W H I T E
In the past few years I have been on a journey to discover what catches my attention and inspires me. And then having the goal of inviting more of that into my life or doing more of it. It seems, of all the beautiful things, it's crisp whites that I love most. It's my favorite color.
I like wearing white.
I like seeing it in home decor, art and architecture.
But inviting this color into my life has not been easy. A few years back I already wrote about this trouble. (Article linked here.) It's been years and I'm not seeing much progress. 🤷♀️
When I create something or take photos, my creations often lack the crisp white aesthetic that inspires me in the work of others.
Then why is it that I can't I create with the aesthetic I enjoy?
Why are my creations always so much busier, brown or green?
-When I think about what I like to wear on my body, I envision dressing myself in a lot of quality white clothing. A bohemian princess. I like how white looks on me, how it looks with my skin tone and hair and how it overall makes me look healthier. But the reality is that I own just a few nice white things and when I look to make a new purchase (thrifting or buying new), finding quality white garments out of natural fibers is difficult.
When shopping, it's easier for me to just grab the standard colors that I don't mind wearing: dark navy blue, black, wine red and olive green. They are also easier to keep clean and to care for.
At the same time, isn't life too short not to wear what you like. 🙃
How do I change that? I'm not sure.
-When it comes to my home, I'm managing in the creative confines of rental apartments. There is only so much I can do to the look and feel of a place. What I can control are my own things. I can curate my belongings. And if I like more white, I will have to practice restraint when purchasing new items that come into our home.
That being said, I'm also not living on my own, so I will have to make decisions regarding our belongings together with my husband.
I'm contemplating if I should actively work on bringing more light, white things into my life. I have no intention of rushing things, but if I make changes then I like to procure items that are as much for practical use as they are for visual pleasure. Maybe once a month I could create something white, paint something white, or look to purchase something white. Maybe this way I could push for a little bit of progress and invite more white into my life. 😃
Links to things that inspire my love of white:
˃˃˃ DEARLY BETHANY: youtube + instagram
˃˃˃ STUDIO MCGEE: website + instagram
˃˃˃ FARMHOUSE ON BOONE: website + instagram
N A T U R A L + P L A S T I C F R E E
Some of you may know that I'm passionate about simple, slow and sustainable living. In the past few years I slowly implemented lifestyle changes with those goals in mind. I started the zero waste community SLC Zero Waste, I researched and read a lot of books about sustainable living. Books and research papers provide a depth of information that cheerful videos and blogposts rarely can. I feel strongly, that avid reading about sustainability is important to develop an educated view of the topic instead of repeating someone else's findings. Finding ones own understanding of sustainability will make it easier to implement certain aspects into daily habits.
I'd like to share some of the special books that I read this year.
My first recommendation is Deborah Eden Tull's book The Natural Kitchen. This little book was lend to me be someone at work that I don't know very well. I remember Kira handing it to me and saying, "You strike me as someone who would really enjoy reading it." She was right. The book eloquently presented ways to go about sustainability issues that were new to me and it reaffirmed thoughts that I was never able to articulate that well in a conversation! It's a really gentle guide to sustainability, teaching that everything is connected and that mindfulness is important to achieve long-term sustainability, rather than convenience and short-sightedness.
Another summer book on my summer reading list was Renée Loux's Easy Green Living. Even as a conscientious consumer, obsessive zero waster, and environmental advocate, it was not until reading this book that I realized how much more plastic is is hiding in plain sight in so many areas of my life. It's quite shocking to realize this and then begin to understand what consequences it can have for my health and the well being of the planet.
As an asthmatic VOC's from plastic materials should have been on my radar to improve indoor air quality, but I did not understand the scope of the problem before reading this book. Now, I'm looking to make changes in a slow and responsible manner: phasing out plastics when old things break or become obsolete and for new purchases I like to avoid plastics whenever possible and opt for natural materials instead.
Shortlist of my 2018 book recommendations:
˃˃˃ THE NATURAL KITCHEN by Deborah Eden Tull
˃˃˃ EASY GREEN LIVING by Renée Loux
˃˃˃ LIFE WITHOUT PLASTIC by Ja Sinha and Chantal Plamondon
˃˃˃ SOULFUL SIMPLICITY by Courtney Carver
L O N G E V I T Y + C U R A T I O N
This next idea is about slow living. I've been thinking how it would be like to curate my belongings to be all special, beautiful and loved. Sentimental items, as opposed to generic, inexpensive basics that are to an extend also disposable. Already, I like to keep my belongings pretty minimal. I'm happier this way. I'm less irritated and much more contented in a space that's simple and practical.
Over the last couple of years, my husband and I edited down our possessions so that all of them could fit into the bed of our pickup truck. We are at a point where we're pleased with what we have and were we aren't actively looking to declutter more. Sure, some things are in a 'this is perfect for now stage', but mostly we are happy with the things we have and we're contented with our setup. With many of our things I see that we would hold on to them for longterm.
In minimalism it's easy to talk about purging, decluttering and downsizing and your income really determines what items can become disposables. I like to live simply and sustainably and the choices I make with my belongings need to reflect that. Is this a disposable and should it be, I might need to be a question to consider with each purchase or when adding something to my life. I already know that many of my belongings aren't disposable, but there are also lots of things that aren't here to stay with me.
It does not bring me joy when I think about all the times I decluttered my jewelry box and knowing how very few items are truly special to me. The same goes for how frequently I donate pieces from my closet, while knowing that only a handful of pieces are always in rotation. I'm at a point where I'm no longer wish to buy a temporary solution that will most likely get decluttered at some later time. I'm looking for something special.
An example for a special curation piece is the gold coin necklace I received as a birthday gift from my husband this year. It's a special everyday necklace that I can enjoy and keep for a lifetime.
Now how do I want to go about this. First off, for me getting more in tune with slow living means putting the breaks on making purchases. This sounds easy enough, but it goes against how our society functions, how women make a home etc and, frankly, it just takes a lot of discipline to break away from consumer habits. Over the last few years I've become better at making mindful and practical purchases. With the concept of slow living in mind, acquiring things for true longevity means that I have to let go of achieving 'perfection' or finishing something in a certain time frame.
How long does it take to create a simple life?
Not long, just get a dumpster and throw away all your clutter. 😦
How long does it take to implement zero waste practices at home?
Not long, just get a dumpster and throw out all your single use,
plastic and unsustainable belongings and then
spend a fortune to purchase sustainable replacements. 😱
All done in no time and the results are totally
instagram-able. 😱😱😱
I'm being facetious with these answers, but these sarcastic remarks hint at some big problems that come with implementing a new lifestyle. A mess of waste is created and lots of new purchases are encouraged. Wasn't it consumerism that created the mess in the first place? The mess we want to change when we implement a more simple and sustainable lifestyle? How does the answer to a problem always say to buy, buy, buy? There is a bit of broken logic here that I just can't quite explain.
I'm not saying that I'm against new purchases. But I'm suggesting that going slowly and phasing things out as they break might be a more responsible way of dealing with our belongings and that time will provide the space to make informed decisions. In weeks, months or years, it's possible to find the time it takes to be intentional with each purchase.
I'm still learning to slow down. It's difficult to be still and contend and to take things slow. On the plus side, I've discovered that the lack of incoming goods compels me to get creative with the things I own. And that's been quite exciting.
Instead of adding to my life, finding creative ways in which I switch things up, fix it, make it pretty or exciting again is just as rewarding. In my college dance classes I learned to look at art to inspire my own creativity. For example, looking at the colors of a breathtaking piece of art to find a color scheme for a project that's completely different. This technique has been very helpful for me to create a life in with things that are beautiful and special. I look at art, architecture and fashion for color schemes or visions. I look to certain brands for inspiration, not because I like to purchase a lot of their goods but to get ideas.
This fall I have been looking for styling inspiration to Sézane, and I'm getting inspired to dress more feminine, try monochrome looks or wearing a cardigan as a sweater or wearing that cardigan backwards. 😜
This all really freshens things up for me. The pieces in my wardrobe are the same, but the way I'm wearing them is different.
Links to brands whose aesthetic I enjoy:
˃˃˃ SÉZANE: website + instagram
˃˃˃ PAMELA CARD: website + instagram
Interesting article about materialism:
https://www.raptitude.com/2017/01/not-materialistic-enough/
M U S I C
I like classical music and I love the the rise and big sound of a full orchestra, but I don't always like bluegrass. I have been enjoying GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV's music. Maybe it's this specific singers unique voice or the poetry of his lyrics that sucked me into the sound of these songs.
Also, I'm not usually forthcoming if someone asked me which music I like or if they could put on some songs I enjoy. Usually, I don't feel comfortable playing playing the songs I enjoy for a crowd. I know it annoys people that ask what music (or if I like any music at all) and it frustrates my husband. I definitely go through through phases of listening to music and enjoying silence, getting sick of songs or artists, discovering new music or rediscovering old favorites.
Also, as a teenager and in my early twenties, I had a lot of fun listening to HANSON. In the past few years I've put their music on pause. It didn't struck a cord anymore. Recently though, I have been getting excited about their upcoming record. Maybe it's because it's recorded with a symphony orchestra.
The following player has a little playlist:
A D V E N T U R I N G
I'm happiest when I'm feeling well and when I'm actively learning and exploring. I get excited about traveling or even going on mini day or weekend adventures in the area where I live. I love a national and state parks and have been to quite a few of them in the past few years. I like exploring new cities too but for me, nature is where it's at.
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↟ HORSESHOE BEND, Utah
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And you really never know about all the cool places until you go out and explore. I don't get to adventure as much as I like. I'm not the bravest or healthiest, but mostly I simply don't have the funds for grand adventures. To travel more and further away from where I currently live seems largely irresponsibly in this season in my life. Having fun on credit doesn't sound fun.
To make small adventures happen, I'm seriously considering adding the 52 Hike Challenge to my new years resolutions for the coming year.
At the moment I enjoy travel Youtube channels that explore nature all over the US. These videos might show some places I've visited, but most of the time, I get to learn about different parts of the country and what adventures are to be had there.
Links to adventurer's I like to follow:
˃˃˃ KEEP YOUR DAYDREAM: YouTube
˃˃˃ LESS JUNK, MORE JOURNEY: YouTube
♡ Nina
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