My roots grow strong…and deep

My children often tell me that the reason I love vintage so much is because I AM vintage….but it’s more than that really. I have roots that I happily embrace. Roots that take me back to simpler days…farmland days…sitting and visiting days…tromping through the woods days. No wonder, then, that I embrace things such as…

Old typewriters – like this one that I first learned how to type on and my love of the written word…

Sunset walks through forest woods…

Farm plows, and remembrances of my grandfather smoking his cigar as he walked behind his –

And enamelware washtubs and washboards….for practical use, and for music!

Walk back in time with me to my youth…sometime around age 8. The day is sunny….the wind whistles through the trees…the moss is soft beneath my feet as we tumble from the car barefoot and make our way to her front porch. And there she stands to greet us…the plump woman smelling of warm, baked bread and fried okra…but it was the shoes and rolled down stockings that I think I loved best. As I recall, her ankles were swollen from hot days on hard floors, baking in her kitchen. And oh – the apron. She always wore the apron, and I think she was likely always in the kitchen…baking those amazing apple pies that cooled in her kitchen window. Except maybe on Sundays. This picture was likely taken on that day.

She had a water pump off the back porch where we were allowed to take a sip or wash our hands after playing in the dirt around her home. Don’t misunderstand me…running water had come to her home by the time I was old enough to visit, but the pump remained…as did the ladel for dipping the coolness from the well. No wonder as an adult I wanted this reminder in my own yard….sweetness of days gone by.

My great-grandfather was as slim as my great-grandmother was round. He was, as I recall him, always in what we now call a “wife-beater” undershirt. His was usually wet with sweat, as he had been out on the farmland doing some odd job or another. Always overalls, but on Sunday they were clean and he wore them with a starched white shirt. But truth be told, I remember the twinkle in his eyes the most. My grandfather wore the same twinkle in his…

So those were my great-grandparents on my mom’s side of the family. Sadly, I don’t have memories of my great-grands on my dad’s side of the family. I’m not sure I ever knew them honestly. Best I can remember, they died before I was born.

Now skip forward with me to my grandparents. Growing up as a child of parents who were both “only children”, my grandparents were more like playmates to me. I didn’t have cousins, but we spent every weekend with one or both sets of grandparents. And from both sets, I learned a lot about love, loyalty, laughter and heritage.

This was my Nanny, Dad’s mom. Not until recently did I discover this photo! She was “a looker”…. gorgeous legs, beautiful skin, and always doning the loveliest of shoes! She married my Papaw, a handsome man himself! Papaw spent his career days working for Belk Store Services.

Nanny and Papaw were, to me growing up, the “serious” grandparents. Oh sure, I remember having fun with them….Old Maid card games with Nanny and shoveling mulch in the yard with her as well, gardening with Papaw and being hoisted to his shoulders when we went into the Belk Warehouse after hours to check out the displays that were created that day. But they both had a silly side to them that I didn’t see until after they were gone and I discovered the pictures left behind…

Their love for each other, and for God, was strong. I’m thankful for those roots.

And now for Mom’s parents…Papaw had a dog as a child, served in the Army as a young man, then worked his career around selling commercial kitchen equipment. Nanny worked in the shell factory during WWII, was a fabulous hairdresser as well as an amazing homemaker and golfer in her latter years, not to mention artist! From her I learned my love of crafts and art. They enjoyed the NC mountains with her parents (something I didn’t learn until these pics surfaced!), and they taught me much about laughter, bearing through heartaching situations and about forgiveness.

Roots. We all have them. Some of us don’t get a chance to learn about them. Parents pre-decease us, or adopt us or otherwise neglect to help us know our foundation. Others of us may not appreciate the support those roots have given us. But sooner or later, we all realize that roots are necessary. Think about it. When a tree is uprooted, it falls, and dies. When a plant is uprooted, it does the same. What does that say to me? We need to stay rooted! I have chosen the Root that gives me growth and life….Jesus Christ. If I am not rooted in Him, I die. Literally.

May I be so bold as to ask you to search your heart and discover the roots in your life? The search will be worth the findings and I dare say you will discover something about yourself in the process.

~Blessings,

Connie

When you’ve done all you know to do –

Stand.  That’s what Scripture says.

Ephesians 6:13:  Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

IMG_2625Babies grow in the womb for 9 months (some shorter times, some longer).  And I’ve been told that businesses take a minimum of 3 years to experience growth.  As I approached the end of my first year, I found myself in a place where I truly questioned if I’d done all I knew to do.  Had I succeeded in blessing people in all situations as they walked through the door?  Had I helped anyone along the way?  Or was it all for naught.

I have had absolutely no doubts about starting this business, or about the locations I have been in.  If you read back over my blogs you will agree with me that God opened up each specific place for me in His specific way and time.  But there came a time when I wondered…..Am I trying to push open doors that God has firmly shut by staying on after my first year in my brick and morter shop?  Without sales, a business cannot survive.   Neither can it survive without the help of others along the way.  And yet I know that God kept me in that brick and morter shop until He said clearly,  “Child, you’re done here”.  So I stood then, and so I still stand – because I’ve done all I know to do.

Tell me, am I the only struggling warrior out there?

This business…..Burlap & Lace…..has been more than a shop or a store front to me.  And I in no way want to kick open doors to make my dream live on.  Seasons are again changing, and while I don’t know exactly what the next season will look like, I can tell you this:  It will be good!  

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I’m heading back solely into the first space I longed for and eventually moved into at Marketplace on Locust, giving up my second space.  The upcoming designs will still reflect my style of decorating, much as they do now, but I hope you will find new and creative additions flowing out of a heart of gratitude (and perhaps a few more blog posts!). God has led me through some thick and difficult waters in my past, but He has continuously been faithful to me. 

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To have landed in Ilse’s shop 4 years ago was no thoughtless meandering on my part.  God opened up a place for me there and has held my heart in it these four years.  I have gone beyond the normal “booth space mentality” to understand the thing I wanted most of all in opening up my own brick and morter….to be with and enjoy the people He puts in my path daily.  I thought that would only be possible in my own shop, but not so.  Ilse has been gracious to allow me to hang out at Marketplace more often than I ever imagined she would….and when I’m not working in my own space, she graciously allows me to help her customers find things in her shop that have them leaving with new goodies and a smile on their faces.  And my joy is fulfilled….I’ve done what I love to do and been in a place where I love doing it.  

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It may sound a bit simplistic, but this first sign I ever made really does say it all….Love…is all you need.

So you see, standing, when I didn’t know what else to do, WAS something to do. And it kept me from falling, except to my knees, even now, to thank God for His merciful kindness to me….in it all, and through it….all. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (so be it).

~Blessings,

Connie

Help….

I’m not good at asking for help. Ask anyone who knows me. To consider it “brave” to ask for help seems ridiculous. Or does it?

The foot had been hurting for literally months…until I finally got a diagnosis after three x-rays and an MRI. Thankfully not a break, but a torn tendon needed a boot nonetheless. And doning that gorgeous black beauty just didn’t seem to be enough. I tripped in it, falling to my knees and cutting my shin wide open.

Finally out of the book 8 weeks later, I graduated to an ice pack at night and a brace during the day. But wait! That wasn’t enough….

While in the brace, I tripped while carrying some tubs of goodies into my shop space. This time the fall resulted in a broken wrist! And because of the fact that my wrist was underneath the tub I was carrying, it broke in an odd place…the back of my wrist. The prognosis? “It will heal, but it will be slow….”.

So here I am a month out of the cast, in my 7th week of physical therapy to regain strength in that wrist. And while I’m sure this is hard to believe, I developed trigger thumb in my left hand while wearing the cast on my right, so therapy is currenty ongoing for both hands! And as a result of all of that, I am also having to undergo therapy simultaneously to help alleviate the numbness that occurs literally 24/7 in both arms from the neck to my fingers.

Help needed? Who me? Ya think?!?

Just hearing my sad tale, my son and husband went to work painting furniture for me. What a blessing!

As if that wasn’t enough, my friends helped me by loading and unloading my furniture for me, they decorated my space, climbed ladders for me and let me tell them where to stage items in my space.

You might just need to swallow your pride and let someone give you a lift today. Humble yourself. It’s the perfect way to let someone else be a blessing to you!

~Blessings,

Connie

Leave something to the imagination…

img_4817Anyone else out there ever have a car that looks like this?!?  And get this….rainy days usually end up being my shopping days….what’s up with that?!?  Of course, if you live in Transylvania County you have quickly learned that “Land of the Waterfalls” translates easily into “Land WHERE the water falls”!

But take a closer look…other than a few visible items, you would never know what was for dinner, much less what was in all those bags!

Furniture is no different….on first glance you might think “what a worthless piece of junk!”, but then, someone takes that discarded heap and turns it into a one of a kind beauty.  Ever think that God does the same thing with us?

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  1 Corn. 6:9-11

Not too long ago I was at a Chamber event and was given the opportunity to make my 30 second “elevator speech”.  Not expecting such, I told the name of my business, then proceeded to tell how I like to take unwanted, forgotten pieces and turn them into treasures by giving them a new purpose.  After the words left my lips, I thought that I will never again tell someone that I “re-purpose”.  Why?  Because quite honestly I believe that  God has given each of us a purpose and equipped us fully to carry it out.  BUT, until we come to know Him as our Savior, we quite possibly look for ways to “re-purpose” and reconstruct our lives to do what we want instead of what He intended us to do.  We look for ways to bring purpose to our lives without ever realizing that we have already been given purpose…we just need to know the Creator and we will come to understand our specific purpose!  So how cool that the very thing God has given me to do totally speaks of all that He has done IN me! You could easily say that God took the unwanted, forgotten Connie and turned her into his precious treasure.  Ah….that absolutely humbles me to think of it.  How thankful I am!

Speaking of treasures, let’s see what special finds await you as we leave February and merge happily into March at Marketplace on Locust.   Mirror, mirror on the wall…..So many to choose from at Burlap & Lace! From small to large, don’t miss a single one!

From farmhouse style to cottage living spaces, nothing speaks better than cows! But if that’s not your thing, don’t overlook metal pieces. This hanging scale would be great in a kitchen to hold potatoes. Or in the laundry room to toss in unmatched socks while they await their mate! Add a touch of cottage style to your bathroom by rolling up handtowels and putting them inside the scale for an easy grab. The possibilities are endless!

I’m always on the lookout for that different piece that will add a bit of rustic charm to your home. I nailed it with this antique hotel lobby cubby! Can’t you just imagine getting off the stagecoach, heading for that hot bath at the hotel and stopping at the front desk for your room key and any mail you may have received while en route to this dusty little town? I believe this is the perfect piece for your art studio…fill those cubbies with your paints and brushes…easy to find what you need but keeping everything neatly tucked away when not in use. Or what about the kids’ room? Fill the cubbies with shoes, hats, gloves, you name it. Perfect also for the mudd room, holding gardening tools, the dog’s leash, the gym weights you keep stumbling over….

While you are drooling over the PO cubby, take a look at the art work sitting on top! Local artist, Erin Jones, does more than paint. Every piece she does has a unique story….check her out on FB and see more!

Just added this week is this newly upholstered bench. Come on in and take a gaze around my space as you take a load off your feet. Bet ya you will not want to leave without it! Dressing up a bedroom? See the lovely blue chest of drawers behind the bench? Update a bedroom with the bench at the foot of your bed, the chest of drawers snuggled into the room with the throw (nestled inside the chest) tossed over the foot of the bed. Add the matching bedside table (pictured below) and you have just updated the room in one big sweep! Well done you!

From desks (secretary or more modern), dressers, benches, tables, chairs and bedside tables, take your pick! As February ends, pieces will be going out in order to bring in new for March in preparation for our Spring Open House coming up March 31-April 2. Even the rugs are for sale as I bring in new ones in two weeks!

As you imagine one (or many!) of these pieces within the walls of your home space, don’t forget to linger a moment over the purpose of the piece(s) you choose, and to dwell on the purpose God has for you. There is a purpose for your life….seek for it. You will find it, I’m sure of it.

~Blessings,

Connie

Remember to laugh, and take notice….

It was quite a year for us – 2021 – and if we are not careful, 2022 will take on sourness as we groan over Covid still lingering with us, having to wear masks, argue over whether vaccinations work or they don’t….and half a dozen other “worldly” things that take our attention away from the enjoyment of every day life.

Don’t get me wrong….I realize all too well that those things take our focus sometimes. But I want to encourage you to step away from the ho-hum drum of life, the anxieties of things you may have missed out on while quarantining, and step back, breathe a fresh breath, and find joy….in THIS year’s journey. To do so, I wanted to step back in time to last year in my own life, and share with you a few things that make me want to enjoy THIS year to the full. And in doing so, I pray you will take a stroll through your own memories of 2021 and look ahead to this year with a new anticipation of joy.

We were blessed to have our children and grandchildren come for a visit last June. We hadn’t seen them in two years, so you can imagine at their young ages what a refreshment this was to us! During their visit, our old dog wouldn’t eat….until our granddaughter figured she could hand-feed him and he would nibble from her hands. The trick for her was getting his food from the can that was nearly as big as she was! No worries there…she found a way. And I laughed at the sight of her.

Back at their home, they kept the moods light as they mused….Covid keeps us quaranatined and you and daddy can’t go on that date? We’ve got you covered! At home theater! And again, I laugh.

We all need to find some joy, some laughter and some smiles with all that is happening around us these days. Perhaps, like me, you just need a moment to remember what makes your heart happy…

Spring flowers blooming late into Fall….
Celebrations that happened from our own back deck….
Grandchildren painting birdhouses for my gardens so that I will remember them, even when they have returned home…

God’s glory displayed in the early morning sunrise as I walked out my front door…

Hikes with my hubby….

Sunsets and quiet nights….
Finding the beauty in things that otherwise would be a nusance….and lingering to realize that we are not alone in this world of wonder.

I pray each of us will step into a new rhythm this year. May God give you eyes to see, ears to listen and a heart to love your way through every day He gives you.

~Blessings,

Connie