Comments : 41

Hello friends! LAST CALL to Donna Levi, winner of the gorgeous bag from Huff Harrington otherwise a new winner will be chosen tomorrow morning. Please email me at [email protected]

Today is our monthly By Invitation post and believe it or not, its the next to? last one until fall! We break for summer, how exciting to think that? the word summer is even in our vocabulary:) This months theme is all about life’s luxuries…..to me, some are tangible and others not so much.

BY INVITATION ONLY

Funny how our ideas and the very concept of luxury changes through the decades. In my teens I would have said my first pair of Chemin De Fer jeans was an ultimate luxury (thanks mom for indulging me even though Dad did not “get” $50 jeans 34 years ago). In my 20’s getting a piece of real “grown? up” furniture (thank you Maurice Villency)? would have been the ultimate luxury.

In my 30’s maybe a few designer frocks added to my closet or a major vacation and finally by my 40’s I got smart and realized that the real luxuries cannot be bought or given, because they are simple things like good health, the luxury of being able to pursue a passion or hobby,? a families love, surrounding yourself by good friends, you get the picture. Cliche maybe…..but true, oh yes.

So don’t get me wrong I do love my luxuries, and there are many I feel fortunate to be able to enjoy but truly the ultimate luxury is one that no amount of money can give….. good health, happiness, time and surrounding yourself with love. In terms of the tangible luxuries, I have a whole list but here are some of my top……

 

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BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS. A MUST!!!!! I need to have flowers around me, I feel like something is missing if I don’t. They make me so so happy. Whether its a small bouquet picked up at my local market or a huge orchid plant, I need to have some sort of flower around me at all times:)

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PRETTY TOILETRIES. I love scents, and when I love a scent I? stay loyal. I need to walk in and my house and for it to smell good. I have room sprays, candles and lotions literally in all the spaces I spend lots of time in, that would be my kitchen, bathrooms, bedroom and family room.

It is not difficult to see I love products:) Antica Farmacista and Seda France are two faves. I always have a candle burning, use room sprays liberally and take my products quite seriously. To me indulging in a bubble bath with my favorite Antica Farmacista products is an absolute luxury. Can’t imagine life without my beloved toiletries….

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GOOD FOOD. Oh I love my food and take it very seriously:) I love nothing more than visiting a farm stand and buying the freshest produce I can find…that is such a luxury that I feel fortunate to be able to indulge in. What’s better than a just sliced off the vine still warm tomato? With a little fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of sea salt? Yum yum. Fresh fruit just picked, now thats a luxury and a lot of fun too. It goes back to the simple things…..love it and to me, this is a true luxury.

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A BEAUTIFULLY MADE BED. You spend almost half your life in your bed, isn’t it worth the very best you can afford? Besides it looking good, it needs to feel good. My bed is one area I never skimp on. I need and crave the softest, loftiest, coziest, prettiest sheets, bedding, pillow and comforter I can find. I think I have found the most perfect combination as I dream about getting to jump into my bed at night and that to me, screams luxury.

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TRAVEL. I love to travel…..getting to see new places, experiencing new flavors, cultures and tastes. Few things in life can ignite ones senses like travel can. My anxieties and claustrophobia definitely impacts the degree to which I travel but I must say when I get to where I am going, I always completely? overwhelmed and amazed by the invigoration I feel when I travel. Travel is most definitely one of life’s greatest luxuries.

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PRETTY FROCKS. I am definitely a girly girl, I love it all pretty clothes, jewelry, am a handbag aficionado with a “handbag family” as I like to refer to my bags,? to prove it:) I am not a huge trend follower, I like what I like and literally have many things in my closet that are 10, 15 years old that I love as much as the day I got them.

Getting to wear pretty clothes to me is a luxury. When you look good you feel good, right? Though I could live without beautiful clothes, I certainly enjoy them and consider getting to wear them a total luxury….

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(All pictures are my own except the travel pictures)

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So that’s my list of luxury must haves! Though each and every one of those luxuries are so incredibly wonderful and sure make life a whole lot sweeter… I would not trade my good health, and the love I have from family and friends for any of them for those are life’s true luxuries!

How about you? What do you consider to be life’s luxuries? Do tell!? Be sure to stop over at Splenderosa’s site to see all of the other participants, it always promises to be well worth the visit to see what the other ladies came up with, click here to visit Marsha and see the other links.

Thank you for stopping in,wishing you a wonderful day and start to your week, until next time…..

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Ditto
Ditto
All of the above …and…
Music,Art,Books,Books,more books for quiet reading time.
Beautiful tablescapes for great food and close company are treasures !

Well, this was a nice way to start my day.So lovely.Your house is amazing.I too like to travel but hate the trip to get there!!! I’m sure we would be great friends.I relate just like all your readers. Love to Teddy.

Debbie

I do wish I lived closer to you we have such similar thoughts and likes , I loved everything you picked here! You gave me such a great image for paint class this week that gorgeous Vase with Peonies! Hope to see you soon for Spring, xo Karolyn

What a lovely way to wake up. I come to my computer with my coffee and there is another one of your beautiful post. Some of the most breathtaking photos I have ever seen. Thank you so much!!!! I hope you have a wonderful summer .

Tina,

New to your site, been a subscriber for just about a month. LOVE reading your post in the mornings. I love that you put good health first. Speaking from one who knows, without good health, it is hard to enjoy life and all the luxuries that come with it. So, always be thankful for good health!

Tina the luxuries you mentioned are all those that are self preserving, which we all need. Yes how they do change over the years. One of the luxuries I have come to appreciate is good health and how not having it can devastate ones life. That said the luxury of such good friends that you can count on during the good times and rough patches!! Including you my friend!

xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena

Health should always be #1 on everyone’s list, without it we can’t enjoy all the other luxuries.
Beautiful post!
Thanks Tina , What a great way to start my day!

I am thankful to have a computer to turn on each morning allowing me the luxury of reading your daily post. I start each morning reading about and enjoying your home, beautiful flower arrangements, beautiful blue and white vases, tips, etc. I too enjoy good food, cooking, entertaining and travel, but the time I spend with my husband and children gives me my most enjoyment in life. I cannot forget about my black lab, Banjo and cat, Kaycee, too. I too need to surround myself and home with flowers of all types, Orchids in particular, especially pink and white. It is springtime and Garden Week in Virginia next week and we are all thankful for the beautiful blooms bursting forth this week. Thank you for bringing joy and great insight to each and every morning. Mary

Good Morning Tina, Yes .. health is #1 because without that it’s difficult to enjoy all of finer things in life. Enjoy your day!

Health first, loved ones,sharing, giving (you do so well Tina),
flowers, music, books, books ,books, travel, cooking,scents,
entertaining, healthful living, luscious fabrics soft to the skin,
design, traditions passed on from family and country. Freedom, and the guidance I receive from God.

I very much enjoyed reading your post this morning and looking at all the wonderful pictures! You have inspired my day!

Good morning Tina,

Health is number 1 to me;
Family and friends, getting together… is my number 2;
Travel as far away as possible, as we get older (which we are not yet~but will be someday) closer beautiful locations will be more desirable… my number 3;
Exude happiness…we are all blessed

Have a wonderful day and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us, that’s what I plan to do…

Such a beautiful blog !We all enjoy our wonderful and expensive treats. As time goes on we appreciate good health and free time to enjoy our life. Right now I am just happy to have Spring and enjoy my home /garden. Next week we get the pool opened. Life is good!

Such a lovely list, Tina. So many of my favorite things – especially flowers and frocks, as you know. And I’m with you, I can’t even believe that this is the second to last BIO post before our summer break. It’s been a little cold and rainy lately and summer seems quite distant. Nice to know that it will be here before we know it. Ros? on a sunny terrace on a warm day – now that is a luxury.

Hope your week is full of your favorites! XOXO

HI Tina!

I think you’ve covered it! Flowers, friends, fragrance, food and of course great health, travel and the occasional fabulous handbag! At a certain point (maybe this does come with age) you realize that the most important things in life really can’t be bought. And, I do believe that it’s often wanting what you have, instead of having what you want!

I love that you live a life that is filled to the brim with all the best in life?which mainly starts with your outlook, your generosity and kindness! Luxury is having you for a friend! πŸ™‚

xoxo Elizabeth

Hi Tina,

While taking my dad, many years ago, to an eye appointment we saw people
In the parking lot with various degrees of visible declining health issues.
Dad’s appointment was at a Medical Center so I am sure others had health
concerns that were not visible, I said to my dad “the greatest wealth you can have is your health.”
Every day I am so thankful to be able to walk, talk, hear and see.

Enjoyed your post. Am on the same page.

Barbara

I have to agree Chemin De Fer jeans were the BEST! Those were probably one of the few fashions I admired in the 80’s. Love your blog. Thank you for all the beauty.

Yes, indeed! Enjoying flowers, food, books, music, traveling and gardening are mine. Although some people might say gardening is work, haha. It is work but I’m thankful to be able to garden. Cheers

Tina this is fabulous! I love all of your luxuries. For me the biggest luxury in life is time with family and friends. I live far away from all of my family and my closest friends so when I am with them, I literally count every second as a treasure. Especially time with my parents!

Thanks for sharing all of your beautiful photos!

Such an amzing feast for the eyes Tina! Simply beautiful photo’s. Luxuries are so important to my well being and time with loved ones tops the list!
xo

A couple of years ago, the British dairy company M?ller commissioned a survey into what 2000 adults classed as life’s luxuries. Most of the top ten involved small items of self-indulgence, like a box of chocolates, starting a new book, taking a day off to do nothing and so on. But interestingly, buying flowers for oneself was higher on the list than buying flowers for others, or receiving flowers from others.

It’s completely fascinating!! Your lovely photos and comments about flowers made me wonder, are they are perceived as “luxurious” more because we either cut them ourselves from our gardens/purchase them and are therefore self-indulgent, or because they are simply beautiful?

This has been a truly fabulous topic.

“I looked in the mirror and what did I see?.. a reflection looking back at me.. “… this was how I felt when I read your post Tina.. I loved your pics, as always. Thanks for posting and staying true to yourself .. the travel bit, the luxurious smelly bits, the tasty bits, the comfy bed bit, and of course, the flowers bit, all witnessed deep within me…. oh, the joys of life and the blessed life we live. Thanks heaps Tina.. ps.. India?.. Myanmar?.. Canada?.. Alaska?.. Vietnam?..

I’ve gained a fresh perspective on what are truly luxuries recently. Last week, I fell in the garden and broke one ankle and sprained the other. A luxury is getting a good nights sleep, it’s being able to climb stairs, drive my little red car around town, and stand up to do my make up, and being able to climb the stairs without help. My birthday and anniversary are both this week and I’d love to be able to go to all the fun shops and the beach in Ocean Grove, N.J.this week end like we’d planned. But I do get to soak in the tub, ignore the phone, and diddle around in the garden dirt as much as I want to. I’ve received flowers from one son, a gift card for unlimited Kindle books from another, and phone calls from each of the others and beautiful work so fart done by my grandchildren! Friends have shared their time with me and brought tasty meals for our family to enjoy, and called or stopped by to express concern and offers to help with rides, and household and garden chores. Those are life’s real luxuries, as is the time to sit and enjoy my Enchanted Home posts! Thanks for sharing your photos and thoughts. I always feel refreshed after taking a few minutes to peek at your updates.

Oh yes…such amazing luxuries…truly the good things in life! I agree with you – it is amazing how our definition of luxury changes as we get older. For me, luxury is the ability to travel (no surprise there!), health for myself and my family, and my comfy home to return to. And, of course, having wonderful friends like you! xoxo

Beautiful post! Your flower arrangements are all so gorgeous! Would you share your source for luxurious bedding?
Thanks and have a great day!
Lissa

Oh, how I loved all of this!
The flowers, of course the flowers.
And the bed, the sweet scents, the travel, the frocks.
It seemed a luxury just to linger over these marvelous photos.
xoxo

What a lovely collection of luxuries! Flowers really do brighten our day. And when those first, hardy souls rise up at the start of spring? That is the best!!

Hello dear Tina

What a joy it is to read your lovely list…and yes, good health is most important of all

Years ago, maybe I had different ideas for luxuries, a beautiful gown, some jewels and to borrow my mother’s white fox fur stole to attend a ball….. I thought I was in old Hollywood !!
I still love pretty dresses ( and I have the stole now πŸ™‚

But now I know the true luxury that was my happy and idyllic childhood. Growing up safe and free in a lovely home and having my creativity encouraged and nurtured by my family.
Loving flowers, design, fabrics, art, they are now all part of my work……and being able to create my dreams every day … this is luxury

….and to share these loves with you and other gifted and generous friends who write blogs and inspire me so much… just add to the happiness of the creative life.

I do hope you are having a happy springtime. I haven’t left many comments just lately but you are right here with me my dear

Sending much love, Sally xxx

TINA,
You have it covered! I feel luxurious just reading this post and seeing all your fabulous images!
These days, I think my children are my “luxury” and then of course the “time” to create “art” and share it with special people!
That candle you sent me is heaven scent!
xxoo
pve

Tina, your photos are absolutely stunning! I’d agree with all of your thoughts here regarding life’s real luxuries, and I am inspired especially to dash out at lunch and pick up some flowers!

We have been having spotty internet this week (ah life in the country!) so I am quite late in making the rounds of our BIO posts but each one is making me SO happy…such an amazing group of smart, grounded women.
But your post also made me very hungry with all of your gorgeous foodie photos! Off I go to make some lunch. πŸ™‚
Thanks for a gorgeous post!

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