It's Monday And I Need A Kick Start To My Week!

So….I thought I'd show you just a few of my favorite pics from our family vacation in Hilton Head Island just a mere 3 weeks ago! You're going to love it! 

It all started when Jim and I decided to go a day ahead of all of the kids…."To get the place ready!" You know, grocery shopping, cooking, unpacking…it's the best decision we've made in a long time! 

We loved that 24 hours to ourselves!

We loved the house when we drove up…loved everything about it!

But…when we walked in…all I could think of was TINA!!! I was wanting her to see this lovely blue and white ginger jar that sat alone on the kitchen island! It made my day! My husband didn't really "get it" but he let me take the pics and tell him all about Tina's love for blue and white!

I tried to be excited about the bikes….and the lovely home with the wonderful downstairs area for all of the kids to watch tv in, etc…I say kids like they're little! The youngest is 19 and the oldest is 30! (that doesn't include sweet 6 year old Layton of course!)

I loved that we were right on the beach…had a pool and had a swing set for Layton to play on! Not that she really had time to…but it was a nice idea!

But the more I went around the house taking pictures before it all got "messed up" with everyone arriving the more I saw blue and white at every turn! I simply couldn't help but think of anything else except for Tina's love for blue and white!

The planters outside were blue and white….

The lamps on the outside patio downstairs were blue and white!

Even the ocean and the sand and the umbrella were calling out blue and white to me…yes…those were my first impressions on arriving at our lovely home for the week in Hilton Head! It was funny to me and it was also fun to understand the love someone would have for blue and white! I get it…I have that love for brown and white…for black and white…Transferware that is! But I still get it!

As we enjoyed ourselves at the home all alone…and began to set up "camp" for the week…we were mesmerized with the beauty that draws our family back each year…we were excited to make new memories...

And we were greeted by our loyal friends….they seem to return year after year! Just like us!

Wonder if they love this home for all of it's blue and white as well? I would venture to say they love it for all of it's lush foliage! It's such fun to watch them! They truly are mesmerizing! 

I can't believe I haven't said something about this part of our trip yet…I remember distinctly walking in and seeing this fabulous kitchen and thinking that the gorgeous blue and white ginger jar was almost smiling at me!

I remember thinking…." I cannot wait to blog about this!"

We had such a great family trip! So far…I would say it was my favorite one ever! I hope we can continue to go back but if not, I know for certain we can make special memories wherever we are!

I'm so very thankful for my family! I'm so thankful for vacations where we can spend quality time together! I'm looking very forward to our trip to New Orleans this week to stay with Holly and Brad! I hope to have lots to report about! I need to shop…for my shop….I need new ideas and I need to have fun with my kids in a laid back atmosphere to bring back these great memories of summer! 

I certainly hope that if you don't know who "Tina" is as I've been talking about her throughout this post…that you will check out her incredible blog HERE! It is amazing!

I sure hope there is something to report on after this 4th of July adventure in NOLA! And Yes…it is ALWAYS an adventure there!

 I also hope you read the post on Wednesday…we are detouring from the Birmingham designers to the NOLA designers…one of my all time favorites!

XOXO and Take Care!

A Tasty Treat For Tuesday!

"It's As If We Never Left!" Yep….those words were uttered by my youngest child when we finished unloading the car this past Saturday after a fabulous family vacation to Hilton Head Island. I knew exactly what he meant…my heart had been heavy the whole way home…in fact, I had to make myself not get in a funk the day before we left just knowing that I would feel this way! We look so forward to this family get away all year long and then…in the blink of an eye it feels like we never even left home in the first place! We are so thankful for the time we had together, though! I don't think any of us take it for granted and our children are always so appreciative and thankful. We are truly blessed as parents to have these children and enjoy spending time with them!

One of our traditions is to make this fabulous Shrimp and Pasta dish that I grew up having in Hilton Head with my family when we used to go "WAY back when!". This year, I changed it up a bit…or should I say, "I kicked it up a notch!" I found this recipe on Pinterest and couldn't resist! It was truly divine and it will be the version that we make from now on! I am always so grateful for the help my kids give with the peeling of the shrimp! It's my least favorite job!year, I changed it up a bit…or should I say, "I kicked it up a notch!" I found this recipe on Pinterest and couldn't resist! It was truly divine and it will be the version that we make from now on! I am always so grateful for the help my kids give with the peeling of the shrimp! It's my least favorite job!

And my little salad helper was amazing! This is the Crunchy Romaine Tossed Salad that is truly one of my favorites! I'll stick the recipe on here as well….you definitely need to try it!

Lots of help was needed in the kitchen that night! It is a difficult dish to prepare when you aren't in your own kitchen, that's for sure! But we did it! And it was so yummy! Hope you will at least give it a try!

Hilton Head Island Shrimp And Pasta!

*I do not leave the tails on but feel free to do so if you'd like!

Melt the Cream Cheese with Chive and Onion and the butter together. Add the garlic and simmer for just a minute or so. Add all of the other ingredients except the shrimp and let thicken a little bit. When ready to eat, add the shrimp. At this point, you can either put in a glass casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees until shrimp are done or let simmer on the stove. All the while, you are about to prepare the pasta for it to go on! I chose the oven method to give me a chance to cook the pasta and make the salad! I will also confess that I doubled the sauce so we would have plenty of it for dipping our french bread into! Yes…it was divine!

Fettuccini Pasta

1 stick butter, melted

1 box cooked fettuccini noodles

1 C Parmesan cheese or more

1-2 cartons whipping cream ( i use half and half)

salt and white pepper to taste.

toss the cooked noodles in the melted butter. Add the cream or half and half and let simmer for a few minutes while stirring occasionally. Add the cheese and salt and pepper. Let simmer on very low until thickened. Serve the shrimp and lots of sauce on top of the noodles. Lots of good garlic bread is needed for this!

( a lot of times I use just 1/3 C half and half and 2/3 C or more of evaporated milk for a lighter version!)

Crunchy Romaine Toss

1 head romaine lettuce, washed and torn

1/2-3/4 bunch of broccoli, washed and cut into florets

4 whole green onions washed and diced

1 C toasted walnuts in pieces

1 package Ramen noodles, crushed without seasoning pack

4 T butter, melted

Brown the ramen noodles and walnuts in the butter. Set aside. Combine lettuce, broccoli, and green onions. Just before serving add the ramen noodles and walnuts. Toss with the dressing.

Dressing

1 C canola oil

1/2 C red wine vinegar

1 T soy sauce

1/2 C sugar

dash pepper

Mix all ingredients well in a glass jar or shaker. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Pour over salad when ready to serve. 

Enjoy…and all the while realize that you aren't just cooking!  

You are making memories and creating moments in your life that you will never forget! 

Much, much love! Hope you are enjoying your summer!

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Wednesday's What If Post….What If I Confessed To Re-Posting? It's So Worth It!

What If I told you that this was the very first time I have EVER re-posted a blog on Vintage Mulberry? I'm pretty sure I would be telling you the truth! And the reason I'm doing it now…is that I wanted to continue my Birmingham Designer's Series being that we are home to some of the finest in the land as my granddaughter would say! When she describes a princess…or a mermaid or any lovely creature that comes to her mind…they are the "Finest In The Land!" Hence the reason for the re-post on Tammy Connor this week…she is truly amazing and stands alone…her work doesn't need any elaborate introductions…we all know her and love her for who she is and for the design quality she always provides! I think this was posted about a year ago…maybe longer…time gets away from me all too easily these days!  We are on our family vacation this week in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Therefore, time is short and words are few and far between! Enjoy the post on Tammy one more time! You can truly never get enough of her talented work! I hope you are all doing well and I cannot wait to catch up on all of your fabulous posts as well as hear all that has been going on in your lives! Hope you are enjoying summer to it's fullest!
( by the by….I received the sweetest, most sincere thank you note in the mail from Tammy when I first did this post…It truly made my week…probably made my year! I still have it and it meant the world! She is that kind of person!)

"Truth be told"...I should've done this post on Tammy Connor a very long time ago! I've wanted to…I really have!  If I were truly honest I would tell you that I want to come home to a house that Tammy Connor designed…I just do! They are beautiful and lovely…serene and sophisticated…comfortable and uncompromising…all at the same time!

It's hard when you think you know someone and you really don't. I mean, I think she's been in my shop before... because she told me she has but I'm just not sure! 

I feel like I know her though!  I'm super excited about the new book coming out that we will carry that not only features her house as well as several other great designers, but I've heard she has had a huge role in it as a whole. I actually heard that from the author herself, Ronda Rice Carman.

 I'm totally in love with her work and after looking at all of these pictures that I've wanted to talk about for so long I've confirmed what I've always known! I MUST have Tammy Connor help me re-do my house! Then I saw her post on Let There Be Light with the Tastemakers, etc… at the wonderful Birmingham Antiques and Garden Show! How fun!

Something I've always wanted to do…at least in another town!  As a well known and very well respected designer, I think she will do great and we will all benefit from her vignette in the show. I saw several names that I'm very excited about seeing!  Bill Ingram, Liz Woods and the mother daughter team of Marjorie Johnston and  Wendy Barze were the other designers I've always admired.

Seeing this article on the Tastemakers made me reflect on the plans that Jim and I had drawn up by our friend and incredibly talented architect, Lauren Barrett. We were so excited about them and thought everything was about to be under way.

We are still hoping to do them and we WERE doing them until the economy took such a down swing and I looked at my husband and said, " I just don't feel comfortable doing this right now!" Of course, he didn't either because we are "usually" on the same wave length! However…it's been several years since I said that and now with the photo shoot that started today at my house I am that much more aware of the fact that this house needs a HUGE makeover!

 I've decided I really need to talk Jim into at least letting us do "some" renovating and redecorating! I don't want to do it myself anymore…I'm just too tired…Plain and Simple! And after seeing Tammy's pictures that I've wanted to post for quite some time now…I'm convinced that she and I would get along great and that I love her style THAT much! I really do! Take a look for yourself at just a few examples of her incredible talent!

If I could incorporate just a "sprinkling" of her design talent in my home it would make me very happy!

Her work is timeless and transcends all expectations of going from "old lady formal" to new, modern and traditional with a twist!

I'm loving her use of "collections" in the hallway. I can't tell if it's creamware or drabware but either way…it's stunning and would work quite well in my house. And I'm crazy about those crosses in the nursery…that I think was in her own home….I'm double checking that one!

Her unusual light fixtures make me want to scour the countryside for some fabulous treasures to add to the shop!

And I love the serenity of these rooms…would be perfect at our beach house! ( I'm telling you, we would get along just great!)

A few more examples seen above and below of using beloved collections.

Birmingham Country Club was certainly smart when they hired the expertise of Tammy Connor to do the work on the renovations at the club…it's stunning!

Her signature style stands alone…it is timeless and elegant or as my mother in law always says…" Elegant but understated!" So, so true!

I hope you will all try to attend the Birmingham Botanical Garden's Tastemakers 2012 show…it should be well worth your while! I can promise you that you will not be disappointed with Tammy Connor!

Hope your Wednesday is proving to be a great one!