I am posting a few of the photos from a shoot we just did and the things will be up on the Thistles West site soon.

I know this year is going to be a somewhat tough year for fundraising for you rodeo queens, so I want to let you know that I am trying to keep a lid on price increases. I am keeping them very close to last years prices even though there are increases in leather and crystals. Please ask for a quote before you assume what my prices are for new things as opposed to what else is out there for sale.  I have quite a few new leathers available this year too. Happy hunting  and email me for a quote as I will try very hard to work with you for what you need.

Also for you high school rodeo queens, in late April I will have a ready-to-wear high quality white cotton sateen western fitted shirt available. There will be a very limited quantity available, so if you are interested in pricing of that, let me know soon.

WOOHOO!! Have you all checked out the latest fashion magazines? The fall issues, you know, the ones that are about an inch thick telling everybody what is hot for fall. It seems that western is cool again. Actually, I never think it is out of style, BUT…  the big designers are doing some western. There are fringed boots, even by Jimmy Choo, fringed bags, skirts and western shirts everywhere! A lot of thanks needs to go to Jessica Simpson for this since she has gone to the country music side, she is all over on and in the magazines sporting western duds. Love to see the singers wearing westernwear as most of the time the women in country music do not wear western things at all. Of course they add the “city” twist to it, but hey, I’m not complainin!!

Be sure and watch my www.thistleswest.com site in September and especially October. I have been invited to do the Cody High Style Fashion Show, Sept. 25, 2008 and will have things from that show on that site. Hopefully in Sept I will get new bags and belts on Thistles West. The new clothes won’t be there until October. Can’t wait to show it off!!

Congratulations to all the girls competing at the National High School Rodeo Queen Contest. I am so proud to have made clothes for three girls that finished in the top 15!! It was a long tough competition, but you all did well! Congratulations again to Kya Laulainen, Minnesota, 1st runner-up, and to Caesie Reynolds, Kansas and Hanna Taylor, Mississippi for all finishing in the top15!

I just want to say GOOD LUCK to all the girls competeing in the National High School Rodeo Queen contest in Farmington, NM. Especially the girls I made things for!!

WOW!! What a start to this summer it has been! Not only have I been very busy sewing(which I love!!) but it has been a tough couple of weeks on us personally. This weekend our son was in a bad wreck with three other young men. My son came out of it VERY lucky with cuts and bruises, but our hearts and prayers are out for the young man driving as he has very serios injuries. He has a long road to recovery and we wish the best for him. After seeing the truck last evening, it is a miracle that they are all alive!! I guess this summer can only get better, right?

I am looking forward to seeing how the National High School Rodeo Queen contest comes out. I also want to say congratulations to Casey Reynolds who won Kansas High School Rodeo Queen. Good luck to Courtenay DeHoff who qualified in goat tying for Nationals too!!

I tragically had to say good by to my beautiful Chester Cat on Monday. He became very ill Monday morning and I rushed him to the vet and he could not save him as he had contrcted FeLV, Feline Leukemia. I had heard of the deadly desease but did not know much about it. I am finding out that it is quite prevelant and can kill a cat very rapidly. Another family at the vets office was going thru the same thing at the same time. If you have cats, especially ones that go outside and are in contact with other cats, please talk to your vet about how to prevent this desease. I had no idea there is now a vaccine for FeLV.  

Cat, thats what we called him most of the time, was laying on my work table watching me work last week as he often did. Little did I know that this would be the last photo I took of him! We were all very attached to him around here as he was a VERY loving cat. I miss him terribly! 

I have been honored to have been invited to show at the Cody High Style Fashion Show in Cody, Wyoming in September. This is one of the outfits that will be on the runway. Modeled by Cindy DeHoff.

A few months ago I was blessed to have for current and past rodeo queens and my house for a wonderful luncheon. Starting from the left Dianna Putnam Friend 1979 Miss Rodeo Kansas and 1980 Miss Rodeo America, Emily Aldredge 2003/2004 Kansas High School Rodeo Queen and 2004/2005 National High School Roedo Queen, Dayna Iverson 2008 Miss Rodeo Minnesota, Courtenay DeHoff 2007/2008 Kansas High School Rodeo Queen