on thursday evening we packed our bags, grabbed our adventure jar (more on this soon!) & headed to eureka springs for a little soulcare trip (thanks, aunt roxie, for the gift certificiate!).
i thought it was about time i upped my #dressinhappinessdaily game for our little trip.
so naturally, i hit the thrift shop & purchased that little blingy purse number (the sak & still with tags for only $3!) &… a grey sweatshirt.
i stared at that sweatshirt among the racks of worn outs & beat ups for a good ten minutes. at that moment, i remembered shannan’s old man pj shirt; that baby was in my cart in less than a hot minute.
so perhaps this little up-cycled wardrobe post isn’t as bold & brave as shannan’s old man pajama shirt, but it was fun so i thought i’d share!
(i’m still laughing at myself for doing fashion posts…me?! really?!)
ladies, grab yo’self a sweatshirt from the thrift shop! this one was from the men’s section. gray with a printed number “54.” nothing special & purchased for just a couple of bucks.
it was way too tight around the neck so i cut off the collar. to cut off your collar like a total fashionista, simply use scissors or your rotary cutter & cut along the seam of the collar.
with an undershirt, it was bunching up at the bottom so in the name of fashion, i cut off the bottom seam, too. follow the existing seam of your sweatshirt & cut!
bam! now you’re in high fashion, ladies.
paired with a good pair of boots & a sexy husband, you can conquer anything!
rock that sweatshirt, girlfriend!
outfit details:
sweatshirt – thrifted, upcycled
denim collared shirt – thrifted
jeans – old navy
boots – frye (best purchase ever in all of ever)
purse – thrifted
necklace – noonday collection
earrings – fair treasure (get 20% off all orders over $25 with code “NATALIE20” at checkout! woo!)
who’s being bold today & rockin’ your high fashion sweatshirt?!
love,
natalie
i thought i had nothing to write to you today until i reopened my etsy shop yesterday morning.
cup of cold coffee in hand.
pajamas. messy hair.
frantically texting erin & megan panicky sentiments of self-doubt right before opening my shop.
you know the ones. the “i suck” texts.
i think i can, i think i can, i think i can…
i wasn’t so sure i could.
if this experience of leaving my day job to blog, create & teach has taught me anything, it’s this:
be your own cheerleader.
i am so good at putting myself down.
even when i click the publish button & my shop re-opens & all of you amazing people show up & purchase my goods with your hard-earned money, i simply don’t show up for myself.
i doubt. i worry. i self-criticize & eat bad food.
maybe this rings true in your life.
i believe this struggle is real in all aspects & roles of our lives.
i think the world tells us to hush, be quiet, compare, judge, worry, criticize & doubt ourselves.
i see this in how we parent, how we love our partners, how we view ourselves in our faith, how we lead & teach, how we work, how we give as friends…
the list goes on.
& yet you think we would have learned. but as always, we don’t show up for ourselves. rarely do we cheer ourselves on & celebrate our victories. we allow those ugly words to seep into our skin & name us without even realizing it.
friends, how do we expect others to believe in us when we can’t even believe in ourselves?
friends, how do we expect others to believe in us when we can’t even believe in ourselves?
my people, it’s about time i show up & believe in myself.
i am a good blogger.
i am a good maker.
i am a good wife.
i am a good daughter.
i am a good friend.
i am good.
let’s be our own cheerleaders.
tell me your thoughts. let’s start a conversation.
love,
natalie
over the weekend, i received the happiest package from FAIR treasure filled to the brim with the best fair trade goodies. as i write this i am sporting those earrings & that cushion cover is already hugging a thrifted pillow on my church pew. it was love at first sight, y’all.
one product i received from FAIR treasures was this amazing cotton apron.
side note: i love that you can shop for items that you absolutely love within the FAIR treasure shop or simply purchase a subscription. this allows you to budget accordingly, which as you know, is my favorite. the subscription would make the best gift this holiday season!
as soon as i saw this little apron, i was inspired to create a hostess with the mostess gift idea just for you!
i love attending parties during the holiday season & it’s always so nice to come with a little something as a thank you. i wanted to create a gift that would allow the hostess to host future parties with ease.
i included a mrs. meyer’s pine candle, the nora cotton print apron, anthropologie napkins (from the clearance section!), burlap bunting, happy paper straws & this wonderful thrifted metal caddy.
i also included this clearanced jar from anthro in the basket with a little hot cocoa mix inside. here’s a wonderful homemade hot cocoa recipe. you could even include a recipe card in your hostess basket with the cocoa!
total cost: $34- great price point for those dear friends in your life who open their doors regularly!
if you’ve been around these parts for any time at all, you know i love a fun, festive tag. i added a tag from katygirl designs’ shop (i love these tags & use them regularly during the holiday season) along with a homemade baker’s twine tassel & homemade kraft tag.
i tied the goodies with ribbon & packed them into my little metal caddy. i cannot wait to gift this at our next holiday party!
what sort of goodies do you gift to your hostess friends during the holiday season? please share!
love,
natalie
p.s. FAIR treasure is offering 20% off all orders over $25 with the code NATALIE20. offer expires 11/27. yay!