Cowboy Fabric

Cowboy fabric is hard to find so I'm lovin' this site - Prairie Girls' Quilt Shop. They have an excellent selection of western fabrics - from barkcloth to cotton to upholstery. I have some chair cushions that I'm working on and this site could be the perfect source for fabrics. Check out a few of my faves... Great barkcloth for cowpoke curtains or maybe a tablecloth... For my horse lovers - this upholstery has great colors and is the perfect fit for a leather-fabric combo on a big reading chair!! Love this for the side panels of my chair cushion project!! Very cowboy kitsch but I couldn't resist. How classic is this for a cowpoke's Christmas Tree skirt??

Stone Wall Wallpaper

I've carried Blonder Wallpaper and Accents for several years. Tonight I was perusing their website and found some fabulous wallpaper that I have to share with you... Check these out!!

Blonder Home Accents - Devon Park Collection

Blonder Home Accents - Devon Park Collection

Blonder Home Accents - Outdoor Adventures Collection

Blonder Home Accents - Outdoor Adventures Collection

All of these are wallpaper - the stone, the mural and even the logs!! They also have great cowboy wallpaper. The website is easy to navigate (although you will have to crawl through some wallpapers that are a little "kuntry"). Click here to go to their "where to purchase" page. Just enter your zip code and head em' out...

Natural and Exotic Options for Rustic Holiday Decorating

As I decorate my home for Christmas today I stand back and look at all of my Holiday lovelies. As I have been for the past four years when I've decorated this home, I am astounded by how many pinecones I have!!

While the pinecones are rustic (which I love) they are getting a little old for me. Probably because I have had them ever since my college days when I insisted on dragging an old artifical tree from my parent's home to my college apartment but couldn't afford ornaments. What was a girl to do? I took pinecones from neighbors yard and oila - a rustic Christmas... (speaking of college - the Aggies are beating the Longhorns right now!! Gig Em' Ags!!)

Anywho - I reflect on my Christmas Decor and wonder if next year I will finally make some changes. Here are some fabulous options... (all four of the following pics are straight from Country Living.com)

Looking through pics and getting fresh ideas for next year the common ingredient that I found in all of the pics I LOVED was fresh pine and other natural ingredients (pears, artichokes and berries). So where shall I go for my natural elements next year... here are some places I'll put on my To Shop List:

Fresh pine garlands like this one from Christmas Farms (hello free shipping!!)

I would also love to trade in my pine cones for these dried exotics - Banksia Hookerana or Coccinia Banksia - that I found from The Flower Mart.com. What a great site with wonderful options for every day decorating!!

Or maybe I'll just stick with the pinecones - look how great they look here... (also from Country Living)

Decorating with Antlers...

As I begin to decorate my home for the holidays, and also work on a few Holiday Decorating jobs for clients, I have been perusing the newstand for great ideas. The picture that I can't seem to get out of my mind was featured in Midwest Living Magazine... I love the classic look of fresh pine, apples and antlers. Antlers always being one of my favorite things to pick up at flea markets as they are a wonderfully creative and surprising element that you can add to your decor - no matter what your style - evident here from these magazine tear sheets that were in my file... Unknown Source Drexel Heritage Ad Western Interiors & Design Magazine So where does one go to purchase an antler - or a load of them?? As I search for the answer I have come across many sites of people selling Big, Grade A Antlers. And while they are fabulous I'm always on the hunt for a deal which inevitably leads me to ebay... Check out this seller's awesome collection!! antlersbythemillions

Custom Juniper Furniture - GORGEOUS!!!

Ok - so it's a little pricey but this stuff is gorgeous!! Check out Andy & Aaron Sanchez Custom Furniture - a father-son team who uses Alligator Juniper to create by hand these extraordinary peices...

Cowboy Bathroom Light

Looking to put a cowboy twist on your bathroom?? My friend Jan emailed looking for a cowboy light for her bathroom which led me to Aspen Lighting - great selection of Cowboy and Rustic lighting and the prices seem VERY fair!! Yee Haw...

Drum Tables

A classic in Western Interiors is the use of Native-American inspired drums. I was recently asked about good sources for such a drum and came across a site that has a fabulous selection at what seem to be fair prices...

Mission Del Ray

Here is another option - these are drums built with logs. I've never seen anything like them. They come from a store called Crabapple Hills Farm - another addition to my I've got to go there list. Love it!!

Iron Embellishments

At Tablescapes I met a great gal looking for iron embellishments to be used as decor in the horse trailers that her family manufactures. (check out the well-appointed trailers here) Here is what I found... (thanks, Sherri!!) Ebay Stores seem to be a hit - check out these that feature a large selection of iron decor. CAST IRON CRAZY IRON OUT THE WRINKLES And from a new store that I just found - Curious Home - I have finally tracked down an iron tree. I keep a tree similiar to this one on our kitchen island and hang invitations, thank you notes and photos from it with simple twine. It is a great way to display family favorites without cluttering the whole house. J is going to use it for her jewelry...

Tablescapes 2007

What a crazy couple of weeks it has been!! On Sept 19th & 20th Cactus Creek exhibited at a wonderful event in the Big Town called Tablescapes. The event took place at the American Royal Grand Hall. It was so awesome to see how incredibly creative everyone was in their displays and as always it was a great reminder of the fabulous retailers, designers and artists that make up KC. We'll be sure to put this one on the calendar for next year so that you can attend - it is well worth your time and all of the money goes to BOTAR scholarships... Love it!!

Cactus Creek's Table - yours truly...

Locust Grove of Weston, Missouri - wonderful home furnishings with a few western touches.

Missouri Bluffs of Weston, Missouri - fabulous clothes including lots of DD.

Roy Frey Western Lifestyles of Topeka, Kansas - great table, great girls. Can't wait to visit!!

Vintage Cowboy Pennants

Just found a great website for a company called Shine Gallery. Self-proclaimed "treasure hunters" they have an awesome selection of vintage memorabilia. My favorites, of course, are in the Rodeos & Cowboys section of the site. In addition to some fun toys (great for a cowboy baby nursery) they feature some FABULOUS western pennants... at our local antique mall I have seen pennants such as these sewn up as pillows. Love it!! Perfect for your little cowpoke's room.

Cowboy Trader - the guy and the Road Trip

I have a great friend whom I call my "saddle guy". He collects and sells antique saddles, spurs and any other fabulous cowboy thing you have ever imagined. He is just a guy with a phone number and a basement full of AMAZING things. He has no website for me to link you to - or even an email address!! Sooo, let me know if you are looking for an antique saddle (these are the real deal, folks - many of his saddles, spurs and chaps are museum-quality!!) and I can hook you up. I tell you about my "saddle guy" because when I met him this week (I was picking up a vintage spur stand and some spurs for a client) he told me about an event happening this weekend - The Cowboy Trade Day in Catoosa, Oklahoma. On the third Saturday of September every year there is an event that looks to be well worth the road trip. Called The Cowboy Trade Day, it is an a good old fashioned Swap Meet that features "ranch cowboy trappings, antique spurs, old west guns, cowboy crafts, western decor, Navajo silver jewelry and a whole lot more. Cowboy music too! Catoosa, Oklahoma looks to be the place to be on the 3rd Saturday of September for the biggest annual all-cowboy stuff & western stuff swap meet in the country." Too late for me this year but let me know how it goes (and say hello to my "saddle guy").

Yet another FABULOUS coffee table...

The kids are sleeping and I'm back on the web doing some research for a client that I'm meeting tomorrow. As I surf around look at what I came across!!

This super-fine coffee table is available at Great Rustic Furniture.com, an online retailer with, from what I see, both unique and well-priced merchandise!!

Walnut Slab Coffee Table

Old Hickory is a classic in the world of rustic furniture. Although the company is over 100 years old, a testament to the enduring appeal of rustic furniture, the company steadily generates current furniture designs that looks great in today's home. Their newest designs are available to view in the New Products section of the Old Hickory website. Today I received a call from a dear client who has been perusing the site (which is refreshingly easy to navigate by the way) and came across the Live Edge Walnut option that is available on most of Old Hickory's tables. This is a 2'" walnut slab that can be put on many of Old Hickory's products.

While she loves the idea of a walnut slab she was wondering what other options are available in the wild world of rustic design. Here are a few of the beauties that I came across...

FIRST find is a walnut slab that is set on elk antlers. The piece is from Crooked Creek Antler Art - great price for a truly unique coffee table!!

SECOND find is from Dumonds Custom Furniture out of Montana - love it!! This is a classic example of a rustic peice that would look great and make a real statement in a more modern home.

THIRD find is a gentleman in Cody, Wyoming by the name of John Gallis. His studio, Norseman Designs, produces beautiful custom furniture. His table below is just an example of the kind of walnut coffee table that he can produce. Norseman Designs typically asks the client to develop a sort of "wish list" wherein they can pick and choose the details that they are looking for in each peice of furniture. You know how I love couture furniture!!

Donna Howell-Sickles

I went to a new client's house this week. She is a veterinarian in the Big Town and an absolute joy to visit with!! Her primary request was for me to help her find a way to display her art. She had a couple of outstanding peices that she had lived on beans and rice to purchase but it was absolutely worth it!! One was a bronze that I will share in a future blog. Tonight I'm focusing on the art work she had by Donna Howell-Sickles. It was an original and totally FABULOUS!! As I peruse the website tonight I have picked out my own favorite...

"Dance Romance". There is a long explanation of the symbolism of each detail which I love. Definitely worth beans and rice for a few months...

Junk Gypsies

I've heard bits and pieces about these gals over the years but tonight I finally made it to their website. Not only are they fellow Ags (Gig Em' Girls!!) but their independent, pedal to the medal montra gives them a special place in my heart. There is so much kickin' rustic/western merchandise on this site it's hard to know what to post - here are a couple of items that are irresistable (especially the onesie - I'll take three) so be sure to spend some time at their site: http://www.gypsyville.com/

modern rustic???

I love finding western and rustic products on websites that boast VERY modern inventories... check out bonconept.com...

another domino mag adverstiser find from Adelea Home... picture it with turquoise necklaces.... ah-haaa!! love it.

another Domino Mag find... Gel Pro Chef's Mats - a great leather-like option for rugs. A perfect fit with your rustic decor!!

rustic and western stationary

hello all...

I've been flipping through Domino Mag's newest issue and I came across this very cool "rustic" stationary at oliveroute.com. It is so hard to find stationary (a lost art of communication in today's web-savvy world) that personifies our devotion to the rustic and western lifestyle... a little high-end but very cool and totally customable (is that a real word?).

My first blog... Wyatt's room

Hello World!! My name is Tracy - my friends and clients call me Fancy - and I am so excited to share my passion for home decor... I have 3 sons - all under the age of four - yikes! For my virgin blog I want to share my oldest son's room. So here goes nothing...

The past week has been "Puka-Poopa-Palooza '07" at our home which means I haven't left the house in a week. Between loads of laundry this has afforded me some extra computer time and I was finally able to add pictures of Wyatt's room to the Cactus Creek website, www.cactuscreektrading.com. Since Wyatt has acquired two little brothers (Gunner - 20 months and Cash - 6 months) in the past couple of years he has ended up permanently occupying our guest room. For Wyatt's 4th birthday this past June I was compelled to give him the train room he has desperately wanted ever since his train passion/obsession has developed.

(The truth is that I was sick and tired of how awful the room looked and I thought the birthday thing was a good excuse to do some decorating.)

Before Wyatt inhabited the guest room it was one of my favorite rooms in our home - I totally dig the cowboy thing and this was the one space that wasn't Wild West but instead my own spin on Shabby Chic...

Since Wyatt moved into the space I have removed all of the lovelies - left the rustic pine bed (straight from Cactus Creek's inventory) and then... did nothing. (I had two babies 14 months apart - pregnant for almost 23 months straight - what's a girl to do?)

My "Before" picture shows just how bad things had gotten in the room...

The day before Wyatt's birthday he went to my Mom's house (she's my saint - truly!) and Wyatt's room underwent an "Extreme Makeover".

When Wyatt arrived home the next day the whole family was here to celebrate. We opened the toys then it was time for the big reveal... (Wyatt was impressed for about 30 seconds then he was off to play with his new toys. The fam' knew that the new room was really all about me so they ooed and ahhed appropriately and we got on with Wyatt's big day.) I am sharing Wyatt's new room with you because it has SIX TIPS for decorating a kiddo's space... 1. Pine Bed - If you are filling a child's room with furniture use items that will last as long as your kids have a room in your home. In all of our boy's rooms we have used furniture that will last them forever. I know that I some may think that I plan ahead too much but hey, I'm frugal to the core. I can't stand the idea of buying a race car bed knowing that it will be in a garage sale within 5 years. I plan to keep their furniture in their rooms FOREVER - the wall art will change and the bedding probably will too. But I only have to invest in good furniture (did I mention that this bed is from Cactus Creek?) once. 2. Art - When choosing art for a child's room consider something that will go beyond the days of Barney. This tip goes along with my philosophy about the furniture - there are some fabulous, affordable options for art easily available online or through your interior decorator (give me a call - make my day!). When ordering the train art for Wyatt's room we only purchased items that Brent (he's my hubby and the co-creator of the crumb catchers) thought he might use in his office if and when Wyatt becomes bored with the train thing.

3. Storage/Shelves/Nightstands - At the risk of contradicting myself I do have one exception to the "use real furniture" rule in a kid's room - sometimes disposable furniture is essential in when you know it will undergo a lot of abuse. Kids are hard on toys and books - the storage of these items will get trashed. That said, I can't give away all of my sources, but I can tell you that I only spent $45 on each of these shelves. They are very simple, they compliment the dark colors in the art and they look like they cost a lot more than they did. I went cheap because I knew that they would have books and toys and everything else thrown into them on an hourly basis for years to come. We've only had them for 45 days and they have already paid for themselves. 4. Focus on the Art - Paint a Frame. It's an old trick but it worked great in this room and really made these small canvases pop. I just painted dark red squares on the wall, centered the pictures on the squares and voila' - instant style!

5. Vintage Accessories - Cactus Creek's signature style is to make something old new again. This classic Rail Road sign was a bargain at a local antique shop and added huge punch to Wyatt's Choo Choo shrine. 6. Character Bedding - Hide it!! I can't bear character bedding (or character shoes, by the way). I have referred to Wyatt's room as an ode to all things "trains". If, however, it was up to him it would actually be all about Thomas the Train. But the decorator in me shrieked at the idea so while we do have the Thomas night light visible, all of the Thomas pillow covers and blankets are put away when the sun comes up.

The bottom line is that a kid's room should be all about what they love but don't be afraid to do it in a mature way so that you maximize your dollars and don't end up having a room that looks like a day care center.

So that's it - my first blog. I hope someone reads this...

Wishing you many blessings, much love and a Happy Home... Fancy