Home as Haven - Part III

Hopefully by now you have begun to sort through the holiday chaos Part I and to incorporate some comforting winter luxuries Part II into your home.





While these two steps have hopefully been easy and fun, what we want to tackle next are those nooks, crannies, attics, basements and spare rooms that are victims of clutter.

Is "clutter" too offensive a word? Okay, let's take a gentle look at those spaces that are home to unused sporting equipment, filled with boxes never unpacked from you last move, boxes of unsorted photos, craft supplies, fabric, high school yearbooks, shoes, purses and clothes that are outdated but "perfectly good", bags of children's school papers and artwork, old stamp collections, girl guide outfits, the wedding dress (from the first marriage), coffee tins filled with old drapery hardware, keys for places you no longer live and for luggage you no longer own.

Providing sufficient time has passed, it may also be time to evaluate what to keep and what to donate in the way of inherited items; at the time it seemed fitting to haul home all of your great-aunt's books and dishes, but you can re-evaluate that now.

Yes, this is difficult, emotional and time consuming; but until you deal with this heap (be it large or small) your home will always have a stagnant, toxic pond or ponds brewing behind a closed door or hidden away on a seldom seen level. These areas affect the energy in your home whether or not you see them, whether or not you are thinking about them.

Personally, I can motivate myself for this task in one of two ways, either I pretend that I am getting ready to pack up and move, therefore forcing me to ask, "Do I really want to pay to have this 1970's era exercise bike moved?" or, I imagine that if I suddenly died, my daughters would be forced to sort through what was left in my home. I picture them regarding dried up nail polish bottles, macramé hanging plant holders, old bills, receipts, ten year old magazines, socks with holes and wondering "What in the world was she thinking?"

The other consideration is that from what I've been observing, this task of decluttering only becomes more difficult with age. The older people get the more reluctant they seem to let go of used wrapping paper, clothes, purses, old linens and especially furniture. I cannot tell you how many situations I have heard of (and witnessed) recently where a senior is forced to move into smaller quarters yet cannot accept the fact that a sofa, loveseat, occasional chair, two end tables, a coffee table, a book case a television stand and several overgrown climbing plants are just not going to be squeezed into a 10 ft x 10 ft. room.

Now is definitely the time. You know the drill: three piles - trash, donate, keep. Be ruthless, be honest and don't expect to complete the entire task in an afternoon. Do reward yourself with a cup of your favourite tea and something sweet when you need to take a break, your ultimate reward will be a home that envelopes you in serenity and beauty.


Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a productive day,

Sandra

Home as Haven - Part II

It's the beginning of January and that means that we are all spending a lot more time indoors. Our task this month as we move out of festivity mode and begin to feather our winter nest is to create harmony and authenticity in our homes. We are looking for a way to express our genuine selves and to create an environment that not only catches us, but embraces us as we cross the threshold whether after a workday or a day spent building snow forts and ice skating.

Close your eyes for a moment and picture a home that is a truly comforting winter retreat.

What do you see as you enter?

·  What aromas, colours, textures, furnishings fill the rooms?

·  Is there a special chair or window seat that you can curl up in?

·  Is the table set with floral china or rugged pottery?

·  Are there candles, rugs, or simmering potpourri?

·  Are the curtains open to appreciate the winter view or closed to create a cozy nest?

·  Is there music?

 

 

If you live in a truly four season climate your home needs to change her wardrobe as much as you do. Warning: before you dash off to Crate and Barrel or Ikea or (yikes!) the mall, stop and think for a moment; what do you already have that could be dusted off and repurposed?

·  A long woven scarf becomes a colourful table runner

·  A wooly sweater that you no longer love is cut to recover decorative pillows

·  Group together mismatched pillar candles onto a silver tray that reflects their glow as you dine

·  Relocate your favourite serving plate to your entranceway table to catch keys, sunglasses and loose change

·  Could you hang your antique quilt on the wall or leave it draped near your favourite chair?

·  Do you love your china dishes yet save them for entertaining only? Really?

C'mon you know better than that, this is all about comfort and surrounding yourself with items that you love. We've all been practical for far too long.

Let yourself imagine and dream a little. Scout out those items you love and yet never use. Incorporate fragrance, sound and beauty into your home as you set about to feather your winter nest.

Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a warm and cozy day,

Sandra

Home as Haven - Part I

Your home has been through a lot in the last little while and so have you; baking, cleaning, cooking, entertaining, crafting, wrapping. Entranceways spilling over with snow covered boots, mitts, hats that melt into puddles. Christmas trees, decorations and cards that now look tired and tacky, gifts lingering under the tree or in a corner waiting to find a permanent home. Are there heaps of extra laundry, sheets, towels and linens from out-of-town guests?

Maybe your home, like mine, is suffering from indigestion; groaning as it were from all of the excess. Perhaps the first order of the New Year isn't leaping into a new exercise regime or swearing off sweets (or whatever your vice is); instead what if you were to focus or refocus on your living space, your home?

We can sometimes become so accustomed to our abodes that we no longer see them for what they are. Oh sure, maybe we keep moving the furniture around and painting the walls but do we ever take time to stop and really "feel" our home environments? They are often a reflection of what is going on inside of us, or inside of the relationships within their walls.

Have you ever entered a home and felt uneasy and yet couldn't really put a finger on why? Are there homes or rooms that you feel at peace in, relaxed, supported and nurtured? There is more going on than meets our eye. I know a woman whose visitors often comment on how "good" her living room feels. "You know," she confides, "It is where I sit early in the morning and pray." Ah yes, that explains a lot.

 

 

Take some time and really assess your home.

·  While it may be Better Homes & Gardens beautiful, does it feel welcoming when you walk through the door?

·  Do you feel relaxed, safe, inspired?

·  Does it truly reflect your personality or only the latest trend?

·  Are there spaces where you can relax and read or write?

·  Has clutter taken control?

·  Are you hiding decades of useless possessions in closets and storage areas?

·  Maybe you're hanging on to possessions that belong to children who have moved out, relatives who have passed away or artwork that (you never loved) and received as a wedding gift.

While it is difficult to hold ourselves and our homes under the light of scrutiny, our goal is to create a home that is a haven, a refuge from the world, an oasis that welcomes us every time we cross the threshold, a place where our personalities are reflected and where we can be truly ourselves.

While it is possible that you may need to acquire something, say a comfy reading chair or a loveseat for two to curl up in; my guess is that you may actually need to excavate - get rid of some of the excess that your home is drowning in so that you both you and your home can breathe again, a sigh of relief and contentment.

Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a peaceful day,

Sandra

A Puddle of Peace in a Sea of Chaos

For most people, mid-December to the beginning of January is a really busy time of year.  There are a lot of good things going on as we prepare for the holidays and the new year.  But by December 26th many of us have already had too  much of a good thing: too much food, drink, entertaining, shopping, spending, cooking, cleaning, driving, visiting.  And it isn't over yet; new year's celebrations are less than a week away which may necessitate another round of the "good things" listed above.

While I have whittled away my holiday obligations and preparations to the point that I really only do what I enjoy doing, not everyone has that luxury or freedom.  Yet even I feel ready for a little time-out by this point in the festivities.

If you can manage it, this is the perfect time for a little holiday escape.  My own will involve a mini-retreat to a luxury hotel, just one night, just me.  It isn't for long, it isn't far away.  But it is a private space with a locked door, no cell phone, no lap top, no obligations.  A time to think, pray, write, plan, reflect. 

Sometimes when actually leaving hasn't been an option, I let my family know that I'm doing an in-home retreat;(usually when my husband is travelling) and that I won't be taking calls, or e-mailing.  I make sure I have everything I need on hand and try to ensure that the house is tidy and clean.  The benefit of this type of mini-retreat is that everything is here.  If I decide to paint or putz around in the garden I can; the downside is I am still in my regular home/work environment.

Whether you can retreat away from home or even just carve out a solitary afternoon to pamper yourself, the benefits will be worth the effort to arrange it. I always come back refreshed and filled with gratitude for all of the truly good things in my life.





Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a peaceful day,

Sandra

My New Website

2012 has been a very busy and creative year.  One of the exciting undertakings has been developing my own website.  This site showcases most of my recent paintings under the heading Gallery and from which you may select various categories; abstract, landscape and so on.

The site is also a good way to find out about upcoming exhibits, workshops etc. under the heading Events.

To visit my website just click the link below.  You can also find your way there by clicking Gallery near the top of this blog page.  I hope that you enjoy your visit.

http://sandrakingallikas.com/

A Simpler Christmas Tree

It’s been several years since we've had a traditional Christmas tree. For a couple of years we decorated a house plant that looked like a small Christmas tree and last year we skipped the process all together.

This year I thought it might be nice to do something, tree-like without having to move furniture around to accommodate a tree, without the mess of falling needles, without something artificial and plastic and without the expense. I decided that a section of my overgrown lilac bush might work very well for what I had in mind.

Two weeks ago I went out with saw in hand. To my surprise a twelve foot long section of the lilac had broken off at the base and was lying on the ground... now if that isn't a sign from the Christmas tree gods I don't know what is!

I hauled it into the house, cut off a couple of feet and managed to get it supported in the tree stand. It's tall and slender, there's no need to water it and best of all there are no needles sprinkled on the floor.

I strung it with lights and today I hauled out our tree decorations. Such a simple tree would be overwhelmed with glitter and gold so I chose only hand-made decorations, many that our daughters had crafted over the years.

I think my favourite is one that our eldest daughter made. It's a gorgeous angel created using an embroidered hankie, a wooden skewer and a styrofoam head, her delicate wings are facial tissues and her long blond hair is yellow wool. I love it!

Here are a few of the other treasures decorating our tree this year:

Last year I wrote about how to enjoy Christmas (for a change). It isn't easy to go against the flow of excess but with a little imagination and the willingness to do things differently it is possible to celebrate a Christmas that allows you to focus on the reason that we celebrate: God's son born into our world to express God's endless, all encompassing love for humanity.

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a Christmas season of love,

Sandra

How to make a painted table runner or placemats

If you are looking for a creative and unique gift idea or just a way to beautify your table, here is a guide to a creating a gorgeous table runner or placemats.

Here are two photos of the finished product to inspire you.

Materials

canvas by the meter (or yard) from an art supply store preprimed on one side.
1/2 " wide double stick carpet tape
measuring tape
right angle
scissors
pencil
acrylic paint
acrylic varnish satin finish (found at art supply stores)

Using your measuring tape and right angle, mark out in pencil on the preprimed size of the canvas the dimensions of your table runner allowing and extra inch in over all length and width (to account for the hem). 
Cut along your outline.

Using a straight edge measure 1/2 inch around the inside of the cut edge (this will be your hem line)
At the corners mark diagonally as shown and cut along this line to create a mitered corner.

 

 

Fold the canvas in toward the unprimed side and run your finger along to create a crease.

Place the double stick tape along the edge of each side.

Remove the backing of the tape and fold in the edge so that it is well stuck down.
Repeat on all four sides

Your table runner is now ready to paint as you wish.
Remember that it will be viewed from all four sides so avoid a design that has an obvious one way orientation (such as a landscape)

Once your design is finished, let it d;y completely.
Apply two coats of varnish allowing time to fully dry in between applications (about 3 hours).
Voila! Your project is complete!

Avoid folding your completed table runner; instead, to store it, roll it around an empty paper towel roll.

That's it.  If you have questions send me an e-mail at sandra.myturquoisekettlelife@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

May your day be perfect,

Sandra