Relaxed Living

Good Morning Monday friends!

The past few months have been so busy and jam packed full of lists upon lists of "things to do," it's been so nice to take some time with hubby to decompress. (Explaining all of this will take a full blog some day!) I know this calm will not last forever, but for the moment, this "relaxed living style" is just what we needed.

As my head's coming out of the sand, and my creative juices are once again flowing, it's time to tackle some of the updating that I mentioned in my previous blog. I find so much inspiration from my surroundings. This vignette kind of sets the tone for our southern home.

I'm still working on that "first impression" foyer. I was invigorated after just rearranging items from different areas of the house, but then I felt it needed a bit more pizazz to bring it up to my vision.

I purchased an area rug a couple of years ago with the intention of expanding the navy color palette throughout the house, little by little. I'm a big navy fan and am in love with the new corals. It appears that I'm not alone. Coastal stores are full of my new palette.

This is the design in my rug and some of my navy paint choices. I'm taking a very bold step into the unknown because of a gorgeous photo that I found in a magazine. The inside of the foyer door was painted a very deep navy blue. It was in a much larger luxe home, but I loved it so much......I thought I would give it a try. What a great unexpected surprise as you enter the house!  Let's not forget that "big surprises" can come in "small packages!"

 

I had no idea there were so many different shades of navy. These are a few samples I picked up at Home Depot. My wall color does not photograph well....it is really kind of a sun kissed cream. 

Picking the right navy with limited lighting is tricky. As with most colors they tend to look entirely different when you bring them into your own home. Lighting is key! Everyone has obstacles to work around, and honestly I only want to paint it once so that I can move on to other fun projects!

Now the work begins! Follow me as I share my journey to "relaxed living" with you!

                                       

Wishing you a wonderfully relaxing day!

Kathleen

****** Don't forget to follow TLB on Facebook, Instagram and Hometalk! 

FLORIDA'S SPRING FOYER

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! 

I managed to squeeze in a little foyer redecorating for Spring. Foyer's are our first impression when we enter a home, and whether they are big, small or nearly non-existent, it's so important to create a warm welcome feeling for your guests.

I didn't need to purchase anything. I grabbed from various parts of the house and the arrangement ended up like this------

Cherry blossom twigs, a large mother of pearl ginger jar, a lovely beachy vase and plate combo and a nice comfy chair made everything complete. 

Light, airy, Springy and a bit beachy! The vase bears the likeness of the blue hues from the Gulf waters, and the golds are like the glistening sand.

I just love this plate. When I purchased all of these items a few years ago, I started with the plate and then added everything else. 

Making a welcoming foyer can be as easy as looking around your home for a new placement for your favorite things or making a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up a fresh bouquet of tulips!  Now go ahead and have some fun!

                                                              Happy Spring!!

                                                            Kathleen

FRIENDSHIP CAN BE GREAT FOR YOUR HEALTH!

My husband and I are coming off a whirlwind "old friend" weekend! I think we probably all know that great energy we feel after reconnecting with friends we have not seen in a few years. 

I started the weekend out by meeting up with my friend Marcella. It had been over a year since we had seen each other. Marcella is a very talented Redken hair colorist/stylist, and has an interesting family background. Her family was part of the Washington, Capital Hill crowd for years. During that time her mother, who was a wonderful cook, became friends with many woman from other countries. She actually was a real "foodie" back in the day as they shared their recipes and dishes with one another. Marcella has the same love for ethnic foods as her mom. I encouraged her to start her own food blog which I know you would all love!

Marcella knows of my love for Lavender, so she contacted her Uncle, who is the Mayor of Marseille, France, and asked him to send a couple of gifts for me. I was so touched! Her uncle's neighbor painted the gorgeous print, and the beautiful Lavender Bouquet towel is so beautiful, and actually holds a bit of a story from Provence.

The towel is trimmed with an insect print. The insect is known as the Cigales in France and a Cicada in the US. They are very popular in Provence, because they symbolize summertime. The people of Provence are people of the sun. After their long windy winters they look forward to the vibrating melody of the Cigales.

  I truly am touched by this beautiful gesture of friendship.

Thank you so much Marcella!

As Saturday arrived so did our friends from Ohio.....it had been too many years!

We walked the beautiful sunny beaches of Florida, sea shells and sand under our feet........our conversation never stopped. We listened intently as we each talked about children, our travels abroad, and the changes in the little town we all called/call home. We discovered that Margaritas can be made with white wine at a fantastic little restaurant on the beach........and the list goes on.

 Ahhhhh-------one of life's greatest blessings, Friendship! 

Thanks Donna & Frank for a great weekend!

Maybe it's time for you to reconnect with an old friend. There is no better way to brighten that smile, and lighten your heart, than to reminisce with an old friend.

 Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” ― John Lennon  

        

 Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Kathleen

***Thank you so much for visiting The Lavender Bouquet. See you on Foodie Friday as we will 

feature a meatless dish in honor of the Lenten Season.