Liz Printz Chesapeake Bay Sea Glass Jewelry

I admit I fall in love very easily. Over the course the last almost 20 years, I’ve fallen in and out of love with furniture, jewelry, plates, and anything that is old and from the specific country in which we were residing at the time. I know I have a problem and the only cure for it is – lack of funds.

Which was the reason why I didn’t buy everything on this stand. This is a little display at the local boutique called J Pink which I frequented a couple of months ago. I don’t trust myself to go back. The artist who was there that day specialized in jewelry made from claimed sea glass from the Chesapeake Bay. I loved the story, I loved reclamation of the environment and I loved the jewelry.

However, because a major piece was at the time out of my price range – darn budget – I only purchased a couple of little pendants. I then put the pendants on a chain I already had. Each one is unique and none is the same, I love that too. They were about $20 a piece.

I cannot stop thinking about the little necklace made of blue sea glass – probably some kind of beer bottle. See the dark green? It was probably a Heineken bottle. Though I detest the littering of the bay, I am happy that someone has the creativity and talent to create something this beautiful out of someone else’s carelessness. I looked all over the internet for Liz Printz and I finally found where she will be selling her wares next. I may just make the trip down there…

Don’t tell the husband ok?

Greentown Glass From A Glass Lover’s Perspective

The husband was born in a very small town in Indiana. Last weekend, we drove through the town to show the kids his old house and his father’s old garage.

Years ago, back in the 1900’s this little town had a glass factory that made beautiful molded glass for sale. It burned down after only nine years in operation and the factory was never rebuilt.

This is a typical piece of Greentown glass. The opaque caramel color was very popular and though there are many pieces left, most are collectible items now.

Years ago, right after we were married, the husband and I purchased a compote just like this. We didn’t pay that price for it though. I wanted a piece of history and it was nice that history was made in the town where the husband has roots.

Here is more typical Greentown glass. I love the emerald green color.

This is a beautiful piece. Look at the intricate pattern and the opalescent shimmer. It’s really delicate. Off to a high shelf you go!

I bought this little cutie for my sister-in-law who was our host last weekend. It’s Hobbs glass and I thought the bubbles were fun.

This is what I had my eye on. The dolphin style was a popular Greentown glass pattern. For some reason it really spoke to me.

The pattern was made in many other types of glass and color. I wanted them all. I was told that these were used to serve condiments like mustard. I would need one for ketchup and salsa – the other ketchup.

And fish sauce.

The proprietor of the antique store was so nice and so patient. I insisted on seeing every single dolphin in the store.

And he obliged. There was a big discrepancy in the price of each one, depending on the condition.

The detail was amazing and though they came from molds, each was a little different from the other.

One of the above lids is a reproduction. I got to the point where I could tell which was genuine and which one was not. Not that it mattered to me.

I ended up purchasing the lowest price dolphin – and I talked him down $10 on top of it. He said I drove a hard bargain. I was rather proud of that comment actually. My dolphin has issues but I love it all the same, chips and cracks and all.

One more…I think this bowl was one of the priciest pieces in the store. It was really beautiful. I can see it filled with popcorn but I wouldn’t have the heart to do that. It too belongs on a high shelf.

This museum is an homage to the town’s heritage. It wasn’t open when we were there but it was for the better. I would have wanted to buy everything in the gift shop I’m sure.

So now I have two pieces of Greentown glass. I’m well on my way to a collection. A monster is born…

Around My House – Guest Bath Redo Over Again

Five years ago, we added a bathroom in our basement.

The vision was to have a guest suite where our company can comfortably (but not too comfortably) stay for the duration of their stay. It also would give them (and us) some privacy.

Only half of our basement is “finished” and unfortunately after we remodeled our kitchen, we ran out of money so we couldn’t build a guest room to go with the guest bath.

The guest bathroom though still is one of the nicest and cleanest places in the house and the reason is simple. No one really goes down there.

I put some of our most prized antiques in the room. Our antique Chinese chair and our old Japanese kotatsu that I turned on the side for a side table.

I hung our favorite prints from the art gallery in town where we lived in Japan. I loved that place and have several pieces from their collection.

The bathroom is wonderful but the rest of the basement really needs a lot of work. Anyone want anything from my basement? It’s full of finds from flea markets long past. Some of it is cool too.

But this post is not really about our guest bath.

It’s about this…

Our guest bath is really illegal. Illegal in the sense that with all of the permits we obtained and passed, there was one that we missed. Two weeks ago, the county contacted us and said they needed to come back and inspect the work.

We said, “Really? It’s been five years.” I guess it doesn’t matter.

So the inspector came and inspected – and we failed the inspection.

The short story is this, there have been contractors, workers and inspectors in and out of our home for the past two weeks. There were holes cut and dry wall taken down. There was insulation pumped into the walls and there was insulation that burst out of those same walls.

I actually ran over one of the contractor trucks with my van.

Once the work was done, the inspector came back but didn’t sign us off.

I don’t know what else it will take. But I do know that the contractors we initially used have been dolls. Absolute dolls.

I haven’t seen Bill or Jimmy in so long. They put in my kitchen after they put in the guest bathroom. Then they put in the upstairs powder room. They were like part of the family. I missed them, but I didn’t want to see them again like this. I was hoping the next time I saw them was to put in a new deck (sorry honey.)

The inspector on the other hand is a real…bureaucrat.

Around My House – The Blue Edition

I feel a mini-renaissance period coming along in my life. It may be estrogen driven. Then again, it may not. In any case, I have been pulling things from the basement. I just think it’s a shame that they are hidden away. They should be shown in public, in their best light.

I love blue accessories, blue plates, blue books, and blue plants. And I love shells so I thought I’d put them together and see what I get.

And I get this…I’m not a designer, can you tell? But I like it. I wonder what other blue things I can find. I don’t think there’s enough stuff on this console.

Happy early Blue Mosaic Monday!

Blog Cafe – The Chanler Regency Room

The Chanler at the Cliffwalk in Newport, RI – the home of my dreams…if only for a weekend.

As the summer continues its heated fast-paced march to fall, my mind turns to cooler, more leisurely moments, like our girls’ trip to Newport, RI a couple of months ago.

I pulled up these photos for Jolyn’s Blog Cafe…welcome! I thought I might be a little indulgent today and show photos of a very beautiful, elegant and very luxurious place, the Chanler at Cliffwalk. 

Neighbors Sue and Beth and I were given a tour of some of the rooms and this is the last room on our little tour. Lauren, our hostess extended this gracious invitation to us and well…who are we to say no.

We started off at the Louis IX Room, then the Williamsburg Room and now…the Regency Room.

This room was filled with antiques reminiscent of the English monarchy during the 1200’s or 1300’s…or so. Anyway, a long time ago…during the time of Knights of the Round Table, Guineviere and Lancelot…

This room however had running water and cable tv…but at times I’d trade both for a chamber maid.

Here’s a couple of photos of the gorgeous dining room…

…where I eat my fois gras and pot au choux, which I think is just a pot pie, but one would not eat a plain old pot pie in this dining room – so pot au choux it is.

But as far as I’m concerned, the best place is the veranda, where Neighbors Beth and Sue and I had spiced pear martinis and watched the waves break on Narragansett Bay.

Hi ladies…

I’m going back…anyone want to join me?

Thanks for the invitation to write for the Blog Cafe today Jolyn!

Posted on Mosaic Monday…

Measure Twice, Order Once…Think Thrice

This is one of my favorite all time photos of the cat. He just looks so content and somewhat stately. I love that my wallpaper was in the photo so when I found out about Hello Canvas and realized what a wonderful product they had, I wanted to order more.

I needed a piece of art to go above my headboard. My bedroom is mostly black and white so I thought the cat would be a great addition. It would be a really personal touch.

So I put the cat to canvas and it’s beautiful – and huge. His head is about three feet across.

I measured, I did.

But for some reason, my sense of proportion was waaaay off.

As cute as he is, I don’t k now if I can wake up every morning thinking that he’s going to eat me.

I think that a canvas this big would be really great with different content, one that doesn’t make one feel like they are being stalked for food.

I think that a smaller canvas would have looked great. It’s just that it’s so big…

The husband saw my post last weekend and he called very excitedly and said, “I know the perfect place for this!” I cringed a little bit, hoping it wasn’t anywhere in the house, much less the bedroom.

But he does have the perfect place. And when it’s up in its place of honor, I’ll take a photo and show you.

So Hello Canvas, you do beautiful work. I’ll place another order soon. This one will be for a very, very, very small horse.

Hello Gorgeous Canvas!

I won! I won a photo contest at Shutter Sisters and won this beautiful canvas with one of my photos on it from Hello Canvas. I wasn’t sure what to expect but when it came in the mail, the entire family literally gasped.

Now before you say something about it being in the kids’ bathroom, I want you to know that it was purposeful.

I had always planned on getting them something for their wall now that Neighbor Kel took some time from his job to help us finish.

We still have to put a shower door in but right now the polar bear shower curtain works just fine. We want to show off this beautiful tile that Neighbor Kel put in. I thank all of you for weighing in on my whole tile drama. And I want to thank you for stopping me from putting in that blue mosaic tile.

You’re right, it wouldn’t have worked.

I was shopping for a print to go above the commode and the husband said, “Hey, you take pictures.”

Hey, so I do. When I won the canvas, it was my desire to put a piece of my own art up there for the kids.

And I absolutely, aboslutely love it.

I love it so much and I’m going to order a couple more, one for my bedroom, one for the livingroom and the girl wants a few for her bedroom of what else? Horses from the farm.

I’m excited to do it for her.

Now that the kids have a beautiful remodeled bathroom, they actually want to keep it clean.

Here’s a reminder from the girl. I believe I know who this is directed toward.

Thank you Hello Canvas, for the beautiful piece of art. I’m so pleased. Thank you Shutter Sisters for choosing me. And thank you Neighbor Kel for helping us navigate the remodel in the bathroom.

Our master bathroom is next. Everyone tighten your seatbelts.

The Williamsburg Room

Grab a drink. Hopefully a martini.

Doesn’t this man look like he loves his job?

And grab a cigar…

Now this looks like a gentleman’s room doesn’t it?

 …because we’re going to the see the Williamsburg Suite.

I’m married to a history fanatic…one who reads every single word on every single plackert on every single display at the Smithsonian. It took us two hours just to get through the stingray display.

So I know that Colonial America didn’t have beds this sumptuous. Though I admit the prints on the fabrics are very close to the period.

Mt. Vernon, as beautiful as it was for the time, doesn’t hold a candle to the Chanler.

This bed was high, just like back then, but I’m sure it’s a thousand times as soft. I was so tempted to just sit down on it. But I couldn’t, no matter how many martinis I had or how many cigars I smoked. Kidding!

It just wouldn’t be right. But it was beautiful, that’s for sure.

Have any of you been to the Netherlands? No? Well neither have I. But I can say that this is a Delft pattern on the tile around the fireplace. So typical of the Colonial time period too. I don’t know why, you’ll have to ask the husband.

This was another gorgeous bathroom, but do you see what’s in the mirror?

It seems there’s a television in very bathroom in this house. I supposed I would spend more time in my bathroom if it looked it this. And I shall wear a fluffy white robe while doing so.

What a gorgeous house!

I have photos of the Regency Room but I will save them. In a few months, I’ll be tired of washing the dinner dishes, cleaning up cat throw-up, and nagging about kids’ messy rooms. Then I’ll post photos of the Regency Room and dream of what can be…

Here’s a link to the Louis XVI room on this blog…
Here’s a link to the powder room on this blog…
And
Here’s a link to the Chanler On The Cliff Walk. You won’t regret it…

p.s. I wanted to add that in the world of paid endorsements, this is not one of them. No one has ever paid me anything for LifeSignatures. Neighbors Beth & Susan and I just happen to have stumbled across this beautiful place while hiking on the Cliff Walk last weekend. And oh, what a find…

A round of Spiced Pear martinis for everyone please…

The Louis XVI Room

We were honored to have been given a tour of the Chanler by a young woman name Lauren who was exceedingly gracious. It’s because of her that I want to go back. I want my vacation to be wrapped around professional, gracious and fast service. And she was the epitome of that…

I really can’t go anywhere without a sneak peek into the kitchen. This was a great chef’s kitchen but you know what? With the exception of the cooks and servers, I like mine better.

But I can’t say that about the rest of the house…

This my dears is the Louis XVI room. He may not have slept here, but he would have wanted to.

Because this bed would have been more comfortable than anything he would have known at the time. It’s fit for a king.

He would have followed Neighbor Beth outside to his veranda…

…where he would have woken to this beautiful view of the Naragansette Bay. I had to say that name many times in my head before I got it right.

When he came back in the room to get ready to bathe, he would have admired his antiques and beautiful linens and textures…

And he would have found Neighbors Beth and Susan admiring his bathroom.

I’m sure he wouldn’t have minded at all.

One last, closer look at the antiques…

…and then it’s time to get whisked away to the soiree in his horse and carriage, or in this case, a Mercedes SUV.

They’ll pick you up at the airport by the way.

The Chanler At Cliff Walk

We were told by “people in the know” that we should do the Cliff Walk while we were in Newport, RI last weekend.

And I’m telling you…you should too when you visit. Notice I didn’t say if.

We came across this railing nestled in rose bushes.

We followed the roses up the stairs.

And we saw my future home at the top.

It’s called the Chanler at Cliff Walk and I’m moving there next week.

After Neighbors Beth and Susan and I finished our hike along the cliff we stopped to have a bite to eat and an afternoon cocktail on the veranda.

This is obviously not my house but a girl can dream. I want to show you some of the gorgeous rooms inside.

Before I do though, I want to give you a tour of the bathroom. It’s the most gorgeous bathroom I have ever seen, and I’ve seen many a bathroom in my lifetime.

This is me taking a photo of the mirror. I’m sure this stance looks familiar to some of you bloggers.

You can use a washcloth to clean your face after a grueling five mile hike in the salty air, all the while catching up on the news.

Do you have a fireplace in your bathroom?

I had to show you this…using the word “stall” would be a total insult.

Every detail - I mean every detail - was absolutely, breath takingly, gorgeous.

I intended to sit here just for a few minutes to catch my breath and take it all in. And I ended up sitting there for ten minutes. I literally didn’t want to leave the bathroom.

I will show you some other rooms in the hotel/bed and breakfast/castle throughout the week. You won’t believe it.

I absolutely intend to go back and stay. And the husband has agreed. Or rather he said, “Uh-huh” which is good enough.

Posted on Wordful Wednesday at Seven Clown Circus.

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