happy friday!!! i have another great lady to share! autumn over at cinnamon sticks (and her etsy shop) is a dear friend of mine! and i’m proud to have her as a sponsor…she’s an amazing person…see for yourself! :)

tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m a work-at-home-mom with an amazingly funny 2 ½ year old daughter, Iris, and a ridiculously messy 8 month old baby boy, Legend. They are my world. For now. We will be welcoming a sibling group into our home in April, as my husband and I are becoming foster parents! I have one big empty room I get to decorate (EEEK!) and we can’t wait! I’m a writer and an artist, though I consider them to be the same thing. Writing is just art with words, right?


what’s the story behind cinnamon sticks/etsy shop?
Cinnamon Sticks is a blog I began to share my home life, projects, tips, recipes and crafts. I took a 1 year hiatus but I’m back now, and happy to get everyone caught up on life at the Morgan’s! My Etsy shop is a collection of a new art technique I have fallen in love with. I carve words, phrases and designs out of linoleum blocks and print them on heavy cardstock in all kinds of fun colors. Everything I do is customizable. Funny story- I told my husband I had a brilliant idea to make my own linoleum blocks with ONLY the letters of the alphabet on them. That way I could switch them out for longer phrases. He looked at me kind of confused and then I realized that wasn’t a new idea at all. That is what they call a “printing press”. hehe


what inspires you?
Earth, nature, people, quotes, other writers, life, words and most of all, my children.


what’s your favorite part about your blog/shop?
My favorite part about my blog is the feedback I get (and I always like more!!) people get excited to try my recipes or organizational tips. The best thing about my Etsy shop is putting up a new product and watching all the “hearts” appear.

what’s the most challenging part?
The challenge has always been TIME. I am much like a kid myself, so I like to play with my kids a lot. We go to the library, museum, playdates, and of course the park any chance we get. Our favorite game to play is “leaf fishing” where we catch leaves in the river with a long stick. Ok, it’s MY favorite game!

any advice for others who want to start an etsy shop?
My advice would be to let yourself grow and evolve. I began another Etsy shop last year, and I just played around with a LOT of different art mediums and techniques. I learned a lot and then discovered all kinds of new ways to make art. If I had stuck only to what I knew, I don’t think I would have gotten to the place I am now. I intend to continue growing and exploring, but keeping to the central theme of words and letters. I am just fascinated with them.

any special goals you have set?
Well my biggest goal was just accomplished, when I published my first personalized children’s book. (YAY!) I guess my next goal would be to write another. My more immediate goals are to be the best mom I can to all the children in my home, biological or not, to be inspired by each of them, to inspire them in return, and to sleep at least 8 hours a night. Ok, 7.

just for fun: what’s something that most people don’t know about you?
I am hopelessly obsessed with penguins.

thanks autumn!! :) excited for all your new adventures with family and work! you are an inspiration!! :)

peace and love
xox