Dining Under Autumn Leaves

Wouldn't it be nice to live this life?

The simple dinner party out of doors. A table, some linens, some place settings, some fruit.

A hat, a velvet blazer and a skirt, some boots.

A pretty setting, nothing fancy, out of doors.

Created by Chelsea over at frolic. And here is even more in this story and some instructions of a few details.
The funny thing is... I could do this. I have the Autumn yard, surrounded by fall colored leaves, I have a round table I could take out, a table cloth and place settings, a bowl for the fruit. I have blazers and hats and scarves and boots and skirts.

The only element I don't already possess are those cool wine colored chairs.

What I don't possess is the energy to pull it all together.

Well. Hm.

Is creating something like this worth the energy output? Are the memories good enough to make the work worthwhile?

Am I just too lazy? It might be a nice reward for a job (all that work) well done. It might make for some nice pictures too.

Oooooh. Purty Violets and Design and Handmade Displays. Just Ooooooh.

I just found this lovely online thesis from whatyoulove by aprile.

I'm not 100% sure what it is exactly. All I know is that it is wonderful and magical and beautiful and inspirational. And you know what? That is good enough for me.

via robayre inspiration junkie, who ain't no slouch in the inspiration department herself.

Backyard Living

Wow. Backyard tent, found at Design Inspiration Planet Stencil Library. This one is stenciled. That's pretty awesome although I would probably never do that. But seriously. AWE. SOME.

This would be great for a backyard wedding, or any party, or an afternoon reading poetry and lounging around, or a play house for the kids, or a romantic brunch... or a romantic night *wink wink*. So many possible options.

Maya*made has a simpler, more temporary tutorial for a summer pavilion for a similar feeling with smaller commitment and expense and trouble. I loves me some maya.

Here's a site to buy your own tent... if the thought of constructing your own intimidates you.

Found Via The Haystack Needle and Frolic.

Backyard Cottage/Shed Studio: The Dream

Oh, yes!

I want one now. I have been dreaming about having a studio in the back yard... a shed or cottage or even a airstream trailer. Having the little table outside for picnics or art projects would make it even dreamier. And I think I need some galoshes in a splashy color, too.

But how cute is this little cottage? I could have a little comfy day bed or sofa for resting, napping, reading, reclining. A great place to write my great American novel. A great place to paint daily paintings. A great place to escape and watch my So You Think You Can Dance in a girl retreat. Because you know the guy doesn't want to. And I will have a tv there, too. I know it's lame, but it helps me relax and it helps me paint, and I have come to recognize that and accept it. TV is in my life to stay.

Now all I need is a backyard retreat in which to enjoy it all.

Thanks to my new friend curious+covetous for the find and the cool link

Moss You Can Wear and Moss That Might Like to Wear You If You Hold Still Long Enough.

Look how beautiful and lovely. A pendant reminiscent of moss and stone. Neither are real, so you don't have to worry about water or weight or even little lively insects taking up shop in your jewelry. You can find this and OTHERS! at AdornJewelry, which I found through secret notebooks wild pages.

They have both inspired me to add my own image of moss.

I took this picture back in January in my garden, because, well, that's what January is like in Florida. This is a planter that was covered in this cool moss with sprouts-- or whatever that is.
It was kind of hard to photograph because there was so much green. The planter was green, the moss was green, the background was green. I like this shot because you can see those moss things so clearly. I like the narrow focus.

Maybe I should start taking daily photos again. Hmmm. I really want a new camera, but it is not in the budget at the moment. Someday, though.

Garden by Mae Bruncken

Ooooooooooooh.

Pretty.

I want to go to there.

Actually, I am blessed to have a garden that looks like it was carved out of a jungle, so I could do this. Switch the plastic chairs out for wicker (wicker? in steamy, rainy Florida...uh, yeah, that won't work.)

Nestle a bench and cushions and coffee table in a nook off the winding pathways.

My best interpretation (in my head) of this, would be to hang little glass candle holders from the trees.

Hm. How to keep the rain out of them? I guess they would need little roofs. Okay, not as quick and cheap a transformation as I thought. No little mason jars on wire hangers.

But still doable. I'll just put it on the end of my long To Do list.

Now, I can't open up Mae Brunken's site on my ancient computer, so you'll just have to go through Decorated Life's blog. That's okay, she's real cool. I'm sure she won't mind you traipsing through her rooms.

The Work Outfit

Here's me in my new apron. Well, old apron. I found it in a high cupboard when I was looking for the juicer to make grapefruit juice (the dark leaf at the top of the picture is from the grapefruit tree).

This apron used to be my grandfather's. I like that. It's mine now. Here's a detail. Look at the rick rack and the embroidered flowers. It's made out of a heavy cotton and the ties are adjustable. And the colors are just my colors. I'm a total winter.

I've needed this apron, because I have been working HARD.

I've been cooking and tending kids and fending off sticky peanut butter fingers and painting and writing and BECOMING A BUSINESSWOMAN.

Yes, I've finally opened up my etsy shop. Stop by. I will be adding prints to it as time goes on and you never know what new flying person or dream will show up next.

Lena Corwin Wedding

I love this wedding here. It looks so laid back and casual. And yet, the style is evident. That's really what I'm looking for. Despite already having kids and having been together for about 5 years--- actually, not despite, BECAUSE of this, I want to have a wedding that really reflects us and our lives. I am too old and have already been through too much to want that princess thing, or even that "best" day of your life that is "all about you."

In this picture, I think her dress is adorable. I like that he's just in a suit that shows his character. I like the little banners fluttering in the breeze and the backyard setting.
Look here. Some rented tables and linens. A refreshment table in the background that looks like it holds a bowl of punch or sangria? I like. Fairy lights in the trees. Maybe some people think fairy lights are corny, but I don't care, I still like them. I would keep a Christmas tree up year round for the lights if they didn't drop needles everywhere and take up half the room.I like the lounge chairs here, and the blankets set out for picnic resting. There's nothing more casual than really getting close to the ground. And laying in the grass, staring at the sky and the trees waving in the breeze is one of those experiences that serves to renew me.
This is a cute idea, too... to set up a little photo shoot for everyone. Fine, it's not the tres cool photo booth, but I don't think one of those is in my budget. I like the patterned background though. And you could have different backgrounds, too. Plus, I always carry my little Casio Exilim camera with me wherever I go, so the snappity snap of a point and shoot is part of who I am. Have I mentioned that I plan to take pictures throughout my whole wedding? Bad idea? I may not want to take pictured, may be too busy, but I do love to take pictures.

Other elements that would need to be there? Things to entertain kids... I'm thinking bubbles, crayons, balloons. Some good jazz music. Easy to eat foods... I'm thinking Spanish tapas, sangria, paella.

Sometimes I don't like to talk about my wedding plans, because it's kind of far down on our list of priorities, but when we do decide on a day/place/time, I have a feeling it's going to happen pretty quickly. I'm not really interested in a long drawn out planning process. I am certainly not interested in the wedding industry. So I might as well think about it, plan it in my head, decide what I'd like, and then, all those decisions will be made when it's time to actually go about it. This isn't a situation that would work for your traditional bride, I think. But I'm not traditional, so... lucky for me.

And it's no coincidence that this wedding belongs to the super talented, uber stylish Lena Corwin. Found via Smitten, by Joanna Goddard.

Shhh

Don't tell anyone. I'm starting a wedding blog.

It's just to keep track of the beautiful ideas I've been finding lately. I'm not even technically engaged... or rather, I've been "engaged" for the last five years without the slightest step towards setting a date or making any plans or wearing a ring or actually even calling myself engaged. I suppose we might be considered common law, anyway.

Things are different when you have been living together and have kids together. Especially when you aren't interested in the regular old rigamarole of conventional weddings that cost a bazilliongillion dollars. I'm sorry, even if I had the money, I don't know how I would feel RIGHT spending it all on all the little things that just don't matter.

So I'm going to start planning and sorting through the options before I even get a ring. By the way, I'm thinking of telling him to get me a nice fake. I don't want him to spend our money on a real diamond. He said it's coming, and I'm afraid he's going to waste it on that, instead of getting me a new computer set up. Shows where my priorities lie.

So here I am, starting this little secret blog. Cheap wedding. DIY. Toss out the conventions (or at least those I don't care about) Think Small. Think celebration. What makes a wedding touching for me? These are the things I will be looking at, at least until I start making my decisions on what, where, when, how. I suppose I've already got the who and why.

So in my first post, I'd like to show this wedding. A couple with kids, like me and S. A couple not interested in the fancy stuff, but a lovely, touching wedding all the same. They did it in two parts. The actual ceremony which was tiny, and a "wedding walk" the next day with a few more people. Hmmm. Ideas. And how about that kick ass photography?
And while I'm at it... a PICNIC wedding! Outstanding.