Summer Vacation

I took this week off from work to spend with my nephews, A and B. That word, "nephews," doesn't really do justice to our relationship. Perhaps I should rephrase and tell you that I took this week off from work to spend with my best friends, A and B, and that I have been looking forward to this week like a child waiting for Christmas morning.

Can you blame me?

My summer vacation it is finally here, so bring on the summer . . . the swimming, the slip n' slide fun,


the giggles

and all around silliness

the sleepovers,
the cuddles

and the quiet time for introspection

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

-1 Chronicles 16:34

A Few Kitchen Ideas

I will give you a few minutes to catch your breath after that photo.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Alrighty, pressing on: A friend contacted me by email a few days ago. She and her husband are young, fairly newly married, and just bought their first house. Side note: I remember when Mr. Marvelous and I bought our first house six years ago. After closing we went straight to the house and laid on the floor in the living room, the house entirely empty, and just made plans for our life together in that space. There is absolutely nothing like coming home, whether it is for the first time or the thousandth time.


My friend sent me a few pictures of her kitchen and wanted some decorating advice. She has white cabinetry, but it appears pretty dated. The first thing I told her was that I would either take the upper cabinet doors off the frames and leave the frames as open shelving, or take the upper cabinets down all together and put up open shelving instead. (I am sure her husband is very happy with me right now.) I combed through my inspiration files on my laptop and found plenty of pictures of open airy, open-shelved kitchens. Then this morning, I stumbled on this kitchen, here.




There is just something about open shelving in a kitchen that is magical to me. Don't you agree?




Our first house had oak veneer cabinets. I borrowed an electric sander from a friend, bought a big bucket of white paint, and after 2 weeks of back-breaking labor had transformed my kitchen for less than $30. I should dig out those pictures to share. I think that anyone itching for a kitchen redo could work wonders with a bucket of white paint, some open shelving, and great chandelier. Maybe some new hardware and an updated faucet down the road . . .

I am particularly inspired by kitchens. Maybe because I was blessed to grow up with a mother who was always in the kitchen making homemade applesauce or raspberry jam or blueberry pie or banana bread. When we built our house I specifically wanted a big farmhouse sink that I could bathe my babies in someday, and a room big enough for little ones to play with matchbox cars on the floor while I cook. Cliche as it may be, the kitchen really can be the heart of the home. And with a little bit of money and lot of determination and elbow grease, you can turn yours into a dreamy space . . . just don't tell your husband you got the idea from me:)

Freeman House

Have you visited Freeman House lately?

It has been there for so long, just waiting.

Didn't you know?

Pity.

You are truly missing out.

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite places to spend a bit of time. Figuratively, of course. Freeman House is "a rambling old fixer-upper" belonging to blogger Brin, and her partner in crime, Miss Millie.

Isn't she dreamy?

Brin writes one of my all-time favorite blogs. Brin began blogging back in 2005, after she suddenly decided to leave her "hectic city life behind for Freeman House -a rambling old fixer-upper in the heart of a small town that time forgot."

Brin's journey from city life to country life reads like a novel. I recommend starting from the beginning. I did. I read through four years of Freeman House in one rainy and splendid weekend.

I know you will enjoy this story as much as I do. Moreover, Brin is an avid gardener, cook, seamstress, knitter, and writer, all the while renovating her beloved Freeman House.

She has a beautiful way of documenting her "messy, thrilling, blessed life."

Stop by and visit Brin at Freeman House. She is sure to welcome you warmly and serve you the perfect cup of tea. It will feel like home, at long last.

Sweet, wonderful home.

Colors of the Sea

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I love casual coastal style. I was incredibly blessed to grow up on the beach and now that I live inland, I often miss the water desperately. And while I'm not a fan of "themes" in decorating, I do incorporate coastal colors often. I am just naturally drawn to them. I have mason jars and glass bowls of sea glass around my house. Sea glass holds a special place in my heart and my walk of faith. I just never seem to get tired of soft blues and greens, creams and cool whites.

The colors of sea glass look wonderful against a white wall with lots of natural light.

I love the pale blue walls in our kitchen. The color is River Rapids by Ralph Lauren at Home Depot. There is something cool and soothing about a wall that is barely-blue.

A similar color looks great on these painted floors.

Gorgeous turquoise. Who wouldn't love an outside shower? As a little girl, we used to come home from the beach to be sprayed down by a very cold garden hose!

Pretty accent pillows show how you can incorporate coastal colors into your summer decorating without redoing your room.
Corresponding cushions in a variety of complimentary coastal colors. I love the bead board ceiling and industrial fan in this room.

All images from Myhomeideas

I would love to know how you incorporate coastal colors in your home!

Saturday Plans? Ice Cream of Course!

It is a hot humid Saturday in June. Otherwise known as a little slice of heaven. Unfortunately, Mr. Marvelous vetoed my idea of grabbing shovel and digging a DIY infinity pool in the backyard (he's practical, that one) to beat the heat. What is the perfect alternative and not nearly as destructive?

Homemade ice cream of course!

This recipe is straight from the pages of one of my favorite cookbooks, and includes only four simple ingredients.

No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream

2 pomegranates,

1 lime,

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar,

2 cups of heavy cream (don't you dare use skim milk-indulge a little!)

Juice the pomegranates and the lime, straining the juices into a bowl. You will have approximately 3/4 cup of pomegranate juice. Reserve the pomegranate seeds for garnish.

Add the powdered sugar and whisk to dissolve.

Whisk in the cream and keep whisking until soft peaks form in the pale pink cream.

Spoon and smooth the ice cream into a rigid plastic container with a tight fitting lid and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. Scatter with pomegranate seeds for garnish.

And there you have it, the perfect pink ice cream for a hot June day!

***Update****: I made this recipe a second time today using peaches and raspberries; I used 5 ripe peaches and about 1/2 cup of red raspberries. I put the fruit in a blender and decreased the sugar content to more like 3/4 cup because I had pretty ripe fruit. It was soooooo good!

And the Winner is . . .

Amy of One Day at a Time!! Otherwise known as No. 15, as selected by Random.org! Congratulations, Amy!! I know Layla is going to do something wonderful with your Master Bathroom! I think you should definitely include those vintage nautical prints you mentioned

in your comment, very cool! Contact Layla at laylapalmer@aol.com to get started!

Thanks to everyone who left comments for this giveaway, I wish I could come to every house and help you makeover your baths in person.

Amazing Bath Transformations and a GIVEAWAY!!!

************* This Giveaway has ended, Thanks to all for entering!!***************

My friend Layla, over at the lovely Lettered Cottage, is embarking on a guest bath renovation. She asked all of her readers to email her pictures of the most inspiring bathrooms so that she could find the perfect inspiration picture for her redo. In my search, I stumbled on these knock-your-socks-off renovations that I just had to share here!

Bathroom No. 1 was described at "dated and dowdy." The newlywed buyers of this 1920s bungalow didn't even notice that the shower did not have a shower head because they were blinded by the "1980s bridesmaid dress shower curtain!!"

After! The bulk of the changes to this bathroom were purely cosmetic, including decoupaged maps for wallpaper. Fabulous! The shower curtain is a chenille bedspread found at an antique store.

Close-up, no detail forgotten. Even a hook for a coffee mug!

Bathroom No. 2: This rather frightening bathroom was hidden inside a 1915 bungalow.

The Ahhhhhhhhh After: "A tabletop vanity made from a side table and a leftover marble slab supports a sink original to the house."Up close, all the pretty details. Love the galvanized bucket with natural sea sponges and the powder blue details.

Bathroom No. 3: This poor 1912 bath was without any windows to provide natural light. Poor thing!

Happily Ever After: The original claw foot tub remains. Check out the tile floor mats which protect the wood floor. Can you believe this is a guest bath!!?? When do we visit??

Absolutely lovely. I could sit and read novels in this tub all day long.

All images courtesy of www.myhomeideas.com

Now it wouldn't be fair to make you sit through these before and afters without offering some tender loving care for your bath! Do you have a before that you are aching to turn into a happily ever after???? Leave a comment and either a description of your bathroom or a link to a photo! If you do not have a blog, please leave your email address so that I can contact you if you are the winner! One lucky winner will receive a design consultation for a bathroom makeover with Layla! Don't worry if your budget for a bath redo is $10. Layla can do things with a budget that make you weak in the knees.

Good luck, and let's see those bathrooms!!

**********Update: The Deadline to Enter for this Giveaway is 12:00 a.m. est., Friday, June 19

Opening my inspiration files . . .