Ikea !

I do not have a Ikea store where I live, so I sometimes forget about how great this store is. I'm in love with the shoe rack and may have to incorporate that in my own home. If you have a Ikea store near you...LUCKY !

Garden Report - Winding Down

After a cool spring, cooler and wet summer Mother Nature hit us with a cooler start to the fall. I had hoped for a bit of nicer weather but it wasn't to be. The vegetable beds have been a bit neglected mainly because of the rain. We've already had our first hard frost too. Yesterday I spent a bit of time in the garden. It was one of the very rare days where the sun was actually out!

Use Your Corners !

When space is limited, look to the corners of your rooms. Shelving, bookcases, all sorts of possibilities!

You are cordially invited..............

I am doing it, really..........opening my home for a special event.

Throwing caution to the wind.
I have been asked to do this for years, but I am really not ready,
my home is not ready.............but is it ever?
Still have one more chair to re-upholster.
I am tired of our bedroom "set",
windows should be cleaned......................

Unlike the castle, this is more like it.
In Wayne, Illinois we live in a cottage from the 1850's. Little by little every room, the gardens and the exterior have been restored..............I only have two bathrooms left and big plans are in the future, the artist Patrick and I are brainstorming. But wait until you see his work in the entry, the faux bois walls, I love them!

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED

Wednesday November 11th from 1-5pm. I would be honored if you could join us for a special afternoon.

"Fall into Christmas" 

My home will be pure "Fall", decorated in the splendor of the season, filled with ideas inside and out. 

The shop will be all Christmas, brimming with inspiration. 

The afternoon begins at the shop in Geneva, Illinois. Transportation will be provided to my home where sister and I will be waiting to welcome you. Transportation brings you back to the shop for refreshments and a special discount for all attendees. Fee $12.00. Contact Sarah, our shop manager, to reserve your space.

630-232-1303 or sarah@scentimentalgardens.com Kindly reserve in advance, space is limited.

hope you can join us!

Debra

Kiss Halloween Nails: Decorate Your Nails this Halloween

Ya'll know how much I LOVE Halloween so it should be no surprise to you that when I was asked to review some Kiss Limited Edition Halloween Nails I jumped at the chance. They sent me three sets of nails to try out. Here's what I got:- Kiss Limited Edition Halloween Nails: Spider webs in black and white with a silver spider- Kiss Limited Edition Halloweenn Nails: Blood red nails with beautiful

Monday Begins Again

Well just to update everyone, I'm still on my quest at a better, thinner, healthier and a happier me. I've actually lost at least 6 lbs since I have began, I have found it easier to drink water which at one time I absolutely hated and when I get hungry during the day to just grab a salad. I think it'll be easy to lose that first 20 pounds, but after that it sounds a bit harder. Over the weekend I

3 Holiday Gift Ideas

This is for the 60 days until Christmas Countdown. Hope some of these will help you out. Toddler:My first recommendation is going to be the Playskool Busy Ball-Tivity Center from Playskool. Why? This was one of my son's favorite toys last year and he was about 18 months old. Even today he plays with this. He loves to watch the balls go round and round, and he has now learned that if he takes off

60 Days Until Christmas....

Are you ready? With only 60 days until Christmas I bet some of you are starting to really begin to feel the pressure of getting that perfect toy or even just any toy these days. For the next 60 days I plan on bringing you 3 toys per day to help you prepare, due to the fact I have four kids and one (at least) in each age range. Baby-Tween-Teen. Plus I'll even update the Top 10 toy lists from

Winners of Child Safety Kit/book

The winners for the Safety Guide for Parents and 4 winners (1 will be included in the grand prize) were all selected by the Random.org generator: 4, 10, 5, 9, 13The winners are:- IdentaKey Medical Records Storage would be very valuable to have.# posted by ydsddd (GRAND PRIZE, meaning you'll get the book and child safety kit)- I like the wean machine, for making your own baby food.# posted by

Holiday Sneak Peak

I know its not even Halloween but once it starts getting a bit cooler I think a little bit ahead to the holidays. I love Christmas greens and small touches for the holidays. Whats your holiday decor like? Over the top? Subdued ?

My home office

A few post ago a discussion about home offices and how to hide all those cords came up. A few people wanted to see my home office. Well here it is, nothing too fancy, and as you can see, CORDS! Its not really that noticeable and YES I know I need to straighten that mess up ! My desk top is a cheap closet door stained brown sitting on top of 2 file drawers . I love my hotel cubby because I can stick tons of stuff in it and keep my desk straight. My chairs are mismatched because I do not have 3 of the same and right now, it does not bother me.

What's in a name ???

Ok here is the "is my face red" post of the day. ALL this time I thought the address for my blog was small SPACE style. Well it is place. Don't ask how I have gone this long without knowing. Its been nearly 2 years. So, instead of having to shut down this blog and start all over, I'm sticking with PLACE. I think I just need a vacation. Anyways, I thought I would mention this just in case it matters. :)

Anger Envelops Her

I wrote this post yesterday and wasn't going to post it but I think I need to do it, just so I can later look back and remember. There are only some points in my life that I actually get on my blog and just rant about my feelings and this is going to be one of them once again. Do you remember earlier this year where I told everyone that life really likes to throw wrenches at you? Well I've

Naked Windows

I would love it if I could have no curtains on my windows. In the real world we need our privacy, but if you have a window that has total privacy, a lot of light is a great way to make a room feel bigger. Now if you can get past the fact that nobodys out there !!

A FALL PARTY

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The rich colors, scents, the crunch of leaves and the foods of the season. Having not had a party in eons, we were overdue in returning the favor to our friends.

I forgot how much time goes into the details. Join me in the preparations..............




The landscape designer in me had to begin outdoors



A hard frost ended the impatiens in our front door containers.



What a mess! No amount of scrubbing would have removed the remnants of impatiens goo. What the containers really needed was painting.........no time!


Burlap to the rescue, inexpensive, seasonal and hiding a multitude of sins. This combination includes; yellow mums, red cabbage, purple aster, pansies and cut stems of bittersweet providing a great drape. The potted plants were just set into the burlap. I love to insert faux elements, in this case faux bittersweet clusters. Entwined with the bittersweet foliage they look vibrant and real and are re-used for years to come.




Next was the sad and neglected hanging basket highlighting the lamp post. Out with the dead petunia's and other miscellaneous summer annuals. Keeping the moss lining intact I quickly inserted golden mini mums, pansies, pumpkins and faux lady apples.


Often using faux elements adds interest, texture and the use of materials that might not normally last.



Our 1940's era upper patio with fireplace looks forlorn.



The bronzey metal wall containers flanking the firebox were filled with roadside clippings. Add pumpkins, mums and battery pillar candles. See my Cardigan Corgi, Cooper peeking out from the wool throw?


These battery candles are my best friends during a party, in particular. Sixty, yes sixty candles were used everywhere! Framing a pathway from the parking at the barn to the house. Unlike lumanaries, they are flicked on and that is it..............no wondering if any have burned out, no worries if it rains..........nothing. Indoors I like to tuck them in unexpected places, never concerned if they are "smoking", knocked over or dripping onto an antique piece.


The entrance to the upper patio was enhanced with.........more battery candles. In this instance using "wedding columns" from 1910, previously filled with flowers and flanking an aisle for a long ago bride.


In outdoor containers they are illuminated at night.


Emptied and waiting...............



Wanting to try something unconventional, faux birch stems were inserted upright and adorned with faux bittersweet, real bittersweet branches, a hand full of fallen leaves and all along the back of the birch, a line of battery candles which up light the birch at nightfall.


The night before many hands came to help. Don't you love to see women gathering together to help? I sure do and could not have finished without these women. From the left Susan Olson ( see post on inspiring women ), sister Diane and Betty Chittenden, Susan's mother visiting from Nebraska.

By the end of that night the wine flowed, the pumpkin martini's experimented with, music turned up and the laughs constant...........wish we had a picture of all of us doing line dances thru the house led by Betty!


The day of..........sister in her Halloween "teeth" making an artichoke dip. (I could be taking this too far..........sister may kill me for adding this photo) Don't you think she looks 25 years old?! Don't be mad sister.........love you to pieces :-)




Getting closer to panic mode I needed an arrangement for the kitchen table and wanted to use the Benjamin Carroll terra cotta pots given to me by my friend and artist Patrick Roullier.
note: remember the hallway Patrick was going to faux bois for me? Well he finished, it is beyond my expectations and will be in a future post.

In my garage I had these metal "trees"



Wanting height at the table these were perfect. Supported by tuna cans (how elegant) so they would not wobble,I speared fallen leaves onto the trees spikes.


Rolls of kraft paper is handy to have around. "Nests" were formed to hold......what else......votive battery candles, providing a glow at eye level

.
Naturally needing to hide the tuna cans, voila!..........bunched kraft paper at the base


Inspired by Eddie Ross and his October 13th post on decorating the show kitchen for Grange, just had to add wooden spoons and a gift from Susan a hand carved "salt well". Doesn't it look like the sheep are moving towards a trough?!


A brass and copper scale from Argentina is filled with fresh pumpkins and faux fruit. Labels were peeled off fresh fruit and affixed to the faux to look real. You may be asking yourself "why faux fruit?!" Well..........I get really busy and it just stays put until they need to be dusted.


Almost time! Tables were set with finger foods through out the house so as to not crowd one area. One of my favorite pieces is a turn of the century Crane from France. Looks like he is about to pluck the cookies.


The finished kitchen table, quick, get in the shower.......I'm late!


And finally the hit of the night.........pumpkin pie martini's. Whew, these were fun to create! Reading thru multiple recipes and combining bits and pieces that sounded good I came up with the following inexact recipe.

Pumpkin Pie Martini's

In a large pitcher fill 2/3 of the way with heavy whipping cream (calories do not count when partying!)
To taste add;
-vodka
-butterscotch schnapps
-pumpkin liquer
-pumpkin pie spice
Taste repeatedly until yummy
Dip the martini glass in a plate of whipped cream then dip in a plate of crushed cinnamon graham crackers



Even though I did not want anyone to leave...........this is how I felt the next day, and the day after that, and....................

Happy Autumn!
Debra

Confession Time: When I Strip for Ya'll

It is time that I be completely honest with all my readers and this post is truely doing just that, in a way I'm about to strip completely naked right here for you. No, I'm not going to show you a bunch of naked photos, for all those sicks that found this post through google you can now leave. Many moms have found themselves where I am today, many moms have done the very thing I am doing and now

West Elm Holiday Decor by David Stark

Check out the new Christmas decor at West Elm by David Stark. Beautiful rustic items with a modern twist. I'm going to have to get my hands on some of those natural-weave trees. Happy holidays indeed ! (to go directly to the West Elm site, just click on the title of this post)