a new book and a winner!

In Saturday's mail I received this beautiful new book.  I was the lucky winner of a give away on Stephanie's blog, La Dolce Vita.  She was so generous that she actually let the winner choose from a very well edited selection.  I'm so happy that I chose "The Perfectly Imperfect Home" by Deborah Needleman, the founding editor of Domino Magazine.  It's filled with charming illustrations by Virginia Johnson and quotes by famous decorators/designers.  This is a book I will read cover to cover and study the illustrations over and over.  It makes me so excited to start making our new (old) little house a home in Connecticut.  This book is going to be my road map.  Thank you Stephanie!

and the winner of my little collection of black & white things is:  Jane!  Funny how this worked out today.  Jane is having a link party called "Flowers in the Wintery House."  I was thinking I wouldn't link up, because my flowers are looking a little sad...I always have in the past, but I was feeling a little out of sorts shall we say with my Trader Joe's roses. Jane is an amazing floral designer and has the most imaginative arrangements all over house.  She says things like, "so if you have a stem of black raspberry, add that to the mix." All things considered, I don't think Jane will mind if I link up to her blog, Small But Charming.  Check it out...it's fun to see how everyone uses flowers in their pretty homes.

J a n u a r y

January has always been my favorite month...strange, maybe...but it's when things slow down a little, it's quiet in the winter.  The holidays come in like a storm and then are gone before you know it.  I love everything about the holidays, but when January comes around, I'm ready for things to return to normal and routines go back into place for everyone.  The house after Christmas seems very orderly once everything has been put away and I always try to find daisies...not easy...but they are the furthest thing from Christmas...and that's what I love about them. 

"I love daisies.  They're so friendly.  Don't you think that daisies are the friendliest flowers?"  Kathleen Kelly

 

This was taken at about 10am this morning.  The current temperature is 84º at the beach...probably a lot hotter inland.  

 

My resolutions are simple this year.  Be kinder to everyone.  Of course eating healthier is always top on the list.  I made cinnamon water and it makes the house smell divine.  I'm not certain of the health benefits.  I did a little research, but I know one thing for sure...the house smelling like cinnamon is a lot healthier than butter and onions on a regular basis.  One thing I generally do in January is read more.  So I'm going to enjoy the next hour on my patio in the shade with a wonderful book my sister recommended.  Her book group read Halfway to Each Other by Susan Pohlman and she hosted the group in her home last month with the author who now resides in Phoenix, AZ.   Cheers to January, New Year's resolutions and good books.

Small But Charming . . . flower(s) in the holiday house

I never miss a party at Jane's ...but looking around my house I have plenty of fresh greens, but only this one rose...I mixed it with my new beads I purchased at The Groves Antique Market in Irvine, CA a few weeks ago.  I even added a string around my re-purposed fig jam jar. 

So Jane, I hope you don't mind that I came to your party almost empty handed...just the one rose, but we are not all professional like you.  Check out Jane's blog for a little holiday inspiration and join the party.

                                                       Linking with:  Small But Charming

casual dining room + thanksgiving table inspiration

Casual Thanksgiving...

Our house is very casual and that includes the dining room.  I think it's more the mood created by candlelight, music and the meal itself that lends to a little bit of formality.

The painting is from Barclay Butera in Newport Beach, but I cannot stop thinking about this painting I saw on Etsy.  I think it would be perfect on the white brick and for this time of year.  It's called Whisper. 

My husband made our dining room table when we were first married.  We've used it in every apartment or house we've ever lived.  A few years later my sister and I found the chairs at Pottery Barn for $30 each...I keep thinking we'll replace them, surprisingly they are very comfortable.

Looking into the kitchen from the dining room.  Originally the opening was only as wide as a normal door.  We opened it up, added an arch and brick.  It makes the kitchen appear much larger, but the actual footprint stayed the same.

We will be away for Thanksgiving this year, but when we return on Saturday we'll pretend it's Thanksgiving all over again.  I was inspired by the photo below taken at the Union Square Greenmarket last Saturday.  It was not practical to bring these little bundles back so I went with a similar feel, but used things out of my own yard.  The color palette I was going for was gray, silver, white, natural and a little bit of denim.

My inspiration...natural from the wheat and grasses, the gray on the ground, blue (notice the person standing wearing blue jeans in the top right).

                                                                          Participating in:
                                                             Rooms by Rooms - Dining Rooms
                                                                    Tablescape Thursday
                                                                   Made By You Monday

autumn in new york

One of my favorite things to do in the fall in New York is to stroll through Union Square Greenmarket.  The colors, textures, smells of the season are all around you.  We shared a pint of the freshest and sweetest apple cider I've ever tasted. 

                           The market was filled with ideas to set a beautiful table for the holiday. 

I loved all the colors of the season, but this is what I was most drawn to...bundles of wheat, grasses...all different textures.  I even loved how they looked wrapped in brown paper against the gray honeycomb pattern on the ground.  Maybe next year bundles of these down the middle of a long table with a natural linen gray cloth and simple hurricanes with ivory candles?  How will you be setting your Thanksgiving table?

 

a pretty simple life . . .

Found here:http://muro-buro.com/

I wake each morning and make the beds, fluff the pillows and put them back in their place on the sofa, put away the dishes, fresh water for the flowers and open the blinds just so...

I come home and turn on just the right lamps, light the candles and maybe a fire, set the table and adjust the shades just so...keeping it pretty simple.  How do you make your house cozy?

Small But Charming . . . flowers in the house

Jane at Small But Charming is having another "Flowers in the House" party...go over and check it out.   Jane has some pretty fall blooms from her garden in her kitchen. 

White roses are ubiquitous around here.  I'm not even sure what they are called, but they are everywhere....Not very seasonal, but I like the way they look in my glassybaby votive called Ocean in our powder room.  Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a glassybaby.

as summer begins to fade...the colors turn to yellow, gold and rust

I pass by this shop on Pacific Coast Highway everyday and love to see what they have out front.  You can tell the summer is coming to a close when the flowers are going from vibrant hues of red and hot pinks to shades of yellow and gold.

The colors around my house are getting more muted too...not as much red.

Nothing makes me happier than the mailbox full of new magazines...just in time for the weekend.

Everything is getting softer inside and out...as we get ready for cooler weather.  I love the fall and I can't help but miss the crisp feel in the air once summer begins to slip away.  There's something about the seasons and seeing one go to the next that just feels right.  There are seasons in Southern California, but not like the East Coast.

I must be ready for fall before it's time...I was at Roger's Gardens and there were no mums to be found.  I was able to change my pots from red geraniums to a bit of yellow for only a few dollars...these plants won't last long, but just til I can find a yellow mum plant.

Small But Charming . . . flowers in the house

Jane at Small But Charming is having another Flowers in the "Hot" House Party.   I love bringing flowers into the house and Jane always has me thinking beyond the assortment at Trader Joe's.  This is what I've come up with in the last couple of weeks.  What about you?

I made this arrangement as I was cutting back all of my herbs. . . Everything was flowering at the same time. 

I love hydrangeas at any stage and any color.

I must admit it's not very "hot" here in Southern California along the coast.  It seems to be hot just about everywhere else.  Hope you are someplace cool!

 

Small But Charming . . . flowers in the house

Today over at The Gardener's Cottage, Janet had a link to Small But Charming.  Jane is having a "Flowers in the House" link party and you must go and check out all the beautiful spring flowers in everyone's lovely homes.

This is what I have today.  Not a lot, but I've been making these little herb arrangements and I just planted zinnia and dahlia seeds. I think I'm about 60 days out from having lots more to choose from.

Nothing makes me happier than fresh flowers and candlelight.

Lavender bouquets + new uses for old things

I have so much lavender growing in my yard I don't know why it never occurred to me to bring it inside.  They smell beautiful.  I made several little arrangements using jars I've been saving.  Years ago my sister said always save your dijon mustard jars to use to bring salad dressing on the go.  Brilliant....now I'm saving every jar and using them for a multitude of things.  The best way I have found to get the labels off is the Spray Gel Goo Gone.

In the bedroom...

and in Madeline's bathroom.  When looking for something to keep make up cotton rounds and q-tips, I came across her silver baby cups.  One is engraved in script and the other block letters...love them.

Recently I sprayed all the lids black...looks better in my pantry.  I took dinner to a friend and put the home made dressing in a little jar.  All she had to do was give it good shake and toss with the salad. 

sweet peas

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The hills of San Juan Capistrano are blooming with Sweet Peas. 

It was very hot today and since I forgot my snake bite kit...I was a little bit chicken about staying around long enough to get all the colors.  I pretty much just grabbed what I could that was on the very edges and ran...

Even just a few little bouquets like this around my house and you could smell their fragrance.

They are so pretty...