HAPPY THRIFTING FINDS

I found a few happy finds at the thrift store recently and I thought I would share a few thoughts here. I got this dark green vintage wool blazer for about $6 and one more that was an olive color from LLBean (that is so soft), same price. I had been keeping an eye out for a wool blazer and just happened to luck out this time when I found these.

I wanted a nice jacket that I could easily wear with a tshirt or a nicer shirt and these were perfect for what I was looking for. Plus green is one of my favorite colors so I was pretty happy with this rich dark green color.

We don't ALWAYS buy second hand, and I've also had buyers remorse from purchasing things I didn't really need or actually didn't end up enjoying as much as I thought I would. It happens. So, don't get the wrong idea about me here. I have not perfected the art of recycling, reusing, or repurposing. But we learn and we grow from our mistakes, and we can find out what really works well for us with time and intentionality. Now, for over a decade thrifting is usually my first go to. If I can't find something I'm needing or looking for (whether it be a tshirt for myself or my kids, or a piece of furniture for our home), then I either wait and try again, or I'll look for it elsewhere. But even then, I like to find the best deal I can for things. There are some times we have splurged on something nice and new, but it's not usually our first pick.

My love for second hand, vintage, and thrift stores started around my teenage years. My mom was always a big bargain person and we would shop sales a lot when I was younger (but thrift stores and second hand was not really her thing). I'd say I definitely gained her eye for always looking out for a good bargain, but my love for thrifting and vintage probably became more of a hobby when I was around 19. I found a few 1970's pieces (flowy dress, skirts, or tops) that I loved and I pretty much became hooked at that point. Sadly after moving and purging so many times through the years, I didn't hold onto any of those! If only I would have known I would have 5 girls to pass them on to! But there are so many clothes out there... I'm sure if they pick up my love for second hand, they will find some of their favorites as they get older. 

So, even though it started out as a hobby...as time went on...I got married and had a family. Then there were times that it became more of a necessity to buy second hand because we didn't always have the money to buy brand new. And when you have kids, they are constantly growing, so they rarely wear their clothes for more than one year (although sometimes I have squeezed them into some of our favorites to make them last a little longer). So, my decisions to be thrifty were based on many things. 

As time went on I would try to come up with creative ways for us to have fun with what we would wear. I then decided if I wanted the girls to have something new, I would use something of mine or Brandon's that we didn't wear anymore and turn it into something for the girls (here's one example from an older post). Having limited money doesn't mean you can't be fashionable or have fun with clothes. It can sometimes be the very opposite and give us that push to become a little more creative. I know some people may have different thoughts on all of this. Some people think we shouldn't care about what we wear at all. That clothes are just clothes, only to serve the purpose of covering our bodies or to keep us warm. And I get that. It's not everybody's "thing". Just like hunting is not everybody's "thing", or any other hobby out there.  (To be completely real my husband does not like the thrift store. He likes what I find, but has no interest in going. However, he has and does go with me sometimes because he loves me. Ha! Ha!) But if you're like me and you get excited or geek out a little about fabric, colors, and textures, etc...then you get where I'm coming from.

As I've gotten older and have become more aware of how much is being made every year, every month, every day...I have found myself sometimes feeling overwhelmed, if I'm honest, just by walking into a local store. Thoughts of consumerism would leave me feeling weighty or heavy. So, how could me as just one person (or our one family really make a difference)? Well, I believe that we can only be responsible for ourselves (or our household to a certain degree), and if our heart is telling us to buy less or buy used this time, we should listen. I personally feel better about these choices for us as a family. I talk to my kids a lot about why we buy second hand, because they do ask, and I think it's important for them to know there is purpose behind it, other than just saving money. That simple choices can make a difference. Now, they see that a lot of the things they ask for can be found in other places if you look for them, because there is so much out there. For example, Sterling (our oldest had been asking for a new pair of sneakers and wanted a pair of Adidas)...I told her I would check Ebay first for a pair because I felt sure there would be some barely used ones in her size. We found some, and she was so excited they were exactly what she wanted and was telling people how cool she thought it was that I got them for about 1/4 of the price of brand new!

Again, there are times when we do buy new. There's no shame in this. And there are great options out there to support companies or small businesses that are helping to make a difference. But with all of the options of clothes, shoes, household items, furniture (the list could go on) out there AND the tons and tons of items that people barely use...you never know. The thing you might be looking for might be the very thing that someone just got rid of! And I truly believe that every little bit helps. 

CRAFTING WITH KIDS

Throughout each week we usually allow time to make something. It's something that I enjoyed as a child and still do. Creating with my hands has always been therapeutic, and it's a confidence booster with my kids when they can see how they can do things as well and be proud of it. 

So, this has become something that is very normal in our home, whether it's learning to sew, weave, draw, paint, etc....really anything creative. 

I do have to say that when I am teaching them something new, or if we want to make something that they will want to keep for a while and it will last, I am involved in the process. I would never just give them instructions and let them go at it. 

Like this hand stitching project for instance. I was there with them to help thread the needle if they needed it, and I assisted if they got knots or kinks in the thread. This particular project was done in different sessions. So, we would do about 30 minutes at a time on a particular day to work on it. Much longer and they would either become frustrated or tired. So there is patience involved and it's something that is not finished in a day, but something to work on and come back to later to finish.

This hand stitching was pretty easy. Here's what we used to make them:

-muslin fabric

-embroidery floss

-wooden sewing hoops

-needle (we used the thicker ones because they are not as pointy as the little ones)

-scissors

-pencil

I used muslin fabric that you can find pretty inexpensive at a local craft store. You could also just use something you have on hand at home (an old sheet or pillow case.....this also looks really cute on a color or printed floral fabric, especially if you are stitching words). The embroidery floss is at most crafts stores as well. I chose pastels and neutrals because I knew that would make it easy for them to choose from. I let them choose 4 to 5 colors each (and it's okay to guide them if they need help). Many times I will show them an example on the internet (Pinterest) to give them an idea of what we are trying to make. 

We snapped the fabric into place on the sewing hoops, and then I took a pencil and lightly drew 4 to 5 lines for their rainbow. This helped them stay on the right line for each color.

As I said, these are a work in progress and I haven't taken photos of the finished product, but I will likely share them later on when they are finished.

This is a fun little project for grownups and kids alike. A pretty inexpensive craft to make, and it's great for little hands to practice!

Happy Sewing!

Stephanie xoxo

A NEW SEASON

I've been a bit silent here in this space for a while now. About a year actually. And it's not been intentional, as I love to keep up with all of our photos on here after all these years. But I've just been in a place of adjusting and in some ways trying to find myself again as weird as that may sound. This past year has been so good to have a home and to settle physically (for all of us). But although our physical bodies may have settled, our hearts and minds have had to slow down and process, catch up, and almost reset in ways in order to settle as well. There have been lots of conversations of fear, doubt, uncertainty, etc. from all of us. As our faith journey allowed us to see God provide first hand in so many supernatural ways (which is irreplaceable), it also left some questions once we landed back into a home of our own. The kids had lots of questions that would rise up during this year.....just wondering if anything is really permanent, which is totally understandable. And the truth is, that deep down nothing really is guaranteed. The bible even says just to focus on this day because we have no idea what tomorrow brings. Living that truth out in real life is not the easiest unless we are actually faced with circumstances that bring it to the light. This is where faith plays a role and we are able to measure how much we carry and what we truly believe.  So all of this has caused us to feel extremely grateful for what we have and it has brought comfort to just be able to stay put in one place (and I do not believe that is a bad thing just for the record).

Now we have a sense of awareness that everything we have truly is a gift from God. Things we already knew, but seeing it and knowing it on a deeper level. And our prayer for our children is that they know more than ever that God is our provider for all things (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual). We all play a part in these things, but ultimately it is God that is fully in control. As this message rings loud and clear and is a conversation we have in our home, we hope that this will only build our confidence in Him and that He truly is personal and knows us intimately.

So, I will eventually find my way back around this space. And I will likely go back and add some photos from this past year, I'm sure. But I won't be catching up where I left off. I think it was purposeful to just be silent for a bit.

Here's to a new season and new perspective!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Blueberry pie for a father's day request.

Happy Father's Day to one of the best around!

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

 2017 has already been filled with so many changes and transitions for us as a family. But one of the biggest surprises is this little one that will be joining us this November!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STERLING (2017)

 Happy 11th birthday Sterling! We love you!1

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLE (2017)

Elle turns 8!

Happy birthday to our lovely Elle!

GETTING SETTLED IN

 Most of our days are spent unpacking, settling in, and finishing up homeschool. We're so thankful to have a place to call home again. It's taking a bit to get used to (for all of us), but it's a good thing.

A PLACE TO CALL HOME

Things happened pretty quickly once we made it out to Northern California. This was the area we felt we were supposed to settle for a while. Over the weekend of landing here it worked out for us to sign a lease on a house, and so here we are. In a place to call home again.

DIY PLATE ART

I tried a fun little DIY project that I was wanting to do for a while (see here and here for my inspiration). I had seen some really cute plates sold in the UK a while back that were out of stock, and when I came across these DIY plates I figured I would give it a try to replicate some of the ones I had been eyeing for so long. 

So, a thing or two about this project. It's very simple. I bought a few plates from the dollar store and one or two were inexpensive ones from the thrift store. I want my girls to have a try at their own plates but I wanted to give it a try first and make sure it worked, as I had read a few reviews and some were saying it didn't work depending on the plate or the marker. So these were cheap plates and I gave it a try with a few different styles first. 

All went well for the most part. Black marker definitely worked the best. I used two other colored Sharpies to see how it would work and the colors mostly faded once being heated (which worked out ok for the pink on some). 

You want to clean and dry your plate fully. Then, draw whatever you like on the plate. Next, heat the plate in a 450 degree oven for about 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes, turn the oven off and let the plates remain in the oven until the oven cooks down. Once they have cooled some remove them from the oven and let them finish cooling completely. Then for the test. I washed all the plates and they did totally fine. However, I will say (for whatever reason) I choose to scrub a few of them a ton, just to see if at some point they would fade or it would rub off. After several attempts the marker did begin to wear off some on a few of the plates (as you can see in the last photo). But I would say this a fun, cheap little project that is good for a little craft. So, I will let the girls have a go at it and then post those later. 

For any moms that may be conscious of the marker being on the food, I think it bakes in pretty well. I really did scrub them several times. And I think for us, I feel ok about letting the kids use these plates as a special snack or party plate rather than an everyday dinner plate, which may have more tendency to wear off the marker. 

SISTERS

LIFE

We are enjoying our last week here before it's time to move. As I'm getting older I'm becoming more and more sentimental. I'm moving a bit slower during this move than I have in the previous years and having a harder time getting motivated. But I'm sure I will get there.

THE HOMESCHOOL LIFE

Trying to pack, organize, purge, and plan in the midst of homeschool has been challenging, I will not lie. There have been days that I have barely made it through, and my ever growing "to do list" has to be put on hold many times. But we will make it through, and I have to remind myself that the benefit of homeschool is that we can stretch things out and allow grace for times such as these when we are moving. It just challenges that person inside of me that wants to check off all the things because a job complete feels really good. And pushing pause on homeschool feels a bit hard as I wanted to finish by the end of May. But I have no choice except to just focus on today, and let the rest fall as it may, knowing I'm doing my best right now in this season. 

TO NAP OR NOT TO NAP? THAT IS THE QUESTION.

As of right now, the two youngest share a room and the two oldest share a room. As I have mentioned before, we really value quiet time. Or should I say "I", but I do believe they will grow to value it as they get older. I feel that it is important to have some time to think, reflect and just be quiet if it is possible. Whether it be 30 mins or 2 hours. It seems to bring a good balance to our home if we have this time. And there are days like this when they just fight it. It's not often, but sometimes the little ones don't want to rest. This day in particular I found it amusing and wanted to take their pictures in the midst of their silliness. I don't demand that they sleep. We just all have a minimum of 30 minutes no talking, so it could be reading a book, thinking, resting, drawing. And eventually if they are tired enough they will fall asleep during that time. If they do fall asleep (even the older ones get tired enough to have a quick cat nap on some days) I feel that it's good for their bodies to be still and recharge a bit from the day. Rest is a good part of our daily rhythm in our home, even if just for being still and not sleeping. 

THE LITTLE ONES

I love my girls so much. And lately it seems easier to still catch the little ones here and there. They are not too much bothered or distracted by me taking their picture, so I can catch them in a few more candid moments than the older ones. I need to come up with more strategies on how to catch the older ones in the moment without changing the moment they are in as I take their picture. Here's a few random moments around the house with these two.