It seems I had to fight my whole life through. Some gal would giggle and I’d get red. And some guy’d laugh, and I’d bust his head. I tell ya, life ain’t easy for a boy named “Sue.”–Johnny Cash (handmade, cross-stitched lovely by Logan McClelland of Sweet & Dirty’s)
Hey, y’all! Welcome to Sweet Sorghum Living! Thanks so much for visiting us today. If your old friends, you know what to do–but if this is your first time with us–the rules are simple:
1. Grab a good cup of coffee or nice glass of wine.
2. Sit a spell with us.
That’s it! We like to keep things simple around here. Speaking of simple, one of my favorite authors said it best–“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail.” Thank you, Henry David Thoreau, for reminding us that we need to slow down and pare down.
Blue Plum Festival 2014 in downtown Johnson City, Tennessee–entry to the food court area
My daughter, Abby Hathorn of the Vintage Inspired Passionista, posing for a fan photo.
My daughter and I had the best time at the Blue Plum Festival in Johnson City, Tennessee. We spent hours checking out all the vendors and their goods–looking for handmade artisans and items that stood out from the rest. We attend so many arts and crafts festivals that sometimes all the booths and wares run together–or seem to all be the same. We found two adorable booths that grabbed our attention–and today, I am going to share one with y’all. Head over to the Vintage Inspired Passionista for the second vendor that wowed us. For second vendor that wowed us, click here.
Sweet & Dirty’s Emporium of Good Stuff was one of the VIP and SSL Top Picks at the Blue Plum Festival.
As we wandered the streets of downtown Johnson City looking for our favorite things, we spied the adorable Sweet & Dirty’s Emporium of Good Stuff. We were drawn inside by the rows of cross-stitched sayings…some funny, some sweet, and some just stating it like it is. Of course, the name was also intriguing–how could an adorable little shop be sweet & dirty? After chatting with Logan McClelland and her mom, we knew the answer–it was a combination of her being called “Sweet Logan” and her husband being known as “Dirty”–nicknames given to them by friends. I wonder what combo name the hubby and I would have? Hmmm…Anyway…back to this adorable shop of goodness. Logan is a proud stay-at-home mom, who makes the most darling things using vintage and recycled materials. Y’all must go check out her Etsy shop and her Facebook page for more of the lowdown on Sweet & Dirty’s.
Etsy Shop: Click here.
Facebook: Click here.
Now, it is time for Transformation Tuesday!
This week, I want to take a look back at the curb appeal transformation of Sloss Castle–which was the massive renovation project that the hubby and I took on back in December 2012 with it ending in January 2014…just in time for us to get the freshly renovated house on the market and move…again…but that is a story for another day!
When we first spotted Sloss Castle, it was covered up by overgrown bushes and ivy. The mullions on the windows screamed outdated, and the steps were just blah. It needed love…and we were willing to give it.
We knew the house had the potential to shine–so we revealed its hidden beauty by clearing out the shrubbery, repairing the steps, and having the outside painted. We chose a lighter shade than the original to showcase the natural elements surrounding the house, we removed the mullions from all the windows to give the house a fresh, updated look, and the hubby built planter boxes for the steps to add a bit of height and interest–something to draw friends and family inside.
The hubby built six wooden planters for the steps. They are not attached–just designed to sit perfectly pretty.
We painted the planters bright white to match the trim of the house. These containers are a lovely way to add pops of color to the ordinary brown steps.
This photo was taken Fall 2013–just after we had added new shrubs…and the leaves were in full show. It is amazing what a little bit of hard work and a lot of patience can produce!
Thanks so much for sitting a spell with me today. I hope that you enjoyed your rest, a look at the Sweet & Dirty, and a major Transformation Tuesday.
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