The Cinchy Mare

07/31/2026

Hey Y'all - I've got some news I just have to share! 🤠

I just found out that I was awarded a 2026 Boss Mares, Inc. business grant!

Out of 64 women who applied, only 11 were chosen - and somehow, by the grace of God, I was one of them. 😍

I'm sitting here typing this and still half can't believe it!

When I started The Cinchy Mare, I was just a gal working in a corner of her garage, a $5 Goodwill find, and a stubborn belief that someone's "throwaway" could become the centerpiece of somebody else's home.

I had no website, no big following, no fancy business cards - just a love for the Western lifestyle and a whole lot of learning-as-I-go.

Boss Mares, Inc. is an organization built around doing exactly what I needed done - backing women who are starting out, taking the leap, trying to build a dream that doesn't look like everybody else's dream.

Their willingness to invest in somebody like me, before I've made a name, before I've "arrived", is the kind of belief that changes a small business. It changes the trajectory.

This grant is going to go straight into building my website and launching the retail side of The Cinchy Mare - finally giving the pieces a real home on the internet where people can find them, fall in love, and give them their second chance.

To Boss Mares, Inc. - THANK YOU! For seeing something here before I could fully see it myself. For betting on a woman, a garage, a chunk of cowhide, and a prayer. I am beyond grateful.

To every single one of you who's cheered me on, shared a post, told a friend, or complimented one of my pieces - this is your win too. Thank you.

More coming soon. The Cinchy Mare is just getting started. 🐎

~Laurie

07/04/2026

Until you travel outside of this country or talk to someone who’s from another country, you can’t fully grasp the freedom we have here.

I know we have issues, but there is still no better place on the planet than the USA.

Thank you Hay Chix for this great reminder.

Happy 4th of July. 🇺🇸

07/02/2026

My shop manager dealing with the afternoon Texas heat. 🥵

06/24/2026

06/24/2026

I ventured out to the shop today on my lunch hour.

Such a chaotic mess!

But - I did get a box unpacked (I needed a hammer to pull nails out of the walls in the house so I can start painting).

I stood for a bit and just looked and imagined how I would set it all up.

What a blessing to have an actual dedicated shop area for my work! (I do need to let my husband have some floor space though…lol)

I took a before video. Can’t wait to do the after video! 😁

06/22/2026

Oh my goodness!

What a wild, stressful, crazy, busy, intense couple of months since my last post!

I will not lie, there were days when I wasn't sure I was going to make it. 😶

But somehow we managed to get it all done - house shopping out of town, listing & selling the San Antonio house, making an offer on the Weatherford house, PACKING, moving day, UNPACKING....

Did I mention that it was all fast-tracked because our San Antonio house SOLD IN 3 DAYS?? (our realtor said to expect it to take 2-3 months) 😮

I told my husband that I am NEVER moving again, unless they are carrying me out of this house in a pine box. 😵

The GOOD news is that we are in our new Weatherford house and have enough unpacked and put away that it is livable (now we start painting...lol).

The REALLY GOOD news is that I have an actual workshop here!!!! I am so anxious to get back working on my projects - it's been too long!

Here's a picture from the patio the first night here in our new home.

Notice the heart in the clouds? 🩶💨

04/22/2026

Oh my goodness! It has been a crazy couple of weeks since I last posted. 😃

Unfortunately, I haven't had much time in the workshop, and the half finished bench is still, well..... half finished. 😕

But the good news is *drum roll, please* we are MOVING TO FORT WORTH! Well, Weatherford, actually, but that's pretty close to Fort Worth. 🤠

We're looking for a house with a workshop so I can have my own space to grow The Cinchy Mare.

Stay tuned for updates....

In the meantime, check out the cute little footstool I finished up a few weeks ago.

It's looking for a new home. DM me if you're interested in it and I can give you the price and shipping costs.

~L

04/07/2026

Well, it's a start....

I put a few of my things in a space at the Alamo Craft Company.

It looks a little sparse right now, but I'll keep adding to it as I get things done.

Gotta start somewhere, right?! 🤠

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." ~ Lao Tzu

04/03/2026

True fact....

Have a great weekend! Hope you get to spend time with family. 🐰

03/30/2026

Well, I pulled fence painting duty over the weekend, so I didn't get to spend as much time in the workshop as I would have liked, but I still managed to get this cutie done and ready for the shop.

I didn't change the color much, but I did sand her down and give her a new coat of paint and glaze to freshen her up. (I really didn't have a choice - the bottom rail and side rail on one side were covered in pink sparkly nail polish 💅- probably why she ended up in the second hand store.)

I'll be putting her in my space at the Alamo Craft Company this weekend so she can find a new home. 💙

Have a great week, y'all! 🤠