our youth group camping weekend

last weekend we ventured out into the great outdoors with the youth group from our church! can i just take a little minute to just brag on these kids?

i think too often we forget about this amazing group within our various communities. they can do so much & offer a wide variety of talents. it was truly an honor to spend the weekend with them.

we set up camp on friday night at devil's den state park while the kids started our first fire of the evening. we cooked entirely over the fire, including these cheesy campfire fries from this recipe.

the agenda was simple: fishing, relaxing, reading napping & hiking.

we had zero cell phone service so our time was even sweeter spent disconnected from the online world. we all tucked away our phones & enjoyed playing cards, hiking, chopping wood & napping in the hammocks.

i wouldn't have ever thought luke & i would still be living life as just us two even after six years of marriage, but i am grateful for the opportunities this time has given us. we have the time & space to kidnap our dear friends' kiddos & invest in their lives. it's a gift & one we'll cherish.

love,

natalie

why i {still} blog.

last week one of my favorite bloggers shared that she was taking a break from her blog for awhile due to reasons unique to her own story. while i mourn the loss of reading her words every morning with my breakfast, i celebrate this big change in her life.

& as i thought about her story, i reflected on my own & why i still continue to blog even after seven years. i thought about all of the reasons why i share our story here week after week... and in the end, it came down to this: i am drawn to the personal.

let's be honest - blogging is slowly becoming outdated. 

we crave the abridged version, the quick scroll of instagram & the 1 minute clip. we struggle to find time to read our favorite books, get a full night's rest or eat a good breakfast. with the juggle of everyday life, it feels almost impossible to sit down & read a full blog post. so we scroll, we scan & we glean what we can.

can i be brave & say i want to challenge that notion in this space? 

i crave the personal, the big cups of warm coffee & the good conversation. i crave the full story, the listening ear & the deep questions. i crave the details, the loss & the gains. that is why i blog here. i want to share details of our home & full-length paragraphs rich with thought. i want to share step-by-step recipes & detailed tutorials of creative projects. i want to sit down & write about the big stuff, the little stuff & the in-between. 

i get it - we're all busy. but let's maybe make a little more time & create bigger margins for the details & the in-depth.

thank you for entering into this space every week & reading our story. it means so much to me.

love,

natalie

this moment.

this moments: a friday ritual. a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. a simple, special, extraordinary moment. a moment i want to pause, savor & remember.

have a moment you'd like to share? please include the link in your comment so we all can see!

love,

natalie

p.s. some weeks call for tuna sandwiches & takeout so i have very little to share in the cooking department today. bless. hands to the heavens, thank goodness for amy of euna mae's. doesn't this frittata look delicious? i'm making it next week! yay!

an autumn-inspired handmade + vintage mantel

tis the season for warm apple cider, campfires, flannel, colorful leaves, hand knits & pumpkins!

happy first day of fall, y'all!

in celebration of such a lovely season, i thought it might be fun to kick things off with our autumn-inspired farmhouse mantel. 

i shopped around my home & pulled together some things from here & there along with a few pieces from the steph loves ben shop (don't you just love her handmade goodies?!). 

last year i picked up that little woven pumpkin for one buck at the thrift store & paired it with my antique scale. 

while junkin' with my mom last weekend, i picked up that rusty antique trophy & planted fake succulents in it. 

y'all that little yellow polka dot happy flag was the first one i ever made years ago! i just can't get rid of it. doesn't it look so cute in my little trophy? memories...

i also added a wooden crate to the mantel for height & put little treasures inside including a stuffed pumpkin purchased at a craft show & a cute little shot of us surrounded by pumpkins on luke's momma's porch. it's the perfect spot to also add found treasures such as colorful fallen leaves & acorns.

i absolutely adore my fun felt circle bunting & "happy fall" banner from steph loves ben! you can customize the colors to fit your own unique theme! i just can't handle the cuteness!

i've used stephanie's pom pom flowers in my home for years. the mustard yellow pom poms are my absolute favorite & match everything. i paired them in a cute green mason jar with an antique flower lid. i love having touches of handmade goodies mixed with vintage finds on my mantel.

i hope this little tour of our mantel inspires you to put out a few pumpkins & spruce up your farmhouse for fall! 

also, i am so excited to share that steph loves ben has created a little "natalie creates fall decorating package" for you with a fun kraft happy fall banner, felt circle bunting & pom pom flowers! it's the perfect package to complete your mantel decor. click here to purchase! xo!

do you decorate your mantel for the seasons? please share in the comments!

love,

natalie

a delicious autumn-inspired crockpot pot roast

friends, this week's been so good. yesterday's shop opening was a big success (thank you, dear customers!) & we're finally finding our new rhythm after quite a busy summer.

i am packing up today & leaving this afternoon for a weekend with family. momma & i are headed to a junkin' festival & then celebrating with some of our dearest as they welcome new babies into their homes. 

before i leave town, i thought i'd share one of my new favorite recipes with you. 

maybe i should make this a thing? friday favorite recipe or something along those lines? my people, let me know what you think.

it's a simple & easy crockpot recipe that's sure to please the whole family. pork roast with apples, carrot & rosemary. you can find the recipe here. 

let me know if you make it! xo.

love,

natalie

p.s. i pin all of my favorite recipes here. follow along if you're a pinterest fan! 

the shop is open! yay!

the shop is fully stocked & open for business! head on over & grab a reversible headband, set of happy flags, stretchy bands & more!

click here to shop. thank you!!!

love,

natalie

september shop highlights

friends, i am so excited about tomorrow's shop opening. i have been collecting fabrics & designing pieces for months just to share them with you tomorrow. this might be my favorite collection thus far. i've got butterflies, y'all! 

this month's happy flag set is just so much fun. becky of one lane road hand-illustrated the barns & cabin fabric just for these flags. becky, you are a gem! thank you! 

inspired by her illustrations, i curated a collection of autumn fabrics & turned it all into flags just for you. it's a very limited collection so set your alarm & grab a set (or two!) before they're gone.

september's shop opening also includes ten new headband patterns, including the corduroy floral bow band (all the heart eyes!) & a wide variety of arrow patterns. i love the richer tones of this season.

this month also includes my very limited edition of vintage floral bowbands & skinnybands inspired by the women of our past who tended to their homes & gardens with such great care. i imagine they'd wear one of these as they put the laundry on the line & picked beans. i hope you love them just as much as i do.

there are so many more surprises that will be available in the shop this thursday (9/17) at 8am cst! 

as a big thank you for supporting my shop, i am offering up a coupon code for blog readers. enter "THANKYOU" at checkout to receive 15% off your order of $10 or more. 

love,

natalie