Hello again! Big changes in my life.

Hi friends, how are you?  I've missed you. I haven't decided if I'm going to start blogging regularly again, but I thought I'd do a few posts on what I've been up to. I've been unplugging quite a bit, and it feels great.  I'll talk a little about the way I am using social media in a subsequent post.

The big news is that I moved.  Yep it's true. And another big move is on the horizon, I think.  Living very simply and taking things day by day. I want to move somewhere with legalized weed and lots of rain. Like Seattle or Portland.

I moved to a sweet little beach cottage. It's been quite an adjustment. I've lived in an apartment most of my life. And I was surprised how much I missed my apartment (not the hood), when I moved. My cottage is a small one story ranch. No basement -- yay! basements creep me out, I'm traumatized by the horror movies I was forced to watch as a child -- and no attic. It's not much bigger than my apartment at around 650 square feet.

One of the things I miss is being on a higher floor. I never had to turn on my heat, and I could keep windows open all the time. I love fresh air and love sleeping by a window. I miss my balcony, and my tree. I love feeling like I am in a tree house.

I had a rocky start when I decided to move. I moved half my stuff and the deal fell through. I was so beside myself when I had to move the crap back, I almost put it all in the garbage.  Things worked out for the best in the long run. Typical mercury retrograde stuff.  Fortunately, I believe in travelling light. I did almost the whole move by myself, in my little station wagon. God, I love that car.

Here's the last few pics I took at my apartment. My ever changing living room. I sold that coffee table and now I regret it!  Oval coffee tables are hard to find. Not only was the piece gorgeous, it was so functional. I'm watching the Goodwill and yard sales for one like it.  Like I said, I miss my friend the tree. I used to sit on the sofa and watch the squirrels and birds play in it. I also loved to watch its seasonal changes.  Oh well, there's lots of amazing fauna here, which I'll be sure to tell you about.

I hope you will follow along as I tell my story of setting up home in this sweet little beach cottage.  You can also follow along on instagram @margiemax.  I did this post on my Android!  I'll have more to say about that in my upcoming post on social media.

Thanks for reading!  

Simplicity, Pretty Things and a Long Hiatus

 

Dear readers, how are you? You look marvelous! I've missed you. Hope you are having a great holiday season. I'm happy to report that I'm not participating. Ahhh. Such freedom. I'm also happy to report that I am not taking part in anything that causes me unnecessary pain, such as news, politics, dishonesty, drama. Time is too short to be inauthentic. My mother had a recent episode, which brutally reminded me of our mortality. In the blink of an eye, none of the stupid shit I worry about matters.

As I've been doing for the last several years, I've been ruthlessly editing my life. I want to live as simply as possible. No, I don't want to grow my own food, but I do want to leave a small footprint and to be free to pick up and move as I please. Don't get me wrong, I still love beautiful things, but I want just a few and I don't need anything precious. I have only four pairs of shoes, all of my paper and photos have been either shredded or put in electronic form. Things I live easily without are:  a TV, coffee maker, microwave oven.

Like many of us, I'm feeling over-stimulated and overwhelmed. I refuse to participate in the harried "crazy busy" life that is popular now. I feel a deep urge to let go, and to live. I've given up the news, and many blogs. I have a few favorites that I continue to read. I'm even questioning whether I want to continue blogging.

I'm in the process of extricating myself from Facebook. Never really liked it anyway - it mostly made me feel excluded.  I've given up most of my possessions. I know I'll be moving, I just don't know where yet. With getting rid of most of my stuff (some donated, given, tossed and sold), I confirmed something I've known for a long time. I love the freedom of simplicity. It's been a slow process, but the more I watched my apartment get cleaner, easier to keep clean and organized - the better I felt. Less weighed down. It feels lighter and airier.

Even though I am not currently decorating a specific place, I am still contemplating colors, as always. In my next place, I will be free to paint the walls. I'd love to do color blocking on the walls instead of art. The above is my most recent painting. I love these colors. Cobalt blue, silvery periwinkle blue, and of course, pink!  I am currently loving gray, cave like interiors, so would love to have a gray accent wall. I still really love the gray accent wall I did in my kitchen (see previous post here). I still love white floors.

Most of my vase collection has been sold, but here are a few in my collection. Not sure yet if I'm selling these.

That's where my head as it. I have an urgent need to unplug. To get out in nature, meditate, pray and breathe. I have been writing a lot about living simply, so there may be a book there. I don't know. It's amazing that I've been blogging almost 8 years. I didn't even know what a blog was at first, and I've never really known what I'm doing, I just jumped in. Blogging has done a lot for me. It's boosted my confidence. I've "met" some wonderful, fellow creative types who have provide incredible moral support. There are couple of bloggers I actually hope to meet, something I never thought I'd do.

So I'm feeling a little sentimental. I've decided to take a long hiatus on the blog. If you've read this post, have a wonderful holiday season and I just know 2015 is going to be the best year ever. As always, thank you for reading. I'll be spending the holidays in Colorado. This is a lifelong dream of mine - to go away for the holidays! I've never done this before so I'm really looking forward to it. Of course, I am packing light, lol!

See you sometime next year.......maybe.

Love, Peggy xo

Denver Calling

Dear readers, I know I am going to move. And soon. I just don't know where yet. I've investigated a lot of sublets in Denver and Portland. Many of the homes I looked at were out of my price range. I don't need to tell you, but it's really difficult to survive in this economy on only one income. I'm trying not get discouraged. Nonetheless, I know a move is coming for me, so I have been preparing by simplifying. I plan to move very little.

Here are a few lofts I saw on Craigslist in Denver. The more I've perused airbnb and craigslist, I know I wouldn't be happy with a sublet. Too many rules. Apartment living is already difficult. But I did see some fabulous places.  Here's a couple.

This loft in downtown Denver has a fabulous art collection!

This is a tiny loft, but very cute. I love the mosquito netting around the bed and may steal that idea.

Ahhhh. Isn't empty space grand?  I cannot tell you how much I love this apartment. I saw this building when I was in Denver earlier in the year, and it's a great location. On a quiet street with lots of trees. After living in the hood, I definitely need quiet.

Wanna be by the water...

Hello dear readers!  Hope you are having a good weekend. It's hot here in Ohio and I am feeling a little wistful. I thought I'd take a little break from my Denver series to talk about the simple life.

I crave simplicity and nature. I've got an itch to move,  Here's the funny thing.  I know I will be moving. It's not a feeling, I know it. It's going to be a big move and it's going to happen quickly. Not sure where yet, top choices are Seattle, Portland or Denver. My ideal would be to own a small cabin. As you know, I love living small. I want to live a simple, low impact life.  I crave nature. I've always loved being near water, and I love trees.

I saw this cabin in Wooster, Ohio on Craigslist and thought very seriously about buying it. It's more of a vacation cottage, but  I could definitely live there year round.  Only problem is the place has only a camper toilet. I might be a simple girl, but I still need some luxuries.  I need a full working bathroom.  Still it's nice to dream.

Here is another dream home.  Ahh. I would sit on that porch, smoke a dube and chill to the max. Maybe even learn how to grow weed. Did you know you can take horticulture classes in Denver that will teach you to grow weed? (Warning: there are still lots of legalities which we will discuss later.) I'd probably get a pit bull to alert me if there's trouble approaching.

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Image by Peggy

I even thought about a house boat in Seattle. I am so enthusiastic about my future. Things are really looking up for me and it's about time. Better late than never!  I'll be sure to keep you posted. Have a great weekend and, as always, thanks for reading!  xo

Brief Hiatus and Exciting Announcement

Sorry for the brief interruption of posts.  I don't need to explain to you, dear readers, how life is.  Busy.  Seems time rushes by and we lead such harried lives.  I'm excited to announce that I will be moving (yes, again).  After several years of transition, unemployment and illness, good fortune has smiled on me.  I have been given an opportunity to feel more settled.  I will fill you in on all the details at a later date.

As I look back on the last couple of difficult and tumultuous years, I can clearly see that I am always taken care of by God, Higher Power or the Cosmos, whatever you prefer to call it.  I can also clearly see that everything happens for a reason.  Even the difficult things.  I am a better, stronger and more peaceful person.

I am leaving my beloved Cleveland again.  I wouldn't be surprised if I return one day.  I definitely will be visiting.  There are exciting things happening in Cleveland.  In the meantime, I have been purging like crazy.  I have been ruthless in my editing, and yet it seems there is still so much stuff.  As you know, I've never really been a pack rat or a hoarder.  I like a clean, simple aesthetic. I'm trying harder than I ever have to live simpler.  The funny thing is that the simpler I make my life, the happier I am.  I still love beautiful things and, of course, am obsessing about decorating my new lovely, small, humble apartment.  And, of course, I will be sharing all my musings on simplicity and decor with you.

One of the things I purged was my boxes of journals.  I had been keeping journals for the last 20 years.  As I looked back on them, I saw destructive and repetitive patterns that, I am proud to say are no longer a part of my life.  I am no longer a victim, and am living an authentic life with integrity.  It felt great letting them go.  Closing one chapter of my life and welcoming the next.

I will be offline for a short time.  But stay tuned, I will be asking Jessie to guest blog again (although she is busy too!).  I have lots of interesting things to report when I return, such as thoughts on organic decor, uber simplicity and new art projects.  In the meantime just for fun, I'll leave you with some fab chicks on fab red sofas.

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The always fabulous Kate Winslet.  Is it just me, or does she keep getting better and better?  Okay, let's balance this with a cute guy.

The chair is not red, but it is fab.  And designer extraordinaire, Antonio Ballatore, looks fab in it.

P.S. Have you ever watched Clean House?  I've been watching it marathon style on Netflix while packing and organizing.  I love the team's campy sense of humor.  Designer Mark Brunetz and I share the love of clutter-free simplicity.  He is such a hottie and I just learned that he is a Cleveland native!  I'd love to meet him!

Take care, dear readers!  See you soon.  xxoo

Moving Pains

A home is a living breathing entity. Where ever I have lived, I have had a romance with my home. Indeed, it has been there to hug and cradle me in the worst of times, to celebrate in the best and to protect me. My personal space is very important to me, and I have loved every where I have lived. Each time I move, it is with great emotion. I am filled with conflicting emotion, sadness and loss over the place I am leaving and great optimism about the potential of a new place. I was only at the last place for six months. As you know, my brother - who has been my protector my whole life - took me in during a period of hardship. So not only will I miss the house, I will miss him.

Thank you big bro. I love you. And now the whole world knows it.

Images by Peggy