Carolyn Westbrook: Live from the Plantation: Happy Halloween

Who doesn't love decorating for the change in the seasons. Here in Texas, we are all weary
from the 100degree plus temps and humidity and welcome a little cooler weather. When that first
cool breeze blows, and pumpkins and mums are spilling forth everywhere, it makes one want to grab the wheelbarrow and fill it with a load of pumpkins. I happen to love the ghost pumpkins and the more bumps the better, but there is always a place in my yard for the traditional Jack-O-Lantern that is perfect for carving. I am crazy about the stem of any pumpkin and the longer and twistier the better.
Every fall, my company always has to do some wonderful plaid cushions, as they are so hard to find in beautiful fall colors. Victoria's birthday is coming up this weekend and so there has to be candy apples and costumes. We were able to find some great spooky labels that we adhered to apothecary jars and filled with eyeballs and teeth (candy corn) and spider web is strung everywhere. Cannot wait for the first trick or treater. I love to see all of the little ones dressed up in their precious costumes. Happy Fall Everyone! xo Carolyn

Live from the Plantation: A Fairy Tale Party!

So, it all began with a promise to my four-year-old niece who wanted
a pink fairytale party, as she eyed a piece of pink satin that was laying about my warehouse.
She asked me, "Aunt Carolyn, what is this?" She was holding up a piece of beautiful pink satin.
I told her that it was pink satin and she asked if that could be on the table for her party....and that is how it started. I was leaving for Roundtop at the time, and she made me promise that I would save it for her party. Her exact words were, "Don't sell it Aunt Carolyn...promise." The ideas swirled about as I was on the book tour, and I was ready to be home and decorating the pink paradise that was going to be her party. As soon as the plane landed from Phoenix, I was rounding up the troops and we began putting out mounds of pumpkins, urns filled with ghost pumpkins and lining steps, and jars filled with candies. Victoria made these phoenomenal tiers of luscious, pink, frothy cupcakes and decorated them where they were the highlight of the party. There were pink flowers, sprinkles, balloons, glitter and all that is magical, sparkly and fairytale like for our little Carrington.
It was all things that little girls dream of and we were happy to be a part of a celebration to remember.
xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from Sweet Salvage Phoenix AZ.

 Hey Everyone. We have the priviledge of being a part of the once a month market in Phoenix Arizona...and guess what??This month is the French themed market!! Woo Hoo!!
 We got in yesterday and I had never been to Phoenix...what a shocker! It is beautiful. I was not expecting all of the palm trees. Our hotel is gorgeous with the whole place being centered around an outdoor courtyard and you can see the mountains off in the distance.
 Two of the Sweet Salvage girls wheeled up in their pick-up truck to take us to the store. Gotta love a girl with a truck. These are true junkers and gatherers.
Let me just say, that I was not prepared for what was about to happen when I walked through the door. I told them that I had found my mothership.

 These men and women know what they are doing. I have never seen this much great stuff gathered together in one place and displayed to perfection. I told them that I could just spend the night there.
Oh, and I was not kidding. I heard their stomaches growling, as they were ready to head out to dinner, and I was just mesmerized and distressed because I was wondering how I was going to get some of this back to my place...really. They told me that the line snakes around the building and down the street on opening day. I am not surprised. They said that it gets so crowded that one cannot see across the isle. I cannot wait to see it.
You can see all of the fabulousness in the pics. So, today I get to sit in the middle of all of this wonderment and sign my new book. What an honor.
Before they had to drag me out the door for dinner, we were able to get a picture of the Sweet Salvage gang, plus Joe and I. What a great group of creative souls, who definitely have the "good stuff!"Hope to see you here!!
xoxo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from the plantation.

 Hello everyone. Hope all are well and just dashed in from the yard, as the rain started pouring here. I love fall. As I made my way down the road, back from Roundtop, it was chilly. That nip in the air that makes you know that the season is changing and maybe the 100 degree plus weather is behind us. It makes me want to decorate...inside and out. This shot that you see here, I took in Roundtop somewhere a few years ago. You can imagine how this would make a great Thanksgiving table for all to gather, but first we have to do Fall and Halloween. As the crew was packing the trucks and trailers for Roundtop, my niece Carrington was visiting. You will notice her dedication in my book, and she is my little protege at 4 years old. She asked if she could have her birthday party here again. You all know how I love any excuse for a party and who could say no to that beautiful blonde headed angel. So, of course I agreed.

Her birthday will be next weekend and her mother wanted a tea party, but Carrington wailed that she wanted a weenie roast and hayride like last year. Secretly, I agreed. I love it. So, I will be in charge of the party decorations and Carrington has given her orders. She found a piece of pink satin in the warehouse, and asked if that could be her tablecloth. She gave me specific colors and such. I told her that I would make it very special. In between book signings, I have to get that going.

Speaking of book signings...tomorrow is a signing at the Beaucoup store on Henderson in Dallas, TX. from 11-1pm. and Saturday will be the Beaucoup store in Richardson, TX. on Arapaho from 11-1pm. Then next week we jet off to Phoenix to meet up with the bunch at Sweet Salvage for a book signing on Thursday the 18th from 9am-1:30pm. Hope to see yall at one of these signings for the new book, Carolyn Westbrook: Through the French Door." If not, check out Amazon or Barnes and Noble for a copy!
Y'all wish me luck on the party planning and of course will post the pics for you to see!!

Happy Fall Y'all!
xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from the Plantation...Southern Beans and Cornbread...love those southern roots!

 Hey Y'all. We were talking the other day about what we ate growing up, and I was saying that everyday my grandmother would have a pot of beans on the stove. In the summertime, it was all about beans and cornbread and all of the vegetables that come out of the garden. There was always sliced tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers, and fried okra or sometimes fried green tomatoes or sometimes she would fry soft potatoes and okra and onion together. Sometimes there was meat and sometimes it was all about the vegis, but it was always good. She also like to sautee yellow squash and tomatoes and onion together..Yummm! Makes me hungry just thinkin about it. Joe grew up the same way, as I am sure most of you southerners did and so we still like us some beans and cornbread and green onion.

The weather has been amazing here lately, that it is almost confusing. We are used to 110 degrees in August and this morning it was in the 60's. I never remember this in August...ever. So, we are enjoying it and thought I would whip up a pot of beans. We added some bacon, and a few diced tomatoes with some onion, and ooohhhh was it good. We always soak our beans overnight. I remember my grandmother pouring the dry beans out on the counter and going over them for little rocks that might have gotten in the mix, then she would rinse them and soak them overnight.My grandmother always used a cast iron skillet for biscuits or cornbread. You mix up your cornbread mix and get your cast iron skillet hot on the stove with some melted butter sizzling, and then dump in the mix, so it sort of frys it for a minute and then put it in the oven. It comes out kind of crunchy on the bottom and moist everywhere else...cannot beat it. For those that like it spicy, you can add in a can of cream of corn, a handful of cheddar cheese and some chopped jalepenos, and you got yourself some delicious jalepeno corn bread. There is nothing like a good 'ol southern meal of cornbread and beans with whatever vegis that are in the house. Y'all better get you some!
xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from the Plantation.

 Hey y'all! Hope everyone is enduring this long, hot, summer. Here in Texas, it has been a scorcher, but trying to think of all the things that I love about summer. The basil and mint are still flourshing and we always try and keep some in the kitchen for flavoring tea or sauces. We have a big pitcher of iced tea on hand at all times. I love to dress up a glass with a slice of lime or orange with a fresh sprig of mint if so refreshing. I had this Asiatic Pheasant pedestal in the panty, and thought how pretty it would look in the kitchen. Just like anyone else, we have supplies, like the dishwashing soap that can look unsightly sitting on the cabinet, so I came up with this solution. I took a vintage vinegar dispenser and filled it with the dishwashing soap, and put it together on the plateau with a nail brush, which we always use when we come in from working outside. An antique sugar bowl in matching Asiatic Pheasant design is filled with fresh mint and basil. I think it all came together beautifully and really helps us have the things we need at hand.

Always good to bring a little outside in and great to go out into the yard and get little snip-its for beautiful little bouquets around the house. I love to use the vintage bottles with the skinny necks for single blooms. Lavender and Rosemary are great to make your house smell and look pretty.
Little snips of Rosemary with a Zinnia bloom or a Shasta daisy are quick pick-me-ups.
Now-a-days I try and get out early to do the watering and cut my blooms or late in the evening, when it finally starts to cool a bit, I love sitting out on the front porch and listen to the locusts and the frogs across the road in the pond. Hope yall will make some little summer bouquets yourself.

xo Carolyn

Carolyn Westbrook: Live from the Plantation!

 Victoria made me this wonderful breakfast and brought it up to the bedroom. Amazing! Looked like a professional breakfast. Had to show yall. Alex is waitressing, so she came home at 1am with a bundle of flowers and a card, and woke me up to tell me Happy Birthday, Nick came in this morning with a card that he made. Really funny for a 16-year-old. A great start to a b-day to remember.

You dont even mind getting older for this...well maybe.

Hope all of yall are enjoying the summer!

xo Carolyn