Catie Welvaert | The Grit and Grace Project

Exhausted From Work? 5 Ways to Refuel During Your Day

By Catie Welvaert / Work & Money, Life & Culture

No one had to teach me how to rest. In fact, I could be a professional relaxer (if you happen to hear of any opportunities in this field, please hook a sister up). I’m a beach aficionado and I thrive on Saturday mornings with no alarm and no schedule, just the people, places, and things that fill me up. If only the entire week was made up of Saturdays and Sundays… But there are five other days, and they consist of nearly the exact opposite happenings—work, hustle, errands, lists, spreadsheets, computer screens, phone calls. Are you feeling tired yet? I’m new to the full-time workforce. This will be my first year ever without a summer break (shed a tear for me). While transitioning from free time to full-time, […]

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Truths About Work and Faith That Will Encourage You

Finding God’s Purpose in a Job You Don’t Like

By Catie Welvaert / Faith

Each day, we wake up and set out to do some sort of work. For many, we spend from 8ish to 5ish doing our assigned duties to earn a living. Some may find a deeper purpose and a calling in the position that they are in than others. Upon exiting college and entering a full-time position, I thought I had scored my dream job working administratively for a Christian missions organization. As I experienced the office culture and breakdown of what I wanted adult life to look like, a sort of sadness came from losing my expectations. I wanted to have more time with my friends. I wanted to enjoy my job and co-workers. I wanted to feel like I belonged there

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35 Inner Thoughts of the Working Woman NEW

35 Thoughts of a Working Woman

By Catie Welvaert / Work & Money, Life & Culture

Ladies, we work hard. How we pour ourselves out to provide for ourselves and/or contribute to our families varies in form and schedule. We 9 to 5-ers become some sort of steady-yet-intricate balancing acts as we up-keep many aspects of life. In our always changing day to day, I bet we working women share many of the same utterances in our minds: 35 Thoughts of a Working Woman: “There is nothing better than feeling rested after a good sleep—sure wish I could get one.” “I’m just going to snooze a little bit longer and shower without washing my hair. What’s another day of dry shampoo?” Hearing a steamy trickle from down the hall…holding back the urge to yell, “Thank you!” to whoever

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6 Practical Tips When You Want to Get Healthy

By Catie Welvaert / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

A few years ago, I was told I had hormone imbalances that would make it more difficult for me to lose weight than other people. You’d think a diagnosis would be the perfect motivation to start making healthier decisions. However, all of the previous year was a festivity for me, and I’ve never believed in depriving myself of good food (still don’t!). I graduated from college, got married, moved twice, and got a desk-oriented job. I don’t remember the exact moment that triggered my get-healthy quest, but one day, it just clicked. I wanted to actually be healthy more than I wanted someone else’s body, for once. I realized that I needed tools, and I needed them to work for me where I

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Girl, It’s Perfectly OK to Just Be You!

By Catie Welvaert / Health & Beauty, Purpose

Each of us goes about life in our own, unique way. Though you may feel like some of your quirks are a bit ridiculous, we want you to know that there’s nothing to be embarrassed about; we all have them! While so many avenues tell us what we should like and how we should act, we are here to say something different: celebration is always better than comparison. So, ladies, it is perfectly okay if… You just had to get ice cream on your lunch break; you’re an adult, so it’s allowed. You make a detour and park at the garden center because…succulents. It’s your third caramel macchiato this week—it means you’re meeting up with a friend for a heartfelt chat. (Read this first, by the way!)

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Simple Skin Care: All-Natural Recipes for Bright Healthy Skin

By Catie Welvaert / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

With wrinkles, bumps, and dry patches, I am always searching for magic potions to erase these unwelcome, overstaying visitors without breaking my budget or reverting to picking and prodding with my fingertips (so guilty). Like most people, I want to be nice to my face, and all of the products I tested included so many unpronounceable ingredients… Trying to figure out what they were and if they were ok for my skin felt daunting. Plus, when I did find a high-quality natural brand, the price tags sent me back to the easy swipe of a makeup wipe. After all, what I really want in my skin care routine is effective simplicity. Navigating the world of skincare can feel overwhelming, especially with the

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A Simple Guide to Poshmark and How to Make Cash Fast

By Catie Welvaert / Work & Money

It started with brand new Kate Spade earrings that were too big for my ears and Cole Haan flats I had only worn once; I was unable to return both but wanted to get good money for them. I had plenty of other clothing items I liked but didn’t love, just holding on to them because they were still too good to give away. I did some research and came across Poshmark, an app where users can sell their clothing, shoes, and accessories. A frequent closet-purger but also a money-saver, I became hooked. Poshmark makes selling your items and getting paid easy. You can answer any questions within each item’s listing and barter with buyers if they decide to make an offer

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You Need These 5 Things From Chip & Jo’s Hearth & Hand

By Catie Welvaert / Life & Culture

As Fixer Upper reveals its final season, we shed a tear and smile with all the memories shared and tips learned from the reigning farmhouse king and queen, Chip and Joanna Gaines. HGTV sucked me in as a pre-teen and I’ve done my fair share of binging on homes being transformed into perfection by talented individuals (back when you had to catch a marathon), but the Gaines are different. Not only do they captivate us with a renovation to reveal, but with their personalities and honesty as well—and now they’ve topped our wildest dreams by creating a home and lifestyle brand exclusively for Target! In honor of their new line, Hearth & Hand, and the 5th and final season of Fixer Upper, we’re sharing what it is

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Mix It Up and Try These Day Dates With Your Man

By Catie Welvaert / Relationships

Whether we’re in our first month of dating and learning each other or getting a night to ourselves after a long work week, date night is often our best night of the week for much-needed quality time with our man. The usual dinner, movies, and walks downtown can be a part of a fun routine, but I am the number one fan of starting the day together with a morning date. If you’re in need of a change and looking to try something new together, take to these ideas for a morning cup of romance! Here are 10 ideas for morning dates with your man: 1. Be early risers. Set your alarms and head to a wide open spot to watch the

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7 Brands That Are Helping Women Around the World

By Catie Welvaert / Health & Beauty, Purpose

I love shopping, and I really love seeing women live into their purpose. All the praise hands for the fact that adding social responsibility to quality, stylish goods is now trendy! More and more often we have the chance to buy handmade beauty and create opportunity for another woman all in one purchase. We’ve compiled a list of 7 brands that help women in various ways by means of selling products that we simply adore. Our 7 favorite brands that better women across the world: 1. Sseko (Uganda) Sseko employs women who make really pretty leather shoes and handbags. Customers can even create their own “dream sandal.” Sseko provides a way for Ugandan women to earn dignified incomes, sends women in Uganda to college, supports local farmers in East Africa, and even offers an opportunity for

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5 Healthy Kitchen Essentials That Will Make Your Life Better

By Catie Welvaert / Health & Beauty

Whether it’s through new tools or staple foods, I am always looking for innovative ways to make meals, (admittedly) healthier dessert options, and easier ways to prep. Lately I’ve tried a few things that I can no longer live without, so I want to share them with you! Who doesn’t love mixing healthy, easy, and affordable items into their grit and grace life? 1. Veggie Spiralizer Turn veggies into noodles or make salads sans romaine or iceberg! I’m on a zucchini and carrot pad thai kick right now. This glorious gadget is available at all different price ranges, but I recommend looking at HomeGoods for an affordable tabletop one that holds the veggies while you turn the handle. The Veggetti Pro is a great option, priced at

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When You Can’t Do an Island Vacation, Bring One to You!

By Catie Welvaert / Life & Culture

As we settle into summer and the tans of spring break have faded, we start longing for our next sandy, sunshiny getaway. While many of us are putting the finishing touches on summer travel plans, some of us may feel trapped by circumstances that limit our vacation time. We yearn for quiet days and salty hair but are ever pressed by to-do lists and tight budgets. I know routine and lack of adventure can easily bog me down, especially when my newsfeed seems to be filled with pictures of extravagant trips that I can’t take. I was lucky to get an unexpected getaway to the Bahamas this spring, but due to family changes, our full time jobs, and time needed to devote

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The Best Style Advice I Ever Received

By Catie Welvaert / Health & Beauty

As women we tend to pay at least some (or a lot) of attention to our wardrobes and personal style. Certain details and pieces catch our eye repeatedly, no matter how cluttered the store, and we know the specific clothing items that we would wear every day if we could. With endless options of constantly changing trends, styles, and price points, it can be difficult to build a wardrobe of pieces that are true to who we are, one that includes a careful mix of trendy and timeless while optimizing our needs (professional, comfortable, lifestyle, high fashion, etc.). As one who appreciates the art of fashion and can wander through a whole mall, I tend to love many styles and feel the

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5 Everyday Essential Oils for Beginners

By Catie Welvaert / Health & Beauty

If you’re like me, when you get a headache you probably run straight to your purse to retrieve your maraca, more commonly known as Excedrin. If you have just one more cup of coffee—maybe with an extra shot of espresso (or two)—you will get through this day. While you’ve probably heard and seen much talk about essential oils, you may also have some doubts. I was first introduced to them after searching for a natural way to take better care of my sun-damaged skin. Since then, I’ve slowly built a small collection. I have zero plans to become a distributor, professional, or to even write any more about them (though there’s nothing wrong with any one of those things); I just want to share my top five essential oils

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dream big dreams while still living in the present

Dream Big Dreams While Living in the Present

By Catie Welvaert / Purpose, Work & Money

If you were to take a minute to think about all of the women you know, picturing their various faces, personalities, jobs, and families, then it would become immediately clear: each woman is created to add a specific type of beauty to this earth. Each and every one different, all with a purpose, both shared and unique. Our daily roles and functions often come simple to us. We work jobs to provide. We practice self-care. We use our voices to encourage, to mother, to direct, to teach. Yet when we ponder our whole life’s purpose, it’s complex. We each have interests and hobbies that we are enthusiastic about. Unfortunately, our jobs may only highlight a small fraction of us living into our passions (if at all). Some of us are fearful

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On Losing My First Best Friend

By Catie Welvaert / Faith, Health & Beauty

Today I am savoring my Cuban pastries a little bit longer and listening to Bob Dylan and George Harrison in the car. I’m taking more of my time in garden centers and missing Jupiter, my hometown, a little bit more. I would give just about anything to listen to a story I’ve heard countless times; to hear what store he snuck the dog into this time; to have The Concert for Bangladesh up to full volume on the living room TV; to pick up the phone on a lonely lunch break and hear a “love ya, kid … call your mom, she misses you. We both do,” or to have to pull the phone away from my ear to protect it from the blaring laugh coming

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How to Have a Beautiful Wedding on a Budget

By Catie Welvaert / Life & Culture, Work & Money

Did the new year bring you a new ring? Or, maybe your Valentine surprised you with a proposal for life-long love. No matter when or how it happened, congratulations! Engagement season can be full of anticipation and lots of growth, but for many couples, finances and the lack-there-of can be a heavy weight anchoring you down from head-in-the-clouds love and bliss. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always end after the “I do” either, sorry. But there can be freedom! Money does not have to be the dream crusher! Your wedding can be beautiful, even better than you imagined in your head, and still your best day ever while staying within your budget, I promise. Plus, wise budgeting for the wedding can prep you and your soon-to-be husband for conversations

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