I’m one of those people who likes to surround myself with inspiration, and often it is in the form of favorite quotes or words.  I especially like to see words or quotes as original art framed in a gallery on the wall, together with other family pictures and artwork.  They are an inexpensive way to add personality to a home, and a great conversation starter !

I’ve come across some favorites on Etsy, and I thought I’d share them with you today.  Click on the titles below for the link.  

City of Love by The Love Shop

  When Life Hands You Lemons by Dear Colleen

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Greetings friends, another fantastic giveaway for you brought to you by my sponsor Emma from Scentsy !  Scentsy is a company that is all about decorative aromatic warmers designed to fill your home with long lasting incredible fragrances. 

Some of my best memories are triggered by a fleeting fragrance.  Isn’t it true that the greatest scents can transport you to a different place and time ?   I think a welcoming home should include those pleasant scents that always bring that sense of comfort. 

The fragrant wax from the Scentsy bars melts by the heat of a light bulb so there is never any concern about an open flame !  Check out my white warmer melting up a new favorite fragrance – perfectly pomegranate. 

In truth, I’m just so darn forgetful and constantly distracted, so the ability to leave this wickless and flameless wax on for hours completely appeals to me.  

These can sit for hours and hours, filling your home with delicious smell !  I now carry mine back and forth from my office to my bedroom, I like it that much.  No wicks or flames !

Emma Rae is my rep (and yours too) for making your purchase of any of these Scentsy Warmers.  There are dozens and dozens of styles and scents to choose from!

Here’s a few examples of my other favorites in the full size:  the Riviera, the Classic in cream, and the Torino.

They even have an entire set of DIY theme packs like these black flourish rub on transfers for you to create your own design. 

Did you know Scentsy even has a man collection?   Why yes, it’s true.  Perhaps ‘Rustic Lodge’ or ‘Hemingway’ may appeal to your guy. 

This giveaway includes winners’ choice of one of these mid size warmers plus three bars in your choice of scents.  Yum.  Double Yum.  Triple Yum !

Eligibility to Win One of Two Scentsy Mid-Size Warmers

1)  Visit Scentsy and tell us in a comment which one of these scents you’d choose if you won !  Is it Sunkissed Citrus ?  Sugar Cookie ?  Mediterranean Spa ?   Which scents appeal to you ? 

2)  For a second chance to win, post this giveaway on your Facebook profile, then come back and leave the link in a comment on this site.

3) For a third chance to win, tweet this giveaway on Twitter, and come back and leave your Twitter profile and “I tweeted” in a comment on this site. 

That’s all folks !  Giveaway ends Tuesday March 23rd at 8 p.m. PST.  Two winners will be chosen by Random.org. 

Good luck ! 

****************  THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED  ********************

Every now and then I get misty.  Misty for the Aloha state.  Actually, it’s every time I pass the mai tai mix at the supermarket. 

Years ago when I was A) collecting a real paycheck and B) had no infant car seats and C) hub’s real estate practice was totally booming, we would vacation in Hawaii once a year.  There are Ten Big Reasons Why I Miss Hawaii and am secretly plotting to use my miles to somehow return very soon.

#10  You can wear really loud bright colored shirts and no one, and I mean no one, will dare say ‘Boo’ to you.  In fact, loud floral themed aloha wear is encouraged.  No, let me rephrase.  It’s required. 

#9 The flora is breathtaking.  And smelly – in a good way.  Have you ever known the heavenly scent of a plumeria lei ?   

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There comes a day in February that I look forward to with much anticipation.  You’ll often find me breathing on the glass of my front window panes.  I wait.  And I wait.  And then the doorbell rings. 

It’s my neighbor Girl Scouts bringing me my cookies !

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I know many of you are blanketed in snow, and part of me wants to be frolicking in a big pile of it right now.  Yet out here on the west coast, we’ve been blessed with a hint of spring.  I was in a euphoric trance this morning as I walked through Lowe’s garden department.   Rows and rows of tulips and daffodils.  Oodles of fresh new plants budding for spring !

It’s still cold around here, but the cherry blossom trees have just started to bud.  Just two days ago, I clipped a few branches off our mature cherry blossom tree, then I brought some branches indoors to force them to bloom.

I’ve never had real  cherry blossoms budding in my house – I’ve always enjoyed the fakes from Pier One.  But these beautiful pink blossoms are making me smile today.

“They’re real, and they’re spectacular.”

I simply followed these steps by Better Homes & Gardens.

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In honor of Valentine’s Day, here’s a peek at some remarkable hearts found in nature.

Wishing you all a day filled with love in all its forms.

 Heart Shaped World  © Christine Huff

Inside Your Heart

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I was flying back home on Sunday when I grabbed the latest copy of Country Living magazine.

I adore this publication, but I need to renew my subscription -  hence the airport purchase.

Inside there are plenty of great articles and idea notebooks, with features on closet makeovers, vintage luggage, antiques, and even sea salt (my latest fixation).

Then what before my eyes should appear in the March 2010 issue on page 69  but a fabulous feature on my hometown !

“Five Reasons to Visit Petaluma”

When I saw my sweet little hometown featured in a major national magazine, I got a little giddy.

Ooooh, a three page spread !   I live right nearby these places !

Petaluma is the southern most town in Sonoma County, just 35 minutes north of San Francisco.  Our town shares its eastern border with world famous Sonoma, and is known all around for its numerous antique shops in the downtown area.

Twice a year, we have an amazing  Antique Fair where the streets are closed off, and almost 200 vendors come from across the West to sell their vintage, salvage and antique goods.

The big feature in the March 2010 issue of Country Living is on this very Antique Fair !  How marvelous !

I never ever ever miss it !  In fact, I’ve written about the Antique Fair in 2009, with plenty of inspirational pictures, here and here.

The Petaluma Antique Fair is where I spied this piece . . .

. . . . which inspired my latest cabinet makeover (pictured below).

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It’s been raining for days and days and days around here.   I really needed something fresh and green to contrast against these wet days and drab skies.  So I planted a little garden in my kitchen window.    

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Did you ever wonder why the saying “Home Sweet Home” isn’t “House Sweet House” ?  I think the answer is quite obvious.  The word “home” has a much deeper meaning that is far more intangible.    

Like many of you, I spend hours looking through the pages of design magazines, loving the images I see.  I save thousands of those images in my files.  I get ideas from hundreds of sources and store them all away for inspiration.  When I eventually get around to it, I incorporate little upgrades here and there.

One thing strikes me quite often whenever I swoon over fabulous designer spaces.  Yes, they’re gorgeous.  Yes, they’re mesmerizing.   Yes, they make me long for a cleaner, more pulled together design in my own home. 

Yet one thing is absent from all of those images, regardless of how perfect they are on the pages of a glossy magazine.  Those images, those spaces, and those houses are just not home.   A house is just four walls and a roof, but a home is made up of everything else inside. 

A house may be decorated from floor to ceiling with the finest furnishings money can buy.  But that will never ever make it a home.  A home is a sanctuary.  Home is comfort.  Home is inviting.  Home is a refuge from the world. 

Home is cozy.  Home is lived In.  Home is a pair of shoes in the corner, a blanket on the sofa, books and magazines strewn about, and jackets and scarves on the hooks. 

Home is coffee cups left on the table and beds left unmade.  

Home is where you wear your coziest clothing with only comfort and never fashion in mind. 

Source

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OK peeps, I think it’s time I spill the beans on how I take and manipulate my photos.  Several of you have sent me emails asking me about the camera and the software I use on this site.  I’m here to share.  Sharing is what I do.  I love to share, especially with those of you just starting out.  Ha, that’s funny.  “Just starting out.”  That’s me, like, nine months ago.  Strange, surreal, and completely true. 

But first, before I share, I have a few confessions to make. 

First confession:  Believe me when I tell you I am a complete amateur when it comes to photography.  (Some of you are saying, “Um, yes, we know that.”)  In fact, if you said the word “aperture” to me a few months ago, I’d have looked at you cross-eyed. 

Second confession:  I have a really killer camera that does half the work for me.  My weapon of choice is a Nikon D60 and it totally rocks.  Mr. CG bought it for me two years ago when I complained about my flimsy digital never taking pictures when I wanted it to.  You know that 3/4 second delay that misses the moment ?  That fleeting precious moment when your kid is doing the cutest thing ever ?  Then your camera never captures it ?  Hated that.  I complained constantly.  Tears welled.  I might have thrown my old camera a few times.  Then hubby bought me my Nikon. 

Yes, they’re expensive, but oh my goodness gracious darling, are they ever so worth it.  Mine has paid for itself tenfold with the quality of pictures it has given me.

For example, take this most recent picture of chocolate covered biscotti from yesterday.  My friends, I simply set the camera to “no flash” and shot this beauty.  The camera did 80% of the work. 

Third confession:  I’ve learned to never ever ever use a flash.  The flash is not your friend when taking up close and personal shots of your latest craft, project, recipe, or kid.  Turn it off, that’s all I can say.  Turn.Off.The.Flash.  Light is your friend.  The flash is not. 

Fourth confession:  I do not use Photoshop for my everyday blog editing.  I don’t have the patience, time, or in depth knowledge of Photoshop to manipulate every single photo.  Yes, I’m learning the program slowly, but I never turn to Photoshop for my everyday blog photos. 

I use Picasa.  Picasa is free.

Picasa is my friend ! 

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