A Very Special Holiday Wreath

Country Coastal Wreath from Caron's Beach House

I've been wracking my brain for ideas of how we can help the Hurricane Sandy Relief effort. It's been  incredibly devastating for so many families in the coastal areas on the Eastern Seaboard. My heart simply breaks for what these families must be going through to just get some semblance of their lives back, and we'd like to help.

I feel so lucky and blessed to live on the West Coast.  We might have a few earthquakes now and then, but we are never subject to such brutal storms and weather that our friends on the East Coast have to endure.

We've teamed up with my good friend and beach artist, Judy of Just Beachy,  and between the two of us we decided to showcase one of Judy's coastal Christmas wreaths for the Red Cross effort on the East Coast.  We will be donating 10% of each sale from the Country Coastal Wreath to the Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort directly to RedCross.org.   In addition, we will be sending a special donation message with each package.  Perfect for gift-giving for the holidays, and for a great cause.

Thanks for your help and for your support.


P.S.  PLEASE let me know if you have any products or programs that you'd like to promote for Hurricane Sandy Efforts and we will be more than happy to feature on our blog

Thanksgiving Tablescape Ideas for the Coast

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!  I get to cook (I don't clean up)  and I get to hang out with my family.  I have so much fun getting out all of my grandmothers' china and silverware, then mixing it all together with a few choice coastal elements to create something very festive.  It's a pretty low stress holiday for me.  Love it.

This year, there has been rumors of a trip up to Tomales Bay for Tom's favorite oysters and champagne for brunch....  I will skip the oysters, but will be sipping the champagne!  (Starfish Flutes available on our site)

Here are a few ideas that I have been collecting for inspiration - Enjoy!

From one of my all time favorite holiday articles from Coastal Living Magazine - I actually kept this pinned on my bulletin board long before I figured out how to find it in digital version.  A simple driftwood twig piece,  orange fall-toned dinnerware, mixed with rustic raffia and gorgeous stemware.  Yep, this would work for me!

Wouldn't this rustic table decoration be fun for an outdoor Thanksgiving celebration?  That is, if you are lucky enough to live where it will be warm this year!  So simple, just natural fall leaves and red berries slipped into a large glass vase filled with green hedge apples.  I have no idea what those are, so I would use "green" somethings that are local to our area ie: Granny Smith or even Gala apples would look great.

Here's the rest of the pretty table from Sweet Something! Harvest Apple

Just take a look at this spectacular arrangement! How fun - I especially love the branch coral silverware and the mix of coastal themed dinnerware. The amber glassware is just divine!

You must pop over and see all of the details at Rattlebridge Farm!

Simply fabulous from Home is Where the Boat Is!  Who says Thanksgiving tables have to be orange and gold?  Love the crushed shells and the pretty greens.....

Oh, a travel destination table scape! Now isn't that a fun creative idea??  You could use maps (or nautical charts) for parts of the world that your family has traveled to.  Mix in a few white and brown seashells and you've created something coastal and very special!

Can you just imagine the fun memories and conversations this would start around the dinner table?

Here's the rest of the story - Cabin and Cottage

Simple and easy to create this orange beachy table setting!

White plates, rattan charges, clear vases with sand and starfish - very modern and festive.   It has a Thanksgiving feel without being kitschy.  I like it.  (sorry - not sure of the source!)

Stunning flower arrangement mixed with colorful dinnerware and non-matching glassware.  All presented beautifully on a rustic plank table with very simple table linens.  So pretty!  I think the plates might be Vietri...

Here's another idea - use coastal themed table linens in fall colors!  Add a some fall elements, like tiny pumpkins, and you've got a pretty beachy Thanksgiving table.

From my Gourmet White Wine Steamed Clam post - here's my experiment for another fun "nautical" themed tablescape.  Nautical charts, rope, a vintage lantern and driftwood all create a fun atmosphere for a holiday table.

P.S.  This clam recipe is totally scrumptious!


Have a great weekend everyone!  We are off this afternoon to see James Bond - can't wait.

Vicki's Lake House Style

My friend Vicki is a "Martha Stewart" wanna be, stuck in the mortgage industry simply waiting for the right moment to break out into fame.

 She's a great gardener, a fabulous cook, a talented remodeling expert, a VERY talented party giver (we always have fun at her house!), is and ALWAYS generous with her wine and with her friends!

Last summer, when Tom and I were on our whirlwind tour of Seattle, we got lucky enough to be invited over to hang out with Vicki and Mark.  What a great time we had!  Come with me as we take a quick tour of Vicki's cute cute remodeled lake house on Lake Serene, just north of Seattle.  It's this little paradise of a lake, stocked with lily pads and trout, just a few miles off of the busy I-5 freeway, minutes from Lynnwood.

Welcome to Vicki's Courtyard!  Notice all of the details -  the large iron carriage house lanterns, water fountain feature with two levels surrounded by all different kinds and colors of Northwest landscaping, and her welcoming painted deep red door...

Delicate, pretty angel blowing on a seashell, hidden beneath trees in the courtyard...

Another courtyard friend!

Vicki's hand-painted red door with glass panes, notice the summer red geraniums too!  White hydrangeas fill her flower beds next to the house, unfortunately the camera didn't capture how pretty they really were..

Come on in! 

This big glass bowl came from my old store in Poulsbo - it was one of my favorite things!  Come to think of it, I think Vicki was one of my first customers too.

Here's a close up of the fish-etched bowl, see how she piled all of  the pretty hand-blown glass balls in it, then and buried white lights underneath?  I love this look - so creative, and you can really see all of the gorgeous color!

The hallway upstairs, and downstairs with Vicki's fun vintage swimming girl! 

Here she is in the kitchen whipping up some incredible barbecued marinated flank steak, fresh corn-on-the-cob, roasted veggie salad and of course pouring more wine!  Can you see how she used a thick plush oriental carpet on the floor to bring in her favorite colors to her white kitchen? I think it makes her kitchen all the more inviting and warm... (Can you also tell that I love to go to her house and simply eat?)

Sorry that the light was so hard to capture this late in the day, but check out Vicki's lush deep chocolate walls  on original plastered walls.  Love how she's painted the fireplace and the woodwork bright white, contrasting with the deep chocolate, gives her room one more layer of richness.  If I remember the story right, the chandelier was a loan from one of Mark's friends, something that he found in his garage?   It's so pretty hanging over her dining room table! (P.S.  I don't think Mark's buddy is getting the light back....)

Just one corner of her enormous 1000 square foot deck!  

Pretty lantern hanging next to the boat shed...

And of course, here's one piece of their dock, lily pads in the background.  How incredibly peaceful..

Their very own private fishing dock, pretty comfy if you ask me!  A few outdoor chairs, 

and a convenient table for your cocktails while you wait for a big trout to jump on the line.  

Mark actually caught an 18 inch trout right from this spot!

Needless to say, we had a wonderful time capped off by kayaking, basketball and Wii Bowling.  I hate to admit this, being a girl that has always lived on the water, but it was my first time paddling a kayak.. 

I look like a total rookie.  

Vicki poured us some wine in tall glasses to take with us, I managed to not spill anything, or tip the kayak over, but I did get my pants more than a little wet! (no pictures please!)

Gee, I hope we get invited back....

Maybe she will invite us back if we bring her a new Lake House sign?  We'll just change the Lake Resort name to "Vicki's"! 

Water Skiing Sign

Or maybe a pretty new Coral Diving Girl to match her blue swimmer?

Or maybe a fun new throw with Paddles?