this is me & a message for your soul

 

t h i s · i s · m e

  

Elizabeth. 28. Daughter. Sister. Dreamer. Bibliophile. Writer. Photographer. Home-baker and cook. Journaler. Knitter. Keeper of many hobbies. Collector of many things. Wallflower. Homebody and wanderluster. Old soul and young at heart. Complicated and simple. Confident and insecure. Often, a contradiction. Autumn and winter girl. Homemaker. Wonderer and wanderer. Maximalist. Lover of rain and snow. Rory Gilmore meets Sue Heck meets Jess O'Brien meets Amy Fleming meets DJ Tanner. Believer in fairies and mermaids and magic. Believer in making life beautiful, even the tiniest nooks and crannies. Earth dweller. Student of Mother Nature. Hobbit at heart. Hufflepuff. Lover of songs that tell stories. Listener of multiple music genres. Watcher of enchanting movies. Naturalist. Crunchy with balance. Holistic living. Oily girl. Still burns my own CDs. And watches DVDs. Eclectic mood reader. Homeschool graduate and advocate. Noncompliant, unconventional, nonconformist, freethinker. Trusting my instinct, following my heart, listening to my soul. Lover of rolling green hills and the seaside and animals. Countryside and small towns over city. Can never decide if I like night or morning better. Quote keeper. Concert goer. Musical watcher. Nature lover. Reader of storybooks and novels and memoirs of people I admire. Introvert. Highly sensitive. Out-of-the-box. Creative. Believer in imagination and beauty. Hopeful romantic. Sentimental. Unashamed idealist. Lover of old-fashioned things, all things floral and cozy, and anything that makes me feel "alive to the beauty of the world". Fashion style = comfy, cozy, casual, simple is best. Make-up free and naturally tended-to hair. Cluttered mind, always. Clumsy. Incredibly unathletic. Prefers a hodgepodge, "cluttered" (even though I don't really believe in "clutter"), collected, cottage-vibe with decorating, as opposed to perfectly matchy, organized, and orderly. Kinda dorky and awkward. Somewhat dramatic, so says my sister. Forever pondering. Passionate about a good number of things. Wildflower wannabe in a world of roses. 

This is who I am, this and so much more.

🌻🌼🌷

Who are you? 

f o r · y o u r · s o u l

This is a friendly reminder from me to you that you do not have to do things just because "everyone else is doing them", or because "it's the norm', or because it's what's expected. It doesn't matter if it's choosing to not wear make-up or allowing weeds to grow freely in your yard or loving rain more than sunshine. It doesn't matter if you choose to forego college and a traditional career or would rather spend your Friday night jamming out to musical soundtracks whilst baking cookies at home instead of going out. It doesn't matter if you prefer just having one or two close friends instead of large group around you or if you keep a different daily schedule compared to what "everyone" else keeps to. You don't have to live a life that everyone tells you that you have to. You don't have to sacrifice your happiness for others' expectations. You don't have to feel pressured or burdened under everyone else's "advice" or suggestions or thoughts on how you should live. You have the power to think for yourself. You can do things according to your intuition and beliefs. You can be true to yourself, follow your heart, and live authentically. 

 

Most of the people I've known throughout my life have been as shallow as a puddle and haven't been able to think for themselves, not one tiny little bit. I've received a lot of grief and ridicule and disgusting treatment because I simply choose to live my own way and because my beliefs and values aren't what is popular or conventional. I choose to live in a way that aligns with my intuition and beliefs, and yes, it is quite different from the so-called "norm", but I'm not satisfied to just follow the crowd or do things because everyone else is doing so. I believe in authenticity and being true to my soul and following my heart. I have no interest in swimming in the shallow end of life, where puddles have more depth than most people. I believe life to be worth so much more than that. 

You don't have to comply; you can resist. You don't have to conform or follow a set of rules or guidelines according to any institution or leader or group or whatever it may be that is telling you how to live. (This is not me telling you to break the law or anything like that. I'm taking about religious, political, social, etc. groups here.) Take back your power. Listen to your soul. Follow your heart. Trust your intuition. Be true to yourself. Discover what it means to live authentically. Unlock a life that brings you happiness, peace, and magic. Learn what "wild and free" truly feels like. Tend to your garden and unlearn what you need to unlearn. Get to know yourself and get reacquainted with your deepest, truest self. 

And, then as a favorite quote of mine says, the butterflies will come. Watch and see...

🦋🦋🦋

What is your soul whispering to you today?

little reminders that goodness & magic still exist

These last several years have been full of fear, turmoil, conspiracy, pandemics, war, evil government leaders, among other things. And those are just the things that the world, or our country, dealt with as a whole. It doesn't even begin to dip into the personal things people experienced. There have been many times over the last few years when I wished I could just escape everything and slip into a hidden corner for awhile. My mind was full of heaviness and my soul very weary. Worries, stress and anxiety. I think that's the case for many, many people out there. 

The past few years have taught me a number of things. And many of those things have been about people, especially people of different groups whether it pertains to politics, religion, etc. I have wondered too many times to count if there is still goodness and magic and beauty in the world. Of course, deep down in my heart, I know that there is. And plenty of it. But when I look at the news and internet, it can seem that just isn't so. 

I have shared lists of my favorite things before...it's something I love to do. But, today I decided I wanted to share a smaller, more specific list of favorites that remind me that yes, there is still goodness and magic out there. It's not gone and it's still in abundance. The world's not going to "hell in a handbasket" as it can seem when we focus on the loud, overpowering voices out there. 

 

Sometimes when your mind just can't concentrate on books and words, it does wonders to just curl up on the couch and get cozy for an hour or two and remind yourself of some goodness and magic. Here are my Favorite Little Magical Things...

 ♥ TV Shows that Remind Me ♥

Call the Midwife

Home Fires 

7th Heaven

The Great British Baking Show

Heartland (seasons 1-7 only)

Road to Avonlea

The Middle

Blue Bloods

Gilmore Girls

Agatha Raisin

Chesapeake Shores

♥ Movies that Remind Me ♥

Anne of Green Gables

Little Women (I love the 1994 and PBS miniseries versions best.)

Miss Potter 

Under the Tuscan Sun

The Hundred-Foot Journey

The Sound of Music

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Because of Winn-Dixie (a favorite from childhood)

Julie and Julia

Ramona and Beezus

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Leap Year

Letters to Juliet

Little Forest (Korean)

The Parent Trap (1998 version)

It Takes Two

The Hobbit trilogy

Lord of the Rings trilogy

Harry Potter series

Kiki's Delivery Service

The Secret World of Arrietty

Matilda

Nanny McPhee

Nanny McPhee Returns

Paddington

Paddington 2

♥ Books that Remind Me ♥

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (the sweetest story)

Vittoria Cottage by D.E. Stevenson

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

any of Miss Read's books

A Fine Romance by Susan Branch (so dreamy and wonder-ful)

anything at all by Gladys Taber (a true kindred spirit)

Anne series by L.M. Montgomery  

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Barrows and Shaffer (seriously a favorite)

 Pilgrim's Inn by Elizabeth Goudge

Mitford series by Jan Karon

Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall

The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series by Susan Wittig Albert

Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono

Paddington series by Michael Bond

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

The Private World of Tasha Tudor

Distilled Genius by Susan Branch

(I want to share a list of children's picture books that embody this "goodness, beauty and magic" message and vibe. I've loved early chapter books and middle grade reads for a few years now, after returning to some beloved favorites from my childhood. But picture books are a new hobby of mine, collecting them and reading them equally. And I've found a wonderful handful or so already. I'll either share those in a post altogether or in mini-posts in my "Gems From My Bookshelf" series.)

♥ My Current & Soon-to-be Reading ♥

of course, continuing on with some of the series I shared above...and

Martha's Vineyard, Isle of Dreams by Susan Branch (taking this one s l o w to savour every single little tiny bit)

Mandy by Julie Andrews (nearly done reading)

and I'm poking around a few novels deciding which one I want to read next.

♥ Little Things that Remind Me ♥

~ playing beautiful instrumental music whilst cooking dinner or baking something scrumptious

~ playing fun music whilst doing tasks, chores, or working on some sort of project

~ reading a delightful novel

~ diving headfirst into a pile of children's picture books

~ taking walks in our neighborhood

 ~ sitting outside and breathing in fresh air

~ trying new recipes

~ working on crafty projects

~ watching a favorite comforting, cozy show or movie

~ going on drives on country roads

~ making my home as cozy as possible... even the small, hidden spaces

~ redecorating my spaces with things I already have

~ rearranging furniture

~ going to a used book sale or thrifting

~ wearing clothes that make me feel like myself

~ wearing a pretty dress and feeling l o v e l y

~ writing down favorite quotes in my commonplace book

~ junk journaling

~ painting on a canvas...even if I don't know what I'm doing

~ tidying up 

~ walking through the garden

~ having tea or hot chocolate in a pretty mug

~ enjoying iced water in a gorgeous blue mason jar

~ wearing whimsical earrings

~ piling up stacks of books that I want to read

~ reorganizing my bookshelves

~ and tons more I know I'm forgetting.

We all needed to be reminded of goodness and magic here and there...sometimes more often than others. I think it's important to find the things that serve as those reminders to you. There is magic out there if we only open our eyes to see it. Goodness is running rampant if we are keen to be witnesses to it. It's not complicated or hard, but sometimes it's just more of a challenge. Filling your life with happiness and delight and magic is crucial to a good life, and this is simply one teeny tiny way to do that. 

We must also protect our wellbeing, mentally, emotionally, physiologically, and physically. There are many ways to do this, and many that I put into practice myself. (Perhaps this is another post waiting to be written.) One of the biggest ways to do this is to avoid the news. Simply do not watch it, do not spend time scrolling the news on your phone or computer or spend time dwelling on all the things going on in the world. I know that some may think this means living in a state of naiveté, but that just simply isn't so. At the same time, you (and I) do not need to know every single thing going on in every single corner of the world. I check my local news and the weather, and that's it. If there is something going on in the world that I need to know about, I will find out from those sources. Too much news results in stress, depressed feelings, intrusive thoughts, hopelessness, anxiety, fear, and a negative outlook on life, the world, and people. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

 Today, I encourage you to spend even just half an hour delighting in something that reminds you of these things. Some of the other ways that I do this are listening to an instrumental soundtrack whilst cooking dinner or fun, upbeat songs whilst cleaning and doing daily tasks, going outside for a walk- even just ten minutes around the garden, knitting a cowl during an evening at home, putting laundry away slowly and just taking my time, tidying up my bookshelves, working on a simple craft, writing beautiful quotes in my journal, lighting a candle and turning on the twinkly fairy lights each evening, wearing a pretty apron, planning sewing projects, picking out something new from the grocery store to incorporate into a meal, trying new recipes, drinking hot lemon water from a cute mug, reading a chapter or two in a gentle novel, flipping through a cozy magazine, and watching YouTube videos from fellow homebodies.

As you can see, it's not anything super mind-blowing or fancy, it's just tucking magical moments into the ordinary, everyday rhythms. At first, it may take a bit more effort and mindfulness, but after you do it for just a wee bit, it will become second nature. We could all use more magic and goodness in our days...so I say invite it in, cultivate it in all the ways you can, and then drink it up and savour it! 

What are some of your little reminders that goodness and magic still exist? Do share!

the cottage library ♥ the private world of tasha tudor

~ The Private World of Tasha Tudor ~

On Thursday, I read this book. I don’t usually read an entire book in one day, even short ones. But every once in awhile, a really special book comes along, and I just simply cannot put it down. This was one of those books. 

I’ve known about Tasha Tudor for several years…seen her artwork and illustrations, heard about her children’s books, and watched her two documentaries. But I’ve never actually read anything of hers. And I don’t know what took me so dang long.

This book is a gift, a treasure, a gem. It was so inspiring and beauty-filled, lifegiving and enchanting. I found myself feeling like I had found a true kindred spirit in the words written in this book. And for the first time in a long time, I felt like a book was truly a reawakening to the beauty, wonder, and magic of the world. Everything about this book was utterly delightful and so deeply resonated with my soul and dreams. If you want to be brought to life again in your imagination and creativity and magical goodness that the world holds, this book is a good place to begin. I’ll be pondering this one for a long time…

Have you read any of Tasha Tudor's children's books? Do you have any favorites?

Have you read this book? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This is the first entry in an ongoing series that I am beginning...The Cottage Library. In this series, I want to share quick, short, random thoughts I have on various books that I am reading or have read and love. I don't want to think too much about what I write in these posts, and just write whatever is in my head in the moment as I ponder a specific title. I think that will be the most fun...I'm not too big on eloquent or long, very detailed book reviews. I much more prefer to just read what someone thinks or feels about a specific book. I also am not a person who likes to take reading too seriously and hate sharing about books in a "book report" type of way. These will be the kind of things I would tell you if we were having tea together and taking about books. Any info about the story can easily be found out online, and any specific questions can simply be asked. There will be no real rhyme or reason to these posts...just a true ramble of my thoughts. I think it will be great fun to add to this series every so often, taking the notes I write in my reading journal and sharing them here. What do you think? ♥

the lost art of wasting time

Waste time this year. Go for long, rambling walks. Write poems. Try a new recipe just because. Pray. Paint. Knit something. Read that big old book. Work on your novel. Our world is obsessed with productivity, but "unproductive" hours are the most soul-shaping parts of our lives.

-Joy Clarkson

Everywhere you look folks are running themselves ragged. Busyness consumes the lives of most. Productivity is encouraged and considered true success. People are going a hundred miles a minute. And yet their lives are unfulfilling, stressful, complicated, and all pleasure, happiness and contentment have been sucked out right up from under them. 

Growing up, I had the opportunity to be a child, to fully live into my childhood. Instead of being whisked around from this extracurricular activity or sporting event to the next one, afternoons and evenings during the school year were filled with nearly all of my time outdoors. My sister and I, along with our friends, would put our imaginations together and create a world in which the woods behind our house was a forest and we would seek out the wild animals. I vividly remember jumping on a trampoline in my neighbor friend's backyard and as we were jump, jump, jumping, we were putting all our plans together...because in our minds we were spies. My friend and I were twin spies, and my sister was the puppy. (Lucky being the youngest, you know. You end up being the dog!) On rainy days or when the heat was too much to bear, we'd play indoors...couch cushions would become a fort or even an RV, closets would become secret hide-outs and then there was always playing school. 

Summers were filled with the same sort of delightful, imaginative play. We'd also go to parks and walk barefoot through streams and creeks near the library after we'd picked out a stack of books. Zoo visits were plentiful and then, of course, we'd come home and create a pretend zoo right in our backyard. I am grateful for my childhood and that even though it was at the cusp of technology becoming more and more popular and eventually robbing children of proper childhoods, my childhood was rich and full and fun.

Some might suggest that my childhood was wasted. I'd beg to disagree.

As I've moved into adulthood, I've chosen to keep simplicity and real living as part of my life. I know the richness of real, face-to-face, heart-to-heart conversation, the blessing of family dinner and the simple pleasure that comes from reading real books, listening to good music, and enjoying a quiet, slow-paced walk through nature.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that contentment, real peace, true joy and happiness, and lasting fulfillment will be known again once folks start wasting time again. It's truly a sad thing that the simple things in life have come to be seen as a waste of time. Discontentment is at an all-time high. More people are unhappy, stressed out and feeling unfulfilled than ever before. Busyness is glorified and being a hustler is applauded. 

Wasting time is life-giving, soul-filling, and heart-lightening. Busyness, complicated living, always being stressed out, constantly discontent, never knowing peace, and hustling round-the-clock aren't going to result in an abundant life.

Friend, the abundant life is found in wasting time...

Slowing down to actually go to the grocery store and pick up fresh ingredients (too many folks are too busy to even do something as simple and ordinary as grocery shopping), then come home and cook a homecooked meal, sit down with your family at the dinner table, have a real conversation- phones and all electronic devices out of sight-, that lasts long after the last dish has been cleared, that's wasting time that gives life, love and laughter to your body and home. 

Putting on your rainboots and grabbing your favorite umbrella and going for a walk in the rain. A couple of years ago, I saw a wonderful woman on Instagram who is in her fifties give everyone a challenge: the next time it rained, go out and jump in a puddle. She encouraged that no matter how stupid you thought it would look, how silly you felt, or how weird others would look at you, just go out there and do it. And you know, it was the most delightful thing to see all these posts popping up on Instagram of these no-longer-a-child folks jumping and splashing in puddles...every single one had joy sprinkled all over their faces as they giggled with sheer delight and bliss. Wasting time, I think not! You can bet that day was a bit more cheerful and magical for those people because of that one small act.

Go on a walk...slow and quiet. Don't pay attention to your number of steps or how far you go. Just walk and notice everything around you. Take in the scent of the air. Soak in the beauty of creation as it enfolds you. Leave the earbuds at home and listen to the sounds...birdsong, leaves rustling, airplanes flying overhead, the wind gently whispering around the trees, dogs barking, maybe even people talking.

Sit on your front porch, and if you don't have a porch large enough for a chair, that's no excuse. Just grab a chair, put it out on your grass, sidewalk or driveway, and just let the earth fill you with her goodness. My Grandpa would call this "shooting the breeze". He grew up in the Great Depression and didn't have all the million and one things pulling at him like folks do today. Life back then was simple and perhaps they wasted a lot of time in the olden days...sitting and chatting and reading and walking in nature and just doing simple things. But he knew a richness that most today would be hard-pressed to find.

Read a real book for no other purpose than enjoyment and pleasure. Heck, write a book, why don't you? Listen to some good music that fills you to the bones with magical bliss and transports you to another place. Bake a batch of cookies. Journal or craft...knit, crochet, paint, sew. Write an old-fashioned letter to a friend or family member. Brew a pot of tea and serve it in real teacups. Get the flour out a bake a loaf of homemade bread...better yet, bake two. One to keep and one to share with a neighbor. Dust off that old deck of cards and rediscover those games that you once loved. Get out your real camera, take a stroll through your garden, and take photos of every pretty thing that you see. I guarantee you that you'll find more than you think! Do something that is simply good for your soul and is lifegiving. Something that has nothing to do with being productive or furthering whatever it is you're trying to build or with making money. 

People are hungering for something. In fact, they're starving for it. The thing is, they have absolutely no idea what "it" is. So much of their lives are spent staring at a screen of some sort, constantly going somewhere, hustling about, being seemingly productive. Always busy. Lives full to the brim. Yet they feel as empty as ever. Abundant living feels foreign and true contentment and lasting fulfillment seems unattainable. The thing is that they aren't filling their souls. The very things that are filling their lives are sucking all meaning, happiness and worth right out of it. Wasting time is where abundant living is found.

  

Children are some of the wisest people in the entire world. And yet, they are often cast aside or not seen as worthy of opinions or the ability to teach or share something with someone simply because they are young. But I firmly believe that children have way more to teach us than any adult could ever teach them. Too often adults talk to children like they are stupid or not-quite-human-yet or with a superior attitude or tone simply because they are older. When we acknowledge that children are humans, too, which most people tend to forget...that they deserve respect and don't need to be treated less than because of their age, then I really believe that we will reap so many benefits. Our lives will be so much richer, and we will learn more than we thought possible. There is also a lot to be said for adults who want to be more childlike and return to their boyhood or girlhood wonder and curiosity and capacity for learning, growing, and simply appreciating. 

There is really so much more I could say about this, and heaps more I truly, firmly believe on this topic. But that gets into the widely controversial topic of what childhood should look like, how to raise children, and on education and schooling...all topics that you can bet I have solid opinions on, but those opinions tend to be very unconventional and not in line with most of society's norm, whether it be secular society or religious society. I believe with all my heart that both sides of that coin are screwing up bit time, in some shared ways and in other ways that differ. Let's just say that gentleness, compassion, respect, kindness, equality, the removal of hierarchy and authoritarian-like parenting would make for some much kinder, gentle, compassionate, respectful and respectable adults. Harshness gets no one anywhere good or positive. And yet most parents I've seen, especially in religious circles, are horribly heartless, harsh, disrespectful and we sit here and wonder why the world isn't full of kinder people. Anyway....

Children naturally have such a simplicity about them. That is until adults steal it away from them. It's perfectly fine to be this way until they reach a certain age, then it's time to "grow up" and "mature". And in reality, those two phrases destroy children's wonder, curiosity, ability to think for themselves, and to be dazzled by life. And it is awfully hard to get those things back as an adult. They are pleased with the wonder of a dandelion while most adults think of dandelions as nature's weed. Take this quote from C.S. Lewis as a token of wisdom to accompany you today... 

"Critics who treat ‘adult’ as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence, they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."

-C.S. Lewis

Wasting time is a lost art, but oh, how it is one that needs to be recovered. Will you be one of the few that knows the richness of time well wasted? I sure hope so...you will be blessed for it. You will know the abundant life in all its abundance and glory and wonder.

For most of us, the way we will most effectively change the world is through how we approach our home and family life.

-Haley Stewart

for the beauty makers, dream chasers, & wonder seekers...

Dear one,

I want to simply encourage you today. There seems to be such darkness permeating our world, it's easy to lose heart and have our focus be a bit muddied. The words I have to share with you this day have been stirring in my heart for some time now...and it is only just recently that I have actually found a way to write them out.

Dearest reader, you are a warrior in the battle for beauty. Yes, you. Your role is vital in this fight against evil and in the pursuit of goodness. You are doing important work here. You are a mighty, strong, courageous warrior.

 

Sadly, in our world, beauty has been thrown away, tossed aside, seen as a waste of time, and even oftentimes, it is seen as a childish ambition. To believe that life is beautiful and magical and full of wonder and possibility, and should be as beautiful and as magical and as wonderful as possible. People have stripped nearly all beauty from their lives. Trees and flowers and plants are dug up and thrown out from yards. Wardrobes and interiors of homes are stripped of all color and personal touches and replaced with a minimalistic style lacking any personality and uniqueness from any other home, in neutral or monochrome tones, resembling a sort of Depression era feeling vibe. Meals are no longer prepared at home by loving hands and shared with those you love but taken out of boxes and packages from drive-thru windows or take out, or even popped into the oven or microwave to heat up something from the frozen section at the grocery store. The music that comes from radios and online is nothing more than disturbing lyrics matched with sounds made with electronic machines by singers who can't even really sing, but thanks to something called "autotune", they can make something not even resembling real music. Gone are the days when homes looked cozy and lived in and welcoming and like a place you felt truly "at home" and comfortable; homes are now replaced with a perfect image, thanks to the disillusion of social media. 

It is my firm belief that all of these things I mentioned here, as well as many other examples, are some of the ways our world feels so dark sometimes. Why is it that people choose darkness instead of light? Darkness isn't just the big stuff like pandemics and wars and bad governments. It is the small things, too. Why do people choose to live in a world of black and white, when Mother Earth herself shows us that a life of color is so much more fun and beautiful.  And we sit here and wonder why so many people are depressed, unhappy, hopeless, and miserable.

Because they have taken beauty out of their life. Beauty has a lot to with the solution to the epidemic of depression, unhappiness and hopelessness that the world is facing. There have even been studies that show that people are happier when surrounded by trees and nature...along with other similar studies. Not that we need a "study" to give us a reason for why we do or believe what we do or believe. But it just goes to show that sometimes the answer is actually quite simple.

Where has beauty gone? Where are the beauty warriors who refuse to comply and fall prey to this lifeless way of living? Who dare to defy the trends and so called "norms" of society and the culture? Where are those who choose to live their own way? Who dream of beauty and whimsy and splendour and making their life magical and romantic and something delightful? 

If what you just read resonates with you, then this is for you, 

my fellow maker of beauty, chaser of dreams, pursuer of delight, cultivator of whimsy,

believer in magic and seeker of wonder, 

lover of romantic living and happy little moments...

Every act you take in cultivating beauty in your life and in the spaces around you is a courageous act of defiance against the darkness that seems so prevalent in our world. But, you, beauty warrior, tell another story...one of grace, love, kindness, compassion, hope, delight, and fullness of life. You tell the story of goodness and light. A story of how beauty speaks and changes lives and makes the ordinary into something spectacular.

Every single meal you prepare with love, every table you set with such care and attention to detail, every candle you light, every melody that fills the corners of your home, every piece of art you display, every crafted tradition and created memory, every celebration you delight in, every moment of happiness and fun, every story you invite into your heart, every person you love and serve, every moment of rest and peace that you offer...

all of these speak life into your space. 

You are giving life...in so many, many ways. You are a lifegiver, just as you are called to be. 

Not only are you filling the cups of others, but in the daily act of cultivating beauty, you are filling your own cup as well. It's the magic of this way of living...the more you give, the more you get. The fuller your cup is, the more you're able to pour out. In the same way a pebble tossed in a pond creates a ripple, you too, are creating a ripple whenever you invite beauty into your life, whenever you share that beauty with others, and whenever you allow beauty to work it's magic.

Dear beauty warrior,

Fight for beauty...cultivate it in your life, seek after it in the ordinariness of everyday, hunger after it with your whole heart, grasp hold of it when you walk out your door and take it with you, choose to sprinkle it wherever you may roam, and be on alert for it when you wander this grand world. 

Beauty speaks, but few listen. It is the magic of Life coming to us, in simple, ordinary, everyday sorts of ways. Open your eyes, attune your ears, quiet your heart. Taste and see. Beauty warrior, be steadfast in this pursuit of all that is good and beautiful. It is worth it. So very worth it. Let beauty transform you. Breathe it in. Drink it up. Soak in it.

Because, rest assured, it's lifegiving...for you, for those around you, for the world.

From one beauty warrior to another, 

let's make this world a bit more beautiful with everything we do.

♥

expecting delight and hidden surprises

The sun shone brightly and the earth was very much alive with deep green grass and bright wildflowers in a rainbow of color. Driving down the winding road, neighborhoods and homes on either side, it just kept going on and on. With minds strictly focused on picking up an order of books at the library in the nearby town, we went on our merry little way. Driving and chatting and not really noticing much of anything except the road right before our eyes. 

In a moment of distraction, I turned my head and to my right, I encountered tremendous beauty. Utter delight filled my heart when I saw the meticulously kept garden behind the old fence. Colors so bright and vivid. Flowers of all sorts. An absolute surprise...hidden on the corner of a street, tucked aside in the curve of the road. Beauty in such abundance. Growing wild and free, completely at ease.

That day I wrote about above was just an ordinary day in late June. We were simply going to pick up some books I'd placed on hold at the library in a nearby town because the towns right where we live don't have a library. Usually, when we make the drive to this library we just take the main thoroughfare through the city...nothing but businesses and lots of traffic and chaos. On this day, however, it was right smack in the middle of rush hour traffic so my mom decided to take the back roads. Now, we are back roads people and only take the main streets and highways when absolutely necessary. However, since we had recently moved around the time this moment took place, we took those busy, chaotic roads more often simply because we live much further out than we used to and a lot of things are quite a drive away. This day, though, we took the back roads. It felt like we were getting back to our roots...just driving through the peacefulness of nature, slower-paced and fewer cars and people. That's this introvert's idea of perfect!

No barefooted, tree climbing, frog holding, mud pie making, cloud spotting, puddle stomping, bird calling, wild foraging, moon gazing, firefly chasing, fort building, creek following, rocking hunting moment with Mother Nature is ever wasted.

-Nicolette Sowder-

This day taught me a lesson and reminded me of something I've known for a long time, but had forgotten:

Slow down and take the back roads. Savour the scenic route. Take in the unexpected beauty that awaits you around the corner. Expect to be delighted and keep your eyes open for little surprises along the way.

All is grace, even these small gifts of loveliness that you find along the path of slow living. Embrace a life of finding beauty in ordinary places, in hidden corners of the earth, and magic and wonder in nature.

This is the rich life, where you bloom and grow and flourish.

Another lesson that I am often reminded of whenever I find myself surrounded by the beauty and wonder of nature is that nature does not rush anything. Everything has its chance to shine in just the perfect time and in the most beautiful of ways. 

We've driven past this hidden garden many times since it first greeted us that warm, sunny late June day and the color is all gone...it had its time to shine and shine it did. It's been in the resting, dormant phase as its roots prepare for another show in probably the next couple of months. Nature can surely teach us many things and just a few of those things are to slow down and look for beauty in the ordinary, hidden place. Do not rush anything for the perfect time will come and it will be beautiful. Always be expectant...for delight and little surprises along the way. These are little gifts that Life gives you. Live slowly, simply and richly. This is the only way to bloom and grow and flourish. This is the abundant life and it's found on the back roads and in the quiet places...and in the ordinary and hidden.

My challenge to you today, dear one, is to take the back roads...expect to be delighted and to encounter beauty on your journey. Slow down and savour everything that comes your way. Find magic in the ordinary and hidden. The secrets to life exist there...open your eyes and SEE.

Then you will truly come alive to the beauty, wonder, and magic of this world.

every teacup tells a story...♥

For Those Women

Who bury themselves in books

Who know the song by heart

Whose kitchen is a sanctuary

The hearth a domain

Women who live in dreams

And visions

Forever striving

Forever keeping it just within reach

Funny Little Somebody

Don't you ever forget

How you made all the small things large.

-motherinthenorthernlands-

Teacups have been part of my life now for just over seven years now. I remember when I saw that first cup and saucer that would join my then empty collection. It was a Royal Albert, which at the time I didn't know what in the world that was. It had roses painted on in a flowy sort of way. They were a rich red color and it reminded me of autumn and green leaves which added such a beauty to the cup. The handle had a unique look to it, which is probably what drew me to it in the first place. Well, that and the flowers of course. The rim of both the cup and saucer was lined in elegant gold, which made me feel all fancy when I first laid eyes on it. 

At that point in my life, I was all about Downton Abbey. That's what reignited the admiration I had for teacups, which started as a young girl. My sister and I had a mini teacup set when we were little girls and we would play with it for hours. I remember it even had saucers and a tiny teapot...oh the fun and delight and whimsy that brought to our childhood!   

There is magic in that little world, home; 

it is a mystic circle that surrounds comfort and values never known beyond its hallowed limits.

-Robert Southey-

Many years later, that admiration of the beauty and elegance and old-worldliness of a teacup began stirring up in me once again as I watched the Lords and Ladies of Downton daintily sipping tea from a China cup...and at that very moment, I knew that teacups would be a part of my life from that point forward.

Antique shops were never my cup of tea simply because I felt embarrassed for being so young and liking things that an old granny would like. Stupid, I know, but that's what public school peer pressure will do to you (in the very least). My mom would take my sister and me to walk around our local antique shop every now and then and I remember thinking how neat some of the stuff was. Especially as my mom would recount memories of her childhood and the days spent in the kitchen with her Polish-speaking grandmother and then going over to my grandparents' house and seeing many of the same things in their home that were in the shop. Somehow it created a connection. My grandpa was raised in the Great Depression and fought in World War II, and was a first-generation American as his father and brothers made the long, hard journey from Poland before he was born. You can imagine the stories I've heard!

And teacups, for me, are apart of that connection.

I'm a quiet person, and I live a quiet, pleasant, ordinary, simple life.

-Mary McGarry Morris-

Every time I see a teacup, I see a bit of history. I don't know who had that teacup before me, whose hands held it and whose home it lived in. I don't know where in the world it's been or how it got to me. Yes, it's just a teacup, but it's a piece of someone's history...part of their story. 

And something I've learned is that every cup tells a story.

A number of years ago, over ten, my mom and I were helping our friends move into the house down the street from us. This couple was in their seventies at the time, so they had a good bit of things to move in and get situated. We were in the dining room and kitchen and unpacking boxes with those sort of items. And our friend knew the history to every one of her pieces. Every time we pulled out a glass or cast-iron skillet or little decoration, she would remark, "There's a story behind that." Our afternoon turned into many hours spent unpacking boxes and listening to story after story of where these pieces came from, how she got them and a bit about their story. And how they had become part of hers.

Magical places are always beautiful and deserve to be contemplated.

Always stay on the bridge between the invisible and the visible.

-Paula Coelho-

Teacups are that way for me. I've grown quite a collection now, though I've always got my eyes peeled to new finds. And every single cup that has come into my life has a story...one that I don't know and yet one that I am giving it. These cups are part of my story and part of the legacy I'll pass down to the next generations...my future children, their children and so on.

The cup is the physical representation of many stories and memories and fun times and celebrations and holidays and such. Each cup is filled to the brim with a boatload of reflections that could be told over and over again. I know how I came across each one and where I found it. I know what I've used them for and what attracted me to that particular cup in the first place.

Step away from the screen. There are still good things in the world.

There are cinnamon rolls and leaves changing colors.

There are children who still play pretend. There is fresh air and poetry.

There is quiet. There are orchestras and park benches.

There is reason to rejoice.

-Joy Clarkson-

Every cup tells a story, just we do. And every cup has a history, just like us.  

Some of my teacups came from the antique shop that we'd frequent during my childhood. We still visit there from time to time, though we live way on the other side of town now. Some teacups I've received in the blessed teacup exchange that a dear blogging friend hosted for many years. I believe I've received five or six from sweet ladies through that. And yet, there are a couple that I stumbled upon whilst we were on holiday in Ireland several years ago. Their gorgeous floral patterns and unique shapes and sizes just spoke to me and I knew I had to bring them home with me across the Pond. I carefully wrapped them in scarves and my sister wrapped some in bubble wrap and into my carry-on they went. I took such care in making sure to handle my backpack with special ease and not fling it around harshly. Sure enough, once we returned home, I unpacked my bags and there they were...in pristine condition and now they grace my shelves so beautifully. Whenever I look at them I am reminded of such fond memories in that gorgeous, peaceful country, and am, in a way, transported back there for a brief moment.

Look for the beauty in the world. It'll make it so much easier to realize that you're beautiful, too.

-poemsforthemoon-

 I love using teacups for tea parties and such, but I also find that they make the perfect decorations. Much of my collection is displayed throughout my room. I dream of the day when I have a home of my own, with a gentle, nurturing man by my side and little kiddoes gathered around. I'll decorate that home with teacups, no doubt about it...we'll all sit around with delicious sandwiches and small baked treats and have tea parties...it will be a grand time.

Pour grace like some people pour coffee.

-Elizabeth Foss-

There isn't any particular brand or line or style teacup that I prefer over the others. I like an eclectic collection and tons of variety. Some of my cups are fancier and daintier than others and others are almost a teacup mug. Some display beautiful floral patters in soft pastel colors and others are more bright. I have one that displays a thatched roof cottage and others that put nature on display. Some are seasonal and others are more versatile. Each one carries its own beauty and shines in a unique way. In that way, teacups remind me of people. Each one different but all beautiful and special and lovely.

Live in moments that consume your heart and mind, 

but be distracted by the music from the leaves, birds, wind,

rain, sun and people.

-Val Uchendo-

And then there is the Grace Collection. Oh, I adore these designs to pieces! I have a number of them in my collection and they're definitely some of my favorites. This brand isn't necessarily antique or old or ones that already have a story to them. I usually find them brand new in certain shops, but I always go after them. The styles and colors are always so magnificently done. They are all a bit different from each other and some have very unique handles or saucers. Even if a teacup isn't an antique or doesn't have a history all it's own, the owner becomes the writer of its story...and soon it will have one all its own to be passed down.

Pleasure is spread through the earth

in stray gifts to be claimed by

whoever shall find.

-William Wordsworth-

Teacups...collecting them, admiring them, and so on, as well as the practice of drinking tea, always takes me to a time gone by. It invites me (and encourages me) to slow down, to savour and to pause. To take in beauty and cultivate it all the more. To soak up the quiet and peacefulness of a moment and to share it with others all the same. Teacups offer so much more than just a cup of something warm and soothing. They offer beauty, peace, calm and an experience, too. 

Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.

-Ashley Smith-

Do you collect teacups? If so, what are the things you love most about doing so? Feel free to share your thoughts and reflections in the comments below...

The world is like that- 

incomprehensible and full of surprises.

-Jorge Amado-

Grace-filled blessings upon your day, dear friends!

May your find beauty and delight and gladness in a teacup...

or something like it. 

♥