“The Sweet Fluff” by Lindsey Bonnice … and a GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to Takeover Tuesday!

 

 

You can enter to win a copy of The Sweet Fluff by Lindsey Bonnice, courtesy of the publisher. (US ONLY). You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the bottom of this post. (Contest ends April 20, 2021.) Click To Tweet If you’re the chosen winner, I’ll contact you for your information. 

 

Being a source of encouragement to those around you.

By Lindsey Bonnice

Boy, has it been a wild year! With so many ups and downs, and so many unknowns, I’m sure we have all have felt discouraged from time to time. Who can blame us? It’s very hard not to get down- especially with so much hardship and heartache in our world. So, what can we do to help each other get through those hard times and deal with those feelings of doubt? Today, I’m honored to share some simple, but powerful ideas to help you encourage those around you who may in need of extra support and love!

You may be like me in this way- there is nothing I love more than bringing joy to others! Since I was a small child, I  would create gifts or tell happy stories, all in hopes that it would make my friends and family smile or make them feel special. The truth is: we all want to be seen, acknowledged, and made to feel that we are important, no matter what age we are or what we do with our lives. It’s in our nature. What a gift we can to others by lifting them up and showing them encouragement in various different ways!

Have you ever thought something like “How can I be and encouragement to others when I am just so busy? If I’m overwhelmed, discouraged, and exhausted myself?” Maybe you feel like you don’t have much to offer. The truth is that the gift of encouragement doesn’t have to cost you much time or money, it can truly take just a few minutes if that’s all you have some days. I dare you to set aside that time to encourage others- it may just have a ripple effect and foster that joy in your own life!

Sometimes, all a friend needs is a listening ear. Someone to simply listen to them talk out their problems or worries. We all need to get things off of our chest at times, and once we do it’s so wonderful to have a person to remind us and point us back to the truths in life. When we get down or go through hard times, we often look to the wrong things for comfort, or we choose quick fixes that can actually lead us down the wrong path. A good friend that will listen to our concerns and then point us back in the right direction is invaluable and can be so encouraging! Through this process, try focusing on the positive things in life, encouraging each other to create a list of things to be grateful for. Writing down the things we are grateful for can change our mindsets and our over all out look on life.

A simple, but often overlooked form of encouragement is giving genuine compliments! This is completely free and goes such a long way! How do you feel when someone honestly compliments you, acknowledges your talents, appreciates your family? These thoughts often pop up in our heads, but we don’t voice them because we are self conscious worry about coming off wrong. Don’t let your fears hold you back from being a light to others!  Today, I challenge you to spread those compliments freely! Stop for a moment and think of how much you would love to hear those sweet words and how they would lift you up, and then share them with others. Start sharing kind words with other whenever you have the chance; I promise you it will become a habit!  You will find the more you complement others, the more joy it brings you as well when you see their sweet responses and smiles. You will know you are really making a difference in their life and lifting them up and that is what we are called to do!

If you’re looking for a way to share some joy today, bake something or pick up a snack, and drop it off to a neighbor or friend- just because! Send a text or pick up the phone to check in on someone in your life who you haven’t talked to in awhile. Offer to watch a friend or family member’s children so they can have some time for themselves or with their spouse. Maybe write some handwritten cards or notes and send them in the mail. In this day and age where most people don’t send letters anymore, this can be a nice surprise for someone! 

In what ways can you share some encouragement today?

 

The Sweet Fluff

Cuddly Animals and Inspirational Thoughts for a Joyful Heart

The perfect gift for the animal lover in your life!
Nothing brings a smile to someone’s face faster than cute and cuddly animals. The Sweet Fluff, based on the popular Instagram account and the Live Sweet blog, is filled with

• 100+ whimsical photos of adorable puppies, cats, goats, pigs, and more

• encouraging Scripture verses
• inspirational reflections on living with joy.

This book is lighthearted and full of cheer for anyone needing hope, peace, and a little laughter in their day.

 

Q&A with Lindsey…

Q: What led you to start your business, Live Sweet?
A:  I have always been a business woman at heart from the time I was a little girl making friendship bracelets and selling them to my parents’ friends! I get my business mind from my father and my creative side from my mother. Growing
up, I also loved photography, so I started out as a lifestyle portrait photographer. My business grew over the years and became very successful. And while I loved my clients, I did not love the nights-and-weekends schedule of a portrait photographer. I began to miss our family time and started Live Sweet Shop shortly after Libby was born because I couldn’t find toys or nursery products I liked. I also wanted to design a business that would create jobs for local women. I saw such a need for them to help provide for their families through work they could do from home. I wanted to help these women I loved but didn’t see any jobs out there for them, so I decided I would create them myself! What started as a little dream has blossomed into so much more, with lots of different products and lots of amazing women working from home, doing jobs they love to create a variety of products while helping to pay the bills. And we aren’t done yet! From there I started working for larger brands in
my portrait photography business and have since launched online educational tools and lots more! 

Being an entrepreneur at heart means my mind is always coming up with the next idea, and I’m usually onto another idea before I’m done implementing the first one! They don’t all work; I’ve failed lots of times, but I would much rather try and fail than not try at all. I’ve also been blessed with many successes, and I always learn so much either way, taking what I’ve learned into my next venture!

Q: Can you tell us a little about your family?
A: We are a family of six. My husband, Phil, and I met through youth group in high school. We got married on the lake we live on, which is across from where I grew up as a child. It was truly a dream come true for me! We raise our four sweet kiddos out in the country on our little hobby farm. Noah is 12, Libby is 7, Finn is 4, and Claire is 2. I have always had a heart for adoption, and several years after we had Noah, Phil and I decided that we would adopt. After adopting Libby, we fell more in
love with adoption and knew that God had big plans for us to continue growing our family! We adopted Finn when Libby was 3, and then Claire joined our family a few years later! We feel so incredibly blessed that this is the life God has given us, and we love sharing our journey with everyone in hopes it will encourage others who would like to learn more about adoption!

Q: What was your family’s first pet?
A: Before we were married, I had a dog, Maggie—a little Shih Tzu. Phil and I were dating when I got her; she was our first pet together and the best little companion ever! Maggie went everywhere with me and was always by my side. She was my baby before I had my babies, and then when Phil and I had the kids, she was so good with them, always so sweet and patient, even when she was older. We lost our sweet girl in November 2019, and even though it’s been more than a year since
then, I still miss her so much because she was very special to me. She was with us through it all—our moves, our babies, our ups and downs—always reliable and there for me with her unconditional puppy love!

Q: How have your animals impacted your family? What unexpected lessons have they taught you?
A: The animals have taught us so much! They have helped bring us closer as a family because we spend a lot of time taking care of them together. We also bond over all the sweet things they do and through the work we put into caring for them! They help teach us about unconditional love and the importance of having  compassion for others; plus they bring us lots of joy!

Q: What does whimsical living look like?
A:  Our days are slower out here in the country. Don’t get me wrong—we are still very busy and have lots going on, but it’s just very different. We spend time outside in nature almost every day, stopping to do things like watching the chickens fluttering through the yard. We entertain ourselves with activities like baking, playing with bunnies or piggies, taking the dogs for a walk, and chasing each other through the yard! Life is far from perfect, but we share lots of laughter and take time to enjoy the little things. Many days we stay in our pajamas, and we always encourage creative play and learning.

Q:  What inspires and encourages you most in your daily life?
A:  My children’s laughter and watching them thrive encourages me so much! Seeing the things that bring them joy inspires me always. My animals and the way they interact with each other and with the kids also inspire me. Pastel colors, pastel sweets, and getting to design, decorate, and take photographs all bring me so much inspiration! 

Q: What have been some of your favorite crafting or decorating projects in your home?
A:  One of our big projects in 2020 was putting a loft and slide in our  studio/playroom, and it is by far one of my favorite things we’ve done! It was an idea I had on a whim after being frustrated that I couldn’t keep the playroom organized for the kids. After some quick dreaming, planning, and designing, Phil brought my ideas to life, and it turned out amazing! The kids play on it every day,
and I just love how it looks and how much they love it! I enjoy changing things up and moving them around regularly. Every few months you will find everything rearranged, because I like to keep things fresh. I also love creating whimsical enclosures for our pets. Our bunny house that’s in my office is one of my favorite accomplishments; it’s so happy and cute but also serves as a safe place for our fluffy loves to live.

Q: What advice do you have for women who want to cultivate more fun and joy in their homes?
A: I think it’s important to be intentional. Although I am not a big planner, I do think ahead about what projects I want to do with the kids or things I want to bake so that I make sure we set aside time for them. I also leave a lot of wiggle room for free play in the schedule; I don’t keep my kids busy all the time, nor do I play with them all the time. I like them to cue creative and play with each other or the animals, and I like to watch their imaginations go wild and encourage their relationships with one another! I also try to be intentional about having a time for play and fun and a time for work and picking up. I let the kids dance and play, scattering pillows and blankets all over the house, but there also must be a time when they help clean up and put things back together. I pick my battles; I say yes to as many of their fun ideas as I can while also trying not to be hard on myself when I say no because it’s not a good time. And of course animals bring lots of work and responsibility, but they also bring lots of joy!

Q: What has God taught you through your work on Live Sweet?
A: Oh my word—so many things! To name a few . . . Good things are worth working hard for; we’ve had a lot of ups and downs through the years, but it’s been worth it to get to be here with all of you!

Through running Live Sweet, God has shown me what a need our world has for joy! So many people respond to my posts and stories daily, saying how happy they have made them or how they helped turn their day around. I feel so blessed to get to contribute in such a beautiful way to people’s lives. I’ve learned to pray about each leap we take in our business and then to trust God for what he has in store, even if it wasn’t what I had originally planned!

Q: What is your hope for readers of The Sweet Fluff?
A: I really hope to inspire others to search for the joy in the little pieces of life. It isn’t always easy to look on the bright side of things, but catching those small glimpses of light and happiness in the everyday things can change your perspective and turn your life around!

Thanks for stopping by. I’m sure my reader will enjoy getting to know more about you!

 

About Lindsey…

 

Lindsey Bonnice is married to her high school sweetheart and is Mama to four beautiful children. Her family has been blessed by adoption, and she loves to share their journey whenever she has the chance. She lives on a miniature farm in the hills of northeastern Pennsylvania, where she’s surrounded by cute, fluffy critters in a home painted in pastels and filled with lots of joy and whimsy! Lindsey loves taking pictures of her kids and animals more than anything. She also enjoys decorating, eating chocolate and sweets, and snuggling with her kiddos. Lindsey has been a professional photographer for more than fifteen years and is the author of Libby and Pearl, a children’s book showcasing her beautiful images. She has been featured in many magazines, online publications, TV shows, and more.

One of Lindsey’s biggest passions is being a children’s designer. In 2014, she created the whimsical boutique-style Live Sweet Shop, a beautiful online site with gifts for the young and young at heart. Lindsey creates the products in partnership with local women, providing them with secure jobs, and donates part of the sales proceeds to families going through the adoption process. She is also a business coach who loves creating online content and supporting women in business.

 

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