Lovely things I can't Live Without

Here are a few things that make me oh, so happy when the cold weather comes knocking at the back door.

1. Big and beautiful notebooks.
Seek out a cozy nook in your house where you can create a sacred space. It's a place to unravel your busy-ness and settle in to a slower pace of life. Where inspiration and creativity are free to reign and encouraged to speak. This is a place where I go to read and write and create art. A blank-page notebook is my canvas of choice. I invite my muse to visit often and scribe her brilliance when the mood strikes. These big beauties are my newest favorite. An impressive place to cut and paste inspiring articles from magazines, draw a map of your dreams, or create your next new plan for world domination.

2. All- natural fatwood for the fire.
I can't imagine not having a fireplace. I am pretty spoiled to have one right in my studio, and I use it as often as I can. As soon as the temperature dips below 60 degrees, the first fire is lit. It's an early-morning ritual that soothes my soul and slows me down. There are few things that are as meditative as watching flames flicker down into the quiet of dust. These lovely little firestarters make it all so easy.

3. Towering stacks of really good books.
Whether you love browsing through the maze of aisles in a bookstore or prefer the convenience of ordering online, books can be a source of entertainment, information and inspiration. I always have a large stack of books by my bedside table and in my studio. There is nothing more I love than tucking myself under the covers on a cool winter day with a good book. Add thundering rain and I am in heaven.

4. A simmering pot of tea on the stovetop.
When the weather turns chilly, there's no better way to warm up than from the inside out. I can't imagine wintertime without my Italian chamomile tea. It's an uncaffeinated way to get through the day or soothe yourself to slumber as a late-night remedy. Turn it into a daily ritual that makes your mornings matter. Treat yourself to a beautiful teapot and a special cup. You deserve to be indulged!

5. Fresh Flowers.
When the day starts and ends as a dark chocolate sky and everything hibernates back into the earth, flowers can be a cheerful antidote. An overflowing vase on the table, a dried rosebud on the altar, a wabi-sabi branch plucked from a tree in the garden. Whether it is a single stem or a big, blown-open bunch, make space to adorn your home with something vibrant and alive. Beauty is all it is about.


What do you love?

Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry