{GHP} Let’s go on a picnic!

19 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Dessert, Drink, Family, Food, Holiday/Seasonal cooking, Traditions

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Because this is National Picnic Week…

I think it’s time to pack a picnic and head someplace picturesque and relaxing. Want to come along? This idea of picnicking has become an annual theme for me, but when I read about this cookbook by Tori Finch I couldn’t resist another dream picnic.

By the way, full disclosure, I never really got around to taking a picnic someplace other than our patio in the backyard last summer. Enjoying the relaxation of a view, food that’s delicious and easy to eat without fuss, and maybe a bottle of wine (or a jug of iced tea) just never happened. The last grown-up, memorable picnic I went on with Mr. B was before we had children and it was in this picturesque spot…

[Note: We enjoyed picnics when the kids were growing up, but they were always more play than relaxation---I look forward to continuing that tradition with grandchildren]

{Crescent Bay Point Park ~ Laguna Beach, California}

In fact, when I think of going on a picnic I think of this location. During summer months nature’s air conditioning works beautifully to keep it comfortable and there are picnic tables and benches to use or you can spread your blanket out on the grass. The view is guaranteed to relax you.

But since this post is as much about the idea of a picnic as it is a travel plan, I have some images that are what I imagine a picnic would be like in a perfect world. Of course, this is my car! Isn’t it cute with that little picnic basket attached?

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{Turkey Caprese Sandwich ~ Martha Stewart}

Packed in that pretty blue and white picnic basket I might make the Turkey Caprese Sandwich from Martha Stewart for me and the egg salad (below) for Mr. B.

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I love the idea of a wine box shipping crate (large enough) to use as a little table for a picnic…okay, maybe the cloche and footed cookie plate with dome are a bit over the top, but I love the flowers and the quilt.

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This is my kind of picnic…the shade of a tree in the country, maybe the soft sounds of a stream nearby….ahhh, what could be better?

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Why stick with the predictable cookie for dessert when you can have these at the ready for the end of the meal? I don’t have a recipe but I believe it’s a simple shortbread cookie (that may be cooked so as to be slightly chewy), whipped cream and large strawberries cut and skewered. How fun.

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No matter how you get there…by car

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~or~

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Will you be making time for a picnic this summer? Tell me what you usually prepare, or do you benefit from a great deli nearby that can make the perfect sandwich?

I’ve linked to Savvy Southern Style for her Wow us Wednesday! ~and~ I’ve joined Ricki Jill at Art @ Home for her What makes me Happy!

{GHP} Happy Father’s Day

16 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Family, Holidays

≈ 10 Comments

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Father's Day

This will be short…I want to wish all of the dad’s out there a Happy Father’s Day. It’s a noble, if not challenging at times, profession and I hope you have a wonderful day, filled with the love and attention you deserve.

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…and for the childless man, there’s more than one kind of dad…

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Happy Father’s Day

♥

{GHP} The modern penpal

12 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Misc, Personal Information

≈ 16 Comments

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Blogging

News sources have been insistent that social media and all of the electronic means of communication are ruining us as a society, that we’re becoming more disconnected and distant. As an optimist, I can’t agree with that view.

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As a blogger I am touched by the encounters I’ve experienced with people from all over the world. Their sincere kindness and their willingness to take time out of their day to read, and yes, sometimes respond with comments (sometimes not) moves me. You and I both know how busy life can be, whether you’re a full time worker, like some of my blog friends (including me), retired, or somewhere in between, LIFE IS BUSY!

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This line of thought came to me when out of the blue I received a message from a woman in another state that was paring down. I can relate. She decided to sell some of her things through consignment, one item was a set of Pierre Deux stone coasters. When she Googled Pierre Deux coasters, my post of the coasters being on my wish list came up. She contacted me and asked if I would like her set. For shipping costs only, I will receive a gift from a stranger.

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This delightful surprise and the chats that I’ve enjoyed with friends I’ve never met from blogging brought to mind the excitement I felt, as a grade-school girl when our 3rd grade teacher put our class in touch with a classroom in Germany. These children became our pen pals. For a few years my pen pal and I would write to each other sharing our school events and happenings. I’m sorry to say I lost touch with her about the time we would have entered middle school, no surprise, I suspect other pursuits began to interest her.

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Have you ever had a pen pal? If you’re a blogger, share with me one of the most memorable, random acts of kindness someone in blog land has bestowed upon you.

{Garden} A porch, atrium, courtyard, or outdoor room—a delight

05 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by Karen B. in House and Home, Outdoor living

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

outdoor rooms

What better way to relax a home and the soul than to welcome the outdoors in? In a world that seems to move faster every day, fostering a strong indoor-outdoor connection is one way to take a deep breath. Living inside and out in an antidote to stress. (Country French/Fall Winter 2012 – Meredith Specials Magazine)

In Southern California it’s pretty easy, most of the year, to transition between outdoors and in with outdoor patio/porch space, courtyard, or atrium. Weather makes it not only desirable but doable as well.

I believe the trend towards making the outdoor space around our houses resemble and live like a room that you could expect to see inside a home, has hit the nation over the past 10 or 15 years, so it’s easy to get the materials and furnishings that make outdoor living a luxury most can afford.

I know spring has probably arrived for all of us by now (she was a little reluctant coming to the dance this year)! So, I am offering some outdoor living spaces where we can entertain friends, wind down after a long work week, sip something…

{5th and State}

Our backyard area under the trees (above)—we created this space because the trees offer shade pretty much all day long and it’s the coolest spot to sit on a hot day, besides, the grass needed more sun to thrive in this spot, the pea gravel never complains. We used pea gravel in place of concrete, it’s very comfortable to walk on and was a lot less money than concrete.

If money were no object…

{Andrew Skurman Associates, architect)

My friend Cayley has one of the best courtyards. It’s protected from wind on all sides and they have a beautiful fireplace and fountain to provide extra comfort and a relaxing vibe…

This is our atrium (below) taken this spring.

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{Kevin (son #2) and Sarah (DIL) bought a house that had this space (above) in place when they moved in, there are a couple of large Alder trees that provide shade and it’s always relaxing to sit there and visit. Sarah always has a bouquet of fresh flowers on the table, added ambiance and charm!

{Mark D. Sikes}

I love the star pendant lights on this porch (below).

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This barely qualifies as outdoors. Still, I love the fireplace and the high, beamed ceiling. It would be fun to sit in this outdoor room rain or shine.

{Amelia Handegan via Southern Accents (some years ago)…thanks, Kelly}

My favorite outdoor room, the porch that Meryl Streep sat on in the movie Out of Africa. I don’t think this porch was actually in Africa, but it’s beautiful with its bead board ceiling and the ceiling fan and shutters.

{Hooked on Houses}

As the British would say (if you’re still waiting for Spring’s arrival), stiff upper lip old girl, it will show up eventually.

♥

Linking to: Savvy Southern Style & StoneGable & Art @ Home

{Home} Wall Art

01 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, House and Home, Personal Information

≈ 23 Comments

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wall art

When it comes to art in our home I tend to buy what I like at that moment, over saving my money and buying that signed piece or original art hanging in the gallery. The reason for this is that I learned early in marriage that I have a tendency to tire of some of the art trends that come and go.

An example of this, and there are many (I just don’t recall the names of the artists that have flitted across my decorating radar over the years), is in 1982 when we moved home to California from Texas (where we were transferred 2 years earlier), “French Country” was a huge design trend. Not the kind of authentic, French country rooms we see today, but the kind I would call trend-of-the-decade, which various retailers then create accessories, art and furnishings for the consumer.

In the early 80′s this was the look! I had a version of this look in my home, maybe you did too. I loved it for a decade or more. (Maybe you still LOVE this style—I am not out to bash anyone’s personal taste, honest). The artist, living at the time in Orange County, that captured this French country look/style with his paintings was John Botz. I loved his work, still do, but for a signed and numbered print back then, the price tag was too steep for our budget. His work is wonderful in the right setting, but typical of my evolving style at the time, I would have since tired of his art for my home in it’s current English country, old world, traditional incarnation, and then been compelled to sell it at a consignment store, at a loss.

John Botz

About that time I began scouring antique shops and consignment stores for art I could afford. I’ve lived with most of what I purchased back then for a very long time and love all of it. As you will see, several pieces are old graphics I’ve framed. Mostly, the framing is the most important thing, it can be costly, but it can make even a simple newspaper page look really nice.

Those that have been reading my posts know I’m a confessed Anglophile…

I ordered this architectural print (below) from a frame shop and then the framer tea stained it to look old. I apologize for the glare on the glass, it really does look old when you see it in person.

The above painting is a favorite for a couple of reasons…it is a print on cardboard of The Skating Minister, originally painted by Sir Henry Raeburn, but it was a gift from my friend and long-time business partner, Wendy. She had an artist friend that could touch up a print with paint and create the illusion of an actual oil painting. Wendy “commissioned” her friend to paint this for me and I love it.

The print below was a gift from my Grandma. It’s titled “Steady Johnny, Steady” and depicts a grandfather and his grandson walking with their fishing rods. It always reminds me of the close relationship I enjoyed with my Grandma.

My readers have seen this (above)…the historic sailing vessel painting is from a frame store that sells art students art. It’s original, not signed, but a lovely painting and the best part, it’s very affordable! {Thank you, Gretchen—I still want you to paint an Union Jack on the mast for me!}

The pair of riders is probably the most expensive painting I own. I found it in an antique store in San Juan Capistrano. The only reason I was able to buy it is that they accepted layaway. It took a few more months of saving to have it framed, I think it was painted by a French painter and I never tire of looking at it {surprise}.

The above picture was in storage at the office where I work. They were thinking of pitching it…I rescued it and love it. It’s some kind of art poster but it almost looks like a glass painting in person.

Alison, over at The Polohouse always comes up with such fun topics for her Favorites on the First, and this was no different. Thanks, Alison.

June's Linky Party 6/1,2,3

{GHP} 10 things I can’t live without

29 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Personal Information

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

happiness

Really? Maybe that’s too strong of a statement, but here are the 10 8 things, that in a perfect world, I couldn’t ~~live~~ be truly happy without. (I’m not sure I can even say that with conviction). {Please know that I realize I can live without all but health to keep me alive, maybe not in happiness, but I could be alive}

Here you go: 10 8 things that ~~I can’t live without~~ make me very happy. The bluebird of happiness flies very close when all of these things are in sync.

1) Coffee, good, rich and strong. Two cups per morning. Occasionally, in the afternoon when I feel like I’ve hit the wall, one more cup o’ joe, please.

2) My family and friends. Maybe it’s because I’m an only child or I am simply a needy person, but I thrive on contact with others and the relationships I enjoy with family and friends. I love them all, and each time I hear from them it brightens my day. Mr. B. is my best friend and I feel fortunate to have him in my life all these years!

(Above) son #1 – Kyle, standing; son #2 – Kevin, sitting, talking with Olivia our granddaughter, all essential components to my happy place.

3) Fresh plants and flowers indoors. I really delight in fresh, live plants indoors. I am giddy with a bouquet of fresh flowers, even simple greens from the garden with a few shrub roses thrown in the mix, I am happiest when flowers are present and live plants are in the room.

4) The few blue and white accents in our home. The weird thing about this is that for most of my married life I have not had blue and white in my life through no fault of anyone except myself. I started married life trying to forge my own way where color was concerned. Many of my best friends were using blue and white as their base colors and I longed to be different…all the while, I really loved the look of blue and white and the way it made me feel {I believe color has a big impact on how we feel in our homes, do you?}. I know, I’m an idiot, why wouldn’t I just concede already? Anyway, I’ve finally started, in earnest, introducing blue and white into my home and I must say I wonder how I managed without it all these years?

5) Books, all kinds and topics. I have less time to read these days and have adopted using Audible, an audible book store that allows you to upload unabridged books onto your iPod (great for multitasking), but there is something about the presence of books that calms me. I can sit down with a book, begin to read and feel my blood pressure drop.

6) Music. Same as a above…really a lot of different styles of music appeal to me. I tend to listen to classical in my car. Hey, I live in Southern California, have you seen the traffic? There is nothing like Mozart for putting a stop to the negative reaction that tends to take over when you encounter careless, clueless drivers, which are found in abundance on the busy streets of the greater Los Angeles area, including Orange County. {Note: I was going to try to insert a little button you could push to play a song, but I didn’t figure it out}

7) Work in the garden. Communing with earth, if you will. I do love to labor in the yard and living in Southern California affords us nearly year round weather to accomplish this.

8) My dogs, really all of the pets I’ve ever owned have brought me such pleasure. Raising our sons we had a veritable zoo at one time, including a Texas tortoise named “Timothy”, a lop-eared bunny named “Lucy”, cats and dogs, a canary, and our youngest son had a lizard and some mice at one time. If you are a pet lover, you know what I mean. Winnie and Madison are rescue dogs. Madison is a Jack Russell/Border Terrier mix and Winne, well what can I say? We don’t know what she is, we only know that when we adopted her she was 30 lbs and the shelter told us she was full grown, she just turned 9 years and she weighs 90 lbs!

Do you have a list of happiness triggers?

I hope your upcoming weekend brings you joy.

I’m over at Ricki Jill’s Art @ Home, sharing my “happy list”, stop by.

{Home} Furnishing a home over time

22 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, House and Home

≈ 22 Comments

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furnishing

“I believe in living in a house and letting it give you answers. You don’t have to put it all together at once.

Warning: Keep this post out of the hands of husbands who might use it to detain your progress with the decorating of your home.

When Mr. B and I bought our first house I wanted it furnished with what I thought, at the time, was our style. I wanted every room to be pretty and furnished. So, we searched and purchased, as our budget would allow, and had each of the 3 bedrooms and living areas “decorated” for living. Or so we thought. As time went by we realized we should have bought a single larger sofa since the two love seats didn’t really work with our family and entertaining needs. They took up space that could have offered additional seating beyond a two-person sofa. I settled for stuff I later regretted purchasing. Some of this was the inexperience of my 23 years and some was trying to blend our newlywed tastes. Note: Mr. B, a long time ago, decided to leave most of the design decisions to me. He’s such a wise man!

Anyway, I learned the hard way how to go about furnishing a home, which seems to have been my MO for many years. Once I figured out that when you move into a home, it’s advisable to let the house give you its clues about what you and the house need to do to create the comfort and livability that we all long for. It took me a couple of houses to realize that by holding off on purchasing ANYTHING that was a make-do piece, and that by saving my money and waiting for what my heart desired, was so much better.

So, I’m sharing rooms from my home and those that I drew inspiration from in decorating our house.

the foyer:

Our foyer isn’t large but the wall you see here separates it from the long entry hall.

the master bedroom:

The wall color will be changed this summer, should I go with a light color or the darker walls in the first bedroom above? Our bed is only about 8 years old, when we bought a new mattress and box spring we decided to switch to a queen from a king. I like the fact that the bed has side rails and doesn’t require a dust ruffle, which when we had a dust ruffle on our old bed, attracted dust bunnies and doggie hair. [This is a true confession moment]

the dining room:

The dining room in our home used to be the living room, for that story visit HERE. The dining room table is the very first dining room table we purchased in 1980. We had it refinished last year, but I still love the overall design. the Windsor chairs were bought 25 years ago from an antique store that imported them from Ipswich…I love that story being an Anglophile!

the guest room:

The story of how I finally got my blue and white guest room is HERE. This picture was taken before the small pillows had been changed to a RL blue and white stripe. The furnishings in this room have traveled with us for years. The nightstand on the right is an antique, the nightstand on the left (which I realize isn’t very visible) was from a consignment store.

the family room:

The Carol Glasser room [above our family room image] was the inspiration for the red and cream checked sofa. Our walls were red when I made this upholstery decision and now I would like a solid fabric sofa…I can be patient, that’s the point of this post.

the reading room:

The loveseat is one of the pair we first purchased. It’s been recovered and restyled but it’s a well-made sofa and has served us well. The other one was given to our oldest son for his first apartment, I believe he sold it on craigslist when he married. So that’s the tour, we haven’t purchased a piece of furniture in years, the decisions we made early on taught us to buy what we love…not an original idea but on that works.

Tell me, did you have a similar experience in furnishing your home or did you know immediately what you wanted/needed and voila!?

{Garden, Home and Party} Celebrating the season with a party!

15 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, Entertaining, Flowers, House and Home

≈ 21 Comments

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Spring

Garden: Spring is truly magical, with the seemingly overnight transformation of our outdoor surroundings from austere to vibrant. I marvel at how quickly the yard can burst with color, including large doses of every shade of green. I’ve shared with you how work in my garden always makes me happy. I understand not everyone shares my enthusiasm, but those of you that delight in planting summer flowers or bulbs, understand the joy the warmer, longer days can bring the avid gardener.

I planted hydrangea in the urn to the left of the door, it’s the softest pink. Most of the flowers in the front yard are white or blue. Pink was my nod to the fresh innocence of spring. I’m such a dare devil with color, lol.

When the warm weather visits we spend a lot of time in our backyard. {Sorry about the glare on this image below, even though it was overcast, it was still very bright, one of the things I like best about spring}.

I know this spring has had issues…like snow in late April in some parts of the U.S., but when it’s perfect weather-wise, do you enjoy the great outdoors?

Home: Some of the steps I take around the house to seasonalize for spring:This time of year, with the addition of a few extra hours of daylight, the windows are open more often, the woolen throws are carefully stored and I put out some birds nests I’ve collected over the years. {I only take the ones that are vacated by the family of wren, sparrows and hummingbirds}. I’ve found most of them in our yard, and I love the intricate construction of each one.

I have a lot of roses in my garden, but surprisingly the ones that provide a constant source of flowers for cutting are the hardy, shrub Iceberg roses and my Eden climbing rose. I love bringing fresh flowers into our home all spring and summer.

I love the color of these orchids (above), a gift from a friend. They look like spring to me, along with the twig planter, it almost reminds me of a nest.

Fresh fruit is another way to give a room a touch of spring.

…and finally, I bring out my little bronze birds to remind me spring is in the air.

Party: I like to cook, I find it to be a creative outlet. Mr. B and I don’t usually eat large meals during the week. My work schedule facilitates simple menus for the weekday meal. By entertaining friends and family, I’m able to try new recipes with the added bonus of trying out new table settings (another passion). Spring swings the door wide open with possibilities and options for mixing things up in the table setting department.

I use this white planter (which you can barely see in this picture) outdoors when it’s not providing me with plenty of maiden- hair fern and ivy for a table arrangement. I buy small pots of seasonal flowers and plug them in where needed. It’s an inexpensive way to dress the table with natures best work.

So are you ready? Share some of your favorite ways to enjoy the season…

I’ll be eager to see what you’ve been up to.

Note: Due to my blog being hosted by WordPress.com, Inlinkz has you click on the icon below to insert your link. Sorry for the extra step. ~and~ a huge thank you to my friend Victoria “Restoring our 1890 Victorian” for helping me with this.

I’ll be linking up with Tracie at a Fishtail Cottage, stop by and say hi.

{Garden} Made with love – link party at Victoria’s

14 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Family, Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, House and Home, Renovating

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

Gardening

Victoria, over at Restoring our 1890 Victorian, really stumped with her Linky party theme, “Made with Love”. This isn’t because I haven’t put love into nearly everything I do, especially where family and friends are concerned, it’s that I wasn’t sure I had photographs that I could use to document this project “made with love”.

So at the risk of seeming to be in a landscape/garden rut, the most recent project that seemed viable to the topic, one that I knew I gave a lot of thought, energy and love to, was planning and planting the front yard of our youngest son, Kevin and his wife, Sarah.

I apologize for not taking “before” pictures of the jumble of ivy and juniper…the landscape was so grim it never occurred to me. This is the yard prior to the final removal of the odd shaped bushes and a struggling ornamental plum (the tree in this picture).

(above & below) the left side of the steps are a garden I planted late last year, we mirrored the style for the larger portion of the front yard. The Iceberg roses and Santa Barbara Daisies have doubled in size

The newlyweds recently purchased an older home. This older home had been owned by an elderly gentleman, whose wife had passed away some time before. When he passed, his children put the house on the market. The yard had been “maintained” by a mow, blow and go kind of guy. Salvageable shrubs had been hedged into misshapen boxes and other odd shapes not natural to the plant world. Many of the plants were overgrown beyond trimming to any effect.

(above) The plants with the white flowers are the Iceberg roses…they will put on a couple of feet of height over the summer. There will not be very much ground exposed once the grasses and other plants fill in.

(above) the green on the front of the house is the espaliered apple…it should be very happy in its new home.

The majority of the front yard is a slope that meets the sidewalk. It was covered in runaway ivy and low growing juniper and because the slope was neglected the two varieties married and intermingled into a mess, complete with spider webs and weeds.

(above) Sarah and her mom bought some slate stepping stones and we planted Thyme ground cover. Once that fills in she can cut thyme for cooking and enjoy a lush, green lawn of an herb that has a small purple flower, when in bloom.

Just before the wedding in December, Sarah’s mom paid her gardener to rip out the entire mess. I began planning for the new yard in February and with the help of Jose (my gardener extraordinaire) we installed the finished plant list in April.

Planning took some time since Sarah and Kevin wanted a California/Santa Barbara look. Translation: Olive trees, grasses, lavender, white Iceberg shrub roses, Penstemon and other perennials. The space at the front of the house was begging for something showy and structured. We selected an espaliered apple. We asked Jose to make sure the sprinklers were in good working order, since we didn’t want the hundreds of dollars in plant material to shrivel up in the upcoming warm weather. That ended up involving hours of work! He amended the soil and planted.

Next will be some work in the back yard, although we have worked on some areas already…Sarah recently re-planted the herb/vegetable garden we installed last year and the space under the trees has been an inviting respite from hot sun since they first moved in.

Any and all involvement has been made with love. ♥ Check out the linky party at Restoring our 1890 Victorian

I can guarantee, you will be entertained!

~and~ because this garden makes me happy I’m joining Ricki Jill at Art @ Home for her linky party ~and~ Fishtail Cottage for her Garden Party

{GHP} Happy Mother’s Day

08 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Family, Holidays

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Mother's Day

My mother passed away 3 years ago, it’s hard to believe it’s already been that long! Still, I’m getting great joy in watching our oldest son and his darling wife raise our granddaughter. It’s the circle of life and there’s nothing quite as satisfying to me as seeing them nurture and teach the sweet toddler.

On this upcoming Mother’s Day, I wish all of you a much-deserved day of love and adoration, and a fun day with family. If you are fortunate enough to still have a mom to visit and celebrate with, cherish the time.

These are things that remind me of my mom…Thank you, Mom!

for introducing me to the love and joy of gardening

for supporting my hobbies and interests

for always being at my side through good and bad

for helping me out of a few jams

for all the time we spent together, talking, laughing and reminiscing

for sharing my love of antique searching

for making childhood fun and filled of love

I miss you mom.

Happy Mother’s Day this coming Sunday.♥

Reminder—next week I invite you to join me in celebration of spring! Link up your favorites about the season, the garden, home and or party you take pleasure in during this time of year! See you Wednesday, May 15th.

Garden, Home & Party

{GHP} Let’s go on a picnic!

{GHP} Happy Father’s Day

{GHP} The modern penpal

{Garden} A porch, atrium, courtyard, or outdoor room—a delight

{Home} Wall Art

{GHP} 10 things I can’t live without

{Home} Furnishing a home over time

{Garden, Home and Party} Celebrating the season with a party!

{Garden} Made with love – link party at Victoria’s

{GHP} Happy Mother’s Day

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