The Ultimate Baby Wardrobe

I have this wonderful antique armoire in our bedroom. It was a very generous housewarming gift from our friend & former landlord. The armoire is old, weathered and full of character. Ornate silver sheeting cover areas in the aged wood that have seen better days.

Hello Again!

Wow, I didn’t realize how long it had been since my last post! I’ve been wanting to start blogging again for quite a while now, but I’d developed a case of writer’s block. What to write about and how to get started again after such a long break eluded me. So let’s just catch up and get reacquainted, ok?

Banana Bread & House Guests

Last week my dear friend Karen came for a visit with her husband, Alex, and their two adorable kids, Amelia and Christian. It was a great visit, and a wonderful opportunity to get to know Karen's children better. I taught Christian how to make smoothies and Amelia all the different ways a sarong can be tied. Here's a picture of the kids making their own pizza for Friday night movie night.

Linen Water

This week I've been preparing for my friend Karen's visit with her family. It's their first time to the Virgin Islands, and they are very excited to leave the unpredictable DC weather behind for a few days. Prepping for Karen's visit next week has got me thinking about the things that set a guest room apart from a hotel room, and the little touches which make any guest feel at home. Books to read, good lighting, fresh flowers, dark window treatments, a comfy bed, soft sheets, all good starts yet predictable. But linen water, ah ha, that's one of those "little something special" treats you do for guests, especially one that has been a friend for almost 20 years!

I am obsessed with fabric, so it is no surprise that I make my own linen water too!

HoneyJito, just in time for St. Patty's Day!

Here's my Caribbean take on green beer and Irish whiskey, a Honey Mojito or what I call a HoneyJito.

Seeing Green!

I was in the print studio last week working on my new collection of handprinted home furnishings. I printed so many napkins, pillows and tablecloths, that the studio simply couldn't hold them all! Luckily the weather was gorgeous, and our sun-filled deck is right upstairs! This is what our deck looked like on Friday, when I printed my Coral Garden and Teyer Palm patterns in Seagrass Green!

Mirror, Mirror

I was hard pressed to find a vanity mirror which embodied the Caribbean Chic style so I made my own using seashells!

My version uses crushed capiz shells, however the mirror would easily work using other types of shells.

Here's what you'll need to make your own:

Materials:

• 3 identical framed mirrors (I used 3 inexpensive Ikea mirrors with a pine wood frame)
• 4, 1.5" hinges & screws
• Paint in a color to match your shells
• Paint Brush
• Craft glue that dries clear
• Seashells ( I used crushed capiz shells)
• Painter's tape or Masking tape
• Newspaper

Directions:

1. Tape each mirror around the inner edges of the frame (where the mirror meets the frame).
2. Cut and arrange newspaper so that it covers the remainder of the mirror. This will protect your mirrors from starching. Secure the newspaper in place with tape.
3. Paint the frames and let them dry completely.
4. Flip the mirrors over, so that the backs are facing up. On the back of the center mirror, measure and mark 1/3 of the distance from the top and bottom of each side. Measure and mark the same distance on the right and left side (respectively) of the side mirrors.
5. Screw a hinge at each marking of the center mirror (2 hinges per side). Align your side mirrors to the left and right of the center mirror and attach them to the hinges. Make sure the bottom of the 3 mirrors are flush, otherwise the mirror will not stand properly.
6. Flip the 3 attached mirrors over, right side up. Apply glue to the frames and arrange the shells over the glue. Work your way around each frame, one mirror at a time. Let dry.

Variations:

I made a 3-sided vanity mirror, skip a few steps and try a single mirror for a dramatic statement piece.

Substitute other natural materials such as sand or fan coral in place of the seashells for a different look.

Have fun!

CC

Bring the Outdoors In with a Bamboo Shower Wall

A stylish, yet inexpensive, alternative for a shower enclosure is a natural water barrier made from bamboo.

Necessity is the mother of invention here! After our enormous island home renovation, the costs to make, crate, ship and install glass panels to enclose our master shower was exorbitant! I created my own organic version out of lucky bamboo and areca palms.

Lucky Bamboo (or Dracaena sanderana by its botanical name) is not bamboo at all, but actually a member of the Lily family. It is incredibly resilient, likes warm places and requires little sunlight and water. It's an ideal, low-maintenance choice for a bathroom. I used it to separate the shower from the tub.

I bought 10 loose stalks from the Home Depot on St. Thomas. I cut the long stalks in half and placed them in a vase filled with a few inches of water until the freshly cut stalks developed strong roots (about 6 weeks).

I planted a straight, evenly spaced roll of lucky bamboo in 2, 24-inch plastic flower boxes (10 stalks per box). To dress up the inexpensive flower boxes, I applied a rich walnut colored epoxy paint inside and out, using a distressed painting technique which give the boxes depth and texture. I finished the boxes with a coat of polyurethane for shine. I planted the bamboo in good potting soil and covered the soil with island pebbles and stones we used for the shower. The bamboo does a good job keeping the water from splashing out. It is about 2 feet in height now, and is filling in nicely. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the areca palms at the foot of the shower entrance. I think I may soon replace these with a few extra-long, thick clusters of lucky bamboo. Perhaps in the future I may change my mind and install a glass enclosure, but for now I'm loving this pulled together, low maintenance outdoor shower feel!

CC