Postcard from....

Venice! I'll be back soon!

In the meantime, visit PlumSiena for more sneak peeks.

Checking in

Hello! How are you all doing?

Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian neighbors! 

I have returned for a day or two before I take another blog break. I have been keeping up with all of your blog happenings, but truly miss our interaction. We've been enjoying a few gorgeous autumn days here after 6 straight days of rain.

Here is a quick peek at one of the parties I've been helping with. This was a bi-annual celebration of life and benefit that the client gives to raise money for cancer research in honor of their son. The 600 or so guests partied until well into the night. I managed to snap a few pictures right before the doors opened to the guests.  

This was a 100' x 170' tent (huge) and it rained the whole day. Thank goodness there were no leaks!

The evening's theme was the sixties and most guests arrived in full costumes. Good costumes. So good, they were probably pulled from various relatives' attics instead of costume stores! The guests dropped their cars at the valet and walked in here.

Inside, it was happenin'! As always, the lighting in the tent was one of the keys to success with the show. Here is the view from the raised "lounge" area.

The "soft seating" (aka: benches) was custom created for Pieter's company and are so versatile. They can even form a couch by being pushed together. The dessert station's sign is on the left: "Not your mother's brownies".

This is the other end of the tent. I loved the restroom sign in the upper corner.

One of the components of the sixties theme was daisies. Here you can see that even the light fixture truss over the dance floor was a big daisy. The small guest tables were covered with deep purple, floor length linens and each sported a vase of gerbera daisies.

 

The dancers are practicing on the 27' x 30' dance floor. The dance floor was made up of 3' squares of vulcanized neoprene (the flooring that ballet dancers dance on when on stage) that were topped with a holographic film.

Even the band got into the dancing (with their Afro hair!). See the cages on each side of the stage? They were meant for the dancers, but were taken over by the guests the entire evening. I wonder how many remembered the next day!

There's nothing like a good party with lots of dancing for a good cause!

Taking a break

I am taking a bit of a blogging break. Off to pursue new projects and go on new adventures!

I'll be checking in to occasionally visit your lovely blogs. 

See you soon!

Harvest moon flower

Here's to the harvest moon on this first day of fall.

The neighbor's moon flowers smelled great and awaited the moon's rise. 

Before the moon arrived, we were treated to a lovely evening sky (with extras like the overhead wires)!

Then the moon did its thing:

The funny thing is, summer is back for three days with the highs in the 90's.

It's all in the nose

 Scent Bar

As many of you know, my main passions are for flowers and paint. Anything to do with them interests me. It is time that I own up to my other passion: perfume. Scent. Fragrance. Mmmmmm.

Rarely do I purchase fragrances at the mall or box stores. In fact, I cannot remember when I did last! I have been spoiled by the internet. Shop around, click a few times and, within days, the new treat arrives on my doorstep. Splenderosa's Marsha loves fashion. I go for the latest scent creations instead.  

My favorite go to source is Lucky Scent. I know it as an online store, but they also have a physical store in LA called Scent Bar. It will certainly be a must-see when I next visit LA, along with Giannetti Home, the shop of Velvet and Linen's Brooke Giannetti.  

 Scent Bar

At LuckyScent.com, boutique fragrances are available from around the world. If you choose, you can be notified by email of the latest additions to their offerings. Each perfume has a wonderfully written description. If I could compose thoughts like they do, I'd have a best seller for sure. 

One of my favorite things about the site is that each scent also has reviews posted by customers. Some are hysterical, most are sincere and helpful.

Bath, body and skin care products are offered, along with scented candles, diffusers and room sprays. 

And, no, they did not ask me to write this! I just wanted to share with you and urge you to check out their website.

I always purchase samples first at a very moderate price. How else can you tell? Often I am surprised at the combinations that I am drawn to. 

My latest finds were honeysuckle and jasmine scents. No wonder- they are beautiful summer scents. I am now in the market for a fall / winter perfume. 

I would love to know- what scents are your favorites? Do you know of any fabulous perfume stores?

In the moment

Yesterday's wedding was a blur of activity. The ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner / dancing all took place in a very long tent that was partitioned into three distinct areas. The goal was to create an elegant woodland setting totally lit by candlelight, except for the dance floor. 

The table linens were a gorgeous purple, set on rectangular tables. The centerpieces consisted of various sized containers and candles, all covered with moss, so that one only saw the flowers and the candle glow. The overhead lighting was created with nine circular frames, covered with branches, moss, flowers and hanging votive candles.

A beautiful night... which was very hard to photograph in a hurry. I leave you with a few tempting bits and pieces.

Some of the garden roses...

Isn't this a great color for a rose? A taupey, blush rose color.

This bucket of roses is full of scent. The darker red is called The Prince and smells heavenly; one of my favorite rose scents.

 The guests were pampered by these lovely pashminas to ward off any chill in the air. 

Have a lovely Sunday!

From tiny to gigantic

That is how my garden grows this year. 

The roses are making a small comeback and sending out a few new blooms. Here is a new coral rose in formation:

When you are choosing your plants for the home next spring, I highly encourage you to consider a plant that has never failed me. It not only lives through drought and rain, warmth and coolness, it blooms all summer and fall. Check out the angel wing begonia. I place it in partial shade and water daily (as all container plants) and then watch it explode. My front door is partially blocked at this point in the season by these wonderful shiny, green leaves and red blossoms.

On a lark, I decided to try planting elephant ears this summer in a few areas of the yard. They must have loved the heat, because they really took off. They are 5 feet tall and the leaves are amazing. 

What veining!

Last, but not least, I thought I'd share the view out of my kitchen window. The passion flower vine is taking over! I chuckle every time I look out. Actually, I like the privacy it gives us, as we rarely close any curtains.

A big congratulations to Crystal and Anne over at Rue magazine for their online debut today! Pick up a glass of wine and enjoy!

Linking up with Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
 and 
  with Jessica, at A Few of My Favorite Things, for Favorite Things Friday.