Friday Fun....

Hello Girls...I only have a quick minute to post this morning as I have a full day of fun planned....(not really ...) I am headed out to meet my beautiful daughter so she can go with me to the Doctor this morning...I haven't been able to find what's "AILING" me lately..so were off to another Doctor to hopefully figure it out...I thought this picture done by Norman Rockwell for the Saturday Evening Post was so adorable...even dolls need the doctor sometimes...I hope you all have a wonderful Friday ....I will be back tomorrow with some thoughts ...till then blessings and big hugs...Karena

Home Sweet Home....

Good Morning Ladies...I have been spending time with my Lord this morning...his tender care is so precious to me...as I was talking to him I started to thank him for our "Sweet Little Home"...being here has been such a miracle for both my sweetie and I...the joy of turning a... House...into a... Home...

It occurred to me as I allowed my mind to wander on this subject how our homes give back to us...they fill us with light...surround us with safety...shelter...provide us a place to LOVE...LAUGH...LIVE LUXURIOUSLY...with our faces...the ones we call ...FAMILY...

As though we hold our homes in the palm of our hands ....it ...BECOMES.... us ...as we plan life ..create harmony with furnishings...collections....our homes become a loving tribute and reflection of our deepest selves...

Some of me....some of my sweetie...each of us pluck and choose our favorite things to surround us...comfort us....feed our souls...

We each have our favorite collections...the objects that help put the "EXCLAMATION POINT" on our passion for home...

Placing our furniture "just right"...so visiting with our faces is comfortable and seamless...

Wherever we are...there is something and someplace that screams.."YOUR HOME"...I know you all understand the gift our homes provide us...especially in blog land...I have found you all to be humans that live out your passions...your creativity...I have noticed you all come to your blogs with a "THE GLASS IS HALF FULL"..kind of spirit...no matter what other things may be happening on the landscape of your lives...you always see the silver lining...that spirit is worth observing...I appreciate the conversations that are brought about by your perspectives...as you cheerfully give to all of us...our blogs are a part of our ..."HOME SWEET HOME"...they offer ...an open invitation to come in...sit a spell...share the moments we're living...I just wanted to tell you dear ones thank you...I enjoy visiting so much...AND I'm always over the moon when you stop by... Loblloly...so till next time...enjoy your ..HOME SWEET HOME'S"....we are blessed to have them...and our blogs....blessings...Karena

Some News...And A Thank You....

Hi girls...It's a little unusual for me to be posting in the evening but I wanted to give you all a heads up that I'm having some problems with my net book...it keeps saying I have a low battery even when I'm plugged in..not sure what this might lead to because I just had it turn off on its own...out of the blue...it just powered off...it is raining here pretty hard it just started...so maybe ...hopefully that has something to do with it...just in case I wanted you to know if you don't hear from me down the road...you'll know why...

Now for my Thank you....I wanted to thank my sisters-in-love for these beautiful pictures of...San Simeon's .."Hearst Castle"....they went together for some r and r recently ...Nanne sent these pics through email...
(I hope you don't mind that I'm using them Nanne)

I've never shared this with them  before but the only vacation we ever took as kids was a car trip with my family ...to Hearst Castle in 1963...I wasn't expecting to be so vividly reminded of that memory...SO COOL...

The most vivid memory's I have are of this dining room....the table and chairs were overwhelming to me...I remember looking up at the height of the ceiling ...all the chairs...the sideboards...oh my goodness it was so beautiful...

The grounds were the other thing that I have in my... memory Rolodex....It amazed me to see these photos looking just the way I remember them to be....

So thank you Nanne for this ...BEAUTIFUL WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE....I  can live vicariously through your eyes...I thank you ladies for stopping by this evening...hope you girls have a great night...sleep tight...don't let the bedbugs bite....Karena...

What Are Your Favorites....

My sweetie and I are sitting in our morning spot having coffee and chatting...I just asked him this question..."If there was suddenly a DESIGN BOSS that told you to choose two elements of accessories to use in creating your homes... "STYLE" ...what would your absolute must haves be"...after clarifying furniture and lighting are a given...his go to objects were no surprise to me....CLOCKS...AND BOOKS....

I have mentioned more then a few times how much both of us love books and clocks...so I wasn't surprised those were his favorites...

I have a book that is all about "Designing with Books"....this question brought others ...like why are books such a natural design element in our homes...for me they provide warmth...knowledge....interest...texture...color....etc...clocks have a daily function helping us keep ourselves on schedule...they dictate our day from the moment we wake...

My favorite choices were....??? ....can you guess....

Yep you guessed it ....PICTURES...I couldn't live in a space without them...especially floral prints.....I know myself...I am inspired by their presence in my life...I could never see myself living with a space untouched with pictures...

The second pick was ...Architectural pieces....this last choice took me some time ...first I thought "pillows"...then maybe all things pink...but upon further consideration it was all in the "SURPRISE"  unexpected salvage brings to our home...anything at all architectural is a must have for me....

I hope you all have a little fun thinking about this question yourselves...it's a great way to understand your own design passions ...I did in the end choose to sneak in some ...PLUCKIE PINK DISHES....a girl has to have some pink around her...don't you think...blessings and big hugs girls till next time....Karena

The Bliss They Call......Downton Abbey.....

Good Day Ladies....I've gotten to my posting chair a little later then I planned today..already 12:15 ....that's okay ...I wanted to talk about a ...BLISSFUL INDULGENCE...I'm guilty of lately...the PBS show...DOWNTON ABBEY...have any of you been watching season 2...

If you haven't let me tell you it's addicting...in a DELIGHTFUL sort of way...I watched Season 1 last year and loved it...PBS had it on every Sunday on their Masterpiece Classics series...from the first episode I was enchanted...I love the Edwardian period...I have since the 70's when I picked up my first copy of Edith Holden's Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady....so naturally I tuned in every Sunday...if I missed one I'd watch on my computer....I was that surprised when I heard they were coming back with a Season 2...the pure Bliss of spending time with these characters in this amazing House ...situated on the most beautiful English property...during a time in history that was opulent...visually stunning...fashion forward...and full of the very best of formal living...crystal...silver...flower bowls....knife rests...butter plates...batten berg lace...and the term ....ABOVE STAIRS...which refers to the Lord and Lady's estate...below stairs is all about the servants quarters...hall ways...secret corridors..and passages that seamlessly braid them into the lives of their employers without being seen or heard as they went about their plethora of tasks...from cleaning to cooking to serving..setting tables ..sideboards...even walking across the grounds was all done BELOW STAIRS...such a stunning split in class ...it wasn't boring "Below Stairs" either ...the many people that lived this life had their own explosive...complicated...sometimes larger then life experiences...if you haven't tuned in yet....set your DVR for Sunday ...sit down with the folks at DOWNTON ABBEY...I think you'll be glad you did....blessings and hugs till next time....Karena

Sunday Is For Family....and Flowers...

Happy Sunday girls...how are you this lovely day...I was wandering around after watching a movie this morning looking at the flowers we have scattered around the house...in the winter months it's a HUGE pick me up to see flowers blooming....arranged in pretty pots...smiling at me as I pass by....

This Daffodil bloomed over night ...the inside was so full of "LIGHT" it nearly took my breath away...how do they do that...all I can say is our creator...the star breather....cosmos builder...is.... p.r.e.t.t.y...good at floral details...thank you Lord....I just had to get my camera out and share some of these beauties with you..

A blue hydrangea my sister and I found when we were out and about on Friday...the color is perfect

Flowers we put together in vases... we each chose... the same...then we arranged them...so fun

A bronze bowl on a marble base I've had for years ...with a "Cranberry Glass" bowl placed inside for color...we will be having dinner with the kids tonight...we try to get together as often as we can for ...Sunday Dinner...tonight we will head out to an eatery instead of having a meal at home...FUN....that means we have extra time to relax...hang out...and enjoy one another...whatever your day holds I pray it's filled with family...smiles...fun...and of course good food...take care dear ones...till next time....Karena

Rain & Wind....My Favorite Kind of Day....

Hello everyone...It's one of my favorite kind of days today...we have heavy rain....lot's of wind...AND the temperature is only 58 

This is a peek out our back door...I was hoping to catch the rainfall but it's a little hard to see...

This is a picture of a pot of flower's my sweetie bought me from Trader Joe's...I grew up in Southern California with a Trader Joe's across the street from our house...when they showed up on the East Coast a few years ago It was THRILLING to me...I just love shopping there...raw foods....good produce...the best raw almonds EVER...they come in little packets you can take with you for snacking...almonds are so good for us...I try to eat a packet a day or more...instead of unhealthy things...who knew snacking could be good for you...well Trader Joe's did....and does....

I have chores to do today...still haven't made our bed...laundry is staring at me ....the kitchen needs a good scrub...and the family room could use a vacum ...I don't mind ....on days like this when Mother Nature is feeling emotional I am inspired...quirky I know but I have been this way my whole life...living in sunny California growing up it was rarely gloomy...my best friend and I would call each other up ANY time it was cloudy...cold...rainy..we'd squeal at one another..."Have You Looked Outside"...still to this day with over 23 years of friendship...one of the first things we ask each other over the phone is "How's the Weather"...so while I try to get motivated to tackle my to do list...I wish you blessings...big hugs....and some cloudy weather....thanks for popping in...Karena