Reflections and Resolutions (Happy New Year!)

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Years!  With a little one now I spent my evening like I do most.. putting her to bed, working on Birch Landing things, then curling up on the couch to watch some TV with the hubby.  
Pretty wild and crazy, huh?  I wouldn't have it any other way.  

Reflections

This has been a pretty big year for me, for us:  Becoming a new mom with ten million new things to learn (and am still learning), getting into the groove of staying home full-time with our little one, starting this little Etsy business, and getting a photo of our ornaments into Martha Stewart Living, to name just a few of the amazing things that happened this year.  We're very blessed and I am so very thankful.  

Resolutions

What's New Years without some personal resolutions?
1.  I'd love to get back into running.  I ran pretty regularly until I was 8 months pregnant, stopped, and then never really got back into it but it's about time I do.
2.  Ruthlessly cleaning out and reorganizing the basement and closets is also a priority.  We have too much stuff (and I have wayyy too many clothes), it's time to lighten that load.  
3.  And of course I'd love to grow this little business as much as I can - I have lots of ideas for wedding decorations, decor, and accessories all in a rustic theme.  I'm planning on phasing out some items in my shop over the next few months to transition Birch Landing Home into its new identity.  You can expect our Etsy shop to officially find its niche in 2015.

I want to thank you all for giving me a great start in 2014 and I'm looking forward to making 2015 even more successful!  

Cheers!

Garland Featured by Newlyweds:North

Stephanie over at Newlyweds:North (now called Olive & Tate) just featured our hand-etched maple snowflake garland on her beautiful Christmas mantle!  Be sure to check out the full post for more pictures and details.  

PS - She's also shared a special coupon code that's good until January 1st! ;) 

Photo credit:  Newlyweds:North

Press Board

We've added a "Press" board to our Pinterest page, here you can keep up-to-date with Birch Landing Home in the news!  

Birch Landing Home in the December, 2014 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

Our First Real Christmas Tree

This year was the first year my husband and I have been able to get a real live Christmas tree.  Before, we were in an apartment, then we got a puppy, then we had a baby... so this year we were finally able to get a real tree!  

To commemorate this special event I had my husband cut a slice off the end of our Christmas tree and I turned it into a special hand-etched snowflake ornament for us.  It's a little big and a little lopsided, but it'll be a special keepsake of our first real tree.  On the back I wrote "Our First Christmas Tree - 2014."  

Proud to say: As seen in Martha Stewart Living Magazine!

Pinch me, I must be dreaming... 

Honored, thrilled, and amazed to be able to say that a photo of our hand-etched maple snowflakes is featured in the December issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine!  You can find us right on page 8.  

To celebrate, I'm offering 20% off everything in my Etsy shop through Nov. 24th, just use the coupon code MARTHA at checkout.  Please visit our shop and help us celebrate!   

Coupon code expires 11/24/14. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just be over here framing this magazine..

Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

Okay, so I'm really afraid to go into detail because I don't want to jinx anything but I have some VERY exciting news about this little Instagram photo!  

...all will be revealed in November :)  

Finding my niche...

My Etsy shop and this blog are still very much a work in progress - I have all kinds of ideas on products I want to make, things I want to write about.  I often wonder if this blog is trying to be too many things at once... 

Just about all of the most popular blogs out there (including some of my personal favorites) share so much about the author's daily life, their families, their homes, the whole nine yards.  Their reader gets to know them personally, gets invested in what's going on, and it keeps them engaged.  But that's just not me - I don't feel comfortable posting detailed photos of our home and life publicly.  I try to walk that line, but I know staying on my side of this fence will alienate much of my audience. 

I know if I want a shot at a successful following on the blog and Etsy storefront I need to find my niche and stick with it, but I'm not there yet.  I'm still testing the waters on what kinds of things I truly enjoy making and writing about, and until I find my focus you all get to enjoy a little bit of everything ;)  

Thanks again for reading and please feel free to leave some feedback - I'd love to hear your thoughts!  

A bit of inspiration..

My Great-Aunt (who is now 97!), gave me this handmade card when I graduated high school.  Though she hadn't made it herself, even then I thought the stamped Emerson quote was just beautiful.  

Just about 10 years later I still had the card, and this summer I finally framed it with her signature safe on the back.  It sits on my desk now, reminding me that success comes in many forms.  

Success

To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent
people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest
critics and endure the betrayal
of false friends; to appreciate
beauty; to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
a garden patch or redeemed social
condition; to know even one life
has breathed easier because you
have lived.  This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson