bon bini...

Bon Bini! Welcome to my blog! Bon Bini is the greeting we received all last week while we were in Aruba to celebrate our 25th anniversary! It is a Papiamento word meaning welcome to my country or home. Papiamento is the native language to Aruba being a blend of Portuguese and Spanish with a little creole influence.
This was the view all week from our palapa (beach hut). Of course my photography skills are...well I just plain do not have any! I was hoping to capture the wonderful shades of blues in the water and the silky white sand of the beach. It was pretty cloudy for the first few days with breaks of sun... Weather which was just perfect for my husband who does not like the beach. The cloudy weather broke him in slowly and we ended up doing nothing all week but lay on the beautiful white sandy beach ~ float in the amazingly crystal clear water ~ and collect a few shells and lots of pretty white coral... Jim spent time in the water each day collecting all this wonderful white coral and shells. So these jars hold special memories for me and each time I look at them I will think of the blissful days he spent with me on the beach and collecting all the wonderful white coral for me. And he says he doesn't like the beach...
I have been adding a few beachy touches to my living room for the summer and these jars fit in perfectly... We stayed at the Radisson and this was the breathtaking view we had from our room... Like I said we did nothing all week but spend lazy days on the beach and ate our way around the island at night. We went to El Gaucho's one evening which is an Argentinian steak house. Garufo's was the cigar bar across the street which my husband wanted to go to. Thank goodness we were the only ones in there before dinner ~ I can handle the smoke from one cigar (ha)... We also went to Madame Janette's for our anniversary dinner. It was a little place in the middle of a local neighborhood. When you walked through the door and out back to the dining room it was magical. White twinkling lights all around, candles on the tables ~ all outdoors under the stars (now if I was any type of photographer I would insert wonderful photos to show you what I was talking about). The food was delicious and there was lots of champagne... Thank you Jim for a wonderful vacation, my jaw dropping gift and I am looking forward to the next 25 years (as well as our next trip to Aruba!!) Thank you to my wonderful followers who sent along the sweetest anniversary wishes as well as birthday wishes for Jake. I wish I could have treated you to better photos. To make up for my lack of photography skills I am going to host another little giveaway after the Fourth of July. CSN contacted me and has offered a gift certificate for any of their fabulous online stores! After you browse around CSN for a bit head on over to Faded Charm where Kathleen is hosting White Wednesday. I am hoping you'll all indulge me today and enjoy the Caribbean whites I am sharing. I can not believe I missed a White Wednesday! I am still trying to catch up on my emails and visit all my favorite blogs. Boy did I miss alot!

happy sixteenth birthday Jake...

Sixteen years ago today we were on our way to the hospital to have our second child.



Another girl the doctor said.



On the radio was the story of a local firefighter who lost his life doing his job. "He was a Good Jake" the newscaster said. Jim and I already had our names picked out ~ it was going to be Jake if it was a boy. Right then and there I knew the doctor was wrong and I was having a boy...my Jake.
So cute and sweet with a little wild side in him too...
He is still cute and sweet as well as kind and caring, respectful and loving. He is always there when I need him and he makes me proud every day...

Happy Sixteenth Birthday Jake...Love Mom!!

If you would like to know where the term "Good Jake" came from take a peek here.

random whites...

This week is just flying by! I can't believe that it is time to fly over to Faded Charm where Kathleen is once again hosting my favorite, White Wednesday! I thought I would share some random whites with you today...

A few of the new whites in my booth to a few whites in other booths... The kitty bookends are so sweet and I am loving the detail on the table...

Wouldn't you just love to play dress up and put that wonderful ruffled dress on?! I also changed the corner in my living room, again. I think you will agree that this works much better than the shutter... I even like the lamp there now! I put my little sand dollar garland on it and added a big starfish... I bought two of these windows and have the other one on the opposite side of the room for now... Since the other lamp will be staying I want to get a different lamp here ~ probably a tabletop one when I replace my Mom's tea wagon behind the love seat. I used to have my sewing machine table there (that is now in my Paris Hotel Suite) but look what my talented sister in law found... Of course it did not look like this when she found it ~ she gave it a little makeover and I love it (just might have to have it)! To see the before picture fly over to Christine's new blog AnthonyRosesShabHome. Christine always seems to find the best stuff! Here are a few more whites from her beautiful home...

Every time I visit Christine I want to paint the walls in my den and living room to make my whites pop. I guess that will be another project for my fall and winter list!! I am so happy that you stopped by today! Have I thanked you all lately for stopping by to visit? Have I said thank you for your kind thoughts, compliments and help when I ask for it? Have I said thank you lately for making me feel so at home in this big world of blogging? Thank you, thank you, thank you! Well, another school year has flown by and the next few weeks will be very festive around here. My son will be turning 16 in a few days and Jim and I will be celebrating our silver wedding anniversary! Wow...that made me feel real old! I am going to be taking a little break from blogging for a few weeks ~ but hope to pop in on you all to see what you are up to. When I come back I will have some exciting stuff to share! Here is a little hint... Have a Wonderful White Wednesday!!!

weekend thrifting and the cottage on rosewood...

Happy Tuesday ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday that is and it is time to celebrate over at Coastal Charm where Linda is playing hostess today! Here is what I picked up while thrifting over the weekend...

I especially love the little bud vase ~ with some sweet little hand painted roses... I also picked up these wonderful bird prints... But here are my best finds ~ two mirrors for $1 each! You know they will each get a dreamy coat of white and I will probably add a rose applique on the cabinet door mirror... I have been admiring these two adorable little lampshades at the shop for months and I finally brought them home... Do you remember when I posted my parents wedding photos on VBF? Well I think I spy those little shades behind my Grandfather... I just think it was meant to be!! Thank you Linda for hosting today ~ make sure you all take some time and visit some other thrifty finds!

Do you remember my lucky streak a few weeks back when I won another giveaway? Well I received my Pottery Barn Gift Certificate in the mail over the weekend that I won from Ginger over at Cottage on Rosewood! Thanks Ginger!! I am sure you have all visited her lovely blog and seen her beautiful photos...

Ginger has a space at a local shop that I would just love to be able to visit! She is so talented and creative ~ take a look at my favorite project of hers here. Her photos are so great and I love to visit her blog ~ I am always inspired! She recently blogged about one of her design crushes ~ coincidentally named Ginger! I myself have a design crush on the Ginger from Cottage on Rosewood!

reflections...

Thank you all for the lovely comments yesterday about my Mom's treasures that I feather my deck with. And while Jim wants to take them and have them sand blasted and repaint them (fresh as new says he) for me ~ I am going to give them a few coats of protective spray and enjoy them as is, and not just as eye candy!

Although the shop was quite busy the other day I did manage to take some photos of a few wonderful old mirrors that the shop girls have in their booths. I will start in my little corner. Hope you enjoy these reflections...

Now take your time and browse around the shop...

Hope you aren't tired of browsing yet ~ there are more nooks and crannies in these reflections...

Just a few more...

Did you see anything you liked? I thought a little post like this might help in holding you over until you can go treasure hunting over the weekend. Oh and by the way, if you have time today stop by my fellow shop girl Karen's new blog ~ A Shabby Moment In Time . She is off to quite a lovely start ~ I know you will be sighing and picking your jaw up off the floor! Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by and taking a little mirror tour around the shop ~ I hope you enjoyed their reflections!

rusty and chipping...

Happy White Wednesday! The weather has been so beautiful here the last few days so I decided it was time to share my rusty old whites that I haul out each year onto my deck. They were my Mom's and I remember how excited she would get when my Dad would drag them out of the shed each Spring. She would love to look out her kitchen window and see this beauty full of flowers... Do you think the flower pot is too big? I intended to bring home a few things for the bottom shelf from the shop yesterday but I was soooo busy I did not have time! I did manage to grab a pink watering can on the way out that I had for sale on the porch (but it is still in my car). I love the color of these Geraniums...

My husband offered to give this a fresh coat of paint since it was all rusty and chipping ~ I sweetly said thank you but it is supposed to look like that but would love your help on a piece or two or three that I have waiting to go in the shop!! Now the next photo is of a little bistro set that my Mom scored at an estate sale in Wayland. I remember her patiently waiting for my Dad to get home from work so they could go back for it.. Isn't it wonderful! Unfortunately I just might have to take Jim up on his painting offer on this sweet set... I had it out during the party after Jake's confirmation. My brother Dave was enjoying some apps and when he got up to get some more I noticed a faint white lattice design on the back of his black jeans! (Sorry again Dave!) Now tell me all you clever, creative bloggers how can I keep the old rusty and chipping wonderfulness (word?) and still have them be used... Should I lose the wonderful old patina with a fresh coat of paint (then there would be the whole color choice thing) or perhaps spray them with a clear coat to protect the next guest from an unwelcome pattern on their behind? Now my deck is not big so I usually just keep two chairs at the table and stack two to the side... I always enjoy looking at all the beautiful and inviting tables that you all seem to have the knack for setting. That is not an easy task for me but I have put it on my list of things to work on, perhaps over the winter. I did try yesterday because I wanted to show you what I got in the mail last week... Remember when I won the giveaway from Sandi at Wayside Treasures? It was packaged so prettily I hated to open it!! Look at the beautiful garden markers Sandi made... I am sure you have all visited Sandi's beautiful blog but if you haven't yet you are in for a big treat! Just look at some of the eye candy she shares...

She knows that if I lived closer this beauty would be mine!! She is a busy bee with an online shop, Etsy shop and has booth space too creating lovely treasures like these...

She takes the loveliest photos and has used them in her beautiful blog header... Sandi is always entertaining and her blog is a beautiful place to visit, especially on White Wednesday! Thanks again Sandi for my lovely garden markers!! Thank you Kathleen of Faded Charm for hosting my favorite day of the week! Many thanks to you for stopping by today ~ please take some time and go say hi to Sandi and have fun enjoying all the other wonderful whites at Kathleen's!

P.S. I forgot to tell you that Sandi is featured in the latest issue of Porch Magazine ~ take a peek here to read all about it!!