a healthy home is a happy home

A few tips to remember when seeking 

to create a healthy home...

1. Always choose linens that have Organic & Natural Fibers. This ensures that the fibers are biodegradable and that they were not grown or treated with pesticides and other toxic chemicals.

2. Shop at home décor stores that support fair trade and have certified sustainable collections. Choosing specifically eco-friendly/fair trade collections at these stores certifies that the products were made under safe and fair conditions.

3. On a budget? Check out flea markets for unique décor that you can upcycle.  

You can uncover great finds at flea markets and even create your own DIY project to bring new life to that well-loved coffee table or bookshelf.

5. Illuminate the room with natural light during the day and CFL bulbs at night. The most energy efficient choice you can make is to limit your use of artificial lights, especially if your apartment gets tons of natural light. 

Those same principles apply in you outdoor spaces, too.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

ciao! fabiana

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healthy home info courtesy of Pildora

photos:  Serena & Lily, Williams-Sonoma, & Studio McGee

when life gives you lemons

This winter has been amazing for our little lemon tree in the back yard. I have literally picked hundreds of lemons since December, and it’s still going strong!

My friends and neighbors were happy to also share in this year’s bounty, and I’ve been trying to find more and more ways to enjoy these amazing fruits.

In addition to adding fresh lemon to my water and tea every day, I have a few other simple recipes to share today…    

A simple lemon scrub is perfect for getting our skin summer ready and it also works beautifully on your face, if your skin’s not too sensitive. Here's one I love with three basic ingredients:  

Lemon Sugar Scrub

2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp lemon zest

Glass container with lid for the scrub

In a mixing bowl add 2 cups of white granulated sugar

Slowly mix in the coconut oil until the sugar is a nice smooth consistency. Add the lemon zest.

Transfer the sugar scrub into a jar. When you shower, rub the sugar scrub on wet arms and legs to exfoliate and rinse clean. 

We do love to make homemade lemonade too, and here’s one of our favorite super yummy pink lemonade recipes. The sweetness on the raspberries does amazing things to your taste buds when mixed with the lovely tartness of the lemons.

Pink Lemonade with Fresh Raspberries 

1 ¾ cups fresh squeezed lemon juice, from 8-12 lemons, strained

½ pound fresh raspberries, plus more for garnish

5 cups water

1 cup sugar

Lemon slices and fresh mint, for garnishing

Combine the raspberries and ½ cup of the lemon juice in a blender and purée until smooth, then strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl to remove the seeds.

To create a simple syrup, place water and sugar into a small sauce pan, heat on medium and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool. Add the rest of the lemon juice and combine with raspberry mixture.

Pour into glasses with ice cubes and garnish with lemon slices, raspberries and fresh mint, if desired.

This will last for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Makes about: 1½ - 2 quarts

Lemon Muffins are always yummy, and I have several recipes I love to make. These Lemon Blueberry Streusel Muffins were featured in the Spring issue of Farmhouse Style magazine. 

I can’t divulge this recipe just yet, but you can still find this issue on newsstands. Here’s a similar recipe you can save right now.

The summer issue of Farmhouse Style magazine will feature another one of my lemon recipes. This time it’s Bob Hope’s vintage recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie.

It may sound complicated, but it’s really not! 

This issue will be out on April 16th. Check it out! It’s full of great recipes, tons of inspiring décor and other fun articles.

Here are some bonus lemon recipes:

Homemade Arnold Palmers

Citrus Vinaigrette

Lemon Blueberry Muffins by Gesine

happy saturday! 🍋 fabiana

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magazine cover part two

How about a little more red, white and blue inspo today? Here are a few more pics I'm excited to share with you from the photoshoot I did for Farmhouse Style magazine. If you stopped by yesterday, you got the scoop on the summer issue and the cover story (I still can’t believe it!)

You can read about it here. 😃

The accessories for the table setting were primarily all blue and white, with red added as an accent in the flowers only.

A little monogram DIY stenciled napkin project is featured in this summer issue of Farmhouse Style. The issue comes out on April 16th, and you can find the easy to follow instructions in there on page 106. 

Have you ever stenciled anything? It’s not that difficult.

This fun little blackberry jam crock makes the perfect flower pot for this farmhouse table.

Here’s another DIY that’s featured on page 89 of this issue. I found this dresser at an estate sale more than 20 years ago, and it sat in my front entry that long in its original state. It had a dark brown stain and matching mirror, and was a little Victorian in style.

Well, as soon as 2018 rolled in, I knew this little dresser needed some TLC, and a farmhouse vibe seemed like a great option.

This was my first project using milk paint. I will say this, it was pretty fun, and the depth of color you get is absolutely amazing! I'll be sharing more on this transformation later in the week.  

⇈

I still can’t believe it! 😉

Thanks so much for stopping by today...

ciao! fabiana

on the cover of a magazine!

I had no idea my patriotic tablescape would make the cover of Farmhouse Style’s summer issue. In fact, I was getting my hair done and nearly fell out of the chair when I found out!

While I was checking my email from my phone, I opened the Farmhouse Style newsletter that arrives every so often, and while reading it I noticed the cover of their next issue, and was literally speechless for a moment.

Caroline, my hairstylist was like, “are you ok?!” 

Lol, so it’s a thrill and an honor, but best of all…   

I get to share some up-close photos of this red, white and blue farmhouse inspired table with you all.

Farmhouse Style only published a couple of pictures from this gathering, so I wanted to make sure you got to see all the details.

I found this over-sized lantern at one of my favorite thrift stores for only eight bucks and it’s become the perfect focal point for the room. The bright pop of red from the garden flowers finishes off the patriotic color scheme.

I hand-stenciled each monogrammed napkin and you can find all the instructions in this issue of Farmhouse Style, on page 106. The stencil is from Martha Stewart’s collection found at a craft store.

Red geraniums are so summery and remind me of my mom. We love to gather geraniums and make little arrangements around the house! They're just so cheerful. 

💓

I'd love it if you checked back later this week for MORE photos that I'll be sharing from this cozy gathering. 

I also want to mention that this Farmhouse Style issue also features my DIY milk paint makeover of an antique dresser that got a much needed farmhouse style facelift. 

AND, there’s also a yummy lemon meringue pie recipe of mine included! I'll share more very soon!! The summer issue hits newsstands on April 16th.

ciao! fabiana

This issue is now available on Amazon! 

my favorite shade of blue...

The update of our front entry is finally complete, with the last finishing touch involving just a little bit of painting.

We inherited this antique hall tree many years ago from my husband’s Nana. When it came to us it was sort of a dingy cream color. 

In its prime, it must have been a beautiful white, but over time it had yellowed terribly. So at our home it went through a phase of dark green and then a pretty shade of chalk paint called Florence, but now it’s finally PERFECT!

This color from Farrow & Ball is called “Stiffkey Blue” and it’s the most gorgeous shade of soft navy. Like a well-loved pair of blue jeans, it just feels right at home, dressed up or dressed down.

And it matches perfectly with our new Serena & Lily wallpaper. This blue and white vining Priano pattern is so pretty, and I truly love it more and more each day!

The natural textures of this French market basket and pretty hydrangeas look amazing when paired with this blue. I found this color quite by accident after visiting the Farrow & Ball store at SoCo Design Center.

 '

As I was browsing through their wallpapers, I noticed that they sell small sample pots of each of their gorgeous paint colors. 

I picked up a few that caught my attention, because I always have projects that spontaneously pop up, and I love to stock up on pretty paints.

So when I was ready to update the hall tree, I was thrilled that Stiffkey Blue was absolutely the most perfect shade of blue to complete the look of the whole room! 

This is the way this color is described by Farrow & Ball: 

”An inky navy. This inky blue is named after the Norfolk beach where the mud, along with the cockles, share a particular deep navy hue. Although traditional in feel, Stiffkey Blue is often used to create a richly dramatic space with a more contemporary finish. When used in well-lit areas of the home it will appear much bluer, working wonderfully when contrasted with white.”

The Farrow & Ball design studio has lots of interesting inspiration, like these color boards created by their knowledgeable staff.

And I love the quirky paint brushes dangling in the front window. So fun! 

So now the hall tree is revamped, the wallpaper is done, and I simply added a fun new light fixture and round jute rug to harmonize with all the blue and white fabulousness that’s going on here in the front entry.

Just for fun, I’m sharing some gorgeous Stiffkey Blue inspiration from some of my favorite designers…  

Be sure to check back very soon for more insight on the SoCo Design Center. Not only do they feature great home décor shops, they also have amazing restaurants and events.

Such a pretty blue!

ciao! fabiana

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Stiffkey Blue inspiration photo credit: 

Inspired by Charm, Emily Henderson, Style the Clutter

how do you do house numbers?

Time for a Sunday drive around the neighborhood!

I recently spotted some cute newer homes around town

with

custom  house numbers that are somewhat unique.

Here are a few of my favorites… 

Spelling out your house number is always fun!

I love all the different fonts that are used.

Here’s the front porch of that same house.

The lettering style perfectly matches the patio chairs!

Would you consider spelling out your house numbers?

happy sunday! fabiana

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For more Newport Harbor Home Tour inspiration,
check out this brand new book: