When we lived in Connecticut, we would go to the beach on weekends in the summer. One of our favorite past times was collecting sea glass…those beautiful pieces of glass that, after seven to ten years tumbled in the ocean, become little treasures.…
As I was doing some New Years purging of my desk, I came across the real estate brochure from our previous home in Westport, Connecticut. I hadn’t looked at it in some time and so with fresh eyes I studied the pictures of the home that we had lived in for twenty years. I only wish I had some of the before photos- they are probably buried somewhere in the garage in our old photo albums.…
Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love a good decorating book (magazines too, but that’s for another blog post). Books make great gifts for anyone who loves interiors and home design. The problem is, everyone is afraid to buy them for me because they think I may already have it. Chances are they’re right. While I’m buying the newest design books as a gift for family and friends, I may or may not buy them as a gift for myself too……
What the heck is Wassail or Wassailing you might ask. It’s a version of hot mulled cider. The word “wassail” comes from an Anglo-Saxon phrase which means “good health”. Wassailing was traditionally done on New Year’s Eve and Twelfth Night, but some people drank Wassail on all the twelve days of Christmas! I guess they wanted to be really healthy. Here in my household we start right after Thanksgiving. It’s THAT good.…
I’ll admit it. I have an addiction…to pillows. I’ve learned through Instagram and Pinterest that I am not alone in my pillow hoarding. You know who you are. I fall in love with pillows, like most girls fall in love with shoes or jewelry. Here’s the rub, I buy them without even knowing where in our home they are going to go! I have pillow covers stacked in closets and drawers- and don’t get me started on the down inserts!…
One of the pleasures of living in Santa Barbara is being able to take an outdoor shower all year round. When we were in the design phase of our backyard landscaping project, my husband’s priority was a hot tub. We both agreed we wanted a fire pit, but what I wanted most was an outdoor shower. I fondly remember my first outdoor shower at the Jersey Shore when I was just a kid. There was something so invigorating after a long sandy day…
No, I don’t mean ME! Our house had a role on a television show! It was for a Canadian series called Real Houses of…. on the W Network. The premise is each week viewers get to see inside real homes across different areas of the United States and Canada. Ours was Real Houses Of Santa Barbara, which of course makes sense. By “real”, they mean no cookie cutter houses. It also meant that they don’t do any staging, hair, or makeup….you’re on your…