I am new at blogging. Actually, I am new at all of this social media sharing.
I am learning as I go, and fortunately on my Etsy shop I have some wonderful people helping me.
A little about me..I am originally from Louisiana/Mississippi area. I like to call it Louisippie, because where I was raised, you crossed over this bridge (Pearl River) and you were in Mississippi.
My kids Dad lived there, both my grandmother's were there ,and I have numerous cousins in Ms.. I had school friends in both places, so I felt I was from both States.

I have four grown kids,  one "doggie daughter", and the Love Of My Life, who I finally found after YEARS of looking for Mr Right. We have been married 8yrs now, and we met in Oregon.
I lived in the Northwest for over 17rs and was known by my "Southern Family" as the deserter.
No one leaves my hometown or state. 
Why I left is another story, and has many twist and turns.

I have always loved crafts. I have tried my hand at many things, but one day I discovered my Pencil Shaving Flowers by accident and I fell in love with making them. This was in 2000. 
I started experimenting with them, and playing with the colors and sizes. 
I started taking them to the craft shows, and all the other crafters were so encouraging .  
They told me not to give up on them, and to find different ways of marketing . At the time I was just selling them individually and really had no concept on "how" to market them. 
I started taking them to stores of all kinds and had them in a few where I was living. 
There was a small quaint town not too far from where I lived that had only craft stores. I put them in there, and started selling them as fridge magnets.
Then, something drastic happened in my life that set  me on a different path and for a while I forgot about my flowers. My husband at the time was put in a Mental Inst for numerous head injuries, that caused him to have a front lobal injury, and changed his personality forever. 

After 3yrs of trying to get over this Life Changing Event.. I met my husband that I am married to now.  We moved to Ky 6yrs ago, because my Mom was in bad health, and I was trying to get back as close to her as possible,  and last year I started creating my flowers again.
I have tried to find craft shows here in this area, but there are none close by. That is when I decided to try my hand at "online selling. WOW! What a total different experience. I had NO idea what all it entailed to get started. 

We enjoy Flea Malls, Auctions, Yard Sales, and we have bought all kinds of different items to re sell. We host Yard Sales of our own, and we put our "finds" in what is called the 127 Yard Sale.
Once a year there is a huge sale that is on Hwy 127, and covers over 600miles. People set up on the side of the road, houses, fields, churches and stores.
Before that we sold in Oregon at Sales.

I  miss Oregon and Idaho. I love the outdoors and getting out in nature. When I lived in Idaho and Oregon, I could be in the middle of town, turn down a road and be out in "no where"..But, there in "no where" was beautiful mountain scenery, with winding trails that lead to waterfalls, clear streams, and places where you could get out of your car and explore.
I am still finding pretty places here in Ky, but we have to drive at least 60-100 miles. I don't mind this, cause I really enjoy road trips of every kind.

I have collected rocks with minerals in them from all  over the U.S. 
I am a rock hound and will look for rocks where ever I go. 
It is a joke with my kids between them, on how they had to help me pack my rocks when I moved. I have actually put them in storage with my household items in between moves.. and some of these "rocks" are closer to being "small boulders"

Back to my online selling. My favorite place is Etsy, but I have tried other sites also. I have a store on Handmade Artist, but truthfully, I haven't worked on promoting it like I should.
I have recently joined a new team on Etsy, that I think I am going to LOVE being in, called Promotional Frenzy. 
Right now I feel very inadequate in knowing what the others know, but the one's I have talked with have been so great in helping me learn.

If your still reading I guess you aren't too bored with my first blog.. Another learning experience for me. 
I will continue blogging and learning, and I will be reading others blogs and  learning from them.