The Colorful Cupboard (Update)

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         Last night was "Artist Opening Night" at The Colorful Cupboard!! I was so excited to go and see how everything looked! It all looks AMAZING!! It's all so well displayed and is just a great combination of art!  There are so many different artisans in there - Jewelry, photography, basket-weaving, pottery, the list goes on and on!

     You all definitely need to check it out. The big "GRAND OPENING" is tomorrow!! You won't be disappointed. And you can't just take one look around, you've have to make at least 2, or 3 strolls through it. Because, trust me, you'll miss some things.

     I'm so excited for the other additions to open in the coming months!! When this WHOLE studio is complete...It's going to be one of the coolest shops out there...A place you're not going to want to leave! Agh! I'm so excited about this whole thing!!

        I meant to take some pictures last night, and completely forgot! Next time I'm in there, I'll have to remember to do so. I know you're probably all wanting see what I'm talking about.



       The last few days I've been working like CrAzY to try and finish up some more little girl purses that'll be dropped off at the Spotted Goose on Sunday! I ABSOLUTELY love how I get to spend my days doing something I can't get enough of!


       Tonight is prom!!! I'll have to write a post on that with pictures in the next few days!!


    This week has flown by. It's already Friday! I think it's because all of these amazing things are going on!!            


Hope you all have an amazing FrIdAy!!! 

Do I Need a Rooster?

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   Many people often wonder if a rooster is needed for hens to still lay eggs? 

   The answer is no. If you want fertilized eggs, leading to cute little fluffy chicks - Then yes, you'll need a rooster. But if you're just looking for daily eggs for consumption, then no rooster is needed to be present. Hens will still lay eggs no matter what, being part of their natural purpose in life. 


3 Reasons to HAVE a Rooster: 

  1. They help protect the hens. 
   
  Hens are said to become much more bold, with a rooster in the barnyard. Becoming more apt to explore your whole premises with a man there to walk around and protect them. Hmm...Sounds a little like us human girls!:) Giving you a greater chance of having all those bugs eaten up on your property too. 
  Roosters are also known in helping ward off outside predators. Although they aren't going to be able to keep those big guys away, they'll do their best in thinking/doing so. 

  2. They fertilize the eggs. 

  As we all know, they of course fertilize the eggs. That's one of there sole purposes...That is, if you want those fluffy chicks. Just like humans, hens produce eggs on their own, but require a male in order to produce babies. Which then leads to a broody hen, or brooder to hatch the eggs. 

  3. They look kinda cool. 

  Some people just like roosters for their looks. I must admit some of them do look kinda cool! Their long-silky feathers, bright red combs, and beautiful colors....But that's all beside the point, if you can't stand their crowing at 5 am. Some may like it, while others don't. I guess, it just depends on what people prefer. 


3 Reasons to NOT have a Rooster. 

  Alright, so we've brought up the points as to why you may want to HAVE a rooster. So here's the points as to why you may NOT want a rooster. 

  1. They can be mean.
  
  Roosters can be very mean...Which can be dangerous to smaller children. Some say it depends on the breed - Where some will be more-aggressive, while others less-aggressive. They are also known to be very protective towards their homestead. When visitors, (referring to people) come on their territory, they will yell, fluff their feathers, and chase them trying to let them know, "This is my territory." I have heard this from so many people with roosters, while have also seen it. 

 2. They may be illegal. 

  Depending on where you live, the rules and regulations could be different. In some areas roosters aren't allowed. Be sure and check that out before considering getting a rooster. 

3. They can beat up your hens. 

  The process of mating for a chicken can be a little violent. If you have too many roosters, for the number of hens in your flock, you might find hens missing feathers on their heads and backs, while suffering from injuries. 
  It's recommended to have 8-12 hens per rooster if you want him to service all the hens. If keeping all the eggs fertilized, is not something you're worried about, then 1 rooster would be just fine, for several dozen females. 


   We've never had a rooster. We really haven't considered getting one either. Our main purpose for our hens, is just to have fresh eggs. It really just depends on the person and what they prefer/want them for. 


Have an amazing Tuesday everyone!!

This is an exciting week for me...Artist night at the Colorful Cupboard is Thursday night, then Prom is Friday!!! 


  


   

Cowgirl Dirt (Review)

      Have you been looking for a makeup that's all-natural,  containing none of those nasty chemicals? You're probably thinking..."Of course!"..."But I can't afford all those natural cosmetics." I thought the same thing, until one day running across Cowgirl Dirt!! I was so excited to find a natural makeup, at an affordable price! 

   I normally don't wear much makeup, but prom was coming up and I wanted to find something that wasn't an overload of chemicals on my face. After browsing around their site, I came to realize they have 99cent samples of all their products! I ordered some eye shadows, facial serum, concealer and mineral powder foundation! Once I received it in the mail, I couldn't wait to try it all out! 

   I loved it all! It's a very light feeling, while still enhancing your natural beauty. What better way to do it, than with using God-given vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from this earth? On each product all the ingredients are listed, giving you a clear look as to what it contains - Another thing I love about Cowgirl dirt! 


   Be sure and check out their Facebook Page, while also their Website! I'd love to here what you think about their products! 


Have an amazing FrIdAy everyone!! 

The Colorful Cupboard

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     I'm excited to finally announce I have my products available at The Colorful Cupboard!! Over the last couple of weeks I've been talking "Details" with the owner, and just today, I took my products there....So, I wanted to wait until it was all "Official" before announcing anything! 

      The shop will not be open until the 26th of this month - Just a little over a week away! I think this is really going to be an amazing opportunity for so many people, and so many different things!

       Not only will it be a cute little shop, where artisans can sell their art, it's also going to have a coffee shop, art classes/summer camps, and a woodworking/metalworking area!! As of the 26th, only the artisan part will be open, with all the other rooms/departments to follow, in the coming months!  

      Here is a look as to what's going to be happening in each section of the studio!


Artisan part/shop:                                    

This is the part you will see when you first walk into the studio. All the artisans work will be displayed and sold in this section! There are so many beautiful things already! I can't wait to see it all displayed!!

Coffee Shop:                                              So the next room you walk into will be a coffee shop! A place where birthdays, bible study/woman's/ just any kind of group(s) can come and have a good time!
Art Studio:                                          
   This room you see next! It is more of an art studio, where art classes -(of all different kinds) will be held. A lady is going to come and give art lessons to children with disabilities also - Which I think is AMAZING!! Alongside, children's art summer camps, will be held there...With 12 already scheduled for this summer! I hoping to be able to teach some classes there also! It's something I've always wanted to do - And here's the PERFECT opportunity! I love how God works things out in the most amazing ways!! I'm really excited about this part, because I think there is going to be many wonderful opportunities for so many people!

Woodworking/Metalworking Area:                                             The last room you will see, is the woodworking/metalworking/welding/furniture refurbishing area! There will be "Woodworking & Metalworking Groups," and if you are part of them, you will have access to all the tools and equipment that will be in this room!



     You don't notice how HUGE this studio is until you actually walk into it! The rooms just keep coming, and they are all very decent sized!
 
   I'm beyond excited for this opportunity - For everyone!! This is going to be an AmAzIng place, you just won't be able to stay away from! I can't wait for all the different doors that God has planned, to open up, into wonderful ideas and opportunities!! I'll continually post updates on new happenings of it all!


Have an amazing WeDnEsDaY everyone!! 

                                    Facebook Page!
                                         
        

 

Automatic

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I love the lyrics to this song....It truly explains how everything used to be...Back before everthing became automatic. 

    I often wonder how life would be today, if it was all still like that? These days the world is being taken over by technology. Life would've been much more simple, but with hard work ethics. Sometimes I wish we still lvied in the days before everything became automatic. 

Have a great MoNdAy everyone!!

                                                                    "Automatic"

Quarter in a payphone
Drying laundry on the line
Watching Sun Tea in the window
Pocket watch tellin' time
Seems like only yesterday I'd get a blank cassette
Record the country countdown 'cause I couldn't buy it yet

If we drove all the way to Dallas just to buy an Easter dress
We’d take along a Rand McNally, stand in line to pay for gas
God knows that shifting gears ain’t what it used to be
I learned to drive that 55 just like a queen, three on a tree

Hey, whatever happened to waitin' your turn
Doing it all by hand,
'Cause when everything is handed to you
It's only worth as much as the time put in
It all just seemed so good the way we had it
Back before everything became automatic

If you had something to say
You'd write it on a piece of paper
Then you'd put a stamp on it
And they'd get it three days later
Boys would call the girls
And girls would turn them down
Staying married was the only way to work your problems out

Hey, whatever happened to waitin' your turn
Doing it all by hand,
'Cause when everything is handed to you
It's only worth as much as the time put in
It all just seemed so good the way we had it
Back before everything became automatic

Automatic

Let's pull the windows down
Windows with the cranks
Come on let's take a picture
The kind you gotta shake

Hey, whatever happened to waitin' your turn
Doing it all by hand,
'Cause when everything is handed to you
It's only worth as much as the time put in
It all just seemed so good the way we had it
Back before everything became, automatic

~Miranda Lambert 

National Siblings Day

My family!

Happy National Siblings Day everyone!!

   Today, and everyday is day to remember your brothers and 

sisters. Your family. Your own blood. God gave them to you, for 

someone you can always lean on, someone who you can wake at any 

hour and will be right there, someone you can help, yet learn 

from at the same time, someone who will get you through the tough 

struggles of life, someone who will always be there for you...No 

matter what! They are the ones you can sit and reminisce on all 

the memories of things we did or said in our younger years, and 

laugh until our stomachs hurt. The ones that made memories with 

you when you were younger, and will continue to do so as you get 

older. The ones who will grow old with you, and be by your side, 

until you are gone from this earth...

  Yes, of course they will get on your nerves, do 

things they know will aggravate you, but in the end, deep down 

inside they truly love you. They were there from the beginning, 

and they'll be there until the end. They are your TRUE best 

friends...Someone you can always count on.  

   We are a pretty close-knit family. We do almost

 everything together, and unfortunately as we get older, go to 

college, get jobs, and so on, the time we get to spend together, 

continually decreases. So the times we do get to spend together, 

are moments and memories to cherish, that will last forever... 

    

I love every single one of you guys, in your own special ways. I 

couldn't imagine life without you!

Ephesians 4:32 ~ And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:2 ~ Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

John 15:13  ~ Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

1 Corinthians 13:13 ~ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

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Farm Fresh Eggs

   

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   After this hard winter, many months of molting, our hens our 

FINALLY starting to lay some eggs!! For the last couple of weeks 

we have been getting around 3-4 eggs per day! It's so nice to be 

able to bring fresh eggs in, knowing were they're coming from. 

As much as we hated to do so, during the winter months we had to 

buy store-bought eggs....Even though they supposedly were 

organic/free-range, it's amazing the difference in the coloring 

of the yokes, the more bland taste, and when you open up the 

carton of eggs, how EVERY single egg is identical. Why is it 

when you buy store-bought eggs, they are exactly the same size, 

the shells are exactly the same shade of brown/white, and the 

yokes are exactly the same shade of (pale) yellow? But yet, when 

opening a carton of farm-fresh eggs, you'll sometimes have a 

double-yolker, << (those are always fun to see!)the shells range 

from so many shades of brown - sometimes with spots, sometimes 

with lines, or sometimes just plain brown, the sizes range 

so remarkably - sometimes you may have this duck-sized egg, 

while other times maybe just an egg not much bigger than a 

Nightingale-bird egg? But why?? I believe, due to them being free-

range, they're diet is continually changing from day-to-day, 

they aren't stressed from being confined in a little cage - 

being forced to lay eggs, while catching all kinds of diseases, 

then passing it on to other hens, and most of all, the eggs are 

SO much more fresh, and don't have to go through a chemical bath 

to get all spic and span, so they can then be dropped into a 

carton, and shipped off to the grocery store. I guess it's like 

anything, the fresher you get it, the better it'll taste. 

   

   
   This is honestly nothing against those huge factory chicken 

farmers out there. You are just trying to make a living at what 

you do in this world. Please don't feel as if I am putting you 

down in anyway. I am just giving my point of view on things, 

while I still have "Freedom of Speech" in this country...Which 

is leading down a path of being taken away. Hopefully you would 

do the same, speaking out for what you believe in. 

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Have an amazing WeDneSdAy everyone! Enjoy this sunshine!  

Benefits of Raw Honey

   

    Because of the last post being on Honey Bees and a Hard Winter, I thought this post would make a good "Benefits of Raw Honey" one. 

WHAT IS RAW HONEY?    

Raw honey is the honey (nectar from flowers) that is pure, unheated, unpasteurized and unprocessed. To receive maximum health benefits, the honey must therefore be raw. Being raw, it keeps intact all the natural vitamins, enzymes, phytonutrients, as well as other nutritional elements. Raw honey, has said to be used for at least 10,000 years by humans for many reasons. It has played a vital role in health, healing, and religious and cultural traditions. 

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HEALTH BENEFITS OF RAW HONEY:  

          

    Honey, being much sweeter than table sugar, is much better for you. When possible, it is best to buy locally grown, organic, raw honey. This, being produced in, or near the environment you live in. But, why? Well, because consuming foods from the area you live is beneficial, as they contain the immune stimulating properties needed for your body to adapt to its environment. And like anything, when buying fresh, raw honey, it will be tastier and more potent. Below, is an article by Global Healing Center on the health benefits of raw honey! 

• Organic, raw honey can provide an energy boost. Its carbohydrates supply energy and strength and it can boost your endurance and reduce muscle fatigue.
• Honey is a great aid in relieving morning sickness, reportedly even more effective than traditional soda crackers.
• Honey is good for sore throats, laryngitis and pharyngitis.
• Honey and cinnamon can help in many areas including relief from bladder infections, arthritis, upset stomach and bad breath. It’s even supposed to be able to slow down hair loss.
• Raw honey can be used as a medication for issues related to male impotence and female infertility. Warm raw goat milk and raw honey is believed to increase sperm count considerably.
• A salve made of honey, for diabetic ulcers, has been proven effective when other topical ointments are not well tolerated. It can be applied to eczema, canker sores or bleeding gums.
• Honey and apple cider vinegar can be used for many ailments like stomach aches,constipation and even migraines.
• Honey and lemon goes to work in the body shifting the extra fat stores, thus making it usable energy for regular body functions. Honey is cholesterol-free and can reportedly help keep cholesterol levels in check
• Raw honey has a viscous texture due to its low water content. It is a poor environment for bad bacteria to grow and is a good natural preservative.

Raw honey is a remarkable natural substance that is receiving a lot of well-deserved attention. Seek out local markets for organic goods to get the freshest products. Support your local independent farmers; helping them to stay in business is good for them and for your economy.  

   When once talking to a farmer who had BAD allergies, he said every morning before going out to work, he'd always take a tablespoon of raw, local honey. He said it helped him so much and he never had all that coughing, sneezing, and just being miserable!  

BUT WHY CAN'T INFANTS HAVE HONEY?

Honey contains a natural presence of botulinum endospores, therefore, children under one year old should not be given honey. Before the age of twelve months, a child’s intestinal tract is not mature enough to inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum, which is often found in honey. No honey, in any form, should be given to babies younger than one. 

   So there you have it! Yet another one of God's natural medicines he put here on this earth! Next time you're at your local farmer's market, feed store, or whatever, be sure and pick up a jar of RAW, local honey! We always get ours from Wayne Wilkins Backyard Bees Honey! 

Have a great SaTuRdAy everyone!!!    

Honey Bees and a Hard Winter

   

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   The frigid cold winter, lots of snow, and very low temperatures, caused the death of so many honey bees this past winter. Averaging usually around a 30% loss, this year being much greater. 

 We had just one hive. Once the cold weather finally broke, we went to check on it, and we found ALL dead bees! It looked like the picture below...Which is said to be how bees look when starved to death. It's sickening seeing that...My brother had caught that swarm last spring...And then in hopes for maybe some honey, and then to see that...I know so many honey bee farmers lost so great of hives this year. And being their way of putting food on the day, would make for a terrible year for them. Thankfully we only had them, to try and provide honey for ourselves, and not have to make a living from them. Hopefully we will be able to catch another swarm, or two this spring, in hopes for a much better winter!  



   The following article from  Scientific American   gives you a better idea of exactly what I'm talking about. 

Dead honey bees in a colony with inadequate food reserves. (Urbana, Illinois)

Over the next few months we will hear news of this winter’s honey bee losses in North America. The news won’t be good.

Although official loss tallies have yet to be released, persistently cold weather across the northern part of the continent has made the 2013-2014 winter an unusually difficult one. Beekeepers relying on standard fall harvesting and feeding regimes are almost certainly discovering, as spring arrives, that their preparations were inadequate for at least some colonies.

Honey bees survive winter in a remarkable fashion. Rather than slowing into diapause the typical insect way, letting the body’s natural anti-freeze proteins do the work, honey bees instead maintain the center of the nest at room temperature. They create heat by metabolizing honey, and the honey furnace is powerful indeed. Hive temperature doesn’t waver even at – 40º outside. Honey is fuel, and in cold winters bees need more fuel than in warm winters. They are like us.

I mention the weather as a preemptive debunking of agenda-laden claims to come.

Recent bee declines, and especially the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder, are often co-opted into the advocacy efforts of groups against cell phones, pesticides, and any number of other issues. While these organizations are well-intentioned, their efforts have tended to overstep the scientific research on Colony Collapse. The best studies point somewhere between inconclusive and a complex blend of various factors. If this season’s losses are high, we will likely be hearing more of the loosely-tethered campaigning. Be appropriately skeptical that anything other than weather (and, if you like, climate change) is behind the latest bee-pocalypse.

Colony Collapse, whatever the cause, is marked by a lack of adult bees in the hive in early spring. It’s as though the worker force flew off and never returned, leaving behind a queen, some young bees, and otherwise healthy-looking brood.

Regular winter loss, on the other hand, ends with adult bees inside the hive, tragically face-down in the cells as they ate through the final honey stores:

Colonies that perish from starvation are found with many workers face-down in empty honey cells, having eaten the last of the stores.

   Here is the bee winter loss survey from Project Apis M. over the last few winters. Unfortunately, the 2013/2014 loss is not yet announced...Some farmers saying they ended up with a 40% loss, while others close to 70%. Wow! Imagine that much of a loss!? 

 

 Bee Winter Loss Survey

July 18, 2013 by PAm Manager

2012 – 2013 Honey Bee Winter Loss Survey

The Bee Informed Partnership, in collaboration with the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the USDA, have released the preliminary results of the annual honey bee colony losses.The Winter Loss Survey initial results indicate that 31.1% of managed colonies in the US were lost during the over-wintering 2012/2013 season as compared to the 21.9% over-wintering colony loss as reported in 2011/2012 period.The preliminary report can be read here.  Colony Losses in the winters of: 2012/2013 – 31% 2011/2012 – 22% 2010/2011 – 30% 2009/2010 – 34% 2008/2009 – 29% 2007/2008 – 36% 2006/2007 – 32%    Bees are so important to this earth! Bees, as well as other insects are an essential element in our food production. One third of our food needs to be pollinated by insects. Honey bees, being responsible for most of it.    For tomorrow...A post on the benefits of RAW honey!    Have a great ThUrSdAy everyone!!  Verse of the day: Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. ~Proverbs 16:24

Spring Break = Family Time

Tessa, me, and Sydney!

        This week is our Spring Break...Yay!! What's better than 

spending that time with the family? 

   
   The last couple of nights my sisters and I spent with our 

grandma. It's always nice to spend time with her! Reminiscing on 

stories from the past, in the midst of wishing grandpa was still 

here to enjoy the present with us - It's been almost 5 years too 

long since he's been gone. It seems so different without him 

sometimes. << I will definitely write a post on him, reflecting 

back on all the great times we had, while he was here on this 

earth!...But that will have to be saved for another day... 

  
   Taking a little break from the everyday routine, is always 

nice, but somehow getting back into it, seems just as nice too! 

When you finally do come home it seems like there's always so 

many things that need to be done! 

  

   

^^Here's a picture of grandma and I, 2 Christmases ago...I meant 

to take a picture while I was there and COMPLETELY forgot! Ugh! I 

hate when I do that kind of stuff! 

Have a great WeDnEsDaY everyone!