Picture This! A Spring Wedding

I had the pleasure of meeting a sweet couple, Deane and Bert, at their wedding a few weeks ago. They have the most enchanting love story you could ever imagine and I can't wait to tell you about it!

You see, these two dated years ago. They were high school sweethearts and to be honest, couldn't really remember why they broke up!

The only thing they can think is that he was going into medical school and didn't want to keep her from moving on with her life. So they went their separate ways. He moved to California and opened a practice there. She stayed in North Carolina and made a life here. They both went on to marry and have children, become successful adults and watch their families grow. Then, in recent years, they each lost their spouse.

Unbeknownst to each other, they both wondered about the other. And when they attended a class reunion last fall, the stars aligned and everything fell into place. The couple were reunited and almost immediately began planning to spend the rest of their lives together!

I was so blessed to be a part of this memorable day! Thank you, Deane and Bert, for trusting me to capture that moment of your lives! I pray you have happiness beyond measure and that you'll always make each other feel young at heart!

Practice Your Craft: Lifelong Learner

For someone who wants to improve their craft or learn a new skill, one of the best pieces of advice I can give is what I learned from a curriculum I taught called "Writer's Workshop". The main way we taught was by studying others. Seems funny to say you can become a better writer or gardener or seamstress by doing the opposite. But it's true.

Part of practicing your own craft is to see how others do it. Take a writer you admire and look at how they set up their story. How they draw you in. How they personify or describe or narrate. How do they make transitions? What is their rhythm?

If writing isn't your thing, you can still use the same principle and apply it to your own skill.

For instance, with lettering, you may admire the way an artist connects a hanging letter with the word below it or the emphasis they place on the first letter of each word. For sewing, you might wish you could make neater seams or create an interesting pattern in your crocheting.

All of these things, when you study them, become tools you can use to practice with and find your own style. But the only way to master these skills is to apply them to your own work.

Don't be afraid of doing it wrong and trying again. It may not look great the first time. But practicing means making mistakes and trying new things. Check out this blog post from Shari Dacon that inspires me to practice anyway.

You may not be ready to go back to school but learning a new skill could mean teaching yourself. Using the Writer's Workshop model of teaching, here's a first-hand look at how a lesson might go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to my Classroom! How are you today? Ready to learn, I hope!

1. Set Objectives
Go into the lesson with purpose. Establish from the onset what you intend to gain and how you'll know if you got it. Answer the question "What do good _______s do?" What do good writers do? What do good graphic artists do? Pick one thing. For example, "Good writers grab their audience at the beginning of the story." Or, "Good graphic artists, when they are lettering, make the width of each line consistent."

2. Instruction
This is when the teacher has your full attention and models the skill. He/she shows you what to look for and how to accomplish what you want. When you're learning by yourself, this is time for you to only focus on what others do. Study their work. Every line. Every stitch. Every word.

3. Guided Practice
As the student, this is a time for you to use the examples and practice applying the skill. This is the safest place to copy another artist's methods so you get the feel for how to do them on your own. Ask for help from the artistic community as needed.

4. Assignment
Take stock of what you've learned and decide how you'll apply it to your work. Go into your independent practice with clearly defined goals and a reasonable timeline. Then know what you need to have when check back in.

5. Indpendent Practice
This is when you let your creativity soar! Use the techniques you learned and make something great with them. This part can be messy. It doesn't have to result in a finished product. It's just practice.

6. Check-in
Compare your techniques to those in the instruction. Check in often enough that you can make adjustments if needed but not so often that your work starts to look exactly like theirs.

7. Evaluation
Measure your work against the objective. Do you need to go back and learn again? Are you ready to apply your skill or do you still need to work on it?

(Repeat Steps 2–6 as necessary)

8. Application
Once you've mastered the skill you should feel confident creating your own work all by yourself. Be yourself!

9. Peer Review
You might check in periodically or ask for a skilled artist to review your draft and offer suggestions. But remember - this is your own. Don't let anyone dissuade you from your vision.
Having another person review your work will help catch anything you may have missed. How many times have we cringed at a misspelled tattoo or a typo on a program? Even a missing line on a sketch can make a big difference.

10. Publish
Make your final rendering and get it out there! One of the most rewarding motivators is when others respond favorably to your work. But they can't do that if they don't see it!

Onward Christian Soldier

I've just finished a project that is a memorial for one of America's finest.

It's what we call a "floating" sign because it isn't framed out. It looks like you just cut a rectangle of siding from a building (or, in this case, a crate) and hung it up.

Customized Memorial Sign created from reclaimed pallet wood and hand painted with insignia, phrase and memorial.

Mr. Jasper Lee Lewis, Sr. was a retired Air Force Lt. Col. He was a combat veteran of WWII where he flew 30 missions in 64 days as a navigator on B-17s. He flew two missions over Normandy on D-Day and after leaving the service was called back to active duty in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict. Over the course of his service he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and many other combat medals. He remained in the Air Force Reserves until his retirement in 1981.

Mr. Lewis was also a teacher, serving more than 30 years in public education. He advanced to leadership roles and ultimately became Superintendent, where he was responsible for the complete desegregation of two North Carolina school systems. Later in life he and his wife, Louise, directed and managed farm and forestry operations for another 30 years.

Talk about a full life!? Mr. Lewis was influential, to say the least. Even in his memorial, I am inspired! What an honor to be part of remembering his great acts of valor and service to his community! I am proud to have provided some small token that honors him.

Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:6-9 

You've fought the good fight. You've finished the race. You've kept the faith.
Onward Christian Soldier!

 

Practice Your Craft: Imperfectly Perfect

Practice makes perfect. — Unknown

Do you hear that phrase in the back of your head whenever you know you need to practice something? That sing-songy voice that says "practice makes perfect!" I don't know about you, but for me that voice is nagging. As a perfectionist and procrastinator, it keeps me from starting many projects and from finishing others. But as I wrote last week, forcing myself to practice my craft proves to give me more confidence and greater flexibility when I actually NEED the skills I'm building.

I love the following quote from football great, Vince Lombardi. 

Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

You see, it's not perfection that I'm after when I'm practicing my craft. It's just practice. It's building skills. It's experiencing the movement of the pencil around a curve. It's playing with paragraph spacing and rhythm in my writing. Practice may not make perfect, but practice makes better.

I may not always share my practice. But there's no reason not to. Some of it is terrible in my opinion. Like this. 

Version 1: I really wanted to make sign with a southern twist that featured a banner that said "First Rodeo."

And I try methods that don't always work out.

Version 2: I also love the details in this leather-stamp font and could see that being interesting.
They remind me of a rodeo belt I can imagine my dad wearing when he was younger.
 The curly letters didn't flow here at all. And I still haven't mastered this banner thing. 

But in the end, I usually come up with a design that I love and will probably use in a future project.

And those designs that didn't work? I'll probably revisit parts of them later and try something with them again. 

I'd love to see pictures of your imperfectly perfect work!

Liz

Inspired by: Our Front Yard Swing

I hope you've all had a relaxing, restful Sunday! We sure did!

We went to a new church today. One we've seen a hundred times and heard about and noticed on bumper stickers. We had just never been. 

The worship and Word were awesome. It was right on point with what God has been speaking to us lately. It was so refreshing for my hubby to have a Sunday off and be able to all go to church together. After the service we met the Pastor and – get this – he lives on our street! Not just in the same area of town or a nearby neighborhood – the very same street, y'all! 

It was like meeting someone who asks where you're from and you say, "Originally? Louisiana. South Louisiana, actually." And they say their family is from South Louisiana, too, near Baton Rouge. So you elaborate a little further, "Mine is in East Baton Rouge Parish... You probably haven't heard of it. A little town called Pride." Then their eyes light up with a familiarity that only someone from that area would know and they say, "Mine is in Zachary!!" For those of you who aren't from there and don't know how crazy that is, the road my family lives on joins our town to theirs less than 10 miles away! 

So that's how we met our neighbors who happened to be the Pastors of the small church we happened to go to today. The Pastor said, "Hey, is y'all's the house with the tree swing out front?" Thankful that he recognized our quaint gesture to welcome others in, we said, "Yeah!" He said, "Every time we walk by there my little girl asks me if we can stop and swing." And, y'all! At that, we melted! See, it's our desire, through that little swing, to hear children's laughter and see friends playing. We love to peek out and see sisters pushing each other or twisting it around and around only to walk away dizzy, giggling. "Oh, please, let her!" I said. "That's why it's there out front and not tucked away in the back yard... So everyone who wants to can enjoy it!"

Somehow, that'll preach!

But in case you can't hear your own little mini-sermon in there somewhere, allow me to share one of my own...

The love of God is free! It's available to all who are willing to receive it! He makes it easy to get to. He puts it right out front. It doesn't require a ticket or a pass or a card. Not a key or a lock or a gate. It just requires you. You, surrendering to the freedom that He wants so desperately to give you.  

He's a good, good Father. 

It's who He is!

And you are loved by Him. 

It's who you are!

Have you heard this song? http://youtu.be/djrY_eFDOwE

Blessings this week, friends!

Liz

Practice Your Craft: Intentional Practice

I once had a coworker, an Art Director, whose calendar I occasionally had to manage. Every Wednesday he had lunch blocked off with the title, "Comic Wednesday." Was this a time when he snuck off to hear his favorite stand-up? Time he saved to read the Funny Papers? Or some new yoga-laughter routine?

No. (Although that laughter thing can burn off some calories!) It was an appointment he made with himself to practice his craft. He would sketch comics.

It wasn't his job. It was a hobby. But the simple practice of drawing comics kept his mind sharp and his hand nimble. It kept him engaged with his own creativity and likely provided an escape from the "real" world around him.

His intentional practice still inspires me to do the same. It may not be an hour every Wednesday (although, if that works for you, then by all means, do it!) but I find that the more intentional I am about practicing art, the more easily it comes to me.

Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine. — Ludwig van Beethoven

Don't get me wrong; there are days and times when writing and drawing are the last things I want to do. But I try my best to force myself to do them regularly. I watch others as they draw. I read blogs that others write. I use drawing and writing hand-in-hand and find that one inspires the other. I also know that when I don't want to, and force myself to, I usually come up with some of my favorite ideas! Like this one...

Be intentional about practicing your craft. Whether it's writing or sketching or sewing socks for chickens.

What's your craft? How often do you practice it? What do you do to overcome the hurdle of stagnation?

Liz

Inspired by: The Fixer Upper Queen

Is it any secret to anyone who knows me that Joanna Gaines is one of my heroes?

Any time I'm working on a design project, I often think "WWJJD?" – What Would Jo Jo Do?

And while I do love her and Chip's show on network television, I love their heart for God even more!

Almost two weeks ago a video started going around from The Gathering and it took a lot of prayer for me to write about how it affected me. It features Joanna Gaines giving her testimony about what God did for her in her business and if you read last Sunday's post, you know that I've been struggling to find God's direction for my own. It's no coincidence that I saw this video for the first time on the day after the bummer job rejection.

I have big dreams (like her) and a wonderfully supportive husband (like her) and a passion for helping people (like her). And while I don't want to BE her, I dream for God to use me like He has used her! I know exactly what she meant when she said she knew she would be given a platform one day. It's just a matter of waiting... and in the waiting, "going about our assigned tasks, confident that God will provide the meaning and the conclusions." (See last week's post).

I have been meditating on her wisdom for two weeks now:

God, Your promise that You spoke years ago, I'm now seeing. I trusted You with my dream and You've taken it farther than what I ever could've imagined. I can look back on the pattern of my life and really believe God has a purpose for me. But He also has a purpose for you and on the other side of that is the enemy. He knows where to hit. He knows to hit below the below the belt. He's gonna have that fear be - what if you fail? What if you fail in front of all these people? What if you fail and don't find someone in the lunchroom? What if your business fails? Whether you're staying home with children and raising beautiful babies or you're the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, let God speak into your life. Let His Father heart come and say 'This is what I have for you'. And I think that's the key – Not believing the lies, fixing our eyes on Jesus and believing His truth.

When she said "He also has a purpose for you... let his Father Heart come in and lead you into what He has for you" I lost it! It really is His Father Heart that is what I can lean on. Hide in. Take refuge under.

I know that as I trust Him, He will take Liz Hill & Co further than we ever dreamed! Wanna come with us?

Liz

Picture This! Candid Family Photos

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a gold thread to the meaning of life.

~ Isadora James

It's hard to believe it was a year ago that I was photographing this beautiful family's gender reveal! Sweet Baby Ella is barely five months old now and just learned to roll over all by herself. And Big Sister, Lizzie is potty training! Both are growing so quickly and mom and dad are doing a great job of rolling with the waves of parenthood!

I use photographs of this family so often, you may mistake them for my own loved ones. And you wouldn't be completely wrong. They are as close as friends can be to us without being biological! They let me snap photos anytime I want. But my favorite way to photograph them, and any family, really, is from afar. While they are having their moment, I am sometimes up to 30 feet away, capturing the joy as it happens in a real, honest way.

If your family is in the Charlotte and surrounding areas and you'd like some candid photos taken of you and your little ones as they enjoy life together, consider booking a session with Liz Hill & Co. I offer competitive rates and packages and pride myself on being low key and laid back while still focusing on the details that matter.

This time of year is perfect for outdoor sessions in the park or just in your yard. For April and May 2015, when you and a friend both book photography sessions, I'll give you each 15% off our normal rates!

Normal Rates:

60 minute Session Fee - $75

You get all your photo files (even the "bad" ones)

I'll pick a 10-15 shots that I think are the best and give them to you ready to print.

You can have them printed yourself or I will help you have them printed at a lab.

90 minute Session Fee - $150

Great for large families or Group photos

Up to an hour and a half of photography. You still get all your photo files.

I'll pick one shot of each pose for you to choose from and then retouch up to 10 images.

As always, I'll give them to you ready to print or help you have them printed at a lab.

I'll also load all pictures on a sharing website so that family can purchase as they please.

120 minute Session Fee - $300

For bridal parties, family reunions and birthday parties*

Up to 2 hours of photography. You get all your photo files.

We will work together before hand to develop a shot list and agree on an image selection from there.

Printing will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Sharing website applies here, too.

*Photography waivers must be signed for children before sharing in an online library.

General Notes:
50% deposit is due when you book the session. Balance due on the day of the shoot.

All major credit cards accepted.

Larger Session Packages and add-ons available upon request.

Mention this blog post when you call to take advantage of the April and May 2015 special for you and a friend!

Happy Hump Day!

Liz

It's Still Rock 'n Roll to Me!

Hot punk, cool funk, even if it's old junk it's still rock and roll to me! ~Billy Joel

It's no secret that we love old junk around here! And we know you do, too! But more than the old junk, we love the stories the old junk can tell. Take the Singer sewing machine table in the foyer. It belonged to my great grandmother and could tell some stories for sure! Or the step stool/seat that lives in my kitchen now. It probably helped someone reach the top shelf of a cabinet a few hundred times in its lifetime before I got it!

Then there are my chairs. I told you a while back that I'd tell you the story behind these twins. You see, as much as they look alike, they came from completely different places!

One sat beside the refrigerator in my grandparents' South Louisiana kitchen. If you know anything about South Louisiana in the summertime, "hot" is not enough to describe it. It's sticky. Muggy. Humid. But the refrigerator wasn't the reason I remember it. It was also next to a window that housed the air conditioning unit. Under that window sat a gas furnace. So no matter whether it was the middle of summer or the dead of winter, it was a popular place to stand. I say stand because we didn't usually sit in this chair. I'm sure it got its fair share of use but the way I remember it is with newspapers on the seat. Newspapers that my Paw Paw E D had already read. Funny papers that my Maw Maw Lula Belle was saving for a time when she could enjoy them without being pulled in five different directions by a child or grandchild. Crossword sections that I imagine they shared. And maybe a find-a-word book or two. A notebook of prayer requests my Maw Maw poured over every single day. Maybe a WalMart ad or two in later years when they made their weekly shopping trips into town. I wish I had sifted through that stack of papers more, now that I'm trying to tell you what was in them. I just know they were there. And any time the table was full, you could bet that old folding chair got pulled up and squeezed in with the rest of them!

I just happened to see this tell-tail mark a few days ago. Someone (ahem) wrote their name on the seat back... probably while sitting in a time out of sorts, within reach of Maw Maw as she worked in the kitchen.

This is the easiest way I can tell which one isn't my Maw Maw's. I bought it from a second hand store in Orange, VA.

A few years ago, while picking through an old second hand store in Orange, VA, I found a chair just like the one my Maw Maw and Paw Paw had. It was just like I remembered theirs and with a price tag of $3, I had to have it. You see, when I'm picking out home decor, I don't really mind if it wasn't my family members' piece as long as it reminds me of them. The step stool wasn't a hand-me-down. In fact, it came from that same store in Orange. But it reminds me so much of one my Maw Maw had in her kitchen, and pulled up to reach the high cabinets above her pie safe and over the stove. It sat right in front of the shelf with the Moon Pies and Lance crackers. :)

The same name but with different design labels is on the underside of the seat on both of them.

The lamp on this logo reminds me of some of the Mason symbols. My Paw Paw was a Mason but this chair isn't the one from his house, so it's even more of a mystery.

Maw Maw and Paw Paw's chair had metal rungs.

These wooden rungs are in great shape considering the age they must be.

You see, it's not the items that hold me. It's the memories and emotions they evoke. And as long as I can keep those memories alive and make new ones with the loved ones I have left, it's worth every moment!

I hope you find something this week that reminds you of a time gone by. Because it might be old junk but it's still worth it to me!

Happy Junkin'!
Liz

Inspired by: Eyes That See

My sister, Courtney, read Mary Beth Chapman & Ellen Vaughn's book "Choosing to SEE" over the Spring Break. It must've been great because she had it on an app on her phone and as we were touring the Nature Museum on Wednesday I could see in her eyes this desire to just plop down on a bench and escape from the world to read it! I'm starting it as soon as I finish Lysa Turkhurst's "The Best Yes" in a few days.

I wanted to share with you some inspiration from my sister, by way of the book.

"Waiting does not mean doing nothing.... 

It means going about our assigned tasks, 

confident that God will provide the meaning and the conclusions." 

~Eugene H. Peterson

Some of you know but many of you don't. But the past two weeks has been extra trying for our little family. Not in the life-threatening way or we don't know how we'll make it way but just a little extra stress to make ends meet. While I pursue this passion of mine, my husband is working his cutie patootie off every day on a freelancer's schedule to bring home the bacon. So I have been doing everything I can to earn extra income. Liz Hill & Co is a great dream but, let's face it – what new business hits the ground running? It's not like we planned for years for me to do this and finally made the leap. My business venture came out of the loss of a job and lack of a new one. So while I am ecstatic to be helping the clients I have and making the pieces I make, it certainly doesn't make up for the lack of my MBA-level salary.

A couple of weeks ago I thought I had the perfect lead. A position with a company I've worked with before, in a job that I have wanted for a long time, with potential coworkers who I knew and loved already. The position came available and I had to wait for the interview. Then the interview came and I had to wait for the answer. Then the answer came and I found out they offered it to someone else. Such a bummer! But I knew all along that if it wasn't God's perfect plan, He would protect me from it.

So it was back to the drawing board. Back to dreaming. Back to wondering and praying about what God would have this business look like. Was it just a hobby? Was it not meant to be a dream big kind of venture?

A few days of praying and seeking counsel and thinking big picture led me to the conclusion that, while this is a great, meaningful adventure, I do need the income of a J-O-B to fund the plans I have laid out. So will you pray with me while I seek that perfect position, whether full-time or part-time, that allows me to be happy at work and leave it there to be happy at home as well? One that leaves me with the energy and excitement I need to continue Liz Hill & Co's schedule?

I don't want my waiting to be doing nothing. I want it to show that I have the confidence in my Heavenly Father to give me the direction and reveal the meaning. I want to be busy about His business.

I want to have eyes that choose to see Him working in every situation... even when it means waiting.

Liz

My God is So Big!

Do you remember that little song from children's church?

My God is so BIG, so STRONG and so MIGHTY, there's NOTHING My God cannot DO!

I remember teaching it to young students and watching the power and conviction with which they would say those words! I told them to imagine the biggest, best super hero they had ever heard of and multiply it by 100! And that was My God! The wonder in their eyes! The excitement when they stretched their arms so high to demonstrate his BIGness. The way they strained to squeeze their fists together at their bellies for His Strength. And the looks on their faces when they showed their muscles, you could tell they were imagining the Might of a BIG God! But when they wiped their hands in opposite directions and declared "There's NOTHING My God cannot do!" – it got me every time!

I'd like to say I remember that whenever the devil tries to tempt me to believe my problems are greater than My God's ability. But the truth is, sometimes I forget. Sometimes I get caught up in the whirlwind of doubt and disbelief and all I can see is the bottom of the funnel.

I'm so thankful that He reaches down and pulls me out just in time! Because He IS big! He IS strong! And He IS mighty!

In October of last year when I suddenly lost my job, I found myself caught in that funnel. But GOD, being My God, and the best Super Hero of all time, gave me a passion to create. Handed me all the materials and tools and means by which to make some wonderful things. And He gave me skills. He gave me opportunities years ago with my grandfather, Chester Purvis and a dear family friend, Steve Hall. He gave me wonderful Saturday mornings with my dad watching This Old House and The Woodwright Shop instead of Bugs Bunny and Tom & Jerry. He instilled in me a love for doing something worthwhile by hand. A passion for old things. So I started Liz Hill & Co. and opened my Etsy shop and Facebook page and began sharing my creations with the world.

I struggled since last year at this time, knowing that God was preparing me to start my own blog. I didn't know what it would be. At the time, Liz Hill & Co. wasn't even a thing. I had no idea what I would write about and to be honest, I'm not that great at following through and keeping up with my own projects. But in February of this year, God led me to the right articles and the right resources to begin writing at least a couple of times a week about the work I was doing and the things He was teaching me. And so the blog began.

Today marks a milestone for Liz Hill & Co. blog. We reached our 1,000th view! To be only a little more than a month old, I am ecstatic with that report!! That's the kind of stuff a BIG God does! You have shared and read my posts and told me how much you enjoy them. And I have you to thank!

So today, to honor your part in this achievement, I am going to have a give away!

First, using the social sharing buttons below, share this article with your friends on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, etc.

Second, use your post to tell us your favorite Liz Hill & Co. item OR blog post.

Then, check back here on Sunday, March 22nd at 3pm ET to find out who will be the lucky winner! Who knows, we may even give you your favorite item!!

The clock starts now!
Liz

***UPDATE: Uh oh! We had a little confusion with our social media tracker and can't tell who shared the post! My apologies! If you entered (or want to sneak in - because let's face it, if you didn't and wish you had, you know you'll do it anyway) please leave a comment below so we can actually fulfill this give away! Michelle Chapman Brice, I know you're in the running!

By the way, at the moment of this post we're over 1,200!! Way to go!!

A is for Ayden

One of the beautiful people I met a few weeks ago at the Metrolina Expo was Penny. She has a grandson coming this summer and is throwing her daughter and son-in-law a baby shower later this month. 

***SPOILER ALERT! If you are Penny's daughter or son-in-law, or in any way want to be surprised at the shower when you see this sign, do not read any further! : )

His name will be Ayden and their theme for his room is UNC... otherwise known to Tarheel fans as Carolina Blue. It's not royal blue. It's not cobalt blue. Not navy or robins egg or sky. It's Carolina. 

The plan is to hang the pallet-style sign above his crib. The worrier in me tried not to go crazy over the thought of my child standing up in her crib and somehow knocking that sign down. It's heavy! We used our braided natural rope – three strands for extra security. But that was mainly for looks. A sign this large needs two, evenly spaced hangers, distributing the weight on both sides. So I've included plenty of heavy-duty hangers to be sure that thing never comes down! If possible, I'd even suggest using a few long screws and actually screwing it directly to the studs. Of course, that requires a working stud finder, and as my husband likes to say, ours just seems to always point to him. ; )

To be sure the design would work for him as he grew, we settled on a pattern of large chevrons in a variety of blues from navy to Carolina blue, then Birchwood White and Carolina Blue again. The background is a weathered gray, natural to the reclaimed wood we used. It muted the blue just enough to give it a nice, worn look. We also decided to leave the grain showing through in some places. It says "boy" without necessarily saying "baby".

The final touch was the letter! A is for Ayden, of course! It's a 24" tall letter cut from 1/4" material, painted navy to match the navy chevron. We went the extra step and added spacers to make it float one inch off of the background. Since the angles of the chevrons competed with the lines of the letter, it was important that it stand out. 

We think it turned out beautifully! And we can't wait until Ayden's room is complete so we can show you the final pictures of it in place! Hopefully in a few years we can even show you the transition as it grows with him!

For more information about custom orders like this one, contact us through the link on our page!

Happy Junkin'!

Liz

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A Cruel Companion: Cancer

[His Blood] reaches to the highest mountain, and it flows to the lowest valley;

The blood that gives me strength from day to day, it will never lose its power!

~Andrae Crouch

I'm at the hospital today with a friend. She's having surgery. 

You see, she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It's an estrogen feeding variety. It would be great if it were the strawberry ice cream feeding kind. I hear those are a lot nicer! But she wasn't that lucky.

So here she is today, less than a month after her double mastectomy, having her ovaries and more lymph nodes removed. She is represented by a case number on a screen that provides her status... right now it reads "Surgery In Progress".

It's the most drastic weight loss plan I've ever seen. Take one organ at a time until there's nothing left of you. Admitedly, not one I'm signing up for any time soon.

I've been involved with Ovarian Cancer awareness but this is different. The ovaries may be the source of food but they aren't the source of her cancer. So losing them seems a little backwards. So much is not the way she thought it would be. 

But for her, the disfigurement is the most difficult to grasp. 

Her type of cancer is a brutal companion. It delivers bad news like a punch in the gut. Just as she recovers from one blow, here comes another. It may never go away. Only wait in the corner for its next title card fight.

And as the fighter she is, my friend just keeps swinging; waiting for the bell to sound so she can rest for a moment and start the next round.

With strength. With dignity. With grace. Not always perfectly but standing so bravely.

Please pray for her; for all those who are battling for their lives. And for their loved ones who are warriors in the fight with them. As I sit in this crowded waiting room, knowing it's not my daughter or mother or sister but my friend, I look around and know that others are so much more intimately invovled. For some, the people who are represented on the screen are their whole life! And I can only thank God that He is bigger than the word cancer.

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty! There's nothing my God cannot do!

Love Fiercely and Freely and Without Fear

"If we remembered everyday that we could lose someone at any moment, we would love them more fiercely and freely, and without fear – not because there is nothing to lose, but because everything can always be lost."

I had the best time visiting my grandmother in Tennessee this week! It was only three days but we packed everything in that we could. Isn't that the funny thing about time... when you want it to hurry it drags and when you wish it would last forever it flies. But Monday was the 10th anniversary of losing my maternal grandmother and so every second I get to spend with my only remaining grandparent means so much!

We woke up early and had coffee and breakfast together. Went to her Quilters & Crafters class at the First Baptist Church. Worked on a community quilt she and several other women have been stitching since January (photo above). Had a southern style salad potluck and possibly the best chess pie I've ever tasted (that may be my diet talking). Came home and enjoyed the Tennessee spring weather and some shade before getting our hands dirty pulling weeds from her flower bed. It was so nice to see the green day lily leaves standing proudly where before they had been smothered in weeds, dried leaves and dead stems. I knew God was teaching me a lesson through that symbolism. I'll share it with you later this week.

We ate leftovers for dinner. Fried chicken and green beans. And a thing called milk gravy over rice. It may be the best thing ever! If you don't know what it is, I'm sorry. Only my grandmother can make it like she makes it and I'm not sharing her instructions any time soon. :)

We watched the sunset over the water. 

We shared a couple of glasses of red wine and enjoyed the cool breeze.

Shared hugs. Shared laughs. Shared stories. Enjoyed every second! Not because there was nothing to lose, but because everything can always be lost.

I love you, Grandma Jean and I have been so blessed to be your first grandchild. You are a treasure to me and I love you with all my heart!

~Liz

Who is it that you need to love more fiercely and freely and without fear while you can? Do it. Because everything can always be lost.

Monday's Haul: A Spot of Tea?

We had a blast at the Metrolina Expo Antique Show this weekend! So many people, old friends and new, came out to say hi! We can't wait to be back next month and show off all the new items we'll have available!

Mark your calendars now for the Spring Extravaganza April 1st-5th, 2015. We will be in Mall 1, Aisle A. It's going to be a great weekend!!

This weekend we met Jerry, John & Bo. They had several booths across the aisle from us and are veterans at the show. They buy out estates and find some beautiful treasures! One such treasure became mine and will soon be the inspiration behind a redecorated formal dining room in my home tour!

Noritake Ivory China - Made in Japan - #7148 - Charleston

They're blue tea cups - a set of three - in perfect condition.

I can't wait to share with you the finished room! First I have to find that pair of navy curtains I bought two years ago.... now where did I put them?

Looks like it's time to go junkin' in my own house! Have a terrific week!

Liz

Kitchen Makeover

We have the privilege of knowing the previous owners of our home. Not that we knew them for a long time but when we finalized the offer, she contacted me and we had the chance to visit together and she shared with me some of the great features of our home. She had raised her family there from the time it was built and wanted to know that the family moving in would have just as wonderful an experience as they did! So far we're off to a great start!

But it doesn't escape me that anytime I change anything she did here, I am not only making it a little more my own but I'm also losing a little bit of the touches she put into it.

That's why it took me over two years to pull the trigger and repaint the kitchen. It was a beautiful, deep wine red. Rich and warm. The dark granite countertops and tile backsplash contrast with the bright white cabinets. There's plenty of light in there, especially in the morning when you can watch the sunrise from the window over the sink. I love the way my copper accents pop!

It just wasn't my favorite. It wasn't me. I needed something lighter. Something to lighten the room and make it a little happier. So I tested a paint color I loved – one that you will see in many of my custom pieces. Sea Mist is a Valspar color that comes in their $3 pre-tinted test jars. I encourage you to take advantage of your local home improvement store's paint department's mixing services to get a test jar of any color you may be considering. Paint small areas of your room to see how it will look in different light, making sure to cover the base color well. In my case the red made it difficult to get a solid coat of my lighter color, even though this brand includes primer. Be sure to take the differences into account. You may even go the extra mile and paint a patch with a color-blocking primer (like Kilz) before painting your test spots to truly see how the color will turn out.

So without further delay, here are the before and after photos of my kitchen! 

 

It's a work in progress, as are most areas in my house! My husband never knows when he will come home and find the entire house flipped around! :)

That's just how I roll!

Thanks for coming junkin' with me!
Liz

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What part of this makeover is most intimidating to you? Do you have any questions? Use the comment section below to let us know! And don't forget to use the social buttons to share this and any of our posts!

Picture This: Spring Family Photos

Whether you're planning an Easter dinner and want to take a large family photo of everyone while they're together or just need to update photos of you and your kids, the time is coming to get the most out of Mother Nature! As soon as everything starts to bloom it's like nature's pallet just waiting for you to take advantage of it!

Easter is only a month away but we'll have you covered! Our Spring special is available to purchase now through Friday, March 13th and can be used in the Charlotte area anytime between now and May 1st. You have two choices:

My Big Family Special - $89
• 90-minute session
• One large family picture
• Up to 8 individual family pictures
• Four special group pictures (i.e., siblings, grandchildren, married-ins, etc.)
• All photo files delivered via CD/HD
• Select of each pose ready for print

Spring Forward Special - $59
• 1-hour session
• One family picture
• One couple picture
• Group picture of children as well as individual pictures of each child
• Two locations (within reasonable distance)
• All photo files delivered via CD/HD
• Select of each pose ready for print

Contact us today to schedule your date! We can be flexible with the weather so have a rain-date in mind!

Share this via social media below if you know someone in the Charlotte area who might be interested!

Old.

Have I mentioned I love old things? Not just old things, but old people, old stories, old songs, old movies, old homes, old furniture, old tools... I feel like Bubba Gump! There are so many great things about old.

But I get it – old is a relative term.

My husband feels old (and he's only 40). TVs can be old and only be made 15 years ago. Last week's leftovers growing science experiments in the fridge are really old! (I told you I would be real with you!)

And I understand there are things way older than my favorites. I'm not talking Medieval here!

I mean that there is a fascination within me about things that tell a story. My family members who remember my Great and Great-Great Grandparents could go on for hours about them without me being the least bit bored. I love to hear about Aunt Lula Mae, who was my Great Grandmother Rachel Terry Craig's only sister. They had five brothers! She spoiled her nieces and nephews like crazy and treated them all like they were her own!

And on my Mitchell side I have my Great Grandmother Elizabeth Jennings Mitchell Roe, whom I am named after. She was strong and loving – but no one messed with her! She was the original BOSS! Everyone in our family called her "Grandma Lizzie" and I am proud to carry her name!

She loved Dawson Roe! And he loved her (probably because she told him to). He was her second husband.

My Great-Grandpa Jeff, whom she married at 19, left when their three children were young and Dawson came in and took on this new life. He gave her and our family nearly 30 years of dedication and love. Together they built the house that still stands on our family property in South Louisiana.

John Dawson Roe and Elizabeth (Jennings) Roe, in the 1950s

You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is still a sigh.

The fundamental things apply as time goes by.

And when two lovers woo they still still say: I love you. On that you can rely!

No matter what the future brings, as time goes by.

Moonlight and love songs - never out of date.

Hearts full of passion - jealousy and hate.

Woman needs man - and man must have his mate.

That no one can deny.

It's still the same old story, a fight for love and glory, a case of do or die.

The world will always welcome lovers as time goes by.

~ Frank Sinatra

I never knew my Great Grandma Lizzie. She died almost five years before I was born. And Dawson, two years before that. But there are so many things about them that still speak to me today. Whenever I remember my Grandparents' home and the property most of my Aunts and Uncles live on today I am struck by the history of the place. I look at ancestry records and census notes about where people lived and am amazed to see that even three and four generations before them, our family still lived in the same small community of Pride, LA! And that makes that area even more special to me!

So when I go junkin' I can't help but think of the history behind the pieces I find. Old kitchen utensils and tools are the best! How many cakes did someone bake with this pan? And how many birthdays and family dinners were made a little sweeter because of this sifter? 

Preserving these pieces may not bring back the people, but they will certainly keep a time alive in my mind and heart. 

So, let's go junkin'!

Liz

Laughter.

My husband’s laughter is contagious! He has the BEST sense of humor! 

He passed that on to our daughter. When she was little she used to beg to be tickled! Some think it would be torture. But not her! And we would indulge because we loved to hear her laugh! 

That’s how I feel with my Father. I love to work on old, challenging pieces. Some think it’s torture... others garbage or beyond repair. But I love it. And He lavishes it on me! 

A bucket of rusty nails. The handle off of an old kitchen utensil. A cracked board with chippy bird poop on it! 

Yes! Even that! 

It’s like laughter to my soul!

What are you junkin' for this week?

Liz

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We will be at the Metrolina Expo Antique & Vintage Show this weekend (March 5-8, 2015). If you're in Charlotte, come check us out!!

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The Sugar Shack and Barnwood Signs

Growing up we lived next door to an old community store called The Sugar Shack.

Image from Google Maps

It was Mr. Billy Seymour's getaway; a little old 4-room house where men from the area would get together to drink coffee and smoke cigarettes. Mr. Steve Hall drove his pickup truck with 3 on the tree and had the same parking spot every day on the left by the side door. He taught me to put peanuts in my pepsi. Mr. Jerry Bradshaw would usually ride his 4-wheeler there but every once in a while he'd be in his truck – even though he didn't have a license. He carried his little dog, Molly everywhere he went! But he liked to eat malt crackers with peanut butter and to this day, that's one of my favorite snacks! Mr. Jerry Hewell was a farmer – a true gentleman – and helped my daddy get a pasture and stable on his land for our horse, Ginger. Mr. Roy Lee Andrews was a skinny old man that always seemed like he was just skin and bones to me! But he had the best smile! 

There were almost always at least 4 or 5 men either on the porch or in the front room just shootin' the bull! I don't know what those old men thought of a 12-13 year old kid hanging out there! I just thought it was the best thing in the world! Mr. Billy let me play with his old-time cash register and adding machine and organize all the snacks. 

I used to dream of living in that little house when I got older. Who needed a play-house when you had that next door? 

Left to Right: Mr. Billy and Mrs. Sally's house, The Sugar Shack, my childhood home (from 5th grade until I was married)

I guess that's part of my fascination with old stores. Mr. Billy and his brother Guy had a store years before at the main intersection in our little town just two more houses to the right of this picture. (It was a REALLY small town – we didn't even have a caution light). It was a two-story General Store and he still had a lot of the merchandising fixtures from there. What I really miss and am not sure if I ever saw it in person – it may have just been in photographs – was an oversized sign with white chippy paint and bold black letters that said "SEYMOUR'S". In my mind I can see that posted over the tin awning leading into the front doors, the granite steps leading up the walkway, the old screen doors keeping out the Georgia mosquitos and flies but still letting in the breeze. Oh, how I wish I had actually been there!

This memory inspired me to make custom signs out of the wood that has been salvaged from nearby barns and buildings. It's also been great for my clients who have access to barnwood from their own family property.

The Metcalfes had two pieces of reclaimed barn wood from Carrie's dad. Each one was 5 feet long, about 11 inches wide and a standard 1 inch deep. For one of them we created a Welcome sign to face the front door. It featured burlap flowers and was just what they needed to fill an awkward spot on their balcony.

The other one was a take on the old store sign and featured their name and wedding year hand-painted in their favorite rust red accent color. 

It really is the perfect way to frame out their front doorway! They've received so many compliments! And the great thing is, it can really be done with any name or phrase! It's just a matter of finding the wood and having the skills to paint on it!

Guess who has both!? Liz Hill & Co!

We would LOVE to make a barnwood name sign for you! Please contact us today to talk about size, color, design, delivery, etc.

And if you have your own barnwood that is special to you and your family, we will gladly help you turn that into a treasured custom home decor piece!

So come on! What are you waiting for!? Let's get to junkin'!

Liz

Home Tour: Client's Natural Spa Bathroom

Today's home tour is not of my own but of a client's who needed my help making over her bathroom. She and her husband just finished renovating the entire room, taking out the old builder-grade bathtub surround, shower, toilet, flooring and mirror and replacing them with upscale features that created a spa-like feel in their master bathroom. Don't you just love the shower floor?

The area over the toilet needed a little help. It was a shallow space and it really is the only display area they have in there. Plus, they both see it from the mirror when they're at their sinks in the morning. I suggested they use reclaimed lumber to create shelves that seemed to float between the two side walls.

She got some old barn wood from her dad and her hubby built these great shelves!!! Aren't they amazing!?

They don't waste any space and they use the height of the area so well!

Next came the decorating! He collects vintage home goods and loaned us some of his best glass jars from his Hoosier collection. They had a few baskets that she gathered from other parts of the house that weren't being used. And we knew we would use a photo plant that he had been nurturing for a while now. They just needed a few things to really fill in the space and give it a rustic luxurious feel. So off she and I went to our favorite home and hobby stores.

We focused on texture. Her color palet is Valspar's Sauteed Mushroom, Slate and Steel Blue. They love the outdoors so we wanted to bring a little of that in. And we wanted to make sure it had both masculine and feminine features.

Here's what we came up with!

I'll walk you through the elements, left to right starting at the top corner.

1. Something old: the client's treasured antique Hoosier jar that will eventually hold several bars of ivory soap

2. Bring the outside in: a concrete garden finial of a bird and the client's photo plant

3. Bath accessories: bubble bath, bath salts, brush, ceramic pitcher
4. More jars: these will hold cotton balls, q-tips, etc.
5. Rolled Linens: An easy way to display useful items is to roll your washcloths, hand towels, etc. and organize them in baskets or even just stacks on a shelf.
6. Handled Tray: This tray can easily be moved over to the edge of the bathtub when it's time to soak. It features candles (battery operated) and a salt jar, perfect for epsom salt!
7. Basket of Stones: If you've ever had a hot stone massage you may know how relaxing a smooth stone can be on tired muscles. Don't just leave them for decorating; soak a few of them in hot water and use them to rub away tension after a long day!

You may have also noticed a basket on the back of the toilet. This is great for camouflaging necessities such as feminine products or matches. In this case we are going to fill it with rolls of toilet paper. The basket near the tub holds an orchid, natural sponges and can be a great place to store extra washcloths for easy access.

We hope this inspires you to add a touch of spa to your bathroom! Please send us pictures if you do! Don't be afraid to display items that you actually use! Even just focusing on texture and having a variety of materials can make a big impact on a small space!

Happy junkin'!
Liz

Monday's Haul: Hitching Post

I won't say green is my favorite color. It's like asking who is your favorite child, or niece or nephew... all you can maybe do is say which one you're extra fond of right now.

My mom reposted this picture from Christmas and I just love it!

I love all those sweet faces!

So I won't say green is my favorite color, but I'm extra fond of it right now. :) And it is what drew me to this week's Monday Haul.

When I'm junkin' I try to keep an open mind. I love to find odd pieces that seem like they don't fit anywhere and make them work the way I need them to.

That's the story behind this old post topper. Chippy paint, heavy metal, flat bottom – sounds like a rock & roll song in the works – but these are all the makings of a great decor element!

This one was the worst of the worst... one of 7 or 8 that were for sale in a booth at a local antique shop. The others all had mostly solid paint but this one was in bad shape. That's just the kind I like!

And for $6, you can't beat that! (I mean, you probably could if it were free, but it wasn't!)

Just look at all that rust! And the old hardware! I'm not sure, but I imagine these went on top of a series of posts and held either a chain or rope. They could have also been used for hitching posts.

Now, this one has a new life as a bookend!

It's the perfect weight and height! And gives a nice complement to my wedding picture with my Diddy and an old insulator that reminds me of my Grandpa Chester. 

So what junk have you found lately?

Liz