I have to admit, Friday night as we loaded the car with all the market goods, I wanted to back out of participating for Golden Years. The forecast was predicting rain all day long and I thought no one would show up. Us Southern Californians don’t get rain often, and when we do, we don’t know how to deal. We can’t drive, go out, get too cold, and don’t function as well without that California sun, so for sure I thought we wouldn’t see anyone at the market that day. Anyway, despite my trepidation, I decided that no matter what, we we’re doing this, and if we got rained out, well then, we got rained out.

There was a light drizzle as we set up in the morning, and by the time everything was in place, it started to rain even more. As the rain kept on coming, the people kept coming too. It was so encouraging! Thankfully, we brought painter plastic to wrap up my tent, so that prevented all my clothes from getting wet. I loved that the rain didn’t stop these vintage lovers from coming out at shop. After talking to other shops, I learned that this was the best Golden Years yet!

I had so much fun meeting other vintage sellers, shoppers, and having a sort of all day date with Ben. Also, I really enjoyed styling up my space. We might have brought more goods to load and unload to set things up than the other vendors, but it’s exactly how I imagined setting up my pop-up shop. I’m really so thankful for technology, the internet, and how it really allows people to pursue things they love. I love vintage, handmade, indie designers, thoughtful fashion, and meeting others who share the same passion. Wovenfolk was born out of that love, as well as my love for baskets.

The next Golden Years event takes place on a day I’m doing flowers for a wedding (June 9), so I likely won’t be able to be there. I’m a little bummed about that, but I will try to make sure and not miss the fall one. It’s such a wonderful market, and if you love vintage, I highly recommend you make sure you make the next one!

I have a few macrame workshops coming up and I’ve been busily prepping samples and supplies for them. I love working with rope and I love being able to teach this skill to others. I’ll be at the San Diego Pinners Conference on April 13th teaching a beginning macrame wall hanging class, so if you’re available that day, sign up to get tickets to the conference here. Use the code CAKIES and get 10% off your tickets! If you’d like to host your own pop-up workshop for a birthday party, bridal shower, or just get together with friends, send me an email and let’s plan it!

Golden Years Vintage Market is this coming Saturday, March 10th, and I’ll be there slinging Wovenfolk. I’m excited to not only be a shopper this time around, but a vendor too. If you’re in SoCal, come over to Santa Ana and say hi! The market starts at 11 and ends at 5, and you can get more info here.

See my past visit to Golden Years here.

This week’s learned, links, and thankfulness…

So thankful for friends and family who helped bear our burdens. Friends brought over ice cream, food, lots of prayer, listening ears, verses from the Bible when I was in no mood to to read it, texts checking in with us, etc. I praise the Lord for this community of grace he has so generously given us. It is such a treasure.

Was able to spend time with friends many times this week and I needed that. I look forward to my Wednesday afternoon dates with Helen and Wednesday night dinners with my parents.

My favorite Kettle Corn. Cant. Stop. Eating. It.

I need (okay, want) a pink jumpsuit in my life.

Got 2 of these dresses and 2 of these for my little flower girls, who will be in my brother’s wedding in a couple weeks. I was gonna sew it, but I’m running out of time, so Target and Old Navy to the rescue.

My mom would probably love it if my siblings and I all wore (and followed) this tee.

Pretty linen, oversized, yellow jacket. So fun for spring!

I’ll be teaching beginning macrame at the Pinners Conference on Friday, April 13th (only one class). Get tickets here! Use promo code CAKIES and get 10% off.

This week will be a busy week with a Family Fun Mag shoot I’ve been making projects for that will take place on Thursday, and then Golden Years Market on Saturday, where I’ll set up shop with all my Wovenfolk goods. So grateful for the busyness as it’s an answered prayer and thankful that I get to do things I love.

This week our world sort of shook; our lives turned upside down. Ben and I are fine, the girls are okay, and we are all still enjoying our (temporary) good health, but I’ll have to do a bit of vague blogging about this because it’s a part of our lives that will continue to unfold and only time will tell how it all ends up (so please excuse me for now). I share though because I realize in the 11 years I’ve been writing this blog, I’m sure many of you have had your world rocked in big ways too. Blogs are fun, frivolous places, but I know the people reading have real stories and go through deep pains, and right now it’s our season to ride this storm.

While my heart has been so heavy, God’s truth has been so sweet. This particular hymn has been in my heart all week…

“His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.”

God always has a purpose and I know it’s always for our good.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

I hope these things encourage you too, as it does for me because it really shines light in our current situation. It refocuses me to be kingdom-minded. Jesus died for me, so I no longer have to be a slave to trusting myself, but I can trust God and His word. And if you’re going through something dark too, I’m praying you do the same.

Here’s the thing, I don’t know how to wear black shoes. I do black sandals and sneakers, but other types, I’m just unsure of how to match and pair it. So I’m challenging myself to a black shoe challenge for a week (maybe a month? and wear them 5 days out of the week). I picked up this vintage pair recently, and it’s so cute and the leather is so good, so it was hard to leave. I hesitated though because it’s black and I don’t know how to do black footwear, so I’m daring myself to go out of my comfort zone. Also, I want to go beyond black on black, which is is the only way I’m comfortable wearing black footwear.

Everyone tells me black is neutral, but it doesn’t feel like it to me. Various shades of brown shoes are my go-to (and other colors), but I need get over this fear of black. Anyone else have this weird thing with black shoes?

I dare you to try a new wardrobe challenge too! What’s hard for you to do? Wear jeans? Wear a dress? Wear a dress over jeans? Wear pink? Or maybe it’s hard to wear a red lip?! Let’s do a little experimenting together and share how this wardrobe challenge goes! I’d love to hear what’s hard for you and what you want to challenge yourself to wear. I’ll be back next week to share all my black shoe outfits.