Adding metalic colors = a trendy look this fall! 
Of course you can!!
As I was walking upstairs tonight I looked out of the window and saw a fabulous shadow from the tree outside being lit by the security light. Thought I'd share the green of the leaves before they are gone!
Hot product.....! Received our weekly email telling us what this month's hot new products are. 
Now...if you don't have the $5000 to spend on this chandelier, but you do like the look of these chandeliers - you can always update your outdated chandelier with one of these trendy chandelier covers by making your own. Check out this article from Better Homes and Gardens that will direct you towards this fun look - without breaking the bank!!
When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things - not the great occasions - that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness. ~Bob Hope
If you know what's good for you - you'll get the ingredients to make the awesome Bean Dip that Catherine made for us on Thursday!
What a great weekend - not only was the weather perfect for Open House, we had a fun, relaxing time visiting with customers and sharing decorating ideas with them! We are happy that the store looks all decorated "oh-so fall!" (now we just need to get going on our own homes!!)
Thursday night we have such a great time with Catherine Reiter of Healthy Bakes by Catherine. Not only did Catherine bring her signature "happy" brownies (which are out of this world), but she brought her breakfast cookies and granola that we sold all weekend long at the store! Catherine once again amazed us with four pesto recipes that were so delicious - we couldn't stop dipping our zucchinis and crackers in them! The bean dip was soooooo good! We will share it next week with you (forgot to bring the recipe home to type it in....sorry!!)
We were tagged today by Violet Posy and she wants us to come up with 7 obscure (or what we like to call quirky!) things about The Summer Kitchen Girls - are you really ready? Here we go!
Fall Open House starts today - thought we'd share some pictures of some fall-ish things to get you in the mood! Enjoy!
Kari & Kijsa have asked everyone to share their thoughts on "Designing for Life" so we here we go:
One of the major reasons that this is such a special room is the fireplace. Imagine it white - this is what she had when she moved in. We haven't figured out when it was painted to cover the quarter-sawn oak, but it was white for the thirty plus years that her husband's family lived here. It took Karla almost a year to finish stripping the paint off, repairing the damaged dental on the detail of the fireplace, and getting all of the remaining paint out of the groves on the fireplace, the bench, and the back wood panels. All of that work was totally worth it! 
Up on the fireplace Karla has put some of her collection of fruit plates. Two of these plates were our grandmothers. We especially love the colors of them, they bring all of the colors that are used in the room, together - all in one spot!
Across from the fireplace is a table that holds fun treasures that Karla likes to switch out now and then. Right now it has her picture of the three wise men that she got on her vacation in February. You'll see a McCoy bird planter - one of her favorite finds while we were out and about! One of our other design philosophies is to bring in "quirky" elements to a room. Mixing old things, family heirlooms or anything that adds personality to make your house reflect you. 
Day is done, gone the sun,
Come on in - the door is open! Take a good look at that valance on that door though.....it isn't standard on Airstreams. Mom loves taking the time to personalize each trailer that she owns....this is a signature window covering for her trailer doors (if you didn't know it already....she loves ruffles!)
Step on up and you are in the "living room". Most Airstreams have a sofa right up front - it usually pulls out into a bed. You will notice that there are storage drawers under the sofa, and above the sofa. If you've never had a camper before - you need every square inch you can get!! Mom usually has Karrie put a swag or bunch of ivy above the storage - above the sofa.
Airstreams have these pinch pleat drapes at each window. This model had these valance/cornice boards......guess what Mom added?
You guessed it - ruffles!! In the past she has added cellular shades, lace panels - and yes....more ruffles! When she gets a new trailer, she usually uses the main color that is in the trailer (for this trailer, she played upon the colors in the sofa) and pulls two more colors out with that. The dominant color in this trailer was the green. She used cream and a little pink to accent the bathroom.
Turn to your left and "enter" the kitchen. Here is the dining room table (this table can be made into a bed also - plenty of room for grandchildren!!)
Here's the refrigerator - don't you just love the paneled doors??
After touring the kitchen, you walk into the bathroom. What is really nice about the bathroom in this trailer, is that it is spacious - for a trailer! You have a door that closes off the kitchen/living area with the bathroom and bedroom area - you don't feel claustrophobic. The shower is on the left, and the commode and sink are on the right.
The bed is in the center of the trailer, with the walkway on either side of the bed. There is storage all along the back. You really need to click on this picture to check out the very fun lamp shade covers we found to conceal the not-so-pretty brass candlesticks on either side of the bed (although, now I see that one of the grandchildren must have knocked one off - and now Mom will be mortified!! You wouldn't tell her would you???)
Because it's Airstream Week here at the Summer Kitchen, we went on a shadow hunt out at the Rally. May I say that we had a very hard time trying to find a shadow - being that we have had a total of 3 1/2 inches of much needed rain! But - we think we have found success in a shadow - and a reflection shot. Our shadow is on the inside of the trailer.
I know it is suppose to say "build it and they will come", however - "We're Havin' a Rally!" We've been planning for this weekend for quite some time - and so far everything has gone well! Yesterday the shop was busy as people were stopping in at the farm before they went to the fairgrounds. (for those of you who don't know - our store is right across from Dad and Kevin's shop, right behind Mom & Dad's home - the place we all grew up!!)It was quite an exciting day! Our sister-in-law took some great pictures of all of the trailers lined up to get off of the exit - we'll have to get them and post them later!!
Today there were tours for everyone to go on. We had quite a few people come to the polishing and refinishing seminar (which was at the farm). We had refreshments for them afterward. It is so fun meeting all of these people that came to share in the celebration. Trailer people are just soooo nice! It has been a pleasure having them and chatting with them and learning so many interesting things!
If we had to name one thing that we loved about having this business, it would be meeting all of the people. As kids - we constantly had people from all over coming, and usually staying while they were waiting for their trailer to be done. We would get invited in for a cookie - or like in this (most embarrassing) picture, get invited with your brother and Donnie & Marie barbie for a tea party!
There was once a big map of the Untied States up in the shop and every time a customer would come - we got to help find their hometown and put a pushpin in it. You can imagine how much fun it was to see the collection of pins all across the United States!
Well, that's it for today.....can't wait until tomorrow. If you are in the area - do stop in for the tour of trailers (don't worry - I'll be taking pictures if you can't!!). The tour is from 1-3pm.
All of our life we have seen silver in the form of Airstream trailers. Our family's business has been polishing and refinishing Airstreams for 40 years. Starting today, we will be celebrating this milestone all weekend long at the Fremont Fairgrounds. 
We have had quite a lot of comments in the store about the wallpaper we have put in the back of the cupboard and on the inset of the old door, so we thought we share a "Quick Change" tip!
Wow! Let me tell you what a pleasant surprise going down to Quailcrest Farm's Herb Festival yesterday! It reminded me of the Country Living Fair that we attended last year - but without all of the hoopla and traffic!
the setting was so pretty - calm. It was full of perennials and cement figurines everywhere. These are some of the neat water vessels that were for sale - love them all!
There were lots of people - but it was never crowded to where to couldn't see anything - it was quite lovely really! There were herbs and lots of flowers for sale. The dried flowers were looking so pretty in all of the containers everywhere!
Here is where the fun begins! There were lots of vendors selling just about anything - we loved this booth with all the jewelry, wicker (of course), great architectural pieces and clever chandeliers made out of - well, just about anything! Click on the picture to get a good look at what they made these chandeliers out of - oh so clever!!
There were so many garden ideas here - well, they should come up with a book! Look how they used the old fence here off of the house, and then more old iron architectural pieces on the side of the house. 
I was a bit scared when I saw these men's jackets......can anyone say flashback to the 80's??? Here we go again!! This lady wasn't the only on that had these - so go grab some old jackets and start appliquéing the back for fall ladies!
This artist was really neat. He made quite a few unique things with stone and metal. I loved the birdbath in the back there - we picked up his business card - you never know when you might need a gift like this!
Here we were nearing the end and I was snapping all sorts of fun ideas....
Hope you enjoyed the day at Quailcrest Farms with us!!
