My kitchen is tiny; I am always dreaming of ways to make it bigger (?) and better. I have done almost everything that a normal person could do to make it what I want it to be, without taking down walls and ripping up floors. I know how I would love it to look, but I am happy to be creative until (if) that time comes. A kitchen is such a big budget item that many of us wait until we are moving, or get an unexpected windfall, before making changes. In the meantime it sits, getting older and more disappointing as we wait for that elusive, happy day. I don’t like that idea. While we are waiting to win the lottery our kitchen is still part of our every day life; it has to be used constantly, so why not try to make it better until our package of perfection arrives? All of these things I have done myself, and I know they do make a big difference with very little effort. Of course, I have to mention knobs and draw pulls first. Changing the shape, texture or color will always make your room look refreshed. Add a decorative mirror to an empty wall (easy to clean, and brings in light and energy). Paint some of the cabinets. If you have a set of cabinets away from the others, consider painting them a different color and giving them unusual hardware. They will look like a separate piece of furniture. Talking of separate furniture, what about removing an upper and lower cabinet altogether, and replacing it with a buffet, dresser or desk that is even more useful (and decorative)? If you don’t like your kitchen anyway, be bold and give it a try! Take down some upper cabinets (not as hard as you think) and install shelves. Or, remove the doors and “pretend” it is open shelving. Your kitchen will look bigger with open shelves. Remove the doors and the central piece of wood off a pair of cabinets to create a nook for cookbooks. I did this, and I know they were oak cabinets, but truly, I love having the books showing and it makes the kitchen far more interesting. (Removing the center piece – with a hacksaw – did not compromise the strength of the cabinet at all). Bring in things that are “un-kitcheny”. Art, curtains, books, lamps and furniture will give your kitchen a personality; it will feel more like a room than just a place that you cook dinner. Grout vintage tiles onto your old countertops to make a more interesting surface that is heat-resistant and looks pretty. If you are not keen on it being permanent idea, then buy a really large marble tile, put rubber feet on it, and place that on the counter. This is perfect for large, hot dishes and for baking on. Remove dated appliques and fancy, wooden doo-dads. Sand and stain (or paint) over any imperfections or, cover it with a picture. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

I love those bits in magazines that tell you the Editor’s favorite picks for the months. So, for this week I thought I would list a few of my favorite decorating items and websites. Things that I either covet or already own. Artichoke Lamp Created by Danish architect Poul Henningsen, in 1958. I am not sure what it is that I love so much about this lamp (I don’t even like artichokes) but the design is one that is also studied and admired world wide. It is truly timeless and would look at home in any setting (modern or traditional). www.scandinaviandesign.com/poulHenningsen/index.htm Photographs by Ted Scott Ted Scott photographs and digitally enhances the sights and sounds of New Zealand, it’s people and landscape. I have several of the 8 x 10 prints in my home. One of my absolute favorites is a composed photograph of Sheep and Sailboats. Ted’s photographs can be purchased for a very small amount of money and the quality is exceptional. www.fotofile.co.nz Made to order by a company called Cool Sofa’s. Fabrics, design and size can all be custom made for a very good price. The website allows you to experiment with your designs on the computer and you can request samples of the fabric for a very nominal fee. www.coolsofa.com Handmade and Vintage Items A website devoted totally to entrepreneur’s who make or sell handcrafted and vintage items. Everything from handmade stationery to jewelry and clothing. It is all unique and there is the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting a home business. Many things can be custom ordered to your specifications. www.etsy.com Leaf Garland Lamp The second pendant lamp on my list (I actually had five but narrowed it down fearing a bit of a fetish). This lamp has been on my “to buy” list for about 10 years. In silver, I know that it would probably look a little crazy in my house but I love the ethereal shapes of the leaves, the whimsy of it. www.moma.com Linens, china, glassware, utensils, furniture, lighting, countertops, flooring Everything can be found at Ikea, either online or at the store. Items are less expensive and better quality than mid-priced retail stores. The only downside is that the turnover is huge, buy when you see it as it may not be back for a while. All furniture can be tested out at the store and usually ordered in many different styles and colors. If you want style within a budget then this is the place to go. www.ikea.com Thrift Stores, Habitat ReStores, Mission Stores, Salvation Army etc I love wandering around these stores. Several pieces of furniture in my home were bought here, usually the price of delivery was more than the cost of the item. If you are looking for something specific it is best to go often, dealers are always scouting these places for antiques and great bargains they can re-sell at an amazing profit. The best things to buy are sofas and chairs (reupholster or change the pillows if needed or add taller legs if they are too low) dressers, bookshelves, china and vintage kitchenalia. Lady in Red by Rose Thummel I bought this painting several years ago and I never tire of looking at it. It’s never too late to start a wish-list. Keep a website file in your computer (or just cut out pictures from magazines and pin them to the wall). I am almost certain that one day what you want will find it’s way into your home… For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

I love old books. The thing that makes me coddle and sigh over a vintage handbag, is the same feeling I get when I look at an old book. Especially children’s books, with handwritten notes inside, pages so worn you’re almost afraid to turn them. I hastily try to find the dates they were written, but many of my books don’t have them. They are from a time when it was simply enough to say “The End”. This week I decided to redo the bookshelves in my living room. They had been the same way for too long, and the display had become like milk, important but bland. A hodge podge of crafts, paintings, books and collectibles; none of them valuable, all of them precious. I took everything off (the shelves 🙂 and thought about it for a while. What did I want to see on there instead? What feeling did I want to evoke? I wandered my house looking for things that I had not noticed in a while, things that maybe needed some attention. I didn’t know what I was looking for. I began to find the children’s books, scattered in piles, in different rooms. I hadn’t taken the time to look at them lately; they were all so beautiful and different that they had to be appreciated, if only by me. I had forgotten how many I had collected. All my favorites, comfortably loved. They became the inspiration for my shelf decorating. I collected the books, then began to look through what I had taken off the bookshelves. My intention was to edit out some things, but I quickly realized that my optimism was not a reality. Within an hour I had covered the dining table and the sofa with my “stuff”. Instead of minimizing my collections, I seemed to have added to them. This wasn’t what I had planned, but I was determined to try and fit everything back on the shelves. I began with the books, as they were the largest group of items. I loosely divided them into categories – old and worn, poetry and fairies (yes, I know, but I’m being really honest), decorating and design, inspirational and modern. The old books I stood in a row, at eye level, because they were my favorite things at the moment. I didn’t line them up according to height; I wanted them to look a bit disheveled, collected over time, with no apparent thought as to how they looked on a shelf. The other books I either stood up or laid down on their side, depending on the size of the book and what their topic was. After that I took the paintings and placed them so that their scale coordinated with the books (eg. large pile of books, small piece of art work). Once I had the large items in place, it was time to play with the accessories. Small objects can be placed anywhere, but once you start to really look at what you have, you will see that themes have already begun, and it becomes easier to play with what you have. A small tree in front of a painting of a tree, a bird on top of a fairy book or a handcrafted, aged piece of clay nestled against a worn copy of Treasure Island. An easy way to create interest is to place things at different depths and levels. Lining things up in a row creates a sort of visual indifference, but if our eyes have to dance around to look at things our brain is tricked into thinking it is looking at something more interesting. Try to think of it as an Art composition, rather than just sticking things on a shelf. If you can’t find an apparent theme, emphasise the opposites. Fine bone chine next to an old flower pot, or a birds nest next to (or inside) a sleek, modern bowl. One of my favorite pieces is a crystal Tiffany bowl filled with real cotton buds that have just popped open from their casing. The soft, naturalness of the cotton inside the gorgeously, brilliant crystal takes the formality away, encouraging people to touch it. If you do have a collection, and you don’t want to play with opposites, group them together, deliberately,with no apology, in uneven numbers. Or, for more interest, add an unexpected element. For example, twigs, feathers or rocks lying next to a Lenox collection. Grab something from outside if you need to. Fill a plain glass bowl with dirt as a whimsical counterpoint to the fine china. When you look at my photograph, you may not like anything on the shelf, and you may think it cluttered, but that’s my point. Regardless of how you feel about the items, they are displayed with deliberation. My goal was to display my treasures in the most decorative way possible. I want you to see that it does not matter what we have, it can all be appreciated and cared for. It is not a matter of style or taste. With a bit of thought a bookshelf can be an interesting (and changeable) part of our home. It can reflect who we are in a provocative way that makes people want to take a closer look. The End For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

Number 59 was my favorite kitchen ever. In the back of a quirky Victorian home in London, it fed every part of my creative being (I just didn’t know it at the time). Because it went down a step or two, and had a separate door, it always felt like I was going into another world. In reality, years ago, it was probably the Maid’s quarters; a place where they chatted and relaxed after cooking a meal, politely separated from their employers, whispering about the events of the day. Whenever I opened the door, I didn’t go in there to cook, I just wanted to be there; a fireplace, a table, and some squishy armchairs invited me in, and the warm comfort asked me to stay. I can feel the kitchen as I write this, and remember the shape of the chair that I always sat in (if Sally the dog didn’t get to it first. I think it was actually hers, she just allowed me to borrow it when she went outside). Through the sitting area was the tiny kitchen, and a door leading out to the back garden. Sunny days led to picking flowers and clothes drying on the line, and rainy ones a cup of tea and a slice of cake. I baked my first ever Victoria Sponge cake in that kitchen, and had my first cup of Earl Gray Tea (which I still don’t like); I felt very grown up when I drank it, knowing it was quite posh, while trying to ignore the perfumed Bergamot that made me almost want to be sick. Even so, making loose tea in a teapot was special, a treat that I never refused (or told anyone that I didn’t really like it). My Auntie cooked and baked all the time, and the kitchen (to me) was the best room in the house. We would wander in after work, poke around the cupboard, grab a chocolate biscuit, collapse in a chair, and tell her about our day. It was warm, and we would always ask what was for dinner, and when would it be ready. She would keep doing whatever she was doing, and she would listen. Like many mother’s, she had learned to let us talk, figuring out our own answers by the time we reached the end of the story. Sometimes, there were no words, just a cup of tea, or a nod of the head. It was a safe place to go; a problem solving kitchen. On Saturday mornings my Uncle loved to cook. After walking the dog, he would make us the most delicious hot sandwiches, and we would just sit and eat, in yummy silence. (Maybe some people would have a nap afterwards, while the rest of us complained about doing the washing up). It was a quiet part of the week. Our bellies were full, Monday seemed far away, and I think I was quite lazy. I didn’t do my own laundry, but I would happily chat to my Auntie as she folded and ironed for hours on end. I want to believe that she never minded, that she secretly loved the repetition of the iron, and the nice, clean pile of teenage clothes. Sometimes, it was really hectic, and we would be told to get out of the tiny kitchen; but we never went too far, and we could always curl up with Sally, and wait for things to quiet down. It wasn’t a fancy kitchen. I couldn’t tell you if the stove was gas or electric, or what the counter was made of, but I know that it was a true gathering room; a magical place that made you feel warm and welcome, where the people in it were far more important than the things…. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #comfortablekitchens #cozykitchens #TheKitchen

Anyone who comes to my house knows that, if possible, we will sit in the sun room. It’s my favorite room; I love feeling like I am outside, while still being protected from the weather. Even at the worst of times, my garden energizes me, it reminds me of how lucky I am to be able to sit and watch the natural world go on around me. That being said, the table in the sun room is surrounded by wonderful, old folding chairs. They are about 50 years old, folding in and out of zig-zag shapes; sometimes it takes time just to figure out how to open them. Age and paint have made them look equally charming (my words) and disgusting (a dear friend’s). Because of their age, they are very small. The seat barely 12 inches square. However, with my ample bottom I know they are far more comfortable and sturdier than they look. Despite their look, lead paint chips do not attach themselves to your clothes, and they do not collapse at the slightest glance. I sit on them all the time. I work out there sometimes and I often sit at the table for hours, writing or dreaming of what I am going to do next. The last week or so we have had several people over for dinner. Each time, as we go to sit down at the table, I see the sideways glances of the adults. Looking at the old, wooden chairs, trying to decide which would be the safest (and cleanest) one to sit on. I always laugh, and show people the chair that I think suits them the best. One of them is covered in layers and layers of very old green paint. I often approach the chair, with new paint or polyurethane, but I just can’t do it. The paint tells it’s story and I didn’t want to erase that part of it. Sometimes, noticing their hesitation, I would run and get the chairs from the dining room and bring them out for us to sit on. But, last week I knew it was time to face reality. Three dinners in a row, with friends and family, convinced me that making my guests uncomfortable, time after time, was not worth me sacrificing function for character. I don’t like to buy new furniture (unless I really have to), so it was with a lot of reluctance that I went looking for chairs. Many hours later I came home with dark red, outdoor, wicker dining chairs that I had fallen in love with. Of course, they needed some tweaking once I got home (ie. redecorating the entire room around their red “newness”…) but as I see them, settled, in the room, I know it was the right decision. Honestly, in hindsight, I was just being stubborn. The romantic beauty of the old chairs had captured my heart. The truth had become blurry, and I couldn’t admit that it was time to let them go………. p.s. I’m not really letting them go. They are going into my office where I can still sit on them. I love them so. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

Have you been to look for paint recently? Last weekend I went to the local hardware store to do some research for a friend. Two hours later, armed with paint chips and several “helpful guides”, I went home to look (again) at the miniature pieces of colorful information laid out before me. As I got out my pencil and notepad, I reminisced about the easy, lazy days of Red, Yellow and Blue. In their efforts to help, Paint manufacturers have given us far too many choices, making it so overwhelming that many of us buckle with fear; after anxious nights, looking at various shades of taupe, we finally end up with walls that look suspiciously like antique white. Honestly, I never go to the paint store to choose a color. It’s too much, it does my head in. I am lucky in that the colors that I choose are usually inspirational, happy accidents, that I find along the way. I will photograph something, rip it out of a magazine or borrow it from someones house, anything so that I can copy and recreate that color in my own home. If I need to paint, and I have not found something that I love, then I will go through magazines or the Internet, looking at homes to see what others have done. Seeing a photograph of a completed wall is far more helpful than imagining a 2 x 3 inch pigment covering your 15 x 20 foot living room. Often, these beautifully decorated rooms provide the name, number and manufacturer of the paint, which can help a great deal if you decide to use it. If the details are not there, just take the page and match it as best you can (or use the color matching machine available in most of the larger stores). Paint is fun; explore your options, but don’t become lost in the process……. Thanks to: http://www.atticmag.com/…/paint-swatches-rug-style/ for the paint swatch photograph. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

Until last week, when I received notifications that there were some new subscribers. Grateful, of  course, that my work was being read, but  horrified that I had let this blog lie dormant for so long. So, this is my apology letter to those of you who clicked the button, and wanted to follow me. Honestly, thank you so much for clicking the button, and enjoying what I write. My blog, Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, is now over at Blogspot, and I would love it if you would join me over there! Hope to see you soon!    –  Wendy p.s. The photograph is borrowed from: http://www.reallycolor.com/free-coloring-pages/animals/giraffe/giraffe-and-car-0

My laundry is in the basement. It’s filled with cold concrete, and at night we get those horrible cave crickets; their beady eyes pretending they don’t see you, until they leap around in random directions, trying to scare you into leaving their home and turning off the lights. Needless to say, I don’t do laundry after dark, unless I really have to. It is one of those places where I don’t stay long, so pretty shelves and a generous folding table have never been on the agenda. Clothes are sorted, washed, dried, taken upstairs, and dumped on my bed. Then, they are put away quickly before the cat and dog sit on them. Whether we have a full household, or a family of one, we all have to do it, and I often wonder if a brightly organized room really does make it more enjoyable. Do cheerful walls make it less of a chore to pick the chewing gum off your favorite dress? Do pretty shelves and sorting baskets (made of blue and white ticking – handily labelled, lest you forget) make it almost fun to sort other people’s undies? I have to believe that it does, so, if I had my dream laundry, this is what it would be like…… Front loading washer and dryer (preferably in the palest of blues). Fold down, full size ironing board (with a Nick and Nora cover – maybe gnomes or cupcakes). Some cupboards and shelves (for soap and things). A place to hang clothes to dry, and to lie them down (if they needed a lie down). Lots of windows (which open when I want them too). A radio (so I can listen to music). Marble counters (because I love them). Chalkboard paint somewhere (in case I needed to write myself a note, or draw a picture). White, porcelain, gigantic, deep farmhouse sink (because it’s my dream laundry). Wide windowsill’s (for plants and flowers). A vintage, aluminum, dual washtub (for keeping and sorting clothes). Nice, large, indoor-outdoor rug on the floor (to keep my toes warm). A (modest) chandelier. Lucky for me, I already have number eleven, so all I need are twelve more…. Photograph from Family Circle Magazine For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #dreamlaundry #laundryroommakeovers

Quite often, people declare that they need a “piece of art” to complete their room. That they are looking for the perfect painting to hang over a sofa, or above a fireplace. They don’t want a print, because it is too generic; they want something original, which often translates to something that they have not yet found, and, even if they did find it, it would probably be too expensive for their current budget. So, they wait. The room is never finished, and the painting is never found. Eventually, something odd finds its way there, but it doesn’t quite fit, and no-one really likes it, but it seems to fill the space (sort of). Art isn’t complicated; it is simply a visual expression of creativity, and can be represented in almost any way that you want it to be.  If you like looking at it, then it could be defined as Art, therefore,  couldn’t you put almost anything you want on your wall? The world is filled with amazing things, so don’t let conventional thoughts prevent you from taking full advantage of what you enjoy. Whatever your design style, or need, you could definitely find something other than a normal painting to express your personality and decorate your home. – Bicycles. – Words and numbers. – A favorite photograph (or several) – enlarged to poster size. – Hats, handbags, and accessories hung on beautiful (or unusual) hooks. – Vintage air vents. – Wooden signs and shapes. – Frame dried tree branches, or attach a small tree from floor to ceiling. – Maps. – Homemade art. – Plates, tea cups and kitchen collectibles. – Boxes and baskets. – Old license plates, record or book covers. – Windows, mirrors and glass. – Almost anything else you can think of. (p.s. Although still a painting, the Bacon and Eggs are not at all your typical piece of art; they are a delightful, whimsical creation of  Simple Mom). For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #Art #WhatisArt

One of my favorite parts of a magazine is when they show a photograph, pinpoint the items, and tell you where you can get them and how much they cost. Whether it is a single sofa, or a completed room, it always gives me just enough to pique my interest, and get me thinking. Within moments, I will find myself dreaming,  or idly scanning the computer for creative alternatives to the room laid out on the page in front of me. This morning, I was struck by a wonderful photograph. The designer had managed to incorporate everything that a modern family could ask for; space for a television, fireplace, game table, desk and a reading nook. As I gleefully scanned the room, deciding what I did and didn’t like, I couldn’t wait to find out more about the specific items; the wooden wing-back chair was my absolute favorite – it looked really classic, very uncomfortable, but begged to find a place in my home. As I moved to the next page, my fun ground to a screeching halt; five out of the eight items were labelled “price upon request” or, “to the trade”. Surprised, I began to search for the price of the chair, but every link fell short; referring me to another page, or asking me to fill out a very long registration form and contact the show room. I know, that occasionally, a special item is listed this way (we’ve all seen the more-than-the-price-of-a-mortgage red soled shoes kicking back in interviews) but to see so many pieces on one page really surprised me. Is the magazine trying to appeal to a more exclusive clientele, or, on the flip side, do they assume that the readers of the magazine simply cannot afford them? Were they afraid we would all faint from sticker-shock?  It made me wonder, if you have to ask, should you be even thinking about buying it? Of course you should! I am all for saving money, and making do with what you have, but what about the excitement of saving and splurging on something wonderful and new? By limiting our access to expensive (unprintable) items, don’t you think they are losing out on an entire new audience, and we are being deprived of a dream? I suppose, if the piece is so expensive, then one or two sales is all they need to pay the bills, but isn’t the idea to also generate interest, create new designs and perpetuate the brand? What if I had just won the lottery, or had a crazy amount of money hidden under my mattress just waiting for that perfect chair? Why would you make me register my name, create an account, call the showroom, and send a fruit basket, just to find out the price?  And, what if I really, truly just wanted to know the price of the Wooden Wing Back Barrel chair?… * The photograph above, shows the chair (top right), but is not the actual page from the magazine that I was reading. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #ExpensiveDecorating #Savingandsplurging

My neighbor is having a new porch built. It is replacing the old one, and not drastically different, but there is something about the actual word that just makes me want to sit outside (maybe with a cup of coffee) and watch it being built. A porch always looks so optimistic; it welcomes you into a home, and implies that wonderful things could happen on the other side of the door. My own porch is barely big enough to stand on, but I still love having it. It shelters me in the Winter, when it is snowing and my frozen hands are filled with groceries, and it keeps the entrance cool when it is unbearably hot in July. The rest of the time it is an accessory to my small house, framing my red door, and showing people where to go when they want to visit. I am trying to grow tomatoes and strawberries on it this year. Usually, the squirrels eat them, so I decided to put them in a hanging basket, and am hoping that they will get enough sun to grow a few pieces of fruit.  I also have petunias in a wrought iron basket, lined with a bit of moss; they are starting to grow, and the flowers are lazily playing hide and seek with the doorbell. As small as it is, I know the possibilities for my porch are endless. But, even if I do very little, just saying the word makes me very, very happy! For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #MyHouse

To me, Summer seems to be one of those times when we try to capture a different American Dream; we suddenly want to create the perfect BBQ, drink strange, frozen drinks with our friends, and watch the children run through sprinklers on a perfectly manicured lawn (stopping occasionally to eat a red Popsicle, say “Thank you”, and smile lovingly at their doting parents). We are inundated with photographs and commercials, showing us snapshots of a pretend family, and implying that we only have a few months left to grab some fun; that now is the time to whisk up a laborious, homemade, special hot sauce, go camping with the neighbors, and (inexplicably) take our dog on a long road trip to find the zombie brewery that we saw in the “Weird NJ” magazine. So, we plan the BBQ, and we find the zombie’s, but we decide to buy the hot sauce. Our days aren’t as perfect as the photograph in the magazine, but we find some new places to visit, get the garden in good shape, and we try to spend more time with the children. Life is like that; a jumbled mixture of ideas that get thrown together and sifted through. We can’t do it all, but we can always figure out a way to do some of the fun stuff. Although I don’t like the idea of saving my fun for Summer, I do see that for some people it is the best, guaranteed way to plan their down time. Almost like forcing you to relax, without feeling (too) guilty. Some people still find it difficult, and even their relaxing seems too exhausting for me. They look for gadgets and “things” that will make their Summer easier, and save them time. Honestly, I get tired just looking at them (never mind reading the directions on how I am supposed to use them). I prefer to try and use what I have, or do without; I tend to luxuriate in my lazy days, and keep things as simple as possible. But, if you are someone who is less lazy than me, and your heart flutters at the thought of the newest widget, then you still have a few weeks left to buy one of these time-saving lovelies……. Pig Tail Food Flipper:  This, I am putting first, because I know I would be the person who would misunderstand the directions, and flip my steak onto the lawn. Surely tongs are easier? But, it comes in a nice, wooden box, so would be a lovely gift. Hot Dog Forks: Another easy way to quickly lose your food on the grass, but, it would be great for roasting marshmallows, and making S’Mores. Doggles: Perfect for protecting your dog’s eyes on those long, hanging out the window, road trips. Outdoor Chair with attached table, pockets, drinks holder and more: Perfect for the beach, outdoor concert, patio, camping, or even your favorite bachelor’s Living Room. Meatball Grill Basket: I have heard that this works very well, and it looks very cute, but it seems like a lot of effort to get twelve piddly meatballs (and I can’t even imagine cleaning it afterwards). Barbecue Dining Boat: Just to see if you were reading. This has a built in grill, a retractable umbrella, and seats ten people. (But is it worth $50,000? Personally, I would prefer the Hot Tub Boat at $42,000) Beach Towel with speakers and a pillow: Why not? Great for your backyard, vacation by the pool, or the beach (compatible with most music sources). Ice Cream Insulated Bucket: To me, this is the best one on the list. Sharing optional. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #entertaining #Summer