Needlepoint Herend Horses

If you liked the Bunnies on the Brain post a few days ago then you'll like this one too.  I was reminded, by the lady who handpaints these wonderful needlepoint canvases, that she creates horses too.  (And I am not being compensated in any way to promote her wares, just for the record). I just happen to love her work.

 I am considering stitching this one for my newly decorated living room (much more to come on that later).  This would be a great pillow for the sofa or a chair, or on a stool.

 You can stitch these in many colors and I love the way this one finished. And I do not know who did this, I found it on Pinterest.

 This black one is to die for and I'd finish it in a background color that is wild like a hot pink, deep emerald green, bright blue, yellow, even something metallic.

 See how good this one looks...

You can see all of the horses here and any needlepoint store can order them for you...Stitch away until spring arrives, if it ever does......TGIF

Tuff Rider Neon Brights

George Morris will be throwing a tantrum when he sees the neon colors adopted for these riding breeches made by Tuff Rider. The breeches come in five neon brights for those bold enough to add bling and bold to their riding attire.  I'm not sure Alfie could handle it. The green is my favorite and at $79.95 they are reasonably priced for riding attire. 

 You can glow in the dark while you ride.  See them here.

Think Spring?

Will spring ever get here? Our two feet of snow that arrived on Saturday has not melted and we have snow banks everywhere, with small narrow foot-wide walking paths abound.  Even the mailman put a note in the mailbox, asking for the snow to be removed closer to the box.  LOL.  Really. The snow has turned into bricks, two feet high.

My friend Molly leaves on Friday for a cruise, lucky her.  So I am trying to "think spring."

How nice would it be to be able to wear a pair of Jack Rogers sandals right now?

I love the turquoise ones:

Or a Lilly shift?

I'd settle for some green grass, or maybe just grass......

That's Lola in the photo.  She's still at "camp" and is coming home late March.  The others are coming home as soon as the snow melts......the power of positive thinking!

Sources for Needlepoint

Some have asked where to buy needlepoint canvases, especially the bunnies I blogged about yesterday.  See the list here of tons of places to buy canvases, in states all over the US.  Many stores will discount special orders 20 percent off retail.  Most will order a canvas if they do not have it in stock and the store can pick your threads as well.

Needlepoint.com has a special sale today, 20% off canvases from their web site.  See that here.


I love this canvas from Needlepoint.com.  When it's 0 degrees outside why not stay indoors and stitch?

Bunnies on the Brain

I love Easter, bunnies, Herend, and jelly beans, but not in that order.  The Herend bunny in needlepoint is just so adorable and as someone who has loved rabbits and started collecting Herend while in college, you'll likely understand my enthusiasm for these little creatures.

Wish I had time to stitch one in every color!

Snowmageddon

We were prepared, thank goodness.  The wine rack was full, the refrigerator was stocked, and the gas tank (as in propane) was more than 50 percent full (for the generator, just in case).  But we had no idea that the snow would fall for more than 15 hours yesterday.  We had just under two feet of snow here at the farm.  That's my lawn jockey in the photo below.

We have cows on the farm this time of year and their owner (he treats his cows better than some people treat their kids) brought in two round bales yesterday so they'd have something to eat.  He pulled the truck with his tractor.  You can't tell what he did from this picture but farmers are some of the smartest people I know.  And they work hard.

We'll be digging out today, literally, waiting for the next Artic surge coming later in the week.

Held Hostage By Winter?

Winter is in full force here in Virginia this week where it's currently a balmy -9 degrees outside (F).  Thank goodness the horses are boarded out this winter due to my arm surgery so while I miss them and miss taking care of them, I do not miss going to the barn and doing chores in sub-zero temperatures, keeping water buckets from freezing and picking out feet full of balled up snow and ice. In fact, the only time I have gone outside this week is to get the mail.

While I am luckier than the cows and the other outdoor animals to have a toasty abode this week, I don't like being held hostage by winter.  So what do you do when you can't do anything else......

1) Shop
I'm an Internet shopper for sure, due to my hectic work schedule, living in a rural area, an hour from decent shopping, and my love to see what's out there and what everyone else is commenting on.  I read reviews on blogs about clothes, runways, looks, and deals.  So what have I been loving this week?

This blue and white striped shirt from J Crew.  See it here.

 

This Lacoste shirt from J Crew, in bright orange.

See it here.

This Lilly top. See it here.

2) Armchair Decorating (also see Shop, #1 Above)
I am working on my living room still, searching for possible window treatment options. Not making much progress this week.  Loving this from One Kings Lane.  See it here.

3) Plan Menus
Trying desperately to improve my eating habits and eat healthy, no junk food, lots of green salads, which I love, soups, pasta, not much meat and zero sugar.  So this weekend we are having soup, salad, and of course pasta, all from this cookbook.

4) Needlepoint
Winter is the only time of the year that I am able to needlepoint due to work, horses, and farm.  I am finishing up a stand up Santa (I will share when it is finished) but my next project is a bunny. I've ordered the Christmas one and am waiting for its arrival but I adore the way the blue one is finished and the blue one may have to be stitched for my living room at some point in the future. 

5) Read
I've not read much lately but am reading this book right now. 

6) Wait for Downton

I missed it last week, so I get to enjoy two hours this week.  Yes, I am addicted.

Sending warm thoughts. TGIF!

One Kings Lane - Equestrian-Inspired Decor

If you enjoy browsing One Kings Lane's offerings, you'll love the equestrian-themed decor sale going on now. Here are some of my picks:

Access the site from the button on the right side of the blog.  I ordered a small rug earlier today for my entrance hall.  Love it!

Lindsay Coral Harper in House Beautiful, Again

The March issue of House Beautiful arrived yesterday and they hit another home run with a house decorated by Lindsay Coral Harper, in Charlotte, NC.  You can see the article here.

I could move right into this 7000 square foot home decorated for a young couple who moved out of a two-bedroom in NYC.

 The mud room below was transformed from a muddy beige to a lacquered blue.

I love the living room, especially the drapes...

 This is a guest bath:

She repainted some old chairs a bright orange to spruce up the living room.

 The master bedroom is so fun.

Since I love color and tradition this house to me is divine. Thank you House Beautiful for sharing this with us!