HOME...be inspired everyday

to one lady with a Sparkly Personality! Mary Lou!

 
This is Mary Lou...I met Mary Lou when she drove over on her scooter {she is paralyzed on her left side due to a stroke} with gifts for the girls when we moved into the "old" house, about 7 years ago.  She wanted to welcome us to the neighborhood.  She has always been there when I ever needed to borrow an egg, tomato paste or a ladder.  Mary Lou LOVES to celebrate her birthday..

 
She turned 84 this year.  You might of remembered this post when we had her over to our home for dinner and cake.   That was a couple of years ago and she loved every minute of it.  Since we moved we don't see her as much but I needed to borrow her ladder again to repaint the cottage bookcase in the Living room so I went over to get it and this is how the conversation went:

Me:  Can I borrow your ladder?

ML: Yes, you know where it is..you know I've been 2 times to visit you at your new house and how many times have you been to mine?  {i'm thinking to myself, I just moved, I'm getting settled, holy cow}

Me:  I'm sorry, I've been busy.

ML: Well you know my birthday is coming up and I'll be 84! And Fran is having me over for hot dogs and the club {her seniors club} is celebrating it on Saturday.  Oh you know that Dahlia you got me for my 80th Birthday, well it never came back this year but I saw one at The Home Depot but it wouldn't fit in my basket.  {hint, hint}

So I say goodbye and I'll be better about coming by and load the ladder up in my car.

Her actually bday was a week ago Thursday so I called her up and wished her happy birthday...she said Fran must of forgot about the hot dogs because she never called.  So I ask her what are you doing on Sunday, would she like to come over for a birthday dinner and cake?.....

 
So we made her a Lemon Cake with whipped cream frosting...MacKenzie made the banner which has been seen all over the internet and you can buy them on etsy.  But dang I got scrapbook paper so I showed her the tutorial {on I do crafts} and she went to town.  I bought the sparklers at this store in Pasadena but you can go here to get them, I know Pasadena is not just around the corner for everyone. {I love old town Pasdena, by the way} and  I love "old time" sparklers like the ones we had growning up and these are exactly like them!  I used them on this cake at 4th of July this year and on Mr. Incredible's birthday Cake in June...everyone loves them! It makes it so festive, but you got to light them fast!  

 
We couldn't find her a Dahlia at HD but we did find this cute yellow plant which will grow into a bush..it has a funny name...I'll get back to you on that.

the dining room...

 
As you walk into the living room the couch is to the right, this is our dining room area where our table used to be.  It is not a big space and my dining room  table is not overly huge but they say {the powers of be in the designer's world} that for small areas a round table works better.  I just received my Urban Outfitter's Waterfall Curtains a few weeks ago.  At first I thought they were going to be too sheer and not shade us from the sun.  That is a west facing window and in the afternoon the sun pours in.  But they are perfect, I LOVE them. 

 

 

You might of remembered from the other house this curtain rod was a gold color but I wanted the rod to match the knobs on my hutch.  I pulled out the silver spray paint and went to work. 

 
The cute ruffly canvas bag on the hutch is from Ambercrombie and Fitch...it is very sturdy.  Great for hauling my mountains of magazines to the beach for reading.

 
Over in the other corner is my small display shelf.  We have about 20 or so rose bushes at the Cottage on Cullen St. and they usually have a few blooms on them, ready to be picked and displayed in our sweet li'l cottage. 

 
This shot is from the kitchen doorway looking into the family room.  You can see my round coffee table to the right.  The thought has crossed my mind if having two round tables in this space might look odd....

 
I'll be showing images of the family room next...I'm working on window coverings in there...and as always I can't make a decision. I'm leaning on Burlap or grayish blue velvet.   

My Lanai...{the brick patio}

 
My double adirondack bench has found it's home on the corner of the brick lanai ..behind it are "flower" beds or a soon to be "garden" bed as soon as those 400 lb. granite boulders disappear {we have a friend who is going to take them off our hands} yippee skippy.  So meanwhile I've been planting in my mop bucket!

 
I've been on a purple and kelly green tear lately...do you see those purple petunias edged in green...I thought they were a bit different then the solid color ones and I thought the color went perfectly with the green and purples that are unfolding on the lanai.  If you look closely you can also see a mini purple SEA Glass Ball...inside. {I picked up a small bag of them in greens, blues, amber and one purple one when I was at the Rose Bowl last time.}

 
See how the Green Paisley matt matches wonderfully with the cushions from TJMAXX...love that place. Everything is so reasonably priced and the best part of those cushions are that they are made out of outdoor fabric so the color has stayed true, no fading and they are going on their third summer.

 
But I do think I may need to get out my paint brush and give the old bench a good swap with my white paint....

 
Another li'l added pop of kelly green and lo and behold I see some more Paisley, ....and some turquoise too, the color of the year the designers all say~~~

 

My Southern Living {Willow House} Candelier, which I have had for several years now has also found a new home on the outside patio table....it used to reside here at the old homestead.

 
While at the garden center I picked up some Spaghum Moss which I like to put in my planters, especially the Hydrangea ones to keep the moisture in. In the hot summer months they need all the help they can get with watering.  So I also like to put is in the candelier and with the added sea stars and coral looks so summery.  Those white candle holders with the ocean cutouts I got at Crate and Barrel years ago.  Still a favorite of mine.

 
Love to sit out here with my glass of wine and listen to the crickets or if it is not too dark read my book.  It has turned into such a nice place to be on a summer afternoon or evening.  As you can see beyond the table, we hope to put in a saltwater pool.  One of the reasons we picked this house was the backyard was conducive to a pool being built....but for now we will enjoy it just as it is....

 
Hope you are all enjoying your summer outdoors!

 

Fruit and wine or Wine and Fruit...they just go together..."like peas and carrots"..

I picked up this Sea Glass Reisling at World Market the other day when I finally decided that I needed to pick up ...

 

... this Paisleyish {i think i made that up?} green coir rug to keep the hardwood floors from getting too dirty.  I LUUUUUV me floors but they do track in grass and dirt if the peeps in the Cottage on Cullen don't wipe their feet or my hands will be permanently gripped on my broom. 

 
Oh, she thinks we got it for her....I think I may need to apply sunscreen on her, do you see she is turning a bit pink?  Don't you just love her Polka-dotted belly?

But back to my Sea Glass vino...yes I'm Guilty as charged for picking up a bottle of wine because of a label, I've posted before of picking up the Cupcake one, have you had that one? 

 

they sell it at Target.  And in this case it was not only the label but the Cobalt blue of the bottle color that had me interested too.  It is a sweet wine and I'm not a big sweet wine drinker, I have a few friends that rave about Moscato wine but I'm not a big fan..way to sweet. I'm much more of a Chard kind of gal. 

 
But sweet wine go with dessert, right? And this wine went perfectly with this Summer Fruit tart....yum!  What is one of your favorite dessert wines?  Do you like Moscato?  Inquiry minds want to know.....

 

and what is your favorite summer fruit?  Mine are raspberries...

Soccer is a "damn good" sport!

 
As a long time soccer player and a mother of a soccer player I love to watch the game....I'm very passionate....that's how I would describe me watching..my family on the other hand..says I go "crazy".  Yeah, so what?  I've been tuning in to ESPN and watching the Women's World Cup...on Sunday they played Brazil...who are also very good and passionate soccer players...it was a really, really good game...

 
Abby Wombach....I'm so in awe of her awesome headers in the goal, she is just plain "damn good"! as I quote....her fellow team mate...

 
Hope Solo....who in my opinion is "damn good".....

 
in fact the whole team is "damn good", yes you said it best Hope your team is awesome...I hope that my girl....will one day "dribble" in your foot steps...

 
Here is my girl receiving her medal, as her team took 2nd place in the OC Revolution Tournament. {it was a very emotional, hard fought game, one of the players got hurt and had to leave by ambulance}, they actually lost to their sister team...

 
Here she is with her fellow team mates and fellow classmates, they all attend the same Middle School.

 
Here she is with one of her BFF's, who plays for the sister team but couldn't play because of a dislocated knee.   Soccer is NOT for wimps...

 
Here are both teams...converging under the shade...I have no doubt that these are Women's World Cup players in the making.....they are "damn good"!

Eating al fresco is a nightly occurence around these parts....

 I've waited for sooo long to have a spot to dine outdoors....
 
This is my inspiration photo for dining al fresco on my outdoor brick patio.  Now that I finally have a good size outdoor space to enjoy eating breakfast on a sunny morning or to light some candles and have a warm summer dinner with my family listening to the cricket symphony. You might of remembered a few posts back where I posted pictures of our first lunch on the lanai  {patio in Hawaiian} with my cousin when the sun was out blazing. Still deciding what I want to do out there.   I'm the worst at making decisions and the older I get the harder it seems to make some decisions, mostly interior design ones.  I know I'd like to use the Jackson Tub Chairs {from World Market } to pony up to the dining table, {since Mr. Incredible nixed them in our dining room}.  I thought they would of looked really unique and different in there.  So it's outside they'll go...{for now, you never know if they may sneak their way into the house..things kinda happen like that around here}

 
  {PB version Tolix Tub Chair in black which are priced double then the ones at World Market}

 
Like I said I think they look great indoors as shown in the above photos or outside in the first two photos....I know they have an industial look to them which seems to be very trendy right now,  but not only do I think they are  super cool looking they are also are super comfortable {because I bought one and brought it home to show Mr. Incredible how fabulous they would look inside our dining room, he said, " I was crazy".}  
Here they are inside saddled up to an all white painted farm table with an all white backdrop.  I like the contrast of the all white table and galvanized metal chairs. 

For quite sometime I have wanted to redo my old ceramic tile dining table......I've had it since before we were married, like about 15 years ago....I love the turned legs on them so I don't want to toss the the whole thing out but I really want to refresh/upcycle/redo it.  I thought maybe using some old rustic wood  with an interesting patina or even putting a zinc lid on it.. but maybe that would be too much metal with the metal Tub Chairs too.   I like to mix up texture and materials when I decorate, I think it adds a lot of interest to a space.  Also would it look a bit trendy and then in a few years look outdated?  What do you guys think? 

When we first looked at this house...there was a green pergola over the brick patio but before it was "officially" on the market they repainted all the graffti inside the house and took down the pergola, I think it had a lot of dry rot. I think we are going to add another pergola but in the meantime I think I need to pick up another shade umbrella, I like this one from here...with the white double ruffle on it...

 
I think I'll keep my eye on it to see if it will go on sale because I HATE to pay full price for anything...are you like that too?  I think the green might go with the cushions I got from Marshalls or TJMaxx a couple of summers ago...and I just got a Coir Rug...I'll show in my next post...so stay tuned, lots of things in the work around the Cottage on Cullen St.

Recap..of the July festivities...

 
Lots of pretty bouquets....all around...

 
in our hair...

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

....up in the air.....

 
some silly girls having fun....

 
anxious doggies waiting for it to be done.....

 
my friends festive flowers on an old country chair....

 
cute li'l bungalows..all dressed up to celebrate...

 
cute girls..{i know i'm a bit biased} off to catch the Pinewood Derby Race...

 
 

 

Which our friends's daughter won!

 
 
Girls enjoying ice cream.....

 
fun, fluffy pom poms...in red, white and blue!

 
the traditional cake that was all sparkly and fun.....

 

 
 
happy girls with sparkler ablaze...

 

HOPE EVERYONE HAD LOTS OF FUN AND MEMORIES WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!! 

My porch is all dressed up for the 4th!

 
I was able to locate my Summer Box and to find all the U.S. Flags that I collect every year when the real estate companies leave them at the curb with their calling card.  So every year I have more and more flags to put in  my planters to show my pride that we live in the United States of America..what a great country to be in?

 
Hope you and yours have a wonderful and SAFE 4th of July Weekend!  

An Organized Kitcthen{pantry}..the key to every Womans HEART...

Slowly I have been unpacking the stacks and stacks of boxes that are housed in the garage.  All of the bedrooms are unpacked, still things need to be hung up on walls but all and all the rooms are pretty organized.  This week the kitchen got organized and everything is in it's proper place.  The other house before had deep and lots of cupboards with a pantry-like closet so I decided to turn a hall closet near the kitchen into a pantry. 

 
 Here is the hallway looking from the front door entryway and the first closet on the left is the "new" pantry area....

 
Here we are looking back into the kitchen and the third door on the right is the pantry...

Kathy our fluffy cat loves lying around on the hardwood floors but at night I see her sneaking up on the White Slip-covered couch...leaving all her black hair!!  So I have several of those lint rollers to pick up her fur!!

 
Here we are all organized, you can see this closet is meant for linens because fo the two shallow shelves but since I use my sideboard for linens I did not need to use it for that so I house my packets in there...

 

 

the second shallow shelf I'll keep my grocery bags. I don't know around your parts but certain grocery stores around here are charging you to use the plastic bags they bag your grocery with.  It is better for the environment to use reusable bags which I try to do my part to bit more green. 

 
 
 
As you can see there are three good size shelves in there with the two shallow shelves.  The bottom shelf has the dog food in a big plastic clear box, which is conviently located near the dog food bowl.

 

We will build another shelf in there above the dog food to house more food items.  I'll show you the kitchen tomorrow and you can see those shelves are crammed full of stuff and need a bit of relief.