today i am grateful for…

the spring dresses my sissy gave me a few months ago. i am wearing a fitted red sheath today with a black patent leather belt; it’s hugging the curves and i feel completely comfortable and beautiful today. i see more dresses in my immediate future.

healthy hair. i am being especially kind to myself these days; my hair has reaped the most benefits of my kind ways. i take extra special care of my natural kinky curly hair, making sure to moisturize, seal and twist nightly. just a few moments ago while in the rest room, a colleague of mine commented me on how healthy and beautiful my hair is. i was proud.

my new little writing blog. it’s shaping up pretty nicely. i will share the link soon, for now i am just basking in my words on white space (no pictures, just words).

my personal financial advisor (sounds bougie doesn’t. lol). i only wished i had gotten one sooner. they are a lot more afforable than you think. i want to be financially free (debt-free, substantial rainy-day and retirement savings, and making my own money on my own time – freedom). my avoidance modus operendi isn’t going to get me there and having someone to help me track spending, face my student loan debt head-on and save for my move has lifted a huge heavy burdern off my mind. freedom is calling, can’t you hear it.

what about you, what are you grateful for today. please share.

for a beautiful life,

{image by C.D.Beatrice Clay <— that’s me}

today i am grateful for…

the royal blue dress i am wearing; it’s a form fitting sheath that accomodates my hips and it has pockets <— DOUBLE SCORE.

mindless work tasks that will get me through today (some days i don’t want to concentrate or think too hard).

coffee and fruit

knowing that i can only help a person as much as they allow me too; it’s their life not mine; ease-up and back-off, i say; my own life is blooming and needs tending to.

for a beautiful life,

{image by C.D. Beatrice Clay <–that’s me}

I am a nester. Soft cozy feminine interiors calm me.  Well curated rooms trump “coordination” any day.  The whole room-in-a-bag thing drives me nuts.  I think any good interior designer will tell you, surround yourself with the things you love first and foremost.  Each of these rooms start with a nice base of white; color is layered; fresh flowers bring it all together.

for a beautiful life,

{images top to bottom via Jen Mauk pinterest 2. Nest Pretty Things tumblr 3. Christine Martinez pinterest // see more of my pins}

today i am grateful for…

my dear friends C. and T.; they convinced me to come to DC/MC for 29 hours. i’ll be at Union Station in 30 minutes. so excited to connect with friends over frothy delicious coffee, belly laughs and the like. there will be some thrifing involved….bliss, I tell you.

lola (i can blog on the road effortlessly with her and my zagg keyboard)

amtrak (wifi + outlet + and a window seat = so glad i didn’t drive)

the glorious SUN shining on me now. i feel so blessed.

you, thanks for stopping today.

for a beautiful life,
bc

{image by C.D. Beatrice Clay <—that’s me}

I stumbled upon the stunning work of Kareena Zerefos while working on a writing project. My heart almost burst. I mean she is BRILLIANT!  Her drawings are whimsical, imaginative, delicate, precise, classic and amazingly beautiful!  Here are just a few that I adore, but really it was so hard to narrow it down to a few.  Pop over to her site and see for yourself.

I am mulling over the idea of getting a framed one for my next nest.  The colors in Carnival Horses are delicious, but isn’t the elephant the cwuutest wuttle thing eva!

for a beautiful life,

{starting from top left: Carnival Horses | From the Menagerie | Wolf & Child | Elephant

today i am grateful for…

books, the people who write them, and the Spirit that leads them (i am currently reading and enjoying a little historical fiction at the moment. isn’t the title intriguing, briefly stated: the book is about how reading saved the lives of many during WW II…the writing is witty, yet serious….the whole book is written in letters, yes, the Dear so and so type.  brilliant and beautiful.)

the cute little baby boy with the CHUBBY cheeks in the coffee shop this morning.  he gave me and my daughter a good laugh this morning at 6:50am (i should have gotten an extra shot of espresso

the grapes i left in the office fridge on tuesday.  they are still good, sweet and delicious (breakfast – check).

all the energy i have this morning.  i am so glad i listened to my body and took two days off.  best thing, it’s FRIDAY, and I am heading to DC tomorrow to see my dear friends and some cherry blossoms.  be sure to follow me on twitter (@chrissybell) instagram (@beatriceclay) for the minute by minute deets

what are you grateful for today? please share.

for a beautiful life,

{image by C.D. Beatrice Clay <—that’s me}

I love my iPhone4. I mean I LOVE IT! I also love fine art photography too.  So voilá – fine art photography for your iphone! Here are a few of my favorites found via Society 6.  I could spend hours looking at the pretty art over there.  Do stop by.  If you prefer to use your own photos to make an iphone case, try here and here.

for a beautiful life,

1. Giraffe by Kayla Cole | 2. Carnivale  by Minagraphy | 3. Scales by Steven Womack

today i a grateful for….

being able to mend at home for a second day (i rarely ever take full sick days, even when i am sick; yesterday i decided that the quickest way to get better was to stay home, rest, drink fluids and let it be.  for the entire day i couldn’t relax. i was checking email constantly and working on things here and there. i felt guilty for being sick and actually staying home. crazy, i know. perhaps i am more of a people pleaser than i know. maybe i do care what others think of me, my work. maybe my self-value is tied way too tightly to my work. i wonder.)

the pretty petals above, i snapped those this morning on my walk (i was initially going to find a prettier pic on pinterest, but i said hey lady **points at self** your picture is good enough to share.)

2:33-2:38 of Latham Thomas’s Behind the Scenes – Experience Life Cover Shoot (i stumbled upon a former classmate’s lovely webpage this morning and watched a couple of the videos posted. i needed to hear those words. thanks girl!) — “You can create the life of your dreams when you get enough rest.”- Latham Thomas (she can also be found here.)

this morning’s walk (i didn’t want it to end so i tarried.  i did an about face, retraced my steps for several blocks more and even sat a while on the benches along the parkway. the slowness of it all revived me. i was able to think clearly as i sat. i envisioned my life six months from now. six years from now.  peace and passion were at the core of it all.)

 slow down so you can soar, i say.

for a beautiful life,

{image by C.D.Beatrice Clay <—-me}

today i am grateful for…

my 3-month clean whole food eating challenge (for the next three months i am committed to eating whole clean foods 6 days out of 7. i am hoping it lasts a lifetime.) today starts my second week of eating clean whole foods; the weekend was a doozy; i got sick after eating bacon. my body rebelled after eating it. i literally drank a gallon of water just to get the saltness out of my system. that’s what i get for cheating and eating bacon on day 6 instead of day 7, my free day. HA! So happy to be back to my day 1.

facebook, yes i am grateful for facebook and being able to chat with my bestie yesterday. (she’s in Liberia and her internet connection is spotty at best so she logs into facebook so she can talk to several of her friends at once and catch up with things on this side of the pond.)

the lovely Lacoste silk scarf Ashley gave me yesterday.  it was a pleasant surprise (her thanks to me for helping her with her blog; it’s launching soon.) Isn’t the scarf lovely? The colors are similar to my blog.  I can’t wait to wear it.

for a beautiful life,

{repinned from Things I Love by Radostina // 79 ideas <–see her lovely blog}

So grateful for today, FRIDAY (the last day of my work week!).  I am also grateful for…

this beautiful list and this one and this one (I will be tackling a several things on the third list this weekend)

this beautiful blogging event (read my contribution here and YOU can contribute too!)

the beautiful SUN shining in NYC today

I plan to spend my weekend relaxing and catching up on some reading as well.  First on my list, the ubber delicious eye-candy-of a magazine that is Sweet Paul Magazine.  The new Spring 2012 issue is out, I am downloading it to Lola (my iPad) now and can’t wait to read it and get inspired.  Pictures, especially beautiful ones, take me places…happy places.  Sweet Paul Magazine is filled with ‘em! 

I am reading a couple of books at the moment - The Invitation + The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (the title won me over and the fact that it was on the buy- two-get-a-third-one free table at the bookstore), one non-fiction, one fiction.  I can’t read two novels at one time, the characters and details get all mixed up in my mind.  I like to savor my fiction, but occasionally I will throw a non-fiction piece in the mix; it’s like oil and vinegar, the two can live happily next to each other just as long as there is no agitation..LOL.  If all goes well, I plan to even do a little screening printing or sewing.  If inspiration hits of course I’ll blog, tweet or pin about it.     

Have a BEAUTIFUL weekend!

for a beautiful life,