Welcome to Plum Cottage. We have lived in our little cottage 37 years this summer. It wasn't until a few years ago that we named our cottage and it was inspired by the paint color. We had it specially made up at a paint store and the man named it part of our last name and plum, so Plum Cottage came to be.
DH and I have made things with our hands since we were children. A neighbor lady taught me to knit when I was 10, but I gave that up as my tension was too tight and dropping too many stitches. But, in spite of those two things, my love of working with threads began.
I learned how to crochet the summer I was 15. My step grandmother taught me how and I've been 'hooked' and have enjoyed it ever since. I have done embroidery since around that time also.
It was while a young Navy wife, that I took up knitting again, taught by my neighbor/friend, also a Navy wife. We spent many hours knitting together while our husbands worked.
I tried crocheting with wire for the first time, last year. I crocheted a pansy. The wire is from a very old spool from 1928, and is nickel. The gauge is 34, very fine. I didn't do much with it until recently when I tried my hand at miniature baskets and adding beads also. It was my first time crocheting with beads and I enjoy that very much. Working with wire is totally different than working with thread. Nickel is not a soft wire, can kink and is somewhat hard on the fingers, and hooks too no doubt.
DH has worked with wood since a young lad, and was taught and encouraged to paint in oil paints by his paternal grandmother while he was young. Over the years he has done wood carvings, lucite etchings, etchings in shell, concrete sculpture, marble sculpture. He has also built a workshop, a pole barn, a storage building, and remodeled our cottage, plus built different hardscape projects for our gardens.
He has also done antique restoration, and we had an antique shop for 8 years. We also had a picture framing shop for awhile. It was while in our picture framing shop that he encouraged me to paint, (since I was always doodling with pen or pencil on paper), and he would frame them. What a thrill when they started to sell. I started out with pen, ink and watercolors. I still do watercolors. My paintings are miniature in size. Haven't painted any in quite sometime, but have been getting the urge to pick up brushes again.
When I got my first computer and printer about 10 years ago, I wanted to be able to make and sell note cards. I painted in different art programs in the computer, and printed out cards. Then when we got our first digital camera I started making cards with photos of flowers and butterflies from our gardens.
We have always enjoyed working with our hands and still do. It is a blessing and I am thankful for the ability to do the different things that we do.
Over the past few years gardening has become my favorite hobby. Photography has become another hobby I love.
Thank you for visiting.
"Today is life - the only life you are sure of.
Make the most of today.
Get interested in something.
Shake yourself awake.
Develop a hobby.
Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you.
Live today with gusto."
Dale Carnegie
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