Play Ball! {Sports Themed Baby Shower}

I was honored to have recently thrown a very close friend of mine a baby shower!

The only catch (I know, cheesy joke-but that's how I roll), was that the happy parents are expecting a baby boy. Being a mom of two little girls, I forced to put the pink tulle down and think a little differently.

Baby Jack will be welcomed home to a beautiful sports-themed nursery, so I went with that (Plus his uber cool parents are both sports nuts).

I didn't get a ton of pics, but here are a few:

To keep the desserts simple, I went with white cupcakes with white frosting and chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting...Wilton's makes some great stuff called Sparkle Gel (I had to get some sparkles in there somewhere). So, I simply snipped the top and using the red gel on the white icing applied a couple of curved lines to each. I then went back over each line with a toothpick, pulling the red gel into the white icing to create the stitches.

(Now, for all of you non-sports gals, here is a little tip if you decide to do the baseballs-the stitches should point one direction on one stitch and the other direction on the other.)

For the footballs, I used a tube of the white sparkle gel to draw the lines. Oh yes, and the mitts/baseball pieces were pre-made. I wasn't sure if I was going to like them, so I just bought one pack and mixed them in.

For this shower I actually accepted help! I know, totally unlike me, but I must tell you...
It was Amazing!
One friend was in charge of games & prizes (thanks Heather).
And baby Jack's auntie headed up the food category (wonderful job Tara).

So, that left me to have fun with the decorating.
I filled an apothecary jar with old baseballs and softballs that my mom had kept from when we were little. If you don't have this luxury, I recommend hitting up your local Goodwill. They always seem to have bags full of old baseballs. I also found the old glove at Goodwill, super cheap and can double as decoration in the nursery after the shower.

**Side note-if you are ever throwing someone a baby shower, it is a great idea to have the shower theme (whether it be specific like "sports" in this case, or even colors), coincide with the baby-to-be's nursery. That way, if the parents like any of the decorations, they can use them in the room later

The centerpiece for the dessert table was a diaper cake I made. These are very quick and easy to make, look fabulous, and again...double as a gift! I wrapped mine in baseball ribbon, topped it with an adorable pair of sneakers, and added some paper pendants (scrap booking paper rolled and glued to skewers) to add some more sports flavor to the mix.

For the gift table, I covered a folding table with a ruffled, burlap tablecloth. I then pinned a paper pendant banner to the skirt.

For some larger decorations, I picked up 3 sheets of foam-core board at the local Dollar Tree. I sketched a simple ball on each with a pencil, then went back over the lines with a craft knife. After scoring the lines and removing excess paper, I went over the lines with black charcoal. The next part is messy, I used my fingers to rub the charcoal down into the scored (haha, another great joke) lines. Lastly, I used craft chalk (yes, it's different than your kiddos sidewalk chalk), and with two different shades of the same color, filled in the white space behind the balls.

Oh and I almost forgot...A GIVEAWAY

You won't believe what Skip to my Lou is giving away! Cricut Imagine! #cricut http://bit.ly/fu1Iam

Feather Hair Extensions

Depending on where you live, you may have noticed that people are walking around with feathers- in their hair! The feather trend is catching on...more rapidly in certain locations; but, like skinny jeans, it's coming whether you like it or not. I was recently at a trunk show where a hip friend of mine was sporting the feather look. As we stood talking, I caught a glimpse of a white feather, and being the stay-at-home mom that I am, thought, "hmm, poor thing has down feather from her coat stuck in her hair." I attempted to pluck it out for her.

I soon learned that it was a feather hair extension and began searching my memory bank to see if I had any recollection of feathers in hair...American Idol, Steven Tyler, Yes! I knew I wasn't soooo out of it-just a little.

photo credit

Days later, my sister-in-law who lives in Bend, Oregon came over to the valley for a visit. She too was wearing a feather extension! However, hers was removable, and had a couple of strands of tinsel in the mix. Super cute!

As I'm starting to warm up to the this new hair craze, I visit my hairdresser only to find a few feathers floating about her workstation. She had just finished up with another client and suggested we put a few in my new do. "Yes, please!"

So I did it, I took flight with the feather trend. I went with the natural feathers (they come in colors too) and I must say, they are amazing!

*Side note*

Because this hasn't caught on everywhere, I recently encountered the following:

The cashier at a local grocer says to me, "Is that a feather in your hair?"

"Yes, it, is." I reply.

He adds, "Oh, is it that bird crap?"

Me, taken aback, stand there mouth open not sure how to respond to his rudeness. "Uhhhh" is all I can get out.

He quickly follows up by telling my that, "Bird Crap" is a brand of feathers!!!!!

Hahaha! These feathers are really throwing me for a loop!

Are feathers "in" in your neck of the woods?

If you live in the Salem, Oregon area and want to take flight...

Call my friends, and hair experts, Lindsey and Krista at Salon Mecca

Now, if you have a daughter that is a natural fashionista, like I do, then she too will want feathers. Which, I must admit, we put pink feathers in her locks and it is very fun! However, I know that many people wouldn't be comfortable with the crimped-in feathers for their little ones. Why not get them a Hillbilly Headband from The Farrier's Daughter?!?! Many are adorned with feathers galore!

I think the feathers are great for all of you gals that like to bring a little trendyness to your western style. I can't wait for the warm weather so that I can sport my sundress, cowboy boots, and feathers together. Very cowgirl chic in my opinion!

Another Match Made in Heaven-Cowgirls Trading Post

Nestled just between the Deschutes River and Hwy 20, in the small town of Tumalo, Oregon is a small house, turned business and what I call a Cowgirl's Paradise! It is the boutique of two charming gals that have an eye for style and are passionate about bridging the gap between fashion trends and western style.

The Cowgirls Trading Post

will have Cowgirl Canteens on their shelves in the very near future!

The Farrier's Daughter is Now in Stores! Desperado Couture

Great News...

The Farrier's Daughter is Now in Stores!

But not just any stores...

My Cowgirl Canteens are now being carried by Desperado Couture in Bend, Oregon's, Old Mill District. And I must say, it's a great fit for me. Walking in, I feel an overwhelming sense of at-homeness. The walls are painted in a wonderful hue of aqua with pops of red, and a huge longhorn is mounted high on the wall. Boots of all shapes and colors, chunky jewelry, and blingy belts, oh my! Yes, the Cowgirl Canteens have found their long-lost family.

Other shops are in the process of ordering as well, so check back for more information on other locations to find me!

Keepin' It Real

When I first started blogging, it seemed like the fancy backgrounds were all of the craze, and in some niches, I suppose they still are. I remember scouring site upon site looking for just the right one. I wanted one that really portrayed my style, and my vision for my little business. Since then, I have changed it a few times, but try not to stray too far. I have noticed that some people just pick things they like, things that are pretty, maybe a holiday theme. I think that is great for things like family blogs, but for businesses, it just seems more appropriate to keep things somewhat consistent. I mean, when a potential customer stumbles upon my blog, I want them to say, "Yes! I love this style!" And, if I am lucky enough to have them find me again, I would like for them to recognize me. So, for me, it seems logical to stick to a certain style.

I found my current background at Shabby Blogs, and I LOVE IT! In fact, I love many of their designs. For me, it was choosing one that said, trendy, vintage, fun, and a little bit country...after all, my business card reads, "A Unique Blend of Rockin' Cowgirl, Vintage Art Chick, and Boutique Betty". If you are in need of some super cute designs, check them out. They are fabulous!

So, why do I bring all of this up? Well, as I peruse other blogs in the craft sector, I find that many of them that I like are very simple. They typically have solid white backgrounds, black text, and inject color with their use of photos, logo, and sidebar info. They feel clean, crisp, and fresh to me...and sometimes I think maybe my blog should feel that way too. But, when it comes down to it, I don't think that is me. I compare it to my house. While I enjoy the clean, simple, organized home-it just doesn't happen around here! I am a work-at-home mom. If I want to accomplish anything creative, I must get into my zone. If I were to stop and pick up an entire snack trap's worth of cheerios off of the floor every few minutes, my zone would be gone. When I work, there is no rhyme or reason to the order in which I do things (Ok, so that's not entirely true-I do prioritize. Oh, and make lots of lists that I never look at twice-I think the act of writing it down is the helpful part for me). Same goes for my blog and business. My husband is always telling me to scale back...not to make so many different things. "Just keep it simple", he says. I CAN'T. I have this problem where I get inspired, or have a new idea, and I have to try it.

Sometimes it stems from saving money.

Just the other day I wanted some of those cute resin cabochons for some of my projects. Instead of just buying the darn things, I spent hours and many phone calls, trying to round up the correct supplies so that I could make my own. Really, I did. However, it was a waste of time. I will not be making my own.

I digress.

Back to blog design.

I will be keeping my Shabby Blogs background. It just fits me, and my multifaceted business. It's a little grungy, a little fun, feminine and flirty and so are the things I love to create.

PS-I just added a couple of new images (thanks to Shabby Blogs). One is my new fairwell at the very bottom. I think from here on out I will sign off with

Keep It Fancy!

You know, kind of like Anchorman, keep it classy San Diego

DIY Custom Slipcover

A couple of years ago, I found an ugly armchair at Goodwill for only $25!

Yessss, I thought to myself, it was in near perfect condition, didn't have any offensive odors, and it was a rocker! With a quick, white slipcover it would work wonderfully in the baby's nursery.

(The wall color is the same in both pics...funny how lighting changes things. Also, please excuse the chandelier chain hanging from the ceiling-our electrician is a flake and never returned to finish his job)

Only, for the past couple of years it has stood out like a sore thumb, uncovered, and maroon!

Back in my early days of sewing, I once attempted to make a slipcover and it was a complete nightmare. I wasted fabric, cursed, and threw the chair away!

I was sooooo nervous about trying again, but I have been sewing a lot lately, so I mustered up the courage, searched blog land for tips, and got to it.

The first part was actually the most fun for me. I loved the whole draping, cutting, and pinning process. It was like a huge fabric puzzle. A great piece of advice that I found online was to hand baste along my pins before heading to the sewing machine. This was super time consuming, but in my opinion, well worth it. I stabbed myself much less than usual :-)

Another time consuming step was making my own cording to sew into the seams. However, I really believe it makes the whole thing look much more professional. I didn't have enough fabric left over for the knife pleats to go around the entire chair, so I just did the front and about half of the sides. At first, this really bothered me, I felt like they had to go all of the way around the chair, but then I realized that it was my project and there was nothing that said it had to be any certain way.

Far from perfect, but I still LOVE it! Do you have any DIY slipcovers to share? Add a link in the comments, I would love to see them!

PS-I used my Joann's coupon and bought the light weight, white denim for my project. I'm linking up at Faded Charm's, White Wednesday!