Richard Gere's Cottage Is For Sale

Richard Gere is has listed his farmhouse in Water Mill, N.Y.

The 5,500-square-foot house is located on 1.20 acres.

It's easy to imagine living here. Since the turn of the century, rooted in time sits this lovingly renovated farmhouse. Cozy comfort with high-end luxury. Hiding behind the hedges, merging fantasy and fairy tale, a place to call home for just a mere $8.8 million...oh, is that all??

It has 7 bedrooms, 10 baths, heated pool, guest house, and an artists studio

Wasn't that fun seeing Richard Gere's home?! Now, where's that checkbook of mine??

Darlene

Carpet Art

Hubby is home on vacation this week so we are just relaxing. Needing to recharge our batteries. Today the plan is to hit the flea market and go to lunch. So today's post I'm going to take this time to show you a work of art hubby created using carpet. It reminds me of a Picasso painting. In fact it was displayed at our local art gallery. It's so cool! It is available for sale...so if you are interested contact us. We will entertain all offers.






Here is another rug that we are thinking of creating. Picture the pink hair done in a shag and the face would be done in a plush. I can see this rug in a bathroom or in any room that belongs to a girly girl!


What do ya think??


Darlene

Flower Boxes

We have a window flower box on our 2nd story window of our home. Last year I used faux flowers in it...only because I had no idea on how to water the flowers way up on the 2nd floor. The flowers now are looking a bit shabby so I'm wondering if I should replace the faux flowers with some more faux flowers or if I should attempt to put in real flowers with a watering system.

Here's a few recipes for creating a stunning flower box.
These are great for the Spring and Summer seasons! If you live in gardening zones 8-11, they can also thrive throughout the fall or early winter months - weather permitting. Enjoy!





Lemon Meringue (part sun)
Frothy white and yellow flowers look yummy all summer long. This recipe also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.

Osteospermum – Lemon Symphony
Verbena – Tukana White
Torenia – Summer Wave Blue
Lysimachia – Creeping Jenny ‘Goldilocks’

Directions: In the front 2/3 of the box, alternate the Lemon Symphony and Verbena, then placing the Torenia slightly in front and between them. Plant the trailing Goldilocks along the front edge of the box. Place a few Dracaena Spikes along the back of the box for added height.




Mardi Gras (shade)
Just as festive and colorful as the real thing in New Orleans. This planting recipe is more upright and has not as much trailing foliage.

Impatiens – in mixed colors
Pink Splash
Asparagus Fern
Dracaena – Tri-color Spikes

Directions: Plant the mixed Impatiens in the front 2/3 of the box. Slightly in front and between the impatiens, plant the Pink Splash. Place the asparagus fern along the front edge and the Tri-color spikes across the back.

This One Belongs To The Reds (full sun)
Red…the color of confidence and the name of our hometown baseball team – the Cincinnati Reds! You can be confident this combination will look smashing and bold.

Supertunia - red
Patio Verbena – Patio red
Vinca Vine – green & white variegated
Dracaena – green spikes

Directions: Fill the front 2/3 of the box with the Red Supertunias. Slightly behind and between the Supertunias, add the Patio Red Verbena. Plant the variegated Vinca Vine along the front of the box. Add the Green spikes along the back and now you’re ready for a beer and a hot dog!





Cajun Parrot (part sun)
This is for the adventurous gardener who wants something striking and unusual. The colors are bright and spicy!

New Guinea Impatiens – Mango Orange
Single Impatiens – Cajun Mix
Lotus – Amazon Sunset
Coleus – Stained Glass Series & Kiwi Fern

Directions: Plant the Coleus across the back of the box, then the Mango Orange Impatiens in front of the Coleus. Fill in between the Cajun Mix Impatiens. Then plant the Lotus in the front of the box. Lotus has a feathery type foliage that will bloom with small orange-red flowers.





The Patriot (full sun)
This patriotic group of plantings will complement Old Glory just in time for July 4th!

Supertunias – red
Dusty Miller – silver
Ivy Geraniums – red
Vinca Vine – green & white
Scaveola – blue

Directions: Toward the back side of the box, plant the red Supertunias. Alternate the Red Ivy Geraniums and Blue Scaveola directly in front of the Supertunias. Plant the Vinca Vine along the front edge of the box. Lastly, plant the Dusty Miller along the back edge of the box.



So do you have a window box on a 2nd story window? If so, do you use real flowers or faux?

Darlene

30 Top Romantic Movies

In honor of Valentine's Day I thought I would post the top 30 romantic movies.

1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Pride and Predjudice
3. Pretty Woman
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Sleepless In Seattle
6. An Officer and a Gentleman
7. The Notebook
8. Bridget Jone's Diary
9. Bull Durham
10. Casablanca
11. The Sound of Music
12. Shakespeare In Love
13. Sense and Sensibility
14. Overboard
15. Dirty Dancing
16. Say Anything
17. Rebecca
18. Breakfast at Tiffany's
19. Ghost
20. Love Actually
21. Notting Hill
22. Moonstruck
23. Somewhere in Time
24. Emma
25. Room With a View
26. The Fabulous Baker Boys
27. Love Story
28. Doctor Zhivago
29. Always
30. The Thorn Birds

and one that hubby and I just saw last weekend... FIREPROOF (great movie)

Oh and French from British Colonial Love Affair reminded me of another romantic movie... "August Rush" I agree, it's a great movie!

I think I'll have hubby build a fire in the fireplace tonight and snuggle up on the couch with my hubby and watch a romantic movie or two. I'm leaning towards the movie "Always" or my favorite movie.."The Notebook".

What movie from the list would you watch??

Happy Valentine's Day & Night! (wink wink)

Darlene

True Love

The Inspired Room is hosting A Beautiful Life Friday, so here is my contribution. It's something different than what you normally read on my blog, but something that I've been thinking about alot lately.

Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated across the globe. February 14, every year, is greeted with red roses,chocolate and cards.

Valentine cards are swapped between lovers as a gesture of their love. Parties are arranged and youth flock to Valentine’s Dance parties. Passion runs high on this day of the year.

Why is the world so crazy about Valentine’s Day?
We should not celebrate it on one day only to not remember our love for those around us the rest of the year. What is the true love that has to be remembered and revered by all of us? Jesus said: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends” (John 15:13).

This is the truest, purest and greatest form of love. Does the world remember it like it does Valentine’s Day? I regret to say it does not. Do we ever dance for Jesus, who bled for us that blessed day on the cross to pay for our sins, the entire world’s sins? Do we ever take roses to those lying sick in hospitals and nursing homes to give them hope to live on? Do we ever send cards to tender our apologies to those we may have hurt by our vicious attitudes? Have we contemplated making things right with those whom we are not even on speaking terms? Do we return sweet words when confronted with provocative speech? If the answer to the questions posed above is in the affirmative, might I ask why we celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Why is the world is placing a greater premium on Valentine’s Day rather than following the One who loved the world so dearly that He stretched out His hands on the cross and died? Love came into this world but men loved darkness instead of Light because their deeds were evil. I'm sure most of us have encountered people who flatly refused the Gospel and cursed the name of Jesus. Ironically enough, these same individuals enthusiastically participate in Valentine celebrations. It hurts me immensely when I see them opting for observance of a “Love Tradition” instead of embracing the True Love.

Love that gets you eternal love.

The "love" of today makes demands on us; be that a love for a beloved, love for our family, or love for our country. Each kind of love makes demands on the lovers. However, the Love God has for us makes no demands on us. It rather graces us with a gift, which is not sold in the biggest shopping malls of the world. No purse or pocket can pay for it. Eternal life is a gift of God, which comes through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans says: “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

How about giving the gift of eternal life on this Valentine Day? Let’s be different than the world. How about sharing and learning the greatest love of all, a Man who laid down His life for all of us. Love who bled, Love who suffered, Love who died and the Love who rose again to reign forever and evermore.


God Bless You!
Darlene

A Valentine Tablescape

I just set the table for Valentine's Day. I just used things that I already had. Nothing new was purchased. Although I had my eye on some black & white damask dessert plates that I wanted at TJ Maxx. I think they would have looked Fab on the gold rimmed china...oh well, I'm trying not to buy things that we don't need. In fact, instead of going out to eat for Valentine's Day...I'll just make a special dinner and dessert. It's all about creating a special memory for your loved ones and it doesn't have to cost alot to do that! So look around your house and see what you can do to create a pretty Valentine's table and creating a lasting memory for your loved ones.







By the way the red hearts are plastic. They were used as store decoration at my daughter's work and they sold them all to me for $1. You could use conversation hearts, hersey's kisses, faux red rose petals, red jelly beans...etc..

The heart runner was just some fabric I bought at wal-mart a few years ago.

The napkins were tied with red ribbon.

Oh, and that glittery "Love" sign I found at Hibby Lobby after Christmas for 85% off!

Now I have to go finish planning the Valentine's day meal.

What are you doing for Valentine's day?


Darlene

Got Shutters??

I've gotten about 2 hours of sleep. Went to bed at midnight and was wide awake by 2:30am.

So what do I do?? Get up and do a blog post, of course! LOL

I have been on the search for antique or vintage shutters. I've been mainly searching our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I just love the texture & dimension they add to a home. They can be used in so many ways and they come in all shapes & sizes. Take a look at these photos to get inspiration of how you might incorporate shutters in your home...they're not just for windows!

(photo credit-unkown)

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(photo credit-www.cotedetexas.com)
(photo credit-google images)
(photo credit-google images)
(photo credit-http://brookegiannetti.typepad.com/)

She has a great blog!!
(photo credit-HGTV)

Do you have vintage or antique shutters in your home? Where do you use your shutters?

Darlene