Hello Monday ... Hello Gratitude

 I do a 

Gratitude List

everyday.

I have been doing for longer than I can even remmber.

Today I thought I'd add 

some of my favorite pictures

that fill my heart with

Summer Gratitude.

For me writing

Gratitude Lists

has been life changing

in that I notice when things are good.

Even on hard days

there are always reasons  to be 

Grateful. 

I believe we get more of 

what we think of most.

I also believe it doesn't matter what we have

as much as It matters

how we truly appreciate what we have.

Comparison will always be the thief  of joy.

I am at an age

where I can

feel the sacred in the ordinary.

Small moments

are my big moments.

That a regular Tuesday

can be as memorable and meaningful.

That time together

 can be

 the greatest of riches.

That it is such

 a gift to be able 

to watch our children grow

no matter their  age.

That sometimes

 the summer light

can stop me

in my tracks 

with 

it's beauty.

I believe

 the amount of beauty 

you find in your life

has a lot to do with

how much you seek it out

and

create it.

I believe a lot of life is about

consistently showing up

and 

noticing all the 

Glimmers in Your Life.

Here are a few more of mine.

This here is one of my favorite views this summer.

While I was washing the dishes in the kitchen

this sweet girl

out. in our backyard

completely immersed in her 

watercolor painting.

A simple

sacred moment

to me.

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life

Hello Summer ... Hello Gratitude

 I've lost my way with writing my blog.

I've decided I want to make my way back here.

My Instagram account slowly took over

but now the noise there makes me question it all.

I miss the old days when it was just about community and pretty pictures.

But nothing sounds like old people talk than yearning for the good old days.

Instead I think life is about continually evolving to get the very best out of  our life.

This summer I have decided to have 

A Beautiful Summer

one full of the magic I remember from  one summer when I was young.

My dad was finishing his Master's in Kansas.

Our family of four was staying in a one bedroom  student apartment.

My younger sister and I in the bedroom, my parents in the living room.

My days were full of calm and happy family togetherness

craft classes and a new best summer friend.

In the sunlight evenings we would walk down by the cows in the pasture

to the ice cream store for a cone.

I don't think I ever even told my parents how much I loved that summer.

I think the simplicity of the days calmed my mother down.

She spent so much of her life overly busy

with the obligations of family, being an elementary teacher

and making a beautiful home.

But I'm sure the main reason she was calm that summer

was because  my sister who had down syndrome and a heart condition 

was healthy.

And because  we were only visiting Kansas from California

we were a tight little family unit.

We would drive on the weekends to visit my parents siblings and families.

It was a simple, peaceful and calm summer.

There was the first moon landing

my dad splurged for a small black and white TV

to watch the occasion.

I remember just how tiny that student apartment actually was

but as I bring up the memory

it fills me with contentment and love.

It's funny how we can spend so much of our life in search of the bigger and better

when so much joy can be found in the simple and calm.

So that is what I am  creating this summer.

Simple beautiful summer days filled with calm.

At my age I really don't know how many summers I have left.

I want to make each one count to me.

I am too old to not make the most out of each day.

I want to find simple ways to feel the magic and the calm of summer

while loving on my people.

Slowing down 

to savor and enjoy

the beauty of the life I have created

I have been on social media for well over a decade.

I have always been aware of the effects  it could have on my mental health.

I know when to step back when I'm feeling drained.

I think I am writing here today to remind myself not to get caught up 

in the noise.

Whether form too many opposing political opinions

or

as simply too many accounts that leave  me feeling not enough.

I am older and wiser than to fall into those traps.

But obviously I still need to remind myself

not only of my own story

but what I am actually trying to achieve

in designing my one life.

I want to continue to make my life my art

one day at a time.

I want a calm, beautiful, magically joyful life

full of love and creativity.

I want to drown out the noise that I should 

always be achieving and doing more

and 

even wanting more.

I am beginning to realize for me

maybe a simple life is the best life.

To have the time to exhale, reflect and rejoice

in the small beautiful moments that make up a good life.

To feel the peace of contentment.

I am choosing to get off that track that has always  to lived in my head.

I want to live with a grateful heart

savoring intentionally the beauty and creativity

a day can bring.

I want to continue to live an artful life

with creativity, passion, love and joy.

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life.

 

Finding Calm In The Chaos

 

It's been some crazy weeks here in Southern California.

with wildfires  ravaging parts of Los Angeles.

The  Santa Ana winds exploding the fires and everything in their  paths.

We were never in danger form the LA fires

but we do live in an area that has fires breaking out often.

Our backyard view right now  has the burn scars from fires we had in September.

The Santa Ana winds we had for over a week were a constant  mental reminder

what could happen here also.

We've lived out here 30 years

and

 it hasn't been until this January

that I could ever see us having the possibility of real problems.

But I'm sure most of us in Southern California

are seeing possibilities differently these days.

I  have never experienced winds like January 7th.

In our neighborhood huge pine trees were snapped in half.

Our house not only shook from the winds

but even our massive bed on the second floor was moved.

The Santa Ana winds sounded like an ongoing explosion 

when they came in this time.

Usually here the winds sound like an incoming train

that you can here seconds before even any leaves start to move.

I woke up wondering was it a plane too low overhead

but the noise didn't seem to move away.

in a few seconds

I realized it was crazy winds.

It was a few hours later

when I had the  local news on

 they began  covering a small brush fire

in the hills of LA.

No one had any idea how bad things would get for LA.

And the winds kept howling  outside for us.

Winds so viscous they made it hard to sleep that night.

I finally fell asleep at midnight

by then much of Malibu was burning.

Their  winds were blowing over 85 miles per hour.

We just live 75 miles south of Malibu.

I figured I should try to get sleep if I could

because who knew what we might have to deal with  next day.

The next day the images  of LA neighborhoods were unbelievable.

But the winds were lessening

and 

more help was being sent to LA.

the worst  of the fires themselves seemed to be over.

But here in Orange County

the Santa Ana winds continued to burst crazy gusts

for the next few days.

A continual reminder what actually 

'could happen'

It was the odd limbo

where my heart broke foe others in LA

while I still had an unease about our own area.

I felt like I had to stay home

to keep an eye on things.

I obviously had to think of what I would take if I ever had to leave.

Talk about a quick way to check what is really important in life.

I made my lists

that now hang on my studio blackboard.

It contains a combination of 

the necessary and the  sentimental.

Making my own list broke my heart even more

for so many in LA who lost everything.

I even started to feel guilty of how I still had everything.

I soon pushed that out to my mind

realizing each day is a gift

and

 adding to ripples of anxiety 

serves no one.

Instead I felt an overwhelming need to get my house

actually, oddly

closets and bedroom in order.

Having absolutely no control on wildfires

other than being as prepared as possible

I decides to find calm in making my spaces as orderly 

and beautiful

as possible.

Taking the time to  truly appreciating what I did have

while I actually had it.

Our downstairs more public spaces are always in perfect order.

But I must admit there were  many, many days 

my bed wasn't made

and

 clothes covered my floor

not because I was ever lazy

but rather 

I always felt I had too much to do

and 

my time was better spent elsewhere.

But the winds and the fires had me so rattled

with feeling of no control and worry

I actually slowed down.

It's a funny thing how thinking through 

the possibility of loosing everything

makes you reconsider even  your time usage.

It actually reminded me just how much 

I love my home.

I love my spaces

and 

I love my closets of my beloved clothes.

It reminded me I don't need to rush 

to accomplish more

to get more.

What I really needed to do 

was actually 

slow down.

~

Do less and appreciate more.

~

To intentionally appreciate

and 

care for what I do have.

~

Slowing down 

intentionally caring and appreciating

my spaces and belongings

has brought me a calm

I haven't felt in a while.

Life is fleeting

and 

another day is never promised.

I think the chaos of the fires and all of the other implications

of the last week here in the US

has made me turn inward

in an attempt to find 

calm and peace

inside

where it doesn't exist outside for me right now.

Now more than ever it is time for me to do

Gratitude lists and Glimmers.

To be intentional where I put 

my time

my love 

and 

my intentions.

~

To create beauty 

and 

meaningful work.

~

To find

Calm in the Chaos

so my life can have 

a ripple effect of love and joy.

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life

September Reflections - A Gratitude Post

I started doing monthly recaps

on Instagram a few months ago.

I now realize they are simply 

Reflections on Gratitude

in the most beautiful, simple way.

Highlights and moments I want to remember

and 

push into my heart.

It is said we get more of what we think of most

and

I know for a fact

Gratitude truly changed my life.

And the more 

Grateful I become

the richer and more loving 

my life becomes.

I believe gratitude is an important tool

in the path to a happy and meaningful life.

And taking time to intentionally reflect on the good

is just so good for the soul.

Meaningful time with  my family is always

on the top of my list.

I am so grateful to be a grandmother with this dear woman!

Our children have been a couple since their first high school years!

I spent a couple of days sorting my boys legos

into playable age appropriate pieces for our grands!

It was a little bit of touching the past

with excitement for the future.

Of course I had several dreams afterward

in which my darling sons were young.

It felt a little like going back in time

and feeling the immense  momma love.

 

Oh this sweet, sweet girl!

She fills my heart!

Last week the grands and I

painted ceramic pumpkins for them to take home!

I did an event at South Coast Plaza

for the relaunching of one of their luxury wings.

A huge fire broke out several miles behind our house.

Huge gratitude to the tireless effort firefighters

made for over a week to get it all out.

WE definitely had dramatic views for a few nights.

Jeff and I celebrated 37 years married

38 years together!

We celebrated our anniversary with a day in Laguna Beach

at several of the spots from our first date.

Met a client and dear friend

 for a day of personal styling!

Helping people  to appreciate their own beauty

is always a highlight for me!

Then Jeff and I checked out the new

Pendry Hotel

in Newport Beach.

A cotton khaki suit made for lovely 

fall transitional look.

I kept it casual with som slip on tennies and canvas bag.

I am also loving coveralls in all colors right now!

I am trying to refine my fall uniform for creating 

in my studio. this fall.

My fall and halloween decorating is all. done!

But this post has gotten so long

I'm going to share my 

Fall Decor

in a separate post.

Thank you so much for stopping by for a visit!

I always so appreciate it!

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life