I’m not even sure when the gardening bug hit me, while we’re at it lets add in why. With those questions unanswered, here I am, inspired by the possibilities and beauty of nature in this manner.
With my fickle interests, I needed to wait a few years before investing a good deal of money into gardening, because the framework is not cheap. A few beds here or there with some dirt and such won’t break the bank, but when you start talking about building out your version of a secret garden, the bill can add up… quickly. Ask me how I know.
This year, I decided I loved gardening enough to sink a couple of hundred dollars into building my dream garden, and with my husband’s encouragement, strong math skills, and brawn it happened! I can see how it will be an ongoing thing, adding layers as the years go, but for now, I’m pleased with the framework. We still have to finish up the fence,but you know what? Even unfinished I love this space so very much. It is an oasis for me, every time I climb over that fence (because it isn’t finished!) I remember what we started with, and see what it will become in the coming weeks.
Gardening is a form of self-care for me that evokes a feeling that is a little hard to put into words but in a nutshell, it calms me. There’s something about going into the space understanding that my nurturing and dedication can not only put food on the table but can be a beautiful space that is all mine.
As I get older, I realize that building beautiful spaces whether indoors or outdoors takes time. It’s a cultivation of passion, patience, and vision. I can’t wait to see what it becomes as the years go by, there are already plans to add a small greenhouse next year.
If you would like to keep up with my garden, be sure to follow me on Instagram where I give weekly updates and be sure to visit my garden highlight on the platform as well!
August 10, 2010 I clicked publish on my very first blog post. I know you can add, but I’ll state the obvious, today marks 10 years of me being in the digital space.
TEN YEARS.
THAT’S A LONG TIME.
When I published that first post, which you can find here. I was 31 with a 3-month-old, a 4-year-old, and a 9-year-old. Again, I’ll do the math for you, I am now 41 with a 10-year-old, a 14-year-old and a 19-year-old. At that time I was dealing with the realities of being a SAHM having left my career and just looking for a space to connect with anybody outside of my house.
As a result, I have connected with some of the most amazing people that have since become family, and quite frankly I can’t imagine my life without them. While I think it is healthy and necessary to have friends outside of the computer, some of my very best came into my life because of my willingness that day to sign up for a Blogger account never in a million years thinking I would be dedicated and consistent enough to keep up with it enough to be writing this 10 years later.
Fast forward, I’ve undergone a brand change from Lipgloss and Binky to Unlikely Martha, which is hard to believe will have happened five years ago next month. I’ve poured out my heart in words regarding my wins, losses, and life changes. I feel like I literally shared the journey of me finding myself and becoming who I am on these virtual pages. Domain changes and technical difficulties may have caused me to lose a few images, but the words are still here. The words that remind me of what I’ve overcome and who I’ve become.
I never regret sharing all that I’ve shared here because I can go back and look at my growth and hopefully inspire or have inspired you through my trials and tribulations over the years. I often go back and watch our weekend vlogs that I seem to have been ahead of the curve on years ago, and while we’re not huge vloggers at this point, I am thankful that I have those videos to watch of us as a young family.
The industry has changed so much, that over the years I’ve pondered many times on whether or not to shut this place down. As the focus moved from community to more do whatever was necessary to earn a dollar, my desire to stay true to what I originally intended this place to be kept me from moving too deep into what everyone else was doing. I kept this space open because it has carried me through so much, and I won’t lie and say it hasn’t been hard for me to process some people moving ahead of me utilizing practices that I wouldn’t because they undermined my integrity, I wouldn’t buy followers or follow the industry trends because I felt a strong pull to stay authentic even if that meant getting left behind. The funny thing is I’ve actually ended up right where some that rushed to get ahead are. They stalled and I kept growing. There is something to be said for being authentic and doing the work… for the long haul.
As I step into the next decade of what my online presence looks like, I can’t help but believe the first 10 years were a sort of preparation for what’s to come. I can’t say what that is exactly, but walking into it having a confirmed sense of self, I hope and plan to inspire folks in a way that looks a lot different from what’s being done in these internet/influencer streets. I’m a creative, and I want to create content that speaks to my heart and shares inspiration in an authentic but strategic way.
You can expect to see the same me being more transparent about what working full time, building a business, keeping a house, a family and trying to look good while doing it looks like. It’s never too late to go after that dream no matter how many other things you have going on.
I feel this is the time for me to take Unlikely Market where I’ve always intended it to go. Now that I have the wisdom, focus, and a small dream team behind me, it’s time to make that happen. Content will look the same and different at the same time. I’ll be sharing more frequently and would love your support in sharing the content that resonates with you to your friends and family.
Outfit Details: Dress / H&M | Bracelets / Unlikely Market | Shoes / Target (affiliate links) | Earrings/ super old from Forever 21 | Necklace/ thrifted
I feel like I’m rambling, but I’m so excited for what’s ahead. For my tried and true followers that have been here since day one… Thank you for being here and not having me write to myself all of these years.
To my new people, connect with me, leave comments, email me, I try to be as responsive as I can. I value the connections and the community that comes with this space, and there’s always room for more… although it may take me a while to respond!
As a visual person, nothing puts things into perspective for me more than having a vision and seeing it come to fruition. The satisfaction expands far beyond my own accomplishments, it extends to joyfully watching goodness manifest itself in the lives of others. It’s all relevant to me, celebrities or common folk I love a good come up story.
The Chip and Joanna Gaines story has been so incredibly inspiring to me over the past few years. Literally, their fan base witnessed them level up from a simple husband and wife house flipping, “Fixer Upper” duo, to a worldwide brand in a little under 6 years.
During my visit to Magnolia Market which you can read about here, I remember looking at the silos and thinking how much bigger they were in real life compared to how they looked on television…like duh. I vividly recalled the episode when Joanna passionately shared with Chip her vision for the dilapidated building and silos. Chip was very real in his I don’t know about this response, and although he didn’t quite see her vision at the time he went with it. Their future was literally staring them in the face and they didn’t even know it. We all know the rest is history.
Whether you are a fan of farmhouse style, and shiplap or not there are takeaways from this family that cross over into business and life. After reading their book, I felt more inspired than I’d ever felt after reading any self help book. Something about the realness of trying to raise a family and purse your dreams and not having enough money struck a chord with me. These are a few takeaways I’ve gleaned from Chip and Joanna’s success with the Magnolia Brand
| FAMILY | Their family focus is spot on. I have a hierarchy and I’m unapologetic about sticking to it.
| STEP INTO YOUR PASSION | In the book Joanna went to school for broadcasting and when that didn’t work out the way she planned she worked in her dad’s tire shop. She didn’t delve into design until after she met Chip who was already flipping houses and owned property. She fell in love with design and immersed herself in it, learning all she could. When it turned into a passion that didn’t always pay the bills she stayed with it. That’ll preach.
[bctt tweet=”What We Can All Learn From Chip, Joanna and the Magnolia Brand #MagnoliaMarket #FixerUpper #MagnoliaMarket #ChipandJoanna #WacoTX” username=”glossymimi”]
| TAKE RISKS | Before HGTV ever knocked on their door they had taken some pretty huge risks. Like bankrupt you risks. When the bottom fell out of the housing market they put their tail between their legs, robbed Peter to pay Paul and kept pushing. They knew better was out there. Risks sure are scary but as the saying goes, ” No risk no reward.”
| DON’T GIVE UP | Sooooo cliche, but so true. There’s not much to expand on here. If you’ve got a feeling keep going. Don’t worry about the naysayers, put your head down and do the work.
| DON’T BE AFRAID TO WALK AWAY | I have heard a plethora of moanings about how could they just walk away from HGTV. While I’ll be sad to no longer see them on television I thought it was a good move. Bow out at the top of the game and move on. Sometimes we stay stuck because of complacency. I’m sure they could’ve continued to stretch themselves and ultimately their family would’ve taken the brunt of it, I think they made the best decision for their family.
I want to gift one of you a copy of The Magnolia Story. I loved the book and intend to read it again. I think you will enjoy it as well. I think it’s a great end of the year read that will inspire you to push into the new year with vigor and focus.
[bctt tweet=”Enter to win a copy of The Magnolia Story #TheMagnoliaStory #FixerUpper #Giveaway #JoannaGaines #ChipandJoanna #Magnolia” username=”glossymimi”]
Blogging started for me on August 10, 2010 with this very first post. Seven years have passed, seven years of me documenting Addison’s first Christmas, first days of school, changes in hairstyles, the very aggravating process of us building/selling/buying our current home and a bunch of other life stuff. There are times when I’ve wanted to shut this place down, times when I find the insatiable desire to give it all of my creative energy and times of indifference and silence.
Two years ago, Unlikely Martha transitioned out of Lipgloss and Binky as a natural progression in my life. I haven’t quite developed this space into the vision of excellence it presents itself in my head, all masterpieces take time I tell myself as I make one small transition at a time. I am so thankful for those of you that have become my friends in real life, those that talk to me on social, share my posts and connect with me. Whether you have been here from the beginning or yesterday I am appreciative that you choose to come by here.
If you want to see the daily happenings in my life be sure to give me a follow on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat at @UnlikelyMartha
As I move forward into another year of blogging, I have learned that we have not because we ask not! I would like to ask for your help, if you see content here that you love or think might be useful to your community, a simple share to your FB page would help me grow this space and I would really appreciate it.
No blog anniversary is complete without a journey down memory lane. Here are a few of the major happenings and photo progressions from the last seven years!
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