Currently...

(sweater- Old Navy // jeans- AE // mocs- Minnetonka // braided cowl- knit by my aunt // glasses- Warby Parker)

Loving: polka dots, hearts, glasses, & sunshine in the window that deceives me into thinking spring is almost here

Wearing: sweaters, boots, too many layers

Creating: lots of tea bowls, mugs (including a new style coming soon!) & jewelry 

Listening to: Jami Nato's session from the Influence Conference. I think I'll listen to it a few more times in the next few weeks. So powerful.

Looking forward to: spring, Bible study tonight, my "mastermind meeting" with some of my favorite handmade biz ladies, the 2013 Influence Conference and... the super bowl... or not. Who really cares about football anyways?  

linking up with the Pleated Poppy

photos by Megan

{New} Tea Set // Collaboration with Jessica N Designs

I'm so excited to announce a special product collaboration with Jessica N Designs! Jessica and I combined her hand stamped vintage spoon with my color block tea bowl- Perfect for the tea lover in your life! Add some gourmet tea and a sweet love note and you have a unique and heartfelt Valentine's Day gift. Yes, please!

We're offering three spoon sayings and three tea bowl colors for you to choose from. Which pairing is your favorite? I love the "me + tea = ♥" and the mint green color block tea bowl.

HUGE thanks goes out to Jennifer Blair Photography for the amazing photos! I wish we could put more than five photos in a shop listing because it was so hard to choose my favorites. 

Shop the tea set in my shop here and Jessica's shop here.

Around the Studio

(1) productive day for my (12 year old) student, (2) studio pet listening to his favorite tunes,

(3) full shelves ready for firing, (4) pots EVERYWHERE (including on top of the freezer)- I need a bigger studio

Dreamer or Doer

(photo by Jennifer Blair Photography- more excitement to come!)

Are you a dreamer or a doer?

Do you like to sit back and day dream about all the things you would love to accomplish (OR) 

Do you actually take logical steps to reach those dreams?

I've been thinking about these questions recently for my own life. 

Sadly, I think too often I'm a dreamer. Dreaming is important, yes, but if I'm not actually taking steps in order to reach goals, how am I ever going to get there? Success typically doesn't just fall from the sky. It happens when there is hard work (blood, sweat, and tears) involved. 

I want to be more intentional about setting goals. I rarely set goals.

I don't know why, but I find it hard to set concrete goals for myself. I guess I'm scared I'll fail. And time spent failing is time spent wasted in my opinion. Instead, I should look at failures as opportunities for learning and growth because they are. 

Here's to setting BIG goals, working hard, and getting back up to try again when plans fail.   

 

Building Wells, Changing Lives

As I've said many times before, I feel so blessed to be doing something with my life that I love and I want my business to stand for something greater than myself, which led me to the decision that I'm excited to share with you today!

  
I was first introduced to Gospel for Asia several years ago and something about them instantly got my heart. I believe 100% in what they're doing for the poorest of the world's poor. (Learn more about their mission here.) It takes $1,000 to build a well that will provide clean water for a community of 5,000 people who otherwise do not have access to sanitary water. With every purchase from my shop that is made, 20% of the proceeds will go towards building a well. Every time I have enough money to purchase a well, I'll be sure to let you know. 

Gospel for Asia's goal for 2013 is to drill 1,000 wells, and I would love to help them reach that goal. I can't wait to see how many lives we can impact together! Thank you so much for your support!

Outfit: Foxy

 (sweater- Old Navy // jeans- AE // boots- Ciao Bella // glasses- Firmoo // rings- NS Pottery)

What do you think of the latest "animals on clothing" fad? When I first laid eyes on this sweater, I was in love. Then after I bought it, I started thinking maybe the fox looked childish. (I don't want to look younger than people already think I am.) I decided it's a keeper.

On another note, I got some new glasses the other week from Firmoo. When Firmoo first contacted me about trying a pair of glasses (for free!), I wasn't sure if they were legit (I mean, why would someone want to send me free things?), but I can tell you now, they are! I picked out the glasses that I liked, and I received them about two weeks later. I was really wanting to try some that had a rounder look, and now that I have, I've decided I like my square Warby Parkers a little better for my face. It's fun to have a couple pairs to switch off, though :) I really like the tortoise pattern on the frames and the quality is good. And get this, Firmoo has launched a program where new customers get their first pair of glasses for free (just pay for shipping). You can't beat that!

Check out their frames here. (Mine were from the nerd section, but I think they're out of stock right now.) My cousin just ordered a pair of non-prescription glasses for fun, and I can't wait to see how they look on her!

linking up with the Pleated Poppy for some style inspiration

photos by Megan

Crowned

This verse has been popping up everywhere lately and has been a huge blessing to me. I watched a livestream with Beth Moore a few days ago and the picture she painted of this verse was incredible. We have a guarantee that this year has been crowned the with goodness of God. That's not to say that everything we face in the year ahead will be easy or fun, but the Lord's goodness will abound and overflow. 

"Our God will be good to us this year, and He, if we will let Him, will bring forth tremendous fruit from our lives in 2013."  
                                                                                                                                                             - Beth Moore

Word of the Year

The Lord has really been sifting some things in my heart lately. I find it difficult to blog during these times, not sure if the work He's been doing is too personal to share or if that's exactly what He wants me to have this blog for- to share His mercy in the midst of my weakness. I don't write these words for pity or praise. I only hope that it encourages (or wrecks) one person. That's what being vulnerable is all about.

As 2012 was drawing to a close, I was thinking about what one word I wanted to define me for 2013. It seems that choosing a "word of the year" every January is pretty common these days. (Maybe it's just a blogger thing?) As I was thinking and praying about what I should work or focus on this year, every idea I thought of didn't seem quite right. Then the Lord revealed a huge stronghold in my life.

I came face to face with my insecurity.

I realized how much I care about what others think.
How much I feel like I don't measure up.  
How much I resent other people and the things they have.

It was not pretty.

We can choose to live our lives in bitterness and resentment because others will always have more or do more than us or we can choose to let God take our insecurity and use us as we are.

One thing I've realized in the past week is how much I need Christ and the healing He extends. I was broken and forced to fall at the feet of my merciful Savior. Only He can put my heart back together. Only He can make me whole. 

He knows what we need far more than we know ourselves, and HE WILL give you what you need when you ask Him. He may crack you open. The process may be painful. But in the end, He will bring beauty.

So my word is secure.

Secure because I am a daughter of the Most High King, not because I'm good at x, y, z or have this or that.
Secure to be bold.
Secure to be vulnerable.
Secure to be imperfect.
Secure to be comfortable with the person God has created me to be. 
Just as I am.
Because one day everything will be stripped away and the only thing that will matter is my relationship with Christ and what I did with my time here on earth.

Improving Your Blog

Are you looking to make improvements to your blog this new year?
Or maybe you want to begin a blog but don't know where to start.

Recently, I read through Hayley Morgan's latest eBook, The No Brainer Blog. If you want to get advice from someone who knows what she's talking about, Hayley's your lady. She's very strategy-minded with the firm belief that if something in your life is draining rather than life-giving, it's not worth spending time on.

The No Brainer Blog covers everything from deciding what you want your blog to be about to how to make it successful and life-giving. I especially enjoyed her section on social media and how she balances each platform. I know I need to make some changes this year.

You can purchase The No Brainer Blog here for only $7.99! A steal for a wealth of information from an expert, if you ask me.