Sunday, June 30, 2013

Meet Mrs. D'Orazio


I have to thank you all SO much for your beautiful heartfelt wishes..................the wedding was a dream come true.
I kept telling everyone " I may appear taller than I actually am - because I'm standing on cloud 9 "

I'll fill you in a little more - and share photos as soon as the photographer has finished with them!
It was original - it was special - and above all else it was incredibly perfect - people kept telling us - repeatedly they couldn't remember being at a more joyous - fun - wedding.

Lindsay, my precious, you ROCKED it.......................you absolutely rocked it!!!


On another note, I'm guest posting for Karen at Somewhat Quirky today - if you don't already follow her this is one incredible DIY'er..........and I'm humbled to to be asked to share a post for her :)

Have a beautiful Monday all -
And I do promise - there's photos to share - I just can't access them right now....................

I have to find a ladder to come down off this cloud at some point ( but I really really like it up here )

An email I received from one of my oldest friends - who had to leave earlier then she wanted - fresh tears of joy reading these beautiful words.
Sandy - thanks SO much for sharing this day with us.

Dear Suzan,

Me and Brian have been talking about the wedding all day.  Lindsay was so beautiful – the wedding was awesome...she
did an amazing job.  It was emotional,  humorous, whimsical a wedding like no other, so happy to be part of it in the company
of dear friends.  I was looking at the pictures and can not get over how colourful they are- they POP!  As Lindsay was walking
down the isle – memories flooded my mind – just seems like yesterday we were her age.  I can only imagine how emotional
it was for you.  Wish I did not have to leave – I’m sure I missed one hell of a party!

Susan I know how proud you were of Lindsay on such a special day  -   I just want you to know how proud I am of you! – You have
raised three awesome kids!

Talk to yah soon
Your oldest friend

XO

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Today's the day - they'll say " I DO "

Because they're going to the chapel and they're going to be married.................





hmmmm - let's see


can't you look a little more excited kids?

I mean you're getting married today - even if the sun isn't shining - and it's a little colder then normal out there

I MEAN C'MON YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!


That's better !!!

What am I doing typing this up on the verge of a nervous breakdown?

Because THIS calms me down -

Gotta Go -

John says - DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE BLOGGING - ARE YOU INSANE??????????????
John says - YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO PRIORITIZE - I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS
John says - I'll turn the computer off Suzan - we have to start getting ready
John says - Suzan...............Let's go............

Sorry guys - Gotta run....................

Have a beautiful day all........................

Panic has officially set in - I feel exactly the way Lindsay looks in the next photo!!!!!!!!!!!


On another note - Kirby from Kirb Appeal interviewed me yesterday - you can hop over HERE to read it!

XOXOXOXO

Friday, June 28, 2013

Four Strong Winds that blow lonely.................

Four strong winds that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All these things that don't change come what May 
But our good times have all gone
And I'm bound for moving on
I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way.................

This is one of my all time favorite songs - you may know it by Neil Young - even Johnny Cash sang it - but
it was written by ( and sung by ) Ian Tyson - during the folk movement of the late 60's early 70's Canada exported a lot of talent - Jodi Mitchell - Neil Young - Gordon Lightfoot - and I know I'm missing a ton of them here but they're the ones that come to mind.

Think I'll go out to Alberta
Weather's good there in the fall
Got some friends that I can go to working for
Still I wish you'd change your mind
If I asked you one more time
But we've been through that a hundred times or more

and of course it makes me think of one of Canada's most breath taking provinces - when we think of Alberta
we think of this


and this

source

If I get there before the snow flies
And if things are going good
You could meet me if I send you down the fare
But if you wait until it's winter
It will be no good
'Cause that wind sure can blow way out there

source
source
and of course the Calgary Stampede

source
where sometimes Royalty dress the part and join in

source

Source
In my mind's eye, when I think of Calgary, I see this



Four strong winds that blow lonely 
Seven seas that run dry 

I never in my life time could have imagined associating our beloved Alberta with this


100,000 had to be evacuated due to this record breaking flooding....................



Beautiful Alberta
She's hurting
and it hurts me - more than I can say


This proud, beautiful province has been brought to her knees


and has brought me to mine.........................

heartfelt prayers to all who have been affected by this horrific act of nature.

donations - of any kind - can be given through the Canadian Red Cross by linking HERE




Much love Alberta - from the other side of Canada

Thursday, June 27, 2013

It's a Bloglovin' Party!!!


Welcome to bloglovin' and blog hopping Thursday once again!  We are so happy to be joining together to bring you the  bloglovin' Blog Hop to help grow our blogs.   It's always a great idea to have many ways for friends to follow your blog. 

Each week we rotate one other social media to follow.  This week we are adding your blog and Pinterest along with bloglovin'!  Friends can hop on over to visit your blog.   

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us last week.  We hope you made some new friends! 




Please follow each hostess, and leave us a comment so we can return the follow!   Please follow your hostesses and visit other at least 3 or 4 other links!  

We would love to feature a co-host each week, so please send one of us an email if you would like to be a co-host.  We would love for you to join us!

Please link up your bloglovin' follow link.  To find your URL, just click on your follow by bloglovin' button.  Copy and past the URL link.  That's all there is to it!  

Thank you so much for joining us!  We hope you make many new friends and followers each week.  

Not mandatory, but we would love for you to share our blog hop button.    That's a great way for us to all gain new friends. 


                                      Hostesses:


Your Modern Family                                                           ref="nofollow"

Becky @ Your Modern Family                            Doreen @  HouseHoneys  

                                                                       
                                          ref="nofollow"
 Kathe @ Kathe with an E                                      Kathy @ Life on Lakeshore Drive     



My Photo                                             My Photo  

Suzan @ Simply Vintageous                                     Tammy @ One More Time Events   
















Wednesday, June 26, 2013

A Red Headed Woman...............

Well brunettes are fine, man
Blondes are fun ( I can vouch for that btw )
But when it comes to getting the dirty job done
I'll take a Red Headed Woman................

A little Bruce Springsteen to start your day off

And a Red Headed Woman to go with it..................

ASCP Emperor's Silk - dresser makeover






For those of you that haven't jumped on the Chalk Paint craze yet - and find it costly - 1 tin
covered the above dresser and the below dresser


and there's enough left to paint - oh I don't know - a mirror - or a small stool...............so the coverage is amazing


add that to the fact that you don't have to use a primer ( which can be costly in and of itself )
and you really do have an affordable paint here...................

Paints used
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - Emperor's Silk
Rustoleum Spray - Black for handles

This one lasted a day - and it was signed - sealed - and to be delivered this afternoon

Have a great Thursday all!
Hugs,

Sharing with!!!
French Country Cottage                          Not Just a Housewife                   No Minimalist Here
The Shabby Creek Cottage                     My Romantic Home                     The Shabby Nest
Homemaker on a dime                            Under the table & dreaming

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

I WANNA live there # 43

I live in a pretty incredible area - in Montreal, It's an historical neighbourhood loaded with tons and tons of charm - and 20th century architecture, just steps away from the city center, it's also a pretty expensive neighbourhood ( in which I live in servants quarters basically compared to what I'm surrounded by ) 
Because there are days I don't have furniture makeovers to show you - I've chosen Wednesdays to showcase and feature one or two homes that are for sale around here.................( or apartment - or duplex - or teepee )
Keep in mind this is in the heart of the city - so the prices reflect that  - think Manhattan - where these places would cost 3 or 4 times what they're listed for here!
On occasion I'll showcase beautiful homes in other areas - countries - continents - the one thing most of them will have have in common will be their age - because I love old homes with stories to tell, join me won't you?
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Summer time................cottages up north - they go together like ( like rama lama lama ) 
So I thought we go up to St Agathe Des Monts - here in Quebec - and see what's doing!!!
We call this area " the Laurentians "


Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts is a town in the province of Quebec in the regional county municipality of Les Laurentides, in the administrative region of Laurentides, also known as the "Laurentians" or the Laurentian Mountains (in English). Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts borders on a lake called Lac des Sables, and is located approximately 100 kilometres north of Montreal.
The town has been twinned with Lagny-sur-MarneFrance since 1969 and Saranac LakeNew York since 2002.
Next to Mont Tremblant, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts has the largest population of English-speaking summer cottage residents in the Laurentians (with a smaller but still sizable winter cottage population as well, particularly on the weekends).[citation needed]  In addition to a French population
Generations of cottagers from English Montreal, Ontario, New York, and New Jersey vacation amidst the lakes and mountains surrounding the town
First one up is listed at 319,900
3 bedrooms - 3 baths 
Listing agent Steven Deckelbaum



The exterior in no way reflects how charming this home is on the inside



Isn't that magnificent - and I - who do not like wood - would leave every glorious piece of it here in tact!!!
Nor would I touch this beautiful stone fireplace



or the doors - the doors could stay like that too!



and those window frames?  nope - no paint - 



in fact I'd never bring a paintbrush up here - ever 



I LOVE how the kitchen is down a few steps - feels very European kind of............



The solarium



the other side




Master bedroom



basement






it's not off a lake - but it has an in ground pool


and beautiful gardens


and a creek - this could sell me alone.................


Oh yes - I could most definitely,


Live there !!!!!!!!!!

And then of course there's the option of renting a cottage by the lake for your summer vacation!

Situated approximately 7 minutes from the town St. Agathe-des- Monts, Quebec, Canada for fine and casual dining, groceries, etc. 1 hour north of Montreal.  25 minutes to Tremblant Village and ski, 17 minutes to Mont Blanc, 20 minutes to Mont Saint Sauveur.

Lac Magnon is a 1.5 km long lake with long shallow beach areas, lily pads & duck families!
The lake has a beautiful shallow water channel that connects to Lac Arpin, a large unpopulated northern lake with beautiful open water and forests.

AAA rated fresh mountain water (drinkable)

Very good natural fishing lake

www.cottagevaction.com

This is the sweetest cottage - oh I could spend a couple of weeks here -



Does it get prettier than this?




this next photo fills me with such peace................an old picnic table - a rusted barbque - 2 old fashioned deck chairs - a bird house - and a lake.............




I'll show you the interior - but really after seeing the exterior - does it even matter???





Isn't it too cute for words?
Could you spend a week or 2 there?

If I close my eyes - I can actually smell it - it smells of  noxema and hotdogs on the grill and fly swatters and cherry flavored kool aid and flip flops and egg sandwiches and sand in my bathing suit and hide and go seek and canoe rides and other moments from my childhood..........


Have a great Wednesday all!
Much love,


Sharing with!!!
No Minimalist Here                                    French Country Cottage
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