Sunday, February 24, 2013

The Hubby is Home and Baking!

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The hubs has actually been home for two weeks or so, but I couldn’t say anything publicly until I received an all clear..(military language). It goes without saying just how over the moon we’ve been about his arrival home(a whopping 2 months earlier than his scheduled arrival date). Thank you all for keeping him/us in your thoughts and prayers. If you’re new here and have no clue what I refer to, read hereSmile.


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The mister is undoubtedly a pro in the kitchen and while baking is not my strong point, he does it effortlessly. This weekend, he whipped up some basic chocolate chip cookies.  I don’t have a sweet tooth(the opposite of the hubs). However, I gobbled down those moist delicious beauties in no time…


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yummy looking aren’t they?

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About a month ago I repainted my kitchen white. Yes, I know, so unlike me. However, I wanted a more modern feel to the kitchen and I think I’ve accomplished that with the white. I plan on showing some more pictures soon.

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I have to have lemons. How about you? I forgot to tell you all that I completed my 30 day green smoothie challenge and I’m still proudly (though not everyday), making my green smoothies.


In Other News

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I’ve been nominated as a Best Blogger for the category of Interior Design  in the 2013 JDR Industry Blogger Awards! Yay for me!! I am super excited about being nominated and your votes would be more than appreciated. If you feel inclined to vote(I hope you areSmile), voting starts on their website tomorrow, Monday, February 25th. Voting closes on 4/12/13 at 4pm PST. (Voting limited to one vote per person/computer.) The blog with the most votes in each of six categories (Architecture, Interior Design, Remodeling, Construction Business, Green, and Microblog) will win that category. Winners will receive a $500 cash prize and a 2013 JDR Industry Blogger Awards Winner badge to place for display. Thank you all for your love and support.  Blessings and Happy Sunday everyone! XX

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Amazing Graffiti Artist+ Award Nod.


David Walker is a very talented graffiti artist. One would never know that he only started to hone this craft three years ago. He also doesn’t incorporate the use of brushes!  David says that,“People are normally quite surprised the work is made from spray paint and I think many are also surprised they actually like the work when its outside on a wall; suddenly they have connected with a scene that they previously had no time for at all.” 

I would love for him to do a portrait of Baby Z! It would be Amazing!

Ok, let’s talk about the award before I get carried away with David’s work.  I was recently awarded the blogger with style award from some great ladies;DesignChic, A Dose of Pretty, Life Among Mountains, and Live.Like.You.  What an honor! This prestigious award involves me telling you 7 things about myself that you might not already know, BUT since you know so much about me already, let’s go for 4 things insteadSmile.
  • I have only brothers
  • I am a first born
  • I am really terrible at finding places(directions) Thank God for the GPS!
  • I once burned down a tree accidentally when I lived in Italy. The hubby was away and I was a bit over zealous in my Christmas decoration. There was a pine tree in the front yard(perfect for decorating) and i  lacking in my electrical knowledge adorned it with a gazillion number of lights without ensuring that I didn’t plug too many lights together. Anyway, that was the day I learned the word bruciato (burnt in Italian) from my Italian neighbors and friends.  I was notoriously known on Via de Gasperie(the street where I lived) as the girl who burnt down the tree.
I should be passing the awards on to other bloggers, but you’ve all made that task difficult since you’re all so stylish! I mean it! Therefore, I pass this award on to each of you. You all deserve it! Thank you again, DesignChic, A Dose of Pretty, Life Among Mountains, and Live.Like.You!

Some more of David’s “awesomeness”:


This is not traditional art, but I think that is what appeals to me and his portraits are so soulful! I can envision a big piece of his work  on canvas hanging beautifully in the new house. What do you think(your cup of tea or not)? Happy Wednesday everyone! XX

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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Pop of pink: For a cause

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This post is in support of a post that i read on my girl, La Boheme’s blog. She is making this month filled with splashes of pink posts in support of  Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am thrilled to be doing this post today!

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Accessories: glamorous opulent; bedroom; copper/brown floral fabric / wallpaper; embossed cushion, pink/red velvet quilt; sleigh bed; carpet, sidetable, table lamp.   Pub orig    L etc 10/2005 p52 Living room Pink living room fireplace Andy Warhol Queen Elizabeth II print artwork poster vintage antique leaf table real home L etc 01/2008 Pub Orig glamReflections11habit  via
pink17 I also thought it fitting to accept an award called the Blog with substance award from my good friend, Jude of Food and Life. I live vicariously through Jude’s enlightening and brilliant posts. If you haven’t already, head on over and tell her that i sent ya!:-) I hope that you’ll be inspired to sprinkle your blog with a splash of pink this month in acknowledgement of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Shout out to La Boheme again! Happy Tuesday to you all. It sure does feel like Tuesday came quickly(at least to me). XX

{untagged images via here and here}

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Monday, September 27, 2010

Soggy Monday + Award.

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”  Robert Burns


1015sabisandhotel via Conde Nast Traveler
      Well, my plans to have a picnic most certainly didn’t come to fruition. I always have a plan B as implied by that quote so the weekend was not ruined.  Why not a picnic you ask? Well, Saturday was still too hot and it has been raining nonstop since yesterday. Lesson learned: do not believe your meteorologist:-). Oh, i almost forgot, baby Zion had his first bad accident on Friday. Yep, he fell and busted his lip(it seems as if his top teeth dug into his bottom lip and it was not pretty). There was blood everywhere(gory-sorry) and somehow i held it together long enough to “doctor him up.” I assessed the wounds and determined he didn’t need stitches so we didn’t go to the ER. Later on as he slept, i cried like a baby when i was telling a neighbor what happened. I didn’t sleep Friday night because i wanted to make sure he was still breathing and you can imagine all the thoughts going through my mind. Anyway, i knew that he was fine when i heard a banging on the wall the next morning(that’s my wake up call from him and did i mention his bedroom is next to mine? because we share a wall:-) ). He is back to climbing and running(he never walks) and my sweet baby boy will be just fine.
   I hope your weekend was accident free and that you all had a terrific one! The wonderful Kelly over at Life at 5 feet has awarded me the 101 award. We are becoming fast friends and it’s uncanny just how much we have in common. I also look forward to visiting her blog each day as her posts are usually filled with such wit and humour.  I can’t imagine anyone not knowing about Kelly, but if you don’t, time to get “in the know” and give her a visit.
happy 101
*On receiving this lovely award, i am to do the following:
*  I am to thank the giver.(done:-))
*  List 10 things I like.
*  Pass on to fellow bloggers and let them know via comment

101 I am a huge fan of Bob Barley(it has nothing to do with the fact that i’m Jamaican either). His music and lyrics transcend generations and eras. Irie man:-)

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via dwell
You all know that i love the colour, orange:-)

1012 I love the golden cast in this photograph, the hair and the bohemian appeal

1013 Stark contrast from the one above, however, i love everything about this pic too.
tiramisu I can’t get enough of this goodness-I Love Tiramisu!

1017contempo this gorgeous architectural beauty of a  house in Singapore-via the contemporist
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See more pictures of this gem here

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this message

10113 I am a big fan of the Weeping Willow tree and this divine structure with that bed under the Willow has my heart palpitating! Thank you to my girl at Cabbage Rose for this sweet, sweet eye candy.

Ok, now time to pass this  award on to my fellow bloggers. I would love to pass it to the following lovely ladies:
Hollie of & Baby makes three
Signe of  SignePling
Jeanette of Everton Terrace
Tina of Komma- hem
Heather of A measure of
Kelli G of Bug Miscellany

1016sabisandhotel Thank you again Kelly! Muah! Happy Monday my friends. XX

PS. I will be announcing the winner for the giveaway either later or tomorrow!

{fashion pics via fashionising.com, message via tumblr, last pic-Conde Nast Traveler}

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Thursday, August 19, 2010

Exhausted + Award.

restingbaby As i type this, i am  not sure how i’m doing it. Last night was a very rough night. Baby Z is teething and his gum is severely swollen and inflamed, so he spent most of the night into the wee hours of the morning fussing. The thunderstorm that we had also added to the havoc. Let’s just say that i’m a walking zombie right now. It’s amazing how one’s body can summon up some type of super human powers to cope with a stressful situation.  Zion is finally sleeping and i’m hoping that tonight, i can catch up on some much needed pillow time.
 
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Ok, now for the fun stuff! I want to talk about Charlotta of Space for Inspiration and what she means to me for a minute. I actually found her via my tumblr blog and i was in awe of her beautiful images, and her movie production like posts; so much so that i just kept going through post after post after post(this was my first visit to her blog). I became an immediate follower. I’m not sure how i caught her eye. It might have been my stalk-like behavior or my wordy comments:-). However, she popped over here and apparently liked what she saw and  became a follower. I think she was probably my fourth or so follower. It was a big deal to have her following my blog, because you know, that’s Charlotta Ward! She wasn’t just a silent follower either. She literally sung my praises in each of her comments or brightened my inbox with her accolade filled emails. Of course, you all know that she has shown me some major love too on her blog. I mean sending people my way and telling them to follow me! Get outta here! That gesture alone speaks volume about her character.  
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Charlotta, you’re like the Hope in this message. Thank you for all the love and most of all, for being Real. Muah:-)

award1st Lovely Charlotta has awarded me with the Super Comments Award . I am happy to get this award and i love the idea of blog awards. I am sure this is how my students feel when i reward them on a job well done or for great participation in class:-).
Besides placing Mr. Cuddly here on my blog and giving mad respect to Charlotta, I had to answer some questions, you know, since you all are dying to learn more about moi:-) I hope this will be coherent since i am in this zombie state, but here goes:

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1. Why do you blog?
I thoroughly enjoy it. My hiatus from teaching to become a stay at home also made blogging possible. I know that if I were still teaching, this blog would not exist. I simply would not have the time. Prior to starting this blog, I was always online researching a purchase for baby Z(i’m an avid researcher). During these researches, I stumbled upon several blogs and enjoyed reading them so much that each day, I would eagerly look forward to what their next post would be. I finally decided to start a blog after I threw Zion’s first birthday party(view it here and here). I received numerous complements and I wanted to share my ideas. In addition, I thought, since I’m addicted to design, the blog would be a great creative outlet for me. That way, my house and my wallet could get a much needed break from my never ending design ideas.
The blogosphere is an awesome place to be. I’ve “met” so many creative and talented minds. It’s also a great feeling to interact with like minded people. You know what I mean, don’t you? For example, when you post something, you don’t get a blank stare or a “huh?” Instead, you get “wow, I just love this!”

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2. What are your 3 best memories?
It’s difficult to just choose three, but I’ll try. Of course, the birth of baby Zion heads the list. Next, is when I married the love of my life; I was so emotional that I could hardly say the vows. The third is when I completed my Masters in Education degree. I literally didn’t have a social life for two years, so when I was done I breathed a sigh of relief and then I partied like a rock star! I have to add a fourth, which is when I landed in Italy. First of all, that was the first time I had seen so many small cars(Smart cars). They were just zipping everywhere. Coming from the US., where people drive mostly big vehicles, I was mesmerized by this.

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3. Name 4 2 of the best fiction books you've read.
I guess i’m making this easy on myself and listing only two. I have read so many and it really is difficult to narrow down my choices. However, these are two of my absolute faves:

the alchemist lonelylon
4. What are the 5 best movies ever made?
I love watching movies. In fact, dearest hubby and i usually have frequent movie nights at home. It is also not unheard of for us to watch two movies back to back. We love to spend time at home and if you don’t find us in the kitchen cooking or out in the back grilling, chances are we’re snuggled up watching a movie. Apparently two is the magic number this evening, so i’ll only be choosing 2 of my all time faves:

lesmiserables lifeisbeautiful
5. Name 5 things you can't live without.


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It goes without saying that I couldn’t live without my family and my awesome friends. So, here goes:
  • My dog, Ginger(although she’s not a thing)
  • Denim brands like Diesel and True Religion-they were made to fit my 5ft 10 frame.
  • technology
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  • Great food and wine
  • Music
6. If you could change your name what would it be?
I don’t know. I’ve never really given that much thought.

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7. Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself.
I am Jamaican:-).  I started teacher’s college at age 15. I was the youngest student in the college and the administrators almost turned me back because I was so young, but, my scores were too outstanding. I was a brilliant mind back then;-). Ok, I’m not sure if this is unique but, i did a bit of modeling back in the day. Even nowadays, I still get approached by scouts. However, my interest lies elsewhere these days…

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9. If you had a 'Freaky Friday' experience, who would you change places with?
My dearest husband. He is so gifted, giving and fearless. It would be a life changing experience to enter his work world for at least a day. I would love to know what it’s like to freefall out of a plane like he does, or be the one to sew up a wounded comrade.

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10. What is the best thing about being a woman?
Since the birth of my first child, I would have to say motherhood. I also embrace everything that a woman embodies; curves, and all that is feminine!

studyLastThank you again for this award CharlottaThe Alternative Wife, Zhush and Komma-hem would be on this list but they’ve already received this award:-).  It gives me great pleasure to pass the award to my following blog buddies














    lakecomo2I’m off to bed now….xx

    {images: 12-tabletonic, 15-fashionising.com, 1-not sure, 11-desiretoinspire.net, others-tumblr and google}

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