cff September 2015 | Simple and Serene Living

Monday, September 28, 2015

CHANGING OF THE SEASONS

The seasons are changing. Summer has gone and fall is here. As hard as we may try to hold onto summer, we know that we have to let it go and embrace the new season. 

white pumpkins fall autmn

The seasons of our lives change too, and although we often try to hang onto the past, in order to thrive we have to move into the new season.

This is a time of year where I always begin to feel nostalgia for things from my past. I always loved fall. Apple picking. The smell of baked goods. The leaves crunching under foot. A cozy fire on a cool night. The beauty of the changing leaves. Sitting around the dinner table with my family.

red leaves fall autumn

These are wonderful memories that I will hold close to my heart, but I know that I am in a new season, and although I may experience many of these things again I know that I will experience them differently. 

Life is meant to be lived in the moment. So for me, I will miss summer as I miss past memories, but I will enjoy the fall and not worry about the cold winter coming. 

As the sign says. It's fall y'all.

pumpkins autumn fall

Have a great Monday.

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Friday, September 11, 2015

10 INSPIRING QUOTES TO HELP HEAL DEPRESSION

Sometimes it's a case of the blues. Sometimes it is situational depression. Sometimes depression is clinical.

There are many treatments for depression and you should always consult a professional if your depressed mood lasts longer than two weeks, if you have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, or if your depression is not something that you can put into concrete terms and feel you can solve yourself. 

inspiration quotes depression

Many people talk about having the blues and so I thought I would compile a list of inspirational quotes to help you get through those bluesy feeling times. 

1) "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. " Thich Nhat Hanh

2) "It has been my philosophy of life that difficulties vanish when faced boldly." Isaac Asimov

3) "Although the world is full of suffering it is also full with the overcoming of it." Helen Keller

4) "Don't let life discourage you. Everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was." Richard L. Evans

5) "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." St. Francis of Assisi

6) "Good humor is a tonic for mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is direct route to serenity and contentment." Greenville Keisser

7) "The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being." Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

8) "The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, nor to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." Buddha

9) "Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice." Wayne Dyer

10) "You and I are essentially infinite choice-makers. In every moment of our existence, we are in that field of all possibilities where we have access to an infinity of choices." Deepak Chopra 






Wednesday, September 9, 2015

HOW TO CREATE AN ENGLISH COTTAGE INTERIOR

I love English cottage style decor and use that style for my own apartment, mixing antiques with more casual pieces.
 
The slipcovered sofa and chairs in this room give it a very relaxed vibe, a place where you would feel comfortable curling up with a good book at the end of a busy day.

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I love all of the vintage needlepoint pillows on this couch. I'm working on another one now to add to the ones I have collected over the years. 

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The vintage white wicker chair I have is in my cottage style bedroom, and I am thinking that I would love to add a large floral pillow to it like the ones here. 

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The style seems to call for a lot of plaids and checks mixed in with the florals. It's a great combination.

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Comfort and coziness seems to be the theme of the English cottage style.

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I am feeling a real love for all of that coziness.


Find some elements of English country for your home:
Bucilla Iris Paradise Needlepoint Kit (HERE)
Transferware plates (HERE)
A walking stick for your trek through the countryside (HERE)

(Simple and Serene Living participates in the affiliate program at Amazon. I may receive commissions for books and products purchased on this site.)




Friday, September 4, 2015

SIMPLE WAYS TO TACKLE THAT TO DO LIST

Do you have a TO DO list? I do and mine is so long at the moment that I almost feel frozen. I talk to my list and what I say usually isn't all that pleasant. 


It usually goes something like this. "Don't you realize that I am only one person. How can I possibly accomplish everything on here?" "Don't be ridiculous you stupid list, I can't do all of this." "This is so not fair." "GRRRR" I know I am starting to sound like my nine year old granddaughter, but let's face it, there are times that we feel like we just can't get everything done that we need to do. 

So how do we accomplish all that we need to do without stressing ourselves out. 

1) Breathe, Relax, and Cut Yourself Some Slack We are all human and there is only so much any of us can do in a day. Even though we may start off our day with the best of intentions, at the end of the day we will probably find that we weren't able to accomplish all of the things that we set out to do. IT'S OKAY. 

2) Prioritize Look at your list and decide what is most important for you to get done that day. Choose three things, and put those things at the top of your list. If you are able to get those three things done then pat yourself on the back and move onto the next most important thing on your list. If you don't get those done, and let's face it things come up, then go back to the cut yourself some slack.

3) Do One Thing At A Time until it is doneI don't know about you but this is a hard one for me. I tend to start something, get distracted, and the next thing you know I am completely off task. Once again, cut yourself some slack. Distractions are bound to happen. (Oh, sorry I was in the middle of writing this post and I noticed the one inch layer of dust on my table. It was imperative for me to dust it right now)

4) Do A Happy Dance when you complete something on your list. Be proud of the fact that you accomplished one of your tasks. You are just so completely awesome. 

5) Accept That You Will Never Get Everything Done You are only human and there is always going to be more things to add to that list. Once again, go back to cut yourself some slack. Life is too short to stress out over your TO DO list. You can't please everyone, so know that you are doing the absolute best that you can.

How do you approach your TO DO list. I would love to hear your ideas.
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P.S. You can find more of the Rewriting Life series here.

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

ENGLISH COTTAGE STYLE

I have spent a lot of time over the last month looking at decor styles on Pinterest and trying to decide what brings me a sense of real peace and serenity. 

I am really not one to follow trends but tend to go with what my heart tells me. I've also been thinking about how I want to incorporate some of the pieces that I have in storage into my own small space.

Although I will never have these stone walls, I love the floral chairs and the beautiful antique secretary.

decor English country living room floral antiques
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Speaking of secretaries, I have one in storage that is very similar to this one. Can't wait to see it again.

antique drop front desk english decor
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Horse prints seem to be a must in an English cottage room. I have two that I purchased about 40 years ago. I am hoping that they survived the pilfering of my things several years ago, but I will have to wait and see when I move. 

English country decor
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This looks like a cozy spot to sit and read, write my blog, or work on some needlepoint. 

Have I said that I have decided to take up needlepoint again? It is something I loved doing when I was younger. I found it to be very relaxing. 

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Fresh flowers seem to be an important part of an English cottage living room. I can live with that.

roses shabby chic English cottage
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How do you feel about English cottage decor? I am feeling like I have found my style for my new home.