Merry Christmas Everyone & My New Years Resolution

I have been a bad....well not really bad...just very busy girl!  I love all the projects I get to do but it sure makes the time fly...I love my posting time but if I have to choose between doing or writing about it I am going to choose doing! 

So my goal is to have my office studio all cleaned up from the chaos of Christmas and ready to go for New Years.  I am dedicating one of my work tables to stay clear for my children to do little projects with me.  It usually just ends up piled with stuff and that is uneccesary and it will be nice for them to come in and do projects with me when they want and when they aren't using it I will have it set up as a wrapping station which will still leave room for them on a regular basis....useful in multiple ways..one of my favorite things! 

Happy New Years Everyone!  Make your goal something that pleases you and that serves a purpose and it will probably be something that sticks....well we hope anyhow! 

Fun Fall Adventures

Oh my gosh, so much going on!  The babies are are back to school, Jr. High both of them so I guess I shouldn't really say babies but you Moms out there know what I mean I am sure.  Time for Football and Volleyball games and practices, more homework than they know what to do with, but they are terrific and are doing a great job.

I am now at Pendleton Art and Frame instead of Bohemian Boutique.  That was a terrific place to spend the summer but it is really more of a clothing store than home decor items so the invitation to come to Pendleton Art and Frame was a blessing.  It was rush, rush for them in their new location with Round Up coming and rush, rush for me to get more items ready and build a display but we all made it through and the store looks amazing!

Getting ready for a run over to the Country Store with some fun Fall items...I am definately channeling black, white and grey for the fall...with some moody greens thrown in for good measure.  Starting to get ready for the Holidays, wrapping my brain and creativity around that.  I thankfully have had a tons of energy, guess all that stored up rest from my break this summer has kicked in.  I have been pumping out lots of projects that have been on hold...can't wait to share them.  I will have pictures uploaded next week of the new look in Walla Walla at Country Store.

We are headed to the coast next week as well for a working vacation weekend.  I will do buying for the store and pick up some materials for projects available on the west side of the state.  I look forward to sharing those projects and goodies with everyone through the Holidays.  Oh course we will enjoy all the central and northern part of the Oregon coast has to offer, my husband is looking forward to the sale at the Rogue Brewery...as am I.   I have a craving for some Cheddar Ale Soup with a crusty yummy bread to dip in it!  Found this yummy sounding recipe at the Pelican Pub & Brewery Blog.

This is another adventure we are looking forward to traveling down the Oregon Coast on the amazing

and crossing over bridges like this gorgeous old bridge....

Gorgeous- be sure to check back with me soon...

OMG! Wonderful, Crazy Trip....

so we had a lovely, lovely time in Chelan, the water was amazing, my family & especially sweet Aunt and Uncle were welcoming and generous as always....this is where we got to stay:

BUT it was a crazy adventure getting there and most definately getting home!  My husbands girlfriend Betty (his motorcycle!) started getting fussy and so my sweet Cousin let us park her in his garage and then we were off to Chelan in the van that I was driving with the kids & luggage to enjoy those amazing waters!  On the way home she was playing nice but then just as we got about 60miles from home these beautiful crazy looking skies....

... started a lighting firestorm that was like driving through the breath of a dragon!  Sounds dramatic I know but it was crazy, the wind came up due to the fire and it was crazy smoky and huge tumbleweeds started coming out and attacking us, my poor husband was getting pushed all over the place and trying to breathe in all that smoke was aweful!  Thank goodness for our dear friend who was shopping in town and brought her ramp just in case!  She rescued Betty and a kind man gave us a strap to lock her in the back of the truck and we made it home surrounded by lighting flashes and just as we walked through the front door the rain came!  Pouring down and drowning out the flames, dust and wind and we were safe inside our home with our dogs, who had been taken care of beautifully by another dear family friend, wanting lots of love...definately not a trip we will forget anytime soon! 

Pretty Things!

As I mentioned in my previous post I was down with a broken leg, near the end of my convelesance I managed to get a few projects done all by myself, aside the ones that my kind family helped me with that is!  I have to take a moment to thank my sweet husband for trying to be my picker!  He found adorable vintage chrome kitchen tables from the 40s & 50s...one of which made it to the Country Store and the other is in my Laundry Room as a folding table!  He and my sweet son also sanded tables and reassembled them for me after I finished them since mobility was an issue- I could sit on my stool and paint & stain though!

I have been helping my friend Susie with a few little items for her daughters wedding.  Susie's daughter had quite the dramatic proposal on the morning show "The Talk"  and it has been a big adventure just watching what Susie has done putting this wedding together, truly inspiring!  I had fun making cute tags, labels and signage for different items at the wedding...Susie says it is practice for when my daughter is grown and getting married -a terrifying thought to my husband!  Anyhooooo....here is a picture of a cute tag I designed for the wedding, with lots of input from Susie!  We punched the tags out for maximum cuteness and they tied them on these adorable bottles of honey as wedding favors....so cute!

Homemade Concentrated Laundry Soap-I Did It!

This is a picture of my Homemade Laundry Gel...now I know I am not the first to make Homemade Laundry Soap but I was very happy with how it all turned out and super glad to have my Laundry & Mud Room clean, finally!  So I wanted to share the recipe with you all as well as the site that inspired my version of the recipe that I got from The Little House in the Suburbs: 

Concentrated Laundry Gel:
(double batch)

1. Grate 2 Fels Naptha Bars-add to 2 quarts hot tap water in a sauce pan, heating over medium low heat until all soap is       melted to cream soup consistency & mustard colored.
 2. In a 2 gallon container add 2 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda & 2 cups Borax to 2 quarts hot tap water.
 3. Add half of melted Fels Naptha Soap & water mixture.
 3 Add 2 quarts hot tap water.
 4. Add rest of melted Fels Naptha mix.
 5. Rinse pot with final 2 quarts of hot tap water.
 6. Add 1 cup of 3X All and mix everything together, this stops goopiness and will turn your soap mixture to a lovely green.
 7. Let mixture rest, mixing once at the 2 hour point and then again at 4 hours.
 8. Let set up for 8 hours (final consistency is kind of like cold gravy-sounds weird I know!)

I hope this proves useful for your home as well.  The amazing thing about it is it costs less than 1cent per l/3 cup, which is what I use per large load and works beautifully.  The one thing I noticed is you need to put it directly into your laundry load in your HE washer as it is quite thick and won't completely rinse out of your dispenser area...for me, not having to put this into a giant bucket to make it a thinner consistency and store it was a big benefit and worth it! 

She's been a bad, bad girl!

I have been very, very naughty about posting!  I have an excuse though! Broke my leg!  I am up an at em now though.  I was looking at a couple new favorite bloggers, one of them being Miss Mustard Seed ...Marian is amazing!  I not only love her work but the volume of items she is able to complete is phenominal! Truly! My cohort at the Country Store, Cori of Starview Sonnet has items styled similiarly but thankfully on this coast instead of the East Coast!  Cori and I just did a little swap meet at the Country Store...it was a fun day...since it was the first one hosted by the store we learned a lot...I am hoping that Kyla, owner of the Country Store, will decide to do another one next summer!

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!

Got the ok to upgrade my amazing cutter and its FANTASTIC software!  I should have it at the end of the week if all goes well!  Yeah team! That software just works so great and it really stirs my creative process -love it! 

So glad that Cori from Starview Sonnett is going to get to share in the fun!  I can't wait to be even MORE creative! 

Maybe make these great box designs I found online -cute little truffle boxes!  

I am Mobile!

Its kind of funny and scary how easy it is to link up all of our technology with one another.  My twitter feed is mobile and on facebook, blog and website.  I can update my twitter account, blog & facebook with my cell phone -amazing!  And a little scary!  What happens if my phone gets lost!  Makes me want to embed it in my skin like Captain Picard on Star Trek! 

I have to laugh at myself sometimes...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the vintage part of my life, the decor, my home, admiration of old fashioned good sense....but I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the technology given to us nowadays.   I just want to find a good, common sense balance between the two. 

One small step for the cayuse cowgirl one big step for her blog ! I love technology!

The Sun is Coming, The Sun is Coming!

Thank Goodness, per the weatherman we are suppossed to have a sunny weekend!  The first in a very long while.  Three whole days even!  My poor tomatoes have been having a rough time of it, they are very much craving some heat. 

Ran over to my booth at the Country Store in Walla Walla yesterday with some new candles and goodies....Kyla, the owner, is just so great.  The store looks just fantastic and she has several new vendors with some amazing items. 

Additionally, my friend Valerie at Bohemian Boutique in Pendleton has gotten her store looking just amazing with the help of her daughter Kim -so spiffy and right there fashion wise, lots of fun, breezy items to wear for the summer!  Plus she lets me have my girls for a little change of pace for her customers. 

Try to stop by and see them -you won't regret it!  Later Gaters!

Its My Birthday!

My sweet, sweet family has been so great!  The roses are planted, the bad grass dug up, the planter is a hare's breath from being finished and ready for planting!  I can't wait to get that completed.  All that is left to to is transplant my rhubarb into a new whiskey barrel planter and get the Parisienne Clematis in the ground as well as the lovely delphiniums I was able to get with my birthday gift card to Home Depot-thank you Sis for those!

I got some cool radishes and carrots to plant, the radishes are dark, dark red, almost black on the outside and the carrots are purple flame!  Then some dill and the cucumbers and beets in the big new planter.  Fun and healthy and pretty -what could be better!  Enjoy your day-I have! with lots of help from my crew!

It's My Birthday -Almost!

Its kind of funny the expectations we can all have about birthdays.  For my sweet family and I we have a rule that whomever's birthday it is rules the day and possibly the weekend!  My poor husband gets pounded in May, our anniversary, Mother's day, our sweet son's birthday and my birthday too! Yikes!  I on the other hand LOVE IT!  The flowers are blooming, its time to plant the garden and whatever I say goes!  Well mostly.

So this weekend we are planting my beautiful new roses...the lovely one I got from my sweet family for Mother's day and the Eden Rose I have been over the moon for since I first saw it in Country Living!  It is stunning and I can't wait to smell their fragrance and see them romantically climbing the corner of my porch....

from the: http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

and we're baaaaaack! (Jimmy Fallon being funny)

So much fun!  With a little scary adventure being thrown in for good measure...the scary you wonder?  Oh just two tornadoes right next two us, geographically speaking!  We had a good if long drive there & by the way be sure to gas up in Wyoming if you can, gas is about 75cents cheaper there than Oregon.  The mountains outside of Ogden were just gorgeous...see picture below & in Oklahoma City and Arkansas they are already planting their tomatoes!  We have a couple more weeks at least -thank goodness for my AeroGarden!  

Loved, Loved, Loved the antique stores in Missouri and Nebraska, just as before they have the best stuff!  I adore all the 1920s 30s farm items you can still get there -wonderful stuff!  The Honest Peddler just off the highway near Lamar MO was wonderful and Memories in Lexington NE I must confess were my favorites for the big stuff, for some serious deals check out the Hilltop Mall in Russellville AR, you have to dig a little but really good finds are there.  I am still kicking myself for a couple of treasures I let slip by me in Missouri...ce la vie!  If you want some super yummy food check out Swopes just outside of Kansas City....best foot long sausage dog ever!  Some seriously delicious fudge at a wonderful Pecan place right before there...yum yum!  Now I just wish gas wasn't so stinking expensive so I could go back and get those treasures I missed!  Come visit me at the Country Store in Walla Walla and see all my new treasures PLUS at Bohemian Boutique,15 SE Court in Pendleton, I will have some of my yummy Keepers of the Light Candles and some adorable vintage cheese boxes from my trip!

Mountains outside of Ogden UT:

and we are packing....

So excited!  almost time to go, I am really looking forward to the shopping -promise! But even more than that the road trip with my sweet family has me really excited... LOVE THEM!  Can't wait to hit this spot and experience it all!  http://www.bigtexan.com/

So Excited! New Candles are Coming!

Can't wait!  I am ordering my favorite candles ever again! The Keepers of the Light...they are sooo good! They smell JUST like whatever the scent is, I am can't wait to enjoy the new Chocolate Chip Cookie and Butterscotch Pudding plus old favorites like Almond Pound Cake and Juicy Apple...and when you have used up the candle...about 180 hours later!....you have the adorable jar to use as well!  I will have them at Bohemian Boutique in Pendleton as well as at the Country Store in Walla Walla-Come check them out!

By Jove! I think I've got it...

I may just be getting some of this stuff figured out...thank goodness!  I successfully posted a new picture on my website of my booth in Walla Walla at the Country Store - love, love, love it there!  I helped my new friend and partner in "crime" at Bohemian Boutique get rolling on her website and we are brainstorming about fun things for her store that she kindly lets me bring pretties into for everyone here in Pendleton AND I actually put links to my Etsy profile and store on my main webpage at http://www.cayusecowgirl.com/!  I am feeling just a tad bit smarter today than I was yesterday!  Thanks to the apps and helping tutorials on Etsy!

I hope everyone has a wonderful St. Patricks Day and Happy Spring!

Getting There!

Alrighty then....finally got my website updated over at cayusecowgirl.com it is of course still a work in progress but I am getting there.  Valerie at Bohemian is such a kind soul...I am really glad she invited me to join her. 



My Dad's Blue Ribbon Legacy!



Getting pretty excited about my buying trip down south.  My family and I will drive to Wyoming then down to Texas and over to Arkansas looking for treasures for my booths and enjoying our destination,  that being the treasure of family and a whole new area to find special items for everyone back home in Oregon.  For me this trip truly is about the journey not just the destination.  I can't wait to see my husband's family but I really enjoy these cross country trips.  You get to see our nation in a whole new way. 

We are looking forward to Amarillo where we have some special adventures planned for there as well!  I will keep you updated, check me out on Facebook!

Kicking it off on Court

2/15/11:  Home...what a lovely word. After loading up my niche at the Bohemian Boutique, I have a lovely sense of warmth and welcome.  My sweet children helped me carry in my girls today and Valerie oohed and aahed and I just felt so darn happy!  It is such a lovely feeling to have when someone "gets" your creation.  Thank You Valerie, Thank You.

Catch Me on Court

2/10/11: Exciting News - The Cayuse Cowgirl has a new home in Pendleton!  Valerie of the Bohemian Boutique has invited me into her wonderfully eclectic mix.  Come check out our wares at 15 SE Court...I will have my girls along with some special new maidens and some soiled doves too!  If you don't know who my girls are, well that is just all the more reason to stop by for a visit!  I am excited to be a part of the wonderful myriad of goods at this charming shop across from Hamley's in wonderful downtown Pendleton!