Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! 



Now that Christmas is over I'm ready for Spring!!!  It happens every year at this time for me! It's a good thing I live in sunny California!  It actually hasn't been very sunny here, it been raining a lot lately but the sun was out today so I went to the garden center and bought some flowers for my garden.  These are all winter and early spring flowers

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas from My Romantic Home to yours!

Christmas Decor Galore! - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! 



I'm finally was able to take some photos of my little apartment all decorated for Christmas during the daylight!  ...oops I forgot to move that paper bag next dresser before I took these photos!  







ornaments for Christmas décor











I did another winter wonderland tablescape in all white again this year.














I love the reflection of

The time is NOW for great deals!

The presents are starting to pile up under our Christmas tree! 







Is it just me or do the sales this time of year seem to get better and better each year?  Every day I'm getting emails about all these great sales going on!  It's so tempting because you don't even have to leave your comfy couch...you can just click away and shop without the hassle of the crowded stores!   I love that

My New Floors! - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! 



If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know that my landlord has been promising me that she would put wood laminate floors in my apartment for the last few years! Well, it finally happened and I'm so excited! I've lived here almost 10 years and my carpet was so worn out and stained that I really lost interest in doing anything around my house

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!

It's been a hectic week but a really good week!  My new wood laminate floors are being installed as I type this! It was so much work getting everything cleared out of my downstairs so they could do it!

That is why I'm resharing some cookies I made a few seasons ago!










The floors are looking amazing! I'm so happy! I was going to give you a sneak peek

Soy Candles

Looking for a great gift idea?

Soy candles in vintage glassware. Check out my product review page to see more!

Heirloom Ornaments - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!



Disclaimer: I apologize in advance...this is a very wordy and sentimental post!



I hope all of you that celebrated Thanksgiving had a wonderful day!  I did!  I went up to visit my dad in the Gold Country in California.  He lives in the area in California where gold was discovered in 1849! 



I feel like I struck gold too! My dad told me to feel free

Happy Thanksgiving - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  At the  moment I am writing this post, it's the night before Thanksgiving!  Boy, do I love this time of year!  For me, it's the start of everything wonderful! I just love the holiday season!






Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday. We should be thankful for all we have every day but the truth is most people aren't! I hope those people at least think

Thanksgiving Table - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!



This week I know many of my friends in the U.S. are getting ready for Thanksgiving next week so I decided to re-share my very non traditional Thanksgiving table I did a few years ago.







I found these turkey candy dishes and turkey plates at Marshalls a few years ago and fell in love with them!  







I used the turkey candy dishes as soup bowls!  I

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!



I don't have anything "home" related to share today so I'll share a little story about my trip to Tahoe last weekend.  Two of my girlfriends and I took off Friday for a 3-day weekend and we had so much fun! 



Saturday we decided to go for a hike.  We drove from the hotel to the trailhead, parked the car and went out for a hike.  We came to a creek with

Autumn Roses (and Me as Marilyn Monroe) - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  



I think these are the last of my roses for this season! I have a few buds left on the bushes but it's cooling down now here (finally) that they may not bloom.



Last weekend I had 5 Halloween parties that I went to Friday and Saturday night! Yes FIVE!!! There were actually some more that we never made it to.  I sure had fun being Marilyn Monroe...

Autumn Centerpiece - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I was at the grocery store today and decided to pick up some mini pumpkins and preserved leaves. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with them but I put them on my silver platter that I picked up at a flea market a few years ago and added some tea lights and my crystal candlesticks. I think I only paid $10-$15 for this tray and I use it for so many

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I was looking through some old photos and found some old fall decor photos from 3 years ago!  I sold this white hutch and now that I'm looking at these photos I'm sort of missing it a bit!  It sure was fun to change the decor in it for the seasons!








Last week I mentioned that I was going to a 70s and 80s party last Friday night so I thought I would

Rosemary Focaccia - Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to  Show and Tell Friday! 



It's been a busy week!  I've been busy at work and I've also been busy shopping and putting together an outfit to wear to a 1980s party I'm going to this weekend.  I'm doing sort of a Cindy Lauper/Early Madonna look!  It's hilarious!  I sure didn't dress like that in the 80s!  I'll have to share photos with you next week!  It's been a blast putting it

Apron Giveaway!

Want to win this beautiful apron?  Just go to my Product Review page to learn how it could be yours!  



(Please do not leave comments here, you will not be entered in the drawing. You must leave the comments on my product review page)

"My Life with Style" Magazine

I feel so honored! I'm in the October 2012 issue of My Life with Style online magazine!  This issue is so beautiful and I am so truly honored that my little apartment is showcased along with some very grand and professionally decorated homes! Sometimes it's things like this that make me feel like I'm just dreaming all this!  Click here to check out the current issue:  My Life with Style

The Marilyn clutch - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  My dad just sent me this little silk bag that belonged to mom. He said he knew she would want me to have it.  There is an interesting little story around this bag. 



My mom and grandmother used to love going to thrift stores...way before doing so was so popular!  They were at a thrift store in San Francisco and my mom bought this bag.  Now I wish I would

Glamour Halloween - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I was at Marshalls buying a birthday present for a friend the other night and on my way out the door I spotted this glittered Halloween birdcage.  It has a bat in it but I can take the bat out after Halloween and use it for Christmas!  It was only $16.99 so I couldn't pass it up!  It was worth waiting in line all over again!






It's really sparkly but

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  This has been a crazy-busy week.  My whole team from all across the world has been in town this week at work.  We've had all-day meetings and it's now Wednesday night and I just got home at 10pm from my second night in a row having dinner with the team. These 14 hour work days are exhausting but fun!  I have a great team that I work with and I feel so

Fall is in the air! - Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I keep seeing everyone's autumn decorations but I never feel like decorating for autumn until about November!  That's about when it starts here in California!  



It's still warm here but the last few evenings have been a little cooler so I'm sort of getting in the mood now!  I love red wine but in the summer red wine just seems too warm so I switch over

Weekend in Santa Cruz - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!



Last week my girlfriends and I spent Thursday - Saturday in Santa Cruz, CA.  It's only about 30 minutes away from home but it was like a mini vacation.  One of the friends made the amazing Caprese Salad with heirloom tomatoes pictured above.  What put this over the top was the basil salt that she made.  I don't have the exact recipe but she said you take

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  







As you can see I've been having fun making these motivational posters on Big Huge Labs!  You can make your own, just go to Big Huge Labs Motivator! It's Free!  (I am not affiliated with this website, just passing on something I thought you may enjoy).



At the time this post goes up I will be in Santa Cruz for a girl's weekend away! There are four

Pita Bread Pizza - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!



Today I'm sharing one of my new favorite easy-to-make meals!  It's a Pita Bread Pizza and it's Weight Watcher friendly!  



I start with a Pita Bread. Mine is made by Sara Lee and they are 3 Points Plus points on Weight Watchers!  I then spread a wedge of flavored Laughing Cow cheese on the pita which turns into a delicious white sauce.  Then I pile on

My Favorite Blue Paint Colors: Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I've been getting a lot of emails recently about some of my blue paint colors so I thought I would take this opportunity to share the links to my colors.  I love gray-blues so I painted my kitchen this color.  You can find the colors on my original post here:  My Kitchen is Painted






I always get emails asking how I painted my blue china cabinet. You can

How to dry hydrangeas - Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  



First and most importantly I need to wish my dad a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  His birthday is Aug 9th!   I owe so much to my dad! Growing up with so much love from both my parents has made me a happy adult!  Thank you so much DAD!  I LOVE you so much!!! 






My poor hydrangeas didn't get watered enough this summer and they are prematurely aging now!  We

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  ...and August! I can't believe it's already August!!! I've been at my "new" job 5 months now! Time flies!!!



 I don't have much to share this week.  Lauren had her wisdom teeth removed on Monday and now it's Wednesday evening at the time I am writing this and I am EXHAUSTED!  I don't do well with seeing other people in pain...at all!  I think I would

Show and Tell Friday!

Warning...this is a really long post!  




 Last weekend Lauren and I went to Los Angeles for a mini mother/daughter weekend away!  We flew down Friday around noon and got there about an hour later. I love short flights!  We rented a car and the photo above was taken on the 405 sitting in that dreadful LA traffic!  The traffic here in Silicon Valley is bad but LA is even worse!  



We

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  It's time for me and my daughter to have a weekend away!  We are headed to Southern California on Friday morning for a 3-day weekend get away!  I've been singing "we're leaving on a jet plane..." all day today. (sorry, some of you may be too young to know that song!)





I wanted share these adorable luggage tags I bought at the car wash!  We have car

Show and Tell Friday!

faux blue eggs in a real bird's nest


Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  Remember a few weeks ago I shared the photo below and told you that some wrens had built a nest in the cavity of the angel's head? Then on a really hot Saturday the babies flew away and we haven't seen them since. Well...I finally took the angel's head down and took out this oh-so-romantic nest!  It took my breath away

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!

I've had this thought to put roses and hydrangeas along with seashells in my tiered dish for a long time!








I finally took the time to do it!






and I'm so thrilled with how it turned out!  This is the look I LOVE! Elegant beachy cottage!











I got inspired to do this when I got some of these individual floral vials that keep the

Happy Birthday America!

Happy 4th of July!  It's sort of strange to have a Wednesday off work! It feels like Saturday and I'm afraid I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning and forget that I have to work!  Luckily I get to work from home on Thursday and Friday! 



It's not just our great country's birthday, it's also Beau's birthday!   His mommy had him early because she was afraid of all the fireworks going off and

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  It's been a busy week so I just decided to share a bunch of photo mosaics I made awhile ago!  I use Mosaic Maker on www.bighugelabs.com to make these.  My favorite layout is the "4x4 with Large Center" which is what all these are.

































It's really fun to make these and it makes me feel sort of creative! 



On a different subject..

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  This week I thought I would share my new lace top that I wore to the Kenny Loggins concert last weekend.  I walked into Macy's last weekend because they were having a big sale.  As soon as I walked in I saw this hanging on the rack and I grabbed a size MEDIUM (boy, does that feel good!) and went right to the dressing room! I knew I was going to love it and

I'm living life to the fullest now (finally)!

My friends and I out at a winery for some Friday night fun!




If you have been reading my blog since I started it way back in 2005, you probably have noticed that so much has changed in my life since then!



The biggest change is that I've lost 60 lbs! Another big change is that I get out and have fun! I used to complain to my daughter that she was never home, now the tables are turned

A Night Out

Last night I went to see Kenny Loggins in concert and I thought I would
share a few photos with you.  We saw him at the Mountain Winery which
is my favorite venue for concerts. It's up in the hills above Silicon Valley
and the views are spectacular!   It was a gorgeous warm night!
Actually a little too warm at first but once the sun started going down it was
perfect!  We had

Show and Tell Friday

 Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! This week I'm sharing some flowers from my garden that I arranged in one of my most favorite purchases! I bought this old pitcher on eBay a few years ago.  It was a splurge for me back then, I think I paid $80 for it but I really love it!








I really prefer garden flowers arranged not so perfectly over flowers from the florist!










My roses and

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  



Today I have something special to share! 



We have little birds making a nest behind this cherub on my fence!  For the last couple weeks we've seen two little birds in the tree with twigs and weeds in their beaks. We kept looking up in the tree for the nest but couldn't find it.  The other day I was outside and I saw one of the birds swoop down off the

Show and Tell Friday!

 Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  This week I'm sharing some of my chintz collection!  









Most of these I got for a steal...like these salt and pepper shakers below, they were only $8 at a flea market!  






My mom passed down a teacup and saucer to me that she bought in the 40s.  That's what started my collection.  I was thrilled when I found one just like it on eBay for $6!  

A Giveaway!

I'm having a giveaway!  Aren't these beautiful? 

Visit my Product Review Page for a chance to win both of these!

Show and Tell Friday

Hi all, welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I thought I would be sharing photos from the Goat Hill Fair last weekend but we didn't make it there! The weekend sort of got away from us! It was a gorgeous weekend and I'm so sorry I missed it!  We did have a fun weekend though, Dan and I went mountain bike riding Saturday and Sunday. I'm really looking forward to this 3-day weekend we have coming

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  



This is my busy week at work this week. Once a quarter we do global webcast meetings which means one day I have to be at work at 6:30 AM and then another day I have to work until 9:00 PM!  I'm keeping it easy this week and re-sharing my yard conservatory!  I love this thing! When you walk in my front door you can see this out on my patio.  





I wish

An Amazing Weight Watcher's Recipe!

This photo from my iPhone does not do this salad justice but believe me when I say that it was AMAZING!  Even more amazing, it's a Weight Watchers recipe!  I had a feeling I would like it because it has some of my favorite things in it...spinach, bacon, chicken, blue cheese and mushrooms! 



I  made it Saturday night for Dan and I and then I made it again Sunday night for my daughter!  

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  This week I want to let all of you in Northern California know about a great antique fair that's coming to our area on May 19th and 20th in the Santa Cruz Mountains! You may remember that last year I posted about my visit to the very first Goat Hill Fair. If you missed it, you can read all about it here and here.  






I'm sharing some of the photos from

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  This week I'm sharing some of my brother's photographs.  He lives about 3 hours away from me in the Sierra Foothills.  





He took these photos near his home at a beautiful shopping center called El Dorado Hills Town Center in El Dorado Hills, California.





When my brother moved to this area in 1997 the land this shopping center is on was just a prairie

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I don't really have anything exciting to share this week so I'm sharing one of my photo mosaics I did awhile ago.  



I've been getting out and enjoying life and not spending much time at home on the weekends.  I mentioned awhile ago that I bought a mountain bike and I have really been enjoying riding that.  I remember about 3 years ago, when I was 50 lbs

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and tell Friday!   Sorry to all of you that came to link up at 6pm PDT! I'm late...got stuck in traffic again and then my computer was running really slow! 



Guess what's blooming! My Eden roses!! So that's what I'm sharing this week! I also wanted to say Happy Anniversary to Dan! Sunday is our 1 year anniversary together! Boy this last year has flown by!  I can't

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  For those of you that link up I try to get this post up every Thursday at 6:00pm Pacific Time.  Sometimes I'm a little late though! 



This week I'm sharing my candles that I had lit last night.  Usually this time of the year the weather starts warming up a bit but not this year!  We are now getting the cold, wet weather we didn't get all winter!  If I

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!!!  This week I'm sharing a few more of my Easter decorations.  I did another post earlier in the week so scroll down if you haven't seen those yet!  






Those candies are Cadbury Mini Chocolate Eggs and they are one of my favorite easter candies.  My absolute favorite Easter candies are the Cadbury Creme Eggs!  I found that people either love those or

Bingo! and Easter Decor!

Tonight I finally started decorating for Easter! 









I feel like I haven't been home long enough lately to pull out the Easter decor but here it is 11:00 pm on a Monday night and I should be in bed, after all, it is a work night!  But...I went to play Bingo with my daughter tonight!  She's not your typical 19 year old...she plays bingo with all the silver-haired ladies 1 - 2

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!



This week I'm sharing my lilacs from last year! I'm so bummed, this year I only got 4 small sprigs of blooms on my bush!  The worst year ever since I planted my lilac bush many years ago!  






In previous years I got 2 full bouquets about the size of these!!!









I sure hope next year is better!



The good news is that is looks like it's going to

Show and Tell Friday

Happy Thursday!  This is how I'm celebrating right now! 



What a week!  I finally got my car out of the shop last night after a full week!  That's the good news. The bad news is I have a horrible cough and cold and my transmission had to be rebuilt and it cost me over $3,000!  The rental car for a week was almost $200!  Last month I had to put in a new water pump and that was over $1,000.

WOW! I Won a Design Award!!

I just got an email today from Houzz.com that I received their "Best of Remodeling" Award for this photo above! I didn't even know I was up for an award there! I know it's because of my wonderful readers that have supported me and left such wonderful comments on Houzz.com. I feel so honored!  Thanks to all of you! I'm beyond excited! 



You can see my other photos on Houzz.com here: My

Show and Tell Friday!

No, I haven't started decorating for Easter yet....I wait until after St. Patrick's Day at least!  I pulled this photo from the archives because I know Easter will be here soon and I can't wait to decorate!  I love decorating for Easter almost as much as I do for Christmas!



This has been a crazy week!  Last weekend my boyfriend and I went mountain bike riding...did I mention I bought a 

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday! I'm so excited...my lilacs have started blooming!  I can tell already though that this is not going to be a good year for them.  I don't have nearly as many buds as I've had in previous years!  I think it's because it didn't get very cold this winter and we didn't have much rain.  







This is all that's blooming now but hopefully soon there will be

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I bought a couple new necklaces this week and as I hung them up behind my bedroom door I realized this is a corner in my home that I've never shown!  I bought this piece with three hooks on it a few years ago at Marshalls.  I have so many necklaces that I really should try to find a couple more of these!  They work really well, and keep the necklaces from

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!!  I actually have some REALLY good news to share! I got a job!!! Whoohoo! I'm no longer unemployed! I start my new job on Wednesday!  I'm an Executive Assistant to two VPs in the Recruiting Department of a Fortune 500 company! I'm so relieved that I found a job!



Now, on to Show and tell Friday! My daughter and I have two baby showers to go to in the

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I'm so sorry to all of you that came here at 6:00pm Pacific Time to link up to the party! I forgot it was Thursday!!!  I've been so busy this week! The good news is I've been so busy because I'm getting lots of interviews. I'm in discussion/interviewing with five different companies right now! Yay!  I went into a state of panic when I realized that I missed

A New Do!

I got my haircut today!  I've been saving photos on Pinterst of styles I liked and I noticed that I had a lot of photos with different versions of this style saved so I decided to take the leap and go for it! 



It wasn't quite long enough for what I really wanted so this is just the transition until my bangs and my sides grow out a little more. The back it really cute...it's an A-line cut

Show and Tell Friday!

'



Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  Finally I got some Valentine decorations up! These beautiful tulips that I found at the grocery store this morning inspired me to decorate! 







I couldn't decide on white or pink so I bought one of each!






You may remember this Valentine banner I made a few years ago. It's a little hard to see in these pics but it has two hearts on each side and XOX

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I have nothing new to share this week because once again I ran out of time! I feel like I have less time now that I'm not working than I did when I was working 40 hours a week! I don't know how that could be! 



I have been out enjoying this beautiful weather we have been having. I think it was 70 degrees today! I've been going for daily hikes and enjoying

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  My daughter Lauren and I spent the day together today...Shopping!  We went to get her some new jeans, which we never found but I did get a great deal so I just had to share! 







 We went to Marshalls and I found this pair of "Guess" shoes and you aren't going to believe how much they were.....






I'm trying so hard not to spend money since I'm

Show and Tell Friday

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  I was super rushed today so I had to pull an old photo off of my computer to share.  It was quite a day...my iphone died and I wasn't eligible for an upgrade until next month!  I panicked a bit because I had a voicemail about an interview and I only got part of the message and I couldn't even call her back on my phone. I don't have a home phone anymore so

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  It's lemon time here in California! I see lemons in almost every yard right now...except mine. For some reason, my lemon bush doesn't have any yet but there are buds on there! 






My son gave me a bag full of lemons from his girlfriend's house. Her tree was loaded with them!  I used those for my centerpiece.






When my mom bought this tiered dish back

A Healthy Breakfast!

I did a post today on my Beauty and Fitness blog, Fit and Fabulous over Fifty on one of my favorite breakfast foods. It's so yummy!  

Show and Tell Friday!

 Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!!  I know a few weeks ago I shared some roses from my garden and I thought they might be my last bouquet of the season but I was wrong!  These are for sure my last roses of the season!  I pruned all my roses yesterday and now there are nothing but stumps left but I did get one last bouquet out of them!







I sort of went crazy with the photos because they

Help!

Another Update:  Sorry but, if you have my button on your side bar, you will have to grab the new code to update it!  Slowly but surely, I'm getting my blog restored.

Update:  I got my header back!!!  A HUGE thank you to Mikey, who had saved a copy of my banner!  knows about Google Spiders (which I know nothing about) and was able to find my header, signature and blog button!  He really

I just had to share this!

I was on YouTube looking at cake decorating tutorials and I stumbled across this adorable girl and her amazing wedding cake! I just had to share it with you!