The Dreadlock Journey: Conversations on Life, Love, & Locks

Eeeeeeeeep!!

I am SO THRILLED to finally be sharing my latest project with you...

The Dreadlock Journey!

This eBook has been many years in the making...and it's ALMOST ready for you. So so close. I couldn't be more excited. My heart is racing just typing this :)

After having dreadlocks for almost 7 years, I have become friends with a host of amazing dreadlocked beauties, and I have heard them spill their hearts and tell me how dreadlocks have changed them. So I thought...

Let's tell the stories! Let's share our journeys! Let's get inspired!

You do NOT want to miss this...stories from Mandy Steward, Denise Andrade, Pixie Campbell, Emily Falconbridge, Hillary Rain, Tara Wagner, Catina Jane, and SO many more lovelies. 32 to be exact! And of course, my dread-cutting story is included as well, along with other bonus goodies!

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Does this sound like something you just might LOVE? Sign up below for my brand new (love)LETTER! I will be sending out sneak peaks into the eBook, as well as pre-sale discounts! The (love)LETTER will also be a way for me to send out other fun things I find along my way!

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...and the Facebook page for the book is here! Please LIKE it! :)

Morning + Art

Oh the magical morning hours. The sun shining in. Little feet pitter pattering around the house. Fire crackling. Backyard bird watching. Steamy oatmeal on the table. *sigh*

Oh wait. Add screaming little girls, snowy dogs running about & eating food off the table...orange juice being spilled everywhere, and a baby peeing on the floor. NOW you've got the picture. As I type this, there is a small monkeychild jumping on my back and pulling my hair. In the midst of this chaos, I try to sit myself down at our little art table by the window.

My Bible waits for me there with encouragement and wisdom for the day. My prayer journal is filled with reminders of God's grace and provision. And so before anything else, I try to fill my heart with the words of Jesus. They are a balm that sustains me through these wild days! That...and coffee. Lots of coffee.

This year, in my quest to find the perfect planner, I came across "The Documented Life". It's a group of people who are creating their own planner, and incorporating art journaling into it as well. I am not following all of the prompts, but I love visiting the Facebook group for inspiration. Many of them were using the Moleskin planner, but that was sold out everywhere I looked. I ended up getting a journal from Target and printing out my own calender pages for free. (Check out the Instagram collage she made using Photoshop! Awesome.)

I chose to have a week at a glance on one side, and a blank page on the other side for my to-do lists, menu planning, etc.  It took me forever to get all the pages washi taped, but I love the effect! I'm slowly getting my thoughts and life organized.

Bella and Lucy work on their art journals as well and Emma throws it down freestyle. Many of you have asked if I guide them in any way...and I really don't. I provide tools for them to explore and create art on their own.

We don't rely heavily on coloring books or craft projects...as they really like to just do their own thing. I like to gather art supplies on a regular basis...here is a list of our favorites:

• Watercolor paints (the highest quality I can find...we like Prang)
• Acrylics (use a flexible cutting board as a palette...it will scrape right off when dry)
• Magazines for cutting (I get them free or at thrift stores for 25 cents each). We look for words that we like or images that speak to our heart.
• Gesso
• Washi tape
• Gel Sticks (excited to try these out...they are on their way)
• Sharpies...80's Glam Baby!
• Paper (I grab lots of my paper at thrift stores. And I stock up on watercolor paper when it's on 50% off at Hobby Lobby/Michael's)
• Bubble wrap. Paint on it and lay it on your page. Makes an awesome background!
• Spray bottles full of diluted paint. These work great for  a splatter effect or when using stencils.
• Old books. Rip pages out and use gesso to bring out your magical secret messages (below). You can even art journal IN an old book.

Sometimes I will walk into the room and the girls will be busily working on creating something together. Makes my mama heart swoon.

Art journaling is extremely therapeutic and meditative. If you've never tried it, but you are curious...DON'T WAIT! Just get started today. I know it's intimidating to get on Pinterest and see all of the amazing artists out there. But this is your OWN journey. Do not compare yourself to anyone else. Use their ideas as a springboard to release your own creative spirit!

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To start...

• Get a journal. Find one with thicker paper. You will appreciate one that lays flat.
• Get some supplies. They don't need to be fancy. You could totally start with a box of crayons and glue.
• Get to work. Carve out a tiny piece of your day. Or an entire day. Invite friends over!

I have found that when we have a dedicated art/writing space, we gravitate toward it daily. When it's only temporarily set up on the kitchen table, it becomes a chore to get it all out and it rarely happens. Even if this means that you set up a card table in the corner of your basement with a naked light bulb above it...just do it.

Write prayers. Write dreams. Pour out your heart on the page.

For more inspiration and resources, check out these beauties:

Mandy @ Messy Canvas and another art journal share of Mandy's here
Catina Jane Gray (watch her techniques in this new video!)
Tara shares her journey to art journaling The Art Journaler CommunityArt Journalist (Love these prompts!!)

There are several books that we love:

The Art Journal WorkshopJournal Spilling: Mixed Media Techniques for Free Expression

And lastly, here is a post I wrote a few years ago about creating art spaces. Lots of good links!

**some of the links for products are affiliate links to Amazon. When you click them and buy stuff, you are supporting my blog and my little family :) Thank you.

Create an Outdoor Space You Love

Today...one of my favorite friends, Natalie, is sharing 5 easy steps to creating the outdoor space of your dreams! Pay attention y'all...this lady knows her stuff! I'm inspired!

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Hello & welcome! My name is Natalie. I find joy in the everyday moments & share them on my blog. I am happily married to my husband & together we have a family of two sweet pups & a flock of chickens. We have a deep passion for living fully & simply in our home. We cook from the harvests of our garden & prefer old things to new.

I was so excited when Sara asked me to feature one of our favorite spaces in our home- our front porch! I believe everyone should have a cozy, colorful spot for drinking coffee in the early morning hours & gathering for a meal with loved ones in the summer months. Today I am here to share some inexpensive, fun & colorful tips on making your outdoor space a little more delightful!

1. Lighting & Rugs

The first day we moved into our home, I hung twinkle lights on our paint-chipped porch. I love the soft mood of outdoor lighting in the evenings while enjoying a meal made from scratch. You can purchase string lights at Target & most big box stores for less than $15 a string, but I purchased several strings of lights at a thrift store for under $2 a box. Wait until after the holidays & most outdoor lighting goes on sale. You can also use christmas tree lights for the same effect.

I also believe what's beneath your feet is key to adding a colorful, fun feel to your outdoor living space. Just as you enjoy an accent rug underneath your couch or kitchen table, a rug under a bench, swing or metal chair outside provides a funky feel. I thrifted both of our rugs for under $10 each.

2. Bright Furniture

Both of the pieces above were found at yard sales for less than $3 each. With a can of spray paint, I added a unique spin to our outside furniture. The key is to have furniture that is comfortable & serves your hosting needs. You can always update the furniture with a bit of paint!

3. Table of All Sorts

The key to really living in our outdoor space is having a table where we can craft, read books, browse magazines & enjoy a delicious meal together. On most nights, you will find us outside on our porch eating dinner or talking about the day's events. We don't have a television in our home, so a lot of our time is spent outdoors, which we love & cherish.

We actually found our table for free in a friend's backyard. I cleaned it up, painted the top & used some inexpensive wooden chairs we already had. If you don't have space for a full size table, a metal or wooden coffee table beside a chair would work wonderfully for holding your favorite drink & a good book.

4. Colorful Accessories

Oh, we love adding whimsical patterns & punches of color to our outdoor space! I recently purchased the colorful flags from party city for under $5. Homemade bunting & prayer flags are great options, too.  We also enjoy adding crocheted blankets to our bench for cool evenings & throw pillows to chairs. We thrifted & handmade most of the blankets & pillows for our porch & I love that about this space.

5. Plants

I believe plants should be in every room & what better place than your porch! We love adding hanging pots full of flowers & terra cotta pots of beautiful succulents. I love getting creative with pots. We turn old & rusty barrels into planters & hollow stumps into the perfect spot for growing mint.

With a small budget & a bit of creativity, you can have a front porch that is just as functional & lovely as your indoor living room. If your outdoor space does not have a roof, you can still have a green space full of potted plants with a handful of colorful chairs for hosting!

A big hug & thank you to Sara for allowing me to share with you one of our favorite spots in our home!

And now...we want to see YOUR outdoor space! Post your photos to Instagram with the hashtag #createaspaceyouloveoutside.

A note from Sara: Be sure to check out Natalie's blog (it's one of the few I read on a regular basis!) and her Etsy store. I am OBSESSED with her film photography postcards. I use them for letter writing, decorating the top of a gift, for framing...you name it.

Natalie is graciously offering a 25% Etsy discount to my blog readers! Use the code LIVEWILDLY25OFF for the next week.

Have a happy Friday everyone!