I have an official website! Shopify!

 I FINALLY got my own website up today! My husband has been needling me for YEARS to get one. I was a total foot dragger as I have almost zero computer skills. I have had my domain name bought and saved since I opened my Etsy shop!

 I seriously learned how to "copy and paste" like 3-4 years ago! I set opening a website as a goal for this year and researched several different ones. I decided to go with Shopify.

 I wanted a place besides EBay to sell our new items and I also plan to offer some antique/vintage and handmade things there too. (I only have 2 items there now!) Etsy has been crazy lately..we have been selling OK, but you never know what is going to happen next seller-wise there! It is always better to have your eggs in more than one basket..I'm a former farm girl..that is totally true! (also chickens can be mean!)

I felt like Nova Lee Nation from the movie"Where The Heart Is". She went to the "liberry" to look up how to care for a tree she was gifted and told the librarian "I have to look it up in the encyclopedia and then look THAT answer up in the Children's section!" I had to follow the tutorial and sometimes Google what the heck they were talking about! I discovered mostly I was over thinking it. I just went with a lot of the stock input and saved myself stress and tears! So, www.hopeandjoyhome.com is officially open! Lots more items to add there. SO if I can do it..ANYBODY can do it! Yay to met goals! 'Til next time Webmaster Julia (lol)

Mixed media vintage tin hearts, vintage baby clothes and yet another snow day!

Hi guys! Yet another snowy day in East TN..or as the North calls it..Tuesday. I am sharing some of my latest creations and finds and some more snow day pix.

 I made these with vintage roofing tin tiles and more vintage and new elements. This one has a German glass glitter star and an aqua heart..I think this is my fav of all the ones I made.

 This one is very "white decor". I think "white decor" is beautiful, I'd just never be able to pull it off. Reasons..1. husband and son, 2. the pooches 3. the first thing I'd do would be add a magenta pillow!

 The heart is vintage bingo card and the star is vintage French dictionary text.

 I have dipped into some of the goodies we got in Jan. to list! I really like vintage baby shoes..so sweet!

 They are cute for decor!

 This pair is actually an orthopedic pair to straighten curved baby feet. They would have attached to a metal bar that also helped to straighten ankles. (My cousin had some in the 70's..these are older)

 This cutie already sold..great for a 4th of July or beach cottage vignette.

 This coral dotted Swiss one also has bloomers..approx WW2 era.

 This one is on its way to a photographer in MN!

 I like the small white christening dresses too.

 3  hanging in a row..so sweet! I like alternative "art" for my walls.

 You can't see it here but this one has a tiny embroidered bunny at the neckline. I made these small hangers from twigs and wire. They are a better "fit" than new hangers.

 The tiny slips are cute too! I think they would also make a great mixed media textile "base"..hmmm.

 This is outside today. There was no snow yesterday. Jack hasn't had school for over a week!

 This is a long way from drinking a glass of wine and putting my feet up!

 My long and winding road..

 It really is pretty! Those are the Smoky Mountain foothills in the distance. I am a "Valley Girl" between the Smoky and the Cumberland ranges.

 My deck buddies..if you feed them, they will come! A woodpecker..

and an Eastern Towhee. We also have cardinals, Blue Jays and a flock of little birds. Hope you are staying warm! Until next time! Julia

Ice Day part 2

 A quick post. We had a 22 hour power outage after my last post.It continued to rain,sleet and freeze. We had candle light card games and listened to trees creaking and breaking and crashing and decided to call it a night!

 My husband and I took a walk this afternoon around the yard and down the driveway while I took pix. I think he was making sure I didn't wipe out and lay someplace until missed!

 The ice is 1/2 inch thick. It did not melt today and tomorrow is supposed to be windy..hope we don't lose power again!

 I am afraid there will be a lot of trees going down.

  I wish these photos could have captured the sparkling beauty of this ice!

 It was quite breathtaking.

 Even the angel wasn't spared.

 Snow day pix sometimes look black and white.

 Even though they are not!

 The neighbor's hayfield.

 I had a brisk run up there this morning trying to corral our naughty pups who ran off.

 They like to bark at the neighbor's cows so we generally keep them enclosed. They were girls gone wild!

 My grape vine..and a bit of morning glory vine...morning glory you plant once and it comes back for years even though it is an annual. It is a prolific re-seeder.

 This looks like a glass sculpture!

A roll of fence. Hope you all are warm and safe and crossing my fingers for tomorrow! Til next time! Julia

Snow Day!

 Hi guys! Actually these first 2 pics are from 2 days ago when we got minutes of snow. Which in East TN is pretty much a novelty.

 Big beautiful flakes, gone in minutes..

 Today came the ice..it is still raining, sleeting, ice-ing as I type. Ice is troublesome, can be deadly, but is beautiful!

 Everything from weeds to grass takes on a coat of diamonds... I was trying to snap a few pics without slipping and falling!

 Wild rose hips are a spot of color in the neutral winter landscape.

 I don't know exactly WHAT this horrible weed is..the flowers are yellow and the seeds are horrible..they stick to you at the slightest provocation. Maybe some sort of wild marigold? The ice turned them into pretty little starbursts!

 A vintage insulator that tops my grape arbor...

 Even lowly chicken wire takes on a coat.

 My great grandpa's barn cupola wearing an icy necklace....

Even the weeds in my sleeping garden look pretty!

A final touch of green to remind myself that Spring is right around the corner! Hope you all are staying safe and warm! Til next time, Julia