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Garden, Home & Party

~ My love of gardening, making home comfortable and entertaining friends and family.

Garden, Home & Party

Category Archives: Fall Entertaining and Decorations

Autumn flora in the home

19 Wednesday Oct 2016

Posted by Karen B. in Autumn, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Flowers, Halloween, House and Home, Thanksgiving

≈ 19 Comments

Good morning, my friends!  So much for getting back to regular posting, right?!

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

I am an avid fan of fresh flowers and plants in my house year round.  I’ve used branches from shrubs and trees in the yard, and flowers from the market for our home most of my married life.  I also have several living plants in my home.  Ivy topiary, Peace Lily ‘spathiphyllum’ and a large pothos live in various rooms of the house.  When Christmas rolls around I’m happy to use faux garland, embellished with live cedar and pine.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn flora

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

So it was with some hesitancy that I returned the kind email I received from Silk Plants Direct.  They were offering me a shopping visit of their site, where they would ship a product of my choice (with a generous pricing limit) for my honest review.  Still doubtful, I visited the link and found many of their plants to look very believable.  The item I selected reminds me of bittersweet, something that is sold live per stem by florists this time of year in our area.  I’ve always loved the look of bittersweet in autumn arrangements and wreaths, but couldn’t always find fresh stems.

I emailed my contact with Silk Plants Direct and was thrilled with the speedy delivery and the quality of the stems.  The flowers filled the large porcelain blue and white vases and finished the mantle decor for the season for me.  Thank you Silk Plants Direct!

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

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Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Flora

Silk Plants Direct, a Silk flowers and plants retailer, has a user-friendly site and provides a column on their home page that allows shoppers to narrow their search by topics such as category, size, price, color, variety and season.

If you’re a die hard fan of real live plants and flowers, as I consider myself to be, you may be in for a surprise. I urge you to take a look at Silk Plants Direct.

Disclosure:  I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The honest opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way. 

 

Thanksgiving countdown

11 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by Karen B. in Autumn, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Holiday/Seasonal cooking

≈ 28 Comments

With only 18 days until Thanksgiving I thought I’d share some wonderful table setting ideas, compliments of talented folks online, along with a rough draft of our menu for the upcoming long holiday weekend.  Williams Sonoma taste has so many great ideas for making this food-intensive holiday easy and delicious.

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

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This year we’re lucky enough to be celebrating Thanksgiving with the entire Bunch clan (our Austin family will be here as well as our California kids).  We’re celebrating Olivia’s 5th birthday at Disneyland early in the week.  Then the meal planning will begin, a collaborative effort.  The fact that our kids like to cook is a great source of joy for me.

This is my favorite season and while I’m thankful for family year round, the Thanksgiving holiday shines a spotlight on family (and friends) and fortunately, we all get along and enjoy each other’s company.  Some of the movies they’ve produced on dysfunctional family life brought to light during Thanksgiving are funny, thankfully they don’t apply! 🙂

Layla of The Lettered Cottage shared this simple centerpiece some time ago.  It’s a reminder that setting the table can be lovely whether simple or elaborate.

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

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I’m loving the rustic feel of this elegant table.  There are flowers but the pussy willow and nest give it a natural, rustic feel.

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

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Have you seen these placemats with space to write down what you are thankful for?  I love this idea.  A reminder that we all have something to be thankful for.  I like the dried maple leaf as a placecard.

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

Figs, eucalyptus and candles, brilliant! Less is more.  For oakleaf name cards…

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

this lovely free printable can be found HERE.  If you’ve never visited EAB Designs, prepare to be amazed at the creative forces at work here.

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

This is another pretty free printable for place cards if you’re interested.

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

Our Thanksgiving table sans dinnerware…since I’m posting this early, I don’t have plates and such on the table.  Redfern, our beloved pheasant, presides over the feast.

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

Here are dishes that I often use in the autumn, but this year I think I’ll use my white dishes…food looks good on white (or so I’ve been told).

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

Traditional, with updates, I love this centerpiece in a planter box.  You can never have too many candles.
Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

Our menu will be some version of the following:

Garden, Home and Party - thanksgiving countdown

 

I’ll be taking some time off.  I know it seems that has become a habit! Family will be arriving and I want to unplug for awhile.  I’ll be back with some Christmas cheer.  I wish you all a joyous Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and good food.  I’m very thankful for my friends here at GHP.

xo,  Karen

 

Entertaining in the autumn

23 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by Karen B. in Autumn, Entertaining, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Holiday/Seasonal cooking, Simple Meals for the Avid Cook

≈ 37 Comments

I always jump the gun on fall…which is particularly defeatist since Southern California typically doesn’t see truly cool (a relative term) weather ever until late October or early November.  Still, it’s my favorite season {with spring a close second} and I can hardly wait.

Garden, Home and Party: autumn entertaining

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The acorns and sycamore leaves were gathered on my walk that first weekend in September

Garden, Home and Party: entertaining in autumn

When our Austin family visited earlier this month, I found myself decorating the dining room table for fall.  We have several September birthdays in the family and since September always reminds me that fall is close at hand, I thought why not?!  Besides, we had the a/c running so you could pretend it was cool outside. 🙂

I saved the oak leaves from a visit to Big Bear and wrote the name of each guest on a leaf to use as place cards.

Garden, Home and Party: entertaining in autumn

Redfern the pheasant is in his usual spot for the fall season. 

Garden, Home and Party: entertaining in autumn

There were lively conversations among the guests…Olivia (4 years) & Fae (1 year next month) {granddaughters}

Garden, Home and Party

I’ve dropped the ball where entertaining / cooking posts are concerned.  So in addition to the table setting, I’ve included the menu items I served for our birthday celebration {in the season of almost autumn}. 🙂

Our dinner menu was very simple and due to the heat, instead of birthday cake I created an ice cream bar with a variety of flavors and toppings for each guest to create their own sundae.

Menu

assorted appetizers

Costco’s Bill Baily’s Santa Maria Tri Tip [Mr. B. grilled] served with Chimichurri Sauce

Crispy English Potatoes from Barefoot Contessa/Foolproof book

grilled green beans

Happy Birthday Sundaes

The Costco tri tip is pre-seasoned and can be grilled or roasted in the oven.  The fresh herbs and bright lemon flavor of the Chimichurri sauce were a hit.  I prepared Crispy English Potatoes from Ina Garten’s Foolproof Cookbook and you can prepare them earlier in the day and reheat when ready to serve.  Mr. B. grilled the green beans on the grill using a veggie basket.  Son #1 assisted since his signature seasonings for the beans are a family favorite.

Garden, Home and Party: autumn entertaining

I will add some pumpkins and mums during the later part of the month…

Garden, Home and Party: autumn entertaining

spruce up my autumn wreath for the front door, borrowing inspiration from creative people such as Studio Choo…

Garden, Home and Party: autumn entertaining

and give some thought to a dinner for sometime in October…which will be here before we know it.

Garden, Home and Party: entertaining in autumn

Happy Autumn to you all!  Are you decorated for the season, please tell me I’m not the only one overly eager for the season.

{Home} Happy Thanksgiving ~ 2014

24 Monday Nov 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Holidays, Thanksgiving

≈ 30 Comments

Well, the year is entering it’s final laps.  Does time seem to speed by for all of you?  It sure does for me.

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving 2014

{my friend’s iron pumpkins : Linda ~ Bainbridge Island}

Hopefully all of you have wonderful plans for a beautiful Thanksgiving day.  Maybe you are the chef of the feast, or maybe you’re being entertained by others, either way, I  hope you have delicious, sane, enjoyable day!

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving

Since table settings are one of my favorite things to do to get ready for a meal, I thought I’d share with you some of the beautiful tables I’ve found online.

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving

{Cottage Hill Magazine ~ Lauren Holly Photographer}

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving

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Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving 2014

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Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving 2014

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Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving 2014

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving 2014

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving 2014

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Garden, Home and Party: Happy Thanksgiving 2014

We are enjoying the holiday with our new granddaughter and her parents!  You, my sweet blog friends, are on my list of things I’m grateful for!

Garden, Home and Party wishes you a Happy Halloween

29 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Food, Halloween, Holiday/Seasonal cooking

≈ 39 Comments

Tags

Halloween 2014

This might be cheating, but today I’m simply sharing some Halloween images from Pinterest, blogland, and Martha.  Those of you that adore this holiday probably already have your parties planned and decorations ready.  It’s not my holiday…I enjoy the overall season, and I do like seeing the little trick-or-treaters at our door, but dressing up has never been my thing, so without further alienating the Halloween enthusiasts (many of them my friends)…

Leave it to Martha to pull off the good fairy costume with flair.

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

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If I hosted a party, I’d definitely want to copy this cheerful vignette.  Truthfully, we have these black birds (American Crow) in our neighborhood, what are the odds of training a few of them to sit around and look slightly menacing for an evening?

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

{Country Living – photograph by Matthew Benson}

There is something so welcoming about light radiating from all of the windows in this charming home.

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

{Country Living – photograph by John Kernick}

This is more my speed, white mums, a white lantern and a bushel of white pumpkins!

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

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Mark D. Sikes…simply festive and elegant, as always.

Garden, Home and Party:  Happy Halloween 2014

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Kim, at Tidbits and Twine creates a beautiful autumn table as well…

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

Craftberry Bush, in addition to this fabulous table arrangement, is the place to visit if you’re interested in good ideas for recipes/food for any autumn event.

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

So while we’re on the topic of a party, here are some really yummy looking sweets for a Halloween party:

Jenny over at Everyday Occasions has a ton of great recipes.  Her iced sugar cookies are my favorite.

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

{Everyday Occassions – Jenny Steffens Hobick}

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

{Martha Stewart}

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

{Martha Stewart – Halloween Whoopie Pies}

and, what Halloween party would be complete without apple bobbing?

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

Garden, Home and Party: Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

What’s on your schedule for this Friday night holiday?

Autumn Entertaining

15 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Holiday/Seasonal cooking

≈ 36 Comments

Tags

Birthday Dinner 2014

I enjoy this season [possibly] more than the others, although spring does play a close second.  By July September, I start looking forward to cooking more.  Or, I should say cooking more comfort foods.  I realize that is often code for calorie-laden, but my take on it is, all things in moderation, right? So with a menu in mind, I started planning a party.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

{Big Bear, California ~ 2012}

The “birthday group” Mr. B and I have celebrated with for umpteen years now, consists of 5 couples and each couple hosts a dinner once a year in celebration of two birthday honorees.  If you’re interested, I have shared previous celebrations HERE, HERE and HERE.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

{Side note: I recently replaced these homely shades with a pair that are better scaled to the barley twist lamps—pictures to come later}

This year I had the good fortune of hosting the birthday party for the two friends I’ve known the longest (we’re talking pre-children friends, Carla & Wendy).  Since it was mid-September I took the opportunity to make the table setting and menu a reflection of the greatest season’s arrival—in just 1 short week from the date of the event, but who’s counting? Was it cool and crisp outside?  NO. But with the aid of the air conditioner we managed to pretend.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

 I’m not usually much of a DIYer, but I did manage to make these invitations and envelopes — I used Paper Source pre-cut cards, a sunflower stamp and their envelop-making kit with paper from Michael’s.  That’s it, easy.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

I used white chargers and a vintage set of Villeroy & Boch, ‘la chasse’ dinner plates in black and white.  They go with the newer pattern by VB called Audun, but they feature vintage pictures with hunters and their dogs. There are 6 different images.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

I confess, sunflowers inspired this table setting.  They always seem the ideal flower for fall.  I added some yellow alstromeria and a few guinea fowl feathers.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

Note: I had to have a saucer under the planter because it seeped water (somehow) through the bottom.  There weren’t any cracks but the very bottom stayed wet.  Fortunately I discovered it before placing it on my table, phew.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

If you look at the left corner of the image (above) you’ll notice some candy.  One of my favorite traditions with the “Birthday Group” is we hand select each person’s favorite *See’s candies and have them on the table.  We all know which candy we consider our favorite and there are a couple of us that can identify each piece that See’s makes by shape and design, in case someone (the men) forget which is the Marzipan (Thomas) or white centered Butter Cream (Tom). 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

Even though it was only mid-September, I decided to put a few of the fall decorations out.  I’ve really scaled back to mostly pumpkins, wheat stalks, feathers and berries.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Entertaining

My menu was a repeat of one I had done a couple of years ago…fortunately, everyone loves this dish and it is what the birthday girls requested.

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Herbs and Mustard Cream Sauce

As hostess, I only have to prepare the main course and sides, others bring appetizer, salad and dessert.  I prepared the above recipe with oven roasted potatoes and green beans.

Do you cook differently for the cooler months than you would in summer?  

 

Acorns, a sign of autumn

08 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, Fall Entertaining and Decorations

≈ 38 Comments

Tags

acorns

Hi Everyone.  Are you as energized once the weather cools as I am?  The season, when behaving as it should i.e. cooler temps outdoors, gives me the same boost of energy I feel in the spring. Maybe even more so.  So who do I write to to request a few days of fall?  We’re still in the mid-eighties, not exactly sweater weather, she whined.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

On of the less showy symbols of the season are acorns.  It’s always been a source of beauty to me, whether a collection of the little nuts are displayed in a bowl or embossed on a serving piece.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{These little cuties are from Pottery Barn}

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Today I thought I’d share some of the prettiest examples of acorn-adorned bits and pieces I’ve found.

This pottery is wonderful, subtle yet stylish enough to use no matter what the season.  I love white dishes, don’t you?

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

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There are 600 species of oak trees world wide.  As a result there are a lot of different shapes and sizes of acorns.  There is a grove of oak trees in one of our local parks, unfortunately, the acorns that fall are not the rounded kind, the seed pod is elongated and pointy.  I prefer the chubby little acorns you see depicted most often. Like the ones in this door embellishment. It looks like it might have been a pediment on a piece of furniture at one time.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

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Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

The wine coaster above and napkin ring below are favorites, I don’t own them, and I don’t remember where I found these images.  If you have information leading me to the source, please drop me a line.  Wouldn’t this be a pretty addition to the Thanksgiving table this year?

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

What would fall be without a smiling squirrel sitting on an acorn the size of a baseball?

The beautifully detailed creamer/sugar bowl and tray are favorites and if I weren’t trying to pare down I’d add it to my Christmas list.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

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Detailed hardware such as the drawer pull below sometimes makes an ordinary piece of furniture shine.  This one looks old, all the better.  Try finding more than one of these beauties.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

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I like this finial, if I had a staircase, I would consider it.  I’d like it stained a dark walnut with some distressing, please.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

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The simple acorn and the oak branch are favorites at the table this time of year.  Homemade napkin rings, like this rustic twine piece with the faux acorns is such a great accent…it appears the seed is painted a burnished gold.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Each autumn I use Redfern, my pheasant {thank you, Sarah}  and scented candles with a surround of leaves, berries and acorns.  My friend Linda W. finds these Cinnamon candles each year, this was a gift that was appreciated for each hour of delicious fragrance it provided us.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Since acorns come from oak trees, this is probably one of my favorite ways to display acorns.  This arrangement looks like its been cut fresh from trees, not preserved.  So pretty.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

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This little Etsy frame is so cute, I’m tempted, except it doesn’t appear to have glass or a stand.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

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Garden, Home and Party: Acorns {via}

Here is a step by step tutorial on how to grow an oak tree from an acorn.  If you are willing to do this, it’s clear to me you have way more autumn energy than me!  (I’d love to hear your secret if this is the case) 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Do you use nature’s seasonal bounty for your home?  I mostly use natural things over the little ghosts, spiders and goblin decorations from the days when the kids were small.  There are some really great looking pumpkins available and I even found bittersweet at one of the markets the other day.  Happy October, I hope you’re enjoying seasonal weather where you live.

Karen

{Party} Autumn Celebrity Dinner

06 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, House and Home

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

Diane Keaton, Ellen DeGenerous, Jon Stewart, Meryl Streep, Table Settings, Tom Brokaw, Willie Geist

Those that know me probably already know that I prefer the cooler months of the year.  When the first promise of fall weather hits Southern California I’m energized, let the entertaining begin.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

[By the way, I do love summer entertaining as well, I’m a party girl at heart.]

Eventually I ran to Minneapolis, where it’s cold, and I figured I’d keep better – Rhoda Morgenstern

We’ve been doing quite a bit of entertaining lately. “Entertaining” for us means setting a nice table, cooking a simple meal and having a relatively smallish group over for good food, nice wine and great conversation.

Since setting the table is one of the perks to entertaining for me, this post is mainly to share some seasonal table settings I hope will inspire you.  To mix things up a bit, in addition to table setting ideas, I thought I’d share a list of guests I’d invite over in a heartbeat if I thought they wouldn’t report me to the authorities as a stalker crazy lady!  You’ve undoubtedly read interviews where they ask you, who, alive or dead, would you like to have dinner with?  Well, I’m doing it one step better…I’ve thought about this, this list is of people I’d like to talk to, even just casually.  I don’t need Einstein, although I’ve read he was quite a jovial fellow.  These are people that are alive and seem like genuinely nice and fun people.

Also, since I don’t like enormous parties when I entertain, I’ve only invited 6, with Mr. B and me that makes a very doable 8 at the dinner table.  That also gives me a head start on subsequent celebrity dinners…there are so many more folks I’d invite if I could.  So, first on the list:

1.  Diane Keaton, she may not be exactly as fun as I perceive her in the movies she’s been in (how does one really know, right?), but she loves to decorate, so I know we’d have topics in common.  Plus, I love that she seems genuine, not overly self-possessed.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

 2.  Jon Stewart, politics aside, is there anyone that gives a better interview?

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

3.  Meryl Streep, there are no words, rather there are so many adjectives I could use to describe her, but her name, for me, is synonymous with fabulous.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

4.  Tom Brokaw, I grew up listening to him on our local news station, back in the day.  Then, as a Today show enthusiast, I watched him all the years he was there.  I just really, really like him.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

5.  Ellen DeGenerous, she’ll keep us laughing.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

and last but not least…

6.  Willie Geist, the son of Bill Geist of CBS Sunday Morning, appears on Morning Joe (MSNBC) and does the third hour on the Today show.  He’s smart and funny and I love him like one of our sons.  He’s a guy that fits in with old and young people alike.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

As any skilled party planner will tell you, once you have the guest list you can begin your plans for table setting and menu.  We’re going to jump right to the table settings since that is a major part of the fun for me.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

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The ever talented Jenny Steffens Hobick of Everyday Occasions published a post about fall table setting with muted colors, so pretty. Oh, and did I mention she recently opened an online store selling some of the best tools for entertaining.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

Yvonne of Stone Gable shared her table setting for an autumn high tea back in 2011 and that table is still one of my all time favorites, be sure to visit the post if you like autumn and blue and white.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

Carolyn Roehm has written so many great books, but her book, Passion for Parties is a constant source of inspiration to me.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

Martha Stewart never disappoints and I appreciate her ability to make simple components come together to create a pretty table.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

Nancy’s Daily Dish features some great table settings for the season.  Her Etsy shop sells trasferware of all kinds.  This is such a great autumn table setting.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

Delores, over at Vignette Design always provides me with good ideas for whatever season when it come to table top design.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

Even though this tablescape doesn’t have the strictly traditional autumn touches, its a subtle and lovely table for this time of year.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

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The sisters at Providence Ltd. never disappoint…this rustic table is great and completely out of the box.

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

Garden, Home and Party: Autumn Celebrity Dinner

{Southern Accents ~ oh, how I miss that magazine}

Who would be on your celebrity list for a dinner invitation?  

 

{GHP} Autumn favorites, II

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Halloween, Holidays, House and Home

≈ 30 Comments

Tags

Autumn

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites

Note of Appreciation:  Some time ago my blog friend Leslie of Around the Table had a giveaway.  Winner would receive one of the fabulous candle holders called Glassybaby.  These beauties are made in Seattle and come in nearly every color under the sun.  Well, imagine my delight and surprise, I won.  {Thank you Leslie}  If you’ve not already discovered Around the Table blog site, stop by.  Leslie shares fabulous design ideas, great (and healthy) recipes and skin care information. Did I mention she has a degree in nutrition and is a licensed medical aesthetician.  Most importantly, her posts are always useful and fun!

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites, II Glassybaby as displayed in Leslie’s kitchen.

→Hi Everyone.  I feel so much better.  Seriously, to those readers that host a blog, don’t you sometimes feel like you’ve run out of ideas for a new post…in fact, I sometimes think, “what frivolous topics I gab on about, what am I thinking?”  That’s what vacations are for.  The break brought home that the fun of this is the blog friends and readers that check in, even if they don’t comment, and the creative wheels that turn each time I work on a post.  So, thank you for your interest, friendship (of an internet variety) and support.  I so appreciate it.

Are we there yet…has autumn arrived?  I don’t care if it is still warmer than ideal fall weather should be, I’m sharing my annual autumn favorites.  [It reminds me of back-to-school, when the new sweater was worn that first week back because you loved it and didn’t care if it was 90 degrees outside]

If you missed my fall favorites last year, have a look.  You’ll see I haven’t changed much of what appeals to me about the season, other than to add additional images. 10 photographs just wouldn’t allow me all that I love about this time of year.

I always pause before stating this is my favorite season because when spring comes around, I think this is my favorite season!  But it’s September 25th and I’m looking forward to the short weeks from now when I can expect to wear turtleneck sweaters, put a fire in the fireplace, have a casserole in the oven and a hot beverage in my hand.

Enjoy!

Have you visited this shop yet?  Check it out ~ terrain

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

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Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

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Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

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Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

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Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

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Sitting by a fire, what could be more cozy?  Having reason to stay indoors and read a book or two, one more reason to love cooler weather.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites

{above 3 images :: tumblr}

I love turtleneck sweaters…this is definitely a reason to love autumn/winter.

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites

Fall/Winter means comfort food for me.  I use portion control to avoid winter waist expansion, but here are a couple of recipes that you might enjoy when it cools down…

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

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Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

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Maybe a ride in the convertible (that I don’t own) with Madison…

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Finally, the promise of Christmas and…

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites

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…on January 5th in the U.S, the return of Downton Abbey

Garden, Home and Party: Fall Favorites 2013

Do you have a favorite season or a favorite thing about each season?

HAPPY AUTUMN

I’m joining in the fun:  Savvy Southern Style, Wow us Wednesday and Stone Gable Tips and Tidbits

 

{GHP} Things that delight the senses

15 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Holidays, House and Home, Thanksgiving

≈ 20 Comments

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Thanksgiving

Each season seems to have its own list of treasures from which we derive great pleasure.  That list can vary but there are common truths about a season that most are in agreement on.  I’m sure that’s why certain seasons appeal to some and not to others.

{This is my first picture collage, the large image on the left is from Greet, Belgian Pearls – this is an exceptional post and if you’ve never visited Belgian Pearls, I think you’ll be hooked.  I apologize about the other 2.  I was so excited to create the collage I failed to write down the source, but I believe they were from tumblr, Debby at Inspired Design has the best tumblr site [That Inspirational Girl] and I probably captured the pictures from there.}

My perspective is slightly different than say those who experience extreme cold in winter or loss of an otherwise lush landscape in fall because (and trust me, I’m not bragging here) I live in Southern California where a change in season is subtle, to the point of being nearly non-existent.

{Country Living}

{GHP}

{Martha Stewart}

Garden, Home and Party 11.22.12{Party Resources}

We locals take the changes where we can find them, cool nights, warm days during the month of October, the drop of leaves on certain trees i.e. liquid amber, sycamore and birch, in November and a medley of other thing’s that delight my senses and confirm fall’s arrival for me.

{Courtenay Hartford}

Garden Home and Party 11.20.12{Party Resources}

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{Better Homes and Gardens}

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{T&G Interiors}

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{GHP}

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{T&G Interiors}

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{Party Resources}

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{A Toile Tale}

{source unknown}

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{Driven by Decor}

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{A Toile Tale}

…my apologies to Julie at eab designs, I believe I obtained this image from another site other than Julie’s.  Visit her site for some lovely ideas.

Garden, Home and Party 11.20.12{eab designs}

Wishing you the best this season has to offer.  Hope you are in the midst of turkey day planning.

♥ Karen

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