My Enjoyment of Beautiful Things...another Pinterest post.

Oh yeah, people, you knew I was going to go there again some time, right? I have another blog post that allows me to wax eloquent about Pinterest. (Oh, and share some of my favourite pretty photos while I'm at it!) Well, really it's not so much about Pinterest itself as it is about why I like pretty things.

I have to start by saying that I don't really consider myself a materialistic person. Do I appreciate the aesthetic value of certain objects? Yup. Do I prefer to have clothes or furnishings of a better quality of construction? Yeah, if it saves me money and regret from replacing cheap stuff. That doesn't mean that every purse has to be a designer label, or that all my furniture came from West Elm or something. If I have the time to really hunt for stuff, I don't have anything against making a run to the charity shops to find things. I nearly bought a couch at one local thrift store with the intent of DIYing a new slip cover, but I couldn't find anything with a simple enough  shape. Plus, in the end, the IKEA couch we got has been pretty darn handy since it folds out into a bed when we have overnight guests. (Seeing as how our second bedroom now belongs to Ethan.)

But I like pretty things: they make me happy. Just like having a clean and tidy house can improve my mood (especially if I see it pretty much all-day every day), having a house filled with nice-looking things helps, too. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or expensive, but as long as things look well-cared-for, coordinated (but not too matchy-matchy), and visually interesting...I'm all about that. Rather than going on at length about why the additional value of creating a relaxing atmosphere can justify spending extra money, time, or effort...let me just let the pictures do the talking, shall I?

I don't have an iPhone (and don't really intend to), but a case like this would make it a bit nicer to see sitting around all over the place in my house. (Because my phone lives all over the place.)

I'm all about pottery. And anyway, when it comes to having other people around for a meal, presentation is half the fun.

My home is my castle gallery

I love having pictures on the walls. Bare walls are so depressing to me. Thankfully, I've moved on from blue-tacked posters and pages ripped from magazines to framed prints...and framed things ripped out of magazines...or the front of birthday cards...or post cards from museum gift shops...

Having a place - even a small place - that feels cosy and relaxing and a little bit luxurious is a brilliant thing. I need a corner like that in our flat...I'd smile every time I saw it.

Being in between dress sizes and having to re-evaluate my wardrobe to find things that are baby-feeding-friendly (as well as able to withstand the rigours of being coated in various bodily fluids), I've come to a place where my outfits are all about the little things. Take joy in the details.

Sometimes, it's nice to make a statement. It's good to have something fun and a little ostentatious to wear every now and then.

With one day to go until my birthday, I've definitely done my fair share of looking at/for pretty things. Tomorrow will be spent away with the Husband and Little E doing some sightseeing and then Friday is some girly bonding and shopping in Reading with Rachel and Henners. So really, this birthday is all about enjoying the beautiful things in my life...and adding a few more beautiful things to it!