Surround yourself with things you love.

Now we all know the best thing in life is to surround yourself with people you love and who love you. No brainer there! But I am talking about housekeeping and making your home a sanctuary for yourself and your family.

I often have a table where I am making something which is a kind of creative montage, but I tell myself at least it's a pretty mess. Otherwise I feel if the house is a mess or untidy it's annoying/depressing and frustrating. It is just no good for me. I am really influenced by my surroundings. In a cluttered mess I also feel unsettled and anxious. And apparently I'm not the only one. It's why hotels and spas have simple and beautiful interiors. They make people feel good, peaceful and calm.

Flowers do wonders for me. I always knew I loved flowers but I didn't really keep a lot in my home. Years ago when the girls were small I saw a bunch of roses that were just so beautiful I bought them for myself. Over the next few days they gave me sooo much pleasure. Every time I saw them my heart leapt. I decided their beauty was a glimpse of heaven. I would stop as I passed by to smell them. I will never forget that bunch of flowers. They made me so happy! 

Well that was a realisation how our feelings can be so influenced by our surroundings and I have tried to keep lots of flowers in the house ever since. 

Whatever IT is for you, that you know you just love and makes your heart sing, wherever possible surround yourself and enjoy it. It's the ordinary days and our surroundings that make up so much of our lives. 

I have so many this will be two posts! Anyway understanding if you were to go and buy so many flowers it would cost a fortune I am going to help you do it for very little. Over time I collect things and it really adds up!

This is just a vintage petticoat that I found in an op shop and some silk peonies that I have had for many years. Silk flowers eventually get dusty. I wash these in the bath tub every now and then. Dust is an awful give away so never let fake flowers gather dust!

These silk roses with lace are on the top of my french cupboard (featured in an early post) Arrangements on top of cupboards are great. Out of the way, not taking up space and so pretty.

I made the frame for a wedding photo (we got married three years ago) and the hydrangeas are from a couple of years ago in the garden and I made the roses from dying crepe paper. Some time I will do a tutorial on them!

This is a part of a huge display, over a metre high... a mix of dried and silk. oops you can see my crochet work in the background on the lounge! Oh well.

In the next couple of days I'll show some more, I took too many photos and have run our of time and space!

My flowers and pictures make home seem bright, fresh and pretty. Even when things aren't perfect (like all the time) they make a big difference! I love to walk into my home. It is my sanctuary from the world. I like it to smell nice to and sound nice... but those things are another story.

My Nana B adored flowers so passionately that I'm sure much of how I feel is from her and I think of her often when playing with flowers. Of course whenever I have flowers in the garden I bring them in, even a single bud is beautiful. 

One small thing at a time, keep beautiful things where you can enjoy them everyday!