“A snowflake is one of God’s most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!”
( You can view and purchase photos from my winter adventures here. )
Oh the weather outside is …. BEAUTIFUL.
Today I decided to bundle up to go hang some blue lights on the Christmas tree that sits in the back of our old Ford truck.
After hanging up the lights, I couldn’t help but take a little stroll around our yard in the snow.. So bundle up, throw on your snow boots and come along on a winter photo adventure with me!
There is something so amazing about the very first snowfall of the season…
…something that makes my heart get so excited, I just can not sit inside on the first snowfall… I have to get out and explore..
…and enjoy all of the beauty that surrounds me. Snow adds a new element to everything, a new look, a new layer of beauty..
..and although I am looking at the same sights I see every day, I see them with a new set of eyes once again…
I hope you enjoyed this little photo adventure! Now head out on your own adventure! Leave a comment and let me know where you will be going to next! See you next time!
“Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.”~Vincent van Gogh
If you live in the Midwest like I do, then you may possibly be one of many people who tend to hibernate inside in the winter. One of my goals in my photography business and through my blogging is to encourage individuals and families to get outside in ALL kinds of weather, hot or cold- and enjoy it!!!
This winter picnic DIY idea is one that you can quickly throw together, and have an outdoor picnic right outside on your back steps, your deck or in your yard, even in the cold winter months. Throw down a warm blanket or two, bundle up, maybe even start a small bonfire nearby, and pair this meal with a warm thermos of hot cocoa and you are all set for a fun outdoor winter picnic!
Canning jar chili n’ cornbread | Winter picnic DIY
There are many recipes out there to make your own chili and cornbread, you can make it from scratch or if you are in a hurry buy the canned chili and packaged cornbread mix. Whichever you prefer will work, do what you love.
Supplies:
Canning jars ( I found the small jelly sized jars worked best)
Chili
Cornbread
Butter
Honey
Fleece for cozy
Fill jar(s) part way with chili.
*Top chili with cornbread batter.
*Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes (or until toothpick comes out dry after poking cornbread).
I placed the canning jars on top of a cookie sheet in case they decided to spill over. Use caution (aka oven mitts) when removing jars from the oven.
Wrap your jar with a little piece of fleece, which will act as a nice scarf cozy for your jar to prevent the burning of any hands!
Toss some butter and honey in your jar, grab a spoon, head outside and enjoy this warm winter dinner!
I hope this opens your mind up to outdoor picnic ideas and adventures in the winter time! Now bundle up, get outside and enjoy Gods beauty- in all weather!(Still don’t feel like venturing outside?! That’s okay, enjoy your chili in the comfort of your own home – and give yourself the feel of the outdoors with this awesome online Insta Camp fireplace from KOA ! )
I have a major case of wanderlust. [ Wanderlust = a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world] .
Except my desire to explore doesn’t pull me to explore the entire world, just the back roads of my favorite states like, Wyoming, Colorado & Montana.
Montana won my heart years ago when I was a little girl. I remember traveling there numerous times, camping, exploring, and soaking in the beauty. I specifically remember one time when I was about 16 when I re-fell in love with Montana again, and I told my dad , ” Dad, I want to go to college here & live here..” and he replied , “Oh Kelly, you could live anywhere..” I’m a simple soul to please, and for as long as I can remember on all of our family road trips growing up, I said many times, in many places & in many states, ‘Dad I could live here.’ But -Montana stole my heart. You know when you are in love & being with that person feels like a breath of fresh air to your soul?! The mountains in Montana give me that feeling- it fills my heart up! & just makes me breathe easy, think freely, & feel completely fulfilled.
This quote explains it all ; “I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.”~ John Steinbeck.
Last year I picked up several Montana maps, knowing how much I admire the state, I figured I would do something with them someday. Now that I have my own home office , I want to fill it with things that inspire me and items that I love.
Today I woke up with no plans to create a project, when I was looking for something else in our attic and I came across a Montana map. Then my little project creating wheels started turning. I went out to the barn, grabbed an old window, and started creating my own vintage window map. Read below to see how I created it & how you can too!
Project Supplies:
*Old Window (or picture frame) *Map *Coffee (if you desire to age your map)* Paint *Screws *Drill *Old board *Screwdriver *Wood glue
Project Time: Several hours (including time for paint & map to dry).
Project Level: Easy!
Project directions:
1.) Gather your supplies, find an old window (or a picture frame will do, if using a picture frame you can skip to painting step).
You can get maps at travel centers, or by requesting one from online visitor sites for different states.
2.) Clean your window! Wipe free from all dirt , debris and peeling paint.
3.) Paint window your desired color. I painted the first coat in a soft blue and topped it with a bright yellow.
A behind the scenes look at what happens when I start a painting project in my house
4.) Age your map. (If desired). Wrinkle it up, allow a few tears along the seams. Make up a cup of instant coffee & brush it onto your map, do this several times until your map reaches the look you like. You can also sprinkle some of the instant coffee grounds onto your map and brush with warm water. It is okay to let it pool up in some areas , this will create darker spots in those areas. There are several ways to age maps, this is just a way that I found worked good for me.
5.) Wait for your map and window to dry.
6.) Age your window (again, if you desire) I scuffed the window in a few places to reveal some of the underlying blue paint.
7.) Attach your map to your window. There are several ways to do this -I used the easy way- good ol’ tape.
The following steps apply if you’d like to add a little shelf onto your window map to place some of your treasures from your favorite state!
8.) Purchase, find, or dig out of the hay pile in the barn (like I did) a board that will fit your window. I didn’t measure, but found a board I liked, and brought it in and liked the way it looked hanging over the edge of the window-sometimes you just need to go with what you like and set the perfectionism aside & it all works out !
9.) Drill 4-5 holes into the back of your window & shelf. (In the exact same places on window/shelf) Next screw 4-5 screws into the back of your window & into your board in the holes your just drilled. If it is a longer shelf, apply more screws. You may also want to throw some wood glue between your board & window for extra hold.
10.) Hang up your new window map shelf & enjoy!
You could even draw your favorite routes, circle your favorite towns, or plan out your next trip on your window with a dry erase marker…
…Have fun with it! After all – the best creations are both beautiful and functional!
After all of this writing about wanderlust, maps and Montana.. I think it is time to plan my next big trip for 2013!
“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”~ Ashley Smith
Photography has helped me grow in so many ways. One way , is that it has resulted in me looking at things and at life with my eyes wide open. It makes me feel more, think more and see more than I ever have.
This morning I took a 45 minute walking adventure around our property and captured images of scenes and objects that caught my eye. There are quite a few, so sit back and enjoy a look at my surroundings here at the farm-through my eyes.
I have found many primitive objects in the woods and around the farm from many years ago, I haven’t even rescued 1/1,000 of them, but am doing my best to upcycle most of my findings in and around my home & gardens.
This photo above, is for my sweet 4 year old daughter Camryn, my moon girl. Ever since she could point-she has always found the moon and points up at it and yells, “The moon! The moon! Look!” and today as I was taking photos, she did just that and requested I take a photo of it, so my sweet moon girl, this one is for you.
Sometimes in life we need to remember to look all around us. So often we get lost in looking only straight ahead, but when we expand where we look-we also expand what we see….
…and then sometimes we need to also look down and watch where we are walking so we don’t get tangled up in thorns!
Fall is in the air. This is truly my favorite time of year..the colors,the smells, the sounds, the breezes that whisper ‘fall is here’ in my ears, and the feeling of the slight brush of the tall grass across my legs & feet, leave me almost breathless…
Gods beauty is present everywhere you look,…just open your eyes and you will see it…
When I look at the farm, I am full of feelings. Feelings and wonder. I wonder whose hands built this barn, who walked in and out of the doorways, climbed the silo and worked hard building the fences.. I wonder and as I do, my heart feels content and full of happiness knowing that I am treasuring this land and this farm and honoring the hard work that had gone on here in years past, by sharing it with others, like yourself…
Look closely, ..do you see the spider?!
Do you see this door knob and wonder whose hand used to pull it to enter into the barn, like I do?!
I hope you enjoyed coming along on my latest adventure with me and a little tour of the farm I am living on. Remember to open your eyes and SEE more in your life,…train your eyes to see more of your surroundings and soon you will really see that there is beauty all around you!
Thanks for reading,
~Kelly
{If you are interested in purchasing any of the images you see in this blog post, as wall art for your home, please contact me at kelly@endlessacresphotography.com for purchase info! Thank you! http://www.endlessacresphotography.com}
I hope this opens your mind up to outdoor picnic ideas and adventures in the winter time! Now bundle up, get outside and enjoy Gods beauty- in all weather!(Still don’t feel like venturing outside?! That’s okay, enjoy your chili in the comfort of your own home – and give yourself the feel of the outdoors with this awesome online 
