Hot Summer Days.

I've been having a lot of trouble with my internet connection this past month, so if you haven't seen me in a while, that's why. We use wireless...but it seems we might be needing wires. Hopefully we'll find a solution soon. Until then, I may pop into the library and catch up a bit, but it will probably only be a bit.

Hope everyone's having a great summer!!!! It's been very hot here in NY, a little too hot to do much, hopefully we'll get a break and get out. Hubby has started to clear the backyard, yah...hopefully a new backyard soon!

Favourite Things Friday - Summer Closet

Thankyou Jessica, I'm flattered to be featured again this week on her blog, A Few of My Favourite Things. This blog began as my hidden away closet where I stored some fashion favourites which I'm sharing again this week. Whenever I meet someone for the first time, I can pretty much place a bet that they'll say....'how do you do it all?' Well, the big secret is...I don't. I gave up several years ago and truly became the manager of my home, and the children have had to come alongside me to keep things in order. I especially rely on their strengths and talents and deligate whatever I can which they enjoy. Thus if you came for a visit to our house. you'd enjoy tea and cakes, a sweet smile, maybe a voilin or flute concerto, and probably a game of football...(you'd be encouraged to bring your own team ;))

Back on topic, here's a trick I found to satisfy my shopping urge and reorganize my closet at the same time. I love to go 'window shopping' online each season to catch up on the latest styles and colours, order a catalogue or two and put my own wardrobe together on what I already have. The best part is, when I have to go out I take a quick look at my virtual closet over coffee and decide what to wear. No more rummaging thru the closet, and finding nothing to wear after trying on half the clothes. Don't you hate that?

1 & 2 J Crew

3 Libery of London

4 Banana Republic

5 Anthropologie

6 J Crew

7 Anthropologie

8 La Garconne

 

 

Before and After

I was looking for a texture to work with these little white flowers that are growing all over my backyard. Sometimes I have a hard time finding a texture that blends in a way I like, but I didn't have any problem with this photo...in the end I couldn't decide which I liked the best. Oh well. Here's the original.

I used Photoscape for the editing & Microsoft Picture It for the textures, Picasa for the collage.

Check out more before and after shots at Pixel Perfect.

Wordless Wednesday - Can I Tempt You?

Sundays in my City

Just some NY scenes today.

Favourite Things Friday

Some of my favourite photos from this week.

Rest

Sunday at Starbucks - Sweet Shot Tuesday

We've spent many a week here. This summer is the 14th year we've been back in New York. My first son was 2 and 1/2 and my first daughter was 11 mths. We will often sit for an hour or two here after our morning church service with friends. The amazing thing is all their children are grown too...it's finally our turn to watch our young teens mature into young adults. (you can see some in the background). This is my 3rd daughter.

Mosaic Monday

Last week was hot and we enjoyed the pre-k annual trip to the beach.....

and thankfully the water was turned on at the park down the road, which made the kids very happy.

I Heart Faces - Babies

Carter, 3rd boy, 7th child and current baby in the family.

I need some COLOUR!!!

I need something to brighten my day. I think all this housework is getting to me....and it's a grey day, my 3 children that are home at the moment are fighting, and I seem to be severely lacking in energy. If you're decorating, you might find this article helpful.

Colors And Mood

You can use colors to change your mood. Experts now suggest that we feel color, rather than see it. Look here for ways to balance your emotions, calm your fears and heat up your love life.

Scientists, doctors and mental health professionals have been studying the correlation between color and mood for years. Many now believe that colors cannot only cause emotional reactions, but can also correct mood and well being.

Recent studies suggest that we don't actually see color, but "feel" it instead. Scientists now believe that each individual "feels" color in their heart, and not their head.

Colors behave in three basic ways: active, passive and neutral. If you rememberer the basics between these three actions, you can decorate and dress for success.

ACTIVE COLORS
Active colors are warm colors, including yellow, orange and red. These colors inspire positiveness and exude confidence from extroverts. Warm colors can also inspire conversation and upbeat attitudes. Reds heat up a room like no other hue. Wake up an entryway with fire engine red or warm a den with deep maroon. Yellows and golden colors unleash creative activity and work well in offices, kitchens and study areas.

PASSIVE COLORS
Cool colors pacify and restore. Bedrooms, private areas and bathrooms are great places for blues, greens and purples.

NEUTRAL COLORS
Think of neutralizing colors as "uncolors." Beiges, grays, whites and taupes do not activate or pacify. Instead, they work together with the other colors to bridge rooms and provide transition.

PAINTING WALLS
You can easily change the look or feel of a room by redressing the walls. Mixing and matching colors within the same color scheme is an excellent way to balance color and emotion, and provide a welcoming feel to guests. The following gives a general guideline for wall painting and mood when using passive, active and neutral colors:

NEUTRAL COLORS
Neutral colors, such as pale gray, taupe and beige, send a restful message to your brain. It's not a coincidence that most doctor's offices, coffee shops, spas and mental health centers decorate in neutrals. Neutral colors can actually "destress" individuals.

BRIGHT, WARM COLORS
To create a feeling of warmth and coziness in a room, use bright, warm colors like yellows, oranges and reds. These colors make good choices for rooms that appear cool due to limited, natural sunlight. Mixing several different shades of warm colors evokes positive, cheerful reactions.

YELLOWS
Yellow color schemes add cheeriness to dull rooms. Therapists often use colors with the yellow scheme to boost mood. You can achieve the same effect by adding yellows to rooms which are not associated with happy thoughts, such as kitchens and laundry rooms. Yellows can also be used to increase energy.

COOL COLORS
In rooms where there's plenty of sunshine, cool colors can provide a calming ambience. Sage greens and sky blues are perfect for bedrooms, playrooms and activity areas. Other cool colors, such as blues and greens, can evoke quiet moods and even sadness. For this reason, cool colors aren't generally used in large areas.

PRIMARY COLORS
Let your playful side come out by painting with the primary colors. Young, playful moods are brought to the surface with primary colors. Children's bedrooms are a great area to use primary colors in.

REDS
Red is a power color, often used to invigorate your environment. Red is also said to stimulate and symbolize passion. Remember that red hot date dress?

COLORS BY MOOD

Here's a quick rundown of individual colors and the moods they support.

PINK-soothes, promotes affection.

YELLOW-cheers, increases energy, expands the size of a room.

WHITE-purifies, unifies, enlivens other colors.

BLACK-authoritative, shows discipline, encourages independence.

ORANGE-cheers, stimulates appetite and conversation.

RED-empowering

GREEN-balances, refreshes

PURPLE-comforts, creates mystery

BLUE-relaxes, cools

TIPS AND TRICKS

To temper wall color choices, pick out furniture and accessories that will provide a visual contrast. Brick-red painted trim, for example, can be balanced with antique-white rugs.

COOL colors make a room seem larger than it is and warm colors make rooms feel smaller.

Mixing different shades of beige will add a classy feel to any size room.

I hope these colours have brightened someone's day....off to do more housework :) To see more flowers, check out my flower & nature blog.

Linking up with Today's Flowers

Thoughtful

Waiting, waiting, waiting. Sometimes it feels like it's all I seem to do. Today we're still waiting for the new refrigerator...we've had to cancel the delivery twice because we haven't had time to empty the kitchen out. There's been church, and parties, and picnics, award nights, beach trips, museum trips, class presentations all in the space of a week, not letting up for the month.

Usually I really enjoy this time of year...enjoy getting out and being with the kids at school, but this year has been overburdened. The piles of winter clothes are growing in the corners unattended, passed over by the bid for clean clothes. The machines wash and dry, all day, all night till there's no one awake to keep them going. Dishes piled high, washed, piled high, washed. Next week, more parties, sleep overs, picnics, class trips, potlucks, exams and dances.

My Mum sent me her old Photoshop Elements and I thought I was going to get to play around with textures and layers more...but I realize it's the same process as the one I've been using with Micrsoft Picture It, which is actually much quicker and simpler.

Central Park - Sundays in my City

As we make our way down 5th Avenue

and 61st Street

We arrive at Columbus Circle

But today we're leaving the hustle and bustle of one of the worlds largest cities

and not doing what people normally do in Central Park

For parents of 7 kiddos don't relax

They hope for a spot where the kiddos can keep busy while grabbing a bite to eat.

We often have lunch here on Sunday during the summers

as you can see it's a wonderful place to play and cool off

just one word of warning, this place is big and it's not easy to keep track of everyone

our tour of the streets to be continued.