Home for the Holidays

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I think I'm finally done.

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Done decorating...

Done shopping...

And just able to sit back and enjoy the season. Enjoy the blessing of having a place to call my own, a place to welcome friends and family and share in the spirit of the season.  This is home, where I can hang my hat and my Christmas ornaments!

Coastal Christmas in the Kitchen

First of all, I want to take a moment to remember those who lost their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor on this day 70 years ago.  May we hold them in our hearts forever. 

I finally have something I can share for a few link parties, which I haven't done in a REALLY long time. 

I gave you a sneak peek of my kitchen windowsill a few days ago, but I finally finished it up by adding some greens and a few other things here and there, so I thought I would share the whole thing with you today.  I know it's not the 9th yet, but I'm not good at being patient, so here goes!

Plus, I still have a few more things to put out in here, so I will share more once I have the whole room finished, but I didn't want to miss out on the party.  I love a good party after all, and I've loved seeing the wonderful  posts others have shared over the past few weeks.  There is so much talent in blogland, it boggles my mind sometimes!

Ok, enough chit chat, on to the decorating!  The inspiration for this year's windowsill was mother nature, burlap, and turquoise/aqua.

I started with my blue ball jars, knowing that I wanted them to be a focal point and provide some color.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to put lights in them like I had done in years past, but finally settled on a more simple approach and added little baby cedar trees to them instead.

I lived with those on the windowsill for a few days before deciding which direction to head in.  Then I remembered that I had some burlap ribbon, so I strung that all along the windowsill which gave it some nice texture.

I tend to let my decorating evolve over time, but I usually have some sort of vision of how I want it to end up, or at least which elements I want to use.  I loved the blue of the mason jars, but I felt like something was missing until it dawned on me that I could use my turquoise/aqua insulators as votive holders.  They add just the sparkle I was looking for, and they look so pretty when I light the little tea lights each evening.   And I also love that they are chipped, don't all match, and are well worn, all part of the rustic charm I was hoping to achieve this Christmas.

As I wandered around my house gathering things to add, my collection of seashells seemed like a logical choice to incorporate into my coastal themed vision.  I have all sorts of shells, so I just grabbed a few and spaced them out over the sill.

I debated on putting 3 blue ball jars, one in front of each window, but I felt like it needed a little height in the center, so I grabbed these wooden shore birds which normally sit on top of the TV armoire in the living room during the warmer months.  And I fashioned a wreath out of cypress to hang on the biggest birdie.

Just below the windowsill, next to the sink, I added some vintage ornaments that had belonged to my parents and grandparents and a few other ornaments I have collected over the years.  I purchased the peppermints on copper wire a few years ago, and since I didn't have anything yummy to fill my candy jar with, they did the trick!  A pretty white Cyclamen I picked up the other day when I bought my wreaths is nestled into a big red bowl.  I love to have flowers around all throughout the year, but especially when everything outside is on its way out.

Santa seems to be eyeing something to his right...not sure what, let's hope he's not trying to make a break for it!

And because it's Christmastime, it never hurts to remind ourselves to believe, in whatever makes your heart sing.

Candy canes fill a pudding basin and get weighed in along with some fresh greens on top of my vintage scale.  My little sea urchin votive holder adds a little more sparkle to the kitchen.

So there it is, my coastal cottage inspired Christmas kitchen.  I think baking will be a lot more fun in here this year!  I can't wait to see what the rest of you did in your kitchens!

Click HERE to see more Christmas in the Kitchen inspiration!  And to visit some of the other Christmas link parties you can check out the list below.

 AND

Click HERE to visit the Christmas Home Tours at The Inspired Room!

AND

I am also linking up to the 24 Days of Coastal Christmas at Sally Lee by the Sea!  Click HERE to see more Coastal Christmas decorating ideas!

A Coastal Cottage Christmas Sneak Peek

Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments, not just on my last post, but on every post!  You are my inspiration!  When I visit your blogs, stop by your Pinterest sites, or get your emails I find myself striving to try new things, expand my horizons, and just be a better person...so thank you!

And speaking of getting emails, the email gremlins struck again this week.  I know I sound like I'm beating a dead horse, but it's gone from just being annoying to really affecting my work and lifestyle!  Apparently a friend sent us an email inviting us to a Christmas party this evening, and if they hadn't texted me last night asking if we would be coming, we would have missed it completely...ugh!  So dear email, you can mess with a lot of things but I'm putting you on notice that you better not mess with my social life by losing party invites!!!

So, on to a sneak peek of my kitchen Christmas decor.  Like I said, this year will be simple, and I've coined the term Coastal Cottage Christmas for the look.  Oh heck, I'm sure someone else coined that phrase, but I'm going with it.  Mr. Tide and I stopped by a friend's house last night, and as we chatted about how as you get older you sometimes lose your gumption to put stuff out, we all decided that less truly is more for us these days.  I noticed that she too had embraced a simpler style of decor and her house was warm, cozy and beautiful!

As you can tell by the photos of my kitchen windowsill, this year will be a little less dazzling, not like in years past, which you can see by clicking HERE and HERE.  Still, I'm loving the natural elements, the pops of turquoise, which will be a theme found throughout my holiday decor this year.  And I'm not completely done with the windowsill yet, I will be adding a few votives so that I have a bit of dancing light up there in the evenings, just not the twinkle of Christmas lights like in years past.


 

I also managed to get a few greens and two big beautiful wreaths from a local Mennonite family yesterday.  I love, love, love the smell of fresh greens and can't wait to incorporate even more around the house over the next few days.  Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing more pictures of my house during this year's holiday season, so stay tuned.

Looks like I'm on track, on budget, and still completely out of my mind...which is as it should be! ;-)

I hope you each have a wonderful week, and keep those inspirational posts coming!

Sing for Your Supper

Today, I thought we'd take a peek inside my cupboards and around the kitchen.

I love my glass fronted cupboards.

And my napkin rings given to me by my sweet daughter!

You can't live in Maryland and not have a set of crab glasses.

And this blueberry creamer and sugar came from my parents who raised blueberries, yum!

This beautiful white platter was a gift from my neighbor last Christmas, I think she knows me pretty well!

The plate above the range came from Giant, the etched bottle was found at a local gift store, and the green bottle is from my dear friend Celia, she gave it to me in high school and I added the slate tag years ago.

On the hutch are some treasured kitchen items from my mother and grandmother, and that wooden block with the beach babe is from the talented and oh so sweet Linda at Itsy Bits and Pieces!  Thank you Linda, I love it!

As you can tell, I don't worry too much about jamming things into my glass fronted cupboards.  Storage is at a premium in this little house of ours so everything has it's place and there is a place for everything.

Gravy boats, milk glass salt and pepper shakers, and even chickens find themselves at home here.

I love my fishy chowder bowls.

The strawberry topped sugar bowl and butter dish peeking out behind the blue vase belonged to my grandmother.

Above the hidden microwave are my fancy smanchy glasswares.

And a few pretties too.

And because no kitchen would be complete without one, here is my cookie jar.  To see more kitchen pictures click here.

Now, go sing for your supper! ;-)

I'm linking to

House Love

A special thank you to everyone who gave me their honest feedback for my questions in yesterday's post, I really appreciate it!  It's great to hear all the different perspectives so that I can make a more informed choice about whether to open an Etsy shop or not.

I sometimes get asked if I have a favorite house among the ones I've written about over the years.  And I have to say that it's a tough question to answer.  I see so many different styles, from contemporary to all out Victorians, that to pick a favorite would be like saying you love strawberries more than peaches...I love them both!

But there are a few notable homes which come to mind when I think of the type of home I would want to create if given a blank canvas to work from, and the house I'm about to show you would be one that would surely be at the top of my list!

I have to honestly say that sometimes it is not only the house that I love, but also the homeowners.  In my career as a writer I'm happy to say that I've never come across an unfriendly owner, which makes my job much easier.  But there are some owners who you connect with better than others, and who you end up staying in contact with over the years.

The moment I set foot inside this gorgeous waterfront home I knew it would be something special.  Even from the outside you could tell it wasn't your typical house.  And it didn't take long for me to figure out that the owners were special people too, an added bonus for me!

Because I have so many photos to share with you, and because the house truly is the star of the show, I'll try and keep my comments to a minimum and just let you enjoy the beauty of this very unique and special place.

What's not to love about a house that has a boat hanging from the ceiling...

And a graceful floating curved staircase...

I love the stained treads, handrail, and detailed tread brackets against the crisp white spindles which resemble rope.

Lots of windows, including skylights, fill the entryway with beautiful natural light.

Off of the foyer is a round game table, grounded by a colorful rug.  To the right and down a few steps is an intimate sitting area with a one of a kind fireplace clad in old barn wood and created by local artisans.

Comfortable furnishings make this a perfect spot to read a book or simply enjoy the view.  French doors lead to one of the many decks found on the water side of the home.

Also located just off the gaming area is a small bar with a beautiful stained glass window depicting the view from the house to the opposite shoreline.

A large great room is the centerpiece of the main level of the home, featuring lovely antiques, soaring ceilings, and colorful furnishings.  Beautiful artwork and sculptures can be found everywhere in the house, and a series of french doors frame one of the prettiest pieces of art, the view to the water.

One of the homeowners is an artist, with a keen eye for beautiful things.

Located just off the great room is the spacious dining room.  A large custom made table, which comfortably seats 10, boasts a correctly oriented compass rose in the center.  A catwalk accessed from the master bedroom upstairs creates a unique ceiling and french doors flood the room with additional light, highlighting this beautiful handmade chandelier constructed from driftwood the homeowners collected during their travels!

A gourmet kitchen flows off the dining area and features a mix of stained and painted shaker style cabinetry.  Dark granite counters, professional style appliances, and two large islands make this a chef's dream kitchen!  I love the way wood and tile were used to create the unique diamond patterned floor, it's both stylish and practical!

As you head up the grand staircase you get a unique perspective on the first floor, and breathtaking views of the grounds and water beyond.  

No detail was overlooked, even the boat sports a vintage life ring, not seen from below.  And the white built-in bookcase holds a secret too...it is actually a secret door that leads to the downstairs powder room...I love that!

The entire upstairs is comprised of a lovely master suite and office area.  Soft yellow walls, punctuated by beautiful white trim highlight the curves of the room.  A semi circular headboard floats in the middle of the room orienting the bed toward the windows and water views, while providing built-in nightstands.

Narrow doors and luxurious draperies in the bedroom close the catwalk off from the dining room below, allowing for extra privacy.  But with just a step through either door, you can wind your way out to an upper level deck to enjoy a morning cup of coffee, or you can always put in your breakfast order to someone downstairs in the kitchen. 

 

Dormers create a light filled hallway which leads from the master bedroom to the bathroom and office/studio area.  

The bathroom is made up of his and her spaces connected by a sumptuous dressing area and ample glass fronted closets.  "His" side of the bath houses a large glass fronted shower with a television, while "Hers" features a deep tub for long relaxing bubble baths.  I love the ornate mirror and beautiful sconces which give a feminine feel to the space.

If any of you are avid golfers, this will tickle your fancy.  An upstairs balcony located off of the office area sports a gate which can be opened, allowing you to practice your swing out to the green located on the property's side yard.

Even the outbuildings on this property were carefully thought out and executed! 

Believe it or not there is even a large basement area with guest rooms, a covered stone patio, and a wine cellar...swoon!

If lounging is more your style, why not wile away the hours soaking up the sun by the pool, or laying in the hammock taking in that view?!

And if you grow tired of your surroundings you can even head out for an afternoon on the boat...for a little added relaxation.

I hope you've enjoyed touring this beautiful one of a kind home as much as I did when I photographed it.  The homeowners are both extremely hardworking people who appreciate every square inch of this home and I'm so happy they let me share it with all of you!  Thanks A & M!