Minted Design Challenge

Hey guys! I have just submitted several designs to Minted: one of the most infamous paper stationery companies in the world! Click on the images below to view them on the website. And if you like them, I would really appreciate a vote! Thank you guys so much!

If you would like to purchase any of these "Save the Dates", visit my ETSY SHOP!

Which is your favorite?

save the date cards - Chevron Stamp 

CLICK HERE TO BUY

   

save the date cards - Dainty Flower Charm - No Photo

CLICK HERE TO BUY

save the date cards - Dainty Flower Charm

CLICK HERE TO BUY

Don't forget to stop by my ETSY SHOP and see more designs!

Simple Bedrooms

Time and time again I have had major decorating urges. And most of them have gone horribly wrong. I make all of the common mistakes:

-mixing colors/fabrics that clash

- making things match TOO well

- overcrowding the space

- too many photos on the walls/dressers

...the list could go on and on! 

With this post I would like to direct some attention on some bedrooms that are absolutely gorgeous, but best of all.....THEY ARE SIMPLE!! So so simple! Literally anyone could decorate a space like these! 

I will admit that I am on a bit of a "minimalist" kick nowadays. I just don't understand who wouldn't love to downsize and minimize clutter and chaos in their lives! 

All of the bedrooms featured are simple but they are also cozy! I am a sucker for cozy rooms and bedrooms should be the most cozy of them all! So with out further adieu, lets take a look!

House Envy via Lark & Linen

 The color scheme is so neutral! Shades of beige with subtle pops of darker shades accompanied by a beautiful diamond ikat print!

Serenity Now via SF Girl By Bay

 So this one is my favorite. I love the pattern combo of the striped rug and the "plus sign" bed spread. They lengthened the appearance of the room by adding a wooden headboard with the same stain as the hardwood flooring. Pop on a super soft down comforter for that "cozy warm" feel!

Bohemian Vintage Bedroom via Lonny

I would do a lot of things to get my hands on that patterned blanket! Sheesh! Notice that with such a bold piece, not many other colors or bold patterns are used. When you have a statement piece, it is important to keep accessories pretty neutral to avoid a cluttered and clashy feel.

via Red Online

 Who knew plywood could be so beautiful? I love using dark fabrics to compliment light wood and light fabrics to compliment dark wood! Make sense? Good :)

Nordic Design Blog via decor8

The floors in this bedroom are to die for. They ooze with charm. Notice the colorful wall hanging above the bed? Notice the neutral colors paired with it? I see a pattern emerging here...

via Apartment Therapy 

Again, notice the bold pattern (the rug) paired with subtle shades and hues! This is so important guys!

via Indulgy

The "pallet rage" has been going on for a while! But I really like the soft color scheme in this bedroom. There are also endless storage opportunities within the gaps of the pallets! Store extra pillows, blankets, magazines, etc.

via Apartment Therapy

So so simple. If you find your bedroom too plain and boring, try adding a super fun and colorful art piece right above the bed! It is a lot cheaper than painting and buying all new accessories and sometimes, it's just the right touch!!

Here are my guidelines for simple bedrooms:
- Choose a statement piece to add color.  This could be a rug, a bedspread, an art peice above the bed, lamp shades, even curtains!
- Choose complimenting neutral tones to pair with your statement piece
- Stay away from a lot of bright colors. Yes, they may look nice together, but the bedroom is a place to RELAX!
- Keep bedside tables free of clutter. Actually, keep all surfaces free of clutter. Cause we all know it just looks nice that way!
- Have fun and make sure the patterns in the room reflect your taste!

-- Katie Emslie

G'Day Y'all

Update on the Southern/Australian Family!

We have been in Australia now since May 28! That is 2.5 months, or 11 weeks, or 77 days. Because I know you were very interested in the exact number of days and all...ANYWAY, I would just like to take a moment to reflect and share on what has happened since we have been here! 

Since we have arrived we have been on the search for jobs and a house! Neither of which have been found yet. Yes, we get discouraged. Yes, we get impatient. Yes, we want to scream and cry (but we are adults and apparently that isn't socially acceptable anymore). Nonetheless we will trudge on rely on the fact the we know we are right where we are suppose to be!

Now, I am going to take some time to catch you up on us as individuals: 

MY SUPER HANDSOME HUSBAND: Papa Bear

This man, you guys.... He is literally good at everything. Annoyingly good at EVERYTHING. Since we have been here, he has built a dining room table (that I will post about soon), fixed a broken guitar, been a single dad for TWO WEEKS (while I was on a mission trip to the Philippines), worked as a traveling coffee barista, and as I write this he is making a red velvet cheesecake....go ahead. Swoon away.

Anyway, he is currently looking for a job that does not mind sharing him with the University of Queensland. After he starts graduate school, it will take two years full time for him to complete the degree. 

MY SUPER CUTE NOW TWO-YEAR-OLD: Baby Bear

This kid, you guys.... He turned two on June 7! WHAT?! Can anyone explain how quickly two years goes by? Before we know it it will be 5 years, 10 years, 20 years! Slow it down puh-lease. 

Here are a few cute things he is saying now:

- Fire Bus = Firetruck

- He will walk up, shake your hand, and say "Nice to meet you"

- He has to tell everyone in the restaurant "goodbye" before we can leave

- Buzz Ranger = Buzz Lightyear (but he IS a space ranger)

- He greets people with a Southern/Australian G'DAY Y'ALL

- When asked what he is doing, he replies "Just Chillin"

- He also says that he is "the man"

And a quick list of his development:

- Letters he consistently recognizes: A, B, C, H, J, L, O, R, S (he calls it a snake...i'll count it), T, W

- Colors he can name: red, blue, black, purple, pink, green, yellow, orange

- Gross Motor Skills: hop with two feet, jump, kick a ball, catch a ball, throw a ball overhand and underhand

- Fine Motor Skills: pincer grasp (see what that is here), holds paper down while drawing, can stack lots of blocks, and LOVES to give me a "thumbs up" 

* sorry if the lists bore you! They are mainly for my friends and family who want to know how he's growing!! *

 

AND MRS. ALWAYS BEHIND THE CAMERA SO THERE ARE NO PHOTOS OF ME: Mama Bear

Since I am not allowed to work in Australia until October, the only "job" I have is my America based Etsy Shop! SoI have lots of free time right now! As great as that sounds, I am getting a little case of Cabin Fever so we have made a goal of leaving the house at least once a day! 

And that brings me to driving. On the other side of the road. Holy "other side of the road", Batman. I feel like a brand new driver over here! The only things I don't have to re-learn are accelerating and breaking. 

Everything else about driving is different:

- You sit on the opposite side of the car. Which means you have to look different ways when checking your mirrors.

- You have to turn to the opposite side of the road

- No right on red (which would be left on red over here)

- TONS of roundabouts

- I have NO idea where the left side of the car is because I sit on the right

Several curbs have fallen victim to my "newbie" driving and I just pray that other drivers stay patient as I learn! Whew!! 

All in all we have settled into Australia quite well! We still have lots of settling left but we are off to a great start! 

Feel free to ask us any questions about Australia, Family Life, etc!! :)

Love Does: God Does

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

So I’d be lying if I said that I was 100% ready to move across the WORLD! As the move date gets closer, the emotions get stronger. Some days I feel as though we are just prepping for another visit. And then….HOLY BATMAN WE ARE MOVING….hits me! I have always embraced changed and adaptation and have learned to be content in every situation. BUT moving across the world is super super daunting and I feel the weight of it settling in.

Now before I go into total freak-out  mode, I thought I’d share with you guys to see if you would mind praying to calm my nerves! ­­

LOVE DOES

STORY TIME! A few weeks ago I had lunch with the sweetest lady/mentor a girl could ask for, Kristi Brantley. At the end of our meal she challenged me with a question, “If you could as God for one thing that you needed more of, (outside of anyone else) what would it be?”.

Clarification: something that God could give me outside of my husband, my son, my family, everything. Just for me.

I was completely stumped on that one. I am sure many mamas would be right there with me. We don’t stop and think about ourselves very often because we are too busy thinking about other things!! I left there without an answer to her question. A week or so went by and her question ran through my mind again. This time, I asked God to show me an area in me that needed more attention.

As real as this computer beneath my fingers, He said “love”, “physical love”.

I give lots of love. I love to give. It genuinely makes me happy to help. I do not need affirmation about a gift. I don’t need recognition. I love giving. I love doing. 

Because LOVE DOES.

By now I am in tears because God hit the nail on the head. But He is God, so I should not have been surprised. Then I get to where I am going and continue my day as normal. I had a coffee date with Katie Rivers that afternoon and as we sat and chatted about our semi-new ‘Mama Lives’, we found our way to the topic of cameras. I have been wanting a new camera for a while so I asked her if she could recommend any for me. After about 20 minutes of camera convo, she stopped, looked me in the eyes and said, 

“Katie, I am going to give you my old camera.”

Okay guys, this camera is not a rinky dink point and shoot camera. Brand new it costs $1,000….I was absolutely SPEECHLESS! I literally had nothing to say. The kindness and selflessness of this gift was incredible.

Here it is:

Later that day I received a message from an old friend. I currently coach her little girl Thursday morning at the YMCA. She asked me if I would like any coffee from Starbucks Thursday morning FREE OF CHARGE! Heck yes I want free coffee.

And then it hit me. Like a huge emotional tital wave. You know the ones God bring to you? 

On the SAME day I asked and prayed for God to show me what I could receive more of, He gave me “love”, “physical love”. The kind of love that does and expects nothing in return.

I needed that hug from my Father. Thanks God.

I would LOVE to hear your recent “slap you in the face, I love you God” stories!!

The Big Move & Philippines Mission Trip

THE BIG MOVE- MAY 27, 2013

The Emslie Family is experience some MAJOR life change right now.On MAY 27th, 2013 we will be taking a trek across the "Big Pond" and settling into our new home is Brisbane, Australia. This is such an exciting and scary time for our family!
We know without a shadow of a doubt that this is God's plan for us! We look forward to growing closer to each other as well as growing as a family. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful support system both here and in Australia! 

PHILIPPINES MISSION

A message from Katie:

"From July 10-23, I will be headed to the Philippines! I will fly by myself from Australia to meet up with a team from River Point Community Church! While we are in the Philippines, we will be holding assemblies in schools, giving out food, and showering people with the love of Jesus! We will have the opportunity to share God's Word with thousands of adults and children at a time!! Can you imagine??  Since becoming a Christian in 2003, God has given me a heart for missions. During those 10 years I have been on over 12 missions trips! God has given me a heart for people and a passion for exploration and travel. Those combined attributes create in me a desire for missions! This is an area that our family plans to pursue heavily after Reegan completes his schooling! 

I cannot wait to share our experiences in Australia as well as my experiences in the Philippines!

HOW YOU CAN HELP!!

So, moving across the globe and going on missions trips is 100% FREE right? WRONG! We count on the support of our families and friends to make all of this possible! God is continually working in our hearts and a call to missions is something we feel very strongly about. With that being said, we will be needing support from you guys!! We want to make you a part of our journey! We promise to keep everyone updated on our travels and experiences! Nothing would make us happier :) We love you guys and cannot wait to share all that is happening in our lives!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

- pray that God will continue to pave the way for us in Australia

- pray for a new church family (we have NO clue who they will be)

- pray for peace and discernment for Reegan and I! 

If you would like to contribute financially to The Big Move or The Philippines Mission Trip, click the button below!!

Be on the look out for some FUN fundraisers from The Emslie Family SOON!!

-Reegan, Katie, & Charlie Bear

Email: TheEmslieFamily@live.com

Why Don't We Talk About It?

Confessions. 

Growing up, I often saw confession that was not matched by an effort for redirection. There is something about physically saying words out loud that can heal, mend, and help make sense of a situation.

Lots of times when someone is overcome by emotion, the best thing they can do is verbalize what they feel. When you say things out loud, they become more concrete. But when thoughts are kept in they are  like random words and emotion flying around our brains at the speed of light, bouncing off the frontal lobe, back down to memory lane, and out our eyes in the form of tears.

Now lets change gears for a second. Think about a time in your life when you have had really exciting news. How much more gratifying was it to share that positive emotional experience with others? The pleasure doubled when you shared the news with them! 

Now lets flip back to the negative emotions. 

I bet you did not know that the burden of negative emotions can cut the load IN HALF!? It is no secret that talking to someone about burdens makes you feel better. Naming or labeling emotions reduces their intensity and helps make them easier to deal with. 

So the next time you feel overwhelmed, talk about it!! 

AN UNTOLD STORY NEVER FULLY HEALS. 

-Katie (Mama Bear)

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

The Big Move

Hey guys! Sooo as you see in the picture above, we will be moving to Australia this year! We are so excited and so anxious all at the same time!

Why?

In Australia they have a program called HECS-HELP. HECS-HELP is a loan program to help eligible Commonwealth supported students to pay their student contribution amounts. 

So Reegan will be able to go to grad school for FREE until we make over a certain amount of money and then we will start paying that money back. 

If we were to stay in America, we would have to pay $100,000 in schooling fees because of Reegan's residency status. 

Financially this is the best decision for us! I am sure Reegan's family is pretty excited too ;)

When?

Reegan's student visa ends after graduation in May 2013. We are planning the move for July 2013! Yes, that is FIVE MONTHS away! 

I have been living in this town since birth. I love everything about the small town life!

-I like running into fourteen people I know in Walmart (most of the time)

- I like having friends everywhere you go!

- I LOVE quick access to hunting and fishing 

- I love having one high school in the entire county

- I LOVE SMALL TOWNS

This will be such a great adventure. Right now I am too busy applying for visas, proving our marriage (which is surprisingly difficult), getting certified copies of EVERYTHING, to realize just how emotional it is going to be to leave this country. Sure, I have been on missions trips to other countries. I LOVE to travel! But packing up and moving to another country is a whole other story! We are so excited to be able to get closer to our Australian family but very saddened by what we will be leaving behind here! 

I will be posting many more updates about visa status, moving preparations, etc! 
P.S. sorry the "big news" wasn't another baby. Maybe in another couple of years ;)

-Katie