Bath and Body Works Baby

My daughter and I took a coupon over to Bath and Body Works to pick up a gift she needed and some pre-Christmas shopping. They have these summer scents 50% off right now so for $5 you can have a nice little gift handy. The tropical scents are perfect for her to give her friends a little gift when needed.

Mom had to pick up some fall hand soaps and a favorite new candle. It is called Autumn and it smells just like something fresh and crisp I have smelled in the air before but I just can't put my finger on it. It is great though and I recommend it if you are looking for a new fall scent.

Now aren't these Halloween soaps just adorable? The bathroom needs a little spooking. With some Halloween hand towels we will be set come October.

Happy Monday

I am so happy for a few little things today. Thrilled to have found a match to the strawberry pillow on Etsy.

Now I have two cases and that makes me happy. Lovin' a vintage yellow rose spread I found in a shop in Solvang.

I still need to find a new quilt for my bed but I will be adding this rose spread in there somewhere.

Mums. Happy.

Do you see what is in that jar?

Oh yes, they are pumpkin cremes. I know it is fall when I have my first one and also a pumpkins spice latte from Starbucks. Those make me happy too. I need to get in there for one.

And the last of the laundry for the trailer is done. Now that really makes me happy.

Linking to:
BNOTP
Savvy Homemade Monday
Coastal Charm
DIY Showoff
Mod Mix Monday

Nothing Like the Beach for Me!

We had a wonderful time at the beach this weekend. It was sunny and warm when we arrived so we quickly got things settled and headed for the sand. This was our view from the right to the left. Pretty crowded right?

That is our family in the water above. I love to head to the beach in Sept. No crowds.

My beach babes:

My 3rd daughter and her cousin. I am sad as my oldest didn't get to go on any family trips this summer. She was working and had school again so couldn't get away. She had clinicals at the hospital she could not miss.

Hubby and I.

On Saturday we headed a few miles inland to Solvang. It is such a cute little tourist town all dressed in Danish sweetness. I bought way too many pastries. Bakeries are everywhere.

After a spin through a drive thru coffee place for a latte to go with our danish, we headed back to the beach for an afternoon swim. Hated to come home and I think this may be our last trip in the trailer for the summer. I always am a little sad when I clean her all up and close her for the winter. I love heading out in her but hubby is ready for a few weekends at home and our getaway in October in a hotel. He is not as enthused with the whole camping thing like I am. He enjoys it but reminds me he works outside all the time so he likes to stay indoors every once in a while. Okay so torture me. A hotel it is next.

Warmth of Color

I see so many beautiful white rooms and decor in blogland. I love the clean look and brightness but you know when it comes to crunch time (shopping) I never or rarely choose anything white for my home. Funny how we gravitate to the same colors. I tend to be drawn to the warm colors of fall and use them in decorating all year long.

Do you ever have the sense that your were born in the wrong place? I am so not a SoCal girl. I am sure I was meant to be born in New England and wear sweaters and turtlenecks. I am meant to see the change in the seasons and have a charming old home with smoke coming out of the chimney on cool nights. I have felt this way from a very young age. I doubt I will ever live in New England but I would like to move some day. Now, I am not unhappy with where I live, but I have lived within 20 miles of where I was born my whole life. So has hubby. We have hubby's family here which is a nice thing for my kids.

My husband would like to transfer eventually to a different department and we would need to re-locate but not too far from where we live now. Problem is we have a very social 13 almost 14 year old I am not going to yank from her wonderful group of friends that she has at our church. She works at the church twice a week and attends all the group activities for her age. We will have to time it very carefully and probably wait until she is done with high school. So four or five years. I am ready. I think I like to move every 10 years or so and I think I might even like a new home. I have never had a new home all brand new and clean just for us. I think my drive to take on major projects is decreasing the older I get. I just want to move in and have it be ready to live in. No major projects except landscaping. That I never tire of. How about you? Do you prefer new or old homes?

Linking to:
Tabletop Tues.

Gone Camping

One last weekend at the beach. Be back in a couple of days.

Whoo Loves Owls?

We do. We love owls in our house and especially my 13 year old. They are so cute and fun and I love to buy her little owl things when I am out shopping. Like these bags from Cost Plus I snagged last week.

Owls in her room.

On our hats.

On the piano.

In my garden.

And online. How cute is this guy for the garden?

Target

Pottery Barn

                                                                                                         Pier One

Amazon

And a whole blog for owl lovers http://www.myowlbarn.com/. All posts are about the latest owl items out there.

Linking to:
Thrifty Thursday
On Sutton Place
Treasure Hunt Thurs.
Home Sweet Home
potpourri-friday
Common Ground
BNOTP
Wow Us Wed.

LED Light Branches

I had so many people comment on my led light branches that I thought I would share a source I found online. I don't see the exact forsythia ones I bought at my little shop but they do have a few other choices.
They do have a forsythia garland that lights up. Here is the link kpcreek.com.

Blue and Red Corner

When it comes to decorating in our den or at least on the surfaces, I keep it pretty simple because there is so much living in there. We have to have lots of space to put chip bags, ice cream bowls and cups or my family would have no idea where to put such things.

Blues with touches of red brought in with the pip berries and the old books.

I need a candle for my little bowl. It looks lonely and empty. Clearing up other spaces for my fall goodies I think I will bring out next week. Now it is over 100. Yuck! Does not feel like fall yet here but it will get here eventually.

Linking to:
Wow Us Wed.
Bowl Full Of Lemons
Organize Your Stuff Now
Women Living Well
Shabby Creek Cottage

My Country General Finds

I was a good girl in my favorite store over the weekend. Only picked up a couple of things. I want to go back later in the fall so I needed to restrain myself. It is so fun to just walk around in there and look at how they decorate and arrange. Super talented gals at display. I would love to take pics and share but not sure how they would feel about that.
I have been wanting to get some of these lighted flowers forever and took the plunge. I added them to my rooster can. It lights up the corner so lovely. Can you tell I like them?

They remind me of little butterflies.

Halloween trees now? Yes and I had to get them. I love the colors. Not sure where they will go yet but too early to start the Halloween decor. Right? Tell me it is too early so I don't jump the gun and end of with Christmas out in October.

Just a fun little banner. Hard to photograph. Just should have hung it up somewhere. It is all sparkly but you can't tell from the light in my dark dining room.

So fun. Can't wait to drag out all the Halloween stuff but it is far too early for that. Maybe next week. Just kidding. But seriously I can't wait.

Linking to:
New Nostalgia
Wow Us Wed.
BNOTP

A Perfect Night

Here's how you start a perfect night. While sitting on the couch in the den, you text your hubby in the other room letting him know that you think he ought to take you out for dinner. Nothing special you say (or text) but just out and just the two of you. Thankfully he responds with, "I'd love to."

So off we went. Nothing fancy just a simple dinner out and a quick trip through a store that we have loved browsing together forever, Cost Plus. Love that store. You never know what you will find in there. I just picked up a few goodies I had to bring home.

Four Hello Kitty sodas for my girls. How cute are those. My 17 yr. old has already decided her graduation/18th birthday (they fall in the same month) will be Hello Kitty. She is like her dad. Cares not for convention nor for what anyone else thinks, just what floats their boat. I love it that way.

And for my owl loving daughter, these adorable gift bags I will put away until her birthday in a couple of months. She will love these.

And last, for me, or should I say my coffee, a little glass jar with a red lid to hold our coffee at the ready.

Oh and one last thing. As I was sitting up late watching a little TV, it started to pour. Thunder and lightening just a bit but oh the smell of rain with the windows open. One of life's simple pleasures. Can't wait for the first really rainy day.

Happy Labor Day!

I hope those of you in the states enjoy this Labor Day holiday. I woke to a wonderful surprise of wind and rain. No one else was awake so I made coffee and went and sat on my front porch to just enjoy the cool breeze and the smell of the rain. My flags will stay up until after 9/11. Then they will be tucked away until next year.

Nothing like a few quiet minutes to oneself. I think I get such a kick out of any kind of weather because we get no weather here. Just winter rain and not enough for me. Rainy days are one of my all time favorite things in life.