2 New Paintings and a photo of God Smiling

 I have two new paintings to share...

"Pear and Cloche" Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas, $400, 18x24"

"The Edge of Town" 12x12" Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

 I'm loving the cloche & pear painting against my green wall. If she doesn't get adopted, she can be part of the family. :)

And lastly...this. 

I don't have big, earth shaking spiritual moments. Rather, I feel like God is saying hello in little quiet moments like this, when I pause to look at his unparalleled work of art- the world. From the enormity of the sky  to the pattern of a butterflies wing, no detail is incorrect.

I stepped into my backyard and saw this sky yesterday. And I instantly felt God smiling upon me.

Every time I look at this picture now, I get that feeling again. 






Linsey


Common Ground

Welcome to Week 16 of Cowgirl Up! Link Party . . .

Welcome to Week 16 of 

 Cowgirl Up! Link Party . . .

the party with a cowgirl can-do  spirit!

1 Party, 4 Blogs

Your host this week: Linsey from the Farmhouse Porch

Welcome to the party neighbors! The summer sun is starting to sizzle here in Houston. Is it warming up where you are? If you're anything like me, you've turned your attention to all things patio and garden. You've pulled out the shorts and flip flops and made a bee line for your local garden center to wander the isles. At home the patio furniture is getting fluffed and arranged in preparation for BBQ's and lazy days.

I was excited to see the change of seasons reflected in your links last week. I'd gladly spend an afternoon relaxing on these gorgeous porches...

Need to jazz up some patio furniture cushions? Re-cover them! Daisy Mae Belle shows you how HERE

 
I'm so in love with this ocean blue painted porch floor by Coastal Cottage Dreams. 





I could wile away the hours on this simple and sweet porch by Keeping It Cozy, where she shares how to construct these beautiful flower boxes...

Craving a fancier outdoor space? You might be inspired by the gardens surrounding this jaw-dropping castle home in a pictorial tour by 21 Rosemary Lane





I really enjoyed reading about life on a dairy farm on Hymns and Verses, where Doreen shared this cute "Farm Fresh Milk" sign







Leone Design adds time worn patina to a cute little side table. I think the chippy painted box is the icing on the cake, don't you?







Spice up your next summer supper on the patio with this delicious looking Thai Chicken Burger recipe by Desire Empire





and for dessert, via Carolina Country Living...





Thank you to each and every one of you! I seriously agonized over who to feature this week. I also fell in love with a few links that didn't link back to "Cowgirl Up!" and thus weren't eligible for a feature. It made me sad. :( 
If you weren't featured this week, I may have featured you on the Farmhouse Porch's Facebook page. Make sure you check there too!
Hugs and Happy Hunting,
Linsey

If you were featured here, grab a Featured button.  Be sure to like our Facebook pages, since we also post many other favorites there too. If you got featured on Facebook, then feel free to grab a featured button also.  

Now about the party...

You link up on my blog and your link shows up on four blogs. 

 More exposure, less time. 

We are looking for the latest and greatest projects, tutorials, ideas, crafts, recipes, decor, and inspiring stories.  Anything that you are proud to show off.

Cowgirl Up! is the link party that saves you time and brings you inspiration.  Doesn't get any easier than that!

What blogs will your link appear on?  Check us out below!

Linsey with The Farmhouse Porch

Anita with Cedar Hill Ranch

Amanda with The Ivy Cottage Blog

Samantha with Crafty Texas Girls

The four of us are all Texas bloggers, but you don't have to be Texas, country, western, or own horses to participate in Cowgirl Up!  You just need that "can-do", cowgirl spirit!

Cowgirl Up! Link Party Guidelines:

(Please read the guidelines before participating)

*  When you link with Cowgirl Up!, your link will automatically show on four different blogs.  Awesome!

*  Please follow your host blog before linking up on GFC (and if you have a linkyfollow account, then please follow that way too.)

*  You may link up decor, DIY, crafts, guest post, recipes, giveaways, sewing, inspiring stories, and anything that you feel related to the listed categories.

*  You may link as many links as you want.

*  Be sure to include the Cowgirl Up! Button or text link to Cowgirl Up in your linked post,   (mine can be found on my sidebar.)  Mandatory to be featured!!

*  Be courteous and visit the two links before yours.  Please LIKE your favorite links!  Several projects will be featured each week!

* By linking up you are agreeing that we may use your photos to feature your project in a blog post, on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter with a link back to your blog of course.   

•••

Industrial Chic Guest Bath Idea

 

Have you ever been a guest in someone's home and been less than enchanted with the bathroom accommodations? Have you ever made your guests step over your dirty laundry after they shower to grab a damp, used towel and then remind you that you're out of toilet paper? Not acceptable!

Now I certainly don't claim to be a perfect neat freak. Hello! I'm an artist. Messes come with the territory.  Creativity is messy...I have projects scattered around the house half finished and my black lab leaves what we call "black tumbleweeds" dancing around under the furniture. I hate hanging up my clothes and putting away laundry. I will admit to hiding stuff in the closet before guests come. I wish so bad that I was like some of you neat freaks out there!

To make up for my shortcomings in the "scrubbing the baseboards with a toothbrush" department, I enjoy finding ways to give my overnight guests a little "hotel" treatment.

You can show your guests a little love by taking the time to spruce up the guest bathroom with common amenities. It need not cost much at all. Cleaning is free, and most of these items can be found at the dollar store. I just try to imagine what would make me feel comfortable away from home. 

This weekend we have some out of town guests coming. Now it's *only* my parents...(haha, just kidding Mom) but hey. They had to deal with my teenage "explosion of hair and beauty products" bathroom for years. I owe them some pampering.

I bought this industrial bread factory baking pan at a thrift store last summer. They are great for organizing (like in desk drawers). This time I thought it would be fun to put common toiletries in each compartment. 

My guest bath "sprucing" routine usually always consists of these elements:

1. Provide a stack of white fluffy nice towels. A bath towel, hand towel and washcloth or two. I only buy white because they can be bleached. They look chic with any decor or colors too!

2. A fresh fragrant floral. This sounds fancy but I always do it free and easy. It is the main reason I grow mint and rosemary. They are easy to grow and cheap, they are a few steps away and they make the bathroom smell purdy. Gotta love all natural deodorizers! 

3. A candle is a nice touch.

There you have it. My simple, inexpensive guest bathroom provisions. 

 Don't forget to link up to the party! "Cowgirl Up!" link party starts Monday nights at 8:30. :D

♥Linsey


p.s. If anybody has any great cleaning tips or shortcuts please share! Especially related to mopping and baseboards. :) I found this one on Pinterest...

via Pinterest