The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{link list} 6.27.12 Edition


I love link lists. There’s nothing better than word of mouth, so when a blogger recommends a recipe, a new shop or a great read, I am all about it! Here are a few things I’ve come across this week…


1. Well summer is officially here!  And when temperatures are scorching, I think ice cream is in order.  Wouldn’t a neighborhood ice cream social be a fun summer party?  I loved this ice-cream shaped pinata and be sure to scroll to the end to see a great list of sundae topping ideas.  

2. Need an easy idea for dinner tonight?  I made these Lasagna Roll-Ups last week from Natalie’s blog…delish!  

3. These printable coupons are really fun.  I think they’d be useful for behavioral motivators around here…now to figure out how to implement it.

4. Laura at Bits of Splendor is launching Project Hope, a ministry for families that have lost  babies through miscarriage.  Her goal is to make 100 memory boxes and she needs our help!  Here is the post with the list of needs…maybe you can donate something?

5. I loved this etsy roundup of little girl headbands!  Do any of you Mammas have a favorite source for bows and other hair accessories?

6. This idea for liquid sidewalk chalk looks like something my boys would love.  I’m curious though if it would stain?  Not sure my husband would be very happy to come home to a Candy Land looking sidewalk!  

7. Came across this book, Cleaning House: A Mom’s Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement and I’m curious to read it.  Love this quote from the author: “Here’s to seeing what can happen when we tell our kids, ‘I believe in you, and I’m going to prove it by putting you to work.'”


8. tastes orangey is an etsy store I found carrying original paintings and prints by Clare Elsaesser.  I was really drawn to her paintings with water…must be summer, I guess!  Married to the Sea, Long Walk, and Island are my favorites.  Oh! And if you order by July 29th, you can get 15% off with her Honeymoon Sale (use the code HONEYMOON)!

{family} Slow Down

“Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I’ve ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing…. Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away.”  –Ann Voskamp

What is it about summer and why does it go by so fast?  I can’t believe that we’re almost to July already.  I ran across the quote above and it really made me stop and think.  Preparing for all of these new life changes has put me in an “in the future” mentality – my thoughts seem always to fall to “when the baby arrives”, “when we put this house on the market”, “when we open the boutique”, etc etc.  

And while all of that preparation is important, am I missing out on the here and now?  Am I not seeing the beauty and the goodness right in front of my eyes…today?  Am I not soaking   in my three boys at the ages and stages they are at?  Lots to think about and my new goal for July: slow down and enjoy today.  


{dreams} Following a Dream: Big White Farmhouse, the Boutique!

It all started in December: a crazy idea that just wouldn’t let go.  It came almost like a whisper or a quiet prompting, and I just couldn’t shake it!  I toyed with the idea and prayed, prayed and prayed some more.  And despite the risks and a lot of self-doubt, I felt God’s hand pushing me ahead.  Fast forward to a very honest conversation with my cousin and the dream started taking a real tangible shape.  Before we knew it, two cousins became business partners and the dream became real for the both of us.  


To be honest, I’ve been sitting here at the computer, unsure of just where to begin.  I desperately want to share with you everything!  So I guess I’ll just jump in…without further ado, I want to introduce you to the beginnings of our dream: Big White Farmhouse, the online boutique!

Big White Farmhouse stems from the same roots as this blog: a way to honor our great-grandmother and to share the splendor of our family memories at her farm.  Our store will carry home decor items, as well as accessories and gifts.  We are really passionate about supporting the small American artisan, so all of our items will be proudly made in the USA!  We also love decorating with both new items and antiques, so there will also be some one-of-a-kind vintage finds available as well.    

We are hoping to officially open the store in September, so I look forward to sharing with you our journey as we venture into the world of small business ownership!  

{deals} How to Create an Adorable Baby Wardrobe on the Cheap: ebay Tips & Tricks

If you haven’t noticed my near constant reminders, we’re having a baby girl in October!  We absolutely cannot wait to meet her, but I’m not in too much of a hurry because we have so much to do!  I’ll be honest and say that after the ultrasound, I did have a moment of being totally overwhelmed with the thought that we have nothing for her…no girlie clothing, no girlie toys, nothing!  Another baby boy we were ready for, but a girl?  We’re starting at square one 🙂

With so many other things going on in our lives right now, it’s really important for my family to be as frugal as possible.  Our solution to be creative with our funds and get this little one a whole new wardrobe?  Enter ebay!  Now I’m no expert, but I’ve learned a few tricks along the way and thought I’d share with you!
  • Search two ways: either by typing in exactly what you’re looking for (ie. “girls 3 months sleeper” or by filtering through using the categories provided by ebay.  I like to look at both versions…sometimes you can find a treasure that may have been overlooked.
  • One trick is to search for off-season clothing.  I have been searching for fall/winter outfits and since most buyers are looking for summerwear right now, I’ve been able to score a few great deals!
  • When you find something you like, be sure to read the entire description.  I like to look for words like “EUC – excellent used condition”, “like new”, or even “new with/without tags”. 
  • Be sure to check out the pictures and double-check the descriptions for stains, holes, etc.  I’m hesitant to purchase anything with spit-up stains, but if you’re an amazing stain-getter-outer, you may be more adventurous!
  • Check the seller’s feedback.  I always check the latest feedback to see what the previous buyers’ experience has been like.  Very important!
  • Now you’re ready to bid.  My tip: decide what you want to pay for the item and make one bid.  It is so tempting to get in a bidding war on ebay, but you may end up paying much more than you had hoped.  Not good when you’re on a budget!  (Trust me!)
  • Be sure to check the shipping costs.  Most are reasonable, but a few sellers have crazy prices.  $6 shipping for a onesie weighing 3 ounces?  No way.  For most children’s clothing, I think $3.50 and lower is an acceptable amount.  But be sure to check for those free shipping auctions, those are my favorite! 
  • Last tip: say you find an auction for an adorable outfit.  Be sure to check out the other auctions from the same seller!  Oftentimes, they are selling a bunch of the same type (ie. baby girl clothing) and most will combine shipping if you win more than one auction…huge savings for you!
Hope this is helpful!  All of the clothing pictured above was purchased on ebay.  My personal goal is to find like new items and spend $5 or less (including the shipping!) on every outfit.  So far so good…I love the search.
Do you have any tips for saving money on kids’ clothes?  Any ebay tips I forgot?  Please share! 
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P.S. If you don’t have the time or energy to search through ebay or prefer just to purchase new, be sure to check out Ebates!  They have so many children’s stores listed: Children’s Place, Old Navy, Baby Gap, Carters, and more…all giving 2% or more cash back!  I used Ebates last year for Christmas purchases and was pleased to see a little money headed back my way 🙂  You can sign up here!
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