Tidbits of Inspiration #1 (August long weekend)

This weekend is the start of August. Already! I am not ready, feel like it should be the beginning of July. Gardens are just starting to kick into high gear, flowering and fruiting.  

I think pretty much every blog and many social media platforms are already starting to push fall clothes, drinks, foods, making the home warm and cosy.... I'm like, nooooo! I am not ready! Nor do I want to rush the season. Our summers are short enough as it is.  

Me, I am loving every bit of this summer to the bitter end. Hoping the lovely weather lasts well into October, as it has for the past 4 years. Stop and smell the roses, go out for coffee with a friend, take a drive in the country, go to the beach.... stay in the moment. 

I am off to the garden shortly, to do some puttering. Then, when the smoke/smog/fog lifts, I will sit at the patio table, work on my doodling, and enjoy a glass of rosé ; ) 

Garden Inspo

Here are some things that I wanted to share. Now that I no longer do the blog blog, the other one, I was going to stop sharing these bits of inspiration, but realised that I would miss them if I did not share. I love to go back to the recipes, see the photos of gardens, seating areas, holidays, etc... for decorating inspiration and fresh ideas. 

So, I am continuing the share. It may not be on a Sunday, can be any day of the week that the mood strikes, but I hope you like the tidbits that I find for you each week/month. 

I loved this article Garden Tips from a Master Gardener . While the garden is a bit too monochromatic for even me, the potting shed is one of the best I have ever seen. If you like white, if you like a bit shabby chic, this one is for you. Seriously pretty.  

You all know that zinnias are my all time favourite flower, followed closely by cosmos, marigolds, and calendula (in no particular order). Here is some lovely party table inspo... A Summer Zinnia Party - Flower Magazine

A Rambling Garlic + Dahlia Farm In The New South Wales Hills - here is some more floral party table inspiration! 

Check out these amazing floors from  The Ultimate Scandinavian Summer Round-Up. This is exactly what I had in mind when we made my wee workshop studio. I did not get the floors (for practical upkeep reasons), but the rest of it feels very much the same. 

If you have followed me for any length of time, you may remember that I am a Finn. I was born in Finland and have lived in Sweden for many years, too. My decor heart is very Scandinavian. 

This is the interior of my wee potting shed/workshop/studio. 

I almost bought similar lighting, but preferred the look of these chandies with the looped candlesticks. The walls are a glossy pure white (Polar Bear by Behr - I believe).  

The mulch in our front yard has been topped up. 

Signs It’s Time to Replace the Mulch in Your Garden - I was going to blog about this as we just finished topping up the mulch in our entire yard, when this popped into my emails. 

We ordered 2 pallets of bagged mulch from HD. Generally, we would buy bulk and either pick up a couple of loads or have it delivered, but as hubby was in the hospital for nearly 3 months, we figured this was easier. We could do a few bags at a time, whenever we had time/energy. We liked this natural wood, liked the size of the shred, and the price was even better than bulk would have been! The only drawback, of course, was all the bags : ( 

The front yard was topped with 4 inches of compost after we removed the sod last year. We then planted the new perennials and shrubs and mulched it all up with a good 3 to 4 inches of mulch. A thick layer. It had already broken down to just an inch high in some places! Weed seeds were blowing in and rooting into the ground. Can't have that! So, we weeded and then topped it up with another 3 to 4 inches again. 

We also mulched up all the rest of the garden beds in the yard. Took two pallets of mulch. Eek! Hopefully, we can skip a year before we need more. 

Homey Things

She Almost Spent $50,000... Until We Decorated Instead - if you like watching decorating/styling videos, this one is fun. I am not changing anything in my house (except maybe two chairs in the sitting room), but I liked watching how this came together. So... is fun, if you like that kind of thing, and I do. 

Okay, this I thought was helpful. I have very fine hair that tangles easily. I am using this technique (when I remember) and it is making a big difference. Reverse Hair Washing Can Boost Volume—Here’s How 

6 Beginner-Friendly Yoga Stretches to Relieve Stiff Muscles - this because it is gardening season and we are all feeling it ; ) 

Real Lemon Pie Recipe - Sugar and Charm

Recipes

• Ooh, a perpetual pickle jar! Or rather, a pickled veggie jar. I love this idea. My cucumbers are soon going to be coming in hot and heavy. Pickling: Perpetual Pickles Crock 
• Though it is not lemon season, I can never resist a great lemon dessert. Real Lemon Pie Recipe this pie looks like it would taste amazing on a summer's evening, with a cup of coffee or glass of rosé. 
• Pasta Salad With Spinach and Artichokes - I cannot resist a pasta salad. I used to eat them on the regular for a quick meal, I just add more veggies than pasta to make it healthier.... till pasta stopped agreeing with me. If you also tend to get bloaty from pasta, try something like this high protein Red Lentil Penne instead. 
• 20 High-Protein Meal Prep Recipes for Easy, Healthy Eating - there are so many yummy looking recipes in this post, but my favourite is this Crunchy Roll Bowls Recipe 
• How to Make Kimchi at Home with this Easy Kimchi Recipe  

We have one of these fermentation kits to make sauerkraut, but have not yet tried it, so this will be our kimchi and sauerkraut making year! 

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Instagram

I am no artist, but I love to try my hand at drawing... especially come Christmas time. I usually make my own simple watercolour gift tags and cards. You don't have to be an actual artist to make pretty things : ) 

 

This month, I am going to try to remember to do this doodle challenge from The Petite Planner, every single day. As they say, you never get better if you don't work at it. So... I will likely not be sharing my sketches with anyone, lol, but just puttering away at it, as it looks like fun. 

My annual picture of a bee on the borage. There will likely be many more ; ) 

Happy Long Weekend, eh? ~ Tanja