“Fair Winds and Following Seas.”

July 24, 2016August 8, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 27 Comments

One really neat thing about Navy Life…it is a pretty sure bet that you will be living relatively close to a large body of water or, in the case of Okinawa Japan, surrounded by several large bodies of water. Summer is the perfect season to bring the beauty of the water inside by introducing the lovely soft colors of the sea into your decor…

The sea glass and pottery represent many hours of simply combing isolated beach areas in Okinawa while enjoying the sand and sun. I love the way the vintage mason jars reflect the afternoon light!

Antique Japanese fishing floats add the gorgeous color tones of the East China Sea. I love to display them in my Moses basket from the Philippines.

The beautiful capiz shell balls were part of our wedding decor…held by the water of course. More sea glass! I just could not collect enough…I miss my beach.

The French bottle drying rack gets a Summer glow from hand blown glass balls that reflect the colors of the sea.

She may have been born in the mountains but I think the Princess shares my love of the water….and collecting!

Let’s Party…

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Feeling a Little Blue Today…

July 11, 2016August 21, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 59 Comments

…I mean in a good way…because look what I found…

Isn’t it gorgeous! It had to come home with me…even if I needed to open my purse a little wider than I normally do. That cobalt blue glass had me at Hello…Me,that red and white loving girl…it inspired me to add a little more blue love in the house.

Like a beautiful hydrangea in a bone china vase from Japan and a lucious bowl of fresh, local blueberries.

And a delectable cobbler in my blueberry Polish pottery!

Princess approved of course!

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America

June 26, 2016July 8, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 46 Comments

My country, ’tis of thee,Sweet land of liberty,

Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died,

Land of the pilgrims’ pride,

From ev’ry mountainside

Let freedom ring!

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A Sanctuary

June 19, 2016July 2, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 57 Comments

Early in our marriage my hero and I agreed that we would not place a television in our bedroom. We hoped the room would be a private refuge from the world and a place of peace and harmony. We have done a pretty good job keeping our agreement. It is the only room in the house, outside of Saturday morning snuggles, that is Princess free which means we are free to display glass…without constant worry. Come on in…

One of my favorites collections…quilts! I think they lend a cozy element to any room.

The perfect place to curl up and read. A little patriotic touch with the pillows…plus a nod to my half British hero. Isn’t the antique Tibetan Cabinet beautiful?

Probably my most favorite furniture piece in the house is this antique Chinese Chicken coop…completely cleaned and restored as a wardrobe.

Before we had a Princess room, we had a guest room. It was decorated lovingly with English Victorian furniture and antique perfume bottles…not the safest element in a toddler’s bedroom. It makes a crowded but lovely display…safely away from busy little fingers.

When my hero and I were dating we were delighted to discover our mutual love of glassware. This is a small sample of our merged collections…and a few recent purchases. I love the afternoon light through this window. It has often stopped me in my tracks with the beauty.

My Princess and her beloved Baba…they also stop me in my tracks with their beauty. Happy Father’s Day!

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Presenting….The Dining Room

June 13, 2016July 2, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 49 Comments

I hate to admit, a majority of our meals are eaten in the kitchen. It just seems easier with a three year old who still throws rejected food downward…we’re working on that. I love the idea of a formal room dedicated to dining and conversation. I imagine 100 years worth of happy announcements from soon to be parents, heated debates from teenagers and life advice passed from generation to generation. This dining room has heard talk of war, discussions about the generation gap and dreams for a prosperous future. I envision wide eyed children listening in rapt attention to a grandparent’s tale from the old country and tear streaked cheeks when faced with a empty chair that was filled just the day before…life happened in this house…and we strive to add our voices to the very essence of this home.

Our dining room, like our living room, is a bit crowded with our treasures from around the world. I try to keep a happy balance of high and low elements with a few touches of whimsy.

With a very formal antique crystal chandelier, I wanted to create a more casual window detail. These grainsacks from Europe add a rustic touch…and they were super easy to do.

Looking for an adult beverage…just open the antique Chinese cabinet. My favorite vintage suitcase holds glass decanters and seltzer bottles.

A simple patriotic touch on the table seems so appropriate in the Summer…

…and speaking of Summer, the Princess is quite taken by our vegetable garden, although she does seem a little perplexed as she contemplates a radish.

Let’s Party…

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The Call Of The Front Porch

June 6, 2016July 1, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 62 Comments

True story….I was ready to rent this house the first time I laid eyes on the front porch.

I think you can see why. Come on up, the drinks are always cold…and always free!

Fluttering flags…

…and a lovely antique potato wagon bursting with blooms.

The perfect space to celebrate life…

…and show off newly discovered skills. ( I made this wreath myself, not perfect…but what is in life.)

Could you imagine a better spot to relax and ponder good literature?

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Best Laid Plans…

May 22, 2016July 5, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 34 Comments

I was really looking forward this weekend to a repeat of this activity from last year…I know…it is hard to believe she was ever this tiny!

But a whole lot of rain just kept getting in the way. So instead of a luscious strawberry shortcake recipe, I decided to share one thing that seems to be thriving this crazy wet May…our roses. Because they seem to perk up my people, I decided to bring some inside and spread the love all through the house. Traditional vases are great but it is much more fun to use the unexpected to display these beauties.

A single blossom has a lot of impact when displayed in an antique ink bottle.

The vivid color of the blooms contrasts beautifully with the simple white enamelware salt box.

Roses in an antique Chinese tea box ? Why yes!

What a lovely way to greet visitors…roses in a double compote carnival glass dish!

Here’s hoping for drier weather this week. Annapolis comes alive for commissioning and the daring Blue Angels show…plus those strawberries aren’t going to pick themselves!

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The Art of Collecting

May 15, 2016August 17, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 72 Comments

I love collections in my home. Things displayed in multiples seems to speak to my decorating soul in a powerful way. I have made some mistakes along the way….think 1990 Longenberger basket obsession…when I realized I was collecting what I thought I should be collecting rather than what I really wanted to collect. Expensive lesson for me. I am a wiser collector now. Let me share some life lessons I have learned on my collection journey…and show off a few of my most favorites at the same time
1. Display collected items together…they lose their impact if they are separated . Think of Grandma’s home with her ceramic cats scattered throughout the house on every surface….don’t do that! I like how my vintage rolling pins look in this giant egg basket…suddenly simple objects are seen as an elevated art display!

2. Collect what you love and what resounds with your soul…Be honest when you no longer feel the love and gift or donate. Also, don’t serve as a storage facility for family member’s “treasures” out of guilt or obligation . If you don’t love Aunt Lulu’s souvenir thimble collection , find someone who will delight in them…Aunt Lulu would approve! Many of the chickens on display on my dining room hutch come from a friend who inherited them from a relative. After 20 years of storage I was excited to give them an honored spot in my home.

3. Don’t collect with your child’s college fund in mind…unless you collect early Picasso abstracts. We all know someone with tubs of Beanie Babies in their basement just waiting for the magical buyer to show up and pave the way to Harvard. The price of my beloved Lusticru omelet pans (French flea market finds) on eBay tempts me to enlist my friends to send me every piece they can find…but then the memory of finding these beauties would be forgotten in the crush of enamelware.

4.Master the art of rotation. Seasonal collections are a great way to freshen decor with little effort. For example, I display seasonal vintage postcards on a 24 pane window in my kitchen. They make me smile. In May and June I display vintage French seed labels.

5. The best collections are aquired over time and experience. It is so tempting to see a beautiful collection on a blog and jump on the EBay express to immediately duplicate it. Most likely that blogger has been collecting for years and that collection represents her/his life and experiences. Let your collections represent you! This collection of antique kokeshi dolls is unique to me and my life experiences in Japan. I have never seen a collection like it and love the unique and unexpected element it adds to my home.

Someday I hope the Princess will share my love of collecting…beyond collecting compliments.

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Challenge accepted!

May 8, 2016August 21, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 41 Comments

My fellow military wives will understand…there is a trade-off to the Navy life. Our current rental in Annapolis is a pretty healthy combination of both adventure and challenge, I mean who won’t rent this 1920 American Foursquare one block from the water and short walk to downtown. It helps to keep this picture in mind as we move into our challenge laden living room…

The Living room…just throw some pillows on the floor and get comfortable. Try not to bump into any furniture on your way to the couch. As you can see space is TIGHT. After having so many of my things in storage, I could not bear to leave it all in the basement but it does present a problem…so glad neither my husband and I are minimalists. Let me distract you…look at the original, working pocket doors!

Another challenge…no window covering on the Windows..and a no drill clause in the lease. Good thing we love our neighbors. The light truly is beautiful in the afternoon so the challenge remained…privacy vs beautiful light. Hanging vintage Windows on the Windows seems to do the trick. The small wreaths change with the seasons.

Our last challenge….the Television! I know, we could probably just throw it away and read quality literature in the evenings…but where would I watch my HGTV? Seriously, it is the only place we could mount the thing.

Let me distract you …look at the original woodwork…..and the chicken feeder with antique bottles…

And roses picked (with assistance) by our very own Princess…that just makes everything right! Although a family room would be nice.

The Art of Homemaking@Pilgrims and Strangers on Earth

No Place Like Home@Rose Chintz Cottage

BTTCG@Bernadeen’sBlog

Show andShare@Coastal Charm

Thrifty and Vintage Finds@Dagmar’s House

Tuesday at Our Home@Our Home Away From Home

Tweak it Tuesday@Cozy Little House

Inspire Me Monday@Sand and Sisal

Inspire Me Tuesday@A Stroll Thru Life

The Scoop@Stonegable Blog

Titus 2 Tuesdays@Cornerstone Confessions

Wonderful Wednesday@Oh My Heartsie Girl

Make it Pretty Monday@The Dedicated House

Let’s talk Vintage@Bella Rosa Antiques

Be Inspired@Elizabeth and Co

Wow us Wednesday@Savvy Southern Style

Talk of the Town@ Knick of Time

Welcome Home Wednesday@Suburban Simplicity

Work it Wednesday@The Bissful Bee

Thursday Home and Garden@A Delightsome Life

Share Your Cup Thursday@Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson

Share Your Style@Essence of Home

Favorite Things@Katherines Corner

Thoughts of Home@Poofing the Pillows

Making Broken Beautiful@The Curator’s Collection

Simple and Sweet Friday@Rooted in Thyme

Home Sweet Home@The Charm of Home

Friday Favorites@Must Love Home

Love Peace and Link@Twenty Something

Share it One More Time@Shabby Fru Fru

Sundays at Home@Thoughts from Alice

Best of the Weekend@21 Cottonwood Lane

Silver Penny Sunday@Finding Silver Pennies

Digging it and Dishing it

Busy Monday

Dwellings

Inspiration Monday

Monday of Many Blessings

Share it

Feather Nest Friday@French Country Cottage

Shabbilious Friday@Shabby Art

Boutique

I love a Good Story….

April 10, 2016August 12, 2016 ~ amykins100 ~ 88 Comments

I used to frequent Home Goods and Marshalls…a lot…like “the employees knew me by name”lot. I always found something I was eager to bring home…but that eagerness seemed to fade as soon as I walked through the front door. I never really felt a connection to the pretty pieces and I would go back to replace the item again and again to regain that eagerness. I also donated to a local thrift shop so I am sure someone found a lovely treasure from my over shopping…so not a total loss

It took a while to realize I was looking for more than a pretty piece, I was looking for the story, the history, beyond the piece. I wanted the real deal vintage…even if it needed to be collected over time as pay checks would allow

Most of my beloved furnishings tell a story of another family…one I can only imagine. How exciting it was to visit my parent’s home in Philadelphia and help them downsize for their retirement cottage. So many treasures came home with me..treasures with a real connection to my story….my history….let me show you a few favorites. There will be more to come