Tag: Inspirational

My Abundant Life 6-13-26

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June 13th, 2026

Secret Passions: The Fancy Pantry

“The Array of pots rather amazed her at first, but John was so fond of jelly, and the nice little jars would look so well on the top shelf.”

Louisa May Alcott (American Novelist & Short Story Writer; November 29th, 1832 to March 6th, 1888)

“Creating a yummy larder to raid on weekends is the goal!”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 207 to 208 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-12-26

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June 12th, 2026

Secret Passions: Scented Linen Closets

“And still she slept an azure-lidded sleep/In blanched linen, smooth, and lavender’d.”

John Keats (English Poet; October 31st, 1775 to February 23rd, 1821)

“I long for a walk in linen closet to organize all the linens for our house. I love the idea of fresh linens neatly organized and at the ready for any occasion.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 205 to 207 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-11-26

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June 11th, 2026

Creating a Plan for Personal Papers

“Tidied all my papers. Tore up and ruthlessly destroyed much. This is always a great satisfaction.”

Katherine Mansfield (New Zealand Writer; October 14th, 1888 to January 9th, 1923)

“I am a stickler for order as when you know where things are you remain in action on any project or task vs. stopping and having to pivot looking for a supplemental item.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 204 to 205 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-10-26

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June 10th, 2026

A Nook of Your Own

“In solitude we give passionate attention to our lives, to our memories, to the details around us.”

Virginia Woolf (English Writer; January 25th, 1885 to March 28th, 1941)

“Many of us today experience creative silence. Not the hush of the heart necessary to bring forth the unexpressed from Spirit, but the creative silence brought about by circumstances we feel are beyond our control: lack of time, and/or lack of space or a place to create. Perhaps we also suffer from a lack of clarity, a failure to realize how necessary it is to nurture our sacred creativity daily.”

“Recently, I have been reclaiming my creativity with the creation of my ceremonial wedding regalia breastplate. I am so proud of the creation and expression of my authentic creativity.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 203 to 204 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-9-26

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June 9th, 2026

Bringing a Sense of Order to the Kitchen

“A confused mind cannot direct deft hands and what is more confusing than a cluttered, disorderly place to work? What is more uninviting, too? The grateful appearance of order—this is the one important way women judge each other’s housekeeping. And every efficient housekeeper knows that in no room does it count for more than in the the kitchen.”

Woman’s Home Companion, August 1924

“I love tidying the kitchen as my husband’s self-expression is cooking and to have clean and orderly canvas for him to create within is my way of being his muse to his artistic expression.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 201 to 203 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-8-26

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June 8th, 2026

In Praise of Real-Life Dining Rooms

“When we are authentic, when we keep our spaces simple, simply beautiful living takes place.”

Alexandra Stoddard (Author & Interior Designer; November 8th, 1941)

“A dining room is a sharing of love and community and my husband and I are committed to make this a reality in a future home.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 200 to 201 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-7-26

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June 7th, 2026

The Joy of Living Rooms

“Some of the living-rooms we see have really no right to the name; they are so unattractive they ought, instead, to be called existing rooms. I like to think of the word ‘living-rooms’ being short for the joy-of-living rooms. That is what they ought to be—full of life and happiness and beauty.”

Lucy Abbot Throop

“My living room is the room of family, community, love and belonging.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 198 to 200 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-6-26

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June 6th, 2026

The Bath: Secret Heaven of Self-Absorption

“If I were a psychiatrist, I think I would like to inspect my patients’ bathrooms before investigating any other area of their lives.”

Mark Hampton (American Interior Designer, Writer & Illustrator; June 1st, 1940 to July 23rd, 1998)

“…provide a place for private pampering for a sybaritic mood that might otherwise be frowned on. Hidden from the scrutiny of others, these rooms are secret havens of self-absorption.”

“My bathroom is a temple of renewal and meditation.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 196 to 198 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-5-26

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June 5th, 2026

Your Bedroom: Cradle of Civilization

“All one really needs is a divinely attractive bed.”

Mrs. Winston Guest (American Socialite, Fashion Icon & Author; February 19th, 1920 to November 8th, 2003)

“In our bedrooms we have the ability to not just decorate a room, but to create a sacred space for self-nurturance.”

“My bedroom is a sacred space of sanctuary.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 195 to 196 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 6-4-26

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June 4th, 2026

Classic Chic 102

“Style has nothing to do with money. Anybody can do it with money. The true art is to do it on a shoestring.”

Tom Hogan

“There are five Simple Abundance strategies that are essential to elevating secondhand skills to new-to-you savvy: (1) Save. Seek. Find; (2) Understand scale and proportion; (3) Trust your instincts; (4) Train your eye; and (5) Take your time.”

“1. Save. Seek. Find. ..If you save while seeking what you really love, you will eventually find it and have the money to pay for it.”

“2. Scale and proportion. …the secret to a great looking room (or outfit) comes down to striving for balance. Not symmetry, so much, as the visual weight of scale and proportion.”

“3. Trust you instincts. You know what you love. Don’t be guided by ‘friends, fads and fashion.'”

“4. Train your eye.”

“5. Take your time. ‘Don’t be in a hurry to pull it all together. …The best rooms and wardrobes seem to evolve gradually.”

“…authentic style has nothing to do with money and everything to do with trusting your instincts.”

“This is encouraging to trust myslef and that my style will unfold when ready.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 193 to 195 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.