Rustic Beauty

Rustic Beauty

Beauty rustic

Fifteen years ago Gunilla and Sven Montan came across an almost ruined farm in western Ljungby, in Skåne, Sweden. Despite the need for serious renovation — the outside was mostly covered in sheet metal, the windows needed replacing and the only thing that worked was one small toilet — they fell for its potential and decided to take it on anyway, as there was also beautiful old floors, hand-planed boards in the walls and ceiling and a 1920s Aga, too. And there was the beautiful cobblestone courtyard, as well.

With four buildings on the property — the main house and three barns — they first focused on making the house liveable for themselves and their four children. Gunilla and Sven used traditional materials and methods to replace and restore the old ones, and made some discoveries along the way, too — in the course of their work they discovered that the house was actually much older than they first thought, with sections dating from the 1700s. During the first twelve years the family lived in Malmö and used the farm as a vacation home, but three years ago Gunilla and Sven decided to move there permanently. With the three barns now converted into summer homes for their children and grandchildren, they enjoy visits from family, who also appreciate the farm's bounty of raspberries, strawberries and other berries as well as the apples, pears and plums in the orchards. Their pets also enjoy it — the red currants are a favorite among the hens and the rooster. Happily busy with the farm, visiting family (and lots of travel to see them in turn, as their children are scattered throughout the world), Gunilla and Sven are truly reaping the rewards of their years of hard work. 

More here on Lantliv.
(photography by magdalena björnsdotter)

Is there beauty in imperfection?

Is there beauty in imperfection?

Beauty design aesthetic imperfection simplicity wabi sabi

I find beauty in imperfection and impermanence.  It's all over my art. 

 The petal that is captured as it starts to decay, 

the rusted objects found in debris, the peeling layers of wallpaper in old homes, 

  and objects no longer needed for their original function, the list is endless.

Accepting  transience and  imperfection (flawed beauty) can also  relate directly to your living space.  The Japanese world view/aesthetic of wabi sabi   acknowledges three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.

Wabi Sabi  reveres authenticity. When you look for authentic furniture and objects for your home you will rarely find them  in big box stores.  Natural materials predominate in wabi sabi homes: paper, aged wood, linens, cottons, etc. Look for anything that celebrates the  marks of time , weather, and  the effects of loving use.

This graphic is a good summary of the characteristics of wabi sabi. 

 

Characteristics of wabi-sabi include: asymmetry, asperity (roughness, irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity,  and appreciation of the integrity of natural objects and processes.  Look for: natural flawed beauty, patina, handmade, irregularity, bareness. How refreshing!

 

 This aged cabinet maintains the marks of its history.  No effort could make it perfect.  The vignette on top is simple, asymmetrical  and references the beauty and temporality found in nature. While there is austerity in the products, there is also tranquility.

Many  examples of wabi sabi contain little or no colour, but I feel  colour is not exclusive of this aesthetic.  Here's a good example that has all the characteristics noted above. The marks of time are evident, even more so on colour.

The delicacy of pink blossoms against all the weathered wood pits naturalness against roughness. 

Not every space that has  wabi sabi characteristics looks exactly the same.  All of these spaces have some wabi sabi elements.  

 

The wood console table is a hint of wabi sabi against the glass.  The space is simple and tranquil.

 
I love the imprefection of this countertop against the modern, pristine cabinets.  Am I the only person who craves warmth in countertops?  Imagine the difference if this island were finished in granite.

 Lots of natural materials, simplicity and economy is line and adornment, and a focus on the handmade.

If you want a little wabi sabi in your home here are suggestions for a start: 

If you want to find out more about this aesthetic ....

And remember ...

And a lesson we can all learn from Wabi Sabi....you can also interpret it in a much looser fashion to accept what you have as beautiful and to live with only what you need.

All links to images and many more examples  on my Pinterest board Wabi Sabi 

Plaits & Ponytails....

Plaits & Ponytails....

Beauty hair style

I would never think of plaiting my hair....it always feels a little Laura Ingalls to me.... 

(not that there's anything wrong with Laura Ingalls of course, I read & re-read those books when I was younger) 

but I keep seeing images everywhere of fabulously stylish plaits & ponytails & I absolutely love them.

I don't have super long hair, it's shoulder length right now - long enough for a ponytail, not sure it would work for a plait though.

It would seem the key is to have a slightly messy plait, it needs to stay intact but still look as though you've slept in it. Effortless chic....as always.

As for the ponytail....again, it needs to look as though you've created it & almost forgotten about it, more this-took-me-twenty-seconds-and-not-a-second-longer as opposed to this-took-me-hours-and-even-then-i-needed-a-friend-to-assist.

It seems the "high pony" is often the style of choice...and with the right style, you can apparently wear this at any age, it's not just for the under-12s.

My daughter wants to try out both a French plait or a fishtail plait - neither of which I can do - so I took a look around for a good hair tutorial....it would appear the internet is full of them!

Joanna over at A Cup of Jo has some great hair ideas/tutorials and Nikki who writes the fabulous beauty blog Bella Mumma has lots of super-helpful hair style posts....

love this beautifully chic & easy half-up-half-down style

Blake Lively's tri-ponytail 

mastering the "messy" ponytail

the two-second-hair trick

and finally, a very straightforward tutorial from a lovely young lady who made me want to be young, cute with super long hair again....isn't she gorgeous?

Would you wear any of these?  

all images via Pinterest

Slipped down a couple of stairs at school today, managing to narrowly avoid splitting the knees of my brand new jeans & squashing a couple of small children and & still hold on to the box of cupcakes that I was delivering to school!!

Could I have claimed it as a "work injury" or even a vaguely work related one as I had made them on behalf of the class rep ;) 

Crisis narrowly averted....last day of term, how terrible would that have been?!!

Beauty : Amie Skincare

Beauty : Amie Skincare

Beauty beauty products skincare

Amie is a skincare brand that I only recently discovered...

happily for me since I have really enjoyed using their products so far....

I've been using the Morning Dew Matte Finish Moisturiser (£4.95) & the Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask (£4.95).

Founded by ex-Estee Lauder executive Fiona Parkhouse, Amie was originally conceived as an ideal skincare range for the young skin of her teenage daughter.

However, she found that the products - which had been designed for sensitive skin - also benefited her own combination skin.

The range in fact works for all ages.

The Morning Dew Matte Finish Moisturiser is a gorgeously light daily moisturiser with a beautifully uplifting & fresh fragrance.

I love the scent of it so much that I found myself rubbing a little on my hand the other day whilst I was writing!!

   

I've been using it with and without make-up and it works perfectly both ways, my skin does seem to look very clear & I have none of the dryness I am prone to....no mean feat in this super-hot weather!

I've been using the Spring Clean Cooling Mask at least twice a week for the last month....

it's light, easy to apply & remove and has left my skin feeling wonderfully smooth.

I would recommend both products & would definitely buy more from their range....

their price points are extremely competitive and very good value.  

The entire Amie range is free from parabens, sulphates, mineral oils & animal extracts, is suitable for vegetarians and vegans and contains 95% natural fruit & plant extracts.

"Originally created for young skin, Amie’s gentle, natural formulas have proved a hit with ladies of all ages.  So many of us suffer from sensitive skin but are also prone to oiliness and breakouts as well as dryness and redness from time to time !  Hormonal changes, whether during the teenage years or later in life can all lead to increased oiliness, spots and acne rosacea.

Stressed skin is also more sensitive and the pollution in our environment and the fast-pace at which we live nowadays all have a detrimental effect on our skin.

Amie has been created to help keep your skin in perfect balance:  oiliness and spots are controlled and moisture and hydration are given where they’re needed.   Our products are on average made from 95% natural ingredients and are pH balanced and dermatologically tested.

Amie is also ideal for people who want an affordable, effective cleansing and moisturising regime using natural ingredients and no harsh or irritating chemicals."

Beauty : Viridian Nutrition - Nails & Tea

Beauty : Viridian Nutrition - Nails & Tea

Beauty beauty products

I wrote last month about the Viridian Nutrition beauty supplements I had been taking....

All Viridian products are natural, healthful, pure & contain 100% live ingredients and I was very impressed with their great product range

This month I have been trying out their Ultimate Beauty Tea and their Ultimate Beauty Organic Nail and Cuticle Oil.

The "Beautea" contains hibiscus, camomile, rose, licorice, calendula and calendula.

I have bought "healthy" teas many times before & they've always sat in my cupboards gathering dust....this tea is absolutely delicious, so refreshing....I cannot get enough of it!

I have it during the day & at night and love it, I've already finished one jar & had to order another!.

I really noticed a difference in my nails when I took supplements last month & as I wanted to maintain the improvements, I was keen to try this Nail and Cuticle Oil....

once again, it has been a great success, these products really work.

I've never used a cuticle cream or oil before and although I use hand cream throughout the day, I am convinced that using this wonderful oil - which includes an organic mix of essential oils - at night before I go to bed has been really beneficial for my nails.

You'll have to take my word that my nail are looking lovely, I tried taking photos of them....but there's clearly a skill to doing that which I do not have!!

Viridian Nutrition products can be ordered online or check their website to find your nearest stockist.

Editing My Make-Up Bag

Editing My Make-Up Bag

Bathroom Beauty Organization

I've been on an editing mission lately! I decided it's ridiculous to give up precious real estate in our house for things that I don't ever use (or even for the rarely used things). 

I used to keep my make-up in a huge zippered case. It was large and awkward and I only used a small fraction of the products that I was keeping in there. I did this for years! So silly! Case in point: Somehow I had two of the exact same green eyeshadow in that bag. I mean, what? I can't even remember wearing sparkly green eyeshadow post high school.

Then a couple weeks ago, around the same time we decided to paint the laminate cabinets, I found this pretty leather pouch at American Apparel and it inspired me to simplify.

After going through and tossing all the stuff I didn't actually use, I was left with a small collection of make-up that I really do love.  One of my latest favorites is the Beautyblender (the pink sponge in the corner of my bag here) - it was a bit of a life-changer for me. Have you tried it? I use it to apply my favorite tinted moisturizer and I use the flat bottom of the sponge to smooth out my blush when I wear it. I've been trying BB cream too, but I think I like the feel of my tinted moisturizer better than the BB cream. I do like how the BB gives you an airbrushed look though, and I was pretty shocked the first time I tried it! It's really amazing stuff. I ran out a couple weeks ago and decided to try the l'oreal version from the pharmacy and I like it just as much as the fancier brands.

Anyway, I still have a small drawer of cosmetics that I use less often, but it's nice to have my daily make-up bag edited down to the basics. I'm annoyed that I waited so long to make this happen, but now I am pumped and feeling ready to attack the rest of my house this weekend. Clutter, be gone! My closet will be hit especially hard and I'm determined to get it more edited and organized for spring.

Speaking of spring, I wish the weather outside right now would cooperate and help me get more into the spring cleaning spirit, but it's snowing again, so... mostly we're just combating cabin fever at this point. I hope you have a fun, warm weekend ahead of you! xo