King Of The Grill

That's what Michael is!! He cooked this fantastic dinner tonight on his new charcoal grill and it was delicious. Super thick boneless pork chops marinated in Jack Daniels garlic and herb marinade, red and yellow peppers, zucchini, vidalia onion, green beans and sugar snap peas all grilled to absolute perfection. (mashed potatoes and gravy done by me on the stove top!)

We have been married 30 years and Michael started grilling soon after we were married. For many years we had a portable charcoal grill or hibachi. He grilled in all kinds of weather...snow, rain, wind, ...it didn't matter. Several years ago, he bought a gas grill when they became popular. After one summer of grilling on gas, he went back to charcoal! Gas might have been quicker and easier but the flavor of the food didn't compare to what came from charcoal.

Michael's enthusiasm for grilling has waned over the last 5 years. When I finally pressed him about it in the spring (when all the neighbors were grilling and I wanted to too) he told me he didn't like the grill we had and he wanted a new one. He knew what he wanted too! After so many years and so many grills he knew what he liked and didn't like. So the search began, the purchase was made, and he is King of the Grill again! Lucky me!!

My Etsy Shop Is Open!!!

Finally!! Last Sunday I opened So Many Memories on Etsy dot com. I'm so excited, relieved and proud of myself for seeing this through! I began thinking about it last summer and became more serious about it when my boss suggested I do it. My things had been selling in the shop but I didn't know how well they would do online. But when she made the suggestion, I knew I was ready to try.

I've always loved sewing and crafting. Many times I wondered if I would be able to sell what I made. Back in the day, there was no internet...just craft shows and consignment shops if you could find one. When I began working at Sassafras Hill, I was inspired every day by the crafters who rented booths to sell their handcrafted items in. My boss began encouraging me to make something and bring it in. I did. I'll never forget how I felt when a woman bought a burp cloth I made. I could barely contain myself enough from doing a happy dance! Every sale was like that. It's very exciting and humbling at the same time when you realize how many products are out there and someone chooses yours.

This is a dream come true for me and I can't wait to see how far this dream will go!

Vintage Finds

Last week when I was visiting Erin, we decided to go antiqueing...one of our favorite things to do together. I was on a mission to find vintage table cloths and hankies for some new projects I've been thinking about. I actually found some very nice pieces in excellent condition at reasonable prices. I ended up buying more than I should have and not as much as I wanted to!

The table cloths I plan to turn into aprons and dish towels. I was thrilled to find 2 linen dish towels to make into "dresses". The hard part for that project will be finding the right fabric for the tops. And those beautiful hankies will become lavender sachets and coasters! I can't wait to get started on them.

The Internet

A few years ago, I really resisted the internet and hoped it would go away! I knew it wouldn't but I hoped! I thought it wasn't safe for my children, wasn't safe to use your credit card on and you just had to be so careful about any personal information you revealed. I have grown to love the internet. I still have concerns but that is what common sense is for!

I love that I am in contact with friends I thought I'd never hear from again. There's Penny from 10th and 11th grade, Irene from Hawaii in the early 80's, Lanni who moved away several years ago. I can stay close to family even though we're spread out across the country. Friends and family are just a click away and that's amazing to me.

There's nothing you can't look up on the internet. I find myself looking up everything from recipes to plant identification, to how-to instructions, to medical info and everything in between. We used to use encyclopedias and still couldn't find what we were looking for. I really am in awe of the wealth of information so easily accessible. And I know I'm hooked when customers at the store ask about items I can't answer and I tell them to look it up on the internet! There are so so many more uses for the internet. My next experience will be selling my crafts on etsy. I'm so excited about that and can't wait to see how it goes.

I got to thinking about this when our internet was down off and on for 2 weeks. I didn't realize how much I used the computer until I couldn't use it. I'm glad I overcame my worries and that it didn't go away!

Oven Door Dish Towel Dress

This is another example of what I will be selling in my etsy shop. It's a dish towel dress that will actually stay on the oven door handle because it ties at the sides! No more constantly picking up the towel off the floor.

I made Christmas ones that sold well at the shop where I worked, but this is the first non-holiday towel I've made.

I hope to have my etsy shop opened very soon!