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Reflections on a New Year

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Print above is from The Big Harumph

As I write this, the New Year is just days away… Every year for as many years as I can remember I have had more resolutions than I could count: Eat less candy, workout more, save more money, be more tidy, and on and on the list goes. How about you? What kind of resolutions do you set each year?

This year I won’t set a single resolution. It’s not that I don’t think resolutions are valuable, I know they are! For me they’ve never lasted long, but I’m still glad that I kept each one for a week or two or three.


Image above is from The Wheatfield

This year I’m allowing myself to dream new dreams. Always a pragmatist, I’ll let you know that this is because I feel the time is right for me to try different things and to redefine what I value and what I would like my future to look like. So this means shifting my work focus, and spending more time doing things I love: decorating our family home, hiking, and hanging out with family and friends. It sounds simple, but something in me knows that this will fuel my creativity and my perspective.

Life’s disappointments often ask us to become jaded and to be fearful of trying new things. We so easily tell ourselves that we cannot accomplish the wonderful things we would like to do. This will be a year where my own voice grows stronger and as I work and rest and play I will remind myself that with diligence and persistence that I can accomplish new things.


Image above is from Valentina Design

I have heard experts suggest every year as we set resolutions that we be careful not to set too many, that we write them down and revisit them weekly. I am certain this is good advice, but this year – I’m choosing to dream and to believe that I will find growth both personally and artistically and that my life will continue to spring forth more beautifully than each year before it.

I want to hear your dreams and resolutions for the year ahead of us. It’s the perfect time of year for us to sweep away old disappointments and to look ahead with expectation!

Holiday Honeys: beach cover-ups

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Following on from my last post, it seemed the logical thing to have a little look into options as to what to wear over the top of the swimming costume. Practicalities have to be thought of here: it has to be easy to throw on over the top – you don’t want to be fiddling about with complicated fastenings – especially if you’re like me and want to put on something a little less revealing the second you emerge from the water. It has to be easily washable; sand and suncream are unavoidably thrown together despite being so incompatible and if you have children, no doubt sticky ice cream fingers will be clutching at your clothing at some point in the day. If you’re single, looking for a holiday romance and are thinking of spending much of your time lounging casually by a pool-side bar sipping cocktails whilst fluttering eyelashes (covered in waterproof mascara) at the fit locals, then a certain amount of sexiness factor is a priority.

The garment above by NaddyClair combines everything that is practical, and looks fab too. The fabric is terry cloth, so it will even help dry you off.

There is of course the sarong. A little obvious in my opinion, but never-the-less, an extremely useful piece of material to have with you at the beach. You can wrap it around you to keep a little warmer if the sea breeze is chilly; you can drape it over your shoulders to prevent them from burning in the midday sun, whilst being light enough to not make you over heat; you can lay on it if you haven’t brought a towel with you to save on luggage weight allowance on the flight and will help stop the sand getting in awkward places, and you can get a friend to hold it up for you to get changed behind. All those uses, and we haven’t even started on the various ways of wearing it. I love the blend of colours in this one by The Peddling Gypsies

Lastly, this beach cover up by Chabri certainly fulfils the sexiness factor – it doesn’t really cover up anything! It does however, exude glamour and confidence and would certainly grab plenty of attention at that beach bar.

All decked out – in Orange and Black…

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halloween bunting

Hallowe’en Bunting from Pamwares

You might think I’m jumping the gun a bit – showing you Hallowe’en home decor already… But I think it’s the perfect time to start thinking about this fun fall holiday. I know that some shops on Etsy and other handmade venues will sell out of their decorations in just a couple short weeks and that other items are made to order so have some turnaround time. Before I go on, I should ask – are you a Hallowe’en person? As is the case with every tradition and holiday, we all come to it with different ideas and different levels of enthusiasm. In my little family and amongst my friends every year our approach varies. Some years we go all out with fun parties, themed cupcakes and elaborate costumes. Other years it’s enough to watch a scary movie on tv. I don’t know what the plan is this year, but my husband and I usually co-ordinate our costumes. Just a couple years ago we were Sarah Palin and John Mccain, another year the husband and wife from the Incredibles and many years ago the Genie and the Captain from I Dream of Jeannie. This time around, I’m not sure why – but I feel like we should dress up as police officers!

Spider Plate from Custom Sepia

I’d love to hear some of your Hallowe’en traditions, do you dress up still? If you have kids, do they think it’s fun, or do they prefer other holidays? At this point I love thinking ahead to our Hallowe’en celebrations in the future too. It’d be fun if we’re that family that has a great display out front of our home, both fun and a bit scary for the kids who are out trick or treating. And of course getting the kids ready for Hallowe’en – I have fond memories of picking out costumes when I was young and carving pumpkins too. For me, Hallowe’en means remembering that fun-loving side of ourselves that wants to eat candy and be someone else if only just for an evening!

Halloween sign

Hallowe’en Sign from Nese’s Decor

halloween wreath

Hallowe’en Wreath from Silk N Light Designs

Be mine!

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heart candy

I’ve got a preview of Valentine’s day gifts from all over the www to share with you today! Yes I know Valentine’s is almost a month away – and besides the fact that I love holidays, when you’re ordering handmade items I find it’s always good to order in advance. This is especially true if you live anywhere outside of the US as shipping delays can be lengthy at times. Heart shaped lollipops from Calabasas Candy Co

Print is from Rosy Designs

I feel like Valentine’s gets a bad rap some of the time, and I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the holiday. I do remember being single and that it was sometimes a bit discouraging not to have a special someone to celebrate the day with. Having said that I’ve always thought that Valentine’s shouldn’t just be a “romantic” holiday, it’s also a great time to celebrate love and to eat chocolate. Not that most of us need an excuse, but it’s great when it feels like we are justified to do so, and especially when it comes wrapped up in such pretty boxes!

Hearts bicycle necklace

Bicycle heart necklace from Rachel Pfeffer Designs

Did you know that Valentine’s day wasn’t originally a romantic holiday, but instead a religious one? I sure didn’t. It turns out that it wasn’t associated with romantic love until Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia in 1381 (at the time of their marriage they were both only 15 years old)! The line from Chaucer’s poem reads: “For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.”

Heart Soaps

Conversation Heart Soaps from So Stinking Sweet

From there Valentine’s Day became increasingly associated with romantic love and by the early 19th century paper valentines had become so popular in England that they were assembled in factories, with fancy valentines being made with real lace and ribbons. By the second half of the 20th century the practice of exchanging gifts also became common, bringing us to the present day, where Valentine’s continues to be a very popular holiday!

More historical facts about Valentine’s can be found here on Wikipedia.