Good post Emily!! Taking time and showing a genuine interest and love for people is a gift that Kevin had–I admired that about him. : ) I need to do more of that too!!

Now I am an echo of what’s been said here, but wanted to show my support nonetheless. I’m a reader, not a commenter. And also a Seattle mom. But, I so appreciated your honesty an openness – as a crafter, mother, Christian. Thanks for the reminder of what’s truly important. Your pictures and creations are so perfectly beautiful! It’s a joy to be inspired by your talents. It’s also refreshing to know that we share the same feelings about time, projects and balance. It’s tough! Well said and well done.

Why is it the two words “be encouraged” work wonders for me? Nothing inspires me more!

I remember my life being just like yours. I owned a Tea Room in Atlanta, Ga (actually outside of Atlanta) and restored an old mansion with a wrap around porch. The perfect dream Tea Room. At the same time we were restoring this fabulous place I worked as a Medical Assistant in Internal Medicine. My husband worked rotating shifts. One day we passed each other on the stairs in the Tea Room and he said, “hey, don’t I know you from somewhere”!! That did it for me!!! I saw myself in the mirror. We were getting ready to go to Siesta Key in Fl on vacation and it was then that I walked along the beach and asked God to change my life so I could focus on the important things. My husband was offered an “early out” and I said “take it”. I knew God was at work. I closed the “Tea Room” (which by the way was booked 3 months in advance), quit my job with the Dr. and now 4 years later God showed me what is important. I was reading a book at that time about listening to your husband. To make this short, we moved back to Indiana, bought a mini farm and got a cat. We now have coffee hour and hold hands as we walk to the lake and care for both our parents. This is the life!! We have no money right now as we are “sitting on” my dream home in Atlanta that is for sale. But you know what God showed me? To love, care and give of yourself is the most important thing there is and obedience to my husband and to God. Obedience brings blessing!!!! Thanks for letting me tell my story!!! My God bless you as you seek to make some “Siesta Key” changes in your life.

I have only been following my crafty and design dreams for five months…and I already feel very torn about how it makes me feel. Time in my office is like a drug, it is an escape, makes me feel confident and fun and creative and worth something, but yet alone. Outside that door is a wonderful husband and adorable little girl…that I have to some days really choose to give more time to then I spend alone – which then makes me feel guilty or defensive. I am so thankful to hear your honesty and that this is a struggle women feel when they follow their own dreams. I feel assured there must be an answer to this or atleast the awareness is the answer – if we keep asking God and letting Him lead us back to center – are we ok? I am hoping so because ignoring my gifts and desires to create for so many years left me very sad and anxious and unhealthy. I do believe that God creates us to have passions and desires that are to be used and I believe that women are created to be first wives and mothers, but I think they can all exist together…I will happily be reading your blog now listening for ways that you are reconciling this in your own life so that I may learn from women who have been doing it a lot longer!

Your post completely reflects how my heart has felt of late. Thank you for the encouragement!!

You are incredible young lady!! I love your blog and get excited when I see you have a new post – but I only look at your creative photos of what you have done. To give our God all the credit – this morning he took my eyes to read what you had written! Your honesty is what lives inside most of us but you have taken a leap of faith and but it into words. Hopefully it helped you and then helped those who have read your post. I am 57 and it took me a long time to be transparent with others and it is so refreshing. But I do find myself wondering why it took so long. I know now that I lived too many years trying to look all “put together and perfect” on the outside – while really all God wanted was my heart. I am a slow learner!! May God to continue to bless you in your journey!!
( I am a very, extremely new blogger – trying to figure this blog thing out)

I love this post…. it’s something I KNOW I can relate to, (except the blog part-I don’t blog, just enjoy others… but we all have our distractions right?) Thanks for the face of realism and humanity.

I just found your website through pinterest. After reading this post you have encouraged me… Thank you for your honesty and know that it has helped other to become honest with themselves I am now a new fan!

This was a good reminder to listen to the stirrings in my heart. Stirrings that say, “Why blog to connect with people when you have people around you to connect with?” Funny how that is. Like you say, we try and try and try, sometimes not realizing that we are failing miserably. Darn this truth! Thank goodness for love.

Thanks for putting into words so eloquently how I feel. I am sure we are not the only two mom’s who feel this way. I just stumbled upon your blog and I am so glad I did. It is just what I needed to hear.:)

I like this post. I think it hits home for a lot of people… Including me {as I’m yelling at my 2 yr old to stop tearing my poor plant into pieces}. I’m just too proud to actually blog about it.
I love your blog, keep writing and inspiring. It’s good for you and for us readers

I stumbled on your blog/site a few days ago (Maternal Lens via Facebook). Since then I have devoured your tutorials, photos and words. This post and your post about making time for yourself have really struck a chord in me. Thank you for putting into words two seemingly incongruent ideals – time for family and friends versus time for oneself. With a little clarity, a little prioritizing and a lot of thinking, it really is possible to have the best of both worlds. You’ve highlighted to me that 1) it is possible and 2) it is a balancing act – but one worth the forethought, concentration and risk.
I am a mother to two little girls, three and nearly one. I love them dearly. My husband is also quite amazing, breaking all the stereotypical moulds. But I struggle when I have thoughts that these are not enough to satisfy me. Because I also need to be with myself, make time for myself and give myself a little space. It is just who I am and what makes up my nature. This post recognizes the internal struggle to be an active member of our wider community. A different post recognizes the need to be happy within yourself in order to bring happiness to others. Each are so very important and so I thank you.
(Sorry…rambling)
I feel I have found a kindred spirit. I adore your website. I am inspired by your creativity. I have already completed one of the many projects you have taken the time to tutorialise

hi! just discovered your blog- I LOVE LOVE IT! so inspiring. The pretty yellow rosette pillow- did you make the rosettes? they are so precious…. very pretty.

Just found your blog during the holidays, a gift I will give to myself! This post spoke right to my heart. Thank you so much for being so honest and real, I can relate to everything you wrote…I look forward to reading more…maybe we are on the same journey miles away, but on the same path…

I am typically just a spectator and never a participant, and while I know this is not a recent post, I felt compelled to comment. I know that it is not a coincidence that I stumbles upon and read this on this Sunday morning minutes after saying my prayers, thanking our gracious and merciful father for contentment. I too struggle with balance, know that God has given me these gifts, but also my wonderful husband and family. I regularly tell people that God is not the author of stress, mess nor confusion. However I find myself in these states on many occasions torn between making time for all the things I love. For all of us – We know the answer, we just have to be still and seek him in all that we do, and he will provide peace, clarity, contentment and ultimately balance!
Thank you for being so transparent which equals refreshment!

Just found your blog and was reading back on older posts…soaking up the design ones when I ran across this one and, OUCH! What great words and great truthes. SO what I needed to hear today! Thanks!

i’m so glad i found you! love love your posts and pics and heart and honesty. this post and the lil xmas star for the nativity are my fav’s so far, but i haven’t read them all yet.

I found your blog recently through pinterest. I have been enjoying sifting through your posts and then I found this one. I felt compelled to connect with you. I lost my best friend of 32 years last September. What a hole in my heart it has left. It also rocked the core of my beliefs. Every thing happens for a reason right? When God closes a door he opens a window. I had so many thoughts I relied on to cope with difficult times. Then my friend was gone. How does that happen to someone at 46. Someone that is loving , giving , strong , who wants desperately to be there for her two children? I have always been a creative person. By designing and sewing and expressing myself through art I have always found myself. When my friend passed I couldnt find myself . I threw myself into being busy with things that did not nurture my soul. I stopped creating. And then I found your blog. A mix of honesty, beautiful style and inspiringi ideas. I now belive that God brings things to your life when you need them. I have started being excited about creating things for my home . I wasnt able to start the quilt from her clothes that I wanted to make for her children. I finally feel inspired and excited. God works in mysterious ways . That is my new belief. You just have to follow what your heart is telling you at that time. I am learning to trust the faith I have. Thank you so much for inspiring me to move through my grief and find myself again. Sometimes you just dont know how your life will connect with another.
Patti

Any chance you made those pillows?? They are lovely! Please let me know if you did make it and if there happens to be a tutorial!
Thanks!
Love, a devoted fan

I am overwhelmed by your transparency. I see that this is an older post, but I just found your blog through a link on FB and I clicked on it for homeschooling ideas. WOW!!! To say I am a work in progress would be the understatement of the century, so to consider the responsibility of educating my sweet babies is Mt. Everest and I feel a little crazy just thinking about it!! But you’re real. And they’re real. And I’m real. And we can REALLY do this. I believe this. I really do, and this heart-wrenching, painfully honest post is life. Acknowledging it is therapeutic for you and the fact that you chose to share it is therapeutic for me. Thank you. What a gift you are…I feel like I know you…and you make me feel like I am one step closer to realizing this dream of being a part of my 3 sweeties’ education.