Living simply and finding beauty in every little thing.

 Living simply is not easy in our consumer society... and yet, I intimately think that consuming is a never-ending tunnel without any light at the end of it....

I had been thinking about it for  a long time... until I discovered on Ann's blog the book Down To Earth by Rhonda Hetzel.




This book is what started me on really taking a step towards a different way of life or at least trying to.

I first thought about what  was really important to me. My family and my home came first followed by, in no special order, my job, my hobbies, sport, eating organic as much as possible.

My home, my home sweet home, is really important for several reasons. This is the place where I feel safe and secure, where I do not play a role, where I am truly myself. This is the place where my children grow and learn and feel safe too. This is the place where my couple has planted its roots to face whatever might come in the future. This is a place where love can bloom.

My home is not the fanciest home you can find but it is mine. Most objects are meaninful to us as they are landmarks of our lives.

Our love of England can be found in several objects.



 

This pendulum came from a trip to Belle Ile en Mer.



This fabric was found on Ile de Ré and we turned it into a  framed display in the kitchen.




This cushion reminds me how important working in Portland has been for me, it reminds me that I will always have a special connection to this place...



I also love antique maps and try to find one related to places where I have worked or lived. One is of Cambridge, England and one from the Gers where I live now. I am still trying to find one from Oxford, London and Portland area or the Pacific Northwest. So next trip I'll be on the lookout ;-)






 

This crosstitch is in my corridor because I have always been intrigued by the Amish way of life.




This painting is a watercolor of my street painted by my neighbor who is quite famous in the area. It was a present and I bought another one from him of the Gers countryside for my friends in Lake Oswego, so it is there now.




Because my home is so important for me, I have patiently remodelled it step by step and have made it my home.

Another step is under way right now. I have finished the three coats of paint on the terrasse windows so I can show you the color I have chosen for all the outdoor windows and shutters and ironwork.



Inside I have put hardfloors upstairs and downstairs and will use all the palette of creams and whites for a very traditional, modern country style. Photos will be posted when everything is finished.


My garden is also, for me , part of the house so I try to keep it as nice as possible as we spend a lot of time outside.






I try to see beauty in everything in my daily life and that makes it so different.

I now follow the 80/20 rule (live on 80% of my income and save 20%). I track my spending to  spend more on my needs and less on my wants.  I now write a budget and have also started an emergency fund. I also make organic home cleaners, have planted a row of tomatoes and bake my bread.

The result is that I feel in control... I feel responsible and I have already managed to save a reasonable amount of money. This feeling is really new for me and it makes me really happy.
I do know though that the challenge is now to keep on track on the long run.

To add beauty to it all, I keep working on my stitching and quilting projects and that's the icing on the cake.

I have added hexagons to my stack and have chosen fabrics for a quilted cushion for my little niece, using only what I had in my stash ;-)

 



Thank you all for your comments and welcome to all my new followers.


Until later,