Celebrating life in November with my first blog post
It's been not days, but weeks since I had my first thought of starting Doamna Marga's blog. I guess I just lacked the confidence that I could write something people would relate to and feel happy to have spent time reading. In fact, I still have the same feeling, but here goes nothing...
my first blog post.
Enjoy and I look forward to your thoughts!
Hello, last days of November
Now that the Holiday season is getting closer and closer I just wanted to share with you a couple of things I would definitely want to have time to do before Christmas. Here are my top 3 ideas for pre-holiday activities:
1. Make a Christmas wreath
I know time is one of our most valuable assets and almost never enough. That is why I believe the little we have available has to be spent doing the activities we most love. One of the things I absolutely adore making are Christmas wreaths and this year it will be even nicer as I will get to do it together with my baby girl...well I hope at her 20 months Lara will be patient enough...but who knows?!
The Internet is full with wreath styles and I am sure after a quick google you will find something you will love to make yourself. In addition, Youtube or Martha Stewart can teach you super fast how to build one. What I find most difficult due to the city I now live in - Iasi, is to find the right supplies. So here are a few tips.
To create even the most simple wreath, you will need strong floral clippers to cut greenery to size, wire and wire cutters for fastening your foliage and a wreath form. All these can be found online at places like www.floro.ro or www.dutchsecrets.ro. If you are lucky enough to live in Bucharest or Cluj I advise going directly to the big floral markets / warehouses so you can directly see and test the supplies and greenery prior to buying them.
Now, to take it a step further, depending on the style you opt for (maybe you love it pretty in red, bohemian, or super modern pink), you will need to search for decorations. Pepco, JYSK, Mobexpert or online stores as www.chicville.ro or www.vivre.ro are places you can find that something special.
Many of you might find making a wreath quite intimidating, or maybe you just do not have the space at home or the energy to clean the mess after. No matter the reason, there is a way out. You can always opt for a 2-3 hours Christmas wreath course available at the big floral design schools. Liliana Margas, Atelier Ilbah, Scoala de Floristi, En Rose Design are a couple of options. But if none of the above are taking place in the city you live in and you cannot find online an available course, just pop-in the nicest flower shop you know and ask them for information.
And if this wreath making is not on your list, but you do want to do something Christmassy - start baking. The most wonderful thing about cookies -- aside from how delicious they are, of course, it is how easy it is to make them ahead and freeze them for later. Get started on your holiday baking now, and you will have plenty of treats ready for impromptu guests and gifts later.
2. Volunteer or donate
I used to do volunteer activities when I was in high school, but then I stopped. Like most young people, I started to focus on my career and where to travel next, and thought that if I donate I do enough. Well, this year, most probably because I am a mother now and everything inside me shifted, I joined Alexandra Timar (most wonderful and dedicated person on the planet) and her campaign to help children and older people get a nicer Christmas. I do not do much...I just offered part of Doamna Marga's warehouse as space to collect other people's donations. At the end of the campaign, somewhere before the Holidays I will wrap everything up and go to some villages in Vaslui county where, with the help of other volunteers, we will distribute the donations to the people in need.
So, as always, if you have time and feel in the mood to offer a helping hand, start googling and see how you could help the community you live in. The joy that you will bring to others, will be so little in size versus the joy you will feel inside. You will not only help the needy, you will help YOURSELF!
A little goes a long way!
3. Rest and hibernate
Interestingly enough, this point will stay on this list throughout Winter. Do not fight your body's natural desire to sleep. Embrace it. Take action in your home, however small, to make it a cosy retreat. Rest, eat healthy food, enjoy your time with your dear ones, and do not allow yourself to get too busy - whatever that looks like for you.
So nothing fancy in my first blog. Just three little, ordinary things I planned for at the end of November. The volunteering part is ongoing (hurray), the wreath making, I already bought the supplies (hurray), now I will see what I do about number 3...I really do not know how I will follow my own advice, but I will most definitely try.
Till next time you lovely people, all my love and good thoughts.
Doamna Marga