A Year...

hello dear readers...

i hope everyone had a joyous christmas season...

ours was wonderful...

magic...

and spent near the bedside of my husband's grandpa who's health is failing..

we reflected on life...

a life that has been amazing...

a life we deeply respect and love...

he is hanging on, and we are weeping for lost opportunities...

so this past season will hold a very special place in our hearts and in our memories...

i wanted to also do a little reflecting on this past year and what it has meant to me...

of where i have journeyed..

2010 started cold and bitter here on the prairie...

huge snowfall totals made it difficult for cattle on the winter range to make it...

a huge loss was taken by many in the agriculture business..

but we endured...

2010 was a year of growth for my brick and mortar store as well as my online shop...

i learned to listen...

to the small whispers of truth...

the raw being of myself...

i learned to trust...

in my gifts and my dreams...

of becoming a true photographer and an artist...

{there i whispered the word....ARTIST...}

it is who i am...

and it has been recognized...

2010 brought forth an adventure that i will not soon forget...

a trip to the pacific northwest...

to finally meet my favorite barnhouse boys, dear, dear sue, and darling natalie and lissa...

truly remarkably, talented, kindred spirits...

{2011 promises another trip with some exciting news....} :0)

2010 has been full of truths...

full of dreams realized...

my family is healthy, my family is happy, my family is my world and i am SO blessed in this little life of ours...

i am SO excited to begin a new year...

to EMBRACE my journey...

the ups and downs, all the joys and trials...

they make up who i am...

i am SO grateful to have each and everyone of you to follow along in my journey and to give strength and guidance...

thank you to all...i never realized how many kindred spirits blogging would bring into my life...

simply blessed...

happy new year!

one final...

well it is official...

i'm panicking... {did you know this is correct...the spelling i mean...how do you go from panic to adding a k + ing?!?} ;0)

however you spell it doesn't change the fact that i only have 3 days to complete baking, delivering, cleaning, cleaning, and cleaning... :0)

i wanted to share so much with you this past week and we ended up calving heifers all weekend long...

which was really kind of nice...no computer....no television...no internet...no toys...

i had big plans for christmas cards this year too...

but trying to get everyone all dressed up and posed and smiling just wasn't happening...

so this is as good as it gets this year...

the packages have all been wrapped...

do you wrap all santa's presents or do you have him and his elves set some goodies out??

by the fifth present i've about had it so we always have him set each child's goodies on the couch...

every year i try to revisit some childhood stories that are pure magic...

1. how the grinch stole christmas...

2. the best christmas pagent ever...

3. tasha tudor's illustrated copy of the night before christmas..

and our absolute favorite...

4. the red ranger came calling {this book has the most amazing illustrations and the ending never fails to bring magic into our home...this is a must for every christmas library...}

this year has been amazing...

i have had doors open that i would never would have dreamed...

i am stretching my wings and soaring onto new adventures...{one i'm SO excited about is the making of my own photoshop textures to sale...eeeee!! look for them towards the end of january}

i am SO *blessed* to call each and everyone of you a true friend and kindred spirit...

thank you for all your love and support...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

big prairie loves...

kristin

Prairie Tradition No. 2...

can you believe christmas is next weekend?!?

before it has come and gone i wanted to share another little tradition that brings magic into our home...

december first arrives along with our house elf...

now i'm not talking the scary elf on the shelf kind of thing...{they give my kids nightmares...}

just a little elf named tinsel who flies down from the north pole on her reindeer cookie crumble to keep watch over my wild prairie children and make sure they behave...

we will find little notes tucked among the branches of our tree, or maybe one or two cookies missing while we've been away...

she really helps keep things somewhat calm, the kids know santa has a hard time keeping an eye on all the children so he sends a little elf to keep watch...

what new or old traditions brings a little christmas magic into your home??

The Inspiration Studio No 2 and Pets..

hello dear readers...

i hope everyones weekend went well...

i was treated to an anniversary dinner...

yep...13 years!?!?

really crazy...sometimes i don't think i'm quite old enough to have been married that long!! ;0)

todays post is short and sweet...just wanted to let you know i'm posting at the inspiration studio today...

it is all about one word...

truth...

i also thought i would enter this little photo at i {heart} faces...

it's all about pets this week and goodness knows how much *love* and *care* our cattle receive! :0)

Raw Beauty..

just a quick post today to let you know that i'm in the Test Kitchen today cooking with kim's new vintage textures...

my recipe shows you how a little adjustment can bring out the raw beauty of your photo and the texture you are using...

the test kitchen is a membership site...you can become a member for just $10.00 a month or four months for $25.00..{would make a fabulous christmas gift!!}

look forward to seeing you in the kitchen!!

Prairie Snowflake Tutorial..

thank you all for your kind words about our christmas tree...

i wish you could all come over for an evening under it's boughs to create and share in the christmas magic...

the photos really don't do justice to this evergreen...

and i'm still trying to get the hang of my new lens {loving it!!}

i want to share with you a little tutorial on the {prairie snowflakes}...

gather an assortment of vintage/antique doilies...{these are not paper doilies...i've had a couple people ask...}

i first tried spraying the doilies with a little starch...

even the heavy duty stuff didn't quite do it...

the {snowflakes} still flopped when hung so i brought out the tried and true good stuff...

mod podge...

give the doily a good coat on one side { i did this on aluminum foil so i could peel it off without the doily sticking to it once it was dried}

flip over a coat the other side...

and let dry...{being an impatient prairie girl i plugged in the hair dryer and speeded up the process a little}

the modge podge will dry clear so no worries...

i wanted to add just a little touch of industrial grey to the {snowflake} so i used unfolded paper clips for the hangers and added a little bow of prairie jute twine...

hhhmmm...i just told myself that...the paper clips were a quick handy fix right then...impatience once again...

a there you have it...

{prairie snowflakes}...

i also added some dried babies breath to my tree...

a little bit more romance without overwhelming the natural beauty of the tree...

keep me posted if you end up making your own {prairie snowflakes} would *love* to see how yours turned out!!

i'm joining jami and airing my laundry here... *love* this girl!!

and also wendy for frugal friday...

and also...

prairie hugs,

Christmas Tree 2010...

well the first week of december has come and gone...

yes, i might have spoken a little early in my whole christmas shopping...

but when does it end??

so no fruitcake for this prairie girl until this weekend...

my thighs are thanking me...

so after our whole adventure hunting for the perfect christmas tree, i have to admit i wasn't too sure...

but i do believe this has to be our very {best} christmas tree yet...

the kids have a little tree in their room so i was able to go all neutral and romantic with the decorations this year...

i usually have red poinsettias but thought the white would bring everything together...

i really have to say i'm in *love* with them...

i did all new handcrafted ornaments this year...

really raw and natural...

prairie {linen} round ornaments...

and antique doilies turned {snowflakes}...

the doilies have to be my absolute *favorites*...

i will give you better photos and a little tutorial tomorrow...

really easy and add a touch of raw beauty to the tree...

sorry about the blurry photos...

i'm wanting a new tripod for christmas...

but since i received a early christmas to myself i'm not betting on one...

i couldn't be more *excited* about my early christmas though...

the new lens is divine and i can't believe i have lived without this long!! ;0)

the gingerbread man has been spotted in "someplace far away" so says my little mccrae...i'm hoping for a little more detail to pass onto you all but you know 5 year olds...;0)

Prairie Tradition No. 1...

hello dear girls...

i hope everyones weekend was cozy, warm, and full of joy...

i spent the weekend finishing christmas shopping, and creating...

yes i said finished...last week i had only one gift...and this week...finished!!

bring on the fruitcake!! :0)

i wanted to share some of the traditions of my childhood and also some that i have started with my own little family in the coming weeks...

one tradition that will be new to us this year is the 12 days of christmas advent calender...

please don't mind the picture frames without any pictures...

{does anyone else do that?!? hang frames and then never get any photos in them...no?!?}

sigh...

i made the calender with small brown paper bags, doilies, vintage stamps, and some vintage ephemera i had...

it was suppose to be one for the whole month...but i ran out of ideas to fill the bags and then wall space was an issue too...

so the tradition of 12 days of christmas was born!! :0)

the goodies tucked inside range from reeses' peanut butter trees {i had to fight the husband off...really...it wasn't me that suggested not including them...i only go for the pumpkin shaped ones...the trees just don't cut it for me....} ;0)

family game night certificates, candy canes, and coal bubble gum...

the kids are really excited and i just hope the bags hold up to all the poking and prodding... ;0)

i also wanted to give a *BIG* thank you to all who have joined in the gingerbread man chase!! he {officially} escaped on friday and the sightings should start coming in...i will be sure to let you know where he has been spotted and since mccrae will get to bring home all the cards his family and friends sent in, i will snap a photo for all you darling readers...you are all SO {wonderful} and i am SO {blessed} to have such amazing friends...*thank you*

i'm also linking up to wendy's frugal friday...such an inspiration!!

Gingerbread Man Chase...

happy 1st of december!!

how in the world did we get here?!? i'm not sure where november went!!??

i also have a confession...

i have one christmas present bought...

yep...ONE?!?

do you think it is time to panic yet?!? ;0)

at least we have the trees up and strung with lights...

the beauty above is gracing our living room and is waiting for new german glass glitter ornaments, a prairie rag garland, and i'm thinking some rusty bits from the barn...hhmm...

this year was the first time my husband and i have ever uttered the words...

{fake tree} + {prairie home}

it was not the best conditions to go traipsing out in search for the perfect christmas tree...

the kids gave up on us and the tree...

they decided to stay at grandma's after a failed attempt...

so i'm hoping to get photos of the finished tree before christmas but i'm really not promising much...

yes, there has been a year where no ornaments were ever added...

okay maybe two...

alright then...anyone still reading along?!?....

this post really went WAY beyond what i had planned...

i really wanted to ask my dear prairie readers for a HUGE favor...

you see i have a little boy who's kindergarten class is making a gingerbread man in school...

this little gingerbread man is already planning his escape...

he is wanting to visit all of you before his fate of being eaten by a bunch of five-year olds...

would you dear readers be willing to send along a postcard telling the kids that you have spotted their gingerbread man and what shenanigans he was up to?!?

something like this:

dear ms. davis' class,

my name is ______ i am a friend of mccrae's mom and just wanted to let you know that i spotted the gingerbread man here in _______!! i caught him trying to snack on my fruitcake and hot chocolate. he slipped through my fingers before i could catch him!! i hope he finds his way back to you soon!

sincerely,

___________

postcards need to be mailed by the 14th of december so ms. davis can get them read to the kids before they get out for the christmas holidays...

the address is:

ms. davis' kindergarten

loa elementary school

p.o. box 130

loa, ut 84747

would you mind making this the best gingerbread chase for my little mccrae?? we would *love* to see how far and wide the gingerbread man traveled...

*thank you* so much for taking the time to make this a magic moment for my little boy...

prairie hugs,

Raw and Romantic...

the shop in now open!! yay!!

with new finds added today and throughout the rest of the week...

with the new line i really wanted bring out the beauty of the raw...

add a touch of feminine to rustic, industrial finds...

i'm also incorporating some of my new mixed media and altered art...

so be sure to check back often throughout the week...

prairie hugs...

Faded News...

hello dear readers....

i hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving!!

ours went well, and guess what....

we are getting ready to go and do it all again with the in-laws! :0)

so thanksgiving has lasted ALL weekend for us!

i told you it was my favorite holiday!...

i just wanted to stop in and give you a little sneek peek of the new raw and romantic line coming next week to the prairie...{with luck!!} ;0)

i also wanted to let you know that i have been asked by sweet kim to contribute to a couple of her sites...

the inspiration studio where we spread kindness, encouragement, and share inspiration throughout blogland...

i will be posting about incorporating industrial, vintage goodness into your home and talk a little about What Once Was...

you can find my first post here...

kim's second site is...

the photoshop test kitchen...

this is a site where members learn all about textures, receive free textures and brushes, learn tips and tricks about photoshop and oh so much more!!

i absolutely *adore* what kim has done with each site and the contributors are *absolutely* amazing!!

{thank you dear kim for making several dreams come true for this prairie girl...i'm SO excited to be joining you!!}

please be sure to check out her sites...there is SO much to learn and share!

i've included buttons on my sidebar for easy navigation...

enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

prairie hugs...

Grateful...

my favorite holiday is upon us...

the cooking starts in a few minutes and i wanted to share my quick holiday table with you...

nothing extreme, raw and simple...

a vintage store display sign turned chalkboard with a gentle reminder...

a vintage sap bucket filled with wild rose hips gathered from the prairie...

a antique photo of those who came before....

ironstone, pewter, and vintage doilies...

and a antique horn handled carving set...

i am {SO} grateful for this life i have been handed...

i am so {grateful} for you all who come and visit me on my little prairie...

i {am} so grateful for being able to live my dreams...

i am so grateful for each opportunity to unfurl my {wings}...

i am so grateful for {rug rats} with peanut butter faces and baby doll bangs....

{happy} thanksgiving my dear friends!!

A Prairie Girl Winner...

{processed with florabella's soon to be released textures}

just wanted to pop in real quick to announce the winner of lisa leonard's gift certificate...

*thank you* all who entered and took the time to comment...

i really am SO blessed to have so many wonderfully, sweet blogging {kindred} spirits...

you really bring a {smile} to this prairie girl's day...

so the winner of the $50.00 gift certificate is....

#42....Jennifer From the Ranch House...

congrats dear girl!! please email me with your information...

i'll be back tomorrow with an industrial thanksgiving tablescape...

{which is huge for me because i usually can't see the top of my table due to all the crafting, farm bills, cattle registration, homework clutter..} ;0)

Raw and Romantic...

i've started gathering for a new line coming to the prairie...

raw and romantic...

of course florabella's new textures that are about to be released help bring out the romance of ironstone, prairie weeds, and a bit of industrial farm...

remember there is still time to enter for a $50.00 gift certificate for lisa leanord's amazing designs *here*

also, i joined a fellow prairie girl, cheyenne of little prairie baby for a cup of morning coffee here...

please stop in and join us...