Free Printable Give Thanks Banner + Shop Updates

Hello friends! I'm happy to announce that fall has finally arrived in the South. I mean, sure, it may still get up to 80 degrees before the day is over, but we're at a nice, crisp 50-something degrees when the days start.

OK, OK, so that was just a couple of days. But still. One can hope.

I've got a fun little freebie for you today: a give thanks printable banner. If you're anything like me, you could use a reminder to pause and practice gratitude throughout your day. I made this banner to hang on our own mantle, and then I thought that I should share the love (and thankfulness) with you as well. Click here to download your free Thanksgiving banner. I hope it inspires an attitude of gratitude in your household :)

I also wanted to give you a tiny little shop update. As of this very moment, I have Dwell mugs in stock, as well as two different sets of verse cards. I'm still waiting on the Dwell Journals. I got word from the printer that my final round of test journals will be ready at the beginning of next week. Once I get those in my hands, I'll be able to get some photos taken and get the shop open by the middle of the month. At least, that's what I'm hoping and praying will happen. 

This whole process has been a bit more of an ordeal than I imagined it would be, but now that the launch is (nearly) in sight, I'm finally exhaling a little bit. I'm thankful (see what I did there?) that all the waiting is finally drawing to a close. It's been a mad push to get all the products ready this fall, and I simply can't wait to share them with you. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be revealing more details about the individual products and I'll also be posting exclusive deals (and maybe even a giveaway or two) for the shop launch. Stay tuned for updates!

Until next time, grace and peace. 

FREE Verse Card + New Collection Updates

Hello friend! How are you?? We're busy, busy, busy, but that's just the way of things when you've got a couple of little ones who are always on the move. Those two little ones are the reason it's been so long since you heard from me. I spent the summer chasing them all over the South (literally) and squeezing in some design time in the cracks and crevices that were left over.

Because life is so busy, sometimes it's hard to push the pause button and focus for just a few minutes on what God has to say. And yet, spending time in His presence is absolutely crucial to my well-being. It's not something I can afford to neglect. That's why I created the Dwell Collection. Each product has been specifically designed to help us draw near to the heart of God. There are journals and verse cards, and, God willing, there will also a handful of fun items like jewelry and mugs.

I'm so excited to share the results with you! If you follow me on Instagram (which, if you don't, you should), you've gotten a few peeks of the Dwell Journal, which is the heart and soul of the new line. At this point, I'm deep in the process of having the new collection produced, and I have my fingers crossed for a launch sometime in October. I'll keep you updated on the progress. 

In the meantime, I want to share a little freebie with you, my faithful readers. This print is actually one of the verse cards in the new collection. You can print it out on cardstock and frame it (as I did above), or write a message on the back and send it as a postcard. Print several and give them to friends, or tack one to your bulletin board as a reminder to praise the Lord. I pray that as you see the verse day in and day out, it will seep into your heart and mind, and before you know it, you'll have it memorized. Click here to download your free Psalm 150:6 art print.

I'll be in touch soon with more updates! Until then, grace and peace.

The End of an Era: Felicity Paper is Closing

Hello, dear friends! I'm writing today with some shocking news. Brace yourselves. Are you ready for it? OK, here goes. I'll be closing Felicity Paper at the end of the month. But here's some more news to help soften the blow: At the end of the summer, I'm launching a new store. It will be hosted right here on LAJ.com and will be filled with all sorts of products to encourage and inspire you in your relationship with God. Art prints, mugs, journals, t-shirts, and all sorts of goodness are headed your way.

This change has been a long time coming. For several years I've felt as if I've had a split personality. Some of you may remember that before I became a stationery designer, I was a seminary student with a heart for writing, but I had a baby shortly after graduation, and she changed everything. Though I had started regularly writing curriculum for a couple of different Christian publishing houses, I found myself lacking the time and attention to write curriculum anymore. So I put all of that on hold to return to later, at some point in the future when my babies didn't require so much of my attention.

In the meantime, I launched Felicity Paper. I've always had a thing for pretty paper and design, and designing didn't require as much of me as writing, so I went with it for the time being. I thought I would have a little business on the side...I had no idea that Felicity Paper would grow and prosper and turn into such a success. As the business (and my children) grew, I was caught in a quandary: Do I keep doing this? Or do I return to my first love?

I've hemmed and hawed around the issue for months. There was a part of me that wanted to give up design and focus on writing, because I have a calling, and I've been waiting for a long time to do something about it. But there was another part of me that wanted to keep designing, because good design makes my heart sing just as much as writing does. And so I've dragged my feet, unsure of where to go next.

I won't bore you with the details of all that has led to this point, but I finally came to the conclusion that God has made me both a writer and a designer. More and more lately, I feel God leading me to marry my two halves together. To bring my love for design and my love for the Word together. And so that's what I'm going to do.

Felicity Paper is closing. There won't be any more invitations or announcements or stamps. But there will be journals specifically designed to lead you in your Bible study. There will be cards for you to send encouraging notes to friends. There will be Scripture cards to help you tuck the word of God in your heart. And eventually, there will be Bible studies. The shop will be a companion to my writing, and I'm really, really excited about it.

I'm spending the next few months developing new products and getting everything set up with the new shop. Stick around with me, and let's see where God takes us. It's my prayer this this shop and this blog will bring honor and glory to God. That through it, women will come to know and experience God more deeply. That they will develop a passion and hunger for His Word. That this will be a place where truth is spoken and hearts are encouraged. Will you pray that with me?

Until next time, grace and peace.