I’ve taken down all my winter decorations, and right now I’m enjoying my relatively clutter-free, minimally decorated house. Still, the pull of those lovely pastel yellows, pinks, blues and greens is calling to me. I’m slowly beginning to decorate for Spring. This lantern and rananculus grouping at my front door is the first thing I’ve done. Sometimes in the evening if I know a friend is coming over, I’ll light this wax candle in the lantern to welcome them. (I just have to remind myself sternly not to forget to blow it out later!)
Are you decorating for Spring yet?
QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Let’s get our houses ready for the weekend. Counters cleared off and wiped; coffee table emptied of unnecessary items (and dusted, probably!); trash cans emptied; fresh toilet paper rolls and hand towels in bathrooms as needed; front porch swept; kitchen swept; rooms most in need of vacuuming vacuumed; magazines and newspapers whisked away; dishwasher emptied or filled as needed.
- Clean out your car if needed. Mine needs the dashboard wiped, floors vacuumed really quickly, trunk de-cluttered, and dog kiss marks wiped off the back seat windows.
- I’ve been inside most of this week due to a brief flu. I don’t want to just spend the upcoming weekend camped in front of my TV. I’m going to try to plan something fun to do tomorrow out of the house, whether it’s elaborate and expensive or simple and free. At the very least I’ll take a rain-or-shine long walk with my dogs tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll catch a movie or meet a friend for a short-notice tea cafe gossip session. What will you do to make your weekend more lovely?
- Plan to do any Spring Brunch type of baking this weekend? Do you have all the supplies you need? (Eggs, butter, cream?)
TODAY’S PROJECT: Dusting and Decorating
This week I’ve enjoyed the luxury of leaving doors and windows open to fresh air. However, this has caused dust to pile up a bit more quickly on my window sills, floors, coffee table, mail table, and bookcases. I’ll spend a few minutes this afternoon dusting all those surfaces before I leave for dinner tonight.
When I get home, I plan to get out some of my Spring decorations. I’ll swap out my heavy winter curtains for my embroidered floral pink and white ones; swap pillows out on my couches; change out a few throw rugs; and set out some flower and Easter themed decor. This is a “project” I’m looking forward to tonight! It’s always fun to beautify the house, not just dust it and clean it!
Have you done your Spring decorating yet, if this is something that’s important to you?
LOVELY BLOGS: Baked Bree
Bree blogs about food, family, marriage, photography, and home. Her About page is one of the most honest, funny and endearing blogger introductions I’ve ever read.
Recent posts I’ve enjoyed here include Miso Honey Chicken, her tips on making cute and easy non-food kid Valentines, her Game Day snacks and Slow Cooker Smoky Chicken Chili.
LOVELY BOOKS: The Alphabet of Flowers and Fruit
This beautifully illustrated book is a rare 1856 book with hand-colored illustrations. It’s difficult to imagine any actual children would have been allowed to touch such an expensive (for the time) book. Hope you will enjoy looking through the few scant pages of drawings and rhymes.
The Alphabet of Flowers and Fruit, at The Internet Archive
LOVELY BOOKS: Lovely Layer Cakes
I like attempting to make and serve beautiful layer cakes to my guests. I don’t often succeed in producing lovely ones – mine are tasty at least! I might pick up this book to help improve my skills. It offers over 30 recipes, plus tips on baking, frosting and decorating. I’ll have to get rid of another cookbook to make room for this on my shelf, but I suspect I will enjoy this enough to make it worth the agonizing decision.
Lovely Layer Cakes at Barnes and Noble
LOVELY COSMETICS: Modern Watercolors Lip Gloss
It’s hard to resist a beautiful new set of lip glosses. Especially when winter weather has made my lips so chapped. These, after all, would be so useful! So what if both of the purple hues might look a little strange on me – they’re lip glosses, after all, not long wearing lipstick or lip stain. The colors include Cantaloupe, Fox Glove. Rose Quartz, Serenity, Pale Banana, and Sunlit Allium. This might make a nice springtime birthday gift for your friend, cousin or fun-loving auntie!
Modern Watercolors Lip Gloss Set, at Sephora
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
Blood Orange Poppyseed Mini Bundt Cakes (The Bay Leaf Kitchen)
Cilantro Lime Chicken Drumsticks (Budget Bytes)
Citrus Cake with Strawberries and Ricotta (The Cedar Kitchenette)
Citrus Olive Oil Cake (Cooking Light Fast)
Fresh Passion Fruit Sour (Stir and Strain)
9 Breakfast Crostini Ideas (Frites and Fries)
Papaya, Orange, and Turmeric Smoothie (At the Corner of Happy and Harried)
–Copyright 2016 Lovely Living
