Saturday 26 May 2012

Me, today




Enjoy the weekend <3


love, Irene

Friday 25 May 2012

Lilly Pulitzer interiors

I love fabrics. It's engraved forever in my DNA.
I love prints, embroideries, white waffles, you name it.
And I love happiness.
I love sunny.
This is where Lilly Pulitzer fits in.
It's a lifestyle of beauty in a cheerful, non fussy way.
I am delighted to see the new line of fabrics and furniture.

I've told you about the introduction of Lilly Pulitzer Lifestyle stores here.

So, here is some more beauty to cheer in Summertime, carefree entertaining and lots of good times ahead!






{I love that sofa and side table!}


Wouldn't it be fun to organise a girls' lunch with perhaps, some jewellery making, on that dining table?

 
View the full Lilly Pulitzer Home collection at Lilly Pulitzer Home.
love, Irene

Wednesday 23 May 2012

How to live better

.1.


Enjoy what you've got.
I bet great many people will want what you already have.

.2.


What is done, is done.
Say your excuses and move on.

.3.


Plant a garden

4.


Think bigger than yourself


5.


Give yourself permission to enjoy what you trully desire.

6.


Enjoy life's little pleasures.

.7.


Love with all your might and let yourself be loved.

.8.


Trust in God.


love, Irene

Tuesday 15 May 2012

5 fun things to do right now

1. Play Cityville on Zynga


Irene loved the Governor's Mansion but they particularly loved the lobby area.
It looks like they may have a job as a lobbyist in their future.

Yap, that's me playing Cityville and loving it.
With the new Zynga.com website you can play without sharing your Facebook profile, if you don't want to. I like that.

2.Play Snoopy's Fair


5/14/2012
Dear Charlie Brown,
Did you know:
This week in 1969, charlie Brown blasted off into outer space aboard Apollo 10?

I am in love with Snoopy and the gang since I was 9.
I like that the graphics are faithful to the originals, I like the clever little challenges and the generosity of the creators with the extra rewards.
Fun.
Snoopy's Fair is on i-phone app store.

3.Join Pinterest

I like Pinterest because it is so easy to organize your photos. I have thousands of beautiful pictures in my hard drives. Some of them I know where they came from, some I don't. I try to keep them organized from time to time, but who needs another chore?
I also like the community. Really, Pinterest is my thing.
I'm on Pinterest here.
4. Join Tumblr








I have a soft side, a romantic side, a rebel side, and I hope you do, too.
Tumblr is about pictures but not in a utilitarian way.
Tumblr is more romantic and dreamy and I love it.
I am on Tumblr here.
5. Write to me

Has it ever crossed your mind that we can write to each other the old fashioned way?
I have had pen-pals for many years starting at High School.
Let's be pen-pals and rediscover scented papers and flowery envelopes and beautiful stickers.
Let's do a post-card exchange, a stamp swap, anything that tickles your fancy.
Hey girls, let's have some fun!
Come on!
What do you say?

love, Irene

Saturday 5 May 2012

Something for the weekend


This is how I feel today...
What about you?

Image: Swedish Hasbeens via Emily who is Happy Turtle's newest friend
Welcome, Emily. Hope to see you often and have some good times, together. We might all try your (mmm!) yummy cinnamon raisin rolls.

I received in the mail today Cheryl Richardson's newest newsletter  (you may subscribe here) and it fit so well with a comment my spiritual father made about me the other day.

I strongly encourage you to take the first step to confession and have a spiritual father.
It is amazing how things tie together from all different ways when we let go of what we think we must do and put our trust to God and to what God wants for us.

Wishing you all a beautiful, blessed weekend.

P.S. It is election Sunday here in Greece. Prayers needed. Thank You All.

love, Irene

Thursday 3 May 2012

Me, this week


Photo: Tatler, 2010

Our patterns are so adorably persistent. I love my desire for beauty and order. I will continue to see my desire for perfection with humor and love.
(From Jennifer Louden

Reaching for the impossible

How do you feel this week?

love, Irene

Gardening for the Soul


I enjoy the time I spend in my garden.
Garden is a word that changes in time depending on where I live.
When I was a student it was a few pots with Greek herbs for my cooking ventures in front of my kitchen window.
In my first married home it was a collection of flowers gifted for our engagement, new home and new baby.
In our first apartment here it was a few flowers in hanging pots.
In our next apartment it was a full veranda garden that yelded, thanks to sheep manure, and a good placement in relation to the sun, tomatoes, cucumbers and assorted herbs that fed our family, and was enough for potted gifts or fresh produce for relatives.
Our house has a garden. We have a big mortgage for it, and we could be living in a city center top floor flat for that money. But I wanted my kids to be able to touch the soil. I wanted my own playground. And I wanted to be able to feed my family.


I woke up yesterday morning. Made a fruit creme and sat in the balcony overlooking my piece of heaven. It needs weeding and taking care of the grass. And the furniture needs some repair and a coat of paint. The umbrella needs fixing. Oh and...never mind. I focus on the colour. See my first blooming roses?

I love my two maple treas. This one turns red in the autumn, but now it is bursting to life with its little green leaves.

And this is the nursery.
Isn't life amazing?



I have tried many forms of relaxation. Living in close quarters with nature is my number one.
Taking care of my garden is very gratifying.
Gardening is something I am good at, in the sense that when I attend to my garden I am focused on the task in hand. 
I am moved to tears when I see a seed giving sprouts. I can honestly say I love my plants as much as I love my cats and I care for them as if they were my children.


When I was living in England I used to take long midday walks in Green Park. That was lovely. So relaxing, it opened my heart.

Do you like walking in Nature?
What about gardening?

::Extra Reading::
Therapeutic Landscapes Network
I love this idea. Whe, we lived closer to a city forest I used to walk at least, and I loved it. I can speak of the feel good factor, and I am impressed that when we feel good, our bodies physically feel good, too.

Image credits: first and last from Therapeutic Landscapes Network which has some interesting articles to read and actions to take. All others by yours trully.

love, Irene

Tuesday 1 May 2012

1st of May

Happy May!

I hope you all enjoyed the 1st day of the most flowery month of the year. 


I am trying a new look for my blog, something nice and sweet from here.

What do you think?
 
Have a lovely month!
love, Irene

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