Thanks, Etsy!

Something wonderful happened yesterday... Our Maxwell bare bulb pendant made it to Etsy's front page smack-dab in the middle of the day!  Whooo-hooo!  And a big THANK YOU to our friend, Andrew Cebulka, for the amazing photos.  Here's a screen shot for those of you who missed (as we did).  

The Story of Yachitchus

This morning, Zion woke up and asked me to look for Yachtichus on Google.  Yachtichus is the name of the Transformer that Daddy made up.  So, we found nothing on Yachtichus.  Zion thought that we should do something about that.  So this post is for Zion.

First, he drew a picture of Yachtichus.

Then he made sure Yachtichus had his Energy Source.

Now, to introduce a new Transformer, Yachticus, to the world!

Yachtichus - according to Zion MacLeod

Yachticus is a Transformer Autobot goodguy.  He transforms into a boat.  His weapon shoots blue water and fire.  His favorite things to do (besides fighting the Decepticons), is to eat nut and bolt stew at restaurants, and sail.  Yachticus' best friend is Iron Hide.  The colors of Yachticus are blue, with orange and red stripes.  His motor is dark with red strikes (like lightning strikes).

Yachticus is unstoppable in the water, and he was fighting against Sound Wave or Bruticus.

The End.

Zion is four years old, and if you didn't already guess - really loves to make up Transformers.  He especially likes to build them out of Legos.

Welcome Home

Our goal is to give life, heart, warmth, value, art, and joy to a totally utilitarian component of your home - lighting.  Ask those who live in dark places; to have a source of light is truly a life-giving blessing.  It can change the entire feel of your home, your space, your day.  If you must have it, why not make it beautiful?  We seek to infuse light with art, and art with light.  Handmade in America by our family, here in Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina.

Today, We Made

Today, Zion and I made this. 

We made it to go here, on our gate; to help say, "Welcome to our home!"

The flowers were a Valentine's gift from Daddy to Mommy.

We made the container by hand bending chicken wire into this shape.  Then we walked in the woods and collected deer moss and twigs covered in lichen.  We used this along with some Spanish moss to line the basket.  

We hung the basket with wire, and planted our flowers.

A project well done, and a beautiful day to do it!

Oysters or How to Fight a Winter Cold

These last few days have been busy ones around here.  The visit of some special friends prompted Robert to do something new; something that all coastal dwelling Southerners should know how to do - harvest fresh oysters from a creek and cook them for a large group of people.  He jumped in his canoe, paddled out, picked them out of the pluff mud, washed them off and steamed them at the party.  Much fun was had by all.  Plus it gave our friend, Derek,  a chance to break in his copper oyster knife that Robert made him for Christmas.   And our largest Camellia order ever is due to ship out this week, and we are busy putting the final touches on all of the lights.  But last night and today, my boys started not feeling so well.  The moan of tummy aches, and the gurgly sound of a stuffy nose send are sending this girl into action!

Sometimes I really believe that feeling sick is just as much psychological as it is physiological.  Medicine only does so much.  I did run out to the store to get some cold-fighting seltzer tablets to dissolve in Zion's juice cup.  But I've come to realize (especially in my husband, Robert's case) that love can dull even the worst body aches that the medicine seems to leave behind.  And what else could say "I love you" more than a good home cooked meal, made by your loving wife and your adoring mother?  Not much.

It's homemade chicken soup for supper tonight.  And to really let them know that I seriously love them, I'm making this awesome sounding dessert from my new cookbook, Pon Top Edisto (given to me by my friend, Aimee, for Christmas).  Baked apples and cranberries topped with a nutty streusel and fresh whipped cream.  What's not to like?  Okay, I admit, the dessert is just as much for me as it is for them.  I do have an insatiable sweet tooth, and I started drooling while reading the sweets portion of the cookbook this morning.  Mama needs some love too. 

If this recipe turns out to be delicious, I will be sharing in a post tomorrow.  Here's to good health!

It's Been Awhile

It has been some time since I posted - I'm so sorry, Carolyn (my one follower!).  But why I haven't been posting for the last two weeks or so is good news.  Great news, actually!

We have been bombarded with wonderful projects since January.  Like three different restorations of John Gantt lanterns, for instance.  I'm not sure why they came all at once, but we are overjoyed that people are choosing to restore these local treasures rather than replace them.  Please, if you happen to be blessed enough to have a lantern made by John M. Gantt of Charleston, South Carolina in your possession:  Do NOT replace it, toss it, or neglect it.  A piece of Charleston's recent history is within your care.  It is a rare thing to have such a finely made work of art built by the hands of local craftsmen, and its value will only increase as the legacy these artists left behind continues.  Your copper lantern is well worth the investment of repair.  Even when badly damaged, like some that have come into our shop over the last several weeks, they can be restored to like-new condition.

And then we went on a camping trip to Edisto Island!  Much fun was had, although it would have been nice to camp in our VW Bus instead of our tent.  But still - fun and well worth it just to hang out with the amazing folks of the Full Moon Bus Club.  If you aren't yet familiar with FMBC, you should be.  Here they are: www.fullmoonbusclub.com

Wonderful people who love their friends, love to camp, and love their Volkswagens. 

So we were surrounded by all the other cool buses, but I must admit that I was a little distracted photographing someone else.  Zion and I spend lots of time together.  Marvelous time.  Daddy and friends went out to an oyster bed nearby in our little boat and harvested seven bushels for a big roast that night.  I got to read while Zion took long naps in the tent.  And visit with friends from near and far, which is always the highlight of any FMBC camp out.

 These last two photos courtesy of Heather Kaczenas and John L'Engle Graham.

Making a Light from Found Objects

Have you ever looked at something for years, not quite knowing what to do with it, but knowing that if you ever threw it away you would thoroughly regret that decision?  Here is my sweet little vintage urn that I found long ago.  The bottom was long broken off, but I just couldn't let the graceful bell shaped top go. She finally has new life as a pendant lamp, and I am in love all over again. 

Farming with Heart

One thing was learned - we have a lot to learn.  The cows are curious, but very leary of anything new.  Anything at all.  So it may be awhile before either of us are the ones doing the milking.  But what a morning!  Vibrant blue sky and chilly air.  We rode on a trailer, towed behind the ancient red tractor George drives to the field every morning.  The girls were happy to be milked, and nearly ran to the milking pen when they spotted us rolling up the road. 

George and his wife, Celeste, are farmers with heart.  I think it takes heart to do what they do - stand in the middle of the modern agricultural current and stay their ground.  They are committed to farming in a way that respects.  Respect for their animals, respect for the land.  George began farming in 1976.  He grew up in the lowcountry, and that's why he is here.  But according to him, South Carolina is not the easiest place to farm.  Raising grass fed cows requires grass.  Which poses a real challenge in the winter.  The cows are supplemented on hay, and the lack of good grass cuts milk production by more than half.  But that is the way these farmers farm.  They milk the cows as they need to be milked.  They allow them to rest.  The cows are never pushed to produce mass amounts.  And for that reason, they are really quite lovey-dovey toward George.  Robert and I got a little of that love from the braver ones too.

Milk given by these cows is as nutrient rich as it can possibly be, and the fact that George and Celeste leave it raw means that it is absolutely wholesome, as God intended.  I can say that I loved it today, even if it was mostly observing.  And I'm excited to learn more.