Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul. Proverbs 27:9 MSG
We had a picnic with four of our friends yesterday. It was lovely. It wasn’t even a traditional picnic in a field or park, but rather a picnic out of the back door and in a tiny patch of yard behind the one couple’s house. We had so much food; meats, cheeses, bread, crackers, fruit and pickles, all spread out across the outdoor table. We had so much food infact that we spread blankets on the ground and sat on them to eat because the food took up the whole table! The early June weather was a balmy and the sky so blue it could have been plucked from a post card. We were in no hurry. We ate, we talked, we laughed, and then ate some more.
The other couple has a new baby and there was lots of time spent in baby snuggles. Nothing says rest without worries quite like a plump baby snoozing in your arms in the afternoon shade. It felt so good to just relax. To be like the baby and shrug off our cares for a while in order to just be wholly present in the moment- drinking every bit of sun dappled glory that the afternoon had to offer.
The Bible tells us a good friend refreshes the soul, but how often do we overlook this simple truth? I think about how many times I’ve considered spending time with friends to be superfluous, and have not made plans in order to “get more done”. But people are more important than things or my to do list. Yes there are still responsiblities to be upheld but how many other tasks that are not critical get put on the “Must Do” list?
I love checking things off my to do list! I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes with a totally x-ed off list. But I do notice these things don’t feed my soul like sharing a good, slow meal with a close friend does. I don’t feel my energy renew after finishing a project as it renews after a rich conversation with a loved one. We need people. Take time to pour into someone else, and feel yourself simultaneously getting filled back up! Be a friend, refresh and be refreshed!
We have reached the time of year when we can fall into a little decorating slump- at least I know that this is the case for me! It seems the summer has peaked, the 4th of July is over and before we know it school will be starting up again and all the summer fun that we didn’t get to this year, will have to wait until the next year.
I find myself getting a little stuck in my decor at about this time- it’s wayyy to early to pull out stuff for fall but things need a little freshening up now that summer is halfway through! Here are three things to ask yourself when you’re feeling a little stuck in your summer decor.
1 Is Your Decor Stale?
If you tend towards Americana themed decor for Memorial Day and Independence Day, then you may just need to take a look around and take down a few things. Yes, Labor is still coming but you can always pull out a few Americana pieces as a mini refresh. In the meantime, tuck away some of the flags and red,white, and blue pieces, and instead try bringing in some fresh cut flowers- either gathered from the garden or store bought to brighten things up!
2 Has Your Decor Gotten Cluttered?
One major perk of freshening up your decor frequently is you are better able to keep tabs on clutter that may be appearing around the edges or worse- on the coffee table! Are someone’s keys starting to always appear on the kitchen island instead of the entry table? Have you been meaning to tackle that pile of miscellaneous stuff by the front door? Take a good look around and then- attack!
Along these same lines keep an eye open for any new items that you haven’t found a permanent home for yet and thus, stay perched in a less than optimal spot. If you haven’t found the right spot for that really cool vase you found at the flea market yet- its ok! Just tuck it away until the moment when the right spot jumps out at you and you wonder why you never saw it sooner!
3 Move Things!
It may not even be changing your decor that you need to do as much as moving it! If you decorate with greenery, flowers, and relatively season neutral decor, the secret may lie in rotating a select piece or two from one room to another room. Get creative! Try swapping pieces out of two vignettes with each other! Go through your house and try switching one of the pictures or items that you have on the mantle with an item in your entryway, and swap the picture in your entryway for the one on your dresser that you would like to see more. Just mixing up the decor you already have will make things feel fresh!
Lastly curate your decor that you have out. Was there something that you did when you were pulling out the summer decor that you weren’t crazy about but left it because you thought you might need to get used to it? If it hasn’t grown on you yet, then it’s time to change it. Sometimes it pays to walk away from a tough decorating area for a couple hours or a day. But when it’s been weeks on end and it’s still not working- it simply isn’t going to. This can be key for a situation. I think it is true both for myself and others that we have a tendency to over decorate. I even heard of one decorator who after working on a shelf or vignette would then step back and take away at least 2 items. Try it- I know doing this has helped me out of many a difficult decorating spot before! And it’s also okay not to have all of our favorite items out at one time; putting them away and rediscovering them later will bring a joy of its own!
I hope these tips help inspire you to get creative, play and above all, have fun with your decor! I’d love to hear from you, see pictures of what you tried and hear other tips you may have! Email me at EssentiallyEmmaMarie@gmail.com, or meet me on instagram- I look forward to hearing from you!
If you are anything like me, or most of America, there is just never enough time. Not only is there not enough time to do everything we want to do, but sometimes there isn’t even enough time to enjoy what we do have time to do. We rush from one thing to the next, feeling guilty for not doing the other thing- any other thing! And then on the rare occasion when we finally stay home to rest because we feel burnt out, we don’t truly let ourselves relax because we are so focused on what we are missing. All this, day after day, leaves us with less and less energy, and to do lists that are still too long.
This is not a new problem in our culture, and it is not one that will disappear anytime soon. But what if there was a way to truly savor the time we do have? What if we could stretch out time to make it feel like we have all the time in the world- time enough to enjoy what is most important to us?
This is the topic that Laura Vanderkam’s book, Off the Clock, covers. Click here for your copy, https://amzn.to/3avfUw2. In this book, Ms Vanderkam covers in depth not only how to carve out time for hobbies and activities that are important to us, even in the most hectic schedules, but also how to enjoy the time we take on these activities to the fullest. She also shows that how by really immersing ourselves in these activities time can seem to lengthen and stretching turning tiny blocks into mini vacations! Then when we go back to work our or our todo list we do so refreshed and more effective!
After reading her book at the beginning of the year, my husband and I sat down and made a list of some of our favorite time-stretching outings that we enjoy doing together. With summer now upon us and wanting to drink up every drop of the nice weather that we waited so long for, here in Western Pennsylvania at least, we then revised the list into some of our favorite little dates that are especially enjoyable to do in the outdoors. By taking a couple hours out each weekend we have been able to make our weekends feel so much more like a vacation and I find that doing one of the following activities at the beginning of the weekend really helps to break the tension from the week and spring me into relaxation mode!
Hiking
We are beyond blessed to live in a rural area where we can walk out our front door and enjoy a pleasant walk on a one lane road. However if we would like a more rigorous workout we have 2 state parks within a 10 minute drive that we can go to for some real hiking. Some of our best conversations happen while we are hiking. There’s something about being surrounded by nature that makes for great, rambling and unhurried conversation. Even if you don’t live in a rural area, what about strolling down the hip new part of town where all the cool shops are? Also most cities have trials for biking and walking now too!
Having a Campfire
I know this isn’t feasible everywhere, but if possible it is more than worth the effort it takes! Much like hiking, being outside in the evening around a fire has a way a stretching out time, making an evening that might otherwise slip into monotony be just a little bit more memorable. If you can’t have a campfire, what about watching the sunset? This is another way to pause and drink in a few minutes of relaxation.
Yard Saling
Getting moving bright and early on a weekend is my idea of a good time; for my husband- not so much! But we both agree that the experience is worth it! We rarely buy much during these outings but we love seeing other people’s past treasures. It makes you really think about the passage of time and how transient this life is. And it is a great way to keep an eye out for items to fluff up your decor! One of our favorite days last year we stopped by a local coffee shop, got our coffee to go, and then walked around a section of town that was having a group yard sale. We found a few things we loved and then hit a place from brunch before heading home. I think we were home by 11 with most of the day left to enjoy and do any earth shattering chores. We spent under $30 for everything we did that day, and it was one of the most special days I can remember from last year.
Coffee Dates
I briefly mentioned it above but finding an adorable little coffee shop with their own specialty drinks is one of our favorite date go-tos! Many of them have outdoor seating and I love starting the day off early with something fun, and then being able to get my work done the rest of the day. My husband loves his coffee and its such a fun way to ease into the day!
Picnics
Last but not least there are picnics, and these can be done so many different ways! From picnicking in the living room, to at a state park, or from a bench overlooking a river, each location carries a charm all its own. I love to bring fresh veggies, crackers, bread, cheese and some fruit and let everyone put together their own flavor combinations. Sometimes it’s just the act of switching up the everyday routine that can help flip the switch from dull everyday status to vacation mode!
I hope those ideas helped to inspire you to enjoy your time a little more! If you want to dive deeper into the topic of enjoying time be sure to check our Ms Vanderkam’s book; Off the Clock, and in the meantime what are some of your favorite ways to stretch out time? I’d love to hear from you!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Here’s a great link for you to pick up your copy of the book at no extra cost to you by visiting Amazon through Essentially EmmaMarie. Here’s Laura Vanderkam’s book, Off the Clockhttps://amzn.to/3avfUw2. Thank you!
With summer just beginning I have found myself in such a beach-read reading mood. I want something light, uplifting and fun; one that is delicious, you can just picture reading on a beach with your toes in the sand, or by a pool with a lemonade in your hand! At the end of the book though, I still want to feel that I have gained knowledge or have been made to think about a subject or topic. That is exactly what Elin Hilderbrand did for me with her book Summer of ‘69. Settle in and be ready to be taken on a delightful, but still thoughtful, ride.
Summer of ‘69 is the first book I’ve read by Ms Hilderbrand but I don’t think it will be the last! In this story Ms Hilderbrand tells the story of a fictional family set with the backdrop of the turbulent year of 1969. I love historical fiction and while I don’t usually find myself picking up a historical fiction work set as recently as the 1960’s I found I enjoyed it very much. I have a tendency to skip over the 1960’s, they happened way before I was born, but not so long ago that I think to go back and read about them as I would the decades before. My parents were alive in the 1960’s- how could it be considered history already??
Ms Hilderbrand artfully weaves together fact and fiction as she tells the story of the Levin family. Tiger, the only son, serves in Vietnam. Mrs. Levin struggles to keep her secrets hidden, secrets about the past and the present. Blair, The eldest daughter, struggles in her relationship with her husband as he works on the moon launch and is never at home during her tough pregnancy. Kirby, the wild middle child, protested the war before her brother was called up, now she struggles with her stance on the war while she continues fighting for the women’s liberation movement and for racial equality. Jessy is the youngest member of the family, she paradoxically fights both to be seen and not to be seen while everyone is caught up in their own drama and doesn’t seem to have time for her. All of this family drama in the midst of world chaos: assassinations from the previous year, the Vietnam war is on, and then there is also a little incident at Chappaquiddick that summer involving the Kennedys…. all of this wound tightly into the story of one family that is trying their hardest to have a normal fun summer…..
If you’re in the mood for a gripping summer read that can make you feel the sand under your feet while simultaneously taking you back in time-then I recommend this book to you! I hope you enjoy it!
Quick reminder that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you- it’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
In my first career, or as I say- in my first life, I was an esthetician and cosmetologist. I absolutely loved practicing skincare! Helping people with their skincare concerns and providing relaxation was so rewarding. I loved being peppered with questions from my clients. Before too long though, a recurring theme emerged. Clients would ask; “If I do one thing for my skin, what should it be?” Or, “Where should I start??”
There are a lot of factors that play into good skin, and there’s so much out there telling you to do this or that, so much information about a myriad of products out there, but when you boil it all down there are several basics that can make a significant difference to your skin.
Establish a Routine
I had so many clients tell me that they started using a new product, but only used it for a week. They would say they were washing their face twice a day but were breaking out so they stopped after 4 days. Your skin needs a routine. Our bodies regulate our oil production, at least to a certain extent, based off how much oil is being stripped from them each day. If you wash your face twice a day 3 days, then none, then 3 times on another day your skin is not going to know what is going on. It’s ok if not everyday is exactly the same, this is life after all, but being consistent most days will help tremendously to regulate your skin. I recommend washing your face in the morning and evening. If you can only do one of these then I recommend washing your face in the evening to remove all the dirt from the day. Just like your teeth, leaving your face uncleaned in the evening gives the grime a chance to settle in and do more damage over time.
Use SPF!
Please, please use sun protection. Whether in your makeup, or as a stand alone product it is essential that you protect your skin. Even if you’re someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time outdoors, all the moments walking from your house to your car, to the office, and store, all add up over a lifetime. In addition if you have children please make sure you are using a SPF for them as well. I heard a statistic once that stated that out of all the harmful UV rays we will ever absorb, two thirds are absorbed before we turn 18! Yikes!!
Drink Water
I know we hear this everywhere but it really is true that our bodies need water, and usually more than we give them on a daily basis. Just like every other organ in your body your skin needs water to keep it functioning at its best, to filter toxins, and keep it plump and healthy!
Double Cleanse Your Skin
Not everyone is familiar with a double cleanse but it was a game changer for me! Most of us use one cleanser that may or may not target a specific problem. But say you are using a cleanser that is supposed to help target signs of aging as well as clean your skin- how effective do you think it can be when it has to first cut through all the makeup, sweat, and other grime on your face? That’s where the double cleanse comes in!
When doing a double cleanse the first cleanser, often called a precleanse, is usually a gentle, non drying, and often oil based cleanser to first remove all the heavy dirt from our skin. Using the correct precleanser will not dry out your skin. Once you have used the precleanse, follow with your targeted cleanser and proceed with washing your face. By doing this you are allowing your targeted cleanser to work at its full strength, and therefore better treat your skin. Makes sense right?
Use a Moisturizer
Use a Moisturizer- even if you have oily skin! First: oil and moisture are two different things! Oil is produced by your pores, water is absorbed by your cells. You may need a moisturizer called a hydrator if your skin is deprived of water and needs a boost. If you have oily skin and are using an aggressive cleanser to clear the oil out of your pores your skin can then feel dry and signal to your sebaceous glands that you need more oil produced. By using the correct moisturizer you can then replenish the clean pores with the appropriate amount of moisture and therefore hopefully avoid kicking your glands into oil overdrive! By applying a moisturizer that is right for your skin, you help give your skin moisture it needs- keeping it plump and healthy! Not all moisturizers are created equal so it is important to find one suited for your skin; use a lightweight one if your skin is oily to still give it a chance to breathe, or slightly heavier one if your skin is on the dryer side. Look for a moisturizer that is non-comedogenic, that has been formulated not to clog pores.
Change Your Skincare Seasonally
Just like changing our wardrobes according to the season so our skincare should change slightly season to season, and that goes for certain cosmetics; such as foundation and blush too. Most of us will need a lighter weight moisturizer in the summer, when it is warmer and we are more likely to perspire, than we do in the winter when the air is so very dry. I usually go for a slightly stronger cleanser in summer as well.
Exfoliate
Exfoliation is something that people tend to either do way too much of, or none at all! Just like the double cleanse, exfoliation helps to remove the top layer of dead skin, as well as doing a deep clean on our pores. Also as we age our natural skin turnover starts to slow down making exfoliation even more critical. There are many types of exfoliants out there and I will do a future post for the different types, but regardless please do your research or talk to a professional to find the right type for your skin!
How often should one exfoliate? That depends on the individual, age, and type of exfoliation being used. I would say once a week for anyone around the ages of 14-18, 18-late 30s I would say around 3 times a week, and 40s and up I generally recommend 3-5 times a week. Again those numbers depend on many different factors so please do your own research and talk with a professional. If you see any signs of your skin drying out or starting to peel, decrease the frequency, and if necessary downgrade the strength of the exfoliator as well.
Stick With It!
Last but not least whatever routine you decide to establish- stick with it! It usually takes your skin 3 weeks to a month to regulate to a new pattern. This doesn’t mean if you get a few breakouts in the first 2 weeks that your product or routine isn’t working. Oftentimes breakout will occur as the buried dirt is brought to the surface. Habits take time to develop and by sticking to a routine for a month you are truly giving your skin the fair chance it deserves! Of course if you experience anything truly uncomfortable like a rash, flaking peeling, or extreme redness discontinue use of any new product right away and consider seeing a physician. But if you are experiencing relatively minor changes in your skin then persist and give your skin time to adjust and improve!
I hope this helps give you a jumping off point for your skincare! In the meantime I’d love to hear from you- what has worked, or not worked for your skin? What questions do you have? What are your current skincare struggles? Let me know and if I can I’d love to help!
