Heather Bullard

The Week in Review

 
Yay, it's Friday! Here's a few highlights from my little world courtesy of my cell phone. It's such a trusty sidekick for capturing those everyday moments.

1. Charming garden outside an antique store along the coast. Sorry, I forgot the name of the shop and feel bad about it. But isn't the garden lovely?

 
2. Glorious sunset complete with fluffy clouds and rolling hills.

 
3. Grocery store pumpkins. Who can resist picking up a few?

 
4. The Man often surprises me with hand picked bouquets on my desk. xoxo

 
5. Had a much needed and really fun girls night out with Pam, Amy and Jenny.  I brought each of them one of my favorite tote bags. Please excuse my pointing finger...have no idea what I'm pointing at?

Hope you all have an amazing weekend. Lobster season opens tonight at midnight so today I'll be busy helping The Man get the boat ready for his weekend of diving. And Saturday I plan to stop by an antique show with a friend. And maybe I'll pick up a movie from that Red Box. Would love to hear your plans!

Signs of Autumn

 
The seasons are slowly changing...I can feel it in the air and see it in the fields. The sun is setting earlier and the evenings are turning cool. Almost chilly. This is absolutely my favorite time of year.

 
Seemingly overnight it puts me in the mood to start nesting and decorating. Today I'm headed to Trader Joes because I heard through the grapevine they have the most lovely pumpkins in grays, greens and pastels. Have you been? I plan on loading my basket to overflowing. Bring on the bounty! 

DIY: Chalkboard Treat Baskets

 
Here's a fun and easy craft project for your upcoming fall parties. I created these Chalkboard Treat Baskets for the autumn issue of Souvenir. The little goodie baskets make great party favors or classroom treats and kids will have lots of fun making them!  

 
1. Supplies: Chalkboard paint, garden peat pots, twine or ribbon, foam brush, hole punch, scissors, chalkpaint pen or chalk, assorted candy, cookies or toys.
2. Cut out peat pots to make individual baskets. One package of garden peat pots will make 32 treat baskets.

 
3. Apply 1-2 coats of chalkboard paint to exterior of peat pots. Let dry.
4. Punch holes on sides of basket and tie twine handle. 

 
5. Using chalkpaint pen or chalk to write names or phrases on baskets.
6. Fill with your favorite holiday treats!
Enjoy!

The Tyler Florence Shop

 Continuing with the obvious shopping/food theme on this trip, we stopped by the Tyler Florence Shop in Mill Valley, CA. The design of the store is very open with the exception of a cookbook library tucked in the back. What I loved most was the mix of new culinary items and vintage finds. Think worn hotel silver, rustic crates, antique cutting boards along with a superb selection of new delights for the chef.

 
There was a gorgeous teaching kitchen filled with pantry staples and gift items like candles and tea towels. Wouldn't it be fun to have a party here? And the walls of open shelving piled high with stacks of white dishes...swoon!

 
 
 
I picked up a couple jars of  CC Made Artisinal Caramel Sauce. Their delicious Grey Sea Salt caramel sauce is perfect for ice cream or sliced apples. 

  
And I was very tempted to buy both crates of these vintage bottles. Very tempted. The colors are so lovely and I can think of a thousand ways to use them! Party favors, picnics, oils/vinegars, handmade gifts, as water bottles for fancy schmancy dinner parties....see? I should have bought them!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Thanks for taking the time to stop by this week. Always love hearing from each of you here and on FB. :-))

The WINNERS of the Library Pillows Giveaway are posted HERE! Hooray!

Dean & Deluca and Recent Finds

 
Have you ever been to Dean & Deluca? This was my first visit...in fact, we made a u-turn on the highway just so I could pop in and see what all the fuss was about. I really loved the warm wood floors against the white walls. It looked so crisp and clean. And what do you think about the elk mount above the deli counter? I'm kinda liking it...a lot. Sorry vegetarians, I mean no disrespect.

  
Their signature tins of spices, salts and condiments were overflowing and it was so hard to choose. Plus, I couldn't remember what I might be out of at home. 

And you wouldn't believe the enormous amount of Mast Brothers Chocolate they carry! Stacks and stacks of bars with their gorgeous patterned papers.

 
The packaging on the Mast Brothers line is simply perfection. Have you seen their videos? They take chocolate making to an entirely new level. Serious business.

Here's a few fun things I picked up during my recent travels.

 
An antique pewter tray from a flea market along the coast (2 bucks!), assorted spices, an olive wood spreader and brush, a dozen or so Weck canning jars and a glass bottle for my bubble bath. At the same flea market I also scored some beautiful ironstone pieces including this pedestal bowl that holds a few heart rocks from the beach.

 
And I couldn't pass up this old cash box with the rivets along the sides! Love, love. I also bought a couple of the old Martha Christmas books. They're almost 10 years old and the photos and ideas don't seemed dated a bit.

Well, I'm almost finished with the wine country vacation posts and then we'll go back to our regularly scheduled program. I feel some crafting coming on!

Library Pillows: Double Giveaway

 

I've got another fantastic giveaway for you and this time there will be 2 lucky winners! My talented friend Bev Burch who owns The Willows Home and Garden in Phoenix has started a new company called Library Pillows. She and business partner, Krista Niskanen, have taken their passion for vintage textiles and created a gorgeous new line. Take a peek!

 
They source vintage fabrics, trim and embellishments from their favorite flea markets making each pillow unique and their attention to detail is amazing. From antique buttons, tags, embroidered pieces...each pillow has a signature look.

 
 
 
Bev and Krista have generously offered to giveaway 2 of their medium size 20" pillows as shown in the photo above which retail for $130 each! The pillows include down inserts, are machine washable and are available in red or blue. The 2 fortunate winners will have their choice of color!

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment answering the following question:

From the pillows shown....which is your favorite?

Good luck! And if you'd like a second entry to win you can Join me on Facebook. Just leave another comment here on the blog stating you did just so. 
Winners will be announced on Friday, Sept. 23rd!

CONGRATULATIONS! The Winners are:

 Valarie Kraft said...

Oh, they are all so beautiful, but I would have to pick the one with the bird. Just gorgeous. xxoo Valarie Reply Sep 19, 2011 at 02:19 PM

 Andrea @ Big Creek Cottage said...

Heather....I left you a message on facebook and Liked your page.....I haven't quite figured out the "new" facebook yet!!! Reply Sep 21, 2011 at 08:01 AM

The Fremont Diner

 Alrighty, where were we on the wine country posts? Sorry for the brief interruption but heck, it did seem like a party around here! Thanks for all the congrats and warm wishes on my new gig with Country Living Magazine. Seriously, you guys completely rock! :-))

Now getting back to amazing places to visit...an ABSOLUTE must is The Fremont Diner. Trust me on this one. You won't get more authentic home cookin' and atmosphere than this place. I first learned about it last year from EmmaBunny and it's been on my "Must See" list ever since.

 

 
They're famous for their breakfasts and in fact, have 200 hens out back laying fresh eggs daily. They also raise their own hogs and make their own pickles and jam. Why, just take a look at these homemade biscuits. They'll make your grandma weep.

 Here's the owner Chad doing his thing. We had a chance to visit with him while we had lunch at the counter. He used to be a caterer and we chatted about the Napa food scene, Nashville and menu items. Enormous armloads of fresh greens came in and he started cleaning them by hand while we talked. Seems side dishes with a southern flair such as collard greens are very popular here.

 

 
The Man ordered the Fried Oyster Po' Boy and since I couldn't decide, I had two appetizers...the Ham Biscuit and the Chicken Sandwich. And because they're also famous for their Fried Pies we were "convinced" to try one of those too.

 

 
Over the counter they had some cool wire cage pendant lights. And in the photos below you can see their running Grocery and To-Do List chalkboard that hangs near the kitchen along with bushel baskets full of fresh produce.

 
An old parts rack is repurposed into a serve yourself coffee cart and recycling center. You all know my fondness for stuff like that.

 

 
You can also sit out back on their turquoise picnic tables but I highly recommend sitting at the counter if possible. You'll get to watch all the comings and goings in the kitchen, visit with the friendly staff and watch unbelievably great food being prepared right before your eyes.

 
Since I shared my fondness for chickens with Chad, he gave us a tour out back of their henhouse and gardens. They grow many of their own vegetables but what I thought was most charming was the cutting garden. Fantastic food and fresh flowers await you. What could be better than that?

The Fremont Diner
2660 Fremont Dr.
Sonoma, CA
Open: Mon-Fri 8am to 3pm and Sat-Sun 8am to 4pm

Country Living Magazine Announcement

 
I have some news to share today. I've signed on with Country Living Magazine as their newest Contributing Editor! I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be working with such an incredible powerhouse team of editors. It's been a long held secret dream of mine and I'm ever so grateful for the opportunity to produce amazing stories, scout gorgeous locations, find talented entrepreneurs and to represent such a wonderful publication and lifestyle brand.

I owe a big thank you to each of you who have stopped by this ole blog over the years (some since the very beginning). Thanks for taking the time to leave such kind comments and encouraging words about my work. It has meant so much to me and without you, I'm not sure any of this would have been possible.
Thank you my friends for your support and for sharing my joy! 

Bouchon Bakery

 
We've returned from our vacation and now begins the posts of some the highlights from our trip. We thoroughly enjoyed walking to Bouchon Bakery for a morning latte and sweet treat.The weather was incredibly gorgeous and the courtyard was the perfect spot to start the day. And I must say I adore their pistachio green and chocolate brown packaging....ADORE.

 
It was nice to be able to watch the baker doing his magic through the glass windows. Bouchon is rather known for their enormous macarons so of course, we had to try them. Below is Hazelnut, Pistachio and PB&J. You can see we tasted each for you. Our favorite was the Hazelnut...classic and delicious.

 
 
 
 There were a few tourists mixed in with the locals who I imagine absolutely love having such a wonderful place right in their neighborhood. I know I would!

So what treat would you choose with all those delectable sweets right in front of you? Croissant, crumb cake, chocolate bouchon, macaron, eclair......

California Wine Country

 
Hello, hello! I've been spending the last bits of summer vacationing with The Man in Napa Valley wine country. There is so much to share when we return. Everyday there seems to be another amazing "can't miss" place to visit and the entire valley is having a glorious indian summer.

 
We loved touring the Rubicon Estate owned by Francis Ford Coppola. The history of the estate is very intriguing which they document quite well in their wonderful museum. And the grounds are absolutely stunning with their gravel walkways, bocce ball courts, large fountain pools and French bistro furniture. 
I highly recommend putting it on your Bucket List! See you very soon! xo, H