Proud to be From PA -Handmade in PA Blog Carnival!

Credit to Melanie from turtlebunnylove.blogspot.com and spreadthelove.etsy.com for the wonderful illustration!

When I was growing up, I truthfully wasn't proud to be from Pennsylvania.

As a very young child of course I was oblivious. Our family enjoyed playing in the snow in winter, fishing in the Monocasy creek, eating my Nana's pies -black raspberry -picked from the local cornfield hedgerow, strawberry rhubarb, apple, and shoo-fly. I would lay in the tall meadow grass in the summer and catch grasshoppers, or hunt for arrowheads in the local cornfields. In the fall we would pile the leaves deep and jump in them. Our family would go for hikes in the mountains. We visited local caves and bought tacky souvenirs. I remember my Grandmother sewing and baking and saving everything -if it could still possibly have a use. My Grandfather was always fixing things in his wonderful basement workshop. It was a time for just being and growing and absorbing -not reflecting.

As a teen, I was sure that anywhere else would be more exciting, more glamorous, more alive. The town I grew up in seemed tired and boring. I dreamed of growing up and moving away.

As an adult I've done some moving. I've visited other places and lived in other countries. While I've enjoyed the places I've been, I've found that there is good and not so good no matter where you go.

Back to the memories of childhood...I have my own children now, and yes, I live in Pennsylvania. I raise my children here, and try to give them the same things in life that I had. They play in our yard catching lightning bugs and caterpillars. We go hiking in the mountains and I've taken them to the same cave, with the same garish lights and the same tacky souvenirs:^) Sometimes I bake a pie from my Grandmother's recipes. We wade in the local creek catching crayfish and newts and tadpoles....then let them all go. On nice days I hang my laundry out, like my Mom does and like my Grandmother did. Most importantly to me I enjoy doing, with my hands, as my Grandparents did.

To me, being PA proud means being proud of the people and places that I came from. I pay my respect to the honest, hardworking and loving family that came before me, by living the best that I can, doing the best that I can, and by raising my children here, the way I was raised.

To celebrate Proud to be From PA, I am offering free shipping, domestic and international, through March 2nd in my Etsy shop, UnaOdd. Simply enter the code 'Handmade in PA' in the "notes to seller" box at checkout. Your shipping costs will be refunded through PayPal.

Please check out these other Handmade in PA blogs. On each of these blogs, you can find out other great reasons to be PA Proud. You can also find out how to get a great deal in each of their shops - now through Monday, March 2nd!

Tara from typOH - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Kristen from WatersGirls - Enjoy 30% off your purchase!
Melissa from SqrlBee - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Koco from MissKoco - Get a FREE lavender sachet with your purchase!
Rosie from RosiesWhimsy - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Kerry from ALittleSparkle - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Marissa from MarissaJoannaRojas, MJRojasPhoto, and YayforFidgetArt - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Dana from WiredDesign - Get a single FREE "Never Enough" Sterling Silver stacking ring with your purchase!
Kimberly from ChezSucreChez- Enjoy 10% off all items in her shop!
Sarah from SweetSallysSoaps - Get 3 bars of handcrafted soap for $15!
Melanie from SpreadtheLove - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Erin from Ruju - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Hillary from Antebelle - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Patty from ArtfulMommy - Enjoy FREE Shipping!
Emily from disCARDS - Enjoy FREE Shipping on orders over $5!