What a busy and fulfilling week! I cannot believe it is the Saturday before Thanksgiving week! It’s that time again for Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Veterans Day Parade in Phoenix

I think this is the very first time I attended the Veterans Day parade here in town. It’s walking distance from our home and my friend and neighbor, Tevia and I decide to check it out. What an impressive show of participation and patriotism. A big salute to all our veterans who bravely serve and have served our country. On the walk home, I felt buoyant with national pride.

If you live in Phoenix and haven’t been to the annual Veterans Day parade, I highly recommend it!

An Early Thanksgiving

My three children are no longer living at home and are scattered out of town-some further than others. However, everyone came together this weekend and the house and my soul are full to the brim. We had a delicious sit-down dinner on Sunday, an early version of Thanksgiving.

All those years of raising children hold some of my happiest memories. The adjustment to empty nesting is different for everyone, but I really miss the noise, confusion, laughter, family chaos and messy kitchen. Having a little bit of that back this weekend is so joyful.

Since we will not be together collectively for Thanksgiving, I’m still not sure how that holiday will unfold. Will you be with family for Thanksgiving?

Favorite Beverages

As the weather gets cooler, I am looking for a warm beverage to have in the afternoon. Sometimes it is a cup of tea, but lately my go to is Clevr Blends London Fog Latte. Clevr Blends products are fashioned after coffee shop favorites but they skip the sugar and dairy, and add brain-boosting, mood-lifting ingredients.

This is gluten free and vegan, has 1000 mg adaptogens, heat resistant probiotics, and less than 35 mg of caffeine. Only 80 calories per serving. Just add hot water and mix (or blend or froth).

Every night my husband and I have our soothing nightcap of Sleeptime Superlatte. This drink has sleep-supportive botanicals to help you de-stress and rest (caffeine free). Not only is it a pre-bed ritual, but it tastes good too!

Clevr Blends has other flavors but these two are my favorite. Here you can find the ClevrBlends link.

Mary’s Must Haves

~Cashmere Protection Pouch~

During my daily routine, I note a product(s) that I appreciate as it makes my life a bit better. Here is this week’s 4 products:

I love pulling out sweaters this time of year and nothing is more disappointing than to find moth holes! How do those insects make their way into our closet? The perfect solution is to use a Cashmere Protection Pouch. Initially I purchased the X-Large one, but added the Standard size one to protect not only my cashmere sweaters (scarves, etc), but the wool ones too.

These bags protect your sweaters while allowing the natural fibers to breathe. Surprisingly these bags hold quite a few sweaters. Currently 7% off on Amazon here.

~Yoga Toes or Toe Separators~

Going from summer sandals to wearing fall/winter shoes, may be hard on your feet. I find that using these toe separators are so helpful to foot health. In 2022, I experienced a painful Morton’s neuroma in my left foot. Instead of getting a cortisone shot, I began wearing these Naboso toe separators at night in bed. Information from the manufacturer:

• Our toe separators gently correct and restore the natural shape of toes and feet 
• Pain Relief: Gel straighteners offer relief from bunions and relax tense muscles in your toes 
• Activewear Design: Comfortably wear these gel toe spreaders as you walk or lounge around 
• For Everyone: Podiatrist recommended toe correctors designed for men and women to reverse toe damage 
• High Quality: Easy to clean BPA free foot care products made from 100% medical grade gel

If your feet are feeling the effects of aging, new shoes or they are just plain tired, you may want to try these.

~Ambient Weather Station~

I check this Ambient weather station display several times per day. The sensor which monitors wind speed, rainfall, temperature, humidity, UV and solar radiation is on a pole and located in the corner of my garden. It transmits data to the small display on my kitchen counter. I love this weather station and a day doesn’t go by without me looking at it. If you are seeking the perfect Christmas or birthday gift, I highly recommend this.

With over 11,000 positive ratings on Amazon, you can either pay full price ($189.00) or can make 4 payments of $47.50 every two weeks for 4 weeks with 0% APR.

~Microplane Zester~

Whether you are zesting lemons, grating nutmeg or shaving chocolate on top of a cup of hot cocoa, you will love this microplane. This one has a black handle and if you prefer a colored one, the price is slightly higher. With the holiday meal prep heading our way, this is a useful tool to have in your kitchen.

Advent Calendars

There are so many different types of Advent calendars~from those you can make to ones that are filled with chocolate, beauty products, wine, coffee, you name it. I recently bought this Advent Calendar for my friend, Christine who LOVES puzzles. It has 42 pieces per day in the numbered boxes for an overall total of 1008 piece jigsaw puzzle.

If you want to learn more about Advent Calendars from its history to how to make one, Elizabeth from Pinecones & Acorns has a wonderful, informative post you can see here.

With Advent starting December 1 (only 2 weeks away), now is the time to make or buy one.

From Around the Internet

Lately, I am all about gingerbread. Gingerbread will be the decorating theme in the kitchen this year. Plus what smells better than gingerbread baking in the oven. Heidi, from Eleanor Rose Home makes these adorable gingerbread tree ornaments. I don’t own a wooden cookie mold but I think I may need to splurge. You can see her great tutorial here.

Crozier Cooks

My very talented son (smart, handsome and he cooks!) just started a new Instagram account, crozier_cooks. If you love pictures and videos of beautiful food, please follow him! Let’s send a little Bella Terra love his way.

Heather Chadduck Interiors

I love finding a designer who isn’t trendy and outrageous, but traditional and tasteful. Check out this gorgeous lakeside guest cottage. What a dreamy place to stay!

Here are more photos of her work:

I am drooling over all the gorgeous interiors on her website. See it here.

This Week’s Post

I hope you had a chance to check out this week’s post, Pumpkin-Shaped Delights: Bread, Brie and Dinner Rolls Recipes. The brie is the perfect (and easy) appetizer to make for Thanksgiving. It will impress your guests and they don’t need to know how simple it is to make.

That is an absolute wrap! Are you traveling for Thanksgiving next week? Wishing you a wonderful, fun-filled, relaxing weekend.

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. My blog may contain other affiliate links but not all links have affiliations. I truly love to share products that I have personally tried and highly recommend.

Want to create some pumpkin magic in your oven? Not only will these recipes wow your guests, but they are a celebration of the season. Here are 3 different ways to share some pumpkin perfection with homemade bread, a wheel of brie and those easy-to-bake frozen dinner rolls.

Pumpkin Shaped Bread

There are so many bread recipes available from quick, no knead dough using commercial dry yeast to sourdough bread from scratch. For this recipe any bread dough will do. Note: if you haven’t made bread yet, please do try it. Check out this quick crusty bread that is easy and simple to make.

For the last four years, I have been making sourdough bread from sourdough starter that I feed on a regular basis. Sourdough bread baking is a bit more challenging, but once you learn the ropes it’s very hard to bake anything else.

What You will Need

There are a few items you will need to make your bread dough look like a pumpkin.

Food Safe Baking Twine

Parchment Paper

Cut a piece of parchment paper (can be bleached or unbleached) and use it as the foundation to laying out your baker’s twine. Since I already have red and white bakers string, I double it up and use it to create 8 even sections.

Place your dough in the middle and then tie the ends around the dough to the middle.

I always bake my bread in my 4.5 quarts (#24)Le Creuset cast iron Dutch oven. Such a worthwhile investment, however, you can find other cast iron pans for less, like this one from Lodge and Trustmade.

After the bread bakes, carefully remove the strings and voila! You now have a beautiful bread pumpkin. I add a real pumpkin stem to the top for fun. If you want, there are recipes that add pumpkin puree to the bread for a more seasonal flavor.

Pumpkin Shaped Brie

Wow your guests with warm, melted brie wrapped in a golden puff pastry crust….all in a seasonal, pumpkin shape.

Ingredients

• 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
• 1 8oz brie wheel (mine is a 7 oz.)  
• ⅓ cup apple butter (or jam of choice)
• 1 egg white, beaten 
• 1 pretzel stick
• 2 fresh sage leaves

This is a super easy recipe and adaptable to whatever flavors you love. All you need is one sheet of puff pastry, a small wheel of Brie and a jam/flavor of your choice. It could be pumpkin butter, apple butter, cherry or fig jam. Whatever you like with your brie!

For my recipe, I use cherry preserves from Bonne Maman, which you can find in any grocery store. My go-to puff pastry is from Pepperidge Farms and is found in the frozen aisle in your grocery store. Thaw one sheet of puff pastry.

Open up your sheet of puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper. Spread your favorite jam on the pastry in roughly the same size as your brie wheel.

Place your wheel of brie on top of the jam on the softened puff pastry. To minimize excessive dough, I cut a large circle of puff pastry around the brie and then wrap the pastry covering all sides of the cheese. Pinch edges to seal. Note: I did turn the brie over, leaving the less attractive side on the bottom.

Place your pastry-wrapped wheel of brie in the center of the strings.

Use the same technique as with the bread dough. Lay out bakers string on parchment paper in 8 sections.

Tie all the strings in the middle of the brie. Trim the longer strings. Brush all over with the egg white. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool for 3-4 minutes before removing the string.

The brie is a beautiful golden color! For the pumpkin stem you can add a pretzel or in my case, I have a small stick leftover from the yarn pumpkins I made. Add sage leaves for color.

Using Thaw, Rise & Bake Dinner Rolls

After making the pumpkin style loaf of bread, I thought it might be fun to try this using Rhodes Thaw, Rise & Bake Dinner Rolls. If you’ve never had these dinner rolls, they are rather good. Found in the frozen food section of your grocery store, one bag has 36 rolls that are individually frozen so you can bake any amount you need.

The instructions on the bag suggest you let them rise for 3 to 5 hours before baking. So I conduct my own experiment and add the bakers string at different times within the rising period.

On a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, I tied on of the dough rolls after the 1st hour. To be forthcoming and honest, tying the strings to these smaller pieces of dough is a bit more complicated.

I continue to do this every hour at hour 2 and 3. You can see how the bakers twine disappears as the rolls rise. Note: Once I finally read the instructions on the bag, they suggest letting the dough balls rise on a greased cookie sheet.

During the 4th hour of the rising period, the roll dough is SO soft and in applying the bakers twine, I deflate the roll.

Naturally the rise time will depend on the temperature in your kitchen but 3-4 hours seems to be the magic number for my kitchen.

Baking the Rolls

The rolls with twine at hours 1, 2 and 3 bake beautifully. However, it is nearly impossible to see the twine which is buried in the soft dough in rolls at hour 1 and 2.

Here is the Hour 3 roll and you can still see the twine after baking.

In Conclusion

The best end result for removing the twine after baking, is the Hour 3 roll. The twine in Hour 1 and 2 are buried and the twine is difficult to remove, tearing up the roll a bit. Hour 4’s collapsed roll never recovers and bakes in the same sorry shape as noted above.

Quite honestly, unless you have someone who has the patience to tie the twine around these small rolls, I would probably not undertake this again. Effort vs. reward. The rolls are delicious as is….but if you do make them to look like pumpkins, then hour 3 of the rise is the best time to put on the twine.

Pumpkins are a way to savor the season and celebrate the harvest. I hope you like these 3 fun ways to provide a little autumn elegance in each and every bite!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving or being a guest at someone else’s home, these cute mini appetizer boards are easy to make and share with others. There are so many uses for these boards~not just for appetizers, but desserts, or tea and cookies, bread displays and wine flights.

Types of Boards

The boards I am showing in this post are from Amazon and you can find them here. A package of 4 is $11.94. If you are looking for a more substantial mini cutting board, here is a nice set of 6 for $36.99. Make sure you check for sizes as they all are different.

What to Serve

When I think appetizers, I never want to serve too much food that spoils someone’s appetite for the main meal. A meat, a cheese, a fruit and a vegetable provides something salty, sweet and somewhat healthy. Appetizers should look appealing with different colors, textures and of course, always fresh ingredients. Nibble size is just fine.

What I like about these small trays, is that I can estimate one serving size, which is helpful to those watching their calories or food intake. For example, if I use salami slices, 6 slices equals one ounce or one serving size.

Here are some food items I use:

• Peppered salami-I use Columbus Peppered Salame
• Prosciutto
• Olives (castelvetrano olives are my favorite)
• Nuts~cashews, almonds, pistachios
• Cheese-I use Sargento Medium Cheddar
• Crackers
• Fruit-grape, figs, apples, pears (I use Melissa’s Mixed Seedless)
• Dried fruit~raisins, dates, cherries, cranberries
• Vegetables-I use Eat Smart Sugar Snap Peas
• Dips

Making the Board Seasonal

Since there is a hole on the handle of this board, I like to add a seasonal ribbon. With a small piece of orange checked wired ribbon (any ribbon scrap will do), I use jute to pinch the middle and string it through the hole.

Secure it with a small knot.

By the way, I just love this jute twine dispenser with a rooster. It is attractive on your kitchen counter and so handy since the scissors are already attached. Here is the link.

Other ways to make your appetizer mini board seasonal is to cut the cheese in various shapes. Here I use a maple leaf cutter.

You can find a set of cookie cutters in multiple sizes here.

Adding seasonal flowers (hopefully something edible and of course, non-toxic) is a pretty way to say “fall”, like these sweet chrysanthemums.

Assembling the Board

Since the surface of the board isn’t big, it helps to organize your food items. Balance color, textures, shapes and make the appetizers as appealing as possible.

Aren’t These Attractive?

Such a simple, yet impressive way to make your guests feel special as they wait for the main meal. Think of all the ways you can use these boards throughout the year!

Happy Friday! Can you believe Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away?

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

Every year I try to make our Thanksgiving table extra special, from the space and table, to the place setting and centerpiece. There is something that says love in setting a lovely table for your guests. Since this is the holiday of thanks, what better way to tell your family and guests how grateful you are to gather together.

My sweet friend, Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse is hosting this round up of Thanksgiving ideas to help inspire you this season. Below there are 15 incredible posts filled with wonderful ideas and suggestions on how to make this the best Thanksgiving ever.

Please make sure you stop by each post and of course, we love your comments and feedback. If you are not in the Thanksgiving mood yet, bookmark it for later. Thank you for stopping by.

If you are new to my blog, welcome. My name is Mary and our family lives in a historic home in Phoenix, Arizona. We are blessed with space to entertain and share our unique property with others. So let’s get started on the Thanksgiving table.

Place and Space

With 8 in attendance, the dining room is the most desirable place to have our dinner. Even though our weather is beautiful, it has been a bit warmer during the days. Outside dining could be an option but the mosquito factor is uncertain.

Our dining room table seats 6 comfortably and 8-10 with the additional leaf. Here is a great picture of our dining room rug with colors that are not typical of autumn.

Since typical autumn colors are NOT the shades in my dining room, it is always a bit of a dilemma in decorating the dining room mantel with fall decor that goes with the pink/burgundy/cream/green rug. Naturally I want to pull the same tones/textures to the Thanksgiving table centerpiece. To see the post about my mantel decorating challenge, click here.

Using Natural Materials

A few years ago, I started making centerpieces out of items I can re-use in the yard or garden later. A quick trip to my favorite local happy place, Whitfill Nursery and I find everything I need. From ornamental cabbages to succulents to fresh mint, I believe I have the colors, textures and sizes I want.

Selecting the Tablecloth

Learning from experience, it is important to protect the surface of the table. Remember the dinner party where the bourbon spill did this to our table?

Now I make sure I add the custom made table pad underneath the tablecloth….always. I cannot seem to access the company who made my pads, but there are several resources on Amazon, which provide products you can cut to size. To source table pads, see here.

Not only does the pad protect the table, but it also quiets the sound of glasses or utensils hitting the table during the meal. The manufacturer custom makes them for your table and they fold up for easy storage. Or check out this quilted waterproof pad that you can cut to fit your table. It’s affordable and has good reviews.

Since the tablecloth I want to use is a bit smaller with the additional leaf, I place a larger, neutral tablecloth beneath. Actually what I use is a vintage linen bedsheet I found at a convent during a visit to France. I still swoon over the beautiful monogram sheet.

The Place Setting

The ecru, heavily decorated table linen is the perfect backdrop for the place setting. I found this one at a thrift store.

Using a scalloped wooden charger, Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware platter, and gold rimmed glass Leslie Roy salad plate, each place setting is finished with blush linen napkins and pink glassware. A white pumpkin completes the autumn look. You can find these items or similar here:

• Wooden Chargers (mine are from Pier One and not available; good substitute here
• Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware from Replacements here
• Glass Salad Plates similar here
• Blush linen napkins from Pottery Barn or similar here
• Pink wine glasses here and pink water glasses
• Wallace bee flatware similar here
• Ecru tablecloth similar or on Etsy here.

Assembly of the Centerpiece

Since all the plants are already potted, I place each one into a bowl to protect the table from the bottoms. Water plants and drain before putting them on the table. Using any bowls available (cereal, dessert, glass), the plants are arranged down the center.

Here is a list of plants and quantities I use for a 5′ x 18″ centerpiece:

• Lamb’s ears-2 in 4″ pots
• Ornamental Red Kale Cabbages (5) in 4″ pots
• Echeveria “Red Sky” succulents-2
• Graptoveria “Bashful” succulents-2
• Bacopia Megacopa White-4
• Fresh Mint-2 in 4″ pots

To fill in space, I use:

• Pomegranates
• Brass decorative pumpkins (see similar here)
• 5 Silver mint julep cups with fresh cut pale pink roses (2 dozen from Safeway)
• 2 small antler sheds
• Faux greens that match the ones on the mantel
• 2 tall brass candlesticks
• Scatter votive candles on the table

Since the lamb’s ears are the tallest, they are toward the end. Also, remember not to make the centerpiece so tall that your guests cannot see across the table.

Final Touches

When creating your centerpiece, think textures and scale. It’s easy to have lots of little things going on but keep the selection simple and use repetition, scale, color and texture be your guide. Throughout dinner, my daughter kept reaching over to touch the lamb’s ears~which are so soft and lovely.

The antlers provide a rustic and different element to the table, but do not dominate or standout too much.

Perhaps the best part of the meal is when candles on the table and mantel are lit and everyone sits. Since the dining room is a bit brisk, a warm fire will add to the overall charm.

Previous Years

I hope this inspires you to do a fresh centerpiece for Thanksgiving. Now let’s look at previous Thanksgiving tables. In 2020 we had our dinner outside on the back terrace. Using Hester & Cook fall inspired paper placemat, the centerpiece is a compilation of fabric pumpkins, sheaths of wheat, apples, pears, cotton stems, faux fall leaves and votive candles.

In 2019, again you will see many plants and flowers~petunias, cabbages, lettuces and pale orange roses and alstroemerias. Same concept but different color palette. To see more about this table, click here.

In 2018, all the tones are again in warm autumn colors with chrysanthemums, protea, cabbages, ivy and white roses. To see more about this centerpiece and our Thanksgiving traditions (at least in 2018), click here.

Back in 2017 is when I started using fresh plants vs. all cut flowers. All the plants and items are in a foil lined wooden tray. At the ends of the tray I used ivy and spread it down the table. This centerpiece is a bit more condensed but it is fun experimenting with different vessels. To see more details, click here.

In 2016, I am using fresh cut flowers only, with a few fabric pumpkins. The blog was just starting back then and hopefully my picture-taking skills have improved a bit! Ha!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

Now onto all the fabulous Thanksgiving inspiration from these incredibly talented women!

Ideas for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving Dining Table

Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse

Rachel shares a fall centerpiece that’s perfect for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving Dining table. It combines DIY and vintage pieces for a unique table arrangement.

Heirloom Pumpkin Fall Centerpiece

Heidi from Eleanor Rose Home

Wow your guests with an elegant fall centerpiece utilizing an heirloom pumpkin and seasonal fresh florals.

Thanksgiving Traditions to Try this Year

Kristin from White Arrows Home

These easy Thanksgiving traditions make it a favorite holiday to look forward to all year long.

Thanksgiving Dining Table with Copper Accents and Free Printable Placecards

Cindy from DIY Beautify

Easy tips to set a memorable Thanksgiving table with printable place setting cards that can double as a gratitude garland!

Simple and Beautiful DIY Artichoke and Magnolia Centerpiece

Jen at Midwest Life and Style

Impress your family and friends with a simple and beautiful DIY artichoke and magnolia centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.

How to Create a Simple Rustic Thanksgiving Centerpiece

AnnMarie from Simply 2 Moms

Create a simple rustic centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table this year. Pretty neutral style can be used for the entire autumn season.

9 Simple Tips to Hosting the Best Thanksgiving Dinner Ever

Stacy from Bricks ‘n Blooms

Looking for ways to organize yourself to host Thanksgiving? Here are 9 simple tips to hosting the best Thanksgiving dinner ever. Not hosting this year? Check out my Thanksgiving hostess gift ideas at the end of this post.

Simple Autumn Thanksgiving Vintage Decor Tips

Ann from Dabbling and Decorating

Are you looking for simple Thanksgiving or autumn decorating ideas? Let me share a few tips and tricks to help you get started.

How to Create the Perfect Table for your Thanksgiving Feast

Renae from Peacock Ridge Farm

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and that means it’s time to start planning your feast! If you’re not sure how to create the perfect table for your Thanksgiving ing celebration, don’t worry. We’re here to help. In this blog post, we’ll give you some tips on how to decorate your table for Thanksgiving. So read on and learn how to create a festive table for your holiday celebration!

How to Make an Easy DIY Cornucopia Basket

Wendy from WM Design House

Thanksgiving is time to give thanks and celebrate with friends and family. One of my favorite traditions is decorating my Thanksgiving table with my homemade cornucopia. I make it out of chicken wire and rope, and then fill it with pumpkins, gourds, feathers and flowers. It’s a beautiful and festive decoration that always gets me in the Thanksgiving spirit.

Dried Wheat Centerpiece

Jen from Cottage on Bunker Hill

Do you love the look of dried wheat? Me too! I love the natural color…I think it is so pretty so I came up with this dried wheat centerpiece. It is perfect for your traditional Thanksgiving table. Let me show you how to make it.

Boho Cottage Fall Tablescape

Jen from Tatertots and Jello

Create a warm and inviting Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table by making a DIY table runner, pillows and a beautiful footed bowl centerpiece filled with textured, fabric-covered pumpkins and leaves.

How to Create a Beautiful Thanksgiving Tablescape

Robyn from Robyn’s French Nest

Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Enjoy some tips for hosting a large gathering with budget-friendly Thanksgiving table elements. At the same time, learn what pieces you can pull together from around your home, and how to best layer them. Then, you can easily create a thoughtful and beautiful tables cape this Thanksgiving.

Simple Fall Table and the Prettiest Serving Pieces

KariAnne from Thistlewood Farm

Looking for some simple ideas for your Friendsgiving table? Why not add a little blue and white with your pumpkins? Tons of simple ideas to make your holiday celebrations a little easier.

I hope you enjoy all the inspiration! Thank you again for joining me today.

Is anyone else in awe that is it already November? Actually this week went by so quickly~so much so that I thought it was Tuesday when in actuality it was Friday. I feel like I want to slam on the brakes of life. You, too? My goal this week is to breathe deeply, go for daily walks and take some time for myself. It’s that time again for Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things this week.

Spontaneity

Last Friday afternoon, on a whim, I decide to drive up to the mountains with our cat, Donovan, to meet up with my husband. Donovan does not like to be in the car and finally settles down after an hour of yowling. But he loves exploring the cabin and has free rein of the place other than our bedroom.

Even though I was born and raised in Connecticut, I am no longer used to cold weather. Boy, it was so cold both inside and outside our cabin (at least for me). However, how fun to wear warm sweaters and coats again!

It is so quiet in the mountains this time of year and it truly feels like the end of fall and the beginning of winter. I am able to do a fun little cocktail photo shoot among the turning leaves in the forest. Later, my husband and I sit there with a drink for just a few minutes, but scampered inside because it was so cold and windy! But what a gift to be there for a few days keeping warm by the fire.

Halloween

Did you have a fun Halloween? So many Halloween events took place over the weekend so I’m not even sure how many children celebrated Halloween on the actual date? Since we live on a busy road that is not well-lit, we try not to encourage children to cross the street to our home (no sidewalks on our side).

So trick or treaters are few and far between. For quite a few years now, we tend to host a rather elaborate Halloween dinner party. But after being away for the weekend, last minute invites go out on Monday for a very spontaneous Halloween cocktail party on our back terrace on Tuesday.

Fortunately we have a group of friends who always respond to our last minute events! A few hors d’oeuvres and fun cocktails make for a fun evening. What a blessing to have such nice friends and neighbors.

Getting Candle Wax off of Linens

I did write a post about this (you can see it here), but after our impromptu Halloween gathering, there is residual candle wax on my table runner. This week I posted an Instagram reel on how to remove it. This technique really works. With the holidays coming there will be more opportunities for candle wax to mar your table linens so check it out. Also if you are on Instagram, would love for you to follow me @lifeatbellaterra.

Inspiration from the Internet

I know very little about interior designers but I am intrigued by Sean Symington. He seems rather young (don’t they all?) and even though he started his interior design firm in 2019, it appears he is very successful.

However, I do like his classic yet refreshed approach. If you love traditional style, pretty fabrics, and gorgeous wallpaper, check him out here.

Adorable Cottage

Though I am not ready for Christmas decor, it is a treat to see my friend’s (Kim from Shiplap and Shells) waterfront cottage.

Kim shares 21 Quick and Simple Cottage Christmas Decor Ideas to Try. This may be the inspiration I need to decorate the guest cottage this Christmas….

Thanksgiving Desserts

Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse is sharing all sorts of ideas for Thanksgiving desserts. In her post, she has 6 Mouthwatering Thanksgiving Pie Recipes (plus much, much more). Rachel is a dynamo and I am always so impressed at how much great information she shares.

Need Help with Interior Design?

My friend, Andrea from Design Morsels provides a WEALTH of information on interior design tips and tricks. Not sure what size chandelier to put over your dining room table? Need help choosing a color palette? Ask Andrea.

For those of you who remember Hints from Heloise, Andrea is just that but all things interior design. She is my go to when I am feeling overwhelmed or not sure what design direction to take. Bookmark her website or better yet, follow Andrea!

Mary’s Must Haves

During the week, these items come to mind as ones I appreciate (use often) and highly recommend.

These interior night lights illuminate and provide a safe path around the house after dark. Recently, after taking a pretty good spill outside, in the dark, I am hyper aware of not wanting to fall again. Eufy night lights are low profile, attractive, turn on automatically and provide a nice, warm light. Once the sun is up, the lights turn off.

For outside your home, especially during the darker winter months, these JackonLux Dusk to Dawn Outdoor Automatic light bulbs work very well. We have installed them on the guest cottage and pool house and it’s nice to know they go on and off automatically with sunrise and sunset.

I am not a fan of those harsh blue/white LED lights. These provide a nice warm white light for illumination. Well priced at $16.99 for 4 bulbs.

Colorscience Brush-on Sunscreen Mineral Powder

Protecting our skin from the sun is a smart thing to do in both the summer and winter. However, I am not a fan of greasy sunscreen, especially on my face. I’ve tried products made for the face, but for some reason putting on that extra layer of lotion escapes me.

This powdered sunscreen mineral powder with an SPF 50, I use every single day because it acts like my foundation powder. I also keep one in my purse that I apply when I go on longer driving trips to protect the left side of my face. To pay $69.00 for a sunscreen seems a bit much, but the last time I bought one was in January 2023 and I am still using it. Say it lasts a full year, that’s less than $6.00 per month and approximately $0.19 a day. Well worth the price to protect your skin from damaging sun rays. See it here.

For All your Hot Beverages

With the colder weather setting in, I am drinking more hot beverages~from tea to mushroom coffee to my super sleep time lattes. This electric glass kettle boils water SO quickly, faster than the stove or microwave. It has numerous safety issues such as a stay-cool handle and auto-shutoff. If you are a tea drinker, there is a bonus infuser. Great price with a 1-year warranty at $34.99. Find it here.

This Coming Week…

Sunday is Daylight Savings Time so remember to change your clocks (except if you live here in Arizona where we never change time). Tuesday is Election Day~please remember your duty To VOTE. On Thursday, my son and his girlfriend are coming to town for a wedding. Our entire family will be getting together for dinner, which is very exciting! Saturday, November 11th is Veterans Day~please take time to pray and honor those veterans of the armed services who lost their lives in our country’s wars.

That’s a wrap for this Saturday’s Meanderings. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.