{Sun Prints Inspired by Nature}

Good Morning!!

How are you!?!?!?

It was a spectacular morning yesterday!

The kind of morning that just makes my soul sing:)

I poured my morning cup of joe and just took a little nature walk around the yard.

It's amazing what you can find in your own backyard.

It makes me feel proud because almost everything in it.....are things I planted with my own two hands.

and since I like to purchase the cheapest plants I can find...it takes years to see the pay-off!

Gardening can teach you a lot about patience.

I like to think that gardening is a metaphor for life..

to grow strong roots....you have to water plants well:)

In life....to grow strong roots....you have to nurture your spirit.

Follow your heart and spend your days doing things that truly make you happy....regardless of what you "think" you should be doing:)

In fact....just get rid of the word "should" from your vocabulary..:)

Live in the present and "just do" 

I am old enough now to know what my soul needs....

and I can tell you that I am a complete introvert that gets "my cup filled" by being alone.

by watching the day slowly unfold...

I am also a morning person...

I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing then just watching the birds while taking a nature walk around my yard with my morning cup of joe:)

and if it's the afternoon....well then...it's with my lovely glass of vino.

I am completely inspired by nature....

the ebb and flow of life

 The flowers in my yard inspired me to do a little project that i've been wanting to do ...forever:)

 I am sure most of you have tinkered around with Sun Prints...but I never have:(
Maybe I was out ill in elementary art class on the day they did sun prints!!
But either way...how can you not be happy with art from nature powered by the sun!

 They were so simple to do:)
and I have no doubt i'll do more!!
Lots of ideas swirling in my head....

I ordered the sun prints from Dick Blick

and just a couple of hints....because the first ones I did ...didn't turn out:)

....be sure you are using flat items/plants/whatever...

just make sure they are flat...

I pressed my plants in a book for awhile to flatten them out:)

....be sure the sun is high in the sky....

the morning sun caused shadows and so the first ones I did were crazy looking:)

....don't let them process too long....

in other words....follow all the directions that come on the package:)

I am not always good with following directions

 Anywho...I just did 4 to practice and used flora from my yard...
but really you could use any flat item:)
letters...doilies...clothes.....whatever makes your heart happy!!

 I think they are so sweet:)
and of course you can frame them when you're done!!

I am just tinkering with ideas for our spare bedroom...I think indigo and white might be the color scheme i'll be going with:)
and these happy little sun prints will be perfect in that room:)

Happy...Happy Saturday!!

Now get out there and do something that makes your soul sing today!!

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about

the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."       - Buddha

{appreciate the day}

 hello.
How are you doing this evening??

Me...I am just plain content and happy:)
It was a lovely spring weekend here and I was able to spend the weekend doing everything I love the most!

Tinkering in the studio....
Snapping a few photographs....
Getting my hands dirty planting flowers...
and opening the pool!

I know...crazy...opening the pool in March in Indiana!
I don't care...it makes me happy! And sometimes....you just have to do what makes you happy regardless of what people might think:)

If you aren't lucky enough to see flowering dogwoods in all their glory....then I  might feel a little sorry for you:)

They are just the sweetest little charming flowers!

I get so excited when I see our little Dogwood Tree in the front yard starting to open.

Simple things really are the best!!

I snapped a few photographs of it's sweet little blossoms...some straight on and some at random angles!

You know what....sometimes things look better when you look at them from a different angle!

Such a metaphor for life:)

If you aren't happy with the way something might be going for you....change it.....or look at from a different angle:)

Spring really is just such a time for renewal of your soul.

Fresh air just does my spirit good:)

I don't need very much in life....

but a little time in nature...

some vino....

time spent with friends....

and a few other simple things!

it really is the simplest of things that can mean so much!

Just walking around my yard looking at the beauty unfold before my eyes makes me realize that even through the darkest of January days.....spring is sure to follow!

It's the cycle of life....

I'm convinced that...if we didn't know January...we wouldn't appreciate the sweet spring blossoms the way we Midwesterns do...

But if someone gave me a beach house in Florida...well.....i'm sure i'd appreciate not having to survive a below freezing January just fine:)

It's amazing the transformation that occurs once the weather warms...

and even without flowers to grace my patio...it still looks like a pretty happy place:)

It's not fancy...but it's all me!!!

I found these sweet little cushions at The Christmas Tree Shoppe!

I thought they were just so happy and just the right amount of sprucing to get my chairs through a couple more summers:)

I'd love to own a fabulous teak set......but.....for now i'll just continue to appreciate my little wrought iron chairs:)

L.C. was very happy to see the pool open....

She's a summer girl through and through!

I think with her arthritis winter is just hard on her:(

She's such a sweet soulful dog.

The kind of dog that can tell you intentions within 1 minute of meeting you.

I love that about her.

She doesn't need you....but if she likes you .....well then:)

 Hopefully soon i'll be building a cute little wood table to replace this one...I thought i'd get to it this weekend...but had to many irons in the fire and had to exercise a little patience....something that is not easy for me:)

Since it's not technically planting season yet...I thought i'd make a little happiness with some faux daisies!

Yep...just the right amount of happiness for the patio!!

thank goodness for pansies! I did get around to planting just a few!

I tell you...they are just the happiest flowers!

I like to think they are smiling right at me:)

Oh and I did start some zinnia seeds!! I sure hope they grow and bloom this summer!

We'll see....i've never hand very good luck with starting seeds!

But at least I try, right:)

I hope you were able to get out and just enjoy the simple things in life this weekend!!!!

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."
~Ashley Smith

{cottage kitchen: happiness: spring salad}

{quote by Steve Jobs}

Hello there!

Happy Sunday to you.

Today was one of my favorite kind of days....filled with creative happiness all day long:)

I am feeling pretty thankful and full of sunshine & happines.

Moving forward with Simple Daisy and aligning my goals with the kind of life I truly want to live.

Creative...Simple....Happy

{quote by Anthony D'Angelo}

By now you know all about my deep love of words, quotes and sweet little inspirations of happiness.

 I thought I'd pair some of the photos I snapped today with happy little inspirations!!

Photography is definitely an area I want to explore deeper and grow in.

As my husband relaxed on the couch today...I drug all kinds of props out to the sunroom to practice...practice...practice.

Since there was no sunshine to be found today..... I had to make use of the brightest room in our home.....The Sunroom:)

 If you want to get better at anything....you've got to put the time into it:) Oh and not get embarrassed when you're just a beginner. Everyone starts somewhere!!

Guess what else.....
our kitchen is now.....99.9% FINISHED!!
I couldn't be happier!
We ...ok...well mostly Mr. Daisy finished the floor this weekend.

All that's left to do is finish up with a few decorations!!
I'll give a complete tour when I finish the decor and when we get a little sunshine:) 

Sometimes you don't need to spend a million dollars to be happy.
Butcher block counter tops and painted cabinets = a not too expensive cottage inspired kitchen!

Can you see the floor??
I love it....I know hardwood would look pretty nice too....but there's something about the rustic feeling of the ceramic floor.

 Anywho....so much work...but so worth it!!!

And now I actually enjoy cooking and being in our kitchen!
Today I was feeling like a little spring salad.
And one of my most favorite veggies are beets!!
You either love 'em or you hate 'em....
Me...I LOVE 'em:)

I love the earthy spring taste of roasted beets.

Simply slice them...

mix with a little evoo & sea salt

sprinkle a little honey on top

roast on 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or so

Make a little spring salad with

organic mixed greens

roasted beets

organic goat cheese

walnuts

and a drizzle of evoo and balsamic vinegar

I hope I haven't made this exact salad and told you about it before....if I did...I'm sorry:)

I just love these flavor combinations so much...

Simple ... good food:)

Straight from the earth!

OK ..

well there you have it!

And happy little post to brighten your Sunday!

And let's all be thankful for whatever we have especially in light of so much devastation in my home state of Indiana.

My thoughts truly go out to those devastated by the tornadoes.

It's so true in life.....you don't know what you have until it's gone.

Love & happiness for the week ahead:)
~Heather

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. " Joseph Pearce

{waiting for spring}

Hello there:)

Happy Sunday to you!!!

I don't know about you.....but I have

SPRING FEVER

like crazy:) Being cooped up all winter long is just more than I can handle!

So decided to buy myself a sweet little hyacinth plant!

I'm telling you...that's the best $4.00 a person could spend:)

Sometimes in life it's the littlest of things that bring so much joy.

anywho....

since I bought my fancy camera i've been trying to practice with it.

At first I told myself I'd practice taking photographs everyday....but it's turned out to be more like 2 or 3 times a week:)

Photography is such an art and I really admire the bloggers that take such wonderful photographs....maybe someday i'll get there...maybe not. But for today i'm at least going to enjoy the journey! Enjoy learning something new.

Don't be too harsh...I know I have a long way to go in my photography...but the important thing is to try:)

As for spring....

I just can't wait to get my hands into the dirt!

I can't think of anything I like better than to have dirty hands:)

Maybe that's why I enjoy creating jewelry so much.....my hands are never nice and clean:)

I tell you....

living in the Midwest sure teaches you a lot about having patience:)

and having patience is just something i've never been good at.

this morning....

instead of being grouchy about how cold it was outside.....

I decided to load up the girls and go for a little drive:)

with the windows down and the heat on full blast!

It felt kind of invigorating

and sure made me happy!!!!

I snapped some photos and just enjoyed the sweet beauty of the morning!

Even though it's not spring ...yet....

I enjoyed the sunshine imparting it's beauty of the frosty plants!!

 Enjoying the simple things in life really is where life is best.

at least in my opinion:)

Some people enjoy fancy homes...and fancy cars....

fancy clothes with all the best names....

Nothing wrong with that!

it's just not for me:)

Give me an old rusty truck and nature

and I am in bliss:)

Maybe that's why i've had my truck for over 7 years:)

Who needs something new...I plan to keep for many more years too!

Living a life uncomplicated is where it's at.

Finding beauty in the simple things in life....

Pairing down your life so that you can really live the life you want to live.....

now that's where it's at:)

Here's the quote that's really been inspring me lately.

How true is that!





Sometimes it's hard to not let the what you want now get in the way of what you really want.

What are your hopes and dreams...

What kind of life do you truly want to live...

Are you moving in that direction ....are you making choices based on that....

or are you trading your dreams for what you want right now??!?!

Now don't get me wrong.....

sometimes it's more important to just live in the moment!

Sometimes pizza and wine is just more important that my overall goal of losing a few lbs:)

It's just good to know ...deep inside...what and why your choosing what you are:)

Only you can make the choices that make your heart and soul sing!



Ok...well there you have it....

A little sharing of my photography journey

and a sprinkling of where i'm at in my following my hopes and dreams journey:)

.....Happy Sunday Friends.....

I'm off to unload the kiln with some happy new creations while my husband lays the ceramic tiles in our kitchen!

The sun in shining and life is good today:)

xo

~Heather