happy halloween!

" If something scares you and you want to run,

Remember, it's only Halloween fun! "

(photo & quote via card cow )

happy friday, and...

(photo via here)

Living In A Dream: Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Wouldn't it be nice to relax in this awesome casita

then wake yourself up by taking a dip in this pool

and then go for a little horseback ride on the beach

stopping for a bit to splash around in the ocean

After that busy morning, a siesta is in order

so as to enjoy this nice romantic dinner

Hotel Punta Islita

quote.to.live.by.

" Wherever you go, go with all your heart"

(photo via here)

office smiles...

This is the first thing I see when I walk into my office

and it always makes me smile.

It just brightens up my whole world!

What makes you smile in your workspace?

seeing pink....

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month

Fifi Flowers Design

will be giving 10% of her PINK

artwork sales to Breast Cancer Research.

What a beautiful way to make a

difference to help fight this horrible disease!

So do yourself a favor and drop by

Fifi Flowers Design and take a peak

at her wonderful, whimsical artwork.

It'll definitely put a smile on your face

\

and an extra skip in your step!

oh the life...

If only I could hop on that bike in that very cool looking outfit

and live her life for one day, how perfect would that be?

Knowing me however, I would get the dress stuck in the spokes,

grease on my legs, or skinned knees from falling off the bike

as my hair got in my face and I couldn't see...

A girl can dream of that perfect day though....

(photo via the satorialist)

the holidays are coming...wink, wink...

I came across this artist last week

and I am loving her awesome jewelry

it's just my cup of tea



Not to mention, she has a pretty interesting blog too!


So if any of my family is reading this (major hint coming up)


I adore this jewelry - listed in order of preference.


Where do you get it , did I hear someone say?


It was you, wasn't it mom ....:)


Ok, twist my arm, I will tell you:

Blue Hour Designs

By Alysia Sanchez Melnikov

smile monday..

love.love.love. the colors & the setting..this made me smile!

Have a beautiful day today!

(photo via here)

missing my friend today..

I'm the one in the middle...(admittedly, not a great picture) but it reminds me of some wonderful memories that I have shared with these two women.

Our daughters became the best of friends when they were 12 years old.

We became best friends thru a few tragedies in our life.

A death of a spouse, a murder of a father, and cancer looming for one.

We traveled together, hung out together, laughed, cried, acted silly together, and were there for each other. Sandi - the one on the left was the glue that held all of us together. She was the entertainment queen, she loved having a houseful of people and catering to their every need. She was there no matter the time of day or night - you knew, we all knew that we could drop by at anytime, and there would be hugs, smiles, lots of advice, laughter, FOOD and treats, LOTS OF IT!

Sandi had cancer, but had been in remission. A few months after Sally - the one on the right lost her husband to leukemia and I had lost my dad to a murder, Sandi's cancer came back. She fought hard, she got mad, she educated herself and she set out to have the best treatment possible, despite the odds and despite all the doctors with zero bedside manners. She fought as hard as she could, and for the rest of us, kept her routine the best she could. Still being the friend that always had a shoulder for all of us that needed one. She walked quite a few of us thru some very hard times, and I for one wanted to be there for her too....

Every Sunday - Sally, Sandi and I with our daughters would get together at Sandi's house - as that was THE HOUSE to be at. We watched Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters together and ate dinner. It really wasn't about the shows, but just about us hanging out together. As sick as Sandi got, she looked forward to Sunday's as it was our day to forget all of our troubles and just be together.

I missed the last Sunday, as I was out of town celebrating my mom's 75th birthday. I knew when I saw her on Friday, there wouldn't be anymore Sundays with Sandi. I felt it in the hug we shared that night. That was 7 1/2 months ago.

So today is Sunday and I am missing my wonderful friend who was the world to so many people! Here's to Sandi - a great friend, as all of her friends will tell you!

love.this.quote.

(photo via here)

cheers to the weekend!

Wouldn't you just like to cuddle up in that chair or sofa with that cute dog and watch a movie, read or chat with a friend? This is the library of Anne Hepfer - a Toronto based designer. I spotted this picture at Canadian House & Home last week and have been thinking about it ever since. I just love the colors and the casual comfortable feel that I get just looking at it...It's cozy and I am in a cozy, cuddle up and relax type mood this weekend....although, when am I not...:)

Thank you for stopping by, I truly appreciate everyone's kindness! If you're out and about this weekend - share a smile with a stranger, it may make all the difference in their world and yours too!

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

color me green...

This is absolutely fabulous!

Glass artist Daniel Maher creates these Graveyard pieces from glass originally destined to be serving bowls, platters, goblets, lids, jars. etc. He carefully selects glass with strong prismatic qualities or with interesting letters and images to serve as the focal point for these stained glass windows. Each piece is individually handcrafted as a unique work of art. These one of a kind windows range from $750 - $1000 per square foot depending on the size and complexity of the piece.

(found via apartment therapy)

Living In A Dream: Quebec City, Canada

Quebec City is one of those charming places

that is on the top part of my to go to someday soon list

So just in case, I will have a few arrangements made

Aubergene Saint-Antoine

Panache - a quaint rustic restaurant at the hotel

A fabulous tub to take a nice cozy bubble bath

after a wonderful day of sight seeing and shopping.

Below are a few tips on places to eat from Robin at My Melange:


Where to eat in Old Quebec City?
*For a mid-day coffee and croissant break, head to Paillard. They have the best crossiants in Old Quebec and their cafe au lait is served up in bowls, in true French fashion. They have great salads and sandwiches for lunch too. Grab a crusty-doughy Parisian-style baquette for the road.

*Looking for traditional French bistro food at downright bargain prices in a lively atmosphere? Follow the locals over to Les Frères de la Côte, which is the restaurant in the Hotel du Vieux Quebec. Choose from salmon, pizza, confit de canard and osso bucco. But the deal of the century is the never-ending bowls of mussels, prepared in your choice of three different broths, (with extra bread for broth-sopping)all for under $16.

*For a special treat, head to rue Saint-Paul in Lower Town to experience a touch of the South of France. Mistral Gagnant feels like it was plucked right from Provence. The brightly colored decor combined with the seafood-forward menu offers an experience only the French Riveira could rival. Splurge on the authentic Marsielle classic fish soup, Bouillabaise, complete with croutons and rouille. Snag one of three tables in the front window and finish off with a Pastis to help it all go down smoothly.

* The Café Experience; Many long for it-and I am no exception. And no, I am not recommending a Starbucks! I found a hidden-gem-of-a-café, in the back streets of Upper Town. Perfect for breakfast, coming in from the rain for a shot of espresso at the bar, wasting hours on your laptop or for a delicious home-made lunch prix-fixe for about $12 Canadian. Chez Temporel exudes charm and warmth with it's dim lighting, yellow walls and mahogany-colored tables. The croissants are baked in-house and you can milk your coffee all day while reading the paper without fear of being kicked to the curb!

I can't wait to try some of these places that Robin has recommended. Has anyone else been to Quebec City? If so, do tell!!

a read that will make you smile..

I love Mariel Hemingway. Not the actress, but the person. I read her book Healthy Living from the Inside Out - several times, and I still refer to it. I just adore that book, her writing and how she doesn't pretend like she has it all together but whole heartedly admits she is a work in progress and has been so for many years. She has been fighting the demons of the Hemingway family for many years and I admire her very much so. She also happens to live nearby and I pass her in the grocery store quite often, but I just smile and move on...not wanting to intrude.

This morning I read her blog entry Becoming, Laughing, and Being Me. It was wonderful, and it reminded me so much of myself when I was going thru a new phase in my life - that of a newly divorced single mom. I also had been in a long term marriage - 2o years and I had lost myself. It took a few years to find myself again - it wasn't easy, I felt lost for a long while, but had a wonderful support system with my friends and family. I also found love again, not long after and one of the main thing's that made me fall in love with Alex was he made me laugh, he made my heart soar, he gave me the encouragement to be myself and always would tell me that I could do anything that I wanted - that it was in me. Thru his friendship and then love, he made me believe in myself again. I hope you enjoy Mariel's story it is awesome, and goes to show that in many many ways - we are all alike!

the envelope, please...

The winner of My Favorite Things basket drawing for my 100th post giveaway is: Lori fromWildflowers!

Lori has a wonderful blog that I truly adore and visit daily, so if you don't know Lori yet, get on over there and say hello to her, she's wonderful!

Congratulations Lori - email me your details at cathinunn@gmail.com and I will send the basket off to you!

Thank you to everyone who participated - your comments were awesome and I truly appreciate each and everyone of you!

"there's something about the hands of an artist"

" there is something about the hands of an artist" - robert redford

"To the illuminated mind the whole world burns and sparkles with light." Emerson

May the sun bring you new energy by day, May the moon softly restore you by night, May the rain wash away your worries, May the breeze blow new strength into your being, May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life. - apache blessing

"Go up on the roof at night in this city of the soul. Let everyone climb on their roofs and sing their notes! Sing loud! " -rumi

I was browsing at Sundance Catalog and came across an artist who I have loved for a long long time, Jeanine Payer: "Artist Jeanine Payer sifts through archives unearthing quotations of universal significance and snippets of poetry that summon powerful emotions. The words, hand engraved on precious metals in a diminutive version of her own graceful script, endow her delicate pieces with a kind of magic, so that each takes on the allure of a talisman graced with both beauty and wisdom."

If you know one thing about me, know that I am a silver and quotes girl from way back when. I just adore the casual simplicity of the jewelry - I think I rubbed off a little on my daughter as we both love the same kind of jewelry (which comes in handy.) Although I don't own any of Jeanine's jewelry, if I could choose a few pieces, the ones above are my faves! Check out all the artists at Sundance - they are fabulous!

smile monday...

Yesterday was a good day. It was one of those days when you truly appreciate the simple things in life. Alex (my guy) and I spent the day at our friends house overlooking the ocean - just hanging out watching football games, baseball games and sunsets. It was awesome... We ate, we drank, we laughed and laughed and laughed. There's nothing better in life than that. Have a beautiful day, friends!

(photos via here)

happy friday, 100th post & a giveaway!

Happy Friday, Everyone!

I can't believe it's my 100th post

What a wild ride it's been!

It's been such a wonderful adventure for me having this blog, oh the places I've been and the people I've met thru so many awesome blogs all over the world...The internet truly has made this world a smaller place, and I for one am thankful and grateful for all the lives that have touched mine. It goes to show that no matter where we live or what type of jobs we have - we are all the same; people who love, who laugh, who cry, who are navigating thru life the best we can. It's so rewarding to have the opportunity to read about all of our different yet similar lives all over the world!

In honor of my 100th post, I am having a giveaway of my favorite things that encompass all of our 5 senses: touch, taste, sound, sight, smell. If you'd like to enter the drawing, just leave a comment by Monday evening - October 19th telling me how you have been inspired and what you have learned thru blogging. I will announce a winner on Tuesday morning! Please leave an email link on your comment.

I'd like to thank everyone that has stopped by my blog and left nice comments, and those that read but don't comment - you have all been a true inspiration in my life. I am extremely thankful and I appreciate everyone's kindness!

(photos via here)

sometimes you find...

Sometimes you find

an artist, whose images or words

inspire you

make you smile

make your heart sing

I have found that in Rodney White's work. I just adore them all and have a few of these in my office, they never fail to make me smile or think. Here is an excerpt from his website:

"I try to express my aspiration to live my best life, through my fascination with poetry, typography, numerology, vintage signs and advertising design. And through this method I try to encourage others to do the same. This is my way of learning, teaching, and inspiring.

I also love the natural deterioration of things, whether they are surfaces or objects. Things that have developed an aged, experienced look. Dirty things like antique labels, vintage posters and old books. Art will be around a long time to come- and what better messages to leave behind. No one ever gets tired of feeling good....No one should. "

pumpkin yum!

Elana's Pantry has a wonderful recipe for gluten free pumpkin cinnamon cheesecake! I have not been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, but I find that when I do eat gluten free foods, my body definitely feels alot better. In addition to Elana's Pantry, make sure to check out Gluten Free Girl's blog as she has alot of wonderful recipes too, and is the person that inspired me to try going gluten free. She is a truly creative writer, her joy in living is absolutely contagious!

After reading about Olivia Rae's weekend with her family, that involved pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes, my daughter and I wanted to try them out - so with the help of our favorite market Trader Joes, I made them for dinner - so delicious, a definite double yum!

I have to admit that I have yet to try the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks but since I have heard from several people how much they love it - I will give it a try.

So however you like your pumpkin, I hope you enjoy every bite or sip of it!

autumn loveliness...

I have had a crazy busy week at work,

but thought I would share some gorgeous

autumn photos with you!

Have a lovely day, everyone!


(photos via here)