Come see where I play...

Once every few days I carve out a few hours for myself, to sit down at my big long farm table in the dining room and make a mess of my own. 

A beautiful mess.

Lace-y remnants, old sheet music and vintage tickets are so fun to play with. Do you see the little tea stained wired paper roses? They were hand made by a gal on Etsy. Aren't they darling? The dangerous part of having an Etsy shop is that it's like working at your favorite store. You end up spending lots of your "paycheck" there!

I love supporting small businesses and crafty artists though! I've been burnt out on the mass produced, mall shopping experience more and more the older I get. My first buying experience on Etsy was so special. When I recieved my little handmade item it was packaged so beautifully, with dainty vintage ribbons and embellishments. It even came with a little "thank you" and a tiny gift. At that moment I was hooked! 

I also knew that I wanted to give my buyers that same feeling. So I include a goody bag with every purchase from my shop and let me tell ya, it's my favorite part of the experience! I just love creating these little presents. I always hope that the recipients open them and feel like I am giving them a sincere smile and a "thank you".

Here are some fresh bags in my new Etsy vintage cheese box. It's the perfect organizer!

More goody bag doo-dads and what-nots...

You'll even find a kid made art project or two. Up high. Away from 4 year old sister's hands. 

And there may or may not be a stash of Mommy's favorite mini York peppermint patties in one of the tureens. For emergency crafting energy, of course.

And just in front of the dining room is this little side table. I just had to show you my new alarm clock! I purchased it while I was out with the my bloggy girls the other day in Old Town Spring.

Well...there it is. My happy place. When you just can't get a hold of me but you know I'm home, this is probably where I am. :)

♥Linsey

Howdy Partner! Welcome to Week 51 of The Cowgirl Up! Link Party!

Howdy Partner!

Welcome to Week 51

of

The Cowgirl Up!

Link Party!

1 Party, 5 Blogs Our guest host this week is

Kirsten from I Still Hate Pickles!

Hey! I'm Kirsten, but you can call me Kiki. Pretty much everyone does. I'm stoked to be guest hosting Cowgirl Up! Every week I find major inspiration from the links and posts. You guys are all amazingly talented.

I have lived in Houston for ten years and just bought my first pair of cowboy boots. I'll confess that I'm a little scared to wear them.

My blog, I Still Hate Pickles, is a little eclectic. On any given day you might catch me talking about parenting, writing, faith, DIY, and my kitchen adventures (which sometimes involve small kitchen fires). I like to keep things interesting.

Despite the fires, I really like to cook. I am a much better cook than baker because I like to be spontaneous and fudge recipes. Recently I started baking my own bread. Even if I find the recipe from someone else, I'm always finding ways to dress it up and make it my own. Nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread in the home! Even better when it's easy.

I have a few special things I bake only once or twice a year because they are so rich (and I might get tempted to eat the whole thing). You will never make another cake again after trying this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake. This used to be a fall specialty, but my friends and family now ask for it as their birthday cakes. These Special Occasion Cinnamon Rolls might put you into a coma.

If you need to cleanse your palate with something healthy, I've been experimenting with local organic produce with delicious results. Like garlic and feta focaccia topped with arugula. Killer.

If you want to step out of the kitchen, I love making projects. I used to have a small business painting children's furniture and murals, so I love getting creative. I am also really messy, but I feel like that is part of the fun. (Except when it comes time to clean up.) Here is a coffee filter wreath I made for a friend's baby shower. Check out this ugly thrift store before and the adorable after.

Just...ew.

 

To awwwww!

Every now and then I do tiny paintings, like this pair of cows that I dorkily gave as a gift to John and Sherry from Young House Love at their book signing. (Did I mention I'm a dork?)

For Christmas this year, I gave my mom some Texas-themed hand-painted cards, which were super fun.

If you're wanting something a little off-the-beaten path, you may want to check my Out-of-the-Box Mother's Day ideas or my thoughts on what life would be like if Pinterest projects became reality. I'm also doing a series on self-publishing through Amazon Kindle, if that's something you might consider doing in the future. I've got my MFA in Fiction but recently self-published an advent book and another book about our callings.

So glad to be here and be inspired by all the creativity! Hope you'll stop by and enjoy my blog in all its randomness. I love following blogs via Twitter as well, so if you are active there, come and find me so I can follow you back and keep up with your great ideas.

Kirsten/Kiki

***** Want to be a Guest Host here on Cowgirl Up? Just leave a comment with your name and blog address below! If you are selected, you will be introduced in the Cowgirl Up post for that week, and we'll include a link to your blog. We’ll send you the code for the party ahead of time. Lots of fantastic exposure for you, and the post is written for you! *****

Click below to continue to the party!