72-Hour Sale on One Kings Lane- My Certified International Dishes!

I'm very excited to have my Certified International dishes for sale on One Kings Lane! They write, "We love a tabletop that's festive, fun, and full of flavor even before the food gets there." So do I!

For the next 72 hours the appetizer and wine collections are featured sale items, but things often sell out early. One Kings Lane is a great destination of top-brand and designer furniture, decor, art, gifts and vintage items at up to 70% off - please check it out!

www.onekingslane.com

This is what summer looks like

My son is a gardener. He doesn't like to eat tomatoes but he sure likes to grow them. That's fine with me as I love to eat them. Simple slices with a little salt. I just can't get over how much flavor is in vegetables you grow at home- it's amazing! So sweet and juicy.
Bountiful! Yum!

Freshen Up Color

It all happened because I decided to dust the upper shelves. It's one of the drawbacks of open shelving in the kitchen- dust and gunk builds up. (Oh, the maintenance involved with some design decisions...)
I was taking the dishes down, thinking how I'd like to use these more if they weren't so high, so hard to reach. If I rearranged things and put the dishes in another cupboard, what would I put there? As I thought of my options, I felt none of them would look right with the spicy orange we'd painted on the wall a couple of years ago. I was ready for something fresher, something lighter, more summery...

And as quick as that, off to the hardware store and a day of painting. Behr Blue Cypress. I love changing the color on an accent wall and how it transforms the mood of the room immediately. I like the light and happy feeling I get when I walk in the room and am thinking of painting this color in my studio too. I feel like I'm at the beach and things seem calm and peaceful. I'm loving the change!

After moving the dishes to a more accessible place, I still haven't used them yet!

Simple Pleasures

My wonderful neighbor brought over some cut lily blossoms. They have brightened up the foyer and every time I walk by them I feel cheered up and optimistic. Amazing how something as simple as some fresh flowers livens up the space and brings a sense of calm and beauty to the house. I believe they are Stargazer Lilies. Whatever they are, they are spectacular.

Summer Pears bag and wallet

Just in time for summer, wonderful Crazylady (a.k.a. my mother Ruth, and the nickname is one of love and fun, not a statement of her mental condition- which happens to be great!) sewed up these projects with my modern pear fabrics! Thank you Mom! I love that on the shoulder bag she made the pear the pocket design and used it for the lining as well. I think this is the perfect size to carry my money and phone when we go to the farmer's market. Both of these look light and summery and are great when I don't want to be lugging around heavy bags and wallets- generally lightening up for warm weather.

Both of these projects are from the book Free-Style Handmade.
The wallet is their Zigzag Pocket Wallet and the purse is loosely based on the Pocket-Sized Shoulder Bag. The book has lots of cute bags, skirts and projects that are easy to understand and modify to your specifics.
Have fun!

Refreshing Modern Pears

My juicy modern pears and seedling coordinates are in at Hancock Fabrics. I loved working in a summery light palette just like a cool, crisp pear, ready to bite into on a hot summer day.

http://www.hancockfabrics.com/index.htm

3171444 Allover Pears
3171477 Thread Stitches on Yellow
3171469 Blue and Green Dots
3171451 Yellow Flowers

Mid-Year Resolution

Today health is on my mind.

Recently we've had bad news. Over the last couple of weeks, a variety of tragic things and news to ones we love deeply. It's the stuff that makes you stop and re-evaluate how you are living and what is important to you. I understand I am fortunate to be looking through the window and not the one receiving the news. What a crime it would be if I did not do something to respect and appreciate my life and health more in the knowledge of what can happen, what can change...

So a new day comes and the resolve to get healthier, lose the weight, exercise more.
To live with balance. To appreciate the moment more. To tell your friends and family just how much they mean to you. The sky seems bluer to me. The birds chirp more sweetly. I feel like my senses are more alive and wanting to soak up every beautiful sensation, every still and silent breath-taking moment.

Health... health in mind, body and spirit. I am on a mission to improve mine. Are you with me?