Favorite things to do in the Autumn?

Sorry I haven't posted much during October, but I have been busy painting and a million other things.
I am still working on the guest room/ slash office re-do, and will post some of my progress this weekend.
But I've been waltzing around town taking some pictures here and there, and I wanted to share with you some of the things I enjoy the most in the fall season.
I still love the beach this time of year!

Who wouldn't love this feast for the eyes. The clouds make it so pretty, don't they?

My Cottage is up in that cluster of houses. 

Beach Cruisers waiting for the return of their owners as they walk on the beach, 

no need for chains and locks.

Just around the bend of the beach up here...it looks like you can jump and touch those clouds!

Around the bend is the lighthouse.

Looking Halloweenie even without it's decor yet.

I've discovered a few new shops too, and especially wanted to mention 

the North End Garage in Cape May.

I was drawn in immediately when I spotted the front window. I love vintage bottles.

they're multi-colored glass sparkling in the sun.

I love to browse around these places. this one has a few different dealers.

 I love all the different rugs on the floor.

I adore this perfect size trunk.

So eclectic.

And this cute little dresser has smuckers lids as handles. I love that idea!

Ok.. so I have to get back to working on my guest/ office room. I posted that plan here.

I knew it would be a long journey, lots of other things to do along the way.

This bed and this bureaux below are what I have been working on, painting

Here is a sneak peak at the bed still in progress.

It is a three step process, for the many layers look I'm after. 

the headboard just has the grey as of yet.

the footboard has the 2nd step also

Annie Sloan Paris grey

Then Annie sloan Off white dry brushed over that

Then some sanding.

This entire room is being redone with just the cost of paint.

All the furniture I am using has been taken from different rooms in the house or storage.

And this pretty antique pitcher will be getting a sweet spot in the new room.

Isn't it the sweetest thing?

I'm off to do some more work on my little Frenchy room.

Have a great weekend!

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Last night's Beautiful Beach Walk

Has anybody noticed how pretty the sky has been this last week?
I went for a walk in the evening last night and this is what I saw!

 Good Lord above!

Spring clean up down the shore

It's that time of year again, when I start the clean up down the Jersey Shore of my little cottage by the sea.
I'll be moving furniture around for a couple of weeks. Plans, Plans, Plans

This weekend I have a couple things I am hoping to get done.
1. Finish painting these 2 T back chairs that I actually began a month ago!!

 I only got the primer on these and then I abandoned them for bigger fish to fry in Florida. I have to finish them in creamy white.

 2. I also need to find a place for this vintage table

 that I have replaced in the dining room with  white T back  bar stools. You can see them in this previous post.

I love the table and it's adorable vintage drop leaf style, it just wasn't working out for us where it was. We had it set under the bar area, because we had no barstools. I just got them in January.
I hope the stools will work out better.
But I need a great place for this table to rest because I am not willing to part with it, so I got to thinking.
Sometimes I like to look at magazines and of course, so many great blogs out there, to get myself motivated.
I found these inspiring pictures that I adore. This room is yummy isn't it?
 I think it was "Cottage Living" mag. or the book "Waterside Cottages".

These vintage tables both look so awesome, and make me want to lug my table upstairs to the sunporch outside my bedroom, and create a little area for gaming and having some lunch with a view.

 That table with the boat on it looks so much like my dropleaf table. And I love the idea below, with the games stacked and at the ready, for any grey day.

Yep #3 I will be lugging my table up the stairs, and setting her up, to combine those 2 ideas.

I think I can fit her in somewhere up there on my sunporch... don't you?

#4. That table will be getting a fresh coat of white too.
#5. Find a new spot for those chairs I am going to finish painting.
#6 Add more starfish to windows
#7 Clean all the windows. Lets not get overambitious :)

I'll let you know how it all turns out.
You can see the results posted here.

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Missing Florida, I want to go back.

We had such fun, visiting all the different islands. Me and the kiddos during spring break.
 Our last trip was to Siesta Key. It was so pretty there. The sand was so so soft like powdered sugar!
And the snorkeling was pretty neat too.

I love when the water is clear, and as you can see in this pic, so, so aqua!

You can see from the hotels in the background this Key is a little more populated.

We swam over to this little private cove.

Where the birds just sit right next to ya.

 I think he was the gate keeper. He let us pass.

That is a pelican just floating out there.

This is such a peaceful place. Makes you think that ...yes life is so good.

 The kids were loving it.

 So was I. 

I wanna go back.

Hunting for seashells.

Away from the sorting of the socks.

cleaning of the fridge.

The Scrubbing of the bathrooms.

Just enjoying the sea.

And the good life.

Joining Good Life Wednesday at Sarah's abeachcottage.com

In the Beginning (part 1)

Before the purchase.
The first thing that caught my eye about this little Beach Cottage, was the location.
Just steps away from this lighthouse at Hereford Inlet, in Anglesea.

 It was late August and the beach grass was in full bloom behind the house.

That concrete seawall on top of the rocks was NOT there then, so there was a much fuller view of the ocean beyond. ..
Do you see that little bit of fence at the bottom of the picture? I remember standing there with the Real Estate agent, and saying "Well, this house needs a lot of work, I would only be buying it for the view."

Then going home to mull it over. Talking it over with the hub, who had not seen it yet. Trying to make an arrangement for him to see it, with his busy schedule. And telling him we need to jump on this before it is gone! After all, it was his idea to buy us a real vacation home.

14 days later.. 9/11 happened. That sinking feeling that we were being attacked in our own land. Dropping the laundry, and driving to elementary school to get my kids. In disbelief in the car, to hear the Pentagon too, had been hit. I remember at the school office they were not even fully aware of the magnitude. When I said, "Please, I want my kids, we are under attack"! The office marm saying to me. What? ...I heard that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center but, I thought it was an accident, are you..... I  jumped in here and said ...You need to put on the news! Then on the ride home hearing about the plane in Pennsylvania. And the next 3 days, the silence in the skies over our country. The following week I needed to drive across the river from my house to Philly for something, and while on the bridge, seeing a huge plume of smoke and thinking it was happening again. ( It was a fire ) For a long, long while, the last thing anyone was thinking about was purchasing a home.
The end of September there is always an Irish festival in North Wildwood, and I remember they still held it that year..  It struck me, how sweet everyone had all been to each other. Fellow Americans. Celebrating their Irish heritage, with anyone else who would join us. Our resilience, determination, pride.

 Eating crab cakes on the rocks by the sea with my sis.
Looking at the back of this little cottage by the ocean for sale. Wondering, in all this uncertainty, was it even possible to buy it. Even feeling guilty about wondering, when some of my fellow New Jersey-ans had lost their lives so recently. All of October passed. Another month went by. Some normalcy returned for us. I mentioned the house again to my husband. A few times. Ok, I'll look.  More time passes. That entire winter I spent driving back and forth to the shore because we already owned a rental property I was rehabbing. A place we never stayed at even once, but we rented to others for 3 years, and the renters moved out, and I worked on gutting that whole place. My daughter and I, ripped out the rugs, tore off the panelling, hired a contractor for a new heat system, my cuz  and his buddy helped hang new cabinets in the kitchen, and install sheetrock. The house I was rehabbing was only 3 blocks from the Cottage. I would drive by it to make sure it was still for sale...
Finally in January 2002, we made an offer, it was accepted, and it all began. Another rehab, but this one would be for us!
The craziest thing to this story is this-- until the day of settlement walk through,--my husband  never even saw this house!!  I remember doing the walk through with him and him saying. It ain't much is it? You really want to buy in this area?  There are a few pubs up the street. But honestly they never bother me. He used to call it "The shack" I insisted on buying. I kept telling him. It'll be great when I'm done with it. This place has so much potential.  He let me do my thing. And then he warmed up to it. As did the whole family. And the times we have had here are immeasurable. He loves it now though. And in our  eyes, it is great.

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L.E.N.S. Photo Challenge- "Begin the Story"