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Take time today to tell your family and friends how much they mean to you! Share the love!

The days are fleeting and the years fly by. Spend some quiet moments sharing today.

Live, Laugh and Love!

Pillows from the Islands

Inspired by the sea and colors of the ocean. These amazing pillows are hand stitched by the Kuna Indian women  of the Panama Islands using the art of sewing molas. This pillow collection was hand stitched by Kuna women with the traditional technique of molas. 

http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/pillows/products/kuna-pillows

Molas are part of the traditional dress of Kuna Indians of Panama and are worn by the women on the back and on the front side of their blouse. Together with the blue print cotton skirts, the red and orange head scarves and the characteristic glass bead strings on wrists and ankles they represent the traditional dress of the Kuna women.

Becoming famous in the last couple of decades, Molas are now shown in museums and private collections of textile art all around the world. High collectors value have those molas, whose completion take more than hundred hours. As an inspiration for their designs the Kuna first used the geometrical patterns which have been used for body painting before. In the past 50 years they also started to depict realistic and abstract designs of flowers, sea animals and birds.

With approximately 60.000 members the Kuna* represent the largest indigenous group in Panama. The worldwide second smallest people after the pygmies populate the 360 islands in the San Blas archipelago and the narrow strip on the Caribbean coast of Panama and Colombia since the 18^th century.

I'm so excited about the new benches that Verdi Blu is now offering!

Who doesn't want a fun, patterned bench for the end of your bed or sitting in front of your sofa?

http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/benches-ottomans

The benches and ottomans will be available for delivery in early February. Place orders now and you can have a new beautiful accent in your home just as the Spring Decorating (much nicer than Spring Cleaning) arrives. Greek Key footstools (18 x18 x 8) are priced at $205 and Larger benches (47 x 23.5 x16.5) at $540.

One of my favorite cookies! Every holiday we would make these meltaway goodies! We would call them "sandies" but they are more often known as "mexican wedding cookies"

Make sure to double the batch because these quickly disappear! 

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup pecans, chopped into small pieces 

Allow the butter to soften at room temperature. In a large bowl, mix the softened butter along with 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar along with the vanilla and stir vigorously until well blended. Add the flour slowly - stirring with each portion added. Then add the chopped pecans and continue to mix well. 

Divide dough in half; form each half into ball then flatten the ball slightly. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift the powdered sugar if possible, but not necessary. Working with half of the chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls. Arrange balls on large baking sheet (using either parchment paper or a silpat mat works great) spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake cookies until slightly brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Then gently toss warm cookies in the powdered sugar and coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to a backing rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining half of dough. (Cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight at room temperature. However, they won't last long so you might need to hide the container.

Verdi Blu is ready for gift giving! Have you made your lists and checked them twice? We have gifts for everyone on your list!

Mom: She would love Loren Hope's versatile gold chain necklace.
 http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/accessories/products/lindsey-convertible-chain-necklace

Dad: A handsome acrylic tray, personalized with his initials.  http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/trays/products/lucite-square-tray-awning-by-boatman-geller-designs

City-girl Sister: More bracelets of course! http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/accessories/products/copy-of-sophia-bracelet-by-loren-hope

Collegiate little Brother: Lemon-Line's bracelets are perfect (sis will love them too)!
http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/accessories/products/chatham-chevron
http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/accessories/products/newport-in-navy-kelly

Make sure you don't forget those amazing friends that are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/ice-buckets/products/copy-of-lucite-ice-bucket-boatman-gellers-bristol 

Your cute cousins http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/books/products/fill-in-the-blank

And of course your nana would love these perfect pillows for her new beach house! http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/pillows/products/lobster-stripes, http://www.verdiblu.com/collections/pillows/products/seahorse-with-dots

If you cannot decide... a Verdi Blu Gift Certificate is a wonderful choice!

HAPPY SHOPPING! and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I barely know what to say after the week we just experienced in New Jersey. In Northern Jersey, we were the lucky ones. The majority of us were without power until last night - 9 days. (and several parts of local towns are still out). Trees down everywhere. (The one above was estimated at 120 years old and that root/ground pictured is 12ft high. This tree belonged to my next door neighbor) Schools still not back in session. Gas is rationed and you may wait several hours for $20 - $40 worth or get to the front of the line and be told there is no gas left.

And now the next storm is upon us. Heavy, wet snow is coming down steadily and the wind is picking up. Power just went out again! Just as I replaced a few groceries and started to enjoy the warmth of my home. (I still have some power on my phone and iPad - at least for a little while)

But we are still the lucky ones. We didn't lose lives, homes, businesses, or pieces of our memories like so many in our area. Photos and trinkets that once seemed to mean everything. Now we know that what is important is that we have each other. We are a resilient bunch. Neighborhoods have come together. People have opened up their homes, their cupboards and their wallets.

Also, let's use this as a teachable moment for ourselves and our children. Let's be a little more patient, a little more thoughtful when planning our errands in order to conserve gas, a little more understanding and less judgmental of our government leaders and with the efforts of our first responders, and most of all be a little more thankful.

Please take a moment to thank a first responder, a utility worker, or aid volunteer today. Send your donations for the victims of Hurricane Sandy to the Red Cross.

http://www.redcross.org/hurricane-sandy

Great signage - not always vintage but always clever

What kind of signs capture your attention? Is it color? Size? Lettering? Novelty?

I love the design and detail that went into signage of the past! And today there are still clever examples of this. During a recent trip to Nashville and Franklin, TN, there were a number of wonderful pieces.