Time to Ponder Life

Be . . .

What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.
It is the little shadow which runs across the grass
and loses itself in the sunset.

-Crowfoot, Native American Orator

It is that time of year that we think about what has been and what will be. An unlived life is full of "could of," "would of," and "should of." Greet each new day, each moment with the eyes of unlimited possibility and hope of what you can be.


Be Passionate "I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart." -Vincent Van Gogh

Be Alive "The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Be Present "In life there are no ordinary moments. Most of us never really recognize the most significant moments of our lives when they are happening."
-Kathleen Magee

Be Brilliant "Do more than exist, live.
Do more than touch, feel.
Do more than look, observe.
Do more than read, absorb.
Do more than hear, listen.
Do more than listen, understand.
Do more than think, ponder.
Do more than talk, say something."

- John H. Rhoades

Be Extraordinary "It is up to you to illuminate the world." - Phillippe Venier

Be Open " Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
- Roald Dahl

Just BE . . . "Simply, the thing that I am shall make me live." -William Shakespeare


Inspired by Be compiled by Kobi Yamada

Winter Reflections

October . . . All Hallow's Eve

Halloween is by far my favorite holiday to decorate for. In recent years, my daughter and I started hosting an annual Halloween party for her and her friends. This year's theme is "A Gathering of the Black Hat Society." We have decked the house out to look like a witch's house. Each guest will design and wear her own black hat creation and witch's dress. I can't wait to see what they come up with. Here are some pics of our decorating so far.

The bird cage is a flea market find - $4.00! It was an awful mauve with rose stencils all over it - wow. Don't you just love what a can of spray paint can do?

. . . on the sideboard

Love this hat we made. I got the directions for the Magic embelishment from Hudson Holidays Etsy shop. I made lots of these and put them on crows, pumpkins, and witchy rag dolls.

Dungeon keys . . . flea market find for a buck!

Farmhouse Going Public

One of six boxes chock full of fabu finds for Farmhouse.

So, I have decided that I am taking Farmhouse out into the world. I am searching for fabulous thrifted finds to sell under the Farmhouse name at Quality Consignments in Colchester, CT. I just know there are others out there that will love flea market and architectural salvage pieces just as much as I do; all at a reasonable price. I will keep you posted on the success of my new venture.

Welcome Lulu . . .

So we went to Brimfield a few weeks ago, and I came home with some fabulous finds. My favorite is my vintage dress form, affectionately named Lulu, from Scarlett Scales Antiques. Love it. It's like playing dress-up doll all over again.

Another fabu find from Brimfield . . . my chippy, red wheelbarrow. Love it with the mums and pumpkins!

The Beginning . . .

In my life I play many roles. I am a wife, mother, daughter, and teacher. During my hectic daily schedule, the one place I find solace is my home, my nest, as I affectionately call it. Home is a place of comfort and calm. At the end of the day when my cup feels half empty; it is the place I can go to and refill and refresh myself. It is where I can read books with my beautiful daughter snuggled under crisp, cold cotton sheets, drink lemonade on the porch, while reading a book, or lie on the couch with my husband listening to the gentle breath of our sleeping dog, Riley. Home is a satisfying and simple place for us. And I would like to share mine with you.
Our home is a new house. We built is last year. We designed it with our favorite vacation place in mind, Martha's Vineyard. We love the vineyard so much that we tried to incorporate it into the design and decor of the house. While I love the newness of the house; it has been a challenge to bring a warm, comfortable, established feel to a new home. I have tried to accomplish this with a mix of new, old, and thrifted finds. I believe that you do not have to spend a lot of money to have a fabulous looking home. I try not to follow any style trends, but to fill my space with what I love: books, old photos, subtle colors, shells, coral, architectural salvage pieces, and white linens. My hope is to inspire by sharing my ideas and thoughts with all of you who love your own nest as much as I love mine.