Fabulous Giveaway at Completely Coastal!

Not too long ago, sometime over the summer, I stumbled upon and bookmarked this wonderful blog, Completely Coastal. I check it daily! She has wonderful ideas and her blog is truly beautiful. Well I hopped on over this morning to see that she has a fabulous giveaway. She is giving away a handcrafted, unscented pillar candle by Black & Light. Please stop by Black & Light to view some of these beautiful, handcrafted candles. There is a candle with bees on it! I can't copy the image, so you'll have to head on over to check it out.... and for those of you who love lobsters there's one for you too!

I've got the blues...

Good thing blue is one of my favorite colors ;)

It was the perfect temperature outside today. I could wear my cute boyfriend jeans with my navy silk, short sleeved poet's blouse (Banana Republic 2 summers ago) and my sparkly sandals! My happy outfit. Perfect for a happy day.

Below, one of my Happy Shirts!

Picture of me in it... but not a great picture of the shirt because I have my arm around my friend, it looks like my shirt is pulling!

My happy sandals. I found them at the Nine West outlet last year. I don't think they were more than $20. At a price like that how could I not have happy feet?

A happy day means one with no children! The boys would stay home and work in the yard. Daddy had all sorts of projects for them. Rebecca was headed to a friend's house for the afternoon. As soon as I could drop her off I would experience FREEDOM!

After dropping Rebecca off I headed to Home Goods. Boy there's a lot of stuff there. Funny how stores like that have a way of making you feel like you need stuff you never knew you needed! I saw some great framed mirrors for great prices... I'm going to hang mirrors of all sizes and shapes in one of the smaller rooms. I do need a few more. I love mirrors. The mirrors will certainly make the small room appear larger as well. I'll show you when I'm done. (I'm not starting it until school starts though.) I walked out empty handed. It wasn't intentional!

From there I went to Anthropologie. There it was a good deal harder to control myself. I love their housewares. Got some great crafty/creative ideas for future projects. I came home with these adorable earrings! These make me happy too! (I love bees!)

From there I headed to Crate & Barrel. Didn't get anything there either. Was not impressed. At all. It's all too contemporary for me.

I then hopped into my car. Since I was feeling all happy I had the windows all open and down. And I was so happy to hear one of my all time favorite summer songs...

It used to seem to me
That my life ran on too fast
And I had to take it slowly
Just to make the good parts last
But when youre born to run
Its so hard to just slow down
So dont be surprised to see me
Back in that bright part of town
Ill be back in the high life again

All the doors I closed one time will open up again
Ill be back in the high life again
All the eyes that watched me once will smile and take me in
And Ill drink and dance with one hand free
Let the world back into me
And on Ill be a sight to see
Back in the high life again

You used to be the best
To make life be life to me
And I hope that youre still out there
And youre like you used to be
Well have ourselves a time
And well dance til the morning sun
And well let the good times come in
And we wont stop til were done
Well be back in the high life again

All the doors I closed one time will open up again
Well be back in the high life again
All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in
And well drink and dance with one hand free
And have the world so easily
And oh well be a sight to see
Back in the high life again
Well be back in the high life again

All the doors I closed one time will open up again
Well be back in the high life again
All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in
And well drink and dance with one hand free
And have the world so easily
And oh well be a sight to see
Back in the high life again

Isn't that just the best summertime song ever? I had just gotten my driver's license the summer that song was released. I drove a hand-me-down. (Not too shabby albeit!) How cool was I to sing to Steve Winwood completely off-key in that car, in Newport no less! Sigh... I miss my old car...

And Yes, I sang just as loudly and most likely out of tune today with all my windows open because that makes me happy too! (I'll be 80 and singing loudly, out of tune with my windows open... Beware!)

From there I went to the best ever French bakery this side of Paris called Isabelle & Vincent. I picked up a baguette and three little brioche for the kidlets to have for breakfast tomorrow. Why? Because really good French bakeries make me happy!

From there I headed to Tarjay in search for some Birthday gifts for my baby who turns the Big oh Four on Labor Day. I made out like a bandit and stayed within budget! And got nothing for me! On my way out I stopped off for a treat at Starbucks. I can't possibly have a perfectly happy day without stopping off at Starbucks now, can I?!

When I got home and pulled into the driveway I saw my boys at the top of the hill. Daddy had just pulled the tractor our of the garage. The boys were eagerly awaiting their chance to ride it. I went down to the basement, grabbed myself a beer from the fridge and hung with my boys and watched as they took turns on the tractor.

It was a perfectly perfect day... I wonder what the hell will go wrong tomorrow ;)

That'll be 81 clams, please!

Last Tuesday PreppySue and Tickled Pink Talk and I, EntertainingMom, got together for a play date on the beach in Newport. The kids got along famously from the get-go and swam in the ocean, chased annoying sea gulls, made drip castles and collected clams shells! The strong surf from Hurricane Bill must have brought these clams closer to shore. The children delighted in collecting 81 of these super-sized shells. Just as fun as collecting them was cracking them open and feeding them to the gulls flying furiously around their loot! They also collected dozens upon dozens of non-stinging jelly fish. As they busily played, planned and plotted the mothers shared laughs and had an equally as nice, though much less messy time! I do hope we will be able to meet up again next year as I know my children are talking about it already.

Our brief yet fun final trip to Newport this summer marks the end (thankfully!) of our summer travels. While plenty of good times were had by everyone, it is nice to remain on the home turf, at least for a while!

All the sun, beach, pool and fresh air made for a much more enjoyable ride home with children sleeping (all three!) most of the way. In the back of the car next to Christopher was a plastic bag tightly shut with a dozen large clam shells. They've been washed thoroughly in the dishwasher and now I am wondering what I shall do with them.

While perusing Martha Stewart's Website I found some great crafty ideas for my shells! I now have a great collection of shells of varying types and sizes. Below are some of the ideas I like most!

These little candles would look wonderful indoors, outdoors, or around my tub!

I just adore this mood lighting!

What a fun way to dress up outdoor lights!

I love the use of the shells as salt and pepper holders!

This soap dish would look lovely in our downstairs bathroom... when it ever gets finished!

Love these little candles as well!

and a very clever way to dress up a boring planter!

So many shells and so little time! I will keep you all posted on my projects!

A new look for fall

Earlier this evening I was perusing all these wonderful old home decor magazines from the 1960s. Some are American, the rest are French. These magazines all feature various homes of my grandmother during her 30+ year residency abroad. She had homes in Paris, Cannes, Oxfordshire and Umbria. Each home was unique and stunning. My mother passed these magazines on to me a few years ago and tonight I was perusing through some of them and decided to take some pictures. I laughed when I saw the picture I have chosen as my header photo. My grandmother's home made bar. She converted a small closet in her sitting room, lined the back with a ceiling to floor mirror and shelves, added glasses, bar ware and an impressive collection of spirits. Even as a child I thought this closet was special!

Below, her home in Oxfordshire where she resided until about 6 years ago until her passing.

Below, her dining room. She was all about simple elegance. She was a traditionalist and a minimalist.

The sitting room, below, houses the wonderful Liquor Closet!

Picture of the Foyer

another picture of the foyer

Another view of the sitting room

Below, a picture of her Pied a Terre on the Seine. Her first home in Paris. She moved to the city when she was in her 40s and a widow to make a new life and seek out new adventures. And did she ever have adventures!

I'll have to dig up more magazines and more pictures... she had the most magnificent homes and I will never tire looking at them!

Our Almost Last Hurrahs!

Last weekend I packed up the SUV with the family and we boarded the ferry from Bridgeport, CT to Port Jefferson Long Island and spent a lovely day with friends. My friend Nancy, a couple of years older than I, hadn't seen each other in many, many years. Through Facebook (have I mentioned that I love FB?) we got in touch and then learned we were literally separated by a few miles of water! The journeys over and back via ferry were fun unto themselves. Then to be greeted by two gracious hosts and pitchers of mojitos, meant the day would be a fine one! Our Gracious Hosts did a major kitchen reno in their 150 year old North Shore Cape. The results are nothing less than mouthwatering. I did not have the right lens to due this magnificent room the justice it deserves. I love the way she has displayed her antique pictures all over her back hall. I've been inspired to go down to my basement and bring up all my cherished works as well. A project that will start when the kids are back in school. This post is more of a visual post... enjoy!

Their kitchen is pure eye candy! To eat their divine food in such a visually wonderful room was a delight to all the senses!

Pulling up to our ferry...

Aboard the Grand Republic

In case you haven't enough to muster?!

It was super duper windy on the Bow... Alexander loved it!

Merry in Madras? This was so not planned!

Can you think of a better greeting? Really?!

Sumptuous!

Just a few items from our wonderful meal...

I had never met an avocado I liked... until I met these! Loaded with lemon, garlic and olive oil these scrumptious treats were To. DIE. For!!!!!

As were the crab cakes I forgot to photograph!

and dessert because there was not enough food to go around the first time! (Sarcasm should be noted)

a special dessert for the Short Stacks!

Short Stacks at play, Baby Girl M is missing from the picture...

As the boys played with their light sabres in the antique filled house I could not rest easily... I wanted to throw up actually... but our Gracious Hosts are used to such antics!

And then, as always, all good things come to an end much too quickly... and we leave beautiful Port Jefferson, Long Island...

to face darkening skies on the other sound of the Long Island Sound...

I loved this sign.... want to turn it in to a shirt for Daddy or blow it up and put it on his home office door!!!!

Approaching the storm ahead....

Eventually it became too dark to photograph... the winds picked up, the rains came down and things start flying all around the deck... I think I saw a broomstick, a bike and a dog named Toto too... but we ran downs below before I could know for sure!

We had a lovely time with our friends and the following day we endured our long and painful drive to Newport to visit with our newest blogging bffs PreppySue and Tickled Pink Talk... post to follow soon!