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Friday, November 30, 2012

I can FINALLY blog again! With PiCtUrEs!

I had to break down and pay money to continue blogging. Apparently I have to pay for picture storage space now with Google. Last week I tried to type up a blog post and when I went to add my pictures I received an alert that I had reached my maximum allotment of storage space for pictures and couldn't proceed. No problem I thought, I'll just erase a bunch from my picassa album (which I found very frustrating and NON user friendly but maybe it's just me and my lack of tech savvy-ness). I had, and still have, no clue what I am doing when it comes to blogging, photography, or anything with buttons. But somehow I mange to stumble through it, barely passing by the skin of my teeth, doing the bare minimum to get by and managing to look like I totally know what I'm doing. Sorta like middle school. :)

In other news, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Farmhouse Porch house. Natuarally, living in Houston, it's not at all feeling like Christmas outside, so I am doing everything in my power to live in my own little snow globe and pretend it's chilly and snowy and winter-y.

Here are a few of the nooks and crannies that have been bedazzled and blinged up!


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A scarf handmade by a friend gifted to me 2 years ago. So special to me ♥


Thank You for stopping by...I plan to poke around your blogs this evening after the kids are tucked in to see your holiday wonderfulness!


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

COWGIRL UP PARTY! Oops-late-sorry! :D


Welcome to Week 43
of
The Cowgirl Up! Link Party!
1 Party, 4 Blogs  
Your Host this week is . . .
I'm been very busy getting ready for a Christmas party that you are invited to.  
I can't tell you how excited I was when these talented bloggers asked me to join them for a fun Christmas inspiration and Link party in December.  I'm hosting with Kim of Savvy Southern Style - Vignettes and Mantles Ann On Sutton Place - Doors and Wreaths  Yvonne at Stone Gable - Recipes and Tablescapes There will be four days of Christmas posts and a link party.  I'll be hosting the
Here what's NEW with Cowgirl UP!
Starting in December (That's next week!!) we’ll select a new to guest host for Cowgirl Up each week.
Now here comes the best part, it could be YOU!
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, so that’s a post you don’t have to write! Lots of fantastic exposure for you, and the post is written for you, how cool is that? 
Just leave a comment here if you want to put your name in the pot, so to speak.
On to this week's features!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Welcome to Week 42 of The Cowgirl Up! Link Party!



Welcome to Week 42
of
The Cowgirl Up! Link Party!

1 Party, 4 Blogs  
Your Host this week is . . .
This past weekend, we had our family photos taken for our Christmas cards.  I went with a "Super Hero" theme this year.  We did the photos in our backyard and kept things real simple and light.  My kids don't usually do well posing for photos, so this was definitely easier on them.  We had such a great time!

Have you started preparing for the holidays?  They are just around the corner!  This weekend, my design business, High Fire Designs, will be setting up Christmas decor for The Hampton Suites in Mesquite . . . that's right!  I am decorating a HOTEL!  So excited to show you all the photos of all SEVEN of the fabulous tress that we will be decking out.

If you missed my post, . . . Vroom, Vroom Toddler Room . . . be sure to stop by and check it out!



Here what's NEW with Cowgirl UP!

We are moving up our party time by a few hours. Instead of beginning on Monday nights at 8:30 pm, we will now go live at 5 pm.

Starting in December, we’ll select a new to guest host for Cowgirl Up each week.
Now here comes the best part, it could be YOU!
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, so that’s a post you don’t have to write! Lots of fantastic exposure for you, and the post is written for you, how cool is that? 
Are you interested yet? I sure hope so, because we’re going to need 52 guest hosts each year.

On to this week's features!
Fun Finds from ZuHaus at Home
A Modern Romantic Home Tour from It's Overflowing
A lovely Upholstered Chair from Grey Lane Home
Easy Pillows from Linen Napkins by The Concrete Cottage
A Tree of Thanks by The Simple Things
Check out some unique uses for headboards at The Knick of Time
The WONDER Renter at Clever Nest
 Three Ways To Lower Your Grocery Bill at This Silly Girl's Life
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. 
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. 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. 
*If you pin a project shown here, please, please pin from the original source.
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Saturday, November 17, 2012

What to keep... what to sell?

As I shop for items for my Etsy shop I have run into a little roadblock. Falling in love with things I buy to sell.

In fact, one of the items I had listed I removed today. Let me show you why...


I found this amazing old crusty fancy tarnished french looking (ashtray?) recently. It called to me!

I paid more for it than I usually pay for vintage.

I could instantly see it with french furniture, holding a drippy ivory candle or a small potted plant.






And then today I found this dome. An old light fixture perhaps? I love the super thick wavy glass.


 I had a lightbulb moment...



Put them together! Ta-da! Perfect fit!


I'm too in love with the holiday possibilities to let this  one go just yet.

Here it is a little more Christmas-y, as it sits tonight on my little desk.


Another item I had almost finished listing in my shop is a huge long strand of tarnished vintage silver tinsel. I started using it for a few photo shoots and fell in love. I just can't let it go yet! 






Add caption







I casually draped it on my hutch, near another little vignette I was playing with and it just sparkled and 
twinkled so beautifully. I have to keep it awhile...





Do you have any items you are absolutely in love with? 

♥Linsey
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Monday, November 12, 2012

Welcome to Week 41 of The Cowgirl Up! Link Party!

Welcome to Week 41
of
The Cowgirl Up! Link Party!
1 Party, 4 Blogs  
Your Host this week is . . .
 Linsey at The Farmhouse Porch

HoWdY CoWgIrLs and BoYs!

First of all I have two important announcements. We are moving up our party time by a few hours. Instead of beginning on Monday nights at 8:30 pm, we will now go live at 5 pm. 


The second announcement is about something exciting we are starting in December! And since Samantha summed it up so wonderfully last week I am just going to use her words...


Starting in December,each week, we’ll select someone new to guest host for Cowgirl Up.
Now here comes the best part, it could be YOU! 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, so that’s a post you don’t have to write! Lots of fantastic exposure for you, and the post is written for you, how cool is that? 

Are you interested yet? I sure hope so, because we’re going to need 52 guest hosts each year. 
And now for my featured link ups from last weeks' party! 


Isn't this Cottage Dining Room redo wonderful? Love those chairs by Betsy Speert





Cute and colorful cottage curtains shine by Creative Cain Cabin...


Check out the chic neutral styling around this bookcase by The Shabby Chick!



I'm very intrigued by the recipe for Scottish Puff Candy by Tartan Taste in Texas, shown here sprinkled on ice cream. MMM!






 I love, not only the letter project, but the way Project Braun Haus has the whole nook accessorized!

DIY Mossy Moss Monogram


And of course, with my love for bottle brush trees, I had to share these lovely Christmas craft ideas by Quirky Quail.♥


























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. 

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!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Another New Hutch. I SWEAR I don't have a problem.


This is the third white hutch this dining room has seen in one year. And I swear it's the last. On my honor...swear! The first "hutch" really wasn't a hutch at all but an old secretary with a drop front desk. The second hutch, here "Old Museum White Chippy Hutch", was really cool but way too small and dinky for the big long dining room wall. Also, it only had room to display less than half of my ironstone collection, which OMGOSH...I didn't realize I had amassed so much of in a year. More on THAT in a minute.



Anyways, I have a friend who has a shop and I asked her Friday "When are you gonna sell me this "NFS" hutch that i've had my eye on for a year?" and her reply was "How about $75 for it?"

Um.

SOLD to the ironstone addict in the Texas A&M shirt!!!



Next I had to coax the hubs to help me pick it up today, the poor fellow only wanted to veg after a day of children's birthday parties and celebrating a major win by the Aggies last night. But when I act like a toddler and beg and plead he usually gives in. Love him so much!



I swear I haven't spent a fortune on ironstone either. Some of my pitchers are family heirlooms. The rest I have just gradually picked up along the way for cheap. I weeded out some pieces that I have duplicates of and will put those up for sale in my Etsy shop. So please come check it out if you collect it too.




You might notice that the drawers and doors are missing on the bottom. My friend says she might have them in storage, but if she can't find them what should I do? I was thinking some little burlap curtains? Or should I try to build doors? Ugh...

Right now I just have old suitcases down there. It looks ok, but not great.




What would you do?







I tell you what though...I am going to have SO much fun playing "shelf dress up" for Christmas this year!!! Ideas are buzzing away in this A.D.D. brain of mine. So I wanted to show you the blank canvas before I bedazzle it in holiday bling. :D

Hugs and Sugar!
Linsey



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Chic on a Shoestring
French Country Cottage
Common Ground
The Shabby Nest
Faded Charm
Knick of Time
Funky Junk Interiors
Coastal Charm
The Shabby Creek Cottage
French Country Cottage
From My Front Porch to Yours