This site is about my life in the art studio. It includes drawings, paintings, knitting and cross stitch and fun art techniques. I will also include recipes and yoga and book reviews. This is a lifestyle blog with intentional and simple living ideas.
Plants. I love a home full of plants. Indoor plants provides a natural look to the decorating but plants are a benefit to our health and home
Benefits of Plants
Air purification, indoor plants can absorb carbon dioxide and they help release oxygen
Plants release moisture into the air.
Plants improve your mood
Reduce fatigue, improves stress and anxiety.
improve focus
minimizes headaches.
helps with dry skin
Photography of My Plants
From left to right: cactus, green onions, Christmas cactus
Palm tree- it’s 11 years old
Snake plant
From left to right: ivy, peppermint
Christmas cactus
Both of these are cactuses
Poinsettia tree- I took the plant a few years ago and replanted it in a larger pot. I heard it can be grown indoors. It needs to be in a dark place to get the red leaves, but around Christmas I get a few red leaves even near this window.
From left to right: mini rose, and some kind of cactus (I think)
Cactus
Mini rose plant
Some kind of tree plant.
Those are my plants, they are in my living room, dinning room, and the bedrooms.
I love bringing nature into my home. It’s fun watching them grow and bloom.
If I move, I really would love to have a sunroom to put my plants in.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
This post was to be about clouds. But I wanted to capture the snow. The mideastern states has a snowstorm. All precipitation was present…rain, warmer temperatures, ice wintery mix and snow.
Photography
It’s very important to dress warm outside. I have tons of scarves and hats and gloves. I need to buy a new winter coat and boots for next year. The links below is what I am considering.
I have been on a mission to organize, declutter and rearrange every room in my home.
For some reason, there are not many photos of my studio before I started to reorganize. And when I get in the mood, I forget to take pictures.
Changes to my Art studio
The table is now a tilting table. I contemplated about purchasing it, but thought it would be helpful to tilt a table when I am drawing or painting. It is still in front of the window.
The small 8″x8″ paintings are no longer being sold on etsy. I found etsy impossible to keep up with. I felt it was more discouraging for me to work on it. It was too much stress of working a full time job and trying to establish a small business on etsy. I also felt the paintings I created were not being viewed even though I endlessly worked on the SEO to market my show. At the end of this decision, I realized I just don’t like to create art for a fast paced world and rather take time to cross stitch and knit and every so often paint and draw.
Another part of the studio that changed is where I keep my supplies. I decided that the shelves were cluttering my creative space. The closet was not being used effectively. I moved the shelves in the closet and now it is arranged in a neat, organized area.
The craft cart below has been helpful to organize all of my paint. It is nice it can be wheeled to the easel and the table. And kept out of the way when I am doing yoga. Below there is a link to a cart that is similar to this one on Amazon.
Now the chair, that will not be tossed out. Yes my cat has attacked it, scratched it and has claimed it for himself. I placed a chair cover over it in this bright orange fabric. I also placed other blankets on it to raise the seat for me to be at the table.
But who tends to be using the table? My cat. That’s ok, as long as my plants are not bothered. (I think he knows better) maybe.
Nothing else has changed. I still use this room for yoga. I want to work on art. But I am feeling trapped in my thinking and the creative side of me is just tired.
As an artist who went to art school, but never liked the business side to it. I am at a place in my life (midlife crisis perhaps) that I want to sew and learn how to make purses and aprons and quilts. I like the feel of the threads and needles in my hands.
Will I return to Etsy? No idea. Will I sell art? No idea. Do I still want to write a book about how to make art for an art therapy journal? Yes. Am I working on it? Not lately. Do I still dream of selling my art full time? Yes. But do I want to focus on it? No. Would I rather spend more time on art therapy and working as a counselor? yes, it pays well. Also I like blogging. Do I have ambition to finish my list of projects that I wrote at the beginning of the year? yes. I want to work on my knitting blanket so badly!!!
What is 4paws up to anyway?
I have been focusing on decluttering, reorganizing and making life more simple. Also been working on learning more about eating gluten free and dairy free. I have been documenting my trials and errors of trying new recipes, making gluten free bread and cooking on a budget.
When I am not seeing clients, I am usually doing yoga or knitting. On the weekends, cross stitch comes out, because I can spend more time stitching without being interrupted.
There are books I want to read, but I am just not a reader. I prefer movies and stories than to read. Because movies allow me to stitch and listen together.
What has this past year taught me?
To never get myself involved in any organization or group that will be time consuming.
To think things over and it’s ok to say to someone I need more time to decide.
To live more in the moment
To declutter to know what I have!
Don’t stress about money. I will be ok.
Live your dream life where you are at, don’t wait to live it in the future.
It’s more than ok to say NO.
Wear more dresses and skirts-after all you are more comfortable in them.
Put more music on-still working on it.
It’s ok, to stitch instead of painting. It’s what I prefer
Think for a few weeks before I make that purchase. I will survive.
Go ahead and buy that sewing machine when you are ready to make a quilt.
And it’s ok to change your mind and stitch the quilt by hand like your great aunt and grandmother did.
Happy Day
Caroline
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
This is a gluten free and dairy free recipe. Both the soup and salad is simple and quick to make. Add a mint water to the meal for a refreshing drink.
Bean Sprout Soup.
Ingredients
I can of soybean sprouts
1 carton of Bone Broth
1 Tbsp green onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp fine sea salt (or more to taste)
Rinse the bean sprouts from the can. If using fresh bean sprouts, also rinse. Leave the ends, as that is where most of the nutrients will be. Boil the bone broth. Add the bean sprouts and boil for 3-4 minutes. Add the green onion, garlic and sea salt and boil for 1 minute.
Green onions can be grown indoors. Place the roots in a glass jar with some water to cover the roots. Put by a window. I use a grow light since I have a lack of sunlight.
Apple Cranberry Raisin Salad with Broccoli Florets
Ingredients
broccoli florets-cooks till tender
cranberries
raisins
sunflower seeds
lettuce
one apple-diced, if making a small portion, option to use half of the apple.
lemon basil dressing from Paul Newman
Boil the broccoli florets until it is tender, drain and let cool. Use a large size bowl for the salad to toss everything together. Add together all the ingredients along with the dressing.
This salad has a sweet taste because of the raisins.
Mint Water
A mint plant can be grown inside. Place it near a window for the sunlight. In the summer, you can put it outside for more sun. I use a grow light on my plants since my home faces the north and has tons of shade from the tall trees that sit behind my townhouse.
Fill up your glass with water and ice, then add two or three mint leaves to the water.
The other option is to add lemon or cucumber to the water for a detox water.
This is a great refreshing and energizing drink.
For Your Shopping Wishes
Here is the link for the grow light for indoor plants.
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