2.25.2014

Adding color to your garden

Hi Everyone
 Happy Tuesday
With temperatures in the 70's
 here in California
it has been so warm and beautiful all the plants outside 
 think it is already Spring


Pansies in the front yard
are a tradition this time of year
they add beautiful color


The pansies get placed into vintage galvanized
pitchers, watering cans, even tucked
 next to a white blooming potato plant


There are so many pretty color combinations
these lavender and deep purple pansies
 look elegant in a vintage white urn


These just planted pansies
will grow and cascade
 down the urn in a few weeks


Our collection of vintage garden nozzles
 has continued to grow too
can you spot the brand new garden nozzle in the line up above
{Love}
the varying shapes and pretty aged patina of these brass nozzles


Do you have a favorite flower you
 like to use to add
 color to your garden




romantic saying for today

"All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love thee."
Tolstoy



Pam




2.22.2014

Backyard Patio Design


Hi Everyone
 Happy Saturday
Do you like vintage brick like I do
 brick adds such a classic  old world charm 
When we designed our backyard patio we incorporated
used brick as well as stone and cement  all these elements
 give the appearance the patio has been
  added onto from generation to generation


Don't be afraid to mix elements
 you are not limited  


{Love} 



When we decided to add a backyard patio 
it was fun
to explore the possibilities
the built in BBQ is stone with brick
 and even has a cement counter top


It has a wonderful patina and is so simple to clean 
 you can just spray it down with a hose


The brick patio off of our living room is where we enjoy dining alfresco



Adding the brick patio was really like adding another room to our home
 we enjoy being outside all year round

The great part about being able to create your own design 
is adding your own ideas 
that make you happy
Being able to enhance the way you live 
and making every space beautiful




romantic saying for today

"Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. 
For Love is the beauty of the soul"
St Augustine



Pam




2.18.2014

Easter photo shoot



Hi Everyone
 Happy Tuesday
This morning the house is filled 
with beauty for a Easter photo shoot
it is so fun to decorate for Easter


 So happy these vintage white ironstone butter pats
are featured
To show you how small they are they were placed
 next to freshly fallen rose petals and freesias


The mantel with a vintage
robins egg blue Easter basket filled with
white freesias and night blooming jasmine from the garden
notice there are no traditional tulips or Lilies


{Love}
the combination of freesias and jasmine
 very delicate and smells amazing


The vintage blue dust broom
looks right at home on the mantel too


A peek at the front door
a simple vintage galvanized watering can
 filled with garden flowers
hanging on the door
 the perfect welcome for family and friends

{Love}
to decorate with vintage especially
at Easter
linking for Blissful Whites Wednesday
Wow us Wednesday




romantic saying for today

"I shall Love but thee for all eternity"
unknown



Pam


2.14.2014

Pink Sugar

Hi Everyone
Happy Valentines day


 Pink and pretty and so easy to make
Blush Pink Sugar


Perfect for Valentines day
or any day you want to add
 a little sweetness



Blush Pink Sugar recipe

2 cups granulated sugar
5-6 drops of red food color
careful less is more here you do not want soggy sugar



Mix together and let sit for a few hours
 stirring occasionally uncovered
that's it
perfect for that pretty last minute gift idea



Happy Valentines Day 


linking for Be Inspired
My Romantic Home
Pink Saturday



romantic saying for today

"With one look you slipped under my skin and seized my heart"
Snyder



Pam







2.11.2014

Love Story

Hi Everyone
 Happy Tuesday
Being a hopeless romantic 
 and a bit  nosey curious 
{Love}
 to learn how 
 couples met
and fell in
 {Love}


My parents met at Church  she was 19 and he was 26
My Mom was actually engaged to another man but he was away at college
My Dad had a car  and offered to drive my Mom to Church
she had to take two different street cars to get there
 this went on for about six months
 my Dad even went on a few dates with my mom and her fiance to
 "take pictures of them"
one night my Dad drove my Mom home after Church
 and he walked her to her front door as usual
 but instead of saying goodbye
 he kissed her
My Mom said she was so surprised but it was a really great kiss
 the very next day
she broke up with her fiance
 my parents got married a year later


I met my handsome husband at work
 I had just started a new job at a cosmetic counter for Estee Lauder
 my husband and his friend came in to the department store
I remember he walked by a few times and then went
 and jumped on some exercise equipment that was for display only
 there were even signs and ropes !!!
My new boss of 3 weeks asked me to please go and get those guys
off of the exercise equipment
 I went marching over with everyone watching
 and said ever so sweetly
"Can't you guys read"
this equipment is for display only
 my  handsome husband said
 how else was I going to get you over here to say Hi

great line.....
but he did get off the bike


the best part of this story is
I was hired for another job
 I received a call telling me they had over hired
 I did not get the job after all
 I was so disappointed
 I had already given notice at my current job
this all seemed so unfair but God had a great plan
a friend told me her sister was thinking about applying for a job at a department store
and I should go and apply too
so I did and we both got a job at the store
 I met my handsome husband 3 weeks later


A Dear friend of mine met her husband when
 she was in College she
 went to a halloween party dressed as a lobster on a dare
 when she got back to her dorm room she realized she had lost her key to her room
and started knocking on doors for help
no one answered on her floor so
she had to go downstairs
finally a door opened
and a boy answered  he was visiting his sister He said
she could stay with them until her roomate returned
they started talking
imagine she is still in her lobster costume
They were up until dawn talking and laughing
forgetting all about the time that night
and the sister also in the room
 they began dating and got married that same year
they even served lobster at their wedding



My Great Grandfather met my Great grandmother
when he was traveling across the country
headed  west
he stopped at a farm for some food and water
my Great grandmother had 3 sisters she was the oldest
all the girls were excited to have a young stranger at the dinner table
My Great grandfather said he took one look and fell in love with my Great grandmother
he stayed two days and on the third day they eloped
 she came west with him
they were married 64 years until his death
The plate in these pictures was my Great grandmothers
the one thing she took with her


I would
{Love}
 to know  how you met each other



romantic saying for today

"Nothing is impossible to a willing heart"
unknown




Pam







2.07.2014

Add Romance to your home

Hi Everyone
 Happy Friday

Valentine's day is only a week away
 here are
a few simple tips
to help you add a little romance to your home


One of the easiest ways to add romance is with flowers


{Love}
 to buy flowers that we can have inside the house for a few weeks
 and then transfer to outside


 
The Second tip
 turn off the lights
 and light some candles


When was the last time you had dinner by candlelight


Try to buy candles with a great fragrance
so it not only adds a pretty romantic glow
it smells great too


Tip number 3
 frame a few pictures of just the two of you
and place them around the house
It is fun to reminisce when the pictures were taken and what you were doing together
Our kid's {Love} looking at these pictures
of Mom and Dad


Tip number 4
place hearts all
around the house


Tip number 5
write each other a
 {Love}letter
or {Love} letters
no store bought cards


When I was a flight attendant my Handsome Husband
 and I wrote {love} letters to each other
I can remember being
 in a hotel alone on Valentines day and reading the {love} letter he wrote me
 I cherish them



Tip number 6

 watch a romantic movie together
this is the movie The Proposal it always makes me laugh




via

Now its your turn
 please leave a comment and share your ideas
 for adding romance to your home too



linking for Be Inspired
Feathered Nest Friday
Pink Saturday


romantic saying for today


"In your smile I see something more beautiful than the stars"
Revis





Pam

2.05.2014

Coronado remodel update

Hi Everyone
Happy Wednesday
Here is the brand new
 front dutch door and side lights
 for the Coronado house
{LoveLoveLove}
It is so cute !!!
I can't wait for it to be painted
 anyone want to guess what color it will be


This is what the front door
 looked like before....
We eliminated the very outdated stone from the side walls
 and raised the roof line  this opened up the space
adding air and light to the front entry way
really makes the entrance much more welcoming


I have received so many emails
about the tile floors
they look so much like wood that they have fooled everyone who has seen them
The color is Cambridge Oak- Brown made by Ragno
We are so happy with the way they look and feel
best part is with sandy feet and puppies as well as pool chlorine etc
 the upkeep will be much easier than real wood floors
The tile comes in different colors
we even decided to put the white washed wood tile in the upstairs bedroom
~
We had a major set back on the remodel 
we had to remove the roof
which should have been done at the start of the remodel
 and then just as if it was in a movie
 it rained 
so right now we are praying that we can get the new roof on before 
it rains again this weekend
We have a huge tarp placed over the house like a big circus tent

 We are in the midst of a very bad drought here in Southern California
 so we are grateful for the rain
its just the timing is a little inconvenient
this has also set us back a few weeks or more so
we will not meet the February move in date
~
The good news is
there is more time to shop for furniture which is so much fun
grateful for the extra time and grateful for the rain too
linking at Before and After Wednesday


romantic saying for today

"Who so loves believes the impossible"
Browning




Pam