Rose Center!

The Rose Center, in my opinion, is one of the most perfect venues for old fashioned crafts. Originally it was a highschool around the turn of the century. And in the surrounding streets there are some of the most exquisite examples of Victorian houses!


The building itsself is simply chock full of some of the most amazing antiques. I don't think I've ever seen real turn of the century clothes up close! Course one of the fellows who was running the show, upon my asking if I could take the above picture, asked if I knew what the sleeves of the blouse were called. ;D Do you know?

Mom frying hoe (corn) cakes on our woodstove

As for myself I had a marvelous time, meeting kind people and demonstrating my sewing machine.

(My sewing machine is just behind the orange apron)

As I walked through the gymnasium (built on in later years) I was shocked to hear (live!) A truly iconic East Tennessee Voice! Bill Landry!

Now if any of you have ever been in the east Tennessee area and watched WBIR Channel 10 at any point, then you have probably heard or seen Bill Landry. For the past 30 some odd years, Mr. Landry Has hosted dad's and my favourite TV show "The Heartland Series" in which Mr. Landry gives us a 5 minute vingette of local history. (Saturday nights they complie them into a 30 minute program)

So later Saturday afternoon, Mr. Jim Claborn (Below on the right) A good friend of ours and often featured member of the "Heartland Family", agreed to introduce us.

Needless to say, Dad was tickled!

Of course, my head swelled up when Mr. Landry asked Jim if I was an actress. ;)

But anyways, I'll end on this note. We all had a marvelous time! And my parents have agreed to let me open an etsy account in which you will find many of the wares above. And all will be at reasonable prices, and completely hand sewn or on the treadle machine!

Have a wonderful week!!

~ Meggie

A Cozy Winter

Dad took down an old barn this week and as of this morning we have our first official load of firewood!!

Dad fixed up this old beut and hooked it to the tractor where we spent the better part of the morning avoiding nails... I MEAN!!! Cutting wood... (Sorry.. that thing scares me....)

As sad as it is to see someone's livelihood reduced to keeping us warm, I'm fully looking foreward to many cozy hours in front of a warm wood stove with a cup of hot cocoa. :D

Until next time!!!

~Meggie

A Bootfull of Gifts

I thought I'd show you how the stockings turned out. Aren't they darling??

Thy Will Not Mine, O Lord

Lately I've been discouraged.

Yup it's true, I admit it. Perhaps it's not elegant in Cranford, but I said it. You would think that with one of the oldest and most revered occupations it would be easy to learn about and be accepted.

But alas in this "Age of Equality" It isn't....

I keep watching people, and their reactions. I Watch how people act on an everyday basis and laugh at how they screw up their faces when I tell them my reasoning for being a stay-at-home-daughter, and someday, wife.

Here are some things I've heard;

• 
  An eight year old girl asked me why I was still living at home if I was 20...
  




• A matron in my church told me I had to go to colledge because if I didn't my husband would leave me for being un-educated.
  




• "Why don't you just date that boy? What does marriage have to do with it?"
  




• A french guy told me if I went to colledge I could go to Europe whenever I wanted.
  




• "I think a girl should wear what she wants, if you've got it flaunt it! Besides my underwear match my skirt, it's all good."
  

And many more.. trust me..

After a while it gets really old. Why can't people just accept me. That's supposed to be part of this modern mantra isn't it? Acceptance?

Or does that not include Biblical womanhood?

So here I sit discouraged..

"What's the point" Has entered my mental vocabulary a lot now. Usually as I give up and slide into a pair of tight jeans, or turn from my sewing machine to lose myself in a computer game. (my computer is in the same room) Or even when I go to type up a blog post.

So what IS the point. ...


For the first time in a while I picked up my Oswald Chambers Devotional this morning and this is what I read;

The viewpoint of a worker for God must not be as near the highest as he can get, it must be the highest. Be careful to maintain strenuously God's point of view, it has to be done every day, bit by bit; don't think on the finite. No outside power can touch the viewpoint.
The viewpoint to maintain is that we are here for one purpose only, viz., to be captives in the train of Christ's triumphs. We are not in God's Showroom, we are here to exhibit one thing- the absolute captivity of our lives to Jesus Christ. How small the other points of view are- I am standing alone battling for Jesus; I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold this fort for Him....
..."For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ." We are enwheeled with the odour of Jesus, and wherever we go we are a wonderful refreshment to God.
So what is our point? Keep going. So that when God looks down and sees the same things we are, and is just as discouraged, He can look at us and say, "Ahah! There's one who's still striving for Me."

If God can look at us and smile, can't we keep going? One day at a time?
I think so.

As a side note though, To those of you who read my blog that are not stay at home daughters, please encourage those you see. We struggle daily against the wiles of this world. Being us is harder than it looks. Especially when we live in an area where being a stay at home daughter is virtually non-existent.

We've chosen this path for a purpose, and begging us to go elsewise is just painful.

Keep up the Faith Girls!!
~Meggie

question from my phone. . .

Well, I'm not sure when I'll get to the library next so I thought I'd go ahead and ask. Does anyone know where I could find information on Edwardian and Teens clothing? Materials, patterns, hairstyles, underpinnings, ect. Mostly on the Teens though. I've found that I can wear 19 Teen's era clothing on a regular basis and not get funny looks. Plus I wear earlier Edwardian things to festivals. So any advise on that? Thanks a million! ~Meggie

Twenty's Pleanty

You know, Every year on my birthday, people ask me "Well do you feel different now that you're___" No.. I really didn't. But this year it's different.

I've hated being a teener so much that, now that twenty has come along it's a big sigh of relief. No, I don't want time to fly, I'm perfectly happy being twenty.

But Anyways, on my actual birthday, last Saterday Dear Lady Weaver decided to surprise me with a Cades Cove Breakfast picnic.

Course no one said it would be cold, luckily i like cold. ;D

Anyhoo, I think I'll just let you enjoy some of the pictures from the photoshoot we had. What a blast that was!!

The Homespun Treadler

Well I simply couln't wait to let ya'll know about this weekend's big success!!

Friday and Saturday were the beginning of my new "Career" As the "Homespun Treadler!"

We've been going to festivals as a side venture for as long as I can remember, and now my parents are passing the baton along to me and allowing me to spread my wings as it were. This weekend we set up at the "Olde Town Engine show" In Greenville, Tn.

My Products right now include Bonnets and aprons among other things. All of which will be made on my Mason Rotary Treadle machine that I mentioned in and earlier post.

Today I'm going to get some material for "Victorian Boot" Christmas stockings! How cute will those be!!!

Here are a few pictures of my set up, and of my latest costume (Made from a the folkwear Gibson Girl Shirtwaist pattern)

Also! Do any of you know anything about Edwardian hairstyles? I used wool as Rats to make it fuller, but my hair was so thin it kept falling down... :/ Any tips? Thanks a million!

Also Also! If any of you would be interested in any of my products, please let me know. I'm thinking about getting myself and etsy page, but I would need your support to keep it up. So please do let me know!

And lastly, if you have any ideas for crafts or costume pieces that you would like to see please tell me about them! I'm sitting at the beginning and raring to go!

Oh! And one more thing (I know I know) If you are in the area on the 28th-30th Stop by and see me at the "Rose Center's Mountain Makins" Festival in Morristown!