Current Obsession: Cabernet Vinegar

I have to admit, the first time I saw Cabernet vinegar, I thought it was a marketing scheme. My mom bought a bottle for my birthday, knowing I love Cabernet, and I'm still thanking her months later! It has a sweet tang that is like nothing else! It's fabulous on tomato salad, but I'll be honest: I started making full tomato salads and now I'm just putting this Cabernet vinegar on tomato slices! It's a delicious little snack!

 It also works great in my strawberry salad dressing recipe!

Or try this recipe for

Cabernet Vinaigrette

3 TBS Cabernet vinegar

1 TBS olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

pinch sea salt

dash pepper
1/4 tsp sugar

Whisk all ingredients well and pour desired amount over salad. Enjoy!



Fruitful Arrangements

So I had a few extra pears.... I bought 14 lbs of pears with great intention to make pear cider-Well now I'm just not feelin' it! I'm a moody eater, okay? But what else can I do with 14 lbs of pears? Arrange them of course! I cut some green and white hydrangeas from my yard and got to work. It started off looking a little too summery, so I put it on top of a wicker basket I turned upside-down. This little project got me thinking of all the wonderful Fall arrangements with fruit.

 This apple one is easier than it looks. Take a ready-made topiary and force halved chicken skewers up the base, and the other end in the foam of the topiary!

 Add apples to any arrangement by securing the bases in chicken skewers and the other end into oasis in the arrangement.

 Put any fruit you can think of in the base of an arrangement. It blocks the unattractive stems and adds and unexpected twist to any arrangement. Just try it! I dare you!

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Trend Alert: Outdoor Lighting Comes Inside

Outdoor living spaces have been a focus for entertaining for years, but what happens when the weather turns cold and you need to bring the party inside? Bring the outdoors in with these new lighting trends. These styles are just too fun to pass up!

The images are all products of Restoration Hardware.

These are a Few of My Favorite (Fall) Things

As the leaves start to turn and the air gets that wonderful, crisp fall smell, I start to dream about comfort foods of fall.

Warm fondue with red wine...

Delicious pumpkin-flavored desserts...

Warm and cozy blankets...

Caramel apples...

Pear Cider...

Anything cider!

Happy Fall everyone!

Her Favorite Color is Chrome

I ordered this beauty for my kitchen for a little sparkle! Chrome is popping up everywhere these days, starting to make its way ahead of bronze. Hardware, lighting, frames-embrace the sparkle!

 You can incorporate chrome hardware in your home and compliment other metals by following a few simple rules:


Make sure metals are consistent on each piece. If you have chrome handles on a vanity, make sure the faucet is chrome as well.

Keep your colors together in a room.
Keep golds together-mix bronze with brass
and keep silvers together- mix chrome with nickel
The exception to the rule is a flat bronze with a glossy chrome.

If you are going to mix your metals, be sure to mix your styles as well. A modern chrome vanity looks great with a rustic bronze mirror. Tie it back in with a modern chrome light fixture.

 Break up the stark metals with some soft foliage and other natural elements such as wood.

 Appreciate the beauty of each metal, and balance the weight that the colors supply.

Get in the mood for a little sparkle!

Strawberry Salad

I recently took a vacation with a group of good friends to Lake Shasta, California. We stayed on a houseboat with roughly 20 people coming and going, and let me tell you, keeping food in stock was a challenge. I was in charge of dinner 2 nights in a row with my great friend, Melissa. We had a menu to stick to, but half the things needed for the dinner on the menu were already eaten! We had to get creative..... You know how they say necessity is the mother of invention? Well necessity is the mother of a REALLY good salad dressing!

Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Strawberry Jam
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salad:
4 Cups Mixed Green Lettuce
1/4 Cup Sliced Strawberries
3 Tablespoons Gorgonzola Cheese
3 Tablespoons Chopped Walnuts or Hazelnuts

Enjoy!

Fresh Cut Color

There are few things I love more in life than a giant bouquet of fresh cut flowers. Last year, I planted colorful perennials on my side yard JUST for cutting, and this year am SO enjoying the results!!

Would you believe these hydrangeas are 4 WEEKS OLD???? A little tip for cutting hydrangeas: Fill your vase with HOT water-Yes I said hot! Submerge the stem and cut them at a severe angle while they are immersed in the water. Leave them overnight in the hot water and they should last for weeks. When they start to wilt, refill the vase with hot water and repeat the same cutting process.

 Add fragrant flowers such as lavender to your bouquets for a long lasting scent.

                 
 Designer's tip: take hydrangea flower and poke roses right through it to make just a few flowers look like a whole bouquet!