each year i host a handful of gals for a weekend of canning at my home.
it’s a magical time of meeting amazing ladies from across the country, canning goodies from our little garden, eating delicious food around the farm table, junking for the best finds, making a fun craft & soaking up rich conversation.
last year the canning workshop was just one full day of fun. see here for more details on last year. this year i opened up my home for an entire weekend & it was an absolute blast!
when the girls arrived, they were greeted with the happiest scene. we brought in vintage travel trailers & created a magical getaway for the gals.
the morning was spent inside our small farmhouse meeting one another, savoring delicious sweets from the snack bar, laughing & opening up fun swag from a handful of the most amazing makers & small businesses!
our hope is always that each detail be meaningful, thoughtful & bless the girls in a big way.
i then lead the girls in learning how to can! each sweet gal learned to preserve summertime tomatoes & brought home a jar to share with their dearest!
after an exciting morning of canning, we shared a meal of delicious eats made by my dear friend, naomi.
we then hopped into hogshead tour’s vintage volkswagen bus for an afternoon of junking in prairie grove!
daisies & olives greeted us with a stocked coffee bar, warm cookies & a shop full of the best junk. y’all, we filled up three cars with our pretty finds! i just can’t even.
after an exciting night of eating out on the town & enjoying a dip in the swimming hole, we woke up refreshed & started crafting!
megan led us in a fun mason jar craft! we upcycled leather belts & made mason jar vases for hanging in our homes! i cannot wait to make more of these for housewarming gifts, complete with a fresh bouquet of farm flowers! so inspiring.
this weekend would not have happened without these two incredible ladies. erin & megan sacrificed so much to help me lead this workshop. they sweated, scrubbed, crafted, hot glued & heaven knows what else to make this weekend perfect.
they are the very best & i couldn’t do what i do without them. i love you, girls!
big hugs to my sweet friend, jessica, who photographed the event! she captured the heartbeat of our amazing weekend & i am forever grateful for her!
to see more of jessica’s work, visit an everyday love right here. spoiler alert: she’s amazing!
more than anything, i wanted this gathering to inspire, nurture & encourage our gals. this weekend was everything we wanted for our amazing ladies & more. we crafted, we canned & more importantly – we left sisters.
i hope you’ll join us this upcoming summer for a weekend of canning, junking, crafting & more!
love,
natalie
p.s. for more details of our amazing weekend, check out #canningatfreckledhen!
dear ones, are you swimming in cucumbers like we are?
come close as i share my newest recipe with you – quick pickles sweetened with honey! they’re crunchy with a touch of sweet. perfect as a side at a potluck, packed in a jar for a picnic or thrown on a lunchtime salad!
honey-sweetened quick dill pickles
4 cups sliced cucumbers
2 cups vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoons sea salt
1. place sliced cucumbers in a large bowl & set aside.
2. mix remaining ingredients in a saucepan. bring to a boil on medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the honey & salt.
3. reduce heat to low & simmer for 5 minutes.
4. pour hot liquid over the cucumbers & allow to cool.
5. place bowl of cucumbers in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. to store, put in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid & keep in the fridge.
let me know if you try them! we can’t get enough!
love,
natalie
my week was made when a pretty cardboard & teal box arrived at my doorstep. dear ones, i am officially a stitch fix addict!
it’s like christmas every time that pretty box arrives! luke even joined in on the fun & helped me photograph all of my cute pieces! today i thought i’d share how i styled each piece & what i kept.
spoiler alert: i kept everything! yay!
if you haven’t followed along on my style journey, check out this post on my #dressinhappinessdaily project, my capsule wardrobe & why i started stitch fix.
1. the classic jean jacket: i requested a classic jean jacket that i could pair with every outfit during the fall season & i got just that. my stylist, mia, sent me a simple denim jacket with big pockets. she suggested i pair my jacket with the maxi dress i received in my last fix & while i would have never paired these two together, i love the edgy look. that’s what i love about Stitch Fix
– it gets me out of my comfort zone!
2. the green puffy vest: in my second fix, i also requested a puffy vest for layering. this puffy vest is seriously perfect. it has fun pockets & a shiny gold zipper. i love pairing it with a simple long-sleeve top, brown ankle boots & my patchy jeans. i know i will wear this with everything.
3. the black & white bib top: for this fix, i also requested tops i could wear during the fall season. hands to the heavens, my stylist found a bib top that actually fits my large chest! i could just kiss mia, i love her so! my people, i’ve already rocked this top at church with my boots & i received about 2,000 compliments. those jeans are my magic jeans from my last fix & they pair perfectly with all of my new tops, too. yay!
4. the snoozefest top: this top was my least favorite piece from my fix, but i kept it anyway because it fits well & was worth it (aka free) given the 25% discount when you buy the entire fix. i paired it with my red clogs for a pop of color. i know i will wear this to work, but it’s nothin’ special.
5. my favorite boho top ever: i squealed when i opened the box & found this top inside. my people, it has mustard yellow embroidered detailing! eeep! it fits perfectly & is just so “me.” i paired it with my boyfriend-style jeans, a fun noonday necklace & moccasins for a boho look. i can’t wait to wear this outfit tomorrow!
have you tried stitch fix yet? i’d love to know what you think!
if you haven’t tried out stitch fix, click here – Stitch Fix
– & get started!! it’s so worth it to have pieces that fit well & make you feel like a million bucks no matter your size!
natalie