in december 2013, i will:
– share our holiday season with YOU!
– exude confidence.
– be kind to myself & others.
i am so very excited for this winter month & season of advent! november was indeed wonderful. i worked hard to prep for december, but there was still much needed rest. our budget didn’t allow for as many balanced lunches as i had hoped, but we did succeed in being thankful with our handy thankful jar. it’s still out just in case we want to add to it during this month of winter magic.
as for december, it was difficult to narrow it down to just three goals. there are so many thoughts swirling through my head, but these i find to be the most significant & meaningful. first up, i will share our holiday season with you! i have blog posts lined up to share how we celebrate the holidays well with our budget in mind. i hope to share some bits of tradition, elfing & money saving tips! i am also excited to offer a handful of giveaways from some amazing small shops throughout the month. {don’t forget about monday’s giveaway!}
i will also exude confidence. this year we are participating in two craft shows. we have completely re-branded our little handmade business & it’s honestly a bit scary. thoughts continue to creep in telling me i am not good enough. at the end of the day, i am gently reminded that i was made to create & i can only strive to be a better me each day. this month i will exude confidence in who i am & what i create.
finally, i will be kind to myself & others. pinterest often reminds us of what we are not doing & what we really should be doing. if only we purchased that glitterly gift wrap, our gifts would be better received. blowing the budget, staying up late, fretting over what we don’t have can sometimes lure me into a bad december. this month i will be kind to myself & others. instead of focusing on things that don’t really matter, we want to direct our attention to others through random acts of kindness. it’s the season of advent & i hope to live in that peace this month.
—–
and of course – a little something extra…
each month throughout this year, i have kept three goals in mind. yet, as luke & i live day-to-day, we find we are missing out on the beauty of each season with our to do lists & busy schedules. during the winter season we tend to get a little down around january 15th after the christmas festivities & the hype of new years goals have passed.
there is still so much meaning to be found in the winter! i recently read a quote that said, “what we allow is what will continue.” it’s so true! so we have written down a good list of what we hope to allow this winter season.
beside the twinkling tree, our little list awaits! thoughts of cookies to neighbors, sledding in the snow, hiking through the woods & curling up next to the wood burning stove while knitting will be sure to bring us through the winter months!
what are your goals for december {and throughout the winter months!}? please share!
love,
natalie
{throughout the early weeks of december, i will be hosting little giveaways from some of my favorite small businesses offering products online! stay tuned & visit often!}
i am so very excited to share with you one of my new favorite shops offering natural goodness online- taproot farms! taproot farms specializes in handcrafted alaskan bath & beauty products!
hannah with taproot farms sent me a package full of amazing products! our wood burning stove is oh so cozy, but it has left our home feeling really dry. i’ve been burning essential oils in our kettle on the stovetop during most of the day & night, but the taproot farms shea butter has left my hands feeling moisturized & soft! love it.
i can’t get enough of the lip balm! i keep it in my purse for trips out & about. the buttercream lip balm looks absolutely divine. of course, let’s not forget about the amazing goat milk (!!) soap! i am in love with the sweet citrus scent. goats milk is so nourishing & i simply cannot get enough of this good stuff.
eep! i am so excited to offer up some of this taproot farms goodness to one reader!
this giveaway includes:
– one bar of soap
– two lip balms
– 2 oz. shea butter
* all with your choice of fragrance!
all you have to do is like taproot farms on facebook & leave a comment below with your email address! i will choose a winner on friday morning, december 6th!
and of course, if you simply cannot wait- taproot farms is offering up a discount to my reader! yay! just include coupon code natalie15 with your purchase good for %15 off everything on their website!
happy winning!
— comments closed! —
congrats to sarah (sarahmc@gmail.com)! taproot farms will email you soon!
love,
natalie
two weeks, really? this morning i crawled out of bed at 6 am, put on a comfy sweater & came to this space. it’s an outlet of creativity for me & i have missed it.
life can be so busy sometimes. the hustle & bustle of the everydayness mixed with what you think you should do & what others believe you need to be doing. perhaps that’s why i’m drawn to farm life. yes, there’s always an unfinished project or an animal to feed, but i’m almost certain it brings equal stillness & quiet to my busy life.
before the fall leaves fell, i headed outside with my big camera (hello, old friend) & snapped some photos of our farm. i want to remember this first year of growing & raising.
it’s inspiring to be with these animals that provide so much for our daily living. also, their sweetness draws me near. did i mention our goat gals are expecting? kids in the spring, oh my!
of course, i must point out our never-ending project which is the chicken coop & goat barn. we’re expanding the run, adding a new wall & insulating it all for the winter months. those white buckets were our way of saving money, but i insisted we do something about them. thank goodness that farmer loves me (they’re no longer there)… 🙂
i am also incredibly thankful for that little room in the back of our house that i’ve carved out as my studio of sorts. sewing, ironing, making, gluing- all of those things have brought about that quiet rhythm. it’s slow, it’s quiet, it’s good.
i have been preparing for the holiday season with product made & a bit of elfing mixed in for fun.
step by step, one piece made at a time…
these days are good.
—-
on another note- i am so excited to share our new farm logo!
jess of witchin’ in the kitchen & her dreamy (amazing!) talents created this beautiful logo for us. when she asked if we could talk on the phone, i was so incredibly nervous. y’all, she’s a big deal! of course, she was the sweetest & seriously the best to work with on such an exciting project! we’re thankful for jess & this little logo that represents all of our passions & dreams on our little plot of land.
love,
natalie