Fun at the Beach

Sharing a couple of pics of the kids at the beach from this past weekend. Can't remember if this one was taken at St. Simons or Jekyll Island all I know is it was 99 and felt like 121 according to The Weather Channel.com. They were watching the dolphins which I didn't catch in any of my shots.
This is my favorite.....it has been a long time since I got their footprints. All of these belong to Colby, Seth and Kaycee.....back and forth, back and forth to get drinks or snacks.

On another note.....we almost have Kaycee packed. We leave in the morning for Rome, GA. Move in day is Saturday. She is excited and a wee bit nervous too I think. Our phones have rung off the wall today with friends and family calling, plus many came by to see her one last time before she leaves. You would think she was leaving the country and not coming back anytime soon. Still need to make a run to Bed Bath & Beyond for a shower caddy. How could I have forgotten to add that to her legal pad list!!!

Until next time.....Keep me in your prayers as this is going to be a hard weekend....leaving her 7 hrs away. Be back Monday.

Debbie

Delta Delivered

That's my baby on that big plan. It is still hard to believe he is old enough to fly by himself. He has reminded me several times today he is 24 and does a lot of things by himself now! Imagine that!!!! It's been a really long day and everyone is winding down or at least they appear to be. It is hard to tell when all 3 are sitting in the family room with their laptop in front of them. But I do know I have played out and heading to bed. We have lots of things to do and see over the next several days so I better get some sleep while I can.

Until next time.....I'm off to the beach tomorrow. See you in a few days.

Debbie

Good News to Share

I am so excited to share with you the CollageScape PhotoFrames are now available at Viola's Market. If you have visited St. Simons Island, Georgia then you most likely have been to Viola's Market. It is a wonderful little shop in Redfern Village. A must see when visiting the island.


And here are a few of the PhotoFrames delivered to Donna and the girls. Hope you will visit their website to learn more about the "Sister Act" and when on the island drop in to visit. I'm sure you will find many things that you can't live without. Sorry about the glare...I forgot to remove the glass before snapping this shot on my way out the door to visit the island.

More good news......Our oldest son, Colby called yesterday to ask if I would pick him up at the Savannah Airport on the 8th.....he is coming to visit with us for 6 days before Seth and Kaycee head off to college. This is his first trip since our move and we are all excited. This will be the first time all three of our children will be sleeping under the same roof in over 2 years. I am nervous and excited! They have each grown into independent young adults with Colby living on his own for several years, Seth away this past year at college and Kaycee here at home all by herself. Now you know why I am nervous and excited!!

Until next time......working on more wholesale orders for Sara at Sadie Olive and Wendy at Cottonfield and Company. Sara yours should go out this week and I hope to see Wendy next week. Also those of you that have inquired about having custom PhotoFrames done, I will be updating my website soon with all the info. Thanks to those that have already purchased their PhotoFrames.

Debbie

BLT's

Who doesn't love a good homemade Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato sandwich? It takes a lot of bacon here at our home so after frying bacon for well over 45 minutes I am down to the last 3 pieces in the pan when the grease starts popping. As I reach over to get those pieces I get popped on the hand and I mean POPPED on the hand. I have blisters scattered all over the top of my right hand, 1st degree burns on the index and ring finger with severe 2nd degree on the middle finger. Nasty does not even cover how it looks. As for the pain that you have the first 24 hrs well it did improve following the codeine and only hurts now when I try to move or do something with my hand and the tingling that feels as though you have been shocked is still running up my arm but has gotten somewhat better. We had bacon this morning with breakfast but I did it in the oven and everyone was just as happy!

Steve was working on my computers when all this happened so he didn't quite finish up. After he helped take care of my hand he cleaned up the mess, found the fork I threw across the room when the grease hit me and then helped the kids put lunch on the table. Since I have not been up to doing much on the computer and he has been grilling for supper and having to cut up my meat I have not complained about the computer. Hopefully in a few more days I will be doing more and then we will see how the computer problems are going.

Until next time.....watch out for popping grease.
Debbie

Love on Display

This collage was done several months ago and is now on display at the Okefenokee Heritage Center Membership Exhibition in Waycross GA. The background was created with layers of old letters from 1800 & 1900's on canvas, then embellished with an original photo, vintage buttons and ribbon.

Until next time....still working with two computers....but he is making a little progress....I guess we can call it baby steps!

Debbie

Update to the previous post

Thought some of you might enjoy this quick update on the computer problems. Since all this started I have been taking photos of my artwork, new shop pics, the kids, July 4th at the beach, new blooms in our yard, etc....I ran out of memory on my camera after shooting over 300 images......SO this past weekend without saying a word while the MAN was trying to catch a few zzzz's I quietly slipped out to his truck and borrowed his camera. He didn't miss it until yesterday when he went to use it at work. Now it has been laying next to the keyboard of the new computer he has been working on since Saturday afternoon when I didn't have it in my hands! He calls to ask if by chance he had left it on his desk, he didn't remember doing it but thought maybe. I very calmly told him I had gotten it Saturday, had been using it and it was laying next to the computer he was working on. He went on to say he needed it for work. After I counted to 10, I told him I had tried to download my camera and didn't want to bother him Saturday.

Silence.....................................................I think he got some of my point.

After hanging up the phone I thought okay just go download both cameras and have his ready when he gets home since he did load the programs needed for both cameras. IT DID NOT WORK and I tried several different things. I will spare you the things I said and did at this point.

A few hours later he makes it home and sits down at the computer asking about my day. Wrong thing to do. Let me just say we had an understanding when I finished. It was one of those "come to Jesus" meetings. You listen while I talk. This is how it is, this is how it will be. This is MY job and I need my camera, my computer, my scanner, my wacom, etc in order to do what I love.

I really am a sweet person, but please don't push my buttons or you will see the other side of me and as Steve and the kids say, the wrath of Debbie is not pretty!

Off to finish the salad and get the bread ready for the oven to go with homemade lasagna I made just for the MAN of the house.

Debbie

MEN!!!!

MEN!!!! Let me start by saying I opened this can of worms several weeks ago with my wonderful husband and I am now having second thoughts. You see we have been discussing my getting a new desk top computer for sometime, but something always seems to come up. Well a few weeks ago I started noticing little things but didn't think much of it that is until I was working 24/7 trying to catch up and all of a sudden the dreaded blue screen appears.

No problem...I'll just restart it....oh no....now I have this bright red screen with bright yellow lines. Finally I get it to reboot correctly. I continue working but notice it is taking forever for pages to load. After a few hours I give up and head to bed thinking a few hours sleep and all will be well. Next morning I start back at it around 6 AM. The day flies by and I am getting lots accomplished that is until around 11 PM and things are moving so slow I can't work. Thinking it is just me pushing it too hard I shut things off and head to bed. Next morning as I turn on my old trusted computer of several years it starts to make a noise any man would be proud of, then the blue screen, followed by more noise, until finally it just shut itself off. Now I have not mentioned this, but during all of this I continually called Steve with questions. After the third day and the 10th call of the day he ask, "Why don't we go ahead and get you a new computer or do you just want to use your laptop for now?" I have a wonderful laptop, but prefer to use the desktop PC when I'm home. I jump on the new computer and get told we will talk about it when he gets home.

The house is clean, supper on the table and I am ready to talk computers....you know lets go pick one out. OH NO, I want to customise this one just for you, your art, your business, you, you, you!!!!! Your thinking what a wonderful thing Steve wants to do for you and please don't get me wrong it is, it was and it still is.

For the past two weeks I have had TWO desktop computers. One that has all but died and one that is absolutely gorgeous, very clean, no cluttered folders or files. I was asked what programs I wanted and he promptly loaded them. Now I have a disc and the case for each program laying all over the table. Then he has to go back to work, out of town for a few days. He still needs to bring my documents over, load the print drivers, hook up my Wacom, run all the updates, etc. Back home I get some of these things done and for the time being he sets up our wireless network connection so I can print until he has time to finish everything. Did I mention my new monitor and keyboard has had a place at the breakfast table for two weeks?

Sunday night everything is loaded, all we need to do is unplug the old and move the new over but decide to wait until tonight due to a call he gets during supper which leads to him having to go in due to a MAN not doing his job. 1:00 AM and I have called it a night, just as I drift off to sleep Bon Jovi starts singing Make a Memory! It's just the ringer on my cell phone, but the thought of him singing me to sleep was rather nice. The MAN is on his way home.

New day, another night and it is 10:15 PM and we have not seen the MAN that started this project so looks like only 3 of us will be eating breakfast again in the morning.

MEN....I guess they mean well, but why does it take them SO LONG to finish something.

I did this collage several months ago for an art show and thought it was perfect for what I have been going through the past few weeks.




One more thing....I didn't realise just how bad my monitor had gotten until we turned the new one on and I took a look at my websites. The colors are DREADFUL!!! I thought some of you were my friends....why have you not told me just how awful they look. If they don't look dreadful to you, you might want to think about getting a new monitor!!

Until next time....I will be adjusting images and giving my websites a much needed makeover.

Debbie

1902 Ledger and More

Just a quick note to let you know I am back from our wonderful trip back home. I hit the floor running Monday and it has not slowed as of yet....Art has be delivered, working on several wholesale orders to go out next week, had request for custom work waiting on my return, have to deliver a few pieces to OHC for a members exhibition that starts July 3rd....nothing like waiting until the last couple days. Working on my website making a home for the CollageScape PhotoFrames to have a place to direct you to some wonderful shops that are carrying them. They are being spoken for even before they are complete, so not sure if I will actually have them available for sale on my site yet. MMCA had over 10 apps for consideration upon my return that I have processed this week and now I need to update the website. I know I have said this before, but no doubt this group of girls we have now are the best....great talent, willing to share and give a hand when asked and just enough chatter to keep things moving even during our busy summer schedules.


I don't remember sharing with you the Birthday present I bought myself. I spotted this old ledger on ebay and was determined I would win it and I did. It's a general store ledger from 1902 that was located in Alba, Texas. 16 inches tall, 11 inches wide and 2 inches thick with 400 pages completely filled except for the backside of the very last page. All the pages are in excellent condition. The ledger starts with the date of March 14, 1902 and ends on July 24, 1902. There were even checks written to the store included. There is literally thousands of entries in this book, name after name and their purchases. How about a pair of slippers 1.75, straw hat .50, 1 shirt 1.00, 1 dz eggs .20, 1 lb of candy .05, medicine 1.05, 1 lb butter .15, 5 yds calico .25 and thread .05.....can you believe those prices!


Until next time.....I need to get back to tearing out some of those ledger pages and working on orders. Thanks for visiting!


Debbie

Want to Trade

I have an extra copy of the recent release of Somerset Studio Gallery Summer 2007, still in the shipping envelope. I would be happy to trade it for authentic vintage papers circa 1800 and early 1900's such as letters, envelopes, ledger pages and or other papers.


As there may be more than one that would like to trade, I will draw a name from all replies to this post. Your reply must state that you would like to trade and when you will ship your package. On Wednesday, June 13th, around 9 AM Eastern Time I will draw a name and contact you for a mailing address. Once I have the address I will add it to the envelope and make a run to the Post Office.

Here's a peek at a few of the CollageScape PhotoFrames I mentioned in the last post I have been working on. I have them everywhere in different stages of the process. This small stack is waiting on embellishments. Until next time.....Back to work, would like to get this order out tomorrow.

Debbie

Spring Break AGAIN!!!

One of KC's Senior photos and why I am on Spring Break again! We made it through graduation last Friday and are now pulling all the final details together for the big 18th Birthday and Graduation Party planned for this coming Friday night. I believe the head count was somewhere around 38 - 40 last night and we all know RSVP does not always get you a Yes, I'll be there....they just show up. We did limit the list to 60....this was suppose to be her best friends....Steve is glad we didn't say just invite all of your friends! The cake is ordered, extra chairs and tables are reserved, the grocery list for grilled burgers with all the works is made, and a list of all the other things we will need is ready. Today we must, yes must go shopping! All party girls must have something new to wear....you can't pick something from the closet even though it has never been worn and most likely still has tags on it!

Can you picture 40-50 teenagers, tons of food, birthday cake, lots of laughs, everyone talking at the same time and lots of dancing to a live band. Yes, we are having a band and we just got new neighbors. This will be their first weekend here....what a welcome to the neighborhood!!!

I have three shops here in Southeast Georgia looking for artwork this week and the first of next, so I have been creating every spare moment I have. Collagescape PhotoFrames will be delievered to Viola's Market on St. Simons Island, Cottonfield & Co in Historic Downtown Brunswick and Sunny Brooks Farm Coffee Shop right here in Waynesville.

As I mentioned on my website sometime back, the very first Collagescape PhotoFrame was created and given to my mom for Mother's Day in 1984 from her first grandchild, our son Colby.

LAUGH ~ is one of my favorites and will be going to a special friend. It was created using original letters and an envelope from the late 1800's.

A few of you that have been with me for many years may remember seeing a few of these Collagescape PhotoFrames in the Gallery on my website a few years ago. I removed them back in 2005 after I decided to once again create and sell them. They were only there for a few months, but long enough that others saw them and have since done their versions. We all know posting anything on the web is an open book and everyday we see originals, reproductions, remakes, and wannabes. That is the risk we have all taken.

Each Collagescape PhotoFrame is created on a chunky 2" wood block approximately 8x10" with many layers of original ephemera. Vintage dimentional elements are added to some, while some let the handwritting of the papers tell the story. All sides get the same treatment as the front and even the backs are covered with an antique book page! Each original one of a kind Collagescape is distressed and aged to give character and a feeling of long ago before it is sealed with several layers of protection. Just replace the cute little vintage photo with your favorite 4x6" photo for your own Collagescape story.

All Collagescape PhotoFrames will be listed on my website as soon as those going to new homes are all delivered.

Share a shop with us you feel would be a perfect home for our Collagescape PhotoFrames and if they meet all of our wholesale requirements AND place an order with us you will be eligible to have your name entered into a monthly drawing where one lucky name will be drawn to receive a Collagescape PhotoFrame. All you have to do is send me an email to include the Business Name, Storefront Address, Contact Name and Phone Number. Don't forget to give me your name and address so I can properly thank you.

Until next time.....we're planning a PARTY!!!!

Debbie

Graduation Week

Quick update. . . .This is Graduation week and it is full of Senior activities for KC as well as the parents. Between running here and there and making sure everything is ironed I continue to work in spurts on some artwork. I had hoped to have some uploaded to my website or atleast something posted here by now, but have met myself coming and going. I will send out an update to my mailing list once everything is posted.

Until next time.....off to bake cookies for the Tennis Team Party this afternoon.

Debbie

This and That

Thanks to everyone that visited during the party, left a comment, sent an email, called me and mailed surprises. I had a blast sharing my day with all of you. Already thinking about what we can do for the big 50 next year!

All the Party Favors have been mailed, that is all but 3 and I do not have a mailing address. Sorry girls but there are lots of Sue's, Lori's and Lizzie's out there and I have tried to narrow it down. If you joined the party and you are one of the names mentioned I would love to send you a Party Favor....please email me your mailing address.

My family honored me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers filled with my favorites, French White Roses and Yellow Daisies. Kaycee gave me the vintage sand pail I had found at Antiques Etc in Brunswick and the boys had Steve get the stacking suitcases from Jekyll Books at The Old Infirmary on Jekyll Island. Steve and I had dinner at Ruby Tuesday....absolutely wonderful as usual. On Saturday while Steve worked on some programming for work, Kaycee and I hit several antique shops, the mall and spent several hours at the beach. We ended the weekend with Kaycee's Baccalaureate on Sunday.

I have been working on several pieces since early morning and finally found a stopping place, so I scrubbed my hands of glues and sealers, came here to do a little catching up. If everything continues to go smooth I hope to share a few new pieces with you in the coming days.

Until next time.....Again thanks for all of the Birthday wishes.

Debbie

Tag Your It

I have been tagged by one of my new found friends Sara of Sadie Olive. I am to list 7 random facts or habits about myself and then tag 7 of you to do the same.

1. The design on a dinner plate must always face me. No eating off an upside down bird or pear for me!

2. Every morning first things, I turn on all the lamps and open all the blinds in our home.

3. I try to keep fresh cut daisies in my Cobolt Fiesta vase unless Steve has surprise me with flowers.

4. I love Nascar. Do not call or drop by during a race!

5. I took tap lessons at the age of 23, tapped my way into our first child. Three kids later I was doing the Two Step with a lot of foot tapping that lead to stomping!!!!!

6. I bake homemade cookies every couple weeks and mail to my boys in Arkansas and Louisiana!

7. I sweep or dustmop our hardwood floors 2 or 3 times a day. I can't stand sandy floors!

Now it's my turn to tag.

Kristy at Kristy's Musings

Kelly at Soul Humming

Lara at Spirited Soul

Sue at Earthtone Studios

Kari at InkyTinker's Splats

Edina at Edina Tien

Kris at Blissful Elements

I am so far behind in reading blogs, I hope some of you have not already been tagged by our mutual friends.

Debbie

Envelope Please

Inside was this beautiful handcrafted card from Tine. There are so many textures and layers and the warm rich colors and daisies. I love daisies!! It is gorgeous! Thank you Tine!

And thanks to all of you that dropped in for the Birthday Party. Those that left a comment have been emailed requesting your mailing address as your Party Favors are ready to address and be dropped off at the Post Office.

I will share my day with you in another post, as Kaycee and I are headed to a few antique shops and Jeykll Island for the afternoon while Steve works on some programming for work in the peace and quite of our home.

Until next time.....Off to do more birthday celebrating.

Debbie

SMOKE & MORE SMOKE

I took this photo a little earlier today standing just outside my garage. There is one lot between the Park and our home. This smoke is coming from the wildfires that are about 20-25 miles NW of us. It has been like this on and off going on two weeks with the past few days actually the worse. I went out early morning to water my flowers and came back in smelling like smoke after maybe 5 minutes. Not sure if all the flowers got a drink as I was hurrying, but will try again this afternoon. I keep thinking something is burning and it is smoke I smell in the house. I can't imagine what those that live right in the middle of all this are going through. For the past week, I have had a sore throat, itchy watery eyes and so stopped up that I have been on Benadryl for days. They are calling for a slight chance of scattered showers Friday afternoon and through the weekend. We don't need showers, we need RAIN, RAIN and more RAIN. If you pray please send one up for us here in Southeast Georgia. If you prefer to dance, get those feet moving! And by all means do both if it makes you happy!!

Until next time.....trying to get the nerve up to run a few must do errands!

Debbie

It's a PARTY!!!

Yesterday I ran to the Post Office to ship out several recent orders and found an envelope in our box addressed to me from my friend Tine in Germany! I couldn't wait to open it..........

BUT when I turned it over to slip my letter opener in look what I found in BIG BOLD LETTERS! So I am now sitting here looking at this envelope, picking it up, turning it over, sitting it back on my desk, picking it up again, holding it in my hands and looking at that BIG BOLD "DO NOT OPEN BEFORE MAY-O4".

Friday I will celebrate my 49th Birthday and I am having a little party starting today. Everyone that attends will receive a party favor. You can even pick out your favor (a small envelope of snippets from my antique/vintage books, papers, etc. or a package of 2 Debbie Overton Designs notecards/envelopes).

To attend and receive your party favor, leave a comment on this post and let me know if you want snippets or notecards. Those attending will receive an email requesting your mailing address so I can send you your party favor.

Remember if you post anonymous I may not have a way of contacting you. Please leave me a clue as to which Debbie, Sara, Jane or John you are or you could leave your email address. (someone at someplace.com)

Until next time......I am working on a special project and gathering the party favors! Hope you can attend!

Debbie

Senior Fun

We are enjoying all of the activities that come along with being a Senior so I have had very little time to create. My time will come again, but for now I am enjoying KC's last days of high school.

It was "Hoop and Hollar" at the high school this morning. Cap and Gowns were delivered and at 8:00 the soon to be grads marched through the hallowed halls of BCHS letting the entire school know that the big bad class of 2007 is about to GRADUATE! Do you know how loud 150+ kids can be hooping and hollaring? LOUD!!!! I was there along with a dozen or so other moms clicking their camera as they went from one hall to the other.

KC (middle) with a few of her friends.

This past Friday was "Disney Grad Nite 2007" an all-night party at Walt Disney World for seniors only. From 8 pm to 4 am they had Unlimited access to the Magic Kingdom® attractions including Space Mountain®, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain®, The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and more! Live music! The Fray, Cassie, Cartel, and Cheskob. Dance Parties everywhere.

KC and friends after dancing at the All-Suds Foam Dance Zone.

KC - Always ready for the camera and having fun!!!

KC & Zach - Senior Prom.

I did spend some time at the local hardware store this past weekend purchasing several things for a project I am working on as time permits and have been playing with some wonderful old letters, photos and buttons that were recently given to me. One of KC's friends mom came by a few weeks ago and we had a wonderful visit. A few days later KC came home with a package that Janna's mom had sent me.....wonderful old buttons to add to my collection. And then on Prom night we had several of the girls and their dates meet here before heading off to Prom and in comes Janna with not one but two bags of things her mom had sent me.

Some of the buttons came from Karen's mother and her grandmother plus some she had picked up at an antique shop. The photos are all really old from tiny to 11 x 14. There was a huge stack of papers, but the stack of letters you can see in the center of photo was the best. This stack of letters was the correspondence between a Dr. Campbell in South Carolina and Miss Eula of Georgia. They were married October 20, 1915 and opened a drug store/soda fountain in Nahunta just up the highway from me. These letters were found in the house they lived in which Karen's relatives live in now. They gave the collection of letters and photos to Karen's mother. I can't wait for Karen to see what I am working on using some of the treasures she has shared with me.

Until next time.....off to another senior activity, then it's back to work on my project. Please remember us here in Southeast Georgia. The wildfires continue to cause more damage. The smoke has been rather heavy here again today and this morning we actually had ashes on the vehicle.

Debbie

Shorter Bound

It's official. . . .We are headed to Rome! Rome Georgia that is. KC, Steve and I spent this past weekend on the campus of Shorter College and getting acquainted with the city of Rome. The drive from Southeast to Northwest Georgia is beautiful. Taking I-75 right through the middle of Atlanta can be a little stressing, but the view is wonderful. As you leave Atlanta and start through the foot hills of the Appalachian Mountains one can only imagine the foliage during the fall. As you travel through Rome you see history everywhere and right in the middle of town is a beautiful old brick fence surrounded with gorgeous flowers and a water fountain leading you to the campus. After 7 hours of driving we go through the security gates and travel up a little winding road to the hilltop campus founded in 1873 featuring Greek Revival buildings in a beautiful, wooded setting. Shorter is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention. Originally an all girl school until the early 1950's when it became co-ed.

As some of you know, KC was accepted to 3 colleges with Shorter being her first choice. After many hours of research, visiting, talking and prayers she has decided to start her Mathematics Education career this coming fall at Shorter. Not only was she accepted to Shorter, she was offered an academic scholarship. She hopes to teach trig or calculus to high school in the future.

We have so many things to do over the next few weeks before graduation, but searching for additional scholarships is a priority for her and us. Did you know there are scholarships for people that can answer a quiz about Harry Potter? We have laughed at some of the ones we have found, but we are not going to turn down any that we have a chance at.

If you know of a scholarship that she can apply for, send it our way. If she is awarded the scholarship you will be given a Debbie Overton Designs original piece of artwork for helping us with her college expenses.

Until next time.....I have two college bound children this fall....I need to get busy creating and sell some art!

Debbie

Dancing to 18

Today is another milestone at our home. KC has danced her way from 3 to 18 and is still dancing her way into college in a few months with those bright blue eyes and sweet smile. From dance lessons, competitions or school dance teams she has excelled and learned many life lessons she will carry with her along the next journey.

Happy 18th Birthday KC!!!

Happy Easter

This sweet image is my very first vintage postcard I bought 25+ years ago and is still one of my favorite holiday cards.

Until next time.....From my family to yours.....We wish you a wonderful Easter weekend.

Debbie