Fluffing the nest...and a Spring de-cluttering project

Looking like a barbarian/warrior slightly disheveled...

Can you tell that I am growing out my hair?

It is a slow process but now that my frozen shoulder is in the thaw stage 

I can get back to using the blow dryer.

Casual Beach combing OOTD

(last month)

Gowland Point on Pender Island 

Saint James raincoat

Calvin Klein puffy down vest 

(under coat, not visible but needed to fend off the cold)

long sleeved Esprit Tee

Tribal jeans

colourful scarf ~ no name brand from the local pharmacy

Merrell walking shoes

Coach handbag

Hunting for Beach glass is a favourite pass time of mine.

Speaking of glass...

I emptied out the cupboard in the Humble Bungalow dining room and wiped down all the shelves and packed up many of the pieces of crystal 

(which were purchased at $1.49 day at Woodward's back in the early 1970's)

popped them in the dishwasher for a quick clean up 

before wrapping them up and whisking them off to the WIN thrift shop.

What possessed me you may wonder?

My husband knew that I wanted to pare down and have a simple set of stylish

 classic glassware that will never "date"

Here is the Tapio Wirrkkala Ultima Thule style of glasses I am now collecting.

My sweet husband brought home 4 of these goblets as a surprise which really kick started the whole de-cluttering exercise...

Thank you Honey!

Here's how the shelves are looking so far...

the vintage ones to the right of the new goblets are from thrift shops.

I have kept a few other wine glasses 

(on the shelves below, not in the photo)

until we purchase more Ultima Thule.

They are quite pricey...

I hope to find more at consignment or thrift shops 

or watch out for sales...

Spring cleaning...

The laundry room got a quick lick and a polish this week too.

The vintage enamel ware seems to go well in the black and white themed area downstairs.

Upstairs beside the farmhouse sink 

is my "work area."

I found an Antique transfer ware platter at a local shop to hold all my supplies.

Peach Blow circa 1886

Marseilles Soap Cube

Spring Parrot tulips 

full blown 

almost at the end of their prime

but still beautiful.

I have a bunch of cookbooks by Julia Child 

waiting for me at the local library

I am going to try and make her fish buerre blanc.

Until next time...

Enjoy your weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tulip mania...and some "happy" habits.

The local markets are overflowing with buckets and buckets of colourful Tulips.
Priced so low, that they practically hop into my shopping basket...

Even after Tulips have fully blown open they are quite lovely.

One can buys masses of these or settle for a bunch as I have done here.

It depends on your budget, how big your vases may be and how many bouquets you want to display in your home.

Flowers in the home have always been a prominent accent in our home decor.

Personally I feel it essential that one has something of natural beauty in the home

 it helps keep ones spirits up...

it can be a single stem

some woody branches

a fern frond

plants or orchids

a bowl of lemons

pine cones

seashells

stones

These natural adornments are particularly helpful for our long rainy winter season.

The season here where sunshine is rationed and the gloom can be oppressing...

for some it is debilitating and depressing.

I look for "guaranteed mood lifters"

 like flowers that add elegance and ambiance.

Scented Candles are another one of my essentials for the home.

They do not need to be the posh Diptyque or Cire Trudon brands

many scented candles are affordable and readily available.

I find that it is the "little things" make our everyday life richer.

Tea

flowers

linen tea towels

triple milled soaps

quality chocolate

perfume

soft cashmere sweaters and wraps

cozy socks

plush robes

a hot cup of coffee

a great fitting pair of jeans

lingerie

framed family photos

pretty china cups and saucers

emollient hand lotion

bath salts

fluffy white towels

pearls

Those are a few of my favourite things...

I also like to keep our home tidy

free of clutter

pleasing to the eye.

I am also a big fan of lists. 

Which help to motivate me and keep me up to date on things that need to get done.

I love using "rolling ball" ink pens 

better still, but more expensive, a beautiful fountain pen.

Writing feels effortless using these inky writing implements.

Great for cards, grocery lists and letters.

I keep stocked in our writing desk a variety of pretty cards and stamps.

I buy them in bulk when they are on sale.

I look for the most attractive stamps from the post office.

Lately they have had floral stamps which are simply lovely.

Why opt for boring when one can have beautiful for the same price?

Friends gave us an arts and crafts copper letter opener one year for Christmas. 

I use it for every bill and letter that we receive...

it slices envelopes open swiftly and evenly

a bit of affordable luxury that I enjoy.

Surrounding oneself with little affordable luxuries

things that make one feel good

are well worth the time and effort it takes.

Getting in tune to what "small things" that you can cultivate...

things that may add to your daily round. 

Those that augment and beautify your environment 

it is an exercise worth the time...

listen to your heart

make notes.

You'll soon discover which things make your heart soar 

household habits that make you smile...

perhaps they will change the way you feel about a chore...

like ironing.

Buying some lavender linen spray

use a pretty floral ironing board pad.

It is so much more satisfying

drinking sparkling water out of a vintage etched goblet.

Imagine how pretty it would be

storing your cosmetics or perfumes on a silver tray.

What do you like?

Do you have any tips for cultivating beauty in your home?

Wishing you a wonderful, rich and bountiful weekend.

Hostess

XO

Ups and downs in The Humble Bungalow

Downstairs 

in The Humble Bungalow

in the laundry room is

where I spend a lot of my time.

Washing

hanging clothes to air dry

 heavy duty things go into the dryer

folding and ironing

all jobs that I do almost every day.

I run UP and DOWN the stairs many times in a day.

The bathroom downstairs is compact

 it has a shower, toilet and sink.

It is very handy when we work outside in the garden and need to come inside

even more convenient 

when we have house guests.

Did I mention that I run up and down the stairs many times a day?

It feels like I get a lot of exercise actioning the domestic chores but not enough to keep the pesky pounds at bay.

My new fitness regime with kettle bells is also done downstairs

in the laundry room as there is ample room to move about.

The space is bright and the cats like to sit and watch me go through my paces!

Today

I am wearing casual clothes.

OOTD

NYDJ boyfriend style jeans

Town Shoes quilted black leather flats

a simple short Joe Fresh charcoal grey T shirt

Upstairs and downstairs we have shelves for our fluffy white towels.

I am partial to white towels.

Are you?

Storage in The Humble Bungalow is abysmal 

it is minimal as our arts and crafts era home has very little space.

Our closet is tiny and so naturally my wardrobe is small.

That is actually a positive rather than a negative.

I do not like having too much stuff.

I like to see all my clothing choices which makes getting dressed so much easier.

BTW while we are on the topic of clothes...

you responses to the last post were interesting and informative.

I appreciate the time and energy that you put into your comments.

Upstairs 

the kitchen is the hub of our Humble Bungalow.

Besides doing the laundry I cook a lot.

I love to create healthy meals and enjoy experimenting with new recipes.

Simple Omelette

2 farm fresh eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons of milk

salt pepper

Melt a knob of butter in a flat crepe or omelette pan 

when bubbles form pour in the eggs.

Add toppings

herbs or arugula as I have used here.

When the edges are setting up 

run a spatula around the edges and gently coax one end

fold gently over

rolling as you go 

until you have a picture perfect omelette.

One of the "UPS" in this post is that I ate a sensible lunch.

Omelette served with a salad

a low Weight Watcher point count lunch.

A tasty pear sliced thinly and savoured with a cup of tea.

"Guilt free" eating and yet it is filling.

(protein is key to keep me feeling satisfied)

On the DOWNside...

Walking has been hit and miss with the recent inclement weather but we are expecting a warming trend so I will be lacing up my sneakers and pounding the pavement with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

Have you started with a 2017 health and wellness journey ?

Are you writing in your journal?

Are you feeling more energetic and enthusiastic?

Words can be so important when motivating and engaging in change.

The Nike slogan "Just Do It" comes to mind.

Another "DOWNfall"...

There was a small cello bag of chocolate bark coated in candy cane sprinkles 

a gift from Christmas 

hiding in the drawer that I "discovered" last Sunday while watching Victoria 

on PBS Masterpiece Theatre.

Dear reader, I am weak, I am human.

 I ate it.

The UPside of this is that there is no chocolate left in The Humble Bungalow!

So it is your turn...

have you been disciplined with your fitness and food regime?

Have you been tempted by treats ?

OR

were you clever and cleaned out your pantry of those naughty things

and

restocked it with only healthy foods?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Scarf pattern, salad recipe and a few other snippets...

We have more snow...
this is the view from The Humble Bungalow dining room.

It looks frosty and cold out there.

The red Adirondack chairs are wearing another layer of the white stuff.

This week I have been indoors staying warm and cozy.

 So knitting has occupied a lot of my time

 the newest project is a scarf with an unusual rib effect.

I found a similar one online and modified it.

I plan to knit it until it is about 36 inches long.

I think it will require 2 balls of Drops Andes wool and alpaca blend yarn.

I plan to give this scarf away and I like it so much that I may make another one.

Besides knitting I have been tidying and straightening things here in our bungalow...this is a "before tidying up picture!"

With a cup of tea and a break from my knitting 

I sat and perused some cookbooks 

and discovered a wonderful new coleslaw recipe.

Mandarin Orange Slaw

1 bag shredded coleslaw

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup drained mandarin orange slices

Dressing

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons of the mandarin juice

1/2 cup oil

Mix together and chill in the fridge before serving.

It was refreshing and a nice change from the classic coleslaw.

Chester looks so cozy on his fleece blanket.

Pepper is on her perch staring out the window watching the birds.

Well I must get some household chores done now...

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Home Keeping in The Humble Bungalow

Home keeping is very much a top priority here in The Humble Bungalow.
Keeping house is an ongoing job...no one else notices unless you neglect to keep things neat and tidy!

I have been emailing with a reader and we have been chatting about home keeping and exchanging tips on how we stay motivated and on top of the jobs required to keep the dirt and grime at bay.

I thought that this topic might be of interest to other readers so I quickly cobbled together this post...I hope you'll enjoy it.

Home keeping encompasses many aspects in the domestic arena...
laundry, ironing, dusting, vacuuming and tidying up keeping the clutter under control and out from under foot.

We have the luxury of having hired help every week.
In the two hours dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning of the bathrooms is accomplished.
This helps to keep our home looking spic and span and I take care of the rest.

When I see a mess it creates unwanted stress so I have a daily routine that takes very little time...
I make the bed right after I get up...
fluff the pillows and shake and smooth the duvet.

After showering and having my morning cafe creme
I will empty the dishwasher, put on a load of laundry and do some ironing.

I wander from room to room to look for anything that needs to be put away...
a pair of shoes by the front door, a sweater that hangs on the back of a chair, a magazine or mail that needs to be filed or recycled.

I will opt for one or two chores of a bigger nature if I have the energy...
polishing some silver, cleaning out a few drawers, mending, washing windows, wiping out the fridge, filing receipts etc.

I try to do all the cleaning jobs in the mornings and leave time in the afternoon to meet up with friends, go for a walk, run errands, or grocery shop.

Our kitchen is small and I prefer to see the counters 

not a jumble of appliances cluttering up the space.

Countertops and the sink and stove are wiped clean several times a day.

I keep a bottle of Method cleaner and a microfibre cloth tucked away in the cupboard by the sink.

(I am a messy cook!)

Dish soap, hand soap, lotion and scrubbers are kept on a tray beside the sink.

Dishes are white and I have mixed antique ironstone with new pieces.

Having glass cupboard doors makes one feel the need to keep the dishes tidy.

We keep a basket by the stairs where we put our recycling and take it down to the bins once or twice a day if it is full.

Storage is an issue in a small home so we try not to accumulate too much stuff.

Our main bathroom has a built in medicine chest but no other storage so we improvised by adding an arts and crafts wood shelf to store the towels.

The bathroom sink needs wiping daily 

which I do after putting on my make up and brushing my teeth.

The laundry room...

I spend a lot of time down stairs 

 it is so nice to have a clean and bright place to do my work. 

I have a small ironing board that fits on top of this counter for small things like linen napkins and dish towels.

The big ironing board is stored in a closet and I use it for shirts and sheets.

The handy drying rack is used a lot for delicate things like lingerie.

I also hang my tees and tops and yoga pants and find that they last longer when not subjected to the heat of the dryer.

I recommend that you read Fiona Ferris's book Thirty Chic Days 

for more hints and tips on home keeping and cultivating a rich and joyful life.

Isn't this a gorgeous flower?

It was swarming with bees and I had to step into the bed and stand on the dirt to capture this image...

I am going to take a blogging break.

I don't plan to be off line too long but I need some time to consider some new topics as I feel like my post are becoming a bit redundant.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Home keeping...and then some pampering.

Some days it feels like I spend most of my time home keeping.
Cooking, tidying, cleaning, doing laundry, ironing, grocery shopping...

I like the results of a little elbow grease and everything looks so much better.
The Humble Bungalow is actually a nicer place to relax when the mess is less!

I have entire days where I get out and about to walk, play bridge and go out to meet friends for tea! Playing catch up can take its toll but if I put on some music and wear my fitness clothes (with a few pearls) and my trusty French Linen apron I find that I have way more energy to tackle the jobs that need attention.

Today I tended to my orchids...
I watered them, removed the wilted flowers and cut away some of the brown stems then tied up the new shoots to the stakes in the pots.

I wiped down the counter tops and cleaned out the fridge.

Polished the silver and cleaned out a few cupboards and drawers.

Did some laundry and ironing...

love the look of my linen tea towels all pressed and ready for service.

My hands got a little special treatment...

before putting on my cleaning gloves 

I applied a layer of this wonderful hand cream,

  moving about doing chores added extra warmth inside the gloves.

The cream worked its magic and it felt like a Spa Treatment!

With the fridge cleaned out the few bits of leftovers were turned into soup.

~ Leftover Soup ~

Cook and soften in a few tablespoons of oil

 a couple of onions

a diced carrot

2 -3 stalks of celery 

1 cubed pepper (I used a yellow one)

5 sliced mushrooms

cooked about 15 minutes then added

a piece of cooked steak (about 5 ounces) cut into small pieces

tetra pack of stock (beef or vegetable)

leftover broccoli

salt, pepper, thyme (to taste)

Simmer for a few hours so the flavour really blooms

add

a handful of dried noodles

cook until soft and serve or cool and freeze for a later date.

While the soup was simmering I took a wee break and gave myself a facial.

The aesthetician at the Spa mentioned that this was her favourite formula for her clients that have rosacea so I figured it was worth a try...

you mix the mask with a wee bit of water and leave it on 5-10 minutes

(while lying down with eyes closed relaxing and breathing deeply)

 then gently wipe it off with a warm face cloth.

I loved how soft and clean my skin felt after this mask.

I used the Eminence Coconut Age Defying cream after and did not put any make up on for the rest of the day.

except for

~ Mascara and lip gloss ~ 

My home day spent productively actioning domestics and focusing on my skin...

~ life feels better with a wee bit of pampering ~

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~