this handbag
and these
boots for spring
to keep healthy
to gather my thoughts
to capture my memories
to end my day
And I loved this post- it made me feel like I was in the south of France on a winter Saturday afternoon~
Have a great Tuesday~
x
Category Archives: inspiration
weekend {inspiration}
This lovely lives the life I dream of
I could spend hours here
I have raspberries and ricotta!
I want to make these in the studio
Because seriously- I have splattered so many things in red stains…
Happy weekend mes amies!
x
Chevre recipe from the above photo found here
this brings me {joy}
I sort of love Barnaby Bright… sort of a lot.
returning {home}
I often find that after a trip somewhere, whether it be for work or personal, I return home inspired and energized to really immerse myself in the life that we have. I have been on the east coast for the past week and that is especially true as I return home today. I saw so many things that I am bringing home with me- people giving their all to build something amazing and simple and so wonderful. The warmth of small towns and the way they welcome you and make you immediately feel like you are home. Bread that is made by hand and the smell of it cooking in the oven- and counting the minutes until you can cut off the first piece and watch butter melt on the hot soft insides.
This trip was filled with hard work and long days. There are hundreds of photos to be viewed, edited and sent off. However, as I sit here at my gate at the airport watching the snow fall and trying not to fall asleep I am reminded of how incredibly blessed I am to not only have spent a week doing something I love with a good friend, but to also be returning home to a place that I absolutely love where my very favorite boys are waiting. And while I have been going non-stop for days, I am filled with inspiration on things I want to do in our home, changes I want to make, ideas for slowing down and living a richer life. This truly is one of my very favorite things about travel- the motivation I feel when I return home.
This week I will be getting things ready to list in the shop. I am considering restocking on a Saturday so that more people have the opportunity to be online when it is filled. If so I am hoping to do that this coming Saturday, February 2nd. I will keep you posted!
And speaking of inspiration…
I’m sort of in love with noodles these days
Can you imagine if you were house hunting and THIS is what you were looking at???
Do you know that carrot cake is my favorite?
the perfect cheese board
Happy week friends.
x
block printing in {Udaipur}
I saw this today and immediately was transported back to one of my favorite places in India.
The country is magical~
FROM RAJASTHAN WITH LOVE-HAND BLOCK PRINTS from gentlandhyers photography on Vimeo.
finding your {creative spirit} in 2013
Another wonderful thing about the new year is that it offers us a chance to reconnect with things that we may have lost touch with along the way. As we are resetting our list of goals and priorities for the coming year, we can take stock of what it is we want to accomplish and where it is we want our path to take us.
My dear friend Jeanne Oliver has recently created a wonderful new creative community that will surely inspire and encourage anyone wanting to expand their creative side. It is a place that people will gather to share and learn and support one another and I know that with Jeanne leading the discussions it will be an amazing journey. The community itself can be found at Jeanneoliver.ning.com
Three new courses were added recently~ All you need to do is sign up (which is free) to gain access to course descriptions and videos. Trust me, if you are looking to be inspired, this is a great resource.
Creatively Made {rediscovering the beauty of your gifts}
Building a Creatively Made Business {you’ll never know what is possible until you begin}
The Journey of Letting Go {creating beauty from ashes}
She has also added two free videos for anyone to watch~
A business video on Markets and Shows
A mixed media art video on creating Vintage Girls
This new year holds so much potential and I hope that you, like me, are ready to grab all of those amazing opportunities and see where they lead you!
finding {inspiration} & a winner!
The end of the weekend is rapidly approaching and we are enjoying a quiet afternoon reading, napping and relaxing. This time of year tends to be busy on the planning side and quiet on the execution end. We are making plans and passing ideas back and forth but our days are fairly peaceful, which works well with the gray skies and cool wet weather.
I do find that during these quiet days I find the most inspiring places to draw ideas from- and as today you, like me, may be looking for something to get you excited, I wanted to share them with you.
While she may be on the opposite seasonal schedule, her posts inspire me to simplify- both in decor, photography and entertaining.
Starting next week I’m going to begin taking part in a “this moment” post.
Inspiring Pinterest boards? Yes please~
This posts *almost* makes me want to live in Vancouver again…
The dress I bought in Portland last time from here- my absolute favorite. Love the shop, can’t wait to go back.
Also- Congratulations Sarah! Your word “breathe” will be put on a necklace and sent out to you! Please send me your contact information and I will get it going!
Happy week friends.
x
so where do we go {next}?
There is something amazing about the start of a new year, don’t you think? I love that no matter how the previous year ends, there are endless possibilities and exciting adventures to be had in the coming one. It is a time when I look at where my path has taken me, what I would like to change and what goals I hope to achieve as I continue along the road that is my life story.
I have all sorts of ideas for 2013 and I’m so excited to share them with you.
~After doing an ecourse with some amazing friends run by this incredible dearest of mine, I decided that it would be fun to add some videos to the blog occasionally. I really think that they would give you a better sense of who I am and they would be an opportunity for me to share some of my favorite things with you.
~I have been working on my “good old stand-by recipes” list for some time now and I want to begin sharing them with you. These are our favorite recipes that we enjoy and that are easy to make in a pinch. I think it is always a good thing to have a few go-to meals in your pantry and freezer.
~We are really ramping up tiggy & grace and when we stock the shop the first week of February it will be filled with not only rustic one-of-a-kind pottery but even more handmade linens and wood cutting boards- and of course that delicious smoked salt. I know February seems like a long time from now but I have a trip planned for the third week of January and I don’t want to stock the shop until I am able to get things posted as soon as you order them. Thus, February it is.
~Speaking of trips, I think this year may be a travel-filled one. January will take me once again to Vermont where I will be working with this incredible inspirational friend on a number of projects that we are both excited for. There will be a lot of work but, like last time, a lot of laughter as well. March will take me south to California’s beautiful wine country where I will immerse myself in two days of happiness and inspiration with some of the most amazing women I know. I am also hoping to make it to Uganda with my mama next time she heads to the children’s home. It is my dream to photograph the opening of the home and the beautiful children that will find themselves with a roof over their head and people who love them. I don’t know that I can put my feelings about that trip into words, and I fear that after I have been it will be even more difficult, but hopefully I will capture it in a way that will help you to understand.
~I have big dreams for the gardens this coming spring and I would love to exchange tips, ideas and plans with those of you hoping to do the same. One of the things on my Life List is “plant a garden that will sustain us through the summer”. Now, will this be the summer that happens? Unlikely- but it will be good practice and I’m sure to learn a lot in the process.
~I think for me, the real focus of this year, the part that will lead all of the rest that is to follow is this: I want to be present, grateful, generous with my actions and words, focused and peaceful. I also want to work my tail off to make my dreams – and the dreams of my family a reality. I want to honor them and appreciate the moments we share. I want to wake each morning with a open and thankful heart. And I want to go to bed each evening and be appreciative for another day in my journey.
Wishing you magic my friends- and laughter. Always laughter.
x
I love this video
This friend sprinkles stardust on the words she weaves into beautiful tales
Want to lose yourself in beauty?
another {one word} give away
Can you tell I feel strongly about the benefits of finding a word that guides and inspires you through the year? This year I’m really excited to have ordered a few of these simple necklaces that, with a glance will remind me of the path I {believe} I will journey along in the coming months. I’m ready to welcome in 2013 and I know so many amazing exciting things are going to happen this year.
Liz Lamoreux has donated one of these inspiring necklaces shown above from her Etsy shop. One of the great things about Liz – aside from the fact that she is creative and talented and incredibly generous- is that she lives a mere hour away from me. I love finding someone that is relatively local to support as well as be inspired by. When Liz said she would donate a necklace like the one I ordered- with the winners personal one word for the year engraved on it, I was excited that one of you would also wear your word through the year.
You know the drill- leave a comment with your word – winner will be drawn on Sunday~
Best of luck and happy 2013!
x
a {one word} give-away
Hello friends and happy nearly New Year~
Some of you may know how excited I get about my annual “one word“- the word I choose that will serve as my mantra and my guiding force throughout the coming year. I take my word to heart and much consideration has gone into deciding on that one word. It must feel “right”. It must emphasize what it is I hope to accomplish in the next twelve months and hopefully push me along the road a little further.
This year my word is BELIEVE
I also came to a realization today. Two things really. One isn’t very flattering, but I am going to share it with you anyway. Let’s begin with that one first… So, the truth is I tend to fixate on things. It is almost as if I need something to focus on in order to be happy. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am generally a happy person, (one of my current mantras is “choose happy” as I know the power of joy) and I feel great gratitude for the beautiful life I have been given. But, aside from that and back to what is most likely a missing synapse in my brain- I fixate. I tend to need something new and exciting to wrap myself in. It can be a new hobby or project. It can be a trip or a party. Any number of things fit the bill. Oftentimes it is about change. Now this could have something to do with the fact that we moved so much in my childhood and that acclimated me to adjusting to change frequently. Thus, living in the same place for ten years, with the same basic life- well, maybe there is a part that is so ingrained in me that needs change that it has become a part of my psyche. Anyway, I need something to focus on, to get excited about, to dream about, plan for, anticipate. And right now I’m not finding it. Oh, I *may* have some ideas, but I really would prefer something that doesn’t elicit the “I’m calling the divorce lawyer” response… ;) So, I am working on that. Which leads me to my next epiphany…
I don’t do dull. I don’t do humdrum or laid back or low-key or boring. I admit that my craving for excitement and adventure has gotten me into a pickle or two, but honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I like a challenge and to do the unanticipated. I like mixing it up and going against the grain. My husband would say I over-burden myself or spread myself too thin in some areas, but I simply do what feels right at the time. I am trying to curb that a bit (you know- the divorce lawyer threat…) but it is a precarious balance between staying out of trouble and keeping it lively and interesting. Please tell me that some of you understand what I am saying here… Anyway, I think that *believe* will serve as a reminder that I can do anything if I simply believe it. It may not be easy, but if I believe, it will be.
So, back to the one word project and the give-away. I have recently ordered a bracelet that will have a word inscribed in it and as I really loved the simple slightly bohemian design, I asked Izzy if she would be willing to donate one of those same bracelets to one of my readers for them to have their word inscribed on – and she said YES! She is very kind and I am so excited to share one of these fabulous inspirational bracelets with one of you. However, I’m going to keep the run of this give-away short as I want to get the bracelet out to the winner as early in the new year as possible. Thus, I will do the drawing on Monday- New Years Eve! Please spread the word, as I would love to get as many people on board with the one word idea as possible. If you would like a chance to win, please leave a comment with what your word is – tweet or facebook for a second chance but make sure to come back and leave another comment. I can’t wait to hear what your words are!
{aspirations} for 2013
Each year I take some time at the end of December to come up with a list of aspirations for the coming year. I love the idea of having things to work towards and even sitting down and writing out the list is cathartic in it’s own way. It requires me to really sit down and think about what my priorities are for the immediate future and what changes I would like to make in the coming year. My list tends to be rather broad- travel to someplace I have never been and document it. Grow tiggy & grace. Move more. Invest in my inner bohemian. Find my zen place. Eat healthier. Choose happy. If I need specifics I tend to refer to my life list.
This past year brought with some significant changes in my life. After 18 years of having a child at home with me throughout the day, I found myself with 6 free hours to do with what I please, nearly every single day. At first I was giddy- I giggled. A lot. I then settled in to a routine of getting everything that had to be done, which still left me with quite a lot of time unaccounted for. I began spending more time on my photography- doing actual jobs with actual paychecks. I worked with a stylist for the first time and was thrilled with the results. But I still had more time…
One thing you should know about me is that I don’t “do nothing” very well. I don’t often “relax”. I like to be productive and if I’m not, I find ways to be. Thus tiggy & grace was born. Through my love of being in the kitchen, my appreciation of beauty and function and having a husband who creates beautiful pottery, I found a way to combine it all and share it with others. While it began with rustic pottery, simple linens and my very favorite smoked salt, I have plans to add some wonderful things in 2013 – all made in the USA. I am really excited about what will come.
As I also thrive on travel, I have a few trips planned for the coming year. The one I am hoping most to take is with my mama- to Uganda. While it is still in it’s “dream” phase, I really hope to make it a reality. The children there have stolen my heart and I want to go and get to know the country so that one day I can take my boys with me. There seems to be such beauty and light in the faces of the children and I would love to wrap my arms around them and capture their glow with my camera. I hope that everything can be finished in the next few months and the children are able to be moved in soon. If you haven’t visited my mama’s website to see the progress, you can find it here.
Another thing I love to do in the new year is find a word that will serve as my mantra throughout the coming year. I was inspired by Ali Edwards’ post on it a few years back. Her post this year can be found here. This year my word will be BELIEVE. There are so many things that I believe will become reality in 2013 and I want that feeling of “anything can happen” to help me soar through the year. I have big dreams in 2013 and I do believe that they all can come true with hard work and faith.
I have a good feeling about the coming year. There is change on the horizon, but I think it is good change, healthy change, positive change. I think there is growth in my future and while sometimes growth comes with growing pains, I think that in the end they will create strength and wisdom and contentment.
the spirit of {Christmas}
As many of you know, my mom is currently in Uganda finishing up the beautiful home she has been working on over the past two years. She and Edwin are spending their days with the children who have visited and working on the structure and property. Recently they were featured on the local news station in Vancouver, BC but for those of you who weren’t able to see it, I wanted to share it with you.
I also wanted to share a post that she published yesterday with updated photos of the home. I was amazed at how lush and green and wonderful it is becoming! Head here to check it out~
Wishing you a very merry Christmas eve eve, and all of the days that follow~
x
celebrating {love}
Today Louis and I are heading south, to celebrate these two. Two dear friends whom I love. I feel honored and blessed to share in a day that will see them married- finally.
x
{souvenir}
It’s here! And honestly, I think it’s the most beautiful issue yet! Filled with holiday cheer and wonderful ideas for how to create magic, you won’t be disappointed~
You can order it HERE
{souvenir}
Hello friends~
I am happy once again to share my excitement at the upcoming issue of Souvenir magazine! Souvenir is a seasonal lifestyle magazine featuring gorgeous homes, beautiful ideas for entertaining, delicious recipes, simple crafts, lifestyle and travel stories and amazing shops and collectibles. With four days before the release date, I hope you will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed working on it. With an incredible group of contributors sharing their favorite parts of the holidays, I know you will be inspired!
To order your online issue of Souvenir visit souvenir lifestyle.com You can also sign up for our mailing list here.
will {you} be joining us?
There is so much I want to share about this magical trip to Vermont and Montreal. My time with this sweet friend was so inspiring- I returned home ready to nest as well as to move forward with my journey with photography. I am excited to work- especially with her~
However, right now, we have one day left until the Creatively Made Home course kicks off. I am so very excited about that! The website is up and the conversations about home and what it means to us have already begun. It is going to be inspiring and I really hope you will join us! We would love to have you. Simply click the button below~
Have a wonderful Sunday mes amies~
xx
the frenchy home of {Tracey Leber}
With less than a week to go, we are all getting so excited to kick off our Creatively Made Home course! The website is up with everyone who is registered online and chatting. The energy is building and I am already loving the conversations and excitement flowing. If you haven’t heard from us and are registered, PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP. If you haven’t registered, what are you waiting for?? It is going to be a really inspiring experience and I would love to meet you there. The new site is amazing and makes it so easy to interact with everyone else in the course.
This week I want to introduce you to Tracey Leber and her GORGEOUS home filled with beautiful treasures she has collected through her travels. I met Tracey a few years ago and loved her sense of style and her eye for beauty. I know you will love her home, as even if it isn’t your particular style, it is so well mixed and put together that it is inspiring to anyone who dreams of having a comfortable welcoming space~
Today I want to give you a peek…and just a peek into the content and projects that Tracey will share.
Tracey owns the shop French Larkspur and travels to France multiple times a year to fill her shop.
From the moment…moment…you step into the door you are surrounded by beauty and details.
Comfortable beauty.
Styling and entertaining are Tracey’s creative gifts. Each room is full of details and little touches that were just right. She thinks out of the box and incorporates beautiful items that complimented each other in ways you would have never thought of. She uses white in a way that is warm and inviting. She has combined white with vintage salvage, linens, wood and furniture to balance it all and create a gorgeous space for her family. She loves to make things beautiful just to make them beautiful….and it blesses everyone that comes in their home.
Here is a peek at the creative projects that Tracey Leber brings to Creatively Made (this is just a peek though)….
Tracey will talk about:
*Her personal journey with her home and family
*Her design influences
*How she found her own style and how she began incorporating it
*Share favorite recipes and photos of her home
*Have a live, online discussion with members of the course to ask whatever they wish about her style, home, passions.
*Share 10 project videos in different areas that are true to how she incorporates her creativity and passions in everyday living.
A peek into her project videos…
Tracey will show you how to incorporate vintage salvage into your home and also talk about what to focus on when you are starting to put your home together.
She will also show you how to make a muslin wreath that can be accented for any season.
Tracey will show you how to make the most perfect gifts for birthdays or Christmas!
She will show you how to make sugar scrubs and how to package up your gifts with all the little details that Tracey is known for.
She will also show you how to bring together a simple and beautiful table and other simple entertaining elements.
All of Tracey’s projects will be about the details, entertaining, gift giving and making your home beautiful.
Each time I get to show all of you what this course will be full of I get so excited for the course to begin!
If you are not registered there is still time!
We would love to have you join us.
To register go HERE
More fun news coming this week about the new site and the fun plans that include YOU!!!
Introducing {Sara Duckett}
I am currently in Montreal. Yesterday it was gorgeous and I had a wonderful time exploring an incredible farmer’s market with my darling friend. Thankfully she enjoys making photos as much as I do so we happily meandered between rows and rows of edible goodness, capturing it all.
While I am here life is rolling along in preparation for our Creatively Made Home course. People are signing on to our website and conversations are beginning! It is such fun getting to know everyone and find out what it is about their homes that they want to work on. I really hope you can join us- there is still time!
I wanted to share another of the amazing women that is working on this course with me. Have you met Sara Duckett, whose blog Sadie Olive is a source for endless inspiration? If not, I’d like to take this opportunity to do so!
Sara has the incredible gift of combining vintage elements with a modern twist. She has created her own brand by effortlessly combining her love of vintage, home and photography. Sara loves the details…and it shows in all she does! Her creative and decorating eye brings new life to ordinary objects.
I met Sara a few years ago at Farm Chicks and immediately liked her gentle demeanor and amazing eye for detail. Her blog is an extension of her beautiful taste and ability to pull together collections of treasures in a way that is comfortable and yet beautiful. I have always been inspired by her simple yet stylish approach to using her vintage finds in her home.
Lucky you that you get to see Sara in action and learn from her style.
Here is a peek at the creative projects that Sara Duckett brings to Creatively Made (this is just a peek though)….
Sara will talk about:
*Her personal journey with her home and family
*Her design influences
*How she found her own style and how she began incorporating it
*Share favorite recipes and photos of her home
*Have a live, online discussion with members of the course to ask whatever they wish about her style, home, passions.
*Share 10 project videos in different areas that are true to how she incorporates her creativity and passions in everyday living.
A peek into her project videos…
Sara will share 10 project videos but here is a glimpse into a FEW of them!
She will share the simple art of arrangement. So many of us have a difficult time arranging the things we have in a way that we love. Sara is a great person to help you figure out what would work best for you.
Sara will show you step by step why she chooses a specific piece, talk about balance etc.
Sara loves vintage fabrics like I do and loves to incorporate them into her daily life.
She created an gorgeous bumper for her baby made out of vintage fabrics and she will share all the little details.
Sara is known for her beautiful photography and she will share a bit about how to take better photos and then follow it up with her favorite editing tricks and techniques.
Are you seeing that each woman brings something totally fresh and different into this course?
Isn’t is amazing all the projects and information that you will get out of CMH?
This is just a TASTE of what is to come!
You will have five weeks FULL of advice, inspiration, photos and projects!
The best part is that you will have all the videos available for over 6 months!
This is not including the project e-book and entertaining e-book that you get to download to keep forever!
Add to that the amazing new creative network we have been working on!
Creatively Made Home begins in 12 days!
Be a part of the network and creativity of Creatively Made Home!
To register go HERE or pay below.
We are working so hard to launch the new creative network on Monday.
If all goes well you will be able to begin connecting and creating your own profile page on Monday …a full week before the course begins!
Wish us luck:-)
a video {close to my heart}
I am heading to the east coast first thing tomorrow morning, but wanted to share this incredible video about my mom. I am so incredibly proud of her~
PULSE 2.1 – Jaaja Barb’s Home of Angels from Northview Church on Vimeo.
Introducing the girl that {makes magic}
Making magic.
THAT is Jennifer Rizzo!
She brings crafty goodness to Creatively Made Home.
She is the girl that walks through Jo Ann Fabrics, sees jute ribbon, imagines a jute basket….and then makes it!
Her brain is constantly going and her creativity flows freely.
I think what I admire and appreciate the most about Jen’s creativity is the way that she is always looking for ways to decorate BEAUTIFULLY and ECONOMICALLY!
Few of us can go out and refurnish a whole room at once, buy custom curtains for the whole house or hang coveted art on the walls.
Jen shows you how to get the look you like and still have some pennies left in the pocketbook.
What she does is….makes decorating FUN!
It is easy to go into your favorite decor shop and buy up their idea of the perfect room.
Let’s create YOUR perfect room.
Let’s get you thinking of ways you can make pretty things you find on Pinterest, in Anthropologie and your favorite store.
Jen’s style speaks volumes to me because it is fun, eclectic, vintage and classic.
Don’t ask me how it can be all of these things but it is!
When you walk into her home you instantly feel comfortable and you KNOW she is so happy you are there.
Her home is comfortable and pretty…so, so pretty!
I don’t know anyone that has a home like hers.
She has incorporated color so perfectly and half of the things you love about her home….she made or upcycled!
She is kind of a rock star like that.
I am so excited that Jen is a part of the team- she brings so much to this course!
Not only will you love Jen’s creative video projects for your home/gifts etc. but I know you will get so much out of her live question/answer time one of the weeks.
Keep in mind that each week we will pick one of YOUR homes (if you are registered) and all five hosts will give suggestions for your space based upon their style and experience.
So, maybe I could move this along and actually give you a sneak peek of Jen’s projects!
Jen will talk about:
*Her personal journey with her home and family
*Her design influences
*How she found her own style and how she began incorporating it
*Share favorite recipes and photos of her home
*Have a live, online discussion with members of the course to ask whatever they wish about her style, home, passions.
*Share 10 project videos in different areas that are true to how she incorporates her creativity and passions in everyday living.
A peek into her project videos…
Jen’s project videos are full of creative ways to add beauty to your house!
She will show you how to turn inexpensive tablecloths into your favorite curtains.
This project video is really amazing for all of you with huge windows that you can’t find curtains to fit (or can’t afford huge custom curtains)!
Jen will show you what she did with that jute she saw in Jo Ann Fabrics:-)
This basket is so cool and she will give you step by step directions in the video.
You will be wanting to make one for yourself and for gifts!
Have you ever wanted to make beautiful lampshades like the ones you see in Anthroplogie?
Jen will show you how and it will cost you next to nothing!
I can’t wait to try this one myself.
This is only a PEEK of what Jen will be sharing in her project videos!
You are going to learn so much!
I can’t wait to see what you make, how you decorate and what gifts you give because of what you learn from Jen!
The website is new and the community aspect will be even better than before (and our community is what keeps people coming back)!
*****
I can’t wait to have you join us!!