Well well, we’ve done it again!  This fall season, I’m partnering up with three of my very favorite ladies like we’ve done in the past.  The four of us are bringing you some fun fun fun this autumn.  Yes indeedy, it’s time for another round of link parties for fall!  

We’re asking you to save the dates and we do hope you will get your seasonal DIY on to mix and mingle at these upcoming parties!   

As you can see Ms. Layla will be showcasing mantels and Ms. Rhoda is handling door décor in the last week of September.  That following week (the first week of October) I’m hosting fall crafts and later that week Ms. Sarah will rock the outdoor projects. 

I loooove to get my craft on when it comes to the holidays, especially in the fall.  Here are a few favorites from the archives that were so much fun to make! 

1. Shimmery Magnolia Leaves Wreath; 2. Fall Leaves on Canvas, 3.  Gilded Porch Pumpkin Topiaries,  4. Rub n’ Buff Posh Pumpkins 5. Autumn Leaves Windcatcher 6. Halloween Boo Game Printable & Prize Bags

Time to start hatching a plan ~ it’s going to be another glorious season of fall creativity!  If you’re in search of inspiration, hop onto Pinterest, there’s always much to be found over there.  Also I’ve added a whole bunch of links to my Autumn Ideas board so take a peek there too. 

Start thinking about what you’ll create, we hope you’ll join in the fun!

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Hello friends and TGIF!  What’s on your agenda for the weekend?  We’re hoping to finish up the laundry room over at the Alma House, but the highlight for me will certainly be those tickets to see Michael Bublé on Saturday night, can’t wait! 

This weekend’s giveaway is brought to you by one of my lovely sponsors, The Inglenook Décor, an online shop filled with so many goodies, it makes it hard to choose.  You’ll find several furniture items, including chairs, ottomans and end tables, and also home accessories from tableware to kitchen décor, candleholders, and rugs.  Whatever your style, whether it’s cottage or French or modern, there is something at Inglenook for everyone. 

This weekend, two lucky winners will get a $75 gift card to shop The Inglenook Décor.

The throw pillows alone are one of the best collections of modern prints out there.

Eligibility to win one of two $75 gift cards to The Inglenook Décor:

1) Hop on over to visit The Inglenook Décor and pick your favorite item, then name it in a comment!

2) For a second chance to win, link to this giveaway on either Facebook or Twitter, then leave a comment telling where you mentioned it (either FB or Twitter)

3) For a third chance to win, “Like” Inglenook on Facebook and leave an additional comment.

**For those who have never commented before, click where it reads “125 Comments”  (or whatever number of entries you see), then you’ll be prompted to enter your name and email address. 

Giveaway ends Monday August 15th at 8 p.m. PST.  Two winners chosen at random.  US and Canada only. 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

The lucky two winners are:

#117 Steph who wrote:

“I love so many things in the garden decor section but I fell in love with the Rococo Noir Square Footed Cake Stand”

#686  Carole at The Blue Chateau who wrote:

“LOVE that site! So many great things to choose from – it’s hard to narrow it down. The Neo Classique Dessert Plates are wonderful (be still my heart – there are matching mugs!). The Bay Leaf Glass Dome is fabulous!”

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Greetings friends, happy Friday!  Guess what gang?  It’s tasting season out here in Wine Country and many of you are planning WC getaways and little day trips.  I keep getting tweets and emails with the same question time and again. 

“Hey Kate, we’re coming to San Francisco and want to spend one of our vacation days in Wine Country, where do you recommend we go/sip/eat?”

Just one day?  Oh no!  Truly, you need several days to experience Northern Cali’s Wine Country, preferably two days spent in the Napa Valley touring Calistoga, St. Helena and Yountville, and two days in the different regions of Sonoma County, specifically Healdsburg and Sonoma.  A few days is really the way to vacation in the WC in order to truly absorb the flavors and the relaxed atmosphere around here.  It’s infectious.  You may find you never want to return home. 

However, if you’ve only got one day and you’re coming from (or living in) the City by the Bay, it’s true, you can still get the flavor of Wine Country in a single day.  Here is the very best route for all of you “I just have one day” visitors.  This day trip is 45 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge and takes you on a tour of the Carneros region in Sonoma, known for its Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and sparking wines from grapes that grow in the volcanic soil and thrive amid the coastal breezes. 

This tour will give you a taste and feel for the region and still allow your designated driver to get back to your hotel in San Francisco by nightfall.  Let’s journey, shall we?  Who’s up for a day trip to Wine Country?  Yay, glad you all raised your hands. 

First, travel north on Highway 101 to Highway 37 to Highway 121 – it’s best to map it out before you come on MapQuest, your smart phone, or a GPS device.  

You’ll cross Marin County into Sonoma County and enter the Carneros Valley where you’ll see the grapevines rolling along the hills and start to get excited.  Relax, there are acres of those to come!  Your first stop is Viansa, an Italian inspired hilltop winery which specializes in both red and Italian varietals.  This villa offers a fabulous view, beautiful gardens, and a great marketplace of gourmet foods.  

Next, you’ll travel next door to Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.  The nicest thing about Jacuzzi, other than its sustainable practices, is the fact that although relatively new, the estate buildings seem as if they’ve existed for centuries.  There’s a courtyard, fountain, and vines crawling up the stone façade.  Sample their wines and the flavorful olive oils at The Olive Press.

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Hello!  Today I’m featuring an important topic that many couples face, it’s the age old struggle between masculine versus feminine in design.  This tug of war is not rare, rather it’s a common issue in so many relationships, and even plays into many a discussion of décor here in my own home.  One of the struggles I’ve recently faced in our shared master bedroom (always a work in progress!) is how to balance my mister’s love of dark furniture and his more traditional taste against my love of white and bright with touches of modern.  

Today, addressing the topic on a larger scale, Courtney is back with his monthly contribution. To me, this is a fascinating topic, and I willingly embrace any tips that address the issue of how both masculine and feminine style can coexist in harmony. 

Please welcome back Courtney and his interview with top designers addressing the definition of masculine style, and how to successfully balance it with feminine tastes.  

“A college friend recently moved in with his long term girlfriend and called me to complain.  He was distressed that all his favorite pieces of furniture and home accessories were being either sold, relegated to the guest bedroom, or simply being placed in that black hole known as offsite storage.  As more of his beloved possessions exited the new apartment, he became increasingly agitated and an argument ensued. 

After the dust settled, I went over to play “design negotiator” which is relationship counseling, but with furniture.  Sitting them both down, I asked a very simple question, or so I thought.  “What is it about his things that make them ineligible to enter the apartment?”  She turned to me and said quite simply  “Courtney, his stuff is totally way too masculine and it just won’t work in here.”

Too masculine?  Aside from his international beer bottle collection and large screen TV, my friend’s possessions were run of the mill items picked up over the years from IKEA, CB2 and big box stores.  What was it about his possessions made them :too masculine”?  Can’t masculine peacefully coexist with feminine design?

Seeking answers, I sought out advice from two designers I respect for not only their fantastic design talents but their ability to break down complex design issues.  I asked several questions of Joe Cangelosi of Joe Cangelosi Design and Brian Dittmar of Brian Dittmar Design to get their take on what elements create a ‘masculine’ space, how it deviates from a ‘feminine’ style space, and can the two exist in harmony?  Here is what Dittmar and Cangelosi had to say:

Q: First and foremost, is there such a thing as a ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ room? Don’t people define spaces, and not the things within?

Joe Cangelosi (JC):  There is absolutely a difference!

Brian Dittmar (BD):  Yes, I think so. A ‘masculine room’ is the result of a feeling that is created through a collection of objects versus each object being one way or the other.

Brian Dittmar

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Every season has its feeling.  For me, summertime is the definition of relaxation.  Warm nights spent barbequing, and lazy mornings sleeping in, waking up to the whirring of the fan.  I know many moms count the days until school begins and the weather cools, but this week I’m completely caught up in the notion of savoring what’s left of summer.  No schedules, no official bedtimes, no busy or hurried pace, just days that melt into one another.

Last weekend we went out touring some wineries along Olivet Road in the Russian River Valley, me with my Nikon, my hub with his palate, tasting, sampling and photographing for our new venture, a regional book on living in wine country.  We stopped at DeLoach Vineyards and while my mister sipped Pinot Noirs, I snapped pictures of the grounds and the kids played in the little brook out among the gardens. 

I watched them engaging with nature, sending their flip flops downstream like little boats tripping along the rocks only to repeat it over and over again.  I observed their fascination with the cool water as it ran over their feet, and their ability to completely live in the moment with no thoughts of the past or worries about the future.

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