You ask, so of course I tell! and, a peak at Copper Top

This is just real ya’ll so listen up—She’s 51? I get that a lot and it’s nice to hear it ask as a question. I know some of how you look is in how you act but a lot is in the daily care of your skin. I got the best advice of my life 30 years ago from a very harsh and abrasive dermatologist. I could hug his neck today but at the time I wanted to hand him over to my three big brothers.

He had me under one of those examining lights and was criticizing all 20 years of my life in the sun. I was told to wear sunscreen and then given the list I’ve included below for you. It was the way he delivered the message that I didn’t like. He acted like I was out to destroy my skin on purpose. So I suppose at 20, I was. Wish I could remember who he was. Funny that I took him seriously huh?

Thank you for all the nice kudos about my family in the previous post. They read my blog and very much appreciate your kind words. Now to the good stuff you tuned in to hear.

It’s easy. Learn these habits:

1. Never EVER—sleep on anything but your back. Period. That’s right, for 30 years, I’ve been sleeping on my back so that I would not create crease marks on my cheeks or nose.

2. Never go to bed with make-up on. Use a buff pad to gently wash your face with Dr. Bronners soap both AM and PM and immediately follow with witch hazel to close the pores. Do it religiously. I probably have only missed a hand full of days in all these years.

3. As for the make-up, I use a liner on the outer edges and bottom of my eyes. It’s a bit worn off in the picture above and usually is more sharp but you get the idea. I wear a mineral make-up base close to my skin tone. But in the pic above, I wasn’t wearing any base and was actually wearing Mac mineral eye shadow in a rose shade on my cheeks. Yes, you can use a powder eye shadow on your cheeks and it’s less expensive than buying a whole compact of the cheek product. I don’t have any eye shadow on and don’t normally wear any.

4. Find a lipstick of lip gloss you like. I don’t have a favorite. I try to make it favor whatever I’m wearing.

5. I always wear perfume. Always! I wear Jessica McClintock most days. If Mr. D is taking me out, I wear Very Sexy by Victoria Secret.

6. My favorite body lotion is Jergens original.

Hair: It’s time to color it again. My natural shade is dark brown and you can see how much grey is coming in. I really like Clairol Perfect 10 nice ‘n easy in the color 6 light brown chocolate shake —of course. I color every 6 to 10 weeks.

I do want to give the Benefit Cosmetics Line a try. Looks so darn cute. May have to try that Benetint Jean and Jane have an adorable story and the makeup personality sure fits mine doesn’t it ya’ll.

Allright, it’s time for a peak at what’s happening inside Copper Top Cottage—-come on….oh, I am not 5 months pregnant and do not know why I look like that. Maybe it’s those dang cookies this week.

Why I Came Home To A North Carolina Autumn

I’ve got a big announcement at the end of this post!!!

First you need to know!!!!! Garden World Report is up and running and I’m there receiving my award at blotanical.com for best blog design and best NC blog. I was on the chat board live last night but you can go Here and see the show. It’s up 24/7. Please go check it out and leave a message saying you stopped by. Shirley Bovshow is the brain child behind this online gardening television. It’s exciting and you’ll be in the know about what’s new in the dirt. Shirley’s website is at Eden Makers Blog

We’ve lived all over the United States but I was born and raised in North Carolina. So when my husband retired from the Air Force in 1994 he ask me where I wanted to live and I said home to the Autumn colors of the Appalachian South.

I want to be home where raindrops fill the birdbath and our red Cardinal will come calling.

I want to go home where the muscadines grow and limbs swing low and the people talk slow.

I could visit my favorite nurseries and decorate my garden with pansies and colors of the season. I like it when I can celebrate all 4 seasons but Autumn is my favorite. No other place celebrates Autumn like North Carolina in my opinion.

I can grow Teddy Bear Sunflowers like this one that grew in my garden last season. I will grow it again next year.

I can put —–Arugula and ornamental cabbages like the ones displayed on the nursery tables at The Briar Patch Garden Center in Advance NC.—-in my winter containers.

While I was visiting that little shop–A nicely arranged mantel  —-gave me some Autumn decorating inspiration——-

Look what caught my eye—- this little feeder just wishing to come and live at———

Copper Top Cottage, my little shed, which I am proud to announce!!!!!!- passed inspections this week!!!!!!! So—-I’ll be moving my stuff in the first of next week and decorating my long awaited dream of owning a gardening shed/elegant hideaway. There will be a party!!!!! When Mr. D ask where I wanted to move when we retired, I said—My North Carolina cause I pictured my little Copper Top Cottage in the woods at the end of property all fixed up with mums and such and so it will be. Stay tuned.

To see the building of my shed—-visit past post HERE. Cause not gonna show ya the finished product yet.

Copper Top Cottage is finished and the big reveal will be next week—stay tuned!!!!

4 Screwy Things and 5 Pumpkins plus some mums

I drove in the driveway this afternoon and Mr D had these 5 pumpkins lined up on my walkway. It thrilled me more than if I had gotten diamonds and rubies. He bought them for me while out shopping for stuff that goes on Copper Top Cottage/My shed. He’s never gotten my Autumn pumpkins before and the thoughtfulness was—well—so very thoughtful and romantic.

You might not think of pumpkins as romantic—- but I think of everything as romantic and attractive. I describe food, people, cats, dogs, squirrels, buffalo, and birds in such terms as delicious, irresistible, yummy, appealing, wondrous, exciting, splendid, amazing, and extraordinary cause that’s how I live my life.

When I really like something—-I’ll say it’s the best I ever had. I’ll say—-me and the sunflowers have been lip-locked all day. And I think this way if it’s a male or a female plant or person. My best friend is coming on Tuesday and she’s been putting up with my personality for 51 years. I can’t wait for her to get here and give her a big hug.

And the mums——The mums are luscious, full, and plump—and the pumpkins are round, firm, and healthy. Who wants mushy pumpkins, right? And Mr D picked them out and got assorted sizes so they would fit every need I could possibly have as far as wanting pumpkins goes.

He spent most of the afternoon under Copper Top Cottage. I rather enjoyed the view cause he’s tall , lean, and well, let’s just say we don’t need a stud finder. I’ve always been hugely attracted to Mr D(elicious). He’s involved in stuffy politics during the day but he’s all mine after hours. Right now he’s looking at sports on his computer and TV and I wish he was over here discussing pumpkins with me.

Ok, this isn’t a pumpkin or mum but my Midnight Lace and Emerald Lace Ipomoes are doing grandly don’t you think.

So he was under Copper Top Cottage/My shed—cause it flunked inspections this week. Took him several days to find out why. Turns out it needs to be tied down??? It’s about 10′x12′ and has 9 post sunk in to 4 foot holes full of concrete. But we had to buy some screwy rods—-like you tie your dog up in the yard—-and he’s got to screw them in the ground and then attach them to the frame of Copper Top.

I was baffled. These are toothpicks compared to what we’ve already done. But it’s probably some code somewhere that has a government connection to the supply house for screwy rods. They cost about $10 a piece so Mr D got 4 and 5 pumpkins to boot.

I’m going to make a video of us screwing those rods in the ground. Just seems totally ridiculous to me. If we get winds strong enough to pull the 9 post out of the ground, I don’t have much faith in the 4 screwy things. But I can sure tell you that Mr D is a joy to watch doing most anything and that will be the saving grace.

Copper Top Cottage got a coat of paint!

North Carolina is home to the Biltmore Estate and Olympic paint has a color palette named after the grand home. Natural Splendor Biltmore Estate has the names ‘Dancing Light’, ‘Mountain Light’, and ‘Autumn Red’ as part of that palette. These colors were inspired by those found in the woods, streams, and foot bridge that grace the peaceful surroundings of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

It is from this palette that I chose the colors for Copper Top Cottage. I am drawned to anything that has historical significance. The interior colors of my home are Tobacco Road and Plantation Beige by Sherwin Williams. North Carolina has a rich heritage in tobacco and old plantations. So it is with that sort of trend in mind that I chose the Bitmore Estate color choices for my shed.

I am so pleased with how it turned out against the copper in the roof. I knew the copper color was well paired with a teal-ish family but getting it just right can be tricky. My eye will distinguish color exactly and it can drive me nuts if the right depth and hue are off even slightly. Drives Mr D nuts too cause he has to listen to me gripe. I can proudly say that I am pleased with Copper Top’s paint choice first time around.

I can’t say the same for my former paint attempts at my last home. I painted that kitchen 9 times before I got the right blue figured out. I was hoping for a misty blue like is found on foggy mornings on the Atlantic coast. I went from baby boy blue to finally painting it a color called Smoke and that ended up perfect. So when I told Mr D that I needed to find the perfect teal-ish blue….he ran and hid. The above kitchen is from the house we were living in last year. I loved that kitchen. My new kitchen is the color Svelte Sage which is a dark sage green.

So take a look at Natural Splendor Biltmore Estate, ‘Hidden Spring’. I simply love it and all the other colors in that series. Copper Top Cottage has several hidden springs surrounding it and that just makes it even more perfect huh? Did I say I love it? I do!

Except for a few finishing pieces and adding the 100 year old brick patio—it’s finished as far as construction goes. I still have to paint the inside which is no small task. The walls will be ‘Shining Star’ from the Biltmore Series and the floor is a ginko biloba pattern that I’ve written about already–HERE.

I think the color palette from the Biltmore Estate will work well with this pattern. I’ll put a varnish over the top as they did here. The picture is from my Old Salem collection. This is painted on the floor of one of the gift shops.

My aunt and uncle have given me several antique pieces that will furnish the inside of Copper Top. My uncle worked at RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company forever. He has given me his tall tool hutch which has a beautiful teal patina.

It’s about 4 feet long and 6 feet high. I love it as it has tons of character and fits my historical need to preserve our family and NC’s heritage. RJ Reynolds was bought out and the name is no longer king in our area. He also gave me a bunch of his tools and odds and ends of nuts, bolts, and such. I’m going to use those assorted pieces of odds and ends as adornments for the birdhouses I’ll be making.

I also inherited an old trestle table and many old galvanized buckets which have weathered perfectly. There is a tall metal stand that was in my grandmother’s house and it’s priceless. I can remember getting my towel and washcloth from this cabinet when I was a little girl. Soon as the floor is fnished,

I can start moving these items to Copper Top. Mr D will be glad cause they are lined up on his part of the garage. He has to make some real manly maneuvers to get his truck in the garage. He loves me or my stuff would be sitting in the backyard under the trees getting tooted on by the birds. Thank you honey.

And lastly, I’ve been collecting lace to make curtains. Oh I forget about the bucket of jars that my youngest son collected for me. He was out on a jobsite and they were installing landscaping. One of the holes they dug up had some cool old jars. He got an old bucket and picked up as many as would fit in the 5 gallon container. Mr D got me a cardinal welcome sign and a set of teal wind chimes. So I’ve collected quite a bit of cool things.

As you can see, I’ve got a lot to get done but the paint was certainly a major decision. Isn’t it exciting? So glad you came along to follow. You can read all the back post for my little cottage HERE.

I still have more post to do on Staunton but took a break from blogging to work on my shed. I’ll resume that series of post soon.

100 year old brick for Copper Top Cottage’s patio

Remember this 100 year old house? Someone gave it too me so I can use the parts for whatever. I just had to move it!

See that pile of bricks on the second floor? I went up there today and got them. I also disassembled the second fireplace you see on the front right corner. It was super hard. You had to work in a pattern. Talk about heavy.

The brick is handmade and solid.

The flooring in the house is not stable and I was sitting on mostly open rafters with nice little hand forged nails sticking in my rear. It was really pleasant.

I arrived about 1pm and worked till 3ish by myself—hoping MrD would show up. When I left our house he was sleeping. I left him a note that said—-I’ve gone to get the brick. I took his truck, a ladder, and a sledge hammer. He showed up at 3 and worked with me till 7ish. I was so relieved. We’re about 1/4 done removing the brick and bringing them to our house.

The owner of this house lives on the property and is going to get a backhoe to help remove the roof so we can get to the fireplace on the two story side. Hopefully he’ll also knock it down. Much easier— even though it does break a few in the process. We are breaking them anyway as some are very brittle. It just happens.

The bricks on the second floor are leftovers from the roof knock down. One of the neighbors took a few but I’ve been promised the rest. I tried to use the same process on that two story fireplace as I did on the second smaller one in the corner but it was a no go. The mortar is stronger. There are a bunch of brick under the roofs that are laying on the ground.

This little farm house is located on a beautiful horse farm out in the country. It’s about 10 minutes from my home. The owner and I are testing a new organic soy growing juice. So far, the results are very impressive. Soon as I can market that product—I’ll introduce it to you. You’ll be shocked at the results. It gets rid of moles too! Do you have a shrub that is looking a bit tired? Just you wait and see what I have up my sleeve. Cutting edge technology!

The little fireplace in the corner did come down and we hauled most of that brick out back to Copper Top Cottage. There will be a patio for the shed and then little walkways running through the back beds. The walkways and patio will have a sand base with the brick on top.

I can’t imagine what kind of savings this is. I’ve never priced solid 100 year old brick. But I’m thinking it’s a gold mine and worth the effort to get them moved.

Let me tell you though—-the brick fronts that were facing the interior of the room were covered in a 2″ layer of the best plaster on earth. Numerous bangs with a sledgehammer is needed to get to the brick. It’s a slow process cause if you bang too hard you break the brick in half. I’m 5′4″ tall and standing on a ladder swinging one of those hand held mini sledgehammers over my head. It was nice to get the whole process to at least an un-ladder level. My arms are in ache mode.

Once you knocked off the plaster, there was figuring out which brick was loose enough to dislodge. I got pretty good at it. You’ll never get them dislodged in once piece of you don’t develop a pattern.

Copper Top Cottage:

I still have to pick out the outside paint color for Copper Top, paint the inside, paint the gecko leaf pattern on the floor, put up the lace curtains, put up the old window cabinets, and so much more. Many of you thought this project would be done ages ago. My projects tend to grow but be worth it in the end. Stay tuned.

The Brick for Copper Top Cottage

Don’t laugh, do not laugh! See the one brick wall going from the second floor to the first. There it is just past that huge pile of debris on the left side of the screen. Those are solid hand made brick. They are going to be the patio for Copper Top Cottage. They may be a little outdoor fireplace too if there are enough of them.

Copper Top Cottage Update

The front will have lots of windows and let in the winter sun. MrD worked this weekend doing some tedious stuff on the shed. Like, he cut the angle on that siding so it fits and looked nice. He is so thorough and meticulous. He’s not a carpenter but he’s doing a grand job.

He works in a suit all week. His office is pretty cool but my shed is more cool– thank you honey.

Copper Top’s Life in the Woods

This is why I wanted Copper Top Cottage located here. In the winter, the trees have no leaves and it’s nice and warm inside. During the summer and our 90+ heat and humidity, the trees will keep it nice and cool. It’s turning out just like I thought it would. I hope we get to work on it this weekend. I’m ready to move in.