Featured In An Etsy Treasury

Carol, from Kohn Designs, put together this bright and well thought out treasury on Etsy yesterday. She was so kind to include my recently listed Autumn Pumpkin note cards. To view the treasury and the items, click the image below.

I checked out the Kohn Designs Etsy shop and I love this Urban Angle Bag. It'd be perfect for the beach, and it's super stylish as well. 

                                       

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone has a fun one!  ~Kate

Longwood Gardens

Yesterday, I went to visit Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. It is over 1000 acres of horticulture amazingness. The garden was started by Pierre S. DuPont in the early 1900's and is now run by a charitable trust since his passing in 1954. If you are ever in the Philadelphia, PA area, I suggest you take half a day to explore this treasure!

There were thousands upon thousands of different plants, and I had fun photographing some of my favorites. One day when I am able to have a beautiful garden, I will go back to my pics and take another trip to Longwood Gardens to be inspired and decide what to plant.

Flickr Set

*For some celebrity cred, even Martha Stewart's head gardener, Andrew Beckman, has a degree in landscape architecture and horticulture from Longwood. 
*Follow Longwood Gardens on Twitter and Facebook

I'll Have Some More Punch, Please

(Photo: Matilde Delich)

I found this great recipe for punch in a cookbook handed down to me from my mother. I am obsessed with finding the perfect thrift store punch bowl. I see them all of the time, but most only have a few glasses or some are chipped, etc. I have passed up so many good ones in the past and am kicking myself for it now! We all know that feeling, right? So when I find my perfect punch bowl, I am making this immediately:

Florence's Southern Punch

2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups water

Juice of 6 lemons

Zest of 2 lemons

Ginger ale

Juice of 2 California oranges (or any other juicing orange)

Zest of 1 orange

2 handfuls of fresh mint, crushed

Syrup: Cook sugar and water together to the boiling point: boil 10 minutes. Pour over juices, zest, and mint: cover and let sit for 1 hour. Strain and chill.

For a drink: Fill glass 2/3 full with crushed ice. Add 5 tablespoons of syrup and equal parts ginger ale (a little more ginger ale, if desired).

For a party: Fill bowl 1/2 full of ice: add equal parts syrup and ginger ale (more ginger ale, if desired). Garnish with slices of orange or frosted grapes over the side.

From the cookbook Blessings by The First Presbyterian Church of Pine Bluff, AR. Recipe by Frances Toney Hall

Anchors Aweigh

This morning I began test printing the anchor stamp I've been carving. My recent trip up the Northeast coast had me totally inspired to do something related to the sea. Standing on the beach with my toes in the sand is my happy place, and it was great to get back to the coast. I picked up this cute Seaside Terry Hoodie at the L.L. Bean store in Freeport, Maine and will be my comfy beach coverup for years to come.

Summer Has Begun!

What better way to start the summer season than by going to a barn party? Our friend David threw one heck of a bash complete with a huge spread of summertime food & drinks, horseshoes, fireworks, and live music all centered in and around his beautiful barn. We had a blast yesterday and it felt so good to get out on the floor and dance!