Of Vintage Roses & Cozy Nooks

What are the things you love the most?

This is the question I always ask myself when I am creating my own secret little nook.

A space for getting in touch with myself and where I feel most myself.

The things that I love are flowers, old books, things found in nature such as shells or curious stones, twigs…

There is also little I love more than dried flora, almost of any kind.

I love vintage art – florals, birds, ships, certain scenes…

I love slowly collecting all these things and putting them together.

Even if your little space is just a table and a wall, a bedroom, a closet, a nook - 

Whatever the space is that you carve out for yourself, big or small, just that it be a space of youness..

A place where you can go and recenter yourself.

Where you can ground yourself back into who you are.

I picked all the spent flowers in my garden and set them down in a colorful heap.

Even just a few minutes in my little space brings me back to myself.

It helps with mood and feelings.

Being in touch with myself has been the most important thing in my life as far back as I can remember.

I made a commitment to myself around age 19 to try to stay in touch with myself and be completely true to myself (as true as one can be despite life's ups and downs). I realized how critical it was to find my own path and joys. I vowed to myself back then to remain on this path of being true to myself and of inner peace.

There have been ups and downs and all arounds but somehow I find my way back.

Still today I return to those memories and building blocks of who I am.

There are things that are so important to my well being.

Growing a garden for hope.

Collecting spent roses and tattered things.

Taking a few moments for myself, to drown out the noise and be present.

Paint, sculpt, believe in my imagination.

Old dusty pages.

Trips to books shops.

Taking time to read actual pages – touch them and smell them.

Surrounding myself with little joys and moments of me time.

Taking time to ground myself and be mindful.

I have learned how to go out of my way to be kind to myself.

To not get caught up with nonsensical what ifs that almost never ever happen.

To find joy in my daily life.

To carve out little sacred spots where I can spend a few minutes at least.

Amongst the pages and petals…

With stories and dreams an imaginations.

Dreaming of all the things I still want to do.

It's never to late to chase a dream I've realized.

You are the maker of your life's magic.

To carve out little spaces of joy in.

To get off your phone and go to a café or book shop.

To wander around an antique mall.

To dig in your garden soil.

To kick your feet up and relax.

It's time to be good to yourself.

Let all the worries and nagging thoughts drift off.

Sometimes if I'm getting caught up in a bad thought I say – Vanessa, do you really truly care about this?

Then I have to laugh and say noooo!

Chances are I do not truly care about it.

I really don't care about things that suck the joy out of life.

I also love flipping negative thoughts into positive ones.

I allow myself to feel things, allow all my feelings.

And I make sure to carve out a little space for myself.

After a little time in my space I realize, I am infused and inspired.

As creative people we need to have an outflow.

And creativity can be manifested in so many ways.

Not just in making art but in decorating, baking, sewing, setting up vignettes.

The list is endless.

Taking time with books and magazines is also so important.

To touch the pages and take big breathes of air.

Being mindful and present in our own lives is critical.

Take care of yourself and love yourself.

Keep a life-line open to your child-like self.

Don't be afraid to feel all the feels.

Don't be afraid - 

And also…

It's never too late to do anything you want to do.

The illusion of time is just that, an illusion.

It's not too late or too early.

It's now that matters.

I have so many things I want to do.

Then I realized, I still can and will try to.

It's all we can do.

Try everyday.

Be good to yourself.

Okay?

Do joyful things for yourself & collect bits of nonsense if you like to.

It's so much fun!

 

Love, V