Hello Friends --
To kick off the Christmas season I held a Vintage House Touring party. What Fun! There was about 25 ladies in attendance and four ladies that showed their beautiful cottages. We started with Julie and ended with Pam. Each house was decorated with vintage finds and diy hacks.
Sit back with a good cup of steaming tea and enjoy the pictures.

At my house we had hot chocolate on a stick and everyone took home a vintage ornament -- a styrofoam ball wrapped in burlap and stamped with a vintage yule tide message. They really turned out cute. I even painted the jingle bells that I glued on top.

 This is Julie's house. You will love her pink details!

I wish you could have been at Julie's to see all her yummy details! It was so shabby chic and cozy!

I'll be back in another post to share more pictures from our Vintage Christmas Tour. You won't want to miss Brenda and Pam's houses!
Decking the Halls, 
Tammy

Hi Beautiful Friends --
We've been feathering our nest here! Are you done with your Christmas decorations? If you are anything like me, you are never done! HA!  I just have so much fun with it, who wants to stop? It's the delight of seeing something new. You know.... move the couch here, throw some new pillows on it. Hang the bleached pine cone wreath above it ..... It just doesn't stop.

And I'm okay with that! It's fun when my girls get involved too. I'll go into their bedrooms and see that they have moved their Christmas tree from one corner to another or a nutcracker to a higher shelf. They will proudly come out and ask me to "see what I think." Kinda like I do to them when I change something!!

What's happening now is that my youngest has taken it upon herself to "correct" my decoration faux pas! I'll turn around and she'll have moved something just slightly different or shifted the picture frames on the shabby chic coffee table. She's a hoot!

I'm excited to share some FABULOUS pictures from a recent decorating party! Three other chums and I got together for a Vintage House Warming party. It was like a progressive dinner without the dinner part. We drove from house to house looking at each girl's beautiful house and decorations. What a blast. There were about 25 ladies invited and they were treated to some fabulous creativity by these women!! I'll be sharing those pics when I come back here again.
Until then, keep decorating! 

Tammy

Disney and Back

Hello Friends --
Our family had a chance of a life time to spend eight sunny (read 80 beautiful degrees) in Disney World. My brother invited us for some fun at the parks and pools. I have to say my girls (and my!) favorite thing to do in Disney was the water parks and the resort pools.

One of our Disney goals was to meet the princesses. I would say we were pretty successful. We met every princess from Mary Poppins (I guess she's more of a character) to Ariel and Elsa and Anna. I could tell my youngest was still in the "enthralled" stage. She asked the sweetest, most innocent questions of the princesses. Things like, "Ariel how do you swim under water with your long hair? Does it get in the way?" And "Elsa, will you give Olaf a hug from me. I like him." OH MY!!

So you know I couldn't make this post without some sort of decorating mention. Well, here it is. Our condo was dreamy! Do you see the planked wall behind the tv? And that white console was so contemporary!! Loved the contrast between the rustic wall and sleek, white table.

We do not own a leather couch, so this one was fabulous! And check out the galvanized-like end table? SWEET!!

I could get used to this view every day. This was our looking out of our sun porch onto one of the six resort pools. I couldn't get enough of seeing palm trees.

I hope you had a thankful holiday!
Tammy

Glamping

Hello All -
My lovely little girls have decided to create their own glamping experience in our back yard.
Have you experienced glamping yet? 

All you have to do is take a look into cyber space to see the myriad of pictures out there. It is amazing and beautiful!! Glamping is all about glamorous camping. None of this sleeping on a hard, dirt floor stuff without any comforts of home.
I have not tried it yet, but some girlfriends and I are hoping to do it soon. I'll let you know how it is!

It's all about the glamour ladies!!
Tammy
 

Summer Highlights

Hello Lovely People --
It's been a while since I gave you a tour of our snug, little cottage. We are happy to call it home. It may not be as big as we like, or be as new as we like, but we are thankful for its protection from the elements, and the space we have.
If you are anything like me you have a closet of seasonal decorating items that you pull out at various times of the year. In that "closet" (mine is four floor to ceiling shelves) I rotate vases and silk flowers and candles and urns, just to name a few. I like that stash! My sweet husband has come to understand that I am a "woman of variety." I need to change things up every so often. Maybe more than he prefers! HA!

Not long ago my friend Kandi and I took a fun trip to Ikea. I scored these awesome metal chairs below with the sunburst design. $10.99!! I wanted more, but they only had three. I'm lovin' the color that it brings to our sun room! 

Some things in summer never grow old! Like my favorite spot to relax and unwind. The birds that fly over head and the rabbits and squirrels that scamper happily through the yard, hardly notice the peaceful lull of the hammock. It's a fun place to listen and watch nature all around me while I enjoy a good book.

I hope you enjoyed summer too!

 There's nothing like my husband's home made ice cream! Every year we wait in anticipation for when he is going to spoil us with some. It is soooo worth the wait! YUM!

I hope you have enjoyed your look around! Not sure how I will decorate for Fall yet. What ideas do you have? 

Enjoy your day!
tammy

Summer Musings

Happy August, Friends!
Yesterday, I had a summer-is-almost-over awakening! Even though I had flipped the calendar into August just a few days before, the thought jolted me. I AM NOT READY!
Are you ready?

 

One of our favorite ways to spend summer is swim. My husband loves playing with the girls in the pool. It's always so much fun when they can "carry" him in the water. 

So many giggles go into that. 

What has filled your summer days? 

We've also been blessed to have two extra kiddos with us this summer. A previous co-worker contacted me at the end of the school year to see if I would watch her kiddos for the summer months. It works out that they are the same age as my two. They've had a built in play date for the warm months.

That has brought much fun and laughter as the kids run around chasing each other, throwing water balloons, swimming and doing crazy-fun kid stuff.

I hope you experience some laughter and fun before August leads us into September. I'm trying to sponge up every bit of sunshine and fun I can.
Tammy

Saying Good Bye ...

You think that you'll never do it again. Once hurt, twice shy kinda thing. Have you been there?
We have been hosting Chinese elementary students in our home for four years now. After the first time I said I can't do this again.
You take two lovely people into your home and then think you can just say good - bye after a week or two. Not that easy. It's an emotional roller coaster for sure.

But each time the email comes around and they are in need of host families, we are one of the first to sign up. My girls take turns offering up their bedrooms. They say they don't want to do it again, but every time they are all giggly over their new - found friends. They don't want them to leave. Good byes are hard and long. 

This year I had the privileged of leading the group. I was so honored to be able to communicate to the whole group (33 students and 3 chaperones) through a Chinese/American translator. We taught daily English classes and then toured our local hot spots. It was so much fun! We only lost a student once! HA! Her friend left her behind as she noticed the time and poor Tina (her American name) was stuck in a mall with 10's of entrances. Finally I tracked a slightly shaken Chinese teenager down.

They come to learn the language and get a taste of your culture. One year our "daughters" made us a traditional Chinese dish of rice and chicken. We'll never forget the two pound bag of MSG bought at the local Asian store for the meal. They said they had to have it. They used one table spoon for the dish. We promptly through it away when they left. HA!

In general the kids have always been very polite and cooperative. They "try" our American sandwiches and cereals, but if you ask them if they want Ramen noodles or white rice they are quick to take you up on it.

I love hosting the students because they are not as inhibited as the adults. They will tell you if they like something or don't. Even if their culture is not that up front.

Even though it was very hard to say good bye again this time, I would do it all over again. I can hardly wait until next summer!
Until then, my Chinese friends.
Tammy

Missing China

Happy Monday!

I've had one of the greatest weeks of my life recently! I spent it touring 33 Chinese students and their chaperones around Pennsylvania.

More Pictures and stories to come! Now I need to catch up on some much needed rest!
Tammy

Victorian Lady

Hello Dear Friends --
How's your summer going?
You know how I've found it fun to name the furniture pieces I've found? Well I have another one for you!
Meet Victoria!

My sister found this Victorian beauty along the curb and rescued her. I'm always amazed at what people throw away! She had plans to paint her until I offered to buy her. 

Here she is at the head of the table. I think I will eventually give her a fresh coat of white. For now, she's all scrubbed and looking a little tattered in some places.
Enjoy the sunshine!
Tammy 

Chevron Basket

Still at it, my friends.
I gave this little basket a bit of a makeover. I was in need of some Chevron around my living room. This is what I came up with. Like?

Behind this wall is our hall closet. It's always been a bit of a problem. It's very deep, with two large platforms. I've never really known how to best organize it and so over the years it's become somewhat of a dumping ground.
Today I took the rod from my daughter's closet to see if it would fit in here. It does! And with that one little fix we are able to store so many extra coats and jackets.

I love me an organizational project. How about you? Do you like to organize? What have you organized lately?
Happy July 4th weekend my friends!
 
stars and stripes forever,
Tammy