The Haven

The decorations are up, the gifts are bought, wrapped and under the tree.  All that's left to do is plan the meal and clean.  I can't believe I'm almost done!  This time last week, the tree wasn't even decorated yet.  Well, I have had help from the family so I can't take the credit.  Every day when I got home from work more decorating had been done, what a nice surprise! We are fast approaching crunch time, only 9 days left!  Less than that if you have company coming to stay!!  You can find my original crunch time post  here , but if you've got company staying with you, there are a few extra things to be done. Sleeping Arrangements - Where are you going to put those guests?  If you happen to have a guest room, this step is already done!  If not, you can always make a place in any extra room you may have (think den, office, craft room, etc.).  If at all possible, provide a bit of privacy for your guests, then just clear some spac...

Better Homes and Gardens Happy December and welcome to the Holiday Season! I don't know about you, but I just love this big fat Christmas tree.  I tried to put my artificial tree in my big cauldron as a "container", but the tree stand is just too big.  So, for this year at least, the stand is once again covered by a tree skirt. I've seen, and implemented a lot of great decorating ideas this year.  The tree isn't decorated yet, but should be by the end of this weekend.  I honestly haven't decided if I'm going to get new ornaments or not this year.  Do you ever get tired of your ornaments too? If all goes well I'll have some decorating photos for you next week.  But for now it's time to start getting some gifts to put under the tree! ~ Heathen

Also known as May Day, Beltane is a time for love, union, growth, abundance and fertility.  This month marks the peak of Spring and is time to prepare for the warm months ahead. Beltane is one of the in-between times of the year, it's still Spring but you can feel the lazy days of Summer in the air.  Here are a few things that symbolize this time of year for me: brightly colored wild flowers ferns and ivy embedded candles (the kind with flower petals in the wax) wind chimes cloudless blue skies freshly mowed grass sun dried laundry When changing your decorations for this turn of the wheel, put away the eggs and pastels of Ostara and bring out bursts of color and pretty garden themed decorations.  Hang baskets or cones of flowers from doorknobs, put wind chimes and sun catchers in windows.  Start that windowsill herb garden you've always wanted.  You get the idea here. found at Michaels.com As always, have fun with it and make it personal! ...

Today I succumbed to my girlie side and went thrifting at a few local consignment shops.  I found some beautiful pieces but my favorite looks something like this... image found at arhdecor.com It is all white, more shabby/vintage than this one, with less glass and the top shelf is open.  I couldn't find a photo of the actual piece.  But alas, it is out of my price range.  Such a shame, wouldn't that be perfect for displaying seasonal decorations?  I figured I didn't really have a place to put it anyway.  That is until I came home and realized I have the perfect wall for it. *sigh*  Even though I didn't come home with this wonderfully perfect piece, I had so much fun looking through all the beautiful things and getting great ideas.  Definitely not a wasted trip! And after feasting my eyes and daydreaming, I just had to re-watch the new Alice in Wonderland!  If you happen to have Netflix, they've finally added it to the instant streaming....

Those of you who know me personally know that I am not your typical girlie girl.  But for some inexplicable reason this Spring, I am head over heels in love with this... and this... and this... and this color... I don't get it and I can't explain it but I have this crazy urge to move into a cottage, plant a garden, and decorate completely Shabby Chic, claw-foot tub and all! **all photos found on Google Images keyword Shabby Chic**

It's that time of year again...Spring time!  Did you remember to change your clocks last night?  It's hard to realize an hour of your life is just gone, poof, vanished, in the time it takes to set the clock ahead isn't it?  Ah well, Ostara is a time for renewal and change so I suppose it's fitting. This year Ostara, also known as Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox, and the First Day of Spring, is on Sunday the 20th.  It is a celebration of balance as day and night are once again equal in length on this day. Here are a few customs and activities for this month: Time for a new broom. Get rid of your dirty & dusty broom filled with all the negativity of last year and pick up a new one.  Check your local dollar-type store for the best deal. Start your Spring cleaning.  I'll be doing a post on this later this month. While you're cleaning, sort through your personal items and donate anything that's no longer wanted or needed. Pick or purchase flowers th...

I don't know what it is, maybe it's simply the promise of Spring, but I'm ready for a complete refreshing of everything.  You know, clean the house, organize closets and drawers, update the wardrobe, buy new beauty products, get a hair cut, start a container garden...the whole shebang!  Is anyone else out there feeling like this? You know, they say that every seven years your body completely renews itself on a cellular level.  Now I don't know if that's true (or who "they" are), but it is a 7th year for me this summer so maybe that has something to do with it.  Or maybe I'm just waking up from my hibernation and itching for Spring to finally arrive.  Either way, I see a cleaning frenzy and a shopping spree in my near future! Have a wonderful weekend! ~ Heathen

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas yesterday!  All the presents have been opened and the ensuing mess has been picked up.  Today is for relaxing with a nice big cup of cocoa and playing with your presents.  Enjoy the rest of your day as we look forward to the New Year! By the way...all the holiday greenery and floral arrangements are SERIOUSLY discounted today at Publix (if you have one).  I got a huge bunch of greenery today for $2!  I ran out of coffee so I had to go to the store. ~ Heathen

That's right it's crunch time, only one week left!  This time next week we'll be in the thick of it so, if you aren't done and ready (and I know I'm not), here's what to do this week... Shopping List- If you buy your gifts, get them now.  If you make your gifts and still have some to go, get those remaining supplies you need.  This will give you time to wrap them and you don't want to get to the store only to find the item you wanted is gone for the season!  Don't forget, make sure you have all the food, paper goods, and wrapping supplies you're going to need. Decorating -  Take a good look around, make sure you put out all the decorations you wanted to, and put the boxes/bins away.  That's it, no more this year.  Step away from the Christmas bin! Baking - Okay, I don't do this part beyond Toll House cookies.  But if you do, the time is now.  If your family has a tendency to eat all the Christmas goodies BEFORE Christmas (like mine do...

Before I settle in for the night I like to "put the house to bed".  Let me explain.  Prior to actually going to bed for the night I like to have some time to settle in and relax, usually in front of the TV since that requires minimal brain power.  But before that, I like to get my house in order; make sure the kitchen is clean, put away anything I dragged out during the evening, basically put things back in their proper place.  I call this putting the house to bed.  By doing this, the house feels calmer and more peaceful and therefore I can relax and feel calm. Now, because this is the real world, I don't live alone, and we all keep different hours, this doesn't always happen.  Let's face it, sometimes life just gets in the way and life is more important than an orderly house.  I refuse to stay up late to do "chores".  But there is something almost meditative about the simple routine act of putting things in order each night.  I'm not talki...

It's almost October and I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!  I know this blog is about seasonal living, but around this time of year everything else is completely taken over with thoughts of Halloween.  This weekend (and throughout October) my home will be once again transformed into it's alter ego.  Little vignettes everywhere, spooky ones, macabre ones, gothic ones, even some cute ones.  You never know what might be waiting just around that corner...I can't wait to get started! Not only will my home be transformed, but this blog will also reflect the delightfully creepy month of October.  I mean, if you're gonna have a theme you gotta run with it.  Go big or go home as my honey would say. I didn't think I was going to be able to wait until October to bring out the decorations this year.  But with only one more day to go, and a work day at that, I'm actually going to make it.  And then, the scary movie marathon can officially begin!  H...

Okay, I know it's only Friday and not "technically" the weekend.  But since I'm done with work for the week, it is officially the weekend for me.  With that said, today's post includes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday maintenance. For Friday the focus is all about love and happiness.  Al Green anyone?  Seriously now, Friday is ruled by Venus and the corresponding color is pink.  Some scents for today include vanilla, ylang-ylang, cardamom, thyme, or consider using sugar or honey as an ingredient in a simmering potpourri. Saturday is appropriately ruled by Saturn.  The focus is on the home, particularly protection, boundaries, and comfort.  If you use a color candle go with brown and any "earthy" incense works well for today. Finally Sunday which is, of course, ruled by the Sun.  Focus on inviting success and blessings into your home.  Use the colors of the Sun, yellow and gold.  Appropriate scents for this day include sandalwood, cedar...

Here are a few ideas to make your everyday tasks work for you... Stir your morning coffee or tea in a clockwise motion to invite positive energies. When cooking, always stir clockwise. Scrub dishes counterclockwise to banish negativity and rinse clockwise for positivity. Clean your rooms working your way around counterclockwise. Use lemon (citrus) or lavender scented cleaning products for household cleaning. Lemon/citrus breaks up negativity and lavender promotes calm. When showering, visualize the water washing away all the bad vibes and problems picked up during the day down the drain. Use toiletries with a scent that is pleasing to you, no need to be expensive or overpowering. Always fold money towards you and receipts away from you. I can't take credit for these ideas, I've learned them from various sources along the way.  Feel free to adapt them to fit your life and see what else you can come up with!

When you live in sunny Florida it can sometimes be hard to stay in tune with the seasons.  Around here we don't really get the crisp and colorful splendor of Fall or the amazing burst of new life in the Spring.  And while it does get cold (yes, cold) here in the Winter, there is no snow for the holidays.  Now, I don't miss having to shovel my driveway or slip 'n slide my way to work from December into March, but there's something to be said for the magic of that first snowfall and holiday shopping just isn't the same without a few flurries. But by simply changing out some of your existing home decor with items that evoke the feeling of each season at least your home will celebrate each new turn of the wheel.  Use whatever feels right to you, there really is no steadfast rule (at least not in my home).  The point is, no matter where you live your life you can still have the feeling of each season and in-between time.  It just takes a little imagination and...