natalie creates

rainy day

2012-01-26T06:44:00.000-08:00

enjoying little bits of red around our home.
it is rainy here. officially a sweatshirt & jean kind of day.

love,
natalie

a road trip

2012-01-09T20:46:00.001-08:00

we're packing our bags full of mittens, warm knit scarves, flannel & boots for our trip up north to madison for the week. i cannot wait to experience real winter... a season i've missed so much lately.

i have a basket of knitting... basic cotton wash cloths for a friend & a simple scarf for me in a blueish green that reminds me of the ocean.

we're packing a day bag with snacks, too. turkey & pepper jack sandwiches on sprouted bread, yogurt & frozen blueberries, licorice & our favorite kombucha.

we hope to finish reading in the garden of beasts, part of our book club. we like to read aloud to one another. do you do this, too?

well, i painted my nails gold so i guess it is time for a vacation! see you in a week, friends. xo!

love,
natalie

list no. 1

2012-01-05T15:11:00.000-08:00

: working on a new project, entitled "print" stay tuned!

: i am drawn to film in twenty-twelve

: in the final stages of grapefruit marmalade. nothing beats the smell of grapefruit simmering on the stove top

: excited for {amy}!

: visiting the yarn shop, health co-op & public library this weekend.

: salad last night- greens from the cold frame, large pieces of grapefruit, roasted edamame & pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top with a mustard vinaigrette. perfect.

love,
natalie

365:: 2011 a year of photos

2011-12-31T10:12:00.000-08:00

january:: the beginning of 365.

february:: the start of my internship with the columbia center for urban agriculture. back-breaking work of starting hundreds of trays of seeds. still very rewarding. & my favorite part was, of course, tending to the chickens.

march:: we saved up our money & took the train to chicago for the weekend. we ate delicious food, stopped by some local shops, made a trip to the bean & enjoyed every second of being together. just us.

april:: the beautiful tree in our backyard bloomed & we celebrated my birthday with dear friends.

may:: we savored every day of our last month in columbia. we harvested vegetables from a small front yard garden & graduated from college.

june:: the most difficult of days. full of goodbyes, lots of tears, living in boxes & settling into a new home. the first thing we did- built raised beds in our back yard. we also visited a blueberry farm & added basil to our family.

july:: i tried my hardest in july. i tried to form new relationships. i tried to make our house feel more like 'home.' i roasted a whole chicken. i harvested the fruit of our labors. & when all else couldn't help the sadness, i called friends.

august:: we celebrated luke's birthday & i canned. a lot.

september:: we celebrated fall with a camping trip in the woods. we came home & a few days later, we were greeted with a box of chirping chicks. our first backyard flock!

october:: we had an amazing weekend with the best of columbia friends & listened to the beautiful melodies of beirut live. our halloween was spent at home. a quiet evening. & this year, luke grew our pumpkins.

november:: most of my days passed by quickly in my studio preparing for the little craft show. little moments were found, responsible for keeping my sanity.

december:: we drove down south to my family & the cotton fields. luke & i cuddled by the fire & exchanged gifts together. i baked bread- a goal for the winter season. & i finished my 365 project.

this project has been pretty big for me. big because i completed the project & big because this year has been full of changes- graduating, moving, saying goodbye, finding peace in the quiet, growing into who we are. & i captured it all. every day. that feels really good. & i'm proud.
you can see all of year's photos {here}.

cheers to the new year! there is so much goodness to be had!

noticing

2011-12-29T05:56:00.000-08:00

my camera & i,
along with my two favorite boys,
went on a hike yesterday afternoon.
i couldn't help but notice & take it all in.

i really love it when he brings his camera, too.

love,
natalie

lingering in the year

2011-12-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

savoring each quiet moment leading up to the new year. follow along as i complete my 365 project over {here}.

love,
natalie

merry & bright

2011-12-26T18:32:00.000-08:00

i cannot quite put my finger on exactly what made this holiday so magical, but it definitely has a lot to do with family. living close to family, seeing our grandparents, sleeping next to siblings under the tree {clothed in matching christmas pajamas, of course!}, celebrating birthdays {& forgetting the candles... 51-2 = 49, right?! hah!}, last minute handmade with lots of love gifts, taking a few moments to notice the sparkle, new plants added to our home for a bit more green, & a year of hardship with lots of unconditional love & understanding mixed in.

well, those might be a few of the reasons for the magic. i am in awe of the season among us. & oh, so thankful.

love,
natalie

from the cotton fields back home

2011-12-23T05:43:00.000-08:00

what's a favorite tradition in your home during the holidays? i love my christmas with just luke right before all of the festivities begin. this year we lit the fireplace, read the story of Jesus' birth, drank a glass of wine & opened simple gifts from one another.

wishing you warmth, love & cheer this season!
happy everything!

love,
natalie

a favorite tradition: christmas cards

2011-12-21T05:58:00.000-08:00

i am all about christmas cards. as soon as thanksgiving is behind us, i sit down to write an email, asking friends & family, near & far {who seem to move just as much as we do!}, for their address. then, the creating begins. here's just a glimpse of our {christmas card} from our first year of marriage. this year, i thought a little less of the sarcastic tone would be a bit more appropriate...

i gathered clippings from our rosemary plant & made miniature wreaths, tying embroidery floss to the top to secure its shape. i ordered a stamp from paper source & adorned both to kraft cardstock. on the other side, i attached a small photo of us with red & white tape. a very simple, inexpensive card.

even if most days do not allow for connecting with the ones we love most, christmas is the time to send a little card through the post, reminding others of your love for them. i really like that.

----

merry christmas & happy holidays!

love,
natalie

natural holiday decorations

2011-12-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

this christmas, luke & i have decided to only purchase from small artists & makers for holiday gifts & decorations. what is not purchased from others is either handmade or found in nature.
we purchased the wool felt pinecone from ella & gathered branches, pinecones & berries from the land behind our little neighborhood. the rest was either thrifted from years past or made by hand. our home feels so warm & cozy with simple decor to remind us of this blessed advent season.

love,
natalie

six months! oh, & the show!

2011-12-06T10:41:00.000-08:00

the little craft show was a huge success! the tunes were rockin' & the room was packed. it was the perfect day for purchasing handmade & unique gifts for loved ones. i am so incredibly thankful for all who supported us in this little adventure. it was amazing.

yesterday also marked six months of living in arkansas. six really, really hard months of growth, change, renewal, sadness & joy. this place still doesn't feel like home, but it is so very necessary for life. for growing & for learning about self. everyday i miss my comfortable life in columbia, but the quietness & stillness of moving to a new community has allowed for some big growth in who i am & intimate connection with my husband. i feel a mix of loneliness & strength when i think about the last six months. & peace. peace is good.

love,
natalie

a gift to you

2011-11-29T06:06:00.000-08:00

free domestic shipping on all items in the {shop} this week! pick up a set of bookmarks or a pack of gift tags. happy holidays!

coupon code: SHIP4FREETHISWK

love,
natalie

saturday to the christmas tree farm

2011-11-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

i love this beautiful season of cooler days & warmer hearts. we picked the perfect tree from a farm nearby & drove home to the hum of our old truck. we drank hot chocolate with marshmallows & decorated the tree to our favorite christmas album. our tree isn't fancy, just hand-me-downs & childhood favorites, but we love it so much. as i drive up to our home, i love to see the sparkle peeking through the window.

it's that time of year, friends.

love,
natalie

chick love.

2011-10-31T11:29:00.000-07:00

our little flock of five had their first afternoon outside. their personalities really came to life as some pecked at the kale & others hid behind our bucket of spent lettuce. such a wonderful saturday spent harvesting baskets of green beans & watching our little chicks. they sure are growing into their little chicken ways of pecking & scratching.

we have finally decided on names. drum roll, please! fennel, violet, fern, parsley & rosemary.
we just love them & our little backyard full of life.

love,
natalie

inspiration in the studio

2011-10-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

bits of inspiration from a thrifted book full of beautiful native american art. i have been coming back to these images for inspiration as i create new necklaces for the little craft show.

happy wednesday, friends!

love,
natalie

autumn at home

2011-10-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

luke brought home a handful of heirloom pumpkins, squash & gourds grown on the farm.
this evening i harvested turnips, sugar snaps & salad greens from the garden. we feasted on several varieties of heirloom sweet potatoes, sauteed turnip greens in lard & a fresh salad.

this weekend i am headed to an artisan craft fair with the close women of my family. it is a family tradition & one i always look forward to. have a great weekend & enjoy the goodness of this season!

love,
natalie

canning & home preserving workshop + a secret!

2011-10-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

hello, friends! october is such a beautiful month here in the ozarks & with this month comes much busyness. we have added a {flock} to our backyard, harvested a {bounty} of delicious autumn vegetables from our garden & absolutely swooned over the sweet, sweet {melodies} of beirut in st. louis {more on that to come!}.

i even taught a canning & home preserving workshop at ozark folkways. the class lasted about three hours, complete with a packet full of recommended reads {thank you, tend friends!}, equipment needed for success, & my own apple butter recipe to take home. two students attended, which, to be honest, is a huge success for a class in this area. the students brought home four jars of their delicious apple butter each & a goody bag of fabric swatches & handmade tags to decorate their preserves. the class was not perfect & next time i will make sure to cover more specifics of canning terminology & skill, but for now, i am really happy with the final product & encouraged to continue.
----

& finally... i cannot keep this secret any longer! my friend,{amber}, & i are hosting {the little craft show} in northwest arkansas! after many emails, coffee dates, & desperate phone calls, this holiday handmade fair is finally coming together! if you have a little minute, please stop on my our website. you can also follow us on twitter & "like" us on facebook. we are so excited to bring such a special event to this area & celebrate the warm, handmade feeling of this upcoming holiday season!

ahh, now i feel much better! the secret's out!

love,
natalie

autumn camping trip

2011-09-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

this past weekend we made a trip to the ozarks for our autumn camping tradition. we brought along some fresh produce from our garden & ingredients for amy's banana boats. we hiked along the yellow rock trail with huck by our side. i napped in the chilly afternoon air on our new hammock underneath a soft wool blanket. i took home a mossy rock & pretty acorn to remember our trip. next time we will remember the coffee!

love,
natalie

looking at 3 months of labor

2011-09-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

this morning i walked out into the foggy air bare-footed with huck by my side. as i came close to the end of the yard, i turned around to find three months of hard work right in front of me. i was proud to see our four raised beds, along with the flower beds bursting with color & the soil in our cold frame covered in new lettuce.

gardening does that to you. you plant a seed, add a little hard work in there & then suddenly you have a garden full of life. no, my garden is nothing to boast about & it sure isn't perfect, but this morning everything just felt right.

love,
natalie

ideas for inspiration

2011-09-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

this morning i woke up with a case of the uninspired & unmotivated blues. this really should not be the case due to many happenings in the upcoming months & a handmade christmas on the way. still, it happened.

instead of sitting around hoping that inspiration would smack me upside the head while doing little, piddly things around the house, i decided to get out. i walked around downtown with my film camera, stopped by for a cappucino, called a friend, a visited a favorite antique shop.

there i found shelves of glass bottles.

beautiful arrangements & warm autumn tones.

& this pretty little vase, which i took home with me...

along with a collection of small bottles & a bag of quarts.

before heading off on my creative adventure, i asked my people on facebook what to do with the unmotivated & unispired blues. here are few ideas that may work for you:

+ color in a coloring book
+ take a deep breath & listen to your favorite music
+ {this} sweet little blog
+ {knit} a gift!
+ {make} change
+ go for a walk
+ {build} something!
+{pin} it
+paint white on white
+ read {letters to a young poet}
+google your favorite era or time period
+ renew your {soul}

what are some of your tricks to get the creativity flowing?

love,
natalie

in the studio

2011-09-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

this week's been full of something i can quite put my finger on. that something that leaves me fighting back tears in the line at the grocery store & while making dinner at home.

so i cleaned my studio & brought in some of my favorite things- a floral chest, a handmade banner, a worn quilt made by my great grandmother & a bouquet of flowers from the garden.

i hope i can soon get back into the rhythm of life & its ups & downs.

2011-09-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

hi! the weekend was full of absolute love. we spent our days close to family & dearly missed friends. we savored local bakery treats & talked among the many booths of arts & crafts at the fair. there was even a bit of karaoke late in the night- "this land is your land" sang by yours truly!

we managed to get in a bit of relaxing during the long weekend, too. reading the help (love!) & watching little basil in the garden were among two of my favorite parts of the day. enjoy your week. i'm sure i'll be back soon.

love,
natalie

happenings

2011-09-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

your thoughts on my recent post were such an encouragement. thank you! i have been busying myself with work around the home & finding absolute peace in it all. this week i froze cherries, red bell peppers & tomato soup for the upcoming seasons. i dried some herbs & re-organized the pantry. the flowers are blooming & the light in the morning reminds me that fall is near. luke brought home a basket of pears & my mind is dreaming up what delicious syrups & jams could be made with such delicious local treats.

this weekend we are looking forward to a quiet friday evening, a bluegrass & crafts fair with sweet friends on saturday & a birthday to celebrate 92 years of grandad's life on sunday! enjoy that extra lazy day on monday & happy friday!

love,
natalie

ps. have you seen this, this & this? summer is still here, friends.

from routine to radical

2011-08-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

this summer has been invaluable. i have grown, i have stretched. i have cried, i have learned. leaving columbia felt like a fist to my stomach & it sometimes feels like that still. throughout all of those unwanted changes, i have grown a whole heck of a lot. i am proud of that.

columbia was very comfortable. i had a group of women whom i loved dearly. we had a church. we worked at an artisan bakery & coffee shop. we played in our garden & biked everywhere. i was learning in a classroom, earning my degree.

i've written a lot about the process of moving from comfortable columbia to the south. biking is non-existent so we were forced to buy a second vehicle. a lot of people in this town are much older, making it difficult to form friendships. we are still looking for a church & sometimes my job is pretty awful.

but throughout all of that, we are finding that we can still thrive. i work part-time (a decision luke & i made together), which allows for me to devote many hours to self-learning & experimenting. we are adding chickens to our backyard soon & harvesting most of the food we eat from the farm where luke works & the garden in our own backyard. we plan to attend a bee-keeping club next month & learn to work a hive come next season. i am adding full jars of pickles, preserves & tomatoes to our pantry daily & have the time to read books & articles of my own choosing.

i recently picked-up radical homemakers & was challenged & inspired in more ways that i can express here. although i do not subscribe to her ideology fully, i believe she has stuff worth saying. time at home can feel so routine sometimes. those dishes are never-ending & the garden never seems to look perfect. it can also feel lonely. i miss luke when he is gone & those friendships in columbia can start to feel impossibly far away.

there is something radical (& i believe that's what shannon hayes is cluing us readers in on) in removing ourselves from the consumer lifestyle, building up community wherever we are, cultivating the home, & growing to find worth in the day-to-day.

once i figured this out, i sort of felt radical myself. this morning i found satisfaction in making honey peach preserves to be given as gifts & savored during the winter months. i watered the garden this morning & was over-joyed with the ripe tomatoes on the vine. fresh whole wheat banana bread is cooling in the kitchen & home-made butter is ready for eating.

there is just something absolutely beautiful about having time to live in the moment, use what you're given & spend time with the ones you cherish most.

love,
natalie

our swimming hole

2011-08-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

we enjoyed every minute of the swimming hole. our swimming hole. hiking the creek bed, jumping into the cool water, finding bugs, catching small fish with our hands, basking in the sun, eating hummus sandwiches on the rocks.
my favorite place to be during the summer.
what's yours?

love,
natalie

weekend bits

2011-08-22T05:03:00.001-07:00

happy monday! we celebrated luke's birthday with family this weekend. a trip to the farmer's market, the library, & an independent book shop {he chose this great book}. delicious late lunch, birthday cake & homemade ice cream to top it all off. oh yes, we also cannot forget the birthday run afterward.

can you feel summer beginning to fade? we woke up this morning to a darker haze & dew on the ground. we plan to savor every moment of the sweet summer days. i just love it all so much.

love,
natalie

happy birthday, luke!

2011-08-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

happy birthday to my sweet love, luke!

right now

2011-08-19T05:48:00.000-07:00

+ enjoying every bit of summer

+ loving the new 3191 & excited for a year of sundays

+ picking freshly bloomed zinnias from the garden for the dinner table

+ preparing the freshest of meals & enjoying every delicious & perfectly ripen tomato

+ happy to have visited the goat farm that supplies our weekly raw milk. met some pretty cute chickens, too. a goat farm in our future? probably not.

+ ordered our first chicks! should arrive late september (!!)

+purchased this book as a guide. truly a book for beginners. i love it!

+ did you see the week of guest posts at tend?

+ & for some inspiration: amanda's kitchen will brighten anyone's day

+ off to make a delicious chocolate cake for luke's birthday this saturday! lets cross our fingers & hope it doesn't slip off the plate & onto the floor like last time. hah!

love,
natalie

rhythm of the seasons

2011-08-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

we are truly enjoying the long days of summer. we harvested the first tomato & cantaloupe from our garden. i am so proud of the herbs we started from tiny seeds. they are growing just enough for making pesto & drying for the winter months ahead. we made our first batch of pickles & have been blessed with cool mornings. cool enough for a bit of weeding & tending to the flowers.

i am finding that this space, my writing & most of my photographs reflect the rhythm of the seasons. as i grow into who i am, i feel myself also growing closer to nature, its landscapes, patterns & life. i've been searching recently for a new form for my blog to take. after almost three years of writing & changing radically as a person throughout, i do believe that my path is leading toward one that is sustainable & reflective of the seasons. i want to focus on the food we grow & eat, the choices we make in our home & the ease of simpler living.

if you have suggestions on how to improve this space or things you really enjoy about my blog, please do let me know. i know that i am so encouraged by your ideas & am thankful for the relationships that have flourished throughout this process.

love,
natalie

supporting our family

2011-08-10T07:49:00.000-07:00

i am so proud of luke & the work he is doing at kerr. last week, luke & his director hosted a garden tour for surrounding farmers to learn about sustainable projects happening on their organic farm.

i learned so much about composting, vermaculture, water-saving irrigation methods & heat-tolerant varieties of heirloom vegetables. i was beaming when luke presented his work on composting with resources from the farm & using worms as nutrient-rich additives for soils. he is a real organic farmer & providing for our family! i just couldn't help but feel incredibly thankful for his passions, hard work & efforts.

love,
natalie

celebrating two years & real-life stuff

2011-08-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

we celebrated two sweet years of marriage. we had a small celebration this past weekend with luke's family. his younger siblings made a meal, set the table for two & served us the most delicious dinner & dessert. it was the sweetest time. on monday, luke brought home a bouquet of sunflowers & a handful of chicken feathers from the farm. we made a meal together at home & then went out for frozen yogurt.

with another year down & many more to come, it allows for some time of reflection. i've been thinking a lot about vulnerability & how that plays into one's life. to be honest, i have a hard time being vulnerable in this space. but to be really honest, my life isn't full of rainbows & sprinkles as it might sometimes appear in this space. luke & i are dealing with some really hard life stuff right now.

not even a week after we moved here, we bought a used truck with most of our savings. after being informed that the truck has much more damage than we previously believed, is unsafe to drive & isn't worth more than about $400 at the salvage yard, we had a pretty big breakdown. because this town does not allow for alternative commuting with its uneducated drivers & limited sidewalks, we were forced to borrow a car from luke's family until we figured everything out. well, we still haven't figured it out. i start a new job next week & need to return their car the following week. being the poorest we have ever been & in a new community without that support we are so used to, we feel on edge with very little options.

throughout all of this struggle, though, we are growing closer. celebrating two years among all of this junk makes life a little more manageable & sweeter. i am learning, slowly, that it is all about perspective & the choice to focus on the positive rather than the negative. i now savor the moments at dinnertime instead of using the evening to check off my to do list. when i used to catch up on email & blogs throughout the weekend, i disconnect from my laptop & instead connect with my husband. these intentional choices are allowing us to grow together, learn together & create together. each day i am incredibly thankful to be with him, my sweet farmer, lover & friend. even if it feels like hell sometimes.

love,
natalie

enjoying home

2011-07-29T06:35:00.000-07:00

yesterday evening a cool breeze swept through our town & brought with it the most beautiful summer storm. we placed basil in his hutch before dark & sat all of the plants in the yard to take full advantage of the cool summer shower.

we enjoyed leek & potato soup for dinner.

& i added a bouquet of sage to the soup for a bit more of flavor.

i sliced cucumbers from the garden's harvest to add to our feast. so crunchy & sweet.

luke brought home these beauties from the farm for me.
the chicken feathers will soon be made into earrings.

after dinner, we headed to the garden for some weeding & enjoying. we found this little guy tucked under a tomato leaf, chomping on our healthy plant.

this week has been a relief from the gloomy cloud that seems to have been hovering over my mental state. i am thankful for this peace. daily, i am reminded of the privilege to live such a comfortable life even when it isn't necessarily deserved. friends, how are you doing?

love,
natalie

oregon in film: alberta neighborhood

2011-07-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

due to technical difficulties (also known as the film lady scanned my negatives backward so i need to edit all of them), the farmers' market photos will simply have to wait. although i am without pretty vegetable photos for today, i am so excited to express my love for the alberta neighborhood in portland. its an absolute gem! so funky & bursting with flavor.

i took this photo for luke, knowing he would get a kick out of seeing a greenhouse in a front yard. he loved it & wished we could do the same. amazing, right?

between the alberta co-op grocery, sweet little store fronts & the many urban gardens- i could see luke & i calling this wonderful neighborhood home. perhaps someday. for now, trips out west will do just fine.

love,
natalie

oregon in film: ace & clyde common

2011-07-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

last month i made a trip to portland & along the oregon coast with my mom & brother. perfect timing after all the stress of moving & transitioning to a new place. i absolutely love oregon... the trees, the people, the food, the places. of course, a trip to portland is not complete without a visit to the ace hotel.

afterward we headed to clyde common for happy hour & lunch.

i will be back with more from the saturday farmers' market in portland tomorrow!

love,
natalie

weekend gardening

2011-07-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

let me just say, i am pretty sure you are getting tired of my many gardening entries. i am totally aware, but lets just be honest- i love getting deep down into the lush green of the leaves & photographing the progress of it all.

i mean really, we are growing food, people! it is so beautiful & incredibly exciting to watch as food grows right in front of us.

our cantaloupe grows inches by the day.

& we have the cutest miniature butternut squash growing up our handmade trellis.

on sunday night, i watched as the bees buzzed in & out of each blossom near our cucumbers & close to our bush beans.

we even have a small watermelon that will soon be tied to the trellis as it grows larger by the day.

this weekend we harvested three cucumbers! crunchy & sweet, we love this heat-tolerant variety from johnny's seeds.

of course, there are multiple purposes for freshly harvested food from the garden... a fake mustache is one of many.

happy tuesday to you, friends! i will be over at tend a little later on today!

love,
natalie

friday estate sale pretties!

2011-07-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

happy friday, friends! i woke up early this morning & headed out to an estate sale. once i was there, my head was spinning. so many good pieces & affordable prices, too! i came away with three boxes of ball jelly jars in various shapes & sizes. i added the ones above to my antique booth.

i also picked up a stack of national geographics from 1927, '28 & '29. the photographs are stunningly beautiful & purely vintage. don't worry, those will be added to my {shop} next week!

after such success, i was incredibly inspired to actually finish some projects on my to-do list. i finally tackled the birdcage & stand that had been in my studio for almost a month.

i spray-painted the piece glossy apple red. rust-proof & so cute, i had to do every thing in me not to display it in my kitchen... & keep it there.

perfect as a plant stand for a covered porch, too. i added this beauty to my antique booth just in time for the weekend. i am so thankful for this little burst of inspiration & motivation. this weekend, our family is headed to the lake for a reunion. enjoy the weekend, friends!

love,
natalie

in the studio today

2011-07-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

enjoying studio time today.
:: listening to iron & wine
:: have you seen this? magic.
:: purchased fleet foxes tickets for tulsa in september!! (!!!!)
:: added some beauties
:: inspired by this
:: dreamy
:: thankful for tend

cheers to a happy tuesday, friends!

love,
natalie

an enjoyable weekend

2011-07-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

i really enjoyed reading your responses to my previous post on setting internet boundaries & i am so happy that i was able to serve as a bit of inspiration for some of you! my weekend was simply wonderful & i am so happy to have made the choice to turn off the computer. i felt refreshed once i returned this afternoon to my studio...even after a home improvement weekend so that says a lot.

we stayed close to home for most of the weekend, finishing projects around the house. we hung lanterns from our covered front porch, built trellises for our overgrown cantaloupe & watermelon plants, & other little odds & ends around the home. luke's brother, joel, also came to stay for the night. this afternoon we had a ridiculously good time making produce bags from my stash of vintage fabric.

wishing you all a happy monday evening... after such a good weekend, it can be hard to get back into the groove.

love,
natalie

making change

2011-07-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

last night was so nice. i roasted a whole chicken with fresh herbs from the garden, sauteed fennel & yellow squash from the farmers' market & mashed some new potatoes with fresh cream & rosemary. i also made a blueberry-peach bundt cake for dessert. delicious.

we cleaned up the dishes early, played a game of scrabble & spent the evening reading. luke sewed a patch on the knee of his work pants & i soon fell asleep snuggled close.

our evenings together have become precious, a highlight of my day. with this, i want to savor every moment so i am making change, setting a few boundaries. i plan to be unplugged from my laptop during the weekend. no email, no flickr, no blog. i also want to do this when luke is home from work in the evenings. i hope this change in our daily rhythm will make for open communication & real freedom on our days off.

i am both excited & honestly, a little nervous. do you set boundaries for internet/television time? if not, i hope this serves as a bit of inspiration for you!

happy friday & i'll see you back here on monday.

love,
natalie

ps. a little shop update {here}!

adding it all up

2011-07-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

i have found that once i begin to actually open up, good things happen. after writing to you all about my hard week, i instantly felt some relief. thanks so much listening. a few friends called me, too. there's nothing better than a little woman-to-woman therapy.

so today, after so much love from you people, i actually got some stuff done around the roost! i hung some pictures on the wall, swept all of the floors & (gasp!) made our bed.

i worked in the garden, too. the rain clouds came in this afternoon & cooled it down a bit. i trained the cucumbers & butternut squash to their trellises & did some weeding.

i also stopped by the thrift & found these beauties. a bag of antique forks for 25 cents (i think i've never loved silverware so much!) & a hand stitched quilt for 2 bucks! i'm pretty sure i made a fool of myself right there in salvation army when i found that quilt just sitting there in a pile.

hey, it's those little moments in life that really add up to the goodness of it all.

any goodness happening to you right now?

love,
natalie

happenings

2011-07-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

this past week was hard. to be totally honest, i haven't felt such lows since moving here. the house was (& still is) a disaster & i couldn't come up with one ounce of motivation to do much of anything. it is a tough reminder when you realize you are only human & really need a community to live life fully. once you move away from that community, life downright sucks sometimes. also, having a bright red kitchen & dining room doesn't help much either. so i painted with my mom & brother. & it was just what i needed to bring me back. that green really speaks to me.

luke & i also made a trip to his family's home for the goodness of comfort from such a hard week. we made a date of it, too, & had breakfast at brick house kitchen & a late morning of purchasing fresh foods from the farmer's market. fennel & bowls of heirloom tomatoes- so good.

we had such good conversations with luke's mom. just the right amount of clarity to keep you going even in the junk of life.

we headed back & spent sunday at our home-in-the-making. the garden is beginning to feel just right.

basil soaking up every bit of the summer heat

& our first sighting of tomatoes.

of course, things still aren't peachy & every single day i am reminded of the process of living, but these little meltdowns are reminding me that i am growing & learning. just knowing that is reassuring.

love,
natalie

bits of a long weekend

2011-07-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

we really enjoyed our long weekend spent at home & with family. we played in the summer heat & hung laundry to dry. luke made a delicious pesto focaccia & i harvested the first of this season's lavender. basil played in the flower beds while i worked in the garden.

of course, no fourth of july is complete without american flags. just leave a link to your blog in the comments section... i'd love to see your weekend festivities!

love,
natalie

THE BOOTH.

2011-07-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

hello, july! you are already off to a great start...

i opened my antique booth today! i hope to expand once luke & i are fully settled into this new place, but for now my booth is a humble little space of antique & vintage beauties.

vintage aprons hung from baby bed springs

milk crates & a vintage mesh lawn chair

i am just so excited to see where this might take us. although leaving our home in missouri has been so difficult, i am thankful for the opportunity to fully be in my creative surroundings & work from home. life is always about the give & take, right?

love,
natalie

home & work

2011-06-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

hello, friends! how are you doing on this fine wednesday afternoon? i just returned from an incredible trip along the oregon coast. i cannot wait to share my photos with you once my film is developed.

++

i am also excited to share an etsy shop {update} with you. i have been working hard to get my studio ready & finally (!!!) i am able to sit down at my desk & work from home. it feels so good. now i just need some tunes to jazz up my day.

any songs you're enjoying right now?

love,
natalie

wednesday love

2011-06-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

hi, you! today is a good day.
+ listening to this
+eating this for breakfast (smitten kitchen, you are so good)
+love this
+watched this
+packing for here
+leaving tomorrow
+added him to our family

see you soon!

love,
natalie

a weekend trip to kerr

2011-06-20T04:42:00.000-07:00

happy monday! this weekend was wonderfully good. we packed a picnic & headed toward the kerr center for sustainable agriculture where luke now works. he showed me the many educational & research projects he is working on along with the beautiful landscapes this sweet, sweet place offers.

after the farm, we headed toward the pond for a cool dip in the water & dinner by the dock.

the kerr center is full of magic & i am excited to go back. i am so proud of luke's accomplishments & look forward to supporting him as he learns more & grows into his new career.
----

other things happened this weekend, too. i cooked an entire WHOLE chicken from the local monastery in town. oh yes, i did! after staring blankly at the chicken for a couple of days, i finally dug in in & roasted it successfully. we have made three meals from the meat so far & plan to use the bones for broth. on saturday, i spent the entire morning at yard sales & filled up the back of the car with vintage goodness. we also visited the farmer's market & picked up a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers & our first weekly order of raw goat milk.

a good weekend full of time together outside- i couldn't ask for anything more.

love,
natalie

2011-06-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

many good things have happened this week & for that i am so thankful. i paid my first month of rent on an antique booth (!!!!) & luke is really enjoying his new job. overall it was a great first week of real life for us in our new home. we have some nice plans for the weekend- packing a picnic & swimming at the farm's lake, attending the farmer's market, picking up our first order of local goat's milk, & a few yard sales. well, i must get back to the kitchen... i am conquering my first whole chicken! (more on that, i promise)

do you have any plans for this beautiful weekend? cheers!

love,
natalie

a trip down a country road + a portland trip + some pretty big news!

2011-06-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

the charm of a country road during the summer is irresistible. we drove down several as we were making our way back home from berry picking. i stopped along one to photograph the grazing cows, barbed wire fences & queen anne's lace. i picked one, got back into the car & kept the windows down the entire way home. summer is in full swing here.

---
also, today marks my first day of working from home. i am really nervous & pretty terrified of the whole idea. staying at home? me? with a college degree? & no kids? yes & it is pretty scary. i plan to begin unpacking my studio, photographing pieces, & working towards a humble income from my etsy shop & antique booth. i am not really sure why luke is fully supporting me, but he is & i am incredibly thankful.

& as for motivation to get this all up & running? my mom is taking me on a trip to seattle & portland in a little over a week!! if you are in the oregon area, please let me know! i'd love to meet up with you at a coffee shop or for lunch.

now- off to those boxes...

love,
natalie

blueberry season is here!

2011-06-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

we traveled to tontitown, a small country town known for its antique stores, italian food & deliciously plump blueberries. a beautiful combination.

we arrived early before the summer heat made its way to the farm.

we picked gallons of blueberries ready for baking, preserving & enjoying.

blueberry jam for biscuits & blueberry syrup for luke's delicious pancakes. we still have another gallon in the fridge- do you have any ideas?

----
we are finding our way around this place & beginning to feel a little more at home. thank you for all of your responses on feeling at home. i look forward to opening those boxes & hanging up favorite artwork, setting up my studio, & making comfortable nooks around our home.

love,
natalie

THE MOVE.

2011-06-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

we cleaned, we packed, WE MOVED. we are safely in our new southern home. after three days, we are finding that this small town has its challenges. still, we are continuing to step forward, allowing ourselves the grace to cry a little, relax when we are beyond exhausted & eat snowcones when life is a little too difficult for healthy coping. we are thankful for this place & luke's job regardless of the small difficulties life seems to be throwing our way.

and of course, home is not home without a raised bed.

we obviously have our priorities right. as i am sitting here, using two boxes as a "desk," i am happy to see a raised bed outside the window. we plan to build three more this week.

what do you do to make a new place feel more like home?

the goodness of home.

2011-05-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

it is impossible to describe the weight on my heart as we pack up our lives, say goodbye to our sweet friends & move back to our home state. the goodness of this place has filled us up for four years, made us anew & brought us together. we are tremendously grateful for our beautiful friends, the progressive culture of thought & our home that we have experienced here. i want to keep this goodness close to my thoughts & heart as we make this difficult {but good & necessary} transition. this week will be a hard one, i am sure of that.

i plan to keep quiet around here this week, but i will stop over at tend on tuesday so please drop by.

love,
natalie

etsy moving sale!

2011-05-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

hi, friends! just a quick reminder to let you know the etsy moving sale will close on wednesday so grab some goodies while you can! i plan to close the shop until late june when we will be fully moved into our new home!

love,
natalie

a family date in the park

2011-05-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

luke, huck & i made a picnic for ourselves under a small tree in the park. we soaked up the sun & i finished my first book of the summer, made from scratch by jenna woginrich. such a beautiful saturday afternoon spent together as a family.

this morning, luke is making blueberry buttermilk pancakes for us. they're almost ready!

love,
natalie

a revolution

2011-05-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

we graduated! luke has a bachelor of science in sustainable agriculture. i have a bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis in women's and gender studies, youth studies and education. this weekend we celebrated our accomplishments with our sweet families. it was such a wonderful time & we are so thankful for the support our families have given us in our decision to marry before completing college. each & every day i am reminded of the abundant love of our families.
as we transition into this new chapter, we are filled with excitement of how we will spend our evenings together without the pressures of writing papers, studying for exams, or completing service hours. last night we watched a movie together! i cleaned up the ol' blog, added some new pages, & bartered with a friend for a new banner! we read books of our own choosing! our house is even clean.
people, we are experiencing a revolution!

love,
natalie

garden beauty

2011-05-13T15:55:00.001-07:00

oh, our spring garden warms my heart. the snap peas are flowering, the arugula is ready for harvesting & the strawberries are ripening. daily i walk around our garden & watch for little signs of change.

love,
natalie

a few updates + shop sale!

2011-05-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

woah. seriously.
we are graduating this weekend. we are packing up a moving van & heading down south in a little under three weeks. if that isn't enough for an update, here are a few more.

- {him + her designs} is having a moving sale! i'll be closin' up shop soon so grab some goodies while you can!
-speaking of moving, we found a house! we had one day to find a place to live & we {thankfully!} did it.
- i am participating in {tend} & i just love it. if you have a moment, stop on by. this week, i talk a little bit about {propagating}.

i wish you a great start to the week! i have some work to finish up & a bit of packing to do.

love,
natalie

may day + some help on beauty products

2011-05-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

may day & cosmetics- what a combination! two completely different topics but topics worth talking about. so lets get started.

may day was exceptionally wonderful. my friend, {vivian}, & i exchanged little surprises of life. i potted some herb starts from the cold frame, harvested some radishes & gathered some spring bulbs for next year's planting. she gifted me some yellow potted daisies in a pretty little daffodil teapot. we attended the {really, really free market} & finished off our day with ice cream. i believe in may & all of its wonderful goodness- the beginning of spring's harvest & consistently warm temperatures {well, usually}.

may also tends to spring on new ideas for me & this may is no different.
in the midst of all of life's craziness, i spent an hour on sunday standing in the isles of target picking up bottles of beauty products & scanning through the list of confusing & unfriendly ingredients. finally, i settled for some tom's toothpaste, a generic shampoo & floss.

after watching {this} & hearing about {this}, i have become fully aware of the toxins i intentionally put on & inside of my body & the ignorance of the government to avoid regulations on these products. i have attempted to purchase the earth-friendly & healthy products, but right now we just cannot afford a $10 bottle of shampoo.

i am realizing that the best option for us would be to make our own beauty care products. unfortunately, i haven't had much luck with this. last year i attempted to make our own toothpaste & by the middle of the winter i was using a knife to saw off bits of the toothpaste from the jar because the coconut oil had hardened.

so here is where you come in. i need your advice, your wisdom, your recipes!
are there any affordable products on the market that are safe?
do you have any recipes that are user-friendly & relatively easy to make?

thanks so much & i really look forward to reading your thoughts on this topic.

love,
natalie

easter sunday hike.

2011-04-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

easter sunday- church service & potluck, a hike in the woods, foraging morels & fiddleheads, lush greenery all around, moss, bright mushrooms, a babbling creek, a happy & wet pup, leftover for dinner, kefir making, house cleaning, preparing for the busy week ahead, rest.

love,
natalie

quiet inside & out.

2011-04-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

enjoying the quiet moments both inside our home & outside.
relaxing on our sheep skin rug.
taking walks around our garden.

oh by the way- luke got the job! we are moving in six weeks!
i better savor the quiet right now!

love,
natalie

thanks.

2011-04-17T05:27:00.000-07:00

i must first begin with a big thank you.
i cannot even begin tell you how much your words meant to me... the emails, messages, comments & friends here simply asking... you are all so great & truly encouraging. as we drove into oklahoma, i was reminded of all of your advice... don't instantly judge, seek the adventure, you will be with your life partner through all of this. & without even really noticing, i was walking into the library to ask questions, excited for the many amazing {!!!} thrift shops & scouting out potential homes.
the biggest moment came when i was checking out at salvation army. the woman asked where i was from & i told her my husband & i were here for a visit for an interview. she sighed heavily & wished me the best. she told me that jobs seemed to be the topic for the day; many were coming in without jobs, scraping by until something came their way. she only received part-time hours & her roommate finally found a job after months of searching.
i thanked her & as i walked out realized, i am so privileged. this "problem" of finding the perfect piece of land with similar, like-minded people surrounding me & a career for luke so that i can focus on creative pursuits is actually, not a "problem" at all. it is tough to admit when you're completely oblivious to your unearned privilege, but i am most of the time. i am thankful for the woman at salvation army who knocked me out of my selfish mindset.
when luke came back from his interview, he was so excited for this job opportunity. i, too, was excited. we can make this place home just like our comfortable little town of columbia, missouri.

& onto learning about yourself & how much you have to learn, my birthday was on monday. at only 22, there are many more discoveries to be made!

sweet luke did everything! he baked the cake, built the fire pit, prepared the grass-fed burgers & entertained everyone. over 50 friends came to the party! i was so shocked to see so many of those that i love.

& it was also so bittersweet. i will miss these people, this community so much, but there is so much to look forward to. we must keep our heads up as we look forward.
we find out in about a week if luke was accepted for the job. keep us in your thoughts as we anxiously wait.

love,
natalie

we're a team.

2011-04-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

i have been thinking about this entry for some time now. still, my thoughts feel incomplete & the words are hard to make. for now, we will start off slowly...

as you all probably already know, luke & i are finishing our undergraduate degrees in may.

during our four years here, we have met & fallen in love, built community with our church family & dear friends, found our passion for cultivating the earth, & learned to live simply in our home. along with many other simple moments, these are the events that have led up to who we are now.

but of course, we have always known that these roots were temporary. at some point, we knew we must uproot & move to a new place, a new city, a new people, a new home.
for me, that reality is both equally exciting & really, really hard.

i imagined our new home in the northern states, close to many sustainable agricultural opportunities in a budding city with culture & good food & progressive people. i naively imagined our lives would perfectly line up exactly where i wanted our lives to line up. i was craving both adventure & comfort.

as it most often goes, that isn't exactly how it is all turning out to be.

luke recently received an email from an advisor urging him to apply to a position in oklahoma. this position is amazing! salary, full benefits, & he would learn so much. his job would bring purpose & would work toward research in community agriculture & sustainable production of poultry.
of course, the position is in oklahoma. in the middle of nowhere oklahoma.
once he emailed his resume, he received a call a few days later for an interview.
this is when it began to hit me.

i've cried. i've stressed myself out. i've grown exhausted from all of the worry & doubts & fears. the thought of uprooting our family to a place with little to offer other than a great career opportunity really scares me.

this decision has been the most difficult decision we have had to work through in our marriage.

i want to put up my wall & simply pretend like it isn't happening. we will find something better. this isn't the place for us.

luke continually challenges me to live outside of my comfort. reminds me that i can make a home almost anywhere as long as there is a thrift store.

although he is undoubtedly right, i have grown angrier & more frustrated by the day. moving in less than two months with little to no idea where leaves me scattered, uneasy & anxious. i've never felt so unsure of my surroundings & the possibilities ahead.

in trying to calm the uneasiness inside, luke & i are traveling to oklahoma next week for a visit & his interview. i know hard conversations will be had & big decisions will need to be made. as we prepare for this time, i am choosing to remind myself that we are a team. things will work out. he would never choose for me a place that would make me incredibly unhappy & of course- i would do the same for him.

as i end this, there is no big conclusion as of now. we are still left in the in between. next week might bring some clarity. if anything, it will bring luke & i closer as we work through life & all of its baggage.

friends, thanks for allowing me to share my heart with you.

love,
natalie

happy spring, friends!

2011-03-20T16:12:00.001-07:00

spring is finally here & we can feel it... 70 degrees & sunny!

we celebrated the newness of this beautiful season with sun tea,
clean clothes hung on the line & finishing our spring garden.

i am looking forward to what this season has to offer...
the excitement of graduating, the time spent cultivating our little plot
& the adventure of moving to a new place
to make a new life.
wherever that may be.

enjoy your sunday evening, friends!

love,
natalie

simple changes.

2011-03-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

just a few changes around our home...

raw milk & cream delivered to our home.

growing starts...
healthy lettuce head, brocolli, cauliflower, kale, swiss chard & a variety of herbs

& hardening them off in our cold frame.

spring is almost here! just three more days! yippee!

love,
natalie

a little garden therapy

2011-03-09T19:28:00.001-08:00

this week has been really difficult.
i won't go into details, but lets just say- this week has been a real stinker. still, to my surprise, i can control the ways that i respond & deal with my emotions & overall mood. who would of thought?!

& one way i have learned how to cope with my mood swings & winter funk is to get my hands dirty. digging in the dirt, planting a seed, hoeing a bit... all of these simple tasks really clear my mind & lift my spirits.

so i am thankful that my internship is giving me the opportunity to start the gardening season a little earlier than our own garden at our home.

i always look forward to gathering the chicken's eggs. we also placed the head lettuce in the coop to harden them off. we will start planting them in the ground sometime next week.

we also thinned out the spinach in the hoop house. a mini spinach leaf salad has such flavor.

nothing quite compares to an afternoon of hard work to rejuvenate the mind, body & spirit.

love,
natalie

happy march!

2011-03-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

happy march, friends!

we had a great end to the month of february... {tori} came to stay with us & our fayetteville friends stopped by for a visit! we enjoyed a delicious cafe berlin breakfast, some nice thrifting, good conversation, a trip to the nursery for some new plants & warm weather.

we also got some great news! our fayetteville friends- vivian & the fam- are moving up here!
in three weeks!
i can hardly contain my excitement! they are such a lovely bunch & will be here so soon!

so many good things are happening!

& to share a bit of what is inspiring me... i opened my flickr this afternoon to find three really beautiful photos. {thought i'd share them with you!}

+ {heather's drawing from nature}
+ {amy's clementines}
+ {stephanie's split pea soup}

have a good night!

love,
natalie

a wintry sale + a sneak peek

2011-02-24T15:47:00.000-08:00

a little wintry sale in the {shop}...
50 percent off all jackets, coats & most sweaters!
the herringbone coat above is only $25!

& also- just a peek at what is to come.
pretty gingham, leather flats & woven handbags.
i'm swooning over this one in particular!

love,
natalie

along our walk.

2011-02-18T18:44:00.000-08:00

we walked around the neighborhood, scattering milkweed seeds along the way.

love,
natalie

ps. takin' a trip to st. louis with the love + friends. good food from {winslow's home} + trader joe's will definitely be part of the mix.

finding peace.

2011-02-15T15:27:00.001-08:00

i planned to write to you all yesterday evening about how i save a few bucks here & there. then, without expecting it one bit, luke swept me off my feet. he surprised me with a candlelit dinner in the comfort of our home along with my favorite ice cream, my own copy of "feeding the whole family" {!!!}, a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers & a chocolate bar.

his act of kindness warmed my heart & reminded me of the joy it is to be around him each & everyday. our evening wasn't spent at some fancy restaurant complete with dozens of roses & sparkly gems.

it was spent sharing conversation by candlelight. it was spent giving him a little hand-knit cozy for his hot drinks. it was spent loving one another fully & finding peace in who we are & what we have together.

finding peace in where you are... i believe that is the heart of cultivating a family, making a home, building community, spending less & saving a little more. once i began to believe that my identity, my future, our marriage & our lives were not centered around what we could have, i started to see what we had in each other. i began to find myself making more responsible choices that would sustain our lives.

i found myself choosing whole foods at the grocery store to prepare with luke in our home for dinner. i began owning up to my indulgent purchases & choosing to make rather than buy what i believed i "needed."

as i made these small choices one step at a time, our savings began to grow & our quality of life was strengthened.

so, to begin this series- i am reminded, through my husband's small act of kindness, that finding peace is the foundation for saving. i hope you, too, will look around & find joy in what you have & begin to make small, positive change.

love,
natalie

a sunny day + a giveaway winner!

2011-02-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

today has been such a good day. we woke up late to sunshine peering in through our curtains. we lazied around for a bit & then i made a trip to the antique store with a friend. i came home to find a clean house {thank you, besthusbandever!} & friends with heart-shaped cookies! we opened up the curtains & soaked up the warmth while talking & laughing together.

today was a reminder that spring is surely comin'!
------

& before i leave- i have a winner to announce! thanks to all who entered... it was great to read all of your suggestions & thoughts. lucky number 11 was randomly chosen! congratulations, katrin! she wrote, "your blog helps me refocus my day and gives me hope that my life can feel this way too." i will be emailing you soon! xo

have a lovely valentine's day! i will be back tomorrow with a little bit on my savings series!

love,
natalie

spring rearranging + a bit on budgeting

2011-02-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

i rearranged the house this weekend & added some fresh flowers along with a new {rosemary plant}. it makes such a difference having a little green around to brighten my spirits & kick those winter blues that seem to be creeping in. it also helped to read the latest {3191} & mav's take on overcoming the winter blues. you have no idea how much tea i've been drinking & oranges i've been eating since reading her tips... & you know- it really has helped!

of course, the month of february always reminds us of our spending habits. as soon as the tax returns roll in, we are reminded of how quickly we went through last year's.

this year has to be different, though. with the expenses of moving & not being sure of what they future holds for us {we are becoming "adults" with real jobs!}, saving our money is key! luke is an excellent saver. i, on the other hand, live in the moment... to put it nicely. so, this idea of "saving" is pretty foreign to me. thankfully i have a husband who will kindly nudge me into the right, frugal, penny-pinching direction.

i hope to have a sort of "savings" series on this blog... i'm not committing to too much... just sort of letting you guys know what i do this month to save a little more. it is definitely not "rocket science," but it is good to be mindful of where money is spent. to start off- some tips on making a {meal plan}!

have a lovely week, friends!
don't forget about the {giveaway}!

love,
natalie

a little gift...

2011-02-03T09:39:00.001-08:00

right now i am absolutely in love with old book pages.
& lucky for us- as luke & i were perusing a little antique shop- we found a beautiful german world atlas published in 1927!
the maps were too beautiful not to share so i posted a series on my {etsy shop!}
i am also offering free shipping on the original prints, too.

& as a big thank you for following along on the journey of this blog & my shop, i am offering a free map print as a giveaway! the print will be a surprise & not listed in the shop!
i will randomly pick a winner on february 10th!

just make sure to leave your name & email along with a comment about what you'd like to see more of on this little blog of mine.

thanks, everyone!
i cannot believe it has been over two years & almost 200 entries since i started this blog. i've never been more consistent with anything in my life.
i guess you guys are just too awesome!

love,
natalie

snow day + a little recipe love

2011-02-02T17:38:00.001-08:00

there is something about a snow day that brings magic to the everyday life.

luke & i woke up slowly, cuddled under our warm blankets.
light filled our home & flakes danced along our window panes.

luke made a special breakfast of buttermilk pancakes & eggs. we spread plum syrup over our warm cakes, a gift from a dear friend.

as soon as the temperature rose above the teens, we stepped outside wide-eyed & amazed by all of the snow. fifteen inches, actually.

we walked around the neighborhood in absolute delight.

all of the light. blue skies. deep green pine. birds chattering.

after a long walk & a visit to our neighbor's home, we hurried inside with wet socks & hungry bellies. time to dig through the pantry, make a hearty soup & some homemade biscuits.

now let me just remind you that our home isn't always perfect or heck! even clean. but what makes a snow day actually magical is the clarity to know that it isn't time to do the dishes, the pile of clothes can wait & the floor doesn't need sweeping. it is time to make biscuits.

now, a little side story {but absolutely necessary}- when one of my {close friends} lived here, she would always comment on her quick & easy biscuits that she would make for her family on the weekends. as soon as she left, i set out to find my own biscuit recipe in honor of her & also my craving to find a weekend biscuit of my own.

my go-to cookbooks are always from the mennonite community. i appreciate their views on holistic eating & the enjoyment of eating together. their cookbooks, {simply in season} & {more-with-less} are used for dinners most nights around here. so naturally, when i set out for the perfect recipe, i looked at these two cookbooks & of course, i found what i was looking for.

i hope you enjoy this recipe. it was inspired by the "basic biscuits" recipe from the {more-with-less} cookbook & adapted to fit our family preferences.

natalie's buttermilk biscuits, inspired by her good friend jess & more-with-less

{makes 10-12 large biscuits}

preheat oven to 425 degrees

sift together in bowl-
2 c. flour {part wheat & other part white}
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt

cut in-
1/4 cup vegetable shortening

add-
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup whole milk
{you can use all whole milk if you do not have any buttermilk on hand}
stir until soft ball is formed

turn dough onto floured surface & kneed lightly approx 20 times

roll dough out onto surface

cut with floured biscuit cutter
{i have used a heart cookie cutter before & it worked really well. perfect for valentine's day!}

place on ungreased baking sheet & bake for 10-12 minutes

take out of the oven when golden brown & serve warm

enjoy with soup.

love,
natalie

a bit of work around here...

2011-02-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

updating the {shop} on a wintry day. a snow day, actually.
a foot of snow & still come down strong.
we have plans for hot chocolate & dinner with neighbors.

looking forward to sleeping in & snuggling with the boys tomorrow.
i'll also be back with what's been up in the past week.
see you soon!

love,
natalie

giving thanks.

2011-01-25T16:04:00.000-08:00

i have an overwhelming amount of joy in my life.
for that, i give thanks.

thanks to the sunlight for showing itself in our home.
thanks to huck for greeting us so merrily each & every day.
thanks to the bakery for providing us with jobs that bring us both happiness & friendships.
thanks to my parents for showing me what it means to live with little as a young girl.
thanks to my husband for supporting me in all of my pursuits.
thanks to the Father for the beauty in His creation.
thanks to good food & friends to share it with.
thanks to {my best friend} for growing up with me.
thanks to wool socks for keeping my toes warm.
thanks to {her} for good cake & "little minutes."
thanks to iron & wine for starting my day off just right.
thanks to craft club ladies who encourage & inspire.
thanks to coffee...
thanks to YOU! for reading my rants in this space & supporting me.

now it is your turn!

love,
natalie

a wonderful weekend with friends

2011-01-24T05:11:00.000-08:00

this weekend was wonderfully amazing in so many ways.

luke & i enjoyed a breakfast date at one of our favorites, cafe berlin.

then our friends- chris, vivian & verity- came into town!
{warning: i could not help taking tons of photos of food & little verity. you have been warned!}

we had such a great time getting to know them more. they are considering moving here {yay!} so it was exciting to show them around our humble but wonderful little town.

before they left, we made another stop to cafe berlin... you might say we are a little addicted.

& off they went!
it was such a great weekend & incredibly life-giving. i am so thankful for good friends, good food & a good town.

before vivian left, she gifted me with this sweet little heart that she made by hand.
so sweet for valentine's day!

so after our eventful couple of days, we spent sunday afternoon at home, relaxing & doing a bit of work. i updated my {etsy shop} with some really adorable vintage pieces...

these two little guys...

& vintage kitchenware!

can i just mention how great life is right now? just the fact that luke & i can make dinner with one another every night is an incredible boost to my mood.
everyday i am reminded that i am undeserving of all of this. still, i am blessed.
isn't it beautiful?

love,
natalie

take a hike...

2011-01-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

take a hike with us in the middle of winter...

along the frozen bank.

& up to the hilly grasses painted in gold.

where the skies are the absolute bluest.

& the quiet makes itself known.

if you look close you will see nature's patterns.

& you will see the sunlight dancing along in the wind.

making everything in your path pure magic.

love,
natalie

a trip to the woods...

2011-01-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

we are retreating to a cabin in the woods for the night.
along with friends from our community group.
i cannot wait!

enjoy your weekend, friends.

love, natalie

ps. i added some strawberry elbow patches to a cardigan for {good luck}!

an etsy shop update!

2011-01-11T08:39:00.001-08:00

friends, you have no idea how exciting it is for me to finally update my {etsy} shop!

until recently, i had been craving a creative outlet, but life & work & school didn't allow for it. finally after many months of just getting by, i have time to exercise my passions & really dive in head first into this shop.

the photos above are some of the items that i have added. all are vintage & all hold a story. take a little visit over there if you can! i will be adding some other vintage pieces to the shop as the week goes on. make sure to check out those, too.

okay, enough of that. how are you? :)

love,
natalie

2011-01-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

before we started dating & before he even knew i liked him, he asked me to cut his hair. i literally cut one hair at a time as my nerves rattled inside for fear of messing up. well over an hour later, i had only cut the front of his hair. we were running out of time & had to catch a bus to d.c. for a service trip. we decided that it would do & mullets were pretty cool anyway.

now, almost three years later, i am still cutting his hair.
& i am the only one who cuts his hair.

we have been through the mullet, the rat tail, the monk cut & the many oops! i didn't mean to cut that so short! cuts, but he still trusts me.

it is our time together. just luke & me. in our home.

another thing i really love about him.

love,
natalie

sunday joy.

2011-01-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

after almost four days of being apart, we decided that a relaxing sunday was due. i spent the better part of the week in fayetteville with his side of the family. i did a little thrifting, attended a "radical sistas" meeting until 2 in the morning{!!} & met with a few friends for coffee. it was exactly what i needed to find myself after several months of routine & just getting by both mentally & spiritually.

he spent the week at a farming conference. after talking about the conference with me for well over an hour, he teared up as he talked about his passion for growing food & specifically, beets. that is my kind of man!

so, after spending some days apart, we knew we needed just us time. we slept in & snuggled until late morning. we enjoyed breakfast & conversation at our favorite breakfast joint. we did a little grocery shopping & we allowed for a lot of time to just be. now he's singing to himself in the kitchen while preparing our yummy dinner of "sloppeh" joes and creamy coleslaw {from the feeding the whole family cookbook}. i am slowing working on the etsy shop that will be fully updated by the end of the week {post on this to come soon!}

it has been a week of blessings for sure. i haven't felt this full in awhile. full of life, creativity, passion, thankfulness, warmth, goodness & beauty. i am finding myself once more & i love that.

love,
natalie

the perfect beginning to 2011.

2011-01-03T12:27:00.000-08:00

this weekend was the perfect beginning of the new year.

luke spent the morning of new years day on the couch with cold he can't seem to shake. it was nice to have him all to myself, though. i like it when he takes it easy & just enjoys himself... even if he is a little sick. haha!

i finished taking down all of the holiday decorations & made our mantle more festive for january.
i am falling in love with this home & will miss it when we move this summer.

a little rest goes a long way & by mid afternoon, luke was feeling up to having friends over for our annual new years day meal: cornbread, bacon & collard greens. a southern tradition that i will keep with me always.

on sunday, we played scrabble & went for a hike on our favorite trail; the trail where luke proposed. tall, golden grass & bright blue skies. we brought along our film cameras & took it slowly up & along the trail.

after our hike, we stopped by my favorite antique market. i purchased a beautiful crocheted table runner & some turkey feathers to add to my collection.

----
i always love the feeling of a new year. the many changes i plan to make & the hope that this year will bring. this year, i have two goals that i hope to accomplish.

goal number one.

a photo a day for a full year. this makes me totally nervous, but i really want to try. this year holds so many possibilities... we are graduating & we plan to move. we will embarking on our first jobs as "adults." i can't wait to see what happens!

goal number two.

update my {etsy shop}! i plan to add some vintage pieces to the mix, too.
it will be up & running mid january.

thanks so much for reading! i look forward to reading your goals for the new year.

love,
natalie

2010 recap part 3.

2010-12-31T15:39:00.000-08:00

the final recap of the year... these four months were by far the most difficult.
many friends moved away & luke worked evenings.
i took very few photos & spent many nights at home with our sweet huckleberry.
in all of the loneliness, i learned so many things about myself.
both good & bad.

for that, i am thankful.
-----

september

our sweet little huck joined the fam!

the first of many afternoons & evenings alone.

october

apple picking with our sweet friends, the sims!

november

many holiday celebrations... putting the tree up & enjoying the twinkling lights.

december

a walk with my love in the first snow of the winter!

happy new year, friends! i'll talk to you soon... in 2011!

love,
natalie

2010 recap part 2.

2010-12-30T11:28:00.000-08:00

holy cow! the snow has melted & it is in the 50s today.
it is almost january... seriously, what is going on?!

even if it doesn't feel like the new year is upon us, it is time to reflect on may-august!

may

neighborhood walks with luke.

potting flowers outside of our old attic apartment.

working many hours in our garden.

june

getting to know brazil... its flavor, its people, its hope.

july

front yard garage sale with amazing friends

harvesting july's bounty!

august

celebrating one year with thebesthusbandEVER!

moving in & making it home.

----

on another note, for the next few days i plan to shoot only film. i can't wait to get my old pentax back in my hands. it has been far too long.

love,
natalie

2010 recap part 1.

2010-12-29T10:41:00.001-08:00

hello, friends!
i hope your christmas was merry & bright!
we spent a week in arkansas, visiting & celebrating with friends & family.
it is nice to be home, though. we are unpacking our things & enjoying the last few days of the current year.

as we look to the new year, i am reminded of one of my favorite parts about keeping a blog... the ability to look back & reflect.
it reminds me of how i have grown individually, how luke & i have grown together & the memories we have made and will continue to make.
2010 has been full of both absolute joy & deep sadness.
still, i am thankful for all of it because i have learned so much in 2010.

over the next few days, i plan reflect on some of my favorite moments in photos.
let me know if you plan to do the same!
so... to begin!

january

a family retreat to lebanon, missouri. we stayed in a beautiful cabin & made resolutions for the new year.

february

a simple breakfast together spent in scripture & prayer.

a trip to kansas city in celebration of six months of marriage.

bright light after many months of darkness... little hints of spring.

march

late morning french-pressed coffee with luke.

one of our many date nights {i really love that luke like dressing up. it makes it that much more special.}

starting seeds in the sun room for our spring garden.

april

my 21st birthday party spent with amazing friends!

spring in full bloom!

breakfast on our porch with tori during one of her lovely visits.
-----

i'll be back tomorrow for may through august!

love,
natalie

little bits from the weekend...

2010-12-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

we stayed in most of the weekend & i do not regret it one bit.

we found a perfect balance between finishing projects, checking off our to do list, & taking breaks to relax while watching the twinkling lights on the tree.
we even managed to take a walk around the neighborhood with huckleberry after waking up to a few inches of snow.
i wrapped some gifts, cleaned the house & enjoyed a homemade pizza made by luke.

life is really good right now & i am thankful.

love,
natalie

december bliss

2010-12-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

luke & i are soaking up every moment of the christmas season.
this time of year brings such joy & warmth to our home, our lives & our hearts.

to be really honest, it has been an incredibly difficult season of life. i've overcome a lot of my sadness {thanks to luke, our little pup, sweet friends, & the company of family}, but some days it is still hard not to be critical & examine every part of my life that isn't quite right.

still, i am thankful for this time of year.
i am thankful for my husband, my family & the blessing of such a warm & cozy home.

having our home decorated for the holidays is just another reason to feel so blessed.
the twinkle of the lights, the wooden nativity scene, the handmade ornaments adorning our tree... all are so dear to me.

{handmade ornament found at salvation army for just 50 cents}

{luke made this ornament while we were dating}

{our mantel with thrifted vintage ornaments & our stockings}

{& dear ol' huckleberry, the sweetest christmas pup of all!}

i am looking forward to the next couple of weeks.
classes will be out for winter break & christmas celebrations will commence!

thanks so much for reading.

love,
natalie

happy weekend!

2010-10-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

i'm looking forward to a quiet weekend.
pumpkin muffins.
homemade biscotti.
garden work day.
long walk.
autumn showers.

love,
natalie