brown and black round decor

Real life. Real Lessons. Real Choices.

We're a family figuring out how to live healthier, spend smarter, make more, travel farther, and enjoy the life we're building together.

Life doesn't come with an instruction manual.

We're learning as we go.

Some of the things we try work beautifully. Some don't. Some save us money. Some cost us more than we expected. Some make our lives healthier, easier, or simply better.

Blackthorn & Willow is where we write it all down—the things we're learning about our home, our health, our money, our travels, our family, and our faith.

Not because we have all the answers. Because we're figuring it out too.

Cleaner living, better food, health and wellness, and the choices we're making for a healthier life.

pink pig coin bank on brown wooden tablepink pig coin bank on brown wooden table

DIY, decorating, organization, gardening, cleaning, and creating a home that works for our family.

Ways we're making money, saving money, and finding smarter ways to spend it.

What Are You Looking For?

Whether you're looking for a healthier way to live, a smarter way to spend, a project to tackle, or simply a little inspiration, start here.

three pieces of blue luggage sitting next to each otherthree pieces of blue luggage sitting next to each other

The places we go, the things we learn, and how we make family travel work in the real world.

hands praying with light beam shining downhands praying with light beam shining down

What we're learning about faith, Scripture, purpose, and walking through difficult seasons.

Learn more about how we got started and where we ended up.

A Little More About Us

We're not experts. We're a family living a real life and trying to make it a little better along the way.

We've made mistakes, changed our minds, tried things that didn't work, and found things we wish we'd discovered years sooner.

Blackthorn & Willow started with a simple idea: when we figure something out, why not write it down?

Maybe what we're learning can help someone else start a little further ahead.

What Are We Figuring Out Right Now?

Giving Old Furniture New Life

They really don't make furniture like they used to. We're taking quality pieces with good bones and giving them a new life instead of sending them to the landfill.

antique wash basin that needs to be refinished
antique wash basin that needs to be refinished
Creating a dedicated workspace

We needed a place to journal, work on the laptop, and spend quiet time studying Scripture. So we're figuring out how to create a workspace that actually fits the way we live.

stack of journals and laptop without a home
stack of journals and laptop without a home

Life is always giving us something new to figure out. Here's what we're working on, trying, and learning right now.

Creating Our Master Retreat

Our bedroom should be the place where we can shut the door on the rest of the world, slow down, and rest. We're turning ours into a comfortable, peaceful retreat—and figuring it out one piece at a time.

Building New Income

Life changed some of our plans, so we're finding new ways to create income and keep moving forward. We're learning, experimenting, and building something new along the way.

April working on the computer building her side hustle
April working on the computer building her side hustle