Desert Chic And A Cactus Or Two

Many of you are great decorators and I have a question that I hope you can help me with today.  I have been puzzling over this for awhile. It is about decor and the labels that are associated with it. Labels..labels and more labels and truly can decor be just one label? You can label a can of pears, you can label a species of a flower. But can we truly corral decorating into one style especially when there are so many fabulous colors, textures, accessories, fabrics, furniture, art, lamps, and more to choose from when decorating our homes. Not to mention so many styles are blended together now and just when I thought I had it all figured out a new label appeared or at least to me it did and I love it best of all!  I grew up in era where our choices were limited and some of those colors and choices were just plain ugly! I love the decorating and fashion choices that we have in 2017 there is pure joy in discovering new ways  of dressing myself and our home!

When we first purchased our land two and a half years ago and built our home, I was so certain that the style of our decor leaned towards French Farmhouse with a Texas flair. I have the farmhouse sink. It was decided...check. DONE. But the longer we live here and the more in-tune I become with myself, nature, my gardens ( I do have jalapenos) and where I live (which is the Southwest) I do believe that I have discovered a style which is better suited for me. Desert Chic...oh and Cactus. But is Desert Chic really a style of decorating, a label, a decor choice, or an idea...will we ever truly know. Or is it all as simple as finding the right fit, just as I do with a pair of shoes or a colorful blouse.

While reading a few decorating articles on-line, Desert Chic has been described as an interesting and whimsical style with shades of orange and pink that are easily incorporated into a neutral pallet. I just happen to adore pink and I actually have quite a few orange accent pieces. I truly feel that I may I have discovered my happy place with this decorating style. It seems to be not overly ridged, but yet has enough direction to keep me on track. Sometimes I like too many things and become distracted.

I really like the idea of a neutral backdrop, I like to infuse color with accent pieces and not so much on the walls. Clean, bright and white with an interesting addition and contrasts of colors, copper, textures, lots of natural greenery and oh yes cactus. Rugs, pillows, poufs, furniture, draperies and accessory pieces can be the flurry of color in my home, and quite frankly I need a little more color.

This past weekend the husband and I moved furniture around and drew out a plan for the beginning of our Desert Chic journey and we  purchased three cactus. Our first "big," purchase to inspire and guide us along! (Did I mention that purchasing new furniture rankles with me... its costs too much!) I still have our original Thomasville furniture that has been sanded and painted quite a few times. So I will let the furniture purchasing settle for a bit and grow accustomed to the idea and begin with purchasing some new art. In the meantime, lets talk about the cactus....

Naturally Cactus go very well with Desert Chic as they are interesting, beautiful, and add texture. While studying the care of cactus I have discovered that I will need to take a different approach, than I do for regular houseplants. Here are a few tips if you'd like to give cactus a try as well.

Guiding Steps to successfully growing a cactus or two indoors. Great Website for more Information.
1.  Water sparingly. A cactus can survive without water for many, many months. 2. Find a Spot in the Sun. If possible leave Cactus outside in the Sun from March to September. 3. Drainage is Super Important. Drainage in the bottom and gravel in the pot. 4. Soil Matters. Cactus do not like soggy bottoms.

I will  be on this quest awhile for verification of Desert Chic, so I welcome your opinion and also any decorating tips or shopping venues too. Thank you for joining me today! Up next this week is a sweet recipe! XO Jemma

Easy Summer Squash With Spaghetti

I made this yellow squash and spaghetti dinner about a month ago for the hubby and I.Our garden was being overtaken by these bright yellow and ferocious Summer squash.(Until the squash bores) took over, but that was another saga that you can read about right here.During the height of the squash frenzy I was putting these squash in everything, seriously everything.My husband would walk past the stove and just shake his head.Well here is why, I even put the squash in our scrambled eggs, just add a little cheese and hot sauce and you have a mighty tasty morning treat.Is hot sauce on eggs a Southern, Western, or Southwestern regional thing?

My garden vegetables motivate me to cook on these endless Summer days, because sometimes  I just want to read and take a nap!But then I think of the vegetables and I know that I can't let them down, they did their part, now it's my turn to do mine.

It' s just that in Texas that big old blue sky just seems to hold onto the Sun like it was a precious prize and there are days that I just look forward to sunset.But enough of my moaning.

Every dish tastes better with fresh herbs, I have been smitten with Thyme for a million years now, it has a robust and hearty disposition so best to go easy when adding it.You can grow your own herbs in the garden or on the patio in a pot or even buy them at the market.Basil and Italian themed recipes are a perfect marriage and a nice garnish as well.

This is a super easy Summer evening meal, sort of a take on a one pot wonder sort of dish, and you can customize it to your liking too.Keep it totally vegetarian or add grilled shrimp or chicken, maybe even a meatball or two.

I am pretty certain that zucchini will work in this dish too, so if you are being overrun with fresh squash this might be a keeper of a recipe for you too.

Thanks so much for joining me and Happy Thursday!XO

A Month Of Flowers

It has been a glorious month of flowers for my North Texas garden and especially considering it was July in the Southwest.So many of our Southwest Summers can be brutal. Truly, neither fit for man nor beast and certainly not conducive for a flower farmer and her flowers.Do I sound dramatic? Well I might, but seriously it is so true.When I hear Summer In North Texas I cringe and I live here!

This post is dedicated to my Mama, she would have been 97 today and she is the woman who inspired me to plant and grow!Her nimble fingers tended to my sister, Dad, me and the farm.She was a beautiful and powerful role model for me.We grew flowers together from the time I was old enough to take care of them myself.Thank you Mama, I love you!

We have been making the most of these showy blooms with colorful vessels and bouquets on the patio.You know I have just given into the environment that I live in...I can amend the soil, adjust the water and fertilization methods.But I can't fight the weather!I'll swim upstream in other areas of my life...but not flower farming.

A voluptuous and colorful mixed bouquet in a well worn wrought iron basket on a unloved rocker which I rescued when I was working in the furniture hospital in Southlake.I miss that part of my life, I think that I will need to find another furniture hospital near me.You might enjoy that little tale of this rocker,  it is right here.

Whimsical bouquets which last so very well.The garden thrives when I plant flowers that like heat, imagine that one...Now I am envisioning expanding the Flower Farm, I am, I really am!I love having my own multitude of flowers to cut anytime I please, they bring me a giddy joy on these hot Summer days!

I always place the fresh picked bouquets in a vessel filled with water and leave them on the patio for a few hours so the lady bugs, random spiders and such can make their way home before I bring uninvited guests into our rooms. I would feel sad knowing that a Lady Bug couldn't fly home.Plus I don't like seeing a glistening web or two from a dining room chair, I am sort of afraid of spiders.Well, I actually I am afraid of spiders, there I said it!But I do befriend snakes...

Zinnias and Sunflowers bloom more the more you cut them!

Lucky for me.

The beginnings of a natural Summer wreath and the tutorial you can find right here.

I enjoy arranging flowers in random vessels.

My youngest daughter gave me these assorted turquoise mugs and creamers.

Adding whimsy to our homes is always a positive thing to do and of course flowers brighten up the day.

And for when I am not in the flower patch tending to the flower farm.Well, I am wearing flowers on my shoes...Keeping flowers close to our hearts acts as an insulation against bad vibes.Wouldn't you agree??

Thank you for joining me today!Up later this week, an awesome Summer pasta recipe!