Defining Faery Cottage Style

Faery Cottage Style.......It's not for everybody. You have to really love Nature and understand the subtle energies that take place between the Human Kingdom and the Green Kingdom....it is actually one of pure Love.

This is fun, and I desperately need some fun after these past 2 weeks. But we're talking real Faery Cottages for real people, not the wee folk! :D
I just came from reading a post that defines and describes lightly the differences in ''Cottage Style'' which was confusing me, and I had wondered what they were and why there were so many? For example Shabby Cottage, or Romantic Cottage or Seaside Cottage and many more......



But I have want to discuss Faery Cottage Style and will describe it a bit more. I wish I could have more of the elements that define a Faery Cottage, in time I will! But, what Faery Cottage means, is that the lines between living in the inside of the house and living out in nature slowly decrease, until living inside and out in nature becomes seamless and natural. This is my wish!

Now what makes one a Faery Cottage? Well, it is made of the Natural Elements of Nature of course! Always.....and this means Earth, Air, Fire and Water. The fifth element is Spirit and that is me. I give this space a unique feeling which is tangible to all who come here whether they are sensitive or not.
I don't use the Elements just to say I use them, no, I just find I cannot surround myself with anything unless it is from Nature, mostly, and when I was pressed to try to figure out why my homes had such a unique and natural Beauty to them, I realized I was using the Elements of Nature, which always results in Beauty.
But Faery Cottage means a modest and even small home, ours is 1100 sq. ft. including both the front and back yards. There are so many ways to live naturally on Earth, and that ''natural'' includes the uncompromising Beauty that is necessary for Life, with lots of curves and vaulted ceilings as you would find in nature too and squares and rectangles are forbidden and passe.


Take a look at this!

And this :    from simondale . net
 

And this one everybody is fighting for :D  "A Low Impact Woodland Home" also from simondale.net

But my ideal, is Lothlorien...........I have always dreamed of beautiful homes within the forests.

              



 If you google ''alternative home'' or ''green home'' ''adobe or straw bale home'' or ''rammed earth'' ''earth bag home'', you will come up with a plethora of websites and pictures using straw, clay, stone, wood, sand and other natural materials for construction. These organic materials give off a frequency that is harmonious to our energy, in other words, it will never cause stress as synthetic materials do, and even gives us energy. Also, the curves and soft corners will not drain us, as 90 degree angles do in square and rectangular rooms with walls etc, but chi and energy flow and are soft on our own energy fields and do not get stuck or bounce in rounded. open air rooms with fewer walls and no angles. This is scientifically documented now that circular rooms and large vaulted ceilings offer power and energy. Ever wonder why the white house and vatican and temples, and churches all have rounded rooms, ceilings and walls??? think about it. They know.

But, when we use natural materials we maintain our high frequency vibrations.

One of the precious elements of these are that making your own home is described as an indescribable feeling. I can only imagine....but I do imagine!


The natural home or Faery Cottage is full of open spaces, even if small, it will have open windows, or doors, archways, or open porches, natural sourced light, and all the decor will be Nature inspired, created by artisans.


THE ELEMENTS.


The Earth element would be expressed in the materials used in making the home itself as described above in straw, stone, adobe, earth, clay etc....and in having things made from Nature herself, as in ceramics, pottery, seashells, branches, POTTED PLANTS, flowers of course, and views of Nature from all sides of the home. The plants give off the oxygen we feed off as we give off CO2 which they feed off.
The feeling plants give us is of Harmony. They even respond to our feelings as proven by Cleve Backster in The Secret Life of Plants . Plants and The Green Kingdoms is what makes any place a desirable place to be.



The Air element is with clean moving air and Fragrance which is vitally important. The first thing is to never introduce into your environment anything that is synthetic or gives off gases. This will detract from the natural scents of Nature. The next thing to do is to bring in scents from Nature by planting fragrant and blooming bushes and plants near the windows so when they bloom and give off scent, it flows into the home.


 I have several Jasmine  and Night Blooming Jasmine   

        

which is intoxicating, everyone says. It never fails to offer the one who inhales it the sense that all is Good!



In the back I have an Almond bush   

   and lemon trees in bloom...........

      

and the scents of the almond together with the lemon blooms are heavenly! 
I think the citrus flowers are my favorite scent in the whole world.


The other way to incorporate fragrance through Air is through natural incenses, using nothing that is not naturally coming from nature with very little process to get it into the home. The scent it gives off should be extremely pleasing, not just ''nice''. It should cause you to take deep breaths.
Another way to incorporate Air is to have breezes flowing through the house every day....I do this every day even when I lived in New York with snow and cold, I aired out the home every day. In Florida, I open the windows and let the breeze flow through and pull aside the lace curtains for views.

Air includes sounds.......I've added chimes wherever a breeze would touch a chime whose sounds I love to hear, or soothing Nature sounds such as whales and dolphins, or gregorian chant, or angelic choir music lightly playing. Often to decompress I play the sounds of whales and dolphins. Music can recalibrate your own frequency, one must be very careful to sounds, including the voices of people.




The other element is Fire which I use by burning candles.
I use candles in all kinds of vessels, from water floating ones and some very creative and beautiful ones can be seen here , to Himalayan salt holders which I have many of, including electric ones.......to candle holders of all kinds in all the rooms.In this picture you can see a Himalayan Salt Crystal electric lamp and a candle lit with a nautilus shell on display. A picture of a mermaid in between.....all of nature.

















My mantle holds candles which I usually keep lit, because I only use natural light or delicate electric ones.

































The Water element is utilized by fountains, which I have both outside and inside,
                        
           





and because I am not by the sea, or a river, or lake, I have created a 10 ft. x 8 ft. pond in my back yard with water lilies, lotus, gold fish and koi. These are my pictures from a couple of years ago. The pond changes as is natural.

The spiritual element is me in harmony with the consciousness of all the other elements together, which I must keep naturally harmonious too. The way I harmonize is with Nature around me and inside my home to keep me in a strong spiritual center.

BUT ! (here comes the fun part LOL ) what gives the Faery Cottage Style its hallmark signature is sparkle and shimmer as in glass, mirrors, mercury glass, silver, gold and bronze, and glitter, things with reflective qualities. Adding alot of these gives a magical ambiance that cannot be described. At the very least in a Faery home you will find many things that offer the reflective quality....this is mirroring the light that is within the spirit! Think of Christmas. its what makes it feel so special is all the sparkle, twinkle and reflective quality.

You may have seen these elements used in The Lord of the Rings in Rivendell for example, where you will see alot of ornate decorating using vines and nature imitated in art as embellishments.

I have always loved glass too and didn't understand it, but I do now LOL. I gave in to my passion and purchased some cloches and apothecary jars because they simply enhance anything in them.

My home does not look like Rivendell sadly, but I've incorporated as much of the elements I've described as possible. I have more work to do. But my ideal, would look like Rivendell, where I would build upon strong foundations of the old trees, and embellish from there with lots of vaulted archways, circles and curves, domes, organic and natural inspired artwork, even elaborate and ornate, nature and trees used and design added to it so that the home is a seamless flow of home and Nature.
Some nice pics of Rivendell can be found online.

These are the signatures for Faery Cottage Style. Enjoy!
I am sharing this post with A Delightsome Life: Home and Garden

~end of post....Please forgive this long space below, I cannot get rid of it.

Medicine Chest Finally "Fixed"

I've been living in this house ''temporarily'' for 9 years now. This past Christmas I decided to call it home, and this meant doing things I never thought to do before. One of them is the medicine chest or cabinet. I don't really use it, and neither does roommate, but I am acutely aware, these days, when something isn't to my liking and doesn't make me feel I can take a nice deep sigh of inspired breath and do something about it.

Mind you this is NOT the perfect cabinet for me, it is ONLY what I could do quickly with what I had.

I was expecting some guests and the lady wanted a hot bath with salts so I went about perking up the bathroom with the intention of seeing through another's eyes, looking for that Beauty everywhere, and then I opened the medicine chest. eeew. I went to work on it immediately, it needed help. I ''knew'' I could take care of it in a couple of hours. LOL......well.....at the end of a few, it was different, but I got ''it'' done in the best way I could. Again, my criteria is that I must have everything I need on hand, or better said, to upgrade and embellish the project with what I have already, quickly and easily. And what I had was a can of Elmer's spray glue, and lots of pretty wrapping paper which is thin enough to mold around something and to stick to it. I realized quickly I wasn't going to have the pattern go in the smooth unbroken way I wanted, and the difficulty of trying to figure out how to do this project fast in between fixing up the rest of the bathroom, I quickly let go of needing to have the pattern run uniformly. I decided a mixed modpodge of patterns wasn't going to hurt anyone. I was right. :D:D:D


We've all seen this haven't we? Not thrilling in my opinion. And ''function'' without Beauty is no longer acceptable. I HAD planned on putting something around the edges, but after all the inside work I left it. So it still looks like this from the outside, only now it gets better once opened. :D

Inside is the ugly plastic used in many cabinets.

We don't use much in medicines etc, mostly aspirin. A little about the contents for fun: I make my own toothpaste which I love love love, mixed with Sole Solution and that is in the jar on the bottom shelf. I also make aspirin masks from aspirin and honey and there is a pretty little jar of honey there. The top shelf holds a pouch of lavender buds. But I no longer smell them unless they're squeezed.

Here I have begun to cut the wrapping paper and paste it on with the glue. I realized it did work, and that I'd be able to finish this project, so I took the pictures. I caution anyone wanting to try this: Gluing it without it getting stuck onto everything requires the patience of a saint with extremely dexterous and nimble fingers. Fortunately the Elmer's spray glue was forgiving and I could lift the paper off repeatedly without it tearing the paper for proper placement and alignment.

This is completed with many cuts of paper simply glued onto exposed cabinet. No seams are visible and it blended well, was easy on the eyes. I think its an improvement.

Now I have put my things back in, but why stop ''improving'' now? LOL.....Once I started to replace things back in I saw that they make the now pretty cabinet ugly, so they had to be changed, like the ugly plastic bottles of aspirin. I put them in glass jars which I love to clean, save and collect just for the purpose of having things stored in glass and looking pretty. In this case the aspirin I consume goes into the larger jar, the one I use for aspirin masks which I Highly Recommend by the way, goes into a smaller pretty one that compliments the honey I use with it. I added seashells for prettyness, and a magnolia flower. The medicines for cold/flu were removed from their packages, labels saved and simply put into a pouch.
There was room so I added the green candle I had by the tub, and a green bottle for more pretty.

The inside of the mirrored side looked too naked and bland and I have a quirky sense of appreciating with delight seeing artwork in unexpected places, just like the insides of doors and closets. So I added a print artwork I saved from a calendar and it appears as an ancient beautiful Byzantine Priestess offering a chest of medicines. I thought it was a nice touch.

The best part is that I finished this and quickly forgot about it. And when I needed to get some aspirin for a headache the next day, I was surprised and delighted at what I found inside ! LOL  How fun was that ! I had not felt like doing the few dishes in the sink my roommate had in there, but I was so charged up with the beauty I found when I opened that cabinet, I had renewed energy and cheerfully did them.

The Medicine Chest delivered the kind of ''medicine'' I prefer always.....the Joy from Beauty !

The bathroom is finished and ready for my guest and her hot Salt Bath and I have a great collection of salts, from the Dead Sea and other sea salts which I store in huge glass apothecary jars with seashells for scoops.

 

I am sharing this post with Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

and

Delightful Order Blogspot

Bella Notte Thrift Find and more.....

First I hope people read my comment about responses ....or is it my responses to comments ?? LOL !


I went thrifting last week and came across one of the softest cottons or linens I've felt. This is what I look for when I go thrifting....fabrics that are natural and very soft. This one was gorgeous too, with embroidery, I had to have it. How much was it? .99 cents. I can do that. :D

I found a few other things too, and was very happy. Boy, they sure do get stuff in every day and move stuff out just as fast. In the past 2 weeks, I lost 6 things I wanted due to not having enough on me and leaving it there. And when I went back, they were gone. Some of them real beauties too.
But this one I was so happy with because it was so soft, white and pretty, great quality and in new condition. It looked like a bedskirt, but for Faery sized people. Then I showed my pride and joy to my roommate and wondered why it was so small. Then he thought it was a tablecloth, but said it was too small for that too. We decided it was definitely a Faery People ''something'' as it was definitely also of Faery Quality too ~ :D
Then I looked at the label to be sure of the material, and almost fell off the chair....it was a Bella Notte linen .

It was for babies, an Embroidered Baby Dust Ruffle which is discontinued.
I was more ecstatic than I even was before because I really really really want some of their linens really badly, or rather I should say, the beauty they've captured in their creations.





"Whisper Linen White Bedding" (Queen)
Headboard Twin: $1,650, Full: $2,000, Queen: $2,200, King: $2,600
Whisper Linen Duvet Cover: 520.00
Whisper Linen Euro sham: 139.00 each
Whisper Linen Standard sham: 114.00 each
Whisper Linen body pillow: 271.00
Linen fitted sheet: 252.00
Linen Flat sheet: 252.00
Whisper Linen dust ruffle: 400.00




 Alas, I cannot afford them and even if I could, I think those prices are ridiculous for bedding, or anything for that matter....so I've decided to make my own, and I've begun to buy fine looseweave linens and cottons for making my own. It will not only be gorgeous, of quality materials, but I know that I will have the longevity that comes from quality materials, and which are actually good for you to have near your skin. Not to mention a great satisfaction for myself for making my own.


I'm loving thrifting now, I'm hooked, I'm THERE ~ lol.....and I just started looking at and buying some clothing too to cut up or doctor up into other beautiful works of art.
EXCEPT. today......I found something that is exactly the kind of natural old fashioned white sweetness that I'm wanting to create. I think this one is perfect and I shall leave it alone, as it is also my perfect size too. I washed everything with my homemade laundry detergent  and used a rinse of salt water to clear the energies the cloth picks up either from wear or use. I've had experiences with that before and as an empath it is not good for me to wear anything from anyone....but salt removes energies, and so I use it in the rinse water. So.....Here is that sweet white thing I am leaving as is.....and other pictures.

All linens and cottons.

This was a find from today.....a sweet pink skirt. What was great was that Wednesday is 50% off for ''senior'' citizens over 50, and that includes me in some really bizarre way! sheesh !

A linen dress....a perfect blank canvas for some artistic doctoring up with laces and other things.....

Another sweet pink skirt today! also for 50% off in another thrift store.

This is going to be a Prairie Skirt......right now its a bed skirt LOL...but hey! its already 90% there and I have very little work before being able to wear it!.....adding some lace and other things, and it will be done....can you see it? :D

There is something some 'je ne sais quoi' about having natural fibers of beauty-full clothing hanging in the sun to dry.......sometimes I leave them up for days, because seeing from the window unexpectedly or passing through the garden and catching them stops me in my tracks and captures me in a soft spot, a spot I love to be in.
When I begin making my own clothes, I shall be living in that soft spot all the time.....its why I'm doing it.

I love thrifting, and I love all the blogging women who showed the world their finds, its because of you I have so many new loves in my home and I didn't spend money I didn't have~...... I love you!

I'm sharing this post with A Delightsome Life: Home and Garden

And with FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE'S : Feathered Nest Friday

And with               2805 Poupourri Friday

'IN AWE OF MOTHER NATURE'' : Square Leaves ?????

I have found it, the one thing I said did not exist, I found. I've always said there is NOTHING square in Nature........I found yesterday a square growing leaf/or flowerette.
I did....
and I had 2 witnesses, and I did take pictures.
I am blown away, LOL!
See how the flowerette grows in a square?? The leaves triangular in shape are growing in a perfect square...on all four sides !

.....a square configuration in Nature !!

Leaves, growing flat on four sides, straight up, in 90 degree angles !

"In Awe" by Riek Jonker

Series: "IN AWE OF MOTHER NATURE'' Leaves as Gift Wrap & Lace

I live in awe of Mother Nature, and I do believe her to be the Mother of us all. I can feel Her, smell Her, Her flowers, Her oceans, Her grasses, Her animals, everything, everywhere...she is alive and giving us air, water, foods, greens, trees, shade, Beauty....this is The Mother. I live seeking out her Beauty every day of my life.
Today, I didn't know for sure what I'd be up to yet. However, one thing led to another.....

I saw a little lip gloss I bought for my neighbor, and I wanted to give it to her before she left for work. Of course it needed to be wrapped but I didn't want to do the usual stuff......paper, organza bags....these things would be thrown away and I go to far too much work to make it perfect and artful, then people just discard it. I knew I needed to feel myself, my Inner Muse, to get an inspiration and it came fortheright. :D
I wanted a leaf, and I have plenty on this property of all shapes and sizes and textures. I went out to the garden and walked around looking and touching, feeling and smelling....and I found one, large, soft enough to lend itself to folding and yet has an additional gift....a beautiful green mossy, fresh scent when the leaf was bent. It felt as if it was suede texture....sooooooo soft. It was a leaf from a Spiral Ginger or Shampoo Ginger? (OH MY GOD ..... I was googling this plant to find a picture for you all and I just found out that this plant is also a shampoo?????? I know what I'm doing tonight~! )

Back to sanity here LOL....I just got carried thinking about using these cones from the plant in my yard for shampoo.....something I've been looking for an all natural alternative for.

Soooooo I touched a leaf and bent it and yes, it lent itself to being folded with beautiful wavy curves.




I then found a piece of twine to tie it and hold it, but something was missing. I'd like another texture and color, maybe something like a piece of lace? Yes! I found it right next to the twine because I collect what is called Skeleton Leaves  from the Garden because I think they are so ethereally beautiful !     I wanted more so I went hunting very close the ground foraging for these ethereal lacy leaves, and this attention to detail of the grounds, snails, leaves, textures and colors definitely set the proper tone for the day.....in tune with Nature!
  
So that went onto the ''gift wrap'' and then the twine and I was done and happy. When I walked over to her house she was on her way out and she saw my hand and in her busy out-the-door chatter said ''oh, what is that? it's so cute!"....and then on with her chatter. When she was done I said this is for you.....a little gift I picked up.....and she was happy. I will hear back from her later I'm sure.
                                                               Gift: Wrapped by Nature

 Such original Beauty, there is no waste, no garbage, nothing more beautiful than what Mother Nature offers.



I'm sharing this post with FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE : Featheed Nest Friday

Valentine Linzer Cookies Old Fashioned

Hello Everyone,

I baked cookies again today for the 2nd time in my life. Today I thought I'd make something for my friend and roommate....since there is no one around for me to celebrate Valentine's with, I celebrate on my own. I wanted to make the sugar cookie  I made before for Christmas, but I could not find the recipe anywhere, not even on the website I got it from originally. It wasn't until I was scrolling down her list did I see Linzer Cookie and I got a bit excited because that is one of my favorite cookies. I eat them a few times a year only, I'm not a real sweets person.....and I'm far too aware of how flour and sugar ages a person....yes, ages.....as in wrinkly, pasty and white just like the ingredients.
So when I saw Laura Vitale's recipe for them and realized they were even simpler than sugar cookies, my mouth was hanging open! The only thing I didn't have on hand was the raspberry jam, which I did go out for.
I decided to look into the history  of the Linzer and found that the original recipe uses lemon zest, cinnamon, cardamon, and  maybe cloves. I love those spices! So the lemon zest was definitely added, then I looked further into more recipes and found that most did have cinnamon anyway, so I added a teaspoon, and then I smelled the cardamon and decided yes that was a beautiful smell too!. I ground up a 1/2 teaspoon and added that. All this my own decisions, based on so many recipes for about the same amount of other ingredients. Another thing that was original was ground hazelnut which I didn't have, but I did have almond slices and decided to throw them in too LOL

I made the cookie dough and once I added the lemon zest, cinnamon, and cardamon, I could not believe the beauty of the scent of that combination! I have to say it rivaled the scent of flowers~! my house smelled amazing. I knew this was going to be beautiful and it was.
Once all done I offered them to my roommate who was sitting out in the garden by the pond, with the sounds of crikets very loud, and I presented it on a pedestal glass dome plate. He said he couldn't refuse a sweet in especially presented in such a way. He took one and I left the plate there in case he wanted more. I said, ''Happy Valentines' Day''. About half an hour later he brought in an empty plate ! I couldn't believe he ate them all!

These are the ones that got a little too brown, and I saved them for myself. That funny looking half circle was the last of the dough I just wanted to be done with it all....lol.......it tastes just as good as the others! LOL

 


Its a good thing I put aside the ones that were slightly burnt for myself. LOL

I put together another plate for my neighbor and her mother, who is back out of the hospital, and wished them also a ''Happy Valentine's''.

I hope most of you shared the love you have in some way, with some one, some where.

blessings.

I am sharing this post with A Delightsome Life: Home and Garden Thursday