bits of home this holiday season

these days we are staying close to home, enjoying the warmth of family & this magical season. i want 

to share with you a few bits of our home & the simple pleasures we so much enjoy this time of year.

i have found so much pleasure in knitting this year- more so than ever really. almost-completed knitted hats, cowls, coffee cup cozies & an assortment of other hand knits wait on the needles until a spare moment comes when i can finish them just in time for various gift exchanges. i hope to share some of my projects with you after the holidays!

this book is one of my absolute favorites, gifted to me by a dear friend. stephanie tourles does such a good job of making you feel comfortable in the kitchen with a handful of natural ingredients. i've successfully made several recipes & plan to work on a few more to tuck into stockings & add to holiday baskets. 

dreaming of soapmaking & hoping santa slips a few soapmaking supplies under the tree. looking forward to oatmeal blends & handmade lavender soaps, but challenging myself to remain thankful for what i do have & can create right now.

absolutely loving my handmade envelope wallet by sarah of miss money bags. i nervously messaged her several months back with a request to trade one of her wallets for a bundle of my photography. she warmly said yes & soon sent a little package with this beauty inside. it is perfect for managing our spending throughout the year, but i especially love how useful it has been during the holidays. luke & i set aside a specific amount of cash for gifts & i have tucked it away in the "gifts" envelope until that special something for a sweet someone catches my eye. i just love that we can support vibrant artists during this gifting season.

i recently received a holiday package from my dear friend, jess, & her family. inside was beautifully wrapped jar of winter tea. it is absolutely delicious & has been so comforting during the chilly mornings & evenings. 

loving the thoughtfulness & creativity of this season. how are you finding warmth & comfort this season?

love,

natalie

around here.

still feeling a bit quiet but here are just a handful of thoughts

+ wondering how this space will change in 2013. a new look perhaps, maybe more focus.

+ knitting & finding my rhythm there.

+ choosing one media area in my life & letting it go for one week: facebook. time is already freeing itself up for cleaning the studio, wrapping gifts, making peppermint bark & homemade marshmallows.

+ jotting down ideas & a small (very small) budget for re-doing our shared studio space.

+ a bit of thrifting today for some last minute elfing. 

love,

natalie

little moments

little moments collected throughout the week.

+ the light this time of year is so, so gorgeous

+ working with my hands feels good - knitting, baking, making, creating

+ sweet potatoes ready for roasting - in all different shapes & sizes

+ trying to be mindful about our money & what simplicity looks like for us in this season

love,

natalie

the little things this advent season

oh, it's been awhile hasn't it? we visited california {more on that soon!}, celebrated thanksgiving with turkey & naps, had an amazing time at the little craft show, & lived life in between the busyness. i've missed this place so much & i'm looking forward to spending much more time here during this advent season & the upcoming new year.

this season i am focusing on the little things that bring joy & comfort. making gifts by hand & baking warm bread in the kitchen. opening our home to guests for potluck dinners & gift exchanges. finding the perfect little tree & hanging only our favorite ornaments.

last night i spent the evening crafting our christmas cards, one of my favorite family traditions. with a mix of sewing, glitter & glue, our cards came together perfectly. you can see our cards from years past here & here.

more little things we plan to do & celebrate this advent season

+ sip hot cocoa near the tree

+ peppermint bark gifted to friends

+ a small package of treats for our neighbors

+ hand knits finished before christmas eve

+ read christmas stories & watch a christmas movie

+ celebrate His birth with loved ones

+ a little handmade elving in the studio

+ wrap gifts with kraft paper & found greenery & berries

+ go for long walks & enjoy the crisp air

+ capture the advent season in film

+ decorate our porch with branches & pine cones

+ resist the urge to spend & buy

+ find peace in not getting it all done

what are your thoughts & hopes this advent season?

love,

natalie

happy halloween!

wishing you all a spooky holiday filled with homemade costumes, a porch decorated with pumpkins & a pillowcase full of candies. 

-----

we're off to california tomorrow morning! we'll start our adventures in san francisco & make our way up to willits near the redwoods. then we'll head back down to LA, stopping at whatever may catch our fancy, including big sur. we have a checked-in bag full of homemade snacks - granola, kale chips & peanut butter sandwiches - and several rolls of film. we simply cannot wait to get away!

see you in ten days! until then- follow along on instagram @nataliecreates

happy halloween!

love,

natalie

lately

lately...

:: we've added a new member to our family- a young pup with a big personality. her name's dandy & she's the perfect friend for our sweet huck. we're still in the potty training stage so all of the rugs are tucked away in closets until she's fully trained. she's making big progress, though & our home feels much warmer with her in it.

:: framing prints & finding a place for everything in our home. unpacking the last of our boxes & settling in for the cooler months.

:: finding plenty of eggs in our coop after a bit of a break. just in time for sharing with friends & making delicious quiches from the last of our summer veggies. decorating the coop, too. with a bright & cheery banner.

:: pulling out the wool socks, hats & scarfs for this cooler temperature. enjoying the crunchy leaves & all of the colors so much during this beautiful autumn season.

:: harvesting the last of our summer veggies for sharing, freezing, drying & canning. this weekend i'm preserving pepper jelly!

:: a good mail week! jumped for joy when i found a big package full of candles from sweet amber of oakmoss. pure excitement here. licorice vanilla is my favorite.

:: planted our autumn garden - arugula, lettuce, salad greens, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips & so much more. a little late this year, but at least those seeds are in the ground!

:: beginning another knitting project. i'm loving the rhythm of knitting these days. having girls over for hot cider & red wine for an evening of knitting!

:: dreaming up handmade ideas for christmas gifts, which involves my dusty sewing machine. i better get to work! what are you dreaming up this holiday season?

:: almost a month until the little craft show. we've been working since june & i really can't believe it's almost here!

:: i really can't believe it, but we're leaving for california in less than a week! we'll be in san francisco for the first leg of the trip & then we'll road trip down to LA. any great spots i should know about? local food, thrift shops, quirky neighborhoods, delicious coffee? please do let me know!

love,

natalie

our home apothecary

i am so very excited to share with you my favorite little corner, our home apothecary. i wanted to share this space in film, but the lighting is very low so it's very grainy. i hope you don't mind!

when we first moved into this home, i knew i wanted a place for storing & organizing all of my supplies for the handmade recipes we love so much. earlier in the year, i was inspired by amanda's own kitchen apothecary & soon after, i found amber's cabinet full of supplies for soap making. 

during the summer, i found this cabinet with smudged glass & scratched wood but fully functional at a yard sale for $20. i brought it home & with a little elbow grease, leftover white paint & spray paint, it came to life. it's the perfect little cabinet & it makes me smile.

atop the cabinet sits a vase of cotton from a farm nearby, a beeswax candle, incense, found objects & this herb drying rack, also found at a yard sale for $5. it is so convenient & it makes our home smell wonderful. i am currently drying parsley from the garden. earlier this year i dried mint & soon i'll be harvesting oregano and thyme before our first frost.

on the first shelf includes a small collection of books on homemaking, herbal healing, holistic health & natural body care recipes.

i also have a handful of supplies on the first shelf, including beeswax, essential oils & containers for holding homemade lip balms, deodorant, & hand salves. a great resource for supplies is mountain rose herbs. all of my baskets & jars for holding supplies were thrifted for just a dollar or two. 

on the second shelf includes quarts of homemade applesauce, a collection of pottery, a favorite photograph by abby & a thrifted basket full of miscellaneous vases for around the home. 

on the last shelf includes preserved peaches, quick pickles, salsa & an array of jams & butters. 

i am not an expert whatsoever in the topic of handmade concoctions, but it's an ever-growing interest of mine & i love having this little space to inspire & educate. i hope you enjoyed my little tour! 

love,

natalie