WILD WEST FABRIC SURPRISE!

Greetings, ya'll!

I have just photographed what looks like a wild west extravaganza in my home! Lisa (Barncat) snuck an email to me that said she had found some fab cowboy fabric at the Goodwill, and did I want any?!?! DID I?!?! Just look at this wonderful stuff...enough for a couple of pillows for the canned ham...and more!

Here are a few of my favorite images:







And I couldn't help but take a picture or two of all the tags with the cowboy fabric!









I can't tell you how happy seeing all this wild west creativity makes me! I've had a little tune in my head this evening...I think if I share it here it might "get out" and leave room for somethin' else...

How many opf ya'll remember Donna Fargo? Blast from the past, right?

Shine on me sunshine,
Walk with me world
It's a skippedy doo dah day,
I'm the happiest girl, in the whole USA...

That song and "Happy Trails" have been reverberating in my head ever since this swap started! Anybody got another Old West tune you could tell me about so I can at least have a variety? lol

Next post: The finishing steps to complete my Wild West Tags!

Hugs to all, ya'll!

ITS THE WILD WEST MOTHER LODE!

Howdy, ya'll!

You will NOT believe what I found in my mailbox the other day! It took me forever to photograph it all! Okay, are you sittin' down? (without yer spurs on I hope!)

From Nan at Bubbles of Joy:





Her Tags! ORIGINAL drawings! How incredible are these? The little cowgirl and sweet pony just steal my heart! (Nan tells me its her alter ego as a wee child...what a fun and adorable alter ego!)

(I am honored each of you ladies chose my little swap to create original art...I continue to be blown away by your creativity!)

See the amazing Wild West town in the background? Compliments of Nan!



And the FABulous covered wagon and horses? Nan!



And Jessie the Wild West Cowgirl Pez Dispenser? Yup! NAN!

And another surprise (not shown) that each of ya'll will have in your Wild West Tag package! This woman is just totally OVER THE TOP!

THANK YOU, Nan for your kindness and generosity! Your hostess gifts are everything a would-be wild west aficionado could ask for!

Two more contributors to go! I just can't wait to see what else is in store for us! This has been the most fun swap EVER!

(DISCLAIMER: I fear the exclamation mark police will be ticketing me for my overindulgence in this post...but I just HAD to find some way to convey my excitement! All of you grammatical gurus please forgive my superlative and punctuation overuse!)

Excited hugs to you all!
Paula Clare

WE INTERRUPT THIS WILD WEST HOWDOWN FOR...

An Autumn/Halloween/Christmas craft idea!

As many of you know, Elizabeth of Creative Breathing is celebrating her three year Blogoversary...and she has asked for folks to give her ideas for craft projects for fall. (Like she is EVER short of ideas!) Anyway, I was thinking of my fondness for owl-y type decor, and came up with this idea:

I am going to make 4 of them for my fall table! I also envision using Halloween colors and making owl candy bar/treat holders, and then using white or gray with red and green to make Christmas owl card holders! My imagination has run amuck!

I found these little cuties at Hobby Lobby...6 for a dollar: Little felt owls...they called them stickers, but there is no sticky to be found on them...so *I* was thinking "place card holders" and water glass charms ... and... and... I thought these were wonderful additions to my fall table:





Here's how I did it:

First, you find a favorite owl image...mine was 8x6 and came from Elsie Flannigan's wonderful "Our Story" craft kit! I stylized it a bit, and changed it up to suit my project...

I then made several copies of the pattern, and cut out the eyes, beak, and "feathers" from felt. (I left out many of the details, but you could add them via embroidery or additional felt pieces if you are so inclined.) I then cut an additional "lower body" from matching brown felt (this will make the pocket on the front).

Next, glue or stitch all pieces down, and use a decorative blanket stitch or whip stitch to adhere the bottom "pocket" to the owl body. (Be sure to add your felt "feathers" prior to this step...you could cut out ovals from felt and layer them row by row to emulate feathers, or you could use real feathers and glue them on row by row...I chose to do the "cartoony" type feathers as on the drawn image)

Voila! A fall owl for your table, trick-or-treaters, or owl-loving relatives for Christmas! I'm sure you can "cute this up" in your own way...let me know if you give it a try!

Hugs,
Paula Clare

WILD WEST AIRHEAD!!!

Greetings, cowgirls!


It occurs to me (on this, the THIRD day of September) that I haven't done the Cowgirl Quiltie drawing that was supposed to happen on August 31! I am SO SORRY! I've been so excited about all the tags coming in that I completely forgot until 1:27 a.m. this morning! lol Sooooooooooooo...here's the way it works:

I assign each name in the drawing with a random number (1-25) from the Random Number Generator. THEN I run all those numbers through the generator again to come up with the winning number.

Sharon: Faith, Hope and Cherrytea - 17
Michele: mjk5265@comcast.net - 22
Michle: Michala Farms - 3
Tracy Suzanne: Cotton Pickin Cute - 14
Jody: Home and Heart - 16
Christine: The Tin Can Cottage - 8
Debbie: Creations by Debbie - 12
Meri: MerisImaginations - 24

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 17

Number 17 is Sharon of Faith, Hope and Cherrytea! Congrats Sharon! And thank you to all who commented and have not written me off as a complete "airhead!"

Blessings,
Paula Clare

MORE WILD WEST TAGS!

Greetings, cowgals!

I have a few more installments in our Wild West Tag Swap...my goodness the tags just keep getting cuter and cuter! Behold the latest:

From Jody at Home And Heart:



Just look at the stamped muslin and plethora of doodads all around!





And then, this unexpected surprise...a cowboy bracelet...as a hostess gift! Too, too kind!



And just look at this adorable little shaker full of blue glitter! The steer on front and the wire are wonderful touches!



And then, Debbie of Creations By Debbie Jean sends these two cuties:



Look at the stamped images in the background and the details added to each!



And just look at the back! A picture of the cowgirl herself with her horse Stormy!

Then these from Tracy Suzanne at Cotton Pickin Cute:



A covered wagon for heaven's sake! WOW! And just look at that beading at the bottom!



And the 3D images on the back! Whoever gets these tags will want to display them so both sides can be admired! And here's the second...



"Cowboy" spelled out with twine! How creative is that?!?!



And the back every bit as "swell" as the front! SO CUTE!

I have 3 more gals still sending in their tags...you can be sure they'll be posted HERE as soon as they arrive! As your swap hostess, my biggest dilemma is going to be figuring out which ones to swap and which ones to keep!

All you gals have blown me away with your incredible talent! YEEEEEEEEEHAW!

More soon! Hugs and Pony Kisses!
Paula Clare