Your happy place

Everyone has that happy place that they love. I know I do.What images come to mind when someone speaks about cottages? There are real and simply charming cottage homes scattered all over the world. Most of us aren't fortunate enough to have a real cottage home tucked away in the woods, but you can still create your home to have that vibe that says "cottage" when you walk in. 
I think all of us from time to time long for simpler times, like the carefree life we had as children. Pick up any children's classic fairytale and see how the characters lived. Might I digress, that I have in mind those children's books like Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh. Slow paced  living is not just a trend either. You have to dig deep to find the true meaning. Most people today have those busy schedules and deadlines that make us weary, but living in the moment finding joy in the little things makes us forget about all those to do lists. Take time to simply just be. Cottage to me evokes warmth, cozy and very natural. I think of a hearth, glowing candlelight, a kitchen that smells like fresh baked pies. We all can make our homes very warm and inviting with very simple  things. Bring in some of nature 🍄‍🟫 We all get too busy to take time to go outside and soak up a little sun. Take a walk and collect some pinecones or fresh flowers if you have a flower bed. Bring in some of the outdoors.We were made to be connected to nature. Everyone knows how much calmer we feel when exposed to beautiful scenery. If you don't have a lot of decor, take a trip to your local thrift shop or vintage stores. Pick out the things that look like they should be in a cottage home. Mushrooms, or animal decor. Maybe you'll find that perfect small lamp that has a tree trunk base. Fill your bookcase with pretty hard back books. Fill a glass jar with  some cookies , loose tea or  herbs and use a gingham cloth and  twine tie to cover the top. This will give it a country cottage look.Place multiple jars like this on a dining area hutch or a counter if you have the space. It'll make it feel homey. It doesn't have to be fancy. You are just going for that cottage feel, and you'll want to spend more time in the kitchen, if you decorate with those things that bring you joy. I love to walk by and just pause momentarily to enjoy the feeling I get when I pass one of my favorite cottage style decor items.You can also repurpose items you already have and make them new again. Take last year's vase and tie a pretty ribbon around it. Fill it with some real or dried bloom bundles. Place it in a spot you'll frequent, that way you'll get the most out of those little things that spark joy. The idea is to go slow. You might already own a lot of cottage style decor, especially if you have loved it for a long time. For beginners, start slow and buy one thing at a time. Shop with intention and don't settle for something just because you haven't found exactly what you want yet. I know firsthand about that. Bring other florals in. There are table runners and throw rugs with quaint little roses on them. Tie a small ribbon on the backs of chairs. Use a low lighting to give off a warm golden glow in the home. It's very relaxing. Make that little reading nook in your favorite room. Place your books on a little table next to your chair, so you can stop and read in between chores. Grab some coffee or your favorite tea, and don't feel guilty for resting. Life was once slower and people took time to rest. It's important to remember that. Simmer some real cinnamon sticks in a pot of water and let the fragrance fill the house. Hang up some lace curtains or any that bring you happiness. Let lots of natural sunshine enter to brighten your rooms. Let each part of your home contain something that has a past, or just reflects who you are. Another good thing is to bring that little ambient glow by hanging some fairy lights. Find a good spot also for a pretty garland year round. Put some tea towels and potholders with pictures of butterflies, little animal photos, like woodland critters. Make it your own. Go to Pinterest for a few ideas. There are YouTube tutorials on how to make and create that cottage style you want. Making some things by hand can be therapeutic and rewarding. Wreaths are also a nice way of letting people know that they're welcome. Front doors, and back doors are good places to put them, but anywhere in the home will work, even above a fireplace mantle if you have one. Play some enchanting music to set the mood. The Internet has plenty of Celtic and woodland songs available. Anyone can create this setting in any space. We don't all own cottages but wherever you live, you can make it feel like a cozy, safe haven inside.We all crave that inviting warm, calm place to come back to after we step in from the chaos outside. I live in a large city, so I find respite when I step inside and close my door. Let yourself be drawn in and stay awhile.

Welcome to my cottage

 Hello, I’m Selena. Step into a home where sunlight spills softly through open windows, painting the room in golden warmth, and a gentle breeze stirs the leaves outside, as if quietly whispering secrets to anyone who will listen.

Here in my little corner of the world, I celebrate the charm and comfort of a cottage-inspired home: vintage treasures that tell their own stories, cushions and blankets that invite you to linger, and quiet nooks made for tea, books, and daydreams. Every soft texture, warm glow, and tiny detail is an invitation to slow down, breathe, and savor the simple joys of home.

Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of tea, and wander with me through the gentle, cozy magic of home.

Lighting that soothes the soul

Dear friends,

Have you ever walked into those department stores and supermarkets with their the harsh overhead lighting and wondered why you feel so drained afterwards? If you're like me, then you're searching for that cozy welcoming and ambient vibe. There's nothing that soothes more than that of a soft glow of all beeswax candles and and the amber color of a soft lighting coming from a small lamp with an incandescent light bulb. 

It's easy to create that cottage style fairytale environment in one's home no matter where you live. You don't have to live in a rural setting to achieve this. All of us long to escape the chaotic world and craziness of  a long work day. Think of the slow and intentional living and a simpler time that once existed. Work schedules and constantly staying busy without rest is giving us burnout. 

Set up a lovely cozy reading nook in a space that you're comfortable with. Place a soft chair next to a window and light a beeswax candle, grab your favorite cup of tea and a good book and curl up and read.  You can create that calm and peaceful escape with the right lighting.  That amber glow can take you away to a time before hustle culture existed. Buy some beeswax candles (tapers) (votives) an amber colored jars to  create that golden warmth that relaxes the senses. The light of that comes from a beeswax candle is the only light that emulates the light of the sun. 

Beeswax candles also ionize the air, purifying the air you breathe. If you like cottage living as much as I do, start by slowing down and intentionally observing what you are doing in the moment. Grab your tea and your favorite book. Don't feel guilty for simply relaxing. Think of your favorite children's classic and look at how they live. Enjoy the moment and take time for the things that matter. It's possible to achieve this even in our modern world. 

I know that when I come home after being out and about or even after work that I find a sense of security and a safe haven in my little apartment. I close out the chaos of the outside world and think "There's no place like home." A good place to start with a lovely and calming lighting is a shop called Healthy Home Shop. They offer a light bulb that's non flicker with three settings. It features Daytime lighting, dusk as when the sun is setting and the campfire setting for that relaxation to reset your circadian rhythm. They are definitely worth it to put in a lamp and set he tone esp when it nears bedtime. I hope you'll follow me here for more cottage style living and warm Hearth Notes. There's much more to come as I delve  deeper into decorating and the purpose behind the decor. Stay tuned for more on cottage life and in the meantime I hope you all will have a slow and relaxed day.