top ten of 2014

i am so excited for 2015 - a fresh start, new projects, more memory making & all the good stuff that comes with a new year!

but let's just for a moment tip our hat to 2014. 

it was a rad year! 

here's a recap of my top ten moments of 2014 (in no particular order)...

photo by nikki toth photography

1. FIVE YEARS - we rocked five years of marriage & celebrated with a romantic dinner on the beach. married at 19 & 20, we've earned that five years! & we still totally dig each other. he's my very best friend & together, we can't wait to rock 105 more years. 

2. FARM FRESH - we completed our first year of a farm subscription to our small farm. we sold vegetables, herbs, flowers & eggs. we learned a ton, grew a ton & fell even deeper in love with this community we call our own! it was the hardest of work & most days we were completely exhausted, but every moment was absolutely 100% worth it. 

3. KICKBALL - we got together as a church & played the meanest game of kickball this side of the mississippi. it was a gloriously good workout, too. homemade matching game shirts- nailed it. 

4. SAYING YES - in 2014, i said yes to my dreams & began blogging/making full-time. it's been the scariest thing i have ever done, but it's the most fulfilling & life giving work i could ever do. my tank is full, y'all. 

5. PAINTED BRICK - we had no idea what we were doing, but we did it anyway! happy birthday to me! we painted our house! & we love it. more house changes to come in 2015... yay!

6. #FREEMANSINFLORIDA2014 - we flew to bradenton beach, florida & spent an entire week on the beach. we stared at the ocean, collected seashells, stuffed ourselves with good food, napped, read books, did minimal physical activity & experienced the best darn vacation of all time. bless.

7. FARMHOUSE EC WORKSHOPS - i gathered an amazing group of women & opened our farm up for a day of canning. it was the first ever farmhouse economics workshop & definitely not the last. we came together as strangers & left together as sisters. it was one of my favorite & most inspiring days of 2014.

8. BIKES & BREWS - this past summer, we planned & executed the first ever bikes & brews tour! we gathered with friends & road our bikes on various trails to some of our favorite breweries! it was the best of times; i could spend every weekend doing just this. 

9. LADIES WEEKEND - in 2014, we gathered the tribe for the first time ever & headed to branson for a weekend of pooling, shopping, drinking, eating, gaming, laughing & all of the other ladies' weekend appropriate activities. i'm counting down the days until our 2015 weekend (!!!)! these women are my favorite.

10. #NATALIEGETSFIT - I said peace out to gluten, completed my first ever whole30 & dropped 20 pounds in 2014. like any journey, i've gained a few pounds back & learned a whole lot in the process. i am looking forward to continuing this health nut adventure in 2015!

what was your favorite moment of 2014? i would love to read your top ten! please share!

love,

natalie

my one word for 2015

every year i choose one little word to focus my intentions on in the new year.

in 2014, i chose the word "quality" & this one little word completely changed my life.

with every move, the word "quality" echoed in my heart.

quality rang true in my journey toward self-love. i lost 20 lb., worked out regularly, & started the #dressinhappiness project. you can find out more about this project here. 

quality rang true in my work life. for so long, i was afraid to take that jump because of fear & an overwhelming amount of student debt. in 2014, i made the leap with arms wide open!

quality rang true in my marriage. luke & i shared our hearts openly & unguarded. we attended counseling sessions together & grew even more connected as partners. it makes me weepy when i reflect on 2014 & all of the growth that happened in that space & time. 

quality rang true in my friendships. i stayed connected with friends from the past & cultivated deep friendship within our community. i co-led a women's retreat within our church community & created a weekly coffee date for my lady tribe. i am so thankful for the opportunity to share my life with women of quality who inspire & motivate me. 

"pursuit" bracelet by debi dean

in 2015, my one little word is pursuit. 

pursuit, noun: the action of following or pursuing someone or something.

my heart is set on the pursuit of a healthy balance in my work & family life. 

i will focus on the pursuit of a clear path in my work life. i will say no so that i may say yes to work that fills me up, inspires others & cultivates joy within my life. 

i will focus on the pursuit of saying yes to more time well-spent by saying no to material goods that rob us of our freedom to enjoy life. friends, i am getting off of that consume-more-work-more treadmill! 

i believe that our lives are made up of well-crafted  & intentional everydays. 

how will you make every single day count? 

choose one little word & follow me along on this journey, friends!

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i am so thankful for debi dean who makes incredible jewelry that speaks truth! i am so excited to wear my "pursuit" bracelet as a daily reminder of my intention for 2015. 

debi dean makes bracelets & necklaces with custom stamped words - the perfect gift for you in the new year!

debi is offering a $40 gift certificate to her shop so that you may pick out any piece & wear your word throughout the year! 

to enter this giveaway, simply:

1. visit the debi dean shop & take a look around.

2. like debi on facebook or follow her on ig @debidean

3. comment below with your email address & share your one little word for 2015!

i will pick a random winner on january 7th & share the winner's name here!

love,

natalie

p.s. debi is offering free shipping in her shop to natalie creates readers until january 18th! just enter the code "nataliecreates" at checkout! 

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congrats to amy huneycutt for winning the giveaway by debi dean! yay! 

two quick gifts in a jar ideas: muddy buddies recipe & grown-up hot cocoa

it's the week before christmas & we are feeling oh so festive around these parts!

drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows every single night.

enjoying dinners by candlelight & holiday parties with loved ones.

watching christmas movies under warm blankets.

surprising friends with secret gifts by their front doors.

leaving baked goodies for the mailman.

baking, making, wrapping & gifting. 

& so much more. 

today i thought i'd share two fun gifts in a jar ideas for quick presents just in time for christmas! 

this recipe for chocolate candy cane muddy buddies is so delicious & inspired by my gal pal, katy. we gifted jars of muddy buddies to our neighbors & mailman. it's inexpensive & perfect for those in need of a little sweet treat!

ingredients:

- peppermint candies

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 1 package ghiradella melting chocolate

- 1 tsp real peppermint oil

- 1 box corn chex

- around 1 cup powder sugar

to make:

melt butter in a saucepan. add chocolate & allow to melt completely. while your chocolate is melting, add the peppermint candies to a ziplock bag & thoroughly crush with a rolling pin into very fine pieces. set aside. 

once your chocolate is fully melted, add peppermint oil & stir to combine. pour your chex cereal into a bowl & pour the chocolate on top. mix until your chex cereal is completely coated in chocolate. add powder sugar & the crushed peppermint candies. stir until all of the chex cereal is covered in candies & powder sugar. allow to cool. 

we filled large mason jars with muddy buddies & decorated our jars with fabric tops. a cute tag & string made this little sweet treat gift extra special. 

next up is this fun mason jar recipe for grown-up hot cocoa! 

this gift was created for a $5 or under secret santa gift exchange. this gift is especially perfect for those men in your life who enjoy a good drink during the holidays! 

ingredients:

- pre-made hot cocoa mix (you can make your own, too. here's a great recipe that we love!)

- marshmallows

- candy cane

- mini bailey's bottle

- large mason jar

to make:

pour the hot cocoa mix into the jar & add marshmallows to the top. screw on the lid & tie a candy cane, the bailey's mini bottle & a cute labeled tag with twine. gift with love! so simple & so fun! 

what are some quick & easy gifts for loved ones you have up your sleeve this year? please share!

love,
natalie

our thrifty & easy advent calendar

the gifts are wrapped & the mantel is decorated with stockings hung & oh so festive looking (two stockings for each of our dogs - don't get any ideas, people!). it's that cozy time of year when we spend more of our time in than out.

as an adult, i've grown to love this time of year. as a farmer & farmer's wife, i see my husband more. win, win. 

perhaps i should have shared my thrifty advent calendar idea way back in november. but as it (always) goes, december 1st crept up on us & by december 4th i finally got the brilliant idea to whip this up.

it's simple & cost me nothing. store this little idea away or heck! jump on the bandwagon & celebrate the last week before christmas with this fun idea. 

i spent the late evening making this advent calendar with a hot cup of cocoa in hand. i glanced at our calendar for the month & wrote down meaningful activities for each day, including "eat chocolate!" & "buy a stranger coffee."

we've loosely followed our calendar, allowing some traditions & moments to happen a little earlier or later than planned. 

once you've written on all of your tags, attach them with ribbon or clothespins to a string. hang your string of tags in your family living space!

what are some fun advent activities you enjoy doing? how do you celebrate advent? i'd love to read!

love,

natalie

family movie night gift basket idea

i am so excited to share with you a fun gift idea i put together for our dear friends with a little family of three! 

we wanted to surprise our friends with a fun basket including ingredients for a meaningful evening together as a family during the holidays. i quickly thought of a holiday movie night basket! 

here's how i created this fun holiday movie night basket for just under $15!

to make your holiday movie basket, gather the following:

- popping corn (we buy ours in bulk so i just grabbed some from our pantry)

- special popcorn toppings

- fun bowls for popcorn

- cash ($3) for a redbox holiday movie

i wanted to personalize the cash instead of just randomly placing it in the basket so i printed off this fun redbox graphic. here's the graphic you can easily print off for your basket. i wrapped the cash in festive paper & glued the redbox graphic to the front. 

the cash is a fun way for the family to pick out a new holiday movie or a favorite that's watched year after year!

i found the fun bowls at big lots for $6 & tied the stack with candy cane ribbon. 

the kernel season's toppings are from walmart for just under $3 each. there are a ton of toppings to choose from, but i went with the kettle corn flavor - my favorite!

optional: you could even include m&m's or another chocolate treat in your basket for all of those chocolate lovers.

for the popcorn, i filled a clear bag with popcorn kernels & tied it with twine. this is the most economical option, but you could include microwaveable bags if you think it would be easier for the family. 

i placed all of the goodies in a basket i already had on hand with happy polka dot tissue paper. 

a tag & baker twine tassel made this little basket happy & festive just in time to surprise our dear friends for the holidays!

total cost:

$0 popcorn already from our pantry

$3 redbox movie

$6 toppings

$6 bowls

total: $15

i'd love to read your ideas for gifts for families! what gifts do you put together for the entire family to enjoy?

love,

natalie

p.s. last year i made a fun basket for a family with ingredients for making these clay ornaments! this is such a fun activity to do with the entire family! 

our festive farmhouse: a little december tour

hi, friends! we've pulled out all the plastic tubs full of festive goodies & thoughtfully arranged our home in a hodge podge of thrifted, yard sale, vintage & new christmas decorations. 

we might not quite win any awards for our holiday home, but oh how it's cozy & warm!

the farmhouse is festive, y'all! 

i thought i'd show you just a little peek into our december home... 

don't mind if we stick all the clutter in a corner & oh! don't trip on the plastic tubs still by the door. 

we're still growing rows of salad greens, lettuces & chinese cabbage in the garden, which means large dinner plate salads for lunch & dinner. my favorite meal in the wintertime. & oh! the homemade year by jerusalem greer is soo good. i can't put it down.

she's also an arkansas gal!

pssst! that mason jar tumbler by my dear friend erin of tweetpotatopie is amazing! i use it daily. enter "natalielove15" at checkout in her shop & receive 15% off your purchase of $10 or more!

i have been spending quite some time wrapping gifts to put under the christmas tree. i enjoy wrapping our gifts early so that it doesn't seem so much like a chore. it also creates a season of anticipation that i just love. 

my sweet nephew gets his own special wrapping paper this year! i picked it up at joann's craft store for cheap, cheap, cheap. i purchased a small box of crayons & washi taped it to the wrap. i hope it will keep him busy until it's his turn to unwrap his gifts! 

the theme of this season is indeed hodge podge. there really isn't a rhyme or reason to the way we decorate or approach the spaces within our home. we just decorate with what we love - a mix of handmade, vintage, rusty & thrifted. 

our coffee station is always one of my favorite parts of our home. i always love having guests over who enjoy coffee, tea & hot chocolate just as much as we do. 

i found the little elf at a recent craft fair. he's just perfect & will serve as our elf on the shelf when we have littles. for now he watches & guards the caffeine. 

& of course, our holiday farmhouse wouldn't be quite festive without our thrifted wooden nativity set. one of the wise men flew the coop this year so we've replaced him with the shepard boy. 

baby jesus is only getting two gifts from our house this year, y'all. 

love,

natalie

busy at the table & a blossoms and billows giveaway

our wooden table is buzzing this time of year with christmas card writing, list making, book reading, meal sharing & moments in-between. 

today i am gift wrapping on our dearly loved table, one of my very favorite parts of the holiday season.

i believe a package should be just as beautiful as what's inside, don't you?

you know my love for clipboards. we hang calendars from our thrifted clipboards & trade expensive frames for them.

i've shared this idea once before, but i thought we could all use a little refresher.

if you're looking for a little inexpensive gift idea for the holidays, blossoms and billows' prints are just perfect. 

i recently ordered aubrey's  family monogram print for our home & thought what a wonderful gift it might be for the other little families close to us!

& if you're in need of a quick gift, you can even order her prints as instant downloads! at just $8, you can gift your entire lady tribe with a fun print on a clipboard! i especially love this one.

to make your gift special, gather supplies you already have on hand. tie a bow around your print & chalkboard. tie a tag onto your goodies & gift it! so simple, festive & happy!

total cost: $9 ($8 for the print, $1 for the clipboard)

sweet aubrey is also offering an amazing giveaway of $100 to her shop! that's 11 prints from her shop that you can keep or gift to others! yay!

to enter, simply:

1. check out the blossoms and billows shop.

2. follow blossoms and billows on ig @blossomsnbillows or like her Facebook page.

3. comment below with your email address & a creative wrapping idea!

i will pick a random winner next wednesday, december 17th, at 8am cst!

happy winning, friends!

love,

natalie

p.s. use code "zinnia" for 25% off your order in the blossoms and billows shop! yay!

giveaway closed! our random winner is jenna! we will contact you shortly about your giveaway prize! yay!

gather & a haven enterprise giveaway!

friends, have you check out my sidebar recently? there are so many fantastic makers over there offering some incredible handmade goods perfect for gifting during this time of year!

i am over the moon with my friends at haven enterprise & their wood working magic.

i was so excited to work with them to create this gorgeous trivet with the word "gather" carved into it. 

it makes me teary just thinking about the word gather & it's significance in our every day lives. 

i think it's so important that our family gathers at the table each evening to share a meal. luke's family lives just down our dirt road so every week we share at least one dinner with them. we gather at the table & tell stories, share podcasts we're listening to & books we're reading. they taught me the value of slowing down to break bread together.

in those moments, we find everyday beauty.  

my friends at haven enterprise are offering up a giveaway today, too!

one lucky natalie creates reader will win the "i am" butcher block from haven enterprises!

to enter, simply:

1. visit the haven enterprise website & take a look around

2. sign up for their newsletter here!

3. share your email address & what "gather" means to you.

i will pick a random winner next wednesday, 12/17, & announce it here!

love,

natalie

p.s. receive 15% off at checkout with the code "MERRY14" in the haven enterprise shop until december 19th! 

congrats to lori for winning! we will contact you shortly!