Life in Focus

Inspired Spaces :: The Garden

I've been thinking a lot about my word for this year and how it has helped me consciously live a happier, more energetic and creative life.  I now look for this inspiration in my daily routine and have been working on surrounding myself with those things that speak to me, fill me up, and make me happy. Ultimately, I want to come home to inspiration every time I walk in the door...even when the laundry is piled high and the dishes are dirty. All of this has translated to different areas of my home that I call "Inspired Spaces".  Periodically, I'll be sharing glimpses of these spaces that I've created on my blog and would love to hear about your inspired spaces too!

Our 1st summer vacation weekend was spent watching fireworks, eating ice cream, and digging in the dirt creating our very special inspiration garden. 

We wait all year through changing seasons including very cold, stark winters to see this space come alive again with vibrant colors, sweet smells, and singing birds.  I love to see how it changes from year to year and also how it remains the same. At the end of an active summer day, it's where I usually find myself sitting with a cold drink while I soak up the inspiration and energy this little garden provides.

It doesn't take a lot of space to enjoy this touchstone to nature.  A simple pot with colorful flowers and a special adornment that you find at a flea market will do.  To sit by it daily and feel grateful is good for the soul and highly recommended!

I hope you enjoy an inspired Tuesday!

Birthday week :: adventuring

I could not have asked for more beautiful weather for my adventuring day.  It was the perfect 62 degrees with a brilliant blue sky (check out that sky!) and sun...lots and lots of sun! 

The day included a picnic by the river...

a hike through the woods...

and time spent with these two very special people. (love you mom & dad!)

Oh yeah..and ice cream..a birthday week MUST include an adequate amount of ice cream!

It was a really happy day. :)

Birthday week :: creating

I'm still having fun creating with graphic 45 papers and especially love the Botanicabella collection! It's filled with so many inspiring designs and speaks to my nature loving heart.  With all of the time that my family spends outdoors adventuring (and the stacks of photos that I've collected), I'm sure to get a lot of mileage out of these beautiful papers. :)

This week is all about celebrating for me!  My birthday is on Sunday (the first full day of spring) and my family has a tradition of making the entire week special!  So, each day this week I'll be doing something fun to celebrate.  Today I'm happy to be breaking in my brand new running shoes with a long run, browsing the book store for inspiration, and then I'm off to meet a good friend for a yummy lunch! 

Birthday weeks are highly recommended and so good for the soul!

Having fun with photos

I love to surround myself with some of my happiest memories so I enjoy decorating this way...and creating some unique "life art" for our home.  Although I also enjoy making pages for our scrapbooks, having these photos out where I can see them as I go about my day simply inspires me and makes me happy.  It's always so much fun to find new ways to showcase our favorite memories!

This is a project I created recently and I love, love, love it! 

This is my sweet little daughter at one year of age, who's already 13!!  Since she was just a toddler, she has always connected with nature and loves to be outside, enjoying every little wonder. So, I turned her into a nature fairy and captured her in a jar! :)

This little creation makes me smile every time I walk by.

Have a happy and inspired Tuesday!

Everyone should have....

                                               An inspiration garden!

 
                               

One of my favorite places to hang out during the summer months is in my little garden.  I love to read, sip on a cold drink, reflect, sketch, and dream.  There's something so magical about this spot that even a few minutes of time (which is usually all I have) has the power to soothe, relax, and inspire me.  Now, keep in mind that I've never had much of a green thumb and I'm not very knowledgeable about  plants and such.  Even so, every year I try....try to learn a little more, experiment a little more, and enjoy and appreciate it a little more than before.

I believe that in our very busy and rather scheduled lives, everyone should have a few moments each day in a place like this.  A place to plant a seed, grow a tomato, feed the birds, sit quietly, and enjoy the gifts of an "inspiration garden."  It's truly magical!

       

       

           
 

Where nature meets technology

Eager to usher in spring after what has been a long, cold, and rather gray winter, the kids each picked out something that they wanted to grow indoors while waiting for the sunshine to arrive.  They picked the seeds which included a Dwarf Morning Glory (for the youngest), a simple but beautiful Marigold (for the daughter), and a very spicy Jalapeno pepper (for the teenage boy).They got right to work planting, watering, and nurturing.  Everyday, as soon as they came home from school, they put their packs down and immediately checked to see if that tiny green sprout had magically appeared while they were away.  Honestly, they acted as if their pots full of dirt and seed were pets that needed their love and affection in order to grow.  Then one day, it happened...our Morning Glory started to sprout!  Much excitement rushed through the house as, what seemed like a very long wait, was finally over.  Since then, we continued to check the other pots to see if that day would be THEIR day too.  No luck.  Another week went by and still no pepper or marigold sprouts.  Frustrated with the wait, they started to second guess their planting and nurturing abilities and wonder if they could have possibly done something wrong. 

So...one night as I picked up from the day's activities, I heard the faint hum of music somewhere in the distance.  Knowing that the kids must have left an electronic gadget on, I searched all over to finally find the source of the sound. Imagine my surprise when I found the culprit!           

Mr Jalapeno was jammin' to an eclectic collection of tunes and loving it.  Apparently, my resourceful teenage son decided to take matters into his own hands and give the plant a little musical happiness. After watching the Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters", he learned that plants really LOVE music.  So, he introduced nature to technology and pulled out the old ipod,hooked up the earphones to the pot,and a continuous jam session took place throughout the night!  Much to everyone's surprise, the very next day, all of the plants had grown a lot!

Check it out!  Now that's music appreciation!