NEW YEAR.

2014. Hello new friend. This year, no rules to break, no goals to fail, just a sincere desire to enjoy the good, hope through the trials and expect beauty in every circumstance. This year I want to truly live from my truest heart and soul and know love deeper and stronger. I look forward to growing older, learning from these coming 365 days, embracing seasons as they evolve and slip away into memories. 

Happy New Year.

Jess

STYLE.

One of my favorite things to do, while I'm out shopping, is to look for little style treasures that are inexpensive but look like I have the goods. Cheap finds that look like quality purchases.
I can splurge and add good pricey pieces to my wardrobe, every once in a while.  But for the most part, with two kids and my husband and I full-time freelancing, our budget doesn't accommodate that too often. So, if I want to change up an outfit or two, this is what I do. I'll go in a random store that I 99.9% of the time would never find myself buying anything from, and I'll put my search eyes on. More times than not, I don't come away with anything. But, every once in a while, I do.

Sometimes, I'll see a pair of earrings, a scarf or a necklace etc. that would totally pass as a Free People gem, a bauble from Urban or have a mock, hand crafted look of unique pieces that I like.  Like not too long ago, I randomly saw a pair of earrings that caught my eye at a retail store that I haven't shopped at since I was like 10. I stopped and said to myself, "If those were at my free people store for $35,  I'd buy them right now."  They were only $5.  Yep, I snagged them.  Now, every time I wear them, I get countless "ooohs" and "aaaahs." haha. You never know what you might find.

But since last year, when I began the journey of minimalism, I now have to make myself really think about the purchase, no matter how small, before I buy it.  I don't want to let myself hoard or collect clutter, anymore.  By being more intentional, this helps guarantee that I really love it and can wear it with almost everything.  Hope some of my little tips here will help you stretch your wardrobe and inspire you to shop with new eyes. ;)

Happy treasure hunting mommas, loves and friends!


 jacket / forever 21(i know…who would have thought? $20! what?! no worries with painting in this.)
acid wash skinnies / h&m
moccasins / Minnetonka
Silver feather necklace / claires. ( are you laughing? i am. $3 guys and it doesn't look or feel cheap!)
hat / forever 21 (I haven't shopped there in 2 years but I kinda made bank there this winter.)
crystal necklace /  Velvet (seriously my new all time fav etsy shop! Everything is gorgeous and affordable!) 
feather ear cuff /  Velvet (seriously my new all time fav etsy shop! Everything is gorgeous and affordable!) 
fabric bangle / fair trade, whole foods
tunic top / h&m

words that i love.

"it's the stories and the cherishing that makes us beautiful. may you catch each falling moment in your hands and kiss it as it goes." -mary martin wein

I still try and write out sayings and words that inspire my heart, weekly. I just can't move away from the above quote. I love it so much. 

tree farm.

The chilly air, on this late afternoon in early December, some winter sunshine, a Christmas tree farm and sweet friends, made up a perfect day of memories for us this year.

Life with little souls, is an extra special experience during the holidays. And sharing that wonder with people who have the same heart as you is priceless. We all eventually found ourselves lost in the rows of trees, searching for just the right one. Forest Kael kept calling out at the top of his voice for his buddies, Dash and Ollie. They'd find each other and be off again, avoiding tree stumps, begging for the right to hold the saws and talking like big boys about who knows what. They ran throughout the groves with sticks, laughing and scheming.  Marshmallows were roasted, hot chocolate was sipped and the wild, happy squeals from these little rascals were like Christmas bells to our ears.

It was a golden day to my heart. Memories made and stored away in my treasure box to be brought out for loving, on another day. 

Penland Tree Farms / Nature's Sway Sling /

Style.

My style has evolved with my lifestyle. I have to be able to throw it on, feel awesome and be ready to run with my rascals. For the most part, simple and billowing layers are my go to.  I don't encourage myself or others to have this as a practice, but I might have slept in the tee and leggings a time or two, then rolled out of bed after throwing on this sweater and a few rings... bam. haha. btw, I rarely wear anything but moccasins. But, these booties are THE most comfortable shoes ever. Samuel bought them for me and I have been living in them all week.

oversized tee: h&m
scarf: h&m
leggings: h&m
sweater: forever 21
boots: seychelles -anthropologie

Arrow Ornament DIY

These arrows are really sweet and magical. The color combinations are endless and it really is my favorite craft of the year. Even if you think you're not a crafty person, you can make one of these and feel quiet accomplished afterwards.

This is a great project to do with a group of friends or family, parties or get togethers.  I have made these with several groups and every single time, every person is glowing and having the best time, enjoying their new little treasure, regardless of how they view their own artistic abilities.   How sweet would it be to make these Christmas eve with your nearest and dearest?  I'm using them as trimmings for gifts and ornaments this holiday season.   You can make them full sized with wooden dowels or you can snap them in half to make mini arrow ornaments for your tree. We made these full sized for a best friend's baby shower and she turned them into a mobile for her little girl! So many fun inspirations! 

Enjoy!!!

Supplies:

wooden dowels

paint, paint brush

washi tape or narrow duct tape

feathers or felt cut into feather shapes

string

glitter card stock paper for the arrowhead 

hot glue gun

Merry Christmas friends! 

Thanks to my sweet husband, Samuel for making these DIY videos for me!
Music by: Amina
(They are offering free song downloads counting down for Christmas! )

Paper Garland DIY

I love Christmas and I love creating my own decorations, to add to the merriment and cheer of the season for my home.  Here are two super simple, paper garland DIY projects that you can use, not just for the holidays, but all year long. A strand of garland, packaged with love can also make a really sweet gift or stocking stuffer, as well.  And, it costs pennies!  I've been making them like crazy! 

I have a few other holiday DIY videos that I'll be posting this week. So, be on the lookout. ;)

~Merry Christamas sweet friends! 

Thanks to my amazing guy Samuel for creating these for me.
Music by: Amiina
(They are giving free downloads of their heavenly music counting down to christmas!)

Live to Grow

 "As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible. Joy is always possible. Whenever-meaning now. Wherever-meaning here. Grace, thanksgiving, joy…a triplet of stars, a constellation in the black."
-Ann Voskamp, 1000 Gifts

The book 1000 Gifts changed my world and brought my heart back to itself, a couple of years ago. I first read it in the fall and it's become my tradition to pour over its pages once the leaves start to turn.

Starting my morning off by filling my soul with reminders of beauty and creating something lovely, almost always is a guarantee that the day will be a bit brighter and my heart all the more patient. It's like a caffeine high and motivation booster but, 100x better. So, right now I'm revisiting this book, Psalms and a beautiful collection of thoughts and verses on motherhood, to start the day. Whichever line sinks into my soul, I write it out, so I can look at it as the hours slip away.

Lately I've had lots of commissions for script tattoos and logos, which makes my heart kind of sing. I'm learning as I go about organizing a business, investing my heart and time into the following; 1) Things that make my heart happy and  2) Things that work with my current lifestyle as a mom; as well as refining my hand at this craft of modern calligraphy. As long as I can remember, I've loved old forms of calligraphy and penmanship. I'd practice for hours, every style of handwriting possible. It feels good to be putting time into this again.

There are changes coming that I'm excited about. Broadening this blog, adding new branches, ideas, hopes, dreams. Because, why not!?  This is my open space to enjoy and have a creative expression for my soul to ponder, dabble in spontaneous urges and whims, and journal my heart about the seasons. So I'm excited to grow and explore.

Samuel and I are relaunching a new film venture together as well. Talk about a dream. Creating and scheming in the name of art with this guy, my favorite. We work really well together, which to me is a gift.

Change and dreams can be so overwhelming though. And sometimes I feel like they take more than ourselves to make happen and come to life. But the journey is as enriching as it is taxing. Deadlines can get pushed out and stress might slowly become the prominent emotion driving the dream. That's when I start to get bug-eyed and things get moved to the back burner.  But, I really believe that we are alive to enjoy and be enjoyed with and by those we love and have yet to love.  Every hope and goal we have of creating is towards enjoying and loving.

Life is a short journey with endless trails, paths and roads to explore, in love and hope. Where small hope can turn into a world of endless love, living over and over and over again in the eyes of your family and people that you've shared moments with, small or great.  I want my boys to see Samuel and I doing things that we love, and always in a place of dreaming and conspiring for simple or extravagant adventure; whether that's climbing the neighborhood oak tree or scaling a mountain in South America. My heart's motto has been "why not!? why the heck not?!" *insert smirk here* Yay for living.

I'm glad I'm alive to love and to live.

Jess

P.S.
If you have questions about my calligraphy shenanigans just drop me an email. bohobabybump@gmail.com

Sparrow Song

Sparrow and her little best friend Isabel. They both have been friends with each other and with Kael since they were born, and they go to school together.  photo by anna naphtali 

Today, in just under an hour actually, one of my favorite little souls is having her third and final open heart surgery. It's 6:45 AM and in just 10 minutes, Sparrow Song, who is 3 years old,  the daughter of one of my best friend's, Jessie, will be taken by the doctors and their angel hands to begin the surgery. This is as close to home as it can get for me. Jessie and I were pregnant together, and I've walked with her through her previous two surgeries. This one is the heaviest to me. I love this little girl as if she were my own.  Kael and Birdie go to school together, her little fire of a personality is a part of the tapestry of our lives. Her adorable, small, raspy voice is kind of my favorite thing ever. (You need to hear her sing Katy Perry's Eye of the Tiger. haha!) Sparrow is a strong, bright little thing. You know it for a fact, if you've ever met her. She is a miracle and will continue to be in all of our lives.

As I pulled into the parking deck of the children's hospital, it started to hit me. This is actually happening. As I walked in, the sinking feeling in my stomach got heavier. But, once I saw her in her little hospital gown and I heard "HEY JESS!" with that classic coy smirk and her getting down from her daddy's lap to give me a hug...my heart was completely lost. I left the room, through the double doors and sobs took over my body. I kept telling myself, "One more. Just one more surgery and then it's done. " 

Today, we are setting up camp at the hospital to wait, to pray, to love, to cry, to laugh and to support our friends and our favorite little song bird. We'd love you to be a part of that with us! We're going to overload this waiting room with love, guys! 

Surgery is 4-6 hours long (it's the Fontan with a fenestration.)  They stop her heart, put her on a bypass machine and repair what was defected before she was even born: double inlet left ventricle, a transposition of the great arteries and an interrupted aortic arch. She'll be in the hospital for at least 2 weeks. 

There are a few ways you can help and be a part of Sparrow's story. You can send encouraging and supporting tweets, emails, letters or messages to Sparrow/her family throughout the day and during her upcoming recovery over the next several weeks. Also, Sparrow's big brother Noah, is 4, he loves getting letters and will love delivering them to his sister. ;) Little surprise packages via snail mail are always golden and you can also contribute financially.

Here is a link to Jessie's (Sparrow's mom)  post CLICK HERE

Hearts to pray for and lift up:

Sparrow Song

Jessie and Mark Mathis (her parents) 

Noah Mathis (Sparrow's 4 year old brother)

You can send your tweets to @Jessiemathis or you can send them to mine and I'll retweet them. (@bohobabybump) Put the hashtag #sparrowsong

You can leave a comment to bird or her family under this post and I'll send them to Jessie. 

You can send a snail mail surprise letter or treat to: 

401 Hawthorne Lane  

Suite 110 #200  Charlotte, NC 28204

IDEAS FOR PACKAGES 

*Age-appropriate movies (DVD’s)

*Books & puzzles – the girl LOVES books and puzzles!

*Art & Education – paper, pens, colors, crayons and anything that would assist her in learning how to write her letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc…  She is VERY interested in learning  and her momma is a teacher, she'd rather stoke that fire than let her watch 5 Disney movies a day.

*Anything with or having to do kitties – she’s obsessed. Hello Kitty, stuffed kitties, cats, kittens, lions, tigers, she loves them all.  She sings Katy Perry’s “Roar” everyday.

*Sparrow has a Leapster Explorer and a Leapster Tag – games and books for both of these devices would be a HUGE help!  They are educational and entertaining.

*Sparrow also loves Squinkies – they’re tiny figurines that she collects.

*Flowers, balloons, cards, accessories, and treats

To help out financially click HERE!

Thanks guys!!!!!

Beach Get Up

T-shirt is a basic v-neck from urban outfitters, necklace: mala  beads from tiny devotions .

When I'm home during the summer, I like to feel like I'm at the beach. So, a lot of times I'll spend my days in my would be beach get up. Bikini, cut offs, loose cropped tee...and yes I have a candle that smells like salt water, sand and sunscreen. It holds me over until my feet sink deep into the gulf's shoreline.

I love fringe and I love free flowing garments that move with my everyday. So, when one of Samuel's t-shirts got ruined in the wash, 10 minutes with a pair of scissors and a bit of bleach, saved it from the trash bin. Now, it's one of my favorite go-to's for casual summer days.

I simply cut a bit of the neck, then the sleeves, just past the seam and then, I fringed the bottom hem line to my desired length.  I put a cup of bleach in the sink and dipped away. I was really happy with how it turned out. So much so that I might have raided Samuel's old t-shirt drawer. You know, those old shirts that guys refuse to get rid of? ;) Hello new gems of my summer wardrobe.

Have you tried anything like this yet? There are a ton of tutorials on pinterest that I just haven't taken the time to actually do them (yet). Any success stories or pictures?

Happy Summer days to you.

Jess