she’s here!

my favorite season, the best time of year: spring!

even the word “spring” brings a smile to my face; i dare you to say it without the corners of your mouth delighting upward into an arc of happy.

and although i’m aware there is still major snow and frost in much of the country, nary slush or sleet should prevent you from enjoying our vernal equinox.

spring is a state of mind, not a weather forecast: it’s a fresh start, a rebirth, an opportunity to grow; an optimism and new vigor awakening after a long winter’s hibernation.

so how do you “ring in the spring?”

for me it always starts with our house.

my spring cleaning is more of a purge: clothes, food, old electronics, and any other cabinet clogging items i haven’t thought of in a year are donated or thrown out; never underestimate the power of a closet gut to make you feel like a superhero.

not ready for a major household overhaul?

start smaller.

this week i cut off stems from our backyard jasmine bush–last year’s $4.99 trader joes purchase whose vines now serpentine up the whole backside of our house, fragrancing the porch with a sweet, sunny aroma.

 i brought the lone stems inside, dropped them in various pink goblets throughout the downstairs, and, clouds or no clouds outside, our house feels and smells like spring.

here are a few other ways i’m “ringing in the spring.”

it’s no secret i’m a sucker for a seasonal scent; even in my cleaning products. the pure grass scent from good home company is a staple for me this time of year. we use the dryer sheets, the laundry detergent, and the vacuum balls to give the house a fresh, clean, green aroma.

we are also using this soap in our nursery.

lasting no more than a month or two, this time of year brings a craving for teatime to rival my typical, 2pm binge on black coffee.

mighty leaf organic spring jasmine and teavana’s wild orange blossom herbal tea are two of my post-lunch favorites.

and i’m thinking these initial mugs from anthropologie are the perfect vessels for that afternoon recess.

even my skin gets its own version of spring cleaning. now is the time i bust out mario badescu’s kiwi face scrub to start unearthing the permafrost of dry and dehydrated skin brought on by winter.

i also use tata harper’s resurfacing mask and juice beauty green apple brightening pads for major exfoliation.

burt’s bees cucumber facial wipes are well-stocked in my refrigerator; every morning while my coffee brews i treat myself to a quick cucumber scented facial-the puffy and fatigue instantly evicted from my eyes and jowls.

my big splurge this time of year is always a jo malone orange blossom candle.

pricey?

yes.

worth it?

hell YES!

 this clementine/water lily scent is instant prozac for my disposition. some girls have that favorite red lipstick, that short black skirt, or that stiletto pump to revamp their mood….mine comes in the form of a candle.

less expensive but just as pirouette-inducing is the moss + mint candle from nest; think minty garden fresh infused with apple blossom.

the cutting garden from seda france is another one i love; with one stroke of a match a fragrant green bouquet permeates the house; one king’s lane is having a sale on a ton of seda france candles.

and i’m a total fool {both for the scent and the price} of mrs. meyer’s basil scented clean soy candle; i’m always asked about these candles when i put them out for entertaining.

for outside the front door i’m looking at all of the pretty, new, spring 2015 nail collections to bring the primavera party to my toes and fingers.

 zoya’s spring delight practically reinvents the rainbow for your feet.

and essie‘s latest spring medley has me unpacking all my peep-toe platforms {totally appropriate for a woman 35 weeks pregnant.}

i don’t require major renovation or second mortgages to ring the spring into my life; a flower here, some dryer sheets there, maybe a new coat of polish, and i’m set.

how will you be ringing in the spring m’loves?

wishing you a weekend of hop in your step and posy in your play.

see you on the other side of sunday.

love,

katie