Taking The World By Storm!!!

Cap of the Day:  Navy HOH Military Cap made for Miss Rodeo South Dakota 2012.

I just realized that I haven't blogged in well over a month! Holy Moly!! Where does the time go? I have been extremely busy with orders. I found out that Cowgirl Swank will be gracing the runway of the Miss Rodeo America pageant's fashion show held on Wednesday, December 7th during the National Finals Rodeo! I am truly honored! I plan to be there to take in the festivities.....I'm so excited!

Other than that, I have been trying to figure out ways to take the world by storm. I've had a few ideas.....more on that in the future.....and am very excited at what the future holds for Cowgirl Swank!

I am making it my mission to try to update my blog on a more regular basis.....we'll see how good I am at this mission! :)

Live with Jim Thompson and the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund

Cap of the Day:  Black Cheetah HOH Military Cap with Pistol and Alias Personalization

I just love this cap! Maybe because it's so different than a lot of caps that I make. I love the fact that a lady shooter is wearing this one in New Mexico. I like my guns and have a huge respect for women who compete in shooting events.
Lots has been going on in the Cowgirl Swank world. I have been fortunate to have been in the news quite a bit lately. I was honored to be in the 2011 Ag Pride Edition of the Tri-State Livestock News (I think I mentioned this in a previous post). The Wrangler Horse and Rodeo News also reprinted the article on June 6th. I was honored to be featured in the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund's May/June Newsletter. On page 4, they featured a little blurb about Cowgirl Swank and a picture of the brown Bronc Rider collection of caps/visors. For each one sold, $5 goes directly to the JCCF.
I was also honored this past Friday, June 10th to be on the radio show "Live with Jim Thompson". Jim has a radio show on KBHB 810 am. He covers a lot of rodeo and ag news in the area and knows a lot of people. He has known my folks for a long time. I really enjoyed being on his show. It was a lot of fun and I hope to do it again sometime in the future! Here is a link to the show in case you want to listen to it, I'm a few minutes in....."Live with Jim Thompson" - June 10, 2011.
Currently, I have 7 gals working for me in the Oelrichs area. It's nice to have that many and I will possibly be adding more in the future. We are finishing up the initial Downunder Horsemanship order early this next week and shipping it off. Soon Cowgirl Swank "Roo" creations will be available for purchase on their website and in their fall catalog. Then we start right into another DUH order for their Seattle, WA tour stop in July. Of course, on top of these large orders, I am constantly working on filling individual retail orders as well as other wholesale orders.
I have been getting quite a few orders from the articles that have been published. In fact, I had to dissuade a gentlemen from ordering 400-500 caps for delivery in 3 weeks! I had to tell him that there was just no way that I could fulfill that order at this point and time in my business. Maybe in the future! He was very gracious and we worked out something for the future.
I hope to get with a neighbor gal who has recently taken up photography (who takes amazing photos) to get some professional photos of some Cowgirl Swank products. I haven't been able to make up any samples yet.....everything I seem to make sells. I guess that's a good problem to have! :)

Article on Cowgirl Swank hits the internet!!!

I haven't been on here in quite some time. Time sure does fly by when branding season comes along! I have been busy helping outside, making caps, and attending a graduation in Montana. Now that I'm back, it's business as usual. It's a good thing that I have lots to do inside with all of the rain we have been having!!

There have been a lot of new things happening for Cowgirl Swank. I have gotten in a new style of kids' military caps that will allow me to put hide on them! Also, zebra and cheetah-printed hide have debuted and are a great success! I just sent 36 off to the Downunder Horsemanship's St. Paul Walkabout tour stop. I'm excited to see the public's reaction to them. DUH has been selling out of their Cowgirl Swank creation everywhere they go! Selling 150+ caps/visors in 2 days is no small feat! I am constantly trying new things and developing new designs. I have begun doing a bronc rider design that has been a huge hit. $5 from the sale of each of these items goes to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. I am currently developing a breakaway roper, team roper, and barrel racer designs. I'm sure these will be very popular once I get them perfected! I am very proud of the next tidbit......

This morning the 2011 Ag Pride Edition of the Tri-State Livestock News' article on Cowgirl Swank was launched online. Here is the link:

http://www.tsln.com/article/20110527/TSLN01/110529950/1031&ParentProfile=1001

Above is a picture of the cover of the magazine. I am so excited to be featured in such a well-read publication and on the cover no less! I had fun doing the interview and even took the pictures that are featured in the article. Orders are already starting to come in so it will be interesting to see what happens once the edition hits the mailboxes on Tuesday! I hope they come pouring in! 

The last piece of information I have is concerning the Cowgirl Swank website. It has been completely revamped and now has an ordering page along with a wholesale login page, Swank Fans page, Links, Retail Outlets, etc. There area  lot more pictures and it links to my Facebook page and Ebay store. To say the least, things have been busy around here......I hope to be even busier soon! :)

May Day

Cap of the Day:  Black Military Cap Collection - "Salon Bliss"
What a windy day today was!! Unbelievable!!!! I won't complain too much though because we have been fortunate to avoid the tornadoes that hit the south a few days ago and the horrible blizzards up north. I'll take a day or two of wind if that's all it is.
Had a Help Wanted meeting today in Oelrichs at the Community Center. I found two more people to help out gluing hide and making "roos". Yay!
I have a lot of caps to do in the month of May so I'm going to be relying heavily on my help......We are branding next weekend and heading up to my brother-in-law's graduation celebration in a couple of weeks. I am looking forward to the trip, but I have a lot of work to do before we leave. I can't leave things undone. One of the responsibilities of owning a business.....you don't really get a complete vacation. That's okay with me though! :)

Happy Easter!

Cap of the Day:  Black HOH MC with Crossed Pistols.

Happy Easter, Everybody! Peter Cottontail is hopping our way......soon to make delivery of his first Easter basket at our house. Stone is very excited about the whole egg-coloring and egg-hunting thing. Kids are so full of excitement about this stuff. I just love it!

It dawned on me that I haven't blogged in quite a while. I have been so busy with Cowgirl Swank business that I've barely had a chance to turn around. Mind you, I'm not complaining.....merely explaining. :) My in-laws are visiting from Montana for the Easter holiday. It's been so nice having them here for a few days. I don't have a whole lot to say other than that I wanted to wish everybody a very Happy Easter. I hope Peter hippity-hops to your house as well. :)

Fight Like A Girl

Visor of the Day:  Pink HOH "Fight Like A Girl" Visor with Pink Ribbons.

I finished this visor yesterday and have to say that I think it's the best one I've done yet. This particular visor is going to a gal fighting a battle against cancer. I donate $5 from each Awareness Ribbon item that I sell to Tough Enough To Wear Pink. I truly believe in their mission and their organization. It's my way of helping those affected by the ugly disease that is called cancer.
After I posted pics of this visor on Facebook, I got asked by a friend from back home to do two visors for a benefit. One just like the one pictured and another one in tan that says Cancer Sucks. It will also have navy blue crystals on it in support of rectal cancer. I am honored that I will have the opportunity to create a couple of items that will benefit somebody fighting a battle against cancer. The gal that it will benefit is my age, is married, and has 3 young children. Before I was asked to make these visors, I had seen the Cancer Sucks merchandise and thought how correct that saying is. Well, I can now say that it's dead on. Cancer does indeed suck!

Expanding??

Cap of the Day:  Brown HOH Military Cap with Bear Paw Logo in Topaz Crystals.

Just got in from checking cows. Counted them instead of calves today. It's always good to make sure all the cows are there....especially since we are using a new pasture this year and there's a gate on the road. We have to check it twice a day to make sure that it doesn't get left open....which happens occasionally.
I'm busy with Cowgirl Swank stuff as usual. I finally got the Downunder Horsemanship caps underway and lined out with my helpers. Thank goodness for those ladies! Now, I need to do 15 Hotel Matador designs today and cut hide for 75 caps. Plus, make lunch, do laundry, pay bills, etc. Sometimes I think working from home isn't all it's cracked up to be. However, the grass is always greener and I know if I did work in town again it wouldn't take long for me to wish that I didn't.
I honestly would like to expand and get my business out of my house. I'm looking for possible locations that are nearby....this doesn't give me a lot to work with. However, you never know what may pop up so I'll just keep my hopes up and my mind open! :)

Wind, Wind, and more Wind!

Cap of the Day:  Tan HOH MC with Brand in Smoked Topaz.

Holy Wind!!! Wow....when it blows it blows! I have a busy couple of days since my last post. I've been working on a bunch of caps (of course) and checking/moving cows. I finally got DSL internet yesterday. I can't believe how much faster it is than the Wildblue satellite internet I had. This was a great move in the right direction.
I've been thinking about expanding my business. I am outgrowing my house and my location. I live in the middle of nowhere (pretty much) and everything seems so far away. I'm taking it slowly though. I know what a hassle it is to drive 35 miles one way to town every day....not exactly fun and with gas prices the way they are....yikes! I wish I could find something in Oelrichs. Then it would only be 18 miles, but Oelrichs is such a little town that there isn't much to offer. Guess only time will tell what will happen. I believe the business is there....especially if I could pair my cap manufacturing with a store front. The internet has made sales a possibility anywhere, everywhere, and at anytime!! I've got a positive outlook so we'll see what transpires! :)

April Fool's!!!

Cap of the Day:  Brown HOH Military Cap with Roo - Downunder Horsemanship.

I can't believe it's the first of April already today! Time sure does fly by! Had a great conversation with an old friend last night. Funny how good it feels to talk to somebody who has known you a long time! :)
My business has certainly exploded in the last few months. I have to thank Facebook for that and the fact that I am the constant driving force behind my will to succeed. I love connecting with customers and new people. This is a great way for me to do this since I live in the middle of nowhere!! The internet is such a marvelous thing! I don't know what I'd do without it....... :)
Checked the cows this morning like I always do. It's so nice to smell the freshness of a spring morning, see green grass starting to sprout, and hear the meadowlarks sing their song. I counted 62 babies today. There are so many more each day. It's kind of like finding Easter eggs.....I just love it!!
I finally found Red and Pink Military Caps for adults. I am so excited! I already have a red one sold! :) I'll probably have them in a week or two. Well, I have over 300 caps on order right now so I have to limit my computer time so I'd better get back to my caps.....Slave Driver, that I am! lol

Overcast Day

Cap of the Day:  Black HOH Military Cap with 5 Cent Ranch Logo.
Hmmmm, it's really overcast today and my mood matches it. Not really sure why. I have a lot to be happy and thankful for. I think this is what happens to me when I am under stress......I have a large amount of caps on order (thanks to Downunder Horsemanship, Hill Quarter Horses, Northern Plains Indian Rodeo Association, etc.) and I'm not complaining. However......it's difficult how to deal with the reality of having 300+ caps on order, plus a ranch to help with, plus a household to run. I think that's where my frustration starts. I've never been Becky Homecky, but this is ridiculous!!!! I think it's best if I get done what I need to as soon as I can and tackle my house. My kitchen looks like a war zone.....and I'm not exaggerating!!
Just got a couple of tagged pics on Facebook from a friend/fan of Cowgirl Swank. VERY COOL!!! Definitely helped my day be a lot better!!! I just love my business and the people it puts me in touch with!! Thank goodness for FB!! Well, guess I'd better get off of here and get to cleaning.......Have a GREAT day! :)

Spring in South Dakota

Visor of the Day:  Brown HOH Visor custom made for the Matador Ranch in Matador, Texas, with their Flying V brand on it in aurora borealis crystals.
What a beautiful day! Got to start it right by gluing hide on 25 visors! Nothing like the smell of my leather glue to wake you up! :) Shane came home and we had breakfast. Calving season is kind of hard sometimes because Shane stays over at the bunkhouse at night, but Stone and I are both sleeping so it doesn't matter that much. It's tough on him though because he's up several times in the night, but he likes it that way. He wants to stay on top of what's going on with the heifers and that's the best way to do it. After breakfast, I headed out on my red "horse" to check the cows. This is a constant debate in my family. We all know that riding horses is better (for us and for the horses), but the size of our pasture and the limited time has us on four wheelers more than we should be. Anyway, what would probably take me 3 hours takes me a little over an hour on my red "horse". Everything looks great! I counted 41 calves. Shane says there is over 70, but I find that hard to believe. I realize that it's normal to miss a few, but 30+??? I don't think so.....Oh well, I don't argue.
Came home and finished boxing up some caps to take to Jami (she's the gal that helps me out with my caps). She is a godsend. I don't know what I'd do without her help. Talked to a customer this morning from Utah. She ordered 5 little girls' military caps in pink and one for her oldest granddaughter. I just love making custom caps. It makes it so much more personal knowing that I'm making them for specific people! I'm waiting on Downunder Horsemanship's order for their next tour. It's going to be much larger than the last order. I'm so glad that the caps have been selling so quickly at their tours! If somebody waits to buy one....they are generally out of luck. I'm anxious to get to work on their order.
Well, Shane just walked it....I have to go drive the pickup for him so he can rope a calf to graft onto a cow. Such is the life of a rancher........:)

Prolapsed Heifer

Cap of the Day:  Black HOH MC with Custom Brand (in this case, the Bar 16 is my cattle brand).
Today started out like any other day, but it changed quickly when Shane called. We have a heifer down.....and the dreaded words followed......"She's prolapsed and I need your help." Great.....
Around here going and helping Shane isn't like it used to be....throw on a coat and my boots and rush out the door. Now, Mom has to come over to watch Stone. So, she gets here quickly...I'm dressed and off I go. Surprisingly it's not as cold as it looks outside and the fresh air smells really good. I get in the white Dodge hydrabed pickup and head to the corrals....not sure of what I'd find.
Shane is prepped and ready to go. The heifer is laying down on a hill, which is what got her in trouble in the first place. Her calf is in the hot box and not doing well (think he went too long without oxygen). Shane lays a tarp out, ties her feet together and ties the rope to the grill guard so she doesn't try to get up or kick us. Time to get started. For those of you that don't know, a prolapse is a death sentence if not fixed quickly and properly. They are not fun to fix and rank right up there as one of my least favorite things about ranching. Anyway, Shane starts trying to push her "guts" back in with his hands. This usually doesn't work after awhile because a person's hands wear out. So, he takes off his boots and proceeds to push everything back in with his feet. Not a pretty site....may as well throw his socks in the garbage after this! This usually does the trick, but this is one of the worst prolapses we've seen. So.......off comes my coat and gloves and I get to join in the fun. What a sight!! Him with his feet in the back end of the heifer and me with my hands.....talk about sharing some quality time with my spouse!! After about 5 minutes of this, things finally get going in the right direction. Out come the hog rings and the orange baler twine. We get her stitched up and sitting upright again. I give her 60 ccs of Penicillin to help fight infection. Shane unties her legs and we leave her alone.
I give Shane a ride to the bunkhouse. He can barely walk as his feet are really cold. He undresses, warms up for a bit, and puts on his sweats and old tennis shoes. We check on the calf in the hot box and Shane decides to put him out of his misery. No sense in letting a baby calf suffer when he is barely breathing. I hate this part so I get to go to the bunkhouse and wash up the syringe and tools. Heifer is still up so we decide to take an hour and head in for coffee and breakfast. Somehow I don't feel like eating very much!
Now, I'm in the house finishing my blog. Time to get to work on the Matador Ranch's order. I hope to finish it tomorrow so I can get it in the mail on Thursday on our way to Montana. Mom, Stone, and I are going to visit my Gram and pick up a new older horse I bought. Hope the rest of our day is a bit more uneventful than the first few hours were!

Day at the Dentist

Cap of the Day:  Tan HOH Military Cap with Crystal Horseshoes and Initials in Smoked Topaz and Fuschia.
Had a busy day today. Had to go see my dentist again today. I just spent $2,000 on a root canal and crown several weeks ago....Well, looks like I get to do it again! :(
Picked up a few groceries in town, water, and did a few other errands. Mailed some Cowgirl Swank packages in Oelrichs and fueled up (yikes!). Got home and helped Mom pair out some heifers.
Just finished copying some Cowgirl Swank pics to a disc for my website providers. I am beginning the transition from somebody else overseeing my website to me doing it. It's kind of scary to transition because I am already so busy with orders, but it's something that I must do. Growing pains, I guess!!
Now it's time to start supper and then I need to focus on finishing 35 caps and visors for the Matador Ranch in Texas. I love doing their brand. It's a flying V and fun to do. Guess I'd better get up and get going! :)

Downunder Horsemanship

Cap of the Day:  Kids' Black Military Cap with Brand in Aurora Borealis Crystals. $25

Happy 29th Birthday to my hubby today!! His birthday is right in the middle of calving season. Kinda tough to go and do something fun. The weather usually never cooperates either! We are just having supper tonight with Mom. I'm making him a special Lemon Cheesecake that we can eat on Atkins. He is really looking forward to it.....He just might eat the whole thing!! :)
Had GREAT news yesterday. Downunder Horsemanship started their second tour yesterday in Lexington, VA. This time they took 62 Military Caps with them (50 Adult and 12 Kids). They sold out in under half a day!!! I'm so excited. Amy Anderson said that they will want 100 military caps and at least 50 visors to take with them to Rancho Murieta, CA the first weekend of May. WOW!!! I'd better get cracking!!! I already have 130 caps on order so this will make close to 300!!!! That's the most I've ever had!! I'm overwhelmed with excitement!
This morning I need to go through our cows out in 719. This has become my daily chore. I actually enjoy it. Nothing as great as seeing frisky little calves running around. My heart sinks and I feel sick if I happen to find one that isn't.......Guess that's a part of ranching though.....You will lose some...
After I finish that, I will help Mom feed the heifers some cake. It's good exercise for me to shovel it off. Stone loves to go and help open gates! :)
Then I'll come home and start gluing hides. I need to figure out what needs gluing for each order. I have A LOT to do......this I know.
Need to make Shane's Lemon Cheesecake for supper tonight too. Guess I'd better get off of her and get to it! Have a great day everyone!!

New Vacuum Cleaner!!

Cap of the day: a Black HOH Military Cap with Crystal Star. Busy day so far. I have a ton of caps to work on, but first I helped feed cake to the heifers and then I'll be helping pair out right after lunch. Ah, the life of a rancher! Tried out my new Eureka vacuum cleaner and fell in love!! It blows my old Kenmore away! I just can't believe how much dirt is in the canister!! Another perk of living in the country!  :)

Hello!

Well, today is the my first post. It's a busy time of year here with calving under way. I have been busy helping with the daily ranch activities (checking cows, checking water, feeding, pairing out, etc.) as well as trying to maintain my household duties along with managing my business (Cowgirl Swank). I have over 140 caps and visors on order right now! It's no wonder that I feel completely worn out at night! :) I feel very fulfilled though and that's the important part. Our family is happy and healthy. Stone is getting bigger every day and has such a zest for life! I am loving the fact that every day brings warmer weather closer. I have 2 horses to ride this spring. I need to get them in shape and then see exactly how they will fit me in the rodeo arena. Only time will tell. I'd like to say that I will be posting on here every day (kind of like my diary), but I doubt I uphold that. I will say that I plan to post on here several times a week and who knows....maybe I will surprise myself and make it a daily "to-do". I hope you enjoy reading my posts as time rolls on here on the ranch.....PS. I will also be posting a "Cap of the Day" pic every day that I post beginning tomorrow. :)