Perfectly Pretty

Happy Halloween!! I saw this image by photographer Emily Followill on Desire to Inspire yesterday and tried not to drool on my keyboard. The colors are just perfect. I love everything about this room!

Clean and Simple Living

I love the clean lines of this breezy aqua living room. It all feels so fresh, so simple. -Martha Stewart

Serena and Lily

Serena and Lily make such beautiful bedding, as showcased in these precious nurseries. The bedding for grown-ups shouldn't be missed either! Go here to check out their collection of duvets. (I love looking around their website if only for the pretty pictures.) One day I hope to make a home for the Eve or Marina duvet!

This week in the garden I'm adding a top layer of leaves to cover the bare soil. This will help prevent soil erosion and redeposit nutrients back into the soil as they decompose. It should also help cut down on the amount of weeds that might take over in early spring.

All of our foundations vents have been closed, protective covers have been placed over the outside hose bibs, and all of our sprinkler lines have been drained to prevent the pipes from freezing and bursting this winter. My geraniums have been trimmed, re-potted and stored away. We have decorated the yard and front entrance with groupings of corn stalks, mums, pumpkins and a few scary spiders. The front windows have construction paper cutouts of bats and pumpkins that were made years ago from the wee hands of my children.

My only chores left before winter: put up electric heating elements in the gutters to melt ice, do some more raking and burning of yard debris, and spray the fruit trees with a home made oil soap.

With all of the grandiose of spring and summer, autumn puts to rest the labor of my hands; in the coming months, there should be time to plan and map out the garden for next spring.

Happy autumn!

Photo art: Summer is but a faded memory ... by Mrs. Mac 6/08

Watery Space

I am digging this bedroom I found in the House Beautiful website. The colors used in this room are the same colors of the Connecticut shore outside the window. So serene relaxing. And I just have to say...I want that bed!

Turquoise and Pink

I love this bright pink and turquoise bedroom designed by Jodi Macklin that was featured on Desire to Inspire last week. Its entirely delightful and cheerful. Just the thing for a Monday morning!

Margaret Elman

Oh how I fell in love when I spotted this amazing New York City apartment on Villa Anna. Decorated by Margaret Elman, the founder and owner of Chair Couture, who described her favorite color as "Everything from the palest robin-egg blue to sky-and-sea aqua to Tiffany box blue to full-on, whipping bright 1950's-dinner turquoise". *Sigh* I seriously love this woman!! Check out Villa Anna for more pictures of this, and other fabulous apartments! I hope everyone enjoys their weekend! :)

Spa House

I don't often run into modern homes with my favorite dreamy color schemes, but this Spa House designed by Sage Architecture out of Sacramento sure fits the bill. The owners wanted their own personal spa resort, a home that allowed them to escape from the real world. To keep with the spa theme, accent colors in the blue-green shades of the sea were used in the glass mosaic tile, accent walls, lighting, and the plastered fireplace. Love!

Bright and Airy Entryway

What a cute little entryway! So fresh and summery. I love that turquoise chair and little table outside the door. Photographed by Alec Hemer and styled by John Costello for Coastal Living.

My friend, Pat, in Michigan said to wrap my ever so green tomatoes in newspaper to store away in the basement for a little while. Well, that method has worked beautifully for ripening them. I was able to use about six pounds of the ruby jewels to make a fresh-frozen salsa. Six pints of the delicious sauce awaits our enjoyment during the long winter months. To make it I followed Mrs. Darlings recipe below, omitting the cumin and using a jalepeno minus the seeds instead of the chili pepper. It's not too hot nor too mild. As Goldilocks would say, 'It's just right." I hope you will try it. We still have at least seven or eight pounds of tomatoes left in various stages of ripeness. Perhaps I'll make more freezer salsa next week.

I have to run to the store to purchase some tortilla chips. You can just imaging how hard it is to have this wonderful salsa and no chips :) Enjoy your day.

For salsa recipe, visit Dishpan Dribble's canning page here and scroll down to September 30, 2008 (I couldn't get a direct link to this one recipe ;)

Paul Massey

This photograph by Paul Massey is simply gorgeous. The light is just perfect! Love that bed, those ceilings...wow.

Coastal Living Idea Cottage 2008

This blissful home is the Coastal Living Idea Cottage 2008 located in picturesque Scarborough, Maine. Designed by Tracey Rapisardi, who perfectly combined beach style with functionality. I love the easy living feel of this home. I would love to get away from it all here! Take a virtual tour and read all about the rooms in the home here.

Jane Hess Loves Her Color

Recently the lovely Karen from Alkemie posted about this amazing home belonging to former fashion editor Jane Hess that was featured in Canadian House & Home. I LOVE all the bold color and different styles used here. That bedroom is seriously to die for! You have to check out Alkemie for tons more pictures of the rest of this vibrant home!

Can, can: No not the dance ;) Being a person of frugal ways, I'm always on the lookout at the local thrift stores for canning equipment. My latest quest has been to find a large pot with a lift out basket that I can cook a huge amount of fresh green beans in all at once. This past summer when putting up the beans, I really could have used such an extra pot. It's necessary to have everything in order before you begin the process. Having to cook two batches of beans in a not big enough pot is a waste of time and heating fuel. When I shop at the second hand stores, I usually can zero in on exactly what I'm looking for and be in and out of the shops in a flash. Tuesday was a good find day. Here is the pot I purchased, including the basket, for $2.00. This could be some type of a fry basket/pan that has barely been used. It should work fine. Next quest, a kitchen scale for weighing produce.

A Room of Her Own

How fun is this adorable play room....ahem...mini apartment, complete with kitchen, living, dining, and nursery areas. Designed for little Zoë Peterson of Houston, TX by her parents Heather and Chris, who filled every nook and cranny with colorful vintage playthings. Oh how I would have loved to have this room when I was little! -Parents.com

Aqua Kitchen

I am loving this kitchen designed by architect and decorator Mark Maresca. The aqua cabinets look amazing with the black granite countertops and white trim. Although I think I'd be way too scared to paint the floors with a black pattern like this! For more on this lovely kitchen, head over to Southern Living.

Just because winter is approaching, you can still be an 'active' gardener. Well, perhaps not in the great outdoors, but how about in your minds eye as you envision what next year will hold in store for your garden plans. I placed a link in the sidebar to the Original Farmer's Almanac. This is a great on-line website that is free to use. You can easily become a registered user and customize some of the weather data for your specific zip code. Go ahead and check it out. Gardening that starts out small and grows a bit each year is a sure bet for success. I've already begun to fine tune what I'd like to plant for next year. Things such as winter squash, and some of the root vegetables that can take a bit of frost: parsnips, turnips ... even rutabagas. I'm even planning on perhaps a cold frame to extend the growing season for lettuce. The thought of buying a grow light has even crossed my mind. Lettuce is one of the prides of the garden and to go all winter relying on store bought ... well, let's just say I think I'll pass on salads for a while. Being spoiled with a bumper crop this year has ruined imported greens for sure! How easy would it be to have a small batch growing under a grow light ... or in a cold frame. This is something worth looking into. But, I'll take it slow. I don't like to buy equipment that might just sit idle after the novelty wears off.

Turquoise, Navy and White

There may be a lot of turquoise going on in this room, but I am totally digging it. I am crazy about the fabulous fabric used for the curtains and the fun throw pillows on the sofas. Navy blue and turquoise is such a great combination. -House to Home via Apartment Therapy

Green and Blue Bedroom

I found this image while shopping around for my DecorGreen blog. I love all the blues and greens in this nautical inspired bedroom. You can purchase the green fence daybed with the cute little fish cutout over at PoshTots.

Brian Vanden Brink

I recently came upon the extensive online portfolio of architectural photographer Brian Vanden Brink. Such beautiful photographs! I wouldn't mind spending time in any one of these amazing rooms (or hanging out by that pool with such a breathtaking view!) I hope everyone has a great weekend! :)