Fresh Flowers #40

Fresh Flowers #16

Fresh Flowers

These hydrangeas have a lovely pale yellow color. This might be the first time I've seen such a lovely yellow variety.

Twinkle, Twinkle. . .

My haul of assorted glasswares from The Christmas Shoppe last weekend...slowly being assimilated into the house this week.

I love glass and mirrors. They keep the light bouncing around our small home.

Consider inexpensive wine glasses and use them daily for wine and water.

Consider inexpensive glass pitchers and carafes. Use them daily for iced tea, lemonade, wine and juices.

Consider a carafe for your mouthwash.

Consider a gigantic glass salad bowl to display soaps in your bathroom.

Consider glass vessels and apothecary jars in the bathroom for bath salts, cotton balls, and other grooming accoutrements.

Consider filling glass vessels with shells, sand, stones, or other organic specimens. I especially love collecting shells, sea glass, and stones from each beach/lake/river we visit. I put the items in a mason jar. I take a small square of craft paper and glue it to the jar labeling where the items were collected and the date. I cover the lid of the jar with a small piece of fabric and complimentary rubber band, string or ribbon.

Consider empty DIY glass holiday ornaments. Fill them with interesting items: sand, shells, straw and hang them from the window's half sash.

Consider glass canisters for staples like flour, sugar, rice.

Simple items are elevated to elegant and interesting when displayed in beautiful glass vessels.

Sunday Spruce Up

Last weekend I visited this insane store with my Sister and Mother called The Christmas Shoppe. I'm not even sure how to describe it. Glorious Randomness? It was like a Michael's with discounts but also with linens, small furniture, and cosmetics.

The discount prices are enticing and I ended up purchasing a whole host of discount glass vessels and other assorted odds and ends. Random: shells, stationary, and some chocolate covered pretzels??

In our teeny row home, I must employ ruthless editing and I try to only bring in useful items I love. Sometimes the love part comes first and is followed by rationalization of usefulness.

I found these little silver toned stands and knew they would work well with a few glass domes I already had. I'm dreaming about a wine and cheese party just so I can put beautiful blocks of cheese on display.

Finding and Offering Love and Happiness in Simple Things

"A good home must be made, not bought." - Joyce Maynard

In the chaos of media overload we seem to find ourselves embroiled in, isn't this a lovely idea? I hope you'll agree, home is not just your house - no matter the cost. It's also your community. . .your family and friends. . The human factor is precious real estate.

In the "not bought" spirit:

What does it cost to hug your husband, wife, children or friends a little more? Laughing is free. Does it cost anything to initiate a water fight, snow-ball battle, or a game of charades?

You can't put a price on smiles or love or a genuine heart.

Consider making heart shaped pancakes or PBJs for breakfast and lunch.

Consider a love note on a post it or napkin tucked in a briefcase or lunch bag.

Consider a wild and crazy display of love and affection in sidewalk chalk. Put it on the driveway, sidewalk, etc. Celebrate! Make sure the neighborhood knows too!

Consider a "throw down." Who can do ____________ XYZ chore the best and fastest. Winner gets to pick something fun - dinner, mini golf, game night. (Could do variations of this in conjunction with a "chore chart.")

Consider Just bringing the love. . .Cut some tiger lilies on the side of the road and leave them at your assistant's desk. Volunteer to read at a local library. Take your older neighbor some dinner/dessert, some magazines you've browsed, carry a few extra dog biscuits in your pocket when you're walking.

Not necessarily free. . .still good stuff. . .

Consider capturing fam and friends in everyday moments with a digital camera. Upload the pics to a photo service like Shutterfly They will practically design a memory book for you!

Consider purchasing one. . .Who has time to properly scrapbook? Who doesn't want their digital media uploaded somewhere "safe" (always back that up of course)? Who couldn't use a daily reminder that life is beautiful and amazing and precious?

Consider thinking like a photo journalist. Get creative with your editing software. Print in black and white. Move your subjects off-center.

Consider having a ginormous black and white fav photo printed (even bigger than standard poster size). Carefully cut the print into big and small "puzzle" pieces. Frame each piece in identical simple frames and hang the pieces in your stairway.

Take pics early and often. Love early and often. Make your home and heart open, inviting, gracious. It costs little and the smiles are indeed priceless.

Follow your heart, and home suddenly becomes effortless. . .priceless. . .

THINK SPRING!!!!

Think spring! Think spring! Think spring!

Think beautiful, simple tulips. Think brave crocus and hearty pansies. Think of the promise of forsythia and daffodils. Think tender pussy willow and fresh grass.

Allow their beauty to positively consume you!

Allow their heartiness and beauty to inspire you!

This pic inspires me. A little bobber lost in a pile of snow. Waiting? Waiting for all things spring. Waiting for sunny days to liberate it from winter's icy grip. . .Counting on the promise of spring.

As am I.

This Afternoon. . .

The houseplants all got a bath this afternoon.

I know a lot of folks that are afraid of plants. Or perhaps afraid of killing them. Houseplants are a wonderful way to enhance decor and offer the benefits of improving indoor air quality. . .So don't be scared.

There are many plants available that are quite hearty and are inexpensive or can be propagated from a cutting from a friend.

I will list a few of my go-to's and how I care for them in a bit. Currently have the bedrooms ripped apart and want to keep cleaning while the light is good!

This Morning. . .

I'm catching up on the correspondence. I think nearly everyone still likes to get a little note in the mail. It seems more personal and thoughtful than firing off a text message or email.

Consider setting up a little corner in your world where you can be still and write a little love note today.

Consider making your pics into note cards. Shutterfly and other online photo services will print your photos onto a variety of stationary at a reasonable cost. How personal!

Consider sending a post card. They are inexpensive and so is the postage. Pick up some vintage ones in your area. In frames, they also make interesting and inexpensive wall art.

Or take a 4 by 6 photo, put on an adhesive post card backing and viola, you've made your own. PhotoStix is one brand name for post card backings. You could also Google search for other brands. I like to send funny photo post cards to folks after a party or holiday. Just order extra prints when you have your pics printed.

Consider making your own cards with scrap paper and a glue stick.

Consider investing in a lovely pen, stationary, pre-printed calling cards, beautiful address book, and perhaps a book of sample letters/compositions for all types of correspondence. You'll never be at a loss for words (or supplies)again!

If you don't have the space for a proper secretary desk, consider putting your cards, pens, and address book in a basket or shoe box covered with pretty paper. You can pull it out when you want to write letters at your table or vanity and tuck it away when it's dinner or dressing time.

Consider a pen pal. You can search online for secure pen pals all over the world. How interesting to get correspondence from another country, time zone, climate! Or correspond with someone in your community that may be in a nursing home or hospital or one of the brave men and women serving in our armed forces.

Consider saving the cards you receive. Cut out beautiful designs for re-use. Or send your cards to a charity for re-vamping and re-use. St. Jude's probably has the most well known program. Simply search online for "Greeting Card Recycle" or similar for more information.

Consider clipping magazine or newspaper articles that might be of interest to your friends and family. Include them with your note. How thoughtful of you and how fun for them!

The Point of These Posts

When I started the original Home Eck Wreck , I was planning to feature design and art and other domestic pursuits cooking, party planning, etc. However, it also quickly became a spot for posting various rantings, funny observations and photos from our various local adventures.

After a year of randomness, I've decided to make another go at more focused content, hence this blog.

I'm not a designer. I'm not an artist or event planner. I work full time in an industry that frequently allows little creative leeway. So this blog will be a good place for me to share my creative pursuits.

I've been studying a lot of blogs that seem similarly dedicated to this pursuit and I find that they post a lot of content they resource from magazines or other blogs - especially beautiful magazine quality shots of interiors. I do love that sort of inspiration; however, my goal is to keep that to a minimum on this blog. I might link to it but my hope is to post mostly original content.

The original Home Eck Wreck will not fundamentally change. It will still be a forum for my general insanity.

At some point, I hope to offer some of my work to be purchased. I'm not sure if that will happen directly from this page, or Etsy or both or neither? I'm still researching the need for business licenses and so forth. No matter, I plan to donate a portion of proceeds to various charities. Keep visiting for updates.

Thanks for your support!

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