The hand made home of.... Chris Martin

How stunning is this fairytale cabin that I found over at Inhabitat? The handmade home in Bloomington Indiana is surrounded by woodland and has been built by and lived in by Chris Martin and his family since the 1980's when he decided to build a home that would reflect his families values and needs. The home has been a labour of love and it totally shows doesnt it?

I could see myself here... with a herb garden and a pack of dogs, i would be extremely happy.

To view more of this hand made home visit Inhabitat  here

Interior Designed..... Cabin Life

This cabin is dreamy isn't it? I love the way each room has its own theme, subtlety using textiles and pieces from around the world..... Indian block print textiles in the bedroom,  a Moroccan tray and kilim rug in the sitting room. My favorite room in the house is definitely the bathroom. I love the warm mustard paintwork and the Bhavacakra above the bath, this room feels the most warm and natural of all the cabins rooms. It feels like it belongs.

I say 'belongs' as the other rooms in the cabin although stunning do definitely look like rooms that have been put together by an interior designer rather than lovingly put together over time. The brief I guess was to give their holiday getaway a 'bohemian cabin' vibe... It just feels a little polished.... and some of the rooms a little incongruous... white carpet in a cabin!

... that is not to say I dont love it..... I would jump at the chance to live here. I would just have to scruff it up a bit, add some more house plants and change the hunting lodge feel of the bedroom.

Interior Design by M design la

Easter Sunday Recipe: Wild Chaga Hot Chocolate...

Wild Chaga Hot Chocolate Recipie, suing Wild Chaga from Olivia Clementine

I really, really LOVE chocolate but quit dairy when Alex was diagnosed with being dairy intolerant as a baby, so now when i do 'treat' myself to dairy I can no longer tolerate it either... so I have pretty much given it up and as a previous chocoholic have spent the last year happily exploring my alternatives.

So I thought this Easter I would share one of my dairy free, gluten free, Vegan.... favorite chocolate recipes.... and as here in England there are the obligotory colds and flus circulating and it is really bloody miserable outside ....... what better way to enjoy your chcolate than hot.... and medicinal!!

My absolute favorite recipe for Hot Chocolate is one from Ella aka Deliciously Ella. It is not a cheap recepie to make but it is well worth the spluge... the only adaptation I have made is the addition of medicinal Wild Chaga from Olivia Clementine into the mix.

So what is Chaga and why should you add it to your hot Chocolate?

 Well Chaga is in essence a mushroom that grows predominantly of birch trees. It is a powerful healing tool and has shown to heal all the organs of the body, contain high amounts of b vitamins and give energy.... Perfect for coming out of winter hibernation....

Recipe

1 cup of Almond Milk 

2 tablespoons of date syrup

2 teaspoons of raw cacao

1 teaspoon of almond butter

Pinch of Salt  (optional I just love the taste of it with chocolate) 

1-2 teaspoon(s) of Wild Chaga Powder

Just put all the ingredients into a saucepan and stir until combined. try not to let it boil and loose those all important nutrients

enjoy xx

Collections: Crystals and Minerals...

Collections: Crystals , Minerals and Succulents

Crystals and Minerals

Crystals and Minerals

Charging your Crystals by the Light of the full moon

Sage Smudge and Crystals

Divine

Heres a little Saturday inspiration for you all. Have a great Easter, what ever it means to you

xx

Reading List: Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Women Who Run With The Wolves

Women Who Run With The Wolves

Women Who Run With The Wolves

Die Wolfs Frau

Women Who Run With The Wolves

Women Who Run With The Wolves is one of those books on my shelf that has a spine that is falling apart. The first time I read it, well actually I heard it via you tube, I was pregnant and needed a little girl power (yes, I just said 'Girl Power'.... cringe!) motivation/inspiration, to perk me up from a hormone induced existential funk. By the end of the you tube reading, read by Estes herself, I felt empowered and slightly changed....

I am not going to do a proper book review as to be honest I am a totally rubbish writer and could never do this fabulous inspirational book any justice.... but if you havent read it already I really would recommend you buy it, or borrow it from your library and find out for yourselves...

What are some of your favorite books?

xx

Nevada City Series: KitKitDizzi

So here is the slightly delayed part 3 of the Nevada City Series, and this time we are talking to KitKitDizzi.... a Nevada City Store that stocks the fine crafts made by the creatives in and around Nevada City... accompanying the interview are some of my favorite items from their online store.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and the motive to set up kitkitdizzi? 
Jennifer Shefield originally opened kitkitdizzi in 2011 with the help of Nikiya Swartz (Gold Dust Collective). Kira and I both worked there and loved the shop. Jen decided that she needed to get out of the business. Kira and I had always talked about having a shop, so we made an offer and she sold it to us in 2013. The shop certainly was not bringing in any numbers that would make us think it was a gold mine but we thought that maybe it could bring us a little income, give us a platform to participate creativity with our community and offer us a chance to be our own bosses giving us the flexibility necessary of two single mothers. 
Kira has an extensive knowledge of vintage items and all things old. She has a great eye and endless energy for hunting down amazing treasures. I have a background in business, design and merchandising. We are motivated daily by our friends who we believe are exceptional artists. Artists struggle with translating their work into a sellable product and it is hard to put a price on someone's craft. It feels so personal. We feel honored to be able to offer a platform for their work. 

Nevada Fucking City Mug by Pickle Pottery

What does kitkitdizzi mean

It's a native plant. Bear Clover, Mountain Misery or Kitkitdizze, as the Miwok referred to it, is endemic to the western side of the Sierra Nevada. If you've hiked in these woods and haven't noticed it underfoot, it's resinous leaves adhering to your pants and shoes, you've most certainly taken in the scent of this highly aromatic little fern like plant carpeting the forest floor. It is essential to the health of the forests in these parts and for many of us, is the smell of home.

Nevada City appears to be a real creative hub, what do you think is so inspiring about Nevada City? This town has been the home to artists for as long as I can remember. Its hard know if its the already-inspired that move here or if it's the natural beauty of this area, the slower pace of life and the exposure to other artists/makers that brings the inspiration and creative mind. Or, just maybe, it's the gold that fills the areas soil that somehow draws folks here...

Pheylonian candles

What is it that attracted you to / keeps you in Nevada city? 
We were both born in Nevada City 40 years ago. What attracted our parents to this area? Simple. They were hippies fleeing the urban confines of the city and running for the wild hills. We have lived in other cities and we always come back. We've never seen another community like this. It feels like a big family and has all the love and dysfunction that comes along with that, which we will take over the disconnect that we've felt in other places.

What are some of your favorite shops and cafes in Nevada City? Considering that Nevada City really only consists of three small streets we are really lucky to have so many great places. 

Shops; 
Lily Vigil Art Gallery (best Native American Jewelry and artwork)
The Grey Goose- I cant imagine Nevada City without this shop 
Enid & Edgar for vintage clothing
Nevco for Vintage clothing and locally made crafts
The Earth Store is also a wonderful shop for the nature/science minded

Cafes:

Ike's Quarter Cafe, The Curly Wolf Espresso House and Fox Hound Cafe.

Little Rock Earrings by hazel Cox

Where do you find the artists? A lot of our artists/makers are local. We either know them or we find them through word of mouth. The non-locals we tend to discover through social media and through other artist

What are your three favourite pieces in the shop at the moment and why did you decide to stock them? 
This is a very hard question. Kira and I have one rule about what we pick or do not pick and that is that we both have to LOVE it. We cannot honestly sell something that we do not love. I think that we both agree that the Pheylonian beeswax candles that we carry are the best candles in the world. We have beautifully hand-made knives by a local 17 year old boy; Everet Noel, I would be heartbroken if he ever stopped making them and Fat and the Moon local, natural, organic, herbal body care products that actually work and have inspired me to rid my life of all chemical based products. Pickle Pottery Ceramics, Juniper Ridge, Olo, Ace & Jig... and everyone else that we carry.

KitKitDizzi: Nevada City Store

Green House: Garden Room Dreaming....

Garden Room: image By Brian Ferry

THE NYT BOOK OF INTERIOR DESIGN AND DECORATION ©1976

Greenhouse with wicker chairs

Spring is finally here...... At the beginning of the week I got to play with Alex in the garden and it was magical to finally feel the sunshine on my face. I automatically felt like the heavy weight of winter was slipping from my sholders.

So why have I posted images of indoor gardens?... becasue although I love the sunshine, I love it even more from the slightly cooler shade, in a comfy chair, glass of Pimms in hand and a good book on my lap....bliss!!

Victorian Style Conservatory.

Success With House Plants , Readers Digest 1979

Bringing The garden inside

Hope you are all having a great weekend... Look out tomorrow on Moon to Moon for part 3 of The Nevada City Series...

Cleobella : Over the Moon

 Ummmm...... How amazing is this 'Over The Moon' look book from Cleobella?

With a kind of a Psychedelic 70's Morocco meets Art Nouveau vibe going on this has to be one of my favorite look book sof the year. Makes we want to drink Absinthe, listen to the Stones and smoke a hookah pipe.

 Models: Daria Zhemkova - @dariazva // Amanda Smith - @amandaphotogenics
Photography: Dana Trippe - @trippydana // Taryn Kent - @taryn_kent
Video Footage: Taryn Kent - @taryn_kent
Video Editing:  Dana Trippe - @trippydana
Makeup: Kelly Niemann - @hmuabykellyk
Hair: Chanel Marshall - @goldstruck
Styling: Cat Wennekamp - @catwennekamp