~* Dedication *~

"It was a memory that met us everywhere, for every person in town, from the highest to the lowest, seemed to have been so impressed by my mother's character and life that they constantly reflected some portion of it back on us." Harriet Beecher Stowe

 This website is dedicated to the memory of my Mama.

She was my inspiration, and my best friend.

I lost a dear Mama, but God gained a beautiful soul.

Frantie Voiles

December 10, 1927 - September 10, 2006

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~ Inspirations ~

~ the peeps of a chick emerging from it’s shell

~ the soft, reassuring clucks of the proud mother hen

~ seeing a sunrise or a sunset that only God could have designed

~ quietly watching the fireflies and stars glimmer and twinkle at night

~ going to sleep to the sounds of a much needed summer thundershower

~ catching the sweet scent of honeysuckle and wild roses on a late summer evening

~ teaching my children to sip the tiny drop of sweet nectar from a honeysuckle bloom

~ the constant buzzing of June bugs, honeybees, and dragonflies on a hot summer day

~ waking up to a sparkling frost on a cool September morning

~ the rustling sounds of Autumn leaves twirling and dancing to the ground

~ the surprise of a pristine, white blanket of snow that softly fell in the night...

And I love the old, the worn, the faded, and the imperfect:

~ layers of peeling paint on old wooden cupboards, paneled doors, or porch posts

~ fragments of the past: whether it be bits & pieces of broken pottery, shreds of an old cherished letter, or the last scrap of handmade lace saved from an heirloom

~ jars of mother of pearl buttons & wooden spools of silk threads

~ glass beads saved from a broken, vintage necklace

~ chipped & crazed ironstone, brown with age

~ rescued photographs of an unknown son, daughter, mother, or father...

All of these fragments of the past have a story to tell, just waiting for someone to listen...

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I've often been asked, "Why Honeysuckle Lane?"

Well, I've always lived in the country... dirt roads, overgrown fence rows, and fields full of wildflowers. Most fence rows on the old farms were overgrown with wild roses and honeysuckle vines. As a young girl, I spent most of my time playing outdoors in the woods and fields and the sweet scent of honeysuckle always filled air. I loved riding down old, dusty roads in the back of Daddy's pickup truck because you could smell the honeysuckle when you drove past the vines. As long as I can remember, I've always wanted to live on a road called Honeysuckle Lane. So, several years ago, when I began designing and selling my silk ribbon embroidered items, Honeysuckle Lane was my obvious choice for a name. That's not my street address, but I have honeysuckle growing all around my home and a friend even hand painted a sign for me on an old board with honeysuckle blooms and my business name... Honeysuckle Lane.

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A little about me...

Having lived all my life on the Cumberland Plateau in East Tennessee, I've always been among nature and simple joys. Out here in the country you can go for a peaceful walk in the woods (while glimpsing rabbits, squirrels, deer, and turkey to name a few of the abundant wildlife in the area), wave at neighbors as they pass by your house, and say hello to a stranger in the grocery store. Many of the teachers my children have in school are the teachers I had as a child or are friends I went to school with. The little church I attend still rings the church bell every Sunday morning. Life in the country is at a slower pace (usually), and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I suppose there’s a place in my heart for these things because they’ve always been near and dear to me. My parents took me on my first camping trip in 1967 when I was only six weeks old. My Mom told me that she spread mosquito netting over my bassinet to keep out the insects. From that time on, going fishing and camping and swimming was part of my childhood. Daddy would come home from work on a hot summer evening (or a cool Spring or Autumn evening!) and tell Mom to pack some sandwiches --- we were going to the river! It wasn't a paved park road, tents, sleeping bags, and insect repellent. It was riding in the back of an old pick-up, hanging on and hoping the bugs or a limb from a tree wouldn't smack you right in the face as Daddy swerved to miss a chug hole or a gully washed out by the last rain. It was good ole country campin'. Daddy really enjoyed being in the woods by the river and cooking meals over a campfire. So what if the wood ashes mixed in with the fried 'taters and gravy? Mom loved being out in the middle of nature. While Daddy fished, she would take me for a walks in the woods. She'd point out the plants she called "pointers" that showed where the ginseng should be growing. She could always spot a lady-slipper, jack-in-the-pulpit, or trillium a mile away. Mom taught me how to fold a large leaf into a drinking cup to dip cold water out of a nearby spring; and she picked the mint flavored mountain tea leaves for me to chew... I’m so grateful to my parents for teaching me how blessed we are and that we have God to thank for all these beautiful things!

Daddy passed away in 1997, then Mama in 2006, and I think back to when Mom and I occasionally went back to the woods to get a glimpse of those wonderful wildflowers. We were also known to frequent long forgotten cemeteries, admiring the stonework and wondering about the life of the person who lived so long ago. We also enjoyed going to local junk shops and finding treasures, past their usefulness, but always thinking of other ways to display their lingering beauty.

I learned that even the simplest of things is a joy if we take the time to look for them. I thank God for allowing me to work at something that I enjoy so much and for giving me a family that's supportive of my hopes & dreams. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and three great teenagers, along with my sisters and my brother and their families. I’ve been honored to meet so many caring, wonderful people through my work and have made many friends. It's my wish to be an encouragement, an inspiration, and a blessing, just as those who have been that and much more to me. This life and the joys we have are only a glimpse of the beauty and blessings to come to those who accept God's Son, Jesus, as their Savior. He truly deserves glory and praise for all our blessings.

Take Care & God Bless,

Lana

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Thank you!

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~ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~

Philippians 4:8