thankful

Hello hello hello!

I hope your Thanksgiving was truly a wonderful day!  Ours was full and fantastic: a Turkey Day run, church, and a big ol' family gathering complete with card games and a family sing-off.  There was so much to be thankful for, and guess what?  There still is.

One of the things that really tops my list of thanks this year is the small business community.  Other small business owners who have helped point me in the right direction and all the sweet people who have supported Lettered Life have been big, giant blessings in my life this year, and there isn't a day that passes that I don't say thank you, Jesus, for pouring on the love.  Running with the shop has been a crazy and FUN ride thus far, and I'm just blessed beyond a words in a blog post.  So  hear this:  Thank you!  So much!  I'm thankful for YOU!

That being said, it's Black Friday and I know that you know that you want a deal.  So here ya go, some discounts for your shopping cart. Deals are only good through midnight tonight, so be sure to pop on over to the shop and enter one of these coupon codes!

Happy shopping! Caitlin

it's the holiday season

Hello friends!

I'm SO in the holiday spirit right now.  Flurries are swirling in the air outside the window and I'm about to travel around the midwest to do the tour de family, which I couldn't be more excited about.  Yep, I'm ready for the people and pies I love to be gathered around the same table as we come together and give thanks.

Since tomorrow kicks off a whole special season of giving and tradition, and because I'm ready to get my apartment lookin' its holiday best, I thought I'd share a  print that's available in the shop. If you are on the hunt for some festive decor, be sure to head to my Etsy shop and browse around!  Christmas cards, custom stamps and some fun gift ideas are also there, too, so keep your eyes open for those!

Hope your Thanksgiving is sweeter than potatoes, Caitlin

Fall Instagram Sale

Hello hello!

Just wanted to pop in and give you some scoop on a little sale I'll be having this week on Instagram!  To make room for Christmas inventory, there will be some sweet deals on a bunch of items.  Each day will feature a different product, beginning tomorrow (Oct. 22) with canvases.

How this Fall Instagram Sale will work:

  • I'll post a pic of what's for sale on Instagram, and the first person to leave their PayPal email address will be the lucky receiver!
  • That person will be sent an invoice via PayPal, which must be paid within 24 hours, or else next person in line has the chance to buy.
  • Item will be deleted once the invoice is paid to protect email addresses.

Sounds like fun, right?!  I'm sure excited.  Make sure you're following along on Instagram to participate!

Happy shopping!

Caitlin

 

Influence---I'm coming for ya

Dear friends, I've talked about it before, and I"ll talk about it again.  I'm headed to Influence Conference in 16 DAYS, and I can't wait to be there! It's hard to believe it has been a whole year since Influence 2012, but I'm excited to reconnect with friends from last year and meet many new ones, too.  I'm also super pumped to be participating in the Sashes Market!  If you're headed to Influence, be sure to to pop on by the market to say hi and check out the Anthro-inspired, real-life-Etsy market!  I'm thrilled to be bringing some Lettered Life items (canvases! notecards! iphone cases! journals!) and to spend time with some amazingly creative business women.  Would you like a sneak peak?  Here ya go...

Today I'm linking up with other Influence-goers so we can get to know each other a  little better before the conference kicks off.  (Hi new friends!)  We're sharing a couple of items we'll have packed and a few things we are excited for.  Without further ado...

2 things that will definitely be in my bag:

  1. A journal.  I'm an old fashioned note taker and will be jotting down all that I'm learning and also reflecting on all God's goodness during the weekend!
  2. A little bag to hold all the pretty business cards.  This sounds a little silly, BUT it's for real.  Last year I met so many people and loved having their cute little info cards when I was back at home so I could track down everyone's blogs/shops/internet spaces!

2 (or 6) things you I am most looking forward to during the conference:

  1. Meeting new friends.  The entire speaker lineup.  The homemade business workshop.  Christmas shopping in the Sashes Market.  
  2. Reflecting on how God has moved me since last year's conference and praying for what He'll do in the future. Hearing how God has worked in the lives of others!

I'm so excited.  If you're headed to Influence, leave a little note below! We can also connect on Twitter or Instagram!

Sending out love,

Caitlin

 

a note about notes

Heya Friends, Just wanted to pop in and let you know that the Lettered Life Shop has a new item on its virtual shelves.  It is turquoise and cornflower and has polka dots and arrows....it fits in your purse and and is perfect for recording your dreamy thoughts.  Here she is!

Yep, she's a journal.  And boy do I love journals. And notebooks.  I think I'm just a paper goods kinda person.  I have one notebook for work stuff.  I have a journal that I use with my daily devotional.   I have a notebook where I write down things that I really like from books.  And I have one (or two or three) that I just record memories in, so I can remember them for years to come.  There's just something about writing things down that makes me feel better.  Maybe it's because I feel like I'm committing my recorded thoughts to a deeper level of memory when I jot them down, or maybe it's just because I like to go back and look at my own handwriting on a certain day and know that's what I was thinking about at the time.  Whatever it is, it feels important to me, so I keep writing things down.

So if you are writer-downer, hopefully this journal can be a happy place for you.  I hope it can be something you can fill with joy, whether it's to-do lists, things you are thankful for, recipes, the first chapter of your soon-be-best-selling novel or whatever inspires you to pick up a pen and write.

Hope you are having the best kind of day,

Caitlin

PS--more info about the journal in the shop!

june = summer

Hiya friends!

I don't know about you, but I can't believe it is June.  With wedding showers, graduation parties, Mother's Day celebrations and family visits,  May was a super fun month that flew right past me, leaving me in disbelief that we are actually a week into June --- a SUMMER month.  And since summer is my all-time favorite season, I'm welcoming June into my life with a big smile and some lemonade...cheers to June!

I love that the sun isn't setting until after 9pm and that there's a new froyo place dangerously close by.  I love that we went strawberry picking for the second year in a row and came home with more strawberries than we know what to do with.  (Ideas welcome!)  I love that while I'm still too chicken to get into the pool because the water feels really cold, I can read right next to it and know that if I really wanted to, I could jump in.  (Maybe next week.)  Did I mention I love summer?

And before a May reflection gets away from me, here's how I did with last month's goals:

  • Reading 2 books a month. Yes!  I read "Girls in White Dresses" by Jennifer Close and "The Typewriter Girl" by Alison Atlee.  Both were fiction reads about women trying to navigate their early 20 somethings, though in totally different settings.  Neither were favorites, but that's ok.  "Girls in White Dresses"  followed a group of girls as they went through weddings/new jobs/relationships---but I couldn't really get into it.  "The Tyewriter Girl" told the story of a young lady in Victorian England trying to create a path of her own in a culture that strongly discouraged going against the grain.  The main character was a brassy little thang, and while I appreciated that she was true to herself, I wasn't crazy about the storyline.
  • SheReadsTruth.  We completed the Hosea and Nehemiah studies in May!  I can't say enough about starting my day with SheReadsTruth---it's such a blessing!  June started with 1 Peter, and if you'd like to join along, hop on over to the website!
  • Blog once a week.  Nope.  I had a week where I was really on top of it, then let it slide by.  Please don't be mad at me.
  • Grow my Etsy shop.  Yes!  You'll find a canvas print, iPhone cover, bridal shower invite, Matthew 6:21 print and a couple variations of hello notecards all in the Lettered Life Shop!  Woohoo!
Happy JUNE and FRIDAY!
xo, Caitlin

how great thou art

Happy Friday, Friends!

I'm kicking off the weekend with a big smile on my face because today I am SO excited to introduce you to a little something something new to the Lettered Life Shop!  My very first canvas print!

As pictured above, this canvas features lyrics from one of my favorite hymns, How Great Thou Art.  It's so simple and rings very true in my life----sometimes I just look at things and am amazed that God made it happen.  I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, and all I can think is what a creative and loving God we have.  How awesome is He?!  How great Thou art!

For me, it's helpful to surround myself with things that inspire me and bring me closer to God.  That's why I wanted my first canvas to have the chorus of How Great Thou Art, because it's a reminder of how big God is.  And it gives me a chance to praise God each time I see it hanging in our living room.  And I thought maybe you might want a little reminder for your living room, too.  Or bedroom.  Or kitchen.  Or entry way or even you're bathroom---whatever spot calls your name.

So, pop on over to the shop.  You'll find the canvas also comes in peach and navy in addition to the chalkboard color, pictured above!!!  I love how those look as well!

Sending best weekend ever vibes your way.  And this little Carrie Underwood/Vince Gill version, which gives me goosebumps.

xo, Caitlin

 

 

oh happy day!

Hi there!

Today I just wanted to share that this case is available for iPhone 4, 4s, or 5 in the shop!!  I am crazy over how these turned out!  They colors are super bright and there is an awesome gloss to it .  I'm a big fan of slim cases---so this cover is perfect for me, which is why I immediately snapped it on my phone moments after it arrived in the mail.  (Photo for proof!)

For me, it was important to have something that channeled joy.  I take it with me most everywhere, so it should be a positive thing, right?  One of my Making Things Happen friends, Emily Ley (who is actually leads MTH!), talks about the importance of flipping your phone over so that the cover is face up.   Not only do you get to show off your lovely case, but it's a reminder to stay plugged into what's going on around you.  I find I'm way less likely to pick up my phone to scroll my life away when  I'm looking at "Oh Happy Day" and remembering how blessed I am each time I go to pick up my phone.

Hoping you're having one happy day!

xo, Caitlin

hello sunshine (and may goals)

Hiya friends (and May!),

I just wanted to say hello and check-in with my monthly goal progress!  Here we go...  

  • Reading 2 books a month. Yes!  I started with The End of Your Life Book club by Will Schwalbe---a true story about a mother and son who start their own "book club" after they receive the news that the mother has an advanced form of pancreatic cancer.  Knowing how aggressive this cancer moves, the two decide to focus on their favorite hobby: reading.  This book was moving and bittersweet, but the overall theme of choosing to live joyfully despite hard circumstances was so inspiring.  I felt like I was the third member of their club as I read, and I loved that.  And what bookworm doesn't love a story about people who also like to read?!   The second book I finished was Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist.   Shauna is one of my favorite authors, and I had been anticipating this release for months! (Exhibit A) I even recipe tested for the Gaia cookies back in October when she was still in the editing phase of the book---just look at page 284!  This book is a collection of short stories about Shauna's life and the importance of sharing meals with the people you love, with recipes sprinkled throughout.  It's like a memoir-cookbook-inspirational read all in one....and it is wonderful!
  • SheReadsTruth.  We're tackling the intense Hosea!  Hosea can be painful for me to read because Israel wanders from God about a thousand times and it's hard to see God so sad.  BUT God's love is so big that he redeems and redeems and redeems, so the moments of sadness are always replaced with feelings of gratitude for God's compassion, no matter how far we stray!
  • Blog 3 times a week.  Are you as tired of hearing me say I don't blog as much as I'd like to as I am?  It's ok if you are.  I don't blame you.  I'm going to be a little more realistic and adjust this to once a week for May.  Say a prayer for me?!
  • Grow my Etsy shop.   Like the little graphic above?  Want some notecards that say just that?  Good news---I have some up in the shop!  AND I just got some new items in this week that I'm going to take some photos of and add to the shop!!  Canvas prints, anyone?!  Super exciting!
  • Be in the sunshine.  That was a little goal I threw in for April, and yes!  I went for walks and spent more time outdoors, thanks to the fact that Indiana is finally showing signs of spring!  I needed some of that vitamin D.  Cheers to more of it!
I hope your May is off to the best start ever.
lots of love, Caitlin

 

to my valentines

Dear Valentines,

It's coming, it's coming! Valentine's Day is just around the corner and it's time to get down to business.  I'm not talking about making dinner reservations or  picking up some chocolate or making sure you know where to find some roses...although I have nothing against any of those arrangements.  I'm talking about professing your love to the people around you.

Here's the challenge:  Make Valentine's Day extra special this year.  Send a note to your aunt.  Leave your roommate some love.  Mail some sunshine to a long distance friend letting them know they are the best.  You can express yourself however you want.  Write it on a Post-it note.  Draw something on a napkin.  Frost a message on a cake.  Paint a sign and put it on the refrigerator.  Let's be thankful for the special people in our lives and tell them how much they are cared for this year!

Want to share your Valentine plan?  I'd love to hear below!

xoxo, Your secret admirer P.S.  If you'd like to send a card to someone, I know of a shop that has some pretty cute ones!!!  Head on over to Lettered Life Shop for some options, including the cards featured above!

#SheReadsTruth

Dear Sisters,

This verse is one that I have been reciting again and again this week (go ahead, memorize it!  right now!), thanks to #SheReadsTruth.  #SheReadsTruth is a daily devotional for women that I learned about a few months ago at The Influence Conference.  We just finished a plan called "Fresh Start" for the new year, and it focused on how God redeemed all SORTS of people to put them on His path.  One day specifically showed how God used Moses to save the Israelites, which made me want to watch The Prince of Egypt like crazy!  (Our family was slightly obsessed with When You Believe growing up.)  "The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still"  is something Moses says to the terrified Israelites, who know the Egyptians are coming after them in Exodus 14.  I won't tell you what happens next if you're unfamiliar with the story, but know that this is where things get REALLY good and Moses's encouragement is proven to be true.

If you're looking for a devotional, I love a couple of things about #SheReadsTruth, the first being that it is available through the YouVersion app on my phone.  I know, I know, you don't need an iphone to do a devotional, BUT #SheReadsTruth encourages you to take a picture and instagram/tweet what you learned from the devotional and corresponding scripture, so makes it a visual AND an experience I can share with other people.  I think this is an awesome way to share the Word, so I'm all about it!  I also enjoy how the devotional are written in a down-to-earth style, and I like that I have it everywhere I take my phone...which is admittedly everywhere, so there's no reason not to check in with the daily reading!  While I don't instagram or tweet my daily thoughts often and need to work on being a little braver in this aspect, I have loved the themes of the last few plans including Advent and the Fresh Start I mentioned earlier.

So ladies of all ages, if you've been looking for a way to add a little more reflection to your day, check out #SheReadsTruth.  You do not have to have a smartphone to read the plan---you can visit the site daily to see what the readings are or sign up to have them delivered to your inbox.  A new plan called "Soul Detox" just started and it's never too late to join in.

xo, Caitlin

PS -  This print is available in the LetteredLifeShop!

send some love

Hey there!It's December, and you know what that means. Time to bust out the Christmas tree, bake some cookies and send some super cute holiday cards to everybody you love.

As you know, I love me some custom lettering, and I'm crazy over Christmas, so I started making a few Christmas card designs for Austin & I to send out, and just couldn't stop! Now I'm offering custom hand-lettered cards for you and your family for $10! Just send your photo along with any other words or phrases you'd like to include on the card, and I'll send you the jpeg so you can print however you'd like.

Where should you print the image?  A few recommendations....

  • Upload the custom image to Walgreens or your local drugstore to print as a matte 5x7 print for 11 cents each!  So easy!
  • Print a your jpeg like a folded greeting card, envelopes included, through Shutterfly for $1.59 each, for 25 cards.

If you're interested, check out my Etsy site to get started.  I'm so excited to make the perfect card for you and hope you'll check it out!

Peace, love and hot chocolate! Caitlin