Waiting On The Hubby Like- Valentine's Day Edition

The other day I did this editorial style shoot unveiling this gifted Anthropologie couch that I had customized in pink velvet. I love that you're able to choose different colors and fabric styles! The couch is so sexy and glamorous that I decided I had to dress up to match it for the shoot.  Anyway, since Valentine's Day is around the corner, this editorial type shoot could easily be giving- Waiting On The Hubby Like...😁. So, let's go with that.

I already had this pink dress which went beautifully with the couch

Do you have any special plans for Valentine's Day?  I'm guessing celebrations will happen this weekend since Valentine's Day fall on a Tuesday. We don't usually brave the crowds to go out and are really laid back about it. Though, we love date night in. 

Photography: Jennifer Cochran Photography

* This post also contains affiliate links

 

Fall Porch Inspiration

I just bought some pumpkins because it feels like Fall is finally making its way to this neck of the woods in North Carolina. I showed a glimpse here. This weekend, I hope to put up some Halloween decorations. This big guy went up yesterday and is already catching the eyes of eager children in the neighborhood. 

Do you decorate for the seasons? xx

images- 1, others via tumblr

 

Happy July 4th and Our DIY Garden Tour

You know what's therapeutic -gardening? It's been a couple weeks since my last blog post, but I needed a mental break. I've posted on IG, but even there my posts have been infrequent.  Being mindful about slowing down, unplugging and finding joy in gardening and Summer time pleasures with the kiddos have been priority. So today, I'm going to show you LOTS of pictures of the garden and talk about what we did. This is the area in the yard where the chickens used to live. Unfortunately, they were all killed my either a fox or coyote last year.  With the soil ideally fertilized by the chickens, we thought this would be a great spot for the veggie garden. Those trees pictures exist solely from propagation-we didn't plant them and they provide amazing shade.

Before Pics  and A Bit About The Process

At the beginning of April:

We had some left over wood in the shed and decided to use them to make raised beds. The hubby built the beds, then we transported them down to the area where the garden would be. 

We used soil from the earth in this spot since it was so fertile and mixed it with the store bought soil. We also used newspaper that I had in my hoarding stash in the shed from when I taught 5th grade years ago to line the raised beds. They are great as a weed barrier plus they naturally disintegrate.

And then it was time to plant all the veggies. These pics were taken around April 10th. We planted some kale, squash, lettuce, tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers(habanero), bell peppers, mad hatter peppers, basil, oregano, corn, sage, thyme, peas, string beans, potatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and we had mint, rosemary, and chives that were from prior plantings

This was taken about a month later.  Since we enjoy coming down here to not only pick produce, but to also relax, I decided to spruce the are up a bit more by laying down some pea gravel. It was a lot of work but I love the way it turned out. The kiddos hanging out here, especially Cheyenne. She is a bush girl just like her Mama. Here are some pics taken at about the 2 month mark since we planted. 

2 months later: 

hubby built a bench addition onto the third raised bed(also pictured above) and it comes in so handy

 We hope you enjoy the long weekend! We'll be staying cool while eating our veggies :-) xx



images- first image and before  pics by me- other pics-Lea Hartman Photography

Self Care with Plants

The Corona virus is currently wreaking havoc and now and many of us might be stressed with worry about what is to come. It is important to manage our stress levels as that can lead to the breakdown of our health. Prioritizing self care is so crucial right now. I find that tending to and surrounding myself with plants is a great way for me to incorporate self care. 

Studies show that interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity.

An indoor garden can offer a place of refuge and a place to unwind from the stressors of the outside world.  My indoor garden makes me happy and is a joyful place for me to get away to. Whether you live in a small apartment, or a large house, by introducing certain plants into your home, you will start to notice improvements to your health, and overall happiness. As well as enhancing your mood and creating a living space that is soothing to be in, surrounding yourself with plants is a great way to improve your self care. It's especially gratifying to tend to them and watch them grow and flourish. 

Source

Have a great weekend. Stay safe and take care of yourselves. xx

Pics 1-4 above captured by me of our home. 

That Maximalist Life

If you're looking for a bit of weekend reading, I am over on the Society6 blog enthusiastically sharing about that maximalist life in my interview with Danielle. You can read it HERE

Have a great weekend everyone. xx

images: Lea Hartman