I didn't have to wait until Spring....

I thought I was going to have to wait until a little closer to spring in order to make these wood window valances, but it was over 60 degrees on Saturday, and I got them done.

Now I just need to find some treasures to put up on top.
These are made from beetle kill pine wood. We have a lot of it throughout our house.

Grand Ole Opry.....Here I come!!!

I have not been to the Grand Ole Opry, but would love to go!
It does seem however that the charms I paint will get there before me!
The wholesaler I paint for informed me that The Grand Ole Opry and Opry Land Hotels has picked up this line for this year! Also Rod's Western Wear.

Flea Market Find

I found this great

"Old Tool" at a local flea market last week.

I hadn't been treasure

hunting in a while and actually had some time to kill.

This has been painted with Terrye French

designs.

I just love to repurpose things!

Consider this for a spring project!

A few years back I was featured on RoboMargo's website for a potting bench I made from an old door and scrap wood. Here is the link, just scroll down once there and you will find it. http://www.robomargo.com/yardart.html

She has the greatest ideas for turning Trash in to Treasure and has given me a lot of inspiration over the years.

Take a break and check out her website. http://www.robomargo.com/trash.html

Enjoy!

Another Cold Baby

This little guy had a cold beginning this morning. We have 25 first calf heifers calving this year. So far we have 5 on the ground and doing well. 1st calf heifers always need a little extra watching and often a little extra human help before their "mothering instincts" kick in. It was so cold, terrible winds all through the night and early morning. We had to bring this calf in for some "thawing". Our border collie bandit sometimes thinks he is a calf, and wants only the best for his herd. The calf went back to mom and as of this evening was doing great! We will see what tonight brings. This week is supposed to be much nicer! YEAH!

First Born

Of course on one of the coldest nights of the year so far, we had our first born calf. Born just at dusk. He struggled on the snowy ground to get his legs under him. The temperature kept dropping by the hour. -14 degrees with the wind chill we decided to bring him in for the night.

Under the space heater in our mudroom and the warm cuddle of our border collie Bandit, he thawed out and we took him out to his mother at the crack of dawn. The temperature had risen to a balmy 10 degrees! As of this afternoon, he is doing great and was nestled in the grass.

He is soooo cute! Only 97 more to go!!!!!!

So Charming....

I am excited about another new venture this year. I was asked if I would be interested in painting on jewelry charms for a wholesaler in Longmont. After meeting and discussing the in's and out's and experimenting with the product, we came up with some beautiful pieces. They have a band that bends over the turquoise necklace, so they are interchangeable. This will be a new line introduced next week. So we will see how many of these beauties I may be painting! Here are just a few samples....

A New Year ... A New Blog!

So here goes the new world of blogging!!

I am closing my main website TheCraftCabinOnline in March. Everything will be

moved to this new blog as well as my Etsy shop Thecraftcabin.etsy.com.

I hope to bring some fun ideas to share and gather new friendships as well as keeping my followers.

A little about me...

I am a wife to the most amazing husband of what will

be 30 years in August this year. We have 3 boys, ages 20, 17 and 16. They are our Pride and Joy!

We live on a small ranch in Fort Collins, CO. So besides the boys, I am "Meadow Mom" to 100 head of cattle.

Spring is a very happenin' place here with all the new babies being born. Pictures to come!!!!

We start calving in 21 days. We have one retired horse, 2 barn cats, and a border collie dog named Bandit.

My spare time is spent "In Therapy".....Painting and Crafting Therapy! I love to paint and turn pi

eces of what my husband refers to as "junk" into home decor. I enjoy going on "the hunt" to local flea markets and antique stores, garage sales and estate sales. A very good friend of mine showed me how to paint and let me borrow her scroll saw for a weekend. I was hooked. I started doing shows with her in 1997 and have been painting ever since. Our paths took us in different directions and I ventured out on my own. After having back surgery, It was difficult for me to do the shows, hauling all the heavy stuff around, so my husband and

I decided since I had gathered a "following" of people, that we would let them come to me. The Craft Cabin was born. A little building we had made and set up at the house.

I have my stuff set up year round with all seasons and people are welcome by appointment. I returned to doing the shows after a year off. My dream is to someday have my own store.......maybe once all the boys move on.