Will Cruise for Cake!

Hi all .... so sorry to have missed out on a few blogs this past week, but we are just back from our first Caribbean cruise ... and I am having trouble getting back into the rhythm of my life.

The cruise was great, as we went with friends, thus there was never, ever a dull moment.  Here I am with Robin and Barb at afternoon tea!  Isn't that just so me?

Yes, chocolate cake with a huge chocolate shard embellishing it ... and real English scones too!

 

 

 Here's the rest of our party, save Barb, who is on the other side of the camera! We got to drive across Roatan (Honduras) through rural villages and I loved the shabby pastel houses, oh so charming!

 Of course I had some time to read, and loved the book 'I Capture the Castle' by Dodie Smith ... has anyone else read it?  How did you like the ending?

These two handsome lads, (shown with our head wait staff person), were enjoying their High School Graduation trip.  I have known these boys since they were born, and they feel a lot like nephews, which made the trip even more fun!

Oh and they loaned Mr. Wonderful and me their mustaches ...

so let them (and us) eat cake, again!

The Potter of Neiderbipp

Today I am going to share my experience with my book club.  We had read Remembering Isaac, a book by the potter, Ben Behunin who lives in Salt Lake, just an hour north of us. So we took a field trip to his studio and home.

The exterior of his home was decorated in pottery elements.

Hi fence railing around his porch so inspired me that I am thinking of getting into welding!! 

Neiderbipp is the fictional location of his books about Isaac.

 

Here he is at work in his studio!  He told us amazing stories of how he came to be a potter, and then how he came to be an author, all while throwing pottery.

Above his studio is his show room, I have shown just a few of the items he has for sale.

The gold hued pitcher is what I took home!!

Then he took us on a tour of his home ... I loved the evidences of his trade found everywhere!

I so loved the fireplace surround shown below that I think I am going to do something similar in my family room, eventually.  Of course I won't be making my own tiles ...

As you can tell, this trip to the potter of Neiderbipp has changed me.  You can read his three book series about Isaac and feel the effect in your life as well.

 

And if you a lucky enough to live in the neighborhood, go ahead and get in touch with him.  You will be absolutely charmed!

Fairy Tale Whimsy in Decorating!

 I had the most wonderful experience last week, when one of the customers at the antique store invited me over for a buying appointment.  When I drove up and saw her front doors, I knew I was in for a treat.

The mechanical door bell is so charming!!  I knew I had arrived at a fairy tale cottage!

Giant beaters house the light fixtures in the fairy tale kitchen!

Blue skies adorn the ceiling in one room, while in the royal bath, these charming windows shed light on a jetted tub and make you feel like royalty by just looking at them!

This bedroom gets the casbah treatment on the ceiling, and has a round bed as well!!

The unexpected whimsy of a tiny doorway that opens into the wall of the dining room would create the perfect moment for a child, peeking into this tiny doll's house room! Note the sweet three legged stool above place perfectly for taking a peek!

... and if the little ones tire of spying on the dolls in the doll's house room in the wall ... they can go into the back yard and where there is a house just the right size for them!!

Linda's house with all its fun nooks and crannies, is amazing .... I felt like I had wandered into a fairy tale in progress .... so very much fun, thanks for sharing Linda, you have inspired me to up the whimsy quotient at my house as well!!