Free Entertainment

Since we are trying to really get out an see a lot of Boston while we are here, and since I am not working, we are paying attention to all the free entertainment opportunities. Sean found that we could go for a free sail today compliments of the Boston Sailing Center. It has been cold and rainy all week, and it cleared up mid morning, and we were able to go have a fun sail in the Boston Harbor, free refreshments...just a lovely afternoon.

My other free favorite, so far, was going to the Sam Adams brewery. We had the best tour guide, Shaw, and the tour and beer samples were free, along with a glass you could take home! I eat up that kind of marketing - hook, line and sinker.

If I ever own a business, I hope to have something fun, cool and FREE for people to enjoy!

I miss my lemon trees

As a lot of you know, I was adamant that we move my lemon trees with us to Boston. I will make a long story short...we brought them, but they didn't make it. I have one little stalk that is trying to make a comeback, but that's it. I adored those trees. Tim and Sommer had one waiting for me on my front porch when I got home from dropping Sean off for his deployment. It was the best thing I could have seen at that point, besides Sean, of course. I bought a matching one, and they made LOTS of lemons.

It was incredible to me how much better they were than store bought lemons. They smelled so fresh and lemony as soon as you picked them off the tree just b/c they didn't have the waxy stuff on them. I got so many, I didn't know what to do with them...so this past year, we made our own limoncello.

I wish I liked to drink limoncello, but Randy, Brenda, and Sean have all enjoyed it :). It was fun to make and tend to.

When we were traveling last week, once we made it to the south, I thought...OH!!! I could buy lemon trees down here and bring them home with me! I was so excited. I called Lowes, but who knew...she said that they could not carry them due to some disease coming out of Florida. Looks like I might have to order them online after all.

Anyways, if you find yourself with an abundance of lemons...either from a tree, a farmers market where they are selling 7 for $1, or a centerpiece of fresh ones...think about making your own limoncello!

Baby Shower Invitations

So, now that Hallie's baby shower invitations have been sent & hopefully received, I thought I would post a few pictures. I knew I wanted to use fabric & do some sewing. I had initially thought about doing a flower, but then I saw these adorable invitations done by Anna Maria Horner, so I copied her idea!

Side note: Can I just tell you that one of my biggest fears is sending out invitations and not having them get to the intended person? This happened once with Allie's baby shower invitations, and it is the WORST feeling. My fingers are crossed that all of Hallie's arrived safe and sound.

Ahhh, the South...

I have been off the blogging scene due to a lot of recent travel. This past weekend, we were able to attend Sean's cousin's graduation from the Naval Academy as well as make it to Charleston, SC for a friends wedding. The whole trip was worth every minute in the car!

It was funny how as we moved further and further south, it felt more and more like home - Columbus, GA home. Sean and I were able to get a little date night in when we got to Charleston, and I knew we were in the South when I saw people at the bar that had brought their own Koozies. Can anyone relate? I love it, so practical.

Charleston was chocked with charm...I wanted to steal one of these bikes...

Green Baby Shower

I was able to attend my dear friend, Krissy's "green" baby shower last week up at West Point. It was so much fun to see everyone's creativity with gifts, hostessing, etc.

Here were some of the ideas...

--The hostess used plates that she had left over from other showers she had given or you can use your everyday plates instead of paper
--As gifts for the games, the hostess gave cute re-usable totes with a bottle of earth friendly house cleaner
--Pass on a baby item from your child that is still in good condition i.e. high chair, activity mat
--Put gift in a cute reusable bag
--Use newspaper as tissue paper
--Give organic clothes
--Give BPA free products
--Re-use old cards you have around the house and re-purpose for baby shower (one girl even found an old card from her grandma when she was pregnant, and she crossed out the message, and wrote Krissy a new message!)

After learning from Mark and Krissy's great example of living a very "green" life, and after attending the shower, Sean and I are finding ourselves even more motivated to recycle more, and figure out other ways to be better stewards to our fragile planet.

Entering the world of parenthood...

It still sounds strange to think that Sean and I are going to be parents. I feel so lucky to be going through this with my best friend. We are happy that I have completed the first trimester...I will admit, I was hoping that on the first day of the beginning of week 14, I was hoping there would not be a trace of nausea or fatigue. I know, too high of expectations. :)

Anyways, we are currently planning to find out if we will have a little boy or girl. If it is a boy, Sean and I are hoping that we will be able to score this ADORABLE leather club chair rocker that we found in Stillwater, MN this past weekend.

Old School

I have never been much of a screensaver person, but I heart this one. It makes me happy every time it shows up on my screen.

Wrapping

So, stained glass class has prompted a new idea...I adore this copper foil tape we put around the pieces of glass. Wouldn't it be so cute on a package wrapped with white paper? You can find some here.



Also, I am craving some of this tape that I saw on my favorite, Oh Happy Day...Japanese masking tape.

Stained Glass

Everytime I go to my stained glass class, I like it more and more. I brought the piece home this week to finish my copper taping. I can't seem to get a good picture to highlight the textures of the glass. Each type is so beautiful...hopefully I will get a better one once it is complete...two more weeks!

Skewers

Doesn't everything look better on a skewer?

I have a thing for multiples

I have this big blank wall behind my couch that I have been trying to decide how to handle. It is a little tricky b/c of the horrible placement of the thermostat. Nonetheless, whatever I decide, I know it will involve multiples. I have a thing for more than one of the same thing or similar things...apothocary jars, candles, vases, candlesticks, silver trays, etc.

I was thinking either a bunch of different mirrors from ebay or maybe botanical prints in some gold bamboo frames?






From Apartment Therapy - Boston


From Cote de Texas

I wish you could smell these.

I forgot how much I love the following two flowers from the north...but the best part are the beautiful smells. I could sniff these suckers all day long. I wish I could let you smell these freshly picked ones over the blog ;)

Lily of the Valley



Lilacs

Orchids and Bagels...

Let the cravings begin. Yesterday morning, I really wanted a bagel. The shop was closed, so Sean found donuts instead. Poor guy...I wasn't very happy with the donuts! After he dropped his parents off yesterday afternoon, he showed back up at the house with the most gorgeous cut orchids and bagels. Flowers and food. I can't ask for anything more.

Cute Hair

I know I am decades older than this precious girl, but I want to wear my hair like hers...right after it grows itself out. I want to sew like their mom, as well...check out her blog: katie did

When you can't find the perfect picture...

Isn't it amazing how dependent we have become on technology? I know I am an impatient person, but does it frustrate you when you go to google, and you type in a what you think is a good description of what you are looking for, and you don't get what you wanted as the first link in the results list?

We watched Seven Pounds the other night, and ever since then, I have been looking for pictures of the house that Rosario Dawson lived in. It is truly my dream house...okay, so maybe I have a few dream houses, but this is Cottage Living perfect. I thought I would be able to immediately find pictures of the house, gardens, patio, and studio via google. The best I can find is a picture where the studio is the blurry background!

This cottage had so much vintage charm, lush & overgrown gardens, a welcoming patio right outside of a few sets of french doors, and an old garage ->made studio in the backyard. And the studio...what a dream...it had all her invitation making supplies (ahhhh, how I LOVE supplies) and her amazing antique equipment.

Sorry that I can't provide good pics. If anyone else can master this google search, please let me know!

Just can't get enough kelly green

While I am still on the hunt for some fabric that resembles Imperial Trellis in kelly/green and white, I have been trying to find other kelly green design ideas to inspire. I really like the wallpaper in this pic from Jonathan Adler:

Snappy Coffee Service

I never used to drink coffee. Then...I got myself to a place where I could have the froo-froo coffees. Now, I just need some coffee, half & half, and sugar in the raw. I guess it is sort of like wine...start out only liking the really sweet...end up liking the really dry, right?

Anyways, when Sean and I were in Hawaii this past June for our friends' wedding, we had the best coffee service we have ever had. I don't have the best picture...but we constantly talk about how we need to make this sweet deliciousness happen for some of our guests sometime...if you come visit, it could be you!!

Check this out...please notice...
Sweet cream, Chocolate spoons!!, white chocolate flakes, cinnamon sticks, Nestle Crunch-ish bites!, Rock candy....HEAVENLY!

Baby Showers!

I have been working on invitations for Hallie's baby shower in June which has been so fun! I am excited to post some pics once they have been sent/received. As I have been working on them, it keeps reminding me of Sommer's shower back in November at our house in Columbus. You know those days that you just have such a great time? We had this amazing group of girls down there, and I miss them all so much. We had such a great time laughing, chatting, and being excited for Sommer that we spent a good portion of the day together.

I had fun obsessing over the details for the day! I am so happy to have Hallie's shower to look forward to!!


Invitation idea copied from my personal favorite blogger - Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day!

Good ol' lemonheads...don't these bring you back to childhood?



The top of the box has the guest's name, and the bottom of the box had a quote about motherhood...

I love that the shower was a team effort...I was so lucky to have such great cooks/bakers as friends...

Favors...texas cornbread mix with a mini-whisk...

Of course we had to have champagne cocktails, and Sommer had been craving root beer...

Cupcake pops from another favorite blog, Bakerella!


The most creative and funny gift of the day, by Hallie...Sommer was having an issue with stinky smells, and so Hallie made she and Tim some nose plugs for the bad dirty diapers...love the creativity!

I love you girls and miss you so much...why can't we still be on Slade? :)

Happy Birthday, Sean!

My sweet husband turned thirty-one today. He says he feels old for the first time :) I really get into birthdays, but Sean is much more low key about them. So, this year, instead of having presents wrapped in a pile to open, I did a little scavenger hunt. It was a fun change of pace, and Sean seemed to really enjoy it.

Happy 31st to my best friend and love of my life.

Beacon Hill

I met up with an old friend from high school today, and she took me around to lots of areas that I had yet to see...thanks, Catherine! We explored the Boston Common, Public Garden, Beacon Hill neighborhood, and the South End. We had a leisurely lunch outside, did some shopping, and caught up. Check out these houses from Beacon Hill...

I had to go up and touch these hydrangeas to make sure they were real...



Check out the wisteria on this house, I bet it will be even more amazing in a week or two...

Pasta, anyone?

I went to this amazing grocery store yesterday, A. Russo & Sons in Watertown. It is one of those places that just makes you feel good. Take a gander at this beautiful pasta. I couldn't resist, so Sean and I will test it out tomorrow night....