T-shirt Line

Good Morning!  It is a WINDY spring day here...

   So I have been tossing around the idea of starting my own ranch style furniture line with my passion for furniture but mostly because it is HARD to find sturdy, true wood, furniture any more...while my brain was thinking..sometimes I wish it would just stop.   

     I had a "man graphic tees are cute" moment..BUT as a ranch wife I can find farming one but no true ranching ones..AND yes, for those of you who don't know..there is a difference between a farmer and a rancher. 
   I grabbed a piece of paper and started scribbling quotes that are often used in my home or that we joke about. 
It was very random (actually on the back of my youngest boys receipt for dental work he had gotten done).

     Now, I am pretty creative, I think so anyways...so I spent the next day creating on a computer program...and here are some of the designs...now I have already tweaked some and am sure I will continue to change shapes and sayings but it is a start.  


    Goal:  Offer true to the heart Ranch Wife Living sayings...
Any woman who has had the opportunity to be married to a rancher or living with one, or a ranch mom..knows what these mean...

Thanks for reading and stopping by.  Leave a comment with your favorite one..there are 3 more coming!  

Keep up to date on my latest products, sales, and craziness on our facebook page..just click on the link below...

https://www.facebook.com/ranchchiccorral/

Boots..Bags...Paint...oh and cute shirts

For the LOVE of These!

So, anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE boots, and cute bags.  I also enjoy spending the weekend in t-shirts, boots, comfy jeans and some cute accessories.  

What girl or mom can resist those things?  Right!  So Ranch Chic Corral will be offering some of my favorites to you!  Just click on the Corral button on the top to go to the page to select - bags,shirts, paint, and much more!  

To order you just need to click on VISIT our facebook page, like our page and message me with what you want and I will get it to you!

Enjoy your shopping!

Ranch Chic Corral

**Yesterday I made a hearty lunch from leftovers..will be posting the recipe tonight.  Check back!

Baby calves, kids, projects and more projects!

Good Monday..Easter Monday Morning!  Spring is arriving at the Ham Ranch..which means babies.  Lots and lots of new babies!  We were blessed with great friends and beautiful weather on the day we celebrated that He is Risen!  Thanks be to god.  

  

This time of year also means an itching to get projects done now that, for the most part, winter is coming to an end (however here in South Dakota we will have another good snow storm in April or May I am sure of it).  

With a graduate upon us, it seems we will be having more projects on the list than usual. We are hosting a "celebration" at our ranch in less than 2 months, which seems crazy as I remember when this girl was just little! 

I have been wanting to blog more as it is just fun to let other people see our lifestyle.  I should blog more during heifer calving season (but it is slightly stressful) and I am very much a single mom during those times but seeing the mommas with their new babies is so worth it..however not seeing my husband much as he is never in the house and sleeps in a little house in the barn, is not fun.  I think being a ranch wife during calving is one of the most challenging things I have ever done in my life...each year it challenges us.  

My husband is VERY good at what he does and our cows are blessed to have him as their caretaker.  

So, here are some of the many projects I am working on and am going to try to journal my way through them.  I would love for you to join me if you would like...or just get some DIY inspiration of your own. 

1.  New Deck across the front of our entire home..yes entire. 

2.  Cleaning out our white quonset for a barn dance celebration for graduation and preparing everything to go with it!

3.  Preparing my garden for the spring.  I am going to go to raised beds to try and weed out some pesty weeds this season!

4.  Revamping an old Belle camper (my husband after 6 months has figured I purchased it and thinks I am crazy.)

5.  Remodeling projects in the house (sliding barn doors for closet doors in my boys room).

6.  I have been a part of a business in our community that is closing so I will be moving my products and furniture into a new space!

7.  Babies, and more babies, and branding and more brandings.  

Gotta love our crazy life!  
I will try to blog each day how the process is going...come along and join me!  

Ranch Chic Corral
Find me on Facebook and Instagram...RanchChicCorral 

DIY Fabric Garland

DIY Fabric Garland

Lately I have been wanting to try and make one of these.  I see them in campers, hanging on mantles, in a baby room, they are just too darn cute to pass up. 

I wanted to figure out how much fabric you actually needed and what the cost might be for someone...so when you go to a fabric store, you have an idea.


Here is what you will need to make 1 yard long garland. 

 

String/Twine/Yarn cut to 45 inches

 

Fabric of your choice

 (if using 45 inch wide fabric you will need a total of 1 yard of fabric between all your colors)

 

Scissors

 

Roughly 1-2 hours of your time

 

The first thing I did was decide on three different fabrics and a string material.  I chose some fun pink and a pink yarn. 

I cut the yarn to 45 inches, with the plan of making 1 yard of garland and leaving room on the ends to make loops to hang the garland.

Next I laid the fabric on the cutting board and cut two inch strips.  I chose 3 different fabrics so I cut 6 -  2 inch strips of each fabric for a total of 36 inches total.  I trimmed off any ends.

 

After cutting the 2 inch strips, I opened them and laid 3 at a time stacked along a yard stick.  I cut at roughly every 9 inches, which gave me 5 strips per cut or 15 strips for the group of 3.  I continued to do that until all the fabric was cut.

 

I then sorted the strips as I was doing a pattern, or you could just randomly tie on too.

 

I then started tying a single knot on and continued until I was done and making sure to slide the pieces together.  This amount of fabric made roughly a 1 yard long garland.

 

Hope you enjoy!  I am looking forward to making one for my cute little camper! 

 

 

 

 

 

DIY Snowflake Sign

Snowflakes...yes, the first ones fell the other day so it inspired me to make this...ooh so simple snowflake sign. 

First, I was inspired by some felt/wool place mats or sometimes they are a rubber type of material...yes, the kind that you can get at your local Dollar Store for about a dollar or two.  (I always think, wow....what an inexpensive stencil.)

Next, I had a left over piece of wood from a project I had been working on so I sanded it down.  Pallet wood put together would look great too.


I laid the snowflake on the board. 

Next I used the Valspar White Spray Paint to spray over the entire board and snowflake.  I did this in about three different coats, but randomly so it covered but yet didn't get runny.

Lastly, I took the Glitter Blast (which you can get at your local hobby and crafts store).  I shook it up good and sprayed over the top again.  I continued to spray in short spurts until I was satisfied.  I made sure to do the edges extra. 

AND...I took the placemat off and there was my finished product.  Now hang a wall hook on the back.  Maybe add a little saying on it, or just leave it as is.  I coated my with Valspar Matted Clear Coat to help keep the Glitter Blast from getting everywhere.

I am working on some more with different shapes, painting the backgrounds first, and different colored glitter blast! 

Hope you enjoyed this little DIY from Ranch Chic Corral!
Kristen
Just Painting and Creating in my boots!

Visit us on facebook and pinterest to find some inspiration.

https://www.facebook.com/ranchchiccorral/


https://www.pinterest.com/ranchchiccorral/

 

THAT Crazy week and mom!

Have you ever had one of THOSE weeks?  Well, I just ended one.  But as I sit here drinking my coffee in the early morning in the fall I am thankful that I have a family that tags me as THAT mom.

Yes, I am THAT mom that has rules.
Yes I am THAT mom that is not like everyone else's mom.
Yes I am THAT mom that has expectations for you.
Yes I am THAT mom that will tell you what needs to be told, honest not fluffy.
Yes I am THAT mom that will not tolerate disrespect.
Yes I am THAT mom that works full time and has a husband that work full time PLUS so everything you need or want won't come to you instantly, which your generation is not used to.
Yes I am THAT mom that thinks you should do chores.
Yes I am THAT mom that needs and wants to know who you are with and where you will be.
Yes I am THAT mom that checks in on your grades each week.
Yes I am THAT mom that expects you to give 100% in whatever it is that you are doing. 
Yes I am THAT MOM! 

My kids have a habit of saying sometimes when they don't like what they hear "Oh you are THAT mom!" 

 This last week was a long week for my family as many unexpected things all happened at once AND it is one of the busiest times of year for our ranch, which means, I am pretty much a single mom, during the week.  I am at peace with that aspect as our ranching is what supports our family, however, sometimes my kids need a "reality" check that life does not revolve around them all the time. 

AND when this happened this last week I got the "you work all the time" spill from 2 of my kids.  WHEN in reality, I do not.  I own my own business which gives me the flexibility to attend ALL of their functions, or run them things during the day, like food for their sporting trips, and pick them up usually, not always, as needed. 

I am okay with being THAT mom, as I am THAT mom who believes my job is not to be your friend but to be your parent and parenting is HARD!  It is exhausting when you have an 18 year old who reminds you they are 18 and a 4 year old who can almost out run you but not quite yet, as he has inherited his mothers running genes so I can still keep up or catch!

I am THAT mom that uses technology as a tool for consequences!  Did you know if you are a verizion customer that you can have family base, best thing ever invented.  Every time my children cuss, I shut their phone off for one day!  Every minute they are late, it is one day off AND you can even sign up to have them email you each night what they did on their phone during school hours and YES people your children are not innocent.  School is to be in school and learn NOT to be texting!  You  can also shut it off during school hours (I did this last year for awhile, did let them have it on during lunch and free hour) but now they know I WILL do this if they are using during the day too much. 

I am THAT mom that wants my child to work hard at grades and learning.  I am not saying I always expect A's across the board BUT I do expect them to be in the moment learning and trying their hardest and you can't do that if you are having a conversation with someone while your teacher is teaching!

I am THAT mom that can financially afford things, however I still think you need to learn what you need not want. 
I am THAT mom that makes you do chores in order to have "money" to pay for your phone being on, money for sporting trips, extra activities. 
I am THAT mom that reminds you that you have hard working parents and you need to respectful when they are working and not jump to your I need it now call. 

I am THAT mom that makes you dress "classy" as my kids would say.  No you don't need to show anything off, even if you have it. 
I am THAT mom that makes you dress nicely for church, not because I think you have to, but I think it is respectful and you have the clothes to do it. 
Yes I am THAT mom that will tell you when something looks to inappropriate. 

I am THAT mom that will support you in everything you do.  BUT will not support if you choose to slack in an area or complain about someone else excelling in it over you because they have worked harder than you. 
I am THAT mom that expects when you step into a job, an arena, a court, school that you give your 100% and you are respectful.  THAT YOU will challenge yourself and others around you to be better. 

I am THAT mom that DISLIKES gossip and cattiness so when I see or hear it, it stops. 
I am THAT mom that will teach you jealousy is wicked and learned at home.  RESPECT others for what they are able to do and surround yourself with people better than you, it will make you better!

I am THAT mom that will tell you that God is watching.  As I do believe in this and do believe things come to those who respect their parents. 

I am THAT mom and I am PROUD to be THAT mom and not your best friend.  Someday you will thank me for being THAT mom! 

I am THAT mom that would do anything to help you and I am THAT mom that believes in you more than anyone else and I am THAT mom that loves you more than anyone else! 

To all you THAT moms!..THAT away and kudos to you..it is hard to be THAT mom!
Kristen
Ranch Chic Corral
 

Fighting Your Passion

Well I have not posted for a long long time and realized today while working on a project how much I missed it so my speech bubbles (or think bubbles) were going crazy while painting.  SO here we are, giving it a try again.  I have decided I need to journal or blog as my head thinks of so much while I am busy being a crazy paint lady (have you seen all those cool tshirts..that's me...I paint to keep the crazy away.)

I have two major passions in my life: kids (or students) and creativity with furniture. 

It is quite a combo and sometimes I have an inner war on where my journey and heart is taking me.  As I was thinking about this today it made me think of embracing.  I have been thinking a lot about this subject as our oldest daughter who is 18 has battled with this as well.  She has had the opportunity to be exposed to much more than many her age and also is quite mature for her age.  She was able to live in another community for a while and was so embraced by all her friends, classmates, teachers, and community and where she has had her roots since she was 1 and currently lives is such a battle to feel embraced, I am not sure she has ever felt accepted or embraced the same. 

Thinking about this has made me think about embracing all god has given us as individuals and sometimes I think I try to fight my creativity because I am nervous that it won't work.  I have found out that the older I have gotten or maybe the wiser I have gotten...that I love to spend time by myself with just my kids and this is what makes my heart whole.  I feel the most inner peace when I am at the ranch, hanging out, cleaning up and picking up here and there, while doing some furniture projects, AND being able to love on or visit with my kids in between all of this.  Going on bike rides in the middle of the day with your child is what life is all about! 

So anywho...I will try to post more about life, junking, kids, trying to be a good wife, housekeeper (notice I said trying...as I think we all struggle with that) teaching, being a business owner, passion, cooking and oh so much more! 


 Feel free to stop in and visit or just read. 

Painting and Creating in my boots.
Kristen
Ranch Chic Corral