Summer Dream Porch Swing

Summertime. Cousins. Popsicles. Porch swing.

SUMMER DREAM

Life is good in the WindMark Beach Idea House!

Book your stay today:

Summer Dream Vacation Rental - WindMark Beach

photo by: Kim Stone Photography

Sharing our Win through Vacations for Veterans

Many readers of IdeaMom know this year has been an enchanted one for our family. One year ago this week, we learned that we had just won the WindMark Beach Idea House from MyHomeIdeas.com. The home is located 90 miles away from my hometown in Northwest Florida. We are a military family who has moved around the country and the world for the past 15 years. Our plans have always been to return to the Florida beaches I call home, but didn't quite know how that would become a reality. MyHomeIdeas, their parent company, Time Inc., and St. Joe Company, the developer of WindMark Beach made that possible. In a few years, when my husband retires from the Air Force, we will have a charming beach house to call home.

Until then, we are spending vacations in the home, which we have named Summer Dream, and renting it out when we are not there. With the publicity the home received from MyHomeIdeas, we have had no problem filling the home with vacationers over the past year. Family reunions, wedding celebrations, and many other special memories have been created in the home. Sharing the home and hearing the stories of those who have visited has been a true gift to us. How wonderful to know others are enjoying our wonderful dream come true, as well!

Last year during the holiday season, we donated a week stay at Summer Dream to a deserving family at the Air Force base where we are currently stationed. This gave me the idea to research other ways we could share the blessing of our life-changing win. That is when I found Vacations for Veterans.

Vacations for Veterans is a nonprofit which organizes stays in donated vacation homes to wounded war veterans. This allows our nation's heroes an opportunity to readjust, rebuild their lives, and reconnect with families in luxurious accomodations they might not otherwise be able to afford. I listed our home with their program last Spring. We have just found out that a USMC Sgt who was awarded a Purple Heart in Iraq will be vacationing at Summer Dream, this Christmas.

This is a full-circle blessing for us. You see, we visited the home for the first time during the week of Christmas last year. I remember feeling as if I was floating on a cloud during the entire visit. What a joy! What a dream come true! And now, to share our blessing with a soldier who was injured while defending our country. Wow, what a joy! What a dream come true!

It is a wonderful feeling to see our family's blessing flow to bless another deserving family this Christmas. I know first-hand the sacrifices of our nation's military families. I am grateful for the opportunity to share our gift. My hope for the family this Christmas is for them to feel as if they are floating through a dream come true just as we were last year.

You may visit the Vacations for Veterans website to find how you may help as well. Though they are always grateful for the donation of vacation homes, they have many other needs as well, including travel expenses for veterans to the homes. We are in the process of contacting local businesses near our vacation home to have meals, gift certificates and tour packages donated to the family during their stay. A team of giving hearts can truly make a deserving person's dream come true.

Blessings to all of you,

Leisa

WindMark Idea House -- DIY Artwork on a Budget

Photo: Antoine Bootz, Courtesy of: MyHomeIdeas.com
The Master Bedroom we won from MyHomeIdeas was simply extraordinary. The deep purple walls were even more luxurious in person. The beds, upholstered furniture, lavish bedding and window treatments were all here when we finally took possession of the home. The artwork, however, had been on loan from the sponsors, and did not convey with the home. So . . . we were thrilled for the opportunity to add our own personal touches to this and other rooms.
The paintings in the room were reproductions of drawings from a 19th century scientist, Albertus Seba. After a little research, I found the artwork could be purchased at around $2000 per piece. Since I wished to maintain the character of this room, but obviously didn't have the budget needed to duplicate it exactly, I opted for a more reasonably priced alternative.

On Amazon, I found a coffee table book featuring the Natural Curiosities Collection. Many of the prints inside the Idea House were inside this book (on a smaller scale than the originals).
I purchased the used copy of the book (I paid about $20), brought it home, then carefully removed the pages from the binding. (A box cutter made this task much easier and preserved the quality of the photos. I cut only the threads attaching the binding, not the pages, at this point.)
I used a paper trimmer to trim the selected photos from the book. . .

Then floated the pictures atop cardboard mounting squares before framing. I found the frames on sale for $5 at Walmart.

Photo: Robert Tobler
Though, I was unable to locate exact replicas of the first prints which graced the walls of the WindMark Master Bedroom, our versions still seemed to maintain the "Old Florida" vibe of the room ~ at a substantial savings.

To view more photos from the WindMark Idea House, visit our vacation rental website: Summer Dream Cottage or MyHomeIdeas -- the website that changed our life, and made this Florida girl's Summer Dream Come True.

Summer Dream Wall Art and Coastal Decor

During our visit to Summer Dream, we added finishing touches to the decor of the main room.
A double-sleeper ottoman with tray tables, World Market table, candles, greenery . . .

Colorful and coastal serving pieces and glassware for the kitchen. The drink server was here -- we only needed to fill it with pink lemonade (and a splash of something bubbly as the night went on . . . )

The wall art in the main room includes photographic images taken during our first Christmas visit to WindMark and Summer Dream. My mother framed the hometown newspaper account of our win, which we placed in the entry to this room.

I love how the sepia beach prints (taken on WindMark's private beach) reflect the orange touches within the room. Guests to Summer Dream have filled this book basket with personal magazines and tour brochures enjoyed during their visit.

Also collected in the home by our guests: wine corks from numerous celebrations, sea shells from sunset beach searches, and dozens of beach stories in the Summer Dream guest journal.

I simply love the joy of sharing this home with others. What a blessing to know so many magical memories are created each week within this home, on its porches, and along the miles of BeachWalks and sandy shoreline of WindMark Beach. What a Summer Dream Come True!

We hope you'll visit us soon: Summer Dream Cottage

Porch Party Pictures!!

Back from the Porch Party! We realized ANY photo taken on this porch looks like it came from a magazine.
I loved catching up with my sister Buffie.
Lounging with my dad, and Jill Berry, an artist from the Plein Air Paintout who stayed with us, and will be painting a rendering of our home while she is there! Check out some of her work here.
We had a fabulous time, partied into the night, cooked up goodies in this fabulous kitchen.
And yes . . . we chose a winner . . . to be announced very soon!!

All the photos here came from our dear friend, Linda Brown, who joined us for our girlfriend getaway. . . Check in again, more to follow!!

Ask Believe Receive -- The Story of our Magic Fridge.

Ask . . . Believe . . . Receive. What a great way to start the day . . . by setting your intention!
I found this necklace at A-ha Design. I love it, and think I'll buy it, because I have learned first-hand the truth in its message.

Before I won the MyHomeIdeas.com WindMark Beach House, I posted a photo of it on my refrigerator -- not in the expectation that I would win -- but as a way to claim my dream to the universe. Actually winning the home exceeded my wildest dreams. However, it solidified my belief that dreams really can and do come true if we allow them to!

You see, the WindMark Idea House was not the first home I had posted on my refrigerator. A couple of years ago, shortly before we were to move to Maryland from our last Air Force location, my husband ventured to our soon-to-be locale to hunt for houses. He brought back many brochures of homes. Two, in particular, caught my eye, but they were both valued well-above our price range. I posted them both on our refrigerator, and marked through the prices. I wrote a new price down -- about $200k lower than the original. Long story short --we wisely decided not to buy either home at that time since the real estate market seemed to be dropping. Instead, I called a few months later for a lovely rental home I had found on the internet. Thankfully, the landlord promptly accepted our application.

Much to our surprise, our new landlord was the preferred lender for the builder of one of the homes posted on our fridge. Even more amazing -- the home we would soon be living in was the EXACT floorplan of the home on the brochure.
While living in the home, with home prices dropping, we tried to purchase the home from the landlord. He simply couldn't let it go for the lower price. So, we contacted the builder on the other home we had posted on our fridge.
With the drop in prices, we were able to build the other home we loved while living in the rental -- at a considerably lower price than originally advertised!

So . . . after acquiring not one, not two, but THREE homes posted on our refrigerator -- we've begun referring to that Vision Board appliance as our Magic Fridge.

Now, I'm not saying that everyone's fridge will yield the same genie bottle response as ours. But I have come to believe that allowing dreams to come true is far more simple than we realize.

Ask . . . Believe . . . Receive. Visualize your dream today . . . you just might be amazed at the result!!

Blessings to you,
Leisa

Do Good With Your Vacation Home -- Paying the Blessings Forward

Winning the WindMark Idea House still feels surreal to us. Certainly, it was a tremendous blessing for us to receive such a beautiful home in the breathtaking coastal community of WindMark Beach -- but for that home to be located just 1 1/2 hours from my Northwest Florida hometown is an absolute dream come true! (Which is why we named the home --Summer Dream.)

And now, with the tremendous rental success it has experienced (each week of Spring Break has been booked SOLID and most of June & July are already rented, as well!). The joy of sharing such a blessing with so many other families is just overwhelming. To honor our blessings during the Christmas season last year, we donated a week stay in the home to our Air Force squadron booster club. During May, a military family will be vacationing there free of charge. I know the family who received the gift, and am thrilled they will be spending a much-deserved week at the beach. But . . . you know, given the level of abundance we've enjoyed this year, I truly felt we could give more.

So, we decided to offer discounted stays at Summer Dream to ALL active-duty military and veterans. This is an easy gift for us to give, of course. As an Air Force spouse and mother to three children who miss their Daddy when he's away -- I know first-hand the sacrifice of all military families.
My heart still felt that we could do more . . . so I did a little research.

I found a few organizations that utitilize vacation homes as a way to give back. Vacation Homes for Charity auctions stays in luxury homes, then appropriates the proceeds (which equates to hundreds of 1000s of dollars each year) to a variety of charities. In Cananda, cottage owners may donate a stay in their rentals through Cottage Dreams to cancer survivors and their families -- offering them a chance to recuperate and rejuvenate after treatment.Vacations For Veterans is a nonprofit organization created to provide recently wounded veterans of the United States Armed Forces with a week of free lodgings donated by a vacation homeowner. Wounded veterans face many challenges when they return home. They are reconnecting with family members and rebuilding their lives. Their honorable service and family sacrifices certainly merit relaxing time away -- but a vacation in a dreamy destination with professionally designed accomodations is a luxury few veterans would be able to afford.

Through Vacations for Veterans, our family will be able to give a worthy military family the Summer Dream vacation they deserve.

In this year when dreams keep coming true for us for us, the greatest way to express our gratitude, I believe, is to keep paying those blessings forward. I hope my children learn it is truly in giving that our hearts receive.

Today, may you also feel abundantly blessed.

Leisa

Summer Dream Porch Party, May 9th -- Win a Free Stay in the WindMark Beach IdeaHouse!

We'd love for you to join us for a:

Summer Dream Porch Party & Open House

Saturday, May 9th, between 11am-5pm EST

While visiting WindMark and Port St. Joe for the Plein Air Paintout,

Stop by Summer Dream for snacks and lemonade.

Tour the MyHomeIdeas 2008 Idea House and

Enter for Your chance to WIN a two night stay at Summer Dream.

We can't wait to see you at WindMark Beach!!

Click here for directions to WindMark Beach

MyHomeIdeas Beach House Girls Room Reveal

Our daughter loved her new bedroom . . . as you can see.

MyHomeIdeas Windmark Beach Idea House Big Reveal -- for kids

The MyHomeIdeas.Com Home Giveaway Big Reveal -- Kids' Style.

As you can see. . . our children love the new beach house from MyHomeIdeas . . . Read the full story from MyHomeIdeas here and more from this blog on our Story of a Dream Come True. This scene ends with our daughter running downstairs to find her new bed.

The Dream Team!

It takes a team to make a Summer Dream come true! My parents (in the top middle) and this fun group of friends all headed down to Summer Dream for the weekend to do last minute repairs, build bunk beds, and check off all the items on my to-do list. Thank you guys for all your hard work. I heard you had a few rug burns when it was all over. I'm glad to see you all took a little time to goof off on the porch swing. Next time I see the Dream Team, Friday Night Happy Hour is on me -- er, well, maybe the first round anyway. I know you Dreamers a little too well.

And that's my Pops -- always working (in between naps). He has worked extremely hard to make this home Renter-Ready. Thanks Dad, for always being there. I'm lucky to have you.

Lucky Enough! Works in Progress at the Idea House.

Many people are surprised to realize only a portion of the furnishings were conveyed to us as part of the prize package from MyHomeIdeas.com. . . Many of the tables and all of the artwork was on loan for staging purposes. But, the important items remained: all the gorgeous outdoor furniture from Frontgate, all of the upholstered furnishings, window treatments, beds and luxurious bedding. We were thrilled with the home as it was (with or without the pricey artwork), and ever grateful for this experience. As I say, "If you are lucky enough to be at the beach, you are lucky enough." This sign was our first purchase -- located in the laundry room, and the guest's entry to the home. Read Some Day to learn its significance.
We were thrilled to add a few of our own touches to the home. As you can see, the home is still a work-in-progress. But, we are certain to have it in tip-top shape before Spring when, hopefully, our big rental season will begin.

We replaced the missing dining table with a great buy from World Market. The weathered finish of this table is perfect for active families in the beach house. It also neatly stows a bench underneath. So, for our holiday meals, we simply pulled the table away from the window, and had enough space to fit all the troops. The chairs were still in the house from before, but we were able to find an inexpensive look-alike alternative for the barstools at Target.

The artwork was missing in the master bedroom. Luckily, we found stunning replacements at Trask Design Studio in Port St. Joe's lovely shopping district on Reid Street.

This bed sadly had to be moved from the coral bedroom to accomodate a more appropriate location for the children's room in the main house. But we thought it looked lovely in person with the striped walls. Now that I see the picture, however, I'm not as convinced. Hmmm. All the girly decor (lamps, pillows, etc.) have been relocated to our home in Maryland. Updated photos will follow of this room -- now outfitted from another lovely shop in Port St. Joe -- Portside Trading Company. The staff at Portside Trading were exceptionally helpful, allowing us to bring home pieces to try out in the space. Once we have new photos with all the furniture, I can decide if the room color will work.

These beds from SimplyBunkbeds.com look very nice in the coral room. This, as you see, is still a work-in-progress. Your ideas are welcome! I think we just need pillows and artwork and extra lighting to tie it all together.

I do like how the white bunks brighten the space. We placed a bunk on each wall with trundles underneath. There's enough bunkspace here to sleep 6! We also added a double ottoman sleeper to the main room.

Summer Dream can comfortably accommodate a slumbering party of 14. . . perfect for a family reunion. You will find that splitting the bill for a vacation home between a couple of other families (instead of booking individual hotel rooms) allows you a little more pocket change for shopping on Reid Avenue.

We'll post completed photos of the rooms as we have them. . . each weekend my family and friends from the Gulf Coast have been visiting Summer Dream to give each room just a little more love. Many thanks to My Dream Team!

And Blessings to all of you,

Leisa

Our Fabulous New Home in Windmark Beach!!

Finally! We're here!! Here's the view that greeted us as we drove up to the home . . . the garages open to the street to the back of the home . . . inviting us to park the car and choose alternative forms of transportation -- beach cruisers, kayaks, and barefeet -- for the rest of our stay.

Flip flops welcomed our arrival to the home. The children didn't miss a beat as they shed their street shoes quickly, and chose a personal pair for their stay. We were so touched by our children's natural reaction that we have stocked enough flip flops to greet all guests at our new Summer Dream.

Porch living at it's finest . . . we sat for hours each evening in this space -- a great place for a game of cards or a coctail among friends. The porches felt like they went on and on.

Sitting here at night delights the senses. The flavor of salty air seasoned with pine. The rhythm of evening dew dancing atop tin roofs, trickling through the branches below. It felt as if we were transported deep into a Southern rainforest.

Sensational seating for a sisterly chat.

Walking along the beach on Christmas day . . . shorts, barefeet, almost 80 degree temps with our jolly crew . . .

truly was a holiday's Summer Dream!

Kayaks -- courtesy of Windmark Beach -- stand ready for a sportsman's pleasure. We're saving this adventure for next time, when the water is warm enough for me to fall into!

The bikes are provided by Windmark Sales Office for guests -- for free!!! We biked the miles of cobbled roads and boardwalks for hours!

The home truly was more fabulous in person! There was room for everbody to enjoy a movie or a meal in the main room. Then at bedtime, each person had a private space in which to retreat. A perfect place for a holiday reunion!

The carriage house above the garage offered a great getaway for the grandparents. The children loved visiting them there every morning.

Our children never wanted to leave. My son said, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could live here year round, and bring all our friends! This house and this neighborhood are AWESOME!" You can't get higher praise than that, especially from a nine-year-old.

Like him, I wish we could live here year round. But I also agree this will be a terrific place to welcome guests. The best part of having a Summer Dream come true is sharing it with others. . . I hope you can come visit soon.

When you are ready to plan your own Summer Dream vacation, here is the angel to call . . . Patti Stroud, our property manager from Southern Resorts, worked tirelessly prior to our arrival to prepare the home for us. She noticed every little detail, brought in the cleaning team, worked with all the contractors to ensure everything was hooked up and running for us when we got there. We have been absolutely blessed by Patti's hard work and enthusiasm, and know she will take exceptionally good care of our guests. Give her a call at (850)229-1350 or click on the Summer Dream photo on the blog to book your stay.

We know your family will love Windmark as much as we do! We can't wait to welcome you to your Summer Dream.

Blessings,

Leisa

First Sunset at Windmark Beach

Our First Walk on Windmark Beach . . . at Sunset!

Best transportation in town . . . Pops' shoulders.

Our Bernese Mountain Dog, Maggie, can't wait to sample this new terrain.

The sky softly turns to pink as the girls enjoy their beach walk.

These sunsets truly will make you cry. I'm walking here with my parents. My little girl is riding her Grand Pops shoulders again. The boys are waiting for us at the end of the boardwalk.

The kayaks, provided courtesy of Windmark, accentuate the evening landscape.

This Christmas truly was a "Summer Dream" come true! Thank you MyHomeIdeas!

Life Is Good at the Beach House

It's official! Our children LOVED the new beach house! On Christmas morning, they enjoyed a few laughs on the coolest porch swing they ever saw.
The boys call it "gi-normous!" Their sister chimes in, "Yeah, hu-normous!"
They pose here with their new "Life is Good" shirts -- freshly ripped from packages found under the Christmas morning tree. They swing and giggle briefly for the camera before reminding their mother (and Aunt Leisa) that "We're going to the beach, remember. " A couple of minutes and a hundred yard race later, they were there!
Those pictures will follow later, along with our family's elated reactions to our new home and the amazing coastal community of Windmark Beach. Because for now -- after a wonderful Christmas week of living in a Summer Dream, a 17 hour mini-van trek with my delightful husband, three children, and Bernese Mountain dog has delivered me safely home to a "gi-normous, hu-gantic" pile of laundry to explore. All I seek now is R-E-S-T! (Well, ok . . . maybe I can post just one pic of Maggie the Beach dog.)

I do hope your holidays have been wonderful, too. As soon as we dig our way completely out of our sandy suitcases, I promise to post more pictures and stories from what my children have proclaimed was "The Best Christmas EVER!"

Blessings to you,
Leisa