Sometimes a Girl Has to Decorate

Sometimes a girl has to decorate -- and in my case, that time is now!

Use it or lose it, I say, and so I totally overdo, given my small space.

And mostly I don't care.

I love the warm, autumn colors, which work well in my home.

It's fun to change up the mantle with every season.

I can't resist pulling out the copper and the leaves...

This doll makes an appearance every year, made by friend and artist Joanne Huffman.

It's time to charge up my battery branches and add some pumpkins...

Even the cotton wreath gets a makeover with a burlap bow.

Yes, berries and wreaths are everywhere!

Black cats, too.

There must be some jolly in the kitchen...

...and maxing out the Halloweenies!

Baskets get filled with gourds...

... and more gourds!

...the copper candelabra gets Jack be Littles...

...the hydrangea wreath makes a reappearance...

...and so does the Southern Exposure wall sconce from a year or two ago.

A freebie pitcher (left behind when one of Rick's tenants moved out) is loaded with dried hydrangeas and a cabbage blossom.

The Halloween tree brightens up a dark corner...

...and a raven stands guard!

I love my Wizard of Oz people -- aren't they happy and ready for the holiday?

Now I think I'd better start setting the table -- dinner will be ready soon...

And I have some shopping to do! Purr...

Happy to link this week to: Share Your Cup, Share Your Style, Happiness is Homemade, and Pink Saturday.

Getting our Gatsby On

It seems like our Friends of Theatre gang has been in party mode this fall! I shared our Art in the Garden here, and most recently we toasted the Great Gatsby!

Photo: Phil Babcock

Our Michigan State University theatre department is doing a production of Fitzgerald's classic novel and what better way to kick it off with a gala at one of Lansing's oldest homes (built in the 1850s.)

And you know theatre people can't resist a good costume!

The students were on hand as well. Those who played the maids did so at the event, taking coats and selling 50/50 raffle tickets.

Photo: Phil Babcock

Scenes of the play were performed intermittently...

...along with songs from the period.

There was jazz to dance to...

Photo: Phil Babcock

...and a Charleston to learn!

Photo: Phil Babcock

I'll tell you, these kids have energy!

The rest of us did our best.

Photo: Phil Babcock

Everyone was there. Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas...

...the fashion elite...

...madecap flappers...

Photo: Phil Babcock

...and a couple of dandy dandies!

Photo: Phil Babcock

We wined...

Photo: Phil Babcock

...and dined...

Cased the joint (I loved this!)

And at the end of it all, kicked off our shoes and enjoyed.

It was a successful event for both the theatre and our Friends of Theatre and our co-sponsor, the Friends of Turner Dodge House.

Linking today with Share Your Cup, Share Your Style, Pink Saturday and other parties as links become available.

Autumn Door Arrangement at Southern Exposure

If you have followed me for any length of time, you know my "happy place," one of my favorite spots in all the world (and I mean that literally) is a small herb farm in Michigan called Southern Exposure. It combines very old barns (the milking parlor, the corn crib, the hog house, etc.) that have been renovated into charming dining spaces with beautiful gardens and wonderful workshops.

The workshops are held in the spring and fall (summer is devoted to weddings and during the winter they offer foreign tours). Each workshop includes a fabulous meal with wine along with all the supplies to complete your project. This year I have signed up for four.

The first was this past week -- Autumn Door Arrangement. But before you see the project, let's take a walk around the gardens.

There's something about a garden at the end of season. The flowers are a bit more battered than they were a month or so ago, yet they're still putting on a rather good show.

Certainly the butterflies didn't mind one bit!

Although not fully decked for fall, we saw some wonderful pumpkin arrangements -- I liked this one.

Around the corner, the holly (no doubt to be used in workshops later in November and December) was plentiful and beautiful.

I always love the greenhouse!

I loved the way they included plants in the vintage typewriter.

The statuary in the garden always seems to speak volumes.

They seem to stand guard...

                              

...and reflect both our peace and our sorrows.

We were happy to tell the chickens they were not on our menu that night!

Our dinner was a wonderful beef and rice inside an acorn squash which was delicious, served with a broccoli salad with grapes and cranberries and variegated carrots.

Pumpkin roll was the seasonal dessert.

When we walked into the craft tent, we found all our supplies at our seat. Micah, our instructor, gave us a few hints on using the swamp blueberries and bittersweet. (Remove the leaves to avoid mold and the unpleasant odor they make as they dry!)

Then we started stuffing our vessel, a galvanized tin with a flat back, perfect to hang on a wall or door.

We agreed this was a versatile project and that the autumn bits could easily be replaced for various seasonal arrangements.

Voila! The end result, with my friend Kate!

And, on the door!

My next visit is for "Christmas on a Shoestring," with loads of decorating ideas. Stay tuned!

Sharing this post with Share Your Cup, Happiness Is Homemade, Share Your Style and Pink Saturday when links become available.