Whimsical Creations.

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Susan

“To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted. ” ~George Kneller

We all are ‘inspired’ in celebrated and significant ways by the things that we love…whether it is our spouse, our beloved pets, reading a bestselling novella, our favorite musicians, a classic movie, a new recipe for getting healthy or a brand new eatery we found tucked away in the country with the best peach cobbler a la mode we’ve ever tasted…Beauty is also an inspiration …especially in how we embellish and present our homes, created with our personal touches and adored decor items. The things that inspire us, create within us a new strength, purpose as well as courage to live a more beautiful and delight-some life.

Perhaps it is your LOVE for FUN that quickens you to bring forth a patina of diversion, pleasure, amusement, bliss and bright colors?

Are you a fan of “everything Chic'” enjoying a cool, ‘au courant’ exclusive, dapper and dashing, yet at the same time, sophisticated and understated ambiance in your home?

If you are like me, you adore a romantic motif…rooms filled with a touch of glamor, mystery, a picture-book flavor and an abundance of enchantment. 🙂

Maybe you absolutely go wild over a home filled with “Pizzazz.” An ambiance that is not only alluring and captivating, but is graced with abundant charisma and a little extra added “oomph?”

If your heart is partial to French decor, you love the provincial countryside look…a potpourri of rustic, casual yet eminently welcoming furnishings and decor to create a warm and fetching ambiance using an abundance of natural materials.

Many love the Vintage, old world look with its heartening traditional theme and its’ quaint and stunning ambiance.

We all have our own distinctive, unique signature style when it comes to decorating… You are the only one who can capture the essence of each one of your rooms within your home and CREATE them to be Whatever YOU want them to be.”

This vignette is not necessarily just about “creating.” If all of us were given a blank check and could shop on line, go to all of our favorite boutiques, travel to Europe and Spain to buy the finest linens, drop by our nearest Ralph Lauren Furniture store or a Waverly interior decor showroom, and purchase our decorating materials, our homes would look as if they they stepped directly out of a ” Better Homes and Gardens or Veranda magazine.” The key challenge here, is not using a blank check to create the home of your dreams…its using something more personal…Your inbred, talents and creativity to take what you already have in your home, along with your brilliant imagination, some ingenuity, cleverness, individual style and yes, perhaps a few dollars here and there, ( I heavily accent on the FEW, 🙂 but creating your homes ambiance with your own resources, with any muse or muses you so desire.

Everyone has to start somewhere… There are seasons within our lives where our abode is ‘temporary.’ Perhaps you are renting a room in a large home, going to school and only have a small area to display your unique tastes and likes. Maybe you rent a home with a few other men or women and its a potpourri of all of your tastes mixed into one themed abode… (I always think of the popular sitcom FRIENDS and how diverse all their tastes were, especially Rachael and Monica’s home…it was dramatic, colorful and FUN! ) It may be that you have just purchased a brand new home and are deciding on what your “style and patina” will be. Decorating can be astonishingly expensive, (as our lists for items needed to produce a certain ambiance grows faster than the “General Sherman giant sequoia tree in California.”) 🙂 I realized early on in my ‘decorating adventures’…sometimes the money would be plentiful for these much desired , ‘have to have’ items, and at other times, the piggy bank was empty. Thus I learned, first hand, how to take what I have already collected , along with what I’ve learned and captured through many a home decor book and magazine, and began decorating our little haven with “our style’ but with very little cost. Not only was it fun, challenging, and eminently rewarding, but it gave me a great gift I still exercise today… CREATIVITY and using my imagination… (I still love to go shopping and buy something new for the house) but many a time, I choose to re-create a room with my own inventory and a few craft supplies! 🙂 This is my challenge to you within this vignette… and hopefully I can share with you, some inspiring ideas of just how to do that.

If you are not in a “creative mood” as of yet, I think these quotes will inspire you to ‘fire up’ your imagination as well as innovation.

THE DISTINCTIVE QUOTE CORNER

“Nothing encourages creativity like the chance to fall flat on one’s face.” ~James D. Finley

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” ~Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!

“The Possible’s slow fuse is lit By the Imagination.” ~Emily Dickinson

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. ” ~Michelangelo

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. ” ~George Smith Patton, War as I Knew It, 1947

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ” ~Mark Twain

“Don’t expect anything original from an echo. ” ~Author Unknown

“There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.” ~G.K. Chesterton

“I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them.” ~Pablo Picasso

“Sometimes imagination pounces; mostly it sleeps soundly in the corner, purring. “~Terri Guillemets

“Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.” ~Author Unknown

“The strongest nation on earth is your imagi-nation. ” ~Matt Furey

“Creative people are curious, flexible, persistent, and independent with a tremendous spirit of adventure and a love of play.” ~Henri Matisse

“Trust that little voice in your head that says “Wouldn’t it be interesting if…” And then do it. ” ~Duane Michals.

“I remembered a story of how Bach was approached by a young admirer one day and asked, “But Papa Bach, how do you manage to think of all these new tunes?” “My dear fellow,” Bach is said to have answered, according to my version, “I have no need to think of them. I have the greatest difficulty not to step on them when I get out of bed in the morning and start moving around my room.” ~Laurens Van der Post

“Those who do not think outside the box are easily contained.” ~Nicolas Manetta

“I’m creative – you can’t expect me to be neat too.” ~Author Unknown

I will never forget my first real challenge…It was my favorite month, December,and we were able to move into the most enchanting, historical little cottage home. (It truly was our Christmas gift that year.) But, we did not have the decorating budget for all our hopes and dreams to fix this place up…It was frustrating and disquieting to say the least…(Still overflowing with gratitude that we had such a cozy, storybook new abode, I took what I had and began to make it ours!

“Honey can we afford some paint , masking tape and a few paint brushes?” I asked several months later, ( in a bit of desperation as this little home was entirely too white.) (And a dull white at that.) Kit said Yes! We had so much fun going to Ace Hardware shop, picking out our ‘just right’ paint color shades and then stopping off at Borders to get our cappuccino’s afterwards… dreaming together of what our new little haven would look like with some color.

I don’t need to tell you that once you START adding color to one room, its almost an “obsession” to paint another room…then another. Well…we did. (Thank the Lord it was only a tiny one bedroom cottage home.) 🙂

Our neighbor and one of our best friends Vince, ( a very talented painter and artist) said he would help me…How blessed was I?

The biggest room to tackle was the living room. After much research, (even though it sounds crazy,) we chose a bright, snowy white and soft Iris yellow for the walls along with a rich cranberry red for the French doors and crown molding. Vince taught me how to use masking tape to make stripes and I was having more fun than I dreamed possible. Were my stripes perfectly straight? NO! Was I scared and a little nervous? YES…Did anyone really care if it came out flawless? NO…It was my first attempt at “doing it myself” and if I failed, no one was going to loose sleep over it or go into a dither. 🙂 But, as long as you didn’t look behind my big hutch, it turned out pretty cool!

Here are a few Before and After photos….

For the dining room, we chose a very safe, light, pastel-parasol pink color and picked up a rose stencil at Micheal’s to blend in with the original Persian green crown molding. I also placed my floral border paper in the center of the walls…it was a very subtle change but it livened up the room with a soft, romantic glow…(especially alluring with an abundance of candlelight.)

Before...with the off white, (uninspiring paint color) and After…with the soft, tranquil and serene lulled rose-pink.

Our bedroom was the hardest room to decide the paint color as it was the smallest of rooms. Our first choice? A dark, cranberry red! (We still had paint left.) 🙂 My expertise friend Vince, said ” NO” right off the bat…”Susan, it will make your room look 10 times smaller.” I didn’t listen and ended up doing a lot of work to cover the partial wall I tried in this rich dark color 🙂 (Lesson learned…LISTEN to the experts.) 🙂 I finally chose a Martha Stewart, sky blue and asked my ‘teacher’ to show me how to do a bit of Faux painting…his specialty…And of course, I wanted more stripes! 🙂

A few more Before and After photos

Th easiest room to paint was our county kitchen…I had plenty of yellow paint left so I used it more as an accent color along with my floral stencil…Again, it illuminated the entire ambiance with a beautiful brightness and warmth…we loved it!

Here are a few more decorators styles using creative stenciling, Faux painting and striped walls, to give you some ideas if your ready for a little (fun) work, as well as an inexpensive and colorful change…

I adore the rich, warm golden tone with the artful stenciled ivy…It reminds me of Francis Maye’s villa, ( Bramasole) in Under the Tuscan sun. 🙂 I never would have thought to do horizontal stripes…exceptionally brilliant!

Again, the Faux painted wall is incredibly rich, warm and inviting…I like these birds as well, except (in a small way,) they remind me of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, “The Birds,” so I could see this inspirational stenciling on a wall in a game room. (A room with an abundance of energy and excitement,) not so much for a room of repose and calmness. 🙂 (That’s just me.) 🙂

Both of these artistic displays are altogether elegant, stellar and very regal!

Another resourceful idea to bring forth a creative change with what you already have, is to repaint your picture frames…

I inherited two of these antiquated glass frames…believe it or not, they hung over my sisters and my twin high beds as we shared a room together growing up. My parents had beautiful ballerina paintings in them. They were off white and very regal looking, (a perfect frame for the celebrated dancers,) but not my taste, (nor hers.) 🙂 One day, (when we were much older,) my sister and I painted these frames with vibrant water colored paint, using the color scheme of Kits and my home. I ended up putting our wedding photos in them and now, as an adult woman, I absolutely love and cherish them as they are inspirationally unique and fit our motif perfectly. (And I get so many compliments on them, especially from antique collectors.)

Taking any wooden frame and making it yours, by antiquating it or painting it according to your color scheme is quick and easy. When finished, its as if you have a brand new picture frame to spruce up your rooms with. Gorgeously done!

Exquisite and romantic.

Another unique idea from this artist… as your painting, mix and match your patterns, using different hues of the same color. One of my dear friends makes these seashell frames from all of her shell collections from Rehoboth beach. Not only are they fascinating and lovely, but they brighten up her classic maritime home here in Delaware.

Something so easy and magical…adding kaleidoscopic color along with your special touch to something we all have within our kitchens.. ROLLING PINS! My amazingly artistic sister made me the one on the left. I display it as decor only. (I use my plain rolling pin for baking.) 🙂

All you need is a little imagination…

When Kit and I moved into our home in Delaware, we were blessed with an over-abundance of WINDOWS! I didn’t have enough curtains for our home, nor did we have the extra cash flow to buy new ones…so I decided to “be creative” and mix a few patterns together for a “potpourri” look for my valance, using a designed floral, white lace sheer as the foundation.

These first two valances are my two windows in the front of the living room. Definitely a little bit of mix and match going on here, but it fits in with our motif! (And cost me nothing.) 🙂

This is my very large window on the side of the living room… I made this valance to look similar but added the red checks and a diverse designed lace fabric… again, its what I had and it worked.

I love this decorators ingenuity and personal creativity with how she used a delicate and splendorous tea cup as her ‘tie back’ for her curtains…it brings such originality, style and felicity.

This has got to take the prize for the most creative...an old, painted window shudder used as a valance…incredibly clever and inventive.

A fabulously stunning, homemade burlap creation!

Not your typical store-bought- curtains…Lovely, innovative and fresh!

Adding the dimensional roses creates an air of “cozy, demure and graceful romance”.

If your home does not have as many windows as you would like, you can make your own “window look” with window boxes or paned mirrors. Bedeck them with a homemade, cheery valance or place a motley bouquet of flowers around it… It creates the ‘illusion of space’ within your home, causing your room to look larger than it really is. (Now if we could just find a way for the sun to grace these paned mirrors with its warmth and sublime radiance.) 🙂

My brother Jim’s home in Newport beach was unbelievably creative with a magical, elfin ambiance…one of the things he did was fill his home with window boxes. (You can use old window shudders along with a window frame or a paned mirror as well.) He added fresh and artificial flowers around his new creation, causing the entire room to liven up with warmth as well as a Junoesque atmosphere. Absolutely stunning! (It was Kits and my favorite spot to sit when we’d go for a visit.) 🙂

You can find these types of mirrors at Hobby Lobby and other craft stores as well as your nearby thrift stores or consignment shops! You will be surprised at the creativity these paned ‘looking glass’s’ will spark within you to ‘make it your own.’ 🙂

To add charm, a touch of elegant style and a create a “look” all your own, making a new topiary tree for your living room or dining room table scape is a great idea and so easy. With a bag of Spanish moss, a few artificial flowers, a dense and hefty twig, a foam ball or shape of your choosing, a glue gun and some ivy, you are set!

The nice thing about creating a topiary tree with green moss is that it’ s interchangeable with each festive occasion you host, as you add new seasonal decor to its foundation for whatever the motif of your room is at the time.

In your playful , adventurous creativity, its fun to go with a very simple, elegant tree , an inspirational cherub motif or a sylvan , enchanted look.

You can’t go wrong with ivy and roses or a topiary tree decked out with colorful berries, apples and pears…

More creative topiary tree ideas…These artist’s work reveal that beauty comes in so many creative ways! Lively and animated as well as romantic and flamboyant .

If you have a grapevine, straw or wicker basket around your house, artificial roses and Ivy, you can turn the ordinary into extraordinary, adding warmth and color and that “something new” we all desire every now an then, to add to our lovely havens.

These flowering baskets are all fabulously unique, expressing each artists style and individual tastes. (I especially love the one with the flowering ‘Tootsie Roll pops.’ Creative and yummy! 🙂

You can always take a basket you have already decorated for a special season, and use it again for the next…

How about a new, colorful way to display your treasured cards, photographs or special concert tickets you want to keep forever? If you have an old cork board laying around, buy some fabric and ribbon on sale. If you do not have a sewing machine, craft shops actually have a supply of a new glue stick that is entirely made just for fabric, (producing the same effect as a tiny needle and thread.) 🙂 I love it!

Each memory board is beautifully done and so diverse!

These Memory boards are shown with a before and after photo to show that you can add as little or as many photos as you’d like , depending upon the room your are decorating.

What a classy office space… this decorator has created her board to fit in perfectly with her motif! Very stunning!

I adore my memory board with the chalkboard… I keep it updated for every season!

How about using an old window shudder with a fresh coat of paint? Brilliant idea!

Creativity with a dancing flame! 🙂

There is no stopping when it comes to ideas for creating color and charm with a candle display.( All with ingredients found right within your home!) (Again, all these creations are diverse and fetching…)

Whoever invented “Puff Paint” is a genius…incredibly inexpensive, this fascinating gem will turn anything in your home into a new, innovative, classy piece of decor.!

These creations are easy to do and definitely something you can personalize and give as a gift or keep for yourself.

Beautifully graceful!

This could be YOUR “Great Pumpkin” for the autumn season. It will stay festive for the entire season.

I adore these puff painted snowflakes…what a wonderful idea for a wintry motif.

These next photos are all “gifts’ from my sister who I keep telling you is fabulously creative as well as artistic… She blesses me so!

A monogrammed vintage perfume bottle…

She personalized a framed piece of art with gold puff paint as well as a jewelry holder, a few Christmas ornaments, Grahams Christmas pillow and petite glass vases to match my formal china. The lampshade and puff painted lamp base is displayed in her home. Truly, these are all things she had around her home or picked up at a consignment or thrift shop and customized it herself with the puff paint…What a great invention used with wondrous talent.

Another resplendent transformation. A grapevine wreath (in any shape you choose,) made into a riveting ‘work of art’ with your colors and personal style , creating a beautiful new decor item for your home.

A few beautifully created spring wreaths!

An assortment of dried roses and flowers, (many of which came from floral arrangements I had received and dried after they graced our home with their delightful fragrances,) along with a few sprigs of greens and ivy, along with a ribbon. ( And of course, my faithful glue gun.) 🙂

How about a wreath in a pot!

The wondrous thing about a fresh or artificial green wreath is you can continue to re-create your “work of art’ with the celebration of each season… using whatever you have within your house that you love. I always keep dried roses, babies breath, a medley of wired ribbons, and (as you already know,) bears of all shapes and sizes… 🙂 I have used this green wreath for every occasion you can think of, embellishing it with whatever the festivity calls for! 🙂

OKAY! Tell me one person who at one time in their life or another, has not owned a cherished Teddy bear? (Some of us, 🙂 just never outgrow them!)

If you are a teddy bear lover as I, one way I have curbed my “obsession” to run out and get a new adorable little guy, each time I have a desire to add to my collection (in which I do use as a part of my home decor,) is that I redress the bears I already have…I have had more fun shopping at garage sales and thrift stores for baby clothes with my friends and have acquired many classy and adorable outfits for my bears for under $5.00.

My oldest Teddy bear, (I have had him for 28 years now,) whom I adore, (as he was the one my mom and I picked out together one very memorable afternoon we spent in Laguna beach California.) I can remember us laughing as we saw him amongst all the other bears in this classy boutique….he was quite dapper in his black tux and bow tie. His name is Cornelius and he is still a charmer.

Here is Cornelius (undressed,) awaiting his new outfit for spring.

And a few of my other fair-haired friends…Cornelius’s girlfriend, Hope

Hope and Cornelius together sharing some Hershey’s chocolate Easter eggs…

This is Jimbo… named after my brother Jim, (his nickname)…. he is a wondrous and tangible reminder of my brother as he loved bears…

My bear “JImbo” dressed up as a girl for spring time…(Hey, lets face it, this little guy has a face that can go either way so no one knows… 🙂

Griffin and my two older bears, Katie and Gerrard are all dressed up delivering messages in our little abode with a petite chalkboard, bringing forth personality, warmth and smiles.

The home dressed bears are a lot less expensive than the brand new bears at the Bear Boutiques or online… But just looking at what is new on the market, sure does give you a great idea of what to look for at Garage sales, thrift stores and consignment shops to dress your favorite bears up at home…(I am already on the ‘hunt’ to find the cunning hats on the adorable, debonair duo below.) 🙂

And for all of you “Bunny collectors”….dress up your little guys for the season and bring about a decorative change to your abode! (Add a bit of color and charisma and change the ordinary into something remarkable .)

A few flowering pots filled with sunny yellow flowers, a medley of old books tied with a pastel ribbon and some moss, beautifully transforms these two white ceramic bunnies into a beautiful spring display.

My faithful and poised bunny, dressed up for the season with his topiary tree and flower basket…( all things around my home.)

I had to throw these pics into this blog, as they are just too cute not to share… I found this little dog that looks like Grantham’s twin, so I dressed him up too…Kit keeps this one on his desk…(As his office decor is mainly nautical along with a dog themed motif, (meaning ample photos of Grantham.) 🙂 OK, no more stuffed animals… 🙂

If your creative muscle is becoming toned, here is a more challenging, artistic change to bring forth more beauty and color into you home.

Again, a little paint, your very own unique style and imagination…

The artist who did this is my sister…she has the “free hand” artistic talent that I do not, and I am in awe at her beautiful creations. Here is a before and after photo of an old hutch she refashioned. Amazing!

An old table she painted to bring some creative color and style to her home.

And lastly, a hope chest she made to look old with her antiquated golds and stenciling…

Another artists creatively made over hutch with its array of stenciled flowers and subtle, hushed hues, blended so beautifully together. Both incredibly inspirational!

These two ‘works of art’ are a bit more formal…. Charmingly beautiful!

I adore this blithesome Armoire. From start to finish, its absolutely stunning… I love the color scheme this artist has chosen… This finished piece of art would grace any room in the house.

How about taking an ordinary birdcage in your attic, or a lantern and “dressing it up” a little for a centerpiece or inviting table top in the living room?

The inspiration for the birdcage is the renowned eatery, Mimi’s cafe. Very genius! The lantern is beautifully transformed with a white pillar candle and an array of petite, lulled pink roses…both unique and beautiful!

Its amazing how just a few additions bring life to something within our homes we never think of as a decorative item…

Refreshing, livening and animated ….as well as elegant, regal and formal…both bird cages are breathtaking!

The two lanterns are brought to life with romantic lighting, (whether a candle or designer lights) bringing forth charm and enchantment.

I am continuously amazed at such beautiful talent.

Winsome, invigorating and very chic! These would be perfect displayed in a bay window or in the dining room … bringing a bit of natures majestic beauty inside your home.

How about sconces? I began collecting these after I got married. They are such a fun decor item as you can continuously change them for each season, to set the ambiance of your room.

Wall sconces are an ideal place to bring color, texture and your own style into any of your rooms, hallways or foyers.

Great ideas for the kitchen, living room, study, bedroom or entryway.

We’ve talked about creating beautiful wreaths or topiary trees with everyday things around your home, how about adding one strand of petite amber or white lights for a romantic, cozy ambiance? I love glistening petite lights as they bring enchantment, an elfin magic and a fairytale-like ambiance that livens up our decorative displays.

Homemade pillows! Pillows transform our favorite over sized chairs, couches and our beds in a magical way…and they are so easy to make. (Remember if you do not have a sewing machine, the fabric glue sticks are available at craft stores.)

Soft, elegant and inviting!

Each designers creation is splendidly diverse and eye-catching. I can feel the creative juices flowing. 🙂

If you are blessed to have a Village collection, bring it out of your attic a few times a year, bedecking it with the grandest decor for each season.

Summer in the mountains by the lake…

Autumns brisk days of vibrant colors….

Winters magical wonderland…

Springs allurement of bright blossoms and promise of new life…

A summer celebration of the beloved 4th of July holiday.

One of my best friends Kim created this incredibly statuesque and stirring Village scene for the Christmas holidays in her classy home…Absolutely awe-inspiring. (And she plays the piano beautifully!)

SPEAKING Of Christmas…here are a few wonderful Christmas ornaments to make at home for just pennies…

All of these ornaments are not only innovative and clever, but memorable keepsakes with a homemade touch of love.

Kit bought me this snow lady years ago…she is made to hold utensils in the kitchen…I gathered a handful of twigs from the woods in the meadow and created a decorative snow-lady for any room in the house for our Christmas celebration.

What a wonderful idea…adding a snowman face to a wintry garland, creating an eye-catching Christmas wreath. I am taken aback with all the classy and fun snowmen made out of a potpourri of all types of boxes… Fabulously creative and festive. (Such creative talent.) 🙂

Color changes everything! It creates a mood within your home ‘all by itself.’ If your feeling a need for something new, try creating a new table-scape with a different tablecloth, dinnerware and centerpiece.

There is nothing as enchanting as a medley of vibrant reds and shimmering golds! OK, perhaps white damask linen with formal china and sparkling silver. 🙂 I love changing the mood of our dinning room with table-scape changes.

A baronial autumn celebration…

If your desiring a clean, fresh, calm and soothing ambiance , its hard to outdo the color combination of an alluring, soft yellow highlighted with the gorgeous decorative duo of blue and white? Elegance and serenity all rolled into one. 🙂

When in need of cheer…. a medley of bright COLORS!

Whenever Kit and I go to visit my brother on the west coast, I am amazed at how he turns his beautiful dark wood dining table into a “work of art” bringing forth an ambiance of elegance, grace and convivial spirit, with a beautiful linen cloth, sparkling crystal, baronial china along with fresh flowers and soft candle light. He has blessed us with so many happy memories at this table with all the thought and creativity he puts into his presentation.

A beautifully simple table-scape… a mixture of gorgeous rich woods with white linen…a very classy and galvanic appeal!

A few ideas for creative centerpieces...all homemade with things already within your home, bringing forth wonderment, color and a welcoming atmosphere.

If you already have a three tiered cake plate stand, there are so many creative ways to dress it up for any motif!

Once you have created a birdcage or a topiary tree, remember you can change them at anytime for a seasonal , captivating centerpiece for a special gathering. 🙂

My dear friend Ellie made this innovative Valentines candy/candle holder for me this year…What an awe-inspiring centerpiece idea to have a few of these filled with vibrant red and pink pillar candles. 🙂 I just adore this artists idea of the flowering rain boots for a centerpiece… I am feeling wonderfully inspired…How about you?

Lastly, If you are like me, you have a few cherished plates that you have inherited from someone you love, were given as a gift or have bought on a whim while shopping…(Plates you would not necessarily eat off of, but that are designed for decorative display.) I find when I take them out and create a cozy corner with one of them, I feel as if I have treated myself to something new for my home, all over again… Its fun and ‘different,’ from my everyday decor.

I hope that you have gleaned a few ideas of how to use “what you already have,” (added to your imagination and talents,) to create a medley of warm, colorful and fascinating new looks for your home, when you feel you need a change… Lets face it, we can only move our furniture around so many times.) 🙂

HAPPY CREATING! 🙂

PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where the picture originated from.

Spring’s Sunkissed Transformation.

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Susan

“The sun has come out… and the air is vivid with spring light.” ~Byron Caldwell Smith, letter to Kate Stephens

Before I begin this blog, I’d like to comment on one thing about the spring of 2014 on the eastern coast… I can only liken its glorious arrival to an eager, new mom-to-be, giving birth to her baby. She feels the first pangs of labor and immediately heads to the hospital to have her long awaited, “bundle of joy.” Upon examination, the doctor tells her; “Its not time, your are experiencing false labor. Go home, put your feet up and rest.” A week later, she has the same pains, travels back to the hospital and is told again “Its still not time, these are not real labor pains, go home, rest and try to relax.” With the next bout of pain, she really knows its time for her baby to enter into this world...and she is right, as this time, the doctor confirms its on its way. With a great sigh of relief, she shouts out a loud; “Hallelujah!” 10 hours go by…she is encouraged as the nurse assures her saying; “hold on, it will just be a little while longer.” Another 10 hours slowly saunters by, she is told once again, “ Its coming… just not quite yet.” Okay, to make a long story short, her labor has lasted so long that she is starting to believe that her baby may never come, until finally, the doctor says; ” OK, its time. You can go ahead and push.” Now of course, when that baby arrives and she is holding it tightly in her arms, she forgets HOW LONG SHE WAITED…she’s overflowing with joy, reveling in the fact her baby is here and all the waiting is over!

In all my 14 years living on the eastern coast, I have never experienced what the term ‘lingering snow’ meant, until recent. It seemed like overnight that the Vernal equinox had arrived…sitting on our front porch we were thoroughly enjoying all of its’ splendid bestowals. Dapper red headed woodpeckers and dulcet white doves perched upon our budding trees, their unique songs in tune with springs resplendent balled. Our azalea and rose bushes had all come alive, transformed with their verdant green buds upon each tiny branch, ready to burst with bright color. As I looked at our cozy street, I was happily surprised at all the bright pink and frosty white blossoms amidst an abundance of enchanting hues of green, as our quaint neighborhood was filled with Springs debut. The temperatures were in the 70’s and the rays of the warm sun felt like heaven upon our faces. We rejoicingly turned our heaters off, brought out our spring clothes , fully enjoying wearing short sleeved T- shirts and blue jeans once again. Our only tasks at hand were to decide where to take our first engaging, spring day drive to the country , stock up on some fresh chicken, steaks, seafood and vegetables for nights of grilling and what day we’d go for our bike ride. Needless to say, our spring gauges were on high, only to be interrupted in one quick moment.

“Honey did you hear that they are expecting a winter storm this evening?,” My husband asked, not knowing he was messing with my psyche. Sure enough, the next morning, we awoke early to a street blanketed in copious mounds of white fluff. Please do not get me wrong, I adore winter, but once you have had a taste of springs dawning, it just does something to your soul.Trying to come back to my place of peace, I thought, “OK, we can go through another week of snow … we will just enjoy this surprising last week of frozen fluffy ice, before spring really settles in.” 🙂 The heat was back on, we dressed in our layers and heavy winter coats, scarves and gloves, and accepted natures fete. (After all, as Barbara Johnson so wittingly quotes “Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.”)

There was one member of our family who had no need for patience. Grantham would love it if winter lasted 12 months of the year. 🙂

A week later…all the snow had melted. Our grass, once stark and brown was coming alive with sprouts of shamrock green, opalescent, yellow daffodils were blooming everywhere as were all the annuals, joyfully planted in years gone by. All our trees were budding and the temps hit 80 degrees… Joining our doves and woodpeckers were dozens of cordial, hospitable robins, delicate yellow finches, debonaire blue jays and my favorite, the charming and regal red bird. I even saw a rare, majestic eagle, blithely gliding over our home, without a care in the world… Yes, Spring was here. In my pure enjoyment of this elated season, I gave our home a spring makeover. It was more fun to bring out our assortment of bright floral pillows, soft, featherlight linens, buy some fresh flowers, take my bunny rabbits out and create our annual spring tree… Everything, looked and felt brand new.

This time I plugged my ears when the newscaster on the weather channel announced that yet another nor eastern was coming to the east coast, expressing it would be a “big one” so be prepared. I am not exaggerating when I tell you, this dramatic Playlet continued for over a month… (One week, spring would desperately try to make its grand entrance, only to be ousted and delayed the following week, by Winters refusal to leave.) About this time I was beginning to laugh , (instead of deeply sighing,) totally identifying with my fellow east coast dwellers as I began hearing numerous jokes as well as receiving e-mail forwards about Winter overstaying its welcome. 🙂 No matter where I went, the grocery store, Post office, bank, downtown boutiques, it was as if we were all speaking a secret language to one another…first the shaking of the head, then the word REALLY? ( All of us knowing we were talking about the incredulous weather.)

With Easter arriving this weekend and seeing all the breathtaking dogwoods and cherry blossoms in our city in full bloom, I think its safe to proclaim that Spring has officially arrived and is here to stay. Our windows have been open for over a week, we don’t need our coats or heavy jackets, nature is peaceful, (no longer confused) and the sun is brightly shining. Another sure sign of the new season’s entrance is that the undomesticated meadow behind our home has awakened from its winter slumber. Its Brobdingnagian trees, once bare and stark , are now beginning to show signs of new life with their tiny buds of green. The ‘soon to be’ sprawling, picturesque wild ivy has taken its first baby steps, where in a short while, it will be joined by springs breathtaking kaleidoscopic wildflowers, fluttering butterflies and families of deer that quietly promenade from the deep woods for their nightly and early morning visits… I guess you could say, we are now holding our newborn baby. 🙂 I can’t even imagine another storm hitting! (Except a fragrant, inviting spring storm with a beautiful rainbow at its end.)

There is just something about this blissful season that brings a smile to our faces as well as a new, childlike excitement, as we joyfully accept its welcomed invitation to come out and PLAY! Our winter list of ‘fun things to do’ is off of our fridge and a new Springtime list is awaiting us, to take on it’s sublime and summoning suggestions. (I can only imagine that all of you have already been enjoying an abundance of spring adventures, especially on the Western coast.) Our novel list begins with taking Grantham to the beach, ( the sandy shores no longer filled with crowds and so beautifully deserted,) walk barefoot in the grass, take a bike trip, enjoy birdwatching, have friends over for a BBQ and bonfire, plant some flowers, visit Pepper’s Greenhouse and nursery, the Farmers market and enjoy the soon to bloom, (most gorgeous site ever) mimosa tree outside our bedroom window. It is always a huge pleasure for everyone, when we begin to see our old familiar spring ‘friends’ in the yard, realizing just how much we’ve missed them these last 9 months. Who doesn’t fall in love with the wide eyed, smiling frogs, husky groundhogs, awe-inspiring flying squirrels, stunning pheasants, soaring sky larks, the faithful swallows as well as the adorable, fluffy, long eared bunnies with their little babies. And then of course there are a few ‘not so missed guests,’ but they are just as much a part of this epic season… The portly Carpenter bees, shady snakes, cunning red foxes and busy wasps building their spring nests. This awe-inspiring season brings our spirits a new hope and joy, adding a bounce to our step…giving us an abundance of inspiration to put all the decorative snowmen away, (without wistful sighs,) 🙂 and transmute our homes on the inside to mirror what nature is so graciously bestowing to us on the outside. We gladly pack up our dark wintry colors and bring out the bright hues of pomegranate reds, hushed roses, sage greens, alabaster whites, sky blues, and sunflower yellows. (And of course for some of us, our treasured collection of bunny rabbits.) 🙂 Its a time to celebrate, sit back and ENJOY natures resplendent show.

In writing this vignette, it is my hope that it brings you a little inspiration with some innovative ideas for adding some sunshine and the beauty of spring to your already inviting and lovely havens. After giving our home a spring makeover, I truly feel as if the sun has given our little abode a big kiss of splendid joy…each room is a little brighter, fresher and speaks LIFE to our souls. Perhaps we are more appreciative of this new arrival, as it took so long to get here. 🙂 All I know is, I want to treasure everyday of Spring that we have left.The picture perfect time of year, that is our rejuvenating interval between the arctic, polar winter and the (thank the Lord for air conditioning,) often times, sweltering summer. There is nothing like spring and all of its many gifts it graces our lives with…It truly is a consonance of all of nature joining together to bring about new beginnings, hope, life and a reminder to the soul that God is in His heaven and ALL IS WELL.

THE DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER

“Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.” ~Quoted by Lewis Grizzard in Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You

“Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer.” ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

“Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.” ~Ruth Stout
“The year’s at the spring
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hillside’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in His heaven –
All’s right with the world!”
~Robert Browning

“Every spring is the only spring – a perpetual astonishment.” ~Ellis Peters

“Under the giving snow blossoms a daring spring.” ~Terri Guillemets

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.” ~Pablo Neruda

“Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.” ~Henry Van Dyke

“If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.” ~Nadine Stair
“Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire.” ~Virgil

“The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other.” ~Arthur Rubenstein

“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” ~Mark Twain

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. ~Doug Larson

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” . ~Rogers Hornsby

BED AND BATH

How much fun is it to take a weekend off and go to your favorite bed and breakfast? Its not a luxury that most of us can afford to do all the time, but how about sprucing up your bedroom and bath, creating it to look like your favored Inn in the springtime…with a bouquet or two of colorful, fragrant flowers, soft, diaphanous linens, an array of pastel colored bath towels accompanied by glistening candle light and lavender scented bubble bath?

My bedroom is the place I begin anew each day…“Again the sun, anew each day and new, and new, and new that comes into and STEADIES my soul.”

The only thing needed in this aesthetic bathroom is the glow of a flickering candle, luxurious bubble bath and a neck pillow! 🙂

Springtime is full of sweet days and roses…

And large windows with an abundance of sunshine beaming through each pane.

With everything sprouting in the spring, what better muse to inspire, than romantic ivy and roses?

Your bedroom is the place that you CHASE YOUR DREAMS! A serene and soft ambiance to dream sweet dreams… by day or night.

Simplicity wrapped in a captivating elegance.

Its spring and Shabby Chic is blooming!

Luxurious, pure and innocent white…its statement stands alone!

Between Winter and summer lies a beautiful, peaceful and calming fluffy bed, bedecked in the charming duo of blue and white!

In adding lulled, soft yellows you have all the ingredients of a spring day with blue skies, a few fluffy clouds and the alluring sunshine.

A rejuvenating respite , kissed by the sun…

Its amazing how just one seasonal piece of decor, sets the mood for the entire room!

This quilted , delicate headboard cover is ingenious. (A perfect invention to reinvent your place of repose with each new season.)

A cozy, warm and romantic place to escape, touched with springs bounty.

Set the stage of your bedroom with charm and bliss , speaking to the heart of the spring within your soul.

An illustrious blend of colors… soft blues accompanied by beckoning rose, highlighted with a cool, refreshing yellow! I love this combination.

Its the season for lavish baths with peach blossom bubbles and terrycloth towels adorned in fresh pastel hues.

Not only authentic, but classy and resourceful… Perfect for adding your spring decor to your bathroom.

This seasons color palette: bright blues, lulled greens, crisp whites with splashes of strawberry red.

Bring forth gentle and dreamy notes of this new seasons brilliant colors of new life and hope.

Some of our rooms just need a few touches of prolific green to bring forth a cheery ambiance for the seasons celebration.

I could not resist this “chimera” bathroom… An “AH” moment , 24 hours a day. 🙂 I can only imagine.

KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM

A recent poll revealed that the majority of us spend an hour to 2 hours a day in our kitchens…and depending on WHERE you dine with your family, probably a little less time in the dining room. Multiply that by 30 and that is a lot of hours within one month…All the more reason to include these significant rooms in your decorating adventure.

Spring has definitely sprung, (very courageously) within this kitchen. 🙂

With its blushing pinks, antiquated china, fresh flowers from the garden and charming architecture, I could stay in this eat-in kitchen, all day long!

This inviting kitchen is ready for its afternoon visitors, with tempting fresh fruit, home baked bread and the warmth of the beaming sun…

A celebration of springs elegant whites combined with natures bounty. Refreshingly beautiful.

I adore the never ending dance of the hues of sunflower yellow and lively shades of blue… A color combo that evokes the epic bestowal of a gorgeous spring day…timeless and playful!

Just as the season of spring, this kitchen looks like a fresh, new beginning everyday! I love all the spaciousness just beckoning one to conjure up and create. 🙂

A medley of warmth and animated, stirring color. I can almost hear the birds chirping in the trees outside the beautiful paned windows. 🙂

These next two junoesque kitchens, keep the beauty of a sunny spring day even when the sun has set… I love the added touch of the rich greens accenting this rooms creative and sightly, overhead ceiling lighting .

Everyone loves a fresh bouquet of roses or flowers from the Florist…Whenever Kit blesses me with this gift, I thoroughly enjoy their brilliant presence in our home for a week or so, but I can hardly wait to dry them and display them with babies breath and fresh greens. They bring the ‘essence of spring’ into our homes all year long! 🙂

This kitchen mirrors this season of joy, happiness and laughter. I can only imagine all the delicious recipes that have been created within this room with loved ones, over a tall glass of ice tea. 🙂

I love this shabby Chic decor with it’s buoyant spring apparel… eminently fresh and inviting.

Our Dining Rooms… A perfect place to thoroughly enjoy this grandeur season with friends and family, scrumptious cuisine , laughter and and overflow of delightful camaraderie.

White never goes out of style and is a fabulous foundational color for all our homes patina. A beautiful table setting amidst a brilliant window view creating an ambiance of sheer elegance.

Now this is a dining room truly kissed by the sun….bringing cheer morning, noon and night! I love it!

A delightful and dulcet ambiance shining with tranquil beauty, rainbowed by the sun. (Creating an atmosphere that makes you feel like your in the center of a blooming rose garden.)

I never really thought of a rich, fire engine red being a spring color, but mixed with the colors and textures of nature, it is fabulously awe-inspiring!

If you are “a little bit county,” these two kitchen are for you…all bedecked in the essence of a beautiful spring day.

Two “formal” dining rooms, embraced by the sun… Not being one who can wear yellow well, I adore its magical and soft alluring hue throughout our home in the summer and spring seasons.

A bit formal with a relaxed flavor…the bright, crisp white amidst the sunflower yellow and dark woods are a wondrous backdrop for the elegant, eye-catching spring floral arrangement. (Now, that centerpiece would definitely have to come down during a meal…Its what my husband would call, ” For pure enjoyment and display only.”) 🙂

A table set with wondrous “garden” ingredients. )

The beautiful gift that spring brings with its arrival is the pleasure of ample alfresco dining events. This table is sublime!

I never can get enough blue and white, along with the magic of bright open windows, especially in the spring. Don’t you just love mixing stripes and floral patterns together?

Only in this heavenly season, can your table look this yummy with freshly picked fruits from the garden… I see a fresh peach pie in the near future. 🙂

Spring in its dressy attire… and looking “oh so Good!

LIVING ROOM

The room inside our homes, that gives our guests their first impression of our decorating style as well as setting the mood for the rest of our cozy abode. It is also the room we favor and live in the most, thus I go all out with my decor when it comes to this special room’s seasonal flavor.

One of the most ingenious creations, (IMHO) is the invention of the slipcover…This gift allows us to change our seasonal ambiance very inexpensively. This spring time living room is strikingly arresting and welcoming with its striped, warm yellow and white over-sized couch, floral pillows and pastel green walls, inspiring our moods to be ‘creative, happy, fun filled and cheerful’…the color yellow is also eminently uplifting and illuminating, offering hope.

This inviting living room, ( a potpourri of country, shabby chic and cottage style with hints of spring) is the perfect ambiance to come home to after a long day at work…just kick off your shoes, grab a drink and enjoy a quick respite with the seasons extended daylight, before the dinner hour begins! 🙂

A classy display of the marvelous duo of the seasons blue and white…(I love the usage of the ottoman.as a coffee table.) This rooms foundational color of blue creates a sense of calmness, peace and tranquility…

This room gets the award for the most inspirational … I feel like I have just walked into the beautiful bucolic countryside, adorned in natures majestic landscape.

The wonderful truth about decorating for spring is, its not eminently important what style of home you already have. It only takes a few vases of fresh greens or garden flowers, a medley of new pillows arrayed in bright colors and a pastel throw draped upon your favorite chair to bring forth the essence of bliss and renewal.

The perfect, quiet cozy corner for the lady of the house… embellished with rejuvenating color and a blithesome style.

Looks like a Mary Engelbreit room to me! 🙂 I love her work as she openly shares with her readers her passion of decorating with bright COLOR and her mix and match style in each room of her exquisite, inviting home.

These next two living rooms embody a romantic, spring flare…adorned with softness, a perfect sunlit ambiance with a regal, polished and artsy flavor. (It reminds me of what the sitting rooms in a cottage, nestled in the countryside of England would look like.) 🙂

A perfect, picturesque idea for a window sill or dining room sideboard to celebrate natures new blooms!

I know spring is the season for our beloved bunnies, but there is no rule that you have to put your bears away…As long as they are dressed for the occasion, they are invited to the celebration. 🙂

A potpourri of bedazzling floral and checkered pillows in the colors of Spring atop a blue striped couch… So simple, yet fabulously festive and beautiful!

If you only add one new decor item tor this season, a fetching vase filled with petite white roses , (or your favorite fresh flowers,) announce the seasons arrival like nothing else.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS (Outside the home.)

Whether it is our front porch, our wrap around verandahs or the land that our homes are built upon, it is the first thing we see as we arrive home. Springtime is one of the most gorgeous times of the year to make our havens shine with sublime color and style. When I think about our lawn, front porch and backyard, I liken them to ‘one more room’ within my home to embellish with the seasons bounty. We all have a differently shaped canvas to work with…use your signature style and the colors you love to create your piece of art for all the world to see.

What a creative deck with its abundance of radiant white, planked flooring and potted spring blooms… and this overflowing archway trellis looks like something out of a romantic movie. A wonderful show of amazing creativity and talent! (Of course with a little help from nature.) 🙂

These traditional white wicker chairs and table, amidst the classy fenced in verandah, is intoxicating, inviting and candy for the eyes.

A front row seat to a spectacular show of nature and its splendor.

“Spring is natures way of saying; “Lets party.” ” I totally agree with Robin Williams! 🙂

Vibrant colors and new life changes everything!

There is just something about white wood adorned with luxuriant greens and the soft blooms of floral vines that warms the soul… These beautiful and creative ideas bestow upon these ‘outside rooms’ splendor, grace, wonderment and magic.

This beautiful cottage home reminds me of the great American dream when a couple gets married…You know the one with the white picket fence, two kids and an obedient dog? 🙂 The lovely and flowing landscape transforms this berth into a magical and cozy dwelling.

There are so many ideas to express your hearts celebration of Spring…your favorite flowers, shrubs, trees and there is nothing that quite compares to a beautifully fresh mowed, lush green lawn.

Two of my all time favorite spring gifts…already made potted flower pots and a birds nest filled with eggs. (whether man-made or the real thing. 🙂

Creative, ingenious as well as magical. Both of these decorative ideas embody a sylvan charm that inspires a hearty celebration of this festive, once a year wonder.

FOR ALL OF YOU WHO LOVE DECORATING FOR EASTER AND ARE BUNNY-CONNOISSEURS… A few more wondrous ideas for you as you bedeck your home in spring attire… (I keep my Bunny decor up through the summer:) Remember; “Be faithful to your own taste, because nothing you REALLY LIKE like is ever out of style.” Billy Baldwin

This homemade basket is earthy, polished and a splendid centerpiece for your Easter gathering. I adore these joyful colors mixed together, (and the baby chick is way to cute.) 🙂

This riveting, creative and showy kitchen bedecked for Easter is one of my favorite kitchens of all times. Its large enough to display all of these bright colored, animated characters and kaleidoscopic Easter eggs… fabulously stunning!

I love these bunnies amidst the innovative trees with the pastel colored petite eggs… what a great idea.

Winsome, enchanting and certainly a centerpiece that would be the talk of the gathering. One of my favorite.

What a classy mantle decor to celebrate Easters arrival… I don’t know about you, but I am gleaning so many great ideas from all of this talent! 🙂

Delicate, bouncy, cheerful and sure to bring many a smile.

Two stellar bunnies wrapped up in a bouquet of Springtime…Original and classy!

I have to admit…in between the snow storms and hints of springs arrival to our coast, I got a little stir crazy and created four different tablescapes for my spring-Easter dining room ambiance… It was fun. (My husband is happy that I have just settled for one. ) 🙂

My spring wreath for our kitchen and our annual spring tree for the living room… (Only did each one, once.) 🙂

My little chef’s wanted to get in on the springtime celebration too!

Topiary trees and three tiered plates are so much fun to spruce up for springtime!

A few added touches of this glorious season in our bedroom!

I fell in love with these two spring trees when I saw them…each one totally unique, full of bright, joyful color and celebration of the season.

OK, you know I had to smile when I found this photo of a beautiful , festive spring tree with a snowfall in the background… I do not think we will ever forget the spring of 2014 on the eastern coast. 🙂 The animated, earthy basket (don’t you love those creative homemade carrots) with the fetching bunny is a stunning addition for any homes spring celebration.

Enjoy this splendorous season… Buy yourself a bouquet of lilies or daffodils, visit your farmers market for some freshly picked fruits and vegetables, get a little adventurous and endeavor is some strawberry picking or go to your favorite boutique and find the cutest bunny you have ever seen, to add to your collection! HAPPY SPRING and I wish for you all a blessed Easter.

PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where the picture originated from.

The Enchanted Kitchen

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Susan

“The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up in another quite different, and if that is not ENCHANTMENT, then where is it to be found?” ~ J.B. Priestley”

The professionals define enchantment as something that is alluring, charming, magical, captivating, fascinating and charismatic. The spoken word ‘enchantment’ itself, evokes an abundance of emotions that are pleasing to our minds and souls…It reminds me of my childhood where many of the fairytale books I read, romantic movies I saw, (Cinderella, Sleeping beauty,) or inspiring plays our family went to , always had magical, joyful and colorful characters along with a captivating story line. There are so many things in our life that are enchanting…the music we listen to, (like J.B quoted above,) the first fall of fresh white snow, the night sky filled with a myriad of twinkling stars, the breathtaking sunsets and sunrises, the prancing fireflies, the sound of thunder and rain, watching a garden grow from it’s very beginning, (eminently elated over each days growth,) r a new recipe that you create that turns out to be a Five star meal. 🙂 Another Enchanting part of our lives can be our homes…Perhaps just one room that you bring alive with magical, captivating decor, or your entire haven. The atmosphere around us, undoubtedly carries a lot of influence on how we feel, think as well as our moods. I think putting together an enchanting room would not only be fun but would challenge us in our “creativity department.” 🙂 Remember that’s the fun part! 🙂

“I don’t think of decorating as a science or discipline. People always say, ‘start with the rug,’ but it is often the last thing I end up selecting. I BEGIN with whatever makes my heart sing.” ~ Katie Ridder

Yes, we are surrounded by a myriad of stirring, gallant and exquisite ‘ideas’ for beautiful home decor, but it is your innate tastes and “favorite things,” that will bring about your home’s warmth and unforgettable ambiance. Ask yourself a few questions…What surroundings make you feel happy inside? Fulfilled? Winsome? What is your signature style? Favorite colors? What type of home decor is aesthetic and eye-catching to your soul? One of the decorating themes I love to use, actually comes from the ‘muse’ of my favorite childhood stories…Especially the tales of Peter Cottontail, Brer rabbit and Beatrix Potter’s, Peter rabbit. YOU’VE HEARD of the “Enchanted Forest?”…the place where the trees have eyes and roam amongst the lush woodlands? The flowers sing delightful melodies and the fireflies sparkle, radiate and dance among the willow branches all year long… 🙂 In my ‘Maritime Home’ vignette, I illustrated how you could ‘steal away’ some of the natural beauty of the sea and allow it to reside within your own home…In doing so, you bring forth a portion of the romance, mystique and legends of the ocean, right into your own berth with your bethnic, decorating style. The same is true of the enchantments of the timberland, the stories of our youth, the magic, wonder and delight we experienced every night, as our moms, dads or grandparents read story after story to us and our soaring imaginations took us into each Folklore’s land, and into their lives until we fell asleep and dreamt we were really there. 🙂

For this Blog, I would like ‘to introduce some ideas,’ using one of my favorite combinations of decor, which is bunny rabbits and the beauty of nature, to create “The Enchanted Kitchen.” This blog will be filled with ideas from the magical tales and legends we grew up with. A kitchen filled with bunnies, flowers, a rainbow of colors and charming accents such as dollhouses, decorative plates, recherche’ wreaths, dried flowers, ‘rabbit lamps,” bird houses and nature’s beauty at it’s best!

Whether real life or animated, the rabbit and it’s baby bunnies are a gift to nature as well as our souls. It is known that the hinterland, (the great outdoors) and it’s bounty of rainbow colors, brings forth comfort, serenity, calmness and joy. It makes us happy…how can one not be fortuitous when driving through a French countryside where all the diverse hues and shapes of bonny flowers cover the hills. It is a site to see…beauty, in its rare, natural form. (Like they say, “The Handiwork of God.” )

In creating a kitchen with adorable rabbits in all shapes, sizes, colors and textures, along with the magic of nature and childhood nostalgia, you will find that this combination will bring forth charm, allurement and JOY! It’s a reminder of spring and the playful months. It represents new life and new beginnings, even when wintry weather is right outside our front doors. You can dress your kitchen bunnies up for the autumn season with the brilliant, fall colored leaves and garlands. At Christmas time, using top hats and red roses are alluringly festive as well as lush green garlands festooned around their chubby necks with bright, cherry red berries. (The same is true of your accent pieces that surround your bunnies.) I have been using bunnies to decorate with for many years and never have ‘grown out of love’ with their sheer, charming magic. 🙂 Truly, they gladden my soul! Sometimes, I give them a rest, but whenever they are taken down out of the attic, dusted off and placed out amongst our home, I feel like our little haven is filled with color, magic and a fairy-tale like ambiance. In this blog, we are going to be decorating one room and that is your kitchen. Whether you enjoy decorating your kitchen in blue and white, a maritime theme, French Country, Vintage or Italian decor, most kitchens are agreeable with these little guys, but we will look at a few kitchens, especially ready for their arrival. 🙂

Here are a few facts about REAL LIFE rabbits and nature that you may not know…

A male rabbit, like a male deer is called a Buck…Can you guess what a female rabbit is? A Doe. The babies?…they are named after someone very special to me…a Kit. 🙂

Rabbits and bunny’s actually purr just like a cat. (So, if you ever have a pet rabbit and do not have a kitty,) when you hear that ‘purr’ sound in the middle of the night, don’t think you are hearing unworldly things, it’s your bunny. 🙂 Pet rabbits can live to be 10-12 years old. They are so cute and cuddly, they just have a Brobdingnagian amount of continuous droppings, and can be hard to keep up with. 🙂 (Yes my sister and I once adopted two very large rabbits as house pets…Our carpet was never the same… 🙂 But, they can, if you have the time, be potty trained. 🙂 They have exceptional senses. If you ever see a bunny with it’s ears up and eyes open, KNOW that they are not in danger...that is what they do when they are happy and at peace. When they are not tranquil and serene and are being pursued by one of their predators, sly foxes, dogs, hawks, raccoons and eagles, (even if one of their enemies doesn’t lay a hand on them,) they can die instantaneously. Yes, rabbits can be literally, scared to death! That’s daunting!

Connecting with nature, ( the bucolic countryside, baronial timberland or it’s galvanic critters,) not only brings your life BEAUTY and WINSOMENESS but it can significantly boost your mood. Did you know that nature also lowers your blood pressure? Flowers, especially in pastel colors, bring our souls serenity, calmness and well being. So, I figure that if you decorate with some of natures beauty and gifts as well as bunnies, you will benefit in several ways…you will be fulfilled with a beautiful kitchen, feel more peaceful and joyful in your life as well as be nurtured by the special comforts and memories of your childhood. 🙂

Tell me you are not smiling after you see this next picture….:)

Here are our favorite childhood bunnies… All the fun-loving little critters we grew up with, either on the movie screen or in our bed time stories that were such a comfort to our souls and helped us to enter into slumber-land sooner. 🙂 My grandmother must have told me the renowned Uncle Remus tale of Brer Rabbit over 100 times…Who can forget Peter Cottontail, Alice and Wonderland’s ‘White Rabbit,” The Velveteen Rabbit, (excellent lesson in that story,) 🙂 “Rabbit” in Winnie the Pooh, Thumper in the classic ‘Bambi,’ Peter Rabbit, Bugs Bunny and the prestigious “Harvey” with James Stewart.

THE DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER

I love these wonderful quotes about natures divine worth as well as the wisdom about a few of our favorite creatures! 🙂

“Until one has loved an animal, apart of ones soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France

” How strange that nature does not knock and yet does not intrude.” ~ Emily Dickinson

“Wait…I’m getting a signal.” ~ Bunny with ear up.

“An animals eyes have the power to speak a great language.” ~ Martin Buber

“If you chase two rabbits, you will loose them both.” ~ A Native American saying

“Oh Honey Bunny…” ~ Jessica Rabbit

“It is a perversely human perception that animals in their native habitat are running wild.” ~Robert Brandt

This is one of my favorite quotes from The Velveteen Rabbit.

“I can enjoy society in a room, but out of doors, nature is company enough for me.” ~ William Hazlett

“The Poetry of the earth is never dead.” ~ John Keats

Are you ready to begin creating your Magical Kitchen?

I chose these kitchens for two of your backgrounds with your “Enchanted Kitchen” theme, as they have ample space as well as some ‘nooks and crannies‘ to give your rabbits a snug home. These two kitchens have an abundance of different shades of white, (egg shell, off white, creamy whites and a pillowy beige – white,) in the marbleized counter tops, thus bringing about “the perfect color foundation” for the bunny decor below. Your elfin ‘mise-en-scene’ will only highlight and enhance the ambiance and patina of your kitchen. Both of these ‘cucino’s’ have excellent color palette’s.

This is one of my favorite rabbits…he is very colorful, confident and a bit on the formal side. Perhaps placing a kaleidoscopic wreath, an antiquated doll house, a bunny lamp as well as an accent towel would bring forth a bit of allurement and wonder to these kitchens. To introduce the beauty of nature, maybe some topiary trees, flowers and other ‘critters’ of the forest! I hope these ideas inspire you with your current kitchen, or for your future kitchen …(The ‘cucino’ of your dreams.) 🙂

This wreath, (also easy to make,) blends in perfectly with the colors of the rabbit, don’t you think?

This “bunny lamp” is not only authentic and fabulously blithesome, it will add a lovely romantic lighting to your kitchen. They have soft amber, low wattage light bulbs now that create such a warm ambiance in any room. (I just got two, one for my living room and the other for the kitchen.) I love their soothing touch.

This red plate would look riveting in the kitchen with the red accents…along with all the adorable and engaging pewter squirrels.

I like this wreath with it’s natural, woodsy and subtle appeal. It brings froth a a novel and august beauty.

Adding greens in different shapes, textures and shades will bring a wealth of charm to your room. Don’t forget, green is the color of LIFE… 🙂

These are so adorable. I place my stuffed bunnies in a chair, (almost like I would a designer pillow.) What an adorable pair… These two characters would look great in the kitchen with the red accents.

Here is another warm and hypnotic kitchen for your magical theme. This lovely and alluring kitchen is perfect for an ‘Enchanted Forest’ ambiance as it already embodies a multitude of the soft and lulled colors of nature…It actually resembles a little cottage with it’s charming architecture, captivating whites and gorgeous wood flooring. I adore all the little shelves and spaces where your rabbit decor could be placed above the stove and upon the center Island. This kitchen is stunning!

I would choose the bright color of the white wood, a soft yellow with hints of pastel rose as well as shades of green for this kitchen’s color palette. The choice and top-notch bunny for this Kitchen would be one that embodies this rooms brilliant and tasteful cottage look. I also would add some cabbage style bowls and plates, (whether on plate stands upon a shelf or hanging on the wall with plate hangers,) perhaps a few multicolored adventuresome bird houses, another rabbit themed lamp,accent towels and some hints of nature.

Adding cabbage designed plates or bowls in pastel colors is very charming as well as alluring… I especially prefer the rose and green tones mixed together for this theme.

This kitchen decor is so clever, life like, BRIGHT, cheery and very creative!

This quaint and adorable Boyd’s bunny is a ‘must have’ in any room , especially on the kitchen counter or nestled in a kitchen chair. She is so romantic and whimsical… She makes me smile!

This beautiful kitchen is a perfect ‘cucino’ for creating “magic.” It’s lovely butter cream yellow, combined with the soft whites and hard wood flooring brings forth a nurturing and enveloping room. It’s light, airy, tasteful and embodies plenty of space to decorate.

The ‘choice’ bunny for this kitchen would be one that has a hint of yellow, ( enhancing the light, sunny walls,) as it would set your color scheme in motion. Adding an animated picture, a romantic, petite dollhouse, some flower baskets, topiary bunnies, a quaint lamp, and few small rabbits upon the window sill, would most certainly give this kitchen that “enchanted ambiance.”

This is also an actual ‘rabbit lamp.’ It has a subtle, soft light, glowing from within and adds an eminently enchanting and cordial ambiance. He is adorable! (He would also make a great ‘night light.’) 🙂

This animated picture would be absolutely striking, framed in a light wooden frame with a white, pale green or light rose colored matting. It alone, embodies a ‘magical’ and playful ambiance.

Our years spent in Arizona became my “introduction season” to ‘learn’ how to bring forth a winsome home, create beauty through crafts, stretch my wings at decorative painting and to be honest with you, it was one of the happiest times of my life. This was my first kaleidoscopic flower basket I had ever made and I was “Oh so proud.” It would look great in the center island of this enchanted kitchen. (Leave the over sized bunny for a ‘much larger’ room. 🙂 (Though she would look really cute sitting up in a bay window with motley , fluffy pillows.) 🙂

Topiary trees add the beautiful green of nature and these bunny’s are so darn cute!

Another type of flower basket to add would be one with ample buttercup yellow flowers mixed with another of natures bounties, ‘baby chicks.’ I love this basket, (the green moss is an ‘upbeat’ addition,) very animated and life like. Like the kitchen, its wispy, light and delicate.

Dreamy, beckoning and fairytale-like. ! I love it!

These bunnies would look splendid upon the window sill…giving you added charm at every turn.

This is a great idea for a center piece for the center island in this kitchen. The idea of the topiary bunnies within a flowering pot is a great foundation…You could add some tall flowers, a miniature birdhouse or little bunnies on a stick and use green moss instead of the shredded paper. The finished product would bring forth a brilliantly, sanguine addition for your animated ambiance.

This next “cuisine” as the French would say for the word ‘kitchen,’ is distinctive, companionable, rich and warm in color and the lavished, polished woods are alluring to say the least. I adore the overhead lighting, the eat in bar around the center island and it’s spaciousness is ingenious for your magical look.

The color palette I would choose for this kitchen would be gold or amiable yellows, mixed with a very subtle, pastel grey, light hue of rose and different shades of green. (And of course, use the highlights of black and white to tie in the appeal of this quaint kitchen.) The bunny, (or bunnies ) would need to be colorful yet resplendent and heartwarming as well.

There is nothing like a fetching birds nest amongst an array of majestic flowers to bring the glorious theme of ‘nature’ into your room.

A few of these rabbit throw pillows would be wonderful for the black, artful bar stools in this ‘cuisine.’

I adore this bunny lamp…It is not only classy but the colors are so vibrant and charming!

A great dish for assorted potpourri’s or candies…even filling this bowl with small sea shells would be a soothing and refreshing added touch.

Here are some great artful concepts for table settings…I love all the creative napkin ideas. These are great colors for this kitchen.

How about a kitchen with warm layers of shades of green already incorporated in the kitchens foundation. If you currently have a green and white kitchen, you are already ‘half way there’ in your preparation for a magical enchanting ambiance. This particular kitchen is a French country ‘cuisine,’ (as they call it,) but its’ decor of roosters, ( the French’s national symbol,) can easily be exchanged with your relished displays of natures colorful bounty as well as your kitchens new guest of honor, the “whimsical bunny.”) 🙂 I will be illustrating some “Bunny” Back-splashes for your stove tops later on in this blog…a new way to add the ‘decor of your choice,’ to your kitchen.

Lets begin our decor with the eye-catching , “center of attention.” Your rabbit! For this ‘cucino,’ I think going with a color palette of diverse greens, antique reds and a splash of blue amongst the whites would be a great choice. This guy is way to cute! 🙂

These would be great accents, adding more hues of green and soft creamy whites. (Both very whimsical and dreamy.)

Another bright, clever and felicitous decorative item.

Charming and warm… Very easy to create and yet it looks like it took hours! 🙂

In this case, less is more. 🙂 He’s so adorable! (Okay, maybe add a bright yellow bow around his chubby neck…)

Whether you choose fresh or dried flowers, both are notably enhancing to any room in your home as they add texture and color and are a beautiful, whimsical decorative item.

A throw pillow, cozily nestled in a chair, always adds texture, layers and warmth…These pillows are especially amiable and welcoming…I enjoy all the lovely, vibrant colors and their faces are so life like, playful and cute. (The kind of ‘cute’ where you want to ‘pinch their cheeks.’ ) 🙂

Don’t underestimate some wondrous and delectable baked good around your kitchen to bring your theme even further home… These are so cute and I bet they taste out of this world!

You can never go wrong with a Beatrix Potter plate. What an talented artist. 🙂

This next kitchen is so warm, rustically inviting and filled with hospitality. It creates a very welcoming home for your ‘whimsical and enchanted bunny.’

The main color scheme of this room is definitely the charming mixture of vintage and French Country woods with some accent colors of green, reds and butter cream yellows. This center piece is breathtaking, winning and top-notch, I absolutely want one!

A few more ideas to add color and warmth to your ‘place of creation,’ your kitchen,

These additional flower pots are bright, chic and motley… “Colors are the smile of nature.” ~ Leigh Hunt…

This would be a great throw pillow for the kitchen chairs… It’s creative, artful and original.

This delightful kitchen is bright, cheery and overflowing with warmth. The color scheme I would go with would be a myriad of shades of blue, green and white, with accent colors in tones of buttery yellows and romantic- vibrant reds, with a touch of ‘pewter’ to add some classiness. The blue tile in this kitchen is refreshing and alluring, warmed by the soft, golden wood cabinetry. Beautifully winning!

Let’s choose the right Rabbit! I am thinking a shiny and animated bunny upon a red ‘hatbox.’ What do you think?

Decorating with pewter rabbits is another refined and baronial addition to your “Enchanted Kitchen.”

This elfin, enchanting miniature house would look captivating on the counter top, enhancing your fairytale ambiance.

This adorable glass tableaux would be a beautifully added touch to this kitchen’s center island with it’s hushed, pastel colors of nature and animated characters.

Filling up the recherche’ and quaint blithesome cabinets with a soft and artful collection of rabbit plates is a wonderful addition for your kitchen.

This plate would look great on a plate stand on the counter top…theses plates are all so beckoning, yet so diverse. . . Both would look gregarious and sublime in this statuesque kitchen.

An enlivening , colorful and ‘eye-catching’ wreath would add ample warmth and texture to this charming kitchen.

What an original, docile and creative decor piece. Very lovely and creative. 🙂

Some accent towels with an abundance of reds would be a delightful addition.

I love the rustic, soft feel of this charming kitchen. There is not a lot of space, but the chopping block has an area below that is perfect for an enchanted display or perhaps a few bunnies on the counter tops. This room already looks magical and cozy…I would stick with the color palette of diverse shades of blue grey, light brown and add a little bit of mirthful yellow and daring red for the accent colors.

This little guy still has his price tag on him. 🙂 If I were shopping, I’d take them both! They are so cozy, warm and snug…ideal for this kitchen.

The soft pewter plate and tan linen accent towel are novel and yet admirably hospitable.

These little casual guys would look marvelous atop the shelf…they are euphorically playful as well as diaphanous.

Your enchanted look would not be the same without some of natures exuberant beauty…whether delicate birds nests or the vibrant greens in this charming rabbit and sylvan floral basket …be sure to include them in your over all decor.

This kitchen is absolutely one of my favorites. It looks like a Kitchen in a popular TV sitcom show like “Happy Days” or a heartwarming, Doris Day movie, where all you feel is a cordial invitation to stay, chat, have some coffee, a glass of wine and you have this instinctive feeling that any minute now, you are going to hear; “Oh, you just have to stay for dinner.” This kitchen embodies an abundance of ‘built in’ charm… It’s just crying out for all those rabbits to come and set up their residency there ! 🙂

In pondering over what the color theme for this kitchen should be, I came up with a cheerful yellow, a potpourri of brown tones, lively greens and an accent of serene blues. There is plenty of space for your decor amongst the center – Island, a plate rack, a quaint shelf and an abundance of counter top space. These colors will add warmth and yet not be overwhelming.These brown tone bunnies would be ideal…I especially like the two bunnies with the umbrella…they would look very ‘dapper’ atop the center- Island with some fragrant as well as vibrant yellow roses.

This mirror is perfect for the shelf over the stove. Mirrors not only create a sense of space, but they gorgeously reflect colors and light, bringing forth depth and richness into your room. I like what the decorator has done with the bunnies, soft ribbons and outdoorsy ambiance with this mirror’s display!

I adore having throw pillows in my rooms… Not only do they add charm, personality and color but they beautifully reinforce your rooms theme as well.

These decorative bunny plates would look blissfully regal in the mirthful and stunning white glass cabinets.

This is a magical, enthralling centerpiece for your enchanted theme. It would look entrancing as well as sublime upon the polished and august center – island.

Magical! This would be a beautiful piece of artwork to frame for this kitchens wall…I would choose a white frame with a pale, blue or light tan matting. Don’t you just adore his face? (Now, if he were our pet, (like Grantham,) he would just have to look at me one time with those huge brown eyes, (like Grantham’s,) and I would give him as many carrots as he wanted. 🙂

For those of you who love the more natural look, these bunnies are a delightful pare.

A gleeful, stuffed bunny looks so welcoming in a chair or atop a shelf. She would be perfect for this Marion Cunningham kitchen. 🙂

I adore this galvanic, winsome and top-notch kitchen. It’s style is catching and fabulously inviting. There is not as much space in this ‘cucino’ as in some of the others, however, the eat in table is a perfect place to display a brilliant center piece to enhance your rooms enchanting ambiance.

Adding felicitous accent towels, a homemade bunny wreath with an abundance of green and white, along with the noble and quaint pair of magical rabbits would undoubtedly brighten this kitchen for your Picture-book patina.

This animated and stellar tableaux would make for a choice and riveting center piece.

More colorful and alluring throw pillows.! You know my motto… More is more…You can never have too many pillows…:)

These plates are so motley and chromatic…They would be a lovely addition to this kitchen…either hanging on the wall or sitting upon plate stands.

These adorable bunnies are so diverse in their colorings…I have never seen anything like them. I would place these on both sides of my kitchen sink! 🙂 (They even match the rabbit plates above beautifully!)

Lastly, for a fresh, crisp and pristine backdrop, an entirely white kitchen is galvanizing. It can be likened to a blank canvas…you get to choose the exact colors you want to bring forth for your rooms decor and style. This ‘cucino,’ festooned in our ‘enchanted theme’ will look absolutely marvelous, welcoming and winning. What would your color palette be?

You have plenty of ‘nooks and crannies,’ to display your elfin charm, a partial wall and amiable counter tops. Lets see what colors would liven this quaint and ornate room up…

I have in mind a more ‘formal and regal look’…Adding soft shades of green along with the poppy red towels, would bring warmth as well as spirit to this all white kitchen. I really like this inspiring, magical bunny wreath. 🙂

These two rabbits with the table display of birds and flowers is eminently luxurious. I think it is an ideal centerpiece for the center – island table.

This multicolored, gorgeous bunny would be a graceful and charming centerpiece as well . It could also be placed on the counter top or in one of the nooks and crannies in the Center Island table. She looks regal, refined and royal!

Another exquisite tableaux for this explosively beautiful kitchen. I adore these tall white candle holders with the creamy yellow pillar candles on top. It is so hard to decide… I love all three of them!

This little guy is a ‘must,’ with his top hat and cane. He is so full of personality and character.

It I was an animated , tiny, petite character, I’d take this house any day! 🙂

This piece of artwork would look divine, framed in a wooden frame with a pale, pastel rose color for the matting! How beautiful and opalescent.

This bunny is regal and courtly…proper and welcoming…He would make a great kitchen door stopper! 🙂 Did you ever think there would be so many bunny rabbits to choose from? I am sure you could find some of the Folklore bunnies, ( Peter Cotton Tail, Brer Rabbit, The velveteen rabbit etc…) in either ceramic decor, glass or even stuffed rabbits…I prefer the diversity of all different types of bunny rabbits. Remember, as you are creating this “Enchanted Kitchen,” you get to choose whatever colors, bunnies, flowers, trees, whimsical houses and forest critters that you want!

For those of you who have a stove top area that one of these Back-splash tile murals could be installed to enhance the beauty and theme of your room, here are some ideas for the “Enchanted Bunny kitchen.”

The repeated bunnies in the light sage green are resplendent. I adore the brown and light green one as well. Both of these Back- splash tiles are earthy, rustic and bring the outdoors glorious wonder into your kitchen.

This Back – splash tile looks like something out of Alice and Wonderland. It within itself is magical and enchanting!

If your little ones want to get in on all the excitement in creating this “Enchanted kitchen,” with you, here are a few craft ideas for them… (All you need is paper plates, cotton balls, glue, pipe cleaners, yarn and construction paper. (A Michaels or Holly Lobby close by would be great too.) 🙂

Before I leave you with my “Coconut carrot cake recipe,” to bring this blog to a ” bunny-luscious finale,”) 🙂 I have to share with you something I found out as I researched for this particular writing on the “Enchanted Kitchen,” (with bunnies as the “star of the show.”) 🙂

You have to meet Darius. (True Story.) I did a double-take when I first saw him, thinking it was a stuffed rabbit, but oh no…he is real. Darius is three years old and is the worlds largest bunny…he resides in the UK , is three years old, 4 feet, 3” long, weighs in at 50 pounds and is insured for 1.6 million dollars. He does not live in the wild…(He would never survive….) He has a beautiful home with an owner who dotes upon him and loves him very much. (I can certainly understand why.) 🙂

Darius, meet my readers, and readers, meet Darius! 🙂

Darius enjoying his afternoon snack. 🙂

The Continental Giant and his friend over for a play date. 🙂 (Don’t roll over on her Darius… You are bigger than you think.) 🙂

Can you even believe this? Perhaps some of you already knew about this Gentle Giant….Boy would Graham love one of these as his play mate… 🙂 (Well, maybe?)

OK, I would not be honest if I did not say that as I researched Darius, there was “breaking news” on another blog…” They now, have a new “winner.” With a diet costing his owner $90.00 a week. Another Bunnie from the UK, weighing in at 55 pounds and one year older than Darius is Ralph. All I can say is “Wonders never cease to amaze me.” Here is Ralph and believe me, not even one of these rabbits stuffed would fit in any of these kitchens we have looked at together! 🙂

If either one of these bunnies were put on a diet of this carrot cake recipe I am giving you, they would both be the ‘heavyweight championship bunnies of the universe.’ 🙂 It’s a very rich, moist, dense, delicious and ( mostly) a healthy cake. 🙂 Enjoy!!!

The Best Carrot Cake in the World! It’s bunny-luscious 🙂

You will need; 2 cups all purpose (unsifted) flour, 2 ½ tsp. Baking soda, 2 tsp. Cinnamon , 1 tsp. Salt, 1 cup oil, 2 cups sugar, 3 eggs, 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, 2 cups grated carrots, 1 cup shredded coconut, and ½ cup chopped pecans.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl, set aside.

In another bowl beat oil and eggs and sugar until well blended. Add flour mixture, beat until smooth. Blend in remaining ingredients and pour into greased 10 inch tube pan or 13×9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan then remove and frost.

Frosting, (This is the good part.) 🙂 You will need:

1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, 3 cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup shredded coconut,¼ cup butter + another ¼ cup of butter, 1 tsp vanilla and milk or half and half.

Saute coconut in butter until golden brown. Spread out on an absorbent paper, towel, allow to cool. Cream ¼ cup butter with cream cheese. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar alternatively with the milk and vanilla, beating until smooth. Add half of your browned coconut and stir into frosting. After your cake is frosted, top with the remaining browned coconut! (I use Coffee Mates liquid vanilla creamer and half and half cream instead of milk.I also use a tad bit more butter, creme cheese and coconut as well…(than is called for in the recipe.) 🙂

I just had to show you my “Mrs. Rabbit” from the above writing, sitting in her natural habitat when we lived in Arizona. She looked much more at home in our Living room, don;t you think?) 🙂

Enjoy!

If you have any questions, give me a holler on my Contact page. 🙂

PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where the picture originated from.

LINKS: To learn more about the newly added links within Living Winsomely, please read the blog “WE NOW HAVE LINKS” in the category section. 🙂

Additional Links:
Victoria Magazine
Country Living magazine

Set Your Lilliputian Watches, and “Don’t be late.”

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Susan

You are invited to a ‘day of fun, a tea pot full of laughter, a cup full of craziness, ambrosial cuisine and an abundance of childlike joy.’

There are so many delightful occasion’s to host a Tea for your friends or family! For instance, baby showers, weddings, birthdays, a celebration of the seasons, a farewell gathering, a promotion at work, a graduation and Valentines day. You really don’t have to have an occasion…perhaps it’s your hearts desire to create a blessed day of pampering for those you love most in life. There are also a myriad of Tea-themes…Your creative motif for your gathering could be fairytale stories, enchanted Tea’s, classic movies, your favorite TV show or famous novellas. The list goes on and on… Giving a Tea for your loved ones is actually a duel gift…it is a bestowal to them, as it gives each guest an entire afternoon of beauty, blissfulness, delicious cuisine, savory teas, sweet treats, serene music, an abundance of fun, reverie and wondrous fellowship. For you, the hostess, you are blessed to heaven and back by doing this “fun, labor of love,” for the people you care most about! 🙂

You have heard it said that, “A picture paints a thousand words.” Here are a few beautifully photographed types of Tea’s and their ‘themes’ to put away in your ” Ideas for giving a Tea” notebook. 🙂

This High Tea is a wondrous festivity that guests at the Ritz Carlton Hotel are blessed with. If you do not feel up to “doing all the ‘fun work,’ ” as I call it, then going to a stellar and Five Star hotel Tea is an ideal way to still enjoy the charms and utterly show-stopping ambiance of an afternoon filled with delightful indulgence.

There are an abundance of Tea houses, (just like Coffee houses,) that will pamper and treat you like a princess…They even supply the winsome ‘tea hats‘ for you. 🙂 This Tea is for little girls…it is so precious! (I love all the bright colors, animated hats and the layers, textures and brightly printed fabrics on the engaging tables. ) 🙂

This is what you would call a Royal and Formal tea in the 18th century… Both men and women attended, dressed in their “Sunday Best” as they enjoyed finger sandwiches, a delicious array of teas from the orient and sweet confections.

I am just guessing here, but this afternoon Tea theme looks like a celebration of the battle for ‘suffrage’ after the women’s struggle for 72 years to vote was WON…known as the Flapper days, it was a time in our country, (like the Cindy Lauper song says,) where girls really did ‘just want to have fun.’ 🙂

In my opinion, there is nothing more convivial than the theme of a “CHRISTMAS Tea.” There is already so much beauty, lush color and merriment of the season itself, that creating a Tea during this time is pure magic. A Very Romantic time of the year…

Springtime is one of the loveliest motifs for an afternoon tea as the weather is so beautiful outside and your home will look stunning and divine with all the lush green grass, chromatic flowers blooming and the aroma of the air is always so refreshing and invigorating! (The color pallet of bright red, pastel green, rose- pink and creamy whites is beautifully esthetic to the eyes and soul. )

An autumn Tea is still at the top of my list… 🙂 The air is brisk, your fireplace is calling out to be filled with fresh chopped wood to burn, enveloping candles with their dancing, petite flames warm up your every room and the kaleidoscopic colors have taken up residency within your beautiful,cozy haven. Your Tea’s menu can be a little bit heavier, thus you can cook up some great “comfort foods.” 🙂

Summer time Teas… Again, nature is your best friend in your presentation with it’s vivacious colors and the charm that only summer brings… Bright flowers, topiary trees, light menus of a chicken curry salad, fresh fruit in season, an ethereal lemon cake… you have a bounty of ingredients at your disposal to create an eminently memorable and splendid party for your friends.

A wintry motif for your Tea is also quite engaging and enticing! There is nothing lovelier than ‘winter whites’ festooning your dining table as well as home! Another advantage during this season is that you can employ your beautiful fireplace and a myriad of lit candles to charm your guests.

A Saint Patty’s Day motif is exceedingly popular… If green is your favorite color, it would be a celebration of pure reverie as you prepare for an afternoon Tea for this happy and joyful occasion.

I just had to show you this St. Patrick’s day cake that I found…. Now is this a Five Star confection, or what? It’s amazing what the creative mind and God given talent can do. 🙂

An exquisite and delicious work of art!

Lastly, (though the possibilities of imaginative motifs, are endless…) is a Valentines day Tea. It’s the most romantic day of the year …The month of February is an exuberantly bright month of color and alluring ambiance as you bedeck your home with Valentine cheer… Red is the perfect hue for your color pallet, mixed with shades of pinks, roses, highlighted with adoring, creamy whites.

Your invitation today is to glean some ideas for an afternoon Tea with a “Mad Hatter” theme… This Tea’s sole purpose is to bring forth an abundance of laughter, fun and craziness with all of your guests, and yes, that means you too! 🙂 It will be a day of bliss, childlike whimsy, appetizing cuisine, imagination and an abundance of bright color!

This is ‘my rendition’ of a “Mad Hatters” afternoon Tea…I know there are many diverse and wonderful versions out there to choose from… I hope that this blog gives you some thoughts to ponder, starts your “creative juices flowing,” and is a foundation to plan your very own “Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea.”

We are all familiar with the story about the ‘original Mad Hatter, right out of the Disney produced movie, Alice in Wonderland. This bizarre and quirky character, originated in the brilliant mind of English author Lewis Carol,when he wrote his novel,” Alice in Wonderland,” in 1865…Later, in the year 1910, it was made into a British silent film, and of course, since then, become a very popular story that has been made into several American movies. It’s a tale about a little girl who falls down a rabbit hole and meets a potpourri of eccentric characters…(one of which is the Mad Hatter.) The Mad Hatter is ” forever and unremittingly,” having tea with the March Hare, thus you get the popular motif of a ‘Mad Hatter tea party.’ (I wonder if Mr. Carol knew how influential he would be in the 21st century.) 🙂 This Mad Hatter ladies Tea will be a ‘touch of ‘ the magic of the story of Alice and Wonderland, mixed with enchantment, games, delicious cuisine, and a wealth of laughter, mirth and FUN!

First things first…

THE DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER!

( These quotes are all about laughter and fun…it’s medicine for the soul! ) I can assure you, these are the real gifts you will be giving your guests today! 🙂

“I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” ~ Woody Allen

“At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.” ~ Jean Houston

” Laughter is an instant vacation.” ~Milton Berle

“Mirth is God’s medicine …Everybody ought to bathe in it.” ~Henry Ward Beecher

“Watching a child’s laughter teach a candles flame how to dance.” ~ Dr. Sun Wolf.

“I’ve always thought that a big laugh, is a really loud noise from the soul saying, “Ain’t that the truth!” ~ Quincy Jones

“You can’t deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants to.” ~ Stephen King

For this imaginative Mad Hatter afternoon Tea, ask every lady to arrive in her favorite, creative and colorful hat. (If she does not own a hat, it is all the better as she can create the hat of her dreams.) When you write out your invitations for your Tea, make sure they know that there will be a prize for the most creative and eye-catching ‘HAT.’ (Believe me, people are motivated when you have door prizes. 🙂 To get your “creative hat juices” flowing, here are a few ideas.

A beautiful array of stylish, Victorian hats…

lovely, soft and feminine hats….

WOW! These spectacular hats are more on the “wild and crazy side.” Very creative!

Fanciful and dramatically regal…I love the red and purple combination! Very flashy! 🙂

Have fun and create one for yourself as well! 🙂 (Your door prize will be the felicity and laughter that wearing a colorful and blithesome hat will bring you and your guests.) 🙂

You will be a busy lady the day of the party as well as the day before, but it is all a gratifying and blithesome ‘busy.’ 🙂

You already have a theme… Now you want to concentrate on your home and it’s alluring appeal! I personally, would go with a formal table, linen napkins, fine china and a wealth of color… Tall pillar candles in hurricane glass lamps are stunning, but the important thing to remember is to ‘just have an abundance of candle light on the table and throughout your home.’ 🙂

It is always fabulously popular and luxurious using a white linen table cloth…make sure you bring your color onto the table through your flowers, napkins, centerpiece or flowers. (The candles can be bright as well…) I love the rose colored linen napkins with the white, but you can choose your own color pallet, and stay within those colors. This Tea party can be a little on the “wild and extreme” side. This would make a cute centerpiece with the March Hare motif… Displaying topiary trees is always a novel and lively idea… Don’t be afraid to add some bright color to your trees…cut out some bright colored polka dots for your topiary’s, bedeck them with dried roses or entrancing, motley floral garlands.

Whatever China or dinnerware you choose to use for your Tea, will be perfect…This particular pattern is beautiful with a bright color motif. It’s stunning and generously adds prestige to a regal and formal presentation…

Here are some more decorative table ideas… The rose heart wreath is so romantic and colorful…. it is stirring and poignant with the green and rose china this hostess has chosen to display. White upon white is always noble and august. Your party favors atop the napkins and bright flowers will assuredly bring an abundance of color to your blissful table

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You can never go wrong with a breathtaking floral arrangement as your centerpiece…These two arrangements are absolutely statuesque.

On a separate table, either in your dining room, (if it is large enough,) or set out in your living room, create your theme all over again with different decor items…(You can keep it simple.) 🙂

If you are a connoisseur of tea pots like I am, you will have a few to chose from. Perhaps you have a particular tea pot that you love, use that one. Place the tea pot along side your three tiered cake plates filled with sweet confections… Here are a few ideas of some easy and simple things to create for your Tea. Fresh in-season fruits are not only healthy and delicious, but they are very colorful and create a beautiful presentation. (Especially strawberries, raspberries, red cherries and fresh pineapple.) Bake some of your favorite cookies, or place some elegant Pepperidge Farm decorative cookies out. Baked scones are delicious, a diversity of flavored Biscotti or Dove dark chocolates wrapped in the royal,splendid red paper is very esthetic to the eyes… (and a sweet treat for the tummy.) 🙂

Now a days, the “in craze” is mixing and matching your tea cups…You can give each guest a different cup if you like…It’s fun and creative. (If you do not have a set of tea cups for 8-10 ladies, don’t forget, there are plenty of “great finds” at your local thrift stores.

More ideas of the wondrous idea and freedoms of mix and match! 🙂 Don’t you love it?

There are an abundance of ideas for your tiered plate displays…If you don’t have a tiered confections plate, a few trays on the table will look just as nice. If you would like to serve a cake for dessert, you can always display an array of crackers and cheese, healthy fresh vegetables with a delightful dip and some petite, sour cream biscuits with homemade jam. It’s all up to you!

Another beautiful tea pot…I personally love the chintz china. It’s divine charm is captivating! Mary Engelbreit has a collection of clever and charmingly cute tea pots as well…(In fact they fit the Mad Hatter theme perfectly.) Be inspired to dauntlessly place out any special touches you want to add throughout your living room, dining room and the Ladies Room, (the three rooms your guests will ‘frequent,’) 🙂

This tree is so cute… In this photograph, It is in the front yard to greet the ladies as they arrive to your wondrous Tea…It would look adorable to fix up a topiary tree in your home that resembles this tree…with your creative touches! I thought these cookies were so cute and befitting for this Tea as well.

Two more ‘March Hare’ rabbits…Both very chipper and celebratory, along with another beautiful side tablescape with pastries and decadent strawberries! (I adore all of the spring colors. )

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OK…You’ve done your table, your house is looking spectacular at this time… your sweet confections are all baked, ordered from the bakery or have been bought… You need to decide if you want to do individual tea bags for your guests, (just having hot water in your tea pot,) or whether you are going to make one large pot of Earl Grey, cinnamon apple or whatever delicious tea you would like to serve. Be sure to put sugar and cream out as well.

Your luncheon menu can be made first thing in the morning. My Tea’s always begin at 12:00 noon, leaving me at least half a day to do last minute preparations! My suggestion , (and I will give you the recipe) is a dish that everyone has adored…A Bacon spinach quiche… I bake two for up to 10 guests. Along side of the quiche, I make a large tossed spinach salad with raspberries and pecans. I will give you the recipe for that as well… Those two items along with some hard rolls from the bakery , accompanied by creamy butter, is plenty for your guests… (You will most likely have some ladies that have seconds, and I always have some quiche leftover for my husband’s dinner that night!) (There is no-way, I am cooking two times the day of my Tea.) 🙂

Heat up your rolls right before serving and toss your salad about 10 minutes before your ladies are seated.

I usually make a homemade cake for my Teas… Knowing the ladies will enjoy that slice of cake on a less “full tummy,”, I fill my three tiered cake stand with fresh fruit, a few chocolates and maybe a few decorative cookies…Nothing to heavy as the guests look forward to a slice , (or sliver) 🙂 of cake and tea before they have to leave their day of reverie and fun. 🙂

For your Mad Hatter Tea... there are a few cakes that would fit your wild and fun motif… I always make the same cake as it is a winner…It is my Coconut carrot cake with pecans, topped off with a delicious creme cheese frosting. It has always been “everyone’s favorite.” 🙂

A delicious coconut carrot cake “all dressed up for a Tea.”

A whimsical Mad Hatter’s cake…This looks very daring but delicious! (You could choose your favorite flavors for each of the layers! 🙂

My coconut carrot cake, not dressed up, instead, its serene and simple. 🙂 It looks pretty either way!

Music? It is up to you…for my Teas, I put melodic, easy listening CD’son or make up a playlist on my computer and keep the sound low, just as back ground music. I would suggest, Josh Grobin, Andrea Bocelli, Piano music by Jim Brickman or the renowned Pavarotti! Don’t forget, You can always check out your favorite CD’s at your local Library.

Every Tea should have some party favors… Nothing extravagant, just a little something that you, as the hostess, creates and places at their individual table setting. It makes each guest feel very special and coddled. 🙂

With some fancy, sheer decorative fabric, glass votive candle holders, tea light candles, ribbon and fresh coffee beans you can easily create 8-10 of these for your guests. (It is not only attractive to the eyes, but charmingly creative as well.) A petite tea infuser for two is another lovely gift!

With your sheer material, and small candle holder, you can place a colorful votive candle within each glass and wrap them with the fabric and ribbon… they are adorable and will undoubtedly add a wealth of color to your table. Another clever idea, and cunningly creative is a tea bag wrapped in sheer fabric with a tiny gold teaspoon tied to it with dainty ribbon or gold twine. All of these are wondrous party favors as well as inexpensive.

You will also need a gift for each lady… These too are not to be expensive or lavish. You will be playing two games during the tea…One is a great party for the time your gathered at the table, and the other game, (The Famous Person ‘Hat’ game,) is a great ice breaker for the first hour of your Tea…(after your guests have arrived, and have their cup of tea and a cookie in hand.) 🙂 There will be one winner for each game and then the rest of your ladies will be delighted that they too will receive a beautifully wrapped gift ‘just for being there.’ 🙂

Here are some gift ideas as well as creative ways to wrap them to match your colorful and kaleidoscopic Mad Hatters motif.

Votive candles in pretty packaging is always a welcomed gift as well as the Victorian style festooned, lovely soaps.

Assorted hand and body lotions as well as a Mad Hatter charm bracelet, (or any motif of a charm bracelet) is an ideal bestowal .

You can never go wrong with soy candles in bright, beautiful colors… Finding creative jars or bottles and filling them with sweet, colorful candies… (M&M’s or fiery red, cinnamon bears,) is a cordial as well as delicious gift. 🙂

These lovely tokens with the popular Skittle candies or renowned Jelly Belly’s are also another great door prize and gift!

Adorable and inviting mugs for coffee, tea or hot chocolate in the brisk autumn and wintry months, are a lovely gift as well as a cheerful and perky tea pot!

Creative and motley picture frames are always a blessing and a ‘sure to be used’ gift. This one is especially alluring with it’s unique design and antiquated look with the romantic jewelry!

Here are some creative wrapping ideas. (Gift bags are also a wondrous way to wrap your door prizes! )

Your first gift will go to the winner of the most creative hat.… (You can hand out voting cards if you like so that all of your guests “have the honor” of choosing the winner, 🙂 or you can do it yourself.) The second door prize will go to the winner of the “Famous Person Hat Game,) and the third will go to the ” Mystery Word game winner.” If you have invited 8 ladies, then the other five will receive the last gifts, (just because! ) 🙂 Knowing what is underneath the beautiful and decorative wrapping, you can choose the gift for each winner and guest, or creatively display theme out on a table and let them choose their own.

The first game, (The famous Hat game,) is actually in the blog called ‘The Famous People game.’ The only thing that changes is that you will put the name tags of famous people who are known to wear hats. Check that game out and apply every rule to this game. (It is very simple, easy and FUN.) Here are some examples of some renowned “hat” people. This is such a chimerical game. 🙂

Jackie Kennedy, Fred Astaire, Queen Elizabeth, the famous Santa Claus, Tim McGraw, Barbara Streisand, Abe Lincoln, Michael Jackson, Clive Owen, Audry Hepburn, Johnny Depp and Aretha Franklin.

I am sure you can think of many more, these are just some ideas. Have fun!

Your second game is best introduced and played when you are all sitting down at the table. It too is in the Game category, called the “Mystery Word game.” It is enormously fun and competitive…You can make the “secret word” part of your theme… Words like “rabbit hole,” “fairytale,” “blissful,” or the name of the author of Alice in Wonderland, “Lewis.” All the things you need to know are in the blog , again this game is very simple and a lot of fun. It can also can get exceedingly competitive as the ladies begin ‘guessing’ and ‘saying’ all different kinds of words in their sentences, (that they think the ‘mystery word is,’) so they can WIN the game. 🙂

After you have all eaten until you can’t possibly take another bight, suggest that everyone goes to a more comfortable seat, the living room. 🙂 Have everyone take their tea or coffee and just relax! If it is a wintry day, enjoy the fireplace… Most of the ladies at my Teas stay until they have to journey home to cook dinner for their own gang! 🙂 (5:30 or 6:00 PM.) You? Go and run a hot bubble bath, give your husband quiche for dinner and ask him to clean up the Kitchen. 🙂 (Or if he is to tired from his long day at work, leave the dishes until the morning! )

The most important part of this entire day is that you and your guests have FUN… The games bring an abundance of mirth and are great ice breakers… Each guest will be going home with a delightful gift, party favor and a resplendent memory of a day of being treated like royalty…They will feel as if they have been pampered at the spa. 🙂 Their soul will be lighter because of how much they laughed…they will think about how (in the beginning,) they were a little shy to wear a ‘big, bright colorful hat,’ but now, they don’t want to take it off! 🙂 You will miss their presence, all the felicity that filled your home and will already be looking for another theme, or occasion to give another Tea. 🙂

In writing this blog, I enjoy sharing with you, my reader, the ideas I have and what has been successful for me in the Tea’s I have given. Remember, this is your Tea...so create it exactly how you would like it to be… I know it will be lovely. 🙂

For your Coconut carrot cake recipe as well as Raspberry salad and Bacon spinach quiche, go to the “unforgettable recipes” category…The carrot cake is called “Bunny -luscious carrot cake.”

For your two games, go to the”Fabulous party games for every entertaining event,” category and you will find “The Famous People game” for your hat game…it’s the exact game, only your subject is a little different with the hats. The second game is the “Mystery Word game.” Have an absolutely wonderful day and relish this time with your loved ones! 🙂

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Additional Links:
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Country Living magazine

There are many stories told and memories made on our PORCHES!

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Susan

THE DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER:

“I’m an old fashioned guy…I want to be an old man with a beer belly, sitting on a porch looking at a lake or something.” ~ Johnny Depp.(I can just imagine him saying this too!)

“When I was about three, my grandfather used to give me and my sister a nickel to sit on the front porch with him and sing songs.” ~ Tommy Shaw

“I live in New York and it’s the greatest city but sometimes I want to move to the place with the porch and the lemonade and the farm.” ~Leelee Sobieski

“Our Porches! They invite cozy conversations, mirthful celebrations with friends and family and hours of blithesome repose.”

Whether you call it your front porch, the verandah, your back porch or the piazza , this special place that we absolutely love to spend as much time as possible, truly is a gift, a lagniappe that is greater than the structure of it’s four walls. I have often thought to myself, “If this porch could hear, I can only imagine the secrets it could tell as well as the books it could write on all that it’s ears have taken in.”

Our porches, just like our homes, reflect our personalities. Some porches are ‘for looks only,’ while others carry the demeanor of being broken in and lived upon daily. They are as much fun to decorate as the rooms in your home as you fill them with all the things you love, your favorite colors and your very own signature STYLE.

I absolutely adore this home, or should I say this waterfront , par-excellence mansion, classy estate or bite-size castle? It is alluring to the senses, showstopping with it’s divine structure, period look, and is so stunning as well as junoesque. It encourages one to dream of many happy years within (and outside of) it’s borders. A porch this large is the perfect place for an evening of delectable appetizersand fine wine, a ladies Tea or telling ghost stories in the summer months with the thunderstorms in the background,(the most excellent and ideal milieu.) (We can always dream, can’t we?) 🙂

This porch is dressed to the hilt for the Christmas season... It’s not only inviting but beautifully creative. I love the red check pillows amidst the black cushion, cuddly brown pillow and fresh, crisp white embroidered linen. What a classy combination. The grey wicker furniture is a perfect match for the colors chosen as it only enhances this porches cozy and warm appeal. This sweet and winning verandah beckons you to grab a warm sweater, a soft throw to snuggle up with, a hot cup of coffee and to come, sit and stay awhile!I

How about a lovely, romantic dinner for two on your porch? With the ideal weather, ethereal temperatures, captivating table setting and shimmering candle light, this porch is an excellent stage for an intimate dinner with the one you love, (or are falling in love with 🙂 ) Very impressive!

This porch is large enough for a potpourri of tables to be set up for a small gathering or a glamorous and enchanting night of formal entertaining. The view from this verandah is so exhilarating and soothing to the soul with all the lush shades of green…it exudes LIFE! I could see myself out here every morning with my coffee, magazine, beloved novel or my journal. (And a space heater if the winter season has arrived.) 🙂

I loved the quote above, by Leelee Sobieski about living in the prominent city …There are so many blessings in living “the big city life.” Especially in such fascinating and timeless metropolis’ such as Washington DC, New York, Chicago or the midtown and port of Philadelphia. Penthouses, apartments and condominiums are wonderful abodes, but often times, they do not offer the luxury of a piazza. If you are in a home that does not have a porch, but you are blessed with a back yard, I love the idea of creating a resplendent and graceful sitting area out doors that friends can gather, or a place that you can saunter off to, that brings you gladness and many hours of pure reverie. This outdoor creation will not only enhance your life, give you an additional room to your home but will bring you an outflow of joy , happiness and beauty.

Two of these back yard works of art, are very fancy and formal, while the third back yard is beautiful with nature doing all the hard work! 🙂 Your backyard creation can be whatever you would like it to be, a picnic table or wicker furniture, adorned with bright pillows, and striking throws. Fresh flowers, dried roses or incandescent painted chairs create color and are eminently inviting. We have a homemade bonfire pit in our back yard and some of my most treasured memories are those we have made sitting on a plastic chair, wrapped in a warm jacket, glass of wine in hand, enjoying hot appetizers with great company! I guarantee you, it will be the conversations, laughs, smiles and friendships your amongst that will create your fond and precious memories .

As a little girl, I will never forget visiting my father’s family in North Carolina. (Having lived In South Carolina,) I will tell you that besides their adoration for delectable “home-cooking,” the residents of the Carolina’s are lovers of front porches, back porches, side porches, you name it! My father’s aunt sat with me on her front porch, (she had a beautiful cottage style home,) teaching me how to prepare fresh, green beans in the sweltering southern heat. ( Southerner’s know this…the humidity in the summer is so thick that you can cut it with a knife.) 🙂 As the perspiration was dripping down my face, I learned how to pick the best green beans, how to snap them correctly and get them ready for cooking. I felt so grown up! (I also got to hear lots of talk about how beautiful and exquisite my mom was in her twenties, and how her nephew was the one that caught my moms heart, out of all the beaus she could have had.) I already KNEW the story, I just wanted to hear it again, and again!) 🙂 I can’t leave out all the times my husband, Graham and I sat on the porch of my cousins antebellum countryside home, watching his kids set off fireworks over their many acres of land, and eating scrumptious boiled peanuts! Those were the days! There is nothing like the mighty Oak tree in the south, (and I am still looking for the scrumptious boiled peanuts in Delaware.) 🙂

Our dear friends and neighbors have a beautiful screened in back porch. All of the mornings, afternoons and evenings my husband, Grantham and I have spent on their endearing porch remind me of the quote by John Masefield. “Happiness flutters in the air while we rest among the breaths of nature.” Talk about an atmosphere filled with Sylvan charm, their garden amidst the lush grass, the undomesticated woods that line the back of their lot is like encountering a spring time pageantry. The hours spent on this piazza were hours of pure joy, felicity and blissfulness as we told stories, shared our lives, laughed, cried, prayed, reminisced together, tasted delicious snacks and appetizers as well as shared many a cup of Starbucks coffee, fine wine or an ice cold beer. Right outside the screens of this porch is a view that took my breath away… often times, we’d see baby deer eating fresh corn on the lawn and chubby groundhogs waddling in circles, (they love to ruin your gardens you know? ) 🙂 (But they are so darn cute!) We also beheld an abundance of squirrels scurrying , picking up whatever they could find to eat, wild turkeys yelping as they trotted across the lawn, bunny rabbits with their adorable babies and of course the magical twinkling fireflies charming us all as they gathered by the porch but also presented their show afar in the wild ivy and trees of the woods.

Then of course there is ‘the porch swing’ stories….that is another blog at another time! 🙂

Whether you have a grandeur verandah, a cozy, inviting screened in backyard porch, a piazza in your front yard where you sit and chat with friendly neighbors or an outside area that you’ve created yourself, take time to make it your own, and spend as many hours as possible within it’s glorious presence, creating many a heartwarming memory to bring you an abundance of smiles now and in your future.

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LINKS: If you would like to learn more about the purpose of the newly added ‘links’ within Living Winsomely, read the blog; “WE NOW HAVE LINKS.” 🙂

Additional Links:
Victoria Magazine
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