confession: i am holiday decorating obsessed.
since owning our home, i have looked forward to decorating our mantel for the holidays. twinkle lights & glittery reindeer? check! fall leaves & bright orange pumpkins? check! patriotic happy flags in old blue mason jars? check!
so of course when amanda, one of my sweet blog supporters, of amaginarium messaged me to offer a giveaway on the blog, i squealed in delight. people, my fourth of july mantel is usa pride aaaamazing. this usa corkboard is so cute! (luke even likes it!)
the usa corkboard came with a lovely little pack of arrows to pin onto the map. i added two blue arrows to ours – one to our sweet northwest arkansas home & another to our lovely college town of columbia, missouri.
she even sweetened the deal with that adorable corkboard arkansas sticker.
this map is perfect for the littles learning usa geography. get the kiddos involved by adding arrows to relatives’ hometowns! it’s also a fun tool for planning roadtrips & vacations! there are endless possibilities.
after the fourth of july is over, i plan to hang my little corkboard map in our creative corner. i am slowly working on this space, adding a big table for spreading out our creative projects & hanging art on the wall for inspiration. this map would also look darling in a guest bedroom for vistors to add arrows to where they live or a homeschooling corner in your home.
above is a little visual of how i hung the corkboard map – fabric ribbon, a bit of pom pom yarn to add spunk & hot glue. easy peasy, friends!
as always, our giveaways are super easy. to enter to win a map of your choice (this one, this one, or this one), simply:
1. visit amanda‘s shop – amaginarium
2. leave a comment with your email address
3. within your comment, share how you would use your usa map!
i’ll choose a random winner on monday, june 23rd, & include the winner’s name here.
can’t wait to win? amanda is offering 25% off to natalie creates readers in her shop. just enter “STARSNSTRIPES” at checkout!
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friends, there are some blog love spots left for the month of july! support natalie creates! for just a small fee ($10-$20), your lovely ad will be on the left-hand side of my blog. with that you also have the option of doing a giveaway on my blog! help me continue to make thoughtful, creative content! it means the world, friends.
email me at natalie.j.freeman(at)gmail.com or visit here for more information!
love,
natalie
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comments closed! congrats, lindsey! amanda will email you soon!
when luke & i first married, date nights were a top priority. dates were a way to demonstrate our love for one another & set aside our daily responsibilities to focus on our marital needs. we had a scheduled date night every week & we really thrived in our relationship when we made these intentional choices.
dates are still a priority in our marriage, but over the years we have allowed them to go unscheduled due to work responsibilities, farm chores & all the other stuff that comes with life. when we do go on a date, it’s usually planned that evening because we’re simply too tired to make dinner & wash dishes at home.
half asleep, we drag ourselves to a restaurant, somewhat engage in conversation (usually about work responsibilities, farm chores & so on…) & eat until we’re miserably stuffed. sound familiar?
last week we decided enough was enough. we’re ready to make dates a priority again. we scheduled a date night & went out for coffee. during coffee, we had fantastic conversation & brainstormed a list of activities that we both enjoyed doing together.
working within our budget of $40/month for dates, we compiled a list of meaningful date ideas that wouldn’t break the bank. looking for date inspiration? below you’ll find our list!
– enjoy a gourmet picnic of fancy cheeses, meats & olives in the park
– visit the farmers’ market on saturday & enjoy brunch afterward (we’ve got a crush on the farmer’s table cafe)
– rent a red box movie. purchase a bag of candy from the grocery store & make stovetop popcorn
– go on a long walk around the neighborhood (bring your cameras if you’re photographers!)
– bring a quilt out to the backyard & look up at the stars
– go to a matinee movie & sneak in your own favorite sweet treats
– throw your water shoes & swimsuits in the back of the car. drive out to the nearest creek & play for hours
– make homemade cocktails & grill out on the back patio
– ride bikes while holding hands
– enjoy breakfast at your favorite cafe or bakery (we love little bread co.!)
– take a trip to your local bookshop. purchase a coffee & chat while flipping through magazines together.
– explore surrounding small towns
– build a sheet fort & watch a movie inside
– walk around downtown & visit the local shops
– attend outdoor concerts together
– purchase local theatre tickets & enjoy an evening of fantastic talent. theatresquared is our local theatre & we have enjoyed several of their shows! they’re @theatresquared on IG.
– make an ice cream bar at home with your favorite toppings & enjoy a scoop together
– go to a u-pick berries farm & harvest berries during the summer months
– take dance classes together & show off your moves any chance you get
– share beers together at your local brewery or favorite bar
– sample your favorite dishes from local food trucks & carts
– schedule a day of fun in a new town (we love eureka springs & prairie grove!)
what are some of your favorite date ideas that are meaningful & don’t break the bank? please share!
love,
natalie
in response to the feedback & encouragement i received on wednesday, all i can say is thank you. i wish i could invite you all over for coffee around our big ol’ farm table. as blog comments, text messages, emails & phone calls came in sharing your stories & thoughts, i just sat here in front of this screen & ugly cried. i cried for your losses, your gains, your struggles, your successes & all of those in-betweens. you all are some amazing people & just know i am here cheering you along whatever journey you’re on. xo.
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hello there! i am so excited to share with you a little wedding gift basket i made for under $10!
we traveled to missouri this past weekend to celebrate with our dear friends in honor of their new life together. with the expense of travel & a one night’s stay in a hotel, i didn’t have much left in the budget for gifts. instead of showing up empty-handed, i put on my creative thinking cap & got to work!
whenever i am creating a gift, i like to think about what that individual values & how they spend their free time. this brainstorm session allows me to create a gift just as unique as the recipient! our friends love to sit on their patio in the evenings. they also love good food & drinks. a simple syrup gift basket was the perfect fit for their lifestyle.
here’s how i made their gift basket & stayed under $10*.
– i found the bottles at tj maxx for under $3 each & the wire basket at a thrift store for $1. you could also use recycled condiment jars & a basket found around your home for free!
– i made the simple syrups using my own recipe featured on hello luvvy. all of the ingredients for simple syrups can be found in your garden & pantry. in the simple syrup recipe, substitute the mint for any herb of your choice. for this basket, i made mint & lavender syrups.
– i found some straws in my party box to fancy up fun drinks! you can find colorful paper straws at target, craft stores, party stores or online.
– i made my own tags with my gift tag punch out (similar to this one) & wrote the names of each syrup on them.
– i used leftover tissue paper, handmade fabric ribbon & kraft tags with a little clothespin found in my stash to decorate the package.
– i used one of my happy flags & tied the following recipe for a simple syrup summer drink onto it with string.
* total expenses: $7
please feel free to print out this recipe for your gift basket!
if you have a bit more cash to spend, you could add a small bottle of alcohol so the happy couple could make homemade cocktails. for the non-drinking couple, a nice bottle of sparkling water & pretty glasses would be lovely. you could also add fun coasters or a package of paper napkins for their next patio get-together!
don’t let your limited budget get in the way of creating meaningful gifts! for more gift ideas, visit my homemaking page. happy creating!
love,
natalie