Happy Holidays

No matter where you are or what you are celebrating I think it is a good idea to ask your self- Why am I doing this? What do I love about it? What could I do to feel better about it? Is this a priority for me?

If you love the beauty of the season try and bring that to whatever you do... If you love the peace of the season try and hold peace within you no matter where you go... If you love the socializing of the season find extra little ways to spend time with those you care about.

Be present and if you don't love it, if it doesn't feel good or isn't really a priority don't do it. If you find yourself doing something out of obligation or expectation; take a moment to stop and think about it; you can still decide to do it if you choose. When it is a choice it is more enjoyable and less likely to cause resentment later.

I have been finding my self doing this more often this year than ever before and I have been feeling really good about Christmas this year, I hope you are too.

Thank you!

I was lucky to stumble upon the tutorials over at http://plumroselane.blogspot.com that easily showed me how to set up a feedburner and a subscribe button to my blog. The generosity of knowledge and kindness of people is very inspiring. I love that no matter how dificult I think something will be to learn that I can always find someone online who is able to make it seem simple. Thank you to all you generous, kind, knowledgable people out there in blogland... you know who you are. Does anyone have any stories to share of how blogging has helped them?

Inspirational rooms

May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.
Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey, 1995



When you do not know what you are doing and what you are doing is the best -- that is inspiration.
-Robert Bresson



Drive a nail home and clinch it so faithfully that you can wake up in the night and think of your work with satisfaction,a work at which you would not be ashamed to invoke the Muse.
-Henry David Thoreau



Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she would come in and sink my boats.
-Woody Allen



The best way to keep children at home is to make the home a pleasant atmosphere and let the air out of the tires.
-Dorothy Parker

Home interprets heaven. Home is heaven for beginners.
-Charles H. Parkhurst

I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?
Jean Kerr

A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.
-Source Unknown

all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.
Dale Carnegie

When all the world is young, lad,
And all the trees are green;
And every goose a swan, lad,
And every lass a queen;
Then hey for boot and horse, lad,
And round the world away;
Young blood must have its course, lad,
And every dog his day.
When all the world is old, lad,
And all the trees are brown;
And all the sport is stale, lad,
And all the wheels run down;
Creep home, and take your place there,
The spent and maimed amoung:
God grant you find one face there,
You loved when all was young.
-Charles Kingsley

With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow - I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.
Confucius


Home -- that blessed word, which opens to the human heart the most perfect glimpse of Heaven, and helps to carry it thither, as on an angel's wings.
-Lydia Maria Child

Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserve; it is life's undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room.
-Harriet Beecher Stowe

He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.
-Johann von Goethe

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.
Steve Jobs

Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated.
Paul Rand

My home...It is my retreat and resting place from wars, I try to keep this corner as a haven against the tempest outside, as I do another corner in my soul.
-Michel de Montaigne

Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.
-Charles Dickens

All of these beautiful images came from the following blogs:
http://www.maisondeslilas.blogspot.com/
http://www.beautifulthingstoshare.blogspot.com/
http://www.fanciful-fanciful.blogspot.com/
I recommend you go see what else these lovely sites have to offer. I know I enjoyed several hours browsing around. I just had to share a few of my favorites of their inspiring images. I still haven't replaced my camera so this is one way to post with pictures anyway.

Junk it...

I don't know if you've seen that movie called Mystery men but in it was a woman who said Junk it in a memorable way. I loved that movie. I was watching hoarders the other day and couldn't resist getting up and cleaning and organizing and I've been at it for days now. My teenagers have been my semi willing accomplices in Junking things. The dust has been flying and I've got to say the house is much cleaner than its been in a while. I love Mr. Clean magic erasers they work great. I'm sorry I haven't been blogging very much lately what with my camera stolen and all the cleaning, organizing and junking we have been up to. I'm going to try to get into a more regular routine and blog every other day at least even if all I've got to talk about is cleaning. What are you all up to lately? Done any spring cleaning?

A Gift Wrapped Life Giveaway...

The lovely blog A Gift Wrapped Life is having a Mother's Day Giveaway, and like everything on that blog it is gorgeous. Beautifully packaged in purple and gold, scented with lavender, rosemary and white mint, items perfect for a Mother's Day gift.

I'm pretty upset

Yesterday my purse was stolen with my cell phone, camera, keys, schedule, adress book, id, my kids id, library cards, nail file, lip gloss, tic tacs, gift certificates, George Thoroughgood concert tickets, and other stuff that I feel naked without. It is a horrible feeling and an expensive hassle to try and get things replaced. I'm pretty grumpy now so I'm going to bed early for me to read and snuggle. I hope many of you had a better Easter weekend than I did.

Movies

Mmmmm lovely... Coco Chanel movie with Audrey Tatau was a beautiful movie about Coco Chanels younger years. It was very interesting and the costumes and sets were fabulous. Watch it! Here is the "Coco Before Chanel" - Official Trailer [HQ HD] for you to get a sneak peak from Youtubes watchCulturetainment.

I also watched the movie Fame that was made in 2009. Here is the official trailer for Fame from hitfixcom on youtube.

My favorite part of Fame was that my 16 year old son enjoyed it so much he sat and folded 7 loads of laundry while watching it. Yay!

Teacups and an Alice Video from youtube

Green, gold and gorgeous.




Unusual shape, I think this one is very old.



Feminine and flowery.



Another one that reminds me of Grandma Oelrich. I'm pretty sure she had one of these tucked in her cupboard. She seemed to favor teacups decorated with scenery.



Wispy Grey leaves.



Pretty purple flowers.



This is one of the sturdier teacups, but still pretty.

One of my favorites.

Peachy Pink swirls.

The teacups are reminding me of a tea party in wonderland today so I'll leave off with this clip.

Many people seem to have found inspiration from the latest Alice in Wonderland craze. This is a very creative video from gallantandkeen on youtube.