Hey all, how was your weekend ?  We did a little bit of something and a whole lotta nothin’ around here.  Saturday began with a little retail therapy since I had a few hours to myself.  I leisurely browsed Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, and West Elm.   Alone.  With a Frappuccino !  To me, that’s just better than a spa day. 

I couldn’t resist the 50% off outdoor pillows sale at RH, so I picked up some of these Valencia medallion pillows for the outdoor sofa in the courtyard, $16 dollars each.

Hello, my lovelies.  Welcome home.

Then I caught up on some reading . . .

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If there ever was a town that is not only quaint and charming, but also chic and sophisticated, it is Carmel-by-the-Sea.  Located on the Monterey peninsula south of San Francisco, Carmel is a small town filled with art galleries, shops and inns, and is surrounded by golf courses.  Only the well to do can afford to actually live in Carmel, but for the rest of us, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a fantastic getaway destination in California for anyone seeking beauty, culture, rest, and relaxation along the coast. 

We spent two days and nights here a few weekends ago, so today I’ll share a few photos of our brief stay.   My most favorite thing about downtown Carmel is that everywhere you walk you’ll find a secret corridor, alley, or courtyard, and along every street, flowers are abundant.  They grow up along walls, blooming in pots, and spilling out of window boxes, flourishing in the sun and sea air. 

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Ten years ago, we started our landscaping with a simple lawn and some boxwood shrubs.  The next year, we planted pink hydrangeas in the front yard.  The following year, rose trees.   Slowly through the years we’ve been adding perennial shrubs and flowers to our garden.   I think gardens, like interiors, are most appreciated when their beauty is arrived at over time, don’t you ?

I’ve planted evergreen shrubs to fill in the blank spots during the winter, and I love to supplement with annuals in pots in the summer, but time and again, my perennial shrubs fill the garden with gorgeous color and scent.  Here are some of my favorite perennials putting on a show this June !

  Erisimum ‘Bowles Mauve’

Raspberry hydrangea

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Remember when I was on that huge organizing kick back in January, even did an entire week of posts on getting a fresh start ?  I even managed to get somewhat organized when it came to filing paperwork, but I’m sorry to report, again the paper is totally and completely out of control around here.   I was doing so well for many months, but then somewhere between Easter and Graduation, the piles of paper again became my nemesis. 

I’m good at juggling a lot of balls at one time, but when it comes to paper clutter, it is my number one organizational challenge.   So I’m going to be participating in the Organize Your Paper Clutter Workshop, brought to you my newest sponsor Simplify 101. 

As a super busy multitasking mom, I love the fact that the workshop is spread out over six weeks, with plenty of time to review the materials between entertaining the kids, swim lessons, and even more DIY projects this summer, yippeee ! 

Just the thought of ridding my house of paper clutter makes me breathe a huge sigh of relief.  Won’t you join me ?

Do you stack papers on your countertop or desk because you simply don’t know what else to do with them? 

Are you overwhelmed with all the artwork and papers your children bring home from school?  Are you unsure what paper you really need to keep and how long to keep it?

Does it seem like you have more paper coming into your home than you can possibly handle?  Are you tired living with paper-cluttered surfaces?

This six week summer workshop will give you the answers to all your pressing paper questions plus simple-to-use systems that will eliminate the paper clutter in your home.   You’re free to review the weekly materials on your own time over the six weeks, online or in PDF format, or even in MP3 format.  

Plus, with clear cut action steps and the support of a professional organizer to answer questions, plus a friendly online community, you can take action and organize your paper. 

Check out the entire six week syllabus right here.

Now y’all know I love to giveaway pretty stuff, and today it’s something very practical. 

The kind folks at Simplify 101 are offering two lucky readers a free spot in the Organize Your Paper Clutter Workshop – a $75 dollar value.    

Eligibility to win one of two free spots in the Organize Your Paper Clutter workshop:

1)  Leave a comment telling us what kind of paper clutter is your biggest organizational challenge !  

2) For a second chance to win, either link to this giveaway on Facebook OR tweet this giveaway with a link on Twitter, and then leave a second comment telling me where you mentioned this giveaway (FB or Twitter). 

Giveaway ends Saturday June 12th at 8 p.m. PST.  Winners chosen by Random.org. 

If you’d like more tips on organizing your home or office top to bottom, sign up for Simplify 101’s organizing newsletter right here !   You can also follow the blog and get even more daily tips on organizing.

GOOD LUCK !