February Cara Box

Boxes seem to be all the rage right now! You've seen my posts about Birchbox and SwatchBox, but I think this may be my favorite box of them all. Cara Box is more than just a box of items you receive. Each month, you're paired with another blogger so you have a chance to get to know them. Then in the middle of the month, you mail your parter a box full of things chosen with them in mind. It's a package and a new friend all in one! It really doesn't get much better.

This month was my first time to try Cara Box, and it was particularly fun because I got paired with girls from Colorado! I got the privilege of sending Jami of The Lulu Mom a box, and Darlene of Young Mama Tales sent one to me. You can head on over to The Lulu Mom to see what I sent to Jami. I had so much fun going shopping to find a few things just for her!

Darlene and I discovered we live about 30 minutes apart so we were able to meet with babies in tow. It proved to be quite the adventure with three little ones under 1. A lot of puffs were eaten and toys played with! But we made it long enough to get to know each other and begin what I hope will be a great friendship. We both completely forgot to take a picture, but I do have pictures of my box.

I opened a brown paper package tied up with string (do you hear Julie Andrews singing?) to find:

I love that Darlene wrapped everything individually! She wrote me really sweet note, telling me that as a mom, I deserve time off to rest and recharge. It's always so encouraging to meet other moms and get wisdom from them!

Inside the box was Ghirardelli chocolate, a mandarin berry candle, a bath bomb, body scrub, and a lavender facial mask. What a perfect gift! I am always in need of a little quiet and relaxation. That same night I took a bath with the candle lit. It was perfect.

Thanks, Darlene, for such a thoughtful box! You were so sweet!

Interested in joining for March? Click on the "Cara Box" image at the top of this post for more info!

Marmalade Baby Quilt

I have a soft spot for fabric. Honestly, it's more of a lifelong love affair. That's where SwatchBox came from and well, let's just say I have a pretty large bin of fabric that lives in my house.

Ben and I were up in the mountains over a weekend in January with some friends and we came across the most darling little quilt shop. It was filled with all kinds of beautiful fabrics and the walls were covered in quilts. When we walked in, this sweet old lady served us tea. Seriously girls, she served us tea in china tea cups. I decided right then and there I wanted to live in that quilt shop. Miraculously, I made it out without spending my entire life savings. I did, however, buy a darling little charm pack that turned into this quilt.

What's a charm pack you might be wondering? Well, Moda Fabrics sells packages of fabric pre-cut into 5 inch squares (and lots of others sizes too!). All the fabrics coordinate, but they're all different. That makes for a perfect quilt! I bought the Marmalade charm pack and turned it into this quilt I found through Pinterest.

You might have noticed a quilt in my post about the baby shower earlier this week, and that's the same quilt! My friend loved it and I had such a fun time making it.

The pattern I used can be found here and was quite simple. You just match up your squares, sew them together, and add sashing around them. All the fabrics in the center are from the Marmalade charm pack. The white was something I had left over from another project, and I bought the pink sashing and the polka dot backing at Joann's. 

I decided to try a new technique with this quilt and did a diagonal straight line quilt. I absolutely love the way it turned out! For the spacing, I moved my needle as far to the left as possible and used the right side of the presser foot as a guide. It ended up being around 1/2 inch spacing. I'm planning to do a tutorial soon, so stay tuned!

Of course, Eli had to help by trying out the quilt. He seemed to give it his stamp of approval.

I absolutely love the way the colors worked together! Another great bonus was that the quilt only used 25 of the 42 squares in the charm pack. I realized that means that if I buy 2 identical charm packs, I can make 3 quilts. I'm planning to buy another Marmalade one and pick out one for boys as well. Maybe this one?

Pink and Gold Baby Shower

There is something so wonderful about a baby shower. The celebration is so exciting! And as the mama of a little boy, girl baby showers have a soft spot in my heart.

My friend Joy and I had the opportunity to throw a shower for a dear friend of ours who is having a baby girl in April. We decided on a princess theme, and created a pink and gold color theme. Both of our houses are covered in glitter, but it was worth it! Here are a few pictures of the day:

I think it turned out beautifully!

SwatchBox

Good morning and happy Valentine's Day! I hope you all have a wonderful day with your love today.

I have something exciting to share with you all today! You might remember my post last week about Birchbox, a site that provides monthly beauty samples. I was thinking how much I would love a similar subscription service for fabric. Let's be honest here, I have an addiction. And if I received fat quarters in the mail every month? Oh my! Well, after a middle-of-the-night epiphany, I decided to create a monthly box for fabric.

SwatchBox is a monthly subscription service for fabric! For just $15 (plus $1.99 shipping) you'll receive three coordinating fat quarters (approx. 18 x 22 inches) and a spool of matching thread. I am planning to use high-quality quilter's cotton for this, so the fabrics will be perfect for quilting, crafts, and small projects.

What do you think? Is this something you are interested in? You can sign up by heading over to my Esty shop. I would love any and all feedback, so please comment away!

(Also, if you are a blogger and would be interested in reviewing the box, please contact me. I will be happy to give you a discount for the first month in exchange for a review!)

Warning: This Book May Change Your Life

At Ben's company Christmas party, his boss's wife mentioned a book to me called Half the Sky. She said it was a book about women in third world countries, but little more. I filed it away in my head to read later.

Then last month, I read a book my mom had given me that challenged our preconceived notions of biblical womanhood. One chapter was about oppressed women, and it mentioned Half the Sky. The author included a couple of the stories from Half the Sky, and I was hooked. I went out the next day and bought the book.

Since then, I haven't been able to put the book down. I finished it yesterday, and I want to find more books like it! What's so incredible about this book? 

The book is a chronicle of women across the two-thirds world who have overcome great adversity. They have triumphed where all hope was lost. They have fought monumental battles and won.

Authors Kristof and WuDunn (a married couple) write about their experiences as journalists traveling around the world, telling the stories of women they meet and highlighting women's issues around the world. They focus on three particular issues: sex trafficking and forced prostitution, gender-based violence, and maternal mortality. 

I knew very little about these issues before I read the book. I originally appreciated the book for highlighting such serious, and at least to me, fairly unknown issues. As I read further, I realized that an even greater issue was being presented. In my own life, I have been told "a woman's place is in the home" and was encouraged during my childhood to forgo avenues like college in favor of motherhood. As a mother now, I have struggled greatly with my life purpose. This book helped me realize that I do have a greater purpose. I am part of a greater group of women around the world championing women. I can prove that women are more than just a housewife, while championing the role of motherhood. I can be empowered to be and do great things in this world as a woman.

Beyond my personal response, Half the Sky is a call to arms for those of us in the wealthier world. Across the world, women are being killed, raped, oppressed, and so many more things. Through our money, our service, and our prayers, we can make a difference! The book was from a secular perspective, but I believe it is a message straight to the heart of every Christian woman (and man)! We have a responsibility to help our sisters around the world.

My challenge to you is to go out and buy the book! Read it and then do something. What will you do?