Tag: renovation

It’s the first of November, and we’re peeling off spidery window decals and putting up our first ever outdoor icicle lights.  We’ve always been building.  Now, we can decorate!  The renovations are very-nearly-completely-finished, with just a few fascia boards to replace and some furniture pieces to stain.  My Amor Milagre Mini has chosen SILVER SNOWFLAKES as our outdoor decor theme this year.  We’re more classic in our design, so just a few sparkly bows on the lantern sconces, ribbons hanging down for the wind to play with, and our new icicle lights bordering our freshly painted heavy cream Rose Cottage roofline will make a sprinkling of magic accompanied by evergreens laden with fresh snow.  I moved our Swedish paper star to the new front kitchen window along with some candles on the sill ledge.  Today, we will organise all four seasons of little home decorations into themed decor nesting boxes, each with their own seasonal aesthetic.  The winter boxes are tartan and rich in hue.  Spring-Summer is a blue-green branch and bird pattern.  Autumn is wild birds in a pretty golden-black print.  We put together a snowy winter tree to keep in the atelier-library-schoolroom.  I may also make some little videos in a new account, though I spend most of my time offline to ensure we’re really living, so maybe not.  I do love photography AND film, but…eyes and brains are important so we shall see…

Hat box style decor containers, of various sizes, fit odd-shaped items better than the zip-up stackable storage boxes do.  In those, we will only keep the small same-sized glass bulbs.  A witch’s boot needs her space.  This gentle practice calls for less bubble wrap and tissue paper, allowing us to easily sense the contents for an organized holiday decorating time.  Less effort and stress means way more fun.  We can now enjoy and admire our favourites.

Making a mess so that we can be tidy is kinda fun.  We put on Christmas in Connecticut, sadly making the connection that Barbara plays an early inauthentic influencer who writes about a fake: life, family, home, and recipes that aren’t her own.  Not a new thing, I guess, but the sleigh rides do look like fun.  She is funny.  We sipped hot cocoa as bells and bulbs were sorted nicely into their own striped boxes.  What do we really have, love, or need to recycle?  Reusable gift bags are such a lovely idea to keep.  We made gingerbread ones a few years ago…love the cinnamon velvet ties.  It’s important to teach children how to enjoy taking care of what we have…sincere gratitude.  New lists to make little pretties are on the baby desk.  So many ideas!

Afternoon shadows…stars and kittens…who shriek giddily at our new icicle light magic!  This is already my favourite memory of the day.

All clean again.

I love how the lego castle resembles the tapestry castle which is like my childhood school.  How not so randomly the universe sends us signs of connections…from our ancient days…

Sometimes, this is a poetree.  Oftentimes, this is a seasonal tree.  Today, this is a snowy tree.

November means scarfs and hats…and little friendly chats.

It’s so exciting to be done.  A home.  Every inch renovated.  With fae lights!

Goodness…that was not an easy decade.  Time to rest and smile.

Putting away the bewitching china and taking out the holly and snow.

Reflections of a fuzzy glow…

We will unclip these lights before the real icicles drip down after December.  It’s nice to have the annual routine in place.  We don’t leave them on long each evening…early to bed.  A bit of magic goes a long way for a night of sweet dreams.

Darling decor dotted about the home encourages softness.

Our evenings are permeated with giggles…so many stories!

Now, to make the new storage cabinets in the mudroom where these pretty timeless keepsake boxes will live all year long.  It’s amazing how light affects the soul, especially when paired with the restfulness of the lack of light.  Sparkle!  Shine!  Magic!

I added in some new soft snowy ornaments this year.  We have more months of snow than anything else, so a snowy tree seemed to be the most comforting.  We’ll soon do a colourful tree in the sitting room by the hearth for December.  This one is the constant…a cosy star to keep us comfy all the winter through.

Our family Autumn-Halloween celebrations were lovely this year, having more time to sense the leaves and to do things together, although trying the town’s activities left me feeling heart-broken and mourning a bit for my little 90’s Halloween style book-reading family.  They will never get that certain leafy scent of Halloween evening, with sweet slightly spooky Halloween decor and real trick-or-treating.  When you add 2025 to Maine, it equals a lackluster Halloween social situation.  All we can do is to keep up our original Halloween spirit and make our autumn-loving decor, crafts, activities, and home a pleasant memory for new childhoods. Remembering past loved ones and celebrating nature are annual themes.

The motive for trick-or-treating is not there now, especially now that hardly anyone decorates at all or nicely.  It’s too terrifying and kind of yucky, especially in the rain.  Most modern decor isn’t made well or it’s too gaudy and missing the feeling of Halloween.  I don’t believe just cramming in tons of blow up things means anything.   There is no social aspect to Halloween here, as it’s more just strangers in a library tripping over each other, trying to DO the kid’s Halloween event, if you can even find one.  Some town shops hand out candy, but that’s not the mood.  It’s too commercial and traffic-polluted.  There is no peace in cities.  You can’t listen for howling wolf cubs.  Where is Luna?  Pete and Pete know the Halloween energy I mean to keep alive.

We don’t eat candy, and I have always given/bartered mine away as a child, so our vegan organic sugar-free recipes expand every year to fill our new recipe box.  I add them into my stories and upcoming cookbook, as well as the fun holiday crafts families can share together.

One must compare parent-to-child childhoods to try to include the positive aspects, (and leave out all negative), but it’s important not to dwell, even if you miss the accessibility of something like 700 houses in a row to visit and explore on Halloween night.  Maine homes are scattered far apart, are usually not welcoming to visitors, and I understand why, but it’s not going to be the same feeling when you do find a few houses in a row ready for witches and ghost babies, nor is your childhood best friend there now with her children to trick-or-treat with since people all move in different directions.  It’s hard to let go of certain feelings and expectations for certain holidays once you know what’s possible, but it’s important to begin again and do what you can to have fun.  This modern age poses so much danger and risk.  Trick-or-treating is creepy here…super scary.  We will not be trying to even find a place to do it again.  It’s not usually possible to give what you wish to your family, externally in society, as it’s not really there anymore.  It was barely there before.  Now…we have not found it yet.  I dare to hope.

It’s up to all of us to make safe, fun, family events so our children can experience a variety of seasonal memories.  Everyone’s so busy, I know, but it’s important to make time at some point in the year for children’s magic.  Parents love it, too.  Everyone does.  So, end the days of leaf blowers, let everyone sleep and enjoy the seasons, and let’s share little moments of wonder together, rebuilding a sensitive sense of community in real life.

Hold good memories dear, but evolve into new ones.  Wanting to give children everything good is fun, but it’s also disappointing when the external factors disappoint you, and your inner child.  Smoke, perfume, and pollution also prevent those rare family-themed social events.  What we can do is read sweet festive books from different eras, carve pumpkins, listen to old songs, take cosy graveyard strolls, and play our funny games.  The same goes for winter holidays.  We have to make our own magic.  This is what our children will remember.  Maybe shops in town have forgotten how thrilling creative window displays can be, but we can do it here at home.  There is no check list to carry through each date of the year from your young years to now.  You can choose to do as you like when you like.  Most days, your activities are influenced by weather anyway.  If it’s nice out, regardless of the calendar date, do it without pressure.  Not everything works out.  Hardly anything planned ever does.

Magic happens when you open the drawer and find it unexpectedly.  It’s around the corner.  It’s over the mountains, in the sunlight.  For example, once I was visiting a friend, and she had no ideas for what we could do.  I didn’t know the place, but we decided to walk to a park.  Just around the corner was a hot air balloon.  It rose above us.  It lifted up…and hundreds more joined it.  What magic would we have found if we had stayed inside that day, if it had been raining?  Would there have been a photo album to get lost in?  Would an old board game bring back my friend’s childhood spirit?  She often did act too old for her age.  It was a bit boring at times.  I keep my childish innocence dearly intact so that special sense of wonder amazes me every day.  It’s always there.   Open yourself to the wonder and magic all around you in Nature.

A calming November to you!  Love, ~Amor Milagre