A year ago today, I sent my first blog post of Life at Bella Terra.  It was an intimidating moment, because I thought “who would ever want to read this?”  I don’t consider myself a very good writer and I’m really trying to improve upon that.  But your words of encouragement have brought me back to the computer to post again and again.  If it wasn’t for your kindness and support, it would have been easy to just quit.  Thank you for your loyalty and feedback and comments. Truly. From the bottom of my heart.

Each time I send out an email letting you know I’ve created a new post, I am praying you find it interesting, enlightening or even motivating.  I try to share a small piece of loveliness in hopes that I can brighten your day. As I look out into the world, I believe we each need to find sources of joy and create our own beauty.  Whether it be feeling the warmth from a freshly picked tomato, or the scent of a homegrown flower, these moments of perfection can only help feed the soul.

Blogging for me, is a chance to stop and capture a sliver of time, an exquisite photo or a recipe that bursts with flavor. Plus it is forcing me to attack those cluttered corners of the house or undone projects while showing you my progress. But I can honestly say, I am still a long way from feeling confident about creatively illustrating that to you. But I will keep trying.

So here is a look back at the year and some of my favorite photos and posts.

My very first blog post was about the New York Times Bestselling author, Rhys Bowen and the fundraising English tea we had here at Bella Terra.

And other events we happily hosted here…..

Recipes shared…..

My Renovations and Restorations….

Travel and leisure…..

Decorating and Design…

The holidays….

Cleaning, Organizing, and Updating…

Sharing our home and yard….

My attempt at art….

Flower arranging..

Our pets…

And a few DIYs….

My online store….

There is still so much to learn, especially better photography, writing and getting my watermarks the same size on every photo.  So thank you again for following me and sharing my blog with others.

PLEASE send in your comments~~What area of interest would you like for me to expand? What are your favorite topics? How often should I post (trying to do a maximum of twice per week)? What can I do to be better for you?  My goals for the next year are to do a contest or giveaway and conduct a real survey into your likes and interests.

Here’s to one year and onto the next!! I couldn’t have done it without you.

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Collection: the act or process of getting things from different places and bringing them together 

As much as I would like to downsize, I do admit to collecting a few things.  For each of my children, I started their first collections with a new Christmas tree ornament and snow globe every year….the collection will stop when they reach 21 years old.  Once they have their own apartments or home, then those collections will be sent to them.

I tuck a note in each ornament box sharing a few words about their stage in life, what they were interested in and how we spent that holiday.  I hope they will enjoy those messages and their holiday collections as they grow older.

I will share two of my personal collections with you.  One is sand…..yes, sand.  As you have heard me say before, I love the ocean.  Each time I visit a different beach I collect a small amount of sand.  The sand is from:  Mexico, Hawaii, Jamaica, Maine, California, Texas, Rhode Island, France, Russia and Greece. Along with the sand, there are shells and sea glass.

I am amazed how different sand is ~~ from color to texture to size of particles.  The whitest and finest sand is from Mexico. My daughter brought me red Sand from Red Sand Beach, Santorini, Greece and black sand from Perissa Black Beach in Santorini, Greece.  The sand most similar to each other is from Newport Beach,California and Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

I have mixed feelings about the sand I gathered from Omaha and Utah Beach during a tour of Normandy in France.  I considered this sacred ground and keep it with the upmost respect.

The Maine and Jamaica sand have similar shades of what I would consider “sand” color. I display the sand jars in the family room on shelves.  I think they do deserve better labels vs. ones from my label machine, but I’ll get to that someday!

My next collection is rosary beads.  When the World’s Fair came to New York City, I remember being in awe of seeing Michelangelo’s Pieta, which was on loan from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy.  It was sculpted in 1499 when Michelangelo was 24. My mother purchased The Pieta rosary and I was so fortunate to get it after her death.

Another favorite rosary I purchased was from the Vatican during our Italy trip in 2014. Each and every one is different~~the crucifix, centerpiece and beads.

I have my Aunt Gail and Aunt Jerry’s rosary beads and others I have collected from various parts of the world.  The one with the crystal crucifix is from Waterford Crystal in Waterford, Ireland and the red and blue rosaries were purchased in Mexico.

So what do you collect?  Please let me know!

When I was in 11th grade I worked over the Christmas holidays at our local florist, Johnson Flowers and Gifts in Norwich, Connecticut.  In hindsight, I wish I had paid more attention to the ins and outs of flower arranging, but being 17, I’m sure I was more interested in boys vs. blossoms.

Over the last few years I have been asked to create centerpieces for various charitable events.  In 2012, I offered to make 120 centerpieces for my son’s high school fashion show.  I was promised a committee to help, but funny how those things don’t always work out.  To have a professional do it would have been cost prohibitive so I thought, how hard can this be?  I should know by now that when I hear that question in my head, warning signals should go off.

The centerpiece had to include a keepsake item (etched wine bucket) and be in the school colors (red and white). The good news was the event was a success, the centerpieces were perfect and it only took a few weeks for my back to stop aching.

Leading up to the event, I practiced making various flower arrangements of different sizes, flowers, and containers. Since it has been a while since I made a centerpiece that didn’t consist of putting cut flowers in a vase, I was inspired to do so this weekend.

I went to our local Safeway and purchased a dozen white roses, mini hydrangea, white carnations and green spider mums.

The container is actually one I had purchased online as a sample for the above mentioned event–it has an elegant look but was very affordable. The bowl is 9″ in diameter and 5″ high.

It’s important to use Wet Foam vs. dry foam (I made that mistake once~~dry foam works with artificial flowers).  I purchased a FloraCraft 4 brick pack at Michael’s for $6.99.  The foam is very easy to cut to fit the container you are using.

Soak the foam in a container with clean water for 1-2 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed into the brick.

Since my foam is packed into my bowl, I did not need to secure it with waterproof anchor tape.

Determine what size and shape you want your arrangement.  Using floral shears or garden clippers, cut the stems at a 45 degree angle before inserting them into the foam.  This angle allows for easier insertion and insures maximum water uptake. I started with my roses and created a “dome” to outline the approximate size of the arrangement.

I then used the hydrangeas, spider mums, and carnations to fill in the gaps.  Remember to count your stems and spread them out accordingly.  Make sure stems do not come out on the other side of the foam.

Carnations are such a great filler and can be spread apart to give them more volume .

The spider mums and the carnations were the most difficult to push into the foam. I broke a few in the process. Also, as much as I LOVE hydrangeas, I haven’t had good luck with them once they are cut.  They don’t seem to last as long as other flowers in an arrangement. But I keep trying!

When the arrangement is complete, add water to the bowl and check the water level every day.

Here is the finished product which I placed on the table in the front entry!

Someday when I have lots of time, I would love to have an abundant flower garden where I could experiment with more dramatic arrangements.

Thank you to my two daughters for being hand models~~it’s a bit of a challenge to do the tasks and take photos!

The lifeblood of our household revolves around the kitchen, especially the coffee/tea counter. In the mornings, this portion of the kitchen is crowded, with each family member making their favorite beverage. For my daughter, it is tea in all its forms-loose leaf, tea bags, compressed blocks that require specific water temperatures and steeping times. For the rest of us, life begins around the Nespresso machine and the numerous flavors of coffee pods.

This is a rather hectic and cluttered part of the kitchen.  The good news is that everything you need to make coffee drinks and tea is here~~mugs, teacups, flavorings, toppings, timer, etc. But it’s rather messy nearly all the time.

Large glass containers hold tea bags and Nespresso pods, which take up too much space but I haven’t come up with a better alternative.

The counter is angled between the Dacor gas range on the left and the SubZero refrigerator and freezer on the right.  Though the picture doesn’t capture the color accurately, the granite countertop is a dark green with sage marbling and flecks of cranberry.  The hand made tile backsplash is from Waterworks.

I’ve been pondering how to make this area more efficient.  So I cleared everything off the counter and started from scratch. I’m not a big fan of having lots of appliances on the counters, but in this area, the three machines (Nespresso machine, electric teapot, and milk frother) are used multiple times every day.

I found this tiered tray at my favorite garden destination, Whitfill Nursery.  They converted a small adobe home on the property as a store and offer unique garden and home items.  Painted Fox also has a very nice selection of tiered trays online.  Initially I thought it may be too wide, but it seems to be able to handle our favorite coffee cups, flavorings, tea supplies and toppings.

I have a few favorite cups, which I refer to as my “happy” cups.  For some reason they make me smile (a great way to start the day) and all of them are from Anthropologie.

We will test drive this new coffee/tea station design and see how it works.  I am pleased I have one less cluttered counter!

I have always liked the look of a French Bistro Chair. I recently had all the staging furniture removed from my Willetta house restoration (see post here), primarily because it was an added expense every month. The house has such beautiful bones,  and it shows well whether it is furnished or not. I did keep the kitchen table in place, but I needed some chairs~~and thought it was a great idea (excuse!) to finally purchase some French bistro chairs.

I have been eyeing the ones at Serena & Lily but couldn’t justify spending the amount they wanted per chair (plus their handling fees). In addition, I was looking for ones I could use both indoors and out.

As a newbie blogger, as you can tell, I don’t have any advertisers or sponsors.  The good news is my blog posts are not cluttered with ads. If I am recommending a product or service, I am not receiving any compensation at all from the vendor/supplier.  I just believe when you find a good bargain or a great product, it’s worth sharing.

In my online search for this retro chair, I happened upon a GREAT price at Joss & Main.  I ordered 3 sets (6 chairs) in the grey/white. They are called Sawyer Patio Chairs. 

For 2 chairs (yes, 2!)  the price was $219.99 (approximately $110 each) with free shipping.  They come in Blue, Blue/White, Grey/White, Red/White and Yellow/White.  I believe they might be currently out of stock on all except the red/white ones.

The manufacturer is Safavieh and in searching them online, I discovered you can buy these chairs at several locations~~Hayneedle, Overstock, Wayfair and Target.  I also discovered that you can get them for less than $219.99, however, most at the lower prices had limited color selections or were out-of-stock and no longer available.

Here’s what I like about them:  The frames are aluminum which makes them lightweight; they are stackable; and the woven wicker is waterproof and weatherproof. Plus they are VERY comfortable and a bit playful.  Their dimensions are : 18″ wide x 21.6″ deep x 34.6″ high.  After the Willetta house sells, I am planning on using these chairs around a pine farm dining table which is outside on our deck at our cabin.

I ordered these chairs on June 21 and received them on June 28th.  The ordering process online was fast and easy and everything arrived in perfect condition. Perhaps with some more research I could have found these chairs elsewhere for less, but I am very happy with my experience with Joss & Main from start to finish. …worth spending a few extra dollars.

As I write this, we are currently up in the mountains.  The wind has shifted and we can now smell the smoke from the fires.  We pray for all the fire fighters who are spending their holiday weekend battling the numerous fires in Arizona.

Be safe and have a wonderful July 4th holiday.

We have a lovely space outside of our master bedroom that has been sorely neglected.  It is located on the second story so it feels like it we are up in the tree tops. It is very private and surrounded by lush foliage. There’s a wonderful view over to the pool house and is ideal for watching sunsets.

The cast metal furniture has oxidized over time and little maintenance had been done to the deck such as cleaning and sweeping.

We added this fireplace during our original restoration/renovation but we hardly seem to use it as this space has never felt attractive or inviting.

I don’t know what prompted me to get busy with this part of our home, but after I purchased 5 cans of Rust-Oleum spray paint from Lowe’s in Metallic Oil-Rubbed Bronze I was up and running.  I’ve used spray paint cans before and have suffered from a stiff index finger in the process.  I am very happy to find this tool which is very inexpensive and so well worth it. The handle clips onto a spray paint can and all you have to do is squeeze the handle.  So easy!

The table top has a stone insert that was not removable so I covered it with paper and used Scotch’s blue painters tape to protect the stone from overspray.

Each piece of outdoor furniture is sprayed with new paint. After they are all dry, it is time to put the seating area back together.

And here is the AFTER.

The rug I ordered online through Rugs Direct.  I’ve had rather good luck with this company and have been very happy with their selection, their prices and the speed of their delivery.  This 8′ x 10′ Caspian (1005D) outdoor rug cost $199 (with free delivery) and it defines the space.

The throw, pillows, lanterns and acrylic glasses and tray are from Pier One Imports.  I haven’t been there in some time and I am always so impressed with their selection of products. The cushions are covered in Sunbrella fabric. The furniture was purchased several years ago and I believe the manufacturer is Pompeii.

Pier One has such a nice selection of outdoor trays and dinnerware.  Look at this tray-the details are so pottery-like but unbreakable!

I imagine this will now become a favorite spot for a cup of coffee or glass of wine.

Some things to learn about this project:

1.  Wear gloves unless you want to scrub off your first layer of skin to get the paint off.
2.  Wear shoes or socks.  I was barefoot and yes, I had to scrub and scrub to get the paint off my feet.
3.  Make sure you put down an appropriate amount of protective sheets or drop cloths.  Mine were a bit small and yes, there was overspray.  Thankfully I was able to scrub that off the deck.  Lots of scrubbing after this project!
4. Check the paint color before you start.  I didn’t dislike this paint enough to stop and purchase more, but I do wish it was a bit lighter.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it on Pinterest.

This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Mondays #604