I am in the mood for a few quotes and I hope you enjoy them.
I find that quotes cause me to be reflective, ponder what the writer means and see if I agree or understand. It’s a ‘digging into my soul’ moment and I find that refreshing.
“Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” Paul Theroux
The quote above particularly caught my attention because at this moment I am one part taking it easy and enjoying not being overrun with projects and one part a bundle of simmering energy overflowing with ideas and feeling like a race horse just before the gate opens.
Is anyone else feeling this way?
Exciting news…
I got a call this week with a request to create artwork for a US business!!! This call could not have come at a better time because I was at a crossroad, looking for direction and truly hoping for something that would activate every creative bone in my body.
Playing around with all of the these paints is where I will be for the next few weeks…months…and I could not be happier!
Have you ever wondered…
What credentials, experience, education the crew at Sweet Valley Acres has?
Well Google does and I learned that somewhere in my blog I need to share our all those details. So I got busy and updated our “About Sweet Valley Acres” page and what a fun task that was. I had to think back to how many houses we have personally renovated or built, all the developments Bentley has worked on, etc.
Even more fun was digging out some old photos of all those adventures.
Come check it out – just click here.
Frost, sunsets and winter decor…
We got a little frosty here, but still no snow which is so unusual.
I don’t typically like to share a photo like this of my garden because it is so blah with no life.
“Winter is nature’s sleep.” H.S. Jacobs
I have to remind myself that the garden is resting right now which is so important. Soon it will be bursting forth with flowers blooming, bees buzzing, and marmots and bears waking up from a long winter’s nap.
The flowers from last year are dead and dried up but they are protecting next year’s insects including the precious bees.
Ever since I started to leave all the dead foliage in my flower beds, I have noticed more and more bees in my garden, especially these huge bumblebees that slowly move through my garden and often bump into me on their way.
Just thinking about them makes me smile.
I wonder do they see me as a building-like structure or do they know that I plant the flowers specifically for them to enjoy?
I know all the birds I feed know I am the one who offers them food because if their feeder is low they will fly around the house to my office and sit outside of it looking at me. Immediately, I know what message they are sending.
But look what we were blessed with – the most glorious sunset.
Paired down but still pretty…
Our home is now clear of Christmas decor but it is still looking so pretty and warm.
I left up three flocked trees in the living room and spread them out but they are bare which I am actually loving. The simplicity of the form of the tree with the warm lights is all that is needed this time of year.
Often people are in a hurry to remove their Christmas decor, and I certainly understand that, but consider leaving up the trees because they still fill the room with warm light which is necessary during these bleak winter months.
I went with a simple white and neutral color scheme and brought in white lanterns, vases, birdhouses, pinecones and candleholders.
Bentley’s tool box that he made me for Christmas has been repurposed into an evergreen holder. I love the curve of the handle. Bentley truly is an artist. He thinks of himself as just a woodworker or home builder but he really is a talented artist.
Cozy kitchen corner
For Christmas my daughter gave me this cute little rechargeable table lamp. It is so sweet and brings a warm glow to wherever I place it. And it is cordless so I can move it anywhere and not have to worry about it being near an electrical outlet.
I also treated myself with new gold measuring cups and spoons. I love the wood handles!
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Valentine’s is right around the corner…
We don’t exchange gifts on Valentine’s but I sure decorate for it! It is the perfect excuse for me to bring out some pink decor.
This year, I am focusing my Valentine’s decorations on creating something so pretty in the greenhouse and I cannot wait to share that with you, but in the meantime if you are looking for some inspiration, just click on the links below.
A unique way to display your love.
What’s coming up…
I got some new resin along with a few new molds and I am going to be doing that in the next few weeks, along with a furniture flip and planning a trip to Florida for a very special reason. I cannot wait to share all of that with you!
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” John Steinbeck
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Below are pictures of the same or similar decor to that in this post. Just click on the link if you wish to get more information on it.
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Thank you!
Thank you for reading my post and staying until the very end.
And one last quote…
“Kindness is like snow – it beautifies everything it covers.” Kahlil Gibran
