winner

I was the lucky recepient of this package last week from one of my fave bloggers Jennifer from Circle of Love and the Craziness Around It. Beautifully packaged with a sweet note and I love her stationery (every girl should have her own personalized cards or notes!)
And in the package was this! A purse organizer that I didn't know I needed until I started using it. It already keeps my cell, camera, pens, nail files, perfume, wallet, hand sanitizers, note pad, lip gloss & chapsticks, etc, from becoming a jumbled mess...

...in here. This is my spring bag; a *vintage* Tory Burch tote, that is narrow and deep, so I am finding this organizer to be really helpful!

Please visit sweet Jennifer at her blog and keep an eye out for another FAB giveaway ;-)

Homes I Love...

Pine Beach, NJ Circa 1924 aka River Rest I love homes with names. I should name ours, though it's not as charming. This home is riverfront on the Toms River, where in the summer there are literally thousands of small white sailboats filled with kids learing to sail from the numerous yacht clubs on the river...Ocean Gate, Island Heights, Beachwood and Pine Beach.
The mural proves my point and I {{love}} it.

The gardens are dreamy as well...

updated kitchen and probably the only room in the home that does not have knotty pine walls. I have a love hate relationship with knotty pine, but in a river home, it just works.

River front at dusk...not a bad view if you can bring yourself to leave the garden.

From the Realtor: The homes name is "RIVER REST" Truly one of a kind! This home is so gorgeous, charming, loaded with character, with spectacular river views and any other descriptive word you can think of. A historic home, beautifully renovated. Gardens designed by a master gardener. open airy floor plan with wide porches.Come enjoy the tour.

I'll be back next week, in the meantime, have a beautiful weekend! Traci

More MDW {Semi} Wordless Wednesday

Brennan, Collin, Kelsey, Kayla, Tyler, Liz, Emily, Kate & James Kids had a 24-hour scavenger hunt. it was a pretty extensive list of items; 4-leaf clover, literature from the campground, dirty socks (ewww), marshmallows, pine cones, 3 types of flowers, a headlamp, and so much more. A headlamp?! For Collin we tied his flashlight to a band of fabric around his head...it's all about being creative.
After the kids go to bed...Card games & cocktails for the adults!


Some shenanigan's by the boys for our friends who arrived later than we did...Yes they look like grown men, but they are really 12.

Monkey boys....

Collin sitting in a drag race car at a track up the street from the campground. A whole bunch of fun in itself...http://www.maplegroveraceway.com/blog/

Memorial Day weekend digs

Our Memorial Day weekend was spent in the cabins at Sun Valley Campground in Bowmansville, PA.The cabins were heavenly for a long holiday weekend(with perfect weather). We had a group of about 20, 3 cabins and my godparents in their own RV. Our cabin housed the 4 of us, 2 pillow pets and my mom. The pack and play fit perfectly in our room.

Collin had the double bed in the loft to himself; which was good cause' most of us are clausterphobic and afraid of heights...

Shower, toilet, table for 4, full-size fridge, fan, small cable tv, kitchenette and coffee maker (Most Important).

See my "picnic pal". Formerly a 6-pack of beer, refashioned to hold ketchup, mustard, S&P, relish and hot sauce (or malt vinegar depending on the guests). Fill everything up and stick in the fridge and you are ready for an instant bbq! Bill drank a 6-pack of Land Shark Lager to get me my summer holder ;-D

I was super-impressed by the actually woodwork in this cabin. I was expecting paneled walls and drop ceilings and it wasn't. Chunky, solid, honey-colored...it was really beautiful.

If you are in the northeast, I highly recommend this place. We live at the shore, so this was a great alternative for our kids who see beach all the time. They also have a pool, stocked lake for fishing, playgrounds, karaoke and bands, campstore, ice cream counter, etc....and it is reasonably priced and clean. Really reasonably priced. Check it out here: http://www.sunvalleycamping.com/

Coming Soon ~ I won a fabulous giveaway and I'll be showing it off later this week!!

~Registry~

Not mine, I'm done! I am wedding shopping for friends and family and it brings me back. I slightly regret that Bill had nothing to do with it, not because he wouldn't, because I didn't let him. Although he got to shop for cigars and humidors for his groomsmen, so that's ok, right??


I love looking at registeries. It's interesting. I had my grandmothers china and my stoneware from my bachelorette days, so I didn't register for place settings. Just linens, flatware, small appliances, calphalon and bakeware.

My bakeware/serveware/accessory of choice is Portmeirion Sophie Conran White, some of which is pictured here.

It's practical and displays beautifully. Unfortunately, my accent pieces, Tracy Porter Artesian Road (seen here http://coastalpines.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-1st-blog-experience-and-i-didnt-even.html), beat out the Sophie Conran in the display hutch. Someday I will have a display area for all of my whiteware. In the meantime, they are a fabulous product. The casseroles, roasters, platters, pie & butter dishes, I love them all. I also found some new pieces that have come out since...hello juicer and measuring cups!

All photos and description via Macy's. PORTMEIRION: From celebrated chef and food writer, Sophie Conran, comes this artfully designed serveware collection. Created with the "foodie" in mind, this versatile set moves from table to oven with the utmost ease, looking beautifully crafted throughout your entire culinary journey. You can find it here: http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=237763&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

***On another note*** I am S T I L L having trouble with blogger :( I can't comment on posts, etc...very frustrating. I am reading blogs faithfully! Please stick with me until i get this figured out, i am currently waiting on a reply from blogger. Thank you, Traci xoxo

~Prayers~

I am joining my friend Daphne to take a break from blogging and instead I'll say a prayer for those devastated in the south and midwest by the tornadoes. I will resume posting next week, at which time I am sure I will be bursting with creativity {insert sarcasm here}!

Summer Mantel

Our Summer Mantel 2011 Although I'm not digging it as a whole, it is comprised of things I love. That does NOT include the pumpkin accent wall that was a late pregnancy decision or the brassy yucky doors. Note: the birdcage was my 1st ever Pottery Barn purchase circa 1995 :)
The FAB silver votives were a recent Tuesday Morning purchase and the brass propeller was a gift to me from an elderly neighbor (rip Mrs. Krowicky); it was from her husbands little boat from the 30's, it's near & dear to my heart...

A poster purchased on Ebay, years ago, beautifully framed by a friend.

Starfish on a Stick from a local shoppe, the Dancing Crab in Normandy Beach. An embossed mercury glass vase and some faux cattails round it out...

Lastly, my {pitiful} palm in a pot that I love from Compass Rose in Kill Devil Hills and a wrought iron bobble-bird from Tuesday Morning (my newly discovered, favorite store ~ if you can see past the junk!)

Thank you for stopping by...and Happy Summer!

“Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet.” Bob Marley