Pin It Forward - What Home Means to Me



What Home Means to Me



My home is…

Where my true loves live
Where my heart is

Shelter from the rain
A peaceful place, away from a chaotic world





Where I cherish the past
Where I live for today
Where I hope for the future

A place of nourishment for my soul, my mind and my body
A place of laughter and tears

Where family and friends gather
Where beautiful memories are made






A calm place to create
An invigorating place for inspiration

Where I lay my head, in my cozy bed
Where I watch old movies, read book after book

Where I pen a poem, write a letter
Where I sketch a thought, paint a memory






A place of passion
A place of privacy

A world filled with collections; shells, keys, driftwood…
A treasure chest of all my favorite things

Where there are dear ones to hold
Where young ones grow






A place filled with flowers
A place close to the sea

Where I long to be
Where life begins and ends

The slayer of haunted memories
The champion of my cause






A place for dreaming with my eyes wide open
Where wishes come true and disappointments fade

Where a boy grows into a man
Where one man is my world

My world, my home...
Where my deepest love awaits.



I want to thank you all for waiting patiently to see my Pin It Forward post. I hope it has touched you, and perhaps you've found a connection to me through these words and images. That's my sincere wish.

I would like to thank the beautiful Victoria of sfgirlbybay and the inspiring (and addicting) new site, Pinterest, for this marvelous opportunity. This project was a complete joy to work on. If you'd like, you can see my Pin It Forward board with links to all the photos here.

Last Friday, the lovely and talented Sara of slim arts girl shared her excellent inspirations. Tomorrow, I look forward to visiting the delightful and creative Carol of Red Glasses and will surely find more wonderfully inspirational thoughts.

As always, thank you for being you, dear readers…xo




Pin It Forward Update...


Happy Monday to you all! I have an update on my Pin It Forward post that is due today....

I'm having trouble with the Pin It sight and my board is not uploading to my post. It's filled with images of things I love so I don't want to give up on it yet. Everything else is ready to go...just need my image board. Very frustrating, but I won't give up!

I hope to have my "what home means to me" post up shortly, complete with the image board. So please check back in a little bit.

Thank you, lovely friends! xo


Sea artwork...


This gorgeous piece of seaweed was washed up onto the beach where we do our daily walks. Isn't it gorgeous?

Its size made it unique. It was very large, the bulb was bigger than my foot. I tell you, if I could have figured a way to preserve it, I would have taken it home with me. It looks like some sort of ultra modern work of art. I just loved the look of it so I asked R to snap a photo with his phone. I think he did a great job, don't you?

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. Be sure to make some happy memories...and thank you for stopping in to see me...xo




Goodbye, Edith...

Times Square. August 14, 1945.


The photo that symbolized the end of the WWII...We've all seen it. Did you know that the nurse being kissed was Edith Shain? She came down to Times Square on that fateful day to celebrate the end of the war with so many others. A sailor, a stranger to her, grabbed her and kissed her. The photo was snapped. She never got a look at the sailor. She closed her eyes as he kissed her. After the kiss, she just turned and walked away.

Edith was embarrassed by that photo and never told anyone it was her until the late 70's. No one knows who the sailor was.

To me, this photo is just so moving, and full of life. Look at the way he is holding her. Such an embrace!

Edith passed away this past Sunday, but her image is cemented into my mind and the minds of so many others. The nurse and the sailor, kissing like there was no tomorrow, on the day they found out there really was going to be a tomorrow after all...




A new gig...

Happy Wednesday, darling friends! Where has this week gone already? I can't believe it's halfway over...sheesh.

I have a little bit of news for you...

The lovely Nicole of Lillyella blog has invited me to be a blog contributor on her site. I'm just so thrilled. I will be focusing on home decor. There is an endless amount of beauty and inspiration to draw from so it will be such a joy to work on the posts.



My first installment was posted on Lillyella yesterday. I focused on the kitchen as it's Nicole's favorite room. If you have a spare moment, I hope you will drop by Lillyella and check it out here.

Thank you, Nicole, you little angel!

Thank you for visiting, dear friends. Have a beautiful day....xo




Turquoise Tuesday...


Happy Turquoise Tuesday, dear hearts! How is your day going? I hope it's wonderful so far. I'm so happy to be once again here on Tuesday with a delicious feature.

Today the spotlight is on one very special artist. Belle of Boring Sidney. The particular piece I've featured is a deep turquoise/teal sculptural hat. It's truly magnificent. I've known Belle since the early Etsy days, and I can tell you...She's as good as it gets....

Dorcas Wensell the Second by the amazing Boring Sidney

Always, always the hat. It's such an important statement accessory. It is for me, anyway. If you want the ultimate in high fashion headdresses or hats, you must go to the fabulous Belle of Boring Sidney.

Drama, whimsy, sexy, flapper, couture, sculptural and of course, urban decay...she does it all magnificently. She makes each and every piece from scratch and has years of experience in theatre costuming. I hope you will take the time to visit her shop, and be sure to read her Profile page.

Thank you all for stopping in. I am so glad you did...xo




Frank and Dennis...

Frank and Dennis

I was once asked who I would choose as the one person above all others, living or dead, to have lunch with. Without hesitation, I said I would pick Frank.

Frank was my paternal grandfather. I have mentioned him before in my blog. He died when my dad, Dennis, was two years old. His wife, Ardith, was expecting their second child when Frank died. That child was born a girl, Charlene. So you see, not only did I never meet him, neither did his own daughter. My dad really has no memory of him either.

If asked who would you choose to have lunch with, many would choose some fantastic figure in history, Einstein, Gandhi, Jesus, any number of unreachable people. But for me, Frank would be my choice.

I hope you had a beautiful Father’s Day, dear friends. For those of you whose dad is no longer here, I hope you have some wonderful memories to cherish…xo


Major pangs of desire...

Bullet Hole Disc Necklace


Bullet Hole Necklace




Be still my heart. I am absolutely in love with Odette's Bullet Hole design series. There are necklaces, earrings and even cufflinks. Major pangs of desire. My current obsession - the necklaces.

I would buy three of the necklaces, one of each style, and wear them all together. Perhaps a silver, a yellow gold and a rose gold...? Not sure of the metal combination I would choose, but you get the idea. See how I am?

Happy Friday, lovely friends! Thank you for visiting me...xo





Country chic...


What's not to love about this dining room? For a girl like me who loves modern rustic, this room is the end! I can't decide what I love the most, furniture-wise. I love it all. The furnishings are quite minimalist, very few pieces but what an impact.

The ultra sleek table with the sexy chrome chairs sporting that gorgeous calfskin upholstery, the somewhat fussy chandelier is just the right amount of detail, and the understated, neutral and simple drapery. It all works to perfection; the pieces don't take away from the magnificent bones of the space.

I would kill for a room like this, the windows all around, the wood floor, the french doors. It's such a peaceful, welcoming room that gently begs you to sit down with coffee and journal and gaze at the splendor of nature in every direction.

and the connection....an inspiring sitting room.

This room shares a wall of windows instead of a solid wall with the above dining room. Heaven! Again, the neutrals with organic, textural details are the stuff of dreams.

I am crazy about the natural sculpture behind the sofa. The ottoman is the only thing I'm not in love with. It's the upholstery of the ottoman that I'm not a fan of. If it were covered in a different material...then it would be perfect, in my opinion. Everything else works splendidly. Just look at that gorgeous light pouring in from the outside. Le sigh...

Photos from Elle Decor. This home was renovated almost entirely by the owners, Linda Zelenko and Stephen Piscuskas.

Thanks for dropping by, dear ones...xo




Turquoise Tuesday...

Hello and Happy Turquoise Tuesday! I do love Tuesdays, especially since the start of these turquoise features...So fun!

Today's focus is on wood whimsy. There are quite a lot of wooden toys and whimsical creations on Etsy. I had no trouble finding lots of enchanting tidbits. I actually had to narrow it down to just these five. There are so many delightful choices.

These wonderful pieces range in their shades (and amounts) of turquoise and aqua. They will evoke smiles from children as well as adults, in my opinion. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do...

Hand Crank Wooden Boat Automata by cartoon monster


Three Wee Wooden Houses by wood mouse


Sidney by vbdesigns


Vintage Block Bot made from reclaimed wood by William Dohman


Bird Bowl No. 8 by Wood Doddle


Do you have a favorite? I would be hard pressed to choose one. There's something about each and every item here that makes it stand out, don't you think?

Today is very June-gloom-esque. That won't stop us from our daily beach walk though. Ron is coming along wonderfully with his recovery. Our boy is finishing off the school year with only three more days until summer vacation. I can't believe the school year is over...

Also today, I'm in the midst of a major cleaning/organizing/downsizing extravaganza in the boy's room. I can only get it done when he's not home since he wants to keep every little bit of flotsam and jetsam...I'm currently at the "peak" of this overhaul, which means the room is at the height of chaos. From this point, it can only get better (that's my story and I'm stickin' to it)...Wish me luck!

Thank you so much, dear friends, for visiting me. Your comments always brighten my day...xo



Whatcha readin'...?


Happy Sunday, wonderful friends! How is your day going? I hope you're having a fabulous weekend...

Are you reading a good book these days? I'd love to hear what you're reading; if you want to share...I absolutely love to read. Always have. I spent a large portion of my childhood summers inside a library.

I'm always in the midst of at least two books. I just bought "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson. I've read his first two and cannot wait to begin this, his third and last in the series.

I've been pretty busy today with odds and ends. Among other things, I baked two batches of biscotti - one cranberry pistachio and one blueberry almond. Part of the batch will go to our new neighbors as a little welcome-to-the-neighborhood gesture.

The sun is shining and unfortunately, the wind is whipping. I'm not a big fan of the wind. It's a gorgeously bright, blue sky kind of day though and we will be going on our daily beach walk this afternoon.

I want to thank you for taking time out of your day to visit me....xo



1941...

Little darling girls knitting for soldiers in 1941

This photo moves me so much.
All of those tiny, busy hands...
and all of those brave, scared, fighting young men.

Thank you for being you...xo




Turquoise Tuesday...

Happy Turquoise Tuesday, lovely friends! How are you today? I hope you're having a fantastic day so far.

This weeks Turquoise Tuesday is extra special. It's extra special because I've featured five women who are not only exceptionally gifted artists, but they are exceptional friends to me. They have all shown me such kindness, support and friendship during the past two weeks since The Bump in the Road. This is just a small way of saying thank you...






Splash Earrings by Wild Woman Jewelry


Drop of Rain Necklace by BlackStar Jewelry


Aren't these all just fabulous? I love each one! These amazing artists have shops filled with beauties so I hope you'll take time to visit them.

I want to say here that I realize I haven't included all of the dear friends who have reached out to me. I plan to do more features down the road with the other special artists/friends who sent me words of encouragement. You've all been just the best!

Have a perfect day, dear ones!

Thank you so much to stopping by...Your comments are little rays of sunshine....xo




Happy feet....

Warning: To those of you who are squeamish about looking at bare feet, you are about to see mine, in all their nakedness.

Hello, lovelies, and Happy Monday! As I've mentioned before, I love Mondays. Call me crazy, but I really do. Why? Perhaps because of all the possibilities for the coming week. Or a fresh start to a new week. The promise of good things to come, because after all, we can do our darnedest to make our outlook on life a positive one.

I believe I have a fun and easy way to cheer you up. It's inexpensive too, which is an added bonus. Here it is, sweet girls...Paint your toenails blue. Truly, nothing says happy like blue toenails. In this case, I do practice what I preach...These are my toes in all their blue happiness. A photo from this weekend. Isn't that the most joyful blue you've ever seen?



If you are interested in creating the same happiness for your very own twinkle toes, rush on over to your local drugstore/beauty store and buy my new favorite (I find a new fav blue each spring) blue toenail polish, Sally Hansen's HD Hi-Definition Nail Color in BLU (02). That's my little beauty tip for the week....

I hope your Monday is a beautiful one, dear friends. With lots of little sparks of happiness.

Thank you so much for visiting me...xo

P.S. Hope to see you tomorrow for this week's Turquoise Tuesday feature!


Stone cold beauty...

Hello, dear friends and Happy Friday! How are you? I hope you've had a wonderful week...

Part of Ron's recovery is to walk each day. Starting out slowly, we began doing daily beach walks. On the very first day out, we ran across these stone sculptures. To me, they are just beautiful, magnificent really.



There is a local guy who makes these little works of art randomly along the beach. They are always disappearing from one spot and reappearing in different displays elsewhere along the beach. Some sculptures are large with lots of rocks stacked on top of each other, some are little, somtimes they are in big groupings, sometimes just one solitary sculpture...They are always a unique work of art. It's so magical and inspiring, I wish I could catch him in the act and give him a big hug. They always, always make me smile. So here's to our mystery sculptor, a true lover of nature and freedom art....


{photos by Ron}


I plan to return to a more regular blog post schedule next week, including Turquoise Tuesday. Thank you so much for hanging in there with me and staying in touch even though I sort of dropped out of sight for a bit.

Ron is improving each and every day. He looks fantastic and feels stronger each day.

Thank you again, dear ones, for being so loving and supportive. I wish I could host a big party in which you all could be here to celebrate our friendship and the beauty of life.

Have a perfectly perfect weekend...xo

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