Wednesday Hodgepodge - 07/13/16

I’m joining the fun this week…. 

Sitting on the porch and answering random questions about everything under the sun….

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

 Click here to join the fun!

1. Do you find yourself influencing your world, or is it more the other way around? 

Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA

At the moment it is more the other way around. Moving recently to a small mountain town from a large city has forced me to slow down and adjust to "mountain time".  Everything moves slower here...traffic, check-out lines, response to phone inquiries, service at the drive-thru, and conversation with the friendly mountain folk. I've had to adjust my thinking and practice patience in this new environment.  

2. July 14th is National Tape Measure Day...the device was patented on this date in 1868. When did you last use a tape measure? Do you always know where to find one in your house? Tell us one way in which you feel blessed 'beyond measure'. 

Last week I used one to measure the space in our reading nook so I could order a low-rise bookcase.  During my career with the Home Depot, I was a project manager working on new store construction sites. I was never without my Stanley tape measure on my hip or my pink hard hat on my head.  A tape measure is never far from reach even today, we have at least a dozen all over the house, I received many as vendor give-away gifts and in goody bags during my career. 

I've been blessed by being able to retire at an early age. I worked hard to achieve this goal.

3.The Plaza Hotel (Eloise), The Land of Oz (The Wizard of Oz), Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia), The Hundred Acre Wood (Winnie the Pooh), Wonderland (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), or Never Never Land (Peter Pan)...which storybook land (on this list!) would you most like to visit and why? 

Narnia would be my first choice. I've always imagined animals talking and what they would say in various situations.  In Narnia the animals could tell me what they think of humans and the world around them. I'm sure we could learn a lot from their perspective and instinct. 

4. Where and when do you get your best ideas?

I'm at my best in the morning sitting outside on the porch.  I get my best ideas from nature; I'm currently building my inventory for a craft show that I will be a vendor in September.

5.  So what have you been watching on TV this summer? Anything good? 

I've been watching Flea Market Flip on HGTV.  Two teams compete for $5000 by creating repurposed items from Flea Market finds. The team that sells their repurposed items with the biggest return on investment wins. I love the creativity and banter between the teams.

6. 'Don't swim for an hour after you eat', 'Dog days of summer', 'Knee high by the Fourth of July'...choose a summer saying from the list or share one of your own, then tell us what image or memory comes to mind when you hear it spoken.

My Flying Pig 

"When pigs fly" was heard at family gatherings and on the family farm ...when I hear it today, I think of my Grandmother.  She had many folk art statues inside and outside the farmhouse; many were pigs (flying and dancing).  I have one flying pig in honor of Nonnie's love of pigs.

7. In a single sentence, sum up one life lesson you've learned. 

"You reap what you sow" was a sermon I heard by Dr Frank Harrington, it was a turning point in my life; if you want to have deep relationships, you need to give as much as you receive.  

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

As I said above, I'm getting ready to show/sell my jewelry at a craft fair.  I'm changing the look of my booth this season, I've ordered several display pieces (neck forms, necklace rack, hand forms...etc...).  I'm very disappointed with the quality of the items I've received; bent arms, broken pieces, parts that don't fit, and screws that are too short.  What has happened to quality control? Is pride in workmanship a thing of the past? I wouldn't be mentioning this if it was just one item, I had  an issue with everything I bought. Luckily my Sweetie is a handy guy and was able to fix everything with the exception of one item that was badly dented.  As a crafter of handmade items, I take great pride in creating quality items with the best materials I can find. I wish everyone felt the same way!  

If you are in Tennessee, stop by the show I'm participating in...

  

Cheers!

Lori In Blue Ridge, GA