an oasis all my own

This past month, a fire lit under my ass. I started rearranging, cleaning, discarding, and putting my home together a new way. So many things had been put into place with a 'that will work for now' mentality, but it was time to wipe the slate clean. I needed a refresh. I wanted to look around and feel calm...inspired in my own home. Bit by bit, I worked through it. I finally went and bought the things we'd been needing. I added a few plants to the collection. It started to come together. Slowly, I was building my own personal oasis. 

There is nothing liking having your own space. A retreat where you can escape to at the end of the day. Surroundings that fill you with happiness. You set the accoutrements, each object placed, each decoration intentional, and then you fill it with the people you love, the animals who give you companionship, the food that feeds your body. Your personality and your movements imprint themselves on the walls. Evidence of life sprinkles throughout. You have all you'll ever need, right there.

I'm a traveling soul -- drawn to adventure, but at the end of it all, there is nothing like coming home. Build your oasis. Leave it. Return to it. Appreciate how it supports you.

weekly scenes

There is no one I love spending time with more than my man. With him, I'm utterly myself. Free & happy. The past month gifted us more time together than usual. When life gives it to you, you use it. Adventures, with him, are always better. 

weekly scenes

It's been an interesting week. I've been feeling very introspective. Trapped up a lot in my own head, sitting with fears and joys like common companions. It's both good and bad, but I can't really help but be any other way right now. Sometimes you just need to step back into yourself to asses situations and develop a vision. But at the same time, for someone who's usually such an extrovert, it does feel a bit isolating. I am very thankful for the people that do make it easy to hop out of that introverted world every once in awhile. The people that you can completely forget yourself around and spill all those milling thoughts out on. Letting it out, saying what you're scared of, confessing your dreams, and sharing what excites you with another person, is really sometimes the best solution.    

weekly scenes

Something about this period in time is strange. I feel more in transition than ever before. It's like I'm going through all of the prep work, but haven't gotten to any of the juicy cooking yet. I'm slicing carrots and chopping onions for a magnificent soup. So many thoughts and ideas whirl around in my head each day, but I'm not quite sure what to do with them. Is the recipe going to need more salt? I've yet to taste the broth and decide. 

1. White washing madness (more to come on that)

2. My favorite bowl, picked up from Anthropologie when I first moved into my apartment one year

3. Invading personal space

4. Waiting

5. Rearranged

6. The new mandolin, right at home

7. Thumbs up

8. Brigette's home

experiments in black & white

Some experiments after watching this Adorama tutorial on converting color photos to black and white. So, so, so fun!