Keeping It Simple

After my gargantuan posts yesterday, I'm going to keep things simple today. 7 Things I'm Loving...on this sunny, decidedly un-wintery day. But hey, at least it's Friday!


1. The only thing better than gorgeous flowers...is gorgeous flowers that somehow bring back childhood memories. Apparently smell is one of our most powerful senses for triggering memories, and even the thought of these lovely pansies had me back in my childhood garden, chasing lizards and exploring the "wilderness" with my trusty canine companion.


2. Speaking of the smell of memories, it's pretty impossible to compete with the scent of old books. I'm not sure if this will come as any surprise, but I was something of a bookworm back in my mini-me days. It's been a while since I read any of the classics, so perhaps it's time for a long overdue return to bookworm-dom. Any suggestions?


3. One more memory! This photo took me straight back to childhood holidays on Fraser Island off the coast of Queensland. I spent endless hours at what may still be my most favourite place in the world, playing in the rock pools full of Finding Nemo characters, setting up my mermaid digs in the perfectly Kit-sized indentations of the massive rock wall, and sitting on the highest vantage spot on the point, watching dolphins, whales and sharks swim by...I never realised what a truly miraculous childhood I lead! I haven't been back in well over a decade, but this year I might just change that, and I can't wait. What's your favourite place in the world?


4. Back to the present...I LOVE flying downhill on my little bicycle, there's nothing quite like it. This weekend I'm going to pack up a little picnic, coax Mr. Unreliable onto his bicycle and take us to one of our favourite spots on the harbour...weather permitting!


5. Even though various insects are doing their best to devour every single last one of my plants, I absolutely adore gardening. My tiny potted orange tree is literally packed to the brim full of fruit that will hopefully be ready for the picking soon, and I might even be able to get a glass of orange juice out of the affair! My lemon and lime trees are a little further behind, but I'm not going to complain about fresh fruit year round! Are you the greenthumb type? Do you grow your own food?


6. Yes, I still love white on white interiors, but can you blame me? As sterile as the colour scheme might sound in theory, the range of warm, rustic white on white interiors that are currently doing the blog rounds is proof enough that white is not a dirty word (or a super-sterile bland word either!) I dream of the day I can move into a naturally lit apartment with white floorboards. In fact...my current apartment has the former, but I wonder if my landlord would be terribly adverse to replacing the most boring beige carpet in the world with floorboards...surely not?!


7. Realistically though, I'm not sure I'd ever be disciplined enough to stick to a strictly white-on-white theme, mainly because I love colour so much! Even my attempts to theme areas of my apartment into defined colour schemes seem destined to fail...other colours slowly but surely invade and take over. So although I'll endlessly lust over bright white lofts and rustic white farmhouses, I'll be embracing colour and bringing it into my apartment at every opportunity. Are you a colour junkie or a white fiend...or just an anything goes kinda person?

It's so nice to keep things simple every now and then, especially for manic-over-complicating types like myself (did someone say ADD?!) I think I'm going to carry on the simplicity into my weekend, with a little wine, a lot of pastry (like that's anything new!) and relaxing time with loved ones. What do you have planned?


[Image Credits - 1. via .v, 2. via the nonist, 3. via Lolitas Blog, 4. Olivia Bee via design is mine, 5. via Cannelle et Vanille, 6. via Bliss, 7. via Popkraft]


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16 comments:

Unknown said...

As far as books go, so much depends on where your preferences lie. What do you like to read?

Evy said...

I love your pansies. I have to agree with you that smell is our most powerful tool in bringing back long forgotten memories. I make my grandma's cookie recipe every time I get a chance because their smell brings back such fond memories in such vivid details! It's not just the taste... but the smell, oh my.

Oh, and the books... they definitely make me feel goo, just like you!

Thank you for sharing!

Char said...

smells always trigger very vivid memories for me. I can still smell my mother's perfume and she's been gone for 18 months now.

Holly said...

The Great Gatsby has wonderful style

Muppet Soul said...

1. Those flowers are GORGEOUS.

2. HELL YEAH, man. I could've written that myself.

Ms Unreliable said...

Dominic - I think I need to return to the classics, a bit of Austen and Dickens and all the books I somehow got out of reading during school! :D

Evy - I know exactly what you mean - I have a pumpkin scone recipe of my nanna's that brings back a flood of memories too!

Char - I'm very sorry to hear of your loss dear. I know that when my grandmother passed, I could still smell her perfume for years afterwards and I found it comforting and reassuring. I can still distinctly remember the scent now, almost 10 years later, and it still makes me smile.

Holly - Oooh good plan, I'll definitely put that on the reading list - thank you!

Muppet Soul - Hehe glad you agree, you should check out the nonist link, you can almost smell the books just looking at the photos of gorgeous libraries!

Unknown said...

Wow, those are some pretty impressive pictures! especially those pansies and the books!

I agree, white interiors are beautiful, (in a sunny climate, at least. If I'd live in an icy wintry country, I'd much prefer a warm interior) --> but especially because it's a perfect canvas!

Elle said...

A truly fabulous perspective..the pictures...incredible! for someone without the benefit of inspiring childhood memories...this is a vision of what it could have been. THANK YOU

J said...

Dear Old Book Smell,

You are the best. The musty smell of dusty books in old libraries are absolutely fantastic. Rare book shops are also fantastic. I will find more shops where I can smell you.

Thanks.


Regards,
Everyone
http://regardseveryone.blogpost.com

Tamara said...

Beautiful pictures! Those flowers look so nice. :) And I love the smell of books.

Angela said...

I recently read Pride & Predjudice (for about the 10th time) and loved it just as much as always.

If you're looking for a non-classic novel:
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Angela said...

Those pictures are beautiful ~

Melanie said...

what lovely lovely images!

Fantastic Figments said...

wonderful pictures!!!!!!!!!!

I am a fellow blogger, and an Etsy artist and I would LOVE to do a giveaway on your blog.
I would love to use my Plumes Ami Etsy since it is my new store, but I also have a store where I sell my art (Fantastic Figments)

http://www.plumesami.etsy.com (that is my new store)

http://www.fantasticfigments.etsy.com (that is my art store)

I really do love your blog. Great inspiration!

Smooches,
Steph

Jolie Goodnight said...

Book suggestions:
1. Picture of Dorian Grey
2. The Stranger
3. Madame Bovary
4. The Father Goriot
5. Water for Elephants
6. The Thirteenth Tale
7. Pride and Prejudice
8. Caucasia
9. Jitterbug Perfume
10. Wounded (by Percival Everett)
11. any Jasper Fford novels
let me know if you want any more suggestions. I can't function unless I read something daily!

Nechepurenka said...

Wow, white interiors - awesome!
I do the same interior with my husband now)
It's one of my favourite colour

lena