THE BLOG IS NOT DEAD!

It was just on vacation.  A honeymoon, to be exact.  And I'm pretty sure my three followers (hi mom!) haven't exactly been crying in their pumpkin spice lattes due to the lack of Turquoise & Tea in their lives.  But Turquoise & Tea missed you.  And thought of you on their honeymoon.  And may or may not have made a list of blog-post-ideas in their iPhone from the beach in Santorini.

So we're back and fall is in full-swing.  Yesterday's activities included:  Scarf & boot wearing, festive tea towel purchase, festive cookie cutter purchase, fall-flavored Starbucks, and perusing the aisles at Pier 1 Imports longing over giant glitter candy corn decoration (I may have to go back).

I love decorating for the holidays.  And I have to admit one of my favorite ways of acquiring decorations is to raid the stores post-holiday when everything is 75% off.  It's hard because you know you're not going to be able to use it for a whole year - but when the next year rolls around you have all these awesome, brand new decorations waiting for you in your very own closet (snowman shower curtain here I come!).

Here are a few of the Pier 1 decorations I hope to score this year, post-Halloween:

"The Witch is In" glittery wall-hanging

Haunted House LED Candle

Mosaic Pumpkin Candle Holder

Giant glitter candy corn (literally the size of your head)

Lighted Vine Pumpkins 

(these are beautiful - I'm really hoping they have some left)

I also really love those 'Halloween trees' people have started doing - like a black Christmas tree with orange mini-lights and decorations. And Pier 1 now sells Halloween tree ornaments as well.  They have a tree as well but it's $70 so I may have to check out Target and see if they have one for a better price.

I'm off to unpack the pumpkins.
Happy decorating!

Fall-idays

So I may get some slack for this post from readers living in cooler climates - and I too would have once felt that the comment I'm about to launch warranted a swift kick in the short shorts - but as much as I enjoy California's ever-sunny disposition I'M READY FOR SUMMER TO BE OVER!  I know, you hate me.

Look, it's not that I don't appreciate the six months of available beach days or the fact that I can currently cook an eggs benedict on my front step - I love summer!  I'm a beach girl at heart.  But variety is the spice of life and this life is ready for a pumpkin spice latte.  Enough is enough, folks.  It's time for a season change up in this county.

Hailing from Canada (there's a pun in there somewhere) I am no stranger to umbrellas and wet socks, so I recognize there may be a part of me that is waxing nostalgic for home.  But native longings aside, let's take a moment to appreciate the awesomeness that is FALL!  Tall boots, cozy tights, scarves, pea coats, those slouchy beret-hats, hot coffee instead of iced coffee, hot bubble baths instead of cold showers, fireplaces instead of air conditioners, colorful leaves, spice-scented candles and piles of fuzzy blankets, and everything smells like cinnamon, pumpkin & nutmeg and sounds like Harry Connick Jr. (okay, that's my house).  Fall is the season of coziness not to mention a segue to some of my most favorite holidays.

For decorating/crafting/baking fanatics like me, the last three months of the year are prime real estate.  Pumpkins, turkeys, fall leaves, cookies, pies, ornaments...  The possibilities are endless!  And with this new blog I plan on sharing all of it with you.  So get ready for recipes, craft projects, and decorating & gift ideas galore.  Can you tell how excited I am?

So there it is.  I may be a beach girl at heart - but I'm definitely a fall girl at hearth.