Carolina Crafting

Sometimes I get lots of little tidbits of fun things to do around the area. I write them on little pieces of paper and then can never find them. I finally gathered up a few that seem really interesting.

There is an Inspired Appalachian class at the John C. Campbell, they need a few more class members. Contact www.forkschool.org  for more info.

This Friday at the folk school here in Brasstown, my favorite musical group will be playing. The concert is free (donations accepted) It starts at 7:30. Oh, the group….Paul Wilson, his dad, Jerry and hopefully the rest of the family. If they play “I’ll Be Young” I will be the person in the crowd, crying. I love that song.

March 15, in Andrews, there is a class, Marketing and Technology for Artist, presented by Hand Made in America. Contact mwilliams@handmadeinamerica.org. for more info.

March 20, at the John C. Campbell Folk School is an event close to my heart. It’s the Empty Bowls dinner. For $25 donation, you get a handmade bowl, a wonderful dinner, live music and the satisfaction of helping families that might other wise go hungry.  You can get tickets at the Folk School and the Chambers of Commerce in both Clay and Cherokee Co.

Mark your calenders for The Butternut Creek Festival in Blairsville, GA. A really great show. It will be July 24 and 25.

April 24, in Brasstown, NC is the 2nd Annual Earthday Celebration. I’m still looking for vendors for this event. Cost is only $10 for a spot. It’s a fun day and the weather should be a lot warmer !!!!

Just Jackie

Because of the weather, timing and just not wanting to drive 2 hours thru the mountains in the ice and snow, I have not celebrated Christmas with my son and his family. Both understood the dread of that drive. (we are flatlanders from Florida and have not driven on the white stuff)

I finally made it over there last week to shop, eat and celebrate. I don’t have much of a shopping choice here in the mountains but in Asheville there is everything. We walked around the downtown area and took in all the wonderful artsy shops.  We ate at 2 really good restaurants. I got to go to 2 different fabric stores.

The best part was when I opened my Christmas gift from my son. He had gotten me 100 little organza bags. (and on sale) How many kids would know their mom well enough to buy her a craft project !!!!!

Hoping Spring is around the corner in your neck of the woods.

Just Jackie

This post has nothing to do with crafts. It’s a post about how we show our love to each other. Today, Valentine’s Day, is a day we expect tokens of love and we give tokens. Some people just have a hard time doing it. Up until I married Casper my Valentine’s Days had pretty much been duds. The best V. Day I had had was when I baby sat my friend’s cat while he was out of town and he had left me a bottle of wine and a funny card. (thanks, Ron)

My husband is from Denmark where they are not real big on outward expressions of…anything. Getting him to remember any special occasion was hard.  So I don’t expect much.

Which brings me to the heart of the story. For those who really don’t know me, I met Casper thru a mutual friend and when he showed up to marry me, I had never really met him. I had one photo of him and we had talked for hours on the phone, for 2 years.  Well, the year he proposed to me our friend had been in Denmark to visit and had brought home a gift for me from Casper. When I opened the box I found a pair of white clogs. I was speachless. What was I to do with white clogs ?????  I didn’t know that Danes wore clogs, I didn’t know they took their shoes off when they entered a home and how easy clogs were to do this, there was so much I didn’t know about his culture. But I loved the clogs. His first gift to me. I kept them in the front of my closet where I would glance at them sometimes and think of him.

When he was so sick this last year, I got out my clogs to wear . Make a connection, I guess. As I walked up our drive the rubber on the clogs started falling off. By the time I was back to the house the soles were gone. How sad was that, right??? So I put my clogs next to his on the front steps and they will stay there until, well, just UNTIL. His first attempt at telling me how much he cared about me will never be forgotten. This morning he’s in the kitchen, making me crepes. He’s come a long way !!!

Just Jackie

Have you planned your craft year yet??? I know I haven’t. The weather here in Western North Carolina has been bleak at the best. Hard to think Spring will ever come. But show dead lines are fast approaching.

Maggie Valley NC has two shows posted so far. The first is Labor Day, Sept. 4&5. the second one is October Leaves and it’s Oct. 9&10. You can contact them at: www.maggievalleycraftshows.com or rosebeck29@yahoo.com

Two shows coming up in Franklin NC at the Franklin Plaza are Smokey Mountain Memorial Day, May 29 & 30 and Smokey Mountain Firecracker, July 2&3. Turn out in Franklin is always good.  Contact Laurie Keneipp at lkeneipp@earthlink.net.

Saturday, Sept. 4 th   Murphy, NC  will have their Heritage Walk and  Festival.  Applications will be on line after Feb. 18 at www.heritagepartners.org. I like this show. I always have good sales.

I heard about a show in Cherokee, NC coming up but haven’t got much in the line of info on that but check out www.cherokeeheritage.org.

Checking out Chamber of Commerce web sites in your area is always a good way to find shows.

There’s a craft show this weekend in Young Harris GA. at the Brasstown Valley Resort. My friend, Tipper, from Blind Pig and the Acorn is doing that show. It’s today and tomorrow so if you’re not snowed in like me, it should be a good show.

Good luck this year.

Just Jackie

Busy, busy, busy !!!! I have spent the best part of the new year moving into my new shop. It’s been worth every second. I have so much more space. You can actually see what I have to sell. When I moved everything from the tiny shop, I was amazed just how much was in there.

Most of my crafters have brought in new items and I’ve added a line of gourmet foods. (All the foods are from NC or other Southern states) The salsa is to die for.( I hope not to eat up the profit on that.) I also have a small selection of antiques for sale.

Craft show season is fast approching. Please be sure to check your entry dead lines.

Just Jackie

I grew up in Florida. I rarely saw snow. One year I rented a cabin in the woods so my kids could see snow. (they were 11 &13) That was fun but they weren’t that impressed.  The third week we lived in NC we were snowed in for six days. I loved it but my Danish husband thought is was a nuisance.

This year has been cold. This morning it was 1 degree.  Now I haven’t set foot outside in two days and I’m not going to check to see what 1 feels like. I had a bowl of chili for breakfast. (tastes better than oatmeal) LOL

BUT…..it is so wonderfully pretty out side. The snow sparkles, icicles hang from the eaves, all the leaves we didn’t get around to raking are covered with a pure white blanket, it’s just beautiful. The deer family that lives in our woods show up every evening to graze in the yard.  I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Just Jackie

One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to blog more. Here it is January 3 and I’m just now posting something new. LOL  So far the new year has been wonderful. The night of the Possum Drop brought lots of old and new friends into my shop. I met a family from PA that had driven 13 hours just for the “drop”  The artist that paints my possum ornaments was in town. Nancy and her friend dropped by. Nancy brought more ornaments which sold right away. Ron (camera guy/friend) was in town to tape the whole festivities. It should be up as an episode sometime in the near future.  I had the privilege of meeting last year’s Miss Possum.  Brasstown has some “beauties”.

My most thrilling moment of the year, craft wise, is that I got the keys to a bigger shop. I have been in the smallest space and can now expand into two rooms. Yea !!!!! I love my little shop but I’m looking forward to having more crafters and even bigger selection of local crafts to choose from.

Happy New Year

Just Jackie

Here in the most western tip of North Carolina there aren’t too many places to celebrate the new year. The first year we were here we heard about the Possum Drop in Brasstown. Now, I have to admit, I was intrigued. “Drop a possum??” WHY ??? I heard thousands of people came to this town  (Pop. 1500) every New Year’s Eve to watch a possum drop.  After research I found out that there was a womanless beauty contest, a New Year’s Blessing, a canon shot off and fire works to go along with the dropping of the possum. (a well fed, well cared for possum)

Last year was the first year I attended. My little shop is located right across the street form Clay’s Corner where the possum is dropped. Thousand of people did show up. It was amazing. I met some really cool folks. There was a couple (middle aged) who had met at the Possum Drop and married. They come every year to commemorate that meeting. I met an artist from Virginia who now paints possum ornaments to sell in my shop. At one point I had 9 people in my shop (realize that my shop has only 180 Sq. ft and my shop is crammed with crafts) Even though is was about 12 degrees, everyone was having a great time.

This year Clay has added a Hillbilly Rodeo. I asked Clay what did that entail and he said “a lot of bull, Jackie”  So your guess is as good as mine.

I thought this would make a great episode for Carolina Crafting so Ron is on his way up from warm Florida to tape the whole thing. We’ll have interviews, all the sights and sounds of a good time, family friendly, New year’s Celebration. I can’t wait !!!!!!!

The Barker Brothers start off the festivities at 8:45 PM. For more info check out www.clayscorner.com. Come by and see me.

Happy New Year

Just Jackie

I am a known procrastinator. All of the Janes’ are. Always have been. I’m still Christmas shopping. I am almost out of time. I had a great idea for gifts for your crafting friends. BOOKS!!!! I love a good mystery and what better way to include a craft in the story line. My favorite so far is Earlene Fowler and her books set to the theme of quilting. Laura Childs has come out with a series about scrapbooking. (She also has a series surrounding a tea shop) Donna Andrews writes about a blacksmith. Her mysteries take her to craft shows sometimes. It’s funny to read about the woes of setting up, manning your booth and all the other fun things we do. At least I’ve never had to solve a murder mystery.

So if you still have a crfty friend in need of a gift…the perfect one is just a trip to your local bookstore or amazon.com.

In light of the Holiday Season and mystery books that I love, I will be having my first give away. It’s a much loved book from Earlene Fowler, Sunshine and Shadows. I have read it, so it’s not brand new. I am actually parting with one of my books. So leave me a comment between now and New Year’s Eve to be in the drawing.

Check out my book links, some of my favorite will be listed. But I’m sure the list will not be up today….I have cookies to bake.

Happy Holidays.

Just Jackie

We’ve just uploaded our 2009 holiday video from all of us here at Carolina Crafting, Cutter Media and the folks at Brasstown, NC.

Just click on “Watch Videos” in the sidebar to see all our 32 episodes of Carolina Crafting.

We will be taking a break over the next few weeks to tape more shows and celebrate the season with friends and family. Hope you all are doing the same.

Happy Holidays!