Winter has finally arrived.

Well, I believe winter has finally arrived in North Idaho.  Ahni and Kota are all wrapped up for the night.  Beau already went outside to eat his hay.  

 I love the way the snow looks on the trees and roof tops.

You used to could see our home much better when we first moved here 3.5 years ago, but the trees have grown so quickly it's barely visible. I wonder if it's wet enough snow to build a snow man?

Cute Little Triangular Scarf with Beads

When I visited Cheyenne WY last August, I went to my favorite yarn and bead store, Prairie Winds.  I bought the last skein of this beautiful yarn, because I just couldn't leave it behind.  The problem was, there was only about 260 yards, so there wasn't much to work with.  The owner had this pattern made up as a floor display.  She said she found the pattern off of the HGTV website.  After returning home I searched the website, finally found the pattern and over the last few days I made it.  I really like the cube miyuki beads on the outer edge.   I can't wait to wear it! 

Gifts for a Friend.

I didn't have time before x-mas to finish my friend, Dr. J's, gifts.  When I lived in Wyoming for 9 months we became great friends.  She always wanted a pair of cowgirl boots and when I was there she finally found the perfect pair of boots.  About a month ago I was looking through one of my yarn/patterns magazines and there was a triangular "cowboy" scarf pattern.  The problem was it was a knitting pattern and I crochet.  I clipped out the picture and went to one of my crochet pattern books.  I matched the patterns as close as I could and began attempting to put it together.  I must say it took me a while to match it up...but I was quite pleased with the way they turned out.  When I began her second one, I didn't want to do the same pattern, so I just crocheted a simple triangle.  I also took a horse blanket pin and attached a boot charm.  I wish I would have taken a picture of it! Merry X-mas Dr. J!

The Moose is Loose!

Yesterday morning as I left for work at 7:00am, I stopped on the driveway to admire one of the locals.   He was majestic!  He had already lost one antler...man what I wouldn't give to find it!  As I began to pull away (I still had to go to work) something behind him and to the left caught my eye...he had a friend!  I wish I would have had the time to take pictures of both bulls together.  I have never seen two hanging out before...wow...what a treat!  It made my whole morning!

Little Ladder of Kindess!

First...Thank You Terry and Katie for the ladder...I just can't tell you how much I love it!

So, about a week ago I was talking with my daughter Megan and she said she wanted me to keep an eye out for a single frame ladder.  She said she wanted to put it in her bathroom and hang towels from it.  I said,"OMG that is an awesome idea!" Later on that week Joe and I went with Terry and Katie to this adorable antique/vintage store in Rockford WA. I believe it's called Herd's Mercantile. I bought a few things and saw this ladder, it was more than I wanted to spend, so it stayed.  Mean while, Katie and Terry, who are decorating their home in "French Country" purchased several items.  The next day they went back to pick up a table they had purchased and ended up buying a lot more awesome stuff...in the whole deal, Terry and Katie asked about the ladder...the lady ended up giving them the ladder because of all the other stuff they bought...but the really heart warming part....they gave me the ladder :D THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH!!!

Now i'm thinking about embroidering some towels to give it the finishing touches....Don't worry Meg...i'm still looking for one for you...

Loving My Free Time!

I woke up Christmas Morning to Ahni torn hoof.  I was heart broken, we were supposed to be leaving the next day to visit family and friends down in CA. I called my dear friend Annie and asked her what needed to be done with Ahni's hoof...she said, "...at least two weeks of wrapping it and doctoring it twice daily..." I knew then that my trip back to CA was not to be.  So I began wrapping and doctoring it.  The absolute worse part was having to call my dad and tell him that I wouldn't be coming home. 

I purchased 4 red aprons from William Sonoma and then embroidered the decoration on them and gave one to each of my sisters and my daughter as x-mas gifts.  

 So, me being me... :0) ... I began to create new spaces in the house. Joe and Mikey ended up going to our daughters home in Oregon for 6 days, so I had plenty of time to tear down and recreate.  Anyone who has ever redecorated knows creation comes from chaos.  I striped everything down, cleaned it and began building it back up.  I went out to the barn and fetched an old wooden ladder that I got from my dad and turned it into a planter in my kitchen...the sign says, "kiss me i'm Irish"  I just love the way it turned out.  The middle plant is sitting on an old wooden school chair, it's hard to see, so I might rearrange it later.

 Next, I went out and found the old window that I had purchased from an Antique store about 3 years ago from the garage.  It was filthy, so I cleaned it up.  I originally had plans to hang it up and put lights behind it.  As I stood in the kitchen waiting for some moment of 'ahhh haaa' to happen with it, it suddenly hit me.  I absolutely love Charles Wysocki work and I had just taken down a 2013 calendar, when I decided the window would become a picture frame for his calendar.  The next day I went to town and purchased a large frame mat (2 of them), foam board, 100 pound wire (the window is heavy) and everything else I needed to turn this window into a frame.  The hardest part was cutting out the frame mat, I wanted it to be solid with the two picture holes, I messed up the first one...thank goodness I bought two...but the second one turned out.  Wala...my picture...it is now hanging in the down stairs bathroom.  I will frame two more pics out of the same calendar to hang next to it, but those will have to wait to payday.

 Next, I went to work on Joe's grandmothers china hutch.  I have always loved this hutch and Joe used it for many years in the garage to hold odds and ends.  It was already in that great distressed look, so I just sanded it down in a few places to have the red under paint come through and added some antique glaze.

 Next, I finally finished framing two pictures my friend Dr. J in Cheyenne Wy painted for me.  She painted the apple and the pear, because I told her I had a painting my grandmother did of oranges and they needed some friends. I also dug out a bunch of old utensils, that I have saved over the years, most of them came from Joe's mom, but I always had them hidden away, so I decided to hang them up and give them life. I went out to the garage and looked for something to put them all on.  I had envisioned putting them on some kind of painted board, but all I could find was this pole...so I painted it (in my kitchen...it's too fricken cold outside) and hung them up with wire.  Megan bought us the egg sizer (on the right) a few years back for our anniversary.

 I also hung up my great aunt's serving dish...the two really cool items are on the left.  The first is that little flower shaped dish, that belonged to Joe's mom aunt...it has a note on the back of it...it came from Italy when they came over...so who know how old it really is. The other is the horse shoe in the picture frame.  Kota, my little mischievous paint, had shoes this past year for the first time, and that is one of his front shoes.  I glued red burlap to the back of the picture board and mounted the shoe inside...i think it's cool :0)

 Finally, I removed Joe's Aunt's suit cases to a spot where the sun hopefully won't damage them.  It's so cool ... they have her initial's on them.

Well, this is what I have been doing...besides taking care of Ahni's foot...I will end with this...she's really come around...the first time I went out to doctor it...Joe and Mikey had to come out and help hold her, then the next few times, I just haltered her and tied her up...by the fourth doctoring...she just stood there, no halter...although she tries to turn her head and see what I'm doing which tickles when she put's her nose on my back.

Ahni's foot all wrapped up in the custom made duct-tape boot.  I make a new one twice a day...I need to purchase stock...  Happy New Year!