Happy Saturday!! I am thankful for the weekend, because it means I have a little time to catch up on work after this whirlwind week.  The early morning sun is beautiful this morning and the smell of coffee brewing has me excited!

As I mentioned yesterday I was honored by Monica over at Splendid Willow with a Beautiful Blogger Award… Thank you Thank you! I consider myself a “newbie” when it comes to blogging so to be thought of already is wonderful.

I adore her blog – it’s filled with great inspiration and a burst of happiness! And although no obligation required, I was asked to share 7 things about myself that you may not know.  Now how can you get recognized and not return the favor?? Although this is a design related blog, I decided to share some slightly unrelated bits about myself.  I figure you can learn some of my personal design secrets, favorites, loves, dislikes, ah-ha moments, etc in my general posts.  So here we go with some randomness about myself.

1.  This is where it all began….
This is my beautiful house I grew up in that my father built on the Cape.  My parents still live there and I love every chance I get to go visit.

2. My Child…
Although I don’t have any kids, I do have a wonderful dog Abbi whom I spoil rotten! She was the cutest puppy ever (Yes, I’m the biased parent) and now she is the cutest 3-1/2 year dog!  Her ears are always lop sided: left up – right down.. which sometimes promotes the name calling “flip flop.”  She will eat anything that you give her, but she loves baby carrots and watermelon!! She is a horrible fetcher (loves the chase, but doesn’t particularly find the need to bring whatever back), Loves the beach like me, and thinks snow storms are SO fun!!

3.  Shoe Problem…
Some might say that I am slightly addicted to shoes.  I love them.  Really.  Here’s a few:

And although I love them, my favorite place for my toes to be is in the sand…

4. Coffee Junkie…
This may be a given considering I write about coffee all the time! However, I have recently been addicted to CoolBrew. It is Cold brewed coffee concentrate and is absolutely to die for!

5.  Shells and Rocks….
It is a must that when I go to the beach, any beach, I pick up some shells or rocks.  I love to collect them and enjoy knowing that when I look at my collection (which is scattered into several containers) they are from all the beaches my toes have ever touched…

6.  Snowy Beaches…
One of my favorite times to go to the beach is in the winter.  I love the sound when the sand is frozen and it cracks underneath your feet.  Seeing icy edges of the water, snowdrifts on the dunes, that fresh frozen air – It’s the best time to watch a sunset.  This image is from the beach that was next to my house on the cape.

7.  Foodie Wannabe…
I inherited the love to cook from my Mom. I think the best place to shop is at your local farmers market to get the freshest ingredients .  I love making food look pretty while being served and just before it is eaten.  I enjoy searching for new dishes and platters, then figuring out where to store them.  I always buy white dishes and clear glasses and mugs ~ I think food looks better on them.  My favorite table setting includes fresh picked flowers and a large group of friends.

8. And Last, but the most important…
My family is my anchor.  My Dad, Mom, and brother inspire me everyday to be better.  They ground me. Make me laugh.  Push me. Remind me who I am and where I came from when I get lost.  I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without their love. So Thank you.

My final thought for the morning comes from a list I have on my fridge and it was given to me in high school.  I have it on the same worn piece of paper from the day I received it.  I’m not sure where it is from, but I try to remind myself of at least one a day.

One: Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
Two: Marry a Man/Woman you love to talk to.  As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
Three: Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
Four: When you say, “I love you, ” mean it.
Five: When you say, “I’m Sorry,” look the person in the eye.
Six: Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
Seven: Believe in love at first sight.
Eight: Never laugh at any one’s dreams.  People who don’t have dreams don’t have much.
Nine: Love deeply and passionately.  You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live completely.
Ten: In disagreements, fight fairly.  No name calling.
Eleven: Don’t judge people by their relatives.
Twelve: Talk slowly bu think quickly.
Thirteen: When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and ask, “why do you want to know?”
Fourteen: Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
Fifteen: Say “bless you” when you hear someone sneeze.
Sixteen: When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
Seventeen: Remember the three R’s: Respect for others, Respect for self, and Responsibility for all your actions.
Eighteen: Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
Nineteen: When you realize you have made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Twenty: Smile when picking up the phone.  The caller will hear it in your voice.
Twenty One:  Spend time alone.

Well, I’m not sure if that was the info you were looking for, but I can tell you there is LOTS more to learn! I hope you continue on this journey with me to see where it lands!
Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy your Day!