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Cottage Style Part II

Well...like I said, I dug into the new Cottage Style Magazine/book while having a glass of wine, didn't light the candles though and it did not disappoint. In the book..the editor says..."that living the cottage life activates all of your senses, stirs emotions, energizes your mind and can touch the soul."  It is such an easy style to emulate and doesn't cost a fortune to decorate....for this reason I have embraced it..I kind of see it as a cross of Country and The Romantic style. You can mix dark woods with light woods, new with old, black and white or primary colors..it can be a house by the water (lake or ocean) or a country house in the pasture out in no mans land.  I do think it has one thing in common is that cottage does NOT mean a huge ginormous house...that it is not!  To entice you, here are some pictures of the book..and then I shot some pictures of my neighbors house whose porch IS the classic Cottage Porch...so welcoming..you want to sit and drink your Coffey or tea or wine and sit awhile...shhhh I do this sometimes...when no one is home.....don't tell anyone...

 

(click any pictures to enlarge)

Here is a favorite picture of a bedroom...i love the white background and the reds and blues...would love to have one of those needlepoint pillows...yum.

  Obviously I'm drawn to this color palette,

the Reds and blues..but I like how the added the pink in their too.

Here is a shot of Rachel Ashwell's home...in Santa Monica...

very beach cottage...chic.

See my Little wooden whale..he fits right in...I got him here...in Carpenteria last summer. 

This is my neighbors across my street..now doesn't this say ..cottage?

see why I sneak over there and have my coffee?  it says Welcome...

Isn't this the sweetest spot to drink my coffee and watch the dawn of the morning...Kim at Daisy Cottage my have her morning wake-up spot..and I have mine.....except it's my Own little "borrowed" santuary. My neighbor has quite the green thumb to boot as you can see her plants are doing quite well... but what I think makes here porch so cottage is the red brick I love the red brick.  I wish that ours had brick.  The flowers also had so much but to me the brick, it is all about the brick...yea, the flowers help too!

If you love Cottage like I do, this is a must have...

Favorite Idea Books/Magazines....it's put out by Meredith Publications.  I got mine yesterday when I went to the market.   I have only taken a little bite out of it so far but tonight....when it's all quiet and I pour myself some of the vino...I'll light some candles..and will be engulfed in some R and R...

(Click on picture to enlarge)

I hope I'm not disappointed.

Last year they put one out and I picked it up at Cost co...so you may find it there too.  I loved last years..absolutely loved it

here is what the cover of lasts years magazine looked like...you might of seen it.

Here is one of the pages from the old issue...I loved the colors of this house that was photographed.

I love the honey colored wood with the soft pastels and whites..and look at that chandelier...and that sweet little basket of flowers?  yum..

I do not have a lot of green in my house..except for Madison's Room.  Her room is all green and blue and pink.  I'll post pictures soon of her room.

but I love this color of green, it is so fresh and paired with black and white it looks beautiful too.

Here was another house in this magazine..all done if many degrees of white..creamy, creamy whites...which I absolutely love.  I think it is hard though to get white just right..you need to have lots of texture..in my opinion, which isn't saying much. 

I do hope the NEW issue lives up to the old one...

Happy Chinese New Year!!

It is the year of the Rat....

I was born in the year of the Dragon...as is the cutie pootie in the picture to the left..

My hubby was born in the year of the Tiger..as is my oldest daughter...it is quite Ironic that each child is a Mini version of us. 

So...what is for dinner?  Orange Chicken and White rice and Carrots!  Carrots you say?  Well..I had some Chinese vegetable to throw in the wok but I got voted out...by the Chef in Charge. Yes she is the Head Chef IN charge...

I got this idea from Meg ,she cooks with her children one night a week.  I thought that was a great idea to do that with my girls...one on one attention in the kitchen..usually we bake together and they are always arguing who get to measure what and who get to mix more than the other.  So on Sunday when I plan my menu...each picks a Menu and we cook together.  Well since it's Chinese New Year ..you gotta make Orange Chicken from here.  I used to live in Hawai'i so we always used a rice cooker to make our sticky rice and I showed her how to measure the water level her index finger as I was taught while living over there.  If you don't know this...you rinse the rice until it practically the water runs clear.  Then you fill up the pot with water up to the first crease mark on your index finger.  If you don't have a rice cooker...you got to get one...it makes it sooo easy peasy.                                   

Dinner is served.

Cratft Inspirations....and fun, fun, fun!

Here it her craft room..it is upstairs overlooking the family room and kitchen downstairs...I think a great set up..

Here is a close up of her desk area...the girl is a creative whirlwind....She teaches classes at Michaels and is always creating something besides being a fantastic cook and homemaker...I wish she had a blog to share her wonderful ideas with us.One can hope.

Here is a close up of the Memories..craft cabinet..look at all that paint!!

How is that for gettin' REAL?   

Here we all are..I'm not in the picture..I was the one taking the picture..my friend Darcy is in the middle, in green.  It was her house that we were at..Lucky girl..

Can you say DELISH?  that was the cake my friend Irma...brought..Here is the close up and how she embellished it for our

GIRLS NIGHT OUT!!

YUM!!!!

the second half...

Here is part of her Master bath sink area...she has his and her sinks.

Here is the beautiful Walk in shower...

and of course the Throne...Aren't those shoes pictures totally adorable?  It reminds me of Fifi 's sister Sylvie...shoes..

And ready for the kicker....every women would love to have this closet....I can only dream to be sooo lucky.

This is her side of the WALK in closet.  See the fainting couch?  That's for when her head is bursting with the major question, "WHAT should I wear today?"  I can't decide..so she faints.....

ha ha...

Boots......these boots where made for walking...I love the ones with the ties in front..those are my favorite.

she even puts Imelda to shame..

And I think....every closet needs a Chandelier...

Isn't it beautiful...the demo guys where going to dispose of it...are they nuts?   Men...they don't know anything about style..

If you have been reading today..and see I am in between posts...sorry...my pictures have been taking forever to upload...and I'm not patient..I keep doing all my other activities while the pictures are loading...forgive me.

I'll post next time...her Scrap area......so stay tuned.

a tour of my friends FABULOUS home....

This past Saturday night my Scrapanos (my scrap buds see this post met for an overdue, well deserved Girls night out!!  Our Hostess...has the most beautiful home...and I thought I'd take you on a little tour.

Brace yourself..lots of pictures..

click to enlarge pictures

This is the front door to the left of the door is the formal Living room with a beautiful brick fireplace...I didn't get a whole pictures because the whole floor was covered in Scrapbook paper

I love the script she did above the door.

An eclectic vase filled with floral stems of all sorts...I love the small suitcase on top..so vintage.

Here is the gorgeous armoire....isn't that a rich brown.  Do you see that little phone sign.  That is a converted hall closet that is NOW a working phone booth...how cool is that?

Here is the chandelier that is in the entry way.

Look at this old window/photo arrangement..it's all distressed black with family photos...my friend  made it...

Here it the gorgeous Kitchen..which overlooks the patio and pool.

a close up of the Valentine filled cupboard of dishes.

Stay tuned for part II tomorrow....for the finale....

Mama Mia....It's......

               Make your OWN Pizza night......................... the kids LOVE this...night.   I used to declare Friday night as Pizza night and we always order from here.  But it has evolved to Make your own Pizza night.  I had a coupon for Boboli Crust, package of two...so each child got their own...We usually get the Garlic and Herb Dough from..here

Using the Boboli Crust is soooo simple....slather on the Pizza sauce, add the Mozzarella Cheese and add the toppings...

they like Olives obviously...and pepperoni..

I need to get another Pizza Stone from here,

the crust comes out soo much better on it.  I also think I have seen them at Cost Plus.

and here is the li'l chef in action!! 

Ciao...