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my studio through the years…

Raising up Rubies2 Comments

I dreamt up this space when instagram was the newest thing and pinterest was all the rage – burlap everything & chalkboard diy’s were on everybody’s to-do list. I remember being in line at Chipotle with my husband when I got the email from Better Homes & Gardens asking if they could feature my craft room in the magazine … I showed him my phone and said “do you think this is one of those scam emails?” They showed up a few months later with lighting equipment in the front yard and a huge white tarp that covered the windows on the front of our house – a few neighbors came over and rang the bell asking if everything was ok. Then later going to Wegmans to actually see it on the store shelf, we bought a few copies and took some flip phone pictures … it was 2013.

When I started my blog my girls were little, now they both can vote! My oldest has flown the nest and the youngest is getting ready for college this fall. We just blinked – and here we are.

My husband retired after 23 years in law enforcement and now works in the civilian world, which has been such a foreign thing for all of us. He is as busy as ever but we have dreams about ‘real’ retirement someday … somewhere warm.

I forget about this picture that never came to pass, until I stumble onto it every once in a while and reminisce … I was due to be on this cute magazine cover and right before going to print, the publishing company decided to cancel the production of the magazine all together – I was so sad! But still have it printed & framed in my studio because it’s a great memory and was such a fun experience ♥

This is the OG craft room that was officially finished in 2012 – over the years things changed a little at a time, but the one original remaining piece is the table! It measures 8 feet by 4 feet and was built by my husband & father – the wooden chairs were from the Christmas tree shops at the time.

The shelves against the back wall were basic white units from Target, that we lined up side by side, framed in with molding and trim then painted gray. The brown paper covered boxes that housed all my different scrapbook papers, were just covered cereal boxes 🙂

The side wall with a sewing table and shelves above it, was also made by my husband and took on many different functions over time …

The photos reflect changes in trends of course, the rugs changed, the wooden chairs got bright coats of paint and the light fixtures came & went … but as I look at the pictures all in one sitting, I realize they reflect the changes that were occuring in my family as well – my girls were growing up and I was changing with time – craving simplicity, less stuff, bright space and functionality.

In the first picture at the top of this post, the yellow dresser was purchased at a garage sale and I painted it yellow and added knobs from hobby lobby – it was only made of pressboard and eventually stared to fall apart… I stumbled upon that amazing wooden workbench (pictured just above) at a rummage sale – complete with the yellow melamine top, wooden drawers and it even had outlets on the side! It was definitely a hand crafted piece built in someone’s home workshop, but I loved it and got many years of good use from it.

The shelving on the back wall got a fresh coat of white paint and that unique wooden rolling cart was eventually replaced with a small white bookshelf. In the pictures below, you’ll see that the whole side wall got reimagined as my little online shop was growing and changing with time as well.

The rainbow pegboard was one of my most favorite projects, and was a focal point in the room for a long time…

White stools replaced the wooden chairs and rainbow polka dots pushed out garlands & shutters, but they came down a year later when we had the whole house repainted … most of our house is painted in ‘bakery box white’ by Behr.

Photos on the right show the progress during painting … everything was removed on the side wall (built-in table & shelves) and was moved up into my older daughter’s room in the left photo. It was at that time that she started crocheting little stuffies and garlands for the kids Etsy shop we had – she had her own business cards & shipping supplies all organized in that workspace ♥

In came my beloved white Husky work bench from Home Depot. I was envisioning the space as a packing/shipping order station, where i could gather, pack and weigh all my shop orders in one spot without having to run all over the room to grab this and that …

White painted pegboard and inventory bins took the place of my sewing area after more than a decade, and gingham wallpaper replaced a large green chalkboard (that I got from a sale at a local school that was closing down) on the other side of the room.

White rope baskets were moved in under the table when the original brown baskets started to wear out … I also decided to put a flush ceiling light fixture in the room for more lighting and less distraction from the new metal shelving units on the back wall that eventually replaced the framed in unit.

This is where it stands 14 years or so later 🙂 I will never regret taking this room ‘out of it’s box’ and turning it into something that allowed my home to thrive, my family & friends to gather & me to use the creativity God put in my soul to bring joy to others who I’ve been so blessed to encounter – which in turn gives me the greatest joy of all. Thankyou for following along with me for all of these years – it has been true joy to live a quiet life and work with my hands, all the while sharing it bit by bit with you as friends ♥

recipes

oatmeal butterscotch cookies ♥

Raising up Rubies2 Comments
how are you all holding up during this crazy time?
we’re spending lots of time in the kitchen baking all the things and trying lots of new recipes
it’s been a bit of a strange feeling for all of us – my oldest was at the tail end of her senior year and we found out yesterday that the remainder of the school year here in upstate NY has been cancelled – along with senior trip, ball, exams & their graduation ceremony 😦
my youngest was in 8th grade, the last year of middle school here, her trip to Washington DC was also cancelled and her 8th grade formal, for which she had already picked out a dress (tear)


so even though all of that is disappointing – God is still good.
we’ve been using this extra time to do all the things we never seemed to have the time to do… crafts, water-coloring, watching lots of movies and doing projects around the house, actually my husband & my dad decided to finish our basement
no big deal.

if you’ve followed along here for a while you know my hubby loves cookies
cookies are actually the reason we met ♥
but that story is in a post somewhere if you scroll back ….
my dad also loves cookies.
my father-in-law too.
so i’ve been keeping the guys fueled up with plenty of cookies while they work on the house … 
butter, sugar & eggs are on repeat on the grocery list over here 

all three of them love these oatmeal butterscotch cookies – they’re definitely a favorite!
i’ve always made the toll house recipe on the butterscotch chip bag, but lately i’ve noticed that the cookies were coming out of the oven realllllly flat … and crunchy 😦
around here we all love a perfectly soft/done cookie with a bit of height and golden bottoms 🙂


with a little modification to the dry ingredients – i think i’ve finally got this recipe right where i want it – i upped the flour ratio and lowered the oats – i love the flecks of cinnamon in these cookies but if you’re not a fan of cinnamon you can leave it out, it won’t affect the recipe.

click here to save and print the recipe – then add to your recipe book ♥
make sure you don’t over bake these – they will continue to bake for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven so when you open the door and are trying to figure out if they are done or not? if they’re golden all around and *mostly* in the middle – they’re done. 

i’m also in the process of tearing apart my pantry so that i can move all of the baking ingredients down into this baking area cupboard in my kitchen – it makes life so much easier to just reach down and scoop instead of carrying all these containers back and forth to the pantry – i’m not sure why i haven’t done this sooner? #gamechanger i’ll come back here and talk about it in more detail when i’ve finished putting everything together 🙂 
it’s the little things friends.

a few weeks ago our trusty red kenmore toaster oven died on us – and it was then that we realized how much we use and depend on a toaster oven … i hopped online and this cuisinart popped up as one of the best rated, plus it’s a combination air fryer … so far we really like it.
and let’s be honest – i was sold as soon as i saw that it came in white 🙂


we also took some time this morning to decorate our front door for my daughter while she was at work – i got the idea from a friend who’s daughter is also a senior at the same high school – was a fun way to encourage & make her feel special ♥ so that’s what’s been going on around here these past few -strange but in a lot of ways nice and also peaceful- weeks …


i hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do!
and if you make them tell me how it went in the comments – i love hearing from you all!
much love & sending hugs ♥

diy

sidewalk chalk neighbor gift idea & free printable

Raising up Rubies1 Comment


I’m hoping that this little project might lift your spirits 
during this really weird/sad/crazy time like it did mine today ♥

it started a few days ago with a box of sidewalk chalk …


i saw everyone on social media talking about how they were using chalk to decorate their sidewalks with uplifting messages or just pretty pictures since families and neighbors are out in huge numbers everyday walking and enjoying any spring-like weather just to pass the time and get out of the house… and anyone who lives in our neighborhood knows that people are ALWAYS outside – quarantine or not – we have so many little kids, dog owners and runners/walkers in our one mile huge loop of a neighborhood – so our neighborhood is usually pretty active even during normal circumstances… 

so i picked up a box at target (while i was getting essentials … everyone just please relax … please – slight eyeroll here) because i knew that it would put a smile on at least a few faces who walked over our sidewalk over the next few days (and then it rained of course – hello, upstate NY + April) so i recruited my girls to go chalk up the sidewalk & make it pretty ♥
we got out there and the sun was shining, within a few minutes it was like my spirits were automatically renewed just by being outside, for an hour, breathing in God’s fresh air and soaking up His sunshine …

 it got me to thinking about how we can watch the news, talk to neighbors and overhear things in the grocery store check out line that the enemy then uses to ever so quietly & slooooowly crack the door open, allowing fear to creep into our minds & hearts … right?  we start to let ourselves be dominated by the what if’s and the maybe’s 
that give life to fear & self-reliance … 

but then all of a sudden being outside in the wide open of God’s creation … you realize that there is nothing to fear. He made all of this. the sun will rise in the morning and set again tomorrow night, virus or not, quarantine or not, constant barrage of fear-mongering news broadcasts or not … because He is in control – He’s got this – this didn’t catch Him by surprise – it didn’t sneak up on Him like whoa where’d you come from kinda thing – this was all sifted through His hands.

He’s behind & before us – His thoughts are higher – our names are graven on His hands – He knew what we looked like even before we were thought into existence … 
so i’m thinkin’ He’s got this too.

as we were chalking up a storm the idea came to get a few more boxes of chalk for some of the houses with little kids on our street – in hopes that they would decorate their sidewalks too and then what a fun walk around the neighborhood that would be for everyone 🙂


surprisingly but kinda not (insert another small eyeroll here)
 like flour toilet paper and chicken breast (that’s what’s hard to get here at our grocery store what about you all?) sidewalk chalk is really hard to find online – and again not surprisingly, sellers on amazon are trying to sell this 48ct. box of chalk for $40!


so i scoured the interwebs and found that my local staples & walgreens stores had quite a few boxes left in stock and they were offering curb-side pickup! bonus. so check your local office supply stores, drug stores, targets or walmart’s – buy online and pick up – i’m sure you’ll be able to find some!




and of course i had to make a cute tag for these neighbor gifts (that in all honesty me & my daughter ding dong ditched ((or just ditched without the ding or the dong)) at each of the houses and then made quick getaways afterwards:P) there’s just something about giving gifts in secret – am i right?

i love leaving something, catching someone off guard and letting it be found in the quiet of their own thoughts & emotions – i know in times past i’ve found something that has brought me to tears and i thought how did someone know this was just what i needed?

so! dive into those ribbon stashes, tie some bows onto those cardboard box handles and 
click here or on the image below to print out these tags and share with your neighbors 🙂

super cute graphics were from these two etsy shops
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LisaMarkleSparkles
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JaxandJake
and so at the end of today, we had successfully delivered 6 boxes of chalk up and down our street and when my daughter went out to ride her bike in the afternoon she came back so excited to tell me that all the little kids that we had delivered chalk to, had decorated or were out decorating their sidewalks with the cutest pictures and notes ♥ and some of them had even come to the front of our house and written a note in chalk thanking us for the gift 🙂


and just like that a small thing like a box of chalk brought so much joy to our house and now neighborhood 
AND had lifted my spirit more than any other thing had done this past week.
(even more than when i found a six pack of TP at the grocery store 🙂
find some chalk, print out these tags & let this do the same for you this week friends!
as always – much love

recipes

old-fashioned apple cake ♥

Raising up Rubies4 Comments

3 blog posts in 2 weeks? who am i? 🙂
so i posted about this old-fashioned apple cake on instagram two years ago and so many of you made and loved the recipe – it prompted me to do a little digging because the recipe i had was good, but something seemed a little different from what i remembered… i’ve been making this cake with my mom since i was a teenager, but we hadn’t made it for many years when i came across the recipe in my old cookbook


i followed that recipe exactly and shared it on instagram at that time – since then i’ve been talking about it with my mom and her sisters – the recipe came from their sister in law who has since passed away but my aunt found her original recipe card and we realized that the copy i had – had probably been copied so many times or the recipe was cut in half  – so basically it was still very similar to the origianl but not really the right recipe if that makes sense


after making it a few times since then, and evaluating it with them 🙂 we got it down to the original ingredients and method that we remembered it to be ♥ the cake is moist and so good + the cinnamon sugar on top gives it that yummy crunch – i recently took the cake on a visit with me to my aunt’s house with all of us there and this version got a thumbs up from everyone – especially my daughter jayla ♥ 


so we’re passing this cake down to the next generation and i’ve printed a copy for both of my girls’ cookbooks – i have binders for each of them filled with our family favorites and that i add to whenever we try somthing new that we decide is a keeper – i’ll try to do a blog post on that sometime with more info and pictures




i made a cute printable recipe sheet for you to print out at home – fit it into a 8.5×11 recipe binder with a plastic sleeve or resize it to fit a 5×8 binder, which is what my recipes are in here pictured below – these binders were project life recipe binders that i believe are no longer in print but any 5×8 binder will work with plastic inserts from an office supply store



click here to print recipe!

 take note that in this new revised recipe i used an angel food pan like this one – with a higher & thicker cake, this pan comes apart in the middle making cake removal very easy – just make sure to grease & flour both pieces as i mentioned in the instructions – don’t skip that part!

♥ ♥ ♥

now… and i hope i haven’t lost you yet … but the original recipe i shared from 2018 (pictured below) was made in a bundt pan like this one, is close to half of the size of the revised recipe and is pictured here with step by step pictures and the recipe from my cookbook – it’s reminds me more of an apple danish (because of less batter) but is just as delicious!



click here to print the previous bundt pan recipe


make either version of my family recipe and you won’t be disappointed – they’re both so yummy… and thanks for following along with me on this one! it’s caused me to really think about how we document our family information/memories/stories and about how we pass information down to the next generation – i’m sure so much gets lost in translation! i think that’s why it’s SO important to write down as much as we can and ALSO to get into the kitchen with our kids and show them how we cook/bake these recipes so that they have first hand knowledge of how their family traditions are carried on! showing them face to face (mixer to mixer 🙂 what was taught to the generation before them ♥
(me & my aunt 1999 ish)
(jayla & my aunt this last Christmas)
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valentines day in a jar gift idea ♥

Raising up Rubies1 Comment

i have to admit breakfast is my favorite meal of the day… 
i mean what’s not to love about any kind of breakfast food? muffins pastries waffles bacon 
eggs oatmeal cookies bagels cookies french toast cookies…
🙂
speaking of bagels, i love a good bagel with butter and some raspberry jam on top yummm.
 bonne maman happens to be our favorite store bought jam, have you ever had it?
 (and ps. this not a paid post just really love the stuff)


besides, lets talk about what’s really important here – the gingham lids on those jars ♥
i mean really good jam in a cute jar? it’s like icing on the cake – or like the jam on the bagel? hehe


anyways, file this Valentines day in a jar gift idea away for next year – or if you are celebrating throughout this weekend, you still have time to pull some of these together with any jars you might have laying around!

i soaked my jars in a bowl of really hot water with a few drops of dawn blue dishsoap 
for about an hour – the labels slid right off – easy peasy.


the fun part is going to target walmart michaels where ever and picking out all the little things that go inside! i try to keep things all the same color, but sometimes the items vary depending on who i’m gifting to – for instance i know my mom doesn’t like things that are rose scented and my sister in law is conscious about clean ingredients – keep those things in mind! it would be sad to get a gift full of things that are really super cute but maybe not items that are useful


 if you have trouble thinking of what to put inside – just think about all the things that YOU love! 
a favorite polish color, chapstick, a favorite kind of chocolate or gum … you get the idea ♥


if there’s extra room in your jars when you’ve put everything in,
fill the empty spaces with small candy like hershey kisses or dove hearts,
 even heart confetti would be cute in the bottom of the jar!


add some matching ribbon maybe a gift tag with a note to personalize ♥


definitely feeling like my jar hoarding skills paid off for this little gift idea 🙂


SO CUTE! happy Valentines day everyone! ♥


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heart shaped sugar cookies ♥

Raising up RubiesLeave a comment

Valentines Day has always been my favorite holiday – i think it’s all the hearts, sprinkles, and pink stuff that’s on everything 🙂 so when it comes to making heart cookies i always get excited … maybe about eating them as much as making them ♥



make a batch of these cookies for your family or to put into cute bags/containers
 to give to friends or neighbors – i promise they will love them!


this roll out cookie dough recipe has been my go-to recipe for twenty years 
um. wow. that makes me feel really old
 anywayssss…… this recipe has never failed me! the cookies are soft, buttery 
and at the perfect thickness when rolled out to a quarter inch

but the real game changer was when i learned to roll the dough out onto parchment paper first 
(light bulb moment) and THEN chill it in the fridge right on the cookie sheets! 
it makes so much more sense than chilling the dough in a big lump then trying to handle and roll it out when it’s too cold to work with anyways right? 


i always double this recipe, plus i use extra large cookie sheets for a larger rolling surface for the dough and for more cookie space when baking – this rolled chilled dough bakes up so nicely and the cookie shape holds perfectly


for the simple icing i combine 2-3 cups of powdered sugar with a few tablespoons of milk – just add slowly until it reaches desired consistency & add a few drops of red food coloring for pink frosting – spoon the icing into a ziploc bag and cut off a small tip from one of the corners – pipe in a zigzag pattern and sprinkle with nonpareils right away before it sets. SO GOOD.


get the recipe here, print and add it to your recipe box
i hope you love them & happy Valentines Day friends ♥ 

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banana chocolate chip muffins ♥

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the long winter months always bring out the baker in me…
not that i don’t bake in the warmer months too, but there’s just something about 
chilly nights and snowy weather that make me want to whip up all the 
cookies, breads & muffins 


if you’re like me, then you always happen to have a couple bananas that are ripe 
on the counter yes? i sometimes wonder if my family leaves the last few 
on purpose so that i will bake somthing? 
hmm. i might be on to them 🙂


i’ve been using this recipe for a loooong time 
and i’m not sure which relative it came from, but it’s a favorite…
nothing really fancy or out of the ordinary about it – just good.
oh and it’s great with or without the chocolate chips – i make it both ways
just depends what we’re feelin’ 🙂

here it is all typed up nice & cute – it’s sized perfectly at 4×6 
for you to print and slip right into your recipe binder or box

click here to download and print this recipe card!


enjoy! and let me know here in the comments if you make them!

ps! all new valentine goodies are in my etsy shop this week ♥ 
head over there and take a peek! 😉


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simple Christmas gift ideas ♥

Raising up Rubies1 Comment

Merry almost Christmas friends!
we’re only a little over a week away from the big day and you might be overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done, but don’t be! bake some cookies, put the kettle on and have some tea with me while you browse through some of my pictures – then you’ll realize gift giving doesn’t have to be complicated or over-thought – 
just simple and from the heart ♥ 


the baking inspired gift pictured above started when i saw this post and decided to make a batch of homemade vanilla extract for Christmas gifts! (just be sure to think ahead when gifting these, since it takes a while for the mixture to infuse before using) i knew i would want to pair the bottles with something before i handed them out – so off to browse the isles of Home Goods i went 🙂 i found the glass measuring cups (because who has enough of those?) some cute spatulas & kitchen towels – then some pretty ribbon for that extra special finish. 
oh and the free printable labels for the bottles are from here – aren’t they super cute?!


another idea is to keep a basket or crate by your door – fill it with with multiples of the same gift – something simple, inexpensive & that anyone will love – something that you can hand out to your mail carrier when they delilver packages, the bus driver as the kids head out to school in the morning or for the neighbors that you see outside or beat you to it and pop up at your door first! this year i bought a few of these BIG boxes of chocolates from Costco – at only $10 each they don’t break the bank, but still feel like a substantial gift.


 take it up a notch with some ribbon, jingle bells and even a handwritten note or tag! 
boom. a simple store bought gift with a side of thoughtfulness – 
people notice! and they feel special ♥



a few years ago i gave my mom and some friends this super fun slipper filled gift – 
it was received so well and full of things that pamper your recipient.
the slippers were from target at the time but any slippers will work – even for a guy gift.
i tried to color coordinate the items i put inside which is easy to do once you start browsing the isles – first place i go to is the travel section! think nailpolish, chapstick/lip gloss, face masks, lotions, candy even a rolled up magazine or a book if it will fit.


i went next level for my mom’s gift by adding a small 
kate spade monogrammed ID holder that i got super cheap during a black friday sale online.


when my girls were still bringing teacher gifts to school, mugs were my go-to starting point when i wanted to build a gift – not too expensive and can be filled with anything! initial mugs make it even more personal – i would put these types of gifts in a simple gift bag with tissue paper if it was travelling to school with my kids – if it is for neighbors or friends, just hand it over as is – with a waving hand & a big smile on your face 🙂


just a few more ideas i pulled from my camera roll from way back – these felt buckets were in the dollar section at target and the mugs were from pottery barn – they also had a huge sale on monogrammed blankets so i tucked a few of them into gifts for some of the couples we are friends with through my husbands work.


‘by the fire’ was the theme i had in mind when i put these gifts together (i know, i’m weird)
 sipping cocoa with marshmallows & peppermint sticks, blankets and chocolate ♥


and in the end – if you’re in a pinch – grab a box of mandarin oranges – in those really fun crates they come in around Christmas time – and tie a ribbon around it with bells & chocolates tucked in between the fruit – and walk it right next door! (or send your kids ha.) who wouldn’t want to have that hand delivered on Christmas day?? with a house full of company that would be just the thing to put out between dinner & dessert. If you have extra time you can make an clementine wreath like the one pictured below using cellophane wrap and bakers twine to separate each one – jingle bells and a bow with a special note and leave that on doorknobs for neighbors who are out for the day – what a fun thing to come home to 🙂


i hope some of these ideas inspire you to give a few simple Christmas gifts 
to people you don’t normally think about or maybe to someone who you think might feel overlooked ♥ happy gift giving friends!

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Christmas in my Etsy shop 2019 ♥

Raising up RubiesLeave a comment
{things to do farmhouse Christmas notepad}
Christmas is in full swing in my etsy shop this week!
i feel like i pour my heart & soul into all my products – but especially at Christmas time ♥
it’s almost like a culmination of working hard all year then going out with a big bang at the very end 🙂

{things to do buffalo check truck notepad}

i try to think about what you as my small shop customers would love to purchase and give as gifts – those ideas result in me spending months of designing, testing, revising, wrapping and packaging…
the end result is definitely a labor of love.

{farmhouse Christmas recipe cards}

this year i created a collection of farmhouse style paper products – starting right in the kitchen
with recipe cards, tags, stickers & gift giving cards
{farmhouse Christmas scripture cards}

even bookmarks! 
do you have a reader on your gift list? slide this bookmark into a good book with a Starbucks gift card
tie a ribbon around it and what a great gift to give! & receive ♥

{farmhouse Christmas book lovers laminated bookmark}

last year i created a set of Christmas story nativity cards with farm manger animals and it was a best-seller! two new sets – snowy woods animals & fancy holiday florals – are new for this year.

{Christmas story card set – fancy holiday floral version}

{Christmas story card set – snowy woods animals version}

display your Christmas story cards or any scripture cards from my shop on this little wooden easel that can be purchased as an add on to any card set – your easel & card set will come packaged all pretty like in a cute drawstring polka dot bag

{buffalo check truck Christmas card set}

buffalo check trucks & polka dots just make everything better
cards can be purchased with envelopes & all notepads come wrapped up pretty with a Christmas pencil attached.

{farmhouse Christmas gift & baked goods tags}



{buffalo check truck Christmas stickers}

all stickers in my shop come in sets of 20 and are packageds into glassine envelopes

{Jesus is the Reason planner/purse charm}

Jesus is the Reason planner charms are sold individually 
and are also included in December’s bible verse of the month box!

{December’s bible verse of the month club box}

the subscription boxes come with a set of six cards, 20 matching stickers, 
the planner charm & a treat just for you! the box itself is valued over $35 
and is priced at $25 and bonus – it ships for free! 

{cookies, cocoa & Christmas trucks keychain}

the red truck key chain is probably one of my most favorite things in my shop this year ♥ 
maybe because it’s really so true for me! all i really want to do during all of December is bake Christmas cookies, drink hot cocoa with lots of whipped cream and sprinkles & have hallmark Christmas movies on repeat.

{beaded charm bracelets}

beaded charm bracelets are totally new for me
 i love learning how to make new things and perfecting a skill over time
tweaking the little details and trying things out
i’ve learned so many new things from owning my own little business.
{worded bead bracelets}

i also try to make things that i would love to use and
wear in hopes that is translates to you the same way!


some of the worded bead bracelets are so pretty – i would like to keep them all ♥
when i started making these my younger daughter Jayla was helping me – then she came up with some ideas for some kids style bracelets and she got crafty with me! i think they all turned out so cute.

{kids worded bead bracelets}

 i hope you’re able to check a few gifts off of your Christmas shopping list and 
as always i am so very thankful for all of the customers/friends who have supported and
shopped in my little store – you are such a blessing to me and i LOVE seeing & knowing your names on my worktable when i pack my orders each week – thankyou so much
you are SO loved ♥

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autumn home decor ♥

Raising up RubiesLeave a comment

We are soaking up the last little bits of fall around these parts – even though a major snow storm is expected tonignt. i don’t quite feel ready for winter, but who ever really is? 🙂
i share a lot about my home on instagram, but i thought it might be nice to have it all one place here on my blog – thankyou to everyone who has followed me on here over the years, i appreciate you all ♥ i’ve also shared about how over the past year or more, i have been simplifying how i decorate and scaling waaaay back on the amount of seasonal stuff i keep and store.


i’ve designated specific spaces in our home for holiday/seasonal decorations and i try to keep to those same spots to avoid over-buying (we all have those in-store “this is so cute but i don’t have a place for it but i will figure it out when i get home and i love it so much so i will buy it” moments) and to keep it simple! I used to love having things & more things to decorate with, but as i get older i’m finding that less is more – and that “less” is so much more appealing… of course i love to decorate our home, of course i love to make our home cozy & comfortable & inviting with beautiful things ♥ but i discovered that the “managing & organizing” all of that stuff was weighing me down and controlling me! i wanted to be rid of the burden of having to always go though & reorganize storage spaces over and overrrrrrr again. 


so by keeping it simple and only applying seasonal changes to a few standard areas in our home, holiday decorating mainly, became a joy as opposed to something that i dreaded or felt like “i had to do” 

here is a short list of the areas on the lower level of our home
 that i decorate & swap/add things seasonally to :

entryway wreath
entryway bench
kitchen table
kitchen wreath
kitchen frame
pantry doors
living room end table
living room faux mantle


i like to add a wreath to the open shelves in our kitchen during the holidays 
(just for fall & Christmas) throughout the rest of the year there is nothing on it.

our kitchen is the most lived in area of our home – our table and island are always occupied and the open cabinets are stocked with things we use on a DAILY basis as opposed to stuff that just looks cute but has no function – the best thing i’ve discovered/learned throughout this whole process is that when i’m looking for ways to make the spaces in my home work functionally – functional can also look pretty & nice! …for example, do you need new kitchen towels? look for some that you love and would be pretty to have out on display in a simple wire basket – on a counter or behind your kitchen sink – and all the while freeing up some space in your kitchen drawers 🙂


the doors to our pantry are white and hold two small wreaths or hangings very nicely.
i find those easy to swap seasonally with minimal storage – i have a few designated shelves in our basement for the wreaths i have – i store them in large white garbage bags that have the cinch pull tie things – i stack them on top of each other with a piece of cardboard in between for the ones i’m worried about getting crush or squished.


when it comes to frames i always buy white – they match and hold anything & everything
and they make whatever is in the frame stand out and pop.
 this frame from hobby lobby is on some corner shelves in our kitchen – there are several pieces of artwork stored in the frame – i swap them out for every holiday or just when it’s nice to have a bit of a change.


my husband built this faux mantle for me a few years ago – the collection of white pitchers & laura ingalls wilder home wood sign always stays – the flowers & foliage for every season changes! spring flowers – small American flags for summer – fall sunflowers & white billy balls/wire snowflakes for Christmas. having a consistent neutral base to start with makes seasonal decorating so much easier.

i also like to change this small wreath in our living room 
along with a knick knack or two on the table below it 


this year i found the light up acorns at bed bath & beyond on clearance for only $1
when i saw them i visualized in my decorating head 🙂 right where i wanted them to be.
i didn’t have to think about where i would put them even if i didn’t have the space 
or decide to just buy them because they were on clearance for a dollar then figure out what to do with them later.
remember just because something is on clearance doesn’t mean you need it. 
one dolla is more expensive then no dollas 🙂


they were the only seasonal decor i purchased for fall this year (apart for some yarn to make the yarn wreath in the picture above) and i’m so glad i did! they fit in with my simple white theme and add a bit of twinkle to our nights in the living room ♥


how has your seasonal decorating changed over the years? are you overwhelmed and dread dragging the Christmas tree out or are you a pro at keeping it simple? i’d love to hear & learn from you all in the comments below & i hope this helps give new perspective on simple everyday ways to manage your home ♥ much love to you