september book giveaway!

August 30, 2016

With September here in a couple of days, I am announcing the next giveaway book. It is The Year of Cozy by Adrianna Adarme. This book is fabulous! If I were to write a book, I would want it to look like this! It includes 125 recipes, crafts, and other ‘homemade adventures.’ Adrianna has created a book that is truly a joy to experience. The recipes, creative inspirations, and DIYs are organized by season – starting with Autumn/October. Anyone that reads this book is sure to enjoy a wonderful takeaway – whether it be a new perspective, or a new recipe.

I feel lucky that Adrianna chose to share her ‘good life’ moments with me in the pages of this creatively inspirational book…I am sure you will feel just as lucky when you read it! Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy for yourself. (The photos here weretaken of my own copy of The Year of Cozy.)

The winner of the August giveaway, My New Roots by Sarah Britton is Sheryle. Enjoy creating some of the healthful plant-based selections in this wonderful cookbook, Sheryle! Click here to read more about this title.

Instagram users, please read on! All during the month of September, in keeping with the giveaway book, let’s share things that make our lives cozy! Use the hashtag #pleasuregram to share! Have fun with it!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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guilt-free birthday treats

August 26, 2016

A birthday doesn’t have to be defined by a cake dripping in sugary icing, does it?

Because I gave up processed sugar at the start of 2016, I decided this year I would make my own birthday treats so I wouldn’t feel obligated to indulge in a sugary dessert that might not even be my favorite taste treat.

My two favorite tastes this time of year? Watermelon and fig…not necessarily combined, of course.

I looked through this month’s giveaway book, My New Roots by Sarah Britton, to get some recipe ideas! I decided to make the Walnut Fig Bars. My love for figs was the motivation for this choice, but it seemed a good recipe to try out for the upcoming fall season as well. (For a chance to win your own copy of My New Roots, click here and leave a comment.)

I also leafed through my go-to recipe book, Clean Slate from the editors of Martha Stewart Living for dessert ideas. This book was given to me as a Christmas gift last year and it jump-started a whole new way of eating – an unprocessed foods way of eating! I love frozen treats and this book included a few recipes for really simple frozen treat ideas. I chose a watermelon-lime granita to add to my birthday dessert selection!

With just three ingredients – watermelon, honey, and lime juice – what could be easier, or tastier, for an icy birthday treat! Watermelon and frozen – a great summer birthday combination!

To make: Pulse 7 cups chopped seedless watermelon, ¼ cup honey and 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice in a food processor until smooth. Pour into an 8-inch square glass baking dish, cover tightly, and freeze overnight. To serve, scrape with a fork into bowls.

My birthday present to myself – unprocessed, guilt-free treats!

Thanks for sharing my birthday treats with me today on Friday field trip! Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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an evening full of love… & white flowers

August 23, 2016

Shortly after I contemplated appreciating summer gardens, I had the opportunity to party amidst the breathtaking grounds of the Burr Homestead in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

The beauty of the surroundings was overwhelmingly surpassed by the incredible feeling of love filling this wedding celebration on a hot, summer evening.

My good friend’s daughter was married on this evening, and the vision the bride and her mom had for the venue aesthetics was implemented to perfection by a talented florist.

And, to my delight, the flowers were done in my favorite flower color – white!

I hope these few photos help you share with me the beauty in the details created for this special celebration.

gift from bride's dad pleasure in simple things blog

So special – the tomatoes in the salad course were grown in the garden of the bride’s dad!! :)

Love you Phyllis & Mrs. G.! xo

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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stop and smell the roses

August 19, 2016

Friday field trip today is a simple reminder to enjoy the flowers around you! I am sharing a few photos of the beauty surrounding me.

As the summer gardens are winding down,

I am appreciating all the beauty they have to offer!

Before you know it, I will be harvesting the last of my summer flowers and displaying them in pumpkins!

I hope I have inspired you to take some time to notice summer growing!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful weekend!

And, remember to take pleasure in simple things – like smelling a fresh flower! :) xo Jackie

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take a breath

August 16, 2016

Did you know yesterday was National Relaxation Day?

It seems odd to me to assign a relaxation day on a day when so many people are starting a busy work week. Am I the only one that needs to hit the ground running on a Monday morning? I think this day should be renamed ‘National Take 5 Minutes of Relaxation Time’ for the average person to realistically participate! If you have a whole day free to relax, you probably don’t need to!

With that being said, I am sharing my most recent relaxation time – not an entire day, mind you – but, a couple of hours on the water with some friends.

I hope these photos will inspire you to take your ‘5 minutes’ of relaxation time. Take a deep breath and truly relax – even if only for the few minutes it takes you to look through these photos.

Thanks for stopping by.

(No, that’s not me, but my friend is definitely chillaxing…queen of the world!)

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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watermelon gazpacho

August 12, 2016

Watermelon is a favorite of mine. I have shared some of my standard watermelon recipe creations with you in the past, as well as crafts with a watermelon design. Today, I would like to share someone else’s watermelon recipe!

I came across Tyler Florence’s recipe for watermelon gazpacho and had to try it! Love gazpacho. Love watermelon. What’s not to love? I just had to give it a try! A cold soup on a hot, humid day – what could be better?! So, I gave it a try and I was not disappointed!

Here is the easy, make-in-the-blender recipe:

Tyler Florence’s Watermelon Gazpacho

1 large tomato
½ serrano chile
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons minced red onion
½ English cucumber, seeded and chopped
2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese

Puree the tomato, chile and 1 cup watermelon in a blender. Add the vinegar and olive oil and pulse. Add the red onion, cucumber and dill, season with salt and pepper and puree until smooth. Chill at least 30 minutes. Loosen with a few tablespoons of water, if needed.

Pour the gazpacho into chilled cups or bowls; top with dill, the feta and the remaining watermelon.

Serves 4

My gazpacho did not come out really red like the color of watermelon – as you can see. I am thinking if the tomato I used was a darker red; it would have helped make a deeper shade of red for the soup. But, no worries – it tasted wonderful! What a great first course for company!

I hope I have inspired you to try this gazpacho recipe or to experiment with a cold soup of your own! Have a wonderful weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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home infused water

August 9, 2016

Infused water tastes especially wonderful on hot, humid days.

Some fruit from a farmer’s market and a few sprigs of herbs from the garden transform the taste of ordinary water into a refreshing summer beverage.

Although I have seen some cool water bottles sold with a built-in infusion basket – also good for cold-brew tea – no special equipment is necessary to make some great tasting infusions!

A quart size container of water stored in the fridge is perfect to create an infusion with a piece of fruit and a couple sprigs of herbs.

With my garden rosemary, I like to add slices of a medium size orange for a refreshing infusion. Basil from the garden goes wonderfully with strawberries. Mint combines well with any type of berry, melon, or cucumber.

I also like the combination of peach and ginger. For a quart container, I buy a 1 inch piece of ginger at the grocery store and cut into small slices. It provides such a wonderful taste combination with a medium sized, sliced, fresh peach from a local farmer’s market!

Walk your garden or a local farmer’s market and be inspired to create a refreshing beverage for a hot, summer day!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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creations in the sand

August 5, 2016

I love checking out sandcastle contests at this time of year! One of the great things about living on the coast in Connecticut is that it is easy to find one!

Today for Friday field trip, I am sharing a few of my favorite sand creations from a recent contest. It was not easy to edit my photos to post just a few sand sculptures, but it was easy to pick my favorite!

There were plenty of wonderful creations, but the couch design was my personal fave! Isn’t it great?

The best part of this Christmas in July themed creation was probably the music! The creators played the Hawaiian Christmas Song (Mele Kulilkimaka) during the judging! I had the Christmas classic by Bing Crosby stuck in my head for at least a week after the contest!

Namaste!

Some of the animals looked really great…

And, insects as well!

Maybe I have inspired you to play in the sand a little bit this weekend? I hope so! Have a great one!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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inital ball jar embellishment

August 2, 2016

I find joy in the details and today’s simple DIY is a perfect example!

I found this raised initial Ball jar at Terrain. I really liked the idea of an initial on the Ball jar, but I wasn’t crazy about the shiny silver lid provided with the jar. I also thought the initial needed a little embellishment.

These items were easy enough to remedy with some gold spray paint and a little bit of gold leaf.

A gold leafing kit is an essential part of any craft supply stash since there are tons of little uses for it. These kits are easy to find at craft stores.

I first spray painted the lid of the jar with a gold metallic spray paint…easy enough! Next, I applied the gold leaf. I brushed some liquid adhesive provided with the kit onto the area where I wanted the gold leaf. I purposely did a messy painting job because I didn’t want it to look too ‘perfect.’ (I thought I may even want to sand a little of the gold leaf off after I had it completed to make it look a little worn.) I used a cotton swab for to apply the adhesive, rather than getting a brush dirty – and after the application, I just threw out the cotton swab!

After the adhesive got a little tacky, I carefully placed a little piece of the gold leaf over the initial and pushed it down with a clean, soft cloth. Lastly, I added a sealant, provided with the kit, to keep the gold leaf in place and prevent discoloration. (I applied this with a cotton swab as well.)

Be sure to follow the directions provided with your gold leaf kit for best results!

I love the result! I got rid of the shiny silver lid and that little speck of gold leaf on the initial made this monogrammed jar perfect!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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pleasure in simple things

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september book giveaway!

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take a breath

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inital ball jar embellishment