{Somewhat shamelessly} cheesy confession: We feel like it’s been a while since we’ve cozied up and had a nice chat with you guys. We had a schedule packed full of posts this week, but to be honest… sometimes it gets very git er done around here, so we decided to step back, and have a bit of a Q+A day with y’all.
We’d like to hear more from you.
Our favorite part… our very best asset is you. Sometimes we feel a little disconnected, and we want to hear your voice!
So… let’s switch gears, put on our Snuggies {whaaaat?} do the whole, cuppawhatever you wish, while I {and Jamin} will do my very best to answer any questions that you guys have for us. It’s just you… and us… let’s play!
Can we point you in the right direction of a post in the past that you can’t seem to find? Need to know the source of something? Want to know how homeschooling is going? Why we do it? What on earth does our day look like? Not sure how to pronounce Jamin’s name? {Jay-men… think southern, though sometimes I call him HAMEEN because why not} Do I ever not wear yoga pants? A suggestion for a post that you could use help with? Can we ask you something? Our current innermost deepest thoughts on life? We’re serious… anything. And we will do our very best to answer!
So cheers ::raises mystery cup and now soaked Snuggie sleeve:: fire away, y’all! We’re here ready to roll!
Jeni B says
How is homeschool going? Do I remember reading that you were considering switching away from Sonlight…it gets pretty expensive with multiple kids on different levels. This is our first year homeschooling our 2nd grader and I always like reading about what curriculum others are using. Thanks!!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Jeni! Homeschooling has been going great! It’s my number one passion and I adore it. But confession: {besides a little work with them this summer} we decided not to start just yet. We counted up all the weeks in the curriculum and realized we have plenty of time if we drag out summer a little longer… we may be starting next week ;} Hurray for being able to do whatever we want! That was a long answer to your first question. Phew.
I did write that about Sonlight, but in the end, went back to it. This time with a different approach. I consulted one of their people for help, and decided to go with one curriculum {science and history} with all three so it saves money. But then added to it so they’re separate with reading, writing and arithmetic. {the three r’s – I’m still learning homeschool speak} and I will let you know how that’s going! But I do still love all the books and reading material they send. I just had to learn to let go and be okay with a. not freaking out all the time and b. pulling from it. I hope this helps! What did you decide to go with this year? Have you started yet? I love to hear what people are doing, too!
Amanda @ The Bay Bush says
OK. Here goes…How much time per day do you spend homeschooling vs blogging? Both seem like full time committments and I was just wondering how you manage to fit it all in.
Thanks!
Amanda
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey girl! That is a GREAT question. It’s half and half. I literally split my days in two.
Now this year will look a little different because we’re bringing on the entire family {another child & Jamin is at home with me now} But in the mornings, starting at 8:00 we start school. We’re usually finishing up by lunchtime. Then after lunch, it’s work time. With emails, posts, photography, projects, whatever there is to do that day. Obviously, we come and go from that because we don’t want our only interaction that day to be with them in school… so we try to break up the days with breaks and go to the park, outside, etc. Then at night after they’re in bed, we also do a little more work, but we try to relax at night. {It’s hard to have boundaries when you work from home – ha!} I hope that helps! ;}
Anna @ A Good Home says
I’ve got 2 questions 🙂
1) Are you going to the Chapel Market that Layla’s hosting in October? I’d love to see you there if you are, since I missed Haven this year!
2) Can I email you so we could talk about how you do giveaways on your blog? I don’t know if you’ve talked about that before, but I’d be interested in maybe setting something up from my Etsy shop.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Anna! We will be missing Chapel Market this year since they changed the date. It’s literally five minutes away. Bummer! 🙁 Jamin and I will be speaking at Allume, instead, which we are super pumped about. ;} I hope you have a blast though, and we missed you at Haven!
Jamin handles all of that stuff, so we look forward to hearing from you ;} [email protected]
Layla says
I’ll play! How long have you guys been blogging for? When do you feel like you got to that point where this was a full time job for you?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Layla! I/we have been seriously doing this for going on 4 years, now. Kinda crazy, huh? Before that, I dabbled on the web as a mom blog, just for fun. The second question is a little harder, because it always felt like a full time job, but it took a while for our income to reflect that. ;} It was a major time investment up front, which… I guess all businesses are. HA! I am just fortunate to be able to work from home and build that up while Jamin supported us, until he could leave his job and join the team. It’s kind of an old school way of doing things… but it also came to the point where he either needed to quit, or I did, in order to continue to grow. ;} I hope that helps!
keitha (The Bajan Texan) says
What tips do you have for newbie bloggers? Especially tips on building your readership 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Keitha! Good question! – this could be a book, ;} Different things will work for different people, but if I could go back in time, this is what I would tell myself. ;} I’m making a list because I’m a dork:
1. I would say, put out good original content, keeping feature posts {see: this room is so purdy! I want it! love!} to a minimum. Unless you want to be a feature blog, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I think that people are drawn to you for you, so whether it’s your writing, your photography or your angle {see: triple threat of the blogging world} do your thing, from you.
2. Be consistent about it. But consistent means your consistent. I tend to post every day and once on the weekends. My friends who have blogs have other systems. My consistent may not be their consistent. But it’s working for them because their readers can come and they know what to expect, when.
I think that’s a major bonus when there’s a blogger that their readers can count on for consistent, original material when they feel like reading. And if they follow through, more bonus points. Don’t announce a project before it’s done, or start the beginnings or something and not finish. Again, consistency. {See the disney series we still need to finish. whoops}
3. It’s a marathon, baby. So that means it takes time. Like, as in, years of time. You will see steady, consistent growth from your consistent posts over time. In spurts. Usually. The internet is also totally unpredictable, so anyone could be the next big thang tomorrow, but for the most part, people forget that it’s a process, just like anything else. They get impatient and they get upset, and they quit. We all have our moments. See me, two years ago. So remember that, and be patient. And that also means, live your life. It’s hard to draw the line when something is your passion, and it demands your attention all the time. SO stay with it. ;}
4. Network. I get overwhelmed with the every day, but remember to be resourceful and build friendships with other bloggers. Genuine friendships and networking relationships… why am I dividing the two? Because you won’t be besties with everyone. But you will be great accomplices with like minded people. Both groups can be invaluable. For both therapeutic and business reasons… the benefits will be mutual ;} I learned this the hard way.
5. Shake it off. Anyone who has ever done anything, who has ever put anything out there, has always had their critics. There are entire websites out there dedicated to bringing people down. People say mean things. They leave mean comments. They’re hateful. They plagiarize. They will burn you. It’s a reflection of their own insecurities in an imperfect world. Be a duck. Shake it off and keep going. It’s not worth the energy. Ever.
Stepping off my soapbox-that is what I would tell myself. ;}I hope that helps! Thanks for letting me dork out!
Sam says
I don’t know if this is a question as much as something that might be a post. How do you get your significant other (and maybe yourself too)on board with redos? He claims we aren’t handy. Or that we can’t do that because one day we need to sell the house. And honestly I agree with him because we aren’t all that handy and this isn’t our forever home, so should we even do anything? Wait for the next house? Where do we begin? And even more important how do we become more “handy”?
jamin says
Sam, those are a lot of good questions. I would say start simple and yes go ahead and make your current home, “your home”, don’t wait for the next one.
Now to expand on that, we bought our current house in 2006 and my plan was to sell it by 2009. Something went wrong with that plan, like a crash in the market. So here we are some 8 years later in a 3 year house plan. But even more than unpredictible futures, consider that whatever you do might actually attract a buyer, not take away. There are so many houses that look alike what makes yours stand out. So the changes might be the thing that drives buyers, not turns them away.
Getting started is really just a matter of diving in and building your skills. I don’t suggest you go out and buy a wet tile saw and tile your bathroom as your first project, but with enough patience and building on your skills you will get there. Start with some small stuff. Not to be sales pitchy, but we started with simple art from our book (Handmade Walls) for that reason. You can make most of the stuff in it with a drill and hand saw. Once you make an something and all your friends rave about your talent you’ll feel more confident and inspired. It’s like anything else you just need to start, and start simple. Build on those skills and before long you’ll be creating all types of fun things.
Everything you see on the site from woodworking to sewing to construction to cooking we have pretty much taught ourselves, through reading and trial and error. We truly believe everyone can do it and we hope our site is an encouragement.
Dana says
I have three questions (is that OK?!).
1) How is the handmade fort holding up? Any issues? We want to build our kid a fort from your plans very soon.
2) How is the outdoor door table holding up? My dad built one for me and the glass was going to be so expensive that I decided to just leave it as-is. I haven’t put it outside yet but wondered if you’ve had any mold issues, etc.
3) I love your new bathroom!!!! What size is the area where you have your tub and shower? I’m just wondering if we might be able to do the same thing in our bathroom down the road since our layout is very similar to yours.
I love your blog and read it every day – sometimes for the projects, sometimes for the comedic relief. Keep on blogging on!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Of course it’s okay, Dana! So glad you stopped by.
!. We adore our handmade fort. No issues at all. Other than the fact that we need to cut down the pecan tree in the back that craps up our yard {kiddingnotkidding} It’s the best decision we ever made in terms of building things. You will love it. ;} DO IT.
2. Our outdoor table is holding up great! Again, things get messy because of our tree, but otherwise it has been just great. I’m a tree hugger and it’s not going anywhere so no worries. ;} We just wipe it off and move on. We put the glass on top to protect it, and to protect the kids from it. That door is old, and old could mean lead paint. So you may wish to test it before you eat anything off the surface? We recommend the glass for basic sanitary/safety reasons, but you could always use a furniture cover outdoors and/or seal it. No mold. I hope that helps!
3. The size of that side in our bathroom is exactly 104 inches wide. {I just measured} Unless you’re super limited on space, tubs come in different sizes, and you can always size your shower differently as well. We angled ours to open up the space a bit, and even though I fought it, we were actually were able to expand our shower a bit. So it was worth it because I got the bigger tub AND shower. TMI, but I can actually pick things up without hitting my head on the glass. ;} Totally worth it if you have to pick.
Thanks so much for your sweet comments! ;} Let me know if I can help with anything else.
Ruth says
Hi guys! I love your blog and your style! We recently purchased our first US home (we are from England and spent 3 years renting here before commiting) and have already used some of your paint colours and can’t wait to get done handmade walls artwork up! My question is how do you shop for accessories for your home. Do you physically walk round lots of stores or do a lot of it online first? I saw some things I liked in World Market but don’t want to commit in case I find something I like better in a few weeks. But the thought of shopping around every store to accessorise many rooms in our home seems quite daunting.
Thanks!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Ruth! First of all, congratulations! That is super exciting! I know what a stressful/crazy/amazing thing that is, so way to go!
Our process of shopping for accessories has changed drastically over the years. As has our entire home philosophy. ;} I don’t really get out much to go shopping for two reasons: I don’t really have the time, and I’ve found that when I don’t get out, it keeps me restrained. We’ve really been striving for simplification and I’ve found that I only shop for accessories now when I’m looking for something specific. And then, I only purchase something when it’s unique, functional in a way that I really can use, or I absolutely love it. And I mean reaheallllly love it. I adore the things in our home. But things clutter quickly and I don’t have a lot of space in my home- so I have to absolutely adore it for it to stay. There’s a fine line between accessories and dust catchers. ;}
I just totally over explained myself, because it makes more sense when I explain our shopping policy. ;} I keep it to online only, {If the store is close, I will go look if I’m doubtful about a finish, but online just saves time} And I go to flea markets just to enjoy the experience. I never find what I’m looking for specifically at flea markets because that’s how it works. You have to go for fun, and then you’ll find a treasure ;}. When I do shop online though, I triple check the size. we’ve had a few catastrophes in the past because I was careless and that was just sad. ;}
I hope that helps answer your question… let me know if I can specify in any other way + happy hunting! So much fun to start with a blank slate!
Alexis says
This may be a bit nosy but I’m curious. What would you say your greatest struggle is? As a blogger. 😉
ashley @ the handmade home says
Nah. It’s not too personal at all! Hands down? Perfectionism. Self torture at it’s finest, no? Never feeling like I’m enough. Drawing the line at enough. Letting it go. This extends to all areas of my life. Working on it, defining those boundaries, and chilling out with the whole ideal balance thing {though it’s quite the relief that balance doesn’t exist and we can all just do our best}. One day at a time. ;}
Brittany K says
any suggestions for someone thinking about starting a DIY blog?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Brittany! I have a million 😉 do you have any specific questions? I guess the most important thing you can focus on in the beginning is branding. What sets you apart from everyone else? You’ll want to hone in on that. Are you doing it professionally or as a hobby? Because there are different elements that come into play- also, did you see my soapbox-list-dork out above? That may help as well! Let me know if I can be more specific because it’s a lot to consider and weigh in a journey that is kind of amazing, to say the least 🙂 I’ll be happy to help any way that I can 🙂
carolina says
Hi – So fun to be able to ask a question! I am wondering when will we get to read Part 2 of how you and Jamin met (Part 1 involved the red shoes)? Hopefully, I haven’t missed it already (I check your blog almost daily!). I love your writing style! 🙂
Thanks!!!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Carolina! You have not missed it! I got a little bogged down with some stuff around here but it will for sure be up this week! 😉
ashley @ the handmade home says
And thank you for your sweet words & dropping by! 🙂
Michelle (aka mybelle101) says
Yes! I wondering the same thing 😉
Michelle says
Hi! My question is: when did you “make it” as a blogger? Or maybe the better question is when did go from hobby to job? PS. I really enjoy reading your DIY posts for inspiration!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Michelle! Yes, maybe the second question because I’m still not sure about the first! haha! I guess it all depends on what your definition of success, and personal goals are. But it took about two years to start making a steady income, and 4 years to support our entire family… which I guess is a real, sustainable, growing income. I hope that helps!
Michelle says
Oh I think you’ve made it all right!
Heatherly says
So, I’m just starting out trying to make our house our home. I love doing crafty little projects, and I’m pretty good at recreating things I see – total Pinterest copycat 🙂
Problem is, I lack the big picture vision. I end up with a bunch of diy loveliness, but then I don’t know what to do with it. How do you bring it all together to make a room?
Thanks and blessings to you!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Heatherly!
Well, I guess this topic alone could be an entire blog in itself. And not just one post. ;} My biggest advice though, would be to look at planning out a space as much as individual projects. I always take in the room as a whole, and look at the functionality of it, as well as the visual factor.
What curtains can work best with that ceiling height and sofa placement? What colors all correlate together to create an overall feeling behind it? And how do all of the items in the end, work together to bring a cohesive feel to the space? There are lots of singular elements to consider, that come together to play nicely. This post may help a little:
https://www.thehandmadehome.net/2011/12/room-design-decor-101-the-process/
And a good starting place for planning out an entire space, would be with something like pic monkey or photoshop. I always plan my elements and put them together with different combos before I tweak and change, and make the final choices. It helps me to see it all in one place, and take in the big picture.
Again, lots to consider and it’s hard to discuss in one comment, but I hope this gives you a good starting point to help!
Jessica Chaulk says
I’m so glad Heatherly asked this question. Thank you so much for your reply! It is so helpful!
YPW says
So I realize that you are now stepping away from this season of your life but…Any tips for a newbie youth pastors wife? Were you involved with things with Jamin at church? I have little ones and with youth activities being in the evening (and short people needing to go to bed) I don’t really get to be involved. What did all of that look like for y’all?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey! Well, I think that honestly, you have to go with your guts on this one. You have to decide where you feel called to serve. Ministry takes on so many forms, it can’t really be limited by one person’s definition of it. It reveals itself to us in unexpected ways. If I could give you one piece of advice? Don’t feel guilty. Ever.
I started out as super active, super involved, oh my goodness I’m a part of everything. I was THAT youth pastor’s wife. They weren’t paying me, but to be frank, they got a 2 for deal. “They” {our church} didn’t expect anything from me and we were blessed to be in a situation where I had the freedom to do as I could or as I pleased. I had a full time job of my own for a while, and then quit and there I was… with lots of time and volunteering on my hands. I wouldn’t take back that season for anything.
Then, I had one child. And we were still pretty involved and that was fun and yay, it’s the token baby! Everyone loves token baby! I’m a good mom! This is so easy! It’s called a pack-n-play and I’m totally good to go! Let’s do this.
Then, Emerson was born. And I struggled to keep my sanity, I struggled to survive. I struggled to put on a bra.
We tried a few trips and I struggled not to be bitter and murder anyone. Emerson spit up She projectile vomited everywhere and she started screaming at 4 and didn’t stop til 4. AM. Colicky reflux nightmare baby.
By the time Malone arrived {surprise! We’re all gonna DIE!} I knew where my place was. God had a plan for our family, and I just had no idea what it was yet, surviving the day to day. It was fun to show up for a few things every now and then, but I was kind of doing the behind the scenes stuff and that was enough. It had to be, for the sake of our family.
Again, we were blessed to be in a situation where our church leaders understood that. After Malone was born, and he was a year old, I kind of fell into my own groove. At home, alone, can be an isolating thing… and thus The Handmade Home was born. I also, do not regret that season for anything.
I fought the feelings of misplaced guilt a lot throughout Jamin’s youth ministry season. I realized it was because I cared too much about pleasing others, no matter what the cost. That was my own fault. And to this day, I go back to the words of a very wise mentor, who told me this from the beginning {I just had no idea how true they would be}: Don’t ever doubt your job at home with the kids as being important. Having the home as a safe haven, as a place for him to retreat to at the end of the day with a happy family, is the most important job you could ever have. And that’s totally okay.
I think that no matter what you feel led to do, don’t ever feel guilt. Don’t ever feel inadequate. You’re in the place where you are now, for a reason. And if that’s taking care of your children then so be it. If it’s volunteering, then so be it. If it’s teaching a class when you can… so be it. If it’s working full time, then so be it. It is what it is and we do what we need to do. Just go with your gut, and enjoy this season no matter what it looks like. It will continue to grow and change. Just don’t confuse guilt with being a “good christian”.
Anyone else who says or thinks otherwise, doesn’t have you, or your family’s best interest at heart.
That’s something I wish I could tell myself. ;}
YPW says
Thank you so much for your encouraging, thoughtful reply. The funny part is that no one else seems to have an issue with my lack of involvement, just me! Ha! I know the truth that my identity is in Christ. Maybe if I hear it enough it will sink in!.
Claire S. says
I have a rug question for you! I am looking for a neutral area rug for a nursery, and I was curious about your composition rug in your homeschooling room. Is it soft to walk on? It would be the only rug in the nursery, and I am hoping it would hold up for some time. I was looking at softer jute rugs, but they are all the wrong size. Thanks for your help.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Claire! It’s super soft. We have it on top of our natural woven rug, and LOVE it. we sit on it daily for science lessons and reading. GO for it! ;} Perfect for baby knees!
Stephanie C. says
Not a question, just wanted to say that I have a good friend named Jamin, and we tend to call him “Hameen” just for fun too! Have a great day!
ashley @ the handmade home says
What?! This is a THING?! Amazing. ;} I thought I was the only one.
Summer says
Hi! I love you guys so much and I’m always impressed with your authenticity and your story itself. You were one of the first blogs I read and one of my favorite! Anyway, I’m wondering if you have any tips that have really helped you balance blogging and your daily life/kids. This is where I struggle the most. I love my blog and I want to grow it but there is NEVER enough time to get where I want to be/or projects completed. I know you touched on boundaries, just wondering if you have any helpful tips that you’ve discovered along the way. Thanks guys 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
SUMMER! YOU win the favorite reader award for sweetest compliments! ;} But seriously… should we start a club for the anti balance balance seekers? Because It’s an ongoing struggle. I guess the first step to solving the problem is acknowledging that there is no such thing as balance.
Honestly, that’s helped me more than anything. There are seasons. I’ve always said that I view my kids like parking meters. {Stick with me on this analogy} I would love to sit down all day, and accomplish everything on my list. I would also love to sit down with them all day and read a book, or play games and cherish the moment. It’s all about a give and take of time. In the end, my kids come first. But I’m also working to support my family… So there’s the impending stress that’s always present because I need to chill out. It’s wise to be smart with time. Back to parking meters: Your quarter {time spent with them} is time accomplished for you, later. It’s a trade off, and it’s kind of a game sometimes. A parking meter doesn’t l sat all day. You have to come back and re-deposit that quarter. That means you get smarter with how you spend your time, and your discipline in doing so. The pay off comes when you feel like you’ve done both, successfully, in a day.
Completely honest: My season this week was sitting in front of the computer for 2.5 days so I could finish a big project for our site while Jamin handled things and I took breaks to play with the kids. I thanked GOD that it rained outside so I didn’t feel quite as terrible about it and we had two lazy days while I killed myself to finish the project. The house is a mess and they played a little too much mine craft and we ate pizza. It’s not the norm. Sometimes we do what we need to do. And guess what? That’s okay. Sometimes, I shove them outside and tell them not to bother us because they need to go outside and be kids and they don’t need us to entertain constantly. They have water guns and a fort and bubbles and a trampoline and more than I ever had as a kid… we just rode our bikes all day. I know we can’t do that now but they can learn to play on their own outside. Our season today was taking them out for two hours to get ice cream, after we had doctors appointments. I think it’s helped them learn, too, that mommy and daddy have to work, we just work from home… and we don’t have to be their constant entertainers. But video games definitely won’t be, either. Our children are old enough for that.
It will look different for everyone, and it will constantly change. Another angle for homeschool has honestly helped us out a lot, because we are interacting on an entirely different level. I adore that time with them. But as a wise friend of mine said, we also have to make sure that’s not the only time. My kids are little reminders, because while I’m doing this, ultimately for them, {and it’s a blessing to work from home that I’m completely grateful for} I’m also first and foremost… their mom. That means we have fun. It means we snuggle and read. It means we play mario kart and scream at each other. {Yes, I scream at Mario Kart} It means we jump on the trampoline (until I wet my pants). We go to the park. We meet up with friends. It means that they pitch in with cleaning the house and their own chores. We make time for family dinners and make them a priority. They’re involved in activities. The key is that we’re doing them together, and they’re getting a rare opportunity to be a part of a family business… an education that will only continue to pay off the older they get. Our life looks a little different than the norm. And I love it.
Sometimes I have bad days where I feel like I’ve failed completely and I want to ship them away in a cardboard box. I feel like I’ve accomplished nothing and I will never finish and I should just give up now because first world problems. Some days we feel like the best parents ever, and where’s my trophy/parade/acceptance speech podium? We know that both aren’t entirely accurate. I feel like that’s just part of parenthood… navigating it all, every day. Touch and go. Roll with those punches. It just looks a little different.
Sometimes, those little parking meter moments are what it’s about. That’s how I view it. Some people may totally disagree, but we do our best every day to give them the most important most quality time moments that we can, while teaching them to be imaginative, independent, and creative with their own time.
I definitely don’t have half of the answers. This is just how I view it, and it looks different every day. I hope that helps! ;}
Summer says
Thank you SO much Ashley! I love seeing how other people do it and your perspective is so refreshing. It IS a balancing act and sometimes we lose but hopefully more than not we win, right?! Thanks again, I love your candor! I hope y’all have a wonderful week!
ashley @ the handmade home says
You too, girl. Hang in there! ;}
Jaclyn says
Taking advantage! I have 2 questions: whats the right size mirror for above a fireplace mantel? we’ve got 14 foot ceilings in a narrow bedroom, but a nice fireplace that can take advantage of the rooms height. huge mirrors cost $$$, so trying to 1. find the appropriate size for a smaller budget or 2. come up with something other than a gallery wall. thought?
and second: i’ve got a bunch of random corner spaces that I can turn into vanities, book nooks, put shelving, make a doggie area, make a dressing area, etc. Any past posts on what to do with those awkward corner spaces?
thanks!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey! I would definitely have it large enough to make a statement over that mantel. It depends on what your space looks like, but I would go for mirror than not. Have you ever thought about getting a quote from the local glass guy? I know they’re pricey, but you could always get one cut to the perfect size and then frame it out yourself. {Did you see our post last week on making your own vanity mirror? We have a how to there} Also, you could get the same affect by using tiles {cheaper than a big mirror} to build up on the mirror look, and frame it. OR, you could use similar objects to make a statement, like plates or a large vintage cotton or tobacco basket. I hope some of these ideas help get those wheels spinning-sounds like they already are! ;}
I haven’t done any posts on awkward corner spaces, but it sounds like you have some great ideas already! I do have a small spaces series, and that might be a place to collect some unexpected inspiration? https://www.thehandmadehome.net/tag/small-spaces/ Sounds like it might also be a job for pinterest, but if I think of any other bloggers who have done great posts on this, I will definitely come back and post it here! I hope that is helpful! ;}
Ashley says
I love your blog and feel like I know y’all! I have three questions-
1) Did you ever consider screening in your back patio? We love the painted concrete that you did and are trying to decide whether to leave ours open and paint the concrete or to screen it in. We live in the South too, so we are thinking a screened porch would give us more months to eat outside…
2) What age did your kids start preschool, and are there any resources / blogs that you recommend for preschool at home? We have a toddler and a baby. We decided not to send our toddler to preschool this year, but I would love to have a little structure for my toddler so we can mix learning in with playing. (Right now, I I find creative activities on Pinterest but was wondering what else is out there for littles.). We are also considering homeschool for the future, so I would love something that would give me a little taste into that world.
Thanks!!!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Ashley!
Thanks so much for your sweet words!
As far as our back patio, are you talking about the veranda? We ended up building a wall there to make it a space, and knew we could use the extra square footage, so we just went with that. And because we did that, we had to have extra concrete poured, which is where the pergola sits, now. We didn’t consider screening it in, because it would have meant we needed to build a roof, as well. So we left it as is, and have really enjoyed it. But you know what we would enjoy more, and I will have in the future, somewhere? A screened in porch. ;} They’re absolutely worth it if it’s in your budget. We say DO IT. I grew up with a screened in porch- our family spent half our days there. And our in laws have a screened in porch and every time we’re there, we sit outside on their porch. It’s amazing and you will definitely utilize the months with one!
We started preschool with our kids when they were about 2.5 -3. But it was a different situation for us- the kids went to a mothers day out where Jamin worked, and he was there-one building over- if they needed him. It was great for them, healthy to have them away from me for a while, and good for me to breathe a little. I love that we sent them there {Aiden was in elementary before we pulled him out} but the kids were acclimated in a great way. Whatever you choose is right for your family so go with your gut. I do love that they had a great preschool experience, though.
Try http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net for resources. She has a great tot school section that would help you get started with the little things and I think give you a good taste of what it’s like. Also, try teachers pay teachers http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Grade-Level/PreK-K they have a great assortment of resources there as well.
-would love input from readers if they have any other recommendations!
I hope this helps!
Brittany Thomas says
How is it living with white walls and children? Like do they show dirt more often than say, beige? That may seem like a dumb question but I really want to be committed before I paint again. My house now is 90% builder’s beige, and the kitchen chocolate brown. I feel kind of neutral about it all really. I loved it 5 years ago, but I’ve realized my lighting in this house is lacking…Just a few skinny tall windows. It just all feels so dark now. But the neutral browns do go with any other color, which I like. So basically what I want to know is….. Does the clean white kind of force you to keep them cleaner than other colors? Do you feel like you have to touch-up/wipe down the walls a lot? Love love love your blog!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Brittany!
I’m sure things do show up more on white. It’s the nature of white, I guess. The whole magic eraser thing has kind of changed my life, but I look at it this way: I’m going to have fingerprints either way. If it wasn’t livable, I wouldn’t do it. But the white has made such a big difference for our home, it’s still totally worth it. In general, I have to say it stays looking pretty good for three young kids. ;} Our beige {before we painted it all} was totally matte, so we were cleaning up more smudges on that, as well as grease spots. If you go with white, at least choose an eggshell, for easier clean up. It’s worth it in my book.
Melinda says
I don’t have a question, but just wanted to say that I love the blog and you spoke to my heart when you emphasized decorating how YOU want and not to worry about pleasing anybody else! I have struggled and struggled with that. What I like is usually completely different from what my mil or sister like and I finally feel the freedom to go my own way and not apologize 🙂 Keep up the good work!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Absolutely! You go girl! So excited for you!!! Thank you so much for dropping by and your sweet words! It makes a huge difference to know that we’re helping ;}
Callie says
What I’ve been dying to know is how you survive an Alabama summer without a ceiling fan?? I’m an Alabama girl too, and very interested in updating my buiilder’s grade light fixtures, but I can’t imagine sitting in my living room right now without the fan on. It’s not ugly… But it ain’t cute. Same goes for our bedroom!
ashley @ the handmade home says
HA! I’ve felt the same way for years. We have a one level house, so that makes a big difference, and it’s shaded partially by Bertha the man eating pecan tree. So I think that also helps. I realized when I was contemplating replacing them that I never really used them because they were noisy. So down they came. The only thing I could really use is a fan for my studio, because it does get hot in the afternoons while I’m working. I think a nice little vintage-esque floor fan will probably help to circulate, so those are our plans. ;} (I’ve been eyeing one on amazon and just need to find the right one.) But other than that, for our home, we just really haven’t noticed that big of a difference. I’m a chandy addict so it was worth the trade off. ;} I hope that helps!
Kelli says
Can you point me to a post or could you do a post on how you capture your ‘everyday life’ type pictures? What kind of composition do you look for? Do you use a certain editing program with filters that you tend use over and over again? Are there any online sources you find to be helpful?
I am at the point where I am completely comfortable shooting in manual mode. I just can’t capture life quite like I want too. Unplanned spontaneous yet bright fun pictures.
Am I making any sense at all? I love the pictures you take and I’d enjoy seeing a picture you love and the steps you took to get that picture.
Love your blog!
Kelli
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Kelli! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet words.
We have a bit of a mini series here: where we touched on the topic a little: https://www.thehandmadehome.net/category/taking-better-photos/
Our friend Karianne has a series here:
http://www.thistlewoodfarms.com/tag/photography-2
And shoot fly shoot offers classes here:
http://shootflyshoot.com
If you’re interested, or if I think there may be enough interest, I would also be glad to break down the technical step by step that I do personally for each photo. Just let me know!
Vera says
I’d totally read that! Please! (I’m a few days late, but I enjoy this q&a a lot, thanks!)
Karolina from H O U S E L O V E S says
hi
I really love your blog 🙂 and enjoy reading it – almost every post 🙂
today i have no question.
but I want to tell you that i follow you using bloglovin and something is wrong with your setting (or something more fancy IT, that I don’t know how to name it) but when i run though my unread posts and i get to your blog going along the list – i suddenly lose my bloglovin bar on the top of the window with “newer”, “older”, “pin it” and other bottoms. it is a bit frustrating as I can not continue reading to another post – no bloglovin bar ;(
i don’t know if there is something wrong with your RSS or it is bloglovin but it only happens with your blog. hope you could look into that
ashley @ the handmade home says
Thanks Karolina! I have no idea what that is because I never use it, but we will chat with our expert IT guy. Thank you!
jamin says
Hey, Karolina.
This is by design.
Bloglovin is a scraping site, which means they are taking our site and putting it into iFrames and stealing our page views. We wrote a code which bust out of the iframes. This is why you see our site open into a new window and lose your bloglovin bar. You can simply close our new window and the bloglovin page should come back.
To explain it further we are able to offer all our content for free because we sell ads and are paid per page view. If bloglovin or other sites scrape our site and steal our page views you can understand why that is a concern for us.
Hope that helps explain it.
alicia says
I hope its not too late to ask a question, but how did you get familiar with tools. a class or maybe just trial and error?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Alicia!
Not at all! Thats why we kept it up for a few days ;} It was very trial and error for us, just forcing ourselves to do it. Jamin obviously knows more than me, but I’ve been pushing out of my comfort zones lately to do more.
We do have plans for a series coming up, so stay tuned! ;}
Courtney J says
How do you homeschool AND get all these projects done?! I’m homeschooling thus year and can barely get dinner on the table. Do you have hired help? Is doing this blog both of your full time jobs? Do tell!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Courtney!
I have a secret slew of elves that hide in my closet that come out at night and clean the house, do all the projects, and write on our site. We have it made! JK.
Last year, it was just me, running the blog and doing homeschool. With lots of help from Jamin, when he could. I never cooked dinner ;} and I was exhausted most of the time. Both of us were.
It wasn’t always pretty, but we did what we had to do. ;} I was volunteering and spending so much time in the car, etc. with three kids in public school that it was really just a trade off of my time when we started homeschool. But that also meant we both worked most nights once the kids were in bed, and weekends. It was very tiresome, but very rewarding on both ends. First world problems, I know.
We just recently made a major change { https://www.thehandmadehome.net/2014/06/push/ } So Jamin {and our youngest, Malone} now join our ranks this year, full time. Something had to give, for our sanity and honestly, our marriage, and we’re thankful for all of it – the good and the bad. It will be a different dynamic for sure, but we’re doing this as a partnership and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
And guess what? I take baths and rest at night! {Cue angel choir} ;}
That, and loooooooots of coffee get us through the days. And I assure you, our house looked {looks?} like a small laundry bomb exploded most of the time, in all of the rooms, as well. ;} But we both work together now, so there’s basically two of us. I hope that helps. ;}
Meghan says
I’m a little late but I just clicked over from your very favorites in the history of ever post. I love your house, it looks so cozy, colorful, friendly and homey! And I admire your philosophy of designing for how your family lives/making your home work for you. That being said, it seems like your house is THERE! I know as you continue living in a space there are always tweaks to be made, things that come up, etc. (for y’alls sake I hope there aren’t any more beercanmoldapocalypses in the future). But what do you do when you have a (awesome) blog like yours, which includes a little of everything but a healthy dose of home design, and a house like yours that looks so livable and perfect for you, for now. Do you just take on more small projects for now? Move? Help friends in their houses so you have something to blog about? Just curious about what’s next. No matter what, I plan to keep reading, you have awesome ideas and I love your attitude toward design!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Meghan!
Thank you so much for your sweet words and question!
I must admit, it’s a hard one to answer. Like you said, there are always projects to be had, and things to be tweaked. There are always other things to be done too, so we’re not worried about running out of ideas. ;} I know we probably fall into the home category, but we do consider ourselves more of a lifestyle blog, so we would never move all in the name of ‘more content’. We dream up spaces because it’s fun, and we just so happen to have a blog. Not the reverse. That being said however, where we are living now, has never truly felt like home, { Montgomery – we moved here almost 12 years ago for Jamin’s job } – you can finesse your home as a retreat all you want, but sometimes the location is just never a good fit, no matter how hard you try.
Since Jamin resigned from his job, we like the fact that it’s kind of open ended as to what we may do next. Deep down, we still have quite a few ideas in our hearts that we need to sort out, but we can’t wait to see what happens next. So {a very long-winded answer to your question} our future is a little up in the air right now, and we’re okay with that. ;} It’s a vague answer, but I hope it helps.
Thank you again for “tuning in” and staying with us! ;}
Marta says
Hiya.
Will you be able to give me any sort of directions on where to get the fabrics (any of them) which you used in the no sew teepee (post from 13th feb 2013). I in particular like the monochrome ones and chevron ones. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Marta
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Marta – sorry I am just seeing this comment. We get most of our fabrics at online fabric store, and we’ve in the past, ordered a lot of them on fabric.com. I know this is vague, but a lot of this was from our fabric stash, and the links probably no longer work – I hope it helps!