Category Archives: pinspiration

{attempting simple} trying to make *less* a habit

Okay. So this afternoon as I was trying to recover from Baby Sister’s three wake-up night by attempting a nap on the couch, I had an idea. A light bulb moment. Maybe even an epiphany. Are you ready? I’m taking on a living simpler challenge.

Over the last few months, I’ve felt this inexplicable pull toward living simpler. Less stuff. Less stuff to contain/organize/restrain stuff. Simpler food, simpler routines, simpler cleaning, simpler days. I find myself craving to do less and BE more. And in a crazy I don’t know how to explain it way, I feel like the Spirit in me is leading me to this. He’s teaching me that His abundant life can be intruded on by busy, chaotic homes and ways of living.

In theory, I love the idea of minimalism, not having lots of stuff, doing less. But then, I get on Pinterest. Or visit my favorite blogs. And smoke starts coming out my ears.

I get frozen with indecision and the overwhelmingness of all the “simple” ideas out there. It is so hard {for me} to know where to start. Whole foods cooking? Grown my own herbs? Sew my own baby clothes? Make my own makeup? {That last one is never gonna happen. Just so you know. I’m too vain I love my L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara too much}.

In an effort to combat procrastination/indecision/laziness, I’m challenging myself every week to implement a new {to me} simpler living idea. As in, not just pin it on Pinterest or tuck it away as a great-idea-I-shoud-do-that-asap thought. I want to start incorporating simpler living into the very essence and routine of my day. I want less to be a habit.

I know me, and I know my challenges will range from easy to I-hope-this-becomes-a-habit-soon-or-I’m-going-to-quit-because-this-sucks. And erratically so, I’m sure. Part of the fun will be in the variety of my attempts at simple.

And I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, either. There are lots of brilliant minds out there {Simple Mom, the Nester, SortaCrunchy, Tiny Twig} who have super-fab simple living ideas that I can steal put into practice without overtaxing my brain on how to do it. After having two kids, this happens surprisingly easily.

So. Here are some things I’m either currently tackling or tackling soon: cloth diapers, going shampoo-free, washing my face with oil, painting my kitchen cabinets white {that counts as simplifying, right?}, some sewing projects, some kitchen organization projects, some decluttering. I’m sure there is more, but I’m trying not to overwhelm myself, so we’re going to start nice and slow. One challenge at a time.

This week I’m in the process of switching to cloth diapers. And eating my words because I swore I would never do cloth diapers. And that is why they say never say never. So next Tuesday, I’ll share how that little ginormously huge challenge is going.

Really, I’m just ready to live simply. Less-ly.

I’ll be here {hopefully} every Tuesday, attempting simple. You’re welcome to join me. ;)

Burlap love + simple burlap crafts

 

I seriously love burlap. The texture, the color, the versatility, the insane mess it makes every time you even look at it. Oh wait – I love everything but that part. I was itching to get just a little creative during nap time today, so these were my inspiration pics:

 www.rusticweddingchic.com



And this is what I ended up with after Little Bit’s 2-hour nap.

You’ll need:
~ about a 1/2 yard of burlap {I think…I’m guessing because I didn’t measure before I started cutting it up}
~ scissors
~ wire hanger
~ needle nose pliers
~ a vaccuum {for when you’re done :)}



1. use needle nose pliers to get your hanger apart, then bend into a circle
2. cut burlap into 3″ squares {don’t worry about being exact by any means}
3. poke wire through bottom of one corner of burlap, then twist the square
4. poke the other side of the burlap through the wire {you’re kind of making a figure eight}
5. scrunch/push onto wire
6. repeat until you like how full your wreath is
7. twist the wire ends together with your pliers & fluff your wreath


That’s it! You’re done! Well, now you have to vacuum those microscopic burlap threads. But other than that you’re done. :)





nature indoors



I’ve been really stuck on bringing nature/the outdoors inside our house, probably for the past couple of months. Everywhere I go, I see rustic elements added to interiors and I am in love. Just last week, I finally took down our Christmas stuff I recently redid the mantel and I used lots of favorite nature-ish things. 

{cracked pitcher: Anthropologie, glass: thrift store, antlers: found at deer lease, faux eggs: gift from Mom}

 
{cedar branches: my front yard, coffee filter wreath: made by me, lantern: HomeGoods, yarn balls: yarn from Salvation Army, formed into different sized balls by me}

These dead cedar branches make me so happy every time I look at ‘em. Yes, I’m weird like that. I’m going to use these a lot more often. Although, I have to say they were hard-won. I went outside during Little Bit’s naptime the other day to snip them off with my handheld pruners, which I thought would take all of 30 seconds. Turns out dead cedar branches don’t want to part from the tree. After much wrestling, some cuts and scrapes, and cedar leaves in my hair, I emerged victorious with my branches. Take that, cedar tree.
{Yarn balls: Salvation Army + me, glass: thrift store, fingerprints on lantern: Little Bit, cleaning said lantern as soon as possible: me this afternoon}

And, of course, some inspiration…

via

via
Best of all, these pins are all pretty easy DIY-ers. I think next on my list will be those stick candles. In fact, I think nap time this week looks like stick candle-making :) 
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