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my mom’s 50th birthday party

this weekend we surprised my momma with a 50th birthday party!
it was so much fun. family & long time friends were there to celebrate my mom’s big milestone. she’s the spunkiest, brightest, most thoughtful woman i know. instead of the typical “over the hill” decor, we decorated with a bit of handmade & lots of sparkle. 

i had a blast putting together the decor for the party, including these bouquets. i purchased the flowers from sam’s club & added a few succulents from our house plants (simply hot glue vintage ribbon to a mason jar to get the same look).

i loved making these paper flags. i used card stock leftover from other projects & hot glued them onto wooden sticks. 
i made the pom pom flowers, too. you can purchase them from steph loves ben in a variety of stunning colors.

i also made cute little cupcake toppers for her cupcakes. such a simple projects! using a paper cutter, i cut out the scalloped circles. i stamped “50” onto the circles & hot glued them to toothpicks. bless the hot glue gun! can i get an amen?

my sister-in-law made the cupcakes & they turned out great. carrot cake with cream cheese frosting… delicious!

we added a few more handmade touches (the garland at the top & the glittery 50) and added old photos of my mom to the table. it was a wonderful time filled with family & friends, good food & sweet memories.
i love you, mom! happy 50th birthday! (she doesn’t look 50 at all!!!)
love,
natalie

sponsor love

 when i shared that i was inviting sponsors to support my blog, i was honestly… terrified. you all responded with enormous, overwhelming love. emails, texts of encouragement & a waiting list of sponsors soon came pouring in. thank you all so much for believing in me.
this space is about living well, creating often & finding joy in every moment.
say hello to this month’s sponsors who do just that. i’m excited to share them with you today…
yay!
love,
natalie

art by mary wangerin giveaway

a girl who believes in long bike rides, messy hair & treasuring moments. in living bravely & truthfully everyday. in finding happiness in the details. i am so excited to share the amazing work of mary wangerin with you this morning! 
mary paints colorful magic & shares it on her etsy shop in original artwork & prints. i love her work because it’s messages are little reminders we need throughout our days. 

“live bravely”
“know happiness”
“seek truth”
“there is freedom in letting go” 
“trust the process (+ yourself)”
& one of my favorites – bravery suits you


so good.

i am thrilled to offer up the two prints above to one reader from sweet mary wangerin. it’s simple:
1. comment below with your email address & one phrase or quote that inspires you.
2. like mary’s facebook page or follow mary on instagram @marywangerin
i’ll randomly choose a winner on thursday, march 13th, at 8 am & share the winner within this post on friday, march 14th.
happy winning, friends!
love,
natalie

p.s. can’t wait to win her work? enter “FRIENDSOFNATALIE” to receive 20% off your purchase at checkout.

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all comments closed. congrats, michaela! you’re the winner. i will email you shortly!