sponsor celebration

Yesterday Ellen offered some wonderful advice for folks thinking about starting a shop and taking those first beginning steps.

Today I wanted to celebrate our sponsors who have placed their creative hearts in God's hands and have opened thriving shops of their own.

Annabelle from Humdiddly

She makes adorable adorable items for your kiddies and your home. Plus, free shipping with the code "valentine."

Connect with Annabelle

shop

Tiffany from The Sassy Shop

Her shop is filled with such beautiful crocheted items. 

Connect with Tiffany

shop

blog

Emily from Itty Bitty by Emj

You'll find adorable bows and hair clips for your little ones.

Connect with Emily

shop

blog

Natalie from NS Pottery

Natalie features beautiful stoneware pottery for you and your home.

Connect with Natalie

shop

blog

Lauren from Seek First

As Lauren says, she makes  "handmade rosette accessories that I hope brighten your outfit and your day."

Connect with Lauren

shop

blog

Mindy from Marigold Road

She features lots of vintage and modern goodies for you and your home.

Connect with Mindy

shop

blog

Chelsea from Live Laugh Lynae

Her shop is filled with so many adorable jewelry pieces and hair accessories.

Connect with Chelsea

shop

Amber from Love on Wings

Her shop is filled with such adorable items for the little ones in your life.

Connect with Amber

shop

blog

Alys from Beautiful Imperfections

Although she doesn't have a shop, she sure can craft beautiful things with her words. She wrote a beautiful post about "what-ifs" and putting our trust solely in the Lord. You can read it here.

Connect with Alys

blog

sponsor post: tiffany on giving

Well, friends. Tiffany's going to share today about giving. But not in the way you think. You can connect with her right here.
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Hey ladies! Did everyone make it through the holidays in one piece? All fingers, toes, and a few grey hairs accounted for? I’m glad to say we did, but I think we only did because we switched our focus from ribbons, gift wrapping, debit cards, and long lines to giving of ourselves to each other. That’s what I wanted to talk to y’all (that means all of you in case some of you aren’t blessed to be southern) about today.

Giving…

Now I know we all just got out of the holiday season and I’m sure you thinking “really?!”, but follow me please. I know for me it is really easy to start thinking about others and their needs when everything is all golden, green, and red, the time where every store you pass has someone ringing a bell reminding you that there are others that are in need. My hubby always says “See a need, meet a need.” You don’t have to look hard or long to find a need, any need that you can meet.

With that being said, I want to tell you about my need. Well, the need of another that I’ve taken on as mine. It’s one of those stories that looking back the only way it would have all connected was by God just pulling things together. Jessica would be one of those people in church that you would ‘know’ who she was but never actually had a conversation with, maybe just a passing bob of your head because you recognized seeing each other every week, at every women’s event, ect. Until one day you magically connect on facebook (yes, God can totally use facebook! Myspace on the other hand…) you start reading her story, their plans for adopting, and it starts to pull on you. It pulls on you all day, all night, to the point that your husband starts telling you not to read anything she post after 9, because you are going to keep him up till 1 talking about it. Suddenly you have one thought: You have to do something to help get that baby home, but how?

My little Etsy shop, that’s how. It has been the biggest blessing in my family’s life, so much more than I could have hoped or imagined, so why not sell my goods to the merchants to help another family too? I really don’t like talking about things like this (not a fan of the toot your own horn thing) but, I wanted to give you some ideas if any of you are interested in using your craftiness and gifts to help others.

Find a cause! Jessica’s adoption pulled at me for months, and I prayed and talked to my hubby about it over and over until it finally got to a point where it didn’t make sense not to do something!

Start small. This holiday season I did a lot of craft fairs/ festivals. It was a lot of fun, but totally exhausted my preggo self out! (Oh did I not mention I was seven months pregnant and about the size of a whale?) I went to one craft party and gave half of everything I made that day to Jessica. I had a cute little sign and just rocked it out! It wasn’t much but, it was something.

Pick an item. I like to craft a lot of different things. I do a lot of crocheting and I love it but, sometimes my brain needs to do something else for my creative sanity. So I created a special item, well two items. They are totally different from what I do normally, which is why I do them in special order form only but the proceeds from those go to Jessica’s adoption! It’s a great way for me to break up what I normally do-having something that is just for her-and gives people the chance to get involved in bringing this little girl to her mommy!

Well, that’s all the thoughts I have right now! I pray that you all find something that encourages your hands to keep working joyfully after all this holiday craziness!

Much love~ Tiffany

annie's heart

Hello everyone and Merry Merry Christmas! I just LOVE this season. I'm Annie from Blue Leaf Boutique. I love to make pretty things and things that reflect my love of family. I'm a mommy to two kiddos ages one and four. I think they have a secret plot to destroy any sense of order and organization in my home (insert evil laugh.) I love them to death.

"As the father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love." John 15:9

I'm also a wife to a husband who is smart, sensible and has the most even calm temperament of anyone I've ever met on the planet. I'm not always sensible. My temperament, well, its not always calm. Sometimes we argue. I love him to death.

My head is sometimes, a lot of times, dreaming. Dreaming of the next big thing. Dreaming of something beautiful. Dreaming of what is not yet achieved.

"A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps." Proverbs 16:9

I need balance. I have dreams but I also have laundry. I have creative goals but I also have to clean my bathroom. I have orders to fulfill but I also have babies that need a cuddle. I have a new design to test but I also have to get dinner ready. I'm probably not alone in this.

Many many times a day I bow my head. And almost like an answer I hear in my own voice, TAKE A BREATH. And I do and with it comes new clarity, new strength. All from a bowed head, a prayer and a deep breath.

I see God as a friend. A constant companion. A source of strength. I'm humbled by how much I need him everyday.

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you; ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7

It's been lovely to meet you. I'm praying for everyone to have a peaceful, beautiful and safe holiday.

laura on being a redeemed shy girl in community

Good morning! It's Ellen. Y'all. You're going to be blessed by what Laura, the girl behind Along for the Ride, has to say today. She's on a roll with this community thing and as I redeemed shy girl, I love everything she has to say here.
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"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

Last month on Sashes to the Merchants I did a vlog on finding real life community. About turning off our computers, getting out there and living in community with others. About finding folks that know our heart, see our struggles, and hold us accountable to the things the Lord is calling all of us to run toward.

How did you do? Did you get out there? Did you make yourself vulnerable and let people in?

Is your Tupperware in other people's houses?

[Totally a reference to my vlog where I was so excited because people in our small group were trading meals and bringing dinner to people who were sick and taking our Tupperware. Such good stuff!]

Gosh, I make finding community sound so easy, don't I?!

But I know it's not.

I'm going to let you in on a secret.

*whispers in your ear*

I'm shy.

oh my gosh, don't look at me - source

I get nervous around people I don't know. I clam up and get real sweaty. I think of all the reasons why no one is talking to me and why they shouldn't want to talk to me and why I should probably just go home anyway.

Are you shy, too?

Well living in community is for us introverts, too, you know? But it's hard. Really hard sometimes. But that's not an excuse.

Us quiet types need to be known just as much as anyone else. We need to feel loved and cared for. We need to share and cry and pray and be prayed for.

And we're pretty darn fun, too!

Guess what?

*yells in your ear*

You're exactly the person I want to be in community with!

Yea you. You in the corner with her hands around her waist [I'm not the only one, right?] I want to hear from you! I want to come along side you!

For so long I thought I had little to contribute. That I would just hide behind my keyboard and only post my most perfect pictures and the times when my house was really clean.

But eventually I started to let people in. And they saw who I was. And they came over when my house was really messy and the dirty dishes were everywhere and the cat box maybe smells like poo a little...

And they loved me even more.

In this time of new resolutions, I encourage all you shy gals to make community a priority [trust me, you're not alone!] To let your guard down a little and see what happens.

You may be nervous. You may be soft-spoken and reserved. But you are exactly the women that God made you to be!! And there are communities of folks just waiting for you.

In fact, they need you!

Can I pray for you? As one quiet gal to another, I'd love to pray for you and ask the Lord to remove your fear and help you see all the wonderful ways you can contribute to community. I sure see it. And so does He!

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then gigenerously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." Romans 12:3-8

black Friday goods!

We asked our gals if they had any special deals to offer on this great shopping day and you KNOW they did! Please go check out their great shops and all they have to offer today! 

Natalie from NS Pottery is 

offering this great deal! 

Laura at Along for the Ride is offering 25% using coupon code BLACKFRIDAY25 and a free gift for all orders over $30! 

Chelsea at Live Laugh Lynae is offering 40% off with the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY! 

Lauren at Seek First is offering 35% all weekend using coupon code BLACKFRIDAY! 

Amber from Love on Wings is offering free shipping using coupon code BLOGS in her shop! 

Enjoy your shopping friends! 

Thanks gals for these great deals! 

laura's heart::you'll be blessed.

Oh, y'all. Today you're going to hear from one of our sponsors, Laura of Along for the Ride. You're going to be so blessed by her sweet heart. Really. We're so thankful for her!

Connect with Laura:

blog | shop | facebook | twitter

sarah :: a girl in transit

Hello, my name is Sarah and I'm the writer of my blog A Girl In Transit. Ever since I had my baby girl I've been so inspired to blog about our daily lives as a family. Our family consists of my wonderful husband Brad, our sweet baby girl Samantha, our precious pug Daphne, and of course yours truly. I fell in love with Sashes to the Merchants immediately because of the relation to the Proverbs 31 woman. My blog also is about my transition of becoming the Proverbs 31 woman. She's one tough act to follow, but I'm thankful that the Lord mapped out so beautifully the type of woman we are to be. I'd love to share some encouragement and a little sample of our daily lives.

¹⁵She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.

- Proverbs 31:15

This one can be kind of tough sometimes. I will say having a baby does get me up in the morning earlier than pre-baby, but there is still a sun out when I roll out of bed. Honestly the thought of getting up when it's still dark kind of makes me sick, but when I consider how peaceful it would be in the house and the quiet time I could have doing a small morning devotional, it makes me get the little encouragement I need to want to pursue this part of scripture literally. I'm still not there yet, but it's definitely something I'm working towards. Providing food is one of those ones that can be kind of difficult to do very consistently, but like anything that I work hard for, a wonderful wave of blessing washes over me when I see my family enjoying a meal I made for them with my hands.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
¹²She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.

- Proverbs 31: 11, 12

I love my husband. I am SO THANKFUL to the Lord that he made Brad just for me. It gives me so much comfort and hope. Our marriage alone is a testament on how wonderful our Lords providence is, and how we really shouldn't worry about tomorrow. But as much as I love my sweet husband, I am also a sinner and sin against him regularly. That poor man. Since I'm sailing through the new waters of motherhood I sometimes take out my failures and frustrations on him. I strive to do Brad good and not harm, but I know I will fail many many times. I pray that I can humble myself to ask for his forgiveness and to continue to earn his trust as his baby's mother and his wife.

¹³She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.

- Proverbs 31:13

¹⁹She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

- Proverbs 31:19

I love these verses. It helps me remember that cooking, cleaning, poopy diapers, and sleeping aren't everything that make up my life. Not that those tasks aren't important, and I'm a firm believer in doing all things for the glory of our God (even if it's scrubbing toilets) but these verses help me remember that it doesn't end there. Whether a mom is making lovely things with her hands to sell, to provide for her household, or even just for a hobby, we still have the opportunity to have an outlet for our creativity. It's so domestic. Such a pleasure and a joy to be a part of. I personally decided to do my crafting as a hobby and focus more on my blog (I'm not good at doing too many big things all at once) but I do love making these lovely felt clips as gifts.

I really love the Proverbs 31 woman because she represents how Godly, strong, and lovely a woman can be. She's not some wallflower. She's God fearing, submits to her husband, her husband is known at the gates and he trusts in her and calls her blessed, her children rise up and call her blessed. She's a business woman, gives to the poor, artistic, you name it! God gave all these gifts to her! He also gave them to us too. All things that truly reflect what a Godly wife and mother should be.

ashley :: sugar mama bakeshop

Hi, friends! Today we're letting Ashley of Sugar Mama Bakeshop share the story of her business, her family and who God is at work in every little bit. :).

Hi there, I'm Ashley! I am a very happy wifey, a brand new mama (Lily Belle is 4 months) and the baker otherwise known as Sugar Mama :) Baking is my love language. I grew up in a house full of boys (I have 3 younger brothers) and I quickly learned that food, especially sweets, can make people SO HAPPY!! Shortly after Hunter and I got married (3ish years ago) I learned I was allergic to dairy and gluten... So I started creating my own recipes. About a year and a half ago, when I started doing local farmer's markets and selling my cupcakes, muffins and cookies, Hunter went back to school full time and I was supporting us financially. He thought he was pretty funny calling me his sugar mama... I thought it was a cute name for a bakeshop :) Now here we are with the most amazing blessing of a baby (who we were no exactly planning on this soon) and Sugar Mama now has a whole new meaning! When Hunter and I found out we were pregnant we prayed and prayed and felt sure that God wanted me to be at home with her. We didn't have a clue what that meant financially (I was our sugar mama remember) but we knew we had to be obedient. Hunter found a job that has been flexible with his class schedule and his parents have recently opened their home so that we can save up and buy our own soon. It has been a crazy humbling experience, but in such an amazing way. I tend to think I can do it all by myself and it's so hard but so so sweet and comforting to be reminded that I can't and I'm not even supposed to. I love to BAKE. Budgets, time-management, marketing not so much. But I'm learning! This little business is something I feel called to do to help our little family financially and to bless others :)

"The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands." {salm 25:8-10

If you're interested in trying a Sugar Mama Bakeshop cupcake kit AND helping an adopting family bring home their sweet baby girl, check out the Bakin' it to the Streets kit! Carina's sweet blog is such a blessing and I am so excited for her adoption!!

**PS I am having a Christmas Bazaar on my blog from November 2-December 24 and I would LOVE to promote any handmade shops for free! Email me if you're interested (sugarmamabakeshop@gmail.com).

**Also there might just be a 30% coupon code for facebook fans ;)

Ashley Greeno

Sugar Mama Bakeshop

shop . blog . twitter . facebook

sara :: praire hen

Good morning, friends! Today, I'd love for you to meet Sarah of Prairie Hen. You're going to love, love, love her cowls and scarfs. And the animals and plushies she makes are kind of amazing and adorable. Even more, though, I think you'll love what Sara has to share about how God knows us each so intimately.

Here' Sara!

Hi! I'm Sara. I am a believer, a wife, a mommy, a craftoholic and a blogger... in that order. I started knitting in college and fell in love. The only problem is that knitting a lot of stuff (ie sweaters, blankets, scarfs) can take a loooong time. My tendency was to get bored and start another project then get bored with that one and start another. That is until I found my first toy pattern. It was a kit made for kids. The box said 8+ and I thought "Well, I'm older then 8..." so I bought it and the rest is history.

It's funny because for a while I was down on myself for being a "quitter" (and to be honest I don't have the best endurance) but this has given me encouragement.

"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."

-Philippians 2:13

I am so thankful that God made me the way I am. While working on big, long projects that have big payoffs bring some people joy, God knows me and best of all created me as I am. He even leads me down the toys aisles in Target to find a knit toy kit that he knows will better fit my personality and bring me joy. If He can so perfectly take care of the small things like that then imagine what he is orchestrating behind the scenes in our lives. I am thankful for that!

blog // shop // twitter

some of our gals & the words that encourage them

Since we really dig biblical encouragement over here, we figured we'd introduce you to some of our precious sponsors by letting their favorite verses speak for them. Today, we hope you can look over their sweet pictures and then read these verses, one by one, letting them encourage and strengthen your day. 

1) Faith from Ordinary Mommy is encouraged by this: 

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. Lamentations 3:22-24

2) Marie from Found by Marie loves this passage: 

Ephesians 4:32  "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

3) Annie  from Blue Leaf Boutique picked this verse to share:

Make it your ambition and definately endevor to live quietly and peacefully, to mind your own affairs and to work with your hands. 1 Thessalonians 4:11

4) Becca from Hugs & Kisses Design shared this verse with us: 

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

5) Casey from The Wiegands offered this precious promise: 

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

6) Jessica from JessicaNDesign listed this as one of her faves when she was battling cancer. Um, yes. I'd say that's worth being on our list twice! 

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

7) I love this one that Melissa from Tukula offered up: 

Psalm 34: 17-18 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 

8) love, love, love this one that Ashley from the Vanilla Tulip gave us: 

Deuteronomy 7:9, Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments. 

9) and lastly, Jackie from Willow of Wonder provided us with this one: 

 Zephaniah 3:17 - The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

We pray that not only will the shops & blogs of these women be an encouragement to you, but the steadfast love that they have for Jesus will strengthen your spirit today. 

And is there any other better way to get to know someone besides their favorite verse?

What's yours?!