Dominican Life: Decor

I figure I would start making some post so you guys are more familiar to my little piece of Heaven The Dominican Republic. Yes, we are a third world country in the Caribbean, but we have so much culture to offer.

Yes, we have very poor areas, but we also have very beautiful cities that show our Spanish and French influences. We are known for beautiful beaches and our amazing tasty food.

Hopefully you get to experience some of it thru these series of post. Lets start with decor. Although we do love or tropical colors, we are not too keen on really bright furniture, such as in Jamaica per say. We do tend to like things like dark woods and wicker, and of course some traditional style furniture. Most places have their own artisans that carve and make these pieces. Usually you can find someone to make any kind of furniture for you or even design it yourself since it's a fraction of the cost than the US.

I remember growing up seeing some painted furniture on my grandpa's home, then the trend went away, and like all good things is back in style again.

I'm showing some examples of the decor from Casa Cuesta, one of the most popular design stores in our country (you can find them on FB and go thru their albums)





We kind sort of love to decorate with greenery and fruits/vegetables.







We also like using simple things we find in our home, such as twigs. Can this be more simple and cuter?
I think I am going to copy this one with the corks




Love this look too



I wanted to include some of my family homes, but all of them include people in it...so I may add it at a later time. The next post would be about food (with recipes), then travel information and destinations. So what do you think?

If you have any questions or ideas, let me know.

Over & out

Tuesday Candles

I'm skipping this Tuesday's lovely post from "My Chihuahua bites" since is about our favorite toys. I had many toys I liked, such as my bike, some dolls, etc. but growing up in a place where is summer year around I spent all the time possible going to pool, the beach, hanging out with friends out doors, climbing a tree in the neighbor school to get some "ciruelas", etc.

I'm overly tired from not sleeping AGAIN, I am going to have to implement some tricks I found in a magazine because this being tired all day is not working for me. I'm just easily distracted at night, and even more easily amused by silly things on tv: Giant Squid caught on Camera? hecks YEAH I'm watching...and I did. And therefore I am never ever ever going scuba diving. EVER!.

So today I'm keeping it short, I'm showing you the candles I recently got! Candles can totally change the mood in the house and when you are surrounded by boys and they even like it, you know you are in the right track. Plus they are cheaper then redecorating :)

I recently won a fabulous giveaway from Ashley @ "Domestic Fashionista" and seriously, this has got to be the most decadent candle ever...I'm afraid I would become addicted but thankfully she mentioned that she saw some @ TJ Maxx, which would be awesome since they are a little pricey.

The lovely candle is from Aquiesse, the scent is Shoreline, and I may have already told my boys I will burn it when I'm all alone because I am not sharing it (and yes, I'm referring to not sharing the scent).

And these two to the left I got from Ikea for $1 each, they smell clean, nothing fancy, and I don't know the scents because all they have is a picture of rocks and soap so who knows what they are.

The two to the right where a impulse by passing in front of Bath & Body...I have seen a vlog recommending these scents so since they had them in the front I went in...and off they came home with me: Fireside (as close to camping as one can get, I LUV!) and Smore's...do I need to say anything about that one? Nope. Is just heavenly. Those where two for $10 and I may save another $10 just to get two more.

Or maybe I'll just skip it and keep saving for my belated gift (riding boots) thankfully I found a great replacement for the almost $300 Frye boots I wanted, and these are gonna cost less than half, which means I may have it before the fall ends! hahaha, a woman and her budget people!

Ok, I'm done here. Time to play cars with the little one.

Over & out.

My Dream Home and I'm Sick again :(

WARNING: Very Long Post

I'm Sick again :( bummer.

At least a little better than some family members that have been sick for weeks. Poor blond Princess (AKA Goddaughter) has a Sinus infection.

So I figure I post about my Dream Home and what I would like to have in it. When I had the home in the good-old-Garden-State the house had a lot of space and I had so many plans on how to change it to my taste: European Country kitchen, Fire pit, French doors, etc. But since I no longer have it now I can dream even in a bigger scale for OUR next home!!!

{Please note these pictures I've been collecting for a long time. Most of the time I have no clue where they came from, sometimes I just googled "Farm Sink Pictures" and this is what I got}

Look at this beauty!!!!~ love the columns on the front.

Below Dream Home from HGTV 2009, now this is what I call a porch!!! beautifully done:

Again another one with a porch, Hubs and I agree we would love to have one and have some rocking chairs in there:

And one more, so you get the Idea: Porch = good!

Now, I would love a basement that I can transform into a cozy family room with one wall (or corner) for my scrapbooks. but if we can have this in there I'll be golden (HGTV Dream Home 2004):
It probably wont be red (nothing against the color) but I love everything about this room.

Now a sample of a bedroom I like (HGTV Dream Home 04):

We have a beautiful dark wood bedroom set that I love, I just need to find a Iron bed and will be set. I know this headboard is not metal, I just like the whole color scheme going on. Now onto a what I called a dream of a laundry room (HGTV DH 2009)


Also love this one from Sausy's Sprinkles that lady has taste:

or Trifty Decor Chic's she is amazingly creative.

Now, if you didn't guess it my favorite HGTV Dream Home was 2004. It is the one that I can see ourselves living in. Absolutely gorgeous. So here is the dinning room and the family room from that house:

I love spaces that feel like you can kick up your heels and relax. That chair next to the TV armoire is what we called "Silla de Guano" in the homeland and I would love to find one here.

Now I'm going to bored you to death with pictures of my dream kitchen. Up to Hubs and I got together I never EVER enjoyed cooking. Did I said ever? ever, ever, ever. growing up I loved to clean and my younger Sis loved the kitchen. The only thing I liked making was desserts. I just hated the though of HAVING to make a meal. UGH. But then hunky hubs told me I didn't have to cook if I didn't want to. I know it's stupid but suddenly knowing that I don't have to cook if I don't want to made it a lot more fun for me. I started to learn the things I like to eat (Mexican food here I come!) and right now I have to say I enjoy making a nice meal. So after working as a Design Consultant (oh- yeah, I forgot to tell you I major in Interior Design in college) gave me so many ideas of what I wanted in a kitchen and what style I liked.

I discover that I want white distressed cabinets. Back home we use dark woods always. But I like the french or European Kitchen styles and I think that white cabinets look better. here is a few examples:

Love all of these. I also want a Farm sink:

Now look at this beauty below, It's called an AGA cooker and it's from England. As a design Consultant the Co. I was working for was one of the major retailers of its products. We even had a working kitchen designed around it where someone will make demo's with it. Its stays on 24/7 {no knobs} and each oven its set a different temperatures with 2 hot plates on top. A dream I tell you (Oh and it comes in all sorts of yummy colors including purple!)

And finally I want a nice tub in our bathroom. Here are some images I'm currently in love:

The image above? Yeah~ that's fabric on the walls! LOve! (this is from RMS)

Above another RMS from HGTV.

Above HGTV 04, below HGTV 09 (which BTW I only like the tub, that's too fancy for me.

I hope I have inspired you for your Dream Home, or perhaps you already live in it :)

Halloween Decor! (about time!)

First I have to say that sometimes I get sad remembering the Decor from the House in NJ...oh the luminaries, the smog machine, strobe lights, etc, etc, etc...Now Halloween is a little different but equally important to me since it's my favorite Holiday.Coming from a Caribbean place, you truly enjoy the change of Season...for me (if you haven't guessed) Fall is my favorite. I love the whole, pumpkin-apple picking, crisp air, apple pies, Hayrides, hunted houses, scary movies, costumes, Halloween, Thanksgiving deal. It's just so...well..perfect! No pressure about presents, only the joy of getting together with family. (that and the fact we didn't celebrate this back home *WINK*) OK, so without further a due, here is the Halloween Decor for 2009:


My Martha Stewart wanna be bones...there was glitter everywhere!!!!

Balcony...I didn't take a pic of the glass door or the railing (black & purple garland and glow in the dark ghosts)...so just imagine that is decorate, ok?

Our Halloween Village! One day we will have a big table just for this...and even more items!
It lights up and moves...Blood Bank & Torture place...we need a witch in there :)
Another shoot at the bones, these where purchased at Michael's and glittered with Martha's kit. The bowl/glass thinga majingy is a terrarium...all items purchased on sale! (The Terrarium was $6)

Bottles:Labels already made, they where purchased at Dollar Tree, 8 in a package. I have another set to use with the real drinks on our Scary Movie Night.
If you notice the books in the back are a collection of Anne Rice Vampires, Stephen King, Jack the Ripper, more Vampires, witches, etc...we are weird like that. Also the picture above is a black and white Erie signed copy of Anne Rice's old New Orleans home where the book "The Witching Hour " took place. ( I will post about my New Orleans obsession soon)

TV cabinet: Dollar store frame, reads boo (I saw this @ Thrifty Decor Chick but I believe she got the Idea from someone else...White pumpkin with stickers..this is ALL over blog land!)

Trick or Treat Banner is from Martha's collection at Michael's and also Granding Road has them...
My Idol Martha, there are several Halloween issues from previous years on our coffee table
Fall decor and pumpkins, next to it is a bird cage that needs to be decorate for fall as well...I'm thinking candle and a wreath...

Bathroom towels...

Bathroom Tea light holders ...
OK, so I was cooking so ignore the mess but here's the stove. We also have towels and more decor (including on the fridge) but I think this is good for now...you get the idea, don't ya?

FALL INSANITY

Ok so I am insane, I know this. Actually I think I’m probably certifiable!
I am starting my fall-Halloween Decoration this week!!! (go ahead, say it with me: Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy)

I know is only September but one month is just.not.enough.for.me!!!

Hubs thinks I'm crazy but he is going with it. I'm starting my cleaning

tomorrow and decorating on Thursday since is my day off. :)

I will post the pictures of the mayhem.