I feel like a woman.

Yes, it's true.  I feel like a woman.


And not just because I gave birth to a baby either.  Though I must say, there is something about quite womanly about lugging that wee one around.


As you may remember from last weeks collage project (photo update coming soon!), I have been in the mood to soften my home like a woman does.  Soften may not be the right word choice there... feminize my home?  No, that's not quite right either.  Beautify my home?  Yes.  That's it.  I've been in the mood to beautify.  


This past week, I received a package in the mail from my mother-in-law.  Tucked away inside, was this beautiful silver-plated cutlery.  A whole set of it.  

Have mercy.


The cutlery originally belonged to my father-in-law's Grandmother, which means I am the fourth generation Elliott woman to use it in her kitchen.


This not only makes me happy for sentimental reasons, but also for the pure aesthetic beauty of it.

We have never had a matching set of silverware on the homestead.  We've collected pieces from here and there along the way, which ultimately resulted in a mountain-size stash of less than ideal utensils.  For the most part, I didn't mind the hodge-podge look...but when guests came over and I began to set the table...I always cringed.  If they had been pretty mitch-matched pieces, I don't think I would have minded as much.  But some were silver, some had black peeling handles, some had blue plastic hands...


It was a nasty mess.


Needless to say, opening my silverware drawer to find this beautiful collection makes me smile.

It's feminine, but not fussy.  


Old, but not dated.


I think it's beautiful.  Who would have thought I could find this much joy in silverware?


Simple pleasures, my friends.  Simple pleasures.


What's YOUR simple pleasure today?