Even though my birthday was yesterday and there are a million things to tackle this week for the move, in my mind, I plan to take it easy. My favorite gift this year? Spending time with family in Arizona as my parents battle the virus. Thanks for all the prayers and messages of goodness. With my mom’s underlying conditions, she needed a team, and what a gift to help. Sometimes you need to bask in love (imperfect, messy, real big love) and not busy-ness to heal in ways you didn’t know you needed to heal. Onward with: Birthday Week: Let Them Eat Cake & Enjoy These Quotes Now!
Birthday Week: Let Them Eat Cake & Enjoy These Quotes
Over the weekend, we were blessed with a gorgeous snowfall, icing all the trees in frozen beauty. There is nothing quite like enjoying silent gentle accumulation decorating the woods at home.
What a lovely landscape to behold when your favorite color is white and you have a day to linger in pajamas a little longer to #cozyondown, savor the beauty of January light, and reconnect with your soul.
There are snowflakes on the breeze this very moment as glorious pink-winter-light makes the forest feel enchanted, a wonderland for an assorted lot of birds and squirrels.
Since I plan to let the birthday week stretch wide, I invite you to join me in the sweetness.
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I Do Love Me Some Cake
No cake for me this year since I have to intelligently budget my fat intake, and I chose to savor a cheeseburger. (Wasn’t really worth it, btw). Dang it, cake is more of a sure thing. Before my diet was so restricted, I was all about an old-fashioned, made with mayo, chocolate layer cake (from Portillo’s) and Funfetti cupcakes.
I have shared this easy hack for a Funfetti cake mix before, and keep in mind you can sub coconut oil for the butter and almond milk for the dairy to keep it plant central.
While I didn’t get to spend time with Luna this visit (she was at a sister’s house and everyone there had the virus)…
I had oodles of cuddle time with Stella:
Jayda:
and Gracie.
I created the pet portraits above myself using simple iPhone photos of them and Picmonkey. I have always used MPIX for printing photos because of their excellent service, shipping, and quality at a low price.
Simple Comforts for Birthday Week
I’m well aware of how many cozy-von-cozy finds I link to each and every day, but if there was just one I could recommend wholeheartedly today, it would be Honeydew’s Scrumptious Pillow which cradles my noggin each and every night.
Its genius design makes it just right for everybody…go ahead and read about its intelligent design.
I have their travel pillow as well:
Would You, Could you #CozyonDown at Versailles?
When I think of the best cake and pastries, I think of Paris. And when I think of Paris, I remember how torrential rains cancelled our trip to visit Versailles…must return and go!
Ladies Who Lounge
I am all for seeing loungewear models sport bedhead!
Cozy Bedroom Ideas
On My Vanity This Moment
Chunky Weighted Blanket Throw
Because the Snuggle is Real
On my tootsies this very moment and every single day of winter? These. They are what I wear as slippers inside, and I don’t wear them outdoors so they stay nice and clean.
Here’s what they look like with the top folded down – the height on these is perfect.
Got my eye on these too because they remind me of: the 70s, disco nights, my grandmother’s fluffy oversized slippers, igloos, snowball fights, marshmallows and pockets of time where I can just be comfy surrounded by soft things.
A Tuffet Upon Which to Contemplate the Next Snuggly Move
Oh my gosh, you guys. This is one heck of a find. My sister recently installed floating shelves in a nook and placed beautiful framed photography on them. The space underneath the shelves looked a little lonely though so I suggested adding these for seating and softness. The area is adjacent to her living room, and extra seating is always needed. They arrived and are better than expected:
The scale is incredible for them so they can actually be enjoyed by normal sized adults (and not just fun-sized fairies like moi).
Snuggle-Worthy Bedrooms in Which to Lounge
Bedroom Furniture & Decor
Sumptuous Tufted Headboard
Classic Pillow Talk Backdrop
Bonne Nuit
Retro Rosy Pillow
Linen Lovely
Unexpected Billowy Awesomeness
How to Make an Envelope Pillow
Penguins With Pillows
Feed Me This ‘Pillow-like’ Treat
French Macarons!
I love eating them and have made them more than a handful of times, but they are not the easiest treat to whip up!
Here’s an awesome tutorial:
SLOW PROGRESS is Admirable
What a gift to live to see another birthday! Even though I must sometimes drag myself through the day with the schlepping of boxes and bags that go with moving, who frackin cares if it takes longer and demands more careful stepping?
WE CAN STILL GET THINGS DONE AND EVEN DO THEM REMARKABLY WELL in SLOW MOTION. No one who loves me and knows me is raising a toast to good health because it hasn’t been in the cards for me, and yay if you’re enjoying it, but I refuse to let chronic illness steal my worth.
I’VE SAID IT BEFORE. I’M A WILD CHILD OF MERCY PACKING A VAST (AND NOT BADASS) IMAGINATION, A MIND WILLING TO CHANGE, AND THE WHOLE ENCHILADA OF GRACE to FEED ME IN THE VALLEY. ARE YOU A VALLEY GIRL OR VALLEY GUY TOO? COOL BEANS, I HONOR YOU.
i guess chronically ill valley girls need lots of soft places to land…KEEP IT COZY, kittens.
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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Happy Birthday, Michele! Enjoy a cozy day!❤️
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Thanks so much, Kathy. You know I like to keep it on the co-co (or is it that too cuckoo?). 🙂 Peace to you!
Happy Happy Birthday ! Celebrating your life with you, you bring so much to this little spot in the universe
Author
What kindness you bring here, Marilyn. Thank you, thank you. Be blessed today and filled with peace. xox
Happy Birthday my beautiful friend!! Enjoy! You are queen for the weekend!🌸🌺🌷
Author
Yay – it’s good to be queen for a couple of days only, though it’s questionable whether the men in my life would agree…hahahaha. Thanks for reading, journeying with me, sharing your creative journey so beautifully online, and cheering me on. Bon weekend!
Happy happy birthday to you from another January birthday girl. May your year be full of good health, love, joy, and laughter.
Author
Happy birthday to you too, January girl. Thank you for those most lovely wishes. Isn’t it a wonder that we can actually set these intentions for the year? Like – I’m choosing to be joyful, come what may… So powerful! Thanks for reading. 🙂
Happy Birthday, the inspiration just keeps coming and now includes CAKE!! Hope your weekend is extra cozy too.
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Thanks so much for reading and giggling with me, Carol. It is shaping up to be a cozy weekend with the people I love most. 🙂 Peace to you and happy weekend.
Happy birthday, fellow Aquarian!! Like you, I spent the beginning of my birthday (Jan. 21) in bed … dreaming of tacos and enjoying the rain even though I wished for snow but given that I was in AZ, the free-form snow warmed over was just as good. I hope that your birthday cake candles were lighted with love and the year brings you continued better health. ~ If you are ever in Scottsdale AZ, I hope that you can see Dr. Phillip Wazny (naturopath) who has helped me take back my health. Abrazos, T
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Hi Theresa! Happy birthday to you, lovely soul! I am writing the doctor’s name down and thank you kindly for this referral. I do feel the need to see a naturopath (my husband has received such wonderful care from a practice in Chicago), and I would love to see the quality of my health improve. If you feel inclined, do email me with more of your story (michele at hellolovelystudio dot com). Thanks so much for your tenderness.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELE!!! I’m delighted to hear you are enjoying your snowy white day in a truly relaxing and self indulgent manner that you so deserve. This dreamy post makes me desire to stay in bed all day watching Marie Antoinette movies and eating cake. LOVE CAKE. Eat some to your hearts content today. xox
Author
Thank you for reading! Let’s do just THAT together in a fancy hotel someday, Celia. My niece applies makeup masterfully, and she can get us looking like royalty as we luxuriate with cake. It’s another snowy white day today, and since I was exhausted from all the cozying on down, I actually watched a movie in the middle of the day!!! Who am I becoming? My family will suspect a pod person has moved in. 🙂
That sounds like tons of fun! Cake & makeup, a winning combo. Glad your day was perfectly perfect!
Author
thanks for playing along, friend! 🙂
Happy Birthday Michele!! Wishing you good health and happiness. Thank you for the joy, inspiration and beauty you bring into the lives of so many, especially me. God bless you.
Author
Thank you for adding beauty here, Ellie. It’s so lovely to have you here, and I appreciate the kind words. 🙂
Joyeux anniversaire, Michele! Wishing you the best year yet!
And thank you for curating my daily Pause Zen with beautiful interiors and your positive energy.
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You’re such an inspiration to me, Frenchie. Thank you for your lovely heart and support. 🙂
Happy Birthday Michele! We need to enjoy every birthday that comes along and never take them for granted. Yes, eat cake and celebrate!
Enjoy God’s gift of softly falling snow from the warmth of your home,. There is something peaceful and quiet about snow.
Blessings,
~Joanna
Author
Thank you, beautiful soul, for the wishes and your sweet friendship through the seasons. Have a wonderful weekend, friend.
Happy happy birthday dear soul! Praying for a year of more and more relief for you from the Great Physician🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 You are an inspiration to us all in some many ways!! ❤️
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Thank you, Amy. I’ll keep fighting and pivoting and seeking wellness as this journey enfolds – who knows what adventure lies ahead? Your encouragement is so wonderful to have – peace to you.
Belated birthday sweetness to you beautiful lady! I am always amazed by how much you accomplish on this blog. So much outstanding content.
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Thanks for the wishes, Colleen! And thank you for your kindness – so happy to have you here. Hope this finds you and yours well!
Michele,
Well Happy birthday (a Little late) You are allowed to do whatever you want on your birthday. Cake is always a special treat and I like that confetti one. I bet it was so beautiful with everything dusted in white.
Have a great week.
Hugs,
Bev
Author
Thank you, Bev! Another year older and hopefully wiser – peace to you, friend.
Happy belated birthday sweetie!!!! I hope you get your birthday wish xo
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Thank you, Katherine. Physical healing of my body is what I most long for at the moment, and I know you well understand. Peace to you, lovely woman.
Happy Birthday! Beautiful inspiration!
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Thanks so much, Amber. Lovely to see you here! xox
Happy Birthday Michele! I love your blog. You are a lovely soul and I always enjoy your posts. May God grant you a year full of peace and joy. And good health! I’m also an Aquarian…birthday tomorrow. 😊
Author
Happy birthday, lovely one! Thanks so much for the kindness and for spending time here! 🙂
Happy happy to you! Sounds like the perfect day…lounging with silent snow falling & surrounded by nature & wildlife! Umm umm good!! I’m sure you enjoyed every moment!!
Author
I enjoy my birthdays more in post-middle-age than I ever did as the younger me. I am full of wonder that I’m still alive, that I have survived some unbelievable chapters and still have all this sass and humor and hope intact. When I was young I think I fantasized about living this glamorous life with a full agenda and long guest lists, and my life looks nothing like that…thank the Lord! It is a much more organic, poetically simple, life-giving, authentic, nature-honoring sort of existence that inspires and comforts me. Fancy and fussy require maintenance! Hahahaha
Haha! I totally agree! Grateful that the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves & gives us what is best for us & what will glorify Him most. Fancy & fussy can be overrated! My husband has always promoted “the simple life” and now that I’m older & wiser (just a little bit) I get it & prefer it!!
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xox