Dragonflys and Stars

Around the Stable

2012-02-06T19:01:00.000-08:00

Just some images from around the barn...

Rows of bridles

Leather and metal

Well used tools of the trade

Neatly hanging, waiting for the next horse

Western style bling (no shiny bling for reiners)

Beautiful in its own way

Watching and waiting for the next ride...

Poetic Winter a photography challenge

2012-02-03T21:46:00.000-08:00

“Solitude is the house of peace.”

― T.F. Hodge

Solitude

Frosted World

2012-02-03T17:59:00.000-08:00

We have had three days of ice fog and it has been like living in a magic world. Everything is frosted and beautiful.....

Giani Granite countertops

2012-01-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

I did it... I painted my kitchen countertops with the Giani Granite Kit!

The house came with blue laminate countertops... Not particularly obnoxious, but definitely not something I would have chosen or something that adds to the kitchen.

Big blue, the kitchen island....

After reading a lot of reviews, and researching the products available, I decided to try the Giani Granite Kit as a temporary fix until I can replace the countertops.

And it wasn't even the terribly onerous job I thought it might be. It took a basecoat of black that had to dry 8 hours, 3-4 hours to sponge on the three mineral colors to look like granite, 4 hour drying time, 2 polyurethane coats, and then 3 days before I could put the kitchen to use like usual.

The largest problem it has caused is that now I want the laminate gone and wood floors in yesterday!

So much better in my eyes...

And now I can look at these pictures and see all the other things I want to do.....

I would definitely recommend the Giani Granite Kit as an inexpensive fix to blah or ugly countertops. I think that the countertops could look bad if someone wasn't comfortable with messing around and didn't have some degree of 'artistic' talent but simply wanted paint by number type instructions. If you are a perfectionist, the polyurethane coating might drive you a bit nuts. If you have a fair bit of painting experience, that should not create to much difficulty either.

Just hanging around...

2012-01-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

I got another project completed that makes me smile....

Three birds sewn from an old sheet and scraps of flannel hanging in the sunroom which is currently decorated in mostly neutral tones--winter white?

A branch wrapped with scraps of old sweaters left over from mitten-making serves as the hanger.

And just for fun, a little winter sparrow (?) resting on the branch,

Peaceful doves hanging in the winter chill, waiting for snow to fall.

Silly things, like sweater wrapped branches make me smile and feel good.

There is something very peaceful and comfortable about these birds.

Stuck in the grey and white landscape of a northern winter, might as well celebrate the neutral tones.

Pin tag-your it!

2012-01-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

Well, since Pinterest eats up plenty of my time, thought I would share the addiction! Cheri is hosting a Pinterest party so you can find new boards to follow and new things to pin. Have at it!

A Little Book Love

2012-01-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

So shoot me, I am behind the times... Anthropologie had book necklaces for sale last spring for over $100.00. Not something I would buy, but definitely something I would copy! And these are sooooo much fun to make. Sweet little books.

Look how a little patience, old book pages, leather scraps from old wallets, and some jewelry making bits and pieces can come together to create a tiny bit of magic.

A little journal for tiny notes!

Should it be a necklace, a keychain, or both? I've hung the books on the ball chain on my rearview mirror 'cause it makes me smile when I look at it. And smiling on the way to work in the morning is a good thing....

I also forgot just how much better pictures I can take with this lens.

Big books and little books.

I think I will make some more of these. A girl can never have too many books and journals can they?

Perhaps even a short story should be written to exist in a tiny book....

$100 or free... I like the free option! Sorry Anthropologie...

Auction Find to Art Display

2011-12-30T23:22:00.000-08:00

I have a great brother-in-law who often has horse related finds for me. Most recently he brought me an old leather horse fly blanket.

It definitely had seen better day... but still quite a find. I had never seen one before. I suspect it was used to keep flies off working draft horses.

I spent some time imagining ways I could use it and knew I wanted it to be a wall hanging. And realized it might be a fun way to display some of my horse photography. For this project, I used sepia tones.

My horses are Honey and Love. (I always feel the need to clarify that I did not give them these barn names, but that they came with these names. And even if they are fitting, it is almost embarrasing to have them both with names that are such sugary terms of edearment... ) And it is great to be able to use photos of them.

I added beads or buttons on the pictures to help me display them.

And added beads, baubles, and wire to fill in holes and add a bit more interest.

It really was a fun project that turned out much the way I imagined it.

And here is the final project, in all its messy re-used glory.

And some of my horse photos that I used for this...

Linking up at a few parties:

Christmas Tour

2011-12-14T19:42:00.000-08:00

A quick tour of Christmas around my home...
short hours of daylight and full-time work schedule mean very poor light for pictures.

Precious little one

2011-11-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

Spending the weekend caring for my precious granddaughter Lydia.

With every new stage and experience of family, I am amazed that the joy and love continues to grow.

Precious moments and the pleasure of being part of a new family, a new life and new history unfolding.

So very precious...

Hope you are enjoying some time with loved ones this weekend, whether it be family or friends.

Remnants of summer

2011-11-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

We have the possiblilty of snow this weekend. Fall is short lived in this part of the country. The trees have been bare for several weeks. But in the cycle of seasons, the end of fall means spring will surely arrive after the pleasures of winter....

Messing around with book covers..

2011-10-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

One of my graduate school professors once called me a Renassaince woman--I am pretty sure that referred to the fact that I have a wide variety of interests and activities (and only a few skills that are truly mastered as a result). So once again, off in a different direction!

I have a pile of book covers from the old books I have dismembered for decorating purposes. And

this one in particular simply called for something special to happen. I love the central panel and its aged weathered look.

I added some birds cut out of vintage paper...

And a canvas twisted rosette.

Stamped words on canvas cover the original title and author printed on this cover.

A bit of timeless inspiration to hang on the wall in the corner by my desk,

Quick yard decor project

2011-10-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

We live in the country, in North Dakota. Think strong wind and snow will fall soon.... Which means no fragile yard decorations... Ane we live a long a fairly busy road with traffic passing by at 60 miles on hour so if I wanna impress the neighbors, small won't catch their attention.

I decided I wanted to add a little halloween to my fall display. So as I thought about what I had available, I came up with this idea for an owl...

I used packing tape (should hold when it freezes overnight) and took the corner of a black garbage bag and taped one corner over the middle of the top of the bag. Then I pulled two corners around front and down a ways to make wings. I cut circles from the ends of a bag of bird feed for the eyes. I also taped a bit around the corners of the white bag so the ear tufts stayed a bit more pronounced, And although it does not show up well, I used duck tape to make some wavy designs on the front for chest feathers. Quick, easy and kinda cute! The ghosts are a white garbage bag cut in half with some fiberfill stuffed and tied in the corner. I tied bolts to the bottom to try and keep them from totally blowing away but the wind is pretty strong today.

I'd love to know if you make yourself a yard owl and see the picture!

Being a Grandma is awesome (even if I feel too young to be one..)

2011-10-17T20:43:00.000-07:00

This is Lydia. The most perfect granddaughter ever. She is almost three months old.

She wakes up smiling and giggling. She is so very happy and content.

Who knew that each stage of life and family is a wonderful as the last?

and a touch of humor

2011-10-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

I have a very large (like 110 pounds) lapdog. Max loves to curl up on the couch next to me. But Max and the couch did not get along.

My beautiful leather couch got destroyed by Max enthusiastically jumping off when he had things to do.

At least he has the sense to look a little bit guilty. The answer is probably to train him to stay off the couch but I really like when my dogs are curled up next to me on cold winter nights. And I am a pushover for a sad puppy face so keeping them off the couch is not likely to happen.

And so I came up with another temporary no cost fix.

I made a patch that makes the couch useable and a bit less ugly with a touch of humor thrown in, And now to go do some research and see if my couch can be repaired. I wish the cushions were removable and seperate rather than sewn into the couch. >sigh< It would have made life so much easier. Because of the way it is made, a seat slipcover just would not stay in place.

I just don't understand why some people don't like sharing their living space with animals.....

Creative or Crazy Shoddy?

2011-10-02T16:07:00.000-07:00

We have a large bay window in our living room that looks out on our very private 3 acre backyard. I took down the blinds the came with the house as we had never closed them in 3 years. There remained a very nice but unremarkable white valance that did nothing for the view or room. I haven't decided whether to hang decorative drapes on the sides (and what kind) or whether to put trim aournd the window.

So long story short, I had one of those middle of the night crazy thoughs and had to try it out.

Can you guess what I have done? with book pages sewn together?

I made temprorary drapes out of vintage book pages!

They are sewn together and hung on the sides and across the top of the window.

It is definitely something I haven't seen except in my crazy middleof the night thoughs.

The color of the old paper works well in the room....

Ta daaa...

I lightened this one so you could see a bit better. And haven't mastered photoshop so I couldn't brighten and lighten the inside without blowing out the outside. So please excuse the BRIGHT view.

It makes me smile so it will stay temporarily and probably get tweaked a bit until I decide on how to dress this window. So what do you think, creative or crazy shoddy? (and any suggestions for a real treatment for the window are most welcome).

Cozy Vintage Prairie Junk Style?

2011-09-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

I moved some things around and then had to take some pictures. I so enjoy the blogs where the author's sense of style is consistent and identifiable. I am still working on cohesiveness. I've been told that I always create 'cozy' where ever I live. And I have always appreciated found treatures. I suspect that is because the farm junk pile was where I shopped for things to fuel my imagination as a child. I sure wish I had been able to keep some of the very neat found objects I used to furnish my play house (which was a copse of trees behind my Grandma's house).

I found an old kitchen cabinet with an enameled metal top and one drawer that is metal. The paint is not going to last long despite shellacking because the whole piece was in such disrepair. But I love the flaking paint and the feeling I get from this cabinet.

And I really like the things found at A Little Bit French. But French style just wouldn't quite fit with vintage praire junque. So I adapted some of the things I see there so my mini ticking pillows have horses and hoof prints, and dream printed on them. Throw in some collected antimacassars and doillies from my collections. Toss it all in the drawer of a decrepit cabinet and you have a sample of my style...

Yummy old chippy paint that won't last much longer.

You will find this sitting in my small sunroom as a display space for other collections and objects.

Quite an eclectic mix: a tool box I made and painted with ASCH, the barbwire collection I got for my birthday and have yet to mount and frame, a nest with collected feathers in a planter, an old ceramic pot, a dried hydrangea blossom siting in a miniature chair. Sometimes the things I like don't always fit together in a single cohesive manner. But they sure reflect the things the sing to my heart.

This vingette is a bit more cohesive, if limited, reflection of the things I love.

The hardware on this cabinet reflects some of what I value in the things I collect. I guess much of what I like has a history of usefulnes in everyday life yet something extra that lifts it above the ordinary. (and as I write that I think that is not a bad model for living life...)

Have you ever thought about what reflects your style? and how it evolved?

Textures and Trees

2011-09-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

It can become quite addicting to play with Photoshop Elements and begin learning all the ways a simple photograph can be altered. This is a picture taken in my backyard. The moods evoked by adding textures from Kim Klassen and cropping and editing make me wish I could write stories or poems that match the pictures.

While our yard is not large enough that one can get lost, there are places and spaces that create that feeling. There are spaces that invite you to enter and wander. There are spaces that stimulate the imagination.

Sharing more of my world inside and out.

Decorating Outside by Suzi at Design Shuffle

2011-09-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone, I’m Susi and I write as a guest blogger for Design Shuffle, a fabulous social media site that promotes interior designers and their work from around the world. My writing focuses on things I'm passionate about: interior design, decorating ideas, home furnishings, gardening, travel and art. I get to look at gorgeous things all day and write about them. I'm a very lucky girl!

I am so happy to be visiting Dragonflys and Stars today and writing about decorating outside with junky finds. For one, it makes me almost forget that summer is nearly over. And secondly, I am an avid gardener and lover of reusing and repurposing what I like to call “forgotten objects” or what some people might call junk. So here are some clever ways people have decorated their outside space with interesting finds. Enjoy!

Dreamhouse Cammy (via)

Love the rusty patina on this old bike that has found new life as a plant holder in the garden. I think it looks very happy to be there.

Enjoy Co. (via)

I’m not sure what this planter was in its previous life but it makes a very cool home for plants. I think it would also make a great cooler for drinks.

Funky Junk Interiors (via)

Wood pallets are great sources of raw wood for the DIYer. Pallets can be used to make planters, window boxes and even furniture for the garden. Think outdoor living room ideas.

Fiskars (via)

Container gardens can be made from almost anything, even a flour sifter. Look at kitchen objects that have run their course or find them at thrift stores and garage sales.

Pinterest (via)

What a clever use for old wooden spools or industrial sized bobbins… a garden hose holder! Look for these wooden spools at flea markets and on ebay.

Buckets of Burlap (via)

Some may call all these things junk but to people who love vintage and junk, these are treasures. Love the old wood barrel turned into a herb garden. The wood ladder would be great with a trailing vine growing on it.

Pinterest (via)

These old floor grates decorate a garden path. Aren’t they pretty? I think they would look cool with moss growing inside them.

Etsy (via)

Another great find on Etsy… found object birdhouses. This could be a project for a clever DIYer. Birdhouses are a wonderful way to reuse and repurpose forgotten objects…aka junk. Who knew birds could use an interior design makeover?

This content is provided by Design Shuffle, where you can find and share talented interior designs from from New York interior designers, Los Angeles interior designers, and more, check out the latest at Design Shuffle.

Last roses of summer

2011-09-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

Summer has past and we recently had a couple of nights with frost to mark the beginning of autumn. I cut some of my roses and brought them into the house to enjoy. Hopefully tempuratures will rise again so fall can be enjoyed without shivering.

I really like the little wire basket with four bottles/vases that I found at the flea marked. And am still pleased with the tray I redid. The yellow rose is from a bouquet my husband bought me at some point. This blossom dried so well.

And it is nearly impossible not to play around with textures from Kim Klassen when editing photographs. This winter I plan to spend some time learning how to better make use of Photoshop.

Hope you are enjoying the little things in your life and finding time to play!

Still enjoying summer...

2011-08-13T14:55:00.000-07:00

Really, I am not ready for all the posts excited about fall. We finally got summer rolling about the first of July here. And fall in North Dakota means cold weather, freezing rain or snow, and everything quickly turns grey. We get about 4 pretty fall days before the trees are all bare branches. So I am officially diggingin my heels and holding onto summer for awhile yet. LOL! I will read the blogs all excited about fall and file ideas away but not gonna go there yet. I'll catch up to y'all somewhere in the middle of September or maybe even after the first of October. Okay, now carry on if you must. ;)

I am going to continue enjoying summer flowers...

And I am okay if there are a few more sunrises that come with thunderstorms.

Shabby Chic Tray

2011-08-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

Here is more on the teaser from my last post. Gotta love that a cheap tray can be turned into a chic tray thanks to trying out techniques collected across blogland.

My spiffed up tray now has a new home on my dining room table showing off an assortment of favorite things. The print is from Graphics Fairy and I used the Modge Podge transfer method.

The tray was an inexpensive pine tray from Michaels. I used Annie Sloan's Chalk paints in Cream as an undercoat and Ducks Egg Blue as the topcoat. Then messed around with walnut stain and paste wax to finish it after some sanding and rubbing.

Roses should always be dried and saved. You never know when you will need a pretty dried rose to finish off a vignette.

I like the very strong contrasts on this tray but suspect that some might say it is a bit much.

This is a sweet moment in my house. I love those spots that just make me smile when I see them.

I will definitely keep playing around with typography transfers, paints and waxes.

Wall art inspired by ?

2011-08-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

I know that at some point I saw a Livery Stable sign that I liked, I have been saving the idea for some time and finally got it done.

My husband removed some old cabinets that were in the garage. The cabinet doors were perfect for painting a faux vintage sign. It gave me a chance to play around with chalk paint a bit more also.

Right now it is sitting in our sun room on top of a bookcase. This room is where most of my horse things are displayed.

I wish that Cuts a Lot still worked for Cricut Machines. I should have bought the program when I looked at it a year or so ago. It would make sign making and other word graphics so much easier. I might have to put a Silhoutte on my wish list.

Definitely need practice with this type of graphics but it did turn out much like I wanted it to do. (Do you know how much it costs to keep a horse? They are an expensive hobby when you can't keep them at home. But they aren't really a hobby, they are a central part of my life. I really can't imagine not having them. Teacher, therapist, pet, partner, entertainment, and more.)

and just for fun, a sneak peek at another project I am finishing....

A beautiful sunrise thunderstorm

2011-08-05T10:12:00.001-07:00

Book light revisited with details...

2011-07-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

Gosh, thank you for the comments and interest in my booklight! You all made my day! And as requested, here are some more photos and details so you can go make your own. (And if you do, I would love to have you link back and let me know so I can see your version.)

Here is the inside of the book with the light socket pulled through it. The metal flanges are bent out after pulling the socket throught the hole. The light socket is one of those make your own light kits. They are designed so that you can buy one of the multiple light shades sold seperately to use with it. (Bought mine at Menards, but I know that they are available at any of the big home improvement stores.) This is also what I use to make lights out of vintage canning jars. I think I would have liked a simple round bulb but they only had flame shaped ones with the frosted coating. There are less choices available with LED lights. Note also that the socket is the smaller size.

Pull the socket through and extend the flanges out.

Here it is resting inside the book. The flanges keep the book open around the bulb.

I cut a rounded notch in some pages and glued them over the top. You have to do this while the light is hanging to get it to fit right...

And another close up of the light hanging.

I used a dropcloth canvas patch to cover the hole in the spine of the the book, then covered the cord with a strip of this fabric glued together. I can imagine lots of variations for dealing with this...

And here it is again, hanging over my desk nook. I just used a screw-in wall/ceiling hook and the on/off switch keeps it from slipping through. The book is light so I didn't worry about stressing the wire and creating a fire hazard. Disclaimer: No guarantees this is safe. Decide for yourself whether this is something you feel safe having in your house. Absolutely do not use a regular light bulb for this or you WILL create a fire hazard with heat and old paper in close proximity!)

Taa Daa!

Hope this answers your questions. If not, let me know and I will try to provide any additional information you might want.

Not your usual book light

2011-07-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

I am a book lover. I can't imagine using an electronic reader because I enjoy the whole experience of reading. This includes the touch and smell of books as well as the story being read. It took me awhile to gather the strength to rip the covers of old books, but I did it. I love the bundles of semi-destroyed books for decorating spaces.

I have more old books than I have spaces for at the moment. And then I had an idea. (Sometimes these work, sometimes the don't).

I grabbed my husband and went out to the shop with an old book. I had him show me how to use his drill press. (Awesome tool, I need to find some other projects so I can play with his drill press a bit more.) I drilled a hole in the spine of a book. He told me it would just shred the book, but it atually made a very nice hole. Can you guess why I needed a hole in the spine of a book? How else would I get the light socket in place?

Here is my book light! What do you think? It is an LED light, so no heat and little fire hazard. I figured if people could use coffee filters and other flammable items, I could use a book. I am working on a cord cover but I was too excited to wait until that was finished to share this.

I have my desk in a nook in the dining room and wanted a light hanging over the desk.

See my pile of 'destroyed' books. This desk is more storage than major work space so I didn't need really good desk lighting. Just a book light...

I think I like it. And I haven't seen one before, so it might be original. It is original in my world. There are so many things I see and copy but lately I have felt the need to be a bit more original. It felt good to make something that came out of my imagination.

Creating spaces that are uniquely my own helps fuel that creative spark. Don't you just love it when ideas start forming in your head and you can't wait to get busy and see if you can create what you imagine? This space makes me smile and the book light just topped it off.

Adding my project to these blog parties:

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Summertime jewels and treasures

2011-07-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

Gooseberries are like jewels. The ripe ones are somewhat rare--it is very difficult to beat the birds to the ripe berries. But this summer I did it!! And the color and translucence of gooseberries make them jewel-like. I didn't even know that they did ripen to a dark red with a sweet easy to eat taste. I suspect that gooseberries are often picked while green because that is the best way to beat the birds!

Gooseberries can be a bit difficult to pick. The branches are a bit thorny. The berries grow along long drooping branches and it is easiest to lift up the branch as you pick the berries off of it. As I was cruising through the bushes I found another treasure.

Isn't it such a sweet little nest!

I was busy taking pictures from different angles. Admiring the nest. Thinking I might have to save it once fall comes and it will be destroyed by our harsh winters.

And then I discovered it had not yet been abandoned.

Treasures within a treasure. Definitely summertime treasures and jewels. My kind of riches.

Now to see if I can discover what kind of bird built this nest and laid her eggs. Do you know?

Perfection

2011-07-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

Introducing Lydia Kathleen

My first grandchild

She was born July 18th in the afternnon. Lydia and her mother ( and father) are doing well. There are lots of smiling faces in the family. Looking forward to introducing her to great great grandma and taking some 5 generations pictures!

Lovely

2011-07-17T15:42:00.001-07:00

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday. We have hot humid weather. I find it simply lovely.

I joined the chalk paint bandwagon…

2011-07-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

Do request somewhat unusual birthday presents like I do? I asked for Annie Sloan chalk paint *bought at for my birthday—and I got some! (as well as the collection of labeled barbwire samples I also requested…)
I agree with all the bloggers who have exclaimed over the virtues of this paint! It really makes creative painting easier and more fun.
My first completed project is a picture display board.

Really Rustic

Shabby Chic, less rustic.

I am still loving the shabby chic clothes pins. The beautiful bride and handsome groom are my son and daughter-in-law. They are expecting my first grandchild any day now…. (Can’t wait for that phone call, and the first time I get to hold my granddaughter!!)

The cards hanging from this second board are from a set of horse tarot cards. (The Way of the Horse and The Tao of Equus are books by Linda Kohanov from which these cards evolved. If you love horses and are into self understanding and self improvement these are really enjoyable books to read,)

For this project I simply painted a board, sanded some spots, and waxed. I love the old weathered look it produced on the old board. It is interesting how a little bit different process creates a different look on a smooth new board. The newer board, I rubbed the paint after it dried which brought out different tones within the paint. Working with this paint really reminds me of working with chalk pastels. (Hmm, can you make paint with chalk pastels? is that part of the secret of this paint?)

This is an easy project, Drill a couple of holes in a board, use 18 gauge wire inserted through the holes and secured in back, shabbify some clothes pins to hang the pictures or ephemera, secure picture hangers on back and hang on a wall. I can think of so many ways this project could be personalized or modified to fit different room designs. (Etsy anyone? )

I am linking up to these great blogs for their blog parties:

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

More junk style

2011-06-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

The flowers are blooming. The deck is stained. And I wanted a table for feet and plates (hopefully not at the same time...) for the deck. So I went shopping in the junk pile behind the shop.

And a few hours later, I have my table. I am waiting for some steel wool stain to finish off the newer surfaces, but I couldn't wait to share this.

The table top is made out of the slats of an old bench swing that had been thrown away by previous property owners. The base is made with 4 x 4's that had been legs for a strange rickety table, and some 1 X 4's. I had great fun with the drill taking things apart and putting things together.

That new wood will get darkened so it blends it. I think I will try the steel wool/vinegar mix I have seen used around blogland.

And it needed a few rustic accessories to finish it off.

Love what can happen with a junk pile of wood!

Junk style garden decor

2011-06-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

I love this! I had so much fun searching for the bits and pieces and putting this together. One of the benefits of having a home built on an old barnyard is that there is a junk pile in the trees. I have fun stuff for projects at no cost.

From bare to embellished-

My husband found the nest laying on the ground and saved it for me. The rusty hinge came off an wood object that I took apart for another project. The bittersweet vine has been in my garage since a country art show last fall. The base is an old mailbox stand that was leaning against the back of the shop. It just needed to be shortened and a base added. Some of the metal bits came from an old wagon wheel that fell apart.

The birdhouse is one I bought at a flea market/craft sale and added a little rusty metal.

I haven't decided where this will find a home in my yard yet. I do know it will look fine where ever it lands!

What do you think? A keeper?!

And take a peak at my next post to see the table I built.

Oh Deer

2011-06-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

I am so enjoying our new visitor. Many afternoons and evenings over the past two weeks, Bucky (very original, huh?!) has wandered across our yard and stood outside our picture window eating.

When we moved into our country home nearly two years ago, there was a doe with twin fawns that spent time in our yard. I can't help but wonder if this is one of those twins.

I am looking forward to seeing how large his antlers will be. Any guesses how many points his antlers will have?

Our backyard is about 3 acres surrounded by trees and a marais. It is like having a large park. It also gives our dogs a large place to roam with a natural fence to curb any tendencies to wander. I have become the crazy lady that hollers out the door to warn Bucky before I let the dogs out. But there are no neighbors close enough to hear me so (shhh) you are the only ones who know I do this.

He looks a little rough. He is just shedding his winter fur. We have had a horrible cold spring this year. He has needed his extra fur until recently. I bought him some corn to help fatten him up. And maybe during hunting season he will stay close to our property which is all posted to keep hunters away.

I hope he sticks around and graces our yard all summer and fall...

Rainy holiday weekend

2011-05-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

This year has been the slowest year for nice weather to arrive. I did finally get some yard work done between showers on Saturday, otherwise it has either been raining or cold outside this spring. I took time today to have fun being creative. I have posted a lot of pictures also as they were part of the creative fun. Hope you enjoy.

Romantic cuffs made of odds and ends. They should be fun to wear with skirts and tshirts.

I found a great pearl piece in my stash of old and broken jewelry bits and pieces.

Otherwise, they are made of felt, lace bits, cheesecloth, beads, and a washer.

Bits of things that came together beautifully.

And great fun playing around with staging for the photographs.

I will linking up to the following parties and checking out all the great ideas there.

Thank Goodness, Spring has finally sprung!

2011-05-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

Pet Portrait

2011-05-01T17:39:00.001-07:00

Spring has not quite settled in this year. We have fresh snow on the ground. And I am sooo antsy to start planting things and making the yard pretty for our short warm season. Here is one project I could start while waiting for the sun and warm weather.
We have a large yard and in the far back is a large mound near the marais. When the yard was flooded this spring, our dog Ginger always was on the mound sniffing around. For awhile, this mound was a small island. We decided it would be fun to name and decorate this area which is now known as “Ginger Island”.

This is Ginger.

This is my rendition of Ginger.

And this is her sign. Next time I do a sign I will work on the lettering a bit more. I love the weathered board I found in the junk pile behind an out building. Wish there were lots more with that perfect weathering.

I will have to post a picture of the sign installed when the sun comes out and the snow has melted away again.

Joining in on the following blog parties:

Playing with Papers

2011-04-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

Who knew that playing with paper and sticking it to your wall could be so satisfying? Much more fun to look at this ephemera everyday rather than having it tucked away in my 'stash'.

She gets to be my desk fairy for awhile and show off this old ledger I found.

This is what my desk area looks like after playing. And now I am off to buy some light pendents to create some lighting for the area....

Pretty Things

2011-03-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a busy week but thought I would leave this picture for you.

Created using Golden texture provided by Kim Klassen

Homemakers Club

2011-03-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

I remember going with Grandma to Homemaker Club meetings. Do any of you remember Homemakers Club? Blogging seems to be the modern version. I remember Grandma and the other ladies sharing projects along with lunch and gossip. Even the Homemakers Creed fits for many of the bloggers I read.

Homemakers Creed

I believe my home is sacred, a place where love, faith, hope and devotion have their beginning, where each has his right respected by others; where joys and blessings, sorrows and disappointments are shared in common; where God is revered and honored, fellowmen respected, and love is law.

I believe it is my duty to live up to the best that is in me to attain this, to fear things unworthy, to conquer difficulties by daring to attempt them, to be a champion as well as counselor to my family, and to teach and live, love of home, country, fellowmen and God.

It is fun to remember going places with Grandma and the afternoons my sister and I played at a neighbors home while the ladies had their meeting.

random picture of ladies in the 1960’s

Do any of you remember Homemakers Clubs?

Making everday life nicer

2011-03-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

I mostly create things that I can use or that I want. I love seeing what others have made and recreating them with my own style for my life.

Sometimes it suddenly hits me that I do not always use my creativity where it can be most appreciated. And then I fix my mistake.

I go straight from work out to the barn to ride horse or take a lesson at least one day a week. I have been using a Target plastic bag to carry my barn clothes to work so I can change. (insert hand hitting forehead here)

So I decided to fix that!

That looks better than a plastic bag, doesn't it?

And best of all, it was free other than a little time. I just had to dig through my piles of stuff and I found what I needed.

Funny how the routine things we do sometimes get overlooked as a place we can treat ourselves well and be make everyday life a little nicer. I will be smiling the next time I pack my riding clothes to bring to work.

Join me and check out all the projects at these blogs.

What fulfills your dreams?

2011-03-13T19:52:00.001-07:00

When I am not working at my clinic or puttering around my home, I am at the barn with my horses. They are a very large part of my life.

This is Honey (A Crusing Impulse), my 7 year old QH mare. She comes trotting to the gate when she sees my car drive up to the barn. I trust her and she trusts me. We have grown together. She was an un-broke 2 year old and I was a brand new rider when I bought her and we began to learn together 5 years ago. She started with me on my journey to live my dream of riding and competing with horses.

Love (Lil Miss Blackjac) fulfilled my dream of learning and competing at reining. She has been an incredibly patient and talented teacher. Before her, I never would have dreamed that I could be in an arena doing sliding stops, rollbacks, and spins. She is so very gentle, yet at times has an attitude that reminds me why some riders choose not to deal with mares. (I personally love mares with attitude and my horses have all been mares!)

What dreams are you waiting to pursue?

And check out the canvas print give away sponsored by A Day in the Life. Just click below:

March, you are such a tease…

2011-03-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

March really is the cruelest month for those of us in the upper Midwest. The days are longer and there are reports of spring and blossoms in other parts of the country. We get yet another blizzard that left over 800 motorists stranded across the state of North Dakota. Although the storm was well predicted it hit hard and fast when it arrived with 50 mph winds. I can’t even get to my forsythia bushes to cut branches and force blooms. They are buried in a snow bank yet.
So what’s a girl to do but make her own bit of spring!

I think this is one of my favorite free projects. Branches from the yard, tissue paper saved from presents, and a hot glue gun create spring magic!
And to keep enjoying spring a bit more, I played around with photo editing.

Good bye orange, hello shabby

2011-02-26T14:09:00.000-08:00

We have a pine linen press that has served us well. It's narrow depth means it can provide storage in narrow spaces and it has provided storage in three different homes. I continue to like the utility of this piece but she needed a new appearance. Despite the below 0 outside, I decided it was time to do some painting.
Here she is in all her orange-y glory.

And redone with green and white paint to look well used…

Ignore the doorknobs. I need to go shopping. I think I want some glass knobs.

But now the walls need to be repainted and new flooring placed…

Necessary Mess Makers

2011-02-21T07:59:00.000-08:00

Animals are a large part of our lives. They play a part in making our house a home. They also have had their moments of destroying our home....

This is Ginger. She was our first shelter rescue. Ginger approaches the world as a joyous place where everyone should love her!

Max is also a rescue. He is much more serious than Ginger. He is also 110 pound lap dog--don't let his appearance fool you!

Max is practicing good manners for my first grandchild due in July.

Every home needs a big Baby (Baby Aurora Mia).

And I am still trying to convince my husband I need some chickens.....

Collection of favorites

2011-02-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

Our brief period of 40 degree weather has faded and we are back to winter with below zero temperatures. This is the time of year when the contrast between the far north and the rest of the country really starts to bite! I know that there are signs of spring and green growing things in other parts of the country. I am starting to get antsy for yard work and outdoor projects!
Instead, I sit with my computer reading, editing pictures, and searching for inspiration.
Below are some photos of a collection of some of my favorite old things. This metal box is one of my all time favorite finds. I have no clue what it originally held. I love the aging, scratches, and size on this box. It holds some nebulizer bottles that are perfect for small bouquets or single blossoms. There are also some old letters and invoices bought at an junk/antique store. The tags are ones I made and some I aged with coffee.

I love the things that are possible with digital photos and editing.

One last peek..

What I did while watching the Superbowl

2011-02-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Gotta watch the Superbowl—mostly so I know what everyone is talking about Monday. And usually the advertisements are pretty good. Although this year’s ads did not live up to my expectations, the football game was pretty good!
And since I almost never watch TV without dual tasking, I kept myself busy with some jewelry making.
The first one is my version of an Anthroplogie necklace.

Anthropologie

I have seen several versions of this online. I like it with the added scrabble tile pendant.

And this one has been seen in catalogs and blogs also. Fun to make except for a few hot glue burns.

It is really difficult to get a good picture of oneself either in the mirror or holding the camera out in front. (Well, I don’t think there is such a thing as a good picture of me but that is a whole other issue…

I am adding my link to these parties:

Another Pottery Barn copycat

2011-01-31T18:40:00.001-08:00

I also am a fan of Pottery Barn and love it when a new catalog arrives in my mail box. One of the things I particularly liked in the last catalog were their pillow covers. I especially liked the butterfly prints:

Pottery Barn Pillow Cover

I had used a butterfly print from The Graphics Fairy for some smaller projects and knew it would work for a pillow. Here is my version of the Pottery Barn pillow, done a bit less formally:

I have been planning on trying transferring a print to fabric for the past year but thought it would be a major pain so put it off. I can’t believe I waited so long! It was easy and I love the results. I have a handful of other projects in the works as a result. So if you have thought about doing this, “Go for it”. You will love the results.

Check out lots of great projects at:

After I read the newspaper…

2011-01-30T19:58:00.000-08:00

January continues to be a bit trying. The grey cold weather makes me just want to hibernate. I also know I feel better if I do something, anything. So I cut up the newspaper after I read it and made these.

And then I played around with them. Hope they make you smile. :)

Follow me to these parties!

Crumpled notes

2011-01-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

I found a project yesterday that I just had to copy! And we are having weather that is a bit more severe than predicted so I am stuck at home. What is a girl to do but create...

Here is the original project by Flamingo Toes . Didn't she do an awesome job! So cute. She wrote a tutorial for those of you that like this idea also.

Here is my version. Then I discovered I did not have a 5 X 7 frame to put it in.

I only found several empty western themed 6 X 4 frames . This led me further down the path to making this project my way.

Don't you just want to try this, and create a note that works for you?!

And this is what I ended up with today. I am pretty sure I will be stitching some more notebook pages though.

Hope your are having a cozy creative weekend!

And here are Love and Honey who inspire me. FYI, they came to me with those barn names--I didn't come up with them. But they do fit my girls. :)

Just playing with my camera and enjoying some scarce sunshine

2011-01-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

Playing with scraps

2011-01-22T21:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some fun little pieces made from scraps and stamps. Not sure where they belong or what to do with them, but I enjoyed making them. As you can see, my tastes are a bit ~~scattered~~ eclectic. Are they French inspired or Western inspired? They definitely need to be seperated into two different collections...

It is cold and snowy outside, so a good time for crafting.

Not such a good time for keeping up with my horse riding. But my horses are a huge part of my life, so never far out of my thoughts.

Inspired by suitcase pocket projects

2011-01-16T20:41:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy the suitcase pocket pillows and keepsake holders that I have seen around blogland, and this project was inspired by them. I made a pocket out of leftover dropcloth material to use on this old ladder that needed some decorating. I was able to include other favorite things like fabric flowers with bead centers, lace leftovers (thanks Mom!), and a shabby tassel clipped on with an old tearing. Then added it below the 'Nest' sign I had earlier. Still have to keep tweaking and creating to get the whole ladder display looking right. Hope you like it.

I am going to join the following parties:

2010-12-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and can enjoy a peaceful day of reflection and rest.

Christmas Wreath

2010-12-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

I have fun copying all the flowers you all are making, so I thought I would make a wreath using some felt flowers with old buttons as the center.

I added the flowers to a straw wreath I wrapped in strips from an old bedsheet.

I think it turned out pretty well, and it was just the thing to hang on the wall in my bathroom. It worked with the valence I had just made for the window.

Easy, quick, and a little bit classy. :)

I am taking this blog to a party:

Holiday Mantel

2010-11-30T19:04:00.000-08:00

And it begins. But looking at these pictures, I don't think I am done yet.
Here is one side of our fireplace and the mantel in the kitchen.

Yep, that is better.

I flocked some branches, hung red ornaments, and stuck them in a corrogated tin planter.

I love these little bottles. I think they came from old nebulizer treatments. I would love to buy some if I could find them somewhere. I stuck on some typewriter keys to spell joy.

And added some things on the other side to balance it out. The nutcrackerer is one of the very first presents my children gave me when they had money to buy their own presents so it is very special to me.

I like the mix of things put together. I am thinking about adding greens and a strand of white lights to 'fluff' it a bit. I will probably be adding a few other objectss as I go through my Christmas things.

This is the other side of the fireplace and the living room mantel. I am still enamored with French Nordic style so attempted to recreate that style here.

I really enjoy the warm glow of the candles in the evening. I've gathered some of my silver, ironstone, and bits of nature.

I am joining Kevin and Layla at the Lettered Cottage for their Holiday Home Linky Party. No doubt there will be lots of inspired decorating to enjoy. I also linked up to Blue Cricket Design.

First snow and new camera

2010-11-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

First snow of the year.

Trash or Treasure?

2010-11-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

With the onset of colder temperatures and sunset before I get home for work, the urge to create has returned. I often don't end up where I started and suprise myself with the projects that get completed. Here is a recent creation from an old sweater, a jar of keys, a Starbucks cappuccino bottle, and a broken necklace. Oh, and throw in some twigs from a lilac tree.

So, Trash or Treasure?

I am participating in the party at freckled laundry and at The Shabby Nest.

2010-11-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

I like using branches, twigs, and nature in my decorating. Here is my "inside tree". Currently it is sporting coffee dyed and stamped tags. It changes with the seasons and my mood. :) Check out all the other ways people use twigs and sticks at Funky Junk Interiors.

Rhubarb!! Must be spring finally!

2010-05-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

Rhubarb! Isn't it beautiful!

Ready to go into the oven!

And ready to eat!

Rhubarb Crisp

4 cups chopped rhubarb

3 tbsn orange juice or lemon juice mixed with 1 tbsn cornstarch

1 c granulated sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 tbsn cut up butter

1/4 c melted butter

1/3 c brown sugar

2/3 c sifted flour

dash salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

2/3 c quick cooking rolled oats

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking dish. Arrange cut up rhubarn and mix with juice/cornstarch mixture. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top and dot with cut up butter.

Combine melted butter and brown sugar. Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda; mix with oats. Combine the flour oats mixture with the brown sugar and melted butter mixture until well blended. With hands, spread the crumb mixture over rhubarb. Bake 40 minutes. Serve with whipped cream, cream, or ice cream. Yumm!

Getting it right

2010-05-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

I've tried a couple of things by the front door but none have made me smile like these things do. This is an old rusty iron piece that the seller could not identify other than it was sitting by some tires in his old grainery. I thought it was going to be a garden ornament but I like it a lot better here!

I also bought a length of old molding. I love the chippy paint with blue paint peeking through the yellow. It is cheery and warm and works well with my kitchen which has blue lamimate counter tops (that I desperately want to replace with granite or some solid surface) and blue vinyl print flooring (which needs to be replaced with wood). I found some wire hooks in the garage and screwed them into the molding,

And now we have a spot to hang those things we use daily and were leaving on the stair railing. The old window screen with decorative hooks just wasn't right--that gets to hang outside by the deck and patio.

I'm baaack

2010-05-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hi again! I dropped my camera, which interrupted my blogging, which got me out of the habit, then April came with unseasonally warm weather, and well...

Here is the planning stage of one of my latest projects. I decided I needed to use up things I had rather than buying new supplies for awhile.

I played around with making some fabric flowers. These look like dogwood blossoms to me and remind me of my time in Tennessee.

I used an old page out of a French book as the background, layered cheese cloth over it and sewed around the page and the cheese cloth in a free hand manner. Then layered a variety of created flowers on top of that. I like the way these bits and scraps came together.

Check out other great projects at :

Valentine's Day tags and such

2010-01-31T15:48:00.000-08:00

This was an incredibly lazy weekend. I prefer weekends wherein I have a sense of accomplishment and feel rested and refreshed by Monday morning. Ah well, hopefully I won't regret what didn't get done this weekend as I move into a busy week.

The one thing I did do is play around with tags and stamps for Valentine's Day. I will definitely be stamping on torn strips of muslim to make ribbon for other occasions also. I love the way that turned out.

Here are my bits and pieces from the weekend.

Linking up to some of the parties I enjoy. Go check them out and see what everyone else is doing!

My current favorite and a dog story

2010-01-25T17:03:00.000-08:00

Do you sometimes save things even though you have no idea what you are going to do with them? (Wait, who are my readers?!--of course you do!) Well, I had been saving those metal Fossil watch tins.

I recently rediscovered the joys of Modge Podge. Modge Podge meet metal box. Throw in bits and pieces of vintage paper, saved tags, and other collected papers.

(Tracy from French Larkspur might recognize the tissue paper with which my latest Jeanne de' Arc magazine was wrapped. Thank you! I love ordering stuff from Etsy as the wrapping and extras are a good as the ordered object!)

I tear bits and pieces and Modge Podge them to the inside of the box. I cut larger pieces to fit the bottom/back of the box.

Then my husband introduced me to Rub and Buff. I love this stuff. Rub it on and you have a metallic finish. A little goes a long way. And there are endless uses for it.

Then once everything has dried, decide what to do with the mini display space. Here are some of my past choices. These last two are waiting for inspiration to strike.

And while I was busy decopaging and buffing, we had a visitor. I was stuck at home today because of the major blizzard covering the upper midwest. In the midst of these 50 mph winds, cold temps, and whiteout conditions, a loveable golden retriever showed up at our house. Now we recently moved to the country and our nearest neighbor is about 1/4 mile away with a marais and trees seperating us. Poor puppy had no tags so I didn't know where he belonged. We haven't yet met our neighbors and after doing a county property search to find names of the nearest neighbors found that no one had landline phones. So, I couldn't track down phone numbers. After a very lengthy internet search I finally found one probably work email address and sent off a message. 10 minutes later my phone rang and the dog owners had been found. By this time, 'Frosty' the dog had been at our place about 4 hours. He wouldn't stay in the garage where he had shelter, water, and food. Oh no, he had to sit at the patio door hoping to come in the house.

Unfortunately, a strange dog with no tags was not going to get to come in. I finally pulled out a blanket and draped it over the patio furniture to give him a windbreak and he settled in and napped until his owners arrived. All ended well. 'Frosty' was happy, amazingly warm and good natured despite the snow and wind, and got to go home. We met our neighbors who seemed very nice. The moral of this story--please make sure your pets have tags!

I am linking up to the following parties! hosted by the most generous bloggers.

Visiting Silver Sunday Party

2010-01-24T17:26:00.000-08:00

I thought I would drop in and visit Silver Sunday and the Gypsy Fish Journal.

I just started picking up some pieces of silver when I find them. I plan to keep collecting silverware so that I have enough silver for those times I have guests for meals. And I started picking up silver platters because they seem to sell for next nothing are are great for decorating and projects.

Here is my small begining collection of silver ware.

The small silver pieces are spoons that my husband inherited. They are very interesting. I often wonder what their story might be.

Right now, the silver ware is displayed on my very eclecticly decorated mantel.

More of Jack Frost's work

2010-01-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

I so wish I were at home rather than the office so I could take pictures of the winter wonderland out there.

Ice Fog

2010-01-18T12:03:00.000-08:00

I had to rush home this morning to get my dog Ginger and bring her into town for an orthopedic sugery consult (a story in itself). It was sunny and bright when I left town, but halfway home ran into beautiful ice fog. I grabbed my camera and took some pictures and thought I would share.

I am pretty sure it is not recommended to take pictures while driving down the highway with limited visibility related to fog while there is a dog leaning over your shoulder--but hey, here you are anyway...

Warm winter days means time with my horses...

2010-01-17T17:08:00.000-08:00

It is 36 degrees outside at 7pm in the middle of January! So much better than the -20 degrees it could be. It also means my fingers and toes don't freeze when I am out playing with my horses. And you ~~are stuck with~~ get horse pictures instead of decorating and crafting pictures.

Love (aka as Lil Miss Blackjac) is my reining mare. She is watching me get treats out of the tack room. I think this picture nicely captures her smart gentle yet spirited nature.

Love checking out the bridle and bit selection.

This is Honey (also known as A Crusing Investment) my Western Pleasure mre wondering what is going on in the barn aisle.

Honey is my laidback sweetheart with just enough mare attitude to keep in interesting.

A couple more months and horse show season begins again.

And while I have been doing things around home, my girls have gotten a bit more of my attention again this weekend. And grooming and riding are so much more fun than a treadmill or weights.

Mini mannequins

2010-01-09T18:45:00.000-08:00

I want a mannequin but have never found one, or at least one I loved enough to pay the price that was being asked. And then I dreamed up this. (Yep, last night while sleeping, I dreamed these up.) And just to keep my title as dropcloth queen, they they are made of scraps of dropcloth.

The bases are made of wire hangers from the dry cleaner. The necks are made from spindles we removed from some old 80's style trim in the kitchen of our old house. The rest I cut, sewed, stuffed, and glued out of materials in my craft supples. They are so much fun to make!

This skirt is made of cheesecloth with one of those handmade flowers everyone is making.

It is so difficult to find good lighting when you are impatient and can't wait until daylight. Plus, the days are so very short yet that there is not much good daylight available anyway. (Gotta remind myself that June will arrive and it will be light until 10:30 for at least a couple of days...)

I think the dragonfly necklace is sweet! A charm and gold thread add a nice dash of bling.

Ready for the runway, or my dresser, or someplace.

I am joining in the following parties:

the girl creative

Something a little different

2010-01-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

This project is a bit different than much of what you have seen from me before. Not everyone likes shabby chic style (gasp!), so sometimes I do something bit different. The picture doesn't really capture it well. It looks pretty cool in person. Although, even as I am posting this I can imagine this done in a shabby chic style. Guess I have another project to try...

This is made of rolls of scrapbook paper tied with cord and glued to background. Randomly add embelishments to the strings tied around the paper rolls. Leave long strings when tying the rolls, glue the roles to the background and pull these strings in random patterns to the outside edge of the backing and tape them securely on the back. Frame with a shadowbox frame. I think this might look really cool with old music, printed pages, etc. If anyone does more of a shabby chic or cottage style version of this, please send me a picture! I'll add mine to this post when I get it done.

Linking up to cottage instincts

And if you haven't read Cindy's latest posts your are missing out. When you go check out her Make It For Monday party, you should take the time to read her posts about decorating and style.

I'm loving Nordic French style

2010-01-03T15:22:00.000-08:00

I am really loving French Nordic style right now. It feels so very familiar and comforting somehow. It combines the things I love: organic, calm, well loved belongings, things combined and used in unusual ways, and lots of texture. I recognize it when I see it but I often have trouble putting words to my experiences so am working and being able to describe and define the styles I like.

The Christmas tree has been put away so I thought that I would try to create a bit of French Nordic style here.

A mix of textures and some contrasts...

Old books, and in French no less (Christmas present from my wonderful husband)...

Silver and pinecones for that mix of styles...

Lots of nature and organic with a bit of style...

No old rosaries, but some crystal beads that were Grandma's...

Did I sort of capture the French Nordic look? I will keep tweaking. Suggestions or constructive critic is welcome to help me develop my knowledge and style.

And for you viewing pleasure here are some new sites I found to peruse:
Majsan Shabbychic

Lantif

lottens vita och grona

Random (and wandering) Thoughts

2010-01-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas was interrupted by 25 inches of snow falling during the snowstorm last week, but my family was finally able to gather at my place today. It was a wonderful day of family, food, presents, kids, dogs, and a little X Box 360 racing. Max and Ginger evidently got a little exhausted by the festivities.

Unlike the dogs, I got busy after everyone left and packed up Christmas, making way for the new year. And now that Christmas has been celebrated, I can shift to contemplating 2010.

I have run across a number of bloggers talking about their 'word' for the year. The word that keeps popping into my head is JOY. That is probably because I am a pretty happy camper with lots of things to make me thankful. But I wonder if JOY is a frivoulous word and I should find something more serious, some word with more weight. Or will I lose the joy in my daily life if I make it a focus? Yet, as I think about possible words, that is the one that keeps inserting itself in my thoughts. So perhaps, I can be thankful for the joy I experience in my life. And work to act in a manner that can bring joy to others lives. And find ways in which to bring more joy to tasks not usually associated with that description. Tasks like working towards healthier eating and activity, staying on top of cleaning and organizing, being more purposeful about finances. Actually, maybe if I work on creating and finding joy in those areas of my life I want to improve I can stay on track and find greater success. So there it is, my word for the year will be JOY.

True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.

--Antoine de Saint-Exupery--

(Picture borrowed from Treasures from the Heart--and check out her giveaway)

And since I am totally wandering, here are some of the things I am dreaming about for 2010. I don't do resolutions, I just do dreams and directions to head.

Being better at staying in touch with family and friends and adding more people and interaction into my life
Getting the gardens in shape in our new yard. The bushes need mega trimming and I want to add some apple trees, roses, clemantis, and more fall blooming flowers.
Placing in some reining horse competitions and getting my pleasure horse back into competition
Keeping up with my creative endeavors and expanding my skills and individuality
Convincing my husband we can add more animals to our menagerie and that I don't have an animal hoarding problem (hi sweetie!)
Exploring ways to increase my income without increasing my work hours

And last, but not least, here are some of the things I am sending to my daughter and hopefully adding a little joy to her life.

How is that for joyful randomness?!

Wishing you much joy and creativity in 2010!

Playing with Fairies--again

2009-12-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

I have had time to play with various ideas and materials while waiting for the snowstorm to fade away. I have had so much fun revisiting the idea of fairies and searching out vintage children's pictures. Meet some of my newest creations. They were spurred by a friend and co-worker offering to buy several fairies if I made some more. (Ugh, if anyone has advice on pricing feel free to email or comment. I've never sold anything before and it is really hard to think about putting a price on them.)

These are a bit more playful than my earlier ones with print wings. I have decided I like both styles!

They are just so much fun and take on so much personality as I try different wings and think about how to decorate their jars. Each one I make generates additional ideas.

Who knew you could capture fairies in the middle of a snowstorm?!

Merry Christmas Blizzard

2009-12-25T15:56:00.000-08:00

Mother Nature is exerting her power this Christmas! But she does it with beauty and grace. My husband and I have had a quiet Christmas at home with the animals as Interstate 29 is closed so no traveling to gather with family. (Although my most awesome husband did take me out to the barn to ride horse early Christmas Eve while we were waiting for the worst of the storm to start. He knew that if I couldn't be with my two footed family, my four footed family would partially fill the need. And it is always a major treat when he is willing to come and hang out at the barn as that is NOT his favorite thing to do.)

We are supposed to have another 24 hours of snow and wind so this is starting to look like the storms I remember from childhood. Storms just have more influence on your day to day life when you live out in the country! No putting the truck in four wheel drive and seeing what is going on like we usually did while living in town.

Wanna come visit? But don't use our front door!!

We (okay, really Jonathan did all the shoveling) went out to dig our way into the Morton building to feed and water the kittens. Their kitty door was a bit buried. The large white and grey cat was still visiting. We can't quite figure out whether a neighbor's cat spends a lot of time in our kitten's luxurious accomodations or whether we have a new cat....

Max and Ginger had to check things out also!

Thick fur is great for winter storms!

Christmas Joy

2009-12-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for Joy, and I often feel blessed that I experience moments of joy most days. Or maybe I just have a low threshhold for experiencing joy! LOL!

Anyway, here is a little shabby chic Joy to share with you...

I printed out the sheet music from Graphic Fairy and tore it into triangle shapes. I printed out JOY in a large french script font and cut the letters out to glue on the traingles. I used a paper punch and string to tie the banner triangles to some gold garland and duct taped it to the window frame above my kitchen sink. (Just keeping it real!)

I am joining the Make it for Monday party at cottage instincts for those last before Christmas projects.

I snuck into the Shabby Chic Transformation Thursday party late. ssshhh

Feathered Nest Fairy

2009-12-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

Dawn, author of The Feathered Nest blog is a wonderful artist. I so enjoy viewing her projects. I signed up for an online artists class this fall and included with the class was a tutorial on making Fairies in a Jar. Dawn is currently offering her individual tutorials for sale at her website. Below is my first attempt at capturing a small fairy, and more are in the works.

I wanted to try something a bit different for Christmas so made a fairy ornament. I am still looking for the right trim to put around the edge of the opening. If you have any great ideas let me know. It is a frigid -6 degrees here so I stayed home and will go searching over lunch one day this week.

Can you tell what I made the ornament from? A smoked oyster tin! (Yes, I enjoyed the smoked oysters first.... I am pretty sure that has got some of you saying eeww. ) I outlined the bottom of the tin on a peice of construction paper and cut it out. I used spray adhesive and glitter to give it some sparkle then glued on some small individual foil stars I had saved from something I had been mailed. Then glue to glittered paper into the back of the tin. Punch 2 holes in the front top edge of the tin and run a ribbon through to hang it up. I used a bit of moss ribbon cut into a thin strip and glued it at the bottom of the opening. The Fairy instructions came from Dawn at the Feathered Nest.

I think I will need to find someone else that eats smoked oysters so I can gather some more tins! I want to make some more of these!

Hope you had a great weekend and are enjoying the Christmas season!

Little Nothings

2009-12-12T21:50:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I spend my time completing seemingly meaningless activities. This might be one of those projects. But the outcome gives me a lot more satisfaction than playing computer solitaire. There are little vignettes all over my house that make me smile and feel good. So what exactly am I talking about? Wrapping empty boxes in odds and ends of paper, printing out vintage pictures provided by the The Graphics Fairy, and tying them up with cord and old trims.

This is the entry into my guest bedroom--which my husband calls the antique girly room. Click on the picture for a larger view if you want to see the packages more clearly. I found some old glittery pine trim in the bottom of one of my Christmas tubs and it added the perfect touch.

Then I liked that vignette so much, I decided to do something similar for the dining room table.

Who knew Tassimo boxes, smoked oyster boxes, and odd bits of cardboard could make such great Christmas decorations.

Have I told you how much I like being surrounded by large pine trees and being able to run out into the yard and gather greens as needed?! It sure makes Christmas decorating easier.

So this is how I wasted an hour or so on this fine cold Saturday.

There are lots of projects and blogs to check out at Funky Junk Interiors for the Saturday Nite Special. I am linking to that party, as well as the impromptu link party at Living with Lindsay, Romantic Home, Finding Fabulous, and poppies at play.

Kitten's Mittens

2009-12-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

Remember to head over to Funky Junk Interiors for Donna's Saturday Nite Special and see what everyone has been creating in blogland! I am linking to her party!

So this woman with two cats met this man with two cats and they got married. Now they have 6 cats, 2 dogs, and 5 horses. The house kittens have their Christmas mittens hung and are waiting for Santa to come fill them. (And thanks to the joys of Petromalt the kittens have been very very good.)

These were so much fun to make and so very simple. Felt, glue, and some simple sewing make the perfect kitten mitten. I think the dogs will just get socks.

Its beginning to look like Christmas

2009-12-06T20:28:00.000-08:00

It is begining to look like my version of Christmas anyway. One of the great things about our new place in the country is trees, lots of trees. I can find branches, gather greens, and enjoy inspiration all around me.

Several years ago I bought some geat ribbon/garland that consisted of small bits of glass and mirror on a glittered cord. Then the spools sat in my basket of ribbon waiting for the right time and place to use it.

Not sure where the idea came from, but I decided I needed some dead branches in my sunroom... Glitter garland and small metal stars finally found a match.

And since I also have a "thing" for nests, this seemed the perfect accessory for my branches.

As usual, I will continue primping and fluffing the room but here are the branches as they fit into the rest of the room. The garland catches the light and shines and glints like crazy but my camera just won't capture it. (Yep, Max is still enoying the newly slipcovered chaise. He and Ginger will be getting new Christmas collars later this week as soon as I pick up some more velcro.)

I am linking to Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.

What do PB and LaVyrle Spencer have in common?

2009-11-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

What do you suppose Pottery Barn and LaVyrle Spencer have in common? Hmmm??

I just got my PB catalog yesterday and as I was paging through it I saw these wreaths that I liked.

I went through the masses of books my husband and I have and found one that I really didn't value and would never look at again. (Sorry, romance novels don't hold a lot of interest for me.) So I started ripping out pages and rolling cones. I cut out a cardboard circle and used my hot glue gun to make a wreath.

I think it will hang in one of my kitchen windows. I hung it against a wall so you could see it better. I am thinking about using spray adhesive and glitter to add a little bling, but haven't decided yet. What do you think, glitter or no glitter?

Ssshhhh, don't tell anyone. It almost makes me want snow...

Check out these other great blogs for fun ideas:

The Inspired Room

The Shabby Nest

The DIY Show Off

A Soft Place to Land

Been play'n with my ponies

2009-11-18T07:22:00.000-08:00

The weather has been unseasonably warm here in northern North Dakota. No long underwear or even a coat required when I go riding my horses in the evenings. We basically just lost a month of winter weather! Hurrah!!

After work I rush home, change into my barn clothes and head out to the boarding barn.

So much fun loping my girls.

Lots of grooming and few treats after the ride and before their blankets go back on.

Horses are special.

Some of them are really special! LOL!

Photography by Christina Doyea--a present from my husband several years ago.

Christmas Ornaments?

2009-11-09T20:13:00.000-08:00

I have been playing around with things on hand and created some Christmas ornaments. I think I like them but really would like some objective comments. You know how sometimes when you are working on something that and you just can't quite step back and see it clearly? I also realize that these likely will appeal to some but not all. Seriously, constructive criticism will be appreciated!

Keep them or try again?!

Check out the 'I Can Make That' party at Just a Girl!
Kimba at A Soft Place to Land has her Do It Yourself Day party and a giveaway!
I just made my first visit to Reinvented and her Trash to Treasure party also.

Same Song, Another Verse and a Give Away!

2009-11-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

I do have some other 'tunes' in mind, but for the moment I am staying with a theme. There is only so much I can do in the hour or so I have taken to create. And I had to share with my husband las night. He actually (GASP!) used one of dropcloths to paint something. The horror!!

And you know what?! I have decided to give away a dropcloth. Details are at the end of this post.

More pleats 'cause I really like the way they look with the mix of formal and rustic.

Crown buttons since crowns seems to be a bit of a trend.

And my quick easy pillow. I have a few ideas for more pillows but will throw them in the background of some other projects so I don't end up boring people.

But, one button or five? Which do you like better?

And the Giveaway! I will send a Home Depot dropcloth to whoever wins a drawing I will do on November 21. To enter the drawing leave a comment telling me what you would do if you had a dropcloth to use or run through my blog and tell me which project I have made you like best. You can get a second entry if you post about the giveaway and let me know that you did so.

I am linking to the following:

http://www.lbratina.blogspot.com/

http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/

My First Award!!

2009-11-04T20:56:00.000-08:00

What a fun suprise in my mailbox this morning!! :) I recieved the Kreativ Blogger Award! Thank you RM from A Day in the Life... She has been blogging about the same amount of time I have and has shared some great pictures and projects on her blog!

And here are the "official" rules of the Kreativ Blogger Award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Blogs.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each.

Here are 7 things you probably don't know about me.

    1) I have a son getting married in February and I can not believe my kids are old enough to get married or that I am old enough to be mother of the groom. (I will be gaining a great daughter-in-law!)

   2) Chocolate is my downfall. If it is within reach, I probably ate it....

3) I am debating whether to start feeding the deer that wander through our yard.

4) I have 5 horses, 2 dogs, 3 inside cats, 2 outside cats and I think I am getting another puppy in the spring.

5)   I read at least a book a week and sometimes hate spending money on books because I read them so fast.

6) Blogging and my new house have allowed me to rediscover my creativity.

7) Balancing a full-time profession, family and friends, riding horses, blogging, making things, playing with my pets and routine household chores keeps me very very busy.

Now here are some bloggers that I think are worth checking out:

Annie at Birdcages and Butterflies

Sherri and Punk Rose Journal

Stefanie at Rose Petals and Rust

Karin at Style Sisters

Jennifer at Tatertots and Jello