MODERN COUNTRY STYLE...an inspired life

Mrs. ModCountryStyle

~photos courtesy of modern country style~

'HOW DO YOU MEET THESE AWESOME

PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE YOU?'

A friend recently asked.

Hmmmmm...it does feel as though THEY find me!

Take the lovely Sarah of

Modern Country Style.

We stalk each other's blogs and chat almost

every morning though we're separated by an ocean.

How does such friendship blossom?

A divine cyber miracle.

Her blog inspires so many of us daily

with humor, design, and fashion.

Sarah writes with energy and flair,

lives out loud,

and leads

an inspired life.

The restored kitchen in her English home

As a Brit, Sarah adds an extra letter to spell 'honor.'
And she adds EXTRA pleasure to blogland...

"How do I honour creativity? I certainly feel at my best when I'm being creative. I love it that we've been given the chance to create beautiful things. One of the best feelings in the world is looking at something I've planned, thought out, torn my hair out over...and now see before my eyes and LOVE!"

Oooooooh, yes - such as your cozy renovated country rooms
and amazing crafts like that sentimental pillow!

(keep reading to see what I mean.)

Sarah's lovely dining room

Sarah possesses more than a way with words. Hers is an uncommon ability to discover lovely...

"When I remember to stop looking inwardly and start focussing outwardly I'm often blown away by the loveliness around me. I guess trying to enjoy every single little moment, every breath of the wind, every twinkle of every star, and every drop of rain."

So utterly true, Sarah.

Some of us *cough* must be inentional

about looking beyond inward moods...

Hence, "Get over yourself" has become a daily mantra.

Another image of the kitchen in her home - she ADORES Farrow & Ball colors

Mrs. Modern Country Style describes beauty in imperfection...

"I think of the incredible creativity that humans have the potential to show. Through all our hurt and pain, we have this incredible capacity to produce mind-blowingly original beautiful things. Isn't that amazing?"

Yes. Yes.

Like 'the clapper.'

(thanks for the recent reminder, Red.)

the lovely garden

We may vary in our spellings of 'humor' and 'favorite,' but my cute brilliant writing friend and I both appreciate a good measure of 'random'...

"Laughing with people I love is one of my favourite things to do, if not my very favourite. I think humour is one of the qualities I value most in friends. There's nothing like seeing a best friend for a cup of tea and a home-made cookie for being cheered up, don't you think?"

Totally, Sarah!

Cookies! Funny friends!



omg check out the delicious door in Sarah's bedroom

Inspiration swirls 'round this lovely mother of four who squeezes joy from simple acts and from feathering her modern country styled nest...

"At the moment, I feel very inspired by the potential of our garden. It's been on the back-burner since we've moved here but now our children are just getting to the stage where we can clear away all their messy toys and make the garden beautiful again. No more abandoned tricycles. Hurrah!

Vintage suitcase through Sarah's lens

One of my best thinking times is while I'm having a lovely, long bubble bath. Maybe it's because I'm so relaxed but ideas seem to come much more readily there than anywhere else. Am I allowed to find bubble baths inspiring?!

I find the whole concept of Modern Country Style thoroughly inspirational and have for years. I completely am head over heels in love with the whole look. It's one I never, ever tire of: the gentle colours, the country warmth and the slight modern edge is a combination that sits so perfectly with me. So inspiring!

Here's the pillow! And it honors a special anniversary.

Lastly, I choose YOU, Michele. I find your writing so inspiring and enjoyable to read. Thank you!!"

Oh, Sarah, what shaaaallllll we do with you?

Just when I was making progress from my getoveryourself mantra.

I guess we will:
continue to
read you,

watch you soar,

share in your joy,
and

view your garden and life
in bloom.

Love to you, inspiring woman.


p.s.
Don't forget to enter my giveaway.



AMY NEUNSINGER...an inspired life

photography by amy neunsinger

(it's AMY'S KITCHEN!)

I created this blog

to preserve images and ideas;

to honor the work of my creative heroes

in one lovely place.

A M Y    N E U N S I N G E R

was one of the first heroes

I could not wait to profile because

her lifestyle photography is full of such

lovely simple brilliance.

You can read that post here.

one of the gorgeous rooms in her Laurel Canyon home

I am partial to her imagery of interiors,

and you may be familiar with her work in

Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, InStyle,

or Shabby Chic Interiors.

Recently I caught up with Amy.

It's important to honor creativity because...

"Hmmm, well I really don't know any other way to live. Creativity is living in the moment, nourishing the soul, expressing one's uniqueness, being darling, failing, finding your aha moment. Fortunately, I have been able to make a living at this. Sometimes my cooking is a bit too creative I have been told."

How can we find more lovely

and sacredness in the 'everyday?'

"I think it's the everyday that defines us. Lovely and sacredness is when you become aware of the moment and acknowledge it and say thank you. These moments can not be taken away; they are ours to keep. I try to capture that with my photography...taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. "

'Beauty in imperfection' brings to mind...

"That describes my friend, Rachel Ashwell (Shabby Chic). Torn, wrinkled, faded, vintage, loved, misfit. She has so beautifully captured this with everything she does. I think that's why I love her so much."

omg. Rachel and Amy are a force to be reckoned with.

The role humor plays in life and work...

"Aside from dark chocolate and garden roses, humor gets me through the day. Not that a photography career was enough, I had to go and do a start up (cocodot.com) with my husband during the worst economic climate of our lifetime. Yes, humor plays a big part..... I am still happily married. "

Speaking of cocodot, here is her husband's amazing home office.

Three things inspiring me just now...

1.

The view from my office in the Hollywood Hills.

2.

Remodelista.com

3.

Cafe Gratitude on Larchmont in Los Angeles

..............but tomorrow is another day!

It IS...

and I hope it's another day

of you shooting lovely, Amy!

What an honor to chat with this

wise and lovely photographer.

Familiar with Amy Neunsinger's work?

all images via amy neunsinger and house beautiful

MALIK SAAKA...an inspired life

Emerging artist

m a l i k  s a a k a

creates

works inviting us

to lose ourselves in lovely. 

and how cool is his name?

My connection with Malik

happened the instant someone who

knows me well emailed a photo

of one of his paintings.

This led to:

a knock on his door,

a warm embrace,

laughter,

the chance to view his incredible portfolio in person,

and the beginning of a friendship.

Oh and my art collection of this rising star.

Malik's work is full of intrigue and TINY FEET!

Care to eavesdrop on my chat with Mr. Saaka?

me:

WHY HONOR CREATIVITY?

malik:

"It's just as valuable as a natural resource

and just as hard to find an alternative for.

True innovation is priceless and should be

treated as such so that we as a society

can inspire the next generation,

and so on and so forth."

Did I mention he is still in college?

Uh-huh.

me:

WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN

YOU HEAR 'BEAUTY IN IMPERFECTION?'

malik:

"Dirty rainwater, transgendered super models, and my artwork."

omg i'm still crazy bout this piece.

me:

TELL ME ABOUT HUMOR IN YOUR LIFE AND WORK.

malik:

"It's totally irrelevant to my work

(where I focus more on the macabre);

however, it permeates every other aspect of my life."

I can attest, folks. He's hilarious.

mixed media piece in my collection

me:

WHAT THINGS ARE INSPIRING YOU RIGHT NOW?

malik:

"Riccardo Tisci's work at Givenchy,

70's Japanese exploitation films,

and my little sister Zahra."

See...just another reason I respect the artist.

I have zero frame of reference for any of

his inspirations...leaving even more to discover

in his work and the workings of his mind.

no tiny feet yet lovely

me:

SUGGESTIONS FOR FINDING LOVELY

AND SACREDNESS IN THE "EVERYDAY?"

malik:

"Take time to live in the moment.

Learn what you as an individual value.

Try to incorporate that in everyday activities."

mine

So many fashionable details springing

from the depths of his imagination.

Malik's blog is a place of edgy experimentation.

Translation:

Do not pop an Ambien  and then hop over to his

tumblr thinking tiny dancers...trust me on this.

It's full of macabre magic,

work samples, and his contact info.

Email him to ask about originals for sale

(range is $35-200) or email me,

and I'll gladly help.

(The young artist is open to strange custom requests

even from neurotically charming suburban moms...

mine was something like:

"Currently obsessed with Joan of Arc,

think the color pink should be incorporated,

and wish something better could be done with her hair.")

I know. I know. Poor guy.

Thank you for your inspiration, Malik.

So blessed to know you and follow your artful journey.

DESIREE ASHWORTH...an inspired life

ashlee raubach photography

Her sense of style and that image

of the blonde child in motion

immediately stole my heart.

Interior designer and bloglicious

Desiree

of

Decor de Provence

is one of the loveliest life-stylers on the web,

and her blog for me was love at first sight.

a few of the inspiring draws of this designer & her blog:

Her lovely home's breeziness, European easy elegance,

her preference for functional beauty, and her gentle spirit.

Want to take a peek inside her home?

I know, I know.

Catch your breath and don't

do anything drastic to your home

like wire it with explosives to start over.

I asked the designer what springs to mind

when she thinks about beauty in imperfection.

"Finding beauty in simple things,

uniqueness of the individual,

the freedom to be me, art, and nature."

isn't she lovely?

My sweet friend's current inspirations go much deeper

than a favorite designer wallpaper or shelter magazine.

1.

My relationship to my Heavenly Father

and His son Jesus Christ.

2.

My husband and my children.

3.

Enjoying the beauty that life offers.

still...i'm curious about her favorite magazine.

kidding!

no i'm not.

Dreamy blues and greens and a naturally effortless

chic add to her design's charm.

Bouvet hardware and authentic period light fixtures

were employed throughout this gorgeous home.

Desiree's take on creativity...

"It's an expression of one's self, and I believe we have been

given gifts from a higher source.

We are expected to lift and share with one another.

Life would be so dull without creativity!!"

Tell it, sista.

A recipe for finding the lovely and sacredness in the "everyday."

"Everyday is a gift!

We all should strive to live in the moment more by embracing the good

and bad and learning to grow from each experience.

When we live from our hearts, we can not only see

and feel the blessings of everyday life, we can lift and strengthen

others. Gratitude for each experience is finding

the lovely and sacredness in the 'everyday.'"

ashlee rauchbach photography

This interview with Desiree

reminded me of how connected

"living from the heart" is to

living an inspired life.

Merci for the peek into your home and heart today and everyday, Desiree.   

STINA PERSSON...an inspired life

What constitutes an inspired life?

Surely this is debate-able.

But as for me I believe

it's a life lived

with

soul.

And creativity...

The amazing illustrations of Swedish artist

* s t i n a   p e r s s o n *

reflect these qualities.

I'm a fan of her fashionable

and raw work and was

willing to moonwalk

in 6-inch heels to interview her for

AN INSPIRED LIFE.

Turns out that wasn't necessary...

Stina works with a wide range of mediums

including watercolor, acrylics, ink, and photography.

Her drippy watercolors are my

personal favorite and are enthusiastically

embraced by clients such as,

Coca Cola, Absolut, Godiva, Sony,

Blue Note Records, Atlantic Records, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s,

UNIQLO, American Eagle Outfitters, Volvo Japan, Björn

Borg Clothing, DKNY, Face Boutique, Iben Høj Clothing, and Target.

 

Anyone else woozy with how

Stina illustrates two simple words?

When she commented:

"Making things is the opposite of destruction."

She gave me pause.

I thought about how much we hurt each other

and the planet when we don't honor

creativity with this spirit.

Famous for fashion illustrations,

last fall Stina explored ideas of

imperfection in an exhibit in New York

entitled PERFECTLY FLAWED.

"Perfectly Flawed dealt with accepting

mistakes, drips, and cuts.

With an ever more digitalized, botoxed,

and photoshopped reality I think we

yearn for the original and

the handmade, even if imperfect.

Or maybe just because."

If you read this blog, you won't be surprised

I could not allow Stina to escape without

commenting on the role of humor in her life.

"Humor is vital.

As long as we can laugh and poke fun

of ourselves it will be all right.

My work isn't very funny though;

I have to compensate as a person maybe..."

The artist soulfully and sensitively

replied to my plea for suggestions

to find lovely in the everyday.

"Look closer to home.

The way a beam of light

hits an object in your house

or a good cup of coffee on the

balcony (even if only for a minute

as it actually is still way too cold)...

Looking at the devastation in Japan

one realizes just how fragile everyday is,

and how precious."

What currently inspires the artist?

1.

Spring.

2.

Collages and thrift stores.

3.

Astor, Edgar, Otis and Ivar

(her sons and husband).

************

Thank you, Stina, for sharing your lovely spirit

and stirring creations with all of us.