From Buds To Blossoms

I am surrounded by creative and talented people. I’m so blessed. I need to stop praying that some of it will rub off on me.

In any case, a beautiful soul and friend of mine Nicole Hutchins, just finished her first book. It’s a compilation of her essays and I am so stinkin’ proud of her!

If you would like to read soothing words that reaches to your soul, I highly suggest this book. Her writing is spiritual and inspirational.

You can purchase the book at Amazon.com or contacting her on blog, From Buds to Blossoms.

It’s such a wonderful, beautiful and oh so Merry Christmas!

For Outdoor Wednesday.

An Early Christmas Work Of Art

Between the windows and above the bed of the girl’s room is a spot that, unknown to the girl, I preserved for a special piece of art.

A wonderful artist, musician and friend, Daniel C Palmer painted this watercolor piece of art for the girl. It was a year ago that he offered to do it. And four days before Christmas, he delivered.

It’s beautiful! It’s the girl and jumping Joker and he captured the movement and power of Joker perfectly. I will frame it and hang it above her bed. The girl is thrilled.

Daniel also sings, and plays the guitar – and the piano – and the bagpipes.

And he’s also quite handsome. Here’s his website – http://danielcpalmer.com/.

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Girl’s Room – Best Christmas Gift Ever

Last Saturday night, while the husband and I were at a party, the girl cleaned her room. It’s a monumental occasion, worthy of note.

When we got home, she took us upstairs and it really was perfectly clean. We were so proud. We don’t know how long it will last so we savored the moment.

Yesterday, I walked down the hallway and tapped my toe on her door to peek in.

It looked like this – still perfectly clean, after more than three days!

We did a little remodel to open up some more space for her and Neighbor Jim did such a great job that I wanted to show you right away. However, there was still purchases to be made and furniture to move around for the perfect placement. And then there was the question of whether or not I wanted the state of uncleanliness to be posted all of the internet(s) and I certainly was not going to clean it myself in order to post the finished product. That’s just not reality.

So after almost a year – this is what it looked like then. Here’s what it looks like now.

She’s a Washington Capitals fan as well as a horse riding specialist.

Her closet was organized as well. Mothers everywhere dream of this – an organized closet!

Her ribbons were consolidated in one place, a shelf her uncle built for her. This is only a sample of her ribbons. After so many years of riding she has many strewn about the house. It’s getting pretty difficult to contain.

That’s it! No more riding until we find a place for all the ribbons. I put my foot down.

Speaking of organized. I was most happy with her dresser.

All the lotions and potions, jellies and jams and sunglasses were in order. And all of her hair appliances were actually turned off.

Grateful for the small things that could potentially become big things.

Her night stand – clean. Wonder what she’s reading.

A teenage read that’s on the New York Times Bestseller list. Good girl.

She was the division champion for last summer’s league and as a result, scored this director’s chair. It was the least organized item in her room but I’m not going to nit pick. After all, she’s the champion.

Which brings me to this point. No matter where she goes and what does from now on, there is one thing that will always define  her. She’s a horse girl. And that is a huge blessing.

She’ll have that and carry that all the rest of her life.

And her first love will not be her current “boyfriend”. But it is Joker, her first leased pony that she could call her own.

The bed spread is Pottery Barn Teen, on sale. The rug is also Pottery Barn, not on sale. The rug was a battle that I lost but it is cute so…

The curtain and lamp are Target specials. The dresser is from Regency Furniture. I bought her Christmas lights that she put on her window. They light up and blink and really cute. I love that she loves them.

The Washington Capitals sherpa blanket – from the Verizon Center, purchased after a pleading – please, please, please. She love fuzzy blankets – and she loves hockey.

The Precious Moments figurines and various knick knacks are courtesy of her Nanna. More ribbons as you can see. The art work on the floor was done by a friend of hers. I’ll have to get it framed. The purple Christmas tree was purchased a few years ago at Home Depot of all places. The little table was acquired at a garage sale at a friend’s house. She didn’t like it at first, but now she does. Mom wins.

I did fold her sherpa Capitals blanket but other than that, the room was as I found it. So nice, and the perfect Christmas gift for her mom.

Download “Christmas Time” For Free

Updated in 2011 – still beautiful and still a Christmas classic…

Among all the craziness that is this season, there’s this.

“Christmas Time” was commissioned by Dana Clark to encourage generosity, selflessness and the true meaning of Christmas this season. The music is by my talented friend Dana Robinson. Her voice is angelic and goes right to your core. Her husband and my friend Jeremy produced the song. The CD was designed by another friend, Daniel Palmer, whose talents are limitless. He plays the piano on the track too.

I am so very humbled to have a small part in it. I was thrilled when Jeremy gave it to me last week.

It’s a free download at www.carolforacause.com. Then this morning, I saw this video as a tribute to our troops with Dana’s beautiful voice as a backdrop. I cried.

I can’t give one away. All the CD’s have been given out already but you can download it from their site for free. And after you listen to it, make a donation to the cause dearest to your heart. It’s what Christmas is all about.

Merry, merry, merry Christmas.

November 29, Extended Cyber Monday

I did not venture out last weekend to shop. I did the last few years as an adventure and it was quite fun. However, this year, something changed for me. It seems like such a dichotomy -  the Thanksgiving Day so perfect with family and gratitude. Then the next day – heck – not even the next day, but THAT day, at midnight, people are out with their firearms and their cans of mace.

I know that these incidences are rare and isolated – I do. But seeing on the news did put a little bit of a damper on the entire Black Friday adventure for me. So instead, the family went to see a fight at the hockey game. It was so much more civilized -

But that’s another post.

I spent all of the day after Thanksgiving in my pajamas cyper shopping and eating. It was just as fun and I didn’t have to get up early. I am now about 87.5% of the way to completion with my Christmas shopping. I have a great sense of accomplishment and if I could pat myself on the back and not feel silly, I would do it.

The senseless part about finding deals online is that I can’t stop finding deals online, you know what I mean? I have put things in my cart and taken them out of my cart countless times.

As I sit to post, I found myself going back to the husband’s corporate account and seeing what other deals are out there. It’s like extended Black Friday at the mall without the sore feet.

In any case, here’s a few links that might help in your Christmas shopping today.

Ann Taylor Loft – 50% everything
Eddie Bauer - 50% sweaters
Aeropostale (I bug my kids by pronouncing it in the Italian accent a-reee-o-post-ta-lee) – 50-70% off everything
American Eagle - $20 off thermals (I love their belts)
JC Penny – you will not believe the deals in their jewelry section

I won’t go into how disappointed I am that I didn’t buy anything from my very, very, very favorite workout apparel store, athleta.com (subsidiary of the Gap store) because today, there are no deals there. I have two pairs of yoga pants from Athleta purchased three years ago that I wear at least twice a week and they are still holding up perfectly. Then I remind myself that I’m not purchasing anything for me – it’s gift giving time so that makes it all better.

I would sit here and shop some more but I should actually be productive, like wrapping the gifts I already purchased.

“Tis the season and Merry Christmas to you all!

p.s. Texture on the image by Kim Klassen whose “Poetic” texture is so gorgeous I think I will use it all week. This post is for Texture Tuesday with some shopping tips thrown in.

One Week Down, One More To Go

Last Monday the boy and I were in the doldrums about his driver’s education class. We moaned, bemoaned, and kavetched about driving 35 miles to the class every night in Washington DC suburban traffic during rush hour.

In truth, we felt sorry for ourselves.

But here it is, another Monday and somehow we survived the week! Who would have thought it?

Not only did we survived, the girl, the husband and I made the best of it. And that means filling the time while we waited for the boy to get out of his three hour class. It means doing something our busy lives hardly ever gives us the chance to do.

We went shopping.

A while ago, I purchased a beautiful plush red velvet chair from Pier One Imports. I loved the color and a single red chair in our living gave it the right punch. The chair was really comfortable, almost everyone who had a seat would remark on how comfortable they were. I really wanted another but it was expensive so I vowed to purchase one at a time. About six months later, I purchased another and put the pair in my entryway and there they sat for almost a year.

But you know me – I was counting my pennies so I can purchase two more to round out my dining area because I loved them so much.

Last Monday, I had three hours of “free” time while I waited for the boy to finish his class and I somehow found myself at Pier One Imports. Guess what? The chairs were on sale! Serendipity.

I immediately purchased two more. I can’t argue with fate.

So thanks to the boy and his driver’s education class, I now have four matching dining chairs. Wonderful! Every cloud has a silver lining. It’s the only way to look at it.

My boy still has another week of class. And wrestling practice starts Tuesday.

Wrestling will take over his life and his life will be on hold until March while he grunts his way through the season.

But he has some stylish chairs to sit on and eat his fast food salad.

One more week of driver’s education and it’s behind us. #mypoorboy

Decorating For Fall Days

I texted the husband while I was out and about sometime this week and said, “I’m decorating the house for fall.”

He wrote back, “Uh oh.”

I bought mini pumpkins and gourds -

- and placed them in brass cookware that I dug up from the basement.

I put plastic orange vines on my chandelier.

I bought a bail of hay. Yes, a bail of hay.

I bought pretty yellow mums.

I have a feathered wreath.

My favorite thing of all is this lighted pumpkin. I love it! I got it on sale at Michael’s but they have them at Pier One as well. If I had all the money in the world, I would donate it to an organization that provides help and support for victims of cancer, ALS, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

And then I would go shopping at Pier One. I love that store.

I’m ready! For . . . fall. By the way, my kids are digging the decorations. It’s the boy’s last fall season at home.

I’m not going to cry – I’m not going to cry – I WILL NOT cry . . .

The Works Of Ann Hand

The boy and I went to a doctor’s appointment one day this week. We were early so the boy said, “Let’s drive around.” It’s Georgetown after all, everything is old and beautiful and the boy loves history.

Somehow we ended up at the Ann Hand jewelry store. It’s my idea of history I suppose.

Ann Hand is a jewelry designer and quite famous around these parts here in Washington DC parts for her Americana collection. She also designs beautiful pieces for diplomats and in particular, the military.

This is a very striking pentagon design.

I haven’t been to her store in quite a few years but each year I say to myself, “I have to get mom a(an) Ann Hand original.”

Who wouldn’t be noticed wearing this eagle?

By the way – I’m starting early on my Christmas gifting – this year, I’m determined to be efficient – mark this moment…

A beautiful patriotic design…

So you say, “She just gave away the surprise.” Well, not really. She won’t know which one I got her, not unless you tell her.

She doesn’t read my blog.

She just knows “of” my blog.

Other people tell her I have a blog.

She says, “Oh, the computer thing.”

Don’t tell her ok?

I didn’t get her this one – though I almost did. It doubles as a pendant and a brooch.

This is Ann Hand’s most famous and best selling piece. Gina Davis wore it in the television series – the one where she’s the president.

I’ve never seen it myself.

This is the Air Force brooch. I would wear it to my next dining out – if I ever go to another dining out again.

A friend of mine once went to a speech given by Madeline Albright and she was wearing an Ann Hand brooch. Hillary Clinton has one – at least I saw her photo in the store so I just assumed so.

So now my mother has one too! I hope she likes it…

Check it out, here’s the link - it will truly inspire your patriotic ideals.

My Kitchen Island Getaway

I’m a big fan of home magazines. My favorite is Traditional Home because they combine the old with the new and their photography is gorgeous. It appeals to my eclectic sensibility.

So imagine my surprise when this arrived in the mail. It’s not one I’ve seen before but it came directly from our kitchen designer, Mark White of Kitchen Encounters.

It had little blue tabs at the top to mark where he wanted us to focus. I turned the page and saw this – the table of contents -

- with my kitchen featured in the one of the inserts. I was tickled pink.

I turned to the article and saw that it was a feature on island getaways. It’s so appropo, I love my island. I asked specifically for teak so that it will wear well. After all, if teak can be used for boat surfaces, it can certainly withstand any abuse from my family and their friends – so far so good.

Mark then designed a beautiful counter top that fit into the narrow space. I’m sitting here right now by the way.

The bottom of the island is zebra wood. The round shape allows us to fit six people on the island – more if we really squeeze.

I love it – but I know I’ve said that before. You can take another look at the kitchen here from a couple of years ago. I love it now as I did then…thanks Mark!

This Ain’t No Endorsement – But I Just Had To Say

Eons ago – two months ago – our family found ourselves looking at the mouth of the mighty Grand Canyon. I am a habitual light packer – I travel with one carry-on suitcase. There is no room for hiking boots, extra socks, windbreaker, or any other items of questionable necessity like mouth wash. Only kidding.

One would think that a hike at the Grand Canyon would necessitate good hiking shoes but not me, I was going to bring one pair of shoes only. It needed to look good with the outfit I was going to wear on the airplane, be comfortable enough to do be a tourist around town and – I can hike the Grand Canyon with it.

As the LCATs around here would say – boom.

So – boom. I packed these black Danskos.

Perfect.

My legs did not hurt one bit – one single bit. My feet were tired of course, anytime you do a four mile Grand Canyon hike, your feet will tire. However, I did not blister, I did not chaffe or otherwise whine.

I did however, have to clean them well when I got back. But then I wore them with black dress slacks (who says slacks anymore) upon my return.

So take as you may. It’s just a public service announcement.

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