Author:Lori

New York, New York!

August 17
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I hope you enjoyed seeing the shopping excursion we had on our family getaway…and I’m continuing on this week with a common theme:  New York!  There’s so many wonderful sights and sounds in the Big Apple…I can only scratch the surface!  One thing that surprised me on our visit was how comfortable it felt to be there.  Even through all the hustle and bustle, it was still somehow comforting, as though we had lived there all along.  It was easy to keep bearings so it felt as though we totally knew where we were going…most of the time! I was also shocked at how certain areas of the city were so NOT crowded…like we could be walking in a downtown neighborhood almost anywhere!  But no matter where we were, or how many people were around, there was ALWAYS something fun to see or experience! And though much of the scenery is a familiar sight for most, actually being there and seeing it for real is something that I can’t quite totally describe!  So that said, let me show you NYC from my perspective!

“i want to be a part of it…”

The “ABCs” of Shopping!

August 15
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I’ve been doing a lot of talking about our wonderful weekend trip to New York City a couple weeks ago!  It was my first visit and one I won’t soon forget!  And even though it was a whirlwind couple of days, we had so much fun packing in shopping, eating, and TONS of sight seeing!  Anyone who’s had the good fortune to spend time there knows that there’s no end to all the things you can do and see in that great city…so we need to go again, and again…and again!  When I asked one of my friends, who’s very familiar with the city, what shops we should see while we were there she told me that I absolutely HAD to visit ABC Carpet & Home….ABC Carpet & Home?? I wasn’t expecting that one.  Sounding a bit utilitarian, I have to admit initially it didn’t sound all that appealing.  But knowing she has such impeccable taste I went straight to the computer and googled…let me tell you that she was so totally right!  I can’t even begin to tell you how awesome their site is…and it goes without saying that the real deal is even better!  Let me share with you some of the best shopping I’ve ever experienced…

NYC shopping treaure…

Time to Celebrate!

August 10
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It’s always fun to celebrate birthdays!  And like I said last week…we have plenty of opportunities to get festive with family members and special friends who all entered this world during the summer months!  So over the weekend we spent some time making merry on the day our youngest was born!  For each family birthday we normally have the tradition of going out for a special meal…but this year we decided to change it up a bit and cook something right at home.  Since it had only been a week since we got back from a long weekend in New York City (where delightful food was abundant) everyone was on board with the “dinner at home” idea this time around!  I love the tradition of celebrating together over a wonderful meal.  It really doesn’t matter if it’s fancy or simple, at a restaurant or at home…gathering around the table is always a treat, especially when you have a special occasion that brings family together!  This year the birthday request was for king crab legs…something I’ve never served before!  But half the fun is in the preparations…and fortunately for me my parents were here to help AND my hubby is pretty darn good in the kitchen, or in this case, with the grill!  Take a peek at our birthday fun…

a seafood celebration!

A House Full of Birthdays

August 8
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I can’t believe the first week of August has ended already!  Where has the summer gone?  And even though this month brings with it the return to school…in our house it also brings plenty of birthday celebrations!  So this year I decided to create something festive on my chalk mantle, which had been neglected lately due to all of our summer activities.  Normally I would create a seasonal chalk drawing, something that I could leave up for at least a month or two!  But while trying to decide what to put up there for the late summer, or even if I should paint over it, the idea came to mind of displaying a birthday message for all who celebrate!  And bonus, the birthdays are all spread out so I can still leave it up for more than a few days!  Why not make it a prolonged party?  So if you have some celebrations that are within reach of one another…go ahead and extend the festivity!

let’s celebrate!

Pretty as a Box of Rocks?

August 3
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You know how much I like to create displays without spending money, right?  You also know by now that most of my projects are ones that you can create with the help of family members…if you want!  Sometimes you can kill two birds by keeping your kids busy or just creating family togetherness AND turning the outcome into a beautiful addition to the home!  Well today I’ve got a good one…a project that potentially can cost close to zero and requires minimal supplies that you may have at home!  Interested?  If so, have the kids go find some simple rocks, grab some tape and a little paint…and turn a box of rocks into something wonderful!

the beauty of a rock…

Breakfast Send Off!

August 1
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Last Thursday morning we made a special breakfast treat to celebrate spending a long weekend in New York City!  We were all very excited to go so I thought it was a perfect time to try a fun and easy breakfast idea that I was pretty certain my boys would LOVE!  Since we weren’t leaving until after lunch, why not make the morning as festive as the anticipation of fun in the big city?  So let me share our breakfast celebration…so easy you could even do it on a school morning!  Maybe a first-day-back idea?  Have a peek at the ooey, gooey sweetness…

celebrate in cinnamon roll style!

Good Night in White!

July 27
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I’ve been doing quite a bit of painting lately…for my Giggle creations, in my home, and as I posted on Monday…just about anything I can get my hands on!   My color of choice these days–white!  Each spring I love to purge my home of unnecessary clutter, a popular time of year to clean & organize.  But this year I also wanted to lighten and refresh my indoor spaces and there’s no better color than white to make things seem clean and bright!  I’ve learned over the years that for me, neutral colors work best for my walls and upholstery pieces…even though I am a sucker for color and pattern!  It takes great restraint on occasion when shopping for furniture or choosing paint colors since I usually gravitate toward choices far from neutral!  But I can keep my passion for patterns and ever changing color loves alive in my home when I purchase pillows, artwork, rugs, and accessories.  These things can often be inexpensive so I can swap them out when I feel the need for change!  So the latest room in need of something fresh happened to be our bedroom.  I sometimes feel like the bedroom is one of the last rooms I spend time on.  I suppose that’s because nobody really sees it but us!  And like many families, our bedroom is an accumulation of hand-me-down furniture and mismatched pieces that we love…but don’t really go together!  I had already painted some of our bedroom furniture to help remedy that situation but I wasn’t completely satisfied with the room as a whole.  I was ready for an update and the easiest way to do it was to paint the walls…and sticking to my personal lessons learned, I chose white!  See the simple ways I updated our space just by painting, a little organizing, and keeping things I love near!

bright mornings = good mornings!

Paint and a Pineapple…

July 25
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I LOVE paint!  It can transform any ordinary item into something special!  It’s really one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to make a decorative change…and in my opinion, there’s not much that’s off limits!  Summer is one of the best times of year to have some fun with the colorful stuff…you can spread out the drop cloth and have at it outside!  I’ve got a long list of items that I’d like to change with a can or two of paint…patio chairs, stools, some metal trays, and flower pots.  But the other day I decided to try something unexpected…a pineapple!  I’m sure you may have seen similar ideas before…if not painted pineapples maybe pumpkins or gourds, but I’ve been on a pineapple kick lately so I thought I’d give the tropical fruit a new look! Even though it’s a temporary display if you use fresh produce, it’s completely worth it…and in many cases, you can still eat it after!  See how easy it is to create something wonderful with paint and a pineapple!

unexpected paint job!

Sand Art Centerpiece

July 20
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Do you remember sand art projects as a kid?  Simple containers filled with whimsical layers of color in soft, beach-swept patterns!  Sand art creations are so intriguing and very easy to make, which is why they’re a top pick for crafting with the kiddos!  And bonus…they’re still as fun to create as an adult as it was as a kid so why not make a grown-up version!?  Today I’d like to share a really fun and easy project that can be turned into a unique centerpiece for any room…all inspired by craft sand!  I decided to head to the craft store to grab some sand supplies to make something fun for my table and was also thrilled to discover how inexpensive the jars of colored sand actually were!  So I grabbed a few of my favorites and came straight home to complete my crafty task!  I adore projects that are quick and easy…see how simple it is to make a summer inspired centerpiece!

mini sand dune sculptures…

Stroll Through the Garden…

July 18
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I’m sure you can gather from my recent posts that we had a wonderful visit to Michigan…hitting the beaches and getting a little retail therapy in the shops of Grand Rapids, Ludington, and all the places in between!  But we also had time at the end of each day to relax at the home I grew up in.  However, the word “relax” isn’t in my youngest son’s vocabulary so we also spent some of those hours playing whiffle ball in the back yard!  But time in my parent’s yard is wonderful time spent…the garden spaces are filled with beauty and inspiration, a perfect place to unwind and enjoy–after the ball game of course!  I always love to see what new additions might be growing in the garden each time we visit!  And this year my mom was asked if her garden could be on the tour for the local Garden Show, so she had already been working hard to make it picture perfect before we arrived (even though it always looks that way, in my opinion).  I know she’s modestly believing her gardens aren’t what all the ladies might be expecting on the tour that takes place tomorrow…but I think you’ll agree with me when you see the images I’m going to share that hers might actually be the highlight of the show!  Have a peek…

garden inspiration…