spring mantle + DIY decor

It's been entirely too long since I shared something pretty from our home. But over the long weekend, I did some cleaning and rearranging, which led to a different mantle display just in time for  the end of the season ((shrug)). I know there isn't a rule that tells me I need to change it up monthly or even every season, but there is a part of me that really enjoys the process of making our home pretty. It doesn't need to be fancy or perfect, I just enjoy having our home comfortable and inviting.

Previously, I shared my love for turning glass bottles into home decor, and this project was no different. I was inspired by the cover of the June Better Homes and Gardens to create a twine covered bottle. The project only took me about 20 minutes once I had all my supplies together, including the cleaned and dried the glass bottle. And my favorite part: no need to remove the label on the bottle if you wrap the twine tight enough! Over the weekend, I shared an image of my project via Instagram.

You'll need: used glass bottle, twine, scissors, craft glue

1. Starting at the bottom, wrap the twine around the glass bottle. Use a small amount of glue to secure the twine to itself. As you continue to wrap the bottle in twine you can cover any overlapping twine so it won't show.
2. Be patient as you wrap the twine and try not to let it twist too much so it lays flat against the bottle. I ended up pushing the twine rows together to keep them tight.
3. Once you have the twine up as far as you want it, finish the top by gently tucking the loose end with a dab on glue on it under the wound twine. I recommend using craft glue rather than a glue gun so it's less stringy and can be readjusted as needed.

What's been your inspiration for home decor lately?

mom style {1983}

Last week, Erika and Heather announced their plans for a photo linkup paying tributes to mother's and their style from the 1970s and 80s. I was so excited to find an old photo showing my mom's style. She always looked pulled together, yet fashionable for the times. As I was looking through photos over the weekend, I noticed a bit of a trend: ruffles. She wore a lot of them in the early eighties or so it seemed based on the number of photos showing them. Here are just two examples of mom rockin the ruffles:

I was also quite surprised ((though not really)) that I couldn't find photos of my mom by herself from that time. As a mom, she is always in a photo with me or my brother once he came along. It's pretty classic because she loved being a mom and there was no reason for her to be in front of a camera unless she was showing off one of her kiddos. She was all about being a mom.

If you couldn't guess from the photos above, we lived in Colorado during the time they were taken. My dad was in the Air Force and when we were new to the area, she loved to drive around and explore the city. She was really great about making anything we did into an adventure so I'd be excited about it. My brother didn't come along until I was five years old, so I have some really precious memories of just me and my mom. One of our favorite things to do, was to pack a picnic lunch and head to one of the overlook areas to watch the cadets parachute from a plane, which I called "shutes!" If we were lucky, my dad would join us on his lunch break.

If you're new around here, you may want to read more about the memories of my incredible mom here and here.

road trip {what do I need to know?}

My husband and I are planning a summer road trip and I need your help! We are driving from Massachusetts to Colorado ((that's more than 1900 miles)). We'll drive through eight states and it's been almost seven years since I've driven cross country like that. Here's where you come in. I'm asking you to leave a comment telling me one of the following ((or both)).

1. Tell me your favorite place in one or more of the following states: Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas
2. What is your favorite thing to do on a road trip ((do you stop at breweries? pick up magnets from every state?))
3. Tell me what's on your must pack list ((essential music or road trip games))

giving up on good {2}

We're giving up on meat. It's not just this week because we've been doing it for a while. My husband and I have been eating less meat for more than a month now. It started out as a financial reason. We need to trim our budget. Then we watched Forks Over Knives which made us consider how we may want to make the lifestyle change in an effort to improve our health long-term. My husband has Type 1 diabetes, but was diagnosed as an adult. We are hopeful this kind of lifestyle change could possibly allow him to go off insulin and control it through his diet. 

{fresh lettuce from our garden}

But you see, we love meat. I love steak, chicken, pork, fish and lamb. When we first started talking about eliminating meat ((and other animal bi-products)), I got kinda scared and sad. I questioned how I could get by without eating cheese. I love cheese! But we decided to do it in moderation. We're eating lentils and fresh vegetables and way fewer carbs ((goodbye pasta and bread, hello quinoa and brown rice)). After several weeks of this, I must admit that I'm feeling pretty good from eating so many more veggies and less dairy. 

{kale + potato soup}

So you're probably wondering what an average week looks like as far as dinners go. Do we eat tofu every night? No way, but maybe once a week. Here's an example of a week's worth of dinners:

• Sunday: fish tacos (made with sockeye salmon)
• Monday: black bean, roasted corn and avocado quinoa salad (makes leftovers perfect for lunch)
• Tuesday: tofu and peppers in masala sauce over brown rice
• Wednesday: warm kale and potato salad
• Thursday: baked cod, salad and grilled veggies
• Friday: vegetarian saag over brown rice
• Saturday: black bean burgers with homemade sweet potato fries (baked)

{smoothie example}

We're learning to use seasoning and cooking techniques to add flavor. Even though meat tastes great, I think Americans consume far too much of it. By cutting back on the amount we buy, we are able to spend more money on nutrient-rich veggies and fruits. I also love making smoothies and if you follow me on Instagram you've probably noticed I love to share my latest concoction there. It's been challenging at times, but I think the benefits will outweigh those in the end.

Have you made any lifestyle changes recently?

{I'm linking with Jessi and Hayley}

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Affordable rate information can be found here.

What I love Wednesday {to go}

As summer gets closer, I can't help but daydream of traveling. We're currently planning a road trip for next month, so I think it's on my brain more than usual. Last night, I was perusing Etsy for some fun travel related items and put together this collage.

{1} I have always wanted to record a roadtrip adventure in more than just photos, so this vacation journal, travel journal seems perfect. It includes prompts for writing down your adventures in creative ways. Have you ever kept a travel journal?

{2} I've had a thing for stamps since I was a kid. This little bon voyage heart suitcase hand carved rubber stamp would be perfect to go with the journal, plus I'd find ways to use it on any letters I mail throughout the summer. I always end up sending more mail in the summer, as friends are away at camps or maybe I just find  make more time to send snail mail.

{3} With my hair getting long and having bangs, I've been using scarves more to keep my hair out of my face ((especially with the humidity kicking in)) and I love the colorful chiffon headwrap. It can be worn 7 ways, which certainly makes it a great travel companion!

{4} Cute hair ties that double as a bracelet are popping up everywhere! The mid century package 5 elastic solid hair ties caught my eye and would ensure I'm never without a hairtie while traveling. I always seem to misplace them when I'm traveling, do you?

What are your favorite travel companions?

soul(s) detox together

Over the weekend, I started seeing a certain hashtag come up in my Twitter feed, then I noticed it on Instagram. It was #SheReadsTruth and after reading some tweets I realized it was a Bible study of sorts. Thanks to Hayley, I learned it started out of YouVersion's Soul Detox reading plan. The idea is to do the 35 day Bible study and share what you're learning through social media ((primarily Twitter and Instagram)) and it was started by Maggie and Kacia last week.

I loved the idea when I learned about it from Hayley's post and as I dug into the Word to see what it was all about, I loved it even more. The content is beautiful with the idea of a soul detox. Why not? We talk about doing a cleanse of our body and eating healthy. This is health food for the soul. It's short and simple enough to get the devotional done daily. So far, the devotionals are one or two passages of Scripture then followed by one or two questions. And from the sound of so many women sharing, it's just what we've been aching for.

It got me thinking about why I am so encouraged by this movement. I think it comes down to two things: community and commitment.

One of the biggest benefits of the blog world for me is the sense of community I feel from networking with so many women from all walks of life and most of whom I have never even met. Yet, I feel a strong sense of connectedness to these people whose blogs I read daily. In several cases, I can tell you their children and/or spouse's names, what they ate for dinner last night and what they are likely to be doing at 9am ((some of this I learn through their blog, but also from following them on Twitter and Instagram)).

And when it comes to commitment, I admit I'm terrible about finishing things like books or devotionals/Bible reading plans. I have great intentions and get excited to start something new. But it often quickly wanes and other things fill my time.

So, by combining a community I feel connected to and invested in, with a somewhat public commitment I am hopeful I can finish this 35 day devotional study. I am excited to be encouraged by other participating and sharing their insights. I am anxious to see what I will learn and how it will increase my faith. I can't wait to see what's next.

Want to join in? Today is Day 6 ((I caught up quickly on all 5 days yesterday)).
1- download the YouVersion app ((available for iPhone and Android))
2- search for Soul Detox reading plan
3- start at the beginning or jump in with us
4- Tweet or Instagram what you're learning and don't forget to add #SheReadsTruth

confessions

Have you seen the Things I'm Afraid to Tell You series? Naturally, it got me thinking about what I would write about. I'm always grateful for a chance to reflect on this blog and the things I share here. Lately, I've been reflecting a lot and it makes me want to write more and less ((weird, but true)). So, here I am telling you some things I'm afraid to share.

I don't exercise regularly. This is a terrible habit and I know it. Years ago, I used to run 3-5 times per week and I even completed a half-marathon. But I've struggled to get back into the grove of running. For the past few weeks with the weather being decent, I've been taking longer walks with the dog and I hope to keep this up. We've also made some recent change sin our eating habits, which I'm thankful for. I really do hope to get back to running over the summer. I miss it.

I lost interest in Pinterest. How dare I admit that I don't even go on Pinterest once a week anymore? My purpose for using it is no longer to find information, but to store or bookmark it for future reference. I pin interesting DIYs or blog tips with some degree of regularity, but I don't pin other's pins within the site as I once did.

I don't own a DSLR. If you've been around here long, this probably isn't a shock since my photos are far from amazing. But I think the bigger shock may be that I don't have any interest in photography. I mean, I appreciate good photographs and know their importance in the blogging world, but I just don't have the interest in taking up another hobby.

{source}

I would rather watch TV than read a book. I haven't kept it a secret that I don't love reading, but sometimes I'm afraid to admit it to my colleagues in the world of higher education, along with my blog friends. Everyone seems to be a reader and I'm just not. I will say,  I read a lot more since I've become a blogger because of reading others' blogs. And let's not dwell on the fact that I haven't finished Mockingjay...I sped through the first two and somehow lost momentum.

I have a fear of basements. I think it's from an episode of Rescue 911 ((did you ever watch that show as a kid?)) Every time I have to go to the basement, my heart beats a bit faster and I hurry every step of the way.

How about you? What are you afraid to let the blog world know?