Sunday Pinning: Cozy reading nooks.

So this week on Pinterest, I found myself drifting into the cozy reading nooks. Maybe it’s the cold weather fast approaching or losing daylight savings time. Either way, the idea of curling up in any one of these nooks with a book, fills me with the warm and fuzzies.

So what makes a reading nook cozy? For me, it breaks down into 3 reasons, sometimes 4. The first and most important requirement?

Like this pin

1. Mood lighting. Ah yes, candles, twinkle lights, or in the case above, lanterns. Low lighting may not always be conducive for reading, but it is essential in finding the balance so you feel cozy and relaxed.

(Note: the only exception to not having mood lighting, is to be by a fire, which technically provides the same thing.)

2. Your cozy nook must include soft cuddle-able material such as blankets and/or pillows. Preferably both. In my opinion, a pair of pillows and fleece blanket can transform most any space into a perfect reading nook. There is nothing better than your feet being tangled in a blanket, getting lost in a book.

This pin.

3. Speaking of feet, mine have to be up. Wether they are propped up on an ottoman, or curled up underneath me, in order to consider myself in a cozy position, my feet have to be up in some way. Now, I know this is technical and I’m getting very obsessive about this, but there are several things I take very seriously and being warm and happy are two of them. The only exception to my feet being up rule, is if I’m swinging. If I’m in a swing, like the one pictured below, I can totally over look my feet touching the ground.

Reading nooks for nature lovers pin.

The above pin still checks most of our boxes: mood lighting and soft material. Plus, it opens the door for our 4th bonus box that is much harder to check, a gorgeous view.

Go to this pin.

Now, the above reading nook checks off every box on our list, including our bonus one. It’s difficult to achieve the “nook” feel with a view because most nooks are in little corners, tucked away. But on the rare occasion, like the one above, you can tuck yourself away into a corner of windows and still stare off into the beauty around you while mulling over your fantasy book’s plot.

Do you have a favorite spot to read? What is most important for you in a cozy reading nook?

My Latest Obsession via Pinterest.

Recently, I saw a commercial that sparked a new obsession. It’s not what you think, the commercial didn’t turn me onto a product; rather, it repulsed me enough to create an entire Pinterest board against it.

It’s that new Verizon commercial of two girls horseback riding in the country. Beautiful country. Breathtaking views. And of course Verizon’s goal was to make us have to have guaranteed LTE coverage so we could post about it. Get our “likes.” Because of course, if you don’t post about it, it didn’t happen.

It back fired on me. Hard core.

Because, if I’m riding horseback through rolling hills and glorious landscapes, I don’t want to stop and post about it. I want to soak it in, commit it to memory. Smell the grass and remember the feel of the wind on my face.

Forget LTE coverage.

So, I started thinking a lot about what kind of life I do want. What do I want to value, what is my Fantasy life? It immediately came to me: Unplugged in Italy.

Dream with me for a second. Before we had phones, before we spoke to computers, before we had pre-made dinners delivered to our doors, we chopped vegetables and cooked, sat outside and had conversations, and we drank wine and laughed together. Now, put yourself in Italy, lounging on the terrace, the sun setting over the rolling hills. Imagine walking through the streets of a Tuscan village, shopping and eating pizza. Melting gelato running down your hand.

Imagine drinking wine made by your neighbor, learning to cook from your friend’s Nonna, who is like a hundred years old, or making your own cheese? That’s what I want. And I don’t want to feel like I have to post about it, or care how many people see it.

Hence my problem. Because we do live with phones, speaking to Siri and Alexa, with Blue Apron and Chinese food being delivered to our houses every now and again. I realize it would be difficult to simply unplug completely, so I started small. I deleted Twitter and Facebook off my phone. So far, it’s been great! I spend way less time on my phone throughout the day. I left Instagram on so I can still connect with the world regarding my book, and Pinterest because that’s where I fuel my creativity.  And of course pin about my newest obsession: one day living in Italy, touring, eating and drinking my way through every square inch without my phone.

Ironic, I know. But hey, I’m not perfect.

Here is my newest Pinterest board containing all the lovely italian things in case you are interested.

What is your Fantasy life? What would your board be called? Do you already have one? I’d love to hear about it. 🙂