Hey friends!
It’s been a couple of weeks since I rounded up all the Cotton Stem-y things that have been going on so you can catch up if you’ve missed it!  These posts seem to be a fave of yours as I’m gathering from messages and DM’s, so I’ll keep ’em coming as long as they are helpful to you!  Here’s what has been going on in my little corner of the world..

Cotton Stem Catch Ups – Collections, Cats, Magnolia and My Man.

FROM THE BLOG:

Top Fall Picks from Sole Society

It was so much fun to team up with Sole Society, a shoe and accessories company I’ve shopped with for years, to help launch part of their fall line!  These are nice, comfy pieces with solid price points if you are looking to up your shoe game juuuuuust a little bit.  Check out my pics [HERE]!!

Joanna is my new bestie, duh.

OBVIOUSLY, my new best friend forever and ever, Joanna Gaines, hand-selected me to try out her yummy chalk paint line (…🙄😏😂 I kid, she has no idea who I am…), and you can read about my unexpected experience [HERE] if you’ve been curious!  It wasn’t at all like I thought it would be, I’ll just say that. 🙌🏻

Inexpensive Farmhouse Hacks series – wood tile floors

Starting a new (and hopefully helpful!) series on the blog where I take you all around my house and spill the beans on the many inexpensive farmhouse style hacks we used to get the look…but on a serious budget.  First up, flooring!  Click [HERE] to read all about these wood look tile planks and how to get them at a lower price!

That one time I had brain cells and wrote a poem that won a lil’ award

Shared a glimpse into college-years-Erin and a poem I wrote that I’m very very proud of to this day.  Ahhhh, brain cells to spare.  Those were the days.  😩😂  Read the poem [HERE]!

FAQ’s from my Cotton Stem inbox:

What kind of cats do you have?

All three of our sweet, cuddly kitties are ragamuffins, and we chose this breed because of their steady, sweet and warm personalities.  Often we choose to rescue pets, and, after trying THREE different agencies with no luck (they all turned us down due to the number and age of our kids…boo 😥), we decided we’d really rather know what we were getting since the littles ARE so little.  Babies and cats don’t always mix, but these sweet girls have been the BEST addition to our family!  They love the girls and vise versa.  Their names are June, Faye, and that’s Tilly up there…the one who usually makes it into my IG stories and pics, the little ham.  😉

How does your husband feel about all the projects constantly happening around your house?

I seriously cannot convey to you how freaking supportive my husband is of this Cotton Stem dream of mine.  When we were first married, he decided he wanted to leave teaching and go back for six years of school (2 of pre-rec’s, 4 of Pharm D.) to become a clinical pharmacist in a military hospital.  Aaaaannnddd….that changed everything.  We sold our bigger house, we made huge financial sacrifices, and I put my dreams on hold for a bit to help him chase his.  And now?  Now he says it’s Erin’s turn.  💗  Biggest cheerleader ever, that guy.  It doesn’t hurt that he grew up watching his dad help his super talented mom redecorate their home…shhhhhhhhh…he thinks all this is “normal”…don’t tell him!! 😉  I’m a lucky gal.

Which pieces of your Cotton Stem for Cloth and Cabin Collection are your faves?

GAH!  That’s a hard one.  First of all, I love that they are giving an exclusive discount code to my Cotton Stem buddies: COTTONSTEM15 plus free shipping!  🙌🏻  Beyond that, I had SO much fun curating this beautiful collection of home decor and comfy, stylish clothing items into The Cotton Stem Collection, and it’s so hard to choose!!  I’d have to say that I sure love the Ashley sweater (above….**EDIT** y’all sold ’em out!!), the Layla tunic, the grey stripe pillows, and the Homegirl sweatshirt so much.  OH, and the Jules top…and the minimalist ring/earrings…and the corbel bookends….and and and!!  😉  Click [HERE] to check out the full collection!

How do you keep your kids from ruining your big decor displays?

Honestly…?  I’m pretty strict AND I let them help me decorate, so they sort of take ownership of it, I think?  My oldest two daughters especially get into helping Mommy “do Cotton Stem,” and I often find them rearranging pillows, throws, and decor in their playroom and bedrooms.  😏  That’s another answer: we let them pretty much have free reign (within reason) in their spaces, and, since they get to be independently creative in those spaces, maybe they are less likely to mess around with decor in the main living areas?  I mean, don’t get me wrong: with each new display or seasonal decor sitch, we have to talk about the no-touch sections, etc., and the baby still pokes around at things sometimes.  All in all, they are pretty good about respecting the rules, probably because they helped make the displays AND they get freedom to create in their own spaces.  I think.  What do I know?!  😉

Hope you guys have a lovely weekend with your people, and I pray you get REST for your souls before starting the coming week!  Praying the same for mine.  😉  Until then, hugs!! 💞

❤️Erin

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