"The Last Lovely Days of 2011".....

january third, 2012......

I am sitting & writing this post tonight in a very tidy house. The tree has been taken down & the ornaments all tucked away for next year. All the decorations have been carefully packed & every sign of Christmas is gone.
Then I sat down & while going over photos on-line realized I had taken these pretty pictures that I had been to busy at the time to post? So I am sharing them now....

Christmas came & went a bit too quickly once again....I have never quite figured out how to make those magical weeks after Thanksgiving slow down...really slow down, you know, like when you were a child. Happily though I did capture a few glimpses of just how magical the house looked & how enchanting it felt.

Every year I basically use the same decorations,...but try & arrange them in different & fresh ways.....& this year was no exception. There were lots of little sparkly fairy lights, candy canes & holly everywhere & our angel watching over it all at the top of the tree.

The presents were wrapped in tiny prints & checks.... & the color "red" made quite the appearance!
It all came together beautifully....& we loved it all once again....memories were made....

And as I do appreciate the clean, somewhat bare look of our home tonight....I cannot help but be enchanted by..."the last lovely days of 2011".

happy, happy New Year.......Love, heidi

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"A Sabbatical with Tea & Cranberry Bread".....

Hello Everyone, Sorry to have been gone for ever so long!...I have been working, working & working getting pillow orders out & just this morning sent off the last one!.....OMGoodness?.....Didn't quite plan on being so busy till now??......but very thankful for the business & wow!...what lovely clients I have had this year!

So now, this afternoon, I am not quite sure what to do?....The house is decorated, very pretty I must say!.....cards have been sent & my yearly "Cookie Party" was held a week ago to rave reviews!.....There is wrapping to do & a bit of baking as well, but this afternoon marks the beginning of my "sabbatical"...I could say "vacation from work", but "sabbatical" sounds so much more interesting!....
After a cup of tea & a slice of cranberry bread,..... I will get my fancy papers & ribbon out & begin creating the loveliest of packages.....but for this moment, I am relishing in the idea that my deadlines have been met.... & the holidays now have my permission to unfold slowly......

Off to to the kitchen for that tea & cranberry bread!.....& have included the recipe for you too!....It is incredibly good!!!...It is more of a "cake" than a bread & one that once tried you will make for ever & ever!.....Please let me know how you love it!

Thank you for stopping by to chat!......

Love, Heidi XO
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"Heidi's Cranberry Bread"

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

1t. vanilla

1t. lemon juice

2 eggs (well beaten)

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4 cups flour

1t. baking powder

1t. baking soda

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups frozen cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

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Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Makes 2 loaves.

Bake for 60-70 minutes, approximately.

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In a large bowl or mixer, Cream together the sugar & butter....mix well. Add eggs. Add both vanilla & lemon juice; mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder & baking soda. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, along with the buttermilk. Beat well. Add cranberries & walnuts.

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Grease two loaf pans. I prefer the long French-style ones. Split the dough between the pans. Sprinkle generously with granulated sugar & bake. When loaves are done baking, remove from the oven. Melt 3/4 cup butter in a pan or microwave. Proceed to pour 1/2 of the butter over each loaf. Allow to cool approx. 10 minutes. While still warm, remove from pan & allow to come to room temperature. Can be enjoyed warm from the oven or fully cooled.

*Hint: delicious toasted, too!

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Thanksgiving......

Hello Friends, Once again it has been sometime since I have written here in my blog. The afternoon before Thanksgiving..... The shadows are long,... & the sunshine, weak & winter-y. There are intoxicating aromas drifting through the house, all in preparation for tomorrow. Candles are burning & a fire has been lit....and I am preparing to dress my table in it's Thanksgiving finery.
This year will be the first Thanksgiving I have ever spent away from my eldest daughter & grandson, which practically speaking I completely understand, but emotionally am somewhat weepy about .....You see they are spending the holiday with my daughter's fiance & his family, which is wonderful!...They are a perfect little group & I know will have the best Thanksgiving.
Here at our house, it will be my younger daughter & my husband & we will have a small, but charming celebration as well. The meal will be delicious, the day relaxing.
I have to say that even though I am struggling a bit with the idea of having a couple faces missing from our table, I know in my heart how blessed I am...& how each one of us is exactly where we are meant to be.
I wish you all the loveliest of Thanksgivings!.....Your friend, Heidi XO

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"Time for Sweet Pea Planting".....

Hi Friends, I know this hardly seems like an Autumn post, but it actually is for at least some of us. For those of us in the warmer climates, it is time to plant your "sweet peas"!.....I'm sure you are all very familiar with these old-fashioned, sweet-smelling flowers, that are delicate to look at,....but quite easy to grow!
The seed catalogs are filled with many varieties of sweet peas. Tall climbing sweet peas & short bushy ones,...all in the most romantic colors!....I have always preferred the climbing varieties, which grow beautifully on garden teteurs or along wire or string trellises. There is just something so enchanting about seeing these thin, little sprout-lets, reaching toward the support of a wire & winding their tiny tendrils around, pulling themselves up to the sunshine!.....

Sweet peas love mild temperatures, nothing too hot,.... so like I mentioned above, it is the perfect time here in California & anywhere with warm winters, to purchase your seeds & get them in the ground!.....The cool temps, give these seeds the perfect start....allowing them to grow all winter long. Usually then in February, your sweet peas will be covering your trellis with dozens of blooms!....All ready to be picked & brought inside for the most darling flower arrangements!
What a perfect way to welcome in early spring!....
So if you're like me, feeling a bit sorry for myself,.... without the huge display of Fall foliage, or the idea of a white winter, you can rejoice in the fact that in a few months time, you will be filling your home with bunches & bunches of glorious sweet peas!
Order or purchase your sweet pea seeds now!...You will be so very happy you did!

Happy planting!.......

heidi xo

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"Hello Friends"......

Hello Friends, So nice to be back blogging with you once again!.....It has been sometime since our last visit!.....Somehow "life took over".... & busy-ness followed..... & blogging was shoved to the back corner. Not sure how it happens, but occasionally it does.
It has been a busy September/October......Back to school of course..... getting the house decorated for Fall..... cleaning up the garden..... along with a little entertaining with friends & somehow the days have flown by.
Here at our house, we also have the exciting news that my oldest daughter Holly is engaged & planning an early Spring wedding,..... so in between all the everyday tasks, there is much "wedding chatter" going on! .....which is quite wonderful!
I also have been a bit negligent with the sending out of my monthly newsletter, "Living Little with Heidi". In fact many of you have recently written me asking for it..... & giving me some of the loveliest feedback!.....So I hope you will be happy to hear that a "Thanksgiving" edition is in the works & will be coming your way in a few days!...Some of my favorite ideas, recipes & thoughts about Thanksgiving, all in time for the planning of your own special day!
If you would like to receive my newsletter simply e-mail me at heididevlin@gmail.com & I will add you to my growing list!.....& did I mention it's free! So please shoot me an e-mail & I will send a copy!
I do hope all of you are doing well & are enjoying your Autumn....

Hope to chat again soon!.....

Fondly,....

heidi xo

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"Pumpkin Love".....

September 13th, 2011

I cannot believe Autumn is almost here!.....and with it I can indulge all that is "pumpkin"!!....
I adore pumpkins!......
The other day I was looking through magazines & on-line trying to find a few charming new ideas using the pumpkin theme, & look what I found!...now forgive me, I am not quite sure where this darling idea came from, maybe Country Living, maybe Martha?.....but it is so worth sharing!

Using these very inexpensive Chinese lanterns,.... & embellishing with a green, paper/pipe-stem cleaner leaf & a brown florist tape stem.....you can transform these basic lanterns into "pumpkin magic"!!.....How amazing would these be hung above an old trestle table or even clustered overhead on your entry way ceiling!.....Oh the possibilities!

I will be sharing more sweet "pumpkin" ideas in the weeks ahead!...Stay tuned!

Your friend,.....

heidi XO

P.S. Please visit my friend Erin on her lovely blog, "Living In Yellow"! She was gracious enough to feature my etsy shop, Heidi Devlin Design on her blog!
I am giving away a $50 shop credit, along with my darling "wicked" pillow!.....all in time for Halloween!...but you have to visit Erin to find out exactly how!

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Realizing "me" is just fine.....

O.K.---- I was cleaning up the kitchen this morning, a task I had happily ignored doing last night. And as I was waiting for the water to get hot enough to fill the sink, ( you see I'm a girl that prefers hand washing dishes, instead of dishwashers.....please no lecturing!)....I was wondering why I am always a tad bit behind the mark?....always a day late & a dollar short?....case in point, leaving the dinner dishes till morning??....

No matter what I have going on, it seems instead of one project I have 5!....I have so many ideas, so many things I want to do in a day, but instead of concentrating on one & completing it, I run around trying to do it all & none of it gets truly finished? What's up with that!?

In one day can one middle aged woman truly believe she can,.... bake muffins from scratch, straighten the house ( main floor mainly, the upstairs is a whole other project!), plant seeds for a winter garden, even though the summer garden is completely out-of-control, do laundry & stencil & sew tons of pillows for her Etsy shop!!?...not to mention eat healthy & exercise!? I don't think so....

Now for years I ran my own interior design business. Working with clients, I believe I was quite organized & efficient. I did my job well, answering questions & solving homeowners design issues. I was the "go-to-girl" when it came to anything having to do with pretty interior design decisions!....I had great ideas & knew exactly how to accomplish them. I got very used to being the expert....And I think somehow I still am trying to be that.

I believe a new approach is needed. First of all I don't have to be an authority on anything...nor do I want to be. For once I would just like to be the "student", the novice....the girl without all the answers. I don't have to be an over-achiever.....
Instead of being the teacher , & want to be the person being taught. I want to do things slower, take on less & sometimes fail.....but in the process enjoy it all a whole lot more! :)

Yep...It's time for me to give up trying to be superstar Martha, & instead be just average me.

I think I love the sound of that.... "just me".

I believe I'm onto something!

heidi

xo

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"Sunflowers"......

Today our subject is "gardening". And since I wanted to chat about the glorious "sunflower"...I thought I would combine the two.
Now to be very honest,..... this year the sunflowers I planted in my garden were sad disappointments. I thought I had done everything correctly, but my sunflowers were wimpy & pathetic. .....I have been a gardener long enough however, to realize that sometimes that is the way it is.....
Next year I will re-evaluate the situation, but for now I just need "sunflowers"!

So this August, I have had a lovely relationship with large bunches of sunflowers,.... all of which have been bought at the open market & the grocery store. No problem at all!...
I have displayed them in large ironstone pitchers, in galvanized buckets & even on my front door in an old grapevine basket....It is August after all, & I must decorate the house with sunflowers!

You see there is something quite curious about sunflowers. As far as decorating is concerned, sunflowers look amazing in all styles of interiors!....Obviously "country" by nature, the sunflower is quickly associated with farmhouses & red barns....However, they also are very European, showing up in old French manor houses, displayed in large earthenware pottery.....& lastly the sunflower is so large & graphic in shape, that placing them in a very contemporary home is quite charming as well

So today's gardening tip is this....

1) Plant sunflowers in your garden ( which is usually very easy to do!)
2) or purchase sunflowers to display throughout August
3) rejoice in the classic simplicity that is the "sunflower"!

Enjoy a happy Wednesday!......

heidi
xo

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"Decorating Tuesday"....How To Arrange Your Hutch

I have been attracted to "hutches & cupboards" my entire life......There is just something terribly romantic about an old piece of furniture filled to the brim with treasures!....For me, it is all about my collection of "brown transferware".....another collection of "Guy Wolff gardening pots".... & of course a few incredible pieces of my "Emma Bridgewater Pottery"....who can resist all those darling words on classic pieces of creamware!

Today being Tuesday, & the topic "decorating, I thought it might be fun & informative to show how to arrange a hutch-top/sideboard!....For years, I have been doing this for clients. What I have learned is you need to please yourself!...After all the hutch resides in "your" house. It is an area that can make quite a statement, so make sure that statement feels right for "you"! No decorator can feel what you do, so forget the rules & just please yourself!...

#1- Remove everything from your hutch-top; & remember too that this piece of furniture does not have to be a prize quality antique!...look at mine! The bottom is a very old Mexican sideboard, picked up at a consignment shop,... & the top is a "far-from-great-quality" hutch-top I found in an unfinished furniture store,.... brought home & painted black. I paid $400 for the sideboard & $40 for the hutch!!....I always thought I would paint both pieces a wonderful color, but somehow have always kept it mis-matched...which I find really charming!
#2- Dust & clean thoroughly before decorating; everything looks a little prettier without layers of dust!

#3- Take inventory of all the items that might possibly find a home on your hutch;I happen to love a fairly neutral color-scheme of browns, creams & whites,...but you may prefer stronger colors, which will work beautifully as well! Of course displaying dishes is the traditional choice for hutches, but remember again to collect & display the items you love, not what you happen to see in a magazine! I have used some very unusual items when putting together hutches for clients,.... among them, a collection of African masks/pottery....another all silver pieces from top to bottom.... & even a hutch filled with all the darling items of babyhood, all in the sweetest nursery!

#4- Place the largest items, as well as the background pieces first on the hutch; As you can see, for me that is all the large serving trays, as well as a pair of old iron urns & my Target lamp, with a lampshade I borrowed from my grandson's room ( my daughter had just switched it out for a much preferred bright red one!)
#5- Proceed to fill-in with the medium sized items....gradually going smaller & smaller; remember to slightly overlap a few of your pieces;
example: after placing a large platter near the back of the hutch, adding a pitcher or vase in front of it creates depth, & in turn interest to the space!....You want to create layers, which is exactly why you begin with the largest & work to the smallest of items; make sure too to have tiny items near the edge of the shelves, so they can be admired & enjoyed.

#6- After all your pieces are placed, be sure & add "life" to the entire space with flowers, greenery, moss, or really nature of any kind; do make sure to use what is seasonal....& remember too,... to choose flowers in the true colors they are in nature!

#7- As a final touch, & if space allows, add a pair of chairs, or a darling bench or even a collection of large baskets in front of your hutch; this again adds layers of interest to your room....
Possibly add a hand-made rug, pretty pillows or even a soft throw, bringing softness & a
"sense of home" to the entire arrangement!

O.K. my friends, I believe you are ready to have some fun!....

Off you go to create a personal statement with your hutch-top!

Any questions.....please just e-mail me!....or leave me a comment, & I will get right back to you!

Be creative & make your home fabulous!

Till tomorrow!~ heidi

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"Paula Deen's Zucchini Pie".....

Happy Monday to you all!.....That time of year is here again..."Zucchini Season"!...And if you have a garden, you know exactly what I mean!.....Zucchini, zucchini & more zucchini!
Like many of us, I am constantly looking for recipes that will help me use this crazy prolific vegetable. So when I happened across this wonderful recipe on Paula Deen's website, I just had to try it!....."Zucchini Pie" was a recipe that an anonymous person submitted to Paula...Paula tried it, changing a couple little things & then added it to her website, along with lots of other incredible recipes!
I decided to make this zucchini pie last week, along with grilled burgers...& every member of my family loved it!!...from my 7 year old grandson to my vegetarian daughter to my husband!....It was a big hit!....In my opinion it's more of a bread/pudding, than a pie. It has a great texture & incredible flavor!...Absolutely delicious!
So when searching for yet another recipe for all that zucchini, try Paula's Zucchini Pie!.....I'm sure you will love it too!
Here's to gardens, summer & lots of zucchini!

Your friend,..... heidi xo

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"Thursday's Housekeeping Tips".....

Lately I have been in the mood to clean?....Not sure why,.... but somehow it seems when the weather gets really hot, I simply cannot stand an untidy house!...instead I prefer everything in order!...
So needless to say, my house is pretty darn clean, considering it's mid-August in Southern California! :)
For my housekeeping tip today, I have two items that I L.O.V.E!!

1. white sponges (12/$18)
The white sponges I purchase from designer Tricia Foley's new on-line shop,
"The New General Store". Now for sponges they are quite price-y..... However they are incredible sponges & "white" which I adore!...so fresh & clean at my sink! You must check them out!

NOTE:
remember too, that running your sponges through the dishwasher, helps to disinfect & keep them clean!)
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2. olive oil soap (Savon de Marseille Soap/$8)
These large blocks of soap are amazing! They last forever & can be used for every task around the house....from washing people to pots & pans to laundry!.... & they are also incredible for your skin!....I think the taupe-y color is lovely & again looks great sitting next to my white sponge in my clean kitchen!

NOTE:
I think a chuck of this soap is pretty sitting on an antique transferware saucer, or a top a pile of pebbles in a small ironstone bowl....
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Both these products are a tiny bit of expensive, however, both are functional, utilitarian household items,.... so why not splurge on items like these that elevate housekeeping to a whole new level!

Happy Housekeeping!

heidi
xo

"I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, & gutters that need fixing, because it means I have a "home"....I am thankful for the piles of laundry & ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby."
~ Nancy J. Carmody

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"Crafting 101".....Creating a Workspace

Today is "Crafting 101". Before you begin any craft projects, you simply need a place to work.....and for many of us it is the kitchen table!.....As wonderful as working at the kitchen table can be, it is also a place that is continually being used for various activities.....making it possibly not the best choice for crafting.

With that said, crafting doesn't require a fancy room or lots of space. In fact any little area of your home or garage where you can have a workspace, a little storage & a source of good light will work just perfectly!

For me, it is a skinny little area in my garage!...Now this is not the most attractive crafting area, but it does meet all the requirements!.....
After moving into our house, I noticed there was a long counter in the garage, which I believe had been used as a carpenter's table. It was a little dirty & used, but nothing I couldn't scrub up & make all mine! So that is precisely what I am showing you today!.....

Organization is key!.....Decide what you truly need to do the crafts projects you love & get rid of the rest!...holding onto tools & such that you know you will never use, just contributes to the madness!
I have used old glasses found at a thrift shop to organize my pens, lint brushes, scissors, etc. I have also used a little old dish to place tacks in , as well as always having a pin cushion at the ready! A package of pretty note cards, tucked among the utilitarian items, adds a little bit of prettiness to the area!

In this photo, you can see how I have used inexpensive particle board shelving from Target, to create convenient storage....& I have arranged them so they will give division to my cardboard boxes & pillow forms....keeping them accessible, as well as nice & tidy!

Plastic buckets & cheap waste paper baskets work very well for storing all my cellophane & wrapping paper. I can easily see what I have at a glance....making wrapping a lovely gift all that much more enjoyable!

As you can see, I have a crazy mis-mash of containers, but each one houses exactly what I use most!....My crafting area in the garage, is one where I can leave out a project if I wish too, & /or work on something without worrying that I am ruining our good furniture or creating a huge mess. This space works incredibly well for me! It has been inexpensive to put together , & a bit "home-ly" decor-wise,..... but this area is so very efficient for me!...
I love sewing, stenciling, & doing crafts of all kinds... This little space helps me be a creative...something we all need to nurture!

So claim a small area in your house or garage & get to crafting!....You will be surprised at how much you can accomplish!

Happy crafting!

Your friend,......
heidi

Next week: How to transform 2-thrift shop lamps, into a gorgeous pair, using Martha Stewart's new decorator paints!!

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"A New Idea".....

Dear Friends, With this summer turning out to be one of our busiest yet, there has been very little time for blogging or writing my monthly newsletter, "Living Little with Heidi". Between my pillow business, & trying to keep up with the house, garden & family, there simply are never enough hours in the day are there!?
So after much thought, I have decided to combine my newsletter into my blog. I have divided the week into the 5 categories, each being near & dear to my heart!.....

Monday....Cooking
Tuesday....Decorating
Wednesday...Gardening
Thursday....Crafting
Friday...Housekeeping

Every week, I will share ideas centering on each of these topics, some my own & some borrowed from talented friends!....
And will continue the philosophy of "Living Little",....
"Creating a Beautiful Life with Little Money, Little Time & Little Space".

In doing so, I hope to provide "knowledge & inspiration" that you will find useful!...along with some lovely quotes & lots of pretty pictures!
I hope you will join me for lots of great ideas we will all enjoy!
See you tomorrow!

Your friend,

heidi

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"Wallflowers".....

"Beauty in Numbers".....

"Overflowing Abundance"......

"Linear Veg"......

"Canned Creativity"....

Here's to walls & to flowers.....
Happy weekending!

heidi
xo

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"Sweet Summer Dreams".....

Bedrooms should always be the "ultimate retrea"t...but during the warm weather months sometimes our indoor spaces are somewhat forgotten about.
With just a few decorating changes to our "Summertime Bedrooms" we can change all that....& create rooms that we can't wait to spend a few hours in on a hot afternoon or retreat to at the end of a long day at the lake.

For me it is all about "classics"....here are my suggestions...

*add fabrics that are crisp & cool, such as fresh white cottons & striped tickings

* touches of anything that speaks of the water....shells, boats, coral, fishing paraphernalia, etc.

*shades of blues, greens & of course red....

* items that remind us of vacations spent at grandma's lake cabin,.... or a friend's beach cottage, patchwork quilts, embroidered pillowcases, & charming old one-of-a-kind lamps

* & lots of books....classics, mysteries & of course a few old paperback romance novels....

Most importantly though, our summer bedrooms should be ones where not only the past is represented, but ones that allow us time each day to make new memories. Create spaces where children & adults alike can play board games, read books & fill journals with entries of lazy summers spent together with family & friends....not to mention fall asleep to the sound of crickets & the hum of the fan.

your friend, heidi XO

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"Veg Basics".....& a flower.....

-french radishes-
basically the same taste as regular radishes, but somewhat prettier with those little white bottoms; best when sliced & placed on a thick slice of sourdough bread, that has been generously slathered with soft sweet butter, & then sprinkled with kosher salt; also delicious eaten right out of the garden, slightly warm

-sweet garden carrots-
very easy to grow; incredible color; sweet as can be; try washing, cutting into coins, arranging on cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt & pepper....& bake for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees; if extra sweetness is desired, sprinkle with a handful of brown sugar & pumpkin pie spice; warning....these carrots may become addictive; NOTE: children love them!

-nasturtiums-
pepper-y little blossoms that are truly edible; thrive in poor soil, so will grow anywhere; tuck seeds in & around all other veggies & flowers, for a wildly-rambly garden; pick & sprinkle across a salad of butter lettuce, cherry tomatoes, french radishes & carrot curls....tossing with a sweet vinaigrette of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/8-1/4 cup champagne vinegar, generous pinch of kosher salt, a couple grinds of pepper, 2 T. shallot or green onion, 1 t. dijon mustard & a squeeze or 2 of honey...may add a handful of crumbled feta cheese & a few cashews if desired; best eaten out-of-doors, at twilight, surrounded by lots of little white lights & a glass of "lemonade beer" ( 1/2 lemonade/1/2 beer, I prefer dark)

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"Paula & Pork".....

I have never been particularly familiar with cooking meat. I'm not terribly good about what's what, when it comes to which cut of meat to use in what dish. Of course I can take a recipe, go to the grocery store & make a fairly accurate evaluation of which cut to buy,...but I'll admit, I'm kind of faking it.
So lately, with cooking being an area I really want to explore & learn more about, I decided something most of you have already figured out......"As the butcher"!...Off I went, straight over to the butcher's counter & when this crazy-young looking man asked if I needed help, I looked him in the eye & somewhat desperately said "yes"!.....
I went on to tell him I was wanting to make Paula Deen's BBQ Pork Sandwiches, & asked what he recommended. He lit right up, asked for my recipe & then quickly led me over to the largest pieces of pork ever! He grabbed a 5 lb. pork roast shoulder & told me that it would be perfect for what I was making.....I was thrilled!....so thrilled that I ended up purchasing pepper encrusted bacon, & some gorgeous shish-kabobs as well!.....
Off I went, back to my kitchen, where I proceeded to make this recipe. OMG!!!!.....Let me say it may be one of the best things I have ever made!.....I followed the directions to the letter & Paula was right!..Incredible pulled pork sandwiches!......It all worked!.....

Moral to the Story....

* Ask for help when needed.
*Trust young butchers.
*Trust Paula Deen.
*Learn to cook meat....one cut at a time.

Happy cooking......heidi XO

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"How Do You Manage?"...."

I have been so busy working lately,... that I am forgetting that Summer has arrived. Well not actually forgetting, since the weather has been uncharacteristically hot & muggy here in California...but I'm sure you know what I mean. Too much work & not enough "enjoying"!

So my question to all of you is this.....
"How do you manage work & play?"

I have a tendency to think I must be finished with all my work, before allowing myself time for my own projects!....which of course is so silly?.....With a growing etsy shop, I "want" to be busy with orders, so learning to manage work is really important....but how?

So once again,... how do all of you manage?

* Do you get up really early & work till noon, allowing the rest of the day to be your own?
* Do you work only certain days of the week?
*Do you simply, yet successfully mesh working,... with your other obligations during each day, feeling like you are getting to everything you want to?

To be honest, I'm not sure what I'm doing?
It seems I work around the clock, squeezing in the gardening chores, laundry & keeping house,.... around stenciling & sewing pillows,... or working on decorating plans for clients. It's always a balancing act, but one where most of the time I feel slightly behind...never quite accomplishing everything I would like to?

It is late in the day & I am a bit tired tonight, but am truly interested in any suggestions that you may have.
I know I will find a solution. Taking on less,.... & occasionally saying "no" may be helpful....however, I do enjoy all that I take on, I would just like it all to run a little smoother. Am I making sense?

Thank you for indulging me....
Your over-worked, yet happy friend...

heidi
xo

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"Lessons Learned in the Garden & from Jamie"....

I have long admired Jamie Oliver's views on growing your own food, preparing it in simple, yet lovely ways, & sharing the process with those you love, especially your children.
If you read this blog, or know me personally, you know that gardening is an important part of my life. I feel I am just scratching the surface as far as my knowledge is concerned, but am constantly striving to learn more.

The idea of being a "sustainable suburban farmer" is my goal. I am beginning small, with raised beds filled with what I refer to as "salad fixings".....lettuce, tomatoes, shallots, radishes & carrots. I have another bed filled with herbs, that I use often, such as "rosemary & dill" for bread,
"basil" for pesto... & of course "lavender" just for my own well-being.
And of course there is always room( or maybe not?) for zucchini, yellow squash, & pumpkins....and last but not forgotten about ..."flowers"!.....
Oh! I must grow bouquets!....it simply feeds the spirit!

So back to Jamie Oliver....who's show "Jamie at Home" on the Cooking channel is definitely a must see!.... Jamie was talking about, how so many children these days are not exposed at all to gardening, & in turn not at all in favor of eating & enjoying vegetables. He was even saying how years ago there was not a person alive not in love with strawberries, but now how you run across children who don't like them?, ....Or feel the same about carrots or greens or onions?
( just because they are not exposed or are eating under-ripe grocery store varieties!?)

The answer here is to expose children to vegetables,... through growing vegetables with them. Like Jamie says it is not difficult....& I agree!
My grandson Andrew & I love being together working in the garden!.... After all,... getting dirty, playing with water & being outdoors is what long summer days are all about.
Not only are we spending time together & working together, but the conversations that we find ourselves in are possibly the most important.
We chat about how bugs & bees are helping us garden, not out to harm us. We talk about how shallots are so sweet compared to onions,.... & how basil leaves & tomatoes picked right off the vine are the best "lunch" ever.

And the best lessons too are the ones brought back into the kitchen....When we return to the kitchen, Andrew is learning to clean the vegetables, to cut the lettuces, & to take the scraps back out to the compost bin....Together we are creating salads & Andrew is realizing that salad & vegetables are amazingly delicious, eating every bit of green off his plate.

I guess my message here is this...
* create a garden....no matter the size
* grown vegetables
* get your children involved
* watch "Jamie At Home"
* improve your diet
* improve your life

Thank you for listening....

heidi
xo
( photos courtesy of Jamie Oliver)

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"Home Again".....

We are home again after a week long road trip to visit family....It was a lovely trip, with lots of catching up, visiting... & driving around familiar places of our childhood.
It feels good to have gone back to Washington for a few days,....
but even better to be home again.... back in California.

Enjoy this June weekend.....

Your friend,
heidi
xo

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