Birds singing (loud & proud) in the morning. Breakfast eaten outside. Morning school: story time, coloring, art projects. Windows open. Toddler time outs. Rinsing dishes; just one more cup of coffee. Attending a birthday party for a friend. Sweaters in the morning; barefoot in the evening. Braided pigtails. The quiet of naptime. Extra snuggles on… [Read More]
Baby countdown: 6 weeks to go!
How are we already at this point, about six weeks to go and then we’ll meet our FOURTH baby!!! It’s incredible to think my body has grown and carried four little ones, such a blessing especially because prior to Maxwell we struggled for over a year to get pregnant. Zack and I took a huge… [Read More]
A new Gussy wallet for the cash envelope system!
Thank you once more to the many of you who supported me in February when I announced I was putting my Gussy Sews handmade shop on yet another maternity leave ;) I was humbled over your generous support and wanted to make sure I shared my appreciation. The baby countdown is on: about 6 weeks… [Read More]
A simple shift of the mind…
Let’s begin a conversation about how constant and consuming and creative motherhood is. Let’s talk about how each day can hold exactly the same as the day before (whew!), but each day can also hold totally new things (also, whew!) that take your breath away, leaving you in wonderment of how great motherhood is. Let’s… [Read More]
Hey, Mister Sunshine!
Yesterday was one of those really beautiful, encouraging days for me as a mama. The sun is shining more frequently and it’s bringing us a lot of warmth to the East side of Michigan. It is NOT easy mothering young children because every day is so different, and no two children are alike. I am reminded… [Read More]
A few simple changes for Spring, plus a front door wreath idea!
Dearest darling Spring… where are you?! (Do you need some encouragement, too? Keep reading!) We are back to having chilly weather which is so hard on all of us, especially mama! On Sunday, as we were sipping our coffee and having a slow morning with visiting family, we heard a large crack and then watched… [Read More]
Thirteen thoughts in April…
Feeling like I have a watermelon in my stomach. I am so thankful my children help me as much as they do. Picking up toys, making meals, bringing plates to the dinner table… they are wonderful helpers. Come evening time my entire midsection hurts and feels so hard, hello lots of Braxton Hicks at 30… [Read More]
Resting in the little, happy moments.
What excites me about motherhood? Certainly not the sleepless nights. Certainly not the toy-dumping rampages. Certainly not the urgent morning baths or the tantrums or the sink full of dirty dishes. Or, could they? Possibly? How do we wake up cheerful, happy, ready to see our people and serve them regardless of the situation? How… [Read More]
a MEGA! Gussy Sews sale…
The birds are already singing when I pour my morning coffee, and the sunshine is warming our faces as we play outside with chalk and bikes. This soon-approaching season of Spring is reminding me of the growth our family is going to have in June with baby #4. Celebrate this next season of motherhood with… [Read More]
A little pep talk for your heart.
If you’re having a hard time with comparison ~ constantly looking to the left and to the right and then measuring what you see against your beautiful self, you’re doing it all wrong. Look within and see YOUR gifts and beauty and talents. Go back to your world and make it small again. When we… [Read More]
DETROIT friends: let’s hang on Saturday, February 3rd
One of the best things I’ve done for myself as a creator and mother is sell my handmade product line, Gussy Sews, at local events. I used to strictly sell online in my shop. For years, that was the best fit for my business. But now that I have a tribe of little people who… [Read More]
5 Valentine’s Day projects you must try!
This year, I wanted to create a Valentine’s Day decoration for our home, so I gathered some leftover fabric and pink pompom yarn, and got to work making a heart garland for the living room. I love that I can use it in other areas of our home throughout the year, which aligns perfectly with… [Read More]
NEW IN THE SHOP: fabric heart garland
I’ve been making some new things to stretch myself creatively, one being this fabric heart garland for our home. It was super fun to make and a great way to prepare for Valentine’s Day ~ although it’s also a great piece to have in your home year round. Hang it in your foyer, in your… [Read More]
7 books you should read next!
The last few months, as the weather has changed to winter in Michigan, I’ve been able to compile a list of books I’ve read. Wondering what to read next? ;) This is a post you’ll want to bookmark ~ here are 7 books you’ll want to read next! I often read during the kids afternoon… [Read More]
On care-taking!
What is this life if we don’t take what we’ve learned, or hope to learn, and move forward with confidence and peace? I don’t want to just settle. I don’t want to live in unachievable hope. I don’t want to live in the what-ifs or the if-onlys or the maybe-one-days. I want to get “it”…. [Read More]
How we paid off over $42,000 in debt in just 2 years!
Alright friends, this post is something I’ve wanted to write for a LONG time. Many of you know my family is on a serious mission to become debt-free this year. Let’s settle down together in my living room and talk about exactly HOW we paid off over $42,000 in debt in 2016 and 2017 combined,… [Read More]
How to give inspiration an opportunity.
“Write every day. Not every other day. Not tomorrow. Not after the party. But before. The more you write, the more comes out of you. If you don’t give inspiration an opportunity, it will never arrive.” – Ethan Hawke Interestingly, I find this can be applied to a lovely variety of goals and personal interests. Perhaps… [Read More]
Weaving new threads…
A very special memory of Natalie “wishing me luck” before I left the house to set up for a Gussy market. It’s been very sweet to have the kids ask me about what I’m making, ask me to use my sewing machine to fix a hole in their favorite pajama pants or blanket, seeing one… [Read More]
How often do you make a change?
What are your thoughts on change within your family’s routine? Do you hesitate to make them? Do you jump at the opportunity to switch things up? Are you somewhere in between? Excuse me while I cut to the front of the line and say, I don’t often think to make changes within our family routine. However,… [Read More]
Embroidery Inspiration: part I
The dissonance that occurs when I have too many plates spinning, when I’m overly over-tired, when I feel like I can’t think past the RIGHTNOW of life is strong. Like triple shot strong (coffee joke?). However, earlier this month I found enough mental cooperation to pull myself away from the spinning plates and into that… [Read More]
Gussy Wonderland :: a shop update
In between the moments of banana pancake-making, encouraging creative play, outfitting children for 20 minutes of Winter play (lol, that’s all they last some days!), and cleaning up spills, I have found pockets of time to work on Gussy Sews. I’ve been able to order fabric, cut out patterns, and run individual pieces under my… [Read More]
YEOW! We’re expecting baby #4!!!
HELLO after nearly five months of stepping back from this very dear to me space! :) What a gift that time away was to me and my family, and will continue to be. During that time we celebrated much and praised God for much, worked through some hard things and sat still in the quietness… [Read More]
Pause.
Dear community of readers, Leading up to today, I’ve felt something I can only describe as “a calling to be quiet” across social media so I can be more fully engaged with my family, children, and my faith in God. At first I thought, “I can’t possibly step away from the Internet! If I do,… [Read More]
SUMMER SALE: save 15% on Gussy Sews!
Have you seen? There are some new products inside my Gussy Sews handmade shop, and just in time for our biannual sale. Now through Friday, July 7th you can save 15% on your entire order with code SUMMER15 at checkout! Click here to shop Gussy Sews — tell me, which item is your favorite? I have loved… [Read More]
June favorites.
Hello mid-June. You’re moving right along, aren’t you? Because celebrating the little things that make our lives extra good is important, here are a few things I’m happy to call “a favorite” right now: – backyard pools. The small, plastic, round ones that your kiddos love to play in , but let’s not forget about… [Read More]
Selling at a handmade market…
A couple weekends ago I said YES to something that I knew would stretch me, but I also knew it would be super fulfilling for me creatively. I said yes to participating in a local handmade market, something I haven’t done for years now! At first the idea felt daunting (what did I just commit… [Read More]
5 things our family relies on / thrives on!
I’m not sure what came first, noticing one of our children having sensitive skin or wanting to be more conscious of the things we are putting on our skin and into our bodies? Either way, both are an excellent reason to do a little research and make some changes. While I was pregnant with Marigold… [Read More]
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