Finding quiet moments and balance for a stress free life.

Stress is apart of our every day lives. We wake up stressed out and go to bed stressed out. Many of us don't even recognize stress anymore because we are so use to it. Many of my friends right now are planning for new babies, moving, house hunting and weddings planning which are good stresses but still stress. Some are dealing with the lose of loved ones and others are dealing with personal illness. We all have stress! For me these past 8 months have been very stressful with my Hubby being deployed. So I wanted to share a few things that I personally believe in and try to do to in order to find those quiet moments and have balance and as much of a stress in my life as possible.
1) Breath in the fresh air… I’m not talking about just stepping outside and going, "ok I took some breaths!" and then running back inside to do your job or project. I’m talking about going out for a short or long walk, I take my dog every day, and really taking time to breath and look at nature. Really breath deeply. Maybe find a beautiful spot and stop there. Take in 5-10 really long deep breaths. Look at the beauty around you the green grass or the blue sky…Even here in New England when its cold and grey, I look at the bare trees all dancing together in the wind and I reflect on how strong they are for living through the hard winter months. To me no matter how ugly or crazy the world gets nature is always peaceful and grounding and oxygen is always my drug of choice.

A Inspiration for Wally’s on Wednesday

A small town favorite watering hole, called Wally’s, is building a new building and I wanted to put my two cents in about the decor that I feel would suite the place. (I may be friends with the owner LOL) Any way I want to give you a super quick idea of what its like in the small town. Its an agricultural community filled with lots of small farms and a few big ones. There is one tiny grocery store and one bank. Everyone comes out for fourth of July and there are two beautiful little churches with tall steeples that you can see across the farm yards. So basically your quintessential New England Town!
The new building will be built in an old farming field on the main road and is going to look like sort of like an old farm house meets a barn. So what better decor to go with it than rustic meets industrial right! OK here we go!
So I picture something like this for the counter. Its all reclaimed wood and this particular one was done by Elmwood reclaimed timber. BUT not with wood counter tops it makes it look TOO farm country.

Wicked Inspiring Wednesdays!

Wednesdays can be a hard day of the week. Filled with mixed emotions of “oh wow the week is 1/2 over” and “oh no the week is ONLY 1/2 OVER!” So here I am to hopefully make you be a glass half full type of person, get some inspiration for the rest of your week and make you look forward to your weekend.

For my first Wicked Inspiring Wednesday post I decided to go with something that I have a true passion for…..Mirrors! I don't know why I love the little buggers so much but I do! I find them all the time at antique shops and flea markets and its always so hard not to buy them all up. They can come in all shapes, sizes colors and frames. I love old ones, new ones, tall ones, skinny ones… all mirrors! (wow hope this subject doesn't make me come across as vain lol)

Thanks for the image Kingdom of style

New Year, New Outlook

2013 was not an easy year for me. In the early part of the year I found out my Hubby was deploying for the second time. The year and the deployment were harder than I had thought and I desperately looked forward to 2014! Then the 2014 hit and things still were only so so. My Hubby is due home very soon! but I have been dealing with yet another road block in my professional life. So I went to bed the other night feeling frustrated and depressed. That night I had a great yoga session and actually got more than 5 hours sleep I awoke feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. I have so much to look forward to and be thankful for! My Hubby is due home in a matter of weeks. Yes I did get rejected from a program I wanted to be a part of full heartedly but its rejection means that I get to live with my Hubby again as soon as he gets home and not have to do long distance for another few months! Also I have a wonderful family who loves me, beautiful niece and two nephews who make me smile and laugh and who I have had the pleasure of spending time with the last 6 months and I still have a burning passion for design and furniture that leads to some great creativity! 

Photo thanks to Paloma81.blogspot.co.uk

So my New Years resolution is coming to you late but here it is…. This year I will; be more positive, be a bit more adventurous, be more enthusiastic about myself and my abilities and I will blog more! Yes 2014 will be a good year because I will make it that way.

Photo thanks to Google Images and Pinterst!

Also in 2014 I will be adding a weekly blog post called Wicked Inspiring Wednesdays! (Sorry the wicked had to be put in I’m from New England for crying out loud lol.) I hope these posts will intrigue and energize you half way through the work week and that they will inspire me to write more about what I see as fascinating design and beauty.

So tomorrow is Wednesday and tomorrow will be the first Wicked Inspiring Wednesday post. I hope you come by!

Creatively Yours,

Christina Marie 

DIY Harry Potter Wand

Wands in Harry Potters world are no laughing matter and if your 9 years old and going as Hermione Granger for Halloween a wand is definitely no laughing matter. This was brought to my attention by my wonderful niece who called me up and said “Kiki I need your help! I need you to make me a Hermione Granger costume.” After I explained that I could not make her an entire costume in 2 weeks with no measurements or time we agreed that the most important thing she couldn't buy or find at home was a wand. I agreed to help and put my creative thinking cap on… This is what I came up with. 
Supplies Needed: