COUNTRY LIVING MAGAZINE FAIR = 1 EXTREMELY HAPPY BLOGGER!!!

 Hi friends...

I was fortunate enough to spend this glorious day at the Country Living Magazine Fair in Rhinebeck, NY.  It did not disappoint...I'll let the photos speak for themselves...with one exception...I got to meet and get a photo with Cari Cucksey from HGTV's Cash & Cari.   She is one of my favs...her show is great...and now I'm so excited to try out her new paint that I purchased from her at the fair...She also gave me a couple of new painting tips!!...

Take a photo stroll through Rhinebeck's lovely fair grounds and the amazing Country Living Fair....

I already cannot wait until next year...

WITH CARI & HER AMAZING NEW PAINT!!!.....
she was so super sweet!!

I PURCHASED A BAG FULL OF GREAT ITEMS FROM THIS LOVELY BOOTH....
THEIR STORE CALLED "NO. 229"
IS LOCATED IN FAIRFIELD, CT

"RECLAIMED STATE" WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BOOTHS I VISITED TODAY...THEY MAKE AMAZING PRODUCTS OUT OF RECLAIMED WOOD AND BEAUTIFUL COPPER

IF YOU GET THE CHANCE TO ATTEND THIS FAIR, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT...I PROMISE YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!

xo, Mariaelena

LINKING UP TO THESE PARTY PEOPLE:
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-11/
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2014/06/show-and-share-party-no216.html

VINTAGE STOOL TURNED LOVELY!!

 I LOVE footstools...

so when I came across this one at a tag sale down the shore last summer for $10, I had to snatch it up!...I finally got around to updating it...a little paint, antiquing glaze and some pretty fabric was just what it needed...
take a look at the before & after....

Above is the lovely after....below the stained, sad before...

Love my new stool and it is now a perfect addition to our master bedroom...

xo, Mariaelena

linking up to these party people:
http://romantichome.blogspot.com
http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com
http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-11/
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2014/06/show-and-share-party-no216.html
http://www.kammyskorner.com/2014/06/trash-2-treasure-tuesday-linky-party_9.html
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/2014/06/under-100-link-party_11.html
http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/2014/06/swing-into-spring-its-party-172.html
http://www.adelightsomelife.com/2014/06/home-garden-thursday-3.html

SPRING DOWN THE SHORE...

We were lucky enough to get down the shore for a few days over Spring break...while there, we took a walk near the lighthouse, one of our families favorite places to visit...Here are a few photos I snapped with my phone....

 These are our beautiful dunes.....
I never tire of the beauty of the beach...and NEVER will...

HAPPY SPRING!!
xo, Mariaelena

Sneak peek of master bedroom redo...

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE paint?  Here's a peek at one of the master bedroom pieces we've been working on updating...After 3 coats of white paint thanks to my husband(xo)....I spent a day working with the glaze on all of the pieces....I'm thrilled with the outcome...full post coming soon...:)...Before & after below...

xo, Mariaelena

THE YEAR OF THE ZEBRA…for our youngest…:)

Our youngest daughter turns 9 today…and our middle turns 19….(yes, born 10 years apart to the day!!)…anyway, our little one has been, shall we say, obsessed with all things ZEBRA…the animal, the print, etc….For her birthday gift from my husband and I, she wanted her bedroom redone.  So she chose the color and accessories…Her bedroom has been the most lovely, cottage chic room….now it has been painted lime green…and when we are finished will be accessorized with zebra items here and there…I will post when complete…In the mean time, she had her zebra themed birthday party this past Saturday and today brought in her zebra themed classroom treat…below are a few pics of this moment in time...

have to love duct tape!!

Making the zebra pretzel rods as her school birthday treat!!

THE BIRTHDAY GIRLS: BORN 3/25/95 & 3/25/05

The credit for this photo sampling of the 2 of them goes to Kate, our middle, who is away at college and turns 19 today.  She sent this along with a LOVELY birthday note to Hannah Mae on her IPOD this morning. (sometimes technology comes in so handy) It brought the little one to tears….
We are blessed to have been given the gift of 3 wonderful daughters…:)
Have a happy day!!!
xo, Mariaelena

SEEKING ADVICE…to paint or not to paint…that is the question???

Hi friends…

I need your advice…for quite a while now I've been trying to decide if I should paint our master bedroom furniture…so the other day I took the plunge and painted one night stand to see how I liked it.  Well, I do like it, but now trying to decide if I should paint all of the pieces or leave some the way they are…I'm leaning toward painting it all but looking for your thoughts….

Take a look and see what you think…

I will be painting the walls and changing out the textiles in the room either way.

HERE'S THE AFTER….

 AND THE BEFORE…..

THIS IS THE WAY I'M GOING WITH PAINT AND FABRICS…..Thanks friends…I look forward to & appreciate your feed back!!

xo, Mariaelena

linking to:
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com
http://cityfarmhouse.com
http://missmustardseed.com/2014/02/furniture-feature-friday-7/
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com

NATURE'S BEAUTY…pinecone love...

Hi friends…

If you follow me, you know I love the simple beauty of nature and pinecones are one of nature's special gifts…I am lucky in that there are so many different shapes and sizes right in my area…Here's a peek of how I use them around the house in my winter decor…

Mini pinecones make great fillers

I love how the sap dries on these long pinecones and resembles snow...

Here, I mixed tiny store bought green apples with mini pinecones from our back yard...

Pine cones from the beach house fill this basket all year long...

If you are in the Northeast, stay warm…..currently the thermometer is reading -1.5 degrees in the "Burbs"
BRRRRR……

Have a happy day!!

xo, Mariaelena