on valentine’s day we were gifted with the perfect weather.
we packed up our bags, put on our hiking shoes, prepared a little lunch & headed out to one of our favorite trails.
on this particular valentine’s day, we were working with a next-to-nothing budget, having spent most of our date night money for the month on takeout pizza when i was under the weather from my wisdom teeth surgery.
a hiking date fit the budget & left me feeling more connected to my husband than any dinner out could have.
often times i think we get so caught up in the glamour of an expensive dinner out & a movie at the theater. i know i feel loved when luke offers to take me out to my favorite sushi restaurant.
there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a fancy dinner out (heck, i love being treated to delicious food!), but i am challenging myself to feel loved when he offers his time, not necessarily expensive date nights.
we walked along the trails, talked about our dreams & processed through some big stuff within our relationship. he’s my favorite person, my biggest adventure & the best hiking partner!
we even packed a little lunch for two of cheeses, almond crackers, salami & turkey along with two glasses of wine. this little gourmet lunch cost us around $15, the perfect price for our quickly dwindling budget.
& if you’ve got kiddos, bring them along! i’m sure they’d love to see their parents holding hands along the trail!
i’d love to know how you date on a budget! please share your fun ideas!
love,
natalie
p.s. here’s another fun budget-friendly date night i shared not too long ago – a drive-in movie date for under $15! yay!
friends, i am so excited to offer up a fun giveaway today!
my sweet friend, angie, makes jewelry magic happen in her little shop, ike & co.
i regularly rock her rainbow bracelet with my stack of bracelet pretties!
i’d rather rock a rainbow bracelet than diamonds any day of the week.
she offers an amazing selection of earrings, bracelets (hello glittery gold cuffs!) & necklaces.
i love that her pieces are handmade & affordable. she has a wide selection of pieces for $20 & under, the perfect gift for a dear friend.
today angie is offering a $50 credit to her shop!
to enter, simply…
– take a little look around her etsy shop!
– follow angie on instagram @ikeandco
– comment below with your email address & one thing you’re looking most forward to this weekend!
i’ll pick a random winner on wednesday, 2/25, & announce it here.
happy winning!
love,
natalie
p.s. angie is kindly offering 20% off your entire order in her shop with the code “nataliecreates20” at checkout! go shop now! yay!
++ giveaway closed! congrats to tara for winning!! ++
we finally experienced a little taste of winter with our very first snow day of the season!
it’s been unseasonably warm here so with the promise of a few inches of snow, we immediately celebrated with pancakes & a walk in the wintry mix.
i used to dread winter & it’s cold, dark days. in our first years of marriage, i very much suffered from seasonal depression. i still have my days, but once we moved onto the farm, my perspective drastically shifted.
i love the slow days of this season & having my farmer home more during the winter. this season allows us time to dig deep into other hobbies & interests. it’s also a time to reconnect & enjoy long conversations by the wood burning stove.
and of course, our animals are not the biggest fans of the snow. our hens would rather stay inside their toasty warm coop. the goats tend to linger in the barn for much longer than usual. little george, one of our sweet new bucks, is such a charmer.
but with winter & it’s promise of slower days, i am still drawn to the colors of spring.
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| pictured above is “the skinny,” a new thinner version of my classic reversible handmade headband! |
my etsy shop reopens on thursday at 8am cst. i have been ordering & collecting fabric for months just for this shop update. as the landscapes grew more bare, my cart at the fabric store grew brighter!
i love that as a creative, i can create & channel what’s stirring within even if it’s a reflection of what’s to come, not what is.
these last couple of months have been challenging as a business owner. i’ve gotten caught up in the detective role, seeking out copycats & allowing them to dim that inner light.
this shop opening was a response to that. i’m letting go & focusing just on my creative stirrings. i’m playing & sewing with bright colors & bringing in bits of glittery (in the form of the happiest gold elastic!) in my work.
i’m also dreaming of the spring garden. i am so very happy with my “spring bee” happy flag collection. i cannot wait to share it with you on thursday!
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| @pen_and_paint, @tweetpotatopie, @lollyjaneblog, @chas_holmquist |
& as always, i am so incredibly thankful for those who purchase my goods & believe in my work. it’s such an honor to see my customers adorning their homes with the work of my hands. it’s a gift that will never wear out or grow old.
how are you doing today? what do your days look like during the wintertime? what is stirring your heart & inspiring you to create?
love,
natalie
p.s. i’ll see you on thursday, february 19th, at 8 am cst at my shop!