Celebrating for a Charity

This is my favorite part of the holidays. It involves bringing smiles to children. Many of them are in great need. Some are too young to understand this and others struggle with the pressure of knowing the financial needs of their family and all that it involves.

{Photo is from my phone. It was very crowded and I caught the shoulder of a bidder in the process}

A few years ago, I was asked to join the Child and Family Agency. I was already heavily involved with other organizations and felt, at the time,  I couldn't take on any addition commitments. Something, within, pulled me to do a little research into the organization. I am SO glad I did this as it is a perfect fit to my outlooks and personality.

This weekend we had our yearly auxiliary Christmas celebration. There were basket raffles, cookie and candy, poinsettia, and book sales. The turnout was a record high and the sales outdid our wildest expectations.

Above is the baking basket I put together. It was filled to the rim with goodies to create family memories and delicious items for all to enjoy.

At the end of the night I was the lucky recipient of an incredible basket. Unfortunately, I can't share it with you as it will be part of my husband's Christmas gift. Every now and then he peeks in on my blog so I don't want to ruin his surprise.

What makes you smile this Christmas season?

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My weekend of Interior Inspirations

This weekend hosted one of our big fundraisers for Child and Family Agency. This organization promotes the well being and development of children and their families. It helps to meet the needs lacking in physical, emotional and intellectual care and nurturing. It is an honor to be apart of this agency and to support our auxiliary.

The event was months in the making, planning and execution. A job well done ladies and it was enjoyed by all. Over the span of four days we were treated to many wonderful lectures, meet and greets, and design tips. Lucky for me, we are just about to embark on redoing our dinning room. I walked away with a whole new list of creative ideas {please insert my husband's scream of enthusiasm} to embark upon.

I was there in support of my fellow members as my event isn't until next spring ~ you'll hear more about that as the time approaches. We've been looking forward to meandering through the vignettes for quite some time now. Not to mention that I was personally looking forward to meeting Alexa Hampton and hear her speak. Her new book is simply amazing.

It's fair to say that I'm not a designer and I don't pretend to be one. I know what I like and often can't explain why I do other than "it just fits my style." Not that I even really know how to classify my style.

Enjoy the tour ~ I'll try to keep it brief :)


A Garden Room ~ designed by Larry Hamre of Lawrence Hamre Designs in Essex, CT
I just need to figure out where this will fit into our home/ the addition we will be building to house my "new" needs.



Did you pick up on the red shoes? They go with the red lip stick on the champagne glass.

I'll take one of everything in these photos; thank you.




Artist's Atelier ~ designed by Melissa Barbieri of Melissa Barbier Studios in Essex and Greenwich, CT

I spent a few extra minutes chatting with Melissa about the possibilities of turning our round oak table, similar to hers, into a coffee table with such a painting on its surface. We have {compliments of the Navy and living on the coast} many nautical hints in our home that I'd like to showcase all together in our family room.


While it's hard to picture the true beauty, Melissa painted this chart as well as all the other framed art ~ this is way beyond my paint by numbers ability.





A Slice Of Time ~ designed by Victoria Vandamm of Greenwich, CT.
This vignette grabbed my attention. While the colors aren't of those that are featured in our home, the design would fit nicely. If you look closely, you will notice that the "walls" are really Venetian plaster that has been stenciled and then distressed. I was thrilled to speak with Victoria about color balances as well as Julie who designed the stencil and created the walls. We will be in contact as I would love to do this in our dining room {once again, insert husband's gleeful response}



We have just the sailing art waiting in our basement for their new homes.



Jewelry Box ~ designer Melissa Linday of Pimlico in New Canaan, CT
There was just something about this design that mesmerized me and called me back more than once. I have nothing like it in my home and yet I was dreaming of how to incorporate such a look. The items on the dresser were just lovely. I've always had a fondness for mercury glass. After this weekend I'll be adding more to our home.


Please note that the mirror is picking up the reflection of one of the volunteers of the museum.

Love, love, love the wallpaper. Hmmm ... there must be a room in our home that is in need.



Kev, if you're reading as I know you do from time to time ... just a reminder that my birthday is coming up and anything in these photos will do :)

The framed photo was absolutely beautiful!




Safe Harbor ~ designed by Ellen White of Boxwood Interiors in Old Lyme, CT

Nicholas may be just a tad too old for a bedroom redo but if I had it all to do over again, I'd copy this exactly. Unfortunately, my photos don't really show the true colors due to the poor lightly.




The butterflies are shells ~ so pretty.
All the furniture is miniature for the little bodies to enjoy. Have you spied all the harbor hints?






Hannah Childs Interior Designs of Old Lyme, CT

If only I could pull this off. The tulips are amazing and the colors and furniture design are truly magnificent!



The Dog Study ~ designed by Paula Perlini of Paula Perlini Inc. in New York, New York.

This is my husband's new study {he just doesn't know it yet} or man cave. He and the dogs will spend many hours together surrounded by the subtle "man's best friend" motif. The little pillow reads ~ what part of woof don't you understand? Oh, so very true around our home these days.





These curtain rods are a wonderful representation of his time spent at the Naval Academy.


As you can see, I will be very busy in the next few months {years} implementing all my new ideas into our home. This may require a large loan or possibly a second job for my husband ;)

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Garden Club

Bright (not so much) and early Saturday morning a sweet friend and I grabbed our coffee and headed for Essex.

Each year the Garden Club hosts a plant sale on Mother's Day weekend. It begins when the bell rings at 9am. I'll give you a hint ... if you want the "good stuff" you need to be in line by 8am.

While waiting in line, you get to know those around you, share a few gardening secrets, have that second cup of coffee and perhaps a homemade treat made by these lovely ladies.

There is also a Treasures sale ... I'm so using that line when we have our tag sale ;)

They have some home good items as well as garden goodies. I did have my eye on a couple topiary fences but they were quickly nabbed ~ darn!

I wasn't able to take as many pictures as I would have liked due to the relentless drizzle. Note the white tents with the their shop signs. So cute. The Garden Club members all wore hats decorated with flowers. So much classier than name tags don't you think?

On the other side of The Green there were annuals to be found, succulents in handmade cement urns and beautiful herbs. I did pick up a beautiful pot of herbs to give to the hostess of the party that we attend Saturday night.

This was my first round ~ I managed to grab the desired shade plants on my list. Within a matter of minutes the entire back of my SUV was filled to capacity as well as the back seats.

The best part of these sales are the prices ... CHEAP!

Jane and I did a little poking around in the local shops. I am on the hunt for dresses to wear to the weddings we are invited to this summer.

We rested our weary feet while enjoying a delicious lunch with a glass of wine ~ living the life! :)

It was the perfect day with the exception of the torrential down poor that caught us unprepared ~ wet is an understatement.

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Have you heard of ...

Demarle ?

To be honest, I hadn't heard of this product until my friend began raving about it a couple of weeks ago.

It's a home party ~ I know what you're thinking and I agree but this is FABULOUS!

A neighbor invited our entire subdivision over to her home recently to introduce us to this line of cook and bake ware. I'll be honest, I was more than a little skeptical. I didn’t really want to go and had a list of things I really needed to get accomplished.

Based solely upon my friends enthusiasm, I attended.

This line is amazing!

WOW ~ I was so impressed with the ease in which it handled, stored and baked!

Over the years I have tried and thrown away more cookware than I care to admit. It's run the gamut from cheap to expensive. If it doesn't do what it promises or it's a pain to clean, it is in the garbage. I just don't have the time, patience or energy.

During the presentation a quiche was made in this fluted pie mold. It popped right out and looked fabulous.

You don't need to prep the molds with oil or grease!

This little mini muffin pan will get a workout when it arrives. I use my old one all the time but only with liners since everything sticks without them. I'll be nice and not share the name of the so called nonstick product that didn't live up to its promise.

I was very impressed with this mat ~ sugar cookies were rolled out and not one sprinkle of flour was used and not one teeny tiny piece of dough stuck ~ sold!

This mat could be my new best friend. You can bake fish on it for dinner and then turn around and bake cookies for the children ~ with no lingering oders or flavors!

True to my nature, I was still doubtful.

What are these molds made of to make them so phenomenal?

Simple answer ~ woven glass and food grade silicone. I was ready to research the products when my friend assured me she already had (with paper in hand) and it passed!

Don't tell, but I did a little more when I returned home. I am a little on the nervous and anal side when it comes to food and beverage handling and storage these days. True to their word, Demarle molds are very safe.

Cooking and baking are more than just a task for me. It's really an enjoyable pastime. I so enjoy cooking while chatting with my family around the island. It is a great time to unwind and catch up with what is going on in their lives.

Not to mention, I live to eat and not the other way around :)

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Flower power

{click on picture to enlarge}
On Saturday we went to the Flower Show in Providence, Rhode Island. Just being in a room filled with fresh blooms, brilliant greens and landscapes created by artists was almost more than I could handle. I was ready to strip off my winter wardrobe and break out my Lily. Words simply cannot express how ready I am for SPRING. There were so many beautiful displays of gorgeous flowers and fantastic landscaping ideas. I took notes and pictures in hopes of introducing a few new scenes in our yard this year. I was also lucky enough to pick up a few treasures that I'll share with you all later.
The lighting was poor so my pictures are a tad yellow but, if you live in an area that is currently blanketed in white, it won't really matter since it's a color we haven't seen in months! :)

My favorites were the baby elephant created from plants and flowers as well as the bird bar. Their cocktails are martini glasses filled with birdseed ~ hilarious!

Just to keep me in check, we are due for a week of rain, sleet and finishing up with several inches of snow.

Oh Mother Nature, you certainly have a quirky sense of humor.

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Summer's bounty

One of my favorite treats during the summer months is going to the local farmer's markets in our area. We are fortunate enough to have several near by.

I love the beautiful colors of the garden goodies. There is just something so relaxing and enjoyable about meandering through the booths and picking out what your family enjoys. If I'm lucky enough to be accompanied by my husband, we often stop for coffee or breakfast along the way. It's so much nicer than running through the local market or commissary. The fresh flowers are amazing as well. I love to buy several bunches and place them throughout our home.

Our weekly menu is centered around the fresh veggies and fruits that are available in abundance during this season. Not only do they taste delicious, they are healthy {always a plus when you have children} and low in calories!Tonight we are having the ever famous tomato, basil and mozzarella {caprese} salad, summer squash, zucchini, and fingerling potato gratin, and grilled salmon.

If I'm really good today, I may even treat myself to some fresh fruit over frozen yogurt this evening!
* My tassel giveaway ends tonight, you don't want to miss out!*

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In Review

I'm very late in getting these photos posted. It's been a tad crazy in our home the past week ~ lots of drama!

The flowers on each table were just a little different. Ours were done in whites and pale green ~ simply beautiful. The table clothes were done in Lilly fabric ~ lovely!

The fashion show and brunch took place below at the Tennis Hall of Fame. The surroundings were lovely {if only the sun had been shinning} and it was oh so fun to dress up and be a lady for the day.

This is Miss Rhode Island modeling Lilly ~ to be so cute and young! She was very charming.

This was a favorite of mine. I love the color and the print. I could probably pull something like this off at the beach. The hat was great. I wish hats were more of a desired style piece, I think they are the epitome of being a lady.

We are the ladies from Connecticut. I am in the middle, my dear friend Fran is on the left and Jillian is on the right. I don't think we stopped talking or laughing all day.

After the brunch and fashion show, we did a little shopping. I surprised myself and only came home with two dresses. Due to the amount of rain we've had this summer, the grass courts were very wet. While waiting for them to dry, we had lunch and meandered around.

After a little tennis, we said good~bye to our fairy tale day with dreams of returning next year.

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Ciao Italia!

This afternoon I'll be attending a live taping of Mary Ann Esposito's Ciao Italia show. I'm really, really looking forward to this. Later in the evening we've been invited to a dinner that she and her staff put on. My mouth is watering just thinking about it ~ yum!

I've made her recipes for my family in the past and they love them. How could they not? Her dishes remind me of my grandmother's cooking. I call it family food ~ as in Sunday suppers with your family, the comfort foods of home, the ones you crave and nothing else can be substitute.

For my family, many memories are made in the kitchen around food. I truly enjoy cooking with and for my family. Now that my children are older, they too are part of the process.

It's a great way to spend some family time and catch up with what is going on in everyone's lives. My children are more apt to "talk" to us if they are involved in an activity. Their guards are down and the conversation just seems to flow naturally. We are also creating our own family memories that they will look back on one day.

It's been a busy week here in our home. I promise to post pictures of my day in Newport. We had a fabulous time!

I'm off to jog/walk the Mystic River. I've begun the couch to 5k and I'm doing rather well if I do say so myself. I should probably go a little further today since I'll will be eating my way through the evening!

Enjoy your day!

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Can't wait!

I am so looking forward to meeting the woman behind the incredible, thought provoking, and generous words.

A dear girlfriend and I are attending her event.

We are going to make a day of it together ~ a little shopping along the way, a little lunch, wonderful uninterrupted conversation and close our day listening to this amazing woman speak.

Her typed words are moving ~ I just can't imagine how touching her words will be in person!

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A Woman Should Have ...

I had the pleasure of hearing Maya Angelou speak several years ago. She is an amazing women with fascinating insight. At times, it's so simplistic that it speaks volumes.

 It is such a life long lesson.

MAYA ANGELOU'S

A Woman Should Have

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

enough

money within her control to move out

and rent a place of her own,

even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

something perfect to wear if the employer,

or date of her dreams

wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a past juicy enough

that she's looking forward

to retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill,

and... a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

one friend who always makes her laugh..

and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a good piece of furniture

not previously owned by

anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

eight matching plates,

wine glasses with stems,

and a recipe for a meal,

that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...

a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

how to fall in love without losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

how to quit a job,

break up with a lover,

and confront a friend,

without ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

when to try harder...

and when to walk away...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

that she can't change the length of her calves,

the width of her hips,

or the nature of her parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

that her childhood may not have been perfect...

but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

what she would and wouldn't do...

for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

how to live alone...

even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

whom she can trust,

whom she can't,

and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

where to go...

be it to her best friend's kitchen table...

or a charming Inn in the woods...

when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

What she can and can't accomplish in a day...

a month...

and a year...

AND REMEMBER:

Be yourself...everyone else is already taken

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