Friday, April 8, 2011

TEA TIME al fresco

I am so excited! Just received a package from my sweet friend K.A in Boston who just returned from Paris!
In the box were those precious and very special items!


The culinary treat, ha ha ha, are Madeleines au beurre, (butter Madeleines) they are so gooood and it has been years since I indulged in some! The magazines are as you can see Marie Claire Maison, (Marie Claire Home) and Marie Claire Idees (Marie Claire ideas or more Marie Claire arts & crafts). Most people probably know Marie Claire when it come to their fashion edition. I am not much of a fashionista so I stick to my passion for Home decor and Crafts!

Marie Claire Idees was introduced to me by a friend who visited me from Paris (France) about 6-5 years ago. She knew I loved art and crafts so she brought me back a few magazines and Marie Claire Idees were the ones I  mostly fell in love with! Every time I receive a package from Paris, in addition to treats I get some French magazines but it's been a while since I got a Marie Claire Idees. I was so excited I could not even browse it properly going from page to page excited to see what good stuff I would find...So I decided to take 25 minutes away from the children to indulge....





I normally would have had tea at this time of the day but Madeleines are to me a special childhood pleasure so I opted for a comforting drink that took me back to the most peaceful times of my life! French magazines, Madeleines and warm milk with honey and cinnamon...enjoying those with the voice of my favorite song by singer Andrea Bocelli....



My twin sister is the one who first introduced me to his beautiful voice and to this particular song. This song has had such a profound impression on me the first time she played it that each time I am in need of serenity I listen to his music. I found this one recently on the internet and it was like finding a lost loved one.  Listening to it send me into a deep nostalgic yet happy state.
 My tea time today was like therapy to reconnect to the best things of my childhood as my birthplace is suffering so many destructions. For months the city has suffered so many unpleasant things and this week has been the worst, so I needed something more special than a regular cup of tea!  My friend's gift arrived at the perfect time and nature embraced me with open arms as the weather was very conducive to having tea time in the garden!


A lot of childhood memories have come back to my mind since the events of this week in my birthplace. I needed to relieve the stress and after my mom's visit this afternoon and her sharing more details of some of the chaos going on in my hometown my stress level was seriously increasing. I don't like to cary stress in my mind or in my body so I needed something therapeutic and I needed quick!
A special memory I had today was how my siblings and I, (and every friend who would join us), used to take our afternoon snacks on the patio or spread a tablecloth on the lawn.  Unlike those innocents years, today I don't have time to spend hours enjoying myself in such a manner. Today I only had 25 minutes to recreate the best I could a peaceful memory with French reading materials and snacks. I needed that this Friday afternoon.

I needed to count my blessings, take some times to enjoy the afternoon breeze, create a moment of serenity in a busy day and in a week where all the distant news I have received were far from good.
I needed to give thanks and enjoy being so blessed with a wonderful family and wonderful friends who would send me a gift all the way from Paris!


I can not say it enough! Making time for oneself even if it's just 15 minutes a day can pay great dividend in our mental, emotional and physical health! I just wanted to share how I made 25 minutes a gift to myself just so that I can be better to my family! So you might not be able to afford tea time in a fancy restaurant but you can turn a little corner of your deck, balcony or home into a refuge for just 15-30 minutes!  If you spend the day caring for others you have to find ways to care for yourself for just a few minutes! This is actually very important if stress seems to be constant part of your life!

Tea time is a nurturing time for me regardless of if it's very early in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon or right before heading to bed!
Do you have such a nurturing time in your day? If yes what makes that time so nurturing to you?  If you don't do you see through this post a reason to create such moments for yourself? What do you like to drink you tea with? Do you have a favorite cake or cookie you use to accompany your tea?



N'na

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Natural hair accessories & necklaces by N'na

Hello fabulous followers and friends I pray all is well with you today! I have been designing some necklaces and hair clips to complement some summer dresses and I figured I will make some available to you for purchase!

They are unique, they are organic in the sense that flowers represent an organic form, they are natural because flowers are to us one of nature's best gifts, they are romantic which is always a great touch to have during the summer times and of course some are tropicals because I am deeply connected to the exceptional pleasures that the tropics exude!

So here were are...

Presenting to you some unique and gorgeous Flowers hair clips to accessorize your fabulous style!
Will go great with any type of hair and will add pizazz to
beautiful naturals ' look!

Floral hair clip # 1
What color woul you call this one????
1 for $7.50 2 for $14

Floral hair clip # 2
Pink peony
1 for $7.50 2 for $14 

Floral hair clip # 3
Orange Asiatic dailily
1 for $7.50 2 for $14

Floral hair clip # 4
Autumn's color rose
1 for $4.50 2 for $8

Floral hair clip # 5
Pink daisy
1 for $4.50 2 for $8

Contact me if interested in ordering some! Price above does not include shipping and handling!
So this is it for today as far as pictures of hair clips! I have been to a few stores in search of unique pieces and since I do not really like buying what everyone else can get I think it's more diva like to create and offer my own unique pieces! I don't always try to shop where everyone else go to get their hair pieces. In department stores, the colors and the flowers are pretty limited and predictable so get something unique for your gorgeous hair, it will add more beauty to your look, the N'natural way and your hair will certainly get more praise than usual!

Below I wanted to present a few of the necklaces I have designed that are also available for purchase. I personally love to wear a few jewelries even when I am working out or add something simple to a casual outfit that will make it fresh and pretty without looking like I dressed up! Those necklaces can be great for young people, a friend purchased the black one for herself and a red one for her teenage daughter to match her school colors! I love turquoise and wear my set with my casual clothes when I go on a walk or just hanging around the house, my green one match greatly a green top I rarely wear that to my surprise got a lot of compliments over the week-end!

The shape of the medallions are geometric and they all have a natural flair to them..


Necklace #1
Turquoise necklace with geometric shape diamond
$12.50 


Necklace set

Necklace #2
Green necklace with geometric shape
without earrings $12.50
with earrings  $16.50


Necklace #3
Red necklace with geometric circle shape and earth colors
$12.50

Necklace # 4
Necklace with: tear drops shape Black & white with touches of tan
$12.50

I am very curious to get your opinion on those I find them...pretty & simple and ideal for a very subtle feminine touch! What do you think?



 just hanging around the house
Walking downtown


Well, this is it for our little tour of my last Creations! You can check my blog http://www.beautyfullgifts.blogspot.com/ for pictures of my cards and more.
If you are not a Follower  yet please take a minute to sign up and join the N'natural family and circle of health and love! It's with great pleasure that I look forward to reading your comments and learning from you! Thanks to all of you visiting today and devoting your precious time to reading this post and others.

This being said,  I am very curious to how many of you like to accessorize their hair with flowers? What's your favorite color and favorite flower? What's your opinion about those necklaces? How would you wear them?



N'na

Monday, April 4, 2011

Southern Style Sunday Stroll by the Tennessee River: Welcome to Chattanooga!


Tennesse River, Delta Queen Steamboat, Coolidge Park...
My husband & I enjoyed our Sunday evening walking downtown yesterday! The Sunday before we had fun riding our bikes in the same areas but we just opted for a much slower pace this time! I had promised myself to share some of the pictures I took on my bike ride last Sunday but I haven't committed much time to downloading the pictures. Today I am making time to share with you some of the pleasant things that were on my path as we were walking around our beautiful Scenic City! I will add a few more pictures by the end of the week, but for today here are some to charm you! A taste of a Southern city with some southern charm that make you feel so happy to be alive!
Enjoy!

The Tennessee Aquarium
The Tennessee Aquarium! I did not take a lot of pictures yesterday because I already have plenty of them representing the TN Aquarium!


What's new since the last time I walked around this street are those guys here! They are parked by many of the restaurants like EASY and passed the theaters! Whoever came up with that idea is a pretty smart dude! But I don't need them to "Take my butt home" as I am here to enjoy myself and get me some exercise at the same time!







In a few minutes I will be crossing that bridge and walk to the North Shore!


Engraved in the ground, you will read those words as you step on the TN Aquarium toward the members entrance!



My view from the Market Street bridge, I just left the TN aquarium...
The Southern Belle on the Tennessee River. Chattanooga Tennessee!
I have been telling myself that I need to take a trip on the river aboard the Southern Belle or the Delta Queen, the day I do I will let you know! For now, just keep in mind that if you want to experience the southern charm at its best, riding on a steamboat my just be the thing to do!!! For now I am just walking and enjoying the breeze, the view, my husband quietly walking along...and... enjoying myself!

The Riverfront




 I will have to commit some times to share with you the special history of this area!
The Trail of tears @ the Riverfront!



A restaurant along Frazier at the North Shore! Isn't it cool that some of the art represent fish! Ha ha ha! I will have to try this restaurant some days and find out if they have any good pescetarian meal worth recommending!
A restaurant on Frazier with cool metal art!




I am now on the Walnut street bridge, it's a pedestrians only bridge. The first time I shared with you pictures from this bridge I was spending time at the Hunter Museum and the art district. Here I am coming from the Coolidge Park entrance on Frazier Street! In the distance you see the bridge leading to Market Street and The TN Aquarium's two buildings!

Coolidge Park Chattanooga Tennessee, Delta queen on the Tennessee River!

Coolidge Park, Chattanooga Tennessee
During the summer the statue of each animal fountain below releases a jet of water that delights children and adults during the hot summer days!
Coolidge Park, Chattanooga Tennessee!
To my surprise,the park is not crowded at all! I guess being Sunday evening it's nothing like what you would see on a Saturday, but things might be different during the summer time!
There are not too many people on the bridge! Couples walking side by side, a few groups of women walking together, people seating on a bench watching the River, a single lady enjoying a book and an ice cream, toddler pacing his walk while licking an ice cream cone next to his young mother...Hm Sunday walks are not just healthy for you, they are good for your mind as well...



On the Walnut Street Bridge a.k.a "walking bridge"! You see the Hunter Museum I mentioned to you when I introduced to you the Lois Mailou Jones Exhibition on my post http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/time-at-museum-food-for-intellect.html

I love this street here! This is my favorite street to walk on, I simply love those homes! They are huge! Each home has a garage on the basement level, a rooftop deck, an elevator to accommodate access to all the floors, and of course a fabulous kitchen among their many amazing amenities!


Something funny happened at this point! A father walking along with is little girl saw me taking pictures of those homes and offered to take a picture of my hubby and I! I declined at first, he kindly insisted and after a little hesitation I agreed! He was so charming, how could I decline his kind offer when he said
" It's free"! He was persistent and cordial all at once!
That was true after all, it did not cost me anything to have him take our picture! As my hubby and I posed for the photo, I got on my tiptoes for more leverage, any extra inches help...as long as the inches are upright not wide( at the waist)! 
 Anyway, as he returned the camera to me, a man driving in a red Ford excursion stopped his car. Waiting on pedestrians, and looking at us, the driver and the passenger were smiling! The driver said something I did not quite get and my impromptu photographer kindly chatted with him and said " I could take your picture too!" We all laughed as the amused driver made a small joke about wanting is picture taken as well! It was a simple moment but it felt good!





 It always feels good to be helped and offered a smile and to laugh when you least expect it! But you know what that scene makes me thing of?! You got it: Southern Hospitality! Sweet! You see, having a Southern experience is not all about food! What's for sure my Southern experience yesterday didn't include binging on food. I had my healthy lunch at my ususal Sunday's spot and ate my usual Salmon Panini from F2O but I must say that there I had Southern love from my wonderful helper Joshua. I ended my day being active by enjoying a peaceful Sunday walk & more!



If you have a Million dollar you could enjoy living here!



We walked away from the houses, toward the many restaurants on Market Street, and we saw one of many carriages passing! There are always some carriages carrying people around downtown. It seems old school but....
 I love that! It adds a certain flair to the town!
I think the carriage ride is one of the most charming "Southern touches" of our gorgeous Scenic City!


A carriage on Market Street!




Well it was fun wasn't it?! My hubby and I stopped at the Hilton Garden to enquire about their rates because we are thinking about spending a night downtown one day and take more time enjoying our gorgeous city!
We spent some times at the gym located behind the Children Discovery Museum and then had dinner before visiting one more hotel and heading back to suburbia to our kids! 

(A little note about the gym! It was my first time at that location and when I saw that their indoor pool faces the street I wished that location was closer to the house! I was not prepared for a swim but I promised myself that one Sunday very soon I would treat myself to such an experience! An empty pool on a Sunday afternoon with a view of downtown! I met a young lady there who told me that most times she has the pool to herself as people rarely use it! She was enjoying a book while in the Jacuzzi! Hm! I like that! So check back in a couple of week, I might share some pictures of my Sunday Swim!)

The Children Discovery Museum by the Hilton Garden Hotel behind it is the Double Tree Hotel
Walking is good for you!

I have a few more pictures to share with you and truly this post is still under construction (ha ha ha), but I am kind of an impatient person so I might as well share with you some of the things I have available!
If you come back you will see more...

Is it your first time around here? Please take some times to become a Follower and leave some comments, I love to know what you think! As I am finishing this the weather is turning ugly and we have a thunderstorm warning! I am glad I enjoyed my Sunday and the gorgeous day nature granted us yesterday! It's raining now, the wind's blowing strong and it's getting dark and gray outside, thinking of it, it's a blessing to have those pictures and some pleasant memories to start my week on a bright note! Since it means a lot to me to brighten your week as well I hope you found inspiration here! I hope all is well with you and I wish you a blessed week!


I hope you enjoyed your stroll here and felt the love from your Southern hostess! Did you enjoy your little stroll here? From the pictures I just shared with you which one is your favorite?



N'na