Cowgirl Up #51 with I Still Hate Pickles

So glad you joined us.

Yeee-Haw!

Welcome to Week 51

of

The Cowgirl Up!

Link Party!

1 Party, 5 Blogs Our guest host this week is

Kirsten from I Still Hate Pickles!

Hey! I'm Kirsten, but you can call me Kiki. Pretty much everyone does. I'm stoked to be guest hosting Cowgirl Up! Every week I find major inspiration from the links and posts. You guys are all amazingly talented.

I have lived in Houston for ten years and just bought my first pair of
cowboy boots. I'll confess that I'm a little scared to wear them.

My blog, I Still Hate Pickles, is a little eclectic. On any given day you might catch me talking about parenting, writing, faith, DIY, and my kitchen adventures (which sometimes involve small kitchen fires). I like to keep things interesting.

Despite the fires, I really like to cook. I am a much better cook than baker because I like to be spontaneous and fudge recipes. Recently I started baking my own bread. Even if I find the recipe from someone else, I'm always finding ways to dress it up and make it my own. Nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread in the home! Even better when it's easy.

I have a few special things I bake only once or twice a year because they are so rich (and I might get tempted to eat the whole thing). You will never make another cake again after trying this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake. This used to be a fall specialty, but my friends and family now ask for it as their birthday cakes. These Special Occasion Cinnamon Rolls might put you into a coma.

If you need to cleanse your palate with something healthy, I've been experimenting with local organic produce with delicious results. Like garlic and feta focaccia topped with arugula. Killer.

If you want to step out of the kitchen, I love making projects. I used to have a small business painting children's furniture and murals, so I love getting creative. I am also really messy, but I feel like that is part of the fun. (Except when it comes time to clean up.) Here is a coffee filter wreath I made for a friend's baby shower. Check out this ugly thrift store before and the adorable after.

Just...ew.

 

To awwwww!

Every now and then I do tiny paintings, like this pair of cows that I dorkily gave as a gift to John and Sherry from Young House Love at their book signing. (Did I mention I'm a dork?)

For Christmas this year, I gave my mom some Texas-themed hand-painted cards, which were super fun.

If you're wanting something a little off-the-beaten path, you may want to check my Out-of-the-Box Mother's Day ideas or my thoughts on what life would be like if Pinterest projects became reality. I'm also doing a series on self-publishing through Amazon Kindle, if that's something you might consider doing in the future. I've got my MFA in Fiction but recently self-published an advent book and another book about our callings.

So glad to be here and be inspired by all the creativity! Hope you'll stop by and enjoy my blog in all its randomness. I love following blogs via Twitter as well, so if you are active there, come and find me so I can follow you back and keep up with your great ideas.

Kirsten/Kiki

***** Want to be a Guest Host here on Cowgirl Up? Just leave a comment with your name and blog address below! If you are selected, you will be introduced in the Cowgirl Up post for that week, and we'll include a link to your blog. We’ll send you the code for the party ahead of time. Lots of fantastic exposure for you, and the post is written for you! *****

Click below to continue to the party!

Howdy, everyone!

This is Amanda with The Ivy Cottage Blog!

If you haven't checked out my new blue "family" end table, click on over and check it out!

So happy to have you all back this week!  We had a record number of links last week . . . 300!  WOW!  Keep up the great work and spread the word on about the party!

Here are the features!

Vintage Earring Bracelet by Just Grand!  Love this!

A sweet Valentine's Door Plaque by Number Fifty-Three!

DIY Doodle Plate by At Home On The Bay!

 



A cool post about the beauty of abandoned buildings by Cozy Canadian Cottage!  So cool and so different!





Needlepoint Clock Makeover by Two Butterflies!





Easy Baby Bow Tie Tutorial by Rae Gun Ramblings!





Large Painted Doily Wall Art by The Thrifty Rebel!





Genius kitchen shelving by Domestic Imperfection!





Union Jack DIY Wall Art by twelveOeight!




Now about this week's party... You link up on my blog and your link shows up on FIVE blogs.

More exposure, less time.We are looking for the latest and greatest projects, tutorials, ideas, crafts, recipes, decor, and inspiring stories. Anything that you are proud to show off.

Cowgirl Up! is the link party that saves you time and brings you inspiration.

What blogs will your link appear on? Check us out below!

Linsey with The Farmhouse Porch

Anita with Cedar Hill Ranch

Amanda with The Ivy Cottage Blog

Samantha with Crafty Texas Girls

*PLUS our Special GUEST HOST:  Kirsten with I Still Hate Pickles!

The four of us are all Texas bloggers, but you don't have to be Texas, country, western, or own horses to participate in Cowgirl Up! You just need that "can-do", cowgirl spirit!

Cowgirl Up! Link Party Guidelines

(Please read the guidelines before participating)

* When you link with Cowgirl Up!, your link will automatically show on four different blogs.

* Please follow your host blog before linking up on GFC (and if you have a linkyfollow account, then please follow that way too.)

* You may link up decor, DIY, crafts, guest post, recipes, giveaways, sewing, inspiring stories, and anything that you feel related to the listed categories.

* You may link as many links as you want.

* Be sure to include the Cowgirl Up! Button or text link to Cowgirl Up in your linked post, (mine can be found on my sidebar.) Mandatory to be featured!!

* Be courteous and visit the two links before yours. Several projects will be featured each week!

* By linking up you are agreeing that the photos are yours or that you have permission to use them, that we may use those photos to feature your project in a blog post, on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter with a link back to your blog of course.

*If you pin a project shown here, please, please pin from the original source.