 heads and still have helmets sitting waiting for a head to go on...lolol....so needless to say..he's cleaning his room and making space for his "Nutcrackers".....and GG will make sure his collection gets off the ground....then it was time to go...Jules stood there waiting to give hugs and looked at GG and said" I'm going to MISS YOU SO MUCH" and threw his arms around her neck and hugged her.....I think he squeezed her so hard that he made tears come to her eyes...lol....no, it was his sweet voice telling her how much he was going to miss her that brought tears.....what a sweet little man our Jules is.......and what a lucky little man to have GG's heart......

we love ya GG!!!!!

TGIF......

2008-09-05T13:47:00.004-04:00

Yay!!! It's Friday...Friday Friday Friday....and the weekend is here....What are your plans???

We plan on moving the entire downstairs of the house around......yay again!! I love to move furniture....and we also plan on going to the County Fair...I want to go and see some cows...after hangin out and reading The Pioneer Woman's ramblings..I'm feeling the need to get up close and personal with some livestock....if you haven't popped in on Ree's site, please do..I Promise you will NOT be disappointed...PW is living life and keepin it real at the same time....

Make it a great weekend and be sure to do whatever makes your heart sing......

Until next time......

Betsy

Feather Tree Candles.....

2008-09-02T13:47:00.009-04:00

At last...my Feather Tree Candles have been listed in the mercantile...they can be found here ~ Foothill Primitives Mercantile ~ pop over and have a peek...ohhh they are so cute!!! and perfect for your primitive Feather Trees and garlands......

It was a long and lazy Labor Day Weekend here in East TN....and we enjoyed every minute of it...lolol....

Our area hosts the largest Fireworks display in the USA on Labor Day...its called BoomsDay ...and it really "Booms"...what an incredible sight it is...this year they had over 40,000 fireworks with about 350,000 people watching by the rivers edge....ya have to see it to believe it....and every year this show gets bigger and has more to offer than the year before.....

check out the link above for some great pictures...the firework waterfall off the Henley Street Bridge is spectacular....

Blessings,
Betsy

The Mercantile is Open!!!

2008-08-27T17:24:00.005-04:00

It's about time...lolol..I'm happy to announce that I have started to load inventory into my Mercantile blog...

yes, the mercantile suffers from that "new blog smell"....lol...so please bear with me...lol..

I'll be adding product almost daily so be sure to check back...

If you have a special request, please contact me.....

Until next time.....

Blessings,
Betsy

Simply Primitive.......

2008-08-14T14:49:00.004-04:00

It's that wonderful time of the month.....Simply Primitive's has been updated for Aug 15th .....please pop over and have a peek....I have some new items that are being offered and I am excited about my 'Olde Coot".....he's simply primitive....... you'll find 3 other smalls that are being offered and everything has FREE shipping this month....Free shipping applies to the USA... hope to see ya there....

Blessings,

Betsy

Please have a peek.......

2008-08-11T12:31:00.005-04:00

at our newest selling venue .......

we are just in the test stages and I was lucky enough to be a "tester"....

The girls in my Ebay Group, Prim and Whimsy aka PWGL have a very nice blog and we are just opening up some selling pages right on the blog...please have a peek...click here to see how things look...I'm quite pleased and I'm sure everyone who visits will really enjoy all of the eye candy...please keep in mind that these pages are in the "Test" stage and they will be tweaked as we move forward...all items are for sale...

Now I have to work on my selling blog..Lord knows I've been promising to have my blog up and running for weeks now and "Life" just keeps getting in the way...lolol...maybe this week...please stayed tuned....lol...

One last note...my grandson (many of you know about this) Julian just turned 5 in June and starts school next Monday....we are all so excited for him....Jules has some health issues and after months of waiting for results, we have an appointment with the specialist this Thursday morning...Julian has a Kidney Disorder that he was born with and after his first surgery at 8 weeks of age, it looks as though he may loose his left kidney as the disease has progressed and he has major function loss. We'll find out all the details Thursday and I'll keep you posted thru my blog.....

Until next time.....

choose to make it a great day!!!!

Blessings,
Betsy

Dog Days of Summer.......

2008-08-01T14:34:00.004-04:00

Yes, its true...we are in the "dog days of summer".....so much to do, so little time to get it all done....

With that being said I will not be updating my Lemon Poppy Shop until the end of August...however, I will have new Fall items on Simply Primitives Aug 15th....and between now and the end of the month I'll be working on my selling blog...and I'll be adding some goodies to my Etsy Shoppe.

Dear Hubby and I are taking a much needed break.....I'll be blogging and checking email, as I run around, so please stay in touch!!

and please remember...

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered.................Forgive them anyway"

Mother Teresa

Blessings,
Betsy

Happy Hump Day!!!

2008-07-30T10:28:00.004-04:00

It's Hump Day.....can you believe how the time is flying by?? I can't...it seems like summer was just apporaching and now its flying by with fall right around the corner...

Things have been moving and shaking here in the Foothills.....we've had awful storms, one of which blew out my desktop monitor...we thought it was my entire system, but after a night of "techie" work, we got the CPU to boot and all of my files are safe and sound...thank goodness!!! I only need to buy a new monitor...woooo-weeeee I say as I'm wiping the sweat off of my forehead...lolol...I'm moving up to a 22 inch this time around..the old eyes aren't what they used to be...lolol....

I'll be updating my selling blog soon..thank you for all of your patience...

Please be sure to check out several of my favorite blogs......

and remember..

"The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow, Do good anyway..."
Mother Teresa

Blessings,
Betsy

Blog Awards!!!

2008-07-18T12:56:00.007-04:00

I've been bestowed once again with the Brillante Blog Award...this time by Sharon of Homespun Heart Primitives...thank you so much Sharon!!!

With all the wonderful blogs out there...I'd like to ask my readers to check out a few of my favorites....at the same time, I'll bestow this award to each blog mentioned below.....

1. Pam @ Soft In The Head - Poddsville Blog ( I love these guys!!!)

2.Starla @ Briar Rabbit Primitives

3.Becky @ Miller Campbell Designs

4.Sam @ Sam I am Creations

5.Belinda @ Pond Creek Primitives

Happy Creative Blogging Ladies!!!!

Blessings,

Betsy

The Brillante Blog Award

2008-07-14T09:57:00.006-04:00

Pam from Goldieloowoodworks has bestowed The Brillante Blog Award to me....

thank you Pam.....

Once an award is received the rules are as follows:

1) Put the logo on your blog.

2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4) Add links to those blogs on yours.

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

My Nominees are :

1. Lana @ Honeysucklelane

2. Lorraine@ Piecakeprimitives

3. Sharon @ Homespunheartprimitives

4. BJ @ Daughternature

5. Linda @ Linda Pinda Designs

6. Becky @ Millercampbelldesigns

7. Starla @ BriarRabbitPrimitives

Blessings,

Betsy

Etsy has some new listings..........

2008-07-10T16:20:00.004-04:00

Greetings....

I've added a few more items to my Etsy shop...please pop over and have a peek...I've been delayed in getting my Mercantile Blog up, but stay tuned..it'll be opening soon with some great deals in time for the upcoming holidays and several brand new offerings from the foothills...

Blessings,
Betsy

Lemon Poppy Seeds Has Been updated....

2008-07-05T15:23:00.005-04:00

Greetings!!!

My Poppy Shop has been updated.... We are celebrating Christmas In July...please be sure to pop over and have a peek...can you believe Christmas is only 5 months away???? I am offering discounts and you can find my original one of a kind Feather Tree Candles there too....if you have any questions...please feel free to email me using my "contact me" link on the right .....

Blessings,
Betsy

Happy Independence Day....

2008-07-04T13:06:00.010-04:00

Greetings from the Foothills.....

Happy 4th of July to one and all.....

we spent the morning in the Great Smoky Mountains walking quiet trails and skipping rocks over the water....

The water was burrr cold, but still fun to play in....

The calm pools were crystal clear ....... and so inviting.....

what a joy it is to live so close to the National Park.... last but not least a picture of my Cone Flowers..they are in full bloom and the early morning picture didn't capture all the butterflies that are usually on them...how pretty!!

Enjoy the long holiday weekend....... God Bless the USA!!!!

Blessings,

Betsy

Lavender Festival.....

2008-06-27T11:06:00.005-04:00

Greetings.....

I'm late writing this post, however better late than never...lol...

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet 2 fellow Artisans this past weekend in Oak Ridge, TN at the Lavender Festival. I've known both of these ladies online for years and at last got the chance to meet them both face to face and it was wonderful to say the least. Lana of Honeysuckle Lane has been a dear friend and she had the pleasure of having Suzanne of Peartree Primitives come in from Idaho for a visit.....Suzanne helped Lana at the festival (how sweet)...Let's see..Lana and I have been in selling groups together for over 4 years and Suzanne about the same length of time...how wonderful it was to meet face to face after all this time...and the hugs were even better!!

Lana does some incredible work and I have a few pictures to share...I was lucky enough to get there while she still had a few items left....her silk pillows with ribbon/bead embroidery are beautiful...truly the pictures can't convey the workmanship and beauty that she incorporates into each piece....and of course being the Fraktur lover than I am, how could I walk away without having a set of her original watercolor note cards...they are lovely.....and I hate to say I only have 3 left...a few folks are going to be very pleased when they go to their mail boxes next week....

Suzanne used this trip as a rest & relaxation trip and didn't have any of her artwork with her....I was happy that she got a break, but must admit I was looking forward to seeing her work...maybe next visit....hint hint!!!

Blessings,

Betsy

A Few Quotes.....

2008-06-26T17:54:00.006-04:00

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

Mother Teresa

"Friendship without self interest is one of the rare and beautiful things in life."

James Francis Byrnes

"A friend to all is a friend to none."

Aristotle

In the past several weeks some dear friends have made me stop and really re-think what I defined as friendship..... I wanted to share a few of my favorite quotes.....

Blessings,
Betsy

FHP Mercantile......

2008-06-25T16:54:00.003-04:00

News update!!!

Due to some "wonderful happenings" here in the Foothills I will have to postpone the Grand Opening of Foothill Primitives Mercantile until late next week....at that time I will share our wonderful news and spread the joy!!!! Please be sure to check back and I'm sorry for the delay....

Good comes to those who live well and are kind to others ....I have seen this over and over in the last 20 years of my life....and I wouldn't choose to live my life any other way....

Blessings,
Betsy

Foothill Primitive's Mercantile

2008-06-15T13:45:00.004-04:00

Please be sure to check back later this week for the Grand Opening of my selling blog Foothill Primitives Mercantile...

This will be where I showcase all of my offerings that will available for purchase...

Hope to see you there...

Blessings,
Betsy

Simply Primitive's Sneek Peek......

2008-06-13T12:36:00.006-04:00

Just a glimpse of what I'm offering on my June 15th update....Simply Primitive's..Some primitive Pennies, a new fraktur and alittle something Americana.....please stop in and have a peek....

Blessings,

Betsy

Simply Primitive June 15th Update

2008-06-12T19:32:00.004-04:00

Howdy....

Just wanted to let you know that I have some new offerings coming up on June 15th, 2008 on Simply Primitives.

My 2nd Original Fraktur beeswax bird is being offered.....it's so folky, please stop by and have a peek.....I also have a some Primitive Pennies.....and Americana goods too...

Blessings,
BB

4th Of July Open House at Rebecca's Thyme

2008-06-12T12:41:00.005-04:00

Good day....

I'm so excited about the upcoming open house at Rebecca's Thyme in Pigeon Forge, TN this Saturday June 14th from 10-5....I live very close to this wonderful primitive shop and another great primitive artisan will be doing a "Meet & Greet" and signing her work... please be sure to stop by to meet Starla of Briar-Rabbit-Primitives...her work is incredible....

more to come .....

Blessings,
BB

Happy 59th Anniversary Mom & Dad

2008-06-10T12:02:00.004-04:00

Today is my parents 59th wedding anniversary...

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad..I love you!!!!

Friends…what do your friends mean to you?

2008-06-10T11:44:00.008-04:00

I have pondered this question for the last year or so and I can say that my true friends, those closest to me are the friends that you can call at 3 AM, they are the friends that you may not speak to for months or even years and then out of the blue you connect with them and its like no time has passed, they stick with you thru thick & thin, without any concern for what they get from the friendship, they don’t judge, react or treat you differently regardless of your opinions, political or religious views, you can agree to disagree and remain friends….. that friend is your real friend.

A real friend is a treasure. Something that should be held near and dear to your heart. There are all types of friendships and below I’ve laid out a few worth mention……

First let’s start with the definition of “Friend”

friend
n.
1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.
2. A person whom one knows; an acquaintance.
3. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.
4. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement: friends of the clean air movement.
5. Friend A member of the Society of Friends; a Quaker.
tr.v. friend·ed, friend·ing, friends Archaic
To befriend.

Friendship networks colloquially describes interconnected networks of people who are connected through friendship, often described as "overlapping circles of friends…From Wikipedia

This type of friendship is common today with the internet, sharing interests, work and the trials and tribulations of everyday life….may your friendship circles overlap and fill your heart with joy….as true friendship does.

Fair Weather Friend........

The Urban Dictionary defines a Fair Weather Friend as this….

A friend who is only nice to you when it's convenient to them. Someone who's wishy-washy. Someone who is a "backstabber." Someone who abandons you in certain situations.

Below are some of the best descriptions of Fair Weathered Friends I’ve found. Sadly, each one is extremely accurate of this type of friend.

They only like you if…………………You DISLIKE the same people they do

They remember what they give……….but forget what they get

They pick ALL of their friends………to PIECES (the truest of all the statements)

They use friends as a “drawing account”…………….they just forget to make DEPOSITS

If you have them for a friend……………….you’ll never need any enemies

They are always around…………….when THEY need you

If they ever need a friend………….they’ll have to buy a dog

above statements are quoted from L. Safian

In this crazy day and age I hold each of my friends near and dear…..I’ve been blessed to have made so many wonderful friends over the years and I wouldn’t be who I am without these relationships…To all of my friends… you know I love you, you know I’m always here for you, and you understand what real friendship is……..Please think about your friends, tell them you love them, tell them you appreciate them and tell them its okay to not think and act as you do…..you love them for who they are, not who you’d like them to be….as it should be….

Many thanks and big hugs go out to Karen…without a doubt, my very best friend in the world (besides my dear husband) and the smartest & most successful woman I’ve ever known……You keep me centered and balanced and most importantly you love me for me…..thank you dear friend of mine….

Blessings,
BB

Happy 5th Birthday Julian.....

2008-06-02T21:09:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Jules !!!!

We love you SpeedRacer !!!!!!!!!!!

xoxoxoxoxo

Butterflies and Updates.....

2008-05-29T19:43:00.003-04:00

I've been busy working on my updates for June 1st...I needed a well earned break today and when I went outside I spotted this beautiful butterfly in the top of my dogwood basking in the sun. I ran inside to grab my camera and was lucky enough to get one good picture before she took flight...isn't she lovely???

enjoy...its the little things in life that bring us great joy....

Blessings,

Betsy

Happy Memorial Day Weekend..................

2008-05-24T09:54:00.004-04:00

wishing everyone a safe & happy Memorial Day Weekend......

we had a nice rain overnight and I just cut some peonies for the table....

enjoy!!

April Showers Bring May Flowers.....

2008-05-16T17:21:00.013-04:00

I took pictures this afternoon of a few of my flowers....enjoy!!

Blessings,

Please peek at my updates................

2008-05-15T12:34:00.005-04:00

It's the 15th of the month and my updates have been completed..Please pop over and have a peek.....I'm offering new items on Simply Primitives and on Lemon Poppy Seeds....I'm also offering reduced prices this month on all of my offerings...

I'll be adding more of my inventory to my blog...please look over on the right side under my Mercantile Heading....if you see something you'd like, drop me an email...

FoothillPrimitives@charter.net

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

2008-05-11T11:55:00.002-04:00

The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

I'd like to wish every Mother a very Happy Mother's Day!!!

Spring has sprung................

2008-05-06T14:15:00.007-04:00

All of the flowers are starting to bloom .....it's a glorious sight......the first picture is of my Single Petal Peony....I have lots more just waiting to burst open, and I'll be sure to share pics when they do......Peonies are my all time favorite flowers....and next is my heirloom bearded iris....these came from the elderly woman's grandmothers farm who we purchased our home from.....I was told she brought these from her Grandmothers back in 1982 and after lots of research I've found a very similar breed that dates to 1903.....a few of life's simple pleasures from my garden....enjoy!!

Lemon Poppy Seed Sneak Peek.......

2008-04-30T15:33:00.006-04:00

Drop by my LPS shop to see my new offerings for the May 1st update...These will be posted before midnight tonight April 30th....These are 3 new Prairie Dolls I'll be listing.....I like to call them "Farmhouse" Girls...let me introduce Nora, Mercy and Henriette, her nickname is Nettie....these are Foothill Primitives Originals, signed and dated by me...be sure to take a peek later tonight..I'll also be offering 2 new penny rug designs...

Celebrate Earth Day.....Every day...

2008-04-22T09:49:00.001-04:00

Happy Earth Day.....

It's a beautiful day here in East TN... The mountains look like I can reach right out and touch them, the air is cool and the sky is the bluest of blues.....

The first picture was taken in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park at "The Sinks" in the Sugarlands.....I can sit for hours watching this water run over the rocks...

The second pic was taken at "The Big South Fork......just a breath-taking view every which way you look....

Make sure you hug a tree today ....better yet... plant one.....

and another great give away!!!!!

2008-04-21T13:01:00.000-04:00

Be sure to check out Peartree Primitives and sign up for her give away too...wonderful goodies can be found on both blogs....Oh I love Suzanne's and Lana's work so much...please take a minute and click your way over to sign up....you will not be disappointed....and Happy 1st Anniversary to you Suzanne.....wooo-hooo!!

A Give-Away!!!!!

2008-04-21T12:56:00.000-04:00

Don't miss this great give-away.....click here Honeysuckle Lane and sign up, it really is that easy...it's Lana's 1 year anniversary ......wooo-hooo!! Congrat's Lana...

My Music....

2008-04-18T14:37:00.000-04:00

Howdy.....

Just a note to let ya know I have loaded a music player with some of my favorite songs...I'm all over the road when it comes to music..I LOVE it all......

This is what I listen to as I create, workout and clean house...lol...hope you enjoy it!!!

2008-04-17T13:54:00.000-04:00

Spring is in the air here in the Foothills and I'd like to show you a few of my new items....is you porch ready for summer???

2008-04-17T13:52:00.001-04:00

Sawdust Pillows....Americana Set.......can be found on Simply Primitives this month....

Update:::: These can now be found right here on my blog...please check over on the right under Foothills Mercantile...thank you!!

2008-04-17T13:48:00.000-04:00

Americana Wall Hanger......can be found on Simply Primitives this month

2008-04-17T09:11:00.000-04:00

These Pantry Boxes have been sold....I kindly accept orders, please email me....

Back at it.....

2008-04-16T15:26:00.001-04:00

Well the time has come to get things moving around here and I started with the new update to my Poppy Shop yesterday and my update on Simply Primitives...both links can be found right over there >>>>>>...lol.... please be sure to check both the 1st and the 15th of each month for new items...never know what ya might find and......

I'm listing on Ebay again...please stop in and see what's new....I've heard from many of my buyers wondering where I've been......so I'm Back!!!!!

2008-04-09T12:22:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my little spot in blogland...lol...

I am going to be offering my handmades here in the near future....

I'm just getting this up and running, please be sure to check back for updates....

Banner exchanges are always welcome !!!

Blessings,
Betsy