It’s a beautiful time of year to be outdoors, whether you love gardening, DIY landscape projects, picnicking, or lounging around the pool.  Here are some great ideas and products to help you enjoy your outdoor time.

Do you have a weathered wooden bench that’s been sitting around the yard?  Why not give it a fresh new look with a coat of primer and a bright colored paint?

Solar spotlights have vastly improved over the past few years.  Pick up a few and place them strategically around the yard to highlight plants or trees at night.  To add to the drama of night- lighting your yard or garden, string some Edison lights overhead.

Here’s a “handy” way to keep your hands from tiring out while watering: The Dramm One-Touch Fan Nozzle  $15-$49 from Amazon.com in lots of fun colors

One of my favorite gardening tools is a trusty Trug tote.  I’ve had mine for years and use it almost every day.  Crate and Barrel has a red 10.5 gallon Trug for $9.95.

Add some whimsy to your yard or garden with beautiful planters, fountains, and statuary from the Charleston Gardens collection (www.charlestongardens.com).

Serena Pool Floats in lots of gorgeous colors and patterns ($139) and solar glowing pool balls ($29-$129) at Grandin Road (www.grandinroad.com).

Serve well-chilled wine in this summery sea-grass beverage tub from World Market.  And what better wine to serve than Kim Crawford’s Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc?  It’s a wonderfully refreshing hot-weather wine.

Take time out for a picnic with family and friends. And try this recipe for Muffaletta sandwiches–they won’t get soggy, and WOW, they are “honestly yum”!  http://honestlyyum.com/3734/muffaletta-sandwich/

It’s difficult to get your daily quota of green veggies during the holidays.  There are so many goodies around the house and it’s easy to find yourself munching Christmas cookies or fudge with your morning coffee! The day can only go downhill from there.
Here are some great side dish recipes we’ve recently tried and enjoyed.  Get some “green” back into the Christmas season!  Bon appétit!

KALE-AND-COLLARDS SALAD
When making this bracing salad, dress the kale and collards in advance to tenderize them.

1 bunch fresh collard greens (about 8 oz)
1 bunch Tuscan Kale (about 8 oz)
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Lemon Dressing
3 Bartlett pears, sliced
2 avocados, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 small head radicchio, shredded
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
6 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

1. Trim and discard tough stalks from centers of collard and kale leaves; stack leaves, and roll up, starting at 1 long side. Cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Toss collards and kale with cranberries and Lemon Dressing in a large bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour.
2. Toss together pears and next 2 ingredients just before serving. Toss pear mixture, radicchio, pecans, and bacon with collard mixture. Serve immediately.

Lemon Dressing
Whisk together 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp. Dijon mustard; 1 tsp. kosher salt; and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl; add 1/2 cup olive oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Makes about 1 cup.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS with BALSAMIC and CRANBERRIES

3 pounds Brussels Sprouts
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Dried Cranberries

1. Trim/clean Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half if desired (or you can leave them whole).
2. Arrange on two baking sheets and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown.
3. Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and reduce until very thick, about 15 to 20 minutes (careful not to over-reduce).
4. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the roasted sprouts, then sprinkle on dried cranberries. Toss and serve immediately.

Holiday parties abound!  Don’t forget to honor the hosts with a token of your thanks for their hospitality.  Fresh flowers are pretty, but keep in mind that your hosts (not to mention other guests) may have allergies and, when you arrive with a bunch of fresh blooms in hand, they will have to take time out from other important hosting duties to search for the right-sized vase and arrange the flowers, which can be an inconvenience.  Instead, try some longer-lasting, fun, and creative ideas your hosts are sure to enjoy:

For the wine lover: Art Glass Wine Bottle Stoppers  (You can always bring along a bottle!)
$7.99 each Bed Bath & Beyond  http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com

Keep them warm and toasty through the holidays!
Threshold Woven Plaid Throw, 50×60
$24.99 Target     http://www.target.com

Do your hosts enjoy cooking?
Kitchen Spice Trio: Garlicky Lemon Pepper, Roasted Garlic
Celery Salt, and Carmelized Onion Powder.
$14.95  Crate and Barrel  http://www.crateandbarrel.com

A game that can be enjoyed with friends and family:
Rory’s Story Cubes–an imaginative game for all ages
$7.15  Barnes and Noble  http://www.barnesandnoble.com

 
For the beer lover!
Two’s Company Antler Bottle Opener (bring along six bottles!)
$17.50  Amazon    http://www.amazon.com

Personalized and filled with tea or chocolates:
Homegrown Monogram Mug
$8.00  Anthropologie   http://www.anthropologie.com

During the Christmas Season, reds and greens abound.  Why not try something a bit different to add an unexpected dash of “bright” to your Christmas palette of colors?

Felted Winterberry Wreath

Clementine, fuschia and winterberries, handmade from wool felt with a red satin ribbon for hanging.  Comes gift-wrapped.  ($128)  http://www.oliveandcocoa.com/product/felted-winterberry-wreath/all-gifts.

Blown Glass Truffle Bowl

Design your own custom gift bowl filled with truffles. Many bright colors to choose from; handcrafted by artisans at Ballard’s Glass Eye Studio.  (from $49.99).

https://www.madeinwashington.com/gift-bowls.cfm?basket=18530

Featherlight Down Parka:

Show up for Christmas caroling in this fuschia-plum colored coat.  Be merry and bright and stay toasty warm!   ($119).

http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-featherlight-down-parka/id_258754

Some of my fondest childhood memories come from spending time in the South with my grandmother, Fay Brown Casey, as we wandered through antique emporiums and around auction or rummage sale sites.  She taught me the great art of patiently sifting through remnants of bygone eras looking for a special item to treasure.  Often she would have to stop and explain the use for these unfamiliar things–a button hook, a flower frog, an old tea caddy, a rug beater. Most explanations came with a story from her own childhood, which made the time together that much sweeter. This is probably the reason that I have such a passion for antiques and architectural salvage.  There is nothing better than carefully combing through old buttons, glassware, shutters, doorknobs, bathtubs, jewelry, buckets, fencing, linens,furnishings and such.

Days of Vintage
Storefront

A favorite spot for getting my salvage fix is to take a quick drive up Yarnell Hill and stop in at Days of Vintage.  With stores in both Yarnell, Arizona, and in Chandler, Arizona, there is so much to see.  It’s hard to get past the front porch and into the store, there are so many wonderful items stored outside.  And new things coming in all the time.  You just never know what you are going to find.

I have my eye on this Mermaid Serafina!

Check out the website at http://www.daysofvintage.com/.   Mike is the friendly owner and, yes, he really does wear those overalls and the cowboy hat!   He also encourages the lingering shopper who likes to carefully sift through the vast variety of items in the store.  And he does a pretty good job of explaining the use of some of these old vintage and antique items.  Not the same as my grandmother could do, but not bad!

Keep in mind, too, that if you take a trip to the Yarnell store, stop in at the Cornerstone Bakery for something fresh-baked to go with coffee.  The cinnamon rolls come highly recommended and are so large they will suffice as a meal for two.  All of their items are baked fresh daily.

It’s important to mention that the town of Yarnell is still in the recovery process from the tragic fire that took place in June.  There is a website you can  visit for more information:  http://www.yarnellhillrecoverygroup.org/. The site lists all of the relief efforts that continue to support this small but special community.

I hope you find time to take a trip up The Hill!  Happy Hunting!

Casa Serafina’s Fall
Front Door

In this part of the country, it can be a bit of a challenge to get into a Fall frame of mind. Temperatures are often still on the high side and, without a colored leaf in sight, the feel of the season can be lost.  Here is my encouragement: “Don’t skip Autumn!”  While you certainly don’t need to stack straw bales and pumpkins on the porch or put a scarecrow out at the mailbox, a simple Fall wreath on the front door or an arrangement of dried flowers and branches can make a great statement and give you a little more of that Fall feeling. At Casa Serafina, there are always some special things placed around to give a “nod” of appreciation to this favorite season. The front door is decorated and a few dried florals with mini-pumpkins and gourds add touches of  beautiful Autumn colors. It helps set the mood as we head toward Thanksgiving.

Autumn Arrangement
for Patio Dining

Fall Branches in
Golden
Earthenware Vase

Plant Succulents
In a Pumpkin Vase

Collected Acorns in
a Leaf-Lined Dish

http://www.thewonderforest.com/2011/10/make-vase-out-of-sticks-tutorial-time_18.html

If you need further inspiration, plan a trip to a part of the country or state where the season’s colors abound to collect your own Autumn foliage. This easy-to-make  twig vase will dress up the Thanksgiving table (and even carry you through Christmas with some pine tucked inside).  It can be made in varying shapes and sizes and filled with the foliage you collect.  It’s a great family and/or friends project.  Break out the Pumpkin Bread and the Spiced Cider!  Welcome Fall!

On a recent trip to the Phoenix Art Museum, I attended a docent-guided tour of the Thorne Miniature Rooms Exhibit.  While the largest collection (68) of these fascinating miniature rooms is housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Phoenix Art Museum has an impressive collection of twenty rooms. The tour provides a wealth of information, illuminating the life of Mrs. James Ward Thorne, whose passion for miniatures has left us with an enchanting and captivating legacy.  These special rooms provide a glimpse into a world of beautiful historical interiors, delighting and, at the same time, educating. Fans of art, architecture, dollhouses, or just an appreciation of fine craftsmanship will enjoy this wonderful exhibit.

Above: Two of the rooms from the Phoenix Art Museum Collection (French and Italian Dining Rooms).  Each room is historically accurate for the time period it portrays and is created in an exacting 1:12 scale (1 inch in the miniature room is the equivalent of 1 foot in real life). Lovingly and painstakingly hand-crafted, the rooms include such details as hand- carved wood paneling and furnishings, petit point rugs and tapestries, decorative plaster, wallpapers, hinged cabinet doors, and even some books which are bound and open with fully-turning pages inside.

Mrs. Narcissa Niblack Thorne (1882-1966), married to James Ward Thorne (an heir to the Montgomery Ward department store fortune), began extensively collecting miniatures during her travels, and her passion for these beautiful collectibles translated into the treasured models on display today. Between 1932 and 1940 Mrs. Thorne employed craftsman in her Chicago studio, commissioned architects to create historically accurate settings, and had textiles and carpets made by the Needlework Guild of Chicago to be featured in her rooms.  The works depict interiors from Europe, Asia and North America from the late 13^th to the early 20^th century.  Her rooms were displayed in several World’s Fairs and at various Expositions.

Author Marianne Malone has written several children’s books featuring the Thorne rooms (http://www.mariannemalone.com/index.html). The first in the series is entitled The Sixty-Eight Rooms, a fantasy for children grades 4-6.  The Sixty-Eight Rooms is available at the Phoenix Art Museum gift shop and also at Amazon.com (Amazon also carries the other two books in the series).  A trip to the museum to view the miniature rooms with children this age can be an extra special event by treating them to lunch in the Museum Café and presenting them with a gift of the book.  What a great way to make a life-long memory!

I highly recommend a tour of this exhibit, whether in Phoenix, Chicago or the Knoxville Museum of Art, which houses nine models. If you are unable to visit a museum exhibit, there are many websites available on-line with video slideshows which will show the captivating and charming detail and precision in the Thorne Miniature Rooms.  They are truly amazing!

Whether it’s something going on “Around the Casa” or an adventure further afield–there’s always lots to share!