Super Quick No-Sew Birthday Banner

 I always look at those cute fabric triangle banners when I'm at Michael's but its not something I want as part of my everyday decor, I just think they're cute.  We are celebrating my daughter's birthday this weekend so I decided to forego the paper streamers and create a personalized banner with fabric scraps that coordinate with my kitchen.

fabric, twine, stapler, scissors and thumb tacks 

I used two printed fabrics and one plain white one.  I wrote my Happy Birthday  message on the plain white triangles using coloured markers.  I cut three triangles of each fabric (9 total), folded over the top edge (I ironed it down but you wouldn't have to) and then ran some twine through the folded hem and stapled the hem in place.  Use thumb tacks to hold the ends of the twine over a window, doorway or outside around your deck. Super quick and easy.

Thanks for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a day worth celebrating,

Sandra

The Regret Game

Sometimes I play the "regret game" with myself to help gain clarity.  It goes like this, "If didn't have any more time here, what would I regret not having done?" This is more of a feeling exercise than a thinking one.  Thankfully there isn't too much on that list but the one thing that came up after I went hiking with my daughter in August, was the unsatisfied longing to spend more time in nature.

Sunset - Lake St. Francis

But in order to get away in nature the way I wanted to do it (alone) meant facing the fear of being away by myself and maybe not feeling safe. My wish list included a place with cell phone reception, not too remote, where I wouldn't have to socialize, but also forest, waterfront and quiet.   I  found the perfect camping spot that was relatively close, the price was reasonable and the location perfect. For three days I was able to listen to the wind in the trees, hear the waves on the shore while I slept and no one expected anything of me, I didn't have to show up anywhere at anytime, there was nothing I had to do.  I walked through the woods, I sat on rocks along the shore, I watched gulls, geese and herons, chipmunks and squirrels.  I enjoyed gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, made a campfire, read a book, napped and took photos.

Blue Heron

Morning Campfire  

My time there was precious and I was sad to leave.  I had suspected that I was craving time in nature, but I didn't realize how much so until I was able to immerse myself in it.  I plan to incorporate activities like this more regularly into my days and weeks.
Its good to take stock every now and then of what we might be wanting and needing in our lives.  Its easy to function on autopilot and do what we have always done, to surround ourselves with the same people and noise and busyness, to feel that there isn't enough time for what we really enjoy.  Its easy to  feel that our needs and wants are secondary to those of the people around us, but they're not secondary.  This life is our one chance to live without holding back out of fear; to live without regrets.

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle life.

Wishing you a day full of possibilities,

Sandra

Weariness and Pressure - A Little Relief

Its  August, humidity levels are soaring, the sun is hot and the air feels thick.  The only  refreshing time of day are those wee hours of the morning between 5:00 and 6:00 am.  In the early light, before the noise, pressure and heat of the day, the air is cool and refreshing.  The world is quiet and reverent, anything louder than a whisper feels out of place.

5:30 am August Sunrise 

Sometimes our lives feel like the heat of high noon;  a scorching sun hangs over us,  humidity closes in on us, the path we walk is void of shade.  We thirst but refreshment does not come.  We grow weary.

We've all known weariness, grief, fear and even if we are not in the midst of that weather pattern today, we will probably experience it again at some time.  What helps me is to physically get out of the house (or office, or classroom) and look up.  That's all, just look up at the sky.  Watch the clouds, or the birds or a plane moving across the blue, watch the snow fall, feel the rain on your face or the breeze against your skin.  Look how vast the sky is.  The world is so much larger than our pressing concerns.  This realization alone begins to help me  put my fears, anxieties and heartache into perspective.  The problem doesn't disappear but with perspective I can see it more clearly for what it is.  A problem that I cannot seem to escape indoors, evaporates a little out of doors,  be it in a true natural setting, or even just the sidewalk in front of my home.  I can breathe a little more deeply, it isn't all about me or my issue.  I can look outside of myself, beyond my life.

Let the vastness of the sky help to put your concerns in perspective.

If you find yourself in the heat of a pressing concern I encourage you to take yourself outside, breathe deeply, look up and watch the clouds see if you can let the breeze carry away a little bit of the heaviness in your heart.

Thank you for stopping by today at My Turquoise Kettle Life,

Wishing you a refreshing day,

Sandra

How to Whitewash a Table Top

I am the owner of what was once a roadside-abandoned kitchen table.  The legs are painted a gorgeous rich red but when it was rescued the table top had a hand-painted plaid motif down the centre.  I lived with it as such until my mom said "You should really do something with that table, paint it or something...."

It was true, I had become so accustomed to its ugliness, I no longer noticed it.  So over a year ago, when I was on a very high dosage of the prescription drug Prednisone, (I mention this because Prednisone can create in one a sense of... let's just say...."unabashed enthusiasm") I awoke very early one morning (very little sleep being another side-effect of the medication), grabbed some paint from the studio and repainted my kitchen table with large bold flower-like swirls.

table extension sanded and painted table top 

I still believe the flowers were an improvement over the plaid and I happily lived with it until the past few months when I began to hide it under various tablecloths.  So last week I dismantled the table, hauled it into the driveway and began the process of stripping, scraping and sanding (thank you Dad for the loan of the belt sander!!).

Stinky, messy, toxic stripper. This wasn't working for me.

Out came the big guns, my dad's belt sander!

Getting there, very slowly

Finally beautiful bare wood.

With the top down to bare wood (I'll spare you the details of how long that took), I decided to whitewash the top. I used a mixture of two acrylic paint colours: unbleached titanium and white. Mixing 2 parts paint and one part water I brushed on the paint using long strokes going with the grain of the wood, then with a slightly damp cloth I wiped off the excess paint to even it out and reveal the wood grain.

Unbleached Titanium Acrylic Paint

The extension whitewashed

Final result 

With the top completely whitewashed and dried I very lightly sanded over the entire top (220 grit sandpaper), moving in the direction of the grain. A quick wipe with a cloth and I was ready to put on the varnish: two coats of matte and a final coat which I mixed half matte, half satin finish varnish. Be sure to give each coat time to dry and sand lightly before the next layer.  I'm delighted with the result and won't be hiding it under a tablecloth any time soon!

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Paint yourself the perfect day!

Sandra

Under the Influence

Hollyhocks - (Sandra)

Recently my five year old granddaughter has been painting with me in the studio.  We've talked about landscapes, portraits and still life. She is a free-spirit and has her own ideas about most things including creativity and painting so it was interesting when we tackled a still life and her work was very reminiscent of my own style.  Not surprising; we imitate and learn.  We are influenced.

Pink flowers in a blue bowl  (SJ)

I wondered if "influe" originated with the idea of in-flow and yes that is the origin of the word ( late Middle English: from Old French or Latin, "inflow".  Originally suggesting "influx, flowing matter".) If you adhere to the belief that all life is vibrating energy flowing and moving, you can picture how influence may work, other people's ideas, beliefs, behaviours and energy flow to us and through us.

So when Jim Rohn famously said that "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.", I can see how that may be true or at least how the general idea of that may be true.  We are sponges soaking in our environment, what we see, what we hear, what we consume (both physically and emotionally).  With awareness we can always choose to reject and release any negativity that we have encountered, but how much simpler and healthier to deliberately choose, when we can, to surround ourselves with what we do want to absorb, what we do want in-flowing and influencing us.

Since I'm highly sensitive, I'm particular about what I eat, read, watch and how I care for myself.  I try to surround myself with beauty and to choose people who are uplifting and positive.  Does it mean that we don't reach out to those who are depressed, ill, hurting?  Not at all, we are meant to give and receive help, comfort and connection; it is important though to strike a balance and perhaps to off-set a particularly negative, draining encounter with a rejuvenating one.  Sometimes however, a long on-going, no-end-in-sight situation calls for extremely difficult decisions; ending the relationship, changing jobs, moving and moving-on.

We are all "under the influence" of our environments and relationships.  What or whom is influencing you? What could be tweaked to fine tune your already wonderful, happy life?  Or conversely, if life isn't flowing as you would like it to, is it time to make those difficult choices and  "flush" a negative influence down the proverbial drain?  

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a most positive day,

Sandra

"Be Good To You"

I've known my friend Wendy for years; she always greets me with a big embrace and when we are parting her words of wisdom are always, "Be good to you!"

The past two or three weeks have been particularly hectic surrounding work and I knew that going into this busy period I would have to be diligent about getting enough sleep, eating well etc.  But I have also been looking for ways to nurture my senses and my soul.  Here's a quick list of ideas that have really helped:


Creating two serene spaces to practice yoga




I cleared off my back deck and have been using that platform to do my morning yoga.  Its private, quiet and peaceful.  Feeling the morning air and a slight breeze is refreshing, a great way to begin my day.

I also tidied up my indoor yoga area and created a small

 "alter" with candles, some pretty stones and little mementos  

that have special meaning to me.

Sitting down to drink a cup of tea



I know it seems silly but I'm usually carrying my mug of tea from room to room (often forgetting it and finding it cold, hours later) while I multi-task.  So I've been allowing myself the privilege of sipping my tea quietly without jumping up (okay, trying not to jump up to do something).  I've found that sitting outside on my balcony with a book is very, very relaxing.

A bedside bouquet

Last weekend I indulged in a small bouquet of fresh flowers.  Normally I would arrange them and place them on the kitchen table or counter but this time I found a little china milk jug, trimmed the stems and put them on my bedside table.  Waking up and going to sleep beside a pretty bouquet feels absolutely luxurious.

Unscheduled time

I'm a maniac with my planner.  Yes, I'm the one with the blocks of time colour coded and hi-lighted, the tasks all scheduled in for the week in their appropriate time slots.  So I'm trying (really trying) to leave space for a day, or even just a morning or afternoon totally open.  This isn't easy, all those lines with the times of day beside them cry out to be written on!  

Being good to yourself may mean something totally different to you than what it means to  me; it could be a manicure, a drive in the country, a lunch with friends or an afternoon nap. Whatever those special indulgences are for you, make some time to allow yourself the luxury of enjoying them; you deserve it.

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today,

Be good to you,
Sandra

Jam Jar Door Bouquet

The art of welcoming.  We go all out to welcome our family and friends into our homes, we want them to know that they are cherished and appreciated.  But how do we welcome ourselves home at the end of the day?
What  could be nicer than a fresh bouquet of summer flowers to greet you (and your guests) every time you walk through your front door?

Jam Jar Door Bouquet

Materials list:
small jam jar
plastic pill bottle that fits inside the jam jar
picture hanger/nail
picture hanging wire
flowers/water

• Wrap the wire around the top edge of the jam jar tight enough that it won't slip off.  
• Leave enough wire to create a loop that will hang from the nail.  
• Drop the pill bottle inside the jam jar and fill with water. (I use a pill bottle inside because the smaller diameter requires less flowers and creates a "tighter" arrangement.)  
• Arrange cut flowers and leaves inside the pill bottle. 
• Nail picture hanger into door at suitable height (wooden doors only).  
• Hang your summer bouquet and change flowers when they begin to wilt.

If you don't have a wooden door try hanging your bouquet from the  mailbox
or your civic number sign

Last week I used forget-me-knots in my arrangement and this week its daisies.  I love the idea that the bouquet will change throughout the summer according to what is blooming in my garden.  Why not practice the art of welcoming yourself home, is there anyone who deserves it more than you?

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Be good to you,

Sandra

White

My early morning walk today and all things white:

My Garden Gate

Dandelion on a bed of crab apple petals

My little white dog, Jessy

White moon in the morning sky

White apple blossoms

Bird droppings.  White and kind of artsy don't you think?

Amazing how what you focus on suddenly appears everywhere you look. Just for today try to keep your attention and focus on all things good, worthy and beautiful.

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

May your day be full of goodness,

Sandra

Discouragement, a Rake and a Spade

"What is a weed?  A plant whose virtues have never been discovered." 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last weekend was the big gardening weekend.  Since our geographical location makes it risky to plant before mid May, Victoria Day marks the beginning of gardening season.  A walk around the neighbourhood this morning confirms that while I worked all three days of the long weekend at the boutique, every single one of my neighbours were out beautifying their properties.  

So it was this morning that I found myself, rake in hand, standing in the center of my backyard overwhelmed and discouraged.  The grass is full of weeds, as are the flower beds, even the gaps in the patio tiles are sprouting long weeds.  I'm trying to grow grass over what was last year's vegetable garden but it is sparse. I'm probably over-tired, and looking from one eye-sore to the next isn't helping. 

One eye-sore ....

.....to the next.

I need a plan because there are hours, days and probably weeks of work back here and I am only one woman with a rake and a spade.  So I decide to begin to the right of the entry gate and work slowly on the flower beds around the edge of the property.  I will only look at the area directly in front of me and make it as weed-free and trimmed as possible.  I tell myself, "Do not look at any other area of the yard, only these few square feet in front of me."  It really is a matter of focus; don't look to far ahead, deal with what is in front of me at this moment.  How many times could I benefit from this approach to gardening and to life? 

After four hours I have one garden weeded and trimmed, two garbage cans are overloaded with weeds and both lawns are mowed. I'm sweaty, exhausted and dirty but my prior discouragement has somewhat abated and perhaps this summer I can actually rescue this backyard; even if I am only one woman with a rake and a spade.

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life.

Plant yourself a happy day,

Sandra

  

   

Good Morning to You!

It's the first week of May, the temperature is warming and on this overcast Sunday morning there is a fine drizzle of rain.  I woke in early morning semi-darkness and with eyes still closed began to focus on the birds that chirped and sang outside my open window.

I could imagine that I was away at my favourite forest cottage, the sounds were the same and outside the trees were dark silhouettes on a grey sky. "How would I feel, what would my mood and mind-set be if this was a vacation and not a day that I was going to work at the boutique?"  I let that vision sink in and noticed that, yes, I could feel an inner shift. I felt inspired, enthused to embrace these few hours of tranquility and to pretend that I was at the cottage.

I rose and lit a candle, unfurled my yoga mat and let my body warm to the movements. A leisurely but abbreviated dog walk (Jessy hates the rain) was lovely and damp with all the scents of humid soil and  rain itself.  I had to keep reminding myself this was the cottage, it is so easy to get drawn into mindless routines.
I steeped a cup of tea in a pretty mug and wrapped myself in the beautiful prayer shawl that my  mother knit for me several years ago.  Outside on my covered balcony I settled into some comfy pillows on a big wooden Adirondack chair and sipped my steaming tea.  I was instantly rewarded when a bright red-orange cardinal stopped at the bird feeder, a moment later a big blue jay bullied him out of his spot .  The jay was  just a little too big to comfortably perch and soon gave up.  Within seconds the cardinal returned and enjoyed the rest of his breakfast.

The perfect corner for a cup of tea

I allowed my mind to wander aimlessly; such an escape is pure luxury and a beautiful way to begin the day. And while eventually I had to get down to the business of business I felt as though I benefited all day from my morning "escape".  How could you subtly shift your morning routine to indulge yourself?  Would an extra 20 minutes afford you the luxury of savouring  your morning?  A short walk?  A cycle around the neighbourhood? A more leisurely shower?  A hand written note tucked into all the lunch boxes?  What would feel special?  See if you can treat yourself to something special one morning this week, you deserve it.

Thank you for stopping at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Have a beautiful  morning,
Sandra

Of Sparrows and Synchronicity

I just love the synchronicity of life, the unseen web that weaves us all together.  It leaves me in awe when my very thoughts and inward questions are answered in surprising and amazing ways.

For the past two blustery and freezing days I've refilled the bird feeder that hangs on my front balcony several times.  I've watched with amusement, from the warmth of my kitchen, as dozens of sparrows flit back and forth from shrub to feeder over and over again.  Food for birds is scare in January in Canada.

I was moved by their community dining, the way they braved the plunging temperatures and fierce winds, huddling together, taking turns at the feeder and hopping on the snow covered balcony floor looking for seeds that had fallen.

Yesterday I tried taking some photos of the sparrows (an exercise in futility) and then of the patterns their feet had made in the snow (equally unsuccessful).  I had really wanted to write a post about them, but wasn't sure what.  All I knew was that I had spent a lot of time watching them, appreciating them.

Earlier today I received an e-mail from a real estate agent I'd connected with over a year ago from Prince Edward County, Ontario.  We chatted back and forth a bit, I updated her on why I was no longer looking to relocate at this time (divorced, doing work I love now...) and I mentioned my blog which would give her an idea of what had been going on.  She wrote back saying that the last blog entry reminded her of a hymn "His Eye is on the Sparrow".  "That's weird", I thought, "sparrow?".  I wasn't familiar with the hymn so I listened to it on my phone as I watched the sparrows from the window; tears welled up as the words assured of how we are known, protected and provided for.  If you're not familiar with the reference, there is a line in the Bible that goes something like this, Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet God feeds them...Fear not therefore you are of more value than many sparrows.

We can all relate to the "winter seasons" of our lives, when the winds blow and we fear that what we need may be scarce.  How reassuring it is to be reminded that we are all connected and that what we require will be provided, sometimes in the most unusual and surprising ways!

Photo courtesy of Garden Safari

Thank you for stopping in at My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

May you experience the joy of synchronicity,
Sandra

Thank You .....

Welcome to another new year at My Turquoise Kettle Life.  For those of you who know me or follow me, you know that 2015 was a game changer year, a difficult but wonderful year full of challenges and victories.

I cannot help but to be overwhelmed with gratitude as I reflect on the love of God and of those near and dear to me that carried me when I wasn't able to walk (both physically and emotionally).  When I was at my most broken trying to come to terms with a toxic relationship and a serious health crisis I was carried along by love that appeared in the form of family and friends encouraging me, caring for me, who sat beside me at the hospital holding my hand even while I slept, who got the medical team's attention when I was slipping away, who fed me, showed up at my door with tulips, who called and held up images of hope and a future that was bright and shiny.  Of course the amazing team of health care professionals at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital who diagnosed and healed me will always have a special place in my heart.

How do you see this past year?  Can you too create a gratitude list?  Can you point out some silver linings in those dark clouds that threatened to block out the light?

One practice that got me through the most frightening times (mostly scary medical tests) was to repeat to myself, "the perfection of the Universe is held in this moment".   I'm not sure where that phrase came from but it held me tethered to the present moment instead of allowing  my anxious mind to float away like a helium balloon on a windy day.   Its a practice I continue now with morning meditation.

Oh, I also adopted an abandoned little dog named Jessy.  Just look at her. Jessy already has this staying in the present moment thing all figured out:

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Enjoy today,
Sandra