hank & june valentine's day giveaway!

today i am oh so excited to share with you some goodies from a new maker on the block, betsy of hank & june! 

betsy is sweet as pie & i absolutely adore her flour sack birdie towels!

as a gift idea for this upcoming valentine's day, i am gifting my gal pals a love birds flour sack towel for their kitchens! paired with a cute spatula, your favorite sweet treat recipe or even a happy flag to brighten their kitchen, this is a happy little treat! 

i simply tied my tea towels with string, added a heart doily, a little happy flag & a homemade tag with their initial. i can't wait to gift these to my dearest friends!

as a happy little treat for you, hank & june is offering a giveaway of one love birds tea towel to one natalie creates reader.

to enter, simply...

1. visit the hank & june shop!

2. follow hank & june on facebook

3. comment below with your email address 

& a fun valentine's day gift idea for your closest friends!

i will pick a random winner next wednesday, january 28th! happy winning!

love,

natalie

p.s. hank & june is offering free shipping on any order with the code "natalie" until february 14th! happy shopping!

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congrats to lindsay who won the hank & june giveaway! we will be with you shortly about your goodies!

currently...

i found this fun list on meg's blog last week & thought i'd follow along!

currently...

reading: hands free mama by rachel macy stafford (a great one even for the non-mama!)

playing: the lumineers station on pandora... love!

watching: my people, do you watch new girl? we've watched it from the beginning & we cry-laugh every single time. 

trying: to schedule time for rest & relaxation. last year was so good, but i need a little more white space on my calendar. how about you?

cooking: all the whole30 foods & i am running out of ideas. friends, share with me your favorite whole30 food ideas!

eating: apples & almond butter. bless! 

drinking: coffee all day. amen.

calling: my mom & i talk on the phone every single day. i'd be lost without our conversations!

texting: erin & megan all day 'erday! - my group text bffs.

pinning: baby shower decoration ideas, cute clothes, diy projects & more.

tweeting: i just don't get twitter. i'm not witty enough for twitter. moving on...

crafting: i made a sweater pillow at craft night with my tribe! & now i think i am addicted... make your own with me!

doing: brainstorming paint colors for my new house project... it's top secret, friends! 

going: on our family retreat! we go on a family retreat each year to talk about family & personal goals. my favorite few days of the year!

loving: this unexpected warm weather this week! hello hiking, short sleeves & sunshine!

hating: my overflowing closet. i need some serious help in this department.

discovering: that "you can do anything, but you can't do everything." - david allen. yes!

enjoying: quiet, cozy evenings with a good book in hand spent by the wood burning stove.

hoping (for): snow! i love being snowed in on the farm with the hubby. 

celebrating: that we have finally finalized our europe trip plans! i can't wait to share our agenda with you... yay!

smelling: nothing! dang you, sinus congestion. 

thanking: the dear lord above for my lady tribe & last night's giggles. friends are so good.

considering: adding kid-sized headbands to my shop. what are your thoughts, friends?

finishing: baby shower decorations including these fun pom pom sticks!

starting: the best yes

love,

natalie

my favorite organizational tools

we're well into the new year & it's quite possible that your new years resolutions are starting to lose their glittery shine & appeal.

you'd really like to eat that chocolate bar.

or stay up just a bit longer.

or check your phone just one more time! 

there's all this talk about a new you! a new life! brand spankin' new possibilities & endless ways to screw it all up.

my people. i'm here for you. i'm riding the emotional waves of the new year with you. i'm taking on my second round of whole30 & i swear to you, last night i imagined my arm was a baguette & i almost chowed down (where's the gluten?! waaaah!). 

moving on...

today on the blog, i don't want to fix your life or give you unhealthy advice that will leave you feeling guilty or less than.

today i want to share some organizational tools that i use to make the hairy parts of my life not-so-hairy & the busy parts of my life a little more manageable. because let's face it, life gets crazy & good tools make for lighter work. amen.

1. WALL CALENDARS: any ol' wall calendar will work as long as it has space for you to write in events, goals, appointments & more. i snatched this katie daisy calendar up & i love it. 

as recommended by my business guru friend, katy, i write my business-related tasks for the year on my wall calendar. this includes etsy shop openings, product launches, deadlines for ordering supplies & all of the nitty gritty details of running a small business. this is a way for me to prevent missed deadlines & overworking. 

2. DAILY PLANNER: some prefer google calendars, but i am a pen & paper gal. i will not remember a task or scheduled event unless i write it down. i am fairly new to emily ley's simplified planner, but i absolutely love it. every day has it's own separate page so this layout allows plenty of room for my to-do lists & meal plan. it's a bit bulky & somewhat pricey, but i love having everything in one place.

3. CALENDAR MEETINGS: luke & i meet for weekly & monthly calendar meetings. at those meetings, we share what we have scheduled for the week or month ahead. we usually jot down the other's responsibilities & then i add our family activities to our giant dry erase board calendar in my office. it's a nice place of reference when life feels a little chaotic. we use this white board calendar from hobby lobby.

4. BLOG CALENDAR: i use this fantastic free printable from emily ley for scheduling my blog posts. it's simple, straight forward & easy to use. when i have an idea, i jot it down on my blog calendar & appoint a date to it based on my current blog schedule or the lengthiness of the post. 

5. CASH SYSTEM WALLET: since he popped the question & i said yes, we've been using the cash system inspired by dave ramsey. for the longest time, i used battered paper white envelopes that looked like they had just come home from war. as soon as i found miss money bags' cash system wallets, i jumped on the bandwagon & i'll never go back. they're cute, functional, sturdy & practical. i have a pouch for each cash category & it keeps me accountable to our budget. here's a bit more about how we budget. 

6. RECEIPT ORGANIZER: if you own a small business, pick up a receipt organizer. i picked this one up for a dollar at target & it's perfect. each month has it's own pocket. once i record the transaction in quickbooks, i file it away in the corresponding month. 

7. SHOPPING LIST: peace out scratch paper, i've found a new love. i love amy's meal planning kit. i especially love her shopping list, which gives me ample room to write what we need from the grocery store. it keeps my list organized & decreases the amount of time spent in the store. 

 

8. WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER: i've used several meal planners in the past, but this free printable is my favorite. it's simple, cute & leaves plenty of room for me to write in meals & events corresponding to our dinnertime hours. 

so there you have it... my favorite organizational tools & tips.

& for even more organizational ideas, check out my simple & organized pinterest board! 

i'd love to read how you stay organized! please share your tips & tools!

love,

natalie

my shop is open!

hooray! my shop has officially re-opened!

head on over & purchase goodies for your valentine's day gifts & decor!

enjoy 15% off with the code "bloglove15" in my shop just because you're fantastic!

love,

natalie

happy flags & valentine's day inspiration

happy day to you friends! today i am here to share a fun sneak peek of my valentine's day inspired happy flags that are being released in my shop tomorrow! 

i loved this set so much that i made a little space for them on my winter-inspired mantel.

it's always nice to have a pop of color & now my winter mantel has transitioned to my favorite holiday, valentine's day!

i started making little fabric flags for my plants several years ago. a little seed was planted & from there, happy flags grew & blossomed! 

just a few ideas for using your happy flags...

- add a bundle of happy flags to a mason jar 

- stick one in your favorite potted plants

 - tuck a handful into bouquets

- the perfect handmade touch to showers & parties!

they're oh so fun & add a bit of happy to your day!

so hop on over & grab a set or two for you & a friend! 

the shop opens at 8 am cst on thursday, 1/15! yay!

love,

natalie

tips on creating a cozy winter home

i love a cozy home during the wintertime. a cozy home has us settling in just a bit more when we're spending more time in than out. 

today i want to share with you ways to create a cozy, inspiring winter home!

during the wintertime, you will find blankets & pillows in woven baskets & wooden crates throughout our home. i always purchase our wooden crates & baskets secondhand at thrift stores, estate sales & flea markets. you can usually find more interesting pieces secondhand than those found at the store. 

pull those blankets you already have out of the linen closet & throw them in a basket or crate for added texture & a pop of color in your home!

i love this diy project from erin on making cozy pillows from upcycled sweaters!

i am a big texture & fibers person. when we're laying in the "sleeping room,"  near the wood burning stove, we love cozying up with a good book & relaxing. it's so important to have blankets & pillows that are soft to the touch. 

even in the wintertime, we use summer quilts because they're easy to clean & so comfortable. the quilts we own are family heirlooms, made by me or if i am lucky, purchased secondhand at a thrift shop. 

i absolutely love our sheepskin we drape over our couch for added coziness. i was fortunate to find that piece at a flea market years ago when we first married, but you can purchase them online (i would recommend a real sheepskin versus the synthetic versions). 

also, if you're wondering, you can find the happy home pillow at tiny prints right here. 

you will always find us, late in the evening, right here cozied up with our favorite books & a cup of tea. 

how do you add coziness to your home during the wintertime? please share!

love,

natalie

i am afraid of becoming a mother.

i am afraid of becoming a mother. 

last year i shared a glimpse of our story on not yet having children. it was one of those gut-punching entries to write that left me feeling naked & vulnerable. once my words & thoughts were out into the world, my people gathered around me & loved me something fierce. thank you.

& if you're wondering, we're still in the waiting.

& i am terrified.

i'm not afraid of the sleepless nights.

or the dirty diapers & endless messes.

i'm not afraid of how our marriage will shift 

or the potential of losing touch with friends.

i'm not even afraid of the growth that will happen within us as individuals.

or the many endless decisions we will have to make.

i am afraid of becoming a mother because i am afraid of losing myself.

my people, just sit with me for a moment in this place.

& as a disclaimer, let's just put it all out there. i am coming from a place of zero experience. i am sharing with only second-hand insight & observations as my guide.

but it aches me to the core when i witness women sink deep into motherhood & lose sight of who they are or the glorious potential of who they could become. 

friends, i am pro mom. 

i know amazing women who are moms & i absolutely adore my own.

i want to be a mom.

but i also want to be a wife, a friend, a maker, a writer, an inspirer, an adventurist & an individual.

as i shared these thoughts & struggles with my tribe over coffee, my sweet friend shared that even in the depths of motherhood, she finds it helpful to remember the person she was before children. 

yes.

i want to love as a mother & i want to love myself.

 i want to give as a mother but keep a piece just for myself.

i want to spend my time with my family & tuck away plenty for me, too.

i want to grow as a mother & i want to grow as an individual.

& i think that's ok.

friends,

what makes you tick? 

what makes your heart beat a little faster?

what excites you & keeps you going even in the midst of the hardest of days?

in our own stages of growth & our unique seasons of life, let's seek out more of those heart racing moments & experiences that make us tick. let's linger in our passions for a little longer & grow more fully into who we are, even as mothers.

grab your cup of coffee & share with me your thoughts. let's open this space up for dialogue. 

how do you struggle to balance your roles as mother, partner & individual? 

how do you succeed in nurturing your soul & being?

does this struggle & fear ring true in your life? 

what are tangible tools & practices that you use to remain true to who you are?

let's talk. i have so much to learn from you.

love,

natalie