march book giveaway!

February 27, 2018

Do you know what I really love about the month of March? The start of spring! The thought of milder days and the start of things starting to grow just makes me smile! With that in mind, I picked a journal as the giveaway for March…it kind of plays into the whole idea of a sense of renewal. The title is One Good Deed a Day: a Journal. I figure what better way to renew than to start journaling good deeds!

Just leave a comment to be entered to win this journal.

Many thanks to everyone who entered to win the February giveaway! Congratulations to Michelle, the winner of the giveaway. (Click here to read more about it.)

Instagram users, please read on! For the month of March, let’s share the spirit of the new season! Use the hashtag #pleasuregram to share photos that hint at the start of spring! What signals spring to you?

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

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egg-actly that time of year

February 20, 2018

Yes, you guessed it, I have begun dyeing eggs! With the start of Lent and an early Easter this year, I couldn’t resist starting some egg decorating! We had a few inches of snow this past weekend, so I prepared by stopping at the grocery store and buying a dozen white eggs. Then, while it was snowing, I watched the British Baking Show and emptied out the inside of 12 eggs to prepare them for decorating!

How do I empty them? I use a needle to gently place a hole in both sides of the egg – one hole a little larger than the other. Then, I blow into the smaller of the holes to empty the contents of the egg. The most important part of this procedure is to puncture the yolk of the egg! Otherwise, the inside of the egg just will not come out! How is this accomplished? Using a needle or any long, thin object, to push it into the larger hole several times. Piercing the yolk is what helps the contents to flow out when you start blowing!

I am careful not to get any of the raw egg in my mouth and I wash the outside of the eggs with soapy warm water and rinse thoroughly. I stand them back into the egg carton overnight to drain any water still left inside. Once decorated, with no insides to go bad, the eggs will last forever!

For the maiden voyage of egg decorating, I decided to paint a few with succulents. I know, succulents are so 2001, but I have been working on a terrarium community service project and I have succulents on the brain! I decided to use 3 eggs. I dyed them a taupe color using paste food coloring. For my dye, I use ½ cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, and some food coloring. This color will serve as the backdrop for my succulents.

I added very simplistic painted designs – since I applied the designs with cottons swabs and toothpicks – with acrylic paint. It is hard to get too detailed without a proper paint brush! I used the same few colors on all 3 eggs to give them a continuity. My first decorated eggs of the year are complete – a trio of succulents!

So, the egg games have begun! I hope I have inspired you to think about your egg designs this year!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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beauty in the details

February 16, 2018

Beauty is in the details. If this is true, I must see an infinite amount of beauty! I can get really obsessed with details. This is especially true when I enter new surroundings.

For example, every time I visit a hotel, I get caught up in some aspect of its esthetic. At The Breakers in Palm Beach, it was the staff uniforms – I thought they were amazing – every employee wears a uniform and they are fabulous! The gals have beautiful Lilly Pulitzer outfits! I ended up spending my first visit to the Breakers doing an analysis of all the employee’s outfits!

For today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing my obsession at the Four Seasons in Orlando – lighting! I have already shared the most magnificent fixture on the property (click here to see), today I am sharing a little glimpse of the rest of the hotel lighting.

Light fixture in the entrance to the spa at the Four Seasons Orlando.

I hope you found these photos inspiring. Maybe they are motivating you to revamp some of your own fixtures? Replacing an old fixture can give your space an instant refresh!

Thanks for stopping by!

A chandelier in a restroom at the Four Seasons Orlando.

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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have a heart

February 13, 2018

It’s easy to get into the Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day spirit simply by using a heart shaped cookie cutter on something edible! Transform something ordinary into something extraordinary with a simple cut!

You have seen me use a cookie cutter on Valentine’s Day before…remember the Valentine stuffed French toast? The lavender shortbreads? Or, even the bird seed for the bird feeder?

Well, today I am taking my Fancy Watermelon Salad (click here for original recipe) and transforming it for Valentine’s Day, simply by cutting the watermelon rounds into hearts! Easy, right?

I hope I have inspired you to use a heart cookie cutter this Valentine’s Day! What will you use it on?

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, xo Jackie

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anna rifle’s flagship store!

February 9, 2018

If you follow this blog, you may already know that I have a real love for paper products! I still believe strongly in hand written thank you notes, as well as notes of condolence. Especially in this age of technology, with rushed emails and hurried texts – who doesn’t appreciate receiving a personal note in the mail? What better way is there to convey a heartfelt message?

Because of this love for hand written messages, I also have a love for great paper products. When I think of my favorite paper product artists, a couple instantly come to mind. On the top of this list is graphic designer Anna Rifle Bond.

Anna ‘taking a meeting’ at Rifle Paper Co. in Winter Park.

On today’s Friday field trip, I am thrilled to share photos from a recent visit to the place where Anna Rifle Bond and her husband Nathan started their company, Rifle Paper, in 2008. This spot in Winter Park, Florida is also home to their flagship store.

I developed an appreciation for Anna’s designs when she started her partnership with Anthropologie, early in her company’s 10-year career.

(To see more on Mast Chocolate, click here to see Friday field trip to Mast)

Feminine and colorful, with a little whimsy, Anna’s designs appear on a lot more than just paper! Beyond calendars and cards, some of the items that showcase Anna’s quaint designs include phone covers, candles, wallpaper, books, candy wrappers, and sneakers. Quite a repertoire from what began as designing posters for her husband’s band and wedding invites for her friends!

I hope you enjoyed today’s Friday field trip. Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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going nuts

February 6, 2018

I try to incorporate nuts into my diet as much as I can. I always add them to my salad and try to snack on them as a substitute for something less nutritious. Over the years, I have made many variations of seasoned nuts to serve as an appetizer or as part of a cheese tray.

I had no snacks for last Sunday’s epic television viewing night – the Justin Timberlake concert and then the This is Us episode, so I decided to jazz up some walnuts to snack on.I came up with this recipe for rosemary walnuts using ingredients I had on hand. I love rosemary. Using dried rosemary on my walnuts made it possible to add the rosemary flavor without running to the store for fresh herbs. (The one little sprig of fresh rosemary I had that you see in the photos was saved to use in the recipe I made next!) This snack was prepared in 20 minutes and tasted (and smelled) wonderful when eaten warm. I don’t ever eat much salt, but most people do – that’s the reason I put the range of salt! I also tried not to use more butter than I needed – starting with less and adding just enough to cover the nuts!

Rosemary Walnuts

4-6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups walnut halves

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and add seasonings. Add walnuts and toss gently, coating well. Place on a large shallow baking tray n a single layer. (I lined the tray with parchment paper for easy clean up.) Bake at 325 degrees until richly brown – about 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.

I know; eliminating the butter would make this recipe totally guilt-free! But, I decided to get a little decadent for the big concert. I may try substituting something a little more healthful for the butter next time – maybe sunflower oil.

The point of this recipe is to show you that it is easy to create some seasoned nuts using dried herbs you have on hand. I may have recipes for herbed nuts that I like more than this one, but this one did the trick when I wanted something quick without going to the store!

I hope you are inspired to try this recipe or to create your own variation.

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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february book giveaway!

January 30, 2018

Since tomorrow is the end of January, it is time for the February giveaway! We all know February is a big month for love – Valentine’s Day certainly helps put a focus on all things romantic. And, I have to say, I am thrilled with the growing popularity of Galentine’s Day because I think love in all forms should be celebrated! Believe me, I know the motivation of the retail industry for jumping on the Galentine’s Day bandwagon was probably for profit (not necessarily to use February 13^th to celebrate female friendships), but regardless of the motivation, the acknowledgement of Galentine’s Day is a positive one! (Thanks Parks & Rec!)

I remember one Valentine’s Day when I was young, my dad gave his three daughter’s iced sugar cookies with a romantic message – I think they said ‘sweetheart’ or ‘lover’ or something similar, spelled out in candy icing. My mom got angry, telling my dad it was inappropriate for a father to give a romantic gift meant for a sweetheart to his daughters. But, hey…why not? We were way too young at the time for boyfriends and we were tickled to be acknowledged on Valentine’s Day by our dad!

Maybe remembering that incident is why I always enjoyed showing my children a little extra love on Valentine’s Day when they were young – I always included a note in a lunch box or surprised them with a favorite sweet to celebrate how very much I loved them.

So, in the spirit of celebrating all kinds of love, I thought the February giveaway would celebrate the most important love of all – love of self! After all, if we don’t love ourselves, how can we expect to share love with others!

With that in mind, the giveaway includes two books to promote self awareness. They are 1,001 Ways to Live in the Moment by Barbara Ann Kipfer and Whatever You Are, Be a Good One by Lisa Congdon. The winner of the February giveaway, chosen at random, will win both books! Be sure to leave a comment to be entered to win.

Congratulations to Tracy, winner of the January giveaway. Tracy, your name was chosen at random as winner of the giveaway – I hope you enjoy your win! (To see more, click here.) Thank you to everyone who entered to win.

Instagram users, please read on! In the spirit of love, for our monthly challenge, let’s share sightings of hearts in nature…it is amazing how many are out there! Use hashtag #pleasuregram on every photo you post of a heart you see in nature during the month of February.

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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snow place like home

January 19, 2018

The best part of a collection is enjoying it! My friend Phyllis has the cutest miniature snowman collection that she displays in her windowsill at this time of year.

The gorgeous, snowy view from out her kitchen window is supplemented by a variety of little snow people – all in miniature. Noticing this little collection is sure to provoke a smile!

Today on Friday field trip, I am sharing a few of the little snowmen I enjoyed last time I visited my dear friend – hoping to add a smile to your face as you start the weekend!

Do you have a collection that puts a smile on your face when you notice it during your daily routine?

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

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word for the year 2018

January 2, 2018

Do you have a word for the year? I don’t feel a need to have one every year, although I usually have a yearly focus. For 2018 I have a clear focus, but I find it impossible to find a single word to represent it!

I have some very major schedule changes I want to accomplish in 2018. I wondered how that could be represented in a single word. Maybe overhaul? Revamp? Redesign? Not very sexy! How about something a little more subtle…like shift, change, or redesign? My 2018 goals just don’t seem to fit into a single word!

I DO think I can represent an attitude for the year with a quote…one of my favorites from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

I think I will leave you with this quote and forget about a single word for 2018.

I hope your 2018 fulfills all your dreams!