Office Minimalist: October 2010

So, Where Was It?

Posted by Mr Wong at 5:57 PM 0

So Where Was It? Forty one of you commented on this Weekend ~ Where is it?

Of the forty one, 19 guessed correctly. Here are the pictures again. This time, you will see the whole picture without any cropping. (All can be enlarged by clicking on them). They are in the same order as the original post.

This first picture was taken in Avignon, France.

This next picture is taken at the Biltmore Estate at Antler Hill Village in Asheville, NC

This final picture was taken in Rome, Italy at an open air market near the Trevi Fountain.

Come back next weekend for another game of Weekend ~ Where Is It?

And come back tomorrow for a special CSN Giveaway!

Welcome Home,

Penny

P.S. And don't forget to enter my Espresso/Coffee machine giveaway, by clicking on the link on my sidebar.

Autumn Colors in our Garden

Posted by Mr Wong at 6:05 PM 0

Hello everyone,

I want to share some of the autumn colors in our garden with you today. It was a nice day to be out doing some clean up jobs but I got side tracked a bit with my camera as I love to record the changes in the garden-daily it might seem to some of you! I enjoy all my garden photos so much in the winter time when I start to dream of it's return. I am sure all you gardener's do that too.

I love how the foliage of the hardy rugosa type roses turn bright autumn colors.

With pretty rosehips.

Some of the burning bushes have lost most of their leaves while a few in shadier spots are just turning.

I still enjoy the hydrangeas even through they have turned brown.They give such a long season of color.

The purple nineback.

Sedum is another easy care plant with a long season of interest.

Even seed heads give interest and beauty and feed the birds besides.

The sumac are so pretty in the fall.

Still lots of berries on the golden elders although the birds have been enjoying them for weeks now.

I was pleasantly surprised to see we still have a few roses blooming-I think this one is sexy rexy.

close up shot.

This little fairy(3 year old granddaughter Abby) came to visit and was the original reason for grabbing my camera. She is proudly holding a bag of treats from a Halloween party-I see a sugar high coming on!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Carolyn

Weekend ~ Where Is It?

Posted by Mr Wong at 12:01 AM 0

Where Is It?

This weekend we are going to make it a little tougher. I am going to show you THREE pictures. One in the US, one in Italy and one in France.

You tell me where each of there are from. This one is really a tough one!

All of the pictures shown each week, will be pictures I have taken.

One

Two

Three

Which picture did I take in Italy, which did I take in France and which did I take in the US? I will reveal the answer on Monday.

Welcome Home,

Penny

p.s. don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Krups Espresso/Coffee maker. Click on the link on my sidebar to enter.

a natural christmas

Posted by Mr Wong at 4:20 PM 0

Am I really blogging about Christmas before its even Halloween? Yes, but just a little (ok, I know I mentioned Christmas shopping yesterday also...). However, in my defense, I think you are going to want to hear what I have to share as they are limited and in the store as I type. We just got in the special edition Christmas issue of our No. 1 magazine Jeanne d'Arc Living and we only have 15 copies! It is full of so much goodness, I promise you want one. If you are anything like me, you could sit and drool over the pages for hours. And you might want to pick up an extra one for that friend who would love to drool over the pages also (it is a most perfect gift, I do believe). Oh, and there are now only 14 copies as I am getting one for myself...

I really love the idea of a simple and natural Christmas when it comes to decorating. The whole "less is more" approach. I picked up a couple of these amazing desert coral the other day for my mantle. I am planning to fill them with white lights and maybe throw up some pine cones and eucalyptus and be done. Simple, earthy and natural - that's what I'm going for this year. And, in case anyone wanted to join me, I grabbed a few extra desert coral just for you. There are only a few at the Willows currently and, sadly, when they are gone, they're gone. I must say, I think they are rather fantastic and I think you might think so as well...

And one last thing while we are still talking Christmas...

We just put our Linnea's Lights candles in our online store as it is finally cool enough to ship them! These are one of our top picks for holiday gifts for anyone you need that special little something for - friend, hostess, teacher, coworker... maybe, yourself. These candles are amazing, as is the lovely Laura behind them! Go ahead, give them a try...

Ok, enough about Christmas...

for a little while, at least...

We are planning to start setting the store for Christmas November 1, however, so I guess we will be talking more about Christmas soon enough... Hope no one minds!

Vintage Tea

Posted by Mr Wong at 1:46 PM 0

Hello everyone,

It was a beautiful warm sunny day today so it was such a joy to be outside doing some fall clean up and a lovely walk on the boardwalk in Rustico so I am a little late serving my tea today.

The little vintage doll I bought at the 70 mile yard sale a few weeks ago- isn't she a cutie! The charming little teapot is from a local antique shop. The vintage postcards(below) were old ones that my Mom had sent to my Dad after the war. When the war was over Dad returned home to the Island to buy a farm and then send for my Mom a few months later. They got married here on the Island on Mom's arrival. I enjoy having these souvenirs.

Did you notice the old vintage chennile bedspread acting as a chair cover?

A thrift store teacup to match.

Dainty plate from a yardsale.

These little salt & pepper shakers were from an auction sale.

Now don't forget your gloves and little beaded purse when you leave!

Vintage doll

Now here is another little vintage doll that you all know and love-you do love me don't you? HeHe! No don't answer that!

A collage to end my little vintage tea.

I think I am still in time for Susans Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch but there will be hundreds there before me and I am still a little shy in a crowd in spite of being a 'vintage doll' ! Ha!
I am also joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for show and Tell Friday where there is another big party going on.

Thank you for visiting me,

Carolyn

This.....and this......

Posted by Mr Wong at 7:14 AM 0

Been doing some of this.....

And enjoying a lot of this....

What are you doing today?

Welcome Home,

Penny

p.s. don't forget to enter my Krups Espresso/Coffee machine giveaway. Click on the button on my sidebar to go to the giveaway post and leave a comment there to be entered!

a little something for the kids

Posted by Mr Wong at 2:45 PM 0

Next time you have to get a new baby present or a child's birthday gift, don't forget about all the fun little prizes we have for all the little ones in your life. And would I be crazy if I suggested early Christmas shopping? When you have as many kids and grandkids as I do, I guess you learn to start thinking ahead. The above Blabla dolls are a huge favorite among my grandkids. Little Ruby has an orange hair doll named Carrots and my three year old grandson Finn sleeps with Doggy Baby and Monkey Baby every night.