112 in 2012: Wrap-Up

Hi all!


Well, as you know, today is the last day of the year, so I thought I'd check in with my goals for 2012 one last time. This will be a lengthy post, so I don't expect you to read it all, but kudos to you if you make it through! I have some final thoughts at the end about this list and my plan for next year, if you're interested and want to skip down.

Here's a cheat sheet for you:
Normal text - didn't get started
Italics - made some progress but didn't complete
Strikethrough - failed miserably
Bold - completed

1. Pack or eat a healthy breakfast on days I have to work {don’t stop for fast food or skip it} {I'm calling this a win. I would say I did this at least 80% of the time this year, maybe more. That's a huge improvement from what I was doing in 2011.}
2. Pack or eat a healthy lunch on days I have to work {don’t stop for fast food or skip it} {Again, I'm calling this a win. I greatly improved over the year, and would say at least 80% of the time, I avoided going out for lunch.}
3. Plan dinners the night before so we can stop for necessary ingredients or take things out of the freezer to thaw {We definitely were better about this, and eating at home in general, but still have a long way to go with planning ahead on menus. I do have some ideas in place for 2013 and honestly, I think moving the location of our freezer will help...which is also in the plan for 2013}
4. Move closer to Elmwood {This didn't happen, and I would consider it one of the more significant fails of this year. I could say it's not our fault, but we made the choice to be in the situation we're in, so I'm taking ownership.}
5. Donate at least 20 boxes of things to the thrift store before moving {I didn't keep count, but between donations to the thrift store, to friends & family, and to my work, I know we got to at least 20}
6. Sort and organize all holiday decorations so they are easily accessible {This is happening this week, actually. It will be a win in very early 2013, but I can't say I'm done yet.}
7. Donate holiday decorations that won’t be used prior to the next holiday {We actually didn't decorate this year since we hoped to be moving, so I didn't get to go through everything. As I'm finding things we won't use while organizing, I'm making a pile to donate.}
8. Start a family {I consider this another major fail, but I'm more comfortable with this, believe it or not. It was a conscious choice to wait to have children until another time. I hated having to make the choice, but it was the most responsible thing to do for us.}
9. Complete 2011 Project Life Album {I fell so behind on my 2012 album that I didn't get a chance to work on previous years.}
10. Start & complete 2012 Project Life Album {I did get a good start on this, have a ton of pictures printed, and am working on it right now. I came up with a new way of organizing the album for this year that I think will work better for us, and I hope to get it finished in early 2013}
11. Complete at least one additional Project Life Album from a previous year {see above, #9}
12. Print pictures at least once a month from the previous month {This actually wasn't the best plan for me and my budget. I tried for awhile, and then quit because it wasn't working.}
13. Work with nieces on Project Life albums, including printing pictures for them monthly {It happened once this last year, because all of our schedules are so crazy. I hope to continue working with them in 2013, and I also hope they take some ownership of their albums without me watching over since we all have such busy lives!}
14. Grow my business {I'd say this was the focus for my year. Business didn't grow the way I had imagined it, but it also exceeded my expectations. I continue to have goals for business, a list of things I want to get done, and dreams for what I could accomplish, but I know this year was a win on the business front.}
15. Blog at least 3 times per week {Horrible. Just horrible.}
16. Engage in at least one activity per month to promote my business {I'm honestly not even sure what I was talking about here...if I meant shows/fairs, or some sorts of advertising thing...but as I said, 2012 was all about business for me, so I feel okay with that whole aspect of things.}
17. Take at least 1 picture per day {I figured out this doesn't really work for me. I tried some other options, and then really thought about this particular goal and what I wanted to accomplish. The idea was to get a real picture of our every day life, and I think I did much better at that - I participated in a day in the life, a week in the life, December daily and took a TON of other every day life sort of pictures. Even though I didn't meet my stated goal, I feel really good about memory keeping this year.}
18. Take pictures during important events/gatherings {I can't call this a win because I didn't do it universally - for example, I didn't even take my camera to Christmas celebrations - but, I did pretty well, especially this last fall}
19. Plan 1 date night per month with Mike {We did really well on this the first half of the year, and then it fizzled. I could blame opening Gather and having much less time, but the reason I had this goal is I wanted us to dedicate a night to each other, no matter what was going on. We didn't do that, and we need to be more committed to this in the future.}
20. Complete 1 project per month from inspiration found on Pinterest {I didn't keep track of what I did when, but I know there were far more than 12 projects completed this year}
21. Start an idea binder to keep inspiration from magazines, etc. {I'm calling this in progress because I started a notes section on my iPad for things like this}
22. Visit grandparents at least 1 time a month {Miserable fail.}
23. Plan and work on 1 craft project per month with nieces and nephews {I really wish this had happened, but it just didn't work out. The ones we did though were really fun.}
24. Take at least 1 vacation out of state {Didn't go anywhere this year. For the first time since we met in 2008}
25. Take at least 1 vacation in state {See above}
26. Visit 1 place I’ve never been before {I saw so many small towns in Nebraska this year on our adventures}
27. Pay off at least 1 credit card
28. Use at least 1 coupon with every grocery purchase {I still maintain that this is a good goal for us, but we have to figure out how to make couponing work with our schedule. I hope to do a post in 2013 on my couponing process}
29. Try one new recipe per month {Again, I didn't really keep track, but know I've tried more than 12 new recipes this year}
30. Learn to sew
31. Donate items from couponing to an organization in need
32. Take a photography class
33. Make our new house feel like our home {well, we didn't move, so...}
34. Purchase/borrow bikes and go riding on the trail this summer
35. Plan an outing/visit with friends at least once a month
36. Take pictures for my blog posts {Thank goodness for Instagram. I didn't do it with every post, but I was definitely better about it this year.}
37. Create a video to post on my blog {Project Life Blog Hop & Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint, woohoo!}
38. Send birthday cards on time to important people when we can’t celebrate in person
39. Create a stash of cards for multiple occasions to have on hand
40. Frame pictures for our home and display them {I wanted to wait til we were moved to do this, so it hasn't happened.}
41. Create a gallery wall in our new house of important/sentimental pictures {see above}
42. Work on creating Christmas decorations throughout the year {Ha!}
43. Relax and enjoy December and Christmas preparations {I can't say I was completely relaxed during December, but this was definitely one of the most enjoyable Christmas seasons I remember.}
44. Finish all holiday shopping by December 1 {Again, this is something I can own as a choice, but it's difficult when you share the cost of presents and others don't share your goals. I did have my list made in October, and some of my shopping done early}
45. Wrap and label Christmas gifts so they are under the tree by the end of the first week in December
46. Use my iPhone calendar to help keep me organized {I'm so reliant on that thing now}
47. Build a stockpile and only shop for perishable items as needed - otherwise, use the stockpile {This comes and goes, it seems}
48. Plant a garden or work with family to have a garden
49. Freeze or can fresh produce to use throughout the following year {We had so much stuff canned and frozen from previous years, we didn't end up doing any this year.}
50. Take a family picture to display in our home, including both puppies

51. Attend 1 Christmas event in the community {tree lighting, Santa visit, etc.}
52. Visit the local library
53. Become a member of Mike’s church {this is actually really sad for me}
54. Take all my nieces and nephews to the zoo for the day
55. Go to the Farmer’s Market at least once a month during June/July/August {This never worked out with our schedule}
56. Make homemade rolls for a holiday dinner {Garlic knots to go with my corned beef & cabbage on St. Patrick's day}
57. Drink at least 3 big glasses of water daily {more often than not, so I'm calling this a win}
58. Find at least 1 new blog per month to follow {No problems here, at all.}
59. Comment on at least 1 blog post per week {I did pretty well at this. I don't know if I did one per week, but it was probably close}
60. Host 1 holiday celebration at my house
61. Have a family dinner for no special reason at least every other month
62. Identify a space in our new home for books and make use of it {Again, we didn't move. I do have some plans though for when we do}
63. Visit a large flea market/antique show {Oh gravy, this was so much fun. We went to Walnut Antique Walk and JunkStock in June, and Junk Jubilee in April!}
64. File important paperwork so it’s easily accessible {Oh, boy}
65. Organize my spice cupboard so it’s not overly full and difficult to find what I’m looking for
66. Utilize my closet
67. Make a plan to complete chores/housekeeping responsibilities on a routine basis
68. Purchase a new vacuum cleaner and use it!
69. Begin filling my home with meaningful decorations that make us happy
70. Make time weekly to create for myself {rather than for customers or gifts} {I'm calling this a fail. I don't really create except for Gather or Etsy, and I see it being that way for awhile at least. The thing is, if I want to make something for me, I make at least 2 so one can be mine and one can be in Gather}
71. Attempt to make contact with the people who received organs from my mom {I'm just not ready yet. Maybe next year.}
72. Send Christmas cards
73. Carve a pumpkin
74. Attend a training/seminar to learn a new skill for work {I actually can't remember if I learned something new, specifically}
75. Take a picnic
76. Learn how to use Photoshop
77. Take flowers to the graves of loved ones who have passed away
78. Use my time wisely to eliminate stress
79. Check Etsy and local stores first for gift giving options 
80. Plan ahead for gift giving to allow time for shipping or searching for the right gift
81. Complete the Week in the Life project and get photographs into an album or Project Life layout {I bolded part of it. I took photos for the project, but they're not in my album yet}
82. Get my house into a state where I would be comfortable with people dropping in
83. Keep my new house in a state where I’m comfortable with people dropping in {Again, we didn't move...}
84. Change my mindset that people can drop in on a house that is not perfectly spotless
85. Strive to be more patient with people {I'm horrible. I have zero patience. It's probably my worst quality - and best, when something needs to get done - and something I really need to work on}
86. Get up at least 3 times per week after hitting the snooze button only once {set alarm for the time I want to get out of bed instead of 45 minutes early} {I feel physically ill if I don't hit the snooze buttons a couple of times...I tried it, I'd rather just wake up at my own pace}
87. Become more active in an attempt to be healthier {and lose weight in the process}
88. Purchase a pair of dress shoes that are cute and do not hurt my feet
89. Send at least 1 “thinking of you” card to someone for no particular reason
90. Make and display an advent calendar
91. Organize my pantry
92. Don’t give up on taking photographs daily if I happen to miss one day {I missed a couple days and came up with a solution that works for me...that's why I'm calling it a win. I didn't give up just because I missed, I revised my plan instead.}
93. Don’t complain about anything for a week {I forgot this was on here. I know it never happened}
94. Watch a movie I’ve always wanted to see but have never made time to watch
95. Make a custom recipe book {or find my favorite online recipes and pin them onto my Food board on Pinterest} {I started this on Pinterest, but didn't get them in order the way I wanted...so that's why it's still in progress}
96. Eat 3 things I’ve never tried before {I honestly can't remember if I did or not}
97. Learn to knit or crochet
98. Make Cold Cookies for Grandma {and Mike & me}
99. Make my own cleaning product rather than buying something {laundry detergent is for sale at Gather, if you're interested}
100. Go to the county fair
101. Go to Groundhog Days {We got snowed in sadly...heard it was a blast. Next year!}
102. Don’t swear for a week {I also forgot this was on here...I'm also sure it didn't happen}
103. Identify 25 things that make me happy and find a way to incorporate those things into Project Life {I may still do this as I'm wrapping up Project Life...but I didn't do it during 2012}
104. Journal in Project Life as I take pictures - complete journaling for the previous month at the start of a month
105. Visit at least 1 photo booth
106. Take vitamins daily
107. Organize the photos on my computer {i got my work computer organized, but not my home ones}
108. Clean out refrigerator weekly
109. Send thank you notes in a timely manner {I'm hit or miss. I don't like that.}
110. Donate expired coupons for military use
111. Create/purchase a family calendar to be used by both Mike & me {my iPhone calendar seems to work better than this would have...we just check in with each other about things that are going on and I keep track of it.}
112. Say no to things when I don’t have time or am feeling overwhelmed {I'm calling this in progress. When I started Gather, I readjusted my priorities, and made sure I was taking time to make my dream come true. Sometimes, that means saying no to things, even when it's something I want to do. I'm working to feel okay with that, because I'm often disappointed, and even more often, worrying that I'm disappointing someone else. I have to move past that.}


Whew. To best honest, I stopped looking at this list halfway through 2012 {when I wrote my last post about it.} I knew it was there, but I didn't prioritize some of these items like I should have. It became a really overwhelming list for me, because our lives changed so much this last year.

When I first posted this list, someone made a comment that there was so much on my list, and my response was, well, if I even get a few of them completed, then my life will be that much better. I really believed that going in, and if I'm counting correctly, I completed 28 of the items on my list. Another 19 are in progress. So, that's pretty awesome when you think about it. Some of the fails were due to outside circumstances, some were because I just decided they weren't important, and some genuinely were fails. Maybe I readjusted my priorities, maybe I just didn't have the time or money, or maybe I just plain failed. Whatever the reason, I feel like the accomplishments on this list are pretty significant.

Okay, on to 2013. No, I won't be doing a 113 in 2013. It was just too much trying to do this list in 2012, even when I was paying attention to it. And clearly it fizzled out. I obviously will have some goals for next year, and I'm brainstorming some ways to keep me on track with them. Once I'm finished with the list, I'll be sharing it here like I did this year. I'd love to see your years in review, or your goals for 2013. Leave me a comment with blog posts on these topics so I can share in your challenges as well.

I hope everyone has a safe & happy New Year's Eve, and I wish you all the best in 2013. I'm looking forward to a great year!

30 Bags in 30 Days

Hey everyone,

If you read yesterday's "right now" post, then you saw that I'm on an organizational kick. This actually started about a month ago or so, but since moving is on the horizon, it's kicked into high gear now.

In an example of perfect timing, my friend Becky blogged about her 30 Bags in 30 Day project that she undertakes every year. You can read her post here. She decided to create the Instagram tag #30bags30days for those of us participating in the project to share our pictures. {I'm @gatherboutique on Instagram if you want to follow me.}

So, yesterday, I took on my first project: organizing my one personal drawer in my office. Here's the before:

Now, I know you can't see a whole lot in here, but that's a drawer that's about 12 inches deep filled to the brim with all sorts of things. And that's exactly what I see every time I open it up, so I have to dig to find out what I'm after.

I started by cleaning everything out to see what I even had. I threw away anything that was expired {which was only a couple things}. I put a couple of things where they actually belong instead of in this drawer. This is what I ended up with after that process:

The two binders in the back of the drawer are actually work related, but I only access them every year or two. I have to keep them on hand somewhere, but I don't need to worry about how easy it is to get to them since I don't use them often.

I started putting things back in the drawer in a way that made sense and I thought I could keep organized. I used a small cardboard box from the recycling pile to help corral some smaller items, and some zipper bags for others. Here's how it ended up:

From the top left, moving clockwise, I have some extra plastic bags I keep on hand in case I need to take things home with me.

Next I have some food in larger packages. We live about an hour and a half away from work, and I tend to eat most of my meals either at work or on the way to or from work. So, I keep an extra box of cereal on hand in case I happen to forget breakfast or am running late, and some chips for the occasional snack {rather than spending too much from the vending machine.}

Then I have condiments, just in case I need them for lunches. Saves on having to pack them from home.

The drink mixes are in individual form to be used with water bottles or tumblers {I have 3 or 4 different kinds there so I don't get too bored with them.}

I have some granola and snack food on hand. Or, if I don't eat all of the food I've packed for the day and it won't go bad, I normally just stick it in my drawer to be eaten later.

I keep some cold medicine, cold-eze, and whatnot on hand. Again, it's not like I can run home over lunch and get some, and I hate spending money on something that I already have on hand. In an emergency, our company has a pharmacy on site so I can just walk down the hall to get what I need.

I keep a candy jar on my desk for the employees and vendors who come to visit me. There's a bag of extras to refill. I normally don't buy candy, but find that I get gifted bags of candy for my jar from vendors or for holidays.

And finally, my zipper bag of utensils and napkins. I bring these items from home to keep on hand so I don't have to remember to pack them with my breakfast & lunch at home.

Everything is much more accessible now, the smaller items {especially the condiments} are corralled, and it's much easier to find what I'm looking for.

I also wanted to share with you my list for this project. I can cross the first item off!

Although it's called 30 Bags in 30 Days, I sincerely doubt I will get all of this accomplished in 30 days, especially with moving and butchering and Gather and everything else we have going on. And some of these things are things that can only be done at the new house because they're already packed up from this house {for example, the craft stuff, the games, dvds, etc.}

Like I said above, I'll be taking photos with Instagram, so look for updates there. I'll probably do an update to the project when it's done to let you know what I got accomplished. I hope you'll join in with us by using the tag #30bags30days. Leave a comment here or on Instagram and let me know you're joining in. Good luck!

Right Now

Hey everyone,

First off, a belated Happy Holidays to you all! I hope no matter what holidays you celebrate at this time of year, they were wonderful and filled with lots of fun, family & friends, laughter and blessings.

I've been a horrible blogger these last few months, and I haven't talked about much of anything except Gather. While it's a huge part of our lives, it's not all we do, and I feel like I haven't talked a lot about my life outside of it lately. I wanted to do a little "right now" post with you, and hopefully before the end of the year, I'll be able to see how my 112 in 2012 went, share some year in review type stuff, and who knows what else. That only gives me 6 or so days, so we'll see, but I'm going to try!

Right now I'm loving these post-Christmas sales. I adore Christmas...it's easily my favorite holiday by leaps and bounds, and I am always looking for things to add to my holiday collections. The day after Christmas is like a holiday in itself for me...I love hunting for great clearance finds, or seeing what stores have items I've really wanted this season still in stock. After I buy them, I store them away for next year and then it's like opening presents when I decorate for the holidays!

Right now I'm starting to feel some hope about moving. If you've been reading my blog at all over the last 15 months or so, you know that Mike & I have been planning a move. We made an offer on a house that was accepted, and then we had to back out of the deal because we agreed to move to Mike's parents farm. Long story short, that process has taken longer than any of us had ever wanted. It's been a roller coaster of a year with regard to that change in our lives, but it looks like we will be making the move sometime in early 2013, and then listing our beloved house for sale. I'll talk more about that when the time comes, but I'm excited to be getting on with this new chapter in our lives and all the things that it will bring for us. I'm also thrilled to see light at the end of the tunnel with regard to living out of boxes! Our house is nowhere near packed up, but we did start packing some things that weren't critical, every day items a LONG time ago. Even though we don't use them every day, we do access them more than once every 15 months. I'm loving that I won't have to unpack and repack these items every time we want to use them!

Right now I'm trying to live in the moment and enjoy everything about this upcoming week. It's always my week to take a break, relax from the holiday craziness, not think too much about the future, and just enjoy. It's difficult for me to live in the moment...it's something I've always struggled with. I'm a planner by nature, and I look toward the future 99% of the time as a result of that. I give myself this week every year to really just spend time loving the slower pace of my life for 7 days, and not think about all the things I have to get done or want to get done in the next year.

Right now I'm on an organizational kick. Maybe it's because we're moving. Maybe it's because I see how inefficiently we're using space in our current house and I know we're going to be in a smaller house soon. Maybe it's because I'm just tired of not having a place for everything. I don't know, but I'm really glad it's happening. I decided that I'm going to organize as I pack so that when I unpack, I don't have any excuses. I've been finding tons of great inspiration through blogs, YouTube & Pinterest {which, to be honest, is all a little overwhelming}. I'm so looking forward to getting everything in order and having a system that works for us.

Right now I'm figuring out if I can catch up and finish my 2012 Project Life before the end of the year. I'm sure I can, because the system is that awesome. I just have to tell myself to do it. Maybe I'll be able to get everything done this weekend and do a video to flip through the album with you.

{Speaking of which} Right now I'm loving the idea of taking videos of things rather than trying to take pictures. I'm still not comfortable seeing myself on camera, so I don't know that I'll ever be in front of the camera, but I love watching videos on YouTube of different things and think I want to include more of that into my memory keeping, blogging, and Gather promotion.

Right now I'm so grateful for everyone in my life, both family & friends. This Christmas was honestly one of the best I remember in a long time, not because of the gifts {although, I got some cool stuff!}, but because of all the people I was able to be with. I'm so truly blessed to have such an awesome group of people around me. I'm also extremely lucky to have the community of people that I've met through this blog, Facebook, and other social media outlets. I would have never guessed how many awesome friendships I would have made in these ways, but I'm so glad for them.


I'll probably be adding my right now type posts to my Project Life album at some point, and when I eventually do go over my album with you, I'll show you how I incorporate those. I hope you're having an amazing week and I'll check in with you soon!

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint is Here!!

Hey friends!

Yesterday was a great day at Gather, our first shipment of Miss Mustard Seek Milk Paint arrived!!

If you're not familiar with milk paint, check out www.missmustardseedmilkpaint.com for more information and some tutorials on how to use the product. The reason I'm interested and wanted to sell it at Gather is because I think it offers so many painting options, between the different finishes that can be achieved, the ability to mix colors, and so on.

So, I thought it would be fun for you to go through all the product I received. I took a quick video on my iPhone in the store last night, so it's not the best quality, but you'll get the idea!

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint is now available at Gather - and we also happen to be open on Saturday from 10-3! This is a great chance for you to come in and check out the paint for yourselves. It's also plenty of time for you to finish that last minute Christmas shopping if you're not done by then!

As I'm sure you can tell on the video, I'm so excited to have the opportunity to work with a great product, and I can't wait to experiment with it in the next few weeks! I have a ton of great pieces in the store that are just waiting to be painted, so I know Mike and I will be having a lot of painting parties over Christmas break.

For those of you who are new to my blog, Facebook, or Gather Boutique, we are located in Elmwood, Nebraska, which is between Lincoln and Omaha. We'd love to have you stop by and check out what we offer, from vintage finds, to gifts, to painted furniture...and now, Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint!

We've also just set our hours for the first half of 2013! For the most part, we'll be open the 2nd & 4th Saturdays of every month from 10am until 3pm. As I mentioned in the video, we want to start offering some classes in 2013 as well and those will be outside of our regular store hours. If there's a class you'd like to see us offer, please let me know by commenting on this blog post or on our Facebook page!

If you'd like to follow us on Facebook, the address is www.facebook.com/gatherboutique. I also Instagram a lot of photos and store updates, so follow me there if you're an Instagram user! My username is Gatherboutique.

Please let me know if you have any questions about Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint. I look forward to seeing you soon at Gather!

Gift Certificate Sale!

Hey all,

Happy Cyber Monday to you!

First, I just have to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to support us this weekend for Small Business Saturday and our Holiday Open House! It was one of our busiest weekends yet, and I loved every second of it! If you follow me on Instagram (@gatherboutique), then you probably saw a photo I posted of the front of our store on Saturday. In the description, I wrote that when I used to dream about this store, I always imagine it at Christmastime. I could just see the store decorated for my favorite time of year. This is a Christmas season I will never forget, and I feel like Saturday, one of my dreams finally came true. Thank you to those of you who were a part of it!

Okay, now on to the sale...

Gather is offering a $25 gift certificate for only $20!! Not bad, right? You can make your own sale with this offer, or save a little money on a gift for a friend. Here's how to purchase:

1. E-mail your name and e-mail address to gatherboutique@gmail.com and let me know you want to purchase a gift certificate (only 1 per customer allowed, sorry!)
2. I'll send you a Paypal invoice for your payment.
3. Make your payment by 11:59pm on November 30th and I'll e-mail you the gift certificate and the terms for use (see below).
4. Print it off and bring it to Gather next time you shop!

And, because everything has terms, here are mine (they're not too bad!):
Pay $20 for a gift certificate valued at $25. The gift certificate may be used by you or given as a gift. Only one offer per customer, please! The gift certificate will expire 1 year from the date of purchase (expiration date will be listed on certificate). Certificates may only be used on products for sale in Gather Boutique, not for online purchases or custom orders. If the full amount of the gift certificate is not used on a purchase, a new gift certificate for the remaining amount will be issued at the time of purchase. Gift certificates that do not have valid promotional codes issued by Gather Boutique will not be accepted. The value of the gift certificate will not be replaced if the card is lost, stolen, destroyed, altered without permission or used without your permission.

If you have any questions, please let me know, I'm happy to answer them for you. I'm not limiting the amount of gift certificates that can be purchased, so be sure to tell your friends about this offer! I'm really excited about it...it's our first "sale" at Gather...and I can tell you, they won't happen that often, so take advantage of this one!

We'll also be offering gift certificates for purchase in the store where you can determine the gift  amount. They won't be part of this special promotion, but if you're looking for a gift idea for someone and have no clue what to buy them, this is a great option!

A couple of other Gather announcements:

1. If you didn't see it on Facebook, (you should follow us if you're not already...www.facebook.com/gatherboutique), we're thrilled to announce that we've been accepted as a seller of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint! We expect to see our order in the next few weeks, and I'm hoping to offer some classes in 2013 showing you how to use this awesome product!

2. Our holiday celebration continues throughout the rest of December. We're open for Gatherings on the following dates:

Saturday, December 8th  10a-3p

Sunday, December 9th  12p-4p

Saturday, December 22nd  10a-5p

I hope to be popping in to the blog more often during the month of December with photos of our Holiday Open House, new products for sale, info about Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint, and some updates about what's going on in our life. This is a busy time of year for everyone, so once again, I want to thank you for all your support!

Have a great day, friends! 

Holiday Open House

Hi everyone!

First up, a reminder that Gather will be open tomorrow (Saturday) from 9a-3p and Sunday from 12p-4p! This is our last Gathering before we turn the shop into a winter wonderland!

Speaking of which...

Mark you calendars for our Holiday Open House!

If you can't make it on the 24th, come see us any of the rest of these dates before Christmas:

Sunday, November 25th  12p-4p

Saturday, December 8  10a-3p

Sunday, December 9  12p-4p

Saturday, December 22  10a-3p

Hope to see you soon! 

Happy Halloween!

Wishing you all a fun, safe, mischievous, spooky, & happy Halloween!

October Gathering!

Hi all,

Just a quick post to let you know that Gather will be CLOSED this weekend. I hate to change my schedule, but Mike & I are still recovering from the accident and working constantly probably isn't the best idea for us. We just want to make sure we're taking care of ourselves.

Gather will be open this month on October 27th, from 10-4, so I hope you'll come see us then. There's also plenty of junking to be done this weekend if you're looking - Junkstock is Friday, Saturday & Sunday, and Junk Jaunt is also this weekend in central Nebraska.

Thanks for all your support & see you on the 27th!!

We Are Lucky

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a photo from this weekend:

Our truck is the silver one. We both loved that truck. Mike picked me for our first few dates in that truck, he hid my engagement ring in it the night before he proposed, and he drove to our wedding in it. It was part of a lot of great memories, and it will be missed.

I don't want to write the story of the accident. It was horrible, but everyone walked away with only minor injuries {including the horse that was in the trailer on the right side of the picture}. What I do want to write about is how extremely lucky we are.

Mike & I have been in a couple of scary situations in our time together, and we've gotten through them with only minor injuries and thoughts of what could have been. This accident wasn't like I thought it would be...I didn't panic, I didn't tell Mike I loved him just in case, and unlike most ridiculous chick flicks, my life didn't flash before my eyes. I was scared. I still am scared. But I also knew then and know now how lucky we are.

We are lucky that something worse didn't happen. Thanks to my husband's quick thinking, he was able to steer our truck for the least amount of damage and chance for injury. I took the bulk of the impact, and as I've said about a hundred times in the last few days, I am fine. Bruised, cut, and emotionally shaken up, but I'm fine.

We are lucky to be able to laugh in times of stress. It wasn't more than a couple minutes after I realized I wasn't seriously hurt that I was making jokes and trying to lighten the mood. Yes, it's a serious situation, but I was so thankful to be able to laugh.

We are lucky our sweet Molly Monster wasn't with us. We often let her ride along when we go to visit family. She normally has a spot on my lap. The most horrific moment of the whole day for me was thinking of what could have been if she was with us. It still makes me cry uncontrollably. I love that little pooch. {On a similar note, we are also lucky the horse in the other vehicle wasn't hurt. I have a soft spot for animals, and I'm not sure I could have handled it if she had been hurt.}

We are lucky to live in a small community with amazing volunteers. All the firefighters and paramedics that day were from our village's volunteer department. They were amazing. Our community {and so many other small towns like ours} are so blessed by these people.

We are lucky that we were together. I was waffling on not going with Mike that morning, and I'm so glad I did. If we had to be in an accident, I'm glad we were in it together. I was so scared to let him drive to work by himself yesterday while I rested at home for one more day. We lean on each other in bad times, and celebrate together in good. Now, Mike might have wished he'd gone alone so I wouldn't have to hurt. And I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be in that truck by myself...I'm not as quick on my feet as he is. But it's nice to have someone who can understand how I'm feeling, both emotionally and physically.

We are lucky that this {hopefully} won't affect our lives all that much. We're fortunate to have other vehicles to rely on. We didn't have to spend any time in the hospital, and all of our injuries will heal. It sounds like insurance should do what it's supposed to do and help out with the financial piece of things.

We are lucky to have supportive employers. None of our injuries were so serious that we absolutely needed to take time off work. Monday would have been an exhausting and painful day if we'd gone in to our offices, but we could have done it if we were forced to. Fortunately, we were able to take the opportunity to rest. Gather, on the other hand, is a demanding workplace! More about that in a minute... :)

We are lucky to have amazing family and friends. We didn't tell a lot of people what happened. I didn't share the story on Facebook or post pictures to Instagram {though, my first thought when I was climbing out of the ambulance was that I wanted a photo for our PL album. Yes, I'm weird.} This may be the first time you're hearing about it. It's difficult for me to talk about. Writing this post is hard, but I want to remember the things I'm thinking about. Those friends and family who did know, though...you are awesome! We knew you were great before, but it's so comforting to know we have people we can lean on if we should ever need help.

It's so easy to focus on the negative aspect of this. It would be really easy to say, "Why us?" And let me just say, I haven't been all sunshine and roses these last few days. Sometimes though, I appreciate the opportunities {though I don't care to repeat them!} that remind me to count my blessings.

I said I'd get back to Gather in a minute. For those that don't really understand how product gets to Gather, it isn't a matter of simply ordering from a catalog, or visiting a warehouse to fill my store. Searching for junky treasure is a physically demanding job. That being said, I'm not 100% sure that I'm going to be able to do my job for the next couple of weeks. We'll still be open 3 days this month {October 13, 14 & 27}, but I'm not sure how much new inventory you'll be seeing if you come in the next time we're open. I'm trying, and I'm committed to getting as much new stuff out as possible, but I'm also trying to listen to my body and know my limitations. I know many of my loyal customers travel a long way to see us, and I wanted to make sure to give you all a head's up before you make the trip. I'll be updating more as the time gets closer about what you can expect from October's Gatherings.  

Anyway, I really challenge you to think about all the ways in your life that you're lucky. And, if you want to leave me a comment and tell me about them, I'll help celebrate with you!

Missing

Hi all,

I wanted to pop in quickly and share some thoughts. No store updates today. Not much of anything actually. Just some things I've been missing lately...

I miss blogging. It sometimes feels like a chore, and rarely do I have ideas for what to write about, but I actually miss doing it on a semi-regular basis. I feel like all I talk about anymore is Gather. I love Gather. But this blog was started to tell stories about our lives, not just our store.

I miss time for fun. Someone called me a workaholic the other day. I consider myself a fairly lazy person, so I got a good giggle out of that. And then I realized that it's sort of true. All I do is work. And the times I stop working are generally because I'm too tired to keep working. I'm trying to make myself carve out some time for fun.

I miss Project Life. I haven't put pictures in my album since March. I have around a hundred printed off and ready to be put in, but haven't made the time. I just picked up my real camera last week for the first time in months. It felt good. I signed up for Becky Higgins' Project Real Life class at Big Picture Classes...hope it motivates me to get back into the swing of memory keeping.

I miss cooking dinner. Fall is my favorite time of the year, and I usually feel the urge to start cooking again when the weather cools off and I don't dread using my oven. I start craving soups. Mike & I have always said that when we have kids, we'll make time to sit down at the dinner table as a family every night. I think we need to make the same commitment to each other, now.

I miss my mom. This isn't new...a day doesn't go by that I don't miss her. But, now especially, I just wish she was still here. I have so many questions for her. I want to learn things from her. I want to go junking with her. My heart aches to talk with her almost every time I'm looking through awesome old stuff. When I was a kid, she used to drag me to antique stores and garage sales with her, and I hated it. But, I learned from her. I learned how to spot treasures and see value in things that were seemingly trash. I just wish I would have appreciated that time with her. And I so wish she could be my partner at Gather.

I miss feeling rested. There's not much else to that story.

Gosh, I sound depressing. I promise, I'm not sad. I'm happy and excited and normally very thrilled with how my life looks right now. I've always thrived having a very full calendar. I almost feel like I'm back in college, with full days and a packed schedule, and always looking two steps ahead because there was undoubtedly something else I had to do. I loved that.

I love this.

I hope to have a lot of fun this weekend. My schedule is fairly light for a change, and I plan to sleep in, get some work done packing up the house, spend time with family, and put in some quality time at Gather. Sounds like the perfect weekend to me!

Have a great one, all!!

September at Gather Boutique

Hi everyone!

Thanks to those of you who came to visit us at Gather on Saturday! We had a great crowd, met lots of new people, and saw some familiar faces as well! Some of my favorite pieces left the store on Saturday {early too!}, but I love that they're going to new homes where they will be loved as much as they were by me.

This post is very photo heavy, but I want you to come on a little tour of Gather with me...

It was time for a change in my window. I love fall, it's my favorite season, and regardless of the weather, I'm ready to decorate for it beginning on September 1st!

Stepping inside Gather's door, this is the first thing you'd see. My favorite found door, a gate from the garden of the house I grew up in, and the wreath I made for the church doors the day of my wedding. {The wreath isn't for sale, but I'd be happy to try to replicate it for someone if they wanted}

Can I offer you a drink?

My front table always stays in the same spot, and it always features some seasonal or holiday specific theme. If I have a new party collection in a month, this is where it is displayed. I don't have an autumn collection {athough my harvest collection probably could have worked here...I'm not sure I've showed you that one though...anyway...}, so I decided to focus on the colors of fall instead. This "Home" monogram is a replica of one that's been in my living room for the past couple of years. I think it would be very cute as a family name monogram as well...for example, a large V with the name "Vogt" under the line for my family. All of my prints are able to be customized, so if you ever see anything you want personalized for you and your family, just let me know!

This little green shop cabinet is my favorite find for the month. {Sorry for the blurry picture.} It sold quickly, and I'll miss it terribly, but I know it's going to be loved by its new owners. I have big plans to make that rake into a display piece, and who knows...that lovely tool box may hold something fun in future months!

This bed frame and night stand were new finds this month as well. The bed frame would look so sweet in a child's room. It's got a great shape and I love the chippy white paint. The little green night stand sold quickly too. It was hand made and had been well-loved for many years.

This chest of drawers doesn't actually match the bed frame, but you'd never know it! It is such a sturdy piece, and has a ton of storage space. Since this picture was taken, we gave her a little makeover with some new hardware.

Last month, we celebrated back to school at Gather. This month, we have a cute vintage desk that definitely would have made my school days more fun {or at least a lot prettier!} I also have a cool globe in muted tones...I keep trying to form a collection of globes, and they keep selling out from under me! I still have this one though.

One last fall centerpiece. I found this wash basin and pitcher just after last month's gathering, and immediately pictured it full of fall flowers. I'm very tempted to take this home and put it on my dining room table.

I've already found a couple of great pieces for October's gatherings, and it's only 3 days past the last one! We have a back room full of furniture waiting to be painted. So much that it's actually overflowing into the store {you can see the stack of tables in one of the photos above, just waiting for a little love}. You'll know where to find me the next month or so!

Have a great day everyone!

Oops

{Story of my life - work, work, work! Might be more fun if I was working at this adorable desk...for sale at Gather this weekend!}

Hey all,

Somehow, a month went by without me knowing it! Seriously, I had posts planned in my head, previews of some things in the store, and even some updates on the other stuff going on in my life...and then it's a month later.

The good news is that we've found some really awesome things for Gather this month. I can't wait for you to see them...we'll be open on Saturday {10a-5p}! I'll be at Gather all day tomorrow getting ready for Saturday, so check out the Gather facebook page {www.facebook.com/gatherboutique} or my Instagram feed for a preview. You can follow me on Instagram @gatherboutique.

One other thing I'm excited about is my awesome husband's birthday, also on Saturday! I won't get to post before then, so a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIKE!!!

Alrighty, back to getting ready for our Gathering on Saturday. Stop by and see us!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Currently...

Loving...
My sweet husband. I love how he's always on my side, sticks up for me all the time, and wants the best for me, no matter what. I know that I can count on him to celebrate with me and hold me up when I need to cry or scream or possibly both {not that that ever happens...}

Reading...
I normally put my books down the week before we have a Gathering so I can focus on getting the store ready to be open. I've still be reading blogs like crazy, and I'm looking forward to a few magazines I have stacked up and waiting for me.

Waiting for...
Fall. We've finally had a break in the ridiculous weather, and this last weekend was beautiful! I can't wait to spend some time outdoors in the next couple of months, soaking it all up before that awful white stuff flies.

Excited about...
County fairs! The Cass County Fair starts today and goes through Saturday, and the Otoe County Fair picks up on Sunday and goes through Wednesday. Looking forward to hanging out with friends and family, and seeing one of my favorite groups, Tonic Sol-Fa, at the OCF on Monday. {They're a super fun a Capella group I met in college after seeing them in concert for a leadership thing I was part of...I've been catching their shows whenever they're close by. Great guys, fun times!}

Missing...
Sleep. I haven't slept well at all the last few weeks. Stress and exhaustion are the big factors. Do you ever get so tired it gets hard to sleep? That's where I am right now. I'm happy to get just a couple hours a night, but I can really feel myself dragging. I'm hoping after I catch up on some projects this week and the store opens on Saturday, I'll be able to get back into a normal pattern.

Trying to...
Be realistic about my limitations. I guess I'm not sure what I was thinking, opening a business when I already had one going online, plus working a full time job. I just thought it would magically come together and my life wouldn't be that much different. Truth is, I'm not adjusting very well, and I need to make some cuts. I'm going to be adjusting some of the things I offer in my Etsy store, and making it more focused on the same types of items I sell in Gather. I'd like them to compliment each other, not be two entirely different things. I'll write more about that when I've finalized my decision.

Working on...
My party theme for the August Gathering. It's Back to School time, so why not throw a bash to celebrate it {or, at least to distract the kids about going back to school!} We're featuring all sorts of party decor and some fun vintage accessories. I'm also super excited about my August treat from Drizzles...Apple Cake Pops! {If for no other reason, come visit us for free desserts!}

Enjoying...
The Olympic games! I forget every couple of years how much I love watching them, and then I get sucked back in every time. I've been DVRing a lot of coverage because I'm not home much, but I've especially been loving the gymnastics, swimming, & volleyball coverage.

Using...
My iPhone. It's glued to my hand most of the time. I don't know how I got along without it. Other than at my "real" job, I almost never do work on my computer. I much prefer the convenience of checking e-mail, Etsy, Facebook, etc. on my phone.

Watching...
Other than the Olympics, I'm watching all sorts of summer reality TV. And yes, most of it is stupid, which is why I love it! Scheduled on my DVR this summer: Tia & Tamera, Storage Wars, Trust Us With Your Life {Wayne Brady, swoon}, Dance Moms, So You Think You Can Dance, On the Fly, & Big Brother. I think I really only record 2 or 3 shows that aren't reality TV. Scary.

Wearing...
My new halftee! I got one to try it on the recommendation of Shelley from The House of Smiths, and I love it. I'll be buying a LOT more to get me through fall and winter.

Planning...
Mostly things for Gather for the rest of the year. I got some new advertising pieces printed yesterday, and went ahead and set my schedule of open dates for the rest of 2012 to print on them. We've had the goal of being open at least a couple more days per month, and starting in October, we will be! Here's the rundown:

Saturday, August 11 {10a-5p}

Saturday, September 8 {10a - 5p}

Saturday, October 13 {10a - 5p}

Sunday, October 14 {12p - 4p}

Saturday, October 27 {12p - 5p}

Saturday, November 10 {10a - 5p}

Sunday, November 11 {12p -4p}

Saturday, November 24 {8a -5p}

Sunday, November 25 {12p - 4p}

Saturday, December 8 {10a - 5p}

Sunday, December 9 {12p-4p}

Saturday, December 22nd {9a-5p}

Halloween is probably tied with Christmas for my favorite holiday, so I'm thrilled that we're able to be open so close to the 31st! I'm already itching to get my hands on the store and spooky it up for one of my favorite days!

I'm also thrilled that we're going to be open 5...yes, 5!...times between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm a firm believer that Christmas decor shouldn't come out before Thanksgiving, so Gather will be completely transformed before we open on November 24th. Elmwood has a huge Holiday Extravaganza on the 24th, so we're opening extra early {8am!} so everyone will have plenty of time to shop and explore the town.

Singing...

Whatever's on the radio on the way home from work. Must have it cranked, must be upbeat! Thank goodness no one has to hear my awful voice {I quit when I pick Mike up from work since we carpool...no one deserves that kind of torture.}

Needing...

To pack. We'd like to get our house as packed up as possible before we list it, so we can store our abundance of stuff. I'll miss my house terribly, which may be why I'm delaying a little {aside from the fact that I'm not sure how we're going to add one more thing to our to-do list}.

Wishing...

Things were a little more settled for us. I'm a bundle of anxiety right now and I really hate feeling like that. I need some consistency in my life, and a lot of calm. I'm the exact opposite of calm by nature, so if my surroundings aren't calm, it sends me into a tropical storm of emotions {good and bad}.

Praying for...

Our marriage. I think that as things get crazy in life, it's easy to take what you have for granted in all relationships, but especially the ones that feel the most comfortable. Mike & I are so secure with each other, I think it would be easy to put our marriage on the back burner and focus on it later on. I think that's a really dangerous habit to start, and we're intentionally putting our marriage on our priority list - blocking out time to be together, making sure we have time to rest together and plan for our future, and always making sure we're supporting one another. With everything else that's up in the air right now, I know we have to make sure our marriage is solid. Nothing even comes to being as important to us.

Dreaming of...

All the things we'll do to our new house. I'm just itching to get started on making changes, decorating, really making plans. The more abstract the timeline for anything we do, the more out of control my dreams get. Once we get started in a plan though, I'm fairly grounded and don't make too many changes.

Check back this week for some more Gather updates!

July Recap {Gather Boutique}

Hi everyone,

A warning to start with, this post is very photo heavy. I'm busily getting ready for the August Gathering already {mark your calendars now - August 11, 10am-5pm} and completing a bunch of Etsy orders in the meantime. I'm a few days behind, but I wanted to show you some pictures I took at Gather in July with Instagram. You can see these in real time by following me on Instagram at gatherboutique or by "liking" our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gatherboutique.

Thanks for stopping by!