We need your help!

Although summer just officially began, we can't help but get excited for football season! In honor of this, we are doing a spread on tailgating for our Fall 2012 issue and would love to know your tailgating secrets. We are looking for everything from food and drinks to games and set ups! If you have anything you would like to share with us for this article, email us at marketconnectionads@gmail.com!

           Today, everyone is connected. With dozens of social media sites, everyone knows what everyone else is doing at any given moment, and that’s what people want- to be connected to the world.  From “status updates” to “tweets” to “blogging”, everyone has a venue to tell the world about what’s happening in their life- their interests, their pictures, their new pet, their bad day, their favorite song lyrics- it’s all out there.

            With new social media sites popping up daily, an abundance of them don’t stick. Pinterest is one of few that have been chosen by the masses to make it to the mainstream. The purpose of Pinterest is to organize and share beautiful things that may have been lost in the depths of the Internet. Pinterest is a pinboard-style photo sharing website which allows users to create and manage their own image collections based on a themes such as events, recipes, hobbies, and much more. Users can browse other pinboards for inspiration, and “re-pin” images to their own collections, called “boards.” Akin to Facebook, users can “like” others’ photos, “follow” users of their choice, and comment on other users’ photos.

            If you don’t already have a Pinterest, I would suggest getting one, if not for any other reason but to have another distraction from work. Here’s a quick tutorial for new Pinterest users:

Pin: the image you find, either from a separate webpage, from the Pinterest site, or that you upload on your own accord. When you sign up for Pinterest, they will give you a “Pin” button, which allows you to pin a photo onto the Pinterest page and will provide a link to the original image or webpage. You can “re-pin” anything you already see on Pinterest, if you want to save it onto your own board.

What to Pin: anything and everything. My favorites are yummy recipes so that I have somewhere to refer back to when trying to conjure up something for dinner. Pinning crafts are fun too for those rainy days and trips to Michaels. If you pin something on a separate webpage, it’s best to make sure it links to the original site to other users can read all about it and understand its origin.

Boards: where you organize and collect your pins. Each time you pin something, it will go to one of your boards, which you can name whatever you wish. Some examples are “My Future Home”, “Recipes”, “Fashion”, “Crafts”, etc. Your boards allow you to group your pins in like categories for easy future searching.

Followers: these are similar to Twitter followers, in that anyone you follow can see all your dirty little secrets- what you pin, as well as all you boards. Pinterest will suggest you follow people that you are already connected with via other social networking sites, but you can choose who you would like to follow or who follows you. 

              Pinterest's mission is to "connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting" via a global platform of inspiration and idea sharing. At High Country Home magazine, we recently started our own Pinterest page and we are pinning some gorgeous houses in the High Country, awesome recipes from local restaurants, and other amazing inspirations for your home, landscaping, and décor needs. So now that you know the lingo, follow us and re-pin some of our awesome pictures onto your own pinboards! See you there! http://pinterest.com/

Resources For Homeowners

Shawn and Sheila, owners of
The Cabin Store

Looking for unique, mountain home furniture? The Cabin Store is an excellent resource for any High Country homeowner looking to add more custom and specialty furniture to their home.  They have a large collection of reclaimed barn wood furniture, custom kitchen cabinets and vanities, full mount animals, and handcrafted Native American home accessories. All their furniture is hand crafted in the USA, with some pieces even made in North Carolina. Plus, every customer has access to advice and home visits for placement and measuring purposes. If you’re looking to find a Cabin Store near you, chances are there’s one nearby: The Cabin Store has expanded from Boone to West Jefferson to Mountain City. The Cabin Store is open Mon-Sat from 10:00am to 5:30pm, or by appointment.

Sean McKee, owner of
McKee's Tree Service

But maybe it’s not the inside of your house that needs improvement. McKee Tree Service is a great High Country favorite for landscaping necessities. Their services cover a wide range, including tree removal, pruning, chipper services, stump grinding, and view improvements. McKee Tree Service has been hired by many respected establishments, such as Diamond Creek Country Club, Cross Creek, and Linville Ridge Country Club Golf Course, among others. So if you’re looking for more than just a few guys with a chainsaw and a truck, give McKee Tree Service a try. Interested? Call 828.898.3615 for more information.

Erin McCutcheon-Kath,
owner of Log Home Maintenance

Does your log home need a little more TLC? No worries—Log Home Maintenance has you covered. Whether it’s media blasting, stripping, staining, chinking, caulking, or rot repair, Log Home Maintenance knows how to perfect the High Country’s log homes. Log Home Maintenance is also certified in Perma-chink and Sashco product application. They’ve done work on various different log homes, ranging from 400 square foot cabins to 18,000 square foot log homes. And if you want proof of their workmanship, you can see their perfected log homes anywhere between Big Sky country and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Or you can call 828.260.1893 for more information.

Charles Hobson,
owner of H&H Drywall

And don’t forget that drywall is a crucial part of every home. If you’re looking for a professional company that knows their drywall inside and out, look no further than H&H Drywall. They offer a full spectrum of services, including hanging, texturing, and finishing each piece of drywall—and everything is done with the highest of quality. H&H Drywall has been serving the High Country for the past twelve years, so their experience and skill with drywall is well assured. They’ve done it all: from repairs, to patching, to additions, to remodels, to renovations. Curious for more information? Call 828.733.1811

Bruce Roberts and Michele Stanley
now own and operate this family
business, established since 1966

Nasty pest problems plaguing your home? To get rid of your home’s unwelcomed guests, contact A1 Termite and Pest Control—the only pest control service that has been serving the High Country for over 44 years. All their exterminators are QualityPro-certified, with a 100% guarentee backing their work. They offer both residental and commercial pest control, specializing in termite inspection, pre-treatment, and treatment services, along with radon testing and mitigation services, craw space care, and TAP (Thermal, Acoustical, and Pest) insulation. Whether it’s bed bugs, termites, mosquitoes, ants, spiders, or some other pestulence, call A1 Termite and Pest Control: 1.866.939.3081.