i love a cozy home during the wintertime. a cozy home has us settling in just a bit more when we’re spending more time in than out.
today i want to share with you ways to create a cozy, inspiring winter home!
during the wintertime, you will find blankets & pillows in woven baskets & wooden crates throughout our home. i always purchase our wooden crates & baskets secondhand at thrift stores, estate sales & flea markets. you can usually find more interesting pieces secondhand than those found at the store.
pull those blankets you already have out of the linen closet & throw them in a basket or crate for added texture & a pop of color in your home!
i love this diy project from erin on making cozy pillows from upcycled sweaters!
i am a big texture & fibers person. when we’re laying in the “sleeping room,” near the wood burning stove, we love cozying up with a good book & relaxing. it’s so important to have blankets & pillows that are soft to the touch.
even in the wintertime, we use summer quilts because they’re easy to clean & so comfortable. the quilts we own are family heirlooms, made by me or if i am lucky, purchased secondhand at a thrift shop.
i absolutely love our sheepskin we drape over our couch for added coziness. i was fortunate to find that piece at a flea market years ago when we first married, but you can purchase them online (i would recommend a real sheepskin versus the synthetic versions).
also, if you’re wondering, you can find the happy home pillow at tiny prints right here.
you will always find us, late in the evening, right here cozied up with our favorite books & a cup of tea.
how do you add coziness to your home during the wintertime? please share!
love,
natalie
i am afraid of becoming a mother.
last year i shared a glimpse of our story on not yet having children. it was one of those gut-punching entries to write that left me feeling naked & vulnerable. once my words & thoughts were out into the world, my people gathered around me & loved me something fierce. thank you.
& if you’re wondering, we’re still in the waiting.
& i am terrified.
i’m not afraid of the sleepless nights.
or the dirty diapers & endless messes.
i’m not afraid of how our marriage will shift
or the potential of losing touch with friends.
i’m not even afraid of the growth that will happen within us as individuals.
or the many endless decisions we will have to make.
i am afraid of becoming a mother because i am afraid of losing myself.
my people, just sit with me for a moment in this place.
& as a disclaimer, let’s just put it all out there. i am coming from a place of zero experience. i am sharing with only second-hand insight & observations as my guide.
but it aches me to the core when i witness women sink deep into motherhood & lose sight of who they are or the glorious potential of who they could become.
friends, i am pro mom.
i know amazing women who are moms & i absolutely adore my own.
i want to be a mom.
but i also want to be a wife, a friend, a maker, a writer, an inspirer, an adventurist & an individual.
as i shared these thoughts & struggles with my tribe over coffee, my sweet friend shared that even in the depths of motherhood, she finds it helpful to remember the person she was before children.
yes.
i want to love as a mother & i want to love myself.
i want to give as a mother but keep a piece just for myself.
i want to spend my time with my family & tuck away plenty for me, too.
i want to grow as a mother & i want to grow as an individual.
& i think that’s ok.
friends,
what makes you tick?
what makes your heart beat a little faster?
what excites you & keeps you going even in the midst of the hardest of days?
in our own stages of growth & our unique seasons of life, let’s seek out more of those heart racing moments & experiences that make us tick. let’s linger in our passions for a little longer & grow more fully into who we are, even as mothers.
grab your cup of coffee & share with me your thoughts. let’s open this space up for dialogue.
how do you struggle to balance your roles as mother, partner & individual?
how do you succeed in nurturing your soul & being?
does this struggle & fear ring true in your life?
what are tangible tools & practices that you use to remain true to who you are?
let’s talk. i have so much to learn from you.
love,
natalie
on sunday we, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, witnessed the sun peek out from the clouds for one glorious afternoon.
so naturally, i picked up my camera & documented our mantel because around these parts, when you blog for living & it’s been dark for weeks, you celebrate & take advantage of the natural light.
can i get an amen?
moving on…
about this mantel.. i’ve got a big ol’ crush on it.
i basically scrounged around my house for a good hour or so gathering tidbits here & there.
from left to right:
– the metal buckets (one of two of my purchases for this project) with the mini pines inside came from target for $3 bucks each in the one dollar spot at the front aka my perfect version of retail heaven. those buckets with the woven handles are so good i could have purchased all of them & not felt even one second of guilt for you people but sharing is caring so…
– the clipboards were thrifted months ago from the thrift shop. you know my deep love for clipboards.
– the farmhouse flashcard & metal frog stand were purchased at a local antique shop. i love purchasing little goods like that for displays within our home.
– the antique blue ball mason jars were purchased forever ago at a yard sale. i can’t even begin to tell you about that yard sale where i found a huge box of blue mason jars for only ten dollars… it still gives me chills.
– the books are from our random collection of books. decorating tip: when you find a book with a good cover, keep it. you never know when you’ll need it for your “winter-inspired mantel.”
– the scale was purchased at an estate sale for pennies. bless.
– i love collecting those white milk glass vases from thrift stores & planting (fake… shhh!) succulents inside. i purchase my fake succulents at hobby lobby, fyi!
i had some christmas money burning a hole in my pocket so i purchased that gorgeous boxwood wreath from target. it’s wreath perfection. this is the one right here.
thanks for coming over & basking in my well-lit mantel decor with me!
what are some of your favorite winter-inspired decor ideas?
love,
natalie