New Obsession

Admission. When I was a little bean I took my handy dandy faerie identification guide out into Grandma's gardens and spent HOURS looking for signs of faerie life. I built houses and left flowers and fruit and it was genuinely magical.

As I've gotten older, I've always kept them in my pocket. The idea of faeries. But I never liked the tattooes (thanks Britney) or the hokey tchotchkes that forced me to keep my love of that childhood magic a secret.

In fact I've even been known to roll my eyes and scoff at the myriad of faerie accoutrements I've seen in my local favorite nursery...until recently.

Recently I've been thinking of making a seasonal planter to celebrate the changing of the seasons. See, I come from a long line of decorators. My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother's seasonal decor was something to be wonderstruck by. I've never been good at that whole-hog type of decorating because- quite frankly- I don't want clutter and I don't want to store a lot of things.

However, I believe celebrating the seasonal changes is beautiful and simple and kind and good for the heart. I want to do that like the women before me.

But in case you haven't noticed a trend with me...I gotta do it my way!

All of this to say, I want to make a Summer faerie planter for the first day of Summer, this weekend!! I'm super geeking out about it and have been researching like a lunatic about it. Ahem. At least I'm honest about my lunacy.

Check out these awesome sites for making faerie gardens or "miniature gardens" as the grown-ups would say...

*The Garden Glove.
*The Juice. (Or gardening with adorable little ones!)
*The Magic Onions (great name for a gardening site!!)
*This, That & Everything In Between.

Would you do something fun and whimsical like this or is your garden a more structured type of homage to the seasons? How do you acknowledge the passing of the months? I'd love to know!

Friday Happies!

Just the essentials, ma'am.

Y'all this week...ugh. I've been working my hiney off to stay positive and stay on track lemme tell ya. Whew lordy! Well, y'all know what day it is! It's time for this weeks list of happies, pretties, interestings and what-nots to usher you into your weekend with a smile on your face! Here we go!

*Slang from all over the country! My favorite is the one about the kittens in the oven- whuh?

*We got gators down here. Don't believe me? Just watch!

*These Molasses Clove Cookies sound divine. DIVINE I say!

*In case you missed it, a "visual story" I made called Lazy Sunday Morning. 

*I love this photo project. It makes me want to clean my purse out (in a good way)!

*Ten tips for a more mindful home. I love it!

*I am kinda obsessed with Foodiggety.

*Did y'all catch Alabama Shakes on SNL two weeks ago? Man oh man. That band is good and that girl can SANG!!

And another one because they're seriously one of my favorite bands.

*This is absolutely my new favorite show. I watched the entire season two nights ago. I couldn't stop. She's so positive and well- unbreakable. Plus I love that the theme song came from them auto-tuning the news. It's like 30 Rock (because the Fey produces it), but with way more heart.

*I'm really enjoying Ella's blog, Deliciously Ella. She changed her diet and her life when diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I love the things she comes up with.

*Did y'all see the huge swatch of seabed that had these naturally occurring metal spheres in it? So weird! Our planet is so incredible!!!

*Apparently men in the UK think heterosexual women want something very different in a man than they actually do!! It's comical, really!

*Tallahassee, Florida has claimed the porch swing as its symbol to represent the laid back, Southern "come sit a spell and visit" small town mentality. So cute!

*What's your go-to midnight snack?? Mine's usually a grilled cheese or a tortilla smeared in spicy mustard with cheese and turkey pressed in a skillet.

*Planting seedlings in eggshells. Spring is on it's way y'all! Apparently this helps with end rot!

One week until Spring is officially here! Take some time to enjoy what is left of Winter and to bid it adieu. Have a truly wonderful weekend!

Hope SPRIGS eternal.

Some attempts at color in the pit.

Hey y'all! It's Tuesday and it already feels like the week is flying by! Did you have a good weekend? I surely hope so (and should have asked yesterday). I feel like Spring is just around the corner and I'm beginning to see signs of it everywhere.  Keep in mind that I live in North Florida, so even though we had a heck of a cold snap last week (19 degrees!), it still doesn't compare to what's going on all over the country right now. My thoughts are still with all of you dealing with the ice and snow.

Anywho- I had a moment yesterday when I was full to busting over something so small (what else is new, right?). Well, let's just say my backyard has been a thorn in my side for...the entire time I've lived in my apartment. Measures have been taken throughout the years to make the most of what is essentially an 15x10 square of hardly useable space/dustbowl or mud pit depending on the weather. I love gardening too, but with our two pups running amuck out there, it's hardly been the serene sanctuary I'd hoped for. Mostly it's just been dusty and ahem- fragrant. I've been quite ashamed of it to be honest.

But a few weeks ago, on a whim, I bought some grass seed and tossed it out on a small patch of dirt. I watered it a little and then went about my business figuring if anything came of it, awesome. If not- it's no different than the pit it has always been.

Weeks have gone by and I've checked occasionally but nothing's come of it...then BAM! Three days ago, my hubs and I were talking about something or another and happened to be standing at the back door and lo and behold! Grass has started to crop up in a few spots in the yard! It brought such a soaring sense of joy to my heart. 

The next day I hopped out there in my bathrobe and sprinkled seeds everywhere. Even if it's aways a little patchy, I absolutely do not care. That depressing, sad pit of dirt is brightening up sprig by precious sprig and it's given me sense of hope I didn't realize I needed so badly.

It's getting me through some stuff and I know it may seem a little silly. But my heart is doing better for it.

Where can you find a little joy and hope in your life?

I hope you have a truly wonderful day! Also, I wish a wonderful birthday to my dad, Richard Carpenter up there is icy Nashville, Tennessee! I love you, Papa and I hope your day is magnificent!!!  Can't wait to get up there and visit with you!

Fleur 101

February is a special time for me. Not only is it nice, chilly and crisp weather- it's also the month of my birthday, Valentine's Day, and Mardi Gras (all fun & festive days of food and flowers... yay alliteration!).

Anywho, I've always been intrigued by beautifully arranged flowers. Though never really had them in my house or gardens until recently (very recently). I've started adding fresh flowers to my house about once a month, but they never look particularly "arranged" when I get them into their little vases/containers.  I try, but usually it just looks like I dropped them into the container willy-nilly even though I actually try to make them look nice. It's amazing how some people just have that gift to see an arrangement in their mind and just make it happen. That floral je ne sais quois. I don't have it necessarily, but I do think I'm capable with a little nudging (and many online tutorials and magazine tear-outs) to pretend like I do!

So for funsies today, I thought I'd share some tips and things I found to make store-bought grocery store flowers look beautiful and expensive.

From My Soulful Home:

        *Filling the base of the container with something to stabilize the stems. Der. I've never done that.

        *Using tape to create a grid for keeping the flowers in place. (Totally works, I have used this trick).

        *Adding a bit of sugar to the water. It makes sense, though I've never tried it. I've heard of an aspirin being used. Don't know the science behind it. Would love to know if any of y'all do!

        *Three types of flowers make an arrangementt: Line, Mass & Filler (as well as a focal flower...so technically four types of flowers).


Some tips for single flower-type arrangements from A Cup of Jo.

How to make fancy-schmancy centerpiece-y arrangements. I would totally put something a little outlandish like this in a teeny powder room just for giggles.

My personal favorites: loose, asymmetric arrangements. It's oh-so Rosemary & Thyme!

Having beautiful flowers in my home is a small luxury in my life, but I want to make the most of it. It doesn't much and it makes me smile every time I see their little flower faces.  Do you have any tricks or tips to make cheapo blossoms look better?  I'd love to know!

It seems like a pretty good metaphor for the P&PPS anyway, you know? Taking what you have, recognizing its inherent beauty then figuring out a way to make it really stand out in all its glory!


I hope you have a truly wonderful day, little blossoms!

Things I've learned from obsessive marathons of British television shows.

Cuppa. See #11

I don't know why I've always enjoyed British television shows, but I truly do. Our local PBS station gave me endless comedic nurturing as a child (Are You Being Served?, Monty Python). With the advent of Amazon Prime and Netflix Instant Watch, I have to say I've discovered so many more shows and I love them all. There is something off and quaint and terribly charming about the way they do their programs. American shows quite frequently have a stale Hollywood-ed quality that I dislike. There are exceptions of course where the weird or drama is allowed to flow (30 Rock is a fantastic example), but for the most part if you want humor and heart (with dashes of drama and total weirdness), tune in to the BBC (or stream it all with a cosy blanket, a cup of tea and a sleeve of Jammy Dodgers, and practice your best accent!).

So anyway, here is a list of things I've learned from obsessively marathoning British television shows:

1. Horse brass are mounted everywhere! Once you know what they are, you will see them everywhere! I've got three in my kitchen right now!

Horse brass depicting a swan.

2. Victims in murder mysteries are all politely non-bloody.

3. The alternate is true for their rough & rowdy shows (such as Peaky Blinders-- Cillian Murphy meowr!).

4. Old British houses have the loveliest little reading nooks with good sunlight.

5. Florals are e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e! Dresses, cushions, ceramics, draperies, everything.

6. If it isn't floral, it's hats, if it isn't hats its patterned jumpers (otherwise known as sweaters).

Richard Armitage from The Vicar of Dibley (also meowr!) in his saucy jumper.

6. They love their drink!

Cue to 7:33 for one of my favorite scenes ever. Laura Thyme (in a peroxide blonde wig) and Rosemary Boxer both drunk as skunks. So funny!

7. Love can blossom with very little interaction. See again Rosemary & Thyme, The Vicar of Dibley (to name a few) and anything Jane Austen ever wrote.

8. But when it does, they can really drag that sucker out! There's something to be said about that; but also, as an American, sometimes you wanna see them kiss already!!!!

C'mon Tim! (The Office- the original).

9. Endings tend to be neat and tidy, if however, rather bittersweet.

10. They are far better with historic shows than Americans. It's a bit embarrassing really. The Brits go for accuracy whereas the Americans go for style. As a history nerd, I find that annoying.

11. A cuppa will do just fine instead of a hug in most emotionally-intense situations.

12. But boy do their story lines pluck at the heart strings, even the comedies! Ooof.

Hands down one of the funniest and most poignant television shows I've ever seen. Derek. Watch it on Netflix.

13. The British aren't terribly sentimental when an actor leaves a show and they easily replace them either with a lookalike or remove the character completely. Americans are far too sentimental for that kind of nonsense, it'd only pass (but barely) with soap operas.

Land Girls.

14. They aren't afraid to get a bit weird.

Being Human. See also, Spaced, below.

15. Though a bit cagey and bitey (snippy as we'd say down here in the South) and quick to tease each other ruthlessly, they have their own unique love languages and I suppose the affections run very deep though only a trickle is visible from the outside. Not that that is big news, just something I was surprised to actually see!

Ab Fab. An oldie but a goodie.

16. They do love a dinner gathering!

17. As well as a ragtag group of misfits. Ensemble casts seem to be quite a big deal.

The cast of Misfits. A truly original (and completely odd) sci-fi superhero show that I love.

18. When in doubt, running gags, puns, and irreverence (and even more weird)!!!

A favorite of mine, Spaced.

Have a truly wonderful day, y'all!

What the succulent?!

Succulents are so pretty!

I love succulents. They remind me of the women in my family. I inherited a few after my great-grandmother passed and my mom has some of my grandmother's growing in her yard. I love them, but I have to admit, I'm not great at getting them to flourish. One of my great-grandmother's is on its last legs lately and I've been searching for a way (if possible) to resuscitate it.

Does anyone else have this problem? I have a friend who can't keep anything at all alive. Nada. I'm not quite that bad. In fact my amaryllis comes back multiple times a year with beautiful pink and white striped blossoms- and it's due entirely to 90% mindful neglect. She loves it and just keeps coming back around!

With one or two of my succulents though...I kind of just shake my head sometimes. Some grow without issues, but one or two...oi vey. So I've plunged into the web to try to find what I'm doing wrong.

First things first, I think I may have the wrong potting soil, or that the one I've had the most trouble with may have not had good enough drainage when I got it and it got a bit of rot. So, I've brought it inside because we had two weeks of cold rain and that's super bad if the drainage isn't right.

I've also read about a cactus soil mix and Perlite? I'm not sure what that is exactly, but the soil I've had it in is soil + sand, and it has rocks in it to help with drainage. I hope that works. I'm afraid to try to transplant it because it's hanging on by a thread. If I do, I'll need to consult my Farmer's Almanac for the right time to do so (plus its the waning moon and that's no good for transplanting either!).

I have moderately had success in propagating some of the succulents leaves. I hope that helps in keeping this little connection to my grand and great-grandmother's plants alive.

Do you guys have any tried and true succulent care tips? I'd love to know!

Have a truly wonderful day, y'all! Go and get your fingers in some soil, it's good for the soul!

Friday Happies!!

Cute kid!

I'm so glad it's Friday. I hope y'all have a wonderful, fun and relaxing weekend planned. I have to work and attend a 2 hour meeting I am dreading on my day off no less- ick- but I hope to squeeze some fun in there while I'm at it. Well, around here on Fridays I like to curate a list of happy, funny, awesome, inspiring, pretty and just plain interesting things to get you in a super positive mood for your weekend.

*Well I definitely know a handful of people that could benefit from this little gift.

*This made me laugh. And yes, it's quite true.

*This too!

*I'm oddly fascinated by mudras. I've tried them a few times when meditating or stressed out and it seemed to actually work. Perhaps its the accidental hand massage, or perhaps some amazing connection to the brain, but seriously- I've actually noticed an effect!

*Since I've been on this decluttering/organizing/crafting kick, this appeals to me very much. I want to make a version of this myself in harvest colors for Thanksgiving or multiple shades of pink, red, and purple for my birthday (around Valentine's Day). The possibilities are endless, really!

*Are you abibliophobic? I think I may be. Seriously!

*I post this pretty regularly, but if you can take some time every day to have a moment like this to show gratitude for just how miraculously badass your life really is, then it will only get better!

*Ha! This pretty much covers every moment I spent alone as a child.

*Hell yeah. Thank you Netflix. I've been streaming Gilmore Girls nonstop since they made it available. The hubs says "it's just fine", but we both know he really wanted Rory and Jess to end up together in the long run.

*A few more pounds and a few more dollars and this look could be mine. In my head I can totally wear it now, but in reality... a few pushups and sit-ups couldn't hurt the ole girl.

*Is it just me or is this time-traveling Taylor Swift from the 1960's? I saw this online the other day and its weirded me out a little ever since. It totally looks like her!

*Meditation. Yes! Exhale!

I hope y'all have a wonderful, peaceful and completely awesome weekend!

Project motivations!

Happy Monday, guys! How was your weekend? Mine was spent with family and friends and funny costumes and good food. Well, if you remember last week's post, you know that I've been super inspired to get organized and decluttered. While falling down the wormhole of Pinterest and the internet looking for tips and ideas to further move me along this wave, I've found all kinds of crazy awesome crafty projects I want to try too. That's silly, I know- the cart before the horse and what-not; but I think I'm going to use some of the cool ideas as a type of reward system for accomplishing my organizing/decluttering goals. Each time I knock one of those goals out of the way, I'll do something nice for my crappy little apartment. Nerd alert, as per usual.

I found this great hand towel ring project from a blog I love called Yes & Yes (check her out here). My apartment has the worst bathroom accessories. They come apart from their hardware and they just annoy me, frankly. I love this idea of a simple ring and a strap of leather. I'd make this for my kitchen and two bathrooms in a heartbeat!

The hubs and I use our laptops for everything. My blog, the online stores, banking/bill-paying, and all entertainment. I hate to even admit that, and it doesn't dominate our lives, but still they are in frequent use. However, I like a clean dining room table, I get very tired of have cluttered table tops and strive to have them clean for proper meals together with no screens. So this little project would create a space for our computers to rest when not in use. Seems pretty easy, right? Perhaps there is a dormant talent for carpentry laying in wait for the right project (I did make a pretty decent cassette holder in shop class in 6th grade).

I currently have six plants of varying life cycles in the window of my dark kitchen. I would love to make this hanging plant rack to store them vertically in the sliding glass door to keep the kitchen window decluttered.

Or perhaps I could expand the space of the kitchen window storage with these shelves. It doesn't solve the "clutter" situation, but it would keep the plants off of the windowsill, up and out of the way so it feels cleaner and less cluttered. Head space, folks.

Any DIY projects you know of that have worked for you, or have inspired you to get your butt in gear? I can use all the help I can get!

Have a good day, y'all! Hope your weeks starts out wonderfully!

Give a Little Bit!

Greyhound photo by Elke Vogelsang

Hell y'all, it's Wednesday which means another dose of awesome people, animals and other organizations you can contribute to to help make the world a little bit of a better place! Remember, even just $5 can help so much!

*Help make a change in Africa, Asia, and Central America by helping to give clean, fresh drinking water to those in need. 

*While we're at it, let's get our Earth's soil in better shape too! Donate to the Soil Association today!

*Help General get the surgery he needs. He's a good boy and they're so close, only $970 away from their goal! He got 5 of my dollars!

*Best Friend's Animal Society! Help save them all! Love those sweet animal faces!

*I've got animals on the brain today! Help the only no-kill shelter in Tuscon relocate to a better location. 

*Help fund a billboard in England to raise awareness on the lives of racing greyhounds. They're close to their goal!

*Grayling Ceramics Studio is soooooo close to their goal, only $1037 left to go and 10 days left to do it! Give them a helping hand if you can!

*Clorofilia, a magazine of plant and ecology inspired articles and comics by artists and farmers needs your help to be published!

I hope you're inspired to help others today, and I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Friday Happies!

Well y'all, it's Friday! It's time for fun and links to all things fun, escapey, entertaining, or pretty. I have one day off (today) and am plowing through work the rest of the weekend, but I still hope you are entertained and delighted and have a wonderful and peaceful weekend. Here's the list!

*This awesome Photo booth-style picture showing a couple laughing. It is so rare to see smiling faces in old pictures because you had to stay still for so long to get the picture to come out right. Every time I see this on the ole interwebs it makes me smile.

*I love funny dogs. Enough said.

*I don't know when it started, but I've developed an odd love of wreaths.  I think its due to me rapidly progressing into my 30's. That is such a weird sentence for me to write and then read. Good grief. Well, I have so there. The ones from Terrain are so gorgeous it's ridiculous. I imagine having this beauty brightening my icky front door.

* It's getting to be that time of decade when I replace my beloved boots. These have definitely caught my eye for Fall.

*Speaking of Fall, I love sunflowers. Especially unusual ones. I found this great site, High Mowing Seeds, that has organic, non-Monsanto sunflower seeds. I love the Velvet Queen and am completely intrigued by the Italian White! For my future garden. Sigh.

*This Edamame Trail Mix looks fantastic. I must try it! I'll have to figure out how to do the dehydrating with my oven for I do not have miscellaneous kitchen appliances on principle (see this post).

*Remember Carly Jacobs, that lady that was doing silly things to get a bus for the special needs students at the school where she teaches? She made the goal!! Here's a reminder of her cause, what a lovely success!

*Moonlight Mile, a candle. It sounds so romantic and lovely. Perfect for this Autumn weather creeping in.

*Lizzie Velasquez, a role model who speaks against bullying. Awesome young lady!

*Yum times ten! Ginger sesame fried eggs for breakfast. This is totally how I roll.

*How about 35 GIFs of Individuals Who Really Did Nail It. Celebrate successes, amiright?!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day & weekend!

Small Sanctuaries

Image from BHG.com

I love love gardens and plants. I however, have never really lived in an apartment conducive to growing them. Small yards (destroyed by my two dogs), windows with little or extremely dim light... Argh! And yet, I'm always perusing Pinterest for more inspirations on my future gardens and ways to make the best of my current situation. I have a small succulent garden on the teeny weeny windowsill in my kitchen. It is about all I can finagle at the time. I glean a lot of peace from my miniature garden. I have a tendency to meditate there for small stolen moments. I often look out to the night sky and look for the moon, or watch the rain hit the glass. Sometimes, if I'm being a good girl, I watch the sun come up and drink a warm mug of lemon water. It's important to have a place for peace and a sanctuary. So, for some fun littles today, I thought I'd share some cool ways to have a garden space inside your home and some inspirations for your yard, if you have one or just want to dream of one.

 Try to cull a small sanctuary for yourself. Even one little herb plant or flower will do the trick. Connecting to nature even in a tiny way can have a hugely soothing affect on your psyche and in how you approach your day. It can ease anxiety and help you gather yourself before a heavy work day or a big test. Make for yourself a peaceful place. You deserve it.

*A garden made of ladles!

*Where I'd spend the morning alone and the evenings with my loved ones.

*This one made me laugh. Fire escape plant shelf!

*A tabletop succulent garden how-to. 

*Oooh! A tabletop water garden! I love this idea!!

*One way my itty bitty backyard could have some impact! While you're at it, my Garden board on Pinterest. I seriously escape to it for inspiration all the time!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day.