Cheers to 2016!

Every time the New Year comes around it really gets me motivated.  I want to overhaul everything in the house, with Birch Landing Home, and my fitness goals and this year is no different.  

I've decided to take most of January to focus on our home:  it's time to do our yearly closet purge, deep clean all the carpets, and reorganize the dumping ground that our basement has become.  While I haven't read the book myself yet, I have read a lot of articles on The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and I'd like to try to use these techniques to purge more unused items from our home.  Though I can't make too many promises on this front.. I can be pretty sentimental about little things so we'll see how far I get.

I have big goals for Birch Landing Home too and I want to grow my Etsy shop and blog in many ways.  I'm planning on expanding to more New England-inspired decor in the shop including signs, handmade boxes, and painted sap buckets (don't worry, we'll still have our signature hand-etched ornaments available).  I'd also like to get our products carried at more local retailers too.  
The blog will still be a mix of DIY projects, product reviews, and lessons learned as first-time parents but there will a be a stronger underlying New England vibe to it.  I'd like to blog more about our favorite places to visit in NE as a family as well as showcase more great local products and makers (by the way, if you're a New England-based maker and want to collaborate this year please send me a message).  

And then there's fitness goals.. every year I say I want to get back into running and while I did run a lot more this year than I have in a while, I still didn't get to where I want to be.  So this year I want to make the push to finally run a half-marathon!  For those of you who aren't familiar with my running backstory, I was training for a half-marathon about six years ago when I suffered a couple stress fractures, mostly due to a structural issue with my foot (which I now wear orthotics for).  
We're hoping to expand our family again within the next year or two and so I feel this year will be my last chance to try for a half marathon again before I'm too pregnant or busy with a newborn to seriously run for awhile.  

Whew, so those are my top goals for 2016!  Wishing everyone lots of health, happiness, and success in the New Year - cheers!  

Mariner Lines Nautical Dog Leash Giveaway!

We're hosting a great giveaway with Mariner Lines over on Instagram!  Now is your chance to win one of their beautiful Maine-made recycled rigging line leashes for your pup.  Please see the original giveaway post on my account (@birchlandinghome) for details and to enter.

Good luck! 

Giveaway ends 12/18/15 at 8PM EST. 

New Etsy Listing: Gold-Painted Mini Birch Ornaments

I had to take a little break from etching and came up with these gold beauties!  New to the Etsy shop, Gold-Painted Mini Birch Ornaments!  These come as a set of 3, each one with a different design - polka-dot, stripes, and "gold-dipped." Add a luxe touch to your rustic decor! 

Giveaway with Mainely Mama!

Rebecca from Mainely Mama is featuring our ornaments today and hosting a giveaway for a set just the ones pictured here.  Please check out her post for details and to enter.  Good luck!  

Mainely Mama's giveaway ends 12/12/15.

Soon to be at The Straw Cellar!

Just dropped off an order of our Hand-Etched Ornaments at The Straw Cellar in Wolfeboro, NH!  Owner Carrie is working hard to carry more locally-made products in her shop and I'm so honored to be a part of that.  Be sure to check out this beautiful store next time you're in the Lakes Region and #shoplocal.

Soon to be at Wyler's!

Dropped off an order of ornaments at the wonderful Wyler's in Brunswick, Maine yesterday!  This boutique has lots of unique gifts for all ages (the kids section was so fun!) - and there's even an adjoined specialty food and coffee shop.. why ever leave?  

Instagram Giveaway with Seagate Studio!

So excited to have partnered with the lovely Seagate Studio for a great giveaway!  Winner will receive one of their beautiful vintage lantern pillows and a set of our hand-etched birch ornaments.  See @seagate.studio's original post on Instagram for details and to enter!  Good luck :)

Giveaway ends 10/18/15 at 9PM EST. 

Handpainted Gold Acorns

I've just listed these adorable gold-painted acorns in my Etsy Shop!  These fallen New England acorns have been washed and oven dried before being painted a luxe gold.  They come as a set of a dozen and the possibilities are endless with what you can do with them - vase fillers, adding finishing touches to centerpieces, place settings, crafts, and more!  

I think they will look perfect on our Thanksgiving table!  What would you use them for?