February Photo Challenge Winner...

happy almost march day!

i awoke to a chilly morning but there was a touch of spring around me...

it could be totally wishful thinking but the stirring was there within me...

just a quick post today to announce the winner of my first photo challenge...

*thank you* to all who entered and played along; i SO enjoyed viewing the themes through your lenses...

the winner of florabella's luxe II action set is:

bucolic beauty's {far and away}

this photo simply spoke to me...

to the girl who once was, the girl who i'm learning to reconnect and listen to...

a gentle reminder that my little one who wears princesses dresses and orange sprinkler boots will all to soon be past the whimsical and nonsensical days...

*thank you* karrina for sharing your loved photo with us all...

please email me to let me know which version of actions you need..{.photoshop or elements} and i will get your prize to you!

Featured Photos...

i just knew that this challenge would be my *absolute* favorite!!

all the photos were unbelievable and i had the most difficult time narrowing it down to five...

but five i picked and they are...

alabaster rose design's {vintage memories}...this is just beautiful...one item on the top of my finding list is an old mantel...sigh...*bliss*...

four corner design's {clocks}...this photo just speaks to me...*beautiful*

buckets of burlap's {old chippy door}...i think the chippy paint says it all...

4 story time's {rambler}...i think i need a rambler of my own...

country momma's {grandpa's shoes}....*love* the simplicity...

*thanks* to everyone for joining in this month and giving us a peek of your {loved} photos...

i plan on hosting some more challenges in march, maybe every other week...

any themes you would all suggest?? i have a couple in mind but would love to know what you think...

drawing for florabella's luxe II set will take place monday...

be sure to check back for a recap of the featured photos and the winner!

hope the rest of your weekend is *fabulous*...we are expecting more snow...sigh...

bull sale was a good time...3 came home with more phone bids going on today and next month...sigh...also, talk of me AI-ing pure bred heifers?!? you can bet this month will be full of adventures!

{dreaming}...

as i sit looking out the window towards a dreary, windblown day...

i find myself dreaming...

of sunshine, floral~filled senses, and warm simplicity...

pinterest helped bring a touch of spring to my day and i thought i would share...

enjoy and {dream}...

{if anyone knows the original sources would you please let me know so i can link over..thanks}

oh, and since i will be leaving bright and early for a bull sale i've decided to give you all an extra day to enter our final february challenge {once loved} here..

final 5 photos will be featured saturday and a winner will be announced first thing monday...

absolutely *beautiful* photos so far...be sure to check it out!

Whitewashed...

did everyone have a wonderful extended weekend??

i had so much planned but the kids and i got swept up in the adventure of trying to save princess peach...

all i will say is...dang...what happened to my {skilz} from 20 years ago??? ;0)

anyhoo...

i did manage to rearrange my living room and kitchen...

you know one good thing about closing shop....

having to bring some vintage goods home!! :0)

just a little preview until it is completely put together...

there is one item that i am going CrAzY over...

cannot wait to share!! hopefully i will have a little more discipline when next weekend rolls around.. ;0)

oh wait, there is a bull sale this weekend so i just might get side tracked while in the midst of all those wranglers....

just keeping it real girls... maybe this time i won't forget my camera so you can get side-tracked too...

what do you say?!? ;0)

don't forget to enter the {once loved} challenge here, this will be the last challenge held before i draw the winner of florabella's luxe II set...

speaking of florabella...yep, they have finally been released, texture set III!! whoot, whoot!! you seriously do NOT want to pass by this set! *amazing*

photos above where processed with {whitewash} i do believe it is going to be my favorite!

{oh and hint, hint; more faded prairie challenges coming up in march with aforementioned textures up for grabs}

Faded Prairie Photo Challenge {3}..

this little post is going to be jam packed...

hang with me okay! :0)

first...

*THANK YOU* to all for your kind, kind words and encouragement with this post....

i am feeling relieved this weekend with my decision, relieved and grateful, that it was my decision, i wasn't forced into it by other circumstances, failures, and someone else's decision making...i'm not sure if i could have handled it otherwise...

just to clarify a little...i'm not giving up blogging or my etsy store...

blogging has given me *amazing* opportunities and friendships that i wouldn't have had otherwise, i am very blessed in this; i can focus more on my vision for this little piece of the prairie and hopefully will have opportunities to meet up with some of you faithful readers during my travels this summer!!

now for our winners of last weeks photo challenge....*loved*...

ally's {baby blues}..oh.my.goodness!!!

bucolic beauty's {far and away}...this photo speaks for itself...perfection!

deborah's cut out cookies...yum!! the focus on this photo just blew me away!!

i'm just jody's {heart}...the texture on this is *divine*!!

forever junkin's grain sacks...i share this *love* also...{she was so nervous on joining...*thank you* dear girl for taking the leap!!}

*thank you* to all who entered...*absolutely amazing* photos this week!!

for our final photo challenge of the month and keeping with the {love} theme...how about...

{once loved}...

share with us any item, vintage or antique, that was once {loved} and has found {love} again in your hands...

i do believe this is going to be my absolute *favorite*!!

for my entry my photo incorporates a couple of my *favorite* once loved goods...

barn vents, white ironstone, and milk/cream cans...

i just can't seem to get enough of these type of finds...*bliss*... :0)

CANNOT wait to see your once {loved} photos!! be sure to enter here in our flickr group...

*thank you* again for all your support and joining in on the challenges! i have some fun ideas for next months challenges...

oh...and i finally got around to creating a button:

{code can be found on sidebar}

would *love* to have you add it to your blogs and help spread the word about the photo challenges!

hope your weekend is fabulous!

Understanding...

so i have to be honest...

this past month has been difficult...

i've had to make a MAJOR decision...

concerning my shop...

oh how i *love* this place...

meeting people who share a *passion* for vintage, discarded items...

sharing my heritage and giving voice to {what once was}...

but it is time to move on...

i have struggled with letting go...

i feel as if i have abandoned the small, shy girl of my youth...

that i have turned my back on her one true dream...

it has been hard, could have been harder...

i have some *AMAZING* opportunities this year...

some opportunities that a shy little girl could NEVER have dreamed of happening to her...

i am NOT giving up on my passion, i am just refocusing, going down a different path that has been opened to me because i was strong, and brave enough to take the leap and open my brick and mortar store...

to *live* ONE of my dreams...

i have learned that there will be regrets in life, it is life of course, we never know how to do EXACTLY right...

but i would rather my regrets come from my decision of letting go of something material, of something i felt i was really {to put it plainly} half-assing...

than regrets that i didn't take time for my little ones and family...

time moves SO fast that i want to try and immerse myself in each moment, and rejoice in the pure, simply, beauty...

so...

i hope you will understand my absence from this little blog here...

i have had to mourn a little...

and *thank* to that shy, little girl who once was for giving me courage, whispering loud enough, and dreaming of the kind of LIFE she truly wanted to live...

Faded Prairie Photo Challenge {2}

goodness...

i had NO idea how hard it would be to pick 5 photos to be featured here...

i think my empty stomach didn't help matters either... :0)

so the first faded prairie photo challenge finalists in no particular order...

photomamato4's *APPLE LOVE* ....stunning use of texture and creativity...

Robyn's *CUPCAKE SEA*...simply beautiful, the bokeh alone makes my heart go *pitter patter*

Monica's *LUCKY IN LOVE*...this is just pure creativity...

Jo's *CHOCOLATE COVERED*...{dream} of these...beautiful, simple, photograph

Susan's *HOMEMADE*...i have to admit i have NEVER been able to bake bread to save my life, i think this is pure, raw beauty...

congratulations to the five featured photos!!

you will all be put in for the drawing at the end of the month for florabella's new luxe II actions!!

*thank you* to everyone who joined! the photos were all simply {stunning}!

are you ready for this weeks challenge?!?

of course it has to be *LOVED*...

with valentine's day approaching share anything, everything, and anyone who is loved and cherished in your life...

remember this challenge is for EVERYONE...you don't have to have the best, most expensive camera...you don't have to shoot in manual...you don't have to apply all the {rules} of photography...

just the desire to live in the moment and capture {pure beauty}...

my photo this week is my wee one...

i *love* that she is strong, independent, and dare i say completely {stubborn}...

i *love* that her imagination is used to it's full potential...

i *love* the pink she brings into our lives...

i *love* that she makes me shake my head and wonder...

so be sure to share your *loved* photos here..

cannot wait!! i hope you all have a wonderful, romantic weekend!!

A Dreamer...

for the nettles were no barrier to me, a dreamer, I walked enchanted,

and nothing held me back

daphne du maurier

~rebecca~

p.s. be sure to enter the photo challenge here with your amazing food photos!!

Inspiration Studio...

hello dear girls...

i just wanted to let you know i'm over to the inspiration studio today...

talking about whispers...

would {love} to have you come over and share...

also remember to join in the photo challenge for this week...

for the {love} of food...

share here...

5 photos will be featured each week and will be entered to win florabella's new luxe II action set!!

for more details on the photo challenge this week stop by here....

i hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!

February Photo Challenge...

bbbrrrr....

while we've had the cold {below zero} temps here, we didn't get a drop of snow...

i know you can cuss...

my heart goes out to you all you are swimming in the white stuff...

don't fret you'll soon be swimming in aqua blue before too long right?!? ;0)

so with all the *amazing* photo challenges and linky parties i thought we'd give it a try here on the prairie...

once a week i'll give you a little challenge, something to stretch your skills, and view life differently through your lens...

don't fret if you haven't the best of the best camera, haven't made the switch over to manual, or just really haven't a clue as to what you are doing...

a great photo is a great photo {simple as that girls!} :0)

i just want you to have the desire to capture beauty, to sink yourself in the moment of everyday...

so the first challenge:

For the Love of Food...

i know...a little strange...

but food during february is {divine}...

the desserts alone are enough for my {heart} to go pitter patter...

one thing i can't get enough of...

cinnamon hearts...

so show me your love of food here...

i've created a flickr group for us all to view and join...

each week i will browse through the group and pick 5 photos to feature here before the next challenge...

at the end of the month one lucky featured photo will win...

florabella's new luxe II set...

let me just say...

simply {stunning}...

my two photos for this week's challenge were processed with blush and love from the set...

so there you go...

go and capture a moment of pure beauty this week...

cannot wait to see life through your lens...

Moments..

today is an art day...

i enjoy these simple moments of quiet creativity with my kids...

what about you? how are you bundled up on this cold day??

Shop Talk...

wednesday?!?!

february!?!

i didn't think it would be possible to get any more behind than what i already was...

and yep this past week...nothing getting accomplished but calving...

not me...

the cows...

thank goodness...

i haven't had a chance to really stock the shop, and search for faded finds...

but i have found a few...so just a little sneak peek of new finds that i'm working on getting photographed this week...keeping fingers crossed...but did i mention that i haven't done taxes yet?!? ugh...this time of year, i swear...

also this week....

~photography courses...

~*FABULOUS* giveaway...

~the why of what...

~and of course baby calves... :0)

i hope everyone is staying warm and cozy...

i don't know about you all but i am SO ready for {spring}!!