Amish Washday-Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

Amish Washday- Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

This was taken last Friday on my trip Exton, PA with my son and my husband. We were checking out a trade school for my son there, so I kept my eyes out for interesting scenery along the way. As fate would have it, our trip took us straight through the heart of Lancaster County Amish country. I didn't get any shots on the way there because it was pouring rain, but on the way back the sky decided to show off in the most summery way with huge puffy white clouds. Also as luck would have it, it turned out many Amish do their laundry on Friday and tons of farms had their traditional clothes flapping in the breeze on their laundry lines. I am totally in love with this shot.

Since this is one of my favorite mobile art pieces I've done this summer, I thought I would share a list of some of my favorite things I've come across lately. What are some of your favorite things you've discovered recently?

1.  My daughter is heading off to college in August so she has been busy scouring ways to decorate her apartment. She happened to come across this site, Society6, and shared it with me and now I find myself drooling over some of the designs on this website. Check it out. I can't vouch for the quality of their products because although she did order a wall tapestry, we haven't gotten it yet! I will let you know how it turns out.

2.  So, we've started composting here on These Nine Acres. Two reasons this is a good idea for us...first, it will eventually be great for our future gardens (we have plans to build more next spring) and it reduces our environmental footprint. In order to collect scraps from the kitchen, I bought this Natural Home Stainless Steel Compost Bin for my kitchen counter. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also convenient to throw compostable items in it on a daily basis. It comes with a filter to keep bad odors from escaping, which I love because who wants to have stink in their house? I fill it up with plant based scraps and egg shells (sometimes coffee grounds too but not too many) during the day and then Brian empties it into our larger outdoor compost bin where he mixes in hay, yard scraps, etc. Great for us and great for the environment!

3.  Vitality Extracts Bracelets- I splurged on a couple of these essential oil diffuser bracelets a while back when this company was relocating warehouses and had a massive sale to liquidate much of their stock, so I got them dirt cheap. Can I just say I don't go a day without wearing at lease one of these? Many times I actually wear them stacked. I dab a bit of lavender oil on the lava stones and I smell lovely all day. I not only love how they work but I love how they look too. I can't vouch for their oils as I have never purchased them, but I can totally recommend their bracelets.

4.  I have a confession. I have a thing for paper. Truly, it is an obsession. I love writing old fashioned letters on cool papers. I love using paper in art. I love hanging up beautiful papers for decorations. The list of possibilities just goes on. I totally should be a collage artist because I actually lust over paper, but alas, I am stuck in the digital world for now. But, I can indulge my love for paper through Flow Magazine. I have a disclaimer here, people...they are NOT cheap since it is an imported magazine from the Netherlands, but oh my goodness do I love it. I sometimes splurge at Barnes and Noble and buy their magazine or books for paper lovers. This is the most recent one I purchased and I just sit with my coffee in the morning and devour all the deliciousness of the papers. I know...it's weird, I admit. I'm already daydreaming of all the letters I will write to my kiddos when they head off to college/trade school.

5.  My obsession with PBS Masterpiece shows still rages on with my latest love, My Mother and Other Strangers. I can't wait for Sunday nights for this delight to air! One has to feed an obsession while one waits for Poldark, Call the Midwife, and Victoria to return, doesn't one? Alas, Downtown Abbey is sadly dead and gone for quite some time now and I've devoured the entire series Larkrise to Candleford on borrowed library DVDs. I'm part of the way through Home Fires on DVD too. Seriously, my 1/3 British heritage must all be expressed in the entertainment genes because I just can't get enough.

Pop on over to Facebook or leave a comment here and tell me something you love that you've discovered lately.

Have a fantastic Tuesday!

xo