Don't Worry Bee Happy

Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments and emails about my last post!  I know so many of us are in the same boat, and it's good to know that we are probably harder on ourselves than anyone else ever could be.

Today I thought I would show you some new goodies I picked up since the first of the year.  I can't believe that March is right around the corner and that I bought these items at the beginning of the year...which seems like just yesterday!

I have this obsession with small vases, I love them and whenever I find one I snap it up.  I think it goes back to when I was a child and I used to love to pick little flowers like buttercups and forget-me-nots and bring them in to my mother.  She always had little vases or juice glasses that she would put them in and then keep them by the sink in the kitchen so that she could enjoy them while she cooked or did the dishes.

I came across this little green vase that I knew would be perfect for short stemmed flowers like pansies and violets, and I loved the deep emerald color.  It was a great price too, and at a favorite local store, Lola Belle Co. so I snapped one up because I knew they would likely go pretty quickly.

Then, a few weeks later, I went to Home Goods and found these wonderful embroidered bee towels.  I love bees, and have for a long time, even before they became so popular so there was no question that they were coming home with me.

I also have a bit of a hand towel obsession, and in a big armoire we have there are two full drawers devoted entirely to towels!  I come by this honestly though as my mother loved napkins and pretty guest towels too.

And here is another weird little tidbit about me...I think some weeds are pretty!  Yup, I think that dandelion flowers are kind of pretty, and as much as I hate the fact that they are weeds, I love blowing their little heads when they go to seed.  When you are surrounded by old farm fields like we are, you learn to embrace all of mother nature's beauty...or you go mad trying to control and tame it.

Mr. Tide's theory on having a beautiful lawn is that if it looks green and good from a distance, well then that's good enough for him.  I'm glad he doesn't obsess over the weeds because if he did it would become a full time job, and we would never get to enjoy where we live and jump into the kayaks whenever possible during the summer months.

And I'm glad I'm crazy for hand towels because I love when I visit someone else's home and they have a beautiful towel hanging in their bathroom or kitchen...even if you know they are just for show they still bring a smile to my face.  And I hope that others enjoy the ones I display in my own home.

Today I attended the funeral of a distant relative...a man I didn't really know, but a good man who had touched others during his long life.  I know my mom would have gone, she was good about things like that, so I'm sure she was happy that my sister and I both went.

It's funny how those bits of character that our parents pass along to us shine through in unexpected ways.  I thought I would end this post with an email I received from another family member, my mother in law, regarding my last post.  It was a lovely surprise to find in my inbox and I don't think she will mind if I share it with you all.

I just looked at your current blog; that definitely is a lovely pitcher you featured. I like the shape of it and the color combination. I loved how you accessorized it in your photo's - very lovely, simple but just right.

    As has been mentioned before, you and your mom had the touch in how to use stuff as you did in this blog and all your others. I have learned a lot from you in that regard but not enough yet  :-) 

      love. Mom    XXX OOO

Wasn't that a kind thing to say?  She actually has a lovely home, and a great sense of style, I even joked with her last time we visited that her outfit one evening was very hip and fashion forward...which it was!  I think it's nice when people support one another, whether it is through a comment on a blog post, a nice email, or reaching out to someone to let them know you care.  We all need that in our lives...friends and family who don't just say they love and support you, but show you through their kind actions.

Little Pretties

Thank you to everyone who commented on my new website and my last post, the website is still evolving, but it's nice to have it mostly done for now.

And it was nice to see that I'm not the only one who makes lists and enjoys scratching off the finished tasks!  I cracked up at the comment by Marcia aka Laxsupermom who said that her camping spreadsheet is the stuff of legends...too funny!

Yesterday and today, when I woke up and came out to start work, my house smelled so good!  These beautiful peonies are to blame, and they filled my whole house with the most wonderful fragrance!  My peonies in my front flower bed have begun to open, but for whatever reason, mine just don't smell as wonderful as these.

There are some at my parent's house and at the farm we still own which are really fragrant, so I need to dig them up and move some of them to my house.  I've heard peonies are hard to transplant though and that they will often not bloom for a few years after being moved. 

Have any of you had any luck with transplanting peonies, and when did you do it...right after they were done blooming or do you have to wait until they are dormant?

I love rearranging my accessories and little pretties around the house throughout the year and for the different seasons.

I bought this sweet little bird box awhile ago at Lola Belle Co. in Leonardtown, Maryland.  I think it's perfect for springtime and looks pretty on my white bucket bench with my milk glass vase filled with lovely peonies!

Another question about peonies for you.  Have any of you found a home fragrance or candle that smells like fresh peonies?  I would love to have this scent all bottled up so that I could spritz a little whenever I feel like it!

I'm off to a photo shoot, but tomorrow I'll be showing you what Doug did for his garden club program so be sure to stop back by if you have the time.  I hope you are having a wonderful day! 

The Faster I Go, The Behinder I Get and A Giveaway

I can scarcely believe it's been almost a week since my last post...time flies when you're feeling ill...actually it just kind of drags on when you realize how many things are piling up as you huddle in bed!  My title is a quote from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, and it perfectly describes my life at the moment!  You all were so sweet to leave me wonderful comments about my blog anniversary, and send me well wishes as I muddled through the virus I had, and when I was feeling better and finally sat down to try and return emails and answer comments, I realized how very far behind I am on absolutely everything right now!

So instead of becoming overwhelmed, I'm doing what I said I should do, I'm moving forward and tackling what I can and letting go of the rest.  Which reminds me of another great quote from wise Mr. Carroll... "Alice generally gave herself good advice (though she very seldom followed it)."  This time I'm following my own good advice which was Tip #5 from my recent post on blogging!  See, you can teach an old dog new tricks!

I truly did appreciate each and every comment and email and if I could clone myself I would reply personally to every single one of them, but a stack of work emails and deadlines has me busier than a one armed paper hanger right now.

If you could see the Christmas tree still standing in my family room (sans ornaments at least), the holiday decor stacked on my dining room table waiting to be put away, the dust Velociraptors (oh they've grown way past cute bunnies) that litter my floors, and the empty pantry that cries Mother Hubbard's Cupboard each time I open it, you'd understand!

I did however manage to make it out of my house yesterday and today.  Last night I took homemade chili over to my friend Ms. M, and we had dinner with her.  She is doing great and because she's housebound and reliant on the help she has hired, she was thrilled to have a little extra company and one of her favorite meals.  Then today I met a realtor at my parent's house.  We are so very close to getting it on the market, and we hope to finish up the final details before the end of the month!

On my way home tonight, I decided to pop into a few of my favorite stores since I feel like I've been out of the loop for so long now.  I know I should have headed to the grocery store, but it was 4:30 and that meant that everyone and their brother was shopping after work and in preparation of the ice storm we might be getting so I decided we could subsist on what's in the freezer for a few more days...English muffins aren't just for breakfast right?!

I first stopped at Cecil's Country Store, but they had wisely closed down early since it was starting to sleet.  So I drove to another favorite, Lola Belle Co. in Leonardtown and picked up a few things to use as a giveaway.  It's my way of saying thank you for understanding, being supportive, and well, for just being you!

By the time I reached the store the temperature had dropped significantly and the roads were starting to get slippery so I immediately gravitated toward anything that reminded me of spring or summer.  You can tell by my photos that I was craving a little pop of color in everything I purchased, probably because it's been so bleak and colorless outside.

After milling about in the store, I got a phone call from Mr. Tide telling me that I should really head home since he almost fell on our back patio.  So I gathered up my treasures and then jumped in my car to head home before the roads got really bad.

So here is my spring/summer wishes giveaway.  A little mercury glass birdie in pale green to remind you that springtime and birds chirping are just around the corner.  A Village Candle called Summer Breeze, because I could use one right about now!  A bright floral hand towel that ironically is made by Dena Fishbein, whose house I wrote about in Romantic Country Magazine, and I didn't even notice that until I got home...such a small world!  Some lavender bath salts from PRE de Provence, because lavender is soothing no matter what the season.  And last but not least, a bracelet made from shells to remind you that beach weather will be upon those of us in the northern hemisphere before we know it!

This little group of goodies is my way of sending a little springtime and sunshine your way along with a great big hug of thanks!

In order to enter, and because I know you all are just as crazy busy as I am, all you need to do is leave me a comment telling me whatever you like.  Yup, you can say "hi" or maybe tell me what the weather is like in your neck of the woods today, it's up to you!

The Giveaway is open to everyone, and will end on Tuesday, January 18th, at Midnight PST.

A Low Tide High Style GIVEAWAY!

To all of you who have visited my blog, commented, or become followers I want to say Thank You!  I really do appreciate your comments and just the fact that you take time out of your busy schedules to spend a little time with me and my thoughts each day!

As a little token of my appreciation I wanted to host a Giveaway of some of the pretty, beachy things I've found as I have visited local shops here in southern Maryland aka "The Land of Pleasant Living!"  Because I never like buying just "one" of anything, I will be picking 2 winners for my first Giveaway!

All of the items in the Giveaway were purchased by Low Tide High Style.

Here is the lovely Sea Anemone Plate I gave you a "sneak peek" at earlier!  It came from Traditions of Loveville, and I found it when my son and I were out on our little shopping jaunt the other day.  I love the shape of this little decorative plate and I love that I can always find something to bring home from Traditions, it's been a favorite of mine for YEARS!  If you've never visited Traditions in Loveville, Maryland, it's worth the drive!

Here's a close up of the plate.  I love the crackle finish on the anemone!

Lola Belle Co. is where you'll find these next items offered in the Giveaway.  Their website may be a work in progress, but their store is lovely and offers something for nearly everyone.  If you happen to be in Leonardtown, Maryland, make sure you pop in and see what they have and tell them Kat sent you!

These Seaspray sachets smell heavenly...or like the sea, which to me are synonymous! 

Each winner will receive one, and you'll love how it will freshen up a room and remind you of 

a walk along the beach at sunset! 

I also found these yummy seafood spice packages.  The packaging is truly beautiful, they would make a thoughtful "just because" gift don't you think?

Yum!!!

Seafood anyone?

Next it was off to Pink Beach, located in the Wildewood Shopping Center in California, Maryland.  Pink Beach is a beach lover's dream filled with fun, funky colors and great gifts.  You can't go in to their store and not come out with a smile on your face and a pretty bag filled with beachy goodies in your hand!

My find for today was this truly "cool" coral votive holder!  It holds two votives and wouldn't it look wonderful sitting next to your beautiful new sea anemone plate?

I just love the fact that it holds not ONE but TWO little votive candles!

OK, hold on to your hats, we're not done yet!

Our final Beachy item is a beautiful shell found at Cecil's Country Store.  You've heard me rave about this store before, and for good reason!  Located in Great Mills, Maryland, and housed in an old country store (complete with squeaky floorboards), it's filled with delightful finds!  Candles, artwork, and gift items are just some of the wonderful things you'll find here. There's even a whole room dedicated to nautical decor, so you're sure to find something you'll love! 

I just couldn't pass up this beautiful aqua seashell!

Isn't it elegant, and it's even pretty on the inside!  P.S. I "own" one!

So there you have it folks, our little Sea Anemone Plate is lonely no more!!

You'll have 3 chances to win. 

1.  For ONE chance, Post a Comment letting me know what you'd like to see featured on my blog in the future or what you've enjoyed so far.

2.  For a SECOND chance, Become a Follower.  ALL followers will be registered for a second chance, so if you aren't "already" a follower...what are you waiting for?!

3.  For a THIRD chance, Post A Link to the Giveaway on your own blog.  Be sure to come back and leave me a comment letting me know you've posted so that I can add your name for a third chance at winning!

If you don't have a blog, don't worry, you still have 2 chances to win!!

You can qualify for the Giveaway until Midnight PST on Wednesday, January 27th.  

The winner will be announced on Thursday, January 28th.

PLEASE BE SURE YOU LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU IF YOUR NAME IS DRAWN.  WITHOUT ONE I CAN'T LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE WON OR SEND YOU YOUR GIFT!

Sorry, no international shipping available on this particular Giveaway, only Canada and The U.S. qualify this time.  International followers, don't despair...I promise to hold an "International" only giveaway in the future!

Bargains!

I let you all in on a little secret, my house still has Christmas stuff everywhere! Our decorations are no longer artfully displayed, and our trees are standing like naked reminders that I need to get this stuff put away, so what's a girl to do? Go shopping of course! I'm not a big Black Friday, or day after Christmas shopper. I like to do things in a more relaxed and calm way. So I let all of those early risers rush out the day after Christmas to fight the masses and come home with armloads of great deals. I told Mr. Tide that I'm more like a scavenger when it comes to my shopping style, if I stumble upon something, and it's been picked on a bit, but still has a little meat left on the bones, I will help the environment by stripping it bare and cleaning up the final remains without having to elbow anyone else to get to it.

Here is our dining room table cluttered with the remnants of Christmas Past!

So on Saturday I convinced my husband to run around to a few of my favorite local stores to see what I could scavenge. For living in a relatively rural area, we have always had the great fortune of having wonderful little shops filled with unique items. Some have come and gone over the years but thankfully new ones have opened to replace the old ones.

Every year we have a tradition where we give each of our children an ornament that signifies something special they have done during the past year. This year our daughter received a glass Santa wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes in honor of her Spring Break trip to Scotland to visit a friend. Our son joined our local Volunteer Rescue Squad so he received an ambulance ornament. The idea behind this tradition was that when both children leave home and set up their own households, they will one day take these ornaments with them to adorn their own trees.

After both my parents passed away I decided to add them to the tradition, so for the past five years I've purchased something that reminded me of my mother, and then started purchasing for my father when he died 2 years ago. Last year my father received a tractor, as he was an avid gentlemen farmer following his retirement from the government, and my mother received a pewter pineapple wreath ornament from one of her favorite places, Williamsburg, Virginia.

Although our tree has been beautifully clad in these meaningful ornaments for many years now, I realized as I was de-constructing the tree a few nights ago, that most of the ornaments we have will one day go with our kids, leaving us with a fairly sparse tree!

This year, after realizing just how few ornaments were really "ours" so to speak, I have been on a mission to purchase some after the holidays bargains to re-stock our supply.

The first stop on our bargain hunting trip was Lola Belle Co. This great little shop hasn't been around all that long, but it's filled with charming and unique items at great prices. Much to my delight, everything in the store was on sale and their Christmas items were 50% off. Furniture, which was marked down 40 - 50% was flying out the door, but I kept my focus...with the help of my husband and headed straight for the Christmas decor.

These Glass ornaments caught my eye and I knew that I would keep them out year round in the big black cupboard I have in the dining room. They look perfect next to the other glass ornaments I had collected on a trip to Vermont a few years ago.

They are the small one on the left and the large one on the right

Here is a close up of the largest glass ornament. Something about it looks beachy to me so I just had to have it.

This glass Moravian Star was another great find at Lola Belle Co. It reminded me of an icicle and a snowflake combined.

It was hard to leave Lola Belle, especially with those two perfect leather club chairs tugging at my heartstrings and at 50% off they were a steal, but we moved on none the less.

My son gave me a gift certificate to Traditions of Loveville, a store I've purchased so many wonderful things from over the years. His gift had been burning a hole in my pocket since Christmas and I was itching to see what sort of after Christmas bargains I might find. As usual, I was not disappointed and came out with a bagful of great things. They too had everything in their store on sale, and their Christmas items were 75% off so I took full advantage, picking up some terrific deals. A steady stream of customers were also enjoying the savings of 10 - 75% off items in their store, including artwork and furniture. While checking out, a woman came back to pick up a beautiful floral painting that would have looked perfect in our daughter's old room...oh well, maybe next time!

These mercury glass leaves will add some sparkle to next year's tree, but I also plan to put them out during the Fall, so I'll get to enjoy them twice as much!

This one almost looks heart shaped...hmm maybe I have Valentine's Day on the brain?!

This perfectly pale aqua Christmas tree with jewels and glitter was the last of it's kind, so I didn't want it to be sad sitting there all alone. One day I will have a large white feather tree adorned only in beautiful pastel ornaments like this one.

This wasn't Christmasy per se, but it was too good to pass up. I've wanted a European-style latte bowl for quite awhile now, so when I found this one that was marked 50% off, I couldn't resist!

Next stop on the shopping adventure was Cecil's Country Store, another favorite haunt of mine. It's located in an old country store and I've known the owner since I we were kids. Like both Lola Belle co. and Traditions of Loveville, at Cecil's I know I will walk in and find something I love, every time I visit! It's full of nautical items and beautiful artwork by a favorite local artist Mary Lou Troutman, and many of the "special" ornaments for my children and parents have come from Cecil's Country Store. Christmas items were all marked down and bargains could be found throughout the store.

Even though these heart ornaments were considered Christmas items, so marked down 50%, I plan to keep them out as part of my Valentine's Day decorations.

This heart says it all with "I Love You" written in gold glitter and these lovely mercury glass votive candle holders were also marked down and came in soft shades of pink, silver and aqua.

And last, but not least, is this cute plate that I thought would be perfect for cookies, brownies, lemon squares, you name it at our next year's Christmas party.

All in all it was a VERY successful shopping day and I got to spend a Saturday afternoon with Mr. Tide, which is always a treat. What great after holiday bargains did you find this year?