SundayClothes

empty & alone

2010-09-12T02:46:00.004-05:00

awake in the stillness of the night doing battle with my mind. an ocean of why swirls around my throat and yanks through my hair, i'm drowning with unanswered questions. i reach out for help & i am alone. no one can help me out of this lonely battle with the angry waves. i long for a wave to overcome me and take me out of the struggle, but i know it will not come. i must bob in this sea of anguish until i find the shore, i fear i never will.

image: undertow tony middleton

how to say goodbye

2010-09-09T17:18:00.006-05:00

there is no more energy in my body. my spirit is drained. I dread the night. why must goodbye exist? my heart is weeping and heavy with grief. i've only cried a little today, but that is only because i'm too tired and all out of tears. my little Rosie is gone. my hopes and dreams have evaporated into the air. now i sit here empty and alone. everything is backwards right now. my whole being resists the day and can not seem to move forward. tell me it was all just a nightmare, tell me i'll wake up and find the sunshine again. tell me it isn't reality. i can not move, and memories are the constant enemy. how does healing find me? only at the very end? when we are together again? this part of my heart will always be empty, something will always be missing. goodbye my Elizabeth Rose

images: L Gordon

Morning Light

2010-07-30T08:09:00.004-05:00

"The morning light is the reward for thoes who will arise to greet it"- Virginia Ann

Sunday Morning

2010-07-25T20:52:00.012-05:00

What does Sunday Morning mean to you? Every week I have these ideals, a picture painted of the happy family going to church, Norman Rockwell, The Donna Reed Show. Something about the routine, the ritual, the comfort in knowing that on Sunday morning we get up and go to church. Maybe mother will make pancakes while the children play, maybe father will read the paper....

This rarely happens, but it is always in my heart. Even if I wake up late or get frustrated with outfits, this feeling still lingers. This morning was no exception, the little boy woke us up early, yelling "NO!" from his bed. It's his new favourite word. I reluctantly peel the covers back and begin the morning routine. As I pour my coffee I long for something more. Something more that just isn't routine. A place of in my heart that has a deep longing for renewal, like the fresh rain, washing the sins of the week away. Not that I have to go to church to get "washed clean" sometimes like this morning, I don't make it at all. Instead of feeling bad that my morning didn't go as planned I still reached for something. A deep yearning in my heart to connect to something more than myself, something bigger than this life. I reached out to Jesus. Only He could mend the broken imaginings of my Sunday morning. Only He could allow me to rest in His peace. (literally i had to take a nap) He does in deed make all things new! This is what Sunday morning means to me today.

Even though I didn't have the perfect outfit, or get to go to church, I did get to make the pancakes. I've been experiencing with sneaking in some healthy purees into my foods. Little boy went through a phase recently of not eating, so I've investigated some new ways to get the fruits and veggies down. I was inspired this morning to make these yummy healthy pancakes & icing! No sugar, no eggs, no oil, very little flour.

1/2 c oat flour (basic oatmeal thrown in my food processor)

1 1/4 c pancake mix

1/2 c homemade fruit sauce (apples, honeydew melon, strawberries, peaches all blended)

1/2 c whole yogurt

enough milk to mix up a nice smooth batter

Cook as normal pancakes.

Cream Cheese Icing

8oz softened cream cheese

3 or 4 T honey

1/4 c fruity sauce

Combine & drizzle over pancakes, serve with fresh fruit
(can't get just the right drizzle with a knife? pour icing into a Ziploc bag & snip on corner at the bottom and use it as a pastry bag... voila!)

At Last..or (our new old home)

2010-07-22T08:01:00.018-05:00

Finally!! I got my passwords! Yesterday I had inspirations coming out of my yin yang, but for the life of me couldn't find my passwords. You know the really important ones that you put in that super safe place! (and then can never find?) Anyway, I'm here now, and it feels good. An open net to catch all my thoughts, ideas, and creative inspirations.

We moved into our new (old) home just over a month ago, and besides not being able to find those important papers, we feel just about moved in. Some fresh paint inside and out and a few bells and whistles here and there has made it feel like a new house. You see we lived here before, almost 3 yrs ago, when we first moved to the Midwest. After a few years we decided to make it a rental property and we bought another house as a flip project. (I hadn't counted on falling in love with it.) In May we sold the house we were living in, and in order to reduce debt and start reaching our long term goals, we moved back into our old house. The transition was hard, moving from my dream kitchen, having our first child born there, I didn't realize how much it felt like home, until I had to leave it. My heart still has its days of grief, but I am daily counting my blessings with a healthy family, and an almost debt free life. There is a lot of freedom in doing the right thing.

I have enjoyed being able to live here a second time, it's a new start, our lives are so different now, there is something fresh about having another opportunity to make this space a home again. I know myself and my style so much better now, and I am confidant in what I like and with that there is tremendous freedom.

The main difference is that our rooms are not so empty now! We have a bouncing boy to make our lives even more eventful! Leave it to a 18month old to become a jedi master on the stairwell in only a matter of hours! The child has no fear, but that's another story for another day. Today is the day for a sneak peak at the new project.
I just love a summer bed, flowing with white and ivory linens, piled high with pillows and a fluffy mattress topper! I searched high and low for the perfect warm-ish grey/blue color for our bedroom, too blue and the room would feel cold, tooo green and I would get ill. I settled on a silver/grey, blue/green, called Silver Sage from Restoration Hardware. (and i love, love, love it) We get a lot of western afternoon light, but the color keeps the room from feeling too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. I just changed the sheets and linens today and I look forward to slipping under the crisp, fragrant, fresh sheets tonight after a relaxing bath. My favourite way to end the day.

For most of the house I choose a Sherwin Williams color called Summer White (isn't that a delicious name!) I swear that 50% of the color picking process is swayed by a good name! Again, it warms the house up, without weighing it down. Normally it would be too much of a boring neutral for my taste, but it has become my blank canvas in which to splash color against with all kinds of accents.

I am trying to stick to the same coastal palette, of greys, ivories, blues, and white through out the house, to give it a feel of continuity, but I had to sneak some red into the kitchen. I swear this kitchen just asks for it by name. I was planning on not doing any red this go around (last time California Poppies also by Sherwin Williams attacked the dinning room walls with out asking) but a sprinkle here and there never hurt anyone. My mother-in-law gave us this great 1940's enamel table with matching vinyl chairs, and I had to use it. Too perfect in our breakfast nook. Both the sides pop out, which is perfect for scootching up a little boy during the day and tucking it away at night. Ah... order, beauty, fresh, and new, our new (old) house.

Thank you for joining me on my little house tour! I hope you'll come back for more of my adventures and little stories!

-Beth

Ooohhhh La La

2009-11-05T10:30:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I had a free moment to watch The Martha Stewart show, and she was featuring Shabd Simon-Alexander, a tie die artist from Brooklyn. I loved watching her create these fantastic tights on the show, it is a truly creative process. She is inspired by the Hubble Telescope images of star nebula and I think she captures the essence of it perfectly.

http://shop.shabdismyname.com/shop.htm

Avindy & Grandmother's Buttons

2009-10-26T09:38:00.006-05:00

A few of my jewelry day dreams. I've been dreaming of adding to my collection for some time now, and I really crave timeless pieces that represent me & would be future heirlooms. Here are two of my favourtie designers right now, Avindy & Grandmother's Buttons. Perfect for a little something wrapped up with a bow under the Christmas tree from the One I Love! I became a fan of Avindy this May when my husband and I traveled to New York for my belated Christmas Present. He bought me this ring for my gift, and now I've found so much more of their work I love.

Grandmother's Buttons

A beautiful coral set. the perfect pop of color for any outfit.

Local-Link

2009-10-21T09:25:00.006-05:00

Each week I'll feature a new local store, artist, blogger, or restaurant I love.

This week it is Curious Sofa the fabulous store of Debby Dusenberry. I am in a state of constant inspiration whenever I am there, as a shopper and an employee. I had the privilege of working there last year until I had my baby, and now I couldn't be more thrilled to go back. Debby works so hard at flipping the store with her fabulous finds, there isn't another store of it's kind in the area. She has made quite the name for herself with her unusual finds and unique displays. Here are some of my favorites.

Debby has an amazing eye for mixing old & new. The Sofa carries everything from antique beds to European bath soaps, to sofas, of course.

Here is the new Harmony Sofa, with it's three cushion, washable slipcover, down and feather fill and at 36H x 87w x 38d it is the perfect fit for a growing family.

Her ever growing collection of Ironstone dishes, shown off in an distressed driftwood buffet, would make the perfect antique touch to Thanksgiving dinner. Webbed chandeliers add a spooky feel to the amazing traditional Halloween show. All the locals wait for it each October, to stock up on unusual supplies for a classy, creepy look. Hope you have the time to stop by her website and see all that Curious Sofa has to offer. Enjoy!

(all photos Debby Dusenberry)

Welcome

2009-10-21T07:12:00.000-05:00

Hello! Welcome to SundayClothes. I've finally found some time in between, chasing a crawling baby, teaching ballet, and rearranging my living room to put some thoughts out there of what I find beautiful. I created SundayClothes as a place to lift the spirits with inspiration and new ideas. I am constantly searching for beautiful things to fill my heart, mind, and home, and I wanted to share. I hope you stop by and your spirits are lifted, because

"There's no blue Monday, in your SundayClothes"