This last day of March has me thinking of the old adage:
You heard it here first...the motif this Spring is crowns. They are gracing items all across the design world right now.
A friend called me one day and said, "Anne, I really think you should know about Lambie Stout and her Comfort Crunch." 
A friend told me that after reading my book, Moments of Delight, she had an "Aha!" moment at the grocery store.
We've all seen trucks selling fresh seafood, produce, even roses by the roadside on occasion, but can you imagine seeing... orchids? We practically drove off the road.
Isn't this exquisite? Think of the hours required to pick out and artfully arrange the perfect size, shape and color shells to make this perfect sailor's valentine. 
When I am composing a photograph, I look for elements that add value to the image. 
I love fine china and love to drink tea from pretty teacups. My formal china pattern is "Lavinia" by Royal Worcester. The design is white bone china with black raspberries and branches - just looking at it makes me happy. I know that I chose the right pattern.
How could we resist this dessert tray? You can always steal "a moment in France" by having lunch at PAUL. With over 360 locations worldwide, PAUL has expanded to the United States by opening 6 cafes in Florida. 
When my dear friend Heidi lived in Japan, she would fly home twice a year with her daybag stuffed with things she knew that I would love.
Isn't this lovely? I found a little garden tucked beside a gift shop called Cottage Cache in Hobe Sound.
I don't think I'm alone when I say that I love to eat outside. Give me a deck, patio, cafe or rooftop and I am "in." When I am exploring the little shops between Hobe Sound and Palm Beach Gardens (Florida), I often stop for lunch at Cafe Copenhagen. It is a quaint Scandinavian cafe with an outdoor patio. On this particular day, my mom, aunt and I shopped in the morning and then made our way here for a girls lunch. Our choice wasn't exactly Danish, but it was the perfect cold salad on a hot afternoon. There was a hibiscus plant blooming on the patio beside our table and it felt like a perfect day. Where do you like to eat al fresco?
I love it when the ocean looks like tin foil, or "silver paper" as my grandmother used to say.A calm clear morning on the ocean makes the possibilities seem endless. Is today meant for beach combing? Cooking fish on an outdoor grill (remember my pineapple relish)? Getting lost in a few chapters of a book?
If I am lucky, the answer is all of the above.
As you know, my husband and I spent last Saturday at the nature center for a maple sugar tour. At one point, we hung back from the group in order to stand on a little footbridge. The brook was "babbling" and it was so pleasant to stand in the sun and listen to the sound of the stream. When I finally put my camera down, I noticed the best picture of all...us! Our shadow was so clearly reflected in the stream I just had to show you.
For years I have wanted to visit the local Nature Center during Maple Syrup Time and today was the day. 
365 days = 365 necklaces, right? 
Company's coming and I am pulling out all the stops...blueberry coffeecake, pretty pillowcases and a stack of magazines by the guest bed. I used to dream of owning a country inn and having guests lets me exercise those ideals a little. 
Today I was the guest speaker at a meeting of the Birmingham Optimist Club. I was invited by a member who loves my business of "delight" and was sure that the group would enjoy hearing my story.
Have you ever grown nasturtiums? Known on my street as the "eat-able" flowers (you remember my Garden Club Girls, right?), nasturtiums are easy to grow from seed and are edible (if you avoid sprays and fertilizer). My Mom & I rely on Renee's Garden Seeds for our garden and have already ordered this year's assortment. With names like "Whirlybird" and "Creamsicle," how can you resist? Simply fill a pot with dirt, push the seeds in and water. After that, all you need is sunshine & time. These bright blooms are beautiful in arrangements and striking on their own.
It was about this time last year that I was headed to icy Chicago for Country Living magazine's Women Entrepreneur event. The view from my room had Lake Michigan in the distance and I could see bands of ice on the lake. Brrrrr....So it is no surprise that the editors of Country Living magazine have scheduled this year's 2009 Women Entrepreneur event in Chicago in May. Hailing a cab, jogging along the lake shore, shopping the Magnificent Mile - all of it will be much more pleasant with the warmer weather.
Do you have a small business? Do you want to learn more about marketing your company and the business of trade shows? If so, I encourage you to attend this event - it is always packed with interesting women "making things happen."
I was a Country Living Pitch Your Product winner (for my company, Subscribe To Delight) at this event in 2007 and found the entire experience to be amazing.
So consider making your way to Chicago this Spring. You'll walk away with a network of like-minded businesswomen, a ton of valuable advice from the experts and lots of inspiration...plus an adorable tote bag full of goodies!
I have always been drawn to Bella Cucina products because of their beautiful packaging. I love the shape of their glass jars (with fancy paper lids) and coupled with a cherry wood spoon, they are the perfect hostess gift. You can shop for Bella Cucina online and in boutique shops across America. 
There is an almost blase feeling about shells in Florida. The sweet shops and juice stands are overflowing with so many gorgeous specimens that they are often heaped in baskets or bins. 
In kindergarten, our class learned the alphabet by interacting with giant inflatable letters. We would walk around the room trying to carry "vowels" or our initials. Seems silly now, but it really made the alphabet fun. 
I started my business, ANA Designs Inc., by creating beautiful cigar box purses (a few limited editions are still available online). Gorgeous one-of-a-kind handbags that are signed, numbered and have lovely fabric linings. Truly show-stoppers. It was for them that I came up with my ceramic ANA hang tag and customs stamp ("Passed As Super Cute"). 
moment they arrived. "I don't know what to do!" she exclaimed and my stomach dropped. Was something wrong? 
Over the holidays, we had a dinner party and this little writing desk "became" a tea & coffee station. It looked so cute that I have permanently deemed it "The Honey Bar" in honor of the bee skep tea set I found (love it!) and all the honey-related items that have been given to me over the years. 
The style of The Palm Beaches is having an effect on me! I saw this lemon-print fabric (when I was on a shopping expedition with my niece) and just had to make myself a purse. 
