11.28.2022

Gift Guide | For The Ladies

Hey friends! it's four weeks until Christmas and I've decided that instead of posting a post every day, I'd instead roll out a gift guide post with several people in mind. We're looking at the ladies in our lives- the grannies, the mothers, the teens / young adults, and the little princesses we love. Ladies are usually the ones doing all the shopping and thinking about what to get everyone else, so without further ado, here are the gift guides!

*as always, inserting the disclaimer here: some of these links are affiliate links which means that if you purchase through them, I make a small commission.

The (Grand)Mothers

The Teens + Young Adults

The Little Princess

so there you have it -- some gift ideas for the women who make our worlds go round! Hope you've found a little inspo here; happy shopping!

Three Holiday Table Inspo Boards

it's the most wonderful time of the year -- and that means a lot of dinner parties are coming our way! Sooooo, I thought it would be fun to start my gift guide / product round-up series with three mood boards for three dinner parties: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve! As always, the products will be listed + linked below the graphic of products and some of the links will be affiliate links.

so that's my inspiration for the upcoming holidays -- if only I had an unlimited budget. LOL. off to find dupes of those fancy pots! anyway, hope you loved them as much as I loved curating them. Keep your eyes open for a few upcoming and affordable gift guides!

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11.06.2022

Christmas + Birthday Wishlist

Every year my husband asks me what I want for Christmas and every year I direct him to this blog because I need to sit and think about it for a bit -- and this year is no different in that regard! Here I am sitting thinking and curating a list that he can go off of.

I hope to get more crafty this following year by learning a few new things: how to crochet, knit, and sew as well as felting nature / woodland elements, making dollhouse furniture + making Waldorf dolls. So, my wishlist this year reflects all of these interests. My birthday is a month after Christmas Eve, so I'm curating this list with both days in mind.

Personal List

Set of 17 Play Silks :: I've been eyeing this set for a while now. I use them in the classroom, as backdrops in photos, and as bandanas while the boys use them as capes + during their imaginary play. I just love this brand and everything about them. *bought this for myself when it was 70% off.

Candle Holders :: decor for the table that I have been eyeing.

Light Branch (2) | Dark Branch (2) | Yellow Star

Sewing Machine :: getting kind of courageous by asking for this, but I really want to learn how to sew and crochet to make little animal critters for my little guys (and eventually sell?). I read in multiple places that this is one of the better machines for beginners, so I'm gonna trust the pros on this one.

How to Sew | How to Machine Sew | How to Embroider | Crochet Tips + Techniques | Crochet Kit / Sewing Kit

Vintage Postcards :: paintings and vintage animal prints, seasonal landscapes, and rural life -- all on postcards. they're my new way of collecting art and I display them during our units at school. I would always love to add to my collection.

Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Set 6

Susan Branch Cookbooks :: I have been eyeing these for a while!

Autumn Cookbook | Christmas Cookbook | Summer Cookbook | Heart of the Home

Little House on the Prairie Book Set :: classic literature is such a weakness of mine, I just love how simple this set looks.

Felting Tools :: a hobby that I want to pick up!

Figurines :: I collect a wide variety of vintage figurines and am always looking for more sweet friends to add to the collection. I've linked several examples and lists below to give to an idea of what I love. Basically, anything that looks like Hummel figurines, gnomes (except the kind with the hats covering their eyes), woodland + farm animals, dressed-up mice, fairy garden houses that look like cottages, or historical little village buildings are my favorite.

... that's basically it. LOL. obviously, this is a list of ideas, but it's good to keep in mind that I love little vintage trinkets, art, and you know what they say -- a diamond is a girl's best friend, so that's always a good gift too.

so, yah, that's the list. I feel like I will be getting most of these in time. I really want to get crafty this coming art, and if I can fine-tune one of these skills, I'd love to start up a little Etsy shop where I can sell the crafts. Time will tell and I hope to keep you posted!

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10.20.2022

life update (+ two forest inspired playrooms)

hey friends, it's been a while. not sure what I can say about my absence except this year has been busy and life can get hectic. I'm back and just in time for my annual gift guides, but first, a little life update of sorts!

to start, I started a branch off of this blog, titled "the schooling haus" where I blog about all the homeschooling things. it's a place to get more in-depth, share more links and give the homeschooling journey its own diary type of space.

I've also started a personal Instagram page and have separated the blogging realm from it. my blogging page became a numbers obsession and I kept feeling the urge to start fresh. here's a little blurb from my new page to explain it a bit more in-depth -- feel free to follow me over there.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by marta 🕊 (@mainlymarta)

in short, my blogging page is going to stay up and I'll post the collaborative work I do with brands over there. it's going to be more of a portfolio rather than a lifestyle account. I am really over the chaotic blogging realm and all the competitive aspects that come with it. I am going to continue blogging because I love writing and curating guides, but I am going to do it on my terms with no comparisons coming from my end.

Other than that, the boys keep growing and I am trying to soak up our moments together at home and in the classroom, so I am not sharing much about them via my blogging or personal page. they make an occasional appearance in stories and reels, but babies don't keep and I don't want to regret not being more present. so yah, that's me right now, nothing crazy, but at the same time, a lot of changes and shifts in my perceptions.

now, let's get to those nature-inspired playrooms, shall we? like always, there will be a graphic, and right underneath it will be a list linking all the products in the graphic. also inserting a disclaimer (in the name of transparency) here to let you know that some of the links will be affiliate links.

#1: MUSHROOM INSPIRED

#2: CAMPING INSPIRED

so that's a wrap. you're all up to date with what is happening in my neck of the woods. keep an eye out because the holiday gift guides are coming out starting next month! I am so excited to be doing them again as I search for gifts for my babies. I hope they provide a little bit of inspiration and aid as the holiday season slowly approaches us! until next time --

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9.15.2022

curriculum picks

hello again, today I thought I’d share all of the curricula we’ll be using for this coming school year. My firstborn is officially a kindergartner this fall, so I’ll be adding more structured one on one lessons with him as we attempt to learn to read — something he is super excited about.

our homeschooling style continues to be an adaption of multiple styles but in short, we’re focusing on rich literature, cultivating life skills and building upon our knowledge of the gospel and the world around us.

all this really means is that we’re keeping nature studies on the roster whilst, encouraging the boys to explore nature and their interests and adding phonics + math in the mix. there will be a plethora of sensory play, crafts, music and adventures!

⍋⍋⍋ THE CURRICULA ⍋⍋⍋

The Good & The Beautiful

is the bulk of what we’ll be using for my kindergartener this year. I love that this is an interactive curriculum which gives us one on one time for language arts, we’ve started their preschool course earlier this summer and as soon as that’s done, we will hop into the level k course.

Δ Δ SHOP THE GOOD & THE BEAUTIFUL HERE Δ Δ

Schoolhouse Treehouse

we will be using all four of their nature / seasonal studies. We used it last year and the boys really loved it. The have the most beautiful prints each unit and I love that the curriculum also incorporates poetry, recipes, art studies, crafts and music. it’s perfect for families that have multiple age groups in the classroom as there is something for all ages to enjoy.

Δ Δ SHOP SCHOOLHOUSE TREEHOUSE HERE Δ Δ

^^^

these two are what I consider our base curriculum as we’ll be using them every day. Because I like to pull from other sources to make the learning process more fun and visually appealing, I also have supplementary curricula that I pull from.

these include smaller unit studies that include beautiful art, recipes, and nature diagrams. many of these unit studies also have book lists that go along with each unit which is helpful when looking for books to add to your reading list.

Here is a small list of resources that I often pull from:

THE PEACEFUL PRESS

small unit studies that include books + recipes.

SLOW DOWN BY A YEAR OF LEARNING*

slow down unit studies are mini units that pair with the topics in the book, “Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature.”

THE SEASONS – A YEAR OF NATURE JOURNALING

a beautiful collection of nature journals filled with beautiful field guides, poetry, and nature diagrams + facts.

STEPHANIE HATHAWAY DESIGNS

beautiful nature guides filled with stunning art and information.

and that’s a wrap on our curriculum picks for this year. can’t wait to get started and share all our fun activities, adventure and new finds with you all.

* I want to place a little disclaimer here saying that some links are affiliate links. They’ll have an asterisk (*) next to where they are listed. There is no pressure to buy anything through these links, but if you do, just know that I reaaaaaally appreciate the support and so does my little crew.

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7.18.2022

small shop love pt. one : all time favorites

Hello friends! Coming at you with what I do best — talking about all the things that we love + use in our classroom. We’ve been homeschooling for two years now (the preschool / early years are so sweet) and have acquired a love for so many small shops. So, in addition to linking them in my Instagram posts and in several blog posts, I’ve decided to share some small shops that I adore! This is going to be a little series where I rave about small businesses, their owners + the products we love!

to start this series off with a bang, I want to share the shops that are my all time favorites. I keep saving up my money and going back to purchase all the things from these three shops because the quality is excellent, the products are beautiful and the owners have become friends. I love supporting them and their beautiful workmanship.

the shops

Happy Nature Place

is where we shop for wooden play dough stampers and we cannot get enough. This wonderful shop has easily become one of my Mose frequented shops. I’ve purchased wooden trays, stampers, and wooden little friends from them. Irena, the owner + crafter is so talented and her work is breath taking. She has become one of my favorite people on the gram, so naturally, I cannot stop raving about her and her craft.
TO SHOP HAPPY PLACE NATURE :: CLICK HERE
*pictured: round maple tray

Jack & Link Toys

a favorite shop for wooden trays and math counters / manipulatives. they were the first small shop I actually purchased from and I keep going back. their boards are excellent quality and the owners treat their customers like old friends. I honestly have nothing but amazing things to say about Nancy + Patrick and the products they make.
TO SHOP JACK & LINK TOYS :: CLICK HERE
*pictured: house tray

Little Forest Village

my go to shop for whimsical felted goodies (and they have wooden trays too!). the shop owner, Becky, became an instagram friend of mine and I got to witness her dream about opening this shop and when she finally did, boy did she soar — the woman is so talented! She makes the most beautiful felted mushrooms and animals. I get google-eyed every time her shop does a new product drop.
TO SHOP LITTLE FOREST VILLAGE :: CLICK HERE
*pictured: felted leaves

so, there you have it — my three all time favorite shops! they are by far my most frequented + loved on our schooling journey. check them out and fall in love with their products and once you do, you’ll see that it’s hard to stop spending money there.

see you next time,

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6.02.2022

the schooling haus; an official (re)introduction.

welcome to this little corner of the web; I’m so happy you’re here!

for those of you who don’t already know me, I’m Marta and I’m a pretty simple gal. These days my titles include: wife to a nurse and a stay at home mama to three sweet boys.

I’m passionate about mothering my babies, rooting my family in Jesus and embracing biblical womanhood by creating an intentional home. I am a history + literature nerd, love iced coffee and am constantly dreaming of life on the homestead. I’m one of those let me try all the hobbies kinda gal too, so I always have a ton of projects on hand and in my mind.

you’ll usually find me: outside exploring + learning about nature with the boys, trying to make our home as cozy as possible, trying out some new recipe whilst listening a sermon / podcast, diy(ing), organizing + reorganizing something orrrrrr you’ll find me here: sharing all the things about our homeschooling journey.

BUT FIRST, A LITTLE BACK STORY

Writing and photography are both passions of mine, becoming a content creator was nothing short of a let’s do this! I started blogging in the winter of 2016 in hopes of documenting my motherhood journey + finding community — I was able to achieve all that and more!

My blog soon became a place where I was able to share my life and support my family financially. It was and has been such a blessing for us, but with all good things, some things started to go astray.

No one tells you that the blogging realm is an over saturated place, filled with unhealthy competition. I learned the hard way that some people aren’t as nice as they appear online. Even though I started to feel a bit uneasy about the group of mom bloggers I associated with, I ignored all the red flags only to have several falling outs with people I grew to consider actual friends. I’m embarrassed, but I’m not going to sugar coat it — it was super painful process for me to accept that those friendships died as quickly as they started.

Being the person I am, I thought I could curb all that pain by letting my competitive side taking over and stretch myself to the max. I became a little obsessed with the numbers and getting all the collaborations — until I literally could not keep up with my own ambitions anymore. It literally felt like God took away all my energy for social media & writing for a few months that I had no choice but to step back.

I posted off and on for a few months, and then I finally did what I had to do… I archived over 500 posts on my blogging page, started a new personal instagram and promised myself that I wasn’t going to fall in the trap again.

HERE & NOW

This time around, I’m really searching for a like minded community and not letting the numbers consume me. I’ve also liberated myself from juggling aesthetically pleasing photos while attempting to juggle multiple niches at once in one place — which is why I am here, in the middle of the night, setting up this blogging space dedicated to our home school journey + new ways to approach learning.

I hope this place leaves you inspired and curious about home education and the beauty of learning because that’s where my heart is at the moment. I am so honored to have you follow along.

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3.26.2022

Easter + Spring Themed Gift Baskets

It's that time of year again friends -- easter basket season! I started doing these holiday baskets for the kids last year and I just love them. It brings so much excitement to the season. I like to think of this particular basket as more of a spring basket since we keep Easter season to focus on our Savior and the ultimate sacrifice (blog post on that + resources coming soon).

Here are some ideas + curated baskets that I think would be super cute + special for the little ones this season! As always, I want to insert the disclaimer that some (not all) of the links listed below are affiliate links which means I do make a small bit of commission if you choose to purchase through them.

The Colorful Spring Basket

The Future Farmer's Basket

The Little Lady Basket

The Little Man Basket

annnnd, that's a wrap on spring gift baskets! I am obsessing over the items in the future farmer's basket and am eying all the things in that curated listed. They're all so cute! Hope these curated lists gave you all the inspo!

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1.12.2022

Happy New Year With Basic Invite

Hiyyyyyaaa friends, we haven't chatted all year -- so allow me to take this moment to say happy new year! I hope your first few days of 2022 have been filled with lots of warmth and joy. I've taken them to rest, focus on family, and get my life in order before I start planning all the things I want to accomplish this year.

And speaking of planning, I've partnered with Basic Invite to make the invitation part of any party planning a breeze. If you haven't heard of Basic Invite yet, then I am so excited to tell you all about them! They're one of the few invitation services that allow customers almost unlimited color options with instant previews online.

Once you select a design, you can change the color of each element on the card, and with over 180 colors to choose from, you can make your dream comes to life.

Buuuuut wait, there's more! They also allow their customers to order a printed sample of the invitation before they place their final order, so you can see the paper quality and how it will print in real-time; allowing you to make sure the card comes out exactly the way you had in mind! They also have over 40 different envelope colors to choose from, so you can have them match the invitation -- bonus points that all of Basic Invite’s envelopes are peel and seal so they can be closed quickly and securely!

I also really love that Basic Invite offers an address capturing service that allows you to share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media to request addresses from friends and family. The addresses are then stored in your account and can be selected during the design process. Basic Invite offers address printing at no extra cost on all card orders which is amazing too!

Don't they sound amazing?! I'm turning to them for all my party planning needs this year -- baby shower invitations, graduation announcements, birthday invitations, and holiday cards all customizable and all in one place! I mean all I know is that, I'm turning to Basic Invite for baby shower invites for a girl (a mama can dream right?)

Just take a look at all the dreamy options... and then peep the sweet little discount code they've given my readers at the end of this post -- you don't want to miss it!

aren't they all so beautiful?l! I just love them all so much, I can't wait to start planning all the parties this year. I adore the invisible style business cards and cannot wait to design my own and get this -- right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off!

USE CODE: 15FF51

for more ideas, check out thier socials : Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter

AHHHH! I am just so excited for all the events this year and am so excited to customize all the invitations! Annnnnd, even though most of my parties are in April, I'm gonna admit that I've already been spending nights over at Basic Invites website and playing around with certain cards and colors -- it's been so fun!

I hope we all have the best year ahead of us and can't wait to share what it has in store for us with all of you!

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SLIDER

Welcome

LET'S CONNECT

11.28.2022

The (Grand)Mothers

The Teens + Young Adults

The Little Princess

11.14.2022

11.06.2022

Personal List

Candle Holders :: decor for the table that I have been eyeing.

Susan Branch Cookbooks :: I have been eyeing these for a while!

Felting Tools :: a hobby that I want to pick up!

10.20.2022

#1: MUSHROOM INSPIRED

#2: CAMPING INSPIRED

9.15.2022

⍋⍋⍋ THE CURRICULA ⍋⍋⍋

The Good & The Beautiful

Δ Δ SHOP THE GOOD & THE BEAUTIFUL HERE Δ Δ

Schoolhouse Treehouse

Δ Δ SHOP SCHOOLHOUSE TREEHOUSE HERE Δ Δ

^^^

SLOW DOWN BY A YEAR OF LEARNING*

7.18.2022

Happy Nature Place

Jack & Link Toys

Little Forest Village

6.02.2022

3.26.2022

The Colorful Spring Basket

The Future Farmer's Basket

The Little Lady Basket

The Little Man Basket

1.12.2022

USE CODE: 15FF51