Destinations Archives - Page 3 of 6

Flåm, Norway – Heaven on Earth

Happy Friday! Are you ready to be whisked away to a relaxing vacation spot? Have you been to Norway? Handsome Guy is our vacation planner and he researched our vacation destination this year (after our trip to England.) Norway came up as one of the 10 most beautiful place on earth.

It’s a country that has beautiful blue-green fjords (pronounced feeyord.) Fjord means a long narrow arm of the sea bordered by steep cliffs usually formed by glacial erosion. The fjords are sliced by steep mountains that go as deep into the water as they do high into the sky (sometimes a mile high.)

The fjords in Norway have a distinctive blue green color and are comprised of fresh water from the waterfalls and salt water from the sea.

Hiking is a big past time in Norway. And for good reason, vistas from atop the mountains yield valleys dotted by vibrant colored homes.

I’d love to take you along on our journey to Flåm, Norway (pronounced Flum.) Flåm literally means, “”little place between steep mountains.” I guarantee you won’t want to leave, it is like living in a postcard. Put on your hiking boots and follow me… Read more

September 6, 2013/5 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Destinations

Keswick, England – A Tour of Lake Derwentwater

I think I found Heaven on Earth. Keswick (pronounced Kes-ick) and its picturesque Lake Derwentwater currently have a pull on my heart. This small town in Northern England is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. My mom, the boys and I only had one day here, but I have vowed that I must return with Handsome Guy for a romantic time without the boys. I figured you might like to join us for the hike, so I took some photos for you ;-).

The town is a great location for families (they have an awesome playground), romantic couples, and anyone who enjoys beautiful vibrant colored vistas and small town shops. The English style gardens are stunning in their organized structure.

Of course, I also appreciate Mother Nature’s less defined edges and curving landscaping.

Lake Derwentwater sits south of the quaint town of Keswick. It has a walking trail along the banks and is perfect for the adventurer who wants to hike the full 8 miles around it’s edge. If you prefer smaller hikes you can walk to one of the docks that surround the lake and catch the ferry boat back to town.

The path that surrounds the lake detours up and into a field with grazing sheep.

My mom and I enjoyed walking near the edge of the lake while the boys threw rocks and waded in the water.

As we sat watching the boys entertain themselves, we suddenly saw a flurry of activity as two border collies began to round up the sheep in the field. It was amazing how quick and efficient those herding dogs were.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the sights from my camera lens. Read more

August 5, 2013/10 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Antique Heart Pine Flooring, antiques, Decorating, Destinations, Door Hardware, Home Decor, House Tours

Ilkley, UK – A Home Tour of an 1880 Row House

I’ve known Karen and her sister Anne since fourth grade. Karen was my best friend growing up and ultimately, my maid-of-honor. Anne is her older sister. During play dates, Karen and I were silly girls who avoided (the more mature) Anne, as we played top secret spy games under the stairs. After high school, Karen and I only saw each other every few years. I rarely saw Anne, especially after she met the love of her life in Japan and followed him to his childhood home in England. Anne and Chris settled into a beautiful old row house in Ilkley, UK, where they are raising their daughter and two twin boys. It has been years since I’ve seen Anne, but when we were contemplating our trip to the UK this summer, I thought it would be fun to look her up and visit with her and her family. We had such a wonderful visit with them and I fell head over heels in love with their home.

I begged them to let me share their home on the blog, so be sure to thank them!

Come right this way, I have one of those antique keys to unlock the front door. Can you imagine how many generations of families have used this same key hole?

The first thing you notice as you walk in the door is the amount of beautiful wood, molding and character in their home. Read more

July 19, 2013/26 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

antiques, Destinations

Portobello Market in Notting Hill, UK

Hey y’all! I’m baaaccckkkk! Did you miss me? Probably not, because I pre-scheduled a month’s worth of posts for you while we hopped across the pond for a European vacation! It was the chance of a lifetime, the boys and I toured London, Keswick and Scotland while P. Handsome Guy worked in his company’s London office. I’ll be sharing some of my journeys with you in the coming weeks. In the meantime you can check out some of my sneak peek photos on Instagram or Facebook.

But, now I want to take you with me to Portobello Market in Notting Hill, England. OH MY GOODNESS! When Pretty Handsome Guy said I’d love the Portobello Market, he knew my tastes to a “T” or should I say “Tea”. 😉 In fact, once we arrived, it was evident that I wanted to absorb and photograph as much as I possibly could!

We took the London Underground (the tube) to the Notting Hill station on a Saturday morning (the only day the street vendors are set up.) Upon our ascent above ground, it was evident that we had entered the ritzier suburb of London made famous by the movie, Notting Hill.

Doors are painted cheerful colors, the front stoops were adorned with patterns of tile, and container gardens are abundant.

The architecture of these grande estates is beautiful and dripping with detail.

Unfortunately we had two tired, jet-lagged boys tagging along. So, Handsome Guy did what he does best, he gave me the afternoon to peruse at my own speed and took the boys to Hyde Park to play some soccer (or should I say Football for the British crowd.) Each vendor had their specialty: Antique lamps, silverware, leather sporting goods, books, old printing blocks and much much more. Instead of jabbering away, I’ll just let you browse for yourself.

Read more

July 12, 2013/37 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

bloggers, decor, Destinations, habitat ReStore, Tours, Video

Day 5 Reveal of the Moore Habitat for Humanity House – End of the GMC Hidden Treasure Adventure

And now the moment y’all have been waiting for! The end of our journey and the culmination of all our efforts were revealed to Alexcia, Jaydon & Jurnei Moore on Sunday, August 5th 2012. Alexcia thought she was just getting the keys to her empty home. Little did she know, that GMC, OnStar, Habitat for Humanity and 6 bloggers had conspired to fill her home with furniture, beddings, and home decor.

(Alexcia thinking, “You did what to my house?”) Read more

August 10, 2012/15 Comments/by Brittany Bailey