Don't You Step on His Blue Suede Shoes...

Ok, they're not suede, but have you ever seen such a sight! Poor Rooster broke his toe in the quick at the Coleman Parade weekend before last, and he's had a terrible time walking. We've been asked to be the parade marshals for the Rocksprings 4th of July Celebration this weekend, and Rooster still has a tender toe. His daddy bought him some down-right snazzy shoes to cushion his feet for the parade! I just had to laugh at us, and figured you'd have a chuckle, too. I've got to paint him some white stars on the toes before we leave town!

Now he can sneak up on his hay!

LATEST NEWS FLASH!!

It's July and time for uploads at the Humble Arts! If you haven't dropped in to see the latest offerings, you've got to make the trip over there. The artists have outdone themselves this month. I wanted one of everything! Go on now, you can come back here when you're done.

Folks, just a thought I'd like to pass on to you. You'd better hang on to your guns and your religion and remember the principles on which this country was founded.

Our New Baby

God has blessed our family once more by working through all kinds of muck to make it possible for us to rescue this little beauty. Meet Ima Jean, the newest addition to the Hall Clan. Boy, what a strange brood around here!


She's had a rough 14 mths. of life, but hopefully she will carry her message forward in a ministry for kids. You see, she's "ugly and broken" in a mule breeder's eyes, but I see something truly beautiful in her. With time, you'll see it, too. Just like we're ugly and broken before we come to know the Lord, but He sees something beautiful inside each of us, and He was willing to invest all He had to show His love for us.

This little girl will steal your heart in a second. She's just loves being loved! You can see she needs lots of TLC,












but you just keep checking back to see the transformation in this little jewel. It will start on the inside and work its way out; again, like the seed of Christ in our lives. It slowly grows in darkness inside of us where others don't notice until one day His love blooms on the outside of us.

WELCOME HOME, IMA JEAN!

Peek-a-Boo!

Just a peek at what's in the works for my July Humble Arts offering...

God Is Amazing

I should not be amazed at God's work because I know He can do all things, but it still gives me a tingly feeling every time I see Him in action. We are a part of West Texas Rehab's Day Camp every summer. It's a three day camp for kids who attend the Rehab Center - everything from speech problems to spina bifida. They all have one thing in common - they are having a blast at the camp! A truly amazing family - the Barnharts - have been hosting this camp many years. The second and third generations are now taking care of things. You will not find bigger hearts than these folks have.
We are delighted to play a small part in the camp. Our boys return each year to give rides to the kids - 86 this year. It's a sight to behold. God uses a 2200 lb. and a 1650 lb. beast to bring smiles and joy to these kids. Those of you that know him, know Mac is quite an Oscar the Grouch. However, on camp day, he puts on a different attitude- one of God's love- for the kids. I gives me goose bumps to watch him stand still for us to load many kids - many that cannot load themselves. Just a side note - he NEVER stands still for me! I hope we can be a part for many years to come.

Here the boys were waiting for the day to begin -The start of the day...

The boys at work...

A special thanks to our neighbor, Katie, here with Mac. She's an awesome teenager with a heart for others who volunteered to come help us.


What a day!

Where's the Manic Santa Frenzy???

That is just what was asked by a friend of mine, and I have to tell you Santa is itchin' to be created around here, but all my time has been going into the addition on our house. Here's a peek at what's going on...shhh.... let's follow Gayland into my craft room...
Here it is in the works. As of today, I've got the walls primed, and I'm ready to started painting.


I have been able to sneak away for a few minutes here and there to play with some paper clay, and here's what popped out -
Looks like he might need to see the dentist!

Well, it's time to get back to the paint bucket.

Message to America

Yes, America, I am on my soapbox this morning. I just want to run from house to house shaking people and slapping some sense into them. Are you seeing what's happening to our nation, or are you too busy with the day to day to see your freedoms going down the drain?

To quote one of our greatest presidents...





'If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under' .. Ronald Reagan





Our forefathers had no intentions of leaving God out of our lives.

“ The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.” • “[July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”
–John Adams in a letter written to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress

Patrick Henry:
"Orator of the Revolution."
• This is all the inheritance I can give my dear family. The religion of Christ can give them one which will make them rich indeed.”
—The Last Will and Testament of Patrick Henry

“It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” [May 1765 Speech to the House of Burgesses]

“The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.”

...and there are many, many more words of our founding fathers that clearly show this nation was founded as "ONE NATION, UNDER GOD."
Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;
I am tired of a handful of people today who try to take God out of everything we do. I am guilty of letting it slide, too, but we've got to stand up and be heard.

Take these words to heart, America:

Psalm62:5-7
My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.

Good Morning World!

It's a beautiful day on my second day of summer vacation! I spent yesterday trying to catch up on laundry, organizing, throwing stuff out, etc. We've got the walls painted at the church, and we're taking a break before we redo the fellowship area. That means I've got some "home" time, and I love it!!!!! Gayland has gone back to work on our house since we've got most of the building done a the church, too, and he's planning on knocking the wall out to the new addition some time this week. I'm so excited I can't stand myself!!!

So, what's going on? Well, have you checked out the June Humble Arts? There are some fabulous dolls and hand-stitched works this month. You really ought to take a peek. I'm offering Miss Red, my Izannah Walker inspired storybook character.

If you were a feather finder and signed up for our Wing Ding Prize drawing, be sure to stop by the HARTS site and check to see if you've won a prize!

I am in the mood for making Santas!!! Watch out, Gayland.... there will soon be Santa body parts all over the house! I bet he'll be so glad to get my new craft room done just so he can see the TV without having to look around a bald head!

Before I can get started on a new Santa, though, I've got some caricatures to finish. School's out, and I've sent my little punkins on to junior high, but I've still got a few things to drop in the mail for them. If the Lord is willing, I'm going to work on a book this summer - a graphic novel, of sorts (a BIG comic book), that covers all of the science concepts that my kiddos struggle with on the state testing (bluwckkkkk...). I needed some guest appearances in the comic, and some of my little punkins(I know, the hate it when I call them that...hehe) will be the guinea pigs... I mean guest appearances. I'm sending the originals to the kids along with a CD of all of our antics throughout the year, but I'm keeping a copy to use later on. Here are a few in the making...

God has blessed me so much in the career he has given me. With all the bumps in the road(called paperwork and bureaucracy), it pays off more than I can put into words. These are the faces of our tomorrows.

Matthew 18:2-5 "Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.' "

Where Have I Been????

That does seem to be the question, and I'm not sure how time has flown by so quickly. My evenings have been full with painting at the church. Our cowboy church has outgrown the original building, and we're turning the barn of the old feedstore into our new sanctuary. We've been working for several months, and it's really coming together. Four of us gals are doing the painting, and we can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel! We've done a faux leather on the walls that I really like, but it's been a chore trying to rag 14 foot high walls. Needless to say, I've found muscles in my body that didn't even know they still had a job! The photos really don't do it justice, but here's how it's coming together -

It's Official! The Wing Ding Chicken Fling is On!

Have you heard the news? The Artists of Humble Arts are throwing a Wing Ding Chicken Fling for all those chicken lovers out there. It's going to be loaded with fun and prizes!!! Did you hear that? Prizes!!! WoooHOOOO!!! How do you get your name in the chicken coop for the drawings? Here's what you do -

Choose one of these photos and post it to your sidebar. Link it to The Humble Arts, and leave me a comment telling me you've done so. That's one automatic name in the coop.

Want another chance to win? Just find the hidden feathers in the blogs of the Humble Artists, leave each a comment telling them where you found the hidden feather, and each of us will add your name to the bucket for each one you find. There might even be some hidden on the Humble Arts sight, itself.
So get crackin'! The feathers should start appearing this week! You can find links to the HARTS artists in my sidebar.

Goin's On Around Here

Have you heard???? Oh, the excitement!! HARTS is having a Wing Ding Chicken Fling!

Alright all you chicken lovers out there... it's coming...this May! And there's icing on the cake...door prizes!! Wooo Hoooo!!!! Yes, some lucky visitors who register will win some Wing Ding Door Prizes! Stay Tuned for more information!

Congrats to our friends, Wade and Jamie! It was a beautiful wedding today, and we wish them many blessed years. Here are just a few highlights -

And, finally, I have finished my other storybook Izzy doll that's been keeping her identity a secret. Meet Little Bo Peep-

The Wolf is at the Door

Who's that lurking outside the door? Is it the wolf??

No, just a little girl in red.

And, let me tell you, the wolf probably would have given me less trouble!




The Humble Arts will be offering storybook characters over the next few months, and this little girl just happened to step out of a book here at Sherry's Cabin. We've wrestled around for a couple of weeks now, but I think I have her under control for the moment. Talk about attitude!

I have another young girl who keeps flitting in and out of my storybooks. I hope to catch her off guard one day soon and put the finishing touches on her. She's been a real rascal, too! Maybe I can snap a photo of her if I hide behind the couch.

Be sure to stop in April 1st to see the latest offerings at the Humble Arts!

Another Peek in the Sewing Room...

Well, one of the gals has a rough sort of a beginning of a head. She needs work. Does anyone know a good plastic surgeon? She might need to give him a call! She's got to dry, so I can see what needs to be fixed, but I'm excited just to get a head in the works.

Poor lighting in here, but you can't miss those chipmunk cheeks. I believe those babies need some sanding!

Little Miss P. is just hanging out on the sewing machine... uhoh, did I just give a clue to her elusive identity?

Just Can't Get Ahead...or Should I Say a Head...

This day's just finer than frog's hair split four ways! I can't wait until the April offerings for the Humble Arts! The whole place will be filled with storybook characters. You won't want to miss it, either! I've decided to try my hand at another Izannah Walker inspired doll -well, several. I'm working on a series of Walker style dollies that have jumped straight from the pages of a book.

These two are just hanging out... don't worry... they're unarmed. Ok, bad joke... Hopefully, both will soon be gettin' a noggin if I can hold my tongue just right and stand on one foot and close one eye and... well, you get the idea.

Gremlins

Do any of you have gremlins??? Do you leave the house in order, only to return to things out of place? We have had gremlin problems for years, and I have been unable to catch them in the act....

until now.......

the "bed-bug gremlin" must have been too tired. I was able to catch her as she snoozed!

HA! Caught in the act!

I've had the camera out again! God has sent us rain. Thank you, Lord! We have been in such a drought for so long. He showered down on us, and the weeds are in bloom. Hey, we're happy with anything blooming here in West Texas! I even get excited about the cactus blooms.

Lord, thank you for sprinkling beauty around our home and allowing me to capture it on film to share with others.

Proof of God's Existance

If you have ever had any doubt of God's existance, let me take you for a stroll. Spring is in the air around here, and the Lord has sent my winged friends to flutter and buzz happiness into my heart. I've been working around the house today and just had to snap a few photos to share with you.

West Texas spring time is different from places that receive an abundance of rain, but it makes an awesome statement, just the same! I just took the time to notice our yuccas were in bloom today. I'm sure glad I slowed down to look.

The algerita bushes are in full bloom, and you can smell the sweetness for miles. Of course, that is, until they stop up your sinuses where you can't breathe! I sure hope we get some rain soon, so they put on a good crop of berries. You just can't beat pickin' berries to eat when you walk by(if you don't mind wiping the blood on your pants where the durned thing poked ya!).

The peach trees have opened their sleepy eyes and popped out blooms. We've had weather as high as the 90s for the last couple of weeks. I know we'll have an Easter cold spell, and we'll probably be fruitless this year. That's West Texas for ya.

The butterfiles are all a flutter, and dancing around the blooms.
And my favorite winged critter...

Yes, I'm a bug nut, and bees are one of my favorites. Yeah, I was the kid who always had a bug in hand...I've almost grown out of it... well, for the most part...ok, at least I don't carry cicadas on the inside of my cap anymore...

So, there you go...just a glimpse of God's handywork. No doubt about it! Hey, Big Bang theorists out there, put that in your pipe and smoke it!

A Wild Nine Days!

Wow, has it been busy at the Hall House! We've had the Stockshow going on for the last two weeks, and we're pooped! We started last weekend out with a float building shindig for the church Friday night. We had the longhorns, several riders on horses, our float, and a group of llamas for the church entry in the Saturday morning rodeo parade...and let me tell you... it was COLD! We had lots of fun anyway! We loaded up the chuckwagon for a Sunday mornin' breakfast at the church, unloaded Sunday afternoon, and did some riding. We raced through the week trying to get ready for this weekend and the first San Angelo Stock Show Longhorn Show!! Our chapter we started this summer(with a whopping 9 founding members) of the TLBAA finally got San Angelo to add a Longhorn Show. We had the rodeo Friday night and were unloading longhorns at the crack of dawn Saturday morning. I have to say, we had a blast! The kids did a great job, and the longhorns did well, too! One of the boys from our church, Big Hootie, showed Bo in the Open and Red in the Youth. Our neighbors, Katie and Little Hootie, showed for us, too. Gayland and I are working toward getting kids who, otherwise, would not be able to show, into the showring. By the way, did you catch that? Big and Little Hootie... where else could you find two unrelated kids that didn't know each other and both go by the name Hootie?

Here are some photos from the fun-filled weekend-

Gayland and I got to post colors both days, and one of the girls showing sang the National Antham and Amazing Grace. Her voice was incredible - one of those that gives you goosebumps.

Little Hootie showed Booger Red and won his class!

Katie won her class with Rooster and won Champion Senior Steer!

Big Hootie won his class, beat out Little Hootie for Junior Champion Steer, and took the whole shabang with Grand Champion Steer. He won a beautiful buckle that I'm sure he's sleeping with!Little Hootie ended up beating out Katie for Reserve Champion with Red!

In the Youth Show on Sunday, Big Hootie took 1st with Red and Katie took 2nd.... then they got their tails whupped by a gorgeous steer that dwarfed ours!!

Then, of course, there's that handsome guy, the Bossman, that ran the staging area - the man I'm so blessed to share my life with -

And, we can't forget the Pit Crew - our daughter and granddaughter did lots of grunt work to make things happen!

They're standing here with my Mama's Boy. Mac was grouchy most all of the weekend.

We had packed stands Saturday and lots of visitors that loved on the longhorns. It was a great time!
I have to say a special note about the judge for the Youth Show- Judge John Baker. We have never seen a judge take the time he did to help all of our kids. He was amazing. He put his heart and soul into helping them become better showmen. We all wish to say thanks again to him for making a difference in the lives of young people.

In the work I do, I sometimes get very discouraged about today's youth, but these renew my faith in our future!

The Latest Around Here

Nothing like a bath in the waterhose in 30 something degree weather! That's what Dixie Dog and I were doing at bedtime last night. It was the latest in our skunk drama around here. It's been a bad year for skunks. We've killed three in the last month...one being in the house... and Dixie stepped out onto the porch last night to go potty - instead she got skunked. He must have been right by the bedroom doors that lead out onto the porch because she goes the other way if there is the slightest smell of skunk! She proceded to rush back in to tell me what happened by pushing open the door before I got it latched. The smell filled our bedroom, and I knew she had to be stopped before she ran around rubbing her nose on everything... yes, we've done that before, too. I grabbed her and ran out the door- giving BOTH of us a nice aroma. We had to have a Pinesol bath in the waterhose before either of us could come back inside. Woosh! What a night. She and I smell ok today, but the bedroom still has a slight odor.

It's time for the February Humble Arts! I'm excited to see what everyone has created after our January break. Here's a sneak peek at what Sherry's Cabin will be offering this month.

Meet Sweet Clara.

Gayland's been at work on a new project as well, and I love it! Those of you that have been around awhile or love John Wayne will recognize it right away. Those of you who don't, what can I say... you've missed out! Here's his new weathervane for the addition.

If this guy doesn't look familiar, check out the John Wayne movie, McLintock. You'll love it!

Time to Knock Off the Dust

My creative side had been dry as a bone. I've been busy a lot lately. Not productive- just busy. I'm shaking it off! It's time for some house-cleaning and some reprioritizing. I'm working on my HARTS project today. It's the first time I've been able to dedicate some time to creating in WAY too long. Oh, there's still plenty to do, but it will be there tomorrow. I've had the Martha syndrome lately, so I'm going to be taking some Mary days for myself. We had a blast at the Fort Worth Stock Show this past weekend. I spent my birthday traveling with the longhorns, and we got to relax!! It was so nice. For those of you who haven't seen or heard about the parade in Ft. Worth, it's the largest non-motorized parade in the U.S.

We were number 165 in the line-up, and we were no where near the end. Here's the view from the bridge they line us up on. We stand and wait for about an hour and a half here with over 1500 other animals. These ladies in front of us probably wished we were riding horses instead of pointing horns at their backsides!

I'm pretty sure Gayland fell asleep over there... Hey, wake up!!

Here we are after the parade. Thousands of people lined the streets for it!What a great birthday!

Off and Runnin' in the New Year

No resolutions...no promises to myself that I'll break in a matter of days...

I have just one request for the new year - Lord, help me to walk in Your light, to follow Your path, and to glorify You in all that I do. Allow me to live my life to be the salt and the light that those who don't know You crave. Let them want what I have in You, and give me the words to lead them to You. This is going to be a wonderful year!

The Last of my Time Off

Happy New Year to Everyone! I hope you are enjoying a fruitful new beginning. I have the recipe for success if you're unsure how to make this year a great one. Live every day for the Lord. Receive His grace and rejoice!

We've been chuggin' along on the addition. I think I've polyurethaned all my brain cells! Gayland got the door to my pantry done! It's solid cedar and slides into the wall. I've gotten a coat of urethane on it, and I love it!!! Be sure and don't notice my unfinished tile work...

The den also has doors! I've just put the first coat of polyurethane on the doors to the den... well, where the den will be some day! I've got a lot of sanding and sealing left to do, but I thought I'd give you a peek!

We've had other things to keep us occupied this week, too. Our granddaughter stayed for several days, and she talked me into sewing a Barbie outfit with her. I pride myself in this being a family blog, so I won't say much about Barbs, but all my heart-felt, childhood feelings of Barbie were once again confirmed... she deserved having her feet cut off and being buried by my dumptruck!!!! (By the way, that was the only Barbie my folks bought me...hmmm) Do you know how stinkin' small she is?????? Look at this pattern-

NOT!!!!

After four bodices on that dress, I was almost ready for the nut house!! We got Barbie a red dress, though... I hope it pinches her...

Merry Christmas on this Joyous Day!

The house is quiet... it seems strange. No hustle, no hurry... just a Blessed day to celebrate the birth of our Savior. We had quite a Christmas Eve. Our family that lives 5 hrs. away made a mad dash to our house for Christmas Eve. We opened presents and had a great time with all three grandkids here! Then we packed everybody like sardines on air mattresses for the night, and then they packed up after breakfast this morning and made another 2 hour drive to see the other half of the family. That's the way we've all seemed to be living lately- at a dead run. I was almost ready to snap last week, but sometime early this week, I stopped everything and earnestly asked God for some peace in my heart and mind. It washed over me like a wave, and the last four days have been such a blessing- even with last minute gift making, and two whole days spent in town (that's usually enough to send me over the edge anytime... much less at Christmas) I must say thank you, Lord. His Grace is amazing.

Oh, you've just got to see my favorite present I got last night from Dixie, our dog. Gayland did have to drive to every antique/junk store in town to do her shopping for her! I'm so lucky!!

Come on in to my new pantry, and I'll show you. I just love this room!!!! I catch myself standing in there gawkin' all the time!

Look at all of these old jars to store my drygoods in!!! Aren't they fantastic!!!!!

Have you noticed my shelves are a little bare? I took all of the canned goods out of the cabinet, and this is all the space they took...

I thought I had a lot of canned goods, but not so much!

I've also got to show you my treasures I found at the antique/junk stores while on the hunt for stocking stuffers for Gayland and his chuckwagon. Hmm... seems we both do our shopping there. I could not pass these to finds up when I came across them. The quilt, which is very tattered and frayed was $16 and the bear was $6.50!!! LOOK!!!

My granddaughter and I managed to make a some Cowgirl Bling for my step-daughter and daughter-in-law. I forgot to take pictures of most of it, but here's some of what we came up with.

We made several of these cross pendents and the big, chunky necklaces to go with them. This one was left over, so I managed to get a photo.

Here's one of the necklaces we made. We also made a cross for it similar to the one above, but with colors to match these stones. I took a photo with another of our trial pendents we made with an old cowgirl photo. It didn't turn out just like I wanted, but we'll keep trying. My sidekick granddaughter will be back to stay again on Monday, so there's no telling what we'll be making!

Well, enough flappin' my jaws. I've got trim to sand and seal!

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night.

It's a Birthday Celebration!

Matthew 1:21"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

Top that Christmas present!

Happy Birthday to my Lord and Savior! I hope that in all the hustle and bustle of this time of year, you are finding peace in Him and remembering why we celebrate this special birthday.

Last I reported, I was tiling the kitchen floor for Thanksgiving with the kids. I did get that done, and we've tackled several more projects along the way. We had our neighborhood hayride and Christmas party last night, and I was frantically trying to get everything done....didn't happen! That's ok, though. I think I was the only one who noticed. I've taken several pictures along the way with intentions of posting them.... again...didn't happen, so here's what we've gotten done.

Gayland just sanded down and finished our new island Friday evening. I LOVE it!!

Here's the tile I finished laying the week of Thanksgiving. That wall there still needs sealing and trim put on.

I've been working on the pantry since then. Here are the walls. I'm not sure you can tell much from the photo, but I tried to get somewhat of a leather look. I'm not sure what it looks like, but I like it, anyway!

Gayland got the ceiling and floor put in, and I've been working tonight to get the floor stained.

Now for the shelves!! I hope everyone is having a blessed Christmas Season!

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them...

I couldn't pass up sharing these photos of our granddaughter, Madison. She's been practicing for the upcoming longhorn show in February. She has to compete against the adults because they don't have a trophy steer division for the kiddos. I just love to watch the two of them... sweat pea and the gentle giant.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a houseful! We ate too much turkey and ham, and had a whole lot of fun! We had all of our grandkids which fills my heart with joy (and wears me out plumb to the bone!). We had our annual family tree decoratin' and light hangin' shindig, and everyone had lots of fun. I even managed to get all the tile done on the kitchen floor before Turkey Day!

Itchin' to Finish the Kitchen

Hello out there! I hope everyone is getting ready for a fantastic Thanksgiving, and it is my hope that we all give thanks where it is due - to God. Well, the cabinets are back up, and I started tile work last night. You'll have to excuse the dust! We're living in a cloud of it at the moment!

The cabinets seem so far away now!!! I love it!! Well, except that frig, but it will have to stay for awhile.

Here's the tiling I've gotten done so far.

How many days until Thanksgiving???? I need to be tiling!!! Off I go!!!!

DDDemmmOOOOO!!

Tear down that wall!...and that's just what he did! Gayland told me Friday that he was ready to knock down the kitchen wall and move it over, so he needed me to clean out all the cabinets. Whose stuff was in there??? I KNOW it couldn't all be mine...what I thought was going to be an hour project, turned into about four hours. Here was my kitchen about 4:00 yesterday afternoon:

Yep, that's my trashcan closet laying there in the floor...but by 10:00 last night... Wooohooooo! Can you see where the old tile stopped? That's how much new space I have. I love it!!! Now I have a lot of tiling to do, but that's ok! Oh, can you see the doorway next to the stove? That's the entry to my new pantry!!! I may not be in Heaven, but it's just durn near close!

...So Ashamed of Myself!

I have NOT been a good blogger lately. It seems like I haven't slowed down in months. Come to think of it, I haven't. Maybe that's why it seems that way! We have had so many blessings in our life that I can't even begin to name them all. God loads us up with them every day! This past weekend, we rode in the San Angelo Veteran's Day Parade for our Cowboy Church. We had walkers with a banner, longhorns, horses, llamas, and a float! Talk about a group, now... The weather was beautiful, and we had a few folks come to church Sunday morning just because they saw us in the parade! That's what it's all about. A friend of mine got this picture of me having too much fun!

Christian Cowboy Gatherin' and the Duke

Our cowboy church and two others had a cowboy gatherin' this weekend, and guess who showed up to give a message???? John Wayne. That's right, folks! Well, close. He's a John Wayne impersonator with a wonderful message, and he's workin' for the Lord! Wow! I guess you know what big JW fans we are around this house... let's see JW on the wall... JW on the coffee table... and my own personal JW lunchbox. Oh, and we must not forget our steers - Rooster Cogburn and McLintock!

We really enjoyed meeting Dr. Gene Howard, and I think he enjoyed posing on our little boy, Rooster. He looked more like the Duke from a distance than up close, but his voice and his testimony more than made up for that!

We had our chuckwagon crew, our band, and the longhorns, and we had a blast! Best of all, some souls were saved!

Total Shocker!!

I could not believe it! I picked up the mail Friday and was thrilled to have the Christmas addition of Doll Crafter and Costuming waiting in my box. I'm a magazine junky AND a Christmas junky, so I had really hit the jackpot for the weekend! I never can wait to get home, so as I was backing out of the post office (Don't try this at home!), I flipped through the magazine just to see what goodies awaited me. There it was... my HARTS Santa candy container... right there in the Gallery! I had submitted a picture, but I figured it would be filed with hundreds of others - File 13. I'm still shocked!

Here it is-

Need Help!

Ok, My Friends in BlogLand,

I reallllllyyy want to finish my life-size Santa, and he's still barefoot. I am looking for a pair of old, worn stovepipe boots, such as the old cavalry boots, in a size 10, 11, or 12. I'm poor, so I need them to fit my shoestring budget! If you happen onto a pair somewhere, please send me an email with the info. I would hate for Santa to have to go barefoot this Christmas. His wittle toesies would fweezzzee! Here's kind of what I have in mind, but laceups will work, too. I'd actually like them more worn, but I can take care of that after I get them!

The Pumpkin Patch

From one pumpkin to another!!!!!!! A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?" The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin." God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."
This was passed on to me by another pumpkin. Now it's your turn to pass it to other pumpkins.

Yes, I am Still Alive!

Yes, folks, I am still alive, and thanks to the Lord for that! I have been so busy that I could drop to the floor and sleep in WalMart if everyone would just walk around me. School has me out of sorts this year, and I'm working hard to get things going the way I'd like them to go. Nobody else seems to want to play by the rules I make, though... hmmm...

What's been going on around here? I have managed to get the fall decorations out in the house, but I haven't managed to make it to the porch, yet. I've been working on a couple of Santas - one of which will be offered in the October edition of the Humble Arts, so stop by to see the goodies the HARTS artists have created.

Well, there's Ol' Saint Nick now. He's an original from my little Santa shop. He's sitting amongst the pumpkins on the fireplace at the moment, so he really needs a new home!

Gayland's still working hard on the addition. We have part of the metal on the roof now!!

Wooohooo!!! New craft room, here I come!!!!!!!

We've got Sunday evening service in the arena tonight, so I've got to wrap it up. One of our members had everything set up this morning (we all new beforehand), and asked his wife(who was on stage in the band) to "re" marry him tonight in the arena on their anniversary. So, we've got a weddin' to go to tonight!

Hope the Lord is sloppin' blessin's on your plate!

New Family Member!

We'd like to introduce our newest family member, Cocoa!
She's a four year old sweetheart that's come to live with us. She has been the pride and joy of my second cousin that grew up with my dad. His health has been declining, and he has decided Cocoa should come live with us. With both tears of sadness and joy, we welcomed her into the family as we pray for his health to improve.

Cowboy Capital of the World!

We had a fantastic time this Labor Day Weekend at the annual Celebrate Bandera Celebration! It carries the title of being the Cowboy Capital of the World. There are hitchin' posts in front of many of the buildings, and horses (and longhorns) are parked all over the place. We had a camera malfunction during the Saturday parade, so I didn't get all the photos I was hoping for. I was able to get some great shots, though, of many of us that camped in the park. Those are posted below in the previous post.

Celebrate Bandera-The Cowboy Capital of the World!

Whoa, Has It Been THAT Long?

So sorry for the absence! I've been trying to get ready for the new school year, and I haven't slowed down these last several weeks. I can't even think creatively when I'm stressed as I have been. That's ok, though, because I turned it over to God this morning. Yes, you would think that was the first thing I did... but, oh no, I've hung on to it for awhile now trying to do things my own way. When will I learn?????
For your thoughts today-

Joshua 23:14 "Behold, this day I am going the way of the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed."
Yep, God always takes care of me!

Fun in the Sun

Back to Work!

Well, it's quiet around here. The grandkids left Sunday afternoon. I loved the week with them, but, boy, was I tired!

It's been a busy week for me, which has cut into my posting. I get so spoiled over the summer while school is out. I pretend I'm independently wealthy (hehe), and I don't have to work - just enjoy creating, grandkids, longhorns, and being outside in the summer sun.

Then.... SMACK... reality hits, and it's time to go back to work! I do love teaching, but it's hard to get back in the swing every fall. I've worked in my room this week, and I really haven't done anything that will be seen by the kids. I'm a sicko organizer and can't function unless everything is in order, so I've been emptying drawers, cleaning out cabinets, etc. Now I just need some magic dust to sprinkle around to jazz up the room. For some reason, I'm running low on magic dust this year. I haven't come up with anything special for the room. It needs a new look, but I can't seem to find one, yet. But, the Lord willin', and the creek don't rise, I'll get 'er done.

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven."

One, Two, Three!! Hey, Wait... They're Multiplying!!

We've got a house full of artwork going on! We added another granddaughter to the mix yesterday, so they're all here now! We did get Disco Santa's makeup done this morning- just after the Hide-and-Seek game from here to the barn.

But poor Santa's been put to rest for the day, I fear. They broke out the paints just after lunch, and we've got some serious discussion going on in there. I crept away to post a few pictures...heehee...shhhh.

Our granddaughter, Madison, has joined us!

Grandkids and Fun- Passin' It On!!!

I haven't had a chance to post in several days. They've just been too jam-packed with fun and grandkids! Our two grandkids that live about five hours away are spending the week with us. They've been playing in the dirt, catching bugs, riding and feeding longhorns, and crafting; and Papaw and Mamaw are trying to keep up! Our granddaughter has asked for me to sculpt her a Disco Santa... yes, Disco... and this ol' Mamaw isn't quite sure just what he's supposed to look like! Never fear, though, because she and I are working together on him. As we type this very moment, Santa's head is in the oven! I don't count the hours that I put into a Santa, but I'm guessing it's well over 100, which makes it tedious work for an 8 yr. old(excuse me, 9 in just nine days...I stand corrected). However, she's working hard on him!!!

Whitney and Santa -who's almost ready for a neck and ears.


Sculpting Ears takes Patience!

Huh, what'd you say?

Tyler's gotten into the action, too. Papaw built him a sailboat that he has painted. We've just got to seal it and sail it!!

We'll keep you posted!

The Pieces Have Finally Come Together!

HAPPY DANCIN"...HAPPY DANCIN'!!!!!

I have finally gotten my scattered pieces together! There are still details that need to be done - snow, belt, and accessories- but Santa has come together! In the style of the old German Santas, he is a candy container! Yes, there is a wooden container under there. His body is carved bass wood, his arms are posable, and his head, hands, and boots are sculpted paper clay. He just got a little more coffee and cinnamon on his trimmings, and his just about ready to pack his bag!

My Man Has a New Do!

Well, my project is moving along, and this little guy has a new do! He might need to head over to the Elmo Elf's Barber Shop for a trim!

There's a Battle Waging!

Yes, there is a battle waging, and it's all in my head! I absolutely love my polymer clay and try to create Santas as life-like as possible. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't! That's ok, though. I ALSO love primitives- the feel, the look, the warm-cozies I get from making and holding them. Sometimes the two go hand-in-hand. Even life-like Santas need antique looking dolls, worn coats, scuffed boots that have walked many miles to visit every child, and warm weathered hands. But, herein also lies the battle! I've been working on my HARTS project, which I've chosen to go with the warm-cozies, but I keep trying to work my paper clay like polymer!! That's actually ok because it SUPPOSED to be more primitive, but I keep having to remind myself!!!!! Could somebody break up the fight????

Heehee... I'm really having fun! He should be finished today.

Just another peek...

Get That Armor On!

Yep, read one of my favorites this morning...

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

You know the stuff-

Get out your belt of truth, your breastplate of righteousness, your shoes of peace, your shield of faith, your helmet of salvation, and your sword of the Spirit. Shoot, with all that on, who's going to dare you??

Glad of the reminder, too. Looks like I might need my armor today. I had to break out the carving knife for my Humble Arts project!

Yikes!!! Ummm.... who's going to clean up this mess that the, ummmm, dog... yeah, that's it.... the dog made??????

Arte y Pico Award Winners!

In an earlier post, I had shared my excitement over having been blessed with new friends of Glad Tidings Primitives and Folkart, and Cyndi, of By Light of Moon, had presented me with the Arte y Pico Award award created by Eseya for fellow crafters she adores and who inspire others by sharing their crafting and blogging with others. Thanks again, Cyndi, for choosing me as an award recipient!! Now, I have to pass it on.... there are so many wonderful crafters who are sharing thier work, it has taken me a while to pick only five... so here goes ...

The Winners Are:
(You can find links to each of these wonderful blogs in my Links List)
The Smiling Goat - Kim's dolls just make me smile!!! I love to pop in and see what she's done!

Hidden Riches From Secret Places - Cora has an inspiring magic in her words - they are truly art.

Mustard Seed Originals - Sharon's Santas are preciously huggable!! Along with all of her other goodies, but you know how I am about Santas!!!

Soft in the Head - Pam's blog is filled to the brim with amazing art and candy for the eyes. It's definitely worth a visit!

Naomi's Notions - Naomi's primitives have the perfect touch of love in each one!

Ok, here are the rules that were passed on to me:
1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribution to the blogging community.
2) Each award has to have the author's link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each accepting award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that presented her/him with the award.
4) The award winner and one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog so everyone will know the origin to this award.http://arteypico.blogspot.com/
5) To show these rules.

Sneak Peek!!

Yeah! My parts are starting to come together! Want a peek?

Hmmm..... Who could it be????

Excitement in the Air!

I just can't believe it! Blondie, of Vintage Primitives, has extended an invitation to me to join a wonderful group of artists, The Humble Arts. I will be joining in for the August offerings! I'm so excited that I'm running around in circles (ok, so I don't run very fast...). What to make??? I've got pieces everywhere!! While you wait on me to get my act together, drop in to see the beautiful pieces that are being sold in July. Better hurry, though, because I've noticed lots of "SOLD" signs out on the lawns!

I hope God's got his salt shaker out sprinklin' blessin's on your day! I've got to get busy!

Prayers for Our Sister

For those of you who don't know Cora of Hidden Riches from Secret Places , you should drop by her blog if you are in need of a little inspiration. We are praying for good news today from a recent biopsy. I wasn't sure, at first, why I felt the need to reach out to Cora and the other wonderful ladies of Glad Tidings, but God quickly made the answer clear when I found out Cora was facing a battle with cancer. As a cancer survivor, I know the awesome power God brings to the battle against this terrible disease, and He has placed us together to stand and fight with His Hand upon us. Whether or not you know Cora, please take the time to say a small prayer for her today.

Happy Belated Birthday!

Oh my, how could I have forgotten??? I didn't post a Happy Birthday wish to our two youngest "sons." Both turned 1 year old on July 4th. Yep, they are indenpendence babies! Gayland had them out for their evening walk, so I snapped a few belated birthday pictures! Booger Red is closest to Gayland, and Badger is on the far side (only Red Stegall fans will understand the names...).

Say cheeezzeee!!!

And then there's mama's boy, Bo. Better than the dog-

he comes when he's called...

Here boy....

Hangin' Out in the Laundry Shed

Yep, that's where Santa and I have been the last couple of days - Hangin' out in the laundry shed. He's not much of a conversationalist at this stage! I'm working on this life-size body because Santa said he's tired of his head laying in a plastic box staring around the closet.

Just a parting thought (and a reminder for myself)....

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Happy 4th!!!

HAPPY 4TH of JULY!!!! We are so blessed to live in a nation that gives us the freedom to be One Nation under God. There are no thank yous that can do the job for our men and women who put their lives on the line so that you and I can live the lives we do.

I hope everyone is enjoying too much to eat and too much fun! We've got a brisket on the pit and beans in the well! Oh, I'll be miserable at bedtime... oink, oink!

Well, I've done a little painting today. I'll give you a sneak-peek at Spooky Spanky. Here's where I always run into a problem! To distress or not to distress... to crackle or not to crackle... that is the question. I get to this point in my painting and get stuck! It's so hard to take the sandpaper to it!! He'll have to sit around a couple of days while I decide. I hope he doesn't mind sitting around the closet with the Santa head!!

Remember, Freedom isn't Free.

The Hard Worker in our Family

According to Proverbs 13:4, The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

My husband is living proof! He is the hardest working man I've ever met, and God has blessed us with so many riches in our lives. The house addition is movin' along! After a 5:00 AM alarm and long day's work, he's out there every night working away. I've been married to him for almost fifteen years, and he still amazes me. He's got the rock work done on the entrance, the porch is coming together, and he's started decking it! WoooHooo!! I'm excited!!!

Oh My Goodness!!

I have been blessed with new friends of Glad Tidings Primitives and Folkart, and Cyndi, of By Light of Moon, has presented me with the Arte y Pico Award award created by Eseya for fellow crafters she adores and who inspire others by sharing their crafting and blogging with others.
Thank you so much, Cyndi, for choosing me as an award recipient!!
Now, I have to pass it on.... there are so many wonderful crafters who are sharing thier work... I will have to think on it. Check back soon to see the rules of the award and who I've chosen!

Santa's Hands Get Some Age Spots!

Age spots?? Boy, nobody wishes for that! I have done some more work on Santa's hands. You probably won't be able to tell much difference from the photos, but it's a subtlety in the final sculpture that makes a difference. He's gotten some veins and some finished nails, too! Geez, I had better light a fire under myself, or Christmas will have come and gone by the time this guy's finished! I'm off to the shop to build a "skeleton" for him. I hope God is drizzling sweet blessin's all over your day!!

Cat Napping!

It seems we've been adopted. These are our "stray" porch cats that have taken over residence here. That's big brother, Punkin Seed, in the back protecting his little sister, Half Pint, as they take their afternoon cat nap. Just couldn't pass up the cuteness!

One of Those Days...

I'm having one of those days! Do you know the one I'm talking about???? Where the doll you're making looks more like Frankenstein than a prim cutie... and you're NOT working on Halloween???? Well, maybe not, but I wrestle with this "artist" thing. Maybe that's too strong of a word to describe what I do. Maybe I should be called "fabric mutilator." Not to worry, though, as God has dumped a big ol' blessin' on our house! Thank you!! It has been raining!!! I love it! Maybe my dollie can go sit in the rain and think about what she's done....

A Gift to You!

On this beautiful morning, as Psalms 119:105 says, may God's word be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path.

Let's Give Santa a Hand!

Well, I've been working on the hands for the life-size Santa I'm creating. I wasn't thrilled with them, but they are growing on me. I still haven't done any clean-up on them or any make-up and sealer. In fact, they were going in the trash... but I just might give them a second chance. At least I'm going to give them some color detail before they're filed in File 13. We'll see... What do you think?

Okra Thief!!

Another gorgeous day from God! It might even rain around here today! It's been over 100 for the past two weeks - a rain shower would be wonderful. Well, my garden is growing nicely, but the okra hasn't done worth a darn. It's just twigs sticking out of the ground...

Enter Daisy, the Okra Thief...

It's hilarious! I can get right up to her, and she just chomps away. We've been playing Hide-and-Seek. I shoo her out of the garden, and she walks over behind my laundry shed and hides. As soon as she hears the door click on the porch, she's right back in there! I took this picture on game number 6! I don't think my darlin' is going anywhere.

Well, if I can't have okra, I can at least enjoy the beauty God brings to my door! Doesn't she have a cute smile???

A Look Back...

It's that time of year where I want to make something with an Americana feel. I am so blessed to live in the greatest nation on Earth, and I pray for our country to move back toward our roots and the values this great nation was built upon. With July 4th on its way, I'm seeing a new doll on the horizon. I'm not sure exactly what it is, though.
Last year I created a doll for a Challenge that had the theme, "Americana." He turned out to be one of my favorite dolls. I by-passed the norms, and created one of my favorite Americans...

This is my Mark Twain. He's in a private collection now. Is it odd that I miss my dolls?? I wish I had taken another picture before shipping him. The buyer requested that I tea-stain his suit, and he looked much better after staining! Hmmm... who shall it be this year?

Who Paints in 104 Degrees??????

That would be me and a good friend who's also a glutton for punishment! We've got a rodeo parade coming up this weekend in Coleman, TX. My husband and I do a lot of parades with the Longhorns, so we're sort of the parade team leaders for the Cowboy Church. Not everyone at the church rides horses or longhorns, so we decided to do a float, as well. Since my friend and I are both off for the summer, we took the float job. My husband built us a sign (He's got the same sickness I have- the "Let's go overboard" sickness) that's four feet tall and sixteen feet long. It's great! But, someone had to paint it. We managed to get started after lunch yesterday in a mear 104 degree heat. Boy, does paint dry fast! We got two coats of primer and the base coat painted. Now we just need to do the lettering and get logo done.

...Thought I would edit the post and put a couple of parade pics in! We had a great time!

God's Glorious Day!

Well, once again, I have risen to a beautiful morning. Another miracle! Have you ever stopped to think how truly amazing that is? That you live and breathe and create? It took a bout with cancer for God to remind me what a special gift life is. I thank Him for pulling me through the storm and letting me see the sun shine on the other side. If you haven't taken the time, walk outside and look at the amazing beauty.
As of my last post, I was trying to decide what part of my Santa to tackle next. The hands won...and they've been winning ever since. My smaller hands usually turn out pretty good, but sculpting hands for a 6 ft. Santa has turned into a wrestling match! Wish me luck (or maybe wish Santa some luck, so he doesn't have to go through life with goofy hands)!

Time to Start on Santa!

Well, we had our granddaughter this weekend, which I LOVED, but I am gamed out. We go through spells. Sometimes, we craft the whole weekend, sometimes we're outside all the time, and this weekend it was "Game Marathon 2008." Anyway, I've got a Santa itching to get out of the closet! He needs so much attention! So far, I've only managed to sculpt his head. He's life-size, so I've got work to do! First things first... I've got to get the house clean, so Santa can come out and play. He hasn't told me if he wants his hair and beard done first, or his hands sculpted. I guess I'll have to get him out and ask. He's come a long way from that first ball of foil, but he's got a loooong way to go!

Summer's Here!

Praise the Lord! School is out, and I'm feeling creative! I've been visiting other doll artist blogs and just had to have one of my own. I am usually working on Santas this time of year, but I just had a doll that had to be born. Her name is Agitha Mae. I wanted to try my hand at recreating an Izannah Walker inspired doll. I love her, and I really want to keep her! She'd be perfect in one of my Old World Santa's bags.

However, I made her with the intention of selling her on Ebay. My husband and I are adding on to our house, and we're paying for it as we go - EVERY penny counts! We originally started that way and built our house ourselves- so it's small. That was great until the grandkids moved 5 hrs. away and had to start sleeping in the living room floor when they came to visit! So, we've finally decided to add on. I am getting a craft room! Thank you, Lord! Here it is- in the works...

Come on in the new front entrance!

I'm just the gopher and fetcher for now. My jobs really won't get started until we start drying it in. Come on through to my new craft room...

Can't you just see the primitive cabinets and stacks of fabric??? Maybe Agitha Mae will help buy a piece or two of the pine floor! Oh, I'm excited!