Thursday, August 30, 2012
Artful Living
One Saturday found me near a Barnes & Noble, a rare treat since there are three but each an hour away! I had really wanted to go in and get the new Life: Beautiful magazine - but it could not be found. However, I chose this lovely magazine this time. I won't say instead, because I hope to still see the Life: Beautiful magazine! But, this was a treat to myself. {update: hooray! My mom found the magazine and it is on its way!}
The cover! The title: Artful Blogging! Ahhh - very inspiring indeed. I decided to just drink in the cover and set aside the magazine and save it for my next Slow Day. Do you know what will power that takes? It has been sitting on my counter for several days now and today was the day!
I had it all planned out, I wanted a cup of tea and the magazine and just some quiet and slow. And, I can't seem to help it - I could not just fix a cup of tea. I wanted a tea tray with this lovely visual inspiration and something warm and soothing to enjoy with it.Then, of course I had to take pictures of it first before sitting down to enjoy!
Opening the magazine feels like opening a letter from a friend. The featured writers live all over the world and of course, the photos are lovely and very pleasing to the eye! It is hard to focus on words when there are such beautiful pictures - art. Yet, the words are art themselves reminding the reader that it is enough to do art just for yourself and for the benefits to our very selves for expressing creativity.
Instantly I felt at home reading the words. Yes, that is exactly why I made the artful tray of tea. For myself. For beauty's sake. There are some great quotes in the magazine, hopefully I will eventually share those - but for now, I want to process this one thought before moving on.
One writer pointed out the one great asset each of us has and that is the uniqueness that makes me who I am. That makes you - you. For me, it isn't more about having a beautiful blog. It is about cultivating a beautiful life.
Yes, I do want a beautiful, artistic, creative blog. Posts with any kind of beauty are my favorite to write and post. Beauty seems to be what I was wired with and created for. It runs through my veins and beats closely to my heart. However, what I want more than this is to create a beautiful life for those that share the most special of all places with me: {home}
I am reminded that if no one else ever read my blog, I would still love doing it. It makes me happy, makes me smile, brings to mind happy memories, provides inspiration when I need it. One thing I've noticed since beginning Slow Day is that those are my very favorite afternoons to blog. I am relaxed, have had a slower pace, have lived artfully through the day and feel very at home with myself. I love to download my pictures from Slow Day and get them ready for my post the next week.
To me, this says that artful living makes me feel more alive, most like my true self. And, when I am peacefully home with myself - it overflows. Slow Day could also be called Artful Living day - it is the day I take time for creativity in the everyday things, to set a pretty breakfast table, pack a picnic lunch, have a tea party, listen to soft music.
After only having Slow Day three or four times, I am hooked. I hope we continue this forever! And, it is addicting - making me seek a quieter, slower pace more than just one day a week.
Artful Living ~ speaks to my soul, calms my heart and helps create a beautiful life around me for my sweet loved ones! These are great benefits, but I honestly think it helps me to physically feel better. Here's an example that goes with these pictures.
It's a Wednesday afternoon, yesterday was draining and I'm just plain wiped out today. After an al fresco lunch with my sweets, I am just sort of dragging myself around. I have this great magazine I want to look at and a cup of tea calling my name and I am wondering if I have the energy to follow through on it.
Yet, I've been looking forward to this for several days, so I know I want to make it happen. And, that is when I have the whole argument in my head about just fixing a cup of tea vs. no, I want to make a tea tray and make it pretty. Wouldn't you know that after fixing that tray, I felt lighter and better and had more energy. And, after sitting and enjoying the tea and magazine - I felt better the rest of the day and evening. There really is something to this for me!
What is it for you? Maybe artful living isn't your thing - but something else is, right?
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5 comments:
Your love of beauty has inspired me. I love beautiful things but never took the time to make my everyday surroundings more beautiful. It seemed like too much effort. Yet when I saw you create something like a picnic spread or a tea tray or a table setting and it was seemingly effortless, I convinced myself to give it a try. It was work at first, but it has gotten easier.
I live in a household of men and didn't think "prettiness" was that important to them -- or even something they noticed. But sometimes my little boy will decide he wants to make decorations for a space or a tabletop.
Thanks.
I want to get BOTH of those magazines. I've been meaning to for a long time.
Don't know when - but thanks for the reminder. It should happen soon.
Isn't there also a magazine called Artful Blogger? I think (Becky) Farmgirl Paints was (recently) featured in there. So cool.
I would really love to find that magazine! We just finished creating a backyard beach retreat area at our home. It has been so lovely to go out there in the afternoons for our quiet reading time. Something about having a special place to just relax and enjoy a quiet moment.
Now to find or create a special tea tray!
I've see this magazine a few times but haven't bought it yet. I think you just sold me though! :)
I am enjoying your slow days posts. I try to have slow days whenever I can but for me it doesn't happen enough. Just to sit and read whatever I want in the quiet with a cup of tea (I'm a fan too) is a rare treat.
Your blog calms me, I love reading it each day. Thanks, KimF
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