orange and turquoise.

the vacation was exactly what we needed, time away to recharge and reconsider and return! and return we have. the olympics get officially underway in a few hours, the city is a-buzz with lots of people and a feeling of hope, because really, isn't that what the whole thing's about? i love it. and i love that i'm here to experience it! we're catching the men's road cycling tomorrow seeing as they are coming through our neck of the woods (literally) and a kind friend has offered me a ticket along to some diving! so so excited. we'll try to catch the marathon and maybe the cycling time trial. and of course, we live in wimbledon, so there's always the crowd roaring just down the road. it gonna be great! plus some of our great friends are returning to this fair city for and we are hosting which just tickles me beyond belief. 

but in between spectating and working and hosting, we're on the diy path. our time in california was spent with dear dear friends who have the cutest little house just outside san fran. they've been in their place less time than we've been in ours, but are much more established. the whole - how to actually decorate a house has paralysed me. what if it goes wrong? i guess we repaint.

so this weekend my wonderful husband has agreed to paint the final room without any adornment. we've decided to keep with the soft grey that's been used in the bedroom and the living room, mainly because we have leftover paint, and because, well, it makes things easy and keeps the space feeling connected (or so say the decorating mags...)

i was lucky enough to snag some cool curtains from marvellous while i was home - in grey. so grey it is. with orange. we chose orange boxes some time ago for open shelving storage, they aren't going anywhere and actually, orange and grey really work. i should mention that this plan includes spray painting a ceramic statue of a horse bright orange. i inherited this from my grandmother (and have been assured it is of no value other than sentimental). and i love it. partly because she made it, and partly because well, it's going to be an orange horse. (grin)

ignore the homebase sign, it's just where we get our paint, not part of the design elements...

and turquoise, well it's predetermined. the kitchen already has bits, and apparently i'm drawn to it. i can't explain this. it just happens. it happened to marvellous also, there's shots of it throughout her house. i'm my mother's daughter. i probably say that once a week now...

so i'm framing three prints of butcher cuts (we're clearly not vegetarians, but really, i'm the grandaughter of a cattle farmer, so there's little hope for me there) in turquoise frames, and thinking of an oil cloth on the table and utilizing one of my absolutely favourite wedding gifts -a turquoise water pitcher. hopefully it will bring the the kitchen and dining room into a more cohesive space.

art on walls, cushions on chairs, drapes on windows. i know it's simple, it's just about getting. it. done.

thread & needle.

last week a dear friend asked if i'd help her prepare a wedding gift for a friend of her's. she just didn't want to buy off the registry.

i understand this. i loved getting things off our registry, but i generally avoid them. i prefer to pick gifts that celebrate our personal relationship with the couple. unless there's something on the registry that we just LOVE and have to give...

in the past i've done

• a giant wooden salad bowl with a list of family favourite salad recipes. 
• wine and cheese boards for with a slot for a single wine glass. 
• handmade vase from travels. 
• a one-of-a-kind tray covered with a map of london and focussing on the spot where the bride and i went to grad school. 

but i think i like this the best, and i might just use this idea myself for future weddings...

i traced the design on the fabric and spent an hour or so stitching around the design, i added the date of the wedding to the back flap and made a basic envelope pillow the next morning before work. the design can be found here and is customizable! 

vacation reading.

we're flying in days! this is a break we need. life has been filled with so many good things, friends and commitments and work and we are grateful for each single blessing. but sometimes, we need to break. i love vacation. hands down, one of my favourite things in. the. world. love that it provides time to reflect on where we've been and where we're going. love that it's a complete change from the day-to-day. i love the long plane rides and the exploring new places. i love being with our friends and family. and just being with each other. i love having someone to vacation with. i also love vacation reading.

i'm a constant reader, but on vacation i read a whole lot more. and this vacation, filled with 12 hour plane journeys and time in the woods and days by the pool - i have big plans for my vacation reading.

and so. here's the list.

gilead. marilynne robinson.

state of wonder. ann patchett

a circle of quiet. madeleine l'engle

ah yes, the promise of a new book...now only to be paired with a tall cold glass of something refreshing or a deep and delightful red wine. preferably sipped by water. summer vacation, i love you.

july.

oh it's that time again. a new month, a new post, a new page.

june recap:

spiritual:

• memorised jer 31:3 & psalm 34:1
• finished reading the power of a praying wife - this book has completely brought my prayer life, for our marriage and for my husband, alive! i worked my way through this book day by day this month and intend to continue to do so daily, but i can see how if we were walking through a difficult season i may turn to just a few prayers for specific times. 
• started nehemiah: a heart that can break, by kelly minter, alongside the living proof beth moore blog, this is my first workbook bible study and i am already loving it. having specific things to do each day and questions to answer is definitely my style! i'm so looking forward to this summer spent in nehemiah. 

mental: 

• canada - by richard ford was an epic tale. it is a story of crime, but really it is a story of how we are redeemed, of how our past does not dictate our future, of how life can be shambles and slowly it can be pieced back together, of how life can seem very good and within hours a life can change. it's long but in a good way. 
• still reading francis chan's crazy love. 

physical: 

• i'm struggling in this area. partly it's my own issue, seeing progress as only a weight issue. but with all the gym time i'm doing, i'm not losing pure weight. i'm trying to come to terms with that. but i am doing very well with rehab - i'm single leg pressing more than 60kg, i'm choosing to work exercise into my daily life and i'm working on my head space regarding my body and my weight. 

creative: 

• sewing has happened. 
• knitting has happened. 
• crochet has happened. 
• baking has happened.
• i'll try to post about each in time. 

::july intentions::

we're away on vacation for the middle two weeks - hello california and ontario! i'm so looking forward to some summer reading, warm weather and being active.

spiritual:

• keep up with my nehemiah daily study, and video sessions
• continue with memorisation - this week we're memorising neh 2:18: i told them how the gracious hand of my god had been on me. 

mental:

• reading the goon squad a recommendation from julie at fresh basil - and liking it already. 
• summer reading choices are coming later this week, so stay tuned! 

physical:

• we're running in a colour run in a couple weeks, a 5K where they throw colour dye at you the whole time and you end up a rainbow - sound hilarious and really fun, plus i'm doing this with one of my old running partners who's moved to the Bay Area, so that's awesome. 
• i have a goal to break a sweat, from movement and not from humidty or heat, 5 days a week this month. 
• i'm going to focus this month on inches. i'm hoping to lose two inches overall. and i'm not going to look at a scale for a month 

creative: 

• some plane creativity is upcoming - namely, crocheting and socks, but that will be good! 
• i started our new living room drapes over the weekend, one is done, the other, isn't started, i'd like to be finished by the end of july.