shiny happy places {one}

A perfectly happy outdoor space. I used a mix of patterns and color in this space I created for the owners, who requested a place for lounging, snuggling, reading, and entertaining. Beachy, Boho or both...depending on the layering of accessories that will be added throughout the year. Turquoise, purple, yellow, indigo, green and pink were all pulled in. The yellow ikat pillow is balanced by the little yellow table - the only 2 places the color shows up in this space. I feel like the bit of sunshine was needed. Don't be afraid to mix color, or patterns...it keeps things interesting and makes it look less like a set. A collected or mismatched look is always better in my world.

*I wish I had the before photo of this patio (I get going, and always forget to capture that part!).

trust in magic.

If I don't write about trust right now, then I would be lying about where I am. In life. In love. In it all. It's all I've got right now, it's the thread that I'm holding onto because if I don't, I'm not sure what will happen....There's that tiny space where you actually have to choose between love and fear. It's a sliver of a space, because at any moment you can slip one way or the other with just a thought. My word for 2012 is Magic, and while it's been a very magic filled year in many ways, it makes me wonder if Trust may have truly been my word of the year. It has been permeating every area of my life. It's helped me to dig deep...to ask the big questions like ~ what can I trust? And there. With that question I catch my breath, it holds so much wisdom. Do you know that my answer could never be  n o t h i n g. Because while I am fearful at times, needing work & money to pay the bills...Can I actually say that I trust Nothing? I can't. Because if I trust nothing, then I am not seeing a clear picture of what's happened in my life to this point.

I trust the love of my man, my dog, my close friends, my Mom, my Grandma. I trust that I have always been taken care of in one way or another, even if it wasn't always my version of perfect. I trust the beauty & power of the Ocean, and of the Moon. I trust my intuition, and in my passion to grow that gift. I trust that tonight I have a roof over my head. I trust that today I have running water. I trust in my ability to create ~ art, sacred spaces, food, writing, a beautiful life. I trust that in this moment I am ok. I trust that it's alright for me to be learning to let others handle their own feelings, worries, stresses. I trust that I can communicate with guides, and unseen friends who are here to help guide me, if I let them. I trust that today I have electricity which allows me to sit here and tap away on my laptop. I trust that I have leftovers in the fridge to eat for dinner tonight. I trust that I can have a conversation with my partner about our fears, and that we can be honest that some of those fears are more closely tied to story, than reality.  :::::  I could go on, because there is so much more.... Do you see the gift of that one little question?

It's here in this sliver  of space that I choose to TRUST (over and over and over) what I have, what I know & don't know, and where I'm going. At the end of this post, I'm so deeply feeling the connection of the two words. And I think know you just witnessed me being lead to this place - You can trust in magic. Now all I need to do is remember to get out of the way.

The ride, the journey, the tide.