Summertime & Cool, Cool Water...

Cool clear water. Sounds refreshing on a hot summer day doesn't it? Pools and water sources in gardens are an age old tradition. Back in the days of Cloisters, Monasteries and walled gardens a water source in the center of the Herb/Vegetable and Medicinal garden was the style of the day. Towns had water cisterns for drinking, bathing and washing. Public water sources and features gave way to private oasis' in peoples home gardens.


Flash to water features today. Most gardens have at least a birdbath. Water in the garden even a small still birdbath can bring a moment of grace and contemplation and the birdies get to enjoy it in their own joyous fashion. Fountains are the next feature that no garden should be without. The sound of water can create a mood of tranquility and harmony. Another plus is this, the sound will mask traffic and other outside sounds by creating a white noise. Personally I think that there is nothing lovelier than dining near a fountain listening to water and the birdies singing. Heaven? Possibly.
Pools to swim and refresh have become very popular especially in warmer areas of the country. (The south and the west.) Pools bring the water element in to the garden while providing a place for families and their friends to swim, play and be young at heart. I have seen folks with pools actually become more relaxed and centered because they spend an hour or two a day, floating and swimming in their pools. What can seem like a financial luxury actually is an investment in the balancing and quieting of your spirit. Water is healing, soothing and calming. If you cannot afford a pool, Hot Tubs/Spas are another alternative. In our crazy economy and rising prices I believe it is a good idea to have a place to unwind and relax at home. Water is the key. Check out my portfolio of Pools, Hot Tubs, Fountains, and Ponds at www.teamkdb.com.
Now go out and splash around and have some fun.

Flowers in the House, Tips & Tricks...

Flowers, I cannot imagine a world without them. They bring a sense of grace and beauty into our homes. Flowers are ever changing and can set a tone or mood for any room in the house. My favorite thing about fresh cut flowers is it is super easy to pop into a vase and keep fresh for up to a week. The trick is to process your flowers before you put them into a vase.
1.Consider your vase or vessel. Make sure that the flowers are to scale in relationship to the vase. A good rule of thumb is this, large flowers need a large vase and small flowers will need a smaller one.
2.Remove all of the lower leaves from each stem, this will help to keep decomposing leaves from fouling up the water.





3.Give each stem a fresh cut. Remember they may have been cut several days before you brought them home and oftentimes the stem will seal itself off and not take in water, the fresh cut allows the water to travel freely up the stem.
4.Add a few drops of bleach to your water. This will keep your water fresh for the week.

5.A few things to remember: Fragrant flowers are best put into rooms that are not used for eating or sleeping IE:Bedrooms, Kitchens and Dining Rooms. The fragrance can interfere with the flavor of food and can cause headaches in a closed room. Below I have compiled a list of some of my favorite fragrant flowers and some of my favorite not so fragrant flowers.

6.Top Pick, fragrant flowers: Hyacinth, Lilies, Roses, Freesia's, Lilac's, Peonies, Carnation's, Lavender and Tuberose.

7.Top Pick, not so fragrant flowers: Hydrangea, Calla Lilies, Gerbera Daisies, Daisies, Statice, Bells of Ireland, Campanula, Tulips, Orchids, Alstromeria, Lisianthus and Liatris.

I love to create different arrangements in my home every week. Sometimes a loved one sends me or brings me flowers, other weeks I will stop at a local Farmer's Market or Trader Joe's and spend between 10-20$. Dollar for dollar it is cheaper than going out for a meal and lasts much longer.Oh yes, it brings me many moments of joy, every day!

Designers, a few of my favorites...

I love Design Books, Magazines and most printed or audio material that features "Designers". These talented folks have shaped the world of Interiors, Gardens & Architecture over the past century and their work continues to influence design today. Design has shaped not only how we look at our world but also how we live in it. Imagine a Chicago that Frank Lloyd Wright had never affected or New York city without the influence of the doyenne of Interiors and high design, Elsie De Wolfe. I have always loved reading the stories of designers because there work still continues to inspire Designers and design aficionados today.Real design principals never go out of style. Designers by nature are eccentric, devoted to design and implementing their craft.
When visiting the gardens of Madame Walska in Montecito,California I can always feel her palpable presence even though she created this extensive garden decades ago. Walking through "Lotusland" is like reading a biography of this incredibly amazing woman. Each garden room opens onto another, her personal story unfolding as you stroll through each space. Telling her story not with words but with plants, trees, lotus blossoms, shells, stone and rolling lawns. The most interesting part of her story and garden is her Cicad Garden. She decided to sell all of her diamonds and create this primeval and quiet, almost hushed space. It is magnificent but the story of selling her diamonds for plants, well it is something that only an eccentric would consider a normal coarse of action!

I also admire the Garden Designer Beatrix Farrand. She was Edith Wharton's niece and quite talented. She was responsible for many premiere gardens near Bar Harbor, Maine. Her work was so timeless that you can still visit some of her gardens today.
Beatrix was a fan of structure, texture and stone. A very different approach for the time.
Another favorite would have to be the over the top designer Tony Duquette he was a Hollywood favorite. His magic was evident in all of his work. Chandeliers in the garden, inside & outside, mixing interiors and gardens were his signature in this crowded world of the creators of all that is beautiful. He also was a highly sought after production designer in Hollywood, he would not only decorate movie moguls homes but would also conceptualize and facilitate the designing of their movie sets and often times the costuming as well.

Frederick Law Olmsted was never formally trained however his outdoor public spaces were and still are some of the premiere properties in America. When Mr. Olmstead was commissioned to create Central Park, in NYC he had never done such a formidable project, as a matter of fact it was his first big job! He excelled and was later commissioned to create public and private gardens up and down the Eastern seaboard. One of my favorite gardens to visit is the Biltmore Estate near Asheville, NC.
I love to research the Designers of yore, I always learn alot and absolutely appreciate the fine attention to detail, scale space and the ultimate sense of place.

Painting, OH what Fun...

I have had a relationship with art since I was a child and I have been a painter and a photographer for as long as I can remember. I have always enjoyed the creative process and have delighted in exploring all of the different mediums and the possibilities they present. The newest series of paintings I have been working on involve canvas, acrylic paint, transferred images and the tools needed to manipulate the paint ( brushes, palette knife, sponges and paper towels). I use a wide variety of paint products. Golden Paints has a wonderful selection of colors with various transparencies and the best gel medium which is great for transferring and applying the images to the canvas. Golden also has a wide and varied selection of molding paste and various gels and finishes. Liquitex, and even a generic store brand paint works very well. Try to stay away from the cheapest canvas' as they may not be primed and can be made in an inferior way. The best bet is to explore all of the choices at your favorite Art Store. A few here in the southeast are Cheap Joe's Art Supply and Binders Art Supply, both have websites and both have quality products at a price that is easy on the pocketbook. Log on and check it out. If you have questions you can also give them a call.


Some Artist friends and I have been exploring the world of image transfers in a scientific way. We have studied many different methods and our findings (which are still being discovered and calculated) are all over the place! The goal is to transfer the ink and not the paper, then apply, in this case to canvas. Many Artists use watercolor paper, and I have in the past, however canvas gives you the ability to add texture behind the image. This can be achieved by applying handmade paper, and various other paper based products which can be painted over and onto. I am still working on my quest for perfect transferred images. It is fun to have friends as curious about the process as I am. So we will try, try again!

Art is fun, art is personal and no matter what you say, everyone has an ability to create. So give it a try, go to a book store and hang out in the art and technique section, check out Somerset Studio Magazine, join an Art group or take a workshop but most importantly explore and let your creative self take over. You will be happy you did.

The 411 on Napkins...

I have used cloth napkins since I was a young woman first living on my own. Over the last three decades I have learned much about napkins. I love the ritual of folding them and setting the table. Over the past 30 years (yikes where does the time go?) I have created a philosophy about not only the use of them but the design, construction and the best napkin buys on the market.
Like other fine linens, thread count and weight are important for longevity. I is important to buy the best napkin you can afford and add to your collection. Often times after the holiday season many stores have amazing sales. That is when I buy any new napkins for the coming year.

My Top Tips...
#1.Great napkins come from stores that carry quality products. If you can not afford full price, shop the sales. But buy the best, dollar for dollar it is money well spent.

#2.Heavier is better. A nicely weighted napkin will hold its shape and form and not require ironing. (I am not a fan of ironing!)



#3 Always make sure the Color is woven into the fabric and not printed on the surface.

#4 Consider your overall color-way. I usually buy napkins that generally go with each other. Blues and yellows and creams. This color-way goes with my dishes and if I have a large dinner party they always work together because each color works in harmony with one another.

These are my top tips and I follow them diligently, and because I do,
my napkins last for many years.


When you buy something as ordinary as a napkin are you thinking of the future? How long will this napkin last? Is it a color choice that you want to have around for the moment or are you going for longevity? I am still using some napkins from 12 years ago! They are soft and a bit worn however the color still sparkles and they are pretty enough to be used at a dinner party.
I buy napkins that are either made in Portugal or France. They are available at Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table to name a few stores. The cost is around 15-17$ and worth every penny. Think about this, if each napkin lasts a decade, which they will, the actual cost is around 1.50-1.70 per year. WOW now that is cheap for such elegant style.
It is also important to note that unless you are eating fish/lobster you can re-use your everyday napkins for several days in a row. I have always done different things to keep everyones napkin separate and available for the next meal. Each person could have their own napkin hook on a wall or edge of a cabinet. You could give each person an antique silver napkin ring, or you can hang it over the back of the chair each person typically sits in.

I have always had a drawer or shelf devoted to napkins, and nearby in a small chest or adjacent drawer I keep my collection of antique and quirky napkin rings.Life is for living, we eat every day I believe we have a responsibility to make each moment wonderful. Consider cloth napkins and the pleasure of using them every day.