Moriah Makes

Love Your Business

2012-02-24T07:46:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday, everyone! I wanted to shoot you a link to a guest post I did this week for Heather at Just Lovely Things. She's doing a blog series on how to love your business. I had the opportunity to share my thoughts on how to truly love what you do. Come check it out at her place.

High On Thrifting Thursday

2012-02-23T13:00:00.000-06:00

I'm linking up with Mandy over at Harper's Happenings for a fun little post where we "thrift addicts" and "mouth breathers" unite and share our latest trash/treasures. I've had some great luck this month trying to find new-to-me decor for my living room makeover. By the way, remember the big blue couch I scored for $40 on Craigslist? GONE. I scrubbed my little heart out and couldn't get that musty stench out. So, we flipped it for $150 and put the money towards a beautiful Crate & Barrel couch! It's gorgeous and I can't wait to show you pictures when my living room is complete. For now, let's check out my thrifts:

A new secretary desk! I found this baby a couple weeks ago while furniture hunting in Buffalo. The town has many awesome occasional shops that are open a couple days a month, but there is also a thrift store that accepts furniture from those shops. This desk was newly painted and just missing the knobs, so I snatched it for $40. It was exactly what I was looking for, in the exact color, and luckily missing knobs so I'd have an excuse to shop from Anthropologie. Here are the knobs I purchased:

Lime green Anthro knobs, on clearance for $2.95. I loved them so much, I had to buy a coral one for the coffee table:

I know Anthro is nothing even comparable to a thrift store, but I figured $2.95 for knobs was worth sharing. One more thing to add to my thrifting treasures for the week:

A mustard lampshade that matches my mustard pillow! It was $15, definitely not a thrifty price, but totally worth it. I was planning on saving up money for an Anthro lampshade, but this will definitely do for me. It was a great thrifting month, but I'm still on the hunt for several more items to complete our living room makeover. Next on the list: a buffet, a dresser, a rug, new curtains, and more colorful decor. Now, please excuse me while I go daydream on Pinterest.

Fasting What I Love Most

2012-02-22T09:11:00.000-06:00

Bread. I chose to give up bread for a 28 day fast alongside my church. I have no clue how I'm going to be able to make it 28 days without my best friend.

Source: mybizzykitchen.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit, but seriously... bread is my crack. And that is why I've chosen to give up one of my favorite foods for this Make Room For More fast before our church moves into our new facility next month.

Honestly, this is the first time I've ever fasted food. I'm curious to see how stretched I'm going to be these next couple of days and weeks, and to see how much self-control I really have. I've never seen myself as someone that has a hard time sacrificing anything in my life for a period of time... until I realized (while eating some yummy fresh baked bread) that there was one thing. It's something that I eat every day with every single meal. Cutting bread from my life is going to be very interesting and more difficult than I can even imagine right now. I'm expecting some withdrawal fits in the next couple of days, for sure.

Fasting reveals our hunger for God. During this exciting time for our church, we've decided to seek God and become hungry for more of Him. This church-wide fast is meant to give us a deeper and more intimate relationship with God, perfect timing for our new building launch. If you could, please pray for me, not that I have self-control over my bread obsession, but that I benefit greatly from this fast and grow deeper with God during this time. Also, please enjoy these for yourself and think of me while you eat them:

Source: simplyrecipes.com via Stacey on Pinterest

Source: simplyrecipes.com via Poe on Pinterest

Source: allrecipes.co.uk via Zoe on Pinterest

Source: ohhellofriendblog.com via Haley on Pinterest

Who wants to come over and have a bread party with me when this is over? Bread is most definitely a reason to celebrate.

Priorities: Historical Figures Over ABCs

2012-02-20T21:41:00.000-06:00

My son doesn't know his ABCs, but he knows who Bill Clinton is.

Birthday Party Planning

2012-02-20T00:36:00.000-06:00

I've got Josiah's 2nd Birthday in April and Lucia's 1st Birthday in May. How fun is that?! Luckily, my children don't have many friends, so our parties are very small and intimate with grandparents, aunts and uncles. It takes the pressure off but still gives me an opportunity to get creative and do something special for my babies. I've already started planning the themes for each of their parties, and with the help of Pinterest, have come up with some awesome ideas for decorating! I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you:

For Josiah's 2nd Birthday: his favorite things... Curious George and cars

Source: etsy.com via GreatestExpectations on Pinterest

Source: workmanfamily.typepad.com via Lynsee on Pinterest

Source: familyfun.go.com via Sara on Pinterest

For Lucia's 1st Birthday: florals, pastels, and lace

Source: thetomkatstudio.com via Brittany on Pinterest

Source: bleubirdvintage.typepad.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

Source: google.com.ph via Sarah on Pinterest

Got any fun party ideas for me? I'd love to hear your ideas!

A Day of Lovin'

2012-02-14T09:21:00.000-06:00

This morning I am thanking God for giving me two adorable blessings to love and snuggle on.

I'm also thanking God for giving me the most thoughtful, caring, giving, loving husband who sacrifices so much and works so hard for all of us. I'm so thankful for a husband that makes parenthood a priority and constantly strives to be the best father he can be to our children. I'm so thankful for a husband who constantly sets his wants and needs aside in order to make sure we are taken care of and our needs are met. I'm so thankful for a best friend who finds ways to make me laugh, cares about my feelings, and makes sure I'm loved well. I love you, Joseph!

Handmade Giveaway Winner Announced

2012-02-10T13:44:00.000-06:00

I've clearly been having way too much fun away from my computer this week, as I've just realized I forgot to announce the winner of Sweet & Simple Jewelry Design's Handmade Giveaway!

I'd like to thank everyone who entered the giveaway and left their awesome comments about their favorite thing about Spring. I am really craving April right about now.

I tallied up the total number of comments from the contest post and used Random.org to select the winner:

Congratulations to Nicole of The Clarks!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the giveaway! Be sure to check out Kelly's shop, blog, and facebook if you haven't already and have a lovely weekend!

Our Cloth Diaper Journey: 22 Months

2012-02-08T23:38:00.000-06:00

I thought it was time to update everyone on our almost-two year journey with cloth diapers. I've been getting a lot of emails from people asking for advice, and even asking if we're still doing it because I haven't mentioned cloth diapers on the blog since Josiah was 10 months old.

For all of you newbies on the blog, we started our CD adventure back in May of 2010 when Josiah was 2 weeks old. You can read about it here. In that post, I talked about the pros and cons to cloth diapers (in our opinion), where to start and stock up if you're interested, and a shared brief summary on how it was going for us in the beginning. I updated the blog again in October of 2010 when Josiah was 5 months old. You can read that update here. In that post, I talked about how it was going for our family and how we still loved it. My last update on the blog was in March of 2011 when Josiah was 10 months old. You can read that update here. In that post, I talked about our updated diaper stash (preparing for the new baby) and changes we made along the way since Josiah had started eating solid foods. As I look back at these posts and think about the last 22 months, I'm proud to say that our family has benefited in so many ways, big and small, by making this decision to cloth diaper our kids.

Before I begin talking about how we've benefited from cloth diapering, I'd like to reiterate that it is not for everyone. We chose to cloth diaper because I planned to stay at home full time. That, in itself, made the idea much easier than if the children were in daycare or if we were outside the home a lot. Another reason was the overall cost of cloth diapers as opposed to disposable (at least for my children's sensitive-skinned booties). And that's pretty much it. Simple and cheap (in our eyes).

Along the way, we've collected a couple more covers and inserts from family and friends, which has been a huge blessing for us. Our current stash consists of:

16 Flip Covers
Approx. 40 inserts (a mix of Bummis Prefolds and Gerber Prefolds)
2 NEET Hemp Overnight Soakers (for Chia)
3 Bum Genius Overnight Doublers (for Josiah)
2 Planet Wise Wet Bags (size large)
1 Fuzzibunz Wet Bag (size small)

I would guess that this stash costs a little over $500 total and should last us for several years. We will be able to continue using our cloth diapers on our third or even fourth child when that day comes (not any time soon). Starting out, we invested around $140 (for just Josiah) and the rest of our cloth diaper loot was given to us a gift from family and friends, which has been a huge blessing for us. We now have a huge supply of inserts, which I have to say is a very nice luxury, but not necessary. If anything, I'd love to add more Flip Covers to our collection, as the first 4 covers we purchased are just starting to show some wear (which is pretty good for almost 2 years on 2 babies, being washed every 2-3 days a week and bleached many times).

I thought it would be more difficult to cloth diaper two babies at the same time, but it really hasn't fazed us at all. Yes, you do more laundry since you're going through your stash faster. But, in my case, since staying home full time and practically living in my pajamas all week (as well as my children), our laundry loads of clothes have lessened a great deal, making the cloth diaper laundry less of a hassle. Both my mother and mother-in-law have mastered changing a cloth diaper, which makes trips to both grandma's houses very easy for us. We are able to load up our large wet bag full of cloth diapers for both babies (in the side pocket of the bag) and then take home the dirty diapers after the day is done, without leaving behind 10-15 stinky diapers in their trash cans.

We still wash our diapers the same as always: first wash on cold/cold with no detergent to wash out all nastiness stuck on diapers, second wash on hot/cold with generic brand of unscented detergent. Once a month, I wash the inserts with bleach. Because our diapers have always come out clean, we've never been interested in investing in a sprayer. However, things could change once Lucia is eating more solid foods in the near future.

Something that I've encountered with Lucia that never happened with Josiah was leaking through her cloth diaper overnight. She is no longer dealing with this problem anymore, but between 4-6 months of age (I'm assuming because she was drinking more milk at night and not yet eating solids) she would always leak through her diaper by morning. However, she would also leak through disposable overnight diapers... the only way we got through that phase was to put a disposable swim diaper over her disposable overnight diaper! After talking to LittleNeetchers.com, the site where I've purchased all of my cloth diapers, they informed me of a new overnight insert that they had personally created: the NEET Hemp Overnight Soakers. After using these at night, plus a Bummis prefold, Chia has been leak-free!

I'm not really sure what else to say other than that we have loved our experience as a cloth diapering family. I wouldn't change a thing about our experience and will always recommend it to people that are interested in knowing more. If anyone has questions about cloth diapers, feel free to email me or leave a comment in this post. If you currently cloth diaper and have something fun to add to the conversation, also leave a comment below! I'd love to hear all of your thoughts and opinions about how you've benefited from your experience.

My Solution to Cooking and Keeping My Sanity

2012-02-08T00:52:00.000-06:00

Remember a while back when I was asking for advice on how to cook dinner and take care of my two kids at the same time without losing my mind? I figured it out:

The fan. Best babysitter ever.

Pursuing Her Passion:: Sunday Burquest

2012-02-07T00:10:00.000-06:00

Welcome to another edition of my new blog series: Pursuing Her Passion. I've had this topic on my heart for a long time and I knew that I wasn't alone. There are so many creative and talented women out there chasing their dreams, pursuing their calling, and taking risks in order to fulfill God's plan for their life. There are also many creative and talented women who haven't quite found their passion just yet, or may be feeling held back from being able to pursue their dream. This series is meant to inspire women who are currently looking for that passion in their life if they haven't found it. And if they have, then this series should be an encouragement to get out there and start pursuing it head on!

I'm excited to share a very special woman that I've known for many, many years. She's a gorgeous and hilarious mom of four... with one of the best Minnesotan accents I've heard yet in this state. She has a huge heart and a strong passion for so many things, creative and spiritual. I first met Sunday (yep, her name is Sunday!) back in high school when I started going to a Christian private school that was connected to a church. Sunday and her husband were the youth pastors of the church and were very involved with all of the students that attended their services. They were committed to making sure every student felt welcome and had the opportunity to get hooked up with a great group of friends. I could go on and on about how wonderful Sunday and her family is, but it would take too long! Long story short, her sister ended up marrying my cousin, so I'd like to say we're practically family! Sunday has been an amazing role model for so many girls and women in her community, and has recently started her own faith-based DIY blog, A Sunday Afternoon, and furniture restoration shop, Sweet Transformations, in her hometown of Rogers, MN. It's an honor to have Sunday share her story of passion with all of you today:

"I don’t think passion for one thing or another is always present. Over the years I’ve been passionate about numerous things: big hair, working out, having babies, and teenagers; just to name a few. When I discover a passion for something, I’ve noticed it’s usually been cultivated and grown over time. Passionate about being a friend, a wife, or mom can take top spots in a gal’s heart. I think we should take the limits off passion, like, why not be passionate about something for you? Something you love! It might sound a little selfish, or the thought may rub us the wrong way; but when a woman can allow the passion within her to grow, she is all around better for it.

My latest passion is the love of all things DIY (do it yourself). I wasn’t born with it. In fact, it didn’t show up until about 2 years ago. This passion was actually born of necessity, because I needed to decorate my house on a budget. I used to be a thrift store/garage sale/discount snob – but I’m totally cured! I began redecorating my home one bargain project at a time. Others started to notice and were asking me to share my ideas. The DIY passion grew; I cultivated it, and stepped out of the ‘buy it already finished at an expensive store’ box. The first step to taking it to the next level came when a friend suggested I start a blog. Me, start a blog? The second step came when my sisters (Kelsey and SIL Jennifer) came to me with an idea to open a shop. Me, open a shop with my sisters? How could this possibly be…the Lord?

Besides wearing the hats of wife and mom of 4, my ‘day’ job is a youth pastor. I’ve known I was called to ministry since the age of 12, and outside of my family, it has been my priority and passion. For the past 10 years, ministry came in the form of working with teenagers. I’m not going to lie - I was scared silly at first! However, my passion and love for them has grown and 10 years later, I cannot imagine a life without them! So, when the doors opened for the blog and the shop, the first thing I had to do was pray. How could this DIY passion fit with family and ministry?

My favorite verses are Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP): 'Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.'

I talked to my hubby, my friends, my mentors, but mostly my Father. I realized over time, He gave me this passion. There are many facets to who God is and being we’re created in His image, I believe we’re the same. I don’t know exactly how it will take place yet, but I am confident He will use the blog and the store to bring glory to His name. God is so good, and He’s confirmed this to me over and over, so I trusted Him and I took the leap!

Doors of opportunity have begun to open, opportunities only He can bring. I was recently on Channel 12 (local cable news) and KARE 11, and will be doing a test segment for Twin Cities Live. How exciting! I know this passion came from the Lord, I know He is leading and guiding me, and I know He has a plan. I hope to share God’s love with those I would have never met otherwise. I’m giving God the reigns for the blog and the shop. I’ll follow the path He has set in front of me with passion, sit back and watch what He does!" - Sunday

Comments are closed for the Pursuing Her Passion Series. Here's how you can connect with Sunday:
Blog // Shop // Facebook // Twitter

Need to catch up on past posts from the Pursuing Her Passion Series?

Casey's Story

Maggie's Story

Jessi's Story

Danielle's Story

Cole's Story

Lindsey's Story

Savannah's Story

Karen's Story

Oana's Story

Amy's Story

Beth's Story

Ashley's Story

What's your story? Would you like to be a part of the Pursuing Her Passion Series and share it with Moriah Makes? If so, email me: moriahsunde at gmail dot com

February Photo a Day

2012-02-05T21:22:00.000-06:00

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you've probably noticed something new that I've been following along with this month. Fat Mum Slim started a really fun photo game where people post a different picture for every day of the month. I decided to hop on board this month! Here's the criteria for the game:

Pretty fun, huh? Here are the first five days of February that I've posted on Instragram (and that automatically go to Twitter and my personal Facebook account):

It's still early enough in the game for you to hop on board and play along! Just make sure you put "#febphotoaday" at the end of each picture post. Have fun!

Handmade Giveaway Winner Announced

2012-02-03T14:51:00.000-06:00

Thanks for all the entries submitted to the The Little Shop of Elle See Contest!

The time has finally come to announce the winner of the $20 shop credit to Laura's Etsy shop:

I tallied up the total number of comments from the contest post and used Random.org to select the winner:

Congratulations to Chelsea of Live, Laugh, Lynae!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the giveaway! Be sure to check out Laura's shop, blog, facebook, and twitter if you haven't already and have a lovely weekend!

A Resolution For the New Year: Take Care of Myself

2012-02-01T09:50:00.002-06:00

{source}

Another resolution for the new year is to take better care of myself. When you become a mother, it's hard to remember to take care of yourself. Especially if you're a stay-at-home mom, it's hard to remember to take a shower or change your clothes since you're probably not stepping foot out of the house anyway. I have to admit that I've completely forgot to do simple things for myself since coming home to be with my kids full-time. My life revolves around them and making sure their diapers are clean, their bellies are full, and their tears are few. Because I give them my 100%, I rarely give myself time to brush my hair, put on makeup, eat lunch... and by the end of the day, I'm left burnt out and exhausted. I often use the excuse that there's no time in the day left for myself. BAD EXCUSE. I need to make time for myself.

My children are on separate naps schedules, so I usually have about 30 minutes of alone time during the day until their bedtime. That 30 minutes is usually spent doing dishes, prepping dinner, folding diapers, etc. I rarely use that 30 minutes to take a shower or get dressed. And even when they're in bed for the night, I fill those last hours of the evening picking up the house, finishing my chores, answering emails, or helping Joseph get ready for the next day.

It doesn't look like I have time for myself, but I really do. I just need to create that time by multitasking for a little bit. An example: while prepping dinner, I should also make Joseph's lunch for the next day. That way, I won't have to do it at night. Another example: while the kids are eating lunch, I should wash the dishes taking over the sink instead of waiting until their nap time. Get what I'm saying here? I'm still giving my children 100% of my time, but also creating a slot for myself later.

So, I've already started this resolution and have been able to do a few things I haven't done in a long time. Like:

- Paint my nails. I haven't painted my nails since November, and that was only because I was on vacation visiting Lindsay.

- Make a healthy smoothie. I've been doing this for a while now, but on days that I don't make one, I regret it. Making a healthy treat instantly puts a boost in my morning and gives me the energy to chase around the toddler with a baby on my hip. It's also something I can share with my toddler during his snack time!

- Go on a walk. I did this last week when my children spent the night at their grandparents' house and my husband had a "guy night." I went to the mall and just walked around by myself. It was amazing. I can't wait until it's warm enough to walk outside!

- Drink a hot chocolate. My husband laughed at me while I was making this the other night because he couldn't remember the last time I ever made hot chocolate. He didn't even know that I liked hot chocolate. How sad is that?

- Create for myself. I can't remember the last time I made something for myself. All of my creative energy has been put into the shop or gifts for others. I made myself a necklace and I might actually wear it someday!

- Get a massage. My mom got me this for Christmas! I think it's something every mom needs and deserves: a time to rest and get pampered for 60 minutes. I got one yesterday, and honestly, I'm pretty sure I fell asleep for most of it. But, it was awesome.

I have a long list of things I'd like to start doing for myself now that I've finally made the time. They may seem little to some people, but they really aren't little to me. I think by doing this, it's going to make me a more refreshed, happy, and all-around better mom for my kids and wife to my husband. I'm going to feel more fulfilled by taking the time to do something for myself once a day... or at least once a week. I may not fit a shower in or have a chance to make myself a super yummy lunch, but I already feel so refreshed and ready to take on the day, knowing that there will be a cup of tea waiting for me this evening before bed.

Are you in the same shoes as me? Do you have a hard time setting time aside for yourself? If you could start making time, what would be the first thing you would do for yourself?

January Sponsor Highlight

2012-01-30T22:56:00.001-06:00

Get to know my awesome sponsors for this month! While high on coffee, I asked them: if you could be any animal, what animal would you be... and why?

Vanessa @ Lynn David wants to be a fish. "Hands down a fish or ocean dwelling creature of some sort. Being under water is like being on a different planet, it's fascinating! Of course it'd be slightly dangerous, so I wouldn't want to be a tuna or other kind of tasty creature. ;)"

Ilene @ Much Love, Illy wants to be a leopard. "Leopard. Then I could wear leopard all the time without taking it off. *wink*"

Kelly @ Sweet & Simple Jewelry Design wants to be a bear. "I would want to be a bear... I would love to be hibernating right now!!"

Lindsay @ Aisle to Aloha Studio wants to be sparrow. "Oh, if I could be an animal, I'd want to be a sparrow. Can you imagine being able to soar through the treetops and somersault through the air? Oh, and I could burst into song whenever I wanted without anyone looking at me funny."

Amanda @ Salvaged Strawberry wants to be a lot of things! "I have NO IDEA what animal I would be. Maybe a butterfly? So gracefuland colorful! But then, they don't live very long do they? I do love manatees, they are so loving and gentle and get to float in the warm ocean in the sunshine all day, but then they get hit by a lot of boats! Then there are hippopotamuses, and that is just so fun to say! I can't choose!"

Carly @ Little Light Prints wants to be bear. "In this moment I'd be a bear because stuffing my stomach and sleeping for a long time sounds pretty wonderful right now."

Megan @ Moonbeam Wishes just wants to sleep. "I would probably be a cat or a sloth or something that sleeps for the majority of the time, as I LOVE to sleep!!"

Tiffany @ Grace for Grace wants to be a sea turtle. "I'd be a sea turtle in Hawaii---love the water, love the sun, and I'd love to gracefully float around all day without a care in the world."

Lisa @ My Little Buffalo wants to be a buffalo. "A Buffalo. :) Then there would be some actual legitimacy to my business name."

Savannah @ MaieDae wants to be a shark whale. "I would want to be a shark whale. Because they are HUGE and nobody (animal or human) would try and eat me. "

Laura @ Along For the Ride wants to be a cat. "If I could be an animal, I would be my little black kitty cat, Jupiter. She's sweet and adorable and is living the life! She spends the day cuddled up, she lounges in front of the window, finds food in her bowl whenever she's hungry, and her "parents" are always so excited when she gives kitty kisses! Does that make me sound too weird?? I was just going to go with flamingo haha."

Joii @ A Full Day wants to be an eagle. "This is a hysterical question. Not a good one to answer after eating dinner :-) Hmmmm, let's see. Maybe an eagle. I've heard that they can fly above the storm. That's kind of cool. When the storms of life come; I'd just fly above it. Thank you Lord, Amen!"

Kim @ Oh, Sweet Joy wants to be a sloth. "That's easy. I'd be a sloth. They sleep 18 hours, but they always party 24."

So pretty much all of my sponsors want to sleep... I had told them I wanted to be a walrus. It was for the same reasons. Seriously, who wouldn't want to do this all day?

...

Eating a whole block of cheese can wear a girl out.

Handmade Giveaway: Sweet & Simple Jewelry Design

2012-01-30T13:58:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday, everyone! I'm excited to start off the week with another lovely handmade giveaway. Moriah Makes' readers have a chance to win something pretty from the lovely Etsy shop, Sweet & Simple Jewelry Design. Kelly is the owner of this awesome handmade boutique and is giving away a pair of her gorgeous vintage-inspired filigree earrings!

These beautiful pale blue filigree earrings with vintage glass rhinestones remind me of Spring! Minnesota isn't anywhere near showing signs of warmer weather just yet, but it's something I can look forward to, right? Wouldn't these earrings go perfect with a light-weight dress or even a pretty sweater? Let's pretend it's spring time together! For a chance to these Sweet & Simple earrings:

- leave a comment telling me your favorite thing about Spring.

This giveaway starts now and ends next Monday. The winner will be announced Tuesday, February (FEBRUARY!!!) 6th.

Be sure to connect with Sweet & Simple Jewelry Design:

shop // blog // facebook

Handmade Giveaway: The Little Shop of Elle See

2012-01-26T13:58:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Have you picked up some cards to share your love with family and friends? Here's your chance to get some free handmade cards from an adorable Etsy shop: The Little Shop of Elle See.

Laura, the owner of The Little Shop of Elle See, is giving Moriah Makes' readers $20 credit to her shop. But first, let's learn a little more about this handmade mama:

"Hi There! I'm Laura (LC) from The Little Shop of ElleSee. I am currently a stay-at-home mom to a beautiful baby boy named Luke. When I'm not busy with him or my shop, I like to crack open a can of Coca-Cola, pour myself a bowl of salt and vinegar chips, and sit down and watch a good movie or television show with my husband of almost eight years. I absolutely love New Girl, Once Upon a Time, and Modern Family. I love having a good laugh, and really try to keep my life light and simple.

I started my shop almost a year ago, and I'm amazed by how much I have learned about owning a shop -- especially an online shop -- and changed as an artist and a person. I've gone from selling abstract art prints and photography, to small simple prints of animals and flora, and stationery -- the photography is still hanging around though. I have been so inspired by the other artists that I have met through Etsy and the blogging world. I would not trade this past year's experiences for anything." - Laura

Thanks for sharing your awesome story with us today, Laura!

For a chance to win $20 shop credit to The Little Shop of Elle See:

- leave a comment with your favorite Valentine's Day candy

The giveaway starts now and ends next Thursday. The winner will be announced Friday, February 3rd.

Here's how you can connect with Laura:

shop // blog // facebook // twitter

New Mom Fashion Tips & a Discount Code

2012-01-26T13:10:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure if I ever posted a link to the guest post I did for my new mommy friend, Sandy! I thought you ladies would enjoy it if you haven't already read it over at her blog. I got to share some advice about new mom fashion and how to stay stylish with a newborn when you'd rather be wearing a ratty t-shirt and your husband's pajama pants... which is pretty much what I wore anyway. Check it out here: New Mom Fashion Tips

**Also, I'm having a sale in the shop for today only. 30%off with code: JUSTCUZ30

A Reminder For Parents

2012-01-25T08:07:00.001-06:00

{Josiah, 3 weeks old}

"The arrival of a new baby gives us, perhaps for the first time in our lives, the opportunity to find out just how much love we are capable of. We find out how patient we can be, how resourceful, how much sleep deprivation we can stand, how much pleasure we can take in the ordinary details of daily life. In this calling out of the parents from their natural self-centeredness, their real transformation begins in earnest.” -Jennifer Roback Morse
A quote from Love & Economics, a book my husband has been reading these days.

A Resolution For the New Year: Love My Home

2012-01-23T15:00:00.000-06:00

One of my resolutions for the new year was to make my house a place that I absolutely love and am proud to call mine. I want it to be a space that people see and instantly see me in every piece.

We never really ended up decorating the way we wanted to when we moved into our house almost 3 years ago. A week after we moved in, Joseph and I went on vacation. A couple weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. The next 9 months were spent being queazy, tired, and planning a nursery. Then I had a baby. Four months later, I got pregnant again. So I spent another 9 months being queazy, tired, taking care of a baby, planning a new nursery, and then having another baby. Now that I'm done being pregnant for a while, I can finally decorate my house! So, it's time to make it into something that I love, starting with the living room and dining room. Here's some Pinterest inspiration I've been gathering for a while that might help give you a better picture of what I'm wanting to create:

Source: apartment34.blogspot.com via Moriah on Pinterest

Source: silvanaaaaa.tumblr.com via Moriah on Pinterest

Source: simplygrove.com via Moriah on Pinterest

Source: minasdecorandfashion.blogspot.com via Moriah on Pinterest

Source: ivillage.com via Moriah on Pinterest

Source: riflepaperco.com via Moriah on Pinterest

Lots of funky, colorful, vintage furniture.

Mismatched and patterned curtains and pillows.

A wall of bookcases and a kid-friendly, creative space for Josiah and Chia.

Light painted walls with lots of personal artwork, lots of vintage, and lots of frames.

Here's what we're working with so far:

A couch and a chair! Pretty nice start, huh? The couch is a light blue, 8.3 feet velvet beauty (I made Joseph lay down on it so you could see how huge this baby really is in size)! We purchased it through Craigslist for $40 and plan to paint the wood dark to match the rest of our furniture. The green chair was also purchased through Craigslist for around $200, newly upholstered and professionally restored to sell.

We also bought a huge, vintage 6 chair dining room set (with carved flowers on the chairs!!) for $100 that's super ugly right now, but has the potential of looking fabulous after throwing on a table cloth and re-upholstering the chairs. We've got a long way to go, and hardly any money to spend on this makeover, but it makes the challenge more fun that way! By selling a hutch for $500, we were able to purchase a lot more furniture, and are on our way to creating a new, awesome space for our family. I'm so excited for our home makeover! I'll be sure to update you when we make some more changes to the living room and dining room in the near future...

Are any of you currently redoing a room in your home to make it more you?

My Babies: 21 Months Old and 8 Months Old

2012-01-20T10:07:00.000-06:00

I'm starting to forget how old these two actually are in age. Pretty sure I referred to Josiah as my 19 month old this week. Nope. He turns 21 months old tomorrow. And Chia? Well, just look at her. The girl looks like she could eat her brother for breakfast:

Josiah is learning more words every day and is putting them to good use in conversations with his Mama, Daddy, and sister. He loves to talk about trucks, food, the moon (still), and anything else that makes loud noises or causes him to bust a move on the dance floor. He has been playing with Legos every night with his Daddy, creating big towers and houses that come crashing down after 30 minutes. They are both very aggressive boys and like to destroy things a lot. Josiah's also been obsessed with reading books for a couple weeks now and would love to spend hours sitting with Mama in his rocking chair with a good Curious George novel if his sister let him. Maybe someday, in a bigger chair for all three of us, and a book that she prefers...

Lucia has been eating very few solids, but we are working on it! So far, she hates everything we've stuck in her mouth except for avocado mixed with banana. It's the only thing we can get her to actually swallow, although she still isn't a fan. Mama has even bought some yummy rice crackers and puffs, but Chia acts like she's being poisoned. So, her brother gets a lot of her leftovers these days. Chia is sitting up on her own very well, shows no interest in rolling or crawling, and loves being held as much as possible. She is a cuddle bug and would rather be carried around all day long and help Mama cook dinner than be forced to play with boring toys on the floor.

Josiah shows more and more interest in his sister every day now that they've been sharing a bedroom. He's growing very attached to her and loves bringing her toys to play with while she sits in her Exersaucer. Lucia always lights up when she sees her brother first thing in the morning, letting out a loud squeal and a huge gummy smile on her face. She loves to grab at his cheeks and clothes, I'm assuming because she wants to kiss him! Now that she can sit up, it's much easier for them to communicate and play together. Life seems to have gotten so much easier this past month with the both of them becoming more independent in their own ways. Joseph and I keep talking about how excited we are for this summer when all four of us can enjoy the same activities outdoors, hang out at the beach and play at the park. It'll be the first time in three years that there won't be a tiny newborn or a sick pregnant lady to keep us indoors. It's going to be awesome!

Sponsor Highlight: Weepereas

2012-01-17T22:32:00.001-06:00

I'm sharing my lovely sponsor, Weepereas, on the blog today! Beth, the owner of this fabulous handmade boutique, sells colorful and eco-concious goodies for children and babies... well, I guess mamas, too, because I want all of her organic quilts for myself! Beth sent my little Lucia a pair of booties from her new line of ruffled and reversible shoes! I currently own several pairs of Weepereas' booties and I love the updates Beth has made to her shoe design. Here are the old reversible booties, still available in her shop, and still extremely cute. I absolutely adore the fabrics Beth uses in all of her products:

The updated version of these booties now have a leather sole that make them even more durable. I love this change and think they are just as cute, if not more than before. Chia likes them, too:

In the winter, we've been able to wear the booties with socks and they still fit great. They'll be just as great in the summer, without socks, when Chia starts learning hot to waddle around on her own! The fit of these booties are perfect and have been the first pair of shoes that haven't slipped off of Chia's long, slender feet. The elastic band around her ankle helps keep the booties much more secure and fit much better than most of her other retail store shoes. They're a great shoe to buy a size larger for the winter and then grow into as the warm weather approaches. And reversible? That's two for the price of one right there!

Some more updates from Beth's shop:

*Spring items will launch February 1st. Dozens of new styles are coming: organic mary janes, organic sherpa lined baby boots and boy loafers. Here's a sneak peek of a few of the mary janes here.

*2T-3T size will be added as a size option on new styles, 6-12 months & 12-18 months will come with vegan suede cloth or leather soles, and 18-24 months and 2T/3T are now made with a rubber soling material that is waterproof/slip-proof.

*Lots of new quilts in the shop; a great example is this one.

Be sure to connect with Weepereas and stay updated with Beth's new designs:

shop // blog // rss feed // facebook // twitter

If your baby is begging you for something sweet from Beth's shop, use this discount code for 15% off your entire order: MORIAHMAKES15 (offer runs until January 25th)

Pursuing Her Passion:: Ashley LeMieux

2012-01-16T23:48:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to share a lovely lady that is a pretty familiar face around the blogosphere these days. She writes an awesome blog filled with inspiration, faith, service, and fashion, owns a shop, and has started several projects in hopes of helping inner-city kids in her community. Ashley LeMieux, the mastermind behind The Shine Project, has set out to fulfill her passion in life. Hear her story:

"There's one thing in life that makes me happier than anything else...and that's service.

My desire to make the world a little bit better in an individual's life has lead me to the path that I'm currently on. I especially have a place in my heart for inner city high school students. This passion is what lead me to start The Shine Project. You can read more about what I do here, and see the charity event I just put on here. But today I don't want to necessarily share what I do...but why I do it.

This picture sums up why I do what I do:

I created a blog in the beginning of this year to reach a few people and spread happiness to their lives. It quickly grew, and I'm now in the process of making The Shine Project a non-profit organization. People ask me all the time how I have been able to accomplish all of this in a matter of months. My answer is, "a lot of faith in God." I feel strongly that this is what I am supposed to be doing in my life. God has provided miracles to pave the way for The Shine Project to grow. I have many sleepless nights because I get so into what I am doing, and in moments of frustration, God always brings me peace and new ideas to make this successful and help as many people as possible. I have complete trust in Him, and although this is all new, and I'm creating a business from absolutely nothing, my desire to succeed and change lives far exceeds any fear that I have. I look at all the lives that have already been affected, and it motivates me to keep going.

Go after your passion. Your passion can bless others in ways you don't even realize. The world needs you." - Ashley

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." - Mark 12:30-31

Comments are closed for the Pursuing Her Passion Series. Here's how you can connect with Ashley:
Blog // Shop // Facebook // Twitter

Need to catch up on past posts from the Pursuing Her Passion Series?

Casey's Story

Maggie's Story

Jessi's Story

Danielle's Story

Cole's Story

Lindsey's Story

Savannah's Story

Karen's Story

Oana's Story

Amy's Story

Beth's Story

What's your story? Would you like to be a part of the Pursuing Her Passion Series and share it with Moriah Makes? If so, email me: moriahsunde at gmail dot com

It's the Little Things:: Bacon Donuts, Warm Weather, & a Very, Very Curious George

2012-01-13T00:23:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd jump in for another round of "It's the Little Things" this week! Many awesome little things happened and I can't wait to share them... and then look back on this post in a couple of months. Such great little things:

- Getting to dress up a little girl for church. I cannot handle this picture, people. Can you? She's too much.

- 50 degree weather in January! It was so beautiful earlier this week that I begged Joseph to come home early from work just to venture to the park before the sun went down. Then, we all walked home in the dark. It was fun!

- Having the opportunity to eat lunch in my craft room, by myself, while both children napped at. the. same. time. I had 60 full minutes to myself and the only productive thing I did was eat that sandwich. And Pinterest (that's a verb, right?).

- Finding new books to read from Josiah's huge collection. Because he enjoys watching Curious George in the morning while eating breakfast, I thought it'd be fun to bust out his Curious George books... only to find many illustrations like these. What a curious little monkey, with apparently no morals. But, I guess it's not his fault he was shoved in a bag and stolen from his island. Tobacco use and getting arrested just aren't the best ways to cope, George.

- Watching my kids look at their reflection on my phone. Hilarious! Chia just stares at herself, with absolutely no expression, and Josiah dances and carries on a conversation with himself. These two crack me up.

- My brother baked up some pretty interesting donuts and brought them over to our place on Tuesday. I ate a bacon donut. So disgusting, but oh, so good. Would you eat this?

- And this video. This video pretty much describes my husband's sense of humor. Teaching my kid to say, "Hi, Tom!" We don't even know a Tom.

What are some of the little things that brightened up your week?

Share them below or link up a post with Lindsay's "It's the Little Things."

Let's Talk Shop: Petite Rose Felt Headbands

2012-01-11T00:09:00.000-06:00

Not sure if you noticed, but I added a new infant/child size headband to the shop this week! The flowers are smaller than my normal felt flowers, so I decided to call them petite roses. I have some mustard ones already made, but am currently accepting custom orders if you'd like to change the color of the flowers. Hop on over and get one made in time for Valentine's Day!

Custom Colors:

Being modeled on my model:

Petite Rose Felt Headband with light pink rose also available:

For my faithful readers, I'm offering a 15% off code: BLOGREADER

Enjoy!

Pursuing Her Passion:: Beth Ridings

2012-01-10T08:25:00.000-06:00

Today I am sharing a lovely lady who actually contacted ME wanting to share her story of passion. Remember, ladies: this is encouraged!!! If you have a story to share with the Moriah Makes community, I want to hear it. I'm so glad Beth felt led to share her story today and I am sure you will be blessed by her words. Enjoy:

"Elizabeth is the name, but I also go by Beth, Bethie, Bethie Boo Lizbeth Joy, and a whole heap of random nicknames so feel free to call me what ever you wish. I'm a twenty-something who pretends to be a grown up. I love people, glitter, adventures, dress up, creating, exploring, and dating my best friend. I love life. I suppose that is my passion. The thing I am most passionate about: making the most of my time here on earth.

To some that may be getting the job of their dreams, making butt-loads of money [Side Note: How much is a butt-load? One time my friends and I drove around to fast food restaurants asking for a “butt-load” of condiments. Taco Bell gave us 30 and Chic-fil-a gave us 1... We may never know the value of a butt-load], raising a family, being in the Olympics, etc... But to me, it means loving God and loving others.

And he said to him,“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. [Matthew 22: 37-40]

This passion began to manifest itself in different ways as the years went by. I spent 4 summers filled with weeks at Eagle Lake Camp, experiencing community, being poured into, and pouring into precious, life-giving, crazy, high schoolers, and that changed me from the inside out. I also ended up at John Brown University where I received a BS in Family and Human Services and I dream of one day holding a Masters & a Doctorate under my belt.

The truth is right now, I don't have an amazing, over-the-top story. In fact, the place of my story that I am living right now consists of: forging a life on my own away from my college family and in the middle of "real life," struggling to pay student loans, working four jobs, searching still for a "big girl job," dating my best friend, and trusting that I am smack dab in God's will for me [He is providing above and beyond]. At the bottom of this post are links to my blog and my etsy [which is my attempt at a 7th source of income!! haha.] but mostly my creative outlet so that I don't let the weight of the world stay on my shoulders. You know how in Chariots of Fire when that guy says "I feel God's pleasure when I run"? That is how I feel when I craft. It is also how I feel when I am with people doing big things and making a noticeable difference. But in these quiet days I am learning that even in the little things I bring God glory and I can feel His pleasure. I want to be faithful with little so that He can trust me to be faithful with much.

My Passion is love. Whether that be sending a note in the mail, being friendly to the people at Starbucks who make my favorite drink, being real & involved with customers at Gap, making time for coffee dates, or spending more time in the Word, it all emerges from my passion to love.

I value authenticity, trust, and believing the best in others [& in ourselves]. My prayer for you women out there who are looking for your passion: Be real. Be yourself. Do what you love. Live what you love. And let the King of the universe define you - no one else. He calls you chosen, loved, beautiful, and made for a purpose. You have a purpose and a passion, ask Him to reveal it to you! xoxo" - Beth

Comments are closed for the Pursuing Her Passion Series. Here's how you can connect with Beth:
Blog // Shop // Facebook // Pinterest

Need to catch up on past posts from the Pursuing Her Passion Series?

Casey's Story

Maggie's Story

Jessi's Story

Danielle's Story

Cole's Story

Lindsey's Story

Savannah's Story

Karen's Story

Oana's Story

Amy's Story