How to Create Botanical Prints Using Gel Plate Printing


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A friend of mine invited me to a gel plate printing workshop the other day and, despite my initial skepticism, I had a marvelous time! Not only that, but I got myself all the necessary tools and materials, and I’ve been printing at home ever since, like a woman possessed! 

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Book Review: Interiors Styled by Mieke ten Have

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I’ve just finished reading Interiors Styled by Mieke ten Have, although devouring would be a more appropriate word, and I wanted to share with you just how much I enjoyed this book! Have you gotten your copy yet? 

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This Week’s Finds

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Thank you for your kind messages following last week’s blog post, it feels wonderful to be back! There are so many things I’d love to chat about with you, and in due time we’ll get to the juicier home decor topics, but right now there are some interesting book launches coming up this month that I wouldn’t want you to miss, plus some fascinating reads that have been around for a while, and some home tours that will satisfy our lust for travel and beautiful interiors. Here’s a glimpse at my shopping cart these days, and I’d like to invite you to share what’s in yours (books and other home & garden related items). I promise to update this list based on your finds and recommendations. 

First one on my list is Ina Garten’s memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens. It comes out tomorrow so make sure you are ready when that happens! (The hardcover is on sale right now!)

Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir, by Ina Garten

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Adventures in Upholstery

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Happy September, dear friends! Can you believe the fall equinox has come and gone? I hope you had a fabulous summer! I didn’t mean to stay silent for so long, but I’ve been experiencing the longest writer’s block since the inception of Café Design. I could easily blame it on an incredibly busy summer, on the many fun-filled days and lazy afternoons spent by the pool or reading, but the truth is I had nothing pretty or finished to show you in terms of home décor, despite the many ongoing projects behind the scenes. Who wants to see the process of power washing our house? Or refinishing our deck? Or fixing our old gravel walkways? Or a pile of dirt as we’ve been clearing out the overgrown vegetation in our backyard? Maintenance, a necessary part of homeownership, can be too boring for words 🙂 But I missed writing and chatting with you guys so I’m back, eager to share with you a couple of things I’m passionate about these days. That is, if anyone is still out there and reading 🙂

Garden bounty

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Book Review – Outside In, by Sean Pritchard

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A bestseller in the “bulb and flower gardening” section, Sean Pritchard’s book, Outside In, is a colorful antidote to a dull afternoon. These past few days I’ve kept two books within reach at all times. One is Alias Grace, a novel by Margaret Atwood, the other is Outside In, by Sean Pritchard. One is dark and disturbing and dives deep into the most hidden recesses of the human heart, the other is light and inspiring, and celebrates a life of color and flowers through the lens of a consummate gardener. I’ve been enjoying both reads, for very different reasons. Whenever I need to come up for air from spending too much time in the company of Grace Marks, I rinse my heart and fill my mind with the beautiful images and sensible advice that Pritchard passionately shares in his book. 

Outside In – A year of growing and displaying, by Sean Pritchard

sean pritchard english cottage gardening outside in tulips
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