Calling all Dreamers: Your Must-Read Book Has Arrived

Dreamers, unite! I am beyond thrilled to announce that I am one of the 100 to be selected for the @JunkGypsyBook Launch Team!!!

I got to read an advance copy of this amazing book, and I couldn’t. put. it. down.

So good.

This book starts with such a  beautiful story that any female entrepreneur who has set out to blaze her own trail will connect deeply with. You’ll love these ladies even more after you read their story.

This book is full of heart, soul, grit, adventure, DIYs, glitter, road trips, trailblazers, family, and free-spirited wisdom.

This is the anthem for those who –  in the words of Robert Frost – choose instead the The Road Less Traveled, to go ahead and blaze their own trail.

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

If you haven’t already pre-ordered the book – you should.{You will even be entered to win all sorts of Junk Gypsy prizes too!}

>>—> http://www.junkgypsybook.com

And, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the first Book Signing during the Antique Show on Sept. 24th! There will be butter + biscuits, live music, and books! Come meet the Gypsies and get your book signed!

Question of the Day:

What is it that is calling to you? What sets your soul on fire? What is your purpose? What is your dream?

Leave your answer in the comments below. Tell me one thing you can do today to bring yourself closer to your dream.

 

#JunkGYpsyBook #JGBLT #junkgypsies #dreamBIG #thecrossroadsofwonderandwander #dowhatyoulove #inspirationalquotes #inspiration #girlboss

 

an ode to gardening – Bella Grace Magazine – published

words by Amber Bartek / photo by Brooke Cagle

Imagine a lush garden in your backyard teeming with growth and abundance — full of life. You grow your own fresh ear of corn you can pick right off the stalk, your children can climb up your apple trees and pick juicy, sweet apples right off the tree, and you can pull crisp cucumbers and squash right off the vine for your supper.

There is something about growing my own food and working in the garden, getting my hands deep into the earth — that makes my spirit come alive. My soul awakens when I grow the very food that will nourish me and my family.

> Read the rest of the article over at Bella Grace magazine. {Please share and comment!}

I’m so excited to be a Contributing Writer, Artist, and Photographer at Bella Grace Magazine! It’s a dream-come-true.

I adore this soulful magazine that speaks to the heart and soul about embracing the slow, savoring the simple, and celebrating everyday magic.

P.S. – If you LOVE Bella Grace Magazine – stay tuned. There are some giveaways in the works. More details to follow on my instagram >> @cloud9photographer / @simplelivingwriter and on facebook >> @photosbycloud9 .

Enter to WIN an Apple Ipad Mini – Giveaway

Would you like to WIN an Apple Ipad Mini? Then, enter the giveaway below…

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize: iPad Mini ($399 ARV)

Co-hosts: []

Click Rafflecopter link below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 6/14 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!

TPW Summer night sky photography workshops coming up at Enchanted Rock State Park

This looks amazing!

Repost from @texasparkswildlife using @RepostRegramApp – Summer night sky photography workshops coming up at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Spend the night under the stars while learning how to take amazing pictures.

Details and registration in the link on @TxOutdoorPhotos bio.

#TxStateParks #EnchantedRock #atx #nightphotography #igtexas #camping

#GIVEAWAY – Win a FREE Spot in my soulful photography ecourse

#GIVEAWAY time!

 

Head over to @cloud9photographer on Instagram to enter to WIN a FREE spot in my soulful photography ecourse: illuminate.

 

For an extra entry – comment below and reblog this post!🙂 Good luck!

Living A Mighty Faith by Angus Buchan : Book Review

Living a Mighty Faith: A Simple Heart and a Powerful Faith is the new devotional from Bestselling Author of Faith Like Potatoes, (which was made into an amazing and encouraging motion picture) Angus Buchan.

This hardback devotional is full of the wisdom that can only be handed down by a wise farmer whose very vocation is built on trust, faith, perseverance,  and patience.

I found the devotionals to be poignant and deep with good takeaways to reflect on. The words were meaty and the stories were an insider’s look at life on a farm. I love how the devotionals point to God and use great life analogies to connect with the scripture. These devotionals lead us to an understanding of Christian character traits and the fruits of the spirit.

Living a Mighty Faith is great for families with older children – as the devotionals are short and can be read aloud each day. I recommend this book to Mothers who long for a bible study but may not have the time to read a longer book, and who want their children to learn alongside them.

 
(* I received this book free from the BookLook Bloggers program.)

What books are you reading right now? Do you have any recommendations?

Please comment below.

musings

How Can I Serve You?

Hi there!

I just want to thank you so very much for reading my blog and subscribing to my email newsletter. I hope you receive lots of value and inspiration from both. I love this community of kindred creatives.

I’d like to ask you what is it that you want to see most?

What can I help you with? I want to serve and teach you – so if you have something you really want to know about – please ask!!

I’m writing a series of blog posts and ebooks and I want to cover topics that you want to learn about!

• What are your small business struggles?
• What are your hand lettering questions?
• What are your photography questions?
• What are your design questions?
• What are your simple living questions?
• What are your creative entrepreneur questions?
• What ecourses would you like to see?
• What topic do you have questions about?

Leave a comment below or send me a quick email and as a Thank You you can get 15% your next order in my etsy shop. (code THANK YOU!)

 

P.S. – Stay tuned for more details about some really fun workshops coming up.

Hand Lettering Workshop

Watercolor Florals Workshop 

Mommy and Me Watercolors & Lettering  Workshop

Earth Day is Everyday

Today is Earth Day. One of my favorite days. It reminds us to stop what we are doing and celebrate our world and all of creation.

But we need not have a special day on the calendar to remind us.

Around here, we like to live as if everyday is Earth Day. Everyday we seek to notice the beauty on this Earth – to climb her trees, to explore her creeks, lakes, rivers, and ponds.

To watch the tiniest of ants to the biggest of animals do what they were created to do.

We watched a really amazing special on PBS the other day. (We don’t have cable TV anymore – but this was at a relatives’) It was all about Beavers. How they hear the sound of rushing water and it causes them to be alerted to start creating a dam.

Their instinct tells them what to do. And when they are finished with their day and night engineering, the water levels rise, and they keep the ecosystem running smoothly.

They even can make deserts that were completely dry heal and hold water again. There is something really beautiful about their story and how they help hold the ecosystem together by creating these amazing structures – adding strength to the river bottom and securing their future in the land.

We each can do our part – no matter how small – to keep our Earth’s ecosystem running properly. We can recycle, reduce our consumption and spending, repurpose, teach our children to care for the Earth, and generally take sustainable actions to heal the land.

Every little bit helps.

If you want to read more about saving our Earth – check out The Story of Stuff. It’s eye-opening.

And this post I reposted from Holistic Moms Network back in 2009 talks about some ways we can help save the Earth.

I hope you take some time today to go exploring out in nature with your children. Discover a new place locally to get outdoors. Have fun and be grateful for the beauty of nature – today, and always!

*If you like:

simple living,

nature,

getting outdoors with your family,

exploring,

holistic living,

holistic mothering,

hiking,

canoeing,

kayaking,

family fitness,

bike riding,

cooking over an open fire,

slow food,

local and real food,

gardening,

camping,

fishing,

DIY projects,

natural living, and

green living –

then you’ll LOVE this new project I’m starting.

I’ll be sending out emails, photos, videos, and more with great places to adventure, explore, and see with your children, and lots of great ideas to live the simple life you yearn for.

Want to be included? Sign up here!

Leave a comment below after you sign up listing some topics you’d like me to explore or naming your favorite outdoor adventure location! Thank you!

 

illuminate: a 6 week journey to soulful photography

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It’s time to discover the scared act of photography as a gratitude practice. You will connect more fully, and feel more present when you begin noticing – appreciating the world around you with your camera in hand.

We will take pauses – and take a moment to stop and notice the smells, sounds, and beauty all around us.

Join us in this self-paced ecourse with beautiful pdf workbooks with guided journal prompts and photography exercises to help you unearth your creativity that you haven’t expressed in too long.

When is the last time you created – just for you?

Take this time to free yourself.

Open up to the creativity already within you.

Give it time and space to express the art and creativity that is uniquely you.

You deserve this as a gift to yourself.

You must fill your cup so that you can fill anothers.

It is a beautiful act of self-care to listen to your heart and give yourself space to create.

Class is enrolling NOW! But HURRY! Class will fill up fast!

http://www.cloud9design.co/illuminate

#fillyourcup #creativeworkshop #photographyworkshop #photographyecourse #unearthyourcreativity

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