A Kaleidoscope Life

Oh....my friends...

 it's been such along time since I last sat down with you all and shared my heart.

I feel so bad for neglecting you...but please know that I have not forgotten you.

I do hope to return to blogging more regularly soon...
once I catch my breath.

So many of you have checked in with me over the past months leaving messages of love and concern. 

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

They were like hugs of sweet sisterhood,
and I embraced and treasured each and every one of them.

So many many things have happened in my life during the past seven months as I struggled to gather my feet beneath me, accept the changes around me, and push forward on life's journey
with my strong husband at my side and sweet Maizie Grace at my feet.

Incredible things. Beautiful things. Exciting things.

Like a kaleidoscope quilt of many colors...

I share my blessings with you.

In May, spring exploded like a brilliant rainbow in the gardens.
I spread about 15 yards of dark brown mulch, carting the trailer along behind me on my lawn tractor.
It's hard work, but fresh mulch always makes any garden look neat and clean,
and helps keeps the weeds at bay.

The fountains trickled cool water for our feathered friends,
and all of our "frog boys" happily returned to party in the pond.

One of our wild turkeys even surprised us one day by laying an egg next to our pond.
That was an unexpected first!

We spent a few glorious summer days floating on our pontoon on a small, private lake
soaking up the sunshine and reveling in the peaceful beauty around us.
It was so relaxing and rejuvenating.

I discovered Flash Tattoos which I fell head over heels for.
There are plans in the works for getting a permanent one in April
with a Biblical scripture on my wrist as a tribute to my parents.

I continued adding more bohemian vibes to this grand old farmhouse,
by painting and distressing my craft cabinet
and gracing it with a painting my father once created for me.
Vintage looking boho fabric was tacked to the doors
for a splash of additional color and texture.

A piece of leftover barn wood was made into a rustic shelf
and hung on the wall over the tub.
It holds two paintings by my parents and a carved Moroccan trinket box.

and another one was added to the fireplace.
I'm glad that we saved all of the old wood from the barn renovation a few years ago.

Richer, deeper jewel tones now fill each room with warmth,
and I discovered a love for bird of paradise plants and orchids
which mix perfectly with boho style.

It was time for a new look for me, too.
So I had quite a few inches of my hair trimmed off.

With a big event planned here at the end of the summer,
it was time to get down to some dirty work in preparation.
We hauled out the old barn doors that had been laying in the meadow,
propped them up, and power washed them.

A few days later, the crew showed up to begin our new screened-in porch
that would be constructed over our old deck.
It would become a wonderfully shaded haven for us to relax during the warm months,
instead of huddling under a patio umbrella in the hot sun.

While the crew hammered the room into being,
I stained...and stained...and stained what would become the planked ceiling.
It was so exciting to watch this space become a room!

In between all of the staining,
I also painted the front porch floor with a fresh coat of lavender hued gray paint,
spray painted the white wicker with a deep espresso color,
 and added kantha quilt cushions.

 And as the hot, humid July continued,
the back porch began to take shape.
Remember those old barn doors we cleaned?
We used them for one wall.

 It took me about three days to paint them with two coats of white.
We love the texture, interest, and historical feel they add.

After four weeks of continuous hot, hard work,
the only thing the crew had to complete was the finished lattice beneath the porch.
The new space was ready to furnish. 

There is nothing more fun for me than to design and style a new room.
Espresso color painted wicker, a palm frond embossed ceiling fan,
a Pier I metal barrel side table, orchids, ferns,
and jewel toned pillows filled the cool, cozy, space.

All in all, the renovations included removing the widows-walk railing over the front porch, replacing the standing-seam metal roof, removing all shutters, revamping the supporting horizontal beams and rebuilding the columns on the front porch,
painting the front porch floor and wicker furniture,
building the screened in porch over the back deck ~
complete with a vintage style screened door that slams,
and finally giving the house a good wash.

Needless to say, we were thrilled with the results!
The new porch looked like it had always been there.
It "completed" Heaven's Walk.

Everything was finished just in time for the big event mid-August...
two days after our 31st wedding anniversary.

 Heaven's Walk hosted a wedding.

It must have been the most hot, humid day of the summer,
but at least it was a beautifully sunny one for the 160 people that attended.
We will be hosting another one in August 2016.

After the busyness of the summer, it was nice to slow down a bit and return to our seasonal chores of harvesting the garden, canning 350 jars of salsa, 24 pints of pickles, and freezing summer and spaghetti squash.

New bohemian dream catchers for some wonderful customers filled my studio...

and I even squeezed in some time for decluttering and reorganizing pantries,
drawers, and closets. I tossed out all processed food and sugar.
We are eating healthier now than ever before (low carb/no sugar),
and after losing eight pounds so far, I don't plan on ever changing this lifestyle. 

Seemingly, in the blink of an eye,
the garden was transformed from this...

to this....

and then back to this.

 Regardless of the warm winter we're having
(which I am loving by the way),
Christmas arrived at Heaven's Walk with new peacock colored ornaments
 that I am totally enamored with.
(I am also hoarding cherishing peacock and pheasant feathers sent to me from
a couple of kind, thoughtful Instagram/Facebook friends.)

I tucked some peacock feathers into our Christmas tree 
and laid some on the Moroccan coffee table tray.
Some treasured peasant feathers were placed into my dream catcher, the mantel garland,
as well as the cluster of candles,
which created an exotic feel to the decor.

 Yes...it's definitely been a kaleidoscope kind of life over the past seven months...
full of

 rich color,
warm love,
and deep blessings.

And I pray the same for you
this beautiful Christmas season!

~  Eucharisteo  ~

PS ~ Be sure to follow me on Instagram (bohemiansoul26) and on Facebook.
It's always the first places where I share what's going on here at Heaven's Walk!

Linking to the parties on the lower right of my sidebar.

The Laughter of Color

I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for sticking by my side during this past year and being such devoted followers and friends. I deeply appreciate you checking in on me, sharing prayers, and offering encouragement, support, and love.
I treasure you all and consider you such a blessing in my life.
Thank you for being you!

~ ~ ♥ ~ ~

The seasons change and so does life.
Along with changes in one's life often comes changes of the heart.

With sadness, the soul seeks joy. 

My heart has been craving color.
Warm, happy, joyful color.

It has shown up not only outside in my gardens...

but inside this old farmhouse, too.

Tribal pillows, with their rich texture and cultural patterns

now mix beautifully with one of my favorite darker florals....but only one.

You won't find many ruffles or florals in this house right now.

I packed away the whisper of soft pastels and brought out the laughter of color.

My soul was craving laughter.

Earthy richness in my favorite deeper shades of purple, pink, blue, gray, and brown embrace the rooms with a warm hug of coziness.
My soul was craving a hug.

Bohemian style is all about exotic, saturated color, rich texture, intricate patterns,
and an earthy vibe  ~ with a bit of whimsy thrown in for good measure.

It's about being a "vagabond traveling through life" collecting eclectic treasures along the way.
Think....gypsy caravans.
A free-spirited lifestyle.
Layered decorating.
Spicy.
A bit wild.
Yes, my heart craved a bit of wildness.

Maryam Montague writes that it's "a combination of strong architectural shapes, sublime decorative finishes, vivid, inky colors, fresh, intricate patterns, and one-of-a-kind objects."

Kilims, batik, oushak, ajrahk block prints, hand quilted kantha.
Handcrafted artistry in rugs, pillows, and throws.

Mixing them all is easy.

Patterns that you think would clash, live joyfully next to each other as long as there is one common color.  The woven patterns each telling a story of the artisans who made them.

The bohemian theme is carried into my studio with collected, treasured paintings by my great-grandmother, grandmother, my father, and my talented long-time friend, Kerrie Sanderson.

Kerrie's sweet beach painting is on the far right. You can purchase her paintings from her Etsy shop, Seawashed.

Found Moroccan ceramic lattice vases from a consignment shop grace the cabinet in my studio.
This reworked pink cabinet, which has gone from white to blue to pink, will soon be getting a wash of "Muddy Pond" wax to "dirty" it a bit and create a more authentic well-worn, vintage look.
 (You can purchase it here from Anne at White Lace Cottage.)

Orchids sway next to roses on the fireplace mantel.

A regal purple orchid soaks up some sunshine on the kitchen windowsill.

A bohemian lantern and a red Moroccan glass filled with bright pink roses stand beneath a couple of my dream catchers.
(You can order a dream catcher from me here.)

A pierced tin lamp gives light to books and magazines that provide continual inspiration for me.
Of course, my favorite Young Living 'Patchouli" essential oil is never far away.
It is diffused and worn almost daily, and lends the perfect exotic fragrance in the house.
Patchouli has a musky, earthy aroma. In Eastern cultures, it is commonly used around the house to provide general support for health, and to help release negative emotions.

A simple touch of boho graces the master bath.

An orchid grows quietly next to a small beaded jewelry box atop a vintage Florentine table.

A carved whitewashed acacia wood box sits next to the one and only painting created by my mother that my father helped her with...

and a battery-operated gold filigree candle adds a soft glow at night.

The meditation room ~ dressed in purple, brown, and gray ~ is a haven of peace and tranquility.
Mismatched lace tablecloths tossed casually over curtain rods filter the morning sunlight.
A large pillow made from a Turkish rug grounds this space.
This has become my favorite room in the house.

I am currently on the hunt for another Moroccan side table like this.

A sparkly turquoise blue vase brings memories of cherished vacations spent by sparkling blue oceans.

I'm still tweaking the master bedroom.

A favorite throw from India in pink, white, and gray is tossed over a white linen duvet,

while a Turkish patchwork throw was tacked to the headboard for a quirky introduction of crayon colors.
The 1800's blanket chest at the foot of the bed was hauled home from a trip to Maine many years ago.

Tailored bedskirt by Shellagh Selee from Ticking & Toile.

Cowboy hats, tasseled shawls, and fringed leather handbags

hang on a handmade vintage coat rack.

Tattered Turkish rugs with beautifully bright and sometimes faded colors in exotic patterns can be found scattered throughout every room of the house.

The white wicker furniture on the front porch will soon get a make over, too, with a wash of earthy brown.

As I continue to plan and design some big changes for our back porch
~ which will become another favorite bohemian haven in this house, I'm sure ~

 my heart is being comforted.

Embraced in color.

Grounded in pattern.

Reveling in the joy that it all brings.

~  Eucharisteo  ~

Linking to the linky parties on the lower right of my sidebar.