Zigging and Zagging Through Delight

Hello all! The holiday season is approaching and I wanted to explain my plans for "Moments of Delight." In a nutshell, I am going to zig and zag through topics over the next two months. 

Many blogs do daily countdowns or holiday specific posts, but I have SO much to share from my travels these last 3 months that I can't possibly shelve everything until January. So...

I will jump in with holiday content, as needed (like the Cornbread Turkey) but I will also sprinkle in restaurant recommendations, embroidery projects I'm working on, design tips, parks & rec, and a host of other beautiful content. 

My plan is to delight, just know that I may zig when you expect me to zag.  I think it is important to distinguish that this is not "real time" content, like Instagram. The photos or recipes weren't photographed in the last 48 hours. How could I possibly keep up? 

For example, I have a dahlia garden that I want to show you. The blooms have faded in Seattle, but would you really want me to wait until NEXT September to share them with you? Me, either.

Remember, it is all about finding delight in everyday life. Enjoy!

The Detroit News spotlights my book, Moments of Delight by Anne Reeves

Columnist Nancy Szerlag wrote a lovely review of my book, Moments of Delight, today in the Detroit News. I am proud to share it with you here:

"“Moments of Delight,” a photo journal celebrating the beauty of everyday life through the eyes of Michigan author and photographer Anne Reeves, might well be called “Moments of Sunshine.” While not a gardening book, its pages are filled with sumptuous flowers — especially David Austin roses and Peonies.

The dead of winter is a perfect time to collect and even test a recipe or two made of vegetables or fruits you are thinking of growing. Knowing how you plan to use them makes choosing and growing edibles easier and a lot more fun anticipating the harvest. Anne includes several mouthwatering recipes, such as blueberry chutney, along with tempting photos.

“Have you been to the library lately?” asks Anne. If you need to get out of Dodge, but can’t afford the price a stagecoach ride, you can travel anywhere for free in a library.

Available on Amazon for $35, “Moments of Delight” would make a fabulous valentine gift for that special love or bud in your life. You can see more of Anne’s “moments” at www.anadesigns.blogspot.com."

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140207/LIFESTYLE01/302070016#ixzz2sguA3zwL

My Blog About Finding Delight

I thought today would be a good day to explain my philosophy of delight.  I just surpassed 1,800 blog posts and the accomplishment has brought out some great questions.  

Why do you blog?

I love being able to share my photos, thoughts and ideas. I strive to write reliable and informative content full of delightful images, ideas and recommendations.  I post five days a week, with one of my original photographs accompanying each post.  An executive once told me that success comes from passion and persistence.  I think my passion for things that delight (flowers, ice cream, entertaining, crafts, collecting, travel) can be recognized within each post.  I show my persistence by posting day-after-day, year-after-year, with the hope that my words and images will bring delight to someone at just the right moment.  I have over 10,000 people visit my blog each month, so I have a hunch I am on the right track.  I published my 3 books so that my readers could have a physical collection of my photos and suggestions to read and show their friends.  

How do I decide what I am going to write about?

I believe that "finding delight in everyday life" means looking for delight in a variety of places.  Accept an invitation to a jazz concert, order an unusual dessert, experiment with color in your sheets and pillowcases, grow herbs, try painting.  Can you see what I'm getting at?  You don't have to specialize in just growing bonsai trees or collecting stamps.  Dabble in a variety of things and see what speaks to you.  

As a result, each day in my blog is a surprise.  Sometimes you will get a recipe. Other days an anecdote.  And when I am traveling, I called it a "City Series" and I write a string of posts.  You can "come along" on my trip and see the shops, sweets and treats I found.  I label each post with the city or region, so that later you can go to the sidebar of the blog, find the "City Series" section and click "Atlanta" and read all of my posts from Atlanta.  At the absolute bottom of the blog (scroll down) you can see my other labels: "accessories", "Jell-O", "hydrangeas" - you name it! Click the topic you are interested in and all of the posts in that topic will appear on one page.  

How do I find my way around your blog? I don't understand what a blog is.

A blog is just like a webpage.  It has an address (www.MomentsOfDelight.com) and you can visit it any time you want.  The most recent blog post appears at the top.  You can look in the sidebar and see links to visit my "Moments of Delight" Facebook page, Twitter account, Pinterest boards and Etsy store.  You can also use the SEARCH box to look for a particular post.  Click around and see what you can find.  You can't hurt anything, click away!  

If you want a reminder to read my blog, you can locate the "Follow Blog By Email" box in the sidebar of my blog and enter your email address.  Each new blog post will be emailed to you.

What rose is that?
This magnificent rose is called "Abraham Darby" by David Austin.  You see it here, blooming in my rose garden in southeastern Michigan.

Delightful Work Event

Look at how pretty my "work events" are!  I am so very lucky to have met my new friend, Julia.  She was introduced to my blog and books through a friend of hers that is a Presbyterian minister.  Julia liked what I was doing to bring the world delight and wrote to me to see if I would like to speak a tea party.

What fun! She arranged the whole thing and invited a variety of friends to spend a "delightful" afternoon having tea and hearing my thoughts on finding delight in everyday moments.  We enjoyed this table full of beautiful tea party fare and relished a little "girl time" in the midst of a hectic Spring.

6 Year Anniversary for "Moments of Delight"

Can you believe that I have been blogging for 6 years?  Today is my blog-iversary.  Since May 7, 2007, I have written 1,758 posts (paired with one of my photographs) at www.MomentsOfDelight.com

Why do I blog?  

It makes me feel good to put beautiful photos and inspiring ideas out into the world.  I like that my readers can rely on me to post ideas on flower arranging, baking, friendship, collecting.  

Etsy is exciting if you want to buy handmade designs. Pinterest is fun if you want to see photos; I blog because it is important to me to provide inspiring text as well.  Remember, thinking is good for you.

I tell people that my blog is "where sugar rules and stories matter."

I hope that over the years I have: shown you something you had never seen, inspired you to try a recipe or flower arrangement, answered a question or simply gave you delight.  

I am here, still blogging and committed to this delightful life.  All the best, Anne

Reminder: Anne's 2013 Calendar Moments of Delight

It amuses me to no end that I could order and give my own calendar for gifts this year (yea!) and I am SO pleased with the color and quality produced at Zazzle, my calendar printing company.

You can click the link to look at/order my new 2013 Moments of Delight calendar.  Zazzle is a print-on-demand company that photographers use to create product.  Cost per calendar drops the more copies you order. 

Use coupon code MAKEYOURYEAR to get an exceptional discount.      


A few of the photos in this year's calendar include:

Brain Overload

My brain is overloaded.  I love it, of course, but I can hardly think straight.  I am about to finish my third book and I am deep into editing in an effort to keep my thoughts, photos and the feel of the book consistent.  I chose this photo because it is dreamy and beautiful, just like my book.   

First let me say that the contents are g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s.  I absolutely love it. The title is "Finding Delight - Ideas and Inspiration to Enhance Everyday Life."   And I am spending 8 hours a day reading, proofing and reorganizing my work so that reads and relays well.  

It will be available for sale in mid-November, in time for the holiday season, so stay tuned here.  I can't wait to show you!

Delightful Blogs

House Beautiful magazine has recommended that people look into finding and reading "delightful blogs" (March issue, p.78). And since that is precisely what I have been writing about here at MomentsOfDelight.com for the past 5 years,  I want to applaud them and welcome you to my 1,600 original posts.

I am an author, photographer and crafter, so the photos, thoughts and ideas you see here are all mine.  My mission is to delight my readers with topics that range from interior design and baking, to friendship and collecting.  You never know what I will be writing about each day, but that is part of the fun!  

I have a "City Series" displayed in the right hand column that lets you read my posts from a specific city, if you are planning a trip.

Just below that is "Anne's Favorite Recipes" section so you can jump to my recipes by name ("Cheddar Leaves" for Fall parties!).

The "Blog Archive" is displayed by month, so if you want to read about a particular season with me, choose "April" within "2009" and you'll see Easter and Spring posts.  

There is also a "Search Box" if you want to read about something specific like roses or honey.  Have fun!  Reading about delight is good for you.

xo Anne, Architect of Delight at MomentsOfDelight.com

Moments of Delight: Finding Delight in Everyday Life

I am leading a summer seminar on Delight!  I was asked to participate in a continuing education program in northern Michigan and the more I think about it, the more I am looking forward to it.  And isn't that delight in a nutshell?

I will be leading a 2-part session (July 11, 18 from 10-12 noon at the Leland High School library in Leland, Michigan) and this is my class description:

Author, Photographer and Blogger, Anne Held Reeves, will lead a discussion celebrating the delights of life. A look at how visual images, tasty treats and simple story telling can enhance the human experience. The impact of flowers; the joy of friendship; the satisfaction of collecting – these ideas are the foundation of Anne’s book and blog, MomentsOfDelight.com that celebrate the beauty of everyday life.

You can read an article about the entire series in the Grand Traverse Insider.  This link takes you to the 2012 Leelanau Summinars Catalog.  Care to join me?  

5 Year Blog-iversary

This week marks my 5 year blog-iversary!  I started with the idea of providing beautiful and inspiring content on a daily basis and next week will mark my 1,500th post!  

I find delight all over my life - in cooking, travel, photography, gardening, crafting and I love to show you what I'm working on and what I'm thinking about and hope that it inspires you to do the same.

"May you always find delight." - Anne Reeves

Anne Reeves Blog Update

Moments of Delight blog update: 

I've added another feature to make reading, sharing and searching my blog a bit easier.

Notice the "topics" bar listed alphabetically at the top of the screen (roses, mint, Paris, candy).  You can click any of those topics and be routed to my blog posts & photos on that subject.  Neat, eh?

Moments of Delight poster

I did it!  I've created a poster to bring you delight. 

I originally designed this poster to promote my blog, Moments of Delight, at an art show.  I wanted this kind of display so that customers could understand what I meant when I said that I blogged about gardening, travel, baking, crafts, flower arranging, collecting and paired each post with one of my original photos.  Sometimes you don't believe gorgeous until you see it.

You can order this photo quality paper poster, 20 x 30 inches at my Etsy shop.

Here are the details (and my blog links) for each photo (left to right):

Paris map/moth paperweight


Marshmallow snowstorm around my vintage village


Silver charm bracelet


Lavender farm – northern Michigan


David Austin English Rose: Heritage


Kayaks on Lake Michigan


Japanese paper art


Beautiful salt collection


View from the steps of Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.


Antique sugar bowl


Making Lemon Knots


Football Tailgate Brownies


Lunch at Swan Coach House in Atlanta, Georgia


Knit vase with cockscomb bouquet


Bouys in Bar Harbor, Maine


Beading a monogrammed scarf


David Austin English Rose: Lillian Austin


Japanese gummy candy flowers


Vintage Christmas ornaments


Edible Flowers


Colorful sachets


Crown gate at hotel/castle in France


Peony tablescape with seashells

Oilcloth Cases

If you had a stack of this oilcloth, you wouldn't be able to resist either! I was thinking about the Summer jaunts I have planned and a girl's gotta protect her electronics, right? I absolutely LOVE these cases that I made this week.

I had actually made a small number of felt-lined cases similar to these for a "one-hour gift show" I participated in last month and they sold out in a snap! My plan is to make more and bring them to an Artist Market where I'll be a vendor in July.

When people ask me what I'll be selling at this event (I haven't done a real show in years and I am excited to talk to my customers again!), I tell them that I'll be signing my book, Moments of Delight, and that I'll have my magazine bags (DELIGHT totes), ANA cigar box purses, tin wallets, 2-of-a-kind necklaces, paper art matchbox sets, oilcloth cases, DELIGHT jam jar vases...

My goal is to get them to say, "Ohhh...when is it?" I love what I do.

Book Signing

Do you remember the page "Pilgrimage to Pemberville" in my book, Moments of Delight? The pilgrimage is to Beeker's General Store in northern Ohio where I love to shop for interesting and nostalgic gifts. I will be doing a book signing there on Saturday, April 25th as part of a progressive tea event. Love it!

Moments of Delight

This is my 500th blog post.

My name is Anne Reeves and I am an entrepreneur dedicated

to bringing the world Moments of Delight.

I am including the forward from my book to relay how I feel

on the day of this big achievement, my 500th post.

Thank you for reading.

Delight can be found by appreciating
what is right in front of you.
In a cupcake or a sunset.
in a wonderful story or a lavender field.
You can enjoy these moments in your life,
if you slow down and look for them.

I’ll show you and then you’ll start to see it.

This book combines gardening, crafting,

baking, collecting,
travel, story-telling and entertaining -
punctuated by my photography and
rolled into the state of mind I call delight.

As you read through this book, notice which pages you react to.
Notice how happy you feel, simply by thinking.

I find delight all over my life...
at different times of day,
in different cities and settings,
with people that I love and in strangers that I meet.

These are Moments of Delight...

Moments of Delight

So neat! You can now "peek inside" my book online at MomentsofDelight.com. I never dreamed that I would be able to harness this technology to promote my first book - but we did it! Now you can "see" some of the beautiful pages and get a sense of my book. The page turning feature is just below my picture on the home page. Let me know what you think!

Moments of Delight, Local Press

Remember the photo shoot in my rose garden? The rain held off that day and the photographer got some beautiful shots. I want you to see the article written about my first book (the article was aptly titled, Moments of Delight) that ran in the Observer & Eccentric newspapers all over metro Detroit on July 3rd. They did such a nice job. You can read the article and see the photos as a pdf here.