I hope life feels balanced just now. It’s ever the goal, yes? Should it feel more wobbly and off-balance, well, you’re in good company. Jolly good company! Do you cope by doing more? Doing less? Ever feel like “exactly when are the grownups going to show up with clarification and wisdom to straighten out all this mess?” Long for a time when information overload was not one more obstacle to mental wellness? I know precious little about healing complex wounds around the world. But self-compassion is always a good idea. More listening, softening and opening. Less hardening, shouting and bitterness. (Touches of blush and pink interiors reflect a certain softness and feel welcome just now.)
Dreamy Pink Interiors: Blushy Romantic Inspiration
Centering ourselves in wonder is also good start when it comes to self-compassion.
Right where I am, the hydrangea have turned rosy. Leaves are turning red and crisp.
Viewing art, companioning with animals, immersing ourselves in nature, and spiritual practice are wonderful paths toward wonder.
Today’s post honors the feminine, the romantic, and pink.
Maybe you’re seeing it paint October with the BC content everywhere online. (Did you see my Previvor post?)
Here’s a little more.
Holly Irwin Celebrates the Feminine
Artist Holly Irwin magically muddles the dreamiest pinks on her palette. It is work that will calm weary spirits with gentle simplicity and grace.
Whether you are drawn to contemplative impressionism, delicate yet fiercely strong ballerinas, or the colors within a butterfly’s dream, you’ll be awed by what beauty her discerning strokes birth.
“I saw my first Degas painting at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh when I was still in elementary school and ballerinas have been part of my repertoire to this day!” -Holly Irwin
See more of her work in situ HERE.
Pretty in Pink Interior Moments
Is it truly as simple as washing the interior of an old cupboard with the perfect pink?
Who am I to argue with pink!?!
Rosy Pink Warmth
Oh, the gentle pink paints and lime washes and beautiful pigments in hushed tones – FIND PINKS TO SAMPLE HERE. What do I mean by the subtle use of pink? Leanne Ford sprinkled it brilliantly yet humbly and whispery here:
Yes? And dynamic duo Amy Neunsinger and Kate Martindale with their bold personalities and strong opinions (Capturing Home on Magnolia Network) have a soft spot for PINK:
If you MUST know that rosy, mauve-y, 80’s in a good way reminiscent rosy good shade above, also see that Earthy PINK story. Pink can be so very coastal lovely, yes?
European Pinks, Y’all
And when pink is less cheerful…when it’s moody and muddy it suddenly takes on a European sophistication even when it winds up on walls in Texas:
Isn’t it fascinating how the personality or mood of a pink shade can shift as light or shadow enters its essence? We tend not to think of it as a neutral, yet it feels right at home in any number of romantically feminine spaces.
Here’s an example of a soft, subtle, childlike, romantic pink from Farrow & Ball used boldly with impossibly beautiful soft pink tile:
What a lovely pink!
Those chalky, muddier pinks tend to feel more grown up than cooler pinks.
Pink is Pretty (but not as pretty as freedom)
Just a reminder this life is all yours. The health of your body, mind, and spirit is counting on you to notice and nurture.
Are we collecting adoring throngs of fans who won’t likely see our true selves? Or are we participating in the healing and liberation of ourselves and a few others? Late 50s and still I amaze myself at how preoccupied I can become making myself palatable to others! It is easy to point fingers to blame the culture’s objectification of women, but how often do we objectify ourselves?
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Ballet Core Beautiful Inspiration
Pretty pink things that whisper #balletcore to me:
A spendy splurge to bring a smile to a bougie powder room or any room day after day:
I’ll never tire of pale pink druzy earrings which add a touch of romance!
Pink is forever young. It is child-like and gentle.
Little Pink Houses
While we can’t beam back to simpler times, we can allow ourselves space for timeless imagining. We can dream of little pink houses for me and you.
Pink & Pretty Potions to Deliver Comfort & Joy
We all have our daily practices and rituals for centering ourselves. One of mine is caring for my skin with luxuriously clean potions sometimes disguised as makeup.
I’m never trying to look 10 years younger or airbrushed. What I’m after is a softer look that is more reflective of my inner milieu. Time, illness, and allergies have a way of shadowing these inner rays of light. Enjoying skincare and makeup isn’t limited to superficial preoccupation with vanity or youth. There’s creative freedom of expression and a joy that rises when that distance between opposing forces can be narrowed.
Iris & Romeo
Noticed how the line continues to blur between skincare and makeup? Here’s an all-in-one vitamin-C serum and sunscreen to wear all year round. It’s not going to double as foundation, yet you can wear it to glow under makeup or all alone for a sheer lovely look:
About Weekend Skin…This first-of-its-kind clean formula combines two holy grail skincare steps–stabilized, time-release vitamin-C and transparent mineral SPF 50–with a dewy, balmy glow, for bare-faced, luminous skin that comes alive in the light. Serum-grade actives, vitamin-C and niacinamide neutralize free radicals while they brighten, and soothing zinc shields against UVA/UVB rays that (among other things) cause dark spots to get darker. Use it daily to help combat hyperpigmentation, soften wrinkles, even skin tone, and prevent future sun damage.
The Reset may be the minimalist’s hydration heroine. Iris & Romeo says it is a 2-second hack for supple, bouncy skin, and I like it as a luxuriously effortless go-to for minimalists more likely to spritz and go than layer on potions. The fragrance is subtle and heavenly – just lovely when you need a quick bit of hydration. This 3-in-1 hybrid plumps and hydrates with 4 different molecular weights of Hyaluronic Acid. It works above and below the skin’s surface for 24-hour hydration and noticeably smoother skin.
A Reminder
Oh, and one more lovely thing…
You can go back to picking apart and cruelly berating the life out of your lovely self another day. But today? Tell that critic to hush. Ask for a massage, snuggle a baby goat, wiggle bare toes in the sand or just take a long nap to emerge fresh and new.
p.s.
i love you with the love of the prettiest pink sunset sky.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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