The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

No.275: What I Learned in June

1 // MOUNTAIN LION URINE DETRACTS WILDLIFE FROM YOUR COMPOST PILE.
We have a pesky animal helping itself to our compost pile and frequently enough that I’ve been researching deterrents.  Among your typical answers like blending the food scraps with dirt or electrifying the area, you could also spray with mountain lion pee.  Oh yes, this is a thing and you can even get it on Amazon.  I haven’t gotten that desperate yet, but I’m close.


2 // ANOTHER COMPOST FACT: I CAN’T COMPOST THE BOYS’ SOCKS.
After one of the boys put another hole in his socks, I started wondering if I could put them in the compost vs. throwing them in the trash.  No such luck.  The socks have so much polyester and elastic in them and those fibers don’t decompose. 


3 // NEW WILDLIFE IDENTIFIED: GIANT LEOPARD MOTH
We found this guy right outside our door one morning.  I quickly looked it up to make sure it wasn’t anything poisonous.  They look suspicious, but are really harmless.


4 // I LIKE TRASH NOTHING BETTER THAN DONATING TO THE THRIFT STORE.
After reading that only about 20% of donations actually get resold in the thrift store, I started looking into other options.  I’ve been slowly parting with P’s baby clothing and it’s much easier to fill a big box when you actually meet another mama face to face.  You know that clothing will actually be used and appreciated instead of possibly thrown away.  You feel more like a community, looking out for and supporting each other.  Highly recommend finding your local Trash Nothing or Buy Nothing group.

5 // 100 WEEKS OF COOKING AT HOME IS A BIG DEAL.
I forgot to properly recognize that I hit my 100th week of meals last month!  Hard to believe that when I started this series, I was barely competent in the kitchen.  While my output ebbs and flows, I really do enjoy cooking now and my skills have greatly improved.  (Just ask my kids, hah!)  I’m retiring the blog series because I feel like the accountability did just what I hoped – I created a new habit, little by little.

6 // I’M KINDA OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.
I’m spending less and less time on Facebook or Instagram lately and I don’t miss it at all.  More and more, I see my blog as an invitation to sit in my living room and chat about life and family and books.  Since I have no intention of ever being a popular blog, I’m giving myself permission to say that that’s good enough.

7 // I DIDN’T EXPECT TO ENJOY HAVING A DOG AS MUCH AS I DO.
I didn’t grow up with pets, so I had no idea if I was capable of feeling emotions for an animal like some people do.  Turns out it comes pretty naturally!  The way Lucy is just beside herself with excitement when I come out of my bedroom in the morning (I know she equates me with breakfast, but still)…the way she wants to please me and tries to predict my commands…she’s definitely winning me over.  Now if only she’ll stop her incessant barking.

8 // WRITING EVERYDAY IS HARD, BUT STILL SUCH A FUN CHALLENGE.
My final tally was 29 out of 30 days – so close, but just like last year, I fizzled out toward the end!  It was just the creative challenge I needed to start the summer.

Signing off for a bit!  Thanks for reading this month and see you soon. xo

No.274: Reflections on Two Years at the Farmhouse

Last week, we celebrated two years of living here at the farmhouse.  My, how those 730 days have flown!  
It takes us 15 minutes to get to the closest grocery store or gas station.  There’s no such thing as a quick trip.
Replacing or repairing appliances has been our focus and taken our $$.  We haven’t crossed off much on my pages-long list of home improvements.  I have dozens of Pinterest boards ready and waiting, but untouched.
The house never seems spick and span.  Six kids (and now a dog!) who are here all day everyday makes for constant messes and a revolving door of chores.
Our internet is slow as molasses and spotty/non-existent when it snows or rains.
…but…
Our neighbors are friendly and welcoming and generous.
We started homeschooling again to best serve my children with learning disabilities and they are thriving.
We see deer roaming and turkeys gobbling daily and birds being hatched on our front porch.
We have a new appreciation for nature and spend much of our time outdoors.
We feel a deep calm in the quiet, a retreat from the unsaid (but definitely felt) pressures to do more and keep busy.
Our life sometimes feels hard, but it’s also so, so good.  I’m so thankful for the past 730 days.  What a gift.


 Read The Story of Our Big Move for the beginning of this adventure – and to see how big my babies have grown!

No.273: My Latest Reads // June

This post contains affiliate links.
P.S. I highly recommend Book Outlet!  Use my link to receive $10 off your first order of $25 or more.

#34. THE GIRL WHO SMILED BEADS: A STORY OF WAR AND WHAT COMES AFTER by Clemantine Wamariya
My Rating: ★★★★☆

 It’s strange, how you go from being a person who is away from home to a person with no home at all. The place that is supposed to want you has pushed you out. No other place takes you in. You are unwanted, by everyone. You are a refugee. (12%)

 There’s no label to peel and stick that absolves you, shows you’ve done your duty, you’ve completed the moral project of remembering. This—Rwanda, my life—is a different, specific, personal tragedy, just as each of those horrors was a different, specific, personal tragedy, and inside all those tidily labeled boxes are 6 million, or 1.7 million, or 100,000, or 100 billion lives destroyed. You cannot line up the atrocities like a matching set. You cannot bear witness with a single word. (34%)

 Before this book, I’m embarrassed to say that I had only the simplest understanding of the Rwandan genocide.  The Girl Who Smiled Beads is eye-opening, honest and raw.  I’ll be thinking about her words for awhile.

#35. THE MERMAID by Christina Henry
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

 This was one of those human conundrums that she would never solve.  Objects were more valuable depending on who owned them?  Paintings were more valuable depending on who painted them?
Humans often valued what they should not, she reflected, and most often they did not value what was right before their eyes. (p.208)

 The Mermaid is a historical fairy tale about a mermaid who leaves the sea to become a performer for P.T. Barnum.  The premise sounded interesting, but the reality was just….meh. (Also available at Book Outlet here.)

#36. OVERDRESSED: THE SHOCKINGLY HIGH COST OF CHEAP FASHION by Elizabeth L. Cline
My Rating: ★★★★☆

 Clothes could have more meaning and longevity if we think less about owning the latest or cheapest thing and develop more of a relationship with the things we wear.  Building a wardrobe over time, saving up and investing in well-made pieces, obsessing over the perfect hem, luxuriating in fabrics, and patching and altering our clothes are old-fashioned habits.  But they’re also deeply satisfying antidotes to the empty uniformity of cheapness.  If more of us picked up the lost art of sewing or reconnected with the seamstresses and tailors in our communities, we could all be our own fashion designers and constantly reinvent, personalize, and perfect the things we own. (p.9) 

 Such an important and thought-provoking book.  (You can read all of my notes here.) Only four stars because it felt disconnected and rambly in parts, but otherwise a really good read. (Also available at Book Outlet here.)

#37. BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY by Connie Briscoe
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

 During Black History Month, Big Girls Don’t Cry was recommended by someone on IG.  I’m always late to the party, but finally got a chance to read it this month!  It’s a coming of age story about an African American girl growing up in the 1960’s up to her adulthood in the 1980’s.  A good read, although head’s up – there was a lot more sexual content than I was expecting.

#38. CLICK HERE TO START by Denis Markell
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

 I purchased this book for D (10 years old) and he devoured it in days!  When his big brother read it and enjoyed it, I knew I had to see what all the hype was about.  Click Here to Start is a middle-grade novel about a video game inspired mystery.  It was good and we’ve been on a big escape room kick ever since!  (Also available at Book Outlet here.)

#39. THESE IS MY WORDS: THE DIARY OF SARAH AGNES PRINE, 1881-1901 by Nancy E. Turner
My Rating: ★★★★★

Now and then, I lie awake thinking I might like to have someone courting me. But it would have to be someone who is a square shooter and who has a train load of courage. And it would have to be someone who doesn’t have to talk down to folks to feel good, or to tell a person they are worthless if they just made a mistake. And he’d have to be not too thin. Why, I remember hugging Ernest was like wrapping your arms around a fence post, and I love Ernest, but I want a man who can hold me down in a wind. Maybe he’d have to be pretty stubborn. I don’t have any use for a man that isn’t stubborn. Likely a stubborn fellow will stay with you through thick and thin, and a spineless one will take off, or let his heart wander. (p.170-171)

 Children are a burden to a mother, but not the way a heavy box is to a mule.  Our children weigh hard on my heart, and thinking about them growing up honest and healthy, or just living to grow up at all, makes a load in my chest that is bigger than the safe at the bank, and more valuable to me than all the gold inside it. (p.303)

 These Is My Words is one of the best stories I’ve read in a long time.  I could not put this book down!  Inspired by the author’s own family, the harshness of frontier survival was compelling and fascinating.  I loved the main character and could relate to some of her struggles.  I don’t really care much for the romance genre, but the love story in this was woven into a historical narrative and it totally worked.  I loved it.

#40. THEY MUST BE MONSTERS: A MODERN-DAY WITCH HUNT by Matthew Leroy & Deric Haddad
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

My first true crime novel of 2019!  I’ll preface by saying that while this case was interesting, a book about suspected child abuse is very difficult to read, especially when you have children of your own.  The book led you through the timeline of events in an almost storybook-like fashion and I flew through it in days.  The last section was particularly fascinating.  Solid three stars.  (And thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.)



____________________

MY READING IN NUMBERS FOR 2019
Books Read: 40
Pages Read: 12,232
Fiction: 23  //  Non-Fiction: 17
Kindle Books: 9  //  Paper Books: 31
Original 2019 books “to-read” total on Goodreads: 424 // Current “to-read” total: 425

No.272: Read With Me // Overdressed (Part 4)

This post contains affiliate links.

Quick recap: I assigned myself a summer reading book, Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost to Cheap Fashion, to help me learn more about ethical fashion.  I’m jotting down some notes and thoughts as I read through it this month and sharing them here.  Maybe it will inspire you in a new way too!

I’ve divided the book into four sections.  (Find my notes on Part One, Part Two and Part Three.)  Part Four contains Chapters 7, 8 and 9.

Chapter 7: China and the End of Cheap Fashion

China’s garment industry operates on an intimidating scale.  It’s several times bigger than any garment industry that’s happened anywhere in the world at any point in history.  They have more than 40,000 clothing manufacturers and 15 million garment industry jobs.  Compare that to the 1.45 million garment and textile industry jobs the United States had at peak employment some 40 years ago. (p.169)

 Notes and takeaways from this chapter:

  • Food for thought: “China’s growing consumer class and incredible industrial output pose enormous sustainability issues for the global economy and the world’s resources.  Giardina states, ‘If every man, woman, and child in China bought two pair of wool socks, there would be no more wool left in the world.  Think about that.  So, yes, there will be problems with scarcity of resources.  And what’s going to happen is prices will go up.’ ” (p.172)
  • Another unfortunate fact: “In 2010 America imported $364 billion worth of products from China, and according to the Economic Policy Institute, the trade deficit with China has cost the United States nearly 2.8 million jobs, or 2 percent of our domestic employment.” (p.175)
  • China is prospering and raising its prices to the point where retailers are looking for even cheaper labor in countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, India, and Bangladesh.  Unfortunately, these countries do not have the infrastructure, technology or labor supply and therefore often produce a sub-par product.  I looked in my own closet and the cheapest, most “fast fashion” pieces were all made in either Vietnam or Bangladesh.   

    Chapter 8: Make, Alter, and Mend

    Human beings have been sewing for thousands of years; some peg it to the last Ice Age.  It’s store-bought clothing, in its inflexible, prefab form, that is the recent invention.  When we entirely gave up homemade and custom clothing, we lost a lot of variation, quality, and detail in our wardrobes, and the right fit along with it. (p.191-192)

     Notes and takeaways from this chapter:
    • This was such an inspiring chapter!  Loved this quote from Sarah Kate Beaumont: “There’s a slow food movement; I will call the project to make the majority of clothing I wear slow clothes.  Mass-produced clothing, like fast food, fills a hunger and need, yet is non-durable and wasteful.  Home sewn garments, similar to home cooked foods, are made with care and sustenance.  In a sense clothing can be nourishing.” (p.190)
    • A cool year-long experiment: The Uniform Project
    • “My mother learned how to sew from her mother and made an outfit from scratch in home economics class in high school.  My grandmother on my father’s side didn’t make entire garments, but she was very skilled at taking her family’s clothes in and letting them out.  I never learned how to sew.  In a single generation the skill was lost.” (p.193)
    • Inspiring: Elise’s “Me Made May”
    • A book to request from the library: Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More

    Chapter 9: The Future of Fashion

    Fabric is the foundation of a garment and perhaps its most important component.  A good fabric should feel good next to your skin, wear and wash well over time, and have a certain texture and beauty that becomes recognizable once you start to look for it. (p.212)

    Notes and takeaways from this chapter:

    • This last paragraph had good advice: “I think we’re all headed in the right direction if we keep these simple principles in mind: Buy clothes you truly love.  Don’t buy too much.  And get the most out of what you wear.  In other words, it’s become clearer to me that where you shop is less important than how you shop.” (p.234)

    Final Thoughts

    I really liked this book!  While it did seem to ramble a little, there were countless quotes that I’m sure I’ll be thinking about in the months ahead.  Elizabeth Cline also has a new book coming out in August called The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good.  Sounds like the perfect follow-up!  I’ll keep you posted.  Thanks for reading along with me!

    No.271: 20 Things I Love – A Gratitude Journal vol.12

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    waking up to a pink sunrise
    Lucy’s excitement when she sees me in the morning
    pancakes for breakfast, made entirely by the big boys
    tiny wildflowers in the yard
    rearranging the kids’ bedrooms (so clean! so much more room!)
    finding bookstacks by their beds, just like their mama
    a homily at church that felt just for me
    an unexpected compliment about my family from a sweet little old lady
    running again after many months off
    our mail lady, Linda, who sadly is retiring at the end of the month
    cold glasses of raspberry iced tea
    starting a new book
    homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream
    four Poshmark sales in one day (a new personal record)
    excited conversations with the kids about learning to play instruments this fall
    starting plans for the upcoming school year
    ceiling fans on hot, humid days
    watching baby birds being fed by their mama
    a water table that keeps the little ones busy for hours
    fireflies at dusk

    No.270: Five Lucy Favorites

    This post contains affiliate links.

    Lucy is four and a half months old and we’re finally starting to get the hang of this puppy ownership thing.  I’ve been reflecting on the things I’m glad we purchased (and mourning the wasted money we spent on things we shouldn’t) and here are my top five:

    1 // KONG TREAT DISPENSER
    Lucy loooooves this thing.  We portion out some of her daily kibble and she goes to town.  It keeps her busy for awhile, which is huge!  It’s also one of the only toys she hasn’t destroyed yet.  Five big stars.

    2 // WUBBA
    When we took her home from the breeder, she came with a baby Wubba that smelled like her littermates.  As she’s grown, she chewed it to pieces.  We replaced it with a bigger one and while I still don’t think it will last more than a few months, it’s one of her favorites.  (I like it too except for the incessant squeaking.)

    3 // PEANUT BUTTER DOG TREATS
    Her favorite treats and our go-to when we really want good behavior.

    4 // FROZEN YOGURT IN A KONG
    I’m starting to see a theme here that the biggest hits are the ones that deal with food, hah!  Another treat that keeps her busy for long stretches of time is filling a Kong with plain Greek yogurt.


    5 // BREAKAWAY COLLAR
    Since she’s still a puppy, she obviously is crated at night.  After reading some horror stories about dogs strangling themselves, we bought her a breakaway collar and now can sleep without worrying at night, even with her silly shenanigans.

    Now for my SOS: I hope you fellow dog-owners will help a mama out!  What are your tricks for teething?  What toys are worth the money and hopefully won’t be destroyed within minutes? 

    P.S. All of the links above will take you to Amazon, but I paid much less for almost everything over at Chewy.com.  Highly recommend. 

    No.269: My First ScallywagAThon

    {images via}
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    Last month, I randomly came across a week-long readathon called the ScallywagAThon.  I loved the graphics and got all excited to complete it…only to realize that it was last year’s challenge and 2019 had something entirely new.  Ahh, always late to the party.  Since I had already had figured out most of my books, I went with it anyway.  The goal is to complete at least four of the challenges in a week’s time, which is way faster than I read, hah!  So instead, I’ve just gone at my normal pace.

    Here is the “path” I chose, the books and my short thoughts on each:

    1 // SIREN’S SONG – HAS MERMAIDS OR SIRENS
    I picked The Mermaid by Christina Henry.  This is a historical fairy tale about a mermaid who leaves the sea to become an attraction in P.T. Barnum’s show.  The premise had a lot of promise, but the book itself was just…meh.

    7 // SHARK BAIT – HAS RED ON THE COVER
    I picked Big Girls Don’t Cry by Connie Briscoe.  This is a coming of age novel about an African American girl in the 1960’s.  I enjoyed how it explored her struggles and growth through the years.  Head’s up though – there is quite a bit of sexual content.

    B // THAR SHE BLOWS – A BOOK THAT’S EXPLODED WITH POPULARITY THIS YEAR
    I picked Click Here to Start by Denis Markell.  This was a bit of a stretch, but both of my big boys read and loved it, so it’s definitely popular around here!

    9 // BLOW DOWN THE MAN // A BOOK BY A WOMAN AUTHOR
    I picked These is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 by Nancy E. Turner, an American saga told in journal entries about a brave woman living in an unfamiliar frontier.  I didn’t realize until I started, but this would also work for Prompt #6, Treasure Map – A book that has a map in it.

    Have you completed the ScallywagAThon before?  What path would you take?

    No.268: Poshmark Summer Selling Challenge

    I haven’t talked about it much, but we’re still plugging along on the way to debt freedom.  Unfortunately, we’ve had quite a few discouraging hiccups so far this year, but such is life, right?  After a bit of moping and whining, we dust off and get back to work.  We’re not quitters!

    Last month, I was chatting with the kids about ramping up my Poshmark game and trying to earn some extra money this summer.  We discovered that I had exactly three months before school starts up again.  When I asked them what my target number should be, they excitedly exclaimed, $1,000!  So that’s my big goal for this summer: make $1,000 in three months on Poshmark.

    Jotting down some numbers and notes here so I can remember what works and what doesn’t.  Maybe it will inspire you to take on a reselling side hustle too.

    FIRST THE NUMBERS…

    Starting active inventory on May 20: 95 items
    Current active inventory on June 20: 191 items
    Items sold: 23
    Net Profit (after my costs and Poshmark fees): $278.55

    NOTES

    My big goal for this first month was to increase my inventory and get in the habit of listing new products every single day.  I started treating it like a business vs. a hobby and I saw a big difference in results!

    • I have a zero debt policy when it comes to investing in inventory.  To start things along, I went through our closets and took out outgrown or unworn pieces.  Many sold quickly which gave me the cash to seek new product.
    • I took some of the earnings and reinvested in liquidation product from someone on ebay.  95% of the clothes were sellable.  There is always risk involved when you can’t personally inspect the pieces, but I’ve wanted to try it out and was mostly very pleased.  
    • I tried to list two or three new items every day, taking Sundays off.
    • Poshmark just started a new “Home” market, so I listed a few things to dip my toes in that section.  I’ve had some interest, but no sales yet.
    • I shared my entire closet three times a day (when I first wake up, around lunchtime and at night) and some of my closet in between those times.  I had the most engagement and sales in the morning or late at night.
    Most of my profit this month went right back into the business for new inventory, but I did use $60 for an extra payment on the student loan I’ve been focusing on for the past year.  Only $526 to go!

    No.267: What I’ve Learned After 11 Months of Selling on Poshmark

    I have officially been selling on Poshmark for eleven months now. (My one year anniversary is at the end of July.)  As of this writing, I’ve sold 135 items!  It’s been a fun side gig and I’m loving being in business again.  Today I thought I would share five things I’ve learned since I started selling:

    1 // CLEAR PHOTOGRAPHS ARE KEY
    Some sellers are very professional with white backgrounds and mannequins and detailed flat lays.  My photographs are not nearly that fancy!  I’ve found that as long as you take clear photographs with as many angles as you can, you can still sell your item.

    2 // PRICE ITEMS REALISTICALLY
    Before listing an item, I always do a search on the app.  There is a place to click on the right-hand side that says “sold” and will give you a realistic price for what you can hope to sell your item for.  I feel that items move more quickly when you give your items a reasonable price point.
    Side note: I also frequently review my “why” – I’m combining a business with my desire for a life of slower fashion and less waste.  A way for other women to feel confident in clothing (especially moms like me whose waistlines fluctuate with babies and hormones and age, etc. etc.) while still keeping to their budgets.  So while I price my items to make a profit, I’m not looking for a HUGE one.

    3 // UNDERSTAND THE APP
    Poshmark is considered a “social” shopping app, so you have to play the game if you want the results.  To be successful, I’ve found that you have to interact within the app on a daily basis.

    4 // SHARE, SHARE, SHARE
    Sharing is a big part of the Poshmark experience.  I share all of the items in my closet at least three times a day: first thing in the morning, at lunchtime, and at night before bed.  Sometimes if I have a spare minute, I can fit a few more throughout the day.  I also spend about 10-15 minutes each night sharing other people’s things.  If you don’t share frequently, you most likely won’t see any sales.  It’s really not hard, just tedious. 

    5 // EXPERIMENT!
    I’ve tried the “Offer to Likers” feature, held a sale, followed 100 closets that sold items similar to mine, left sincere comments, welcomed new people…I frequently try something new and see what happens.  Some things have worked for me and others haven’t, but you never know until you try!

    New to Poshmark?  Sign up using my code BWFARMHOUSE and you’ll get a $10 credit toward your first purchase!

    No.266: Read With Me // Overdressed (Part 3)

    This post contains affiliate links.

    Quick recap: I assigned myself a summer reading book, Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, to help me help me learn more about ethical fashion.  I’m jotting down some notes and thoughts as I read through it this month and sharing them here.  Maybe it will inspire you in a new way too!

    I’ve divided the book into four sections.  (Find my notes on Part One here and Part Two here.)  Part Three contains Chapters 5 and 6.

    Chapter 5: The Afterlife of Cheap Clothes

    There is an enormous disconnect between increasing clothing consumption and the resultant waste, partially because unworn clothes aren’t immediately thrown out like other disposable products. (p.121)

     Notes and takeaways from this chapter:

    • I was interested in this chapter in light of my Poshmark hobby.  Did you know that of all the clothing that gets donated to charity, less than 20% actually gets sold in the thrift stores?  About 50% goes straight to postconsumer waste facilities.
    • Stats for postconsumer waste facilities:
      • Less than 50% is high enough quality to continue as clothing
      • 20% is sold to fiber buyers who use it in products like insulation or carpet padding
      • 30% is sold to industrial wiping-rag companies
      • 5% is thrown away
    • “Vintage’s appeal is about nostalgia and exclusivity, but there’s also a certain ‘they don’t make ’em like they used to’ allure to owning something from our garment industry’s heyday.” (p.134)  Reading about vintage clothing made me immediately think of Lisa and Betty’s Heart Co.  I need to make an order soon!  

    Chapter 6: Sewing is a Good Job, a Great Job

    Clothing companies have enjoyed decades of cheap foreign labor and the resulting profits, but what exactly are the tangible benefits to us, the American consumer?  We own more clothes than we can wear, the quality and craftsmanship of our wardrobes are at an all-time low, and the U.S. manufacturing base can’t compete on wages with the developing world, costing countless domestic jobs.  One of the tools we have to change these dynamics is not just to demand that clothing companies stop using sweatshops, but to set the bar much higher and demand they pay those who make our clothes a living wage.  Raising wages abroad would be good for the U.S. economy, as it would give our own industries a much-needed change to compete.  It wouldn’t be easy or simple, but it’s achievable and the benefits would be far-reaching. (p.160)

    Notes and takeaways from this chapter:
    • It’s easy to forget that sewing clothing requires some skill: “At Alta Gracia [a garment factory in the Dominican Republic], a simple men’s T-shirt is created using a 14-person process and a number of different types of machines.” (p.139)
    • to look for: the Fair Trade Certified label 

    No.265: New Habits, Little by Little – Praying the Family Rosary

    Last fall, our CCD program gave a challenge to the children to say the Rosary every day in October.  We have prayed the Rosary as a family off and on before, but nothing ever really stuck for long.  But for whatever reason, this little nudge was just what we needed!  Below are the “steps” we took to make our nightly rosary a habit.  Maybe it will be helpful to you too!

    Step 1: Learn about the Mysteries

    The first step to saying the Rosary is actually understanding what we’re praying.  For the first week, we took things very slowly and really tried to explain each mystery we were meditating on.  We used coloring pages similar to these for the little ones and they colored as we prayed.

    Step 2: Watch While You Pray

    Sometimes meditation is hard and the little kids’ attention spans are short.  We’ve found that streaming videos led by Father Patrick Peyton on our TV really helped us stay focused – me included!  This is great for visual learners too.



    Step 3: Pray On Your Own


    This really isn’t the “next” step and can be done either/or with Step 2. When our Internet is spotty or we’re in the car, we simply pray the Rosary with just the beads…or even our fingers in a pinch!  With time, our children have become comfortable enough to each lead a mystery.  Is there anything sweeter than a child’s heartfelt prayers?  We’ve had the most luck designating the fifteen minutes before bedtime for the Rosary.  Our chores are done and the day is winding down…it’s been a nice way to end the day together.

    Favorites and Links:

    Affiliate links ahead!

    No.264: Paper Goods From Around the United States

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    I had so much fun with my artisan soap list that I thought I’d do another – this time with paper goods!  I found stationery artisans in 32 different states.  If you have a favorite company in a state I missed, please let me know in the comments and I’ll add them to the list.

    ___________________________________

    ALABAMA // Cityfolk Creative
    This shop just oozes Alabama pride!  Two favorites on my wishlist: the “Be Still” wall hanging and the Explore Outdoors card set.

    ALASKA // Wren and the Raven
    Jordan’s beautiful illustrations make me want to visit Alaska!  She makes everything from vinyl stickers to alphabet flash cards to notecards.  This lupine one is a favorite.

    ARIZONA // Turtle’s Soup
    You’ve got to check out Melanie’s vinyl sticker collection – she has over 100 options!  This kitty cupcake one is too cute.

    CALIFORNIA // LoveLight Paper
    LoveLight Paper donates a portion of their proceeds to ‘Kids Around the World’, “providing packaged meals that contain all the nutritional requirements for an undernourished child’s physical and mental development.” So cool.

    COLORADO // Blue Sky Fine Art
    Deb lives “in the beautiful mountains of Colorado and draw much of my inspiration from the landscape, flora and fauna of the area.”  This wildflower card set would make a great gift.

    CONNECTICUT // Inkpug
    If you like pugs, you’ll love this shop!  Hard to choose, but I think the Puggyback card may be my favorite.

    FLORIDA // 9th Letter Press
    Nick’s designs are whimsical, fun and hand-lettered.  I especially love the “Happy Birthday from..” state cards. (Here‘s the one for Florida.)

    GEORGIA // KT’s Canvases
    Katie’s shop is the place for anyone who loves feminine colors, florals and pets!  This thank you card is beautiful.

    HAWAII // Pikake Press
    “Everything in the shop is printed, cut, assembled and produced by one set of hands with great care and attention to detail.”  Love that!  Check out these tropical mahalo (thank you in Hawaiian) cards.

    IDAHO // Amanda Holden Designs
    There is a lot of Idaho pride in Amanda’s shop – she has 14 cards on the theme alone!  This one is my favorite.

    ILLINOIS // Hello Paper Co.
    Is there anything more beautiful than a letterpress card?!  All of Jill’s cards are “printed on tree-free, 100% cotton paper made from cotton linters (which are left over from the textile industry). It’s acid free, recyclable, biodegradable, and elemental chlorine free.”  I love this simple heart pattern.

    INDIANA // The Illustrated Life
    Lydia makes colorful, feminine, vintage-inspired watercolor art and her shop is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen!  These flat notecards on my wishlist.

    IOWA // Studio C Design Co.
    I just adore the way she combines florals with whimsical characters like teddy bears.  Favorite card on my wishlist: Heart Bubbles

    KANSAS // Ruff House Art
    Oh man, I have a wishlist a mile long from this shop!  Some of my favorites: this weekly planner, these pencils, and this Mad Libs inspired birthday card.

    MAINE // Morris and Essex
    Eliza lives and works in an 1800’s farmhouse in rural Maine.  Her work has a folk art feel, which is so cool.  I love this journal and these notecards.

    MARYLAND // Phoebe & June
    I’ve purchased from Cara’s shop before…and even given away one of her journals here on the blog.  I think all of her work is awesome and this weekly notepad is currently on my wishlist.

    MASSACHUSETTS // Albertine Press
    Albertine Press has a brick and mortar store in Cambridge that I’d love to visit someday.  These Boston letterpress notecards are gorgeous and for a location a bit closer to me, they have Washington D.C. too!

    MICHIGAN // Amy Heitman
    Another shop a mile-long wishlist!  Amy’s illustrations are so beautiful and charming and have a bit of a vintage vibe.  A few of my favorites: Floral Bee Gift Wrap, Another Year Sweeter birthday card, and this agenda notepad.

    MINNESOTA // Printerette Press
    I love the simplicity of these letterpress cards.  This one would be perfect for a summertime birthday.

    MISSISSIPPI // Small Pond Print Shop
    Hayley’s watercolor art is so stunning.  Mississippi natives will love her “Places” series and this pencil pouch is just too cute.

    MONTANA // Noteworthy Paper Press
    Taylor’s papergoods line definitely has an outdoor theme, perfect for someone from “Big Sky Country!”  Favorite item going on my wishlist: Honey Bee Notepad

    NEBRASKA // The Anastasia Co.
    From the about page: “Words are powerful. They write the story of your life. My passion is to design words in a way that resonate with your heart, fill your soul with truth, and bring joy to your home.”  Love that!  I love this journal too.

    NEW JERSEY // Paula and Waffle
    Paula describes her greeting card line as “sweet and pretty” and I couldn’t agree more!  Favorite card on my wishlist: Just For You Snail Mail

    NEW YORK // Happy Dappy Bits
    The environment is important to Jane, so she uses “FSC Certified Recycled & Sustainable papers made from 100% to 30% post consumer materials, and all of my packaging are chosen with the earth in mind, too — from clear, reusable, and 100% biodegradable cellophane sleeves, to sturdy recycled rigid mailers.”  This saying hello card is definitely one of my favorites.

    NORTH CAROLINA // Hennel Paper Co.
    From Jayme: “All of our cards are handmade with love on 100% recycled paper in my Charlotte, NC studio and each one is a little piece of my heart. Every design starts out as a sketch on paper. That sketch is inked with black marker, scanned and brought into Photoshop where I work a little magic and get it ready for print. All of my designs are inspired by real life and are made for exactly that.”  I love all of her cards, but her enamel pins are awesome too.  I think I need this one!

     OHIO // Glass Half Full Art
    I have purchased from this mother-daughter team before and was so impressed.  Their work is so colorful!  Love these Mama Bear and Papa Bear cards.

    OREGON // Green Bird Press
    While all of Susan’s designs are gorgeous, I especially love nature-inspired ones.  How cool are these Cascades topographical coasters?

    PENNSYLVANIA // Jennysrainbow Photo
    Jennifer’s shop has a variety of items, but I think I love her photo cards the best.  Some of my favorites: the buck, wild blueberries and this set of Pennsylvania nature scenes.

    RHODE ISLAND // Rag and Bone Bindery
    “Rag & Bone is a 30 year old bookbinding studio located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. We create beautiful books and albums for all occasions – baby, wedding & everyday. Our materials are sourced locally (as local as we can!) and our trained bookbinding staff produces our books to exacting standards. We love books, bookbinding, book arts, paper arts, paper crafting and all things bookish.”  Look at this anniversary journal!

    TEXAS // Hello Small World
    This husband and wife duo makes “feel-good greeting cards + other goods with quirky characters, things, and sayings all while consuming copious amounts of coffee.”  My kind of people!  This magnetic grocery list is too cute.

    UTAH // Alexa Z Design
    I adore this shop!  Alexa’s designs are so sweet and colorful.  Favorite card on my wishlist: Book Stack.

    WASHINGTON // FunUsual Suspects
    This is such a fun shop!  Between her adorable air plant holders to magnetic bookmarks to her punny notecards, there’s something for everyone.  I love this otter card.

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