Thanks Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine!

If you pick up Pregnancy and Newborn magazine this month, you'll see something that looks familiar! Check out the Owyn Table and Stool Set on page 96!

Well what do ya know....MMF was nominated for an award! Help us win our category!!

What a fun day!  Got a bike ride in before work AND found out MMF was nominated for a Red Tricycle award!  There are so many amazing companies on the list -- very cool to be in their company.

But screw sportsmanship!  (HA!) Help us win the "Best Eco Room Decor" title this year!

Go to this link to vote: http://awards.redtri.com/?contest=eco-decor&phase=voting

Thanks so much for all your support.  Still pretty blown away that all of this started a few years back with a table saw and a badly made modern toy box!!

I love Lumberjocks!

 Back when I first started MMF, I joined a website called Lumberjocks.  It's such a great place to get support and help.  When I came up with the idea to sell some lower priced items that are handmade, I didn't want to overload L&JWoodworking (Amish manufacturers) so I reached out on Lumberjocks and asked if anyone was interested in producing eco-friendly, modern keepsake boxes and other items for me and lots of guys wrote in to say they are interested.

I've worked out a deal with a fantastic woodworker from Missouri who has his own garage shop and I couldn't be happier!  He's helping to take care of his mother who is ill so the extra income is helping him while the boxes are helping me!  It's a perfect partnership.

You know it's right when things fall into place easily and just feels like all is right in the world.

Lumberjocks Rule!

http://www.lumberjocks.com

This Little Light of Mine

I've gone over how I would say this a million times in my head.  And as I sit here at the computer drinking coffee out of a mug that says, "I'm a carpenter," I am reminded that I really am so many different things all wrapped up in this 39-yr-old body of mine.  We all are, aren't we?!?  So many times we get labeled and pigeon-holed into narrow categories because it's easier for all of us to process who that person is within a rigid framework.  I'm guilty of doing it, too.  And boy is it easy to do that during election season.

But it's not that simple, is it? 

I have been keeping a secret about a "side" of me out of fear.  Fear that I would be judged.  Fear that it would hurt my business.  Fear that I would let people down.  I've come to the realization over the past year that we are not meant to live in fear.  It holds us back. We're given gifts and talents by God not for us to hide away but to really own, respect, and share. Basically, stand in our truth. 

So here's mine.  In addition to being a daughter, wife, mom, carpenter, designer, CEO, amateur hair cutter, and a whole slew of other things, I am a medium.  I was born with the gift of being able to communicate with loved ones that have passed on.

This gift of mine is something I've always had but at a very early age, I turned off.  Probably due to fear.  It started to awaken in me about three years ago but really came on full force over the past year and a half. Out of nowhere, I started to hear and see things other people were not.  And for the most part, the messages I was receiving were from children who have passed.  There is so very much to this complicated story of mine but in a nutshell, I have been helping families reconnect with children who have crossed in an effort to help everyone begin to heal.  This isn't something I do for income (I do not charge for my help) and I do not seek out the children, they come to me.  Some I know through friends or family and some are complete strangers.

In an effort to stand in my truth and move forward with what I know will ultimately be one of the most important things I do in my lifetime, I started a website called The Little Light Project.  You can read more about how it works and how a handful of families feel about the work I'm doing and more importantly, how it is helping them cope with their loss. 

I know this is a very controversial subject and I completely respect if you do not believe in such things.  All I know is that for me, this is very real and is my truth.  It might not be yours, but it is mine and I want to do the best I can in my lifetime to live authentically. 

So there you have it.  No more hiding for me.  I wouldn't be able to stand in my truth without the support of my amazing family, colleagues and friends who love me for me.  It's hard to put into words how thankful I am for their support.  And I especially want to thank my husband, Scott. It takes a strong man with a lot of faith in God and his wife to endure what Scott has had to go through over the past few years.  His love and support have given me the strength and confidence to do what I'm doing now.  Scott, I love you and thank you immensely for not putting me in an institution.  And mostly for believing in me, even when I didn't believe in myself.

As always, thank you immensely for your support of Mod Mom Furniture!  I am working on incorporating more giving through MMF by donating a percentage of sales to organizations that help abused and ill children.  Check out a sneak peek of a beautiful wooden Nativity set we will be replicating, retailing and donating a portion of sales to charity on the Mod Mom Facebook page.  It's a design by Scott's late grandfather, Sam Brown, who was a Baptist minister and carpenter. 

I sincerely hope every one of you reading this has the opportunity to live your authentic life and ditch the fear.  Coincidentally, my dear friend told me that today is National Coming Out Day.  I couldn't have picked a better day. :) 

Celebrities who love Mod Mom Furniture!

I'm sometimes asked about what celebs own Mod Mom pieces so I thought I'd do a fun photo collage of who has what! :)

Woodworkers Cook! Chicken Broccoli Casserole: A Household Tradition

This has nothing to do with woodworking and everything to do with food!!  WHOOHOO!!  My mom taught us how to make this when my sister and I were learning to cook.  Check out the video below where Grace helps me make this household favorite! 



CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

1 bag of frozen or fresh broccoli
1 large can of chicken or shredded roasted chicken
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of light mayo
Juice from fresh squeezed lemon
8 oz bag of shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Microwave broccoli (or steam it on the stove), drain liquid.  Using an 9 x 13 inch baking dish, distribute broccoli evenly on the bottom of the dish. Now layer canned chicken on top.  Then mix cream of chicken soup, light mayo, and lemon juice in a bowl.  Pour the mixture on top of the layer of chicken.  Now, sprinkle enough cheddar cheese to lightly cover the entire dish.  Mix melted butter and breadcrumbs in a separate bowl and then lightly sprinkle the mixture on top of the cheese.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until casserole is warm, cheese is melted, and breadcrumbs are toasted.

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Get more KIN PARENTS tips & advice: http://bit.ly/KinParents

MOMtrepreneur, Kiersten Hathcock of http://www.ModMomFurniture.com shares the first recipe she ever learned to cook as a girl -- and how it developed into a sweet a family tradition. A nostalgic and simple to assemble casserole her family loves and yours may too!

Learn more about Kiersten Hathcock and Mod Mom Furniture at these links:

http://www.modmomfurniture.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/modmomfurniture
Twitter: https://twitter.com/modmomkiersten
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/modmomfurniture

Kin Community and Mod Mom Present: How To Build A Step Stool

Many thanks to the team at Kin Community for another great video production!

Check out Grace helping me teach how to build a step stool!
Get more KIN PARENTS tips & advice: http://bit.ly/KinParents

Put on your safety glasses and venture into the amazing world of woodworking! MOMtrepreneur, Kiersten Hathcock of ModMomFurniture.com offers an easy to follow tutorial on how to create your own step stool. She shares clever ways for your kids to participate in the project and create a simple piece of furniture that will grow with them.

STEP STOOL Materials List:

Baltic Birch Plywood - 1/2 inch thick
Cut List:
(1) 13in wide x 11 in tall
(2) 11in wide x 10 in tall
(1) 12 in wide x 4 in tall

Miller Dowels and drill bit
Wood Glue
Sand paper

Life Path

This is the path I would walk in the morning with Scott while staying at his parent's house in Flagstaff.   It's the most beautiful scene.  Funny how I've always said I'm a mountain girl because walking these trails made me realize I really am.  There's something so calming about walking through the woods.

Or maybe it's because I'm a wood geek in general.

While walking, I had time to think about all of ups and downs of life and how much I've learned in such a short period of time.  Nothing an MBA could produce but more along the lines of life in general.  And people. 

I've been in a few situations lately where I've had to trust my intuition about folks I know in my work life and my personal life.  I know I've been talking about intuition quite a bit but it's really the most amazing gift, if you use it. I used to always give people the benefit of the doubt way too much and just squash those "ewwww" feelings.  Mostly because I was a people pleaser. Now, I trust my first instinct about people and nine times out of ten, it turns out to be spot on.  It's really invaluable in all areas of my life and I highly recommend paying attention to those feelings right off the bat.

So as I'm walking down this part of my life path, I find the most valuable tool in the old tool box has nothing to do with the mechanics of running a business.  And has everything to do with knowing myself and trusting my gut feelings.  

Kin Community Momtreprenuer Video Segment

Major thanks to the entire Kin Community staff for making inviting me to be a part of several video segments! 

First one is called "Momtreprenuer" where I share my story and some tips for other momtreprenuers out there building their businesses.

I'll be sure to share the upcoming segments which include how to videos for making a simple toy box, a simple step stool, and two of my favorite recipes that even my kids love.

Subscribe to Kin Community here for access to a world of beautifully produced, informative how-to and parenting videos:  http://bit.ly/KinParents

Building a Brand from the Beginning -- Keynote at Vegas Market on Aug 1