SWELL

A photo vignette of my grandmother. The above framed photo is her engagement portrait. Back in the day  a woman was photographed independently of her fiancé when engaged. Isn’t she beautiful? And the book, Evangeline, has been in the family for years – my great grandmother gave it to my grandmother and then she passed it down to me. The book (in poem format) follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel. I still haven’t read this (sounds a bit sad) but perhaps one day I’ll pop open these old, delicate pages and read this love story.

I love living by the sea, but with winter’s bite I often forget how lovely it is. This photo – taken two summers ago – reminds me how relaxing it can be to sit beachside – or on a sail boat – and drift away in a book, magazine or in your own thoughts. I’m definitely looking forward to when I can restore these calm moments into my life, but in the meantime I’ve been obsessing over a few nautical-themed items, especially this Sea Salt Soy Candle from Linnea’s Lights. It smells amazing and the scent is something you can enjoy year-round – not just in the summertime.

From the top – clockwise: Candlewick Mineral Throw from Pinecone Hill // Thomas Shaw Scrimshaw Dessert Plates // Sea Salt Soy Candle from Linnea’s Lights // DwellStudio Vase // Pinhole Press Framed Print // HomArt Matches

Happiness is rolling down a hill of green grass. This is my happy place and where I mentally escape at times of stress or hardship. Perhaps it’s a harken back to my childhood days when I was stress-free and could in fact roll down a hill without worrying about getting a grass stain or getting hurt…

I didn’t realize I had a happy place until my brilliant boyfriend stopped me in the middle of my ranting on one particularly tough day. “Stop…close your eyes…and take yourself to a place where there is no stress.”

At the time I was peeved because all I wanted to do was vent, but I begrudgingly closed my eyes. I saw nothing…I saw blackness…

“What am I supposed to see?”  I said with a mild attitude. “I don’t see anything.”

His response, “Well maybe you’re not letting yourself see anything.”

He was right. I was so focused on what was wrong, and skeptical that a mental exercise could help, that I refused to provide myself with that mental reprieve.

I went to bed that night thinking about what my happy place should be. A beach with a Corona? Drinking hot cocoa in a lodge? I had visions of TV commercials swirling through my head. Should Corona really be telling me what my happy place is? Probably not.

This practice of finding a happy place didn’t come easy for me. Actually it took a solid week for me to “figure it out” but in fact what I didn’t realize was that I already knew where my happy place was…it’s just that when you don’t visit a place for  so long you forget how to get there.

Perhaps you have a happy place, or you’d like to find one. Or maybe there are other actions you can take to ensure you’re not succumbing to stress triggers. I’m a big fan of Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project, and writes that there are little things to do to boost your mood instantly.

For me…this year…I’m going to find happiness more often by regularly visiting my happy place. I’m not going to lose sight of this or become so stressed that my happy place is blacked out by feelings of anxiety or insecurities. It will take practice, but after a while it will become natural.

Happiness is a choice. I can choose to sulk in a situation or I change my attitude or my mindset. In 2013 I’m choosing to be happier. That’s my new year’s resolution.

I love Thanksgiving. The time with family. Eating delicious food and then subsequently gaining five pounds. But most of all I love that it’s the official welcoming in of Christmas decor. There’s nothing like a home elegantly decked with holiday trimmings, especially when the tree is lighted up and casting a glow through the house. While I haven’t had time to open up the boxes of Christmas decor and pick up a Douglas Fir, I was able to bring my first bit of holiday cheer to the home with a small, hand-crafted centerpiece.

Instead of going to a florist, I went on a hike through one of my favorite wooded retreats in the Boston area and kept my eyes peeled for seasonal foliage, berries and more.

I was able to find two different berry species, some tall wheat-like plant (I’m so technical with the names), what I like to call a winter’s version of baby’s breath, and of course, a short-needle conifer.

I started with these small glass containers I found at a local boutique and added in the green conifer branches to serve as the backing.

I then thinned out the winter ‘s baby’s breath and placed it in front of the conifer branches to add filler. You can see this species of plant made quite the mess on my kitchen table.

I then added the wheat for height. These are simple yet remarkably beautiful.

Once I had the backing and the pieces of filler set up, I added in the berries. Each sprig has its own personality so I worked with each piece until it looked right.

I especially loved these berry sprigs that still had the yellow-orange pods attached. They added a burst of color to the centerpiece, and the pods that fell off during the creation process were included in the bottom of the glass container to make the centerpiece look even more natural.

Sometimes you need to look no further then your backyard – or recreation area – to find the ingredients for a natural, seasonal centerpiece. Now to find the perfect Christmas tree…

I was thumbing through the Thanksgiving West Elm catalog and I stopped when I saw these pretty throws. The vibrant geometric designs can add life and texture to any living room. Say goodbye to those blasé throws with no personality…blah. I also see these and think of my old dwellings in Arizona. Though I live in New England now, I still crave a piece of my Southwestern roots, and these definitely curb that.

Photos :: West Elm

I’m not entirely sure why, but I can’t have just any dish towel hanging in my kitchen. Think about it – dish towels are accessories to your counter space and oven handles. They are in the spotlight. Typically I’m drawn to a bright hue that pops in the kitchen (right now I have mustard yellow, which for those who know me isn’t a surprise), but I just might need to swap them out regularly with the dish towels I discovered above from Small Batch Productions, a quaint Etsy shop. This citron, hand-sewn dish towel is 100% linen and it reminds of something I’d see in a Parisian bakery.

The shop also has these simple black stripe cloth napkins that I adore (and that soup looks especially delicious on a cold day like today).

I also have my eye on this cafe apron. I tend to lose dish towels as I’m running around in the kitchen, so the idea of having a towel attached to me just might prevent me from that constant dish towel-scramble.

Take a little look-see at their other products and lovely patterns and colors as well. These linens just might be the extra touch your kitchen needs.

Photos :: Small Batch Productions

I’ve always been a proponent of drinking from the tap. Some experts say that tap water is actually more purified than bottled water (oh yes, the studies are out there!), and I especially love it because it’s free (with the monthly water bill, of course). To tend to my tap-drinking ways, I’ve invested in many water bottles over the years. In high school and college it was the Nalgene. I had a few of these puppies and was sure to slather the slides with my favorite obnoxious stickers. Then the aluminum SIGG water bottle became popular when health officials started informing the public about the harmful effects of BPA. I had a pretty pink aluminum bottle with a floral design, but the metallic flavor always left a bad taste in my mouth. Thankfully, there’s a new bottle out there with a chic design that’s as refreshing as the water it holds.

These bkr glass water bottles arrive in a silicone sleeve and you can choose from 12 delightful colors. (Don’t they kind of remind you of an assortment of Jolly Rancher candies?)  What’s even better is that the sleeve prevents the bottle from that wretched condensation that wreaks havoc on wooden tables and your office paperwork. Pretty and functional – you can’t beat that.

But what I love the most is the fact that the company invests a portion of the proceeds to help with the world water crisis. And that, my friends, is a widespread issue that needs all the help it can get.

Photos :: Courtesy of bkr

I’m not sure why we listen to what society tells us to do. Society tells us we need to marry a certain type of guy and do so by 30 (at least). Own a house by then as well. Pop out 1.5 kids, too. Vacation in Martha’s Vineyard (or the well-to-do getaway locale of your area). Own a luxury sedan. Weigh less than 130 pounds. Use botox when you spot your first wrinkle. Society shakes its finger at you, harking that the salary you make will never be adequate. More is less and less is unfortunate. That money buys happiness, and when without, happiness is just a pursuit. Society wants you to do things to impress your neighbors and friends instead of doing things for yourself.

Most of the time, society holds you back from what you want to be doing. Three years ago when I turned 25, I made the conscious decision to get rid of this checklist that society had assembled in my head. I quit my job. Moved to Boston when the economy was in the tank. Said goodbye to my friends in Arizona. And decided to pursue my long-time dream of moving to and living on the East Coast. Sure, this was frowned upon by many people, including family and friends. This was also a societal no-no, given the economic conditions.

But this is what I wanted – not what society wanted – and I made it work. More importantly, through this process I discovered myself and what I really wanted for my life.

Today I turn 28 and I know that because of the decision that was made by my 25-year-old self, I am happier, healthier and pursuing me.

So do me a favor. Do without the checklist. Don’t concern yourself with what others think. Do you.

That’s the light at the end of the tunnel. We’re almost there. Happy weekend!

Photo :: By Say

It’s been gray and rainy for nine of the last ten days. Okay, I thought the showers were supposed to come in April, and the flowers came along in May, but it appears the pattern is a bit reversed this year. I find myself getting mad at Mother Nature. Cursing the rain as my hair frizzes into a hot mess. But instead of casting my anger out into the gray abyss, I figured I’d start embracing this hue. Gray is actually a pleasant color. For instance, do you ever hear people complaining about the gray skies in Paris? No. It is viewed as romantic and beautiful.

To celebrate the rainy weather (instead of curse its name), I have found a few pieces of gray that can turn any gray day into a sunny one.

Frame //Pillow // Scarf // Straws // Frames // Earrings