Hello Gentlefolk, I’m Carmen Shenk, artist, entrepreneur, and communicator.
I’m a seminary student, and as I learn and explore, I report on the learning. It is my intention to wrestle in the style of Jacob… to question in the style of the woman at the well (whose name we are not told) and to do so with as much authenticity as I dare, and hopefully… to dare a great deal. I am determined to become brave, shameless, and powerful of voice, and I invite you into this conversation!
After all, I am not the only one searching for a core of simple, authentic faith under the garbage dump of religion.
In Jan 2023 I was diagnosed with breast cancer – wow, right?
Once I started to realize how many other women are survivors of breast cancer, betrayal, divorce, infertility, and religion, I decided to write about my healing journey on my blog. Read along, eavesdrop, leave me a comment. It’s pretty raw and real, but I’m done with the “sweetness and light” but no real depth thing that we see on Instagram anyway. You too?
My Story
My Austrian and I exited the rat race in the fall of 2014. We bought a tiny house and began a healing journey that would lead us to purposeful simplicity and contentment. Little did we know that this brave choice would teach us so many life lessons and make room in our lives for things that really came to matter. These experiences led to my first book, Kitchen Simplicity, and traveling the country speaking at Tiny House and Simple Living events, and contributing to various Tiny House publications. When Covid-19 threw a monkey wrench in that, I turned my attention to creating classes to help other folks make the transition to the order, contentment, and confidence of simplicity. Here are three:
Are you ready to create the simple capsule wardrobe that genuinely suits YOU?
Want to hear the four key motivators to purposeful simplicity and your new groove?
Want to see how to stock your life to meet your current purpose and let go of the rest?
Kitchen Simplicity provides a road map for going tiny, embracing simplicity, and eating well, even when your kitchen is small. My simple living philosophy demonstrates how simplicity can be a liberating choice, not a hardship. I’ll help you move past the marketing-fed privation mentality to a place of purposeful simplicity. This helpful, inspiring, and earth-friendly book will empower you to savor your tiny space, build intimate connections with friends, family, and guests, as you revel in your tiny haven-home. Learn more…
Kitchen Simplicity is a green book made with paper saving techniques. Please enjoy your print copy, write your name on the list of readers on page 95, then pass it along to a friend. Check my favorite book seller ThriftBooks.com for your print copy or get your Kindle copy here.
Connect on YouTube
….where I have over 500 videos. Here are my four favorite playlists:
Things I’m learning as I find my voice.
Life after the tiny house, and lots of DIY.
Weaving & Meditations on faith.
Contemplative Weaving: I weave on a rigid heddle loom in an improvisational style centered in Spirit and Flow.
Connect on Instagram:
Carmen Shenk 