Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Scenes of Autumn
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| Apple trees at the end of September. |
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| Early October color. |
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| Castle. |
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| A pleasant little valley. |
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| Flame red foliage. |
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| Apple trees. |
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| Tree-lined path. |
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| A beautiful view. |
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| Yellow and blue. |
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| Apple tree at the castle. |
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| More color. |
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| My front door. |
Fall's comfort food: 3 great recipes
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| Some cinnamon rolls I made two weekends ago. |
The newly cool weather and gray skies have left me craving all things autumn and in the mood to cook and bake. Pumpkin, which I had to buy at an American store over the internet, has been my secret weapon. It has always been my favorite and an autumn staple; but, after realizing it was impossible to find canned here last year, I had to settle for an entire year without it. I am still trying to use it sparingly, as one can costs about 4 EURO (about 6 dollars) plus shipping. But, I have been able to make pumpkin bread, pumpkin and ricotta stuffed shells and pumpkin breakfast bars with just one large can!
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| Tomato soup with grilled cheese from last Friday night. |
Typically, I devote this blog to design tips on a small budget but, it was never my intent to stop there. As the subtitle of the blog states, my goal is to share with you a few of my tips for leading a really rich life, full of beauty, fun, friends, family, experiences and more, without spending much. I have absolutely nothing that qualifies me to do this, nor do I think that I have any right to give anyone tips. I just like pretty, fun, happy, wonderful things and want to write about them.
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| French toast with sauteed pears and nectarines from last Saturday. |
Apple, Walnut, Yogurt and Olive Oil Cake
This recipe is from Cannelle et Vanille originally.
makes 1 bundt pan
Note: these measurements are using a 125 ml container of yogurt.
1 measure (125ml) plain yogurt
1 measure demerara sugar
1 measure sugar
4 eggs (3 if they are extra-large)
1 measure light olive oil
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 measures gluten free flour mix or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum if using the gluten free mix
1 Tbs baking powder
pinch salt
handful of chopped walnuts
2 pink apples
2 tsp butter
2-3 Tbs sugar
Butter and flour the inside of a bundt pan.
Slice one of the apples thinly. Heat the butter and 1 Tbs sugar in a pan. Add the slices of apple and cook for a minute on each side. The sugar doesn't have to caramelize. Let the slices cool slightly and then line the bottom of the bundt pan with them, overlapping slightly.
Dice the other apples and cook them in the remaining butter and sugar. Let them cool.
In a bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugars, eggs, olive oil, vanilla seeds and cinnamon. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and mix. Fold in the chopped walnuts and sauteed apples.
Pour batter into pan and bake in a 350F (180C) oven for about 30 minutes or until done (depending on the size of the pan)
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| Apple, Walnut, Yogurt and Olive Oil Cake. |
After making this, I decided you should double the amount of apple in it. I would put two layers of apples on the bottom of the cake and one layer of apple on the top (or a layer in the middle). The apple was the best part. This is a really moist but dense cake, with an excellent, almost woody flavor.
*******
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| Delicious Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars. |
4 cups oatmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup raisins, dried cranberries (or my choice, a mix of the two)
handful of chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
Preheat oven to 325˚F (or 162˚C). In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Mix in remaining ingredients. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Let cool. Cut into bars and enjoy!
*******
Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells
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| Image from Country Living. |
Adapted slightly from Country Living Magazine
24 jumbo pasta shells (or, small shells or cannelloni)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 cups ricotta cheese (the original recipe calls for fat-free but I think it's tastier with full fat)
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree (plus a few scoops if you happen to be using a larger can and then making pumpkin bars...the more pumpkin-y the better)
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons pecorino Romano, grated
1 large egg white
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 jar (26 oz.) store bought tomato sauce
Cook pasta shells according to package directions, but take a minute or two off so that they are still al dente. Drain, transfer to a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix ricotta, pumpkin, 3/4 cup of pecorino Romano and remaining ingredients, except the tomato sauce.
Preheat over to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread sauce into 9x13 in. baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with about 3 tablespoons of ricotta-pumpkin mix and arrange in pan. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil, sprinkle shells with remaining pecorino and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more.
I made these when I had company last weekend and I absolutely love them. The original recipe calls for a half of cup more ricotta but I didn't have that much. I left it out because my mom made them with the correct amount of ricotta and she said they weren't pumpkin-y enough. Mine were perfectly cheesy, pumpkin-y and tasty. Yummm.
*****
So, get cooking, invite over some good friends and enjoy this cozy time!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Easy entryway art
Happy Monday, friends! Today I have a quick and easy project for you. This is a wonderful way to decorate an entryway or any other room. Plus, it is cheap and easy. Now, that is my kind of project.
I just LOVE old keys, or any keys for that matter. I have a set of (new) skeleton keys on my wall in my living room. They are from Pottery Barn and were from my very wonderful (and tasteful) mother. I have pictures of keys on my walls and a little pad of paper with a key on it on my desk. And, while I was home in the US for three weeks this past September, I procured 6 or 7 real vintage keys.
My mom and I went to the Sacramento Antique Fair together (with her wonderful friend Kathy T.) and spent a good 20 minutes sifting through old keys, locks and other such hardware. My mom bought many old drawer pulls metal accents and I bought my keys. I got 3 skeleton keys--I will tell you what I did with them a bit later in this post--and 4 fancy old keys in the more modern shape. The more modern shaped ones have flat heads and sharp edges like a new key, but have intricate and beautiful designs cut into the head, instead of the name of the manufacturer of the key. Those are the keys that I used for my project.
You could use any type of key, really. You could use old skeleton keys or regular keys, it doesn't matter. Just find keys you love and get to work. Here is what you need:
A set of keys (I used four but you could use more)
An old picture frame without the glass.
Small decorative nails (I suggest brass if you are using brass keys)
A hammer
A level
A ruler or measuring tape
Pencil
Here are the procedures:
1) Layout the frame on the floor and place your keys inside. I like all my tops to be level and the sharp edges facing the same direction. Space them out evenly. You want them grouped in the middle slightly and there shouldn't be too much space between the keys. As a rule, there should always be more space along the outside edge of the outside keys than there is between the keys. This rule works the same for matting or hanging art.
2) Once you are satisfied with your positioning, measure the placement of the keys with the ruler.
3) Decide where you want to hang your keys and frame.
4) Using the level, with a pencil mark the positioning of two nails to hold the upper right and upper left corners of the frame.
5) Nail the nails into the marked places. Hang the frame.
6) Measure where the keys should go based on where the frame is now hanging on the wall. Your keys should have some sort of hole at the top. Put your pencil mark through there.
7) Now remove the frame (it is likely to get in your way or fall off the wall) and hummer the nails for your keys into the wall. If the hole is large enough, you can slip your keys over the nail when you are finished. If the nail head is larger than the hole in the key, be sure to put your key through the nail before you hammer it in.
8) Repeat for all keys.
9) Rehang frame.
10) Admire your new piece of art!
I think this works really well for an entry hall because of the keys. But, you could really put it anywhere to incorporate vintage, industrial pieces into your decor. I have also seen a really adorable spin on it where people use keys to all of their previous houses instead of vintage ones. Imagine how cute it would be to collect all the keys from the houses you have lived in with your partner or spouse and then hang them all on the wall, with a little note about the address and maybe what happened there (i.e. 617 Main St. First Place Together; 23 Maple St. Got Engaged; 1456 Post St. Had Baby Markus). You may need a shadow box to include all that information, but it would be so cute and a great anniversary, Valentines Day or housewarming gift for your wife or husband.
As for my skeleton keys, I put two on a key ring to use as key chains. I kept one and gave one to my best friend Danu. I put the third one, which was a golden color, on a long gold chain to wear as a necklace. It looks great hanging under scarves, which I will be wearing from now until April 2012. (Hello German Winter!)
I hope you are enjoying your Monday and that this serves as a bit of inspiration for you! Cheers!
I just LOVE old keys, or any keys for that matter. I have a set of (new) skeleton keys on my wall in my living room. They are from Pottery Barn and were from my very wonderful (and tasteful) mother. I have pictures of keys on my walls and a little pad of paper with a key on it on my desk. And, while I was home in the US for three weeks this past September, I procured 6 or 7 real vintage keys.
My mom and I went to the Sacramento Antique Fair together (with her wonderful friend Kathy T.) and spent a good 20 minutes sifting through old keys, locks and other such hardware. My mom bought many old drawer pulls metal accents and I bought my keys. I got 3 skeleton keys--I will tell you what I did with them a bit later in this post--and 4 fancy old keys in the more modern shape. The more modern shaped ones have flat heads and sharp edges like a new key, but have intricate and beautiful designs cut into the head, instead of the name of the manufacturer of the key. Those are the keys that I used for my project.
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| My mom and I at the Sacramento Antique Fair. So much fun and why I love being home. |
You could use any type of key, really. You could use old skeleton keys or regular keys, it doesn't matter. Just find keys you love and get to work. Here is what you need:
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| They keys and the frame. |
A set of keys (I used four but you could use more)
An old picture frame without the glass.
Small decorative nails (I suggest brass if you are using brass keys)
A hammer
A level
A ruler or measuring tape
Pencil
Here are the procedures:
1) Layout the frame on the floor and place your keys inside. I like all my tops to be level and the sharp edges facing the same direction. Space them out evenly. You want them grouped in the middle slightly and there shouldn't be too much space between the keys. As a rule, there should always be more space along the outside edge of the outside keys than there is between the keys. This rule works the same for matting or hanging art.
2) Once you are satisfied with your positioning, measure the placement of the keys with the ruler.
3) Decide where you want to hang your keys and frame.
4) Using the level, with a pencil mark the positioning of two nails to hold the upper right and upper left corners of the frame.
5) Nail the nails into the marked places. Hang the frame.
6) Measure where the keys should go based on where the frame is now hanging on the wall. Your keys should have some sort of hole at the top. Put your pencil mark through there.
7) Now remove the frame (it is likely to get in your way or fall off the wall) and hummer the nails for your keys into the wall. If the hole is large enough, you can slip your keys over the nail when you are finished. If the nail head is larger than the hole in the key, be sure to put your key through the nail before you hammer it in.
8) Repeat for all keys.
9) Rehang frame.
10) Admire your new piece of art!
I think this works really well for an entry hall because of the keys. But, you could really put it anywhere to incorporate vintage, industrial pieces into your decor. I have also seen a really adorable spin on it where people use keys to all of their previous houses instead of vintage ones. Imagine how cute it would be to collect all the keys from the houses you have lived in with your partner or spouse and then hang them all on the wall, with a little note about the address and maybe what happened there (i.e. 617 Main St. First Place Together; 23 Maple St. Got Engaged; 1456 Post St. Had Baby Markus). You may need a shadow box to include all that information, but it would be so cute and a great anniversary, Valentines Day or housewarming gift for your wife or husband.
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| The finished product, in my entryway. |
As for my skeleton keys, I put two on a key ring to use as key chains. I kept one and gave one to my best friend Danu. I put the third one, which was a golden color, on a long gold chain to wear as a necklace. It looks great hanging under scarves, which I will be wearing from now until April 2012. (Hello German Winter!)
I hope you are enjoying your Monday and that this serves as a bit of inspiration for you! Cheers!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Dead animals as decor: a do or a don't?
I've talked to you about animal carcass, haven't I? Oh wait, what's that? I haven't? Well, boy, have I done you a decorating disservice. Dead animal is only THE biggest trend in interior design right now. It's pulling ahead of succulents and bar carts and left state decor in the dust miles ago. By far the most common and least disgusting item of the dead animal craze is antlers. Seen in rustic mountain getaways and lobbies of ski-resorts forever now, antlers are the new big things in anyone's home. Whether you live in the middle of Manhattan or in the middle of the Rockies, antlers are excellent accents on a dining room table, as candlestick holders or a necklace rack. Have you seen Dean from My Little Apartment's awesome elk antlers? (She's a little more obsessed with dead animals than most people, but we will get there.)
Here's the cool thing about antlers: deer and elk shed them naturally every year. So, having antlers in your home, while maybe not being vegan, is certainly vegetarian (what's the difference between an antler and an egg?) and is harmless to the animal. I am all for antlers. They are structurally interesting and bring a warm cozy vibe to interiors.
But, this now leads us to the less-friendly part of this growing trend: mounted antlers and taxidermy. We will begin with mounted antlers (usually smaller than deers antlers and possibly from a smaller deer or maybe a goat?). Mounted antlers are by far the second most common form of this trend and are, from my observation, the new "it" thing. They are a small fraction of the skull of the animal and the antlers fixed onto a typically nicely shaped plaque--they're essentially hunting trophies. Of course, this means that the animal did have to die for you to have this decoration in your home. And, according to my boyfriend, it also glorifies hunting.
Now, I am anti-hunting, when done for sport. When I think of hunting done for it's original purpose, food, it doesn't bother me too much. I am an animal lover, don't get me wrong. I can hardly eat meat and swoon at every cow, horse, pig, cat, dog, bird and snail that I come into contact with. But when I think that even some animals are meat eaters it seems only natural that people would be, too. And when I think of hunting for meat or raising it to be eaten, the former seems much more humane. Would you rather grow up in a small cage or pen, never feeling free and knowing that you will be killed one day or would you rather be running free as a bird through the woods without a care when your time comes? But, while hunting for food is something that I can't really argue with (it's better for our health to have less reliable sources of meat, too) I do not think it is okay to go out in your coonskin cap, shoot yourself a nice dear or goat and hang it's head up on your wall just to show what a man (or manly woman) you are.
That being said, I love this trend. My boyfriend originally said a big fat "N-O!" to it, but, perhaps once he realized that he had just bought a new car, he relented a little and said that a faux antler, or "fantler" would be okay. And that's when I somehow started to get a little antler crazy. I saw them everywhere, passing an antiques shop here in our quiet German town, in magazines and in books. I wanted one BAD. But all the while I had Peter's voice in my head, "Dead animal," and "glorifies hunting as a sport." And then I went to Coburg's fleamarket...
Yes, a few weeks ago, we had a flea market here. The whole town was completely filled with tables of people selling old crap. There was literally everything, but, as luck (or maybe fate) would have it, the first thing I saw at the flea market was a hug table filled with skull-antlers to choose from. I decided to ask how much they were, just because I was curious of course. I was fully expecting them to be somewhere around 15 EURO--and even that may have enticed me--so imagine my surprise when this old Bavarian hunter told me these precious pieces of decor (and animal skeleton) were only 4 EURO each. Yes, four! Apparently, he had no idea about the design gold mine on which he was sitting. At that point I had no choice. I scooped one up and happily went on my way, singing "I bought a head, I bought a head" all the way home. (Um...does singing to myself mean I need help.)
When I got there I took my skull out of its old, reused plastic bag (hey, at least this hunter recycles, right?) and held my beautiful new animal head out to admire. That's when I felt something strange...there was a...what...a....eeeeeeewwwwww!! You have got to be kidding me?!?!?! There, nestled into a little groove in the back of my animal plaque was a horrifying, disgusting and tell-tale set of little animal teeth. And a date: July 14, 1986. Peter was right all along. These things did glorify hunting.
I got pretty creeped out, but tried to rationalize it, telling myself that it would have died whether I bought it or not, and that at least I was giving it a place to live where it would be recognized, appreciated and beloved. I still say thank you to this little guy everyday.
After my experience, I still don't know where I stand on the whole thing. I'm quite certain that it's wrong, but I just love them so much. Mine looks lovely and I am so happy about it. I have to ignore the teeth, but when it's hanging that's possible. I think the fake ones are awesome, but I am afraid that, because they are often all white, they don't lend the coziness to a room that the real ones lend. This is all just so confusing!
Regarding, taxidermy, I will tell you it is another growing trend (although maybe not quite as widely loved or accepted). Dear heads specifically are really popular. Does this disgust you? I am not sure how I feel about it. I love nature in decor but I think I would be creeped out by the deer head at night. Not to mention the whole harming animals/glorifying hunting discussion above, which obviously applies here, too. Dean from My Little Apartment is a big fan and has it all over here house. It looks great, but maybe it is crossing a line?
Luckily, there are plenty of fun, cheeky faxidermy (faux taxidermy, get it?) pieces out there right now. I love these fun, teddy bear looking ones from Butlers in Germany. I think they would be so cute and a little sassy in a kid's room.
This one, also from Butler's is a little more grown up. It would look really cute in a cozy den or at Christmas next to a tree.
Urban Outfitters has a selection of wooden ones, which look less realistic, but are still interesting and animal-themed.
I am sure there is lots more out there, too. Give me your thoughts on the whole dead-animal thing please. I would love to know what you think about it. Do you have any pictures of good taxidermy or antlers? Do you have it in your house? I can't wait to hear from you!
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| From My Little Apartment |
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| What looks like a faux, wood deer head from Yossawat |
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| My new piece. |
Now, I am anti-hunting, when done for sport. When I think of hunting done for it's original purpose, food, it doesn't bother me too much. I am an animal lover, don't get me wrong. I can hardly eat meat and swoon at every cow, horse, pig, cat, dog, bird and snail that I come into contact with. But when I think that even some animals are meat eaters it seems only natural that people would be, too. And when I think of hunting for meat or raising it to be eaten, the former seems much more humane. Would you rather grow up in a small cage or pen, never feeling free and knowing that you will be killed one day or would you rather be running free as a bird through the woods without a care when your time comes? But, while hunting for food is something that I can't really argue with (it's better for our health to have less reliable sources of meat, too) I do not think it is okay to go out in your coonskin cap, shoot yourself a nice dear or goat and hang it's head up on your wall just to show what a man (or manly woman) you are.
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| Real head plaques from CountryLiving.com via Your Decorating Hotline |
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| Adorable necklace holder made from antlers...is it going too far? From Burke Vector |
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| Fantlers from Balard Design. |
When I got there I took my skull out of its old, reused plastic bag (hey, at least this hunter recycles, right?) and held my beautiful new animal head out to admire. That's when I felt something strange...there was a...what...a....eeeeeeewwwwww!! You have got to be kidding me?!?!?! There, nestled into a little groove in the back of my animal plaque was a horrifying, disgusting and tell-tale set of little animal teeth. And a date: July 14, 1986. Peter was right all along. These things did glorify hunting.
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| The teeth on the back of my antlers. Ew. |
I got pretty creeped out, but tried to rationalize it, telling myself that it would have died whether I bought it or not, and that at least I was giving it a place to live where it would be recognized, appreciated and beloved. I still say thank you to this little guy everyday.
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| How he looks hanging over my desk. Also, please notice my really amazing brass lamp. I also got that at the flea market! |
Regarding, taxidermy, I will tell you it is another growing trend (although maybe not quite as widely loved or accepted). Dear heads specifically are really popular. Does this disgust you? I am not sure how I feel about it. I love nature in decor but I think I would be creeped out by the deer head at night. Not to mention the whole harming animals/glorifying hunting discussion above, which obviously applies here, too. Dean from My Little Apartment is a big fan and has it all over here house. It looks great, but maybe it is crossing a line?
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| From My Little Apartment. A deer head. |
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| From My Little Apartment. A taxidermy turtle. |
Luckily, there are plenty of fun, cheeky faxidermy (faux taxidermy, get it?) pieces out there right now. I love these fun, teddy bear looking ones from Butlers in Germany. I think they would be so cute and a little sassy in a kid's room.
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| From Butler's Germany: Mammutkopf. |
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| From Butler's Germany: Wildschweinkopf. |
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| From Butler's Germany: Hirschkopf. |
This one, also from Butler's is a little more grown up. It would look really cute in a cozy den or at Christmas next to a tree.
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| From Butler's Germany: Rehbockkopf. |
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| Urban Outfitters: Cardboard Taxidermy. |
I am sure there is lots more out there, too. Give me your thoughts on the whole dead-animal thing please. I would love to know what you think about it. Do you have any pictures of good taxidermy or antlers? Do you have it in your house? I can't wait to hear from you!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Back in Deutschland
Hello my friends! Long time no see. I am back from California now and finally adjusted to the 9 hour time difference. It was an extra difficult task this time owing to the 7 hours of playing and teaching I worked just the day after I got back. I needed this whole week just to recover from the 14 hour flight and hundreds of screaming, energetic, German-speaking kids.
But I am back, rested and am now savoring every minute of this perfect fall we have been having. The sun has been shining but the temperatures are cool. All of the leaves are starting to change and some have fallen to the ground. The weather has been so nice and perfect that everyone is outside enjoying it, going to the farmers markets and sitting in beer gardens. It really couldn't be better. Yesterday was no exception. After a crisp cool run in the morning (so peaceful) and then an hour and a half of teaching, I made my way to the farmers market. It was very busy and everyone seemed to be coming away with armfuls of fresh apples and plums, flowers and pumpkins. I was no exception. I think I looked hilarious leaving the farmers market, my tiny little frame weighed down by six pumpkins, my teaching bag and an armful of flowers.
There is nothing better than decorating with fresh, seasonal produce and plants. And, it really isn't expensive. My house looks inviting and cozy and pays tribute to the magnificence of a fall harvest. And I got all 6 pumpkins for 1 EURO each...that is right, 1 EURO EACH! Most of them are little (but not as small as a baby pumpkin) but I got a few bigger ones, too! I also walked away with a huge bouquet of the most colorful mums and, the most interesting, a huge stalk of artichokes that can be dried.
Before yesterday, I had no idea how artichokes grow. But this thing was huge and I just had to look it up. And now I know: artichokes are actually unopened flower buds. They have purple flowers that grow out of the tough, green leafy thing that my mom likes to eat drowned in butter. There were several at the market in bloom, but I decided to get mine without a flower. I thought they would be more versatile and also make a great Christmas decoration that way.
Artichokes grow on huge, fat stems and mine came with one giant artichoke on the main stem, with two smaller artichokes on small stems that branched out from the larger one. The woman at the flower stand said that I could simply leave them in a vase without water and that they would dry that way and last forever. The only change would be that they would get a little lighter in color. I couldn't believe it! They were a little expensive (6 EURO) but considering I will have them forever, it definitely seems worth it!
I hope you are having a nice harvest time!
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| One cool pumpkin, green and yellow, with mums behind. |
But I am back, rested and am now savoring every minute of this perfect fall we have been having. The sun has been shining but the temperatures are cool. All of the leaves are starting to change and some have fallen to the ground. The weather has been so nice and perfect that everyone is outside enjoying it, going to the farmers markets and sitting in beer gardens. It really couldn't be better. Yesterday was no exception. After a crisp cool run in the morning (so peaceful) and then an hour and a half of teaching, I made my way to the farmers market. It was very busy and everyone seemed to be coming away with armfuls of fresh apples and plums, flowers and pumpkins. I was no exception. I think I looked hilarious leaving the farmers market, my tiny little frame weighed down by six pumpkins, my teaching bag and an armful of flowers.
 |
| Autumn mums in happy but warm colors. |
There is nothing better than decorating with fresh, seasonal produce and plants. And, it really isn't expensive. My house looks inviting and cozy and pays tribute to the magnificence of a fall harvest. And I got all 6 pumpkins for 1 EURO each...that is right, 1 EURO EACH! Most of them are little (but not as small as a baby pumpkin) but I got a few bigger ones, too! I also walked away with a huge bouquet of the most colorful mums and, the most interesting, a huge stalk of artichokes that can be dried.
 |
| The largest pumpkin, green! |
Before yesterday, I had no idea how artichokes grow. But this thing was huge and I just had to look it up. And now I know: artichokes are actually unopened flower buds. They have purple flowers that grow out of the tough, green leafy thing that my mom likes to eat drowned in butter. There were several at the market in bloom, but I decided to get mine without a flower. I thought they would be more versatile and also make a great Christmas decoration that way.
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| The artichokes. I put them in this vase, which is too small. I need to get a larger vase to balance their top-heavy look. |
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| A nice pumpkin with a really cool stem. |
I hope you are having a nice harvest time!
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| Interesting colors. |
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| Cool stem and interesting colors. In the living room. |
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| A cool white pumpkin with an interesting tall shape. |
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| Pumpkin and mums. |
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| While in Cali, I bought the map on the right at an antique fair with my mom. |
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| The living room done up for autumn. |
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