Ground coffee

Day off today and it was most productive; gym, food shopped, browsed homegoods, and now making delish pumpkin coffee to motivate my chores here in the house, and then to prep din din for the man before he gets home! I found this coffee "FALL IN LOVE" it comes in many flavors (all SMELL great!) and it has a quotes on the package that are just wonderful...

"Love sweetens Life, and Life sometimes destroys Love. Beauty is desirable and Deformity detestable; Therefore Beauty is not Deformity nor Deformity, Beauty. Hope springs eternal in the humans breast, I hope to be happier next fall thank I am at present, and this Hope makes me happier now than I should be without it."

-John Adams 1763

"I look back to the early days of our acquaintance; and Friendship, as to the days of Love and Innoncence; and with an indescribable pleasure I have seen near a score of years roll over our Heads, with an affection heighten and improved by time - nor have the dreary years of absence in the smallest degree effaced from my mind the Image of the dear untitled man to whom I gave my Heart."

-Abigail Adams, 1782

Memorial Day Weekend; NYC

Captured NYC architecture.

Little Italy for yummy dessert and street vendors.

Boat ride to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island.

Our hotel room view of the 9/11 site. 

welcome

I'm sucker for a great entry area / mudroom, its my fav and a must have for sure. These are some very inspirational ideas that I heart! My own personal touches:

• I most always have an oriental rug
• My coat stand (like the green one above) 
• A bin for umbrella's & yard sticks (why yard sticks? lol I just love them)
• Nice chair or bench to sit while you put boots on etc (I used an ottoman once that was cute too) Don't forget a deco pillow for your seating area.
• Antique hooks hung on the wall - I'm thinking I want to paint mine a fun color this year 
• Metal bins for mittens - hats and dog accessories 
• & the MUST HAVE a small table (I use an antique sewing table) or sofa table with a cute bowl for keys, magazine bin and some tid bits for decoration.

warm slumber

Yesterday Boston's had its first snow of the season... before Halloween! One thing I love about Boston is the season changes but I'm hoping we get to enjoy fall before more winter-like activity. This morning my car read 34degrees burr, getting there was not easy -- it was torture getting out from under my warm covers. On that note here are some dreamy bedrooms that inspired me. Enjoy! Happy Friday!

 



volunteer love

“Awareness-raising is a worthy activity unto itself, but the reality is that awareness without action results in little change. After all, awareness is supposed to inspire people to act!”

I'm excited to report that I have been selected as a Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow, and I will participate at Crystal Eye Clinic in Ghana, Africa during February 1st-15th 2012.  Unite For Sight is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is the world's leader in socially responsible, effective volunteering and also a leader in providing high quality, cost-effective care to the world's poorest people. To date, Unite For Sight has provided eye care services to 1,200,000 patients, including more than 44,000 sight-restoring surgeries. While abroad, I will participate daily with the local ophthalmologists, local optometrists, and local ophthalmic nurses to eliminate patient barriers to care and to facilitate comprehensive year-round eye care for patients living in extreme poverty.

As a Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow, I am fundraising at least $1800 to provide eye care for patients living in extreme poverty, but I hope to raise much more - My goal is $3000.  I would be so grateful for your support.  The average cost of a cataract surgery is $50, which means that $50 will enable someone who is blind to have their sight restored, and $250 enables five people to have their sight restored.  Any help is appreciated, and no amount will go unnoticed.  100% of your tax-deductible donation to Unite For Sight goes directly to restoring sight for patients living in extreme poverty.  Can you imagine impacting another person’s life in a more significant way?

I would be grateful for your support of Unite For Sight to provide eye care to many more patients living in extreme poverty.  My goal is to raise at least $5,000, which will provide 100 sight-restoring surgeries. By raising $5,000, I would also receive a volunteer of the year award from Unite For Sight. You may donate through my online fundraising page by clicking here.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.  I look forward to whatever support you can provide.

mood board

Inspiration! I'm in the works of making my own mood board but until then. Holiday on Monday is making for some great sales... lots of shopping ahead of me for this long weekend!

ups&downs

daily inspiration: i heart a great staircase in a home & ladders up to any built in bookcase.

A wonderful 1900's, 9bdrm brownstone completely untouched -in terms of being original doors, windows, hardware etc.. Just one big lovely house- has come on the market for a great price. It's 5floors! Front&back stair cases- dreamy, I felt the need to rescue this home -- I walked through yesterday with an ache in my heart and picture in my mind of family home with children laughing and running up and down the stairs playing. If things were in a different place I would buy it in a heart beat and brighten the original charm out of it! This home has only been with one Italian family, who've continuously passed it down until now... there's no one left who wants it. Keys are in the hands of a realtor. I fear & know all to well that someone is going to come in and divide this home into 3-4 separate apartments and modernize the (beep) out of it- all for a dollar. I wish there were more people out there that wanted to leave things as is and keep a homes character! ... Ugg, I guess to be continued -- as I'm keeping my eyes pealed on all happenings there ;)

Interior loves

Here are a few pictures I found & I'm craving this style. Bathroom is clean and simple, love the openness. Book shelves are huge in my house & quite full- think I made need to play more with the stacking and rearrange some tid bits.

Looking for inspiration on how to use all my fun finds has been so fun. Its just trying to arrange everything that has been a challenge. Luckily my mom is a staging professional and leads with great skill and advice, which is a huge bonus.

Love this living room with all my heart! The couch, frames, trunk- so motivating! I also lovvve having some sort of space by the door to drop your keys, shoes, mags/mail... The pics below I thought were fun & gave the right amount of color.

Living in a city brownstone limits my space esp for someone who is a sucker at a flea market and antique finds. Anyway - I'm thinking my first step will be to paint all the room walls white... use it as my canvas. I'm going to keep digging for more inspiration. I hope to have something unique of my own to report back with.

burlap fun

My mom & I have collected quite a few unique burlap bags and this has been one of our visions. She has already covered over a dozen chairs for different projects and staging jobs, they've all come out great by the way. We also have made pillows and other accessories too. I've come across these chairs on a flea market website and I'm absolutely floored at the going price! I'm lucky and relieved I have such a crafty woman by my side because I'm sure I'd be paying the big dollar for it if in any other situation. Ahhh pays to be nifty =)

doll face

Miss Isla turned 1 last month, she is so adorable & so very much loved! She looks just like her daddy.

green

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Jake & I are finally home from a long week of house sitting on the north shore. It sure had its pros and cons... I will not miss the traffic I endured every afternoon up RT1, total nightmare. The time away did have me missing the country life, a lot! We were on 2+acres all week where Jake could roam free, we had endless supply of veggies from a large garden, no cell phone reception (which made me shaky the first two days) that I slowly embraced, hammock, fresh air & the calming sound of crickets at night

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to do's

My list is slowly getting smaller. The big move happened this past weekend, I've officially slept at my new city apartment. I'm in love. Jake & Henry enjoyed their time in Brophy park yesterday... maybe Jake more so than Henry. Henry sat on a park bench like a little man with his buddy Gregg. Jake played with his 2new girlfriends & rolled around in the grass for hours.

Leaving Newbury comes with great emotion. Its bittersweet. I've lived on my own for the first time there & learned so much about myself. Now, all that stands in my old 1770's farm house are my two blue ladies wing chairs & a shabby old tall dresser. Time to go back and tie up some loose ends then its on to the next chapter.

Sunday Newburyport had a festive parade down our main historic street. We sat out on our farmers porch and watched on all the festivities as they went by. It was like our own farewell tribute... I felt torn the whole time I watched on. Do I really want to give this up, my heart felt heavy. Getting back to the city last night things lightened up and I started to feel some excitement, those "what if's" past by.

My Newbury "to do's"

• wing chairs & dresser to Boston.
• remaining dishes & glassware to Boston.
• old coffee & end table to Moms barn.
• cut some fresh flowers from yard & bring to my new kitchen.
• empty storage area in barn, bring old vintage sofa to Moms for its rehab project.
• wash floors.
• take photos of my favorite things I leave behind.

My Boston "to do's"

• hang tall shutters in living rm windows (best flea market find ever!)
• rearrange living rm furniture & organize book case.
• set up my office area & organize arts/crafts stufffff.
• touch up antique white paint on hutch & buffet table.
• put glass knobs on tall dresser & buffet table.
• arrange kitchen cabinets! ugh
• set up phone & Internet asap
• stop & smell the fresh cut flowers.
• unpack shoes & clothes... can't wait, I have two big closets to fill =)

The crossed off things far out do the "to do's", thank god. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel... fingers crossed.

pictures to follow

bean town crave

So new job in the city, I can't wait to start! I've been checking out some apartments in the South & North end... love them all but they are soo soo small. Anyone who knows me- knows that might not work out so hot. Seeing how I love Todd Farm Flea Market & bring a new antique/shabby chic something home every other weekend. Ok brings me to where I am now... do I, miss country girl who loves the farm, flea markets, local growers & my fav hidden hiking trails want to trade it in for the crazy "bohemian" feel for a bit?

FRENCH WORD BIT ~

The term bohemian, of French origin, was first used in the English language in the nineteenth century to describe the untraditional lifestyles of marginalised and impoverished artists, writers, musicians, and actors in major European cities. Bohemians were associated with unorthodox or antiestablishment political or social viewpoints, which were often expressed through free love, frugality, and/or voluntary poverty.

The term emerged in France in the early 19th century when artists and creators began to concentrate in the lower-rent, lower class gypsy neighbourhoods. The term bohémien was a common term for the Romani people of France, who had reached Western Europe via Bohemia.

Speaking of the French (my most fav) and I know its probaly not a French thing. But I had the best French toast covered in blueberries-strawberries- bananas & honey this am with Greggers... dreamy.

Ok so back to my reason of posting... I found this most interesting. I found something I like in East Boston... not sure on location but anyway I was google-ing reviews of the area and found this below which totally relates (<~keyword) to the whole ophthalmology thing... here it is info on the founder of that very section I was looking:

Jeffries Point-- Named after Dr. John Jeffries, one of the physicians who founded the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1824, a free clinic whose purpose was to provide a place where Boston's most impoverished people could come to have their eye diseases treated. Earlier, in 1785, he took a balloon trip across the English Channel, and was arguably the first American to fly. In 1819, he died in Boston of “an inflammation in his bowels, originating in a hernia, occasioned by great exertions in his first aërial voyage." The Jeffries Point section just south of Maverick Square has been slowly gentrified over the past 30 years and is a comfortable neighborhood with a working-class feel. This area used to be part of Noddle's Island, along with Maverick Square and Central Square. You'll find some really beautiful architecture here, and some parts will remind you more of South Boston and sometimes even San Francisco. The main difference being that you can see the Boston waterfront from the back terraces, and sometimes the views are quite breathtaking. Piers Park, in particular, is worth a visit for the view alone.

stay tuned...

dark side

All while sipping my cup o joe this am... OK afternoon, I'm not a morning type of gal. I started to think about my roots (of my hair that is) should I go back to the dark side & give up the blond's have more fun act?! Yes I am one of those annoying girls when asked my real hair color I reply "well I was really blonde as a kid"... nice excuse plus make me feel better for the expense of monthly high lights. What to dooooo, idk!

moi from last year when the dark side was calling me.... I caved - didn't last long though.

in with the old

working on the home front today. spring is at our door, time to clean. love this saying from WWII that was posted in the UK by the government around the country during bombings, in an effort to help lift spirits. It hangs in two places here & I often make it my motto of the day.

queenie

i heart my mini Keurig & <3 my new dish set from mom

papa

Here in the picture above is my Papa, Enrico Monaco. A man that held our family together & kept us strong. Most of my childhood memories are from times at Nana & Papas house on Turkey Hill. From the rides in the bucket of his John Deer tracker around his four acres with cousins piled on top of each other yelling to lift the bucket "higher, Higher, HIGHER!" & up we went then to the endless summers we spent splashing in the lima bean in-ground pool & cannon balls off the diving board. My memories of him are still so fresh even after 18years. I still see him waiting for our big family dinners always seated at the head of the dinning room table with fork & knife in hand. Papa was also always seated there & ready to greet us by pinching our chubby cheeks with his fat Italian fingers followed by a tap across the face then healed with a kiss. I dreaded waiting in line for my hello, I always pushed Michael by brother to the front to go first. Today marks an unfortunate date in the calenders, the day he had to leave us. Although he is kept so close to us all in thoughts & prayers. oh how I miss those times & his laugh that came from the bottom of his gut! One day in great memory, I will pass his name onto my future son. Papa, may you continue to rest in peace.

(Photo above from Melissas wedding.)

permanent decision

C'est la vie
[(say lah vee)]

An expression used to play down some minor disappointment: What can you do; "c'est la vie." From French, meaning “that's life."

*ADVICE PLEASE: phrase I'd like as my 1st tattoo. Yeh OR Neh?

bits 'n pieces

spell it out

Fun things to come with these. I am so hooked on Etsy, all I can do is shop shop shop. But its good shopping because its ME being CREATIVE again... I thought I was losing my touch for awhile with all the crazy around me. So here they are, the metal stencils I purchased, next is shopping for polymer clay & image inserts to complete such a cool project. When they're done they should look like the last few images...but with my own nifty twist.


Final goal will be to find a deep set frame to place them in & told ya, the "c" & "s" thing... its all around me, except him the real thing.