Simple October

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Goodbye 2014 - Hello 2015

Coming to the end of twenty fourteen kind of feels like "thank, God, I made it".
You might not believe me when I say this has been the hardest year of my adult life.
When you see my posts here and there on Facebook and Instagram they are mostly positive or about good things but remember that internet lives are not the whole story. My thoughts about this may change someday but right now I'm alright with only showing mostly good things through social media. However, I would be lying if I said there weren't times I wished I could share the hard. I haven't shared as much because I'm truly afraid that if I start it will be hard to stop. Or it will only look like I'm complaining. Which I probably would be. I don't keep the hard to myself to make it seem like my life is perfect but rather to avoid extra damage to my already too sensitive heart.
So, with these thoughts I'll just say that this year was not what I expected it to be....it was so, so hard.
When the new year started it felt full of possibilities and I was blissfully happy with my three week old baby, my twins, and my husband. Circumstances can change so much. And I've let my circumstances steal my joy, my life, and my hope. Too many times my heart has felt tortured and lifeless. I've let my mind stay in a place that's unforgiving of self and let it wreck my self esteem to some extent. I wish I could say that I've found a way out of the dark hole I've let myself sink to but I don't think I'm there yet. Filling myself with good. Reading things that uplift. Prayer. Yet, I remain here in this place. A place of hopelessness.
And yet, even in all of this hopelessness I know somewhere inside of me that there is hope. It's a constant battle within myself between knowing the truth and feeling desperate anyway. So much about my life has not turned out the way I thought it would. Most things are for the better. Some things feel like "what happened? how did I get here? Seriously, what happened?" I have said for years that I never wanted to come back to this town to live and yet here I am. Here we are. Don't get me wrong, I love that we are so close to family now. That part has been nice. However, even with that I haven't felt this alone in a long time. Even the short time we lived in Houston and I knew no one, I still didn't feel alone like this. Being back though, my husband doesn't seem to need me as much, my kids have other people (this is good though), and I am left feeling unneeded and without my best friend.  All the tears cried. Time wasted. Life not lived. Twenty fourteen, I have never been so happy to see you go.
I know that a new year is not the answer. It doesn't fix anything. Time is just moving onward.
Yet, I feel sparks of hope again with the prospect of the new year. And that is something.

So, in all my rambling thoughts there is this one thought that I shared all of this to get to. I'm tired. I feel like the new year is bringing some kind of rest. Bringing some peace. Bringing hope. I am looking forward to working towards some goals. Like reading more, making sure I get enough sleep, taking better care of myself, both physically and mentally. This is my last year in my twenties and I know time will go on after I turn thirty but it's hard to embrace the inevitable while feeling like you haven't accomplished all that you wanted to during the last decade. My resolve for this year is to make it one of my best. To work towards my better life, to be brave, to find my hope again, to see the awesome in my life again.

I am so ready for this year. A seemingly fresh start. My 29th year.

Hugs to you, friends, and cheers to a bright new year ahead! Hello 2015!

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Liam is ONE!

Oh, my gosh! This year has flown by and I think I might be a little in denial about my baby being one year old.
I mean, I've always been one of those people who just can't seem to understand how her kids are this age and that age, but this has seriously been a fast year. And honestly, I'm not complaining because it means we are that much closer to our goals and things like that, I guess, but the entire year has felt like a blur. I feel like I'm always so busy and I don't document as much of our story(ies) as I used to. Maybe a goal for the next year?!

However this year has come about, the fact remains that my boy is ONE!
ONE year old!

We celebrated his actual birthday with some new to him things like trays of Cheerios, cow's milk in his sippy, and finally getting outside to swing in his (new to us) swing. I think he had a pretty great day.

The weekend after his actual birth date, we celebrated a little more by having a party with our families.
My original theme for the party was Cows and turning one however there weren't too many cow related things other than the framed photo, by Meg Duerksen, I propped on the table and the black and white colors.
I have to say though, that I really love how it all turned out. Everything was easy and uncomplicated.
That's my favorite these days, uncomplicated.

Being about to celebrate with our families had to be the best thing of all. The twins first birthday was our last one together when we lived here before so, it was long overdue.

My sister, Holly, and brother-in-law, Kyle, graciously opened their home to us for the party venue. We are so grateful to them for being so wonderful during this transitional phase in our lives. Their home was a lovely backdrop for our photos and party décor. Thank you both!



 
 
 

These two photos were my favorite from Liam opening his gifts because his brothers wanted in on the action. Liam loved that they were right there with him and I loved that they wanted to be apart of the whole process. They have grown so much and seeing their development has been a definite highlight from this year.




He was so serious about this cupcake, and the singing, and all the attention. Oh, my gosh...cute!


Night and day from the twins' first birthday. This boy loved his cupcake. I had no idea how fun this is to watch. Feeling thankful that I was able to experience this with him.

And just like that my baby is one. Happy Birthday, Liam Bennett! You are sunshine and goodness and I love you so.


A few details about his party décor and food.

I free hand cut the letters out of black paper for the "Liam is ONE" banner and strung them up on some grey yarn. The white half circle bunting was made by folding over coffee filters onto grey yarn. My sister and I taped the ends of the coffee filters so they wouldn't fall off. Both were quick and easy to make and I love what they added to the décor.

Table cloth is 2.5 yards of black and white checkered fabric.

Dinner:
Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, I used this recipe but changed the dressing part to water.
Homemade Mac & Cheese
My mom made the baked beans and homemade coleslaw (not pictured)
Bags of potato chips

Dessert:
Homemade vanilla, vanilla cupcakes. This is my go-to recipe for vanilla cake but my frosting is a little different. However, I can't seem to find a link to it so, if you're interested, I'll add it later.

We also had an ice cream sundae bar with sprinkles, homemade buttery caramel sauce (I've made it before here but can't seem to find a link to the recipe. I'll try to blog it soon because it's seriously so good), candy, gummy bears, whipped topping, and cherries.

If you have any questions about the party that I didn't cover, just leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer them soon. Thanks for reading!

Merry (Belated) Christmas

 
 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
With lots of love from,
The Kinsauls
David. Emily. Brett. Favre. & Liam.
 
 


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Simple October Workshop - Chrismas Edition Sponsors - GIVEAWAY

Remember the Christmas workshop I hosted in November? Well, we had some seriously great sponsors send swag for each of the ladies that attended and I am long over due with praising them here on the old blog.

I wish I could send each of you a pretty little package with all these gorgeous products. (See below for a chance to snag a few of these goodies.)
These handmade shops are some favorites of mine. You will not regret following these ladies either. The creative inspiration they give is priceless.

1. Give with Joy


Aneta, from Give with Joy, sent each of our ladies these adorable "Merry and Bright" cards. The color and style are perfect. She was such a joy to work too. I love all the sweet hand lettered and digital items in her shop. Go check out her Give with Joy shop here. You can also follow her on Instagram and the Give with Joy blog. Thank you, Aneta for being such a blessing!


2.The Salvage Sign


I love seeing all the new signs that Danielle from The Salvage Sign makes. They are amazing! Danielle sent us this awesome "Dream Big" hand painted sign to give away for one of our door prizes. You can keep up with all her DIY projects on her blog, Two Little Superheroes , on Instagram @littlesuperheroes , and on Facebook here. Thank you, Danielle, for sending us one of your awesome signs.


3. Hazel Berry Paper


These lovelies are from the amazing Jillian from Hazel Berry Paper. She spoiled our attendees with her darling and witty cards. And these colors....oh, my! Check out her Etsy shop, Hazel Berry Paper. You can also follow her on Instagram @jilliandolberry, on Facebook, and her blog for updates and inspiration. Jillian, thank you for sharing your talents with our attendees.

4. Thatch and Thistle


We are big fans of the beautiful products from Thatch and Thistle. Brynne is always such a joy to work with. She sent these darling heart stickers seals from her shop. Go snag some goodies for yourself at Thatch & Thistle Supply Co. You can also follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
Thank you, Brynne for spoiling our attendees!

Photo credit: Susanne Sutton

The mini JOY banner was from my shop, Simple October.

This workshop was a blast and our sponsors made it that much better!
Thank you again, to all our sponsors, for spoiling our attendees with your beautiful products!


GIVEAWAY!!! CLOSED
We had a couple extra swag items from our event and I would love to send one to YOU!
To enter, simply comment below with your favorite Christmas tradition. That's it!
I'll randomly select two (2) names from the comments below and send you each some extra sweet goodies. Giveaway closes tomorrow (Thursday, December 18th) at 9 pm EST.
Thank you!

Edited:
Our randomly selected winners from the comments below are Nicole Hess and Deana Sutherland.
Congrats, ladies! Send me an email with your mailing address and I'll get these goodies on their way to you. Thank you to everyone who commented! I loved reading all the traditions.




Saturday, November 29, 2014

Simple October Workshop - Christmas Edition

We had the best time crafting at the Simple October Workshop.
These nights are filled with good conversation, growing friendships, crafting pretty things, treats and coffee.
Some of my most favorite handmade shops sent some goodies for the ladies that attended. Each one unique and so very talented. I'll be posting all the details about them soon.

We crafted festive felt banners, faux Christmas tree snow globes, hand stamped muslin bags, and creative paper gift tags. Seeing all these creative ladies bring their own style into each one of their crafted items is my favorite. I am so sad that I didn't get a photo of all the finished projects together this time. They were all amazing!



Vintage trucks with tiny Christmas trees and sprigs of evergreen decorated little parts here and there. Oh, my heart!
Thanks to my mom for trucks. They are all from her and are so cute. I'm sure some of them were my dad's when he was little.



One of my sisters made the chocolate layered bars and my mom made thin twice baked potatoes and spinach artichoke dip. I only made the white chocolate peppermint tarts but everything was delicious!



 
One of my sisters hand cut each one of the paper snowflakes that were hanging from the ceiling. They made the room feel magical with the twinkle lights. Also, I have to mention that my brother in law, Kyle, helped us so much by hanging everything from the ceiling. We would not have made it without him.

And seriously, I would have been so over my head with trying to get everything done without help from my mom, sister, brother in law, and my husband for watching our twins the entire day. Liam still stays with me and he was such a trooper hanging out with us while we worked.

I'm so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.

Thanks to all who came, you are such a blessing to me and your support is immeasurable. Thank you!
You can see more photos from the night on Instagram using the hashtag #simpleoctoberholiday


Friday, October 31, 2014

Pumpkin Carving

I think the best part about being back in our hometown is having our families so close.
Because having both sets of grandparents together for carving our pumpkin, was extra special.

Now, before you think that I'm really together and planned this little party in advance, I'll let you know that I just decided yesterday morning that we needed to make this happen. I did bake cookies in the early afternoon so we could have a treat but I ran to the store for the pumpkin yesterday afternoon. Sometimes spontaneity is the best way.

I loved the boys reaction to the pumpkin. After I brought it home, I placed it on the dining room table and Favre kept saying "big, big". Then we showed them the pumpkin with the seeds & pulp still inside, Favre said, "Wow, wow, wow" over and over. It was pretty fantastic. (Incase I haven't chatted with you recently, the twins are saying more and more words.) :)

It was a magical night filled with family, treats, pumpkin carving, and my favorite homemade pumpkin spice lattes!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Simple October Workshop . Christmas Edition . Registration


Hello, Friends!
I could not be more excited to share with you that registration is now open for our second workshop.
This is a Christmas Edition and I have some super cute holiday crafts planned for us to make together.

You're invited to the Simple October Workshop . Christmas Edition
Join me for a night of creating fun holiday items to display or give as gifts.

When: Saturday, November 15th, 2014

Time: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Cost: $25
(only 15 tickets available, *see below on how to purchase)

Each workshop attendee will make and take home three completed projects.

1. Faux snow globe using a bottle brush Christmas tree and Mason jars. These are perfect for displaying in your home or for gifting.

2. Hanging wall banner. Choose from "Oh joyful", "Peace", or "Be Merry". We are loving these sweet holiday wall banners crafted from felt and wood dowels.

3. Hand stamped cotton drawstring bags. Great for giving gift cards or other small treats. Along with handmade gift tags to add a little something extra to gifts this holiday season.

Treats and drinks will be provided.
Come, mingle, be merry! I would love to see you there!


To purchase your Simple October Workshop tickets, please email me at ekinsaul@yahoo.com with your *Paypal email address and the phrase of your choosing for the wall banner, project #2. Then I will send you an invoice to be paid upon receipt. There will be an little something special coming to you via USPS, so please make sure your mailing address is correct on your Paypal account.

 Thank you, ladies! I am looking forward to seeing each and every one of you!

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*Sorry, due to the nature of this workshop,
we are unable to offer refunds.

Also, I wanted to note that all supplies are included in the cost. We encourage you wear comfy shoes and to bring a camera to capture the fun.

Ticket sales will close on Thursday, November 6th

Please comment or email me at ekinsaul@yahoo.com if you have any questions. Thank you!

Much love,
Emily Kinsaul

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Simple October Workshop Sponsors

Starting out on this journey to pursue my dream of bringing women together to create, I never would have thought I'd get the response that I did from small businesses. We had so many talented, handmade shops that blessed our attendees with their products. Each one of our sponsors are so amazing at what they do and I'm thrilled that I get to share them with you.
If you are looking for encouraging, uplifting, and inspiring people to follow on Instagram or Facebook, these ladies are top notch. Check out their awesomeness......
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1. HEart by Cc


Cc makes beautiful, uplifting art and jewelry. You can see her passion in all that she creates and she has some of the cutest VW art ever. Cc sent our attendees these darling 5 x 7 prints. She is a wife, momma, and artist following her dreams. Check out her Etsy shop, He.art by Cc. You can also find her on Instagram, @heart_by_cc and on Facebook  here.

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2. The Mason Bar Company


At the workshop we served our cold beverages in mason jars and used these lovely mint lids and straws from The Mason Bar Company. I feel certain that each of our attendees were happily surprised to be able to take their jars home at the end of the night. The Mason Bar Company has so many other fun things in their shop, as well as, different color options for their lids and straws. The owner, Bobbi, is a sweetheart and I love seeing how she is following her dreams. You can check out all the products in her shop at The Mason Bar Company. You can also connect with them on Instagram at @themasonbarcomany.

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3. Thatch and Thistle Supply Co.


Thatch and Thistle has some of the cutest packaging supplies. Bright & colorful or muted & neutral, Brynne has it all. She sent our attendees these darling sticker seals in various colors and styles. We also used twine from her shop for the hoop art we made at the workshop. You can shop for all the pretty things at Thatch & Thistle Supply Co. . Keep up with all the new goods by following her on Instagram at @thatchandthistle and on Facebook at Thatch and Thistle .

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4. Lil Cookie Designs


Leanne from Lil Cookie Designs, sent us one of her handmade snack bag sets to give away in our door prizes. She is so nice to work with and she does quality work. Her snack bags are equipped with a waterproof lining and machine washable making them perfect for kids and adults. She can also personalize them with embroidery. You can find her on Facebook at Lil Cookie Designs. Send her a message through Facebook to place your custom order.

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5. Lily & Val

 
 
We loved these sweet chalkboard art cards from Lily & Val. Valerie's chalk art is gorgeous. She has some of the cutest seasonal cards and prints and her wrapping paper is to die for. Love it all. Check out her shop at Lily and Val. You can also find her on Instagram at @valeriemckeehan and on Facebook at Lily and Val.
 
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6. Grace Note Gifts
 


 Grace from Grace Note Gifts sent us these soy wax melts to give away in our door prizes. They are handmade by Grace and are perfectly scented to make your home smell amazing. I loved working with her. She is a sweetheart. Check out all her many amazing wax melts in her Etsy shop at Grace Note Gifts.  You can also find her on Instagram at @gracenotecandleco and on Facebook at Grace Note Gifts.

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7. Crank Dat Designs

 
 
Crank Dat Designs makes quality vinyl pressed shirts and other custom items. Charlene sent us this adorable canvas tote bag to give away in our door prizes. She can custom design something special for you. She is amazing! Check out all the other creative options in her Etsy shop, Crank Dat Designs. You can also find her on Facebook here.
 
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8. Jamberry with Priscilla
 


Priscilla is an independent consultant for Jamberry nail wraps. She sent our attendees each a sample accent nail wrap and tea. These nail wraps are awesome and leave your nails just as nice and natural as they were before you applied them. Also, Priscilla throws a fantastic Facebook party. For more information about Jamberry, contact Priscilla on Facebook at Cilla's Cute Nails.

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9. Life Made Lovely The Paperie


Heather from Life Made Lovely The Paperie sent us her "Be still and know." digital print for our door prizes. We had this print framed on display for the workshop. She makes beautiful, uplifting, and encouraging digital prints ready for downloading in her Etsy shop Life Made Lovely The Paperie. She also blogs at Life Made Lovely. I am always inspired after reading her posts. You can follow her on Instagram at @life_made_lovely .

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10. Wifey Singer


Hannah from Wifey Singer makes gorgeous jewelry. She sent these vintage turquoise earrings to include in our door prizes. They are so pretty and she makes some of the sweetest jewelry pieces. She's also beautiful and inspiring. I love reading pieces of her story on Instagram at @wifeysinger. Check out her beautiful handmade jewelry in her Etsy shop at Wifey Singer.

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Again, a HUGE thank you to all of our sponsors for blessing the Simple October Workshop ladies with so many gorgeous items. You all are incredibly talented ladies and I am honored that you wanted to be a part of this event. Thank you, thank you!

Much love,
Emily Kinsaul


Wednesday, October 8, 2014

The Simple October Workshop

Our first ever Simple October Workshop was a blast. We had so much fun crafting and chatting.
 I am in awe of how everything came together just right. From selling out the tickets available, to having so many amazing sponsors that wanted to be apart of the event, right down to who won our randomly picked door prizes. To say it was amazing kinda feels like an understatement.

 
 
 
 















I loved seeing everyone put their own twist to each project we made. Each one was so creative.
I know I'm already looking forward to the next workshop. So much fun!

A HUGE thank you to all our amazing sponsors. I am incredibly grateful for all the small businesses that donated their beautiful products to bless these ladies. This event would not have been half as great without you all. 

I'll be sharing more about our sponsors and where you can find their beautiful products very soon.

Another HUGE thank you to my mom and sisters who helped me set up the room, put all the last minute details together, and clean up after the event. I would not have been able to do this without you. Love you three!

If you want to know more about the event or have some specific questions I didn't answer, please comment here or send me an email. :) Thanks!