This January you are cordially invited to join 21 amazing women for an 8 week study all about finding your true identity in Christ.
I’m so honored to be a part of this class and the best news is—it’s free!
Each week you will hear unfolding stories from the women in this study.
We will be sharing truths about who the Lord says we are and our personal journeys to accepting and living out these truths. [Read more…] about Becoming:: The Unfolding of You
I remember where I was sitting when she told me she her dream was to write a book & get it published within the next year. At that time, she didn’t have an agent or a publisher or even a solid start to a book. Eight months and so much hard work and anguish later, we were sitting on my back porch catching up on life when she got the call from Zondervan that sealed her book deal. We screamed and cried and celebrated together and could hardly believe what God had done in her life in such a short time. I walked with her every step of the way, from the months of writing and editing to the months of planning the book’s release to the overwhelming emotion that comes with bearing part of your heart and soul to the world. I am so proud of her, proud of this book, and am all teary eyed that the time has come for this dream to bless so many people. [Read more…] about Living Well Spending Less {TWO great resources in one!}
Artist, fabric designer, and creative entrepreneur, and mother of 7, Anna Maria Horner, is one of the most inspiring women I know. I’ve followed her work and blog for years and have little touches of her creative life all over my house.
Her fabric is my absolute favorite and I’m hoping that with her help this summer, I’ll be able to finish a colorful quilt I’ve (barely) started. She is doing something extraordinary this summer and I can’t wait to be a part of it. I’m hoping you’ll find a way to join us too! [Read more…] about Anna Maria Horner and Craft South
Update:: Kathy Hamilton won the hour long Skype session! Can’t wait to chat with her! And THANK you for all the wonderful things you said in the comments. You make my day. Mucho love! xoxo
Y’all. This month makes my 6th year blogging. Blogging years are kinda like dog years, so she’s basically my age. I’m pretty sure she’s going through a small midlife crisis. Or something like that. Bear with her. Or me. Or both of us.
So, to celebrate this fun milestone, I had a couple of grand ideas! NO, I’m not giving away a red corvette to every reader. This is a milder, gentler mid life crisis.
First, I’m starting a podcast series in the next week called The Life You Love Manifesto:: A 7-Step Journey Toward Joy. I’m so excited about it and I’ve even recorded a short introduction podcast so you’ll know what you’re in for. #havemercy #southerntwangisalltherage [Read more…] about Round Here {Introduction to a Podcast Series}[Podcast]
I’m so happy to have my friend Denise on the blog today! She is the first person who ever introduced me to blogging and the person who first believed that this might be my sweet spot. Six years and so many happy memories (and so much work!) later, I am so indebted to her for opening up this wonderful world to me. She’s been through an incredibly tough two years and I’m so happy to see her writing again. I know you’ll extend her a warm lifeingrace welcome!
When I first started blogging, I did not have a tagline for my blog. Honestly, I did not even know what a tagline was. Maybe you still don’t know what a tagline is.
A tagline is a brief description or recurring theme of a blog, typically found under the title. Taglines have been used in marketing for years because catchy phrases stick with people.
I vaguely remember someone talking about taglines when I attended the first Blissdom way back in 2008. Who knew the importance of such things in the early days of online journaling? Who knew that one day millions of people would be living vicariously through the lives of everyday people and developing friendships with folks that they most likely will never meet IRL (in real life)? I sure didn’t.
When I started blogging in 2006, I thought my title said it all: Living Life Creatively. It would be years before I realized what made my creative different from everybody else’s. And when I did, I added a tagline.In today’s world of social media, where folks flit and fly around looking for a place to land, a tagline may very well be the hook that reels them in. I don’t know about you, but I need to land or be reeled in from time to time.
I am sure that some popular blog writers have chosen their taglines carefully with marketing strategies in mind; but at least one may have picked the first thing that popped in her head. (see below)
I truly am inspired by my fellow bloggers’ taglines; and just to prove it, I have set what I think are some pretty realistic goals based on them.
I plan on saving the world, one room at a time while creating space for my soul to breathe by buying fabulous for less and enjoying the adventure of the good life on a budget all the while remembering thatit does not have to be perfect to be beautiful which sounds like I will be taking a risk, making a memory, living it up, and writing it down as soon as I finish plowing through life in the country . . . one calf nut at a time.
I would really be thrilled if someone could share her talent by setting my goals to music so that I could remember them when life gets crazy. It would also make an awesome YouTube video.
Taglines are a lot like commercial jingles. Some just have the power to haunt. You shouldn’t underestimate their power.
Click here to read about how my family took a risk and bought a cabin to make a memory.
Click here to read about the vintage camper that we found in a field filled with hay. No, no, no. The camper was filled with hay, not the field.
(Edie here. I had to add in this adorable picture of her with her youngest grandchild!)
Okay, your turn. What’s your favorite tagline?
You can go ahead and call me Ellie May Clampett, what with me hauling couches down the interstate and trying to keep from being impaled by a chair sitting very precariously in the passenger seat, all the while holding 3 chickens. Okay, it was one sofa and I wasn’t holding chickens, but it wouldn’t made the trip anymore stressful. I loaded up the truck and moved to Bever-lee headed to Charlotte to IKEA so we’d have a little furniture at the cottage while we work and paint this week. And maybe so we’d have cute pillows and throws too, but whatever. Necessities are necessities. Going to IKEA is like having a baby. Without a trained professional. Or an epidural. You forget the pain and suffering because the fruit of your labor is so wonderful. But for now, IKEA and I are still not on speaking terms. They may have mastered the market on spartan Scandinavian decor on a dime but they need a lot of work in the How about you load 2 rooms of furniture into your car and then ratchet strap the sofa to the top yourself department.
Also? I may have wrenched my back and pulled my groin and in general lost ten years from my life. It’ll all be worth it this week when I start on phase 1 of this little project.
But the next 3 or 4 hours made up for it all because I made a date with my friend Myquillin.
Y’all.
I cannot even tell you the emotions that welled up in me when I walked into this kitchen. There’s is something so special about the incarnation of things. When things we love become real in the flesh—whether it be friendship or quartz countertops or strawberries and pound cake. The afternoon that I spent with Myquillin was the highest gift a friend can give another—time, connection, love, and iced coffee. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. She was my first love in blogging. The first blog I found. The first time I stayed up until 3 am reading every last post. The first time I found the most kindred of spirits through my internet screen. She is so dear to me and has inspired me in every possible way. I am so blessed and thankful for how she shares her creativity and passion.
Here are a few things I learned in my afternoon at the nest.
When I knew I was heading to the Charlotte IKEA, I immediately thought of her. I so wanted to find a way to meet up but I was on a time crunch and I knew that things would NOT go smooth at IKEA. (This ain’t my first Scandinavian rodeo.) I knew I was trying to do too much in too little time. That’s WHAT I DO. That’s WHO I AM. And when I was standing at my car with the daunting prospect of loading a sofa onto the top by myself using ratchet straps, I almost called her and told her I couldn’t make it. I was exasperated.
But, I took some deep breaths (remember this is like labor) walked back into IKEA and bought a bottle of water and regained my composure. I texted her and told her that as soon as I could get out of the 12th circle of hell, I’d be right there. Or maybe I told her to give my best to my children and my blog readers in case I never made it out. I finally made it!
This was hard for me because I wanted to stare at and touch everything in site. Her place is such a feast for the eyes. But as much as I love her gifts, I love her even more and so we quickly settled in to easy conversation and lots of laughs. I want to get better at making people feel special in my presence. She made me feel like an honored guest and I wish you could have been a fly on the wall because you’d love her even more than you already do.
There is plenty of TODIEFOR style everywhere you turn, but I noticed that many of her chotch-keys (my spelling) are large.
And y’all. Her office?! Heavens TO betsy. I could live in there.
And there’s a bed, so maybe I shall!
One thing I noticed right away is that she has a lot of cleared spaces. As in, she has plenty of surfaces with NOTHING on them. Why is this so hard for me? I do not know but I can tell you that anywhere we wanted to sit down and have a chat, we could do it without rearranging anything. It’s as if her space was ready to take us in. Welcoming us by having room for us to just be. And you know what else? She does the same thing with her life. She leaves margin. For friends to stop by, for 4 wheeler rides, for afternoon chat with her boys, for cooking. She makes room in her life for the things she loves.
You probably already know that his is her motto for life and the tagline for her blog. Did you know she really believes that? She’s made that phrase famous and has been saying it for as long as I can remember. And to see her fully embrace it and live it out? Pretty priceless. She and Chad bought this farm knowing that it would take years to make it their own. But she chooses to focus on the pretty parts and enjoy it WHILE improving it, not waiting until it’s done to see the beauty.
She’s coming out with a book this April and I couldn’t be more excited. You’re gonna LOVE IT. It’s a book all about home and how we can learn to love it with all its imperfections.
You can preorder it here. Not only did she write the book but she also did all of her own photography. It’s simply amazing!
************************************
And let me just give a HUGE shout out to Chad, who was so dear to undo the mess I had made of the ratchet straps and fix it for me so I could make it home without a hitch. My husband was VERY grateful. Thanks so much, Chad!
(I met her adorable boys too and let me just say that I can see why people like the arranged marriage thing.)
p.s. While I’m away at the farm this week turning our cabin into a modern, rustic country retreat, I have some of my besties lined up to guest post!!
I’m so excited to have them here and I know you’ll enjoy them. Show them lots of love because guest posting can be a little nerve wracking.
I’ll have very sparse internet, so I’ll see a little here and there, but mostly next week!
Sending all our love from the mountains,
xoxo,
edie
