Fall Decoration & Recipe: A Nutty Idea

I was shopping with my friend Tracey last year when I found this darling squirrel tray. It is made of wood and looks great on my island corralling garlic and onions or in the center of my table surrounded by candles. The squirrel is a symbol of Tracey's sorority, so she bought one too! When I brought it out this year to celebrate the season, I decided to take this photo to send to Tracey and remind her of our fun visit. Just before I snapped the picture, my mom suggested I put one of the acorn-shaped corn muffins I'd made for dinner in his hand. Ha! She's always thinking. 

I have found the same squirrel tray online here, if he speaks to you.

I am going to make my chocolate-dipped acorns, now that I have the perfect place to serve them. Remember when I made these for a party back in Michigan? I swear a girl told me she was taking some home in her purse!

This treat has one roasted almond stuffed inside a chocolate-dipped date. The acorn topping is more pulverized roasted almonds. They are delicious. You can find my recipe here.

#acorns #falldecorations #fallcandy #candymaking #fall #squirrels #autumntreats #momentsofdelight #annereeves

Daring Rugs: Style Right Out of the Magazines

I can only pat myself on the back when something I choose for the house ends up in the magazines. I saw this Moroccan Diamond rug online and knew that it would add a colorful/Pacific Northwest/Native American touch to our cream foyer with dark wood floors. 

In my mind, it's perfect and I would recommend it to anyone drawn to it. I felt in sync with the HGTV magazine editors for they have featured a similar diamond print rug in two price points in their Hi/Low List in the October issue.

When the rug arrived, I sprayed it with Scotch Guard fabric and upholstery protector so that I can have a leg up on stain fighting. Dan says it's mean to make people enter the house on an off white rug, but I'm not afraid. I love how this looks and I'll deal with the consequences later. And yes, this is the Pacific NorthWET, I will put down a cotton throw rug to absorb damp feet when the rainy season begins.

My Own Color Chart: Tea with Milk

The main table and chairs in our new house are actually a set my parents had from years ago. I have been calling the color of the wood butterscotch for months now, trying to shop for fabric to recover the chair cushions and to bring the overall decorating scheme together.

Yesterday, I walked past the table carrying a mug of tea and it became very clear that the color of this wood is Tea with Milk. Cute, eh?

Apartment Nesting: Grateful for Furniture

When Dan took a job in Seattle, we were challenged with setting up another place to call home. We were so very lucky that my parents had extra furniture they could spare. When we told them we were setting up an apartment, they suggested we put this couch, these 2 chairs and the print chair/ottoman set on the truck. 

Our plan was to keep our house in Michigan for a year or so and I would travel back and forth. Their furniture allowed us to skip the futon and make a nice little home for ourselves as we transitioned. It has been a year and 9 months since Dan moved in and a lot has changed. We've sold our house in Michigan and are building in a neighborhood on the East-side of Seattle.  The funny thing is that my mom now has her own place out here in Seattle and plans on spending the winters here with us. When she comes to our apartment for dinner, sits on her couch and says "I like what we've done with the place." I usually counter with something along the lines of, "Feeling nostaglic?" It is familiar for both of us and that's wonderful.

We made the place our own by hanging a favorite pair of prints called Silver Birches by Nell Revel Smith over the couch. She paints the area in northern Michigan where we've always spent the summer and her work always makes us feel relaxed.

My mom and I scoured Homegoods and TJ Maxx for pillows with blues and greens to pull color from the art. I added a teal angora throw on one chair and placed a large circle melamine platter of a succulent (it looks a bit like this) on the butterscotch suede footrests. Doesn't it look pretty? We have since hung floor to ceiling off white drapes to soften the windows, but the room looks essentially like this. 

Apartment Living: My $3 Headboard

When decorating this apartment, I am trying to make what I have on hand look wonderful.  

I want to blend the traditional furniture I have (some wonderful pieces that my parents were no longer using) with the fun of living in a new space. 

The moving van arrived and we sent a melange of furniture and housewares out to Seattle. 

The missing piece was a bed. The week we moved in, we had a mattress and box spring delivered from a local retailer. I had purchased a mustard and white Max Studio comforter set at Homegoods in Palm Beach Gardens and when Dan flew from Seattle to Palm Beach to meet me last winter, I had him bring two empty suitcases. When he arrived, he realized that he would be flying a huge pile of linens for our new apartment all the way from Florida. 

Don't you love the lilac Vera Wang euro shams? Found in Florida at T.J. Maxx. The same goes for the Celerie by Celerie Kemble yellow stripe blanket and the Ralph Lauren mustard polka dot sheets. This budget bedroom is beautiful.

The headboard is a $3 string of white lights on white wire. I imagined the shape of a traditional headboard, posts and all, and carefully pushed clear push pins into the wall to form the outline. I used very few pins and found that attaching the lights (the two wire strand can be gently separated and fit right over the push pin) as I pushed the pins in the wall made it easier to "see" the headboard come to life and stay true to the shape I wanted.  Isn't it darling?  

Piano Forte: Personal Touches Based on Color

I love this vignette on the piano in our living room.  Specific and unexpected touches that make it look like our house.  

First, you must have music on the piano. Just because you have little ones learning Three Blind Mice in a piano book designed in the 60's, doesn't mean that you have to leave it on display. When our church changed hymnals, they offered the old ones to the congregation.  I love having a meaningful piece of music highlighted with a silver page holder. I can't play the piano, but my husband might see this as encouragement to learn O Holy Night.

I pulled together small items from around the house that were black. I wanted to ground the accessories a bit and echo the black table I have between our two off white loveseats in the same room.

What 3 items did I choose for the top of the piano? A black sushi bowl used as a vase for peonies. A black and gold tin tea box that I bought as a memento in Paris at Mariage Freres. And a sheet of dollhouse seed packets, framed in black, looks very much like art to a gardener and dollhouse enthusiast like me. The art on the wall above the piano is a piece of vintage sheet music that I photographed and enlarged.

This collection is more interesting than a set of silver picture frames that I might have out at a different time of year, and are all conversation piece on their own, should anyone ask about the items.  I think the most important part about collecting and arranging items is that the items are believeable. I didn't set out to buy items to go together, I walked around the house pulling from my own stash.  Over time, buy items that speak to you.  When you arrange them later, the history of each time (where you found it; who gave it to you; what it reminds you of) will make your storytelling all the more interesting.

Do you like my design?  Perhaps you'd like to customize the top of your piano this week.  Piano forte, indeed.

A Moment in the Spotlight

I came around the corner and noticed my orchid having a moment in the spotlight. Mother Nature had the sun shining through the window just so, and my little vignette in the dining room looked especially tranquil and pretty.

Although there are things that I would change if I were actively using this tray (like filling the Revere bowl with something - nuts in a shell with a silver pick? and adding ice to my antique ice bucket along with a bottle of wine and some glasses?), I love how this looks just as it is.

Do you have pretty vignettes set up in your home right now? Which could use a spotlight?

In honor of May

Why have I got the house looking so pretty?  It's in honor of the month of May, of course.  

The flowering trees are blooming in the neighborhood, my rose bushes have started to leaf out (the beauties on the kitchen table are from the grocery store) and these bright colors make the whole house look happy and welcoming.

The fabric (Patchwork by Vivian Gomez) I used on the table makes it look like I spent hours quilting complimentary pieces of fabric together, but is actually one printed piece! I bought a few yards and serged the edges to make an easy tablecloth.  The periwinkle blue polka dot place mats are plastic and help me to prolong the time that the tablecloth is clean and fresh.

If your kitchen table is a little dull after a long Winter, pull out some bright linens and see what a difference it can make.

A Lilly Pulitzer-esque Tablecloth

My new tablecloth is the equivalent of caffeine.  You can't walk into my kitchen and not feel energized.  I found this cotton fabric when I was in Honolulu and I knew immediately that I wanted it to be a Lilly-like tablecloth in my aqua and white kitchen.
I am a big fan of buying fabric that I love and serging the edge to make a quick and easy tablecloth.  When I realized that the fabric width didn't allow for enough drape on the sides, I tried making my first "ruffle" with the extra fabric to add some length. It worked and still looks great. 

And a casual collection of like-minded roses from the garden echos the colors in the fabric.  I love this time of year.

Decorating with Plastic and Wood

This might not be what you think of when designers refer to mixing plastic and wood pieces in your home - but why not?  This post is to show you that "lighthearted" decorating touches don't have to look kitschy.

The new stars of the dining room are three plastic deer that I found at an antique show this weekend.  They have poise, grace and look amazing with the natural tones of my cherry dining room set.

The theme is not woodland.  I don't have a deer embroidered on every napkin.  I just happened to see this family and knew I would never find them again if I didn't buy them on the spot.  When I got home, it was clear that they could take center stage in the dining room. 

Something plastic and inexpensive can look nothing short of beautiful when displayed in the right spot.

The fun part?  I picked up the mother deer and her fawn ($5 for the pair) and as she was wrapping them, the dealer told me that she had broken the antlers on the buck that morning.  Oh no! I would have loved to have the father too, I told her.  To which she proceeded to rummage under her table until she pulled him out and said, "You can have him."

To her, he lost all of his value because of a few broken points.  But to me, keeping the family together is priceless.       

Ribbon Wrapped Votives

You know how I feel about the beautiful ribbons of the world.  I wanted to show you another way to maximize the impact of ribbon, while minimizing the expense.

I purchased a yard of this gorgeous multi-dimensional tobacco-colored ribbon and have wondered how to "make the most of it."

At $17/yard (before my coupon), I didn't want a bit of it to go to waste.  
A few beads of Sobo glue was all I needed to transform these inexpensive poured glass votive candles into something you would find at the loveliest boutique.

Have company coming for Thanksgiving?  Maybe you'd like to make these simple ribbon-wrapped votives to add a decorator's touch to your living room.

There is nothing like the soft-glow of candlelight to calm everyone down.

Transfixed by Good Design

I am transfixed by clear glass, white fabric and vintage typeface right now. 

I've been drinking my hot tea from a clear cup and saucer.  I am in love with the thick white matelasse tablecloth (bedspread?) I have on the table in the kitchen and I can't stop making book sculptures.

You see, I have been inspired by this photograph that I took of a shop window in Paris. 

Every year I wrap our gifts with a specific color combination in mind.  Remember my salute to SEWING?  And the fun MAPS?  This year's colorway for the Christmas season will be WHITE - with touches of newsprint and brown craft paper.  I can't wait to see how it turns out! 

Color of the Year: 2010

Today is dedicated to the "Color of the Year" for 2010: Turquoise!

Every year, Pantone (known as the world's "color authority") announces the color of the year - it's affect on mood, use in fashion and interior design and where you can expect to see this color within the next twelve months.

After two weeks of "breathing space" (meaning that the Christmas decorations are all put away and I have yet to introduce any color or pattern in my base decor of neutrals), I am ready to enhance the house with color, texture and flowers again.

In deference to Pantone, I will try to incorporate some turquoise in the house. Dishtowels? Pillows?

I wish I had made a poster of this photo from last Summer. This image of "Sand Patterns" would look gorgeous over my white couch!

Pumpkin Tower

I think this is just beautiful! A simple tower made of three different pumpkins.

There are so many beautiful squash and pumpkin varieties available - check out this link to see my favorite photo guide of them on the web.

Do you know the phrase "Gilding the Lily?" It refers to when unnecessary adornment is added to something that is naturally beautiful.

I have seen some "paint, carve and glue" tips swirling around and I would like to suggest that you keep it simple.

Just gather a few beautiful shades together and let them speak for themselves. Mother Nature will spark far more comments than anything you can do with a glue gun.

Euchre Night

Last night was my Junior League "Euchre Night" and I wanted to bring something with a little pizazz as my contribution to the snacks. I made Duncan Hines carrot cake cupcakes (yum!) with cream cheese frosting, but wasn't sure how I wanted to finish them.

My first thought was to sprinkle them with tiny Autumn leaves. But when I arrived at the cake supply store (yes, I made a special trip because I love this stuff) I was won over by the playing card cake picks! What could be better for a euchre night? Now, what was trump?

Lavender, Eggplant & Amethyst

The color purple (in every glorious incarnation) is featured prominently this Fall. Chunky gray necklaces with lavender ribbon ties, big plum plaid blankets to take to the football game and natural touches, like a bunch of fresh lavender displayed on a family room table.

This month, House Beautiful magazine has dedicated an entire section to amethyst-colored accessories for the home. So pretty!

I have always liked lavender fabrics. In fact, my guest room has a lavender & cream stripe love seat covered with a collection of toile, plaid and lavender print pillows. It is such a pretty place to read my book club book.

Are you thinking about adding some lavender, eggplant or amethyst touches to your home?

Day Breaker Rose in Beaker Vase

There is nothing like a small bouquet in an unexpected place to brighten a room.

In this photo, my newest rose, Day Breaker, is in a glass test tube vase from CB2 (a modern store in Chicago that is owned by Crate & Barrel).

The neat part is that it can hang from the lock on the armoire in my family room. I simply threaded some coordinating ribbon through the hole in the glass test tube, added water, roses and hung it from the key.
When they glance around the room, my guests can't believe that the flowers are real!

Cath Kidston

Do you know the British designer Cath Kidston? Soft colors, pretty florals and polka dots tend to be her signature look and I love it.

This darling mint green cupboard is from her only retail store in the United States. This morning as I was drinking my coffee from one of her floral mugs (similar to those hanging from the row off hooks on top) I realized that I should show you this lovely display.

Everything tastes better on pretty dishes, don't you think?

A Swedish Beach House Christmas

I have always referred to my decorating style as "Swedish Beach house" (paying no mind to the fact that we live neither in Sweden nor by the sea).

When I started planning the look of our house, I described plate racks, oval back chairs and dreamy blues & creams (Swedish) with pickled shell-colored kitchen cabinets,
off-white duck couches and touches of pink and celery (Beach house). Makes perfect sense to me. But sometimes people ask me, "How do you do Christmas in here?" Thinking that red & green would over-power the tranquil colors.

Here is a glimpse into our family room this Christmas. Shell-covered cone trees, Tracey Porter holiday glasses filled with pink candy canes and a pastel village set among my grandmother's china. It is my interpretation of a Swedish Beach house Christmas and I just love it.

Type & Text

I wanted to show you a wreath that I made from "paper scrap." If you like the idea of a wreath, but want to highlight non-traditional images (I hang this in my office year round), this is a neat way to go.

I love when type, text and images are combined and I found many of the items shown here in a book called Alphabets and Ornaments. It is a book & disc of images that you select and print yourself. I also added a recipe card written in my grandmother's hand, some sheet music etc. I think of it as a tribute to home & hearth.