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,