Q & A: How to Wear Cowboy Boots with my Wedding Dress?

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Today's post is inspired by a bride-to-be, who writes:

"I'm getting married in June and I want to wear cowboy boots with my dress. My colors are white and Fuschia pink. It's a pretty good size dress-more modern. Do you have any ideas? I would like black and fuchsia. Where do I find??"

After a big Congratulations, and some questions about price range, this is what we had to offer (considering we don't know much about the bride's personal style)....

These first ones are a bit on the wild side as far as wedding attire goes, but hey-some gals like to make a statement with their boots-after all, they are hidden most of the time ;-)

So, if you are into the current trend of wings, crosses, and bling...these might be perfect for you (black, pink, and point toe-and they are by Corral...who make a darn good boot):

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(click the image to be taken to Country Outfitters)

A little more subdued:

(click the image to be taken to Country Outfitters)

These next boots are out of the price range that you gave, but I'm attaching any way , because I think they 

are the perfect "big day" boot...by Frye, here are the Deborahs:

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• Ok, now that we have swooned over those spendy ones, here is a Corral that has the same vibe for a lot less, and can be found at Buckle!

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Have you noticed that I'm not sending many black options? I tend to steer away from black-especially for a wedding. I think because when I think of weddings, I think of soft, feminine, and girly. If it's not just the right black, it can come across as a little "hard" if you know what I mean ;-) I don't want to crush your idea of wearing black boots, because I do think it can be done...just a little tricky! Whatever the color, I would definitely stick to a point or snip toe boot...they are just a little more "fancy" than the square toe that are in style right now :-)

So, how to pull off the black boot? Two things that will help-I don't think you have to have both, but one would definitely help...The first is to opt for a a tall shaft (Liberty makes a nice tall shaft boot)...that is if you are a tall gal. I stand not too much taller than the 5' mark, so the tall shaft doesn't work for me, but if you can rock it, it would help give a little more sophisticated look to a black boot. To stay in your price range, I found these Corrals that have a slightly taller shaft than the average boot, and as an added bonus-they can be found at Buckle (which means you get an excuse to go shop the entire beautiful store):

*I think the white delicate stitching makes these look a little softer too :-)

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• The second way to make a black boot work is to opt for a distressed black leather...again, softens the hard look of black. I found these next boots, and must say-for a girl who isn't a "black boot lover", I think I need to add them to my collection! I absolutely love that they have a little bling by way of the sequins inlay! These might be a great choice for you...
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And for a shameless plug, 

might I add that TFD offers unique Cowgirl Canteens (designer hip flasks) that make the perfect bridesmaid gifts, and double as adorable photo props! 

The website is currently undergoing a big relaunch, but Cowgirl Canteens for your big day can be found on our Facebook fan page:

Click here and Like Us

You can also join the TFD Posse to be notified of sales, news, and hot new products!

The Strawberry Patch Goods at the TFD Handpicked Holiday Sale~Vendor Spotlight

Meet Christy Stone, owner of the Strawberry Patch

(an artsy line for you and me)!

I had the privilege of getting to know her when she came to visit me a couple of years ago. And while you wont actually be able to meet her at the TFD Handpicked Holiday Sale (this sweet girl calls Tennessee home), she has sent a package of her bold and unique hand towels! They will be up for grabs Saturday, December 7 from 4-8.

Follow Along with The Strawberry Patch:

FACEBOOK

BLOG

Since Christy can't be here, let me tell you a little about her and her baby business (she has three adorable kiddos that might not appreciate that reference). The Strawberry patch started as what she calls a, "glorified garage sale"out of her home...well, her garage to be specific. She would deck it out, roll up the door, and let the colorful goods spill out into the driveway for shoppers delight. After many sales, she began to outgrow the space and has since moved her show to her family's farm. It is beautiful, and perfect, I hope that one day I will get the chance to fly down and experience one first hand.

                                   

Christy is well known for giving vintage chairs a breath of fresh air.

Like her towels, they are very unique-no two are ever the same.

Tired of getting a new piece of furniture only to learn that someone you know has the exact one?

Look no further!

With Christy's masterpieces, you are sure to have a show-stopper that only you will own.

More Strawberry Patch goodies include pillows, and lamp shades.

I know, "When does this woman ever sleep?"

All I can say is that she is a woman following her passions and dreams, and when you have dialed in on these things, when you know who you are and what you want, no loss of sleep is going to stand in the way. 

Creativity is in her blood, her mind, and soul.

One of the greatest things about Christy and The Strawberry Patch is that her creations truly represent who she is. She doesn't sit down to make things that she thinks other people would like, she creates things that she likes, and the end result is a piece full of color and happiness.

Take for example the photo below.

This was the package I received from Christy.

I was so giddy when I opened it up, and instantly sent her a text thanking for the, 

"Package of Happiness".

I've already picked out my favorite one (which is tough because they are all great).

I'll leave the rest for shoppers at the TFD Handpicked Holiday Sale.

So come out and see us:

TFD Handpicked Holiday Sale
Saturday, December 7, 2013
4:00-8:00pm
15011 S. Vaughan Rd. 
Molalla, OR 97038 

Jamie Welle Designs at the TFD Handpicked Holiday Sale~Vendor Spotlight

I am very excited to announce that Mrs. Jamie Welle, of Jamie Welle Designs will be contributing to our upcoming TFD Handpicked Holiday Sale! Please join us December 7, from 4:00-8:00pm where you will be able to shop some of Jamie's handmade goods. Can't make it to the sale? Find her online at her Etsy shop Jamie Welle Designs. To follow Jamie on her journey and be notified of new product, find her on facebook too (jest click the Jamie Welle Designs or facebook links)!








Meet the Maker:

Jamie graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Apparel Design. After working briefly in the design industry (specifically bridal), she got married and decided to start a family. As a result, she chose to take a more "family friendly" job at West Linn High School. After 7 years of working with high school students and taking side custom design jobs & alterations, she came to the conclusion that she needed to stay home with her 3 young boys. She's been home with her boys (who are currently 6, 5, & 3) now for the past year and a half and has finally come full circle, and back to her love for design. She started making items for her children, herself, & gifts for family. As word spread that she was creating again she started producing some of her favorite and most requested items and selling them on-line. She creates all of her own patterns and sews/constructs each one of her items. She is all about unique handmade items that are functional, fun, & fashionable!

TFD Handpicked Holiday Sale
Saturday, December 7, 2013
4:00-8:00pm
15011 S. Vaughan Rd. 
Molalla, OR 97038

Concentrated effort + Time = Success

A while ago, my husband starting taking an interest in real estate investing. Being the reader he is, he read anything he could get his hands on that had to do with this new found love. Through his journey of educating himself on the topic he has come across many motivational books. Luckily for me, he filters out the good from the bad and recommends the ones he thinks I would enjoy or could benefit from in one way or another. The underlying theme in the authors of these books is that they either are, or have studied in depth, successful people.

All of the books have had great messages and sound advice, but the one thing important thing I’ve noticed to be a reoccurring theme is this:

Concentrated effort + Time=Success  

(Funny that I write that as a math problem when I despise the subject-but I digress.)

Seems so simple right? Only when I sat back and actually thought about myself critically, I couldn’t honestly say that I have concentrated on anything (relating to business), and I certainly haven’t done anything for an extended period of time. To put it simply, I am not focused. I have a creative mind that likes to wander from one thing to the next. You should see me clean house. I will start to clean the bathroom, then two minutes later I’m changing the litter in the cat box. Noooo, I know what you are thinking- I don’t have Attention Deficit Disorder. There is always a perfectly good explanation on how I get from point A to point B. For example, in the earlier mentioned situation, I most likely went to take the bathroom trash out to the garbage bin, passing the litter box on the way, and catching a whiff of unpleasant odor. And hey, guess what? The stinky litter goes to the very same garbage bin as the bathroom trash, so might as well just make one trip! You see what I mean? Same applies to business. Only it’s worse because I don’t really enjoy cleaning house. With The Farrier’s Daughter I am dealing with passion, and as we all know, when passion occurs it’s sometimes hard to know where to draw the line ;-)

Since 2006, I have been what I like to call “exploring” my creative side and the industries that support it. In one way, the timing has been perfect. Being a stay-at-home mom has given me the opportunity to try different things without the pressure of making a certain amount of money-or any money for that matter (Insert shout out to my husband-Thank you Nick). On the other hand, being a stay-at-home mom has changed the way I look at things.

For a while I tried to do shows. Gathering and refinishing or re purposing vintage goods was a blast for me! I absolutely loved staging my booth for the shows that I did. However, the cons soon outweighed the pros. As a vendor, I wanted to give my business everything I had. The problem was that I only had so much to give and it didn’t seem possible to give 100% to being a stay-at-home mom, a supportive wife, and a vendor all at the same time. Add to that my lack of storage, and an extra set of hands via business partner, and I quickly realized that that particular arena was not for me. I had the concentrated effort, but it couldn’t go on for long.

After many long talks with my husband, I decided to focus on handmade goods-Cowgirl Canteens specifically, that were easier to store, haul, and set up if I did decide to do a few shows every once in a while. It wasn’t long after this decision that I realized having just one product was going to be a challenge for this artistic brain. I put off going retail for the longest time, then finally pulled the trigger. With surprisingly great success right out of the gate, I should have been on a roll. Unfortunately, I am the world’s worst salesman. Remember when I said I despise math? Well, it’s safe to say I hate selling even more. Don’t get me wrong, I like to have things sell-I just don’t like the process of selling them. While creating a product takes me to my happy place…selling that same product could possibly be the equivalent of hell. Even in the most laid back of situations regarding repping my own product, my heart beats so hard that I swear people can see it trying to jump out of my chest. My hands shake, and my head spins. It is terrible! So, it’s safe to say that trying to drive my wholesale accounts was not something that was going to get my “concentrated effort”.

Meanwhile, some friends of mine asked me to start doing some visual merchandising for them in the form of a HUGE window display at their new salon. Another great way for me to use my creative juices, and while I love doing the job for them, I’m not certain I have the means to turn it into “my job” ... brings me back to that lack of storage issue again. As a result of the window display, lots of people get to see my style, which has opened even more doors. Interior design, business design-all design, but looking through my directional glasses, I have completely lost focus.

So what is the one thing that has stayed consistent through all of this? My desire to grow a business that allows me to use my creativity, my dream of creating a brand that is well-known, understood and successful, and my desire to be able to do those things while being one kick ass wife and mama! So moving forward, I have decided to focus on online sales and events where I get to mingle with people (because that, in my opinion is the only way to sell). I have decided to use social media and this blog as a tool to spread the word about The Farrier’s Daughter. I hope that people are able to get a little glimpse into what we stand for, the uniqueness and quality of the goods we offer….which means I have also decided to start expanding. Yes, finally expanding! For so long, I have heard people say, “I love your style, but I don’t drink.”, or “These [Cowgirl Canteens] are adorable, but I don’t carry a flask, I prefer beer.” I have been listening; your voices have been heard. I’ve been planning and dreaming and scheming about new items for so long, and the time has come to go for it! I hope you join us as The Farrier’s Daughter gives a concentrated effort, because this my friends, is going to last for a long time.

Here are a few ways to follow along:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Click the image above to be taken to
The Farrier's Daughter website.

FACEBOOK

Click on the "F" above to head on over 

and "like" The Farrier's Daughter on facebook.

PINTEREST

Click on the "P" to follow 

The Farrier's Daughter boards on pinterest.

INSTAGRAM

Click on the camera icon above to follow 

The Farrier's Daughter on Instagram.

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Princess and the Pony~Cowgirls Don't Cry

When we first brought Polly home last spring, the girls got started riding bareback right away. No pad, no bridle, just good old-fashioned hold onto the mane, find your balance, and enjoy the ride while Mom leads the way, kind of riding. It was good for them. I could see them getting stronger and more confident with every ride. I vividly remember the day my oldest daughter (Raegen) rode down the path telling me all about how she planned to someday be a trick-rider. She had just seen another one of those little girl and her pony movies and I could tell she had borrowed a few ideas. As she dreamed out loud, I heard all about her plans to stand on Polly’s back, ride her into the water and dive off of her four legged friend. From where she sat, she couldn’t see my smile. But as her energetic words filled the air, I couldn’t help but recall a few of my own childhood cowgirl dreams. It was as if a mini-me sat atop the pony that day.

Time passed and the girls continued to become better riders. I decided it was time to get them in a saddle. A phone call away, sat the saddle that I learned to ride on as a young girl. My father was kind enough to not only save the saddle, but pass it on to his granddaughters. After a trip to the saddlery shop, it was good as new. 

Before too long, the no-hands trick was getting old, and Raegen was ready to move on. She begged for a faster pace. With her cowgirl hat on straight, hands on the horn, and a determined look in her eye, she told me she was ready to trot. So trot we did. Only, a few strides in, Raegen’s hat flew off of her head, giving Polly a bit of a startle. She quickly picked up speed, and then threw on the brakes all in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, Raegen went flying forward, landing on the ground. She was fine. No broken bones, just a couple of bumps and a mighty big scare for a little girl. She stood, dusted off and cried. I held her, and as I did, my childhood came flashing back into my head again. I remembered my first horse mishap. I remembered crying, never wanting to ride even a carousel again, and I remember my Dad making me get back in the saddle. I squeezed her tight, wiped her tears, and when she was settled down, I told her that she had to get back on. She didn't want to at first, but with a little convincing, she threw her leg over the saddle and was riding again. I was so proud of my little girl in that moment. She was brave and strong, and she learned an invaluable lesson that she will hold onto her entire life. How do I know this? Because, I learned the same lesson, the same way, some 25 years ago.

Our Ever-Changing Kitchen Remodel

I've been asked by so many to do a post on our Kitchen, but have always avoided it because it has never felt "finished". It dawned on me the other day, that it may actually never "feel finished". I've realized in my 32 years that by the time I finally get around to making a room feel complete, I have moved on to yet another style, color scheme, or big idea. So, from start to finish, our semi-complete, Heart of the Home...

Our Kitchen:

 Believe it or not, this is what the kitchen looked like when we decided to purchase this 100+ year old house. Not only was it the ugliest kitchen I'd ever seen, not one thing made a lick of sense. We started by happily gutting the entire space.

 It had a chimney that had been dry-walled over, a window that looked into the garage, YES you read that right, a window overlooking an enclosed garage! It had cabinets of all sorts in all of the wrong places, and an oven that stuck right out in the middle of the walkway. But, somehow, through all of this, I had a vision.

Out with the wall dividing the Kitchen and Dining Room, out with the funky garage-view window, and out with the ugly oak cabinets! My goal was to transform what once resembled a cave into a bright and airy kitchen with as much natural light as possible.

 This is the view from the Kitchen looking toward the Dining Room and Living Room.

Where once stood a dividing wall, is now an open space with breakfast bar.

The only thing that remained in the Kitchen was the original wood flooring. A little (okay a lot) of TLC, and the old floors are new again.

I wanted to have a piece of cabinetry that felt like a built-in hutch, so the section next to the refrigerator has pretty feet (unlike the rest of the lower cabinets). The uppers have corbels mounted to the bottom that match the open shelves on the opposite wall, and some of my favorite knobs from Anthropologie. Another little surprise is the expanded metal we used in the cabinet doors. It ties in with the pantry door, and our staircase. After cutting to size, we washed it with a push broom, soap and water, then spray primed and painted it black.

Here is a view from the Dining Room looking in.

The wood slab that makes up the breakfast bar is from my late Grandfather, and is supported by some antique architectural corbels I picked up at a local sale.

The open shelves were a risky choice in a small Kitchen, but have really helped in making the space seem larger and brighter.

Pendant light kits and old rusty Crawfish traps were an inexpensive lighting option for overhead, and cast the most beautiful pattern on the ceiling above. They also lend a nice contrast to the crystal Dining Room chandelier.

While yes, I have a business that specializes in Cowgirl Canteens (fancy hip flasks for women), my husband and I are actually fans of microbrew beer. So, this old bottle opener on the end of the breakfast bar gets it's fair share of use.

One smart splurge in the Kitchen was the apron front sink. I love it!

I made up for that splurge by installing all of the white, subway, backsplash tile by myself.

One thing I've had to get used to is not having a window above the sink.

Instead, I took an old antique frame, gave it a face lift and turned it into a cork board for all of the pretty pictures my girls make for me, any important reminders, and a plethora of other random things.

To the right of the refrigerator is a mirror/apron holder, and to the right of that is the pantry.

In my opinion, a pantry is a must if you are going to opt for the open shelves.

For the door, I found an old screen door, replaced the original screen with the expanded metal and added the gate hinges for a little extra fun.

The door to the Mud Room was swapped out for a glass door and an old sash window was installed above my desk area to maximize natural light.

So why isn't it "finished"?

Well, I have an old butcher block that my Grandfather used to cut meat on that is awaiting a new set of wood-turned legs that will become my new island...until then, I have this antique flour table that sits center stage.

Ramblings of The Farrier's Daughter

Do you ever have those moments where something strikes you as funny or odd and you just can't seem to shake the thought?

I don't know if Dairy Queen, best known for its hot eats and cool treats, is a nationwide chain, or if we North westerners are the only ones lucky enough to enjoy their scrumptious Blizzards, but when you order one of these amazing desserts, you get more than just a sweet mixture of ice cream and candy bars. What you get my friends is a very awkward moment.

Imagine this:

After ordering, waiting patiently while the saliva builds in anticipation, and handing over your hard earned cash, the worker slides open the window and reaches out with your Blizzard in hand. You anxiously reach to meet them in the middle when you notice they have stopped midway and are now turning your cold treat upside down right in front of your face! 

The first time this happened I just about screamed in fear that they were dropping my Georgia Mud Fudge on the ground like some evil trick. But they quickly turned the dessert with no lid, (spoon stuck smack dab in the top) right side up and handed it over with a smile on their face. Strange! What is even more strange is that there is never any verbal communication throughout the entire exchange. No explanation for what I call a very random act. 

I've decided over the years of ordering my favorite, Georgia Mud Fudge, that this awkward moment is likely because DQ prides themselves on on the freshness of their blizzards and that they do this to show that the ice cream has not melted. Nonetheless, it creates an uneasy feeling every. single. time.

I thought that this random thought needed a visual, so I have come up with my very own Ecard:

Can anyone out there relate?

A Lalaloopsy Birthday Party

Ahhh, alas, it is over!

I have this problem where I say silly things like, 

"I'm not going to go all out or do anything fancy this time."

If you ever hear me say this, please know that it is a lie.

While I sometimes try not to put too much emphasis on parties and decorating, I have found that I simply cannot help it.

Our youngest daughter recently turned four years old, and requested a Lalaloopsy Birthday Party. While it may not have much to do with The Farrier's Daughter, it has a lot to do with family, which is very important to me, so I thought I'd share :-) 

The birthday girl requested a chocolate cake (following right in her Mama's footsteps).

So with the the aid of what I like to call a "Cake Coach", I proceeded to make my own.

I'm not much of a baker. 

I appreciate pretty baked goods, and I enjoy eating pastries, but I have never had the best luck with getting things to look pretty. Caving, cracking, burning...the list goes on. So this was a huge undertaking for me. 

But with the help of my Cake Coach (an extremely talented friend sending me links to websites, and written instructions), it turned out wonderfully!

 The finished product was a smooth finished, crusted butter cream icing over chocolate cake with a creamy peanut butter filling in between the layers! 

YUM!

The paper toppers were made from scrap booking paper, buttons and paper straws, and the rest were Lalaloopsy figurines that the birthday girl could keep!

 The party was based around her favorite doll...

Crumbs Sugar Cookie.

So, of course, I had to make sugar cookies!

The original plan was to use Royal Icing to get that perfect finish on the cookies, but because I am a Royal Icing virgin, and because that stuff really doesn't have a pleasant taste, I decided to go with butter cream. Remember that crusting butter cream I mentioned earlier?

Same stuff!

Worked like a charm, and tasted good!

This is what Crumbs Sugar Cookie looks like.

Since my girls LOVE to dress up, part of her gift was a Crumbs Sugar Cookie outfit to wear.

Here is the Birthday Girl on the morning of her party.

And if you have two daughters, then you know that you can't make dress up for one and not the other. Big sister requested a dress that mimicked Jewels Sparkles.

    

 Not as close of a match, but it did the trick. 

Refreshments were served from my trusty Costco drink dispenser. If they ever get these in stock again (usually around the holidays), you have to buy one! Trust me, you'll be glad you did.

I use this one all of the time. 

Activities consisted of stringing brightly colored, beaded, necklaces, embroidery hoop ring toss, 

Annnnnnnnnddddd.............

A real-life Lalaloopsy Bobble Head! 

I like to call her Lalalindsey!

Haha!

Ok, so I'm joking.

It was just too tempting to not stand behind the giant pianta for a photo op!

Candy/Loot Bags were just craft bags that I ran through the Big Shot with a Chevron embossing folder. 

Want one for yourself?

You can get it by going here:

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=127749

The Lalaloopsy Pinata was made using a big punching balloon for the base.

Luckily our oldest was a champion at paper mache, so I had a good helper.

After filling and attaching  the strings for hanging, I added hair, (using pink paper napkins rolled up), and painted on her face.

I have to admit that after all of the hard work that went into it, we were hesitant to let kids beat her with a bat!

Remember when I said that I can't help but decorate?

That, I was not lying about.

Knowing that the kids would want to do pony rides, I decided we should also decorate the horse!

So the morning of the party, the girls and I went out with our paint and fabric scraps and turned Polly into a Lalaloopsy inspired pony. 

Two very proud parents!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl~We Love You!