WELCOME TO OUR SCREEN PORCH....

Would anyone like to join me for a glass of iced tea on the porch????.......

Well, after a busy couple of weeks of our oldest daughter choosing the college she will attend in the fall and getting through both of our older girls going away to 2 different places without us, everyone is back home and all the chicks are in their nest!!!...(just the way I like it...haha).   With the weather finally warming up a bit,  I thought I'd start to clean up the screen porch and share it with you....My husband built this porch about 10 years ago and we just love it. It is his favorite project he ever worked on...The floor is mahogany that he biscuit jointed together, just so he wouldn't see any screw heads.... Living in the Northeast, we don't get to use it year round, but that is part of its charm.  I love going out there and getting it ready for summer....It is exciting each year to get an extra room to spend some great times in....so, pour yourself a glass of iced tea or wine and enjoy.....



So, this is actually the top of my hubby's beer fridge....a girl can try to pretty anything up, right??




I love these shelves....I bought them at Pier one when we built the porch and they are perfect for the space...





Oh, and he also likes to keep this old tv out there to watch the Yankee games while he is grilling out back...that little sage "tv table" was my very first tag sale redo about 20 years ago..




now, for the girly stuff...



so nice to read a great book or magazine out here...



this is the view standing in the doorway of my kitchen...I love that the screen porch is right off of the kitchen...we eat out here often starting in May..
pool will be open soon.....ahhhhhhhhh.....still not quite warm enough for that yet...
coffee table was a garage sale find from my mom that I repainted...old window is from our
"burbs "house when we replaced the old windows...




I picked this shelving unit up with my girlfriend about 10 years ago as well....The baskets are great for holding sunscreen, goggles, etc...





I bought this set second hand...it was black and we painted it dark brown...bronze spray paint...





ceiling is vinyl beadboard....LOVE it...my hubby did a great job!!

hope you enjoyed your visit....come back soon....xoxo, Mariaelena

     linking up to:

   http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/
http://creatingahouseofgrace.blogspot.com/
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
http://www.diybydesign.blogspot.com/
http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/
http://www.elements-interiors.net/
http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/

Happy Easter & my blog has been featured in our local newspaper!!

HAPPY EASTER FRIENDS!!

A few weeks back, I got an email from a freelance writer for the Poughkeepsie Journal asking if she could interview me for an upcoming article she was writing on Spring Home Decor!!...The best part of this was that she found  me and my blog through a google search!!...HOORAY!!...The article is in the paper today, Easter Sunday.......here's the link if you want to take a peek...

Add a touch of nature to your spring decor | The Poughkeepsie Journal | poughkeepsiejournal.com

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20110424/LIFE07/104240319/Add-touch-nature-your-spring-decor?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Life

Thanks to Jackie DiMarzo for the feature!!

Enjoy this special day, Mariaelena

$40 beach house dresser redo!!

I worked on this project last summer before I had my blog so no before pics...(sorry)..this dresser was yellow and had some chips out of it...we filled the chips with wood filler, sanded, painted and distressed it!!  I also rubbed it with wax...I took the old brass hardware off and sprayed it with some awesome bronze spray paint....I love it!!!  Sorry the pic isn't that great, but forgot my camera at home (so using my phone) and really wanted to start sharing some of the beach projects with you while I'm here....not bad for $40.

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Linking up to these party people:
http://www.thriftydecorchick.com/

Busy with the kids, major computer trouble & a BIG thank you!!

Hi Friends!!!...Oh my goodness, kids can keep you super busy...even when they are older and more independent....Our middle daughter left a couple of days ago on a week long trip..(I'll fill you in when she gets home safe & sound)....and our oldest daughter has narrowed her college choices down to two.  We are heading out to visit each of those campuses over these next two days.....she's hoping to make a decision by Sunday!!...yay!!!....Hoping to squeeze in a trip to the beach house during the Spring break and start a bit of sharing that journey with you...Then, we have been having TONS of problems with our computer, (the one I use) and I haven't been able to get on here much at all...so sad about that...It's actually working right now so I thought I'd get this on before it goes to take a nap again!!!!....In the meantime, I wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU to Cheri of http://itssoverycheri.com/.  She featured me as a guest blogger on her blog yesterday.  Please go on over and visit and say hello.....HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

XO, Mariaelena

Are you kidding me???

Happy Monday Friends!!...

After a busy weekend of crew races and end of the year swim team banquet, I am hoping to take advantage of what is supposed to be an 80 degree day today and get some painting projects done!!.....but in the mean time, I wanted to share this little dessert plate I put together...I've seen them on blog land and just think they are so fabulous!!!...I made this one using a small dessert bowl  instead of a candle stick, (although I have used those too.)..the pedestal bowl was only $.89 and the plate was $1.99...."are you kidding

me?".....anyway...here it is....was hoping to present it to you with fresh berries, but had to pick my little one up from the school nurse...so no shopping today...girls scout cookies will have to do..haha

TADA!!!

berries would have been prettier....

so lovely...

can you believe these prices?????

a little gorilla glue...and you know the rest...



this pot was not heavy enough to do the trick...



so the SAT study guide came in handy....ENJOY THE WEATHER TODAY IF YOU ARE IN THE NORTHEAST!!!!..
XO..Mariaelena

I'm linking this up to these party people:

http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
http://megandcalconner.blogspot.com/
http://sarahndipities.blogspot.com/2011/04/make-something-monday-link-party-6.html
http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

FRAMES, BURLAP AND DROP CLOTH....

I picked some frames up a few weeks ago at IKEA and this is what I came up with.......



I'm loving these...



I took some drop cloth, hot glued it to the cardboard frame and then stamped the word "family" in brown...I put this one back in with the glass...



With this one, I took the glass off, wrapped the board with burlap and then hot glued a sand dollar that our youngest daughter collected down the shore...did I mention that she is the "QUEEN"  sea shell, beach glass, sand dollar collector!!!  We think it's because she is closest to the ground...haha





this is just a sampling of some of her treasures....she has tons!!!!!!



all of that came from this.....have a great day & thanks for stopping by....

Linking up to these party people:
http://www.thecottagechick.com/
http://adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.com/

a lovely vignette



When asked for a donation to auction off for a charity, I usually make up a gift basket...this time when a friend asked if I was interested in making a donation, I dicided to put together this vignette....what do you think????

 

BALLARD TOTE GIVEAWAY WINNER & THE NATE SHOW....AIRING TODAY!!!

So, after a fun week of meeting some great new friends in the blog world, and hearing from all of you who were already following me and entered the giveaway, it's time to announce the winner...................... CONGRATULATIONS to Lisalulu of The Davis Dialogues!!!   Thanks to all of you who entered...please come back often...I have so many projects planned!!

~~~~~About a month or so ago, some of my BEST FRIENDS & I went down to NYC to see THE NATE SHOW!!!!...well, it's finally airing today...we had front row seats...3 of my girls will be seen in one segment in the background....If I am on at all, I'll be  the one staring up at the camera even though they stressed to us NOT to do that!!!.....so glad I was on the other end of the row....haha...we had a great time even though it was frigid cold outside...Luckily, my friend Leah brought us all some hand warmers (love her) to stick in our gloves...(those things really work)...they came in handy when after the show, we hit Canal St., China Town and Little Italy to do some serious handbag shopping!!!...FUN, FUN, FUN!!!!......so tune in today.


here are some of the girls scurrying to get to the show and get warm...brrr...



outside, waiting to get in, with our nice, hot coffee..yum!!



Kathy & Maureen waiting to go into the studio...



                                                              



YAY!!!...front row..Trisha, Kathy, Maureen, Leah  & me.  I so wasn't ready for this pic..ugh!!...lol

 

                                                  

After the Nate Show, deciding to go in and catch the Letterman Show....shopping won out!!....maybe next time...

TREASURE YOUR GIRLFRIENDS....THEY ARE A GIFT!!!!....XOXO