Week review

Thank you all for your sweet words about my new hair-do, I am so happy you all like it!!! I am still getting used to it, it was a big change for me, and I truly appreciate your positive feedback!!!!

Where did this week go??!!! I have been busy cleaning house, but took a little time to go to Goodwill outlet where I found some old linens and baby and doll clothes (click on the pictures for a close up)... I also found a pretty piece of yellow barkcloth, which was quite exciting since I LOVE barkcloth!

On friday, after my kid's school Fun Run ( which I will talk about later), I made a run to Monticello to make sure our booths weren't too messy for the weekend, and stopped at a favorite thrift store, where I found a cute dress with great robin's egg blue ruffles. I seem to be finding ruffles everywhere, now!! The top is a royal blue velour, so I will only be using the ruffles, probably on a dress form...!!

I also stopped at a garage sale where I found an adorable vintage doll for a fiver... He is missing a hand, which makes it even more endearing to me!!! That face is so cute!!

I also found a cute pink perfume bottle, which will be added to my ever growing collection!

I haven't had much time to work on projects, lately, but last week I started working on a cute child's desk I found for next to nothing, it was very plain so I decided to cover the entire top with pages from old children's books!! All I need is a good cover of Mod Podge and it is ready to go!!

On friday morning our elementary school had a Crazy Hat Fun Run, an annual fundraiser where friends and family pledge money for every lap a child runs around the track.

Here is my son wondering if her wicked, wicked mother will actually make him wear that to school.. Actually, he was pouting because he didn't want his picture taken (have I mentioned he is a smart, smart kid?!). This is what I call ammunition for the teenage years...

My youngest daughter was a little easier to please... (by the way, there is nothing shy about her!)

My two oldest daughters (and a neighbor) running with Alex for encouragement!!

My middle daughter Clara (who is also a competitive gymnast like her younger sister) participated in a meet last weekend and came in third place all around for her age group!! I wanted to share these pictures with you, as we are very proud of her!!

On a final note, I really wanted to thank Angela from Need2Bcreating for giving me an award!! It is so rewarding to know that people (other than your friends and family who feel like they "have" too!!) actually enjoy reading my modest little blog, who would guess??!!!! Thank you, it is truly appreciated!! Have a great week!!

New look, new blogging friend and new experiment!

I have had my hair long for most of my life, but just reached a point where I was not happy.... The bottom half was lighter than the top due to some heavy highlights I had done a couple of years ago, so I wanted to chop it off!! And so I did!!! I do miss my long hair a little bit, but am quite happy with the new look... What do you think?!!!



































A few days ago, while reading a post about french names from Corey Amaro's "Tongue in Cheek" blog, I came upon a lady commenting about her portuguese upbringing, and then I saw her name was Isabel!! So, I left a comment (she did not have a link to her blog) and mentioned I was wondering about this other portuguese Isabel. It just happens that she saw my comment and made contact with me!! We have emailed each other, it turns out she also grew up in Lisbon and moved to the US after getting married!! I loved visiting her blog, named "A Room of One's Own", her pictures are amazing, please make sure to scroll down and see her gorgeous post on portuguese "azulejos" (tiles)!! Isn't the blogging world great?!!!!



Here is a peak at what my experiment was about...
















The other day I found this amazing vintage wedding dress with ruffles after ruffles (after ruffles!) of lace!! Some of the lace edges were a bit yellowed, and my first instinct was "oxyclean"! Then I thought, no, I actually want it "yellower", darker, more vintage looking!! So, inspired by an article in the latest Country Living by Robin Brown (the great designer behind Magnolia Pearl), I decided to tea stain this massive dress!! I wasn't sure if it would work, I have dyed cotton lace but not synthetic...

It did not darken as much as I hoped for, but I think it did get a "yellowed" tint, especially the lining and the embroidery detail on the lace!! Partial success!!! I decided not to rinse after the tea bath, because I was afraid it would make it lighter..

On a different note, I had my annual physical today, and passed with flying colors!!! I love going to my doctor, she is a lot of fun and she actually used to ask me for advice on how to wean her baby from nursing... So, when she asked me today if I was exercising, and I said no, she called me a "lard a**"!!! What ever happened to good bedside manners??!! It was all in good fun, though, and we laughed about it!! She told me to load up my mp3 with all those corny 80's songs we love but are afraid to admit it, then take it to the gym for a fun workout!!! I really do want to commit myself to losing weight and become healthier...

So, what did I do on the way out from the doctor? I went to the grocery store and bought a pint of Haagen-Dazs ice cream (my new favorite flavor, "fleur de sel caramel"!!)... I can't just cut it out of my life without a proper goodbye...

A travel back in time...

A few days ago, I received an email from an old school friend... I was very surprised because I haven't seen him since high school and couldn't figure out how he had found me.... He said, "you have to join this site!". This newly created website, called "Ancients du Lycee Francais de Lisbonne", was a newly created informal space for former students from the French School in Lisbon to meet!!


As I have mentioned before, I attended the French School from the time I was 3 years old until I graduated from high school at 17... I did all my elementary studies in full immersion french language, then transferred to the portuguese section of the school to continue my studies in portuguese. Most of my school friends accompanied me throughout the years from preschool all the way to high school (and some to college!). We had a great time growing up together and I have wondered about many of them... This news got me scrambling for my old pictures, and a flood of memories started to invade me!!



















(can you guess where I am? I am the girl in the middle, with the bangs...)


The Lycee Francais was a tradition in our family... My parents met at this school, and my uncles and aunts had attended it too... By the time I started, my three older siblings were already there (my two younger siblings would follow...). Many teachers had been in the school for years and remembered the previous generation well... As they would read the roster at the beginning of the school year and come across "Isabel Feist...", all they could utter was... "another Feist?!!!!"


The same day I received the email, I signed up! Turns out this friend of mine had found my younger brother and asked him how to get a hold of me... Within a few hours of putting my name there, I had four of my old friends make contact with me!! One of them was my best friend when I was around 10 (that's not her in the picture...)!!! The wonders of technology!!!!! Since then, it has been a whirlwind of emotions!! I am really excited, and I will keep you posted about this new adventure....!!!




Back to earth, now, Lisa and I set up for the Monticello Harvest Show last week. I took my camera so I could snap some pictures, put it in a drawer, then left without it... Fortunately, Sue was still there, setting up next to us, so I called her and asked if she could retrieve it for me and have it put in a safe place, and "while you're at it, can you take some pictures of our space?". She is the reason why I can share these with you... Thanks, Sue!!!















































I also wanted to share something very special... This weekend my youngest daughter Rita participated in a gymnastics meet, and came out in First Place All Around for her age group...!! She was first in bars, second in beam, second in floor and third in vault!! We are very proud of her, and love to witness her accomplishments!!







































Last, but not least, I wanted to thank Sue for giving me my very first blog award ever!!!! I was very excited and honored to receive this award, I came into the blog world wondering if anyone would ever be interested in what I had to share, and have been having the time of my life!!! I have met so many wonderful people and can't wait to meet more!! Thank you, Sue, I heart your blog too!!

Sixteen years...

Today, September 11th, is a day of mourning and reflection, a day marking one of the most tragic days in American history... My heart sinks deep when I think of that terrible day's events, and all those innocent people who so tragically lost their lives!!

But today is also a personal day of celebration... Sixteen years ago, I said "I do" to the love of my life!! Mark is, without a shadow of a doubt, the sweetest, most caring, respectful, considerate, funny, loving, gorgeous man ever!!! And he is mine...

The day I met him was the day my life changed forever...


I had been married once before, when I was only 22... This marriage, which only lasted 3 years, was a complete disaster!! Deep in my heart, I knew that, one day, I would meet someone who would treat me the way I felt I deserved to be treated, someone who would love me just the way I was...

After my divorce, I shared an apartment with a good friend of mine for a few years. I decided to go to Cambridge, England for a three-month intensive course in english, and then enrolled in College (in Lisbon) to get my MBA. My friend and roommate, whose name was also Isabel (go figure!!), worked at the American Embassy in Lisbon. She would take me to all their parties, especially the TGIF's hosted by the Marines. I became really good friends with many of them, and it was one of them, Alex, who set me up with Mark just a week after he arrived. Mark had been assigned to the Embassy as a Marine Security Guard Detachment Commander. He was single (and handsome!), so Alex believed we would be a good match!! He was right... I met Mark for the first time at the door of a restaurant on our set up blind date... I was instantly attracted to him...!! But we were not alone!! There were about eight other Marines and Mark's Commanding Officer!! The entire evening my sweet man had to juggle being courteous to his boss and paying attention to me!! We had a great time, the connection was instant, and from that moment on we were inseparable!!! Mark tells me he knew, that night, that he wanted to marry me!!!

Mark's sweet, caring ways, quickly found their way into my heart, I felt like I had finally found what I had been looking for, and I felt like the luckiest girl alive!!!! When he proposed to me, during the Marine Corps Ball, all I could say was "...oh...my...God...!!!". But what he really wanted to hear was YES...!! "Yes!", I said...

For the love of this man, I left my family, my career, my country, but not even for a second do I think that was a high price to pay... I knew that, as long as we had each other, life would feel right and complete...!! It wasn't easy, but is was so worth it!! Together, through long deployments, numerous moves, baby after baby, life in London, life in Morocco, life after the Marine Corps....

Thank you, my love, for loving me unconditionally, for being my best friend, for treating me like a queen, for the sparkles in your eyes when you look at me, for making me laugh, for those long daily hugs, for being the best dad ever, for listening to all my nagging, for still calling me beautiful, for all the hot chocolates, for loving Portugal, for loving octopus(!), for letting me turn our living room into a flea market, for working so hard, for being "cool" with a rose covered bedroom, for your sweet kisses, for your sweet love, for CHOOSING ME!!!


I love you, and always will...

Coburg Antique Fair

Coburg was a great way to finish our summer round of shows... This show is quite amazing and we were glad to be a part of it!! We set up saturday afternoon, and when we arrived at 5:00 am on sunday, there were already some serious shoppers in the dark with ther flashlights, looking for the early bird treasures!!! The day was hot but we really enjoyed visiting with old and new friends!! At the end of the day we packed everything and took it all to Monticello on monday for the Fall Premier Show we are a part of!!! Who needs a gym membership?!!


... my side...














































... Lisa's side...









































... Diane, Martha and Sue's booths...









































... Cindy and Joy's booths...









































Lisa and I did take turns doing a little shopping, and I found a few cute things...



















... love this pink barkcloth bag made by Kathy from Colby Cottage...









... this adorable vintage pink girdle will be a great addition to my bathroom valance, below...

























... scraps of vintage fabric...






















... Lisa found this doll and offered it to me... I love it, it is my favorite treasure of the day (thanks, Lisa!!). I couldn't resist cleaning her adorable little face (with, believe it or not, my trusty magic eraser!!)... Doesn't she look cute?




























I can take a deep breath, now, relax (as much as a busy mom can...) and concentrate on making some pretty things again!! I have some ideas boiling in my head, and can't wait to get working on them!! Of course, you will be the first to see them...!!

A bittersweet day...

Thursday was the first day of full day Kindergarden for my son. Even though I have done this three times before, it was a very strange feeling, it is my baby after all...! Honestly, after 14 years of having kids at home, I was sooooooo looking forward to having this time for myself!!! I told everyone they would see me dancing on the street with a margarita in my hand!!! All I could think was all the time I would have to finally finish some projects, or go shopping without kids, or just enjoy some silence around the house...

But it didn't happen... The joy was not that great... Seeing my son getting on that bus was bittersweet, I wanted to grab him and say "Stay...". He is my baby, after all...




























Today we are headed to Coburg, I can't tell you how exausted I am!!!! But I did manage to work on a couple of inspiration boards. The smaller one came from an idea by Lori from Vintage Flair. I used various vintage papers and just spray glued them to a foam core board (she used vintage wallpaper). The larger board features a fabric with handwriting covering a cork board. I think they turned out really cute!!

Reclaiming the house...!!

... that is my goal for this week..!! This summer has been so busy with travels, soccer, shows and just plain fun, that the house has been neglected! There is stuff everywhere and I can't take it anymore!! There is a pile for the Coburg Show, a pile for a garage sale we are doing in a few weeks, a pile for Goodwill and a big pile of JUNK going straight to the trash!!!

Kids are getting back to school this week, some today, some tomorrow and some thursday! We went clothes shopping this weekend (and then my conscience persuaded me against robbing a bank!!), loaded up the pantry with school snacks, got loads (and loads, and loads) of laundry done, and worked on getting our home back!! My middle daughter's 12th birthday is this saturday, so we are having 9 (nine!) girls sleeping over on friday... That is my deadline for getting this place to look like a cozy home, and not like a flea market!!

Then, saturday, it is off to Coburg for set up! We are spending the night nearby so we can be there bright and early!! Let's have a big ol' party, everyone!!

In the meantime, we have great summer memories to hold on to!!

My sister Teresa sent me this video clip today, it is quite amusing and it will give you a peek at my hometown, Lisbon! It features Rob Schneider in his "Save Miguel" campaign... (btw, I have a brother named Miguel!). This is the first time I am uploading a video onto Blogger, so I am hoping it will work!! Enjoy!