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The Minimal-ish Mama

Giveaway from Scribbles Shoppe and Mercy Ink Designs

in Family on 04/29/13

Have you ever read a blog and thought: “In real life, we would totally be friends.” That’s how I feel about Lauren from Mercy Ink. I’m so honored that she shared her heart and grace-filled words about why fair trade matters last week, and today, she also agreed to a joint giveaway!

Lauren’s Etsy shop features products to pen His story in our hearts and homes. She sells digital art and prints especially for the Christian home, including nursery art, baby gifts, scripture typography, and adoption art and gifts.

The Mills family is planning to bring their own little one home from Congo!

As they explain on their adoption fundraising page:

Most of you know that we have felt called to adopt since before our oldest was born. Over the past 6 years since her birth, adoption has never been out of our thoughts and prayers, but we were always just praying for His timing. Though all human wisdom would say it’s not wise or that it doesn’t make sense, God has so clearly spoken to our hearts the word: “now.”
We could not be more grateful for our calling to adopt. We know that each family looks different and each person feels passionate about different things, but whether you are called to adopt or not, we know with all of our hearts that the Lord’s command to love the orphan and the widow is clear and undeniable, and in that vein, we invite you into this journey with us.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)

 

You can find out more about their adoption journey here:
The Post I Waited Seven Years to Write
Adopting from DR Congo

On her blog, Lauren writes about inspiring ordinary women to follow Jesus, live brave, love well, and change the world. I know you’ll be blessed by her writing, as I am!

So without further ado, Lauren and I are giving away $20 each to our Etsy shops, to be used on whatever the winner chooses!

Just a note, if you’re interested in any of the invitation designs in my shop, they can be customized for other occasions. I just sold a wedding invitation design that was customized for a bridal shower 🙂

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below! (email readers, you’ll have to click over to the blog) The giveaway will end Friday night. Happy entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

« A Portrait of an Imaginary Life in Cannon Beach, Oregon
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Free Decluttering Guide!

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We Should Hang Out On Instagram

I was quoted as an expert in an @apartmentguide ar I was quoted as an expert in an @apartmentguide article, a subsidiary of Redfin. Check out the featured article "What is a nesting party? And how can you host one at home?" at the link in my bio!

(I'm in the "Laundry" section!)
I almost didn't post the video of our main floor b I almost didn't post the video of our main floor bathroom, because it isn't "done." But how silly is that? Is any house project ever really "done" anyway? 😂

It's come a long way, thanks to the magic of paint and peel & stick wallpaper. I would love your ideas for improving it more! 

I think a brass shower curtain rod is a must, but what about painting the ceiling blue? Peel and stick tile?

Watch the transformation on my Youtube channel.
Less = More! In “Why Parents are Drowning in T Less = More! 

In “Why Parents are Drowning in Toys,” an article from Box, “US toy sales jumped from $22.3 billion in 2019 to $26 billion in 2020, and then to $30.1 billion in 2021 …”

BILLIONS. 

And in a study from the early 2000s, average middle class homes had 139 toys visible, with countless more hidden away. 😳

If your kids struggle to pick up, it could be that there are just too many toys. It could also be that there isn’t a clear home for the toys. Or a combination of both!

My free guide on toy decluttering walks you through the process of decluttering toys and breaks down the overwhelming project into small steps.

Grab the guide at the link in my profile! 

#springcleaning #minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #declutteryourlife
Have your 🥧 and eat it too! Minimalism isn’t Have your 🥧 and eat it too! Minimalism isn’t just about having less.

It’s about CHOOSING less, to have MORE.

Less impulse spending, MORE saving for vacation. 

Less stuff to manage, MORE free time.

For us, homeschooling this year has meant less of a lot of things - like alone time, work, going to the store by myself, to name a few - but it’s also meant more conversations, more unstructured play, more baking 🤣

This is why minimalism won’t look the same for anyone. You have to choose the things that enrich your life, and say no to the rest.

What’s something you’re choosing less of in this season of life?

#minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #homeschoollife #homeschooling
It’s snowing and icy outside right now, so it’ It’s snowing and icy outside right now, so it’s perfect timing to watch my YouTube video, “My First Year of Gardening”! It gave me so much hope editing this video and remembering that spring WILL come again!

The video is a recap of my gardening experiment, starting in January and ending in October. Bennett is my gardening buddy, and his commentary throughout is just precious 🤣

Watch the video at the link in my bio for my YouTube channel 🌷
It doesn’t have to cost a lot to get organized!# It doesn’t have to cost a lot to get organized!#springcleaning 

The only thing I bought to make our back door entryway more functional was a larger rug. I re-purposed shoe racks and hangers I already had. 

What made all the difference was taking a few minutes to pull everything out and discover just how much was cluttering up the closet, and get rid of it! 

Now we each have three pairs of shoes down here (snow boots/sandals, tennis shoes, rain boots for the boys, slippers, boots and sneakers for me, sneakers, work boots, and slippers for Brian).

🏠 What’s one small space in your home that you just need to spend a little time on making more functional? 

#springcleaning #cleanwithme #springcleaningchecklist #getorganized
Six months 🎀 Six months 🎀
Edison complained ALL DAY about our plan to see th Edison complained ALL DAY about our plan to see the Glimmer Lights at @fenimorefarmcv after Christmas - he didn’t want to go outside, he didn’t want to ride in the car for that long, etc.etc.etc. 

But after we parked and started unloading the stroller, he came around the side of the car and announced: “I’ve decided that since I’m here, I’m going to enjoy it.” 

And he proceeded to have a wonderful time 😂

That statement sums up how I feel about winter. 🥶 

Instead of dreading it and being miserable for four, five? months, since I’m here, I might as well enjoy it!

In case you’re a fellow SAD sufferer (Seasonal Affective Disorder) here’s a few things that are helping:

1. Going outside, even for a few minutes. I never want to, but we have had so much fun having nighttime snowball fights, skating on the frozen swamp, or just sitting and watching birds. It’s hard, but worth it!

2. Drinking copious amounts of hot tea and hot chocolate. Bonus points for thrifting a cool mug for the occasion! 

3. Wearing comfy clothes. I know everyone has been doing it since 2020 but I bought myself a matching sweatshirt and sweatpants for Christmas and now I’m ruined because I never want to wear real clothes again 🤣

4. Shamelessly hurkle durkling. The Scottish word means something like “to lie in bed after you should have gotten up.” I’m nap trapped, okay?!

5. Get the gear. I bought winter gloves that actually keep my hands warm (life changing). Last year I bought snow pants, and now I’m on the lookout for a good winter coat (my zipper broke) and snow boots that don’t cost an arm and a leg! 

It’s amazing how much more enjoyable winter is when you dress for it 🤣

Any tips for getting through the cold and gray days?
Happy Betwixmas! I just learned that that’s what Happy Betwixmas! I just learned that that’s what they call this liminal period between Christmas and New Year’s in England, and I think we need to make it a thing.

After a quiet and slow Christmas at home, I’m now staying up until 1am, sleeping until noon, reading, and playing too much Zelda.

In past years, I spent this time journaling, making vision boards, charts, and goal setting to prepare for the new year. But I just don’t have that kind of energy anymore 🤣 

You’re probably already getting bombarded with “New Year, New You!” messages, and while a small part of me feels like I “should” be posting decluttering tips and before and after transformations, I also feel “betwixt.” 

Betwixt the past version of myself, and the new chapter  slowly unfolding. After each of my babies, I birthed a new version of myself, marked by paradigm shifts in my career, my home - and less visible changes in my dreams, perspective, and beliefs. After the confusion of matresence, I find a new purpose and direction.

I trust that this will happen again, in time. The page of the next chapter will turn. I’ll find a new direction or rediscover joy in an old one. And in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the in-between, the small moments of everyday beauty.
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