2016?.....2017!!

Wow.... 2017. I cannot believe you are here, welcome at last! A new year full of opportunities, adventures, and memories await us ladies! As I reflect back on 2016 at all the lessons learned, the growth made, and the goals achieved... I feel a great sense of gratitude and fulfillment for this past year.

However, I know for some of us that wasn't the case. 2016 was a hard year for a lot of families and individuals. Maybe you suffered a hard loss, or were faced with difficult challenges and situations. Sure, you learned some valuable lessons and gained personal strength and growth from those lessons. However, it doesn't make them any easier to swallow or accept.

 If this was how 2016 ended up being for you, I want you to view 2017 like a tidal wave....have you heard this analogy? It is by far one of my favorites and I refer to it often when things aren't going my way.....follow along with me:

 Picture yourself standing in the ocean... the tide goes out and all you see is the ocean floor, the sand your feet have sunk into, and the water going farther and farther away.....this is 2016, all that has happened within those 365 days. Think about that for a moment, release all of the tension, negativity and losses of the past year. Let it roll away with the tide.

Now, I want you to re-frame, change your mindset, and shift your thinking to the new opportunities and goals that 2017 has to offer you. Look back out to the ocean....what's coming in? The tide goes out and then, just like that, you see it...massive abundance! The water comes rushing back in and all is fulfilled again! This is 2017 rushing in FULL OF ABUNDANCE for you and your loved ones, to refresh and renew you. To re-inspire you and let you know that you are not finished yet. Life has so much more to bless you with!

 The beauty in life are these highs and lows, they are inevitable. We cannot control them or run from them. However, what we can control is our outlook, attitude and mindset. If you can master these three things, the lows will no longer be viewed as lows, but instead as an opportunity to raise your standards. As a chance to grow into the person you are striving to be. The highs will be viewed as blessings and a time of gratitude, a time to plan your next few steps toward your goal or development of your higher self.

 Welcome to 2017 my fellow Cowgirls and Homemakers. Let's set our mindset to a higher level and our attitude to a better frequency. Let's own this year and give it all that we have got!

I believe in you and I believe in this year.

Outfit of the day, October 2nd 2016

Outfit of the day! I love finding good deals on clothes and accessories. My rule? The only thing I'll pay retail on is jeans. Everything else? I find them on the clearance racks or stores such as Ross/TJ Maxx. Clothing has a huge markup and after working retail for years, I've learned to monitor the sale/clearance patterns for the best deals!
Boots:Twisted X
Jeans: Wrangler
Jacket: Ross score!
Fringe bag: Ross Score!
Feather Scarf: Rod's Western
Sunglasses: Sportsmans Warehouse
Photobomber: our border collie, Abby! #dogphotobombedme#westernfashion #fashiononabudget #cowgirltohomemaker

Cowgirl to Homemaker Shop!

I'm excited to share with y'all my Etsy shop! I have been super busy in my little office creating unique cowgirl jewelry and home decor to allow us cowgirly homemakers to express our style on a daily basis!

 I now have Cowgirl to Homemaker's shop up and running...it's a work in progress as I add more items to it, however, I am super excited for y'all to see it! Over the next few weeks I will be adding more pieces to our inventory and doing a giveaway on our Facebook page. To ensure you are up to date on our giveaways and news please like our page. I'll link everything below.

Until you can head over to Etsy to check it out, here are a few samples of what's available now! I would love your feedback on what y'all think of the designs!






https://www.etsy.com/shop/cowgirltohomemaker

https://www.facebook.com/cowgirltohomemaker/


Until next time, remember to always end your day counting your blessings and begin the next one by going after your goals...Much love and many blessings to you!

Sincerly,

 Cowgirl to Homemaker

Springtime Inspiration....Pinterest, projects and progress

Hello Ladies!

 Oh, the joys of springtime here!

 With the weather so wishy-washy it sure is hard to get outdoor projects accomplished. So, in the meantime I'm working on some tasks inside to get my spring fever under control! Starting with my gardening desires...in Montana it is very hard to guage when to start your seeds and outdoor flowers. So, I took to Pinterest for some inspiring gardening ideas.

 Now, if we were all to be completely honest with ourselves, (I mean it!) we can admit to our Pinterest addiction. Yup....you, me, and every other woman out there. If you don't have Pinterest in your life, quite frankly, I feel sorry for you. Seriously! You are missing out on feeding your creative side.

  I have at least 20 different boards bursting with decor, recipes, fashion ideas, inspiring quotes, cute little animals, and the most important....drum roll please! The glorified D-I-Y board. We ALL have this board, mostly full of things we will never, ever, get around to doing but have the best of intentions. I kept adding and adding pins to this board....then one day it hit me. Why? When? How? Let me go a little deeper on this.....


#1 Why? Why do I have this project on my board? Does it make me happy? Can it improve my home? Will it improve my life? Yes. Ok, check!

#2 When? When am I going to actually do this marvelous, wonderful project I liked the idea of enough to pin it to my board? Time to prioritize and accomplish this!

#3 How? HOW am I going to find the time to begin, complete, and accomplish this project (and 50 others on the same board)?

My solution to these questions: One project at a time! Now, I didn't want to overwhelm myself, so I picked the simplest pin on the board. Easy peasy! On to the next one, I've got this....



Let me show you just a few completed projects I have accomplished, one at a time:

Ribbon bracelet

     Burlap ribbon from Wal-Mart.........

Into ruffled garland

Headband from fabric and elastic (Thanks sister for being my model!)

So, my fellow cowgirls and homemakers....I want to inspire you to pick one project you have been putting off and just go for it. There is something so invigorating and inspiring when you get to exercise your creative side. It's also a great stress reliever! I would love to see pics of projects you have accomplished, whether it be pinterest inspired or from your own imagination....comment or message me with your project accomplishment! I can't wait to see!

You can view my Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/CowgirltoHomemaker for some fun cowgirl jewelry I made, that my Pinterest obsession has helped to inspire! It's a fun hobby and a way for me to continue to feed my creative side as well as express my passion for western fashion.

Another great reason I love Pinterest is for the unlimited supply of inspirational quotes....I love this for a little pick me up when I'm feeling blue or an extra push to motivate myself to accomplish my goals. Here are some of my favorites:

Here is a thought to brew over for a bit: What sort of progress do you want to see in your life this week, month or year? We should always be progressing, growing, and learning. Find a way to progress to improve your purpose, no matter how small or simple it may be. Progress is progress :-)

Until next time, live each day to your fullest.....some people never wake to see tomorrow. How are you going to make the most of your gift? The gift of today.

Long time, no post!!

Hello Strangers! 

I can't believe how fast time has flown by since my last post....

Our dream has been to move to a "Mountainy" state again for a long time....Mostly Montana, possibly Wyoming or Idaho, maybe back to Nevada. It just never seemed to unfold for us, so we kept praying and searching for the right jobs, house, and town to make our new home.

 Well, it all started about two months ago when Darren applied for a transfer with his current company to relocate to Montana. We waited and waited for the approval and it must have been the right timing because as soon as we heard back that it was a go; EVERYTHING fell into place just like it was meant to be! We were even able to purchase our first home together with all the setup we could ever want for our "mini ranch" in that short time frame. God definitely had a plan for us and truly answered our prayers. God NEVER fails and ALWAYS provides! 

 So we packed and packed and packed and then loaded trucks and trailers and more trucks and trailers and made the long haul through the Mountain Passes with all the animals in tow to arrive safe and sound to our very first owned home near the Capitol city of Montana!

So my fellow Cowgirls and Homemakers....please stay tuned for the many adventures and memories to come as we make our place in the beautiful and amazing state of Montana!

As I close this short and sweet post, remember to always follow your heart and trust in the Lord. If you have a goal or a dream don't be afraid to pursue it for all our Heart's Desires will come true if we work hard enough and believe in them to become a reality.

Much love and blessings to you and enjoy these gorgeous Autumn days wherever your neck of the woods may be!

Sincerely,

Cowgirl to Homemaker
Loagan

Road Trip Part 2!!

Hey Guys!

Welcome back to our lifestyle! Part two of our road trip brings a very joyful memory...meeting my new baby sister for the very first time! At just under a week old when we arrived, she is the most precious baby I have ever seen (everyone always says that though)..but I'm serious, she is so beautiful and is perfect in every possible way! 

 Charlie Ann and I, first meeting!

 I got teary-eyed when I first met her and was so in love at first sight, I was so drawn to her and couldn't wait to hold my baby sister for the first time!!

Darren and I had a great visit with the family. We enjoyed doing ranch work and making trips into town to visit Wally World and my sister, Bailey's work place. She works for a Farm and Ranch store in Nevada, doing exactly the same thing I do! Funny, yeah?

Mama and I

My family lives in the cutest small town that consists of a small bar & grill, post office, two churches, a fire station, cemetery, a small school,  and a small park. An old ranching community at it's finest! There are a few old buildings that used to be a mercantile, hotel, etc. that look like an 1800's old west movie set, yet remain empty and lonesome now, so bitter-sweet. How I would love to take a sneak peek at the town 100 years ago! The small town is surrounded by acres and acres of the neighboring ranches.

View off the back porch overlooking the property

It was in the 90's the whole time we were there and usually windy and dusty, but that's Nevada for ya! We dried up like a fish without water and definitely missed the moisture that the Pacific North West offers..but the warmth and sunshine was so relaxing.

Mom and Tom looked so happy, and I couldn't help but feel so overwhelmingly happy for them and the new little cowgirl they brought into this world.

Darren holding Charlie

My sister, Bailey is doing great things with her horses and I couldn't be prouder of her achievements in the barrel horse world. She has grown up so much and is such an inspiration to me. It was so good to spend time with her!

The view from my hometown

Jessica, Grams, and I

My newlywed sister, Jessica was getting ready to move to Montana to be with her Husband and we got to NV in time to visit with her before she made her big departure to her new life and adventure in the beauty of Montana. We drove over to my Grandparents house to have dinner and visit with them and Jessica for the evening. They just bought their house not to long ago, so we enjoyed looking at pictures of the remodeling process and catching up on what's new and happening in their World. It was so good to see them! I sure do miss my family and hometown, but I know they are always just a visit away. 

Darren, Me, Grammy and Grampy

 We also got to visit my dear family friends, the Marchegger's, while we were there. They are such a great family and we have many horsey related memories together from the days I was their horse trainer. I was so glad they got to meet my husband, we all enjoyed getting caught up on all the life events that have come and gone since our last visit!

Charlie and I

Then it came time for us to head back home, always a sad moment especially when you know your little sister will never ever be that small again, you can't help but choke back tears and oh how I dearly miss my family...But, we loaded all our stuff up and made the long journey back to WA.  14 hrs later we arrived safe and sound to our mini farm to find it all in one piece and animals taken care of. Our friends did a great job taking care of everything while we were away. Thanks guys!

We had a fantastic vacation! We arrived home with a few days still left before we had to return to work, bring on the farm work!

Thank you for reading my cowgirl to homemaker lifestyle! Remember do something nice for yourself on a daily basis and take joy in the small things in life...you never know when your last day will arrive, so love, laugh, be you and most importantly LIVE! See y'all next time!

Happy Trails my friend!

Loagan

Scout, the hound dog puppy being lazy

OUR ROAD TRIP PART 1!

Hey fellow Cowgirls and Homemakers!

 After a fun filled week of vacation, we are back to our daily routine with a bunch of fun memories to enjoy until next vacation. We did so much this week, from The Farm Chicks Show to meeting my new little sister to visiting friends and family and back home for a few days of "stay-cation" exploring local towns and butchering our home raised meat chickens...I am so excited to share it all with you!

So let's get started with road trip stop #1: The Wild Horse Monument in Eastern Washington.

 Darren and I pulled off I-90 on our way to the Farm Chicks Show to take a peek at the wild horse statues along the ridge of the mountain overlooking the Columbia River. These Statues were put there in 1989 for WA. State's Centennial Celebration by a local Spokane Artist.

We of course didn't want to miss the photo opportunity so we hiked up the steep and rocky hillside to get a closer look....

Me hiking and out of breath....

Yee-haw!!

This was not very comfortable or safe by the way! hehe!

Each statue was life size and so well done, from several angles it appeared as if the herd  had come to life  and if you closed your eyes and imagined it, you could hear the sounds of hooves galloping with them.

Ride 'Em Cowboy!

"Look Ma! No hands!!"

There was a great view of the Columbia River from up there

1st timer pic!!

Road Trip Stop #2: THE FARM CHICKS SHOW!!!! We finally made it at about 11 am and I was sooo excited to get going and start rummaging through all the fun junk inside! Darren took all the pics as I was far to busy shopping, He did an excellent job I must say, and in case you were wondering, I did not drag him through all the torture, he willingly and happily promised and fulfilled his promise by taking me to the Farm Chicks Show....I am one Blessed woman I tell you!!!

I just had to buy one of these for my horse trailer , way to cute to pass up!

These are either hand knit or hand crotchet chickens...can't remember exactly but they are darling!! Someone worked hard on these!

At the Farm Chicks Booth buying souvenirs for Mama and me
 

Vintage Dairy bottles

Adorable homemade tags

We saw a lot of these cute vintage Tonka trucks

Cupcake Candles, love the metallic wrappers!

"AMEN SISTA!!"

Well said, Well said.

These cute tags were attached to the coffee mugs for sale....I just had to buy one!!

Farm Chick Pendants

These truck grills were very popular, this would look awesome as a wall mount in the living room!

Also popular, every single one we saw already had sold tags on them!

The Farm Chicks Show's front entry display, fun!!

Loved this! I should have bought it, but I was glad I had SOME  self control, haha!

Vintage suitcase with these darling pics and phrases

The talent from all the vendors there was amazing! I felt so inspired to come home and continue on my homemade projects in the works.

To top it all off, we ran into one of my Mama's friends, Jimmie, there! I had never met her, but had heard alot about her from Mama, as she lives in Canada not to far from me. She spotted me in the crowd and asked if I was Elizabeth's daughter....such a small world! After a quick chat and swapping travel time stories (She won, about 10 hours on the road!!) all of us went to more rummaging and shopping! It was so nice to meet her finally! since Mama couldn't make it I called her to fill her in on all the hustle and bustle of the The Farm Chicks Show....

  We had a great time and plan to do it again next year! So many talented vendors and people there, I was truly amazed at the creativity. To think it all started by two friends who looked for the beauty and potential of goodies and antiques found in old barns that had been left behind to disappear in History. I have both of the Farm Chicks books and enjoy them regularly, If you haven't yet, treat yourself to at least one, their story is so cool and fun to read. You deserve it!

Well that wraps up Part One of our road trip, tune back in next week for part Two! This Homemakin' Cowgirl is off to feed the animals and get ready for a great week at work!

God bless you all and remember to take care of yourself and treat yourself how you want to be treated...no negative thoughts or self doubts...you are loved and you are beautiful inside and out!

Happy Trails!!

So many cute things, so little time!