December and January Goals (13-2014)

Part of my intent for this new site, is to keep a journal of what's going on, what went on, and how it all happened.  And to perhaps add a wee bit of motivation to keep things moving forward, and as always to get hints of wisdom from others as well.

So without further jabber, here's my list of basic goals for this month and the next:

• Finish up Christmas presents.  (One day I'll learn to make this stuff months in advance.)
• Photograph more.  I love photography, but tend to forget to take pictures.
• Finish organizing the recipe binder.  The thing is massive.  And lacking organization.  On top of all that, I still have to pull a few of my favorite recipes up on the computer each time I need them.  
• Set up a business plan for late winter/early spring.
• Finish the overhaul on my "Martha Cave", aka the craft studio/closet.
• Begin work on the basement overhaul.  I need a seed growing area, a play room, organized storage, and eventually the Martha Cave will be moved down there.
• Get the oven working.  Ugh.

And we'll leave it at that for now, as I'm not even going to try to include my actual "to-do" list, I don't want to scare ya all.  ;)

What are you're goals for the next few months?

~Emily

Easy DIY Burlap Table Runner

First thing first, I have small kids, two of them.  They do crazy things like tape huge pictures of "chompy" Christmas trees to my dining room wall (okay so that was my idea to keep them busy the other night), and they crumple up my pretty burlap table runner when it's time to eat and toss it on the floor (that might have been me again).  Today I'm running around cleaning up ash finger paintings from my toddler (don't ask), and stuffing the goat hut with fresh hay, so I'm not even pretending my photo of my dining room is Better Homes and Garden ready.  ;)

The good news is that this project might be one of the simplest, and most successful (meaning it's lasted two years and I still love it, and would do it again in a split second) crafts there are.

And you only need three supplies.

1. A roll of burlap in your favorite width.  Yes, you want the rolls that are with the ribbon, or Christmas supplies.  (Michael's even Walmart has them right now)  They come with the seams sewn up for you, worth that 3 dollars extra to buy a roll instead of off the bolt.
2. Glue Gun, low temp, and glue sticks.
3. Pretty ribbon or lace.  Buy enough to match your length of burlap x 2.

Rush home and plug in your glue gun.  While you're waiting for that to heat up, line your work space with wax paper, or the shiny side of butcher's paper, so you don't glue your runner to the table.  ;)  Now here's the tricky part... carefully glue your ribbon or lace to your burlap runner.  Then enjoy a cup of coffee with whipped cream, and enjoy your hard work.  (oh, and unplug your glue gun!!!)  

Seriously anything goes here.  You can use a stencil and paint on a design, use thicker ribbon down the middle, make place mats... I'm in love with these burlap rolls!  Now to get rid of that old wallpaper in my dining room...

~Emily

Ps I would love to hear your Christmas projects too!  Please feel free to share!

Deadlines

Today is your last day to order over at http://www.whitegoatranch.etsy.com for before Christmas delivery!  After today I can make no guarantees.  ;(

Stay safe out there!

~Emily

SALE!!!!

Snow day today in our neck of the woods.  I love not having to rush the boy out to the bus in the morning, and I love him being home to play with his sister.  But it also means hyped up kids, and cranky animals.  Which all equals a semi-stressed mom.  ;)  And with a broken oven I can't even pump out my Christmas cookies or toss a quick pizza in the oven.

What do you do to keep your kids/grand kids happy on a snow day???  I'd love to hear your ideas!

And as I posted yesterday on Facebook, I'm having the last sale of the year starting today and ending on 12/11/13!!!  (You'll want to buy before the 10th to guarantee delivery before Christmas!!!!)  Head on over to my shop and use the code "FRIENDS" for 10% off of your entire purchase!!!!

Thank you again for being the best customers and friends ever!!!

~Emily

~A Few of My Favorite Things~ Dec 2013

Here's a quick round-up of what's new, what's getting the most attention, or of what I'm most excited about from my shop this month!  {Click on the photos to be taken straight to the listing for each item!}

Tiny bow hair clips, an entire set of Christmas colors to match any Christmas outfit!

One of my favorite scarves.  This keyhole scarf secures itself around your neck with no knots to fuss with!  And by request you can have it made in your favorite colors!

Want to pretend it's not winter?  This set features bright, refreshing, tropical colors in a hand knit, 100% cotton washcloth, and is topped off with a remilled bar of soap straight from the herb garden.  On CLEARANCE.

All of these items and more can be found at my shop at http://www.whitegoatranch.etsy.com  I'd love to see you there!!!

~Emily

If you have an online shop, and want to link a similar post here, please feel free to!  I just ask that in return you link back to me!  Thank you!

~Doodles and Tangles~

I've long been a doodler.  There's never been a piece of paper safe around me, and I blame it all on my grandmother who was left with the chore of keeping my quiet and entertained when I was little.  ;)  (Who I'm positive taught me every craft out there in attempts to keep me out of her hair during Days of Our Lives)

One of my first "tangles"

So when my friends started posting about Zentangle I had to check it out.  Now the official Zentangle is all about finding your zen while doodling.  There's official tools, official methods,official classes, and official "doodles".  It's also officially expensive, and officially copyrighted.  ;)  So I won't be going much into the how-to's or the what about's here.  Although my good friend Karen has a great list of how to get started over on her blog, Karen Lynn Sandoval, she's been doing this a lot longer than me, and has some great advice!  (and links to get you started too!  I started with just a simple kit from Michael's)

"tangle" #1

And honestly I'm not much on rules, guidelines, or the whole theory of "zen".  I draw because I love it.  I check out the books, and put my pen to paper, just going with my own flow.  And I'm pretty positive the ocd in me when it comes to sketching headlocks any zen feeling one is supposed to get. Despite that it still is relaxing, if you can get the kids to stop bumping the table, lol.

You'll have to decide for yourself if you need the books.  Most of them aren't cheap, but I have an addiction to good old, paper in my hands, books.  I'll try to review some later for you!  But like I said, there's TONS of online resources that you can check out for free.  (speaking of books, my 7 year old asked for one for Christmas, I'll let you know his review of the kids' book!)

My main goal with practicing these is to re-develop my own skills with pen and paper, and maybe one day branch out into some hand drawn cards, for those days when my imagination is used up, and my fingers are callused from knitting.  That's if I stop running out of pens.  ;)

Do you doodle or tangle?  Feel free to share your ink inspired links!  I'd love to see them!

~Emily

Garden Planning ~ 2014

This past growing season I took the year off.  Plans were to finish several other things outside, which never did really end up happening... not to my satisfaction that is.  And while I could take another summer or two off to finish those other tasks, I really, really missed having fresh veggies and fruits.

So for mostly my own benefit of starting a record somewhere, here's my massive to-do list for the upcoming growing season:  (side note:  we're moving the entire location of the garden from the side "pasture" to an area with less snakes, rocks, weeds, and it's almost 100 feet closer to a water source.  Hopefully this is a win-win)

• Move the compost bins, and get them filled.
• Write-up an official "What we're planting" chart.  Being in a new location, and not quite knowing yet what's lurking beneath the surface, and how exactly things will do, I have to force myself to keep things a bit simple.  Although we do consume a large amount of veggies every year, as does the animal herd.
• Order seeds.  Maybe.  Just a few.  I could go crazy with those catalogs.  I have to remind myself that nothing on the new site has been dug up, and we have no plow or machinery.  
• Re-build my seed shelves.  My make shift on a budget seed starting shelves were converted into Etsy business shelves during the year off.
• Tools and Supplies.  I have none.  My last shovel broke digging up a boulder.  ;)
• Re-work the garden journal.  My garden journal is just a cheap binder with lots of page protectors where I stash my drawings of garden designs, plans, and write when I plant things, and store other various notes.
• Research fencing options.  Our budget has yet to be able to include a proper fence.  Between the chickens, the deer, turkeys, and other stray animals that wander into my garden, things tend to get eaten before we can enjoy them.  I'd love a traditional looking, wooden, log fence.  I'm sure that's not practical.  Nor cost effective.  But neither is having the chickens eat all your tomatoes.
• And last but not least for now, making that official garden plan.  What we're planting, where we're planting it, and when.  

Have you started your garden planning?  What's on your list?

~Emily

Moving, Again.

It's hard that first year, trying to find a balance.  A place to call home, and a style all your own.  But with the closing of this first year, it is time for some changes.  In the next several months you'll be seeing:

• This new blog blossom, hopefully.  ;)
• Some new product lines, with a new look as well.
• An updated Etsy site.
• And much, much more!

I liked wordpress, I really did, and the old blog, and the old look, but it's time to move on, and simplify life just a wee bit.  

So thank you for your patience as I do some renovations.  With the holidays, young children, and plenty of animals this will be a slow going process!  ;)

~Emily