Birthday Parties and Pinatas

I couldn't find a catchy quote about pinatas.  The best I could find was "Your heart is my pinata."  Which is kind of sad for that person...no one wants their heart broken into a million pieces.

So, let's just move on.  I am sure everyone has been as busy as I have, but aren't we GLAD spring has finally decided to join us!  Miss L's birthday was the day after Easter and for some reason she loves pinatas...and Curious George...and mermaids. You know how three year olds are.  But back to the pinata.  Her mama had her hands full with sick twins, a party for the kiddos and Easter.  When I offered to help I had no idea I would end up doing the cake for the family party...The pinata cake.

Here it is, Funfetti cake mix and Funfetti icing-of course!

Filled with edible surprises when you slice it.

Thanks to the Easter Bunny we had plenty to choose from!

The birthday Princess.

(It's hard to not have a blur when she's in constant motion)

Definitely not your run of the mill birthday cake.

This cake was surprisingly easy to make.  The idea and instructions came from www.asubtlerevelry.com.

Check out her site, it's full of party, wedding and decor ideas.

I hope you all  are enjoying this weather as much as I am. It's hard to not love this time of year when your next door neighbor's yard looks like this.

Spring is a beautiful time of the year in Highland Park.  I will be adding more photos as everything comes to life.

Blessings,

C.

A Different Kind of Weekend

"The greatest weakness of most humans is the hesitancy to tell others how much they love them while they're alive.'

~Orlando A. Battista

This weekend was life's version of "A Tale of Two Cities" for me. While it had it's high points- Friday at the aquarium with my girls, lunch at Tom and Chee, Saturday dinner and show with old friends and Sunday dinner with the family-one sentence spoken by a friend blindsided me and filled me with sorrow.

For five years I worked with a wonderful woman who was my friend, confidante and partner in crime. She was also a nurse and while we didn't work in the same office, we worked for the same company and spoke almost daily for the biggest part of those five years.  Just a few years older than me, she had always been open about the fact that she would probably work well into her 60s, her husband was on disability and hadn't been able to work in years, she was their sole support.

I left that company two years ago and unfortunately our interaction was reduced to Facebook posts and an occasional email.  My life was busy- a new job, newborn twins, a new house, time to enjoy fun stuff.  I was blessed.  I am going to share part of an email I got from her last September.

Cris,
It occurred to me, since I haven't heard from you, that maybe you completely missed the news of my Cancer diagnosis. I wanted to give you the chance to know about what is going on with me.


Back on May 25, I suddenly developed symptoms of a brain tumor out of the blue. Approx 1month later, I was diagnosis with an Astrocytoma, grade 4. Not sure how much you know about that diagnosis. I knew nothing. It's not good, but I intend to make it good.

Anyway, the standard treatment is radiation, chemo, and at my age, certain death within a relatively short time. This is not going to happen.

Instead, my wonderful husband researched and found an alternative product which I am taking, instead of chemo, with every hope and belief that the outcome is going to be much better, and I plan to Iive a long time. I am taking Radiation. I am about 1/2 thru that.

I don't know if you were aware of any of this, and if you even are interested, but since I did not hear anything from you, I thought I should give you the opportunity to be aware.

I am not working, nor do I intend to return to work.

I am feeling quite healthy, especially now that the meds I am on are pretty much controlled. So basically I stay busy doing what I want to do at home, and even go out for enjoyment sometimes. Dinner, shopping, visiting.

So I am assuming that you completely missed this info, and thought you might want to know.I am not letting you know because I want any kind of sympathy, don't need it since I am doing well.

If you are interested, my phone number is ---, I would like to hear from you, but that's entirely up to you.

The truth is, I did know about her diagnosis, just not sure what I would say if we talked.  I am a nurse, for God's sake, what a lame excuse... Saturday night I ran into a mutual friend and asked about her.

She died six weeks ago.

I am feeling ashamed.  I did email her back at the time, but I never called.  Did she die thinking I really didn't care? I think about all the people I am friends with on Facebook who still work for that company.  Not one mentioned anything.  I am forced to re-examine my priorities.  She didn't have to work into her 60s, but I am sure she didn't think she would ever work until she died. This past weekend we attended two funerals and got word of another passing yesterday- all parents of friends of ours.

Yes, A Tale of Two Weekends...

Love,
C.

Leprechauns, Lela and Lazy Sundays

"May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,

May good luck pursue you each morning and night."

~Irish Blessing

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Today is the one day a year that everyone, regardless of their heritage, is a little Irish.  (I don't suppose that would have anything to do with green beer, would it?)  It's a lazy Sunday morning here, my favorite almost three year old spent the night and has been busy this morning tracking down evidence of the leprechauns who visited last night while we slept. Lela has discovered green milk, green toilet water, upside down pictures and pillows strewn on the floor, it appears those leprechauns are a mischievous little lot! Seems like they are generous group as well- a wee pot of gold coins were waiting for her this morning too.

I'm not sure who enjoyed all this the most, her or me.  The older I get the more easily I am entertained...

It's been a typical busy week around here and before I totally forget, I want to mention the show I went to last weekend. Indie Arts and Vintage Marketplace was held inside last weekend, but will be an outdoors event once the weather warms up. I had a great time with my dear friend (and work partner in crime) Jenny.

I posted this picture last week.  It is a vintage olive bucket...or olive vessel, if you are buying it from Pottery Barn. I found it at the show- over $100 less than what Pottery Barn lists it for and I think it's slightly larger than the ones Pottery Barn carries.  You either love them or hate them.  I happen to love them, especially ones like this one that have a combo of the two metal colors.

I also picked up the old, rusty bird cage.  It is huge! and it looks great on the monstrous fireplace mantel in our living room.  I realize not everyone is drawn to the rusty, chippy look.  If you are more into the "looks a little newer" look I saw a great birdcage at Fabulous Finds yesterday.  White, ornate and only $30!  If you haven't seen Fabulous Finds, check it out.  Located at 10 South D St, it's a great little store full of estate sale items, primarily home decor.  The inventory changes all the time and I thought the prices were very reasonable.

Another hot trend we spotted at the show was plants.  Plants of all size and shape.  For once (and probably the only time)  I am ahead of the trend.  Thanks to having a botany major in the family, I am well supplied.  Air plants are very popular right now.  They don't require soil, and only need to get some water every couple weeks- my kind of plant.  They come in all sizes, mine is a baby one but she can grow.

Terrariums were also popular. These aren't the terrariums from the 70's, they are in great containers and have more appeal. Lucky for me, I have two that Eric did for me that would be out of m price range, if I had purchased them.

Another full of succulents.

This one is a Chinese money plant, it will definitely outgrow this little pot, but isn't it sweet?  The pot was an ordinary terracotta fancied up with a bit of that awesome chalk paint and a little french bee graphic.

Looks like I have have a bit of a "green" theme going on here, doesn't it?  Fitting, I suppose. Happy St. Patrick's Day to you and yours!     Erin Go Bragh, C.

Rome Revisited

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

~Proverb Quote

I have been fortunate to have traveled a good deal.  One of my favorite places in the world is Rome, Italy and I am lucky enough to have been there twice. The eyes of the world are on Rome this week as Cardinals gather in conclave to choose a new Pope.  The process, so rich in tradition and circumstance, grabs the attention of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. I had planned on telling you more about the vintage market I went to over the weekend but I am posting pictures of my last visit to Rome instead.  The first time we traveled to Rome was eight years ago- this week.  In fact, we celebrated St. Patrick's Day in a bar in Rome (that was a little different!).  I'll probably never forget it, mostly because the name of the band was Twisted Nipple.  (Ouch!)  Pope John Paul II was very ill at the time and we were wondering if we were going to witness history...he died nine days after we returned home. Please enjoy these photos, and if you ever have the chance to go to Italy, by all means go!

The courtyard of Vatican City, note the statues lining the top of the buildings.

The Vatican police.

One of the ceiling domes inside the Vatican.

The Spanish steps (above).

The Trevi Fountain (below).

Oops- out of order- inside the Vatican.

The most popular form of transportation.

The Pantheon- oldest important building in the world.

The original dome, there is a drain in the floor beneath the opening

for when it rains.

Inside and outside the Colosseum.

Lovely architectural details.

 I hope you enjoyed this mini tour.  Here's a preview of one of my purchases

from the weekend.

It's a vintage olive bucket- I'd like to think it is from Italy or Turkey-

the throw on the edge of the sofa is from our trip to Venice.

Ciao!

C.

Please read!

Thanks to all of you who are checking in periodically to read this blog. I would love to know who you are. If you aren't already a follower, please click on the link to the right. It isn't diificult to do, if you already have a Google email all you have to do is sign in, if not, it's free to set one up. Please feel free to leave comments, I love hearing feedback!

How hard can it be?

"Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do."

~Edgar Degas

               Perhaps you've heard of chalk paint.  Specifically, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint,

or ASCP to those in the know.

Hailed as the latest and greatest product to hit vintage (aka thrift store) furniture, there are classes and books galore on how to successfully use this wonder product.  "How hard can this be?" I thought when I heard about the paint and the classes, which are only offered one place in the greater Cincinnati area.  I've always thought I was pretty handy with a paintbrush.  But, the paint is pricey and my friend Susan talked me into taking the class with her.

Let me go on record as saying "This ain't your Momma's latex!".  Chalk paint is unlike anything I've ever used before and I am hooked.  No sanding or priming is needed and if it doesn't move, you can paint it with chalk paint. It is however, a little different to work with and if you are serious about trying it, I do recommend taking a class from Miss Elaineous in Glendale.  The class is 5 hours long and a ton of fun.

Here is the top of a small table I picked up at the thrift store, I didn't take a full view picture, but trust me, the rest was just as bad.

And here it is after a little experimentation.

I am in love with the whole French typography thing.

In my office at work I inherited a shabby little table that I turned into a little coffee bar.  I loved having a Keurig in my office, but the table was disgusting...so I drug it home with me last weekend.

The base was wood, but the top was laminate that was starting to peel.

A little ASCP in French Linen and some more typography later...

 

It's hard to tell in these pictures, but the edges are lightly distressed.

Tomorrow it will go back to work with me and my office will be a little happier.  Did you notice the sweet little rabbit?  I picked him up this past weekend at the Indie Vintage Arts and Marketplace show.  I had a wonderful time with my dear friend Jenny and we saw some awesome things and got some great ideas for our own homes. 

Plants seem to be hot this year.  Lucky for me my son is a botany major at Miami...more about plants,
buckets and birdcages tomorrow!

Waiting for spring,
C.

Finally Finished !!!

"I go out to the kitchen to feed the dog, but that's about as much cooking as I do."

~Betty White

 
This is exactly how I used to feel about my kitchen...until now.  Many of you know we moved into an older home with lots of charm and character, about 16 months ago.  While I loved the potential of the house, I did not love the kitchen and it's lovely wallpaper.

Here's the kitchen in pics I took when we were contemplating

buying the house. Thoses are not my dishes...this is how the house was

being shown while it was on the market. (no one was living in the house at the time.)

And of course the modern appliances were a big draw...

Who doesn't love a big pantry and a wall that divides an already small space into two smaller spaces?

As much as I wanted to remodel the kitchen, nothing could have

prepared me for what was waiting for us under that wallpaper!

                                   

The ruble and the dust that comes with taking down a wall..

and tearing up three layers of flooring.

Dreaming of a window seat, a BIG pantry and no Pergo...

...and how do we preserve those arches?

Four months of transition- eating out, microwaving and crockpotting

in the family room, and lots of grilling.

But it all paid off!

The crown molding is one of my favorite things about
the kitchen.

(Too much sunshine for these pics, but I had to take them when I had the time)

 

Love, love, love my gas range and double ovens.

Butler door into the dining room and stairs

to the second floor and living room. 

Floor to ceiling pantry.

Walking in from the side door.

Coffee/wine bar.

Old style pendants with filament bulbs.

And yes, we saved the arches.

Window seat, slate floor and entrance to the family room.

So much natural light now.

Window seat fabric..a steal at just $3.00 a yard.

Above the doorway- a tribute to the year our home was built.

I love my kitchen and don't mind cooking at all now. 

Remodeling this house has been a challenge, but sooo worth it!

And I now have a whole list of any craftsmen you could possibly need-

 let me know if you need some work done!

While I'm adding pictures (my apologies for the quality- I will

be the first to admit I am not a photographer) here are a few shots

of something fun I did in the dining room.

The six framed pieces are all vintage sheet music from

1910-1920.



I love the unexpected!

Thanks for the visit, let me know if you'd like to see more of my Highland Cottage.

Blessings,

C