Halloween is a Hoot!

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Hoot if you’re cute!

Recently I made a Fall themed tablescape with my owls.  You can see that here: Owl Tablescape for Fall!.  However, I just expanded my owl collection and have now moved them to the bar in the kitchen.

This post was just featured on The Scoop! on October 14, 2013! 

Boo Who?

 This guy on the end is new.  Isn’t he cute?  I also have more fall themed candles: now have more acorns and little owls.

I also added some faux Fall foliage.  Additionally I added my repro Clapsaddle postcard to the mix!

Love this postcard!

 I like how it looks like the owls are sitting on the branches.

aren’t we cute?

I’m loving this new little scene.  Hoot if you’re cute!

Be sure to check out The Scoop! where my post is featured and to see a whole bunch of other great ideas!!

Do you like Fall, Halloween, and Pumpkins?! Check out my other posts:

Velvet Pumpkins! Just don’t bake with them.

A pumpkin vignette using new Juliska pumpkin china!

A Pumpkin Festival featuring 450,000 pumpkins!  Just featured on “A Stroll Through Life” blog, very excited!

Really cool Halloween decorations

My favorite Fall scents!

Owl Tablescape for Fall!

Early Fall Tablescape

Trick of Treat Fall Doorway

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday and Autumn Abounds Party at French Country Cottage, Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life, and the style sisters and the Autumn Abounds Party

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Velvet Pumpkins… don’t put them in your pie!

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Velvet Pumpkins… don’t put them in your pumpkin pie!!

Today I’m going to share with you my collection of velvet pumpkins!  

They are handmade with velvet and real pumpkin stems.  I love how the stems curve!

Aren’t they cute?!  I LOVE them.  These ones aren’t actually very big.  The largest one is 5″ across.

A closer look…. can’t decide which one is my favorite color!

 A closer look at the other side…

If you look closely, the stems have a little bit of gold painted on them so they have a bit of a shine to them.

A look from above!

These are sitting on top of my bar in the center.  Saw these about 5-6 years ago back in Portland… My mom gave them to me as a gift!  Thanks!  

There are two big makers in the velvet pumpkin world.  Mine are produced by Hot Skwash (company from Portland).  The other company is Plush Pumpkin. Hot Skwash pumpkins have gold on the stems.

They are a little spendy… I think a cluster of just 3 would be nice too for decorating!  You could always try to make your own.  Last year I dried out pumpkin stems to make my own… still planning on using them… some day… 

Hope you enjoyed!

Do you like Fall, Halloween, and Pumpkins?! Check out my other posts:

A pumpkin vignette using new Juliska pumpkin china!

A Pumpkin Festival featuring 450,000 pumpkins!  Just featured on “A Stroll Through Life” blog, very excited!

Really cool Halloween decorations

My favorite Fall scents!

Owl Tablescape for Fall!

Early Fall Tablescape

Trick of Treat Fall Doorway

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday and Autumn Abounds Party at French Country Cottage, Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life, and the style sisters

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Autumn at Roger’s Gardens!

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Autumn & Halloween 2013 at Roger’s Gardens

I recently made the trip down to Newport Beach, CA and of course had to stop by Roger’s Gardens.  It is a wonderful home and garden store.  It is so much fun walking around and dreaming about what I would plant in my dream garden!  

Let’s take a look at some of their Fall and Halloween offerings this year!  


They have a lot of neat ideas to take inspiration from, both indoor and out!

Even their entrance sign is festive!  A hint of things to come!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday and Autumn Abounds Party at French Country Cottage, Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life, and the style sisters

Pumpkins and gourds were everywhere in all shapes and colors!

The entrance to their Halloween “Night Gallery”… handpainted by one of their artists!

forgive the sideways picture, I can’t figure out how to turn it the right way!  

 I think this was the ‘curiosities’ room… the scientist in me didn’t find this spooky one bit; in fact, I was a bit fascinated and reminded of my college science classes!

This is the ‘witching hour’ room.  I think this one was my favorite themed room.

I love this wreath made of decoupaged repro clapsaddle postcards!  It was a little too spendy… I might need to go on an internet search to see if I can find it cheaper! (or try to make my own!)

More decorations…

Some Halloween pillows…

again, can’t figure out how to turn the picture the right way! Any help??

 This was the ‘mad inventors workshop’.  It was very neatly themed; my other pictures turned out too blurry!

Most of the items seen in these displays are for sale.  If you are planning on throwing a Halloween party, they have a lot of neat and unique high-quality party items… this is only a small glimpse of their store.

Now time to go back outside…

A witch topiary!!

Kitty cat topiaries!!!  I love these!!! I fear it would die if I took it home! They were located under the witch topiary table!

If you look closely you can make out faux birds in these birdcage topiaries!

 Found a cute rustic rooster… almost took him home! Might still if I go back!

These colored pepper plants caught my eye… cute not only for Fall decorating but for eating!

I loved these big pots of mums!

does your neck hurt yet from twisting it? Mine does.

This is near the store entrance/exit.  They always have a themed display here.

They had these neat plants out front… anyone have any idea what they are?  They kind of look like a mix of cattails (not quite) and Indian corn (without the corn!)

Identify me please!

 Dried corn stalks were bunched up, tied, and placed into large pots!

Really liked this mixture of grasses, fall flowers, and pumpkins!

Their gazebo out on the front corner of their property.

Did you enjoy that?  I always enjoy going here!  For more pictures of their Halloween Night Gallery, click here.  Their main website is here.  If you are in Southern California, I highly recommend going here.  If you liked that… wait ’til I share with you their Christmas shop! 

FYI- I was not paid by Roger’s Gardens to write this.  I just enjoy going to their shop!

Check out my other Fall themed posts, links below:

A pumpkin vignette using new Juliska pumpkin china!

A Pumpkin Festival featuring 450,000 pumpkins!  Just featured on “A Stroll Through Life” blog, very excited!

My favorite Fall scents!

Owl Tablescape for Fall!

Early Fall Tablescape

Trick of Treat Fall Doorway

Follow:

Juliska Pumpkin Vignette

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A Pumpkin Vignette with Juliska ‘Autumn Country Estate’

I’m very excited to share with you my new pumpkin colored Juliska plates.  They have come out with a new pattern… ‘Autumn Harvest’ in the ‘Country Estate’ style.  I have a hard time resisting anything in the ‘Country Estate’ pattern!

I have displayed them on my buffet table with my pumpkin vase. 

Let’s have a look!

Ok so the flash from the camera is terrible.

 The pumpkin is a pumpkin vase from 6 years ago… I still love it! Full of mums!

Now for a closer look at my new plates!!

This one is cute with the pumpkins and witches!

I think this might be my favorite one… notice on the wagon pumpkins are the wheels! 

Aren’t these super cute?! 

The new fall Juliska pumpkin-colored ‘Autumn Harvest’ plates can be purchased here

 Here’s a look at my pumpkin vase how it arrived in the mail!  Looks the same!

Check out my other Fall posts:

A Pumpkin Festival featuring 450,000 pumpkins!

My favorite Fall scents!

Owl Tablescape for Fall!

Early Fall Tablescape

Trick of Treat Fall Doorway

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday and Autumn Abounds Party at French Country Cottage, Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life, and the style sisters, the creative home and garden hop

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Trick or treat & a Fall Door Way

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A Fall themed doorway and the history of trick-or-treating

Found this cute decorated doorway in Austria.  I like how they’ve added what appears to be faux garland to the real plants.

I also spy some corn, grapes, apples, and pears added into the mix. Clever!

You know what is interesting?  The Germans really don’t decorate for Fall and Halloween like we do.  I know their big Fall festival is the Oktoberfest, essentially a harvest festival that happens to involve lots of beer.

So I decided to look up the origins for Halloween and Trick-or-treating!

The practice of dressing up began in Celtic tradition in which they believed demons would roam the earth again.  You would have to dress up as a demon so if the real demons found you they would think you were one of them and leave you alone.

As for trick-or-treating, it began in the Middle Ages in which children and poor adults would dress in costumes and go door to door during Hallowmas begging for found in exchange for songs and prayers on behalf on the dead.

This practice didn’t emerge again until in the United States in the 1920s.  The term “trick or treat” dates back to 1927.  A paper had printed that “Hallowe’en provided an opportunity for real strenuous fun […], the youthful tormentors were at back door and front demanding edible plunder by the word “trick or treat” to which the inmates gladly responded and sent the robbers away rejoicing”.

Be sure to check out my other Autumn Themed Posts:

A Pumpkin Festival featuring 450,000 pumpkins!

My favorite Fall scents!

Owl Tablescape for Fall!

Early Fall Tablescape

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday and Autumn Abounds Party at French Country Cottage, Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life, and the style sisters

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Pumpkin Festival

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Pumpkin Festival 2013 at Ludwigsburg Palace in Germany

Every year the Ludwigsburg Palace plays host to the “Kürbisausstellung” (aka pumpkin festival).  They have over 450,000 pumpkins on their property!  No they are not just scattered about, they are actually featured as sculptures! One year they had a Dinosaur theme, a Swiss theme, a botanical theme, and this year, a sports theme!
*warning, picture heavy post*


Can you find the word “Sports” hidden in the pumpkins?

Skiers! 

She is lighting the torch, I believe

Yes, this takes place surrounding the Ludwigsburg palace property! Look at the beautiful building!

Ever seen such funny look gourds?

What about these ones?

A different look at the skiers

They also had smaller figures too.  Some of these seem like you could try to replicate them at home for your own decorating.

A working Owl and Frog fountain! 

Whoooo goes there?
This parrot was very cute! 

A bicycle
A horse of course

The swan and alpine goat thing next to her
entire boxing match! 

Jamaica has a bobsled team

This is part of the festival.  The thing on the left in front of the pic was a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophy winner stand that would play music when you stood on it.

They had rows and rows of pumpkins from all of the world.  What was interesting to learn was that a majority of the pumpkin types are from the USA.  

A basketbal player

Even a very large swimmer as you can see

I think this guy was my favorite

You can see white tents in the background with food

Not only did they showcase the pumpkins, but they had different booths with food featuring pumpkin.  We had the pumpkin soup which was delicious.  We also had pumpkin struedel which was also very good.

In addition to food, the day we were there they had… pumpkin boat racing!  I’m not kidding!  The racing occurred inside the large fountain in front of the palace!

The pumpkin boats. As you can see pumpkin boaters get very wet! 

go go go! Racing IN the fountain! 

close of up a very large gray pumpkin ‘boat’.  Never seen a large gray pumpkin before! 

More colorful gourds for purchase! 

Never seen these gourds, called “bishop hats”.

What was interesting is that they only had TWO jack-o-lanterns in the entire festival!  You would think with thousands of pumpkins they would have more jack-o-lanterns.  Guess that is more of an American thing!

If you’re curious about the palace… Here’s a view of the front of Ludwigsburg palace.  Can you believe this was originally built as a hunting retreat?  Boy, did those royals know how to spend money!!

It was just starting to rain when I took this picture… had to hightail it back to the car!

Ludwigsburg palace

If you ever make it out to Germany in the Fall, I recommend going here! It was a lot of fun! 

For those of you that can speak German, the official pumpkin festival website is here

The pumpkin festival runs from August 30 to November 3 this year.  

For more information about Ludwigsburg Palace, the English website is here.

Hope you enjoyed these pictures!  I have enjoyed sharing them with you!

Be sure to keep checking back, I have lots of cute Fall posts coming up this month!

Thanks for stopping by!

This post was featured at a Stroll Through Life!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday and Autumn Abounds Party at French Country Cottage, Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life!and the Autumn Abounds party


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Owl Tablescape for Fall!

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Another Tablescape for Fall!

Between now and Christmas is my favorite time of year.  I have created another tablescape for the fall… this time for inside!  

A quick look from above!

 My new napkin rings, purchased from Pier 1 for $1.99.  Aren’t they cute?

A closer look at the cute owls! I love this one sitting in her nest on the vase!  A hedgehog is hiding to the right of her.

The owls are made of all natural materials.  Of course, harvest wheat for the fall!

A side view of my big owl.  I love his wings and eyes! And then a smaller owl candle to his left.

The view from the *other* side of the table. Not quite so fun!

One last look!
The owls were purchased a few years ago at a local boutique.  Can’t remember the name of the store anymore!

Burlap placemats are from Etsy… this store had them for the cheapest price when I purchased them last year. 

Antique linens napkins are held by my new Pier 1 napkin rings!

Squirrel, owl, and hedgehog mini candles are from Pottery Barn a few years ago.

Hope you enjoyed my owl tablescape for Fall as much as I do! 

Be sure to check back for more Autumn themed posts!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, and life of the party at the grant life!

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The Hills Are Alive!

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… with the Sound of Music!

Auf Wiedersehen! I’m off with my family to a driving tour of the German and Austrian Alps!  

All I can think of is this…

The Hills are Alive!

 Check out some of the sights!

I hope to see some Alpine cows! they must be wearing bells!

Isn’t this pretty?

We’re staying here!

Yes, we’re going to Schloss Neuschwanstein!

Beautiful lake in Austria!

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Bed Cornices

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Bed Cornices

I LOVE bed canopies and cornices.  I have been looking at inspiration recently to make my own bed cornice.  Here’s the deal, my guest bedroom is really boring.  I need SOMETHING to make it look better.

This looks nice! But not mine!

Now, here’s a picture of reality:

my BORING guest bedroom. No, there’s no bedframe. I can’t afford one right now! So, what else to do?! 

I was thinking, since I can’t afford a bed frame and I *love* cornices, a cheaper alternative would be to make my own!  

Here are the different type of bed canopies and cornices.

Different type of bed cornice/canopy options.

Let’s look at some inspiration!

Don’t you love this! Love the bed cornice! Also love the bed and the bedding. And the room.

Love this one as well.

While this one is decorated for Christmas, it seems very simple to be able to DIY.
What I love about this one is the sides of the cornice fabric are toile and the backdrop is a check. I would want to do the same thing. Or do one in all white.

Ok I’m noticing a pattern. I’m a sucker for blue and white bedrooms, French furniture, and toile!

This one seems really easy to DIY.

I love this! What a great day bed!

These cornices are something that I could probably easy copy with a  DIY cornice idea  I found on pinterest!

This was a DIY using curved curtain rods.  The sheets of sheer fabric are attached to the curtain rod with ribbon.  found on Pinterest.

A DIY cornice for a crib from My Love of Style
This was a DIY cornice. Tutorial here

This is an inverted wall shelf with fabric stapled to it.  

a DIY cornice tutorial found here

OR you can buy a cornice. This one is $164 from the Bella Cottage.  The Bella Cottage has a lot of cute shabby chic/French furniture too. You should check it out.
Sorry for the poor quality.  I like this bed crown, it’s only $86, and it is in two of the above pictures I found up above!
It is here.  They also sell a few other bed crowns that I like!

Why do I like bed cornices? Because they make you feel like a King/Queen!  If you’re going to be King/Queen of your own Castle, you need to have a bed to prove it!

Marie Antoinette’s bed in Versailles

Marie Antoinette’s bed at the Petit Trianon. How CUTE is her room?!  Home girl knows how to spend money.

Whew!  That was quite a lot of bed cornices to look at!  Which one is your favorite?
Follow Peonies & Orange Blossoms’s board Bedroom on Pinterest.

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, and life of the party at the grant life!

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Shingle Style Meets Northwest

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I grew up in the building trade.  For fun the family would go look at construction on Saturday afternoons.  Of course when there’s a Street of Dreams, I’m right there, checking out to see what the latest trends are, and if something catches my fancy.   Last month it was a neighborhood in West Linn, a suburb of Portland, Or.
This house is a shingle style house, with lots of architectural features.  My photos may not be the best, but its hard to photograph when you have crowds of people going through the house.  The house was called “Clearhaven” and is by Pahlisch Homes, Inc. and listed as the interior designer is Carin L. Atterbury from Surface Home.  However then I found that Chancellor Designs staged the house for the show with Tiffany Home Furnishings..   I realized I didn’t get enough pictures, so I found some more on Tiffany Home Furnishings facebook page showing pictures taken by Stephen Tamiesie.  There was a professional taking pictures the same time as I was—his are better! I wonder if it was Stephen.

The front has a little bit of everything, style wise. It looks more like a small city than a house.   I had to stand in the walkway and stare to take it all in.  I liked all the covered porches.  It rains ALOT in Portland, so covered porches are nice.

The floor plan is shown here.

THE DINING ROOM

From the entry way, you look directly across into the dining room.

Oh my, the classic lines of the dining room really appeals to me.  I love the wingbacks as captains chairs.   I did that once. In fact, I still have them, recycled to another purpose.  I also like the crystal chandeliers.  The room has a lovely old look with the wainscoting.  The house is filled with fancy ceilings, like the one in the dining room.

 Here you can see a closeup of the sideboard.  I like the tufting on the chairs, but then again, I’ve always liked tufting!  The tablescape was fun too:

Below, the photograph shows the coffered ceiling, and the pass through cabinets to the kitchen.  The little details like the arch make such a difference.

To the right of the entry is the living room:
Looking from the entryway towards the windows.  To our left is an interesting fireplace:
Another view showing the chimney piece:
Below is the console underneath the wall mounted TV.
The back of the fireplace:
What do you think of this unusual treatment of a fireplace?  I think I like the shape and the sides.  It really is a beautiful addition to the house.  Notice no TV over the fireplace.  You can see it behind the sofa in the living room in the above photo.  This side of the fireplace is in the kitchen.
The tv is always a problem.  Obviously you can only sit on one side of the room to see it.  That works for me, not being over the fireplace.  The entryway is behind the tv wall.    The sofas, as the dining chairs, are dressed in a simple off-white linen.  I think it works nicely, vs. a more formal fabric.  It is more welcoming, don’t you think?

THE KITCHEN

I need a drumroll please!   This was my favorite kitchen!  I could have just stayed in here.  It was very hard to get photos as everyone else wanted to hang out here too!  Of course, you can never go wrong with white painted cabinets and marble counters.   For trends, I noticed that they did put a pot filler, wow, though, isn’t that a bit high?  Of course someone who doesn’t cook probably doesn’t get an opinion!
I love the x’s on the island cabinet doors.  The other side of the island is too cute too.  Love the cabinet cutout.
To the right is a wall of cabinets:
On this wall you see the microwave, ovens, and Sub-Zero.  Below, you can see to the right of the stove is an alcove breakfast room.  
Below the beadboard wainscoting is dressed up with wide boards.  I like it!
The breakfast room has a pass through from the second kitchen. More on that below.
To the left of the stove is a SECOND room to the kitchen.  I love this room!  It has another dishwasher and farmhouse sink.
Notice the grey stone (marble?) used on the counter.  Of course there’s a farmhouse sink.  I love the arched cutout above the cabinets.
.
Not sure if I like the feet on the cabinets.  I know they are very popular, giving cabinets the feel of furniture. Would they just be dustbunny catchers, or would the maid (me) keep on top of those?! I also like the bracket shelves displaying the white ironstone pitchers.
Notice in the photo above that they added beadboad to the back of these doors.  Isn’t that a great look?  I love it with the crisp black knobs.
Here you can see the windows that may be able to be used as pass-through for outdoor entertaining.  There’s also a window on the right of the sink like this.  Love the “counter-scaping”.  Especially a card for tonight’s menu.  I want that cook!  The simple gray counter is a nice complementary change from the kitchen.

You are looking out onto one of the porches–notice the fireplace echoes the shape of the one in the living room.   I like the seating built in–perfect for parties.  In the picture above, you get a glimpse of the outdoor chandelier.  It looks rusty, which is good in the NW, with 300 days of rain per year.

Of course I have to show you the rest of the outdoor kitchen, since we’re doing the kitchen:
I can only imagine the fun kids would have in this pool.  (The slide reminds me of someone who had one in a hillside like this, and every night they would come home from work and there would be water splashed all over from uninvited guests.  They installed cameras, and found the dogs, I think they were labs, using the pool.  Look for the video on Youtube)
I would like to point out something in composing pictures.  The photo below is one I took.
This one below was taken by Stephen.  Check out how the different angle looks so much better!  He stepped 5 feet to the left of where I was standing.  The tablescape helps.
Of course there is a cute little pool house!  Below, you can see the back of the house with the outdoor kitchen.  In the NW, it has to be covered.   The master bedroom is behind the fireplace wall.

THE MASTER BEDROOM

I thought it was interesting that they chose a bold color for the walls.  I like it, as it sets off the crisp white trim.  Below is a shot of the ceiling.   The wood x’s make it less formal to me, which I like.  
They didn’t have any window treatments, rats.  I’d like to see how they deal with all that light coming into the bedroom.
The master bath has the same cabinets as the kitchen.  The bank of cabinets above are to the left as you walk in the room.  I like all the storage, no open spaces under the counter.  To the right is a tub and a shower.
The tiles are a combination of polished marble and aqua glass tiles.
They created a pattern in the middle of the floor, which is nice relief to all that marble.  I probably would have stuck with a white marble, but that’s ok.  (Who is the nut who put their gross tennis shoes here?)
More photos by Stephen:

Guest Room

At the master wing is also a guest bedroom.  Here is the funky headboard.  
The bathroom has a cabinet like the kitchen, except painted with some pop.  I like the oval window in here.
The vanity is cute, but not sure if I am a fan of open vanities– it’s alot of dusting, but they are very popular right now.  If you cross the entryway, you can see there’s a long hallway that takes you to the rest of the house.

Powder Room

There’s definitely a trend with the open space under the cabinets.  I’d probably put towels stacked, rolled or in baskets.

Laundry Room

Beyond the kitchen is a very cool laundry room.  It has room for a sewing machine which is a big plus in my book.  It also allows room for crafting projects.   
Don’t you love the dutch door?  It’s a perfect spot for that aging dog or puppy when you can’t attend to it’s needs.
The designer’s dog Stella, checking out the new digs.  Isn’t she darling.  From Chancellor Designs facebook.
The rest of the laundry room has lots of storage and work area to the right of the sewing machine area.

The Study

It looks like a Burberry plaid wallpaper.  I’m not a huge fan of the tile around the fireplace, but I do really like the woodwork.

The Staircase

The staircase had black molding and a really nice newel post.  There was a landing with a window seat.
The landing overlooks the living room.
At the top of the stairs was a bonus room, a bedroom and bath.
Even though the entire house was staged just for the show, I really enjoyed walking through and checking out all the furnishings.  This house would be a perfect stage for all my antiques!
Missing from the house was the monster theatre room, open family room to the kitchen, exercise room and a multitude of ugly bedrooms.  Did you miss them?  I didn’t!   4919 SF and only 3 bedrooms.  I really enjoyed this home. I especially remember the hand scraped wood floors and the kitchen.   
I wonder why we don’t have more shingle style houses in the northwest–with all our rain it seems like shingle style is perfect for us.
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Fall 2013

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Things I am wanting for Fall 2013

Well, the kids are back in school, the days are not as hot, and the stores are decorating for Halloween.  Yes, the official start of Fall is just around the corner… and this is what I’m wanting in my shopping bag:

(assuming no budgets, of course!)

Kate Spade “Audrina” Flat here… $238

This beautiful scarf by Ted Baker… it’s listed in Pounds, uhhh. can’t do the math… so it’s free? 

This comfy pullover, perfect for cuddling up on the couch… $49

If I lived somewhere cold… this Barbour polarquilt jacket looks very warm! $239

Chuck Taylor tennies by Converse. A classic. Always on my Fall shopping list. Maybe I’ll get them in a color other than black… Buy them here. .  $50. 

A pair of tall leather boots… I really like these, they are the tall ‘Melissa’ boots by Frye. $350.  I already own a pair of tall leather boots… but if those ever… fall apart? (they won’t)… get lost? (lost on purpose maybe)… then I’d get these!

How about a new watch band? I love this purple glitter Michele watch band!  Although I think the glitter would scratch my skin! 

What do you want for Fall?  I wear scrubs every day; that’s why almost everything on my list is shoes and accessories.

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Early Fall Tablescape

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Late Summer/Early Fall Tablescape

Well, it’s not quite officially Fall yet, but doesn’t really feel so much like Summer anymore either.  This tablescape I put together features pumpkins (fall!) and peaches (late summer!).  This was set for dinner outside on the patio.  The weather was perfect… 83 degrees with a slight breeze!

 Taking pictures while dinner is cooking on the grill…

Quimper placemats and napkins with Williams Sonoma plates.

 A centerpiece straight from the garden

Pumpkin harvested early from the garden as the vine had died a little too early.  Peaches from the peach tree…. later eaten with home made honey ice cream for dessert!

A spy!

Another look

Our dinner… homemade from scratch potato pizza (most ingredients including the potatoes from our garden) made on the grill, along with fresh from the garden cantaloupe salad!  Potato pizza is my favorite dish… I’ll share the recipe another day!

I liked this centerpiece because it was quick, cheap, and easy!  Just went picking in the garden for dinner AND for decoration!

One last look!  Thanks for stopping by!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, and life of the party at the grant life!


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Macarons! Loving Laduree and Pierre Herme

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Macarons! J’adore!!!

What is a macaron? It is a meringue cookie made with egg white, sugar, and almond powder.  The filling is then made with jam, ganache, or buttercream.  It is a French cookie that developed in the 1700s. And boy, is it good!  This cookie is not to be confused with the macaroon, the coconut based cookie. Since we’re learning about macarons and macaroons, let’s learn how to say them correctly too:

  • Macaron: mack-ah-ron (Ron as in “on”, like the light is on!)
  • Macaroon: mack-ah-roon (as in ra-coon!).  

So, let’s let our eyes have a feast!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’, Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here,  Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, and life of the party at the grant life!


Aren’t they pretty?

There are two big French macaron houses: Laduree and Pierre Herme!

These are the regular flavors at Laduree!

Of course, such a precious cookie needs a pretty box to go into! 

Aren’t these boxes pretty?!  So that way when you’re sad you ate all of your cookies in 1 day, you still have a pretty box leftover to remind you of them.  

 Now onto Pierre Herme… known for their cat boxes!

Le Chat

CHacolAT

YUM! 

The flavors from Pierre Herme! 

 What one do you want to eat??

A raspberry one, from Pierre Herme?
What about a pistachio one?

Or a white chocolate orange blossom?

…and a raspberry, and a blackberry, and chocolate, and lemon, and and and!

Here I am in front of the Laduree store at Harrods in England.  Even the store is cute like the cookie! 

I feel like Marie Antoinette when I eat macarons! You can see above!

I love them so much, I even had them at my wedding!

Can you believe these were at my wedding!  The corset in my dress was so restricting, I was only able to enjoy one macaron (a pistachio one!).  My 15 year old male cousin however, informed me that he ate 10 of them and did not feel sick at all!  For future reference, if you think you’ll feel sick after 3, apparently you can still feel good after eating 10…

Have you ever had a macaron?  On another day I’ll post about how I have attempted at making my own, but this way is much more fun!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog
I’ve also linked up with Wow us Wednesdays! at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here, and Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage!

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The Elusive German “Swan” Tea Cup

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The Elusive German “Swan” Tea Cup

I’m getting ready to fly off to Germany soon and it has me thinking… am I going to ever find that tea cup with the swan handle again?  Back in 1999 when I visiting Germany for the first time, I remember seeing a beautiful porcelain tea cup that had a swan head/neck shaped as the handle.  I had never seen anything like that before.  I swore to myself I would some day purchase said tea cup… except now I can’t remember who makes it!

 

I can’t remember exactly where I saw it either… there’s only two places.  One is either in the fancy porcelain display case at the Neuschwanstein Castle or at a fancy porcelain shop we went to in Munich.  At the castle, it would have been a copy of the swan service that King Ludwig II would have used.

 

There are several German porcelain manufacturers that could have made it:

  • Meissen
  • Rosenthal
  • Dresden

I know it was not made by Villeroy and Boch or R.S. Prussia.  I thought perhaps by Nymphemburg since the palace is associated with swans… but I can’t find a single cup with a swan handle by them.

Here’s what I have found through my search on the internet:

 

Dresden swan

 

Meissen Swan cup from 1820.

I don’t think the cup was all gold.  I think it kind of looked like the ones below, but I thought there was more blue.

From Meissen’s “Swan Service”, pattern from 1737.

Maybe it was like this one:  But, the bottom is purple. I thought it was blue.  Plus, I don’t think it is manufactured any more and I think the ones I saw were repro of old patterns.

Dresden demitasse tea cup from 1895-1918 on a Rosenthal blank with an eagle handle

 

Meissen “Swan Service” Espresso cup

Maybe it was the espresso cup as above! I’m totally confused!  The longer I stare at the espresso cup from the Meissen Swan Service the more I am convincing myself that is it!  But, I swear there was more blue on the cup!!

It was 14 years ago… well, I’m still going to be on the hunt for it!

 

Are you able to help me with my hunt? Any ideas?

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Antique Easels

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I never was on the lookout for them, but  antique easels can solve decorating problems.   Last week I found a large Victorian brass aesthetic movement easel.   It is adjustable, so you can mess with how high you want to display the painting, or in my case, a needlework.

Victorian Floor Easel for Display

The great part about a large easel like this is that you can use the easel in areas where you want some height, but can’t.  In my case, I hate the half walls that are around the living room.  This gives me the opportunity to display something, the back is pretty as you walk down the hallway.

The easel also works well when you have a wall of windows–this can be tucked in front of drapes between the windows.  I try to be careful not to get too fussy in selecting items for the home, but the neoclassic lines of this easel did work for me.

There are many options in hunting for a large easel.   Ebay had these, another aethetic movement easel.

The one below is a ball and stick Victorian easel.

I love this one from Liveauctioneers–French art nouveau:
I love this Black Forest easel, but anything Black Forest is ok with me!
There are many plain easels also. This has an arts and crafts look to it.
I also love these below at Istdibs.com.  The one below is painted to look like bamboo.

 The one below is almost over the top, but I thought it could be interesting with the rack below.

Last week I blogged about my chest under the TV.  I used a smaller Italian tole easel to display a painting.  

I liked using antique easels at my daughter’s wedding, and am now recycling them.   I have made some great signs using Adobe Illustrator, and printing out poster size at Walmart.  They worked really well.

You can find antique easels on Ebay, but if you’re really bargain-hunting, check out Home Goods, they’ve got lots of little ones perfect for the tabletop.   I do love the little ones, they work well to display a book instead of a painting if you have a wonderful antique cover.
The next time you’re out and about and see an easel, take a look at it.   I really didn’t see this one until someone pointed it out to me.  It especially works for my needlework without a frame!
I hope I have inspired you to add something antique to your personal style.

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From the Shop

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