A Blog Party!

Hello everyone~ Where would you live and what would your dream home be like? I received an invitation from Deana at Alchemy Fine Living http://www.alchemyfineliving.com/ to join her for her blog party.

This party is all about dreams; dream homes and dream locations. These are my thoughts about where I would live and what kind of house my dream home would be....

In the summertime, I would prefer to live on our little Island where I am now. To me, there is just no other place to be. We have the most amazing beaches here! Winter, however, is a different story! Then, I would prefer to be in a warmer climate..... perhaps Provence!I guess my dreams are a bit more down to earth compared to some! Oh, I could go wild but I think for me anyway, it's better to fantasize about something that is within reach!

I am drawn to many different styles of houses but if I was to have my 'dream home' it would be one level, with a front porch, a screened-in porch, and a two car garage, such as the design above and it would have to be near the beach! The house would be yellow as I always lust after yellow houses, it seems. And it would have cedar shingles on the roof. As you can see from the design above, it looks like it has been built in sections, which I love the look of. I don't know what style you call this, all I know is I love it! I love a house with lots of nooks and crannies! And I would like to have a cupola on the roof. There would have to be some gingerbread trim on it too as I love architectural pieces.
My dream home would have a bay window or two.
My dream kitchen would have big windows and the room would be flooded with light; sunny and warm. The cabinets would be an antique white or creamy white. The kitchen would also have to have an island with a prep area and a breakfast bar. A breakfast nook and a dining room are a must-have, as we entertain a lot.A favourite fabric for the kitchen.There would be a fireplace in the dining and living/family rooms. There would be a couple of niches as well. I love collections.
My decor style dictates that I would probably decorate with whites, creams, and lots of toile. A little French Country and a little English Cottage with some Traditional touches thrown in. I like to be comfortable without being too formal, and I like the look of the old with the new.
As I am a romantic at heart, I also lean towards shabby chic. I love white, pink and green, reds, aquas, robin's egg blue, and creamy yellow. I love blue toile as well.
I adore crystal chandeliers, and roosters make me smile! I love beadboard and pillars. An office with a big library would be wonderful as we love books.
Of the two dining rooms below, I don't know which one I prefer. I love the windows in the first but love the pillars in the second.My favourite rug.The master bedroom would be romantic with a sitting area and there would have to be an ensuite bath with a whirlpool tub and a huge walk-in closet. A fireplace would be nice too. I probably would not choose the blue toile however, as much as I like it. I am more apt to go with the green and white.I love these colours in the bath.Most of the gardens would be in the back where it would be private and secluded. There would be a cozy little guest cottage where my sons and their families could have their privacy when they come home to visit. A gazebo, bird houses, and the odd statue among the paths leading to a couple sitting areas would be wonderful too. I would love a pool surrounded by plants and flowers.
I love trees and scrubs so they would be plentiful. A little brook running behind the gardens would make it perfect! Most important of all, my home would not be a 'home' without my hubby, my family, and my friends around me. I think that is what makes a house, even your 'dream house,' a home!
Have a wonderful day everyone and please check out all the other dreamers out there in blogland today!

Blue Monday

Blue Monday is here again and I want to thank our delightful hostess Sally for hosting this fun event. Sally is in the midst of packing these days and we want to wish her all the best as she and her hubby make this transition to their new location.

For years, I had a blue living room, and because we had three boys, there was always the colour blue around. Today, I have a home full of pink and yet, to my surprise, I still have a lot of blue around.
Three rooms are still painted blue; the guest room, the den, and the office. And of course where there is a room painted blue, chances are you will find more blue.

Today, I will show you the blues in our family room. I apologize for the poor picture/colour quality. The sofa and love seat look more gray blue but in reality, they are a very nice shade of blue.

Blue in the burgundy cushions.

I love this border! I know borders are not so much in vogue these days, but I love the coziness of it and the colours in it. It just pulls everything all together.

This is a painting from one of our parishioners. It is not possible to see all the beautiful detail in this painting but take it from me; it is beautiful! She was quite the artist in her day!

Finally, is this sweet little boy, all dressed in blue, and asking for God's blessing upon his food. Again, the quality of the picture is not very good; but you get the idea. This is a Bessie Pease Gutmann collectible, called "Thank You God." The detail is really sweet!
Those are my blues for today, folks. Please check out Smiling Sally's Blue Monday and other participants by clicking on the link http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ or the Blue Monday button on my sidebar. Have a great Blue Monday/Memorial Day and a wonderful week everyone!