Going Natural

I love the natural look.  And, no, I'm not talking about my hair and letting all the grays show through or anything like that.  What I really mean, is that I love a natural decorating style.  Some nice crisp whites and earthy elements...the perfect combination of rustic and refined. 

Little by little, I'm restyling my home. Removing patterns and color or anything that feels too feminine or just simply not right...replacing them with more texture and things with a natural feel.  Over the past week or so, while I was out and about, I found some great decorating items that fit the look I love.

Do you remember when I was trying to decide what I should use for a table in here? Well, I found this little stool that I think is just about perfect. Oddly enough, it's almost exactly like the one I had in this spot before, but it has one important difference, the wood is raw...worn all nice and smooth.  Really, it just about makes my heart sing when I look at it.

Then, I started thinking about this little abandoned cardinal nest that was located in a hydrangea tree right outside my dining room window.  Earlier this year, it held little eggs and babies, but since they're gone now, I decided to bring it indoors to enjoy its delicate construction and pretty, natural form.

While I like color, I've come to the conclusion that the only kind I can live with is one that can be easily removed, like in some pillows or flowers.  This pretty purple plant caught my eye at, of all places, the grocery store. Can you believe it?  The grocery store.  I love the flowers.  They have a little bit of wildness or something about them.

Lastly, I came across this little vintage berry basket.  I've been searching for some wooden ones for so long now, thinking that I'd never find any and would ultimately have to order some new ones.  Happily though, my eye spied this well-loved little charmer with its worn metal edge.  Perfect for the look I'm going for.

Perhaps I could lounge around in this chair, eating strawberries out of that little basket, while I enjoy those flowers.  Yep, that sounds like a good idea...maybe I could read a book while I'm at it too.

Well, there they are...a few finds that, I think, compliment each other and fit my natural style.  I love when everything comes together just the way I see it in my mind's eye...especially since it seems like that rarely happens :)

Have a good day!

xo Tricia

I'm sharing my post at:

Vintage Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday
White Wednesday

Summertime Smoothies

How about a nice cool treat in the midst of this summertime heat?  I love making smoothies and usually have one or, even two, every single day.  Since I started doing this a year ago, I very rarely buy ice cream anymore, choosing this as a healthy alternative instead.  Even my kids love it.

During the summer months I take advantage of all the delicious fresh fruit, buying massive amounts of strawberries and raspberries, which I clean and freeze myself.  Then when it's smoothie time I just whip it all into my Vitamix, which I love, love, love by the way, and in a minute or two everything's done.

Are you a smoothie lover too?  Here's the recipe I usually make:

As you can see, I kind of wing it a little bit.  I tried to make it as precise as I could for you though.  Sometimes, I add other things like blueberries, grapes or flax sprinkles.  I've even added carrots and spinach and no one even knew they were there...hee, hee :)

Oh, by the way, hopefully you don't see any spelling errors in my recipe.  I'm a terrible speller and, as far as I can tell, my photo editing program doesn't have spell check.

Well, that's that people, my healthy recipe of the day.   Enjoy and stay cool.

xo Tricia

Very Cherry

Hello sweet people, I have a little bit of cherry love for you today.  Lately, all the beautiful colors found in summer's fresh fruits and vegetables have caught my eye and I feel like I have to photograph them.  So, be warned, this will probably be the first in a series of food-themed photos.

Now, just look at these wonderfully plump Rainier cherries.  Mmmm...don't they look so delicious?  Tasty and pretty, what a perfect combination. 

During the summer months, I love using fresh flowers and fruit to add a little pop of color and some prettiness to my home.  I think the variety of textures and colors that natural elements provide give our surroundings a cozy, welcoming feel, don't you?

My sweet boy agreed to be my photography assistant.  I tried to wrangle my daughter into helping too, but she'd have none of it.  While she does love fruit, I would've probably had to use candy, not cherries, to entice her.

My son, on the other hand, was more than willing to eat a few of these yummy little beauties.  That's one of the best parts about using fruit as a way to brighten up our home...we are able to eat our home decor.  Always a plus.

Best wishes for a wonderful weekend.

xo Tricia

 

 

I'm sharing my post at:

 Feathered Nest Friday

 

Restless

I've always been a thinker, a ponderer...a collector of thoughts.  I contemplate life endlessly and am never quite certain as to the path I should be following.

The other day, while languishing on the sofa in a state of semi-sleep, I could hear the faint buzzing of a fly against the glass of the window.  Over and over, it circled the perimeter trying to find its way to the outdoors.  It could see where it wanted to go, but just couldn't manage to get there.  

I started to think about that fly and about how its behavior mirrors my own.  I also look out at the world before me and find that, for some reason, there is a seemingly invisible force holding me back from the life I want to live.  For me, this force isn't transparent like a sheet of glass, rather it's a little smudged and obscure, as things have a tendency to become over time, making it not easily penetrated by the light that could bring clarity and guide my way.

This weighs on me...making me feel restless and weary, frustrated and consumed.  Recently, while talking with my son, he wondered what I hoped to be when I grow up.  I just sighed, shrugged my shoulders and told him that I wish I knew. The sad thing is that I'm so far beyond being grown up that I wonder if I'll ever know the answer to his question.

The need to reflect and figure things out is always there, encompassing my thoughts and taking up my time.  Because of this, I've had less to give to my space here and less time for visiting.  For the moment, I'm just trying to give a little love to the other pieces of my world.

xo Tricia

Lavender in the Living Room

Hello sweet people.  How was your weekend?  It was absolutely picture perfect here.  We were gifted with sunshine-filled days and warm gentle breezes.  I spent most of my time outside doing a little of this and a little of that.

Our kitty cat is loving the weather too.  He has taken to zipping out the door the moment it opens, running out to the flowers and rolling around in them, happy as can be.  His favorite spot is right in the middle of the catmint.  He has loved them so much that a few of the bushes became flatter than flat.

I decided to cut all the pretty lavender blooms off and let them start anew.  I brought them into the living room, arranged them in a galvanized bucket and decided they would be a starting point for some redecorating.

The grain sack inspired pillow came from Pottery Barn.  I've had it for awhile, since last winter actually, but had yet to use it anywhere.  I thought the color would meld well with the lavender. 

The ceiling in this room is ten feet tall, and I've been thinking that maybe it needs a few items with some height.  While out shopping a week or two ago, I spied another ladder and have been wondering if I should make it mine.  I'm not fully committed to the idea yet, so I decided to bring in the ladder from the dining room and test out the idea.

The little sprig of catmint that I had on the book also looked pretty hanging on the ladder.

Well, that's all I have for today.  I have to go out and enjoy the sun for a bit now.  I took a little break from visiting blogs over the weekend, so I'll be around to catch up with you all later.

xo Tricia