cff 2016 | Simple and Serene Living

Monday, December 5, 2016

A PEACEFUL PLACE

In these stressful times we all need a place where we can go and find a sense of peace. 

A place where we can go and find serenity. 

That place differs for each of us.


It may be a spot in your home. The stillness of the woods. Standing by the ocean. A park bench. 

For me it is the florist and greenhouses that my grandfather built in 1902. As I have written about before, it is a place, 10 minutes from my home, that I can visit as often as I want.


It is a place that after so many years is showing its age, and that means that there is constant work to be done. Recently it was found that the front greenhouse, the show house, had structural issues. So major renovations were in order. 

Yesterday, on my way home from church, I stopped in to browse the annual artist and craft show that is held there. I also wanted to see the finished show house. 


I call this greenhouse Aunt Rose's greenhouse. It was Great Aunt Rose, who loved me so dearly as a child and instilled in me a love of antiques, who kept her birds here. 
 

It must have been warmer in there back in the day, but in recent years it has not been so warm in the cold months.

Now it is full of beautiful plants and flowers. The floor is heated and it is a cozy and inviting spot once again. I will be visiting often this winter when I need a break from the gray cold days.


My peaceful place. Come join me.




Tuesday, November 29, 2016

HELLO LITTLE MILKING STOOLS

Small space decorating requires rethinking scale and how we use the pieces in our space.

I have found that old milking stools are not only charming, but also are wonderful for taking the place of other pieces. 



I love having a coffee table, but I really don't have the space for a conventional table. I do however have this sweet rustic milking stool and it serves as a little table without taking up too much real estate. 


Also, with its handy holes in the top it is easy for me to move it over by my chair when I need a place to park my cup of tea. 


I have a second milking stool in my bedroom. She is so pretty in pink.


I move this one around a lot too. Perfect in my bathroom to sit and put on makeup or next to my bedroom chair.

Small spaces can be challenging when it come to decorating and although I do use large pieces, it is nice that these little milking stools add to the decor. 



Thursday, November 24, 2016

THANKFULNESS

There are times when life seems to slow to a crawl and then before you know it it has sped up again and another year has gone by.

I remember last year with these two sweet girls. How much they have grown in the past year. I will miss being with them this year.



Like many others in this country I am feeling uncertainty. Will I lose my medicare and social security? Will my daughter lose her life saving health coverage? Will my gay friends and family members be persecuted once again? Are my African American friends feeling fear in their lives? 

There are times when I wonder if I will ever feel thankful again. As I sat in church on Sunday, singing old hymns of Thanksgiving I closed my eyes and opened my heart to thankfulness.


No matter how difficult the times are, when we look deep inside there is always something to be thankful for. 

This year I am thankful to have my own home. A place where I can close the door and know that I am safe and warm. I know that there are many others who are not as fortunate.

Although I am not with my daughters and grandchildren this year, I know they are also safe in their homes and I can feel their love across the miles. 

I want to wish you and your families a happy Thanksgiving. I hope that in the days, weeks, and months ahead you will find many reasons to be thankful. 

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

FEELING SERENE

I'm working hard on renewing my serenity. As my father used to say, life is tedious sometimes, and if we aren't aware, we can let the tediousness of life take over.

This morning, as I sipped my cup of tea, I took time to look out my window and see the beautiful pink and yellow sky that heralded a wonderful day ahead. 


I knew I had another very busy day ahead, yesterday I painted in my new booth all day and today I am moving, but I also knew I needed to feed my soul before the day really got started. 

Life passes by so quickly and before we know it we have wasted so many precious moments. Moments that should be filled with love and peace. 

So instead of rushing around, I am consciously taking time to feel serene, to savor the moment, and to love the life I have. 
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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

CHANGING SEASONS

Fall weather has finally arrived. The scorching 90 degree days that were still with us early last week are now a thing of the past. 

Those temps have given way to daytime highs in the sixties and seventies. Sunny blue skies and soft breezes make for perfect days, and signs of Autumn seem more welcome now.

fall autumn pumpkins stand

Pretty trees seem to be fewer this year due to the dry summer we had. 

fall autumn red leaves

There seems to be an awful lot of browning going on.


What is really nice though, is seeing the flowers that are blooming. I love that the lantana is still holding on and since there is no frost in sight for the near future I am hoping they will be here for awhile longer.

flowering lantana fall flowers

Now that the weather is finally changing it is bringing up thoughts of changes that I personally want and need to make. 

I have to bring in more added income than I have been this past year so I am going to try some new things. I was raised to not talk about money, but we live in a changing world and I need to shift my thinking. 

I have to learn to promote myself more, which is hard for me to do. I have always been good at promoting and helping other people, but now I need to shift that focus to myself. 

fall autumn tree red leaves

So as the seasons change around me, I will be changing too, and I'll talk more about that later this week. 



Tuesday, October 11, 2016

FAMILY TREASURES IN MY HOME DECOR

There are things in my home that make me smile. Not necessarily because of monetary value, but because they are family treasures. Each one of them holds meaning to me. 

I love looking at this china in my old pine cupboard. 


I remember when I was a teenager that my father bought this set for my mother as an anniversary gift. My mother took very good care of it and there is still a full set for twelve plus serving pieces. 

Looking at this china brings back wonderful memories of family dinners.

Family pictures are another thing that I value. I look at them and see the people that came before me. 

There are some family members I knew, like Uncle Charlie,


and some that were gone before my birth.


And then there is my greatest treasure. She isn't worth anything to anyone but me, but to me she is priceless. I was so worried when I was going through my storage boxes that she would be gone and when I found her I felt almost like I did the first time I saw her.


I was five years old and all I wanted for Christmas was a Betsy Wetsy. I was also very specific about which Betsy I wanted. She had to be one without the fake hair or the plastic face. So I went to see Santa to plead my case. I didn't trust my parents to get it right.

I think that may have been the best Christmas of my life. The moment I walked into my living room and saw Betsy was so exciting. I slept with Betsy for the next six years and I always took her with me wherever I moved. Being without her and not knowing her fate was terrible for me. 

Yes, it has been sixty years since I first got Betsy, but every time I look at her all of the feelings of sixty years ago come back to me. It was a time of innocence and joy and it reminds me that the simple things in life are the best.

How about you? Do you have family treasures that you have held onto and that mean a lot to you?


Tuesday, September 6, 2016

DEFINITELY STILL SUMMER IN THE GARDEN

I don't know what it is like on your neck of the woods, but it is definitely still summer here in Kentucky.


Labor Day may have come and gone, but the sweltering heat is still upon us. 


Temperatures in the low nineties are keeping my air conditioning running at full force, and are leaving me in no mood to think about pumpkins and colorful leaves.


I see so many people adding fall touches to their homes, but I think that is going to have to wait awhile for me. 


I'm not sure just how much fall decorating I am going to do in my new apartment. Although I have way too many Christmas decorations, I didn't find any of my fall items in storage. 


So I think I will take a few weeks to enjoy what is left of summer (my favorite season despite the heat) before I commit to fall.

In the meantime I'm going to live vicariously through all of your lovely postings. 

Thursday, August 18, 2016

SIMPLE SUMMER DAYS

A couple of days ago I was complaining about how quickly summer seems to go by and how much I miss simple summer days.



I often wonder just when did we stop doing all of the things that made summer so much fun. Did we think we were too grown-up? Were we too busy? 

I for one have decided that I want to get back to enjoying the simple pleasures of a childhood summer. 

Yesterday, I began. It was a moody, rainy day. Perfect to sit by an open window, and read a book while enjoying the smells and sounds of a summer day. It brought back memories of days reading Nancy Drew books in my shorty pajamas. 

curtains blowing in window


The day seemed to drift by at a tempo I seemed to have forgotten existed. 

I still love to go treasure hunting. That is what yard sales, auctions, and even walks are for. Seeing a beautiful flower can be treasure enough for me these days. 

simple flower

Tonight, I am going to head outside at dusk just to look for lightning bugs and listen to the cicadas. Maybe I will hear some neighborhood children playing hide and seek in the dark. 

There are so many simple pleasures to be enjoyed, and most of them are free for us to take. Summer may be drawing to a close, but it's not too late to get out and bring back some simple summer days of your own. 

What are some of your favorite summer memories?


Until we meet again join me on PinterestInstagram, and Etsy.





Friday, July 15, 2016

LIVE AND LOVE EACH MOMENT

Yesterday brought us another terrible tragedy. This one in Nice, France.


As soon as I heard about it I realized that there was a personal component for me. I knew that my son-in-law's parents are vacationing in Nice this week, and so of course I became very concerned for them. 

They are a part of my extended family and also have become friends. 

More than that, I know how much my three grandchildren love their Grammy and Popup and how devastating it would be for them to lose them. 


Life can be fleeting for any one of us. We really only have the guarantee of this one moment, and so we should embrace it. We should open our arms to it and breathe in its wonderful aroma of love. 

Hate can only be conquered by love and so no matter how much we hate the terrible acts of individuals, there is still so much love in the world. We have the love of our families, our friends, and all of the people in the world, who like us, want love not hate to win out. 


I believe that if each one of us practice living and loving each moment of our lives that all of that love will resonate out into the world. 

I am grateful today that my family members are safe, but I also grieve, with love, for all of the families of the victims of this and other acts of violence, and I pray for the healing of hearts. 


I know that I personally will spend more time consciously living and loving each moment. I hope you will too.


Monday, July 11, 2016

SIMPLE LIVING MANIFESTO

When I came across this in my Facebook feed a few days ago, I stopped to think about how much of this am I actually practicing.



Eat less, move more. I am eating less, but I am also eating more. That may sound like it doesn't make sense, but what it means is that I am eating very little processed food and eating more natural and organic foods. 



Isn't it wonderful that summer is here and the local farmers provide us with so much to choose from. I am so grateful for their hard work.

I am on a mission to move more. Every day (well almost every day) I am out the door around 7 am to take my morning walk. I may be groaning some days, but I am never sorry once my feet hit the pavement. 


I love how the morning sky is different each day.

Buy less, make more. Well, to be honest I am buying things for my new apartment, but I am trying to buy primarily vintage and antique items and I am selling things I already have so that I am not adding to waste and to hurting the environment. 

I don't do a lot of making my own things anymore unless you count cooking my meals from healthy ingredients.


Stress less, laugh more. I definitely feel less stressed since I have moved into my own apartment, and I am seeking out people who make me laugh more.


That girl knows how to live.

Feel blessed, love more. I am waking up each day remembering all of the things I am blessed with and all of the people I love. 

 
There are many.

Find a quiet spot every day and breathe. This is something I do numerous times throughout the day and I've found it can be done anywhere. 

 
For me, life is so much more serene when it is lived simply.


Tuesday, July 5, 2016

GOOD MORNINGS

I love mornings. They have always been my favorite time of the day, and now I love them even more.

One of the reasons is what I see when I walk out of my bedroom each morning. 


I love how my living room is shaping up. I am slowly getting the English cottage look that I want by using things that I have had for many years along with some new purchases. 

It is an eclectic mix that I will share more of later with you. 

Today, I just wanted to show you my first view of the day. A view that puts a smile on my face. 

Oh and I almost forgot. Tomorrow is a special day. It is my granddaughter Tessa's fourth birthday. 

I won't be there, but I left her a special present. One that she made sure I knew she wanted. I hope my daughter will text me a photo of her with it. If she does I will definitely share it with you.

I'll give you a hint. It is pink (her favorite color), has one horn, and is not alive (although she wanted it to be and told me exactly how she would take care of it).



Happy birthday to a funny, sweet, very serious, and very smart girl. 

Wish I was there to celebrate with you. 


Monday, June 27, 2016

CREATING A SMALL SPACE HOME - MY OLD PINE CUPBOARD

WHEW!! It has taken me six days (not as fast as I used to be), but I have sorted through and put away most of my belongings. 



I am now in the process of starting to do some decorating. After seven years of not having a home of my own I am loving every minute of it. 

Okay, all the bumps and bruises and a possible broken toe haven't been fun, but they will go away and I will hopefully be left with a space that is all mine.

One of the first things I had to do was fix my old pine cupboard. It had been completely shaken apart in transit. The movers, who unloaded for me at the last minute because the original movers I hired didn't bother to show up, looked at it, shook their collective heads, and pronounced it dead. (no, of course I didn't take a before photo)



I just shooed them on their way and told myself that I never give up. However, in this case, I thought I might have to call in a furniture restorer, which I definitely can't afford. 

I fixed myself a calming cup of tea, pulled up a chair, and studied it. Thank goodness for my good mechanical skills. 

After pulling out all of the shelves, I figured out which peg went into which slot and got them started on their way. Once I had that done I lifted the bottom piece, and with a hammer, I lightly tapped it into place. Voila!!! The entire cupboard just slipped back into its rightful place. 

Once I had all of the shelves back in it was as sturdy as could be. Time to start decorating. 



First thing I did was place the remains of my childhood rocking horse on top. It is over 60 years old and has seen a lot of use, but looking at it makes me smile. 

I had originally planned to put the cupboard in my dining area, but it was just too large, so my fall front desk is in there. I'll show you that another day when I have it ready.



For now, I am using a combination of pieces, including some of my white vintage china, white ironstone, and some of the blue and white Dalton china that my father gave my mother when I was growing up. 

My mom gifted the china to me several years ago and I loved pulling out all of the pieces that I had packed away and stored in my sister's garage.


  
I am so happy to have my cupboard back. It fits perfectly into my small space living room. 540 square feet is more than adequate for my needs. 

Now the only thing I need to do is replace one piece of glass that was broken and I will be done with this project for the time being. Believe me, I have plenty more to do. 

It is so much fun being able to decorate again, and I will definitely be sharing it all, so stay tuned.

This also means I will have more time for visiting. Hooray!! 




Friday, May 13, 2016

LIFE IS ALWAYS CHANGING

Life is always changing. It's amazing to me that no matter how old we get there is always room for change.


I have been pretty darned tired the last couple of weeks. Moving is hard, and even though I have moved so often in my adult life, I seem to forget just how hard it really is. 

Add to that the fact that I am getting a wee bit older and I have been having dental work done in the midst of it. It makes a girl just want to nap.


I ran across this new friend on one of my walks this week. I was amazed how unafraid it was. Maybe it has something to do with how serene and calm this place that I am now living is.

I have actually been having pretty much of a blast in my new home. I love my new neighbors. There are 42 apartments where I live and although it is quiet in my apartment, I can find someone to talk to most anytime of the day if I start to feel at all lonely. 


It seems I now have to have a root canal. It will be my first. OUCH!!

After that I plan to head on out and get my things from North Carolina. 

I may be driving a U Haul (won't be my first time) so if you see me just honk and move on over.