LOVE OF THE SEA

View of the Day....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 01:48:00 +0000

Hello Everyone...it's been so long since I've done a post or checked in on my favorite blogs. It really wasn't intentional...kind of one of those things where one thing leads to another. And next thing you know....6 weeks have gone by. Nothing in particular has been going on other than I've been very busy with work and in my free time, a bit distracted trying to get back into shape (yes, I've kept my New Year resolution so far).

But I've missed catching up with all my favorite blogs...and creating my posts. So I'm gonna get right back at it by sharing an amazing photo and quote that I found today on Coastal Living in the View of the Day. For the month of March, each day Coastal Living will be posting a breathtaking coastal photograph along with a quote. You'll have to stop by and check it out. So I thought...what better way to get back into blogging than by sharing today's Coastal Living View of the Day.

"May the road rise to meet you, may the wind always be at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face, may the rains fall softly upon your fields…"

–Irish blessing

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Looking forward to catching up with all of you to see what you've all been up to. Have great week!

Six Steps to Exotic Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:27:00 +0000

So I'm spending my Sunday catching up on reading my favorite blogs and magazines...and wanted to share this amazing home courtesy of Coastal Living. I love the style of this Manhattan Beach home. It's really inspiring me to redecorate some of the living spaces in my home. But I must finish my current projects which is my closet re-do and my guest bedroom (stay tuned for photos in future posts).

Once those are completed, I just may do a little bit of redecorating in my family room. That is the beauty of slipcovers...I've been telling my husband that we need a new set made...so that we don't "over use" the current set. So far, he is groaning a little bit but it seems to be working. I didn't mention that we may have to do more slipcovers for the dining chairs so they don't clash...thats all in due time.

So here are some photographs of this amazing home....

Hope you enjoyed these photographs...check out Coastal Living for more inspiration. Have a wonderful week!

My New, New Years Resolutions...

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Well, as hokey as it sounds, every year I prepare a list of New Year Resolutions that I plan on doing starting on January 2nd. I always take a "free day" on New Years Day as I consider that the last holiday of the year. So I began my new year today...and am vigorously practicing all my resolutions.

Here's my list (not necessarily in order of importance):

Slow down and take time to smell the flowers.
Take my exercise program more seriously.
Eat healthier with more fruits and vegetables.
Spend more time with my family.
Devote time every day to focus on my spiritual growth.
Be more generous to others.
Shop less, spend less, save more.
Learn how to invest in the stock market.
Be a better listener.

So that pretty much covers the areas that I want to focus on this year. Even if I keep to 75% of them, I'll be happy. But for now, I plan on holding myself accountable to all of these, especially when I look at the list and realize these are qualities that I want to have more of. So today, I started off on the right foot with my food and exercise and spiritual growth. I ran four miles, while listening to "Ask and It is Given" (an amazing book from Esther & Jerry Hicks) and then worked out with my trainer for one hour. Yes, it was a good day.

I just love of the freshness and possibilities a new year brings. So here's to an amazing 2012. May yours be filled with health, happiness and prosperity.

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:51:00 +0000

To all of my amazing friends in the blogging world, thank you for your friendship and camaraderie in 2011.

Cheers to a New Year

I look forward to another great year of friendship, fun posts and learning new things. Hope you and your families have wonderful happy & healthy New Year.

Linking up to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound.

Aqua and Red Flocked Coastal Christmas Tree....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:32:00 +0000

So I've finally finished my Christmas tree...and I have to say, I'm really happy with it. I love the combination of Aqua and Red...so that was my theme this year, along with my favorite coastal touches. And let's not forget the flocking which I love so much...I may never go back to a traditional tree again. Or maybe I will have to have two trees next year.

It is filled with starfish, seashells, red coral, apples, jingle bells and other beautiful ornaments. I think this tree reminds me of a really large, beautifully wrapped Christmas present. You'll notice the tree is not decorated on the bottom third...and has nothing around it other than a burlap tree skirt. That's because I have some very curious cats who have lived under the tree since I put it up last week. I decided to not tempt them by decorating it at the bottom where they could do some major destruction.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend...and while I'm a little late to the party, I'm linking up to:

Thrifty Decor Chick's A Christmas Tree Party
My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday
Funky Junk Interior's Saturday Nite Special
The House in the Roses Show off your Cottage Monday
Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Holiday Decorating...Seaside Style

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:48:00 +0000

Southern Living is one of my very favorite go to sources for recipes, decorations, crafts...all kinds of wonderful lifestyle inspirations. And this series of seaside style holiday decorating is right up my alley. It has all my favorite colors...which are found around my home.

Thought I'd share some of my very favorite images from their site.

So I'm finally done with my tree and most of my decorating. So tomorrow I'll be taking photos for a post. I'm really happy with how everything came out...although I didn't get to decorate anything outside. Next year, I may have to hire someone to decorate the outside. I always run out of time.

Hope your having a fabulous and festive weekend.

Beautiful Ombre Jingle Bells....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:15:00 +0000

I feel in love with these ombre holiday bells when I was scrolling Martha Stewart's website and just had to share these gorgeous creations.

The easy to make how to instructions can be found by following this link to the fabulous Martha Stewart website, the best resource for holiday decorating, crafts, recipes and more.

And while my tree is still a work in progress...I'm currently waiting for red bows that I've ordered but thought I'd share some preliminary photos of how it's coming along....

Hope your having a festively fabulous week!

Simply Divine...Simply Pink

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I have a confession - one of my guilty pleasures is watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. And my favorite "housewife" is Lisa Vanderpump...and of course my favorite "housedog" is her little pom Giggy. She is an accomplished business woman, restauranteur and designer. I love her directness & sense of humor and most importantly, her fashion style and how she treats her dogs.

So it goes without saying, I had to buy her book on entertaining that was recently published called Simply Divine. This is a wonderful book with lots of tips on entertaining, styling and cooking. I will definitely try out some of the recipes Lisa shares.

As you can see from the cover, Lisa loves the color pink. As a matter of fact, her website states that those closest to her call her Pinky. So in celebration of Pink Saturday, I thought I'd post some of my favorite photographs of Lisa's Beverly Hills home that she recently sold.

This bathroom is amazing. I love the cabinetry.

It looks like that is a mini pink velvet couch for her dogs. Love it.

Here is the adorable Giggy.

So clean and crisp.

Another view of the pinkalicious bathroom.

Love how she organizes her clothing by color. I do the same thing.

Even a pink Birkin. This shoe area is a WOW.

Who would want to leave this closet?

Even her husband Ken wears pink.

I think my favorite room is her pink bathroom. It is so pretty & feminine and really celebrates her love of everything pink. If you would like to learn more about Lisa...here is a link to her website and you can follow her on twitter here.

Hope you enjoy these photographs of Lisa's fabulous home and have a Happy Pink Saturday! Linking up to Beverly's Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound.

To Flock or not Flock..that is the question....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

First off, I have to say...I am totally overwhelmed by all the fabulosity that is currently being displayed by all my very favorite blogs. There are so many wonderful holiday inspirations going on...I can't keep up with them all so I decided just to make sure that I don't miss anything, I'm going to spend at least two or three hours on Saturday catching up on all these wonderful holiday posts. I'm in full holiday decoration mode.

And with that, I'm excited to say that I found a flocked tree. Or shall I say, my husband found it for me. This season, I've been on the hunt for a real tree, that is flocked...and trust me, this is not been an easy task here in South Florida. But, as of today, the hunt is over. My husband found one for me...and since I'm on the road, he's ordering it, via Iphone texting and photos between us, tomorrow. That way I will have it by the time I get home on Saturday. I'm so excited.

Why do I want a flocked tree? Well, first off, I love to ski and I love the mountains...so here is my inspiration:

There is something so beautiful about a a winter landscape.

Here are some of my favorite shots of a lightly dusted tree....

So now I will have my own version to decorate, even if it's still 80 degrees outside...inside, my Christmas tree will be flocked with "snow". Once again, my husband comes through for me.

Stay tuned for photos of my coastal inspired "flocked" Christmas tree. Why do I feel like this will be my very best tree ever? Hope your enjoying your holiday season.

Holiday Tables & Centerpieces....by Country Living

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 01:30:00 +0000

During the holiday season, there's nothing more beautiful than a dining table filled with festive decorations. To me, a beautifully appointed table epitomizes the warmth of home that I love to experience during Christmas. So with that, I thought I'd share some of my favorite tablescapes from Country Living.

It's hard to pick out my favorite one...I think it is the first shot because it's so festive. But really, I like them all. Here is the link to go to the Country Living section where you can see alot more tablescapes and settings. Hope you enjoy my selections...and that they provide a bit of holiday inspiration.

Opinions please....Closet Redo - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:33:00 +0000

So as part of my closet redo which I covered in this post, I have some decisions to make...that I'd love to get some feedback on.

Option 1...

The idea would be to paint the walls hot pink, the trim and molding white...and the shelving black. The carpet would be a zebra print and an oversized ottoman in the middle of the room in either white or lime green. The windows are white plantation shutters and zebra drapes will be used to frame out an alcove of shelves.

Question - if I go with Option 1, do you think I should go with the plain white ottoman or the bright lime green one? I was thinking the green for some pop of color.

Option 2...

Instead of the zebra carpet, I would go with a hot pink flokati rug, a zebra ottoman, white shelving, molding and plantation shutters with lime green walls. I would drape the alcove with hot pink drapes with touch of zebra. I'm afraid this might be a but too much...but I do love that ottoman. Maybe I could do a contrast with one lime green wall and the other three walls to be pink or white. Both of these options are quite a departure from my normal taste and the rest of my house. I'd don't know why I have this zebra and pink/green thing going on but for some reason I'm drawn to this look for my closet.

And lastly, I could always go to my typical look - that I have through the rest of my house....which is:

Option 3...

This option is my safety zone. As I re-read this over, before I hit post...I'm starting to think I've gone crazy and need to get back on track and pick Option 3.

Any and all opinions are appreciated!

p.s. Just hit 400 followers over the weekend. That means a giveaway is in order. Stay tuned for a coastal christmas giveaway!

A Coastal Christmas Warm up...

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:04:00 +0000

Well Santa has finally arrived here at Love of the Sea. I just received my "coastal style" Santa from Wisteria and he is just so cute. I just love his satin coat with the turquoise and blue seahorses....

And as you can see...Santa's workshop is very busy...getting some things painted for the holiday season while he awaits all his other loot coming from My Shabby Chateau.

Trying not to make too much of a mess.

Hope your having fun with your holiday decorating!!

My Closet Re-do....Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:55:00 +0000

In the midst of my holiday preparations.....I've decided I'm going to tackle a redo of my closet. I started my closet two years ago...and never really finished it. But it is one of those projects that has stayed in the back of my mind for the last year...and I've finally hit the wall and decided I'm going to get it finished. I just can't tolerate the disorganization any more.

I'm not normally a messy person and my house is very organized and neat - except my closet. I travel quite a bit so what ends up happening is I come home from one trip...and don't always unpack before I leave on the next trip. So the unpacked bags build up and then I can't find anything. And every weekend, I swear I'm going to get it all cleaned up and I never do. For some reason, I keep on procrastinating...I think it's because its so overwhelming in there...I just can't deal with it.

So anyway - I figured I'd start with a complete reorganization, decluttering and downsizing of the area...before I begin the real decorating work. I spent five hours in there over the weekend and I'm only about a third of the way done. I took some before photographs halfway through the ripping apart of the area...it normally doesn't look this bad...close but not all the stuff on the floor. You'll definitely be able to see why I have avoided taking this on.

But first, here are my inspiration photographs.....

And here are the very embarrassing photographs I took in the midst of the reorganization...Yes, I made it messier re-working things, but it was still bad. Now you can see why when my husband comes in my closet area he just shrugs his head and walks away.

It seems like more I try to pull it apart to organize it
the worse it gets. It's like the remnants of a yard sale in there.

I've been spending some time thinking about what I want and have finally come up with a color scheme that I'm pretty sure I'll go with. Before I get started, there are a few things I'm still deliberating over and would love to hear some opinions on what you think. I'll be posting my ideas later this week...along with a few photos of how much better the area already looks.

Hope your having a great week....

Vintage Bottles Holiday Style....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:43:00 +0000

I was so inspired today by a post from Erin's Art and Gardens on how she created some amazing holiday decorations using her vintage bottles and ornaments. Here decorations are beautiful. So this afternoon, I took out my bottles and created my interpretation....coastal style of course. I gathered my bottles, found one of my favorite distressed turquoise wooden bases, a starfish, piece of coral, a french inspired candle and some branches with red berries that I purchased at Fresh Market.

Here are some different angles....

And I also put together my coastal Christmas treasure box that I started last year. I changed it up a little bit...and put in some of my very favorite pieces all blended together....I'm happy with how it came out.

So now I'm getting all excited about holiday decorating. I'm hoping to get my tree next Saturday. I didn't want to put it up too soon since I'm getting a real one...and I want it to last until New Years Day. I'm looking for a flocked tree...should be interesting ~~a wild goose chase~~ to see if I can find one here in South Florida. Stay tuned & more to follow.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of my favorite blogs holiday decorations. Are you in the christmas decorating mode yet?

It's a juicy kind of day....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:56:00 +0000

I don't know about you - but all I can say is that I ate way too much yesterday. Way too much. This morning, I was trying to figure out approximately how many calories I think I ate and whether or not I gained weight. Oh well, I have to put that behind me and today...I'm going to drink my meals...and have a juicy day...to balance out what I ate yesterday.

I'm a juicing fanatic...and love to create all kinds of juices by experimenting with different combinations of fruits and vegetables to see how they taste together. One of my very favorite juices is a combination of romaine lettuce, a cucumber, some celery, beet root, two carrots....all juiced together with a touch of ginger and some lemon. It's really yummy.

For those who love juicing or are interested in learning more, here is a great website that I use as a resource called Juicing for Health. Enjoy!

Wisteria for the holidays....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:38:00 +0000

I'm starting to really get into the holiday spirit and have started decorating my house. As always, one of my very favorite places to pick up coastal christmas accessories is Wisteria.

Here are some of my favorites from this year's collection....

I couldn't resist the Santa and a couple other things. Check out Wisteria if your looking to infuse some coastal decor into your holiday decoration.

Hope your having a wonderful Thanksgiving....

Living a Joyful, Abundant and Grateful life....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:09:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving.....

Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Inspiration for Coastal Decorating....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 03:47:00 +0000

I've been getting the urge to do a little re-decorating in the new year...keeping the coastal theme of course. There's no way I can change that up as I have so much already invested, it would require a complete redo which is just not an option. So I'm thinking a few enhancements like some interesting wall coverings...some new slipcovers and a few other little pieces here and there.

I spent some time on Coastal Living tonight...and thought I'd share some of my favorite inspiration photos from their 15 Easy and Inexpensive Coastal Upgrades piece.

I love each of these looks...especially the orange and turquoise. I would not normally put those two colors together...but this room looks fabulous. And I just love that fireplace. I would definitely decorate it like this if I had one. Wishful thinking. Hope you enjoy these photographs...pop over to Coastal Living for more.

Have a great week!!

Sweet Home Alabama....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 05:38:00 +0000

So anyone who knows me knows, I'm a sucker for thinking if I pay a little extra, I will get more. Well, here's a case where I definitely paid more - but got so much less. Joke was on me for sure. One of the most memorable parts of this stop was as soon as I arrived in Mobile and turned the television on, I learned that Michael Jackson had passed away. That was difficult to process because he was the same age as me...I had grown up listening to him and remembered Billie Jean in my senior year of college. How sad was this day?

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2009

Sweet Home Alabama isn't as sweet as I thought

The drive from Orlando to Mobile was great. It was easy, great scenery and very smooth roads. Kicked back, listened to great music and had a nice day. I arrived at the Berney Bed & Breakfast earlier than I thought...and was anxiously awaiting to check into the Presidential Suite. Well - I thought it had the word Presidential in it - when I read the description on the website but I have to admit - I did scan it and didn't read all the details. I of course, was immediately hooked when I saw the words Presidential, poolside bungalow....need I say more? I immediately went to the book me icon and reserved it. Well you can see from the photo that Presidential it's not, bungalow it's not - but YES - it is near the pool. The cloudy pool that does not look like it has been cleaned in a really really long time. I think it is more like a converted garage....but the neighborhood is nice and there are some really nice looking Victorian B & B's that I could stay in next time...since I know I will be in Mobile again (YEAH right). Well what can you expect for $112 incl. breakfast...oh well - it's all fun and part of the story.

Not a very Presidential accommodation.

Not such smooth start....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:19:00 +0000

This is one of my very favorite posts...because it really was a series of comical errors before I even got out of town. And the worst part was of course, having to call my husband for his help, not once but twice...with 1 hour of leaving my house. It was not my finest moment.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2009

Well, things didn't start out as smooth as I would like...

Finally just made it to Portofino Bay Hotel in Universal Studios Orlando. Much later than I expected. Everything started off fine...got my nails done and decided, what the heck, I'm not in a rush - I'll get a pedicure too and then hit the road. Well - somehow between the salon and my car (which is a grand total of about 15 steps) I lost my car keys. Yes, as dumb as that sounds. I could not find them, ripped my car apart, pulled everything out of the trunk - no keys. After 20 minutes and some anxiety, I finally had call Mario - as he has the extra key. That was the last call I wanted to make - I wasn't five miles from home - he already was worried about me going on this trip and I hadn't even made it to I-95 yet!! Anyway - as I was on the phone I found them. Off I went - one last stop at Fresh Market on Biscayne Blvd for fruit - and to my horror I realized I could not find my trip files, with my maps, confirmations, house information - basically my life for the next 3 weeks. I ripped everything apart again and AGAIN had to call Mario who found the files in my closet. He drove over to Fresh Market with them. As I waited in my car for him, I fired up my laptop and signed up, right then - for the Premium Level Super Duper AAA Roadside Assistance Membership. I figured if I am having this kind of trouble getting out of Miami - what will happen if I get a flat tire on Route 66? Anyway - Alabama - here I come!!!

Taos or Bust - The Summer of my 50th year....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:52:00 +0000

So if you've followed along on the last two posts - you'll recognize this post is the first on my cross country trip. For those who know me...one thing you can say is that I'm definitely organized (on some things and other things - well not so much). So once I decided that I was "taking it on the road" I got organized and planned my trip.

So I planned my whole itinerary out...with the most important stops that I wanted to make. The road map and file was something out of Encyclopedia Britannica. For me - one of the special stops that the trip was built around was a visit to my girlfriend's grave in New Orleans. More to follow on the specifics of that...but for now..its important to note that my first post was establishing the nuances of my schedule.

And with that began my first three posts....

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2009

Mastering the To Do List

Today I finished packing for the trip. I did a major swing through Neiman's and Saks to see if there was anything I needed for the trip. Okay - that made me realize I still have some work to do...but anyways...they were having major sales.

I crossed off almost all my stuff on the to do list. Just have to get my books on tape from Sarah, my 8 and 15 pound weights from Target, because I swear I am working on my neglected arms on this trip.

I was a little worried because a friend from Taos called me to say that they went by the house I rented and there were huge pot holes in the dirt road (what DIRT ROAD???) going to the house. And they were worried about my car being so low to the ground. Yikes, I called the rental agent who had the owner call me from Guyana (she is in the Peace Corps..where am I going for god's sake...???) who assured me she was there two weeks ago and I should do fine on the road. Oh well - I will know on Monday when I arrive.

So work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - then I hit the road.

MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2009

Revision #1 to The Itinerary - Amarillo Texas here I come

Okay - well I decided that it will be too aggressive to drive from Dallas to Santa Fe on Sunday. And I really want to enjoy Mansion on Turtle Creek. So I now revised my schedule today to spend Sunday night in Amarillo, Texas. At the Holiday Inn no less. I think that seemed to be the nicest hotel in Amarillo. Hmm...outta be very interesting.

Stay tuned for the pics - as proof.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2009

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go.....

Okay - I'm all set. Everything is packed. I am traveling amazingly light. Well - light for me.

So - I have about five important things to do at work tomorrow...and then I have a 6:00 pm nail appointment (gotta keep my priorities..who knows if there is a nail place in Taos) and I will hit the road at 7:00 pm tomorrow night.

I decided tonight that I am calling an audible - and driving back an entirely different way - and stopping in Louisville KY to see my brother and his girlfriend. I also decided that I might take the historical Route 66 for part of my trip. More to follow on this.

Why is the number 50 such a milestone?

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:26:00 +0000

Okay - to pick up where I last left off....A little over two years ago, I was approaching that big milestone 50th birthday. It's funny - because I feel like I was 50 for two years...as opposed to one, because as soon as I turned 49, all I could focus on was that I was getting ready to turn 50.

So about 6 months before the big event, I was having a hard time deciding how I wanted to celebrate it. Do I keep it quiet? Part of me wanted to. Do I make a big deal out of it? Part of me wanted to. I've always struggled between fireworks and a campfire. Never really knowing when to balance between the two. Always wanting both.

Sure, I could throw a big party, go on a major trip, figure out what big gift I wanted...but none of those options excited me. I purposefully (I admit this now but not then) orchestrated an unbelievable 50th birthday experience for my husband that was so over the top - just so I could establish the base minimum expectations that he would have to deliver for mine. Surely he would have to double for me what I did for him. I was so excited about that. The only problem was in the four years between his 50th and my 50th was that our world changed...when the economy changed. And what was then was no longer now. And I actually think this is a good thing.

So I thought about it and thought about it....and then one day it came to me...I decided to experience things in life that I had not done before...and to see parts of our country that I've never seen. I've always been an adventurous traveler all over the world, having visited 6 out of the 7 continents. But I wanted to see more of the every day life in our own country. To do something so different from the life I led...to really step outside myself and learn more about who I really was. That is what 50 meant to me. To learn more about the person that I am - but also to ask myself if I was living the life I felt I was meant to live.

So with that - I decided to take a month off of work, rent a house in Northern New Mexico as my base and to drive across the country by myself. With no schedule, no flights to catch, no place to have to be....no one to have to take care of...other than myself. The looks on the faces of my friends, family, co-workers and especially my husband when I told them what I wanted to do - were at first shock, then disbelief and then amusement as everyone thought by the time the date of the trip I arrived - I would change my mind and not go. I don't blame them for laughing at me. I complain about driving 5 minutes to the store. I don't mind being a passenger - but I have a 7 mile commute to work and even that is sometimes annoying to me.

Boy was everyone surprised when I stepped up. My husband was not that happy with my decision, but finally came to understand that this was something I really wanted to do...and he ultimately went with it and volunteered to fly out and drive my car back for me or ship it back on a truck, if I didn't want to make the return drive home. That is so typical of my amazing husband who will do anything he can to make me more comfortable. I assured him and everyone else - that I would be fine...and that I would keep them all posted about all the details of the trip....so I created a private blog called "Taos or Bust - Celebrating the Summer of my 50th Year" so my friends and family could follow along.

So the next few posts are some of my favorite & more humorous highlights of the trip.

Hope you enjoy!

And there the story begins....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 03:38:00 +0000

I've decided to take a temporary departure from my typical posts and do something a little different. I started this little blog of mine about a 1 1/2 years ago as a way to distract myself from the intense schedule that is my life. For quite some time, longer than I can remember, I've traveled for the majority of my time....running up and down the East Coast, across the country and occasionally overseas, like I was running to the grocery store.

I remember one day, I had 3 presentations that began with a breakfast in Florida, lunch in Los Angeles and a dinner in Las Vegas...and I didn't think twice about it. An abnormal schedule actually for me, became quite normal. Thankfully, I really love what I do. My blog was born as a result of passing my time due to constant delays at the airport. My husband and I were renovating our home...and I was researching different things and one thing led to another - and I discovered the world of blogging. And boy - has it enriched my life.

So I decided to join in on the fun and I'm so glad I did. I've made many friends...and due to my traveling, I've have been able to take the online friendship to the next level and meet a few of you in person - which has been a wonderful thing. I hope to continue that as time goes on.

I purposely decided to not integrate much of my life into my blog - because for me - this has been my refuge away from it all. A place where I can just express all of the things that I love and just be myself - without having to connect all the other dots of my life. As a matter of fact, the only people who even know I have a blog - besides all of you...is my husband and my mother. I've chosen to keep it that private.

Lately, I've not been posting as much...and actually have been contemplating to stop blogging. I've decided to continue because I really do enjoy it. The expression of creativity, the camaraderie that I feel with all of you...the knowledge I've gained (I mean where else would I have learned about Chalk paint) is something I don't want to lose.

But I have decided that I want to share a little more about myself and some of the experiences I've had...in hopes that others will find it interesting but also, I'd like to chronologicalize this part of my life. So for the next week or two, instead of sharing my typical coastal decor posts - I'm going to post about one of the most life defining experiences that I've had - and that is how I chose to celebrate my 50th birthday.

It was actually my first foray into blogging. I started a private blog about my adventure because so many of my friends and family were worried about me (behind my back I know they were all talking about the fact that surely I would come to my senses soon as I must be suffering from the female version of a mid life crisis)...and so the blog was started to keep them posted on my whereabouts.

So I hope you'll find the next few posts interesting, funny and hopefully inspiring...about how I chose to handle the milestone of turning 50.....since I live in a world where one of my closest friends sent me a note (instead of a birthday card) saying that she was ignoring the fact I was turning 50 because she couldn't deal with it. And my boss (also a dear friend) sent me an email saying let's just pretend it's not your birthday...because we all know what turning 50 means.

So when I called my boss and told her what I was planning on doing and asked her for the time off...the first words out of her mouth were...."Who are you and what did you do with my friend"?

And there begins the story.

A Coastal Christmas Warm up....

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:55:00 +0000

Ok, I know it's entirely too early to be thinking about holiday decorations...(or is it?)...but I just had to share these driftwood treasures from At West End.

I just love the way that driftwood fits into my coastal holiday decor. So how about you? Are you dreading the thought of decorating for the holiday season or are you ready to get all your goodies out?

The incredible sea loving Horses of Carmague

noreply@blogger.com (Love of the Sea) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:01:00 +0000

The Horses of Carmague

Photographed by Irene Suchocki

I recently purchased a series of amazing photographs of the Horses of Carmague from Montreal based photographer and artist, Irene Suchoki. One of my very best friends is an avid horsewoman and I thought these photographs would be a great addition to her collection. She was overwhelmed by the beauty of these incredible sea loving animals that are so beautifully captured by Irene. Check out Irene's incredible work in her Etsy Shop.

Hope your having an amazing start to your week....Enjoy!