gone coastal

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The call of the ocean is undeniable to pretty much everyone.  It mystifies and lures the old and young alike.  Our little family is blessed to be able to take a beach vacation almost yearly and it always makes me want to bring some of the sea back with me and incorporate it into my home.  However heavily themed rooms can be overwhelming. I've always been one to gravitate more towards subtly, so these are the points I would keep in mind when putting together a room with a hint of coastal ambiance : )

- thick natural textures like wicker, sisal, and wood
- a breezy color pallet
- weathered finishes
- just a few coastal decor touches like shells, glass, and rope

Don't forget the personal touches, fill a bowl or container of shells you found or frame a photo from the beach that you took yourself.  Nothing can take the place of personal touches that speak to you and recall those memories and emotions brought to you by the sea. 

Here's an inspiration board I came up with featuring all Pottery Barn products.  I would absolutely live at Pottery Barn if I could ; )

1. Bronze Bowl
2. Carved Wood Starfish
3. Sheer Drapes
4. Wool and Natural Jute Rug
5. Oversized Sand Dollar
6. Seagrass Chairs
7. Glass Buoys

Do you have a vacation destination that seems to linger in your thoughts long after your gone?  Have you ever incorporated your favorite locale into your home?    How did it turn out?  Tell me about it, and send me pictures if you have them.  I would love to see it!

a little more

Remember in grade school when the teacher would have you stand up and tell the class what you did over  summer break?
Head back to second grade with me just a sec okay ; )

Despite the craziness of trying to sell our house and move to the country we have made the most of the free time we have had.  There have been vacations, camping, backyard playing, family visiting, boat rides, amusement parks, and typical summer shenanigans going on round these parts.

We explored the natural world in our back yards.

Went on a few camping trips and discovered some AMAZING sights.

Had some backyard sprinkler fun in the sun.

Enjoyed some fresh harvest from our garden.

Practiced being beach bums

Took in some amusements

And enjoyed a night out on the town with family (sans-kids no less!)

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These are the favorite moments that made my summer....it was awesome : )

how DO you know?

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When do you say "OK, this must not be part of God's plan"?
And when do you say, "I trust in you Lord, I will keep faith and not give up"?

This internal battle has spread itself to many parts of our life lately.  I've been praying so hard for answers.  I know my prayers are heard, I know He will answer.  But sometimes waiting for His answer and trying to interpret signs is just plain HARD.

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You see Hubsy and I have this dream to move to the country and build a simpler quiet life.  It's been building in us for over a year.  It's the kind of life we want not only for ourselves but for our boys especially.  Less busy, less stuff....more nature, more quiet, more discovery.  This past May we decided to go for it and make it happen so we put our house up for sale.  We found a sweet little house in the country on a dirt road with a lot of farm land around...perfection :)  Problem is we are having a very difficult time selling our house.  I won't go into the details but it has been a really rough road so far.

I have a beautiful house.  If I could pick it up and move it to the country  I would absolutely do that without a moments hesitation.  So...we are left to wonder if this is a sign that moving is not in God's plan for us at all?  Or just not now? Or should we keep trying?  Is our buyer right around the corner?  We find ourselves weary of the frequent showings we have and needing to leave the house.  This takes its toll on planning several aspects of everyday life...even just what to have for dinner since I may or may not be around to cook it : )  Not to mention our boys are homebodies (like us) and get quite cranky when they have to suddenly stop playing so we can clean up and leave on short notice.  But we know this is all part of the process of selling your home, it's just something you gotta do.

It tugs at our minds and hearts daily.
What about you?
Do you struggle with not knowing when to walk away from something and when to just try harder?

I'd love to hear your story, please share!

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Do what you love and do it often

Hi all!
These words sum up my state of mind lately pretty well. 

That said, I'll be taking a little posting hiatus for a few weeks to
concentrate on some other personal goals. 

I'm excited for what life has coming my way and hope to be 

renewed and ready to share some sweet insights when I return.

In the meantime you can follow me on IG @krista2021
to keep up with me, I hope to chat with you there ;)

Happy Friday friends!
May your weekend be blessed with sunshine in your hearts :)

Mother's Day Shop Sale

  Hi ladies!

Every mom likes to feel pretty and appreciated.  

Help her celebrate the wonderful blessings 

of motherhood with a beautiful piece of handcrafted jewelry.  

We're running a sale in the shop starting today thru Thursday 5/2 

with 20% off AND free shipping!

Etsy Shop

Happy shopping!

Nurturing yourself | You are what you eat

There's no way around it.  You simply are what you eat.

Our bodies are wonderfully complex packages filled with intricate systems and delicate balances.

  How can we expect it to function 

optimally if we are not nourishing it properly?!

This is not about weight, though you will undoubtedly see some benefits there too.

It's about feeling your best.  Odds are you're probably not even aware of not feeling well 

until you start to experience what "feeling well" is really like.

It's about being your best.  The best example you can be for others.

Hello, my name is Krista and I am a sugar addict.  

That's right, bring on the chocolates and every cookie variety under the sun.  

Don't even get me started on icing.  I'll slather it on anything.
For a while now eating sugar has been giving me major headaches.  

Do you think I listened to my body?

Well, not until recently and even now it is still a struggle that I don't always win.

What's your vice?
Maybe you don't feel like you really have one. 

 But consider this.  

We are fearfully and wonderfully made by the ultimate Creator.  

Don't you think He would provide us with the perfect nutrients to care for ourselves?

I believe that everyone's nutritional needs are unique to them but
there's no doubt there are all natural foods out there that can support them all.

 I certainly still struggle with eating healthy but I have been able to incorporate
so much more fruits and vegetables into my diet.
And I have decreased the amount of sugar and processed foods that I consume.
My complexion has improved, my weight has improved,
and my general feeling of health has improved.
It's all part of nurturing myself and striving to be the best I
can be inside and out.

I don't strictly follow any particular diet/eating plan out there.
I've simply been experimenting with new natural foods and finding out what works for me
and I strongly encourage you to do the same.

I've looked into clean eating, organic eating, sugarless eating, paleo eating,
and gluten free eating.  There's a little something from all of these that can
be taken away and applied to your own eating habits.

Below are some great links that have helped me and I hope will help you too.

1. Eight Steps to stop feeling like crap
2. Living lifestyle
3. Snack idea to cut out processed foods
4. Detox your body
5. What is clean eating?
(for some reason it will not let me link this one for you,
please copy and paste in browser to view
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/)

I'm getting more into organically grown produce, we don't realize what
the toxins on our produce are doing to our bodies.
Here's a quick cheat sheet on what is best to by organically grown.

Mostly I just want to encourage people to think twice about what they
are putting into their bodies.  It's not as hard as you think to make changes.
Yes it takes a little prior planning at first but you've conquered
harder things right? :)

Happy and healthy eating friends!