Heart and Home: And the Winner Is...

Happy Monday! Did you have a good weekend? Are you still enjoying summer, and trips to the park or the pool or the beach, and long, long days, and flip-flops and iced tea and watermelon?

I'm glad you stopped by today, and I'm happy to announce the winner of Heart and Home's One Year Anniversary Giveaway.

Thanks to all of you who entered with comments, and many big thank yous to all  of Heart and Home's new followers!

I'm honored and pleased that you chose to add H&H to your reading list or blog rolls. I hope you'll be back to visit often.

These are the prizes that will be wrapped up tight and sent to you.

Adorable bird salt and pepper shakers, to add some spice to your life.

Several specially chosen necklaces from my collection, to add a little pizazz.

A pretty, vintage tea towel, for beauty you can use every day.

A couple of cute little note pads, a softly fragrant bar of French soap, and some sea shells and pieces of sea glass from my collection, too. Just for the heck of it!

You know how I feel about sea glass, so the fact that I'm parting with some of mine says a lot about how I feel about you!

Oh, and let's not forget the best part, the $40 gift certificate from Lisa Leonard Designs.

Wow, all those nifty gifts, just for you! Congratulations,  Allison, at A Glimpse Inside.
E-mail me with your address, and I'll get this package in the mail to you right away.

All the rest of you, well, don't despair! I plan on sticking around for awhile and there will be more giveaways in the future.

So drop by anytime, and leave a comment when you do! In the meantime, feel free to look around, check out some of the older posts you may have missed, and let me know what you'd most like to see here at Heart and Home in the future.

See you soon.

Until next time,
XO
Heidi
linking to Making the World Cuter Monday. Drop by and say hello.

Heart and Home and Lunch Outside For Two

Hey ladies! How's it going?

Here it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Feels like Summer has finally arrived, after a long wet Winter and Spring!

Today I went and got the little side deck table decked out for an alfresco lunch with a friend.

Maybe you'd like to join us, I'd be happy to squeeze you in!

It's so nice out here with the ocean breezes blowing through our valley, and the wind chime chiming!

All my work earlier this Spring has resulted in a bounty of pots spilling over with colorful blossoms

For a festive table, I gathered up some of my favorite things to serve as decorative accents.

The bird and topiary seemed like natural partners.

Although I don't think much is needed to improve on the ambiance!

Blue and white, (my favorite combo) accented with touches of green, reflect the natural surroundings.

The vintage tablecloth is printed with a wisteria pattern. The cushion covers are an Indian print fabric that I love for it's exuberance.

There's nothing shy about that pattern!

Which suits me just fine.

I don't like wishy-washy prints, but rather prefer big bold designs that make a statement.

I picked up these little five-sided bowls for $1 apiece at the drug store!

They have polka-dots on them, just like the bird feeder that I made a few weeks ago.

I'm always on the lookout for fun additions to my dishware, even while I'm waiting in line at the RX counter!

Blue and green stoneware has mix and match patterns, from Pottery Barn 11 years ago.

It's layered on top of my trusty white, fruit-embossed plates.

The blue-handled flatware was part of a picnic basket outfitted with all the necessities.

I only have two place settings, but that's all I need today.

Two is just right for an intimate lunch on the deck, to celebrate the end of the school year with a fellow mom from my daughter's class.

One more week, and school is officially over for the year.

Then the activities of summer begin for real.

I'm not sure I'm ready for the art lessons, tennis lessons, sleepovers, girlfriend get-togethers, lunch-a-movie-and-shopping trips that my daughters are always planning when they're not focused on school work.

Although I am ready for some quality R&R with my girls.

What will you be doing during the next few months of Summer?

Besides BLOGGING, of course!

Don't tell me if it involves a trip to Tahiti or some other exotic locale.

I don't want you to see me get jealous, it's not one of my finer qualities.

Although, staying here at home for a few months, with the beach just around the corner and all these trees to stare at all day isn't too terrible, is it?

Actually, I feel rather lucky.

And besides, I get to visit with all of you whenever I want.

Remember to leave a comment and let me know you were here!

And, there's always room at the table for more of you, so feel free to follow along!

I'm linking up with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch, for Tablescape Thursday, and Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home. Thanks Cindy!

Until next time

XO

Heidi

Guest Bathroom Remodel at Heart and Home

Hey everyone! I've had a great time sharing walks along the water and other outings with you lately, (if you missed anything you can scroll down or go here and here and here).

I'm so thankful that you've stuck with me through my trials and tribulations with Blogger, which has been giving me headaches these past few weeks. I hope by the time you read this all of that will be behind me....

I realize it's been awhile since you've seen any kind of projects around here so I thought I'd get back at it!

Today I will show you the remodeled guest bath.

Remember, our house was built in 1979.

Hence the textured white tiles, installed with dark grout.  That was all the rage in the late 70's and 80's. Imagine that counter-top above honey stained oak cabinets, with striped wallpaper and a boat wallpaper border running just below the "popcorn" sprayed ceilings.

So unattractive.
Before we moved in I had all the cabinets and most of the other oak wood in the house painted white to freshen and update everything. It helped a lot, until we could make the final improvements to each room.

There is still  a lot more to do around here, but today I'm showing you what we did get done!

This is how the guest bath looked when we first moved in. (Before I started blogging I didn't take as many before pictures, so this is all I've got. You just have to trust me when I say this room was BAD.)

But we lived with it for awhile, and figured out what worked and what didn't.

Just about everything except the size of this room didn't work.

There was one sink on an extra long counter with a sort of dressing table area on one side, where the vintage suitcases are stacked up. (I still have those just not in here!) I replaced the builder's mirror that had originally covered this entire wall with a smaller one when we moved in, and it's the same one we're using in there now.

There was only one dinky light fixture and no tub or shower.

There was this lovely space on the other side.

Nice.

The bathroom was very large, but it was ugly and outdated.

We ripped everything out and started from scratch.

This is what we ended up with:

AFTER:

We added beadboard, tumbled travertine stone floors, warm paint,

a custom counter with a hammered copper apron,

and cast iron vessel sink

We relocated the new potty,

 and installed a stone tiled shower for our guests in the old toilet's enlarged space.

We improved the lighting with several options and dimmers on the switches.

The bathroom counter was custom made and has two concealed drawers in the front apron.

I hammered the copper myself.

It was a great way to get out my frustration, and I love how it looks.

I don't keep the copper polished, just let it do it's thing and it has a nice patina now.

Did I mention how much I love copper? I truly do!

Some details, up close:

The mirror frame:

The copper and iron counter with granite top:

Storage baskets beneath the counter contain extra towels.

Better than this:

Or this:

Don't you agree?

Finally, this room is done, with the addition of the roman shades I made not too long ago.

You can see more of those and get a step by step tutorial by clicking here.

That's it, the finished guest bath. It's new and fresh.

There is still plenty of room.

There is a shower and low-flow toilet.

We like it, and I don't even have the slightest urge to change anything in here yet.

Except for maybe the paint color which isn't really this dark in person,

( I'm leaning towards pale blue or some silver...)

and I did see a different vessel sink I really like...

But I won't go there....at least not for awhile!

Thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned for more ahead.

If it would just stop raining I'd get some of my other, pending projects painted and finished.

But until then I'll just be clicking away at the computer and visiting with you my blogging friends!

Leave me a comment and I'll drop by as soon as I can.

Click on Home or here to see my latest Wednesday Gratitude post, and take a walk on the beach with me!

Until next time,

XO

Heidi

This is being linked to :

DIY Day

Transformation Thursday and

Show and Tell Friday

and Remodelaholic meeting #19

Thank you ladies!

A Giveaway and Pink Saturday at Heart and Home

Happy Pink Saturday! I'm glad you're back and hope you're having a great day. There is exciting information about my giveaway at the end of this post so stick around!

Flowers bursting out all around us:

The garden beginning to bloom:

Streamers streaming in the dining room:

Gifts piled high on the sideboard:

 Fruity desserts ready to be served:

That can only mean one thing around here: it's Spring, and  birthday season at our house.  My husband's, mine and my daughter's, all in quick succession.

There's been a lot of partying and celebrating in this house!

Now it's time to slow down and enjoy the tulips,

 and stop to smell the lavender!

And now, about my giveaway:

Two of my lucky readers

will win a full year's subscription

to Traditional Home Magazine.

You read it, you love it, now win it for one full year!

For an entry do one or all of the following:

Become a follower,

Leave a comment,

Link to Heart and Home in a post!

You get an entry for each.

Of course you can enter more than once!

Let me know which you've done.

A winner will be chosen by

random drawing Friday May 7.

Good luck!

(Filoli Gardens Spring 2010)

Until next time,
XO
Heidi
 
Thank you Beverly, at How Sweet the Sound, for Pink Saturday!

Wednesday Gratitude #12 at Heart and Home: New Friends and A Daughter"s Wisdom

For a look at Friday's Show and Tell post click here or the home button above.


                        

Greetings my friends! How's it going? Remember the other day when I mentioned the unseasonably warm temperatures we were enjoying? Well, today it rained - all day! What is going on with the weather, I wonder?

If you're here for the first time welcome to Wednesday Gratitude! It's the day to post "whatever makes you happy and your heart sing". If you are joining the party remember to link in below, and mention Heart and Home in your post. Thank you! I'm also posting for Tablescape Thursday and Show and Tell Friday (see below!).  Stick around for news about a wonderful giveaway, at the end of this post.

“Let's be grateful for those who give us happiness; they are the charming gardeners who make our soul bloom.” - Marcel Proust
Do you recognize this person?

She's the lovely Delores, from Vignette Design.  I've been following her inspiring and beautiful blog, and we had been e-mailing back and forth for awhile. Since we don't live too far away from each other we thought it might be fun to actually meet in person. We spent some time together, shopping at Ikea.

I'm so glad we did! I had such a great time! I felt like I was meeting with an old friend I hadn't seen in awhile.

 You might think it a bit strange to meet with someone you only know from the internet! At first I wondered: am I turning into one of those people, who makes computer dates? That's a little strange and creepy!! But, do you know what? Nothing about our afternoon was uncomfortable, we clicked just like that!

Delores is warm, and sincere, and funny, and we have the same fabulous taste!  We were even dressed the same. No kidding, we looked like twins: jeans, boots, t-shirt, blazer, jewelry. We even have pretty much the same haircut. (But, her hair looks better and she's definitely the cooler, hipper twin!) Here's proof:

 It was fun and really great to spend the afternoon with someone who just got it -  it being the blogging bug and the reasons behind it. We talked about that a lot, and laughed, and shopped, and had some lunch at the Ikea cafe. (We even ate the same thing: salad and Diet Pepsi!!)

What a great afternoon and the start of a really real friendship. I'm thankful for the opportunity to have met you, Delores!

Look at these gorgeous mums, in one of my favorite colors:

And what do you think of these adorable white bird salt and pepper shakers?

I got them for $3.00 at Pier One.

They are perfect for the bird lover (that's me!)

Today, April 28, my youngest daughter turns 14 years old. In her honor, I've created this tablescape for a family birthday dinner. Because of the gloomy rain I decided to use cheery colors and the place mats I purchased on my shopping trip to Ikea with my new friend Delores, from Vignette Design.
(BTW - you really will love her blog, go check it out as soon as you're done here, and let her know I sent you.  She's got a great eye for design, her blog is full of wonderful ideas and beautiful vignettes - just like it's name - and she's got style!)

As we were strolling along inside the store several people stopped to ask me which aisle I had found those mats on! They are very bright and cheerful, perfect for this grey day.

They were $2.99 for four. How could I pass them up?

All the rest of the tablescape items are things I've had for years.

I love the blue stemware in this light.

Aqua colored glass candle sticks,

 and blue, glass beaded bobeches add the perfect amount of sparkle!

You already know how much I adore tulips.

These are reaching for the sun.

Inexpensive, dark blue, glass plates add drama.

Bright yellow and pale green linens bring more "sunshine" to the table

A pretty glass beaded dragon fly adds some whimsy, for the birthday girl!

What I've learned from my 14 year old:

1. You can never have too much sparkly nail polish.

2. Laughing is good for you.

3. Pout when you feel down, and forgive and forget quickly and easily.

4. Study (or work) really hard, and then go have fun.

5. Be loyal.

6. Only eat when you are hungry.

7. Sleep late when you are tired.

8. Give hugs and kisses to the people and friends you care about.

9. Squeal with delight at the smallest things.

10. Embrace new technology.

11. Learn about the olden days (the 1980's) for historical reference.

12. Be yourself.

My heart is huge with love and gratitude for her and the joy she brings to my life.

Happy birthday Miss M.

and now for some exciting news:

To help celebrate my daughter's birthday,

two of my lucky readers

 will win a full year's subscription

 to Traditional Home Magazine.  

 You read it, you love it, now win it for one full year!

 For an entry do one or all of the following:

Become a follower,

Leave a comment,

 Link to Heart and Home in a post!

You get an entry for each!

Let me know which you've done.

 A winner will be chosen by

random drawing Friday May 7.

Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time,

XO

Heidi

I'm linking to Tablescape Thursday, at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch. Thanks, Susan.

 I've also linked this post to Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home. Hi Cindy!