I'm Kristen, the World's Worst Blogger.

Have you ever started something with so much excitement and enthusiasm, but then quickly just quit? I have. Exhibit A: my first (and only) blog post was posted 4 months ago. F O U R......**Facepalm** I could give you a million excuses- I am very busy. I have three kids and run multiple small businesses from home and I have so many animals and a cranky old laptop...but I think mostly I was just not confident that anyone would really care about what I have to say enough to seek out and follow my blog. It feels so pretentious to write about myself and my life! But lately Ive been realizing that maybe its not about whether or not anyone ever reads my words. Maybe it's just for me and that's ok. So it's my new personal goal to get over my insecurities and just blog anyway! I have so many thoughts and ideas and projects swirling about in my head everyday it would probably do me good to get them out. For some reason a shocking 9000 lovely people follow my little instagram page and although that feels so strange too it's been such a blessing in my life to connect with that community! So here goes nothing! Please bare with me as I find my groove and start this fun blogging adventure! Ill start with a house tour, before and afters, and current projects im working on like our glam chicken coop, painted floors and dresser and DIY shiplapped mudroom area. xox-Kristen

Welcome! Intro and a bit about the blog...

Hello! Welcome to my little corner of the blogging world! My name is Kristen Brown, and I am the lady behind Little Brown Nest. I am a wife, mama of three, and California-turned-midwestern-country girl. I love Joanna Gaines, chihuahuas and cheesecake. I have four brothers and one sister, and have chickens in my suburban backyard. So this whole blog/idea came about 5 years ago and for most of that time was just something I daydreamed about. I bounced ideas around in my head about a website, blog, store, brand....but was always afraid to just go for it- especially since I wasn't even sure what "it" was. I started out with an etsy store and have had awesome success with it within the last year! It's still new, and i'm getting ready to add so much more but its definitely a learning process. About 6 months ago I started my home decor instagram (@littlebrownnest) and found my niche. I LOVE the community of other creatives and makers i've found on there, I love seeing what everyone else does and how they style their homes. To me, its not just about decorating. Although I love farmhouse style, I truly love what it represents- simplicity, realness, casual elegance centered around a real family, with real lives and work and maybe some animals. It's lived in, loved, bright & airy, and always feels warm and inviting. It invokes feelings of togetherness, peace, and "the good ol' days" of the past. Most importantly, I believe in homemaking- that I, as a mother, am setting the stage for my children's childhood memories and that our home is the backdrop of their young lives. I am proud of my little 3 bedroom colonial because Ive worked hard to make it a happy place where they can feel safe and loved. I'm sure that all sounds mushy and idealistic but its what i believe and so far its working for us! ;) Do you agree? Do you feel homemaking is a lost art or just an antiquated expectation for women? ha, maybe a bit of both? -Thanks for stopping by!