I am so very happy to see home design magazines start to use color again. Seems like everything has been cream, white, tan and grey for a long time.
1. The June issue of Real Simple asked its readers what the brightest, most colorful thing in their home was. The answers were great. They included a quilt made out of Indian saris, a small turquoise bathroom, book shelf, a mug collection, a retro mini fridge and someone's 6 year old granddaughter. Most colorful things in my home are my yellow walls and my paintings. What about you? What's the most colorful thing in your home?
2. In the Summer Escapes issue of Sunset Magazine (June 2024), I read about a small Mexican town that I have never heard of. It's called Todos Santos. They called the Todos Santos Boutique Hotel the crown jewel of this surf pueblo. Looks like a fabulous place to hang out on the beach. Here is the town's website. Here is the link for the Todos Santos Boutique Hotel.
3. I always find good tips and tricks in the AARP magazine. This month they said you can get red wine out of fabric with white wine. As soon as possible blot white wine on the fabric to dilute the stain. Then use a wet cloth to get out the rest. Don't rub.
4. I love cocktail umbrellas. I love them so much that when I first moved to Mexico I put them all over my Christmas tree. This month's Better Homes and Gardens likes them too. They have a list of several cute ones in their article Summer Party Playbook. There are lots of fun options on Amazon. I especially like the cocktail umbrella straws.
5. I saw this photo in the summer issue of Magnolia. It wasn't an article but an advertisement for Target's Hearth and Hand dishes. However what caught my eye was the color of the outdoor table and chair. I remember years ago when my friend painted her backyard fence that shade of green. It works so well in a garden, blending with plants and flowers. I think it works well with outdoor furniture as well. I see some furniture painting in my future.
6. For many many years, every Christmas I would order chocolate dipped cherries from a little candy store in Los Gatos, CA. Cherries are readily available in Mexico where I live now. The Magnolia magazine has a couple of cherry recipes, including one that is cherries double dipped and frozen. First you dip the pitted cherries in melted white chocolate. You freeze them and then dip them in dark chocolate. Yumm.
7. Zoomer magazine features little rechargeable lamps and said they are "popping up at all our favorite restaurants." Two friends gave me one for my birthday a couple of years ago. And boy do I love it. Where I live the electricity frequently goes out when it is windy or rains. I leave my little lamp plugged into the USB connection on my computer. When the lights go out I just unplug them it and carry it room to room with me. Amazon has a bunch of them to choose from.
8. The June 24th First For Women Magazine has an article called "10 Brilliant Uses for Paper Bags." I don't have stacks of paper bags any more as I tend to bring my recyclable tote bags. However there are some clever ideas. My favorite was to cut them to the size of picture frames, hang bag cutouts on the wall. When you have your photo wall arrangement decided, tap nails through each bag. Perfect placement. Since I don't have paper bags, I think any kind of paper or newspaper would work. Just cut to size for each photo, piece of art.
9. Anyone who has a dog probably knows this. Good Housekeeping features "Summer Feel Good Secrets" in their latest issue. They report on how a study published in the journal Psychogeriatrics found that "holding, stroking, walking, talking to and playing with dogs" improves depression by a whopping 50%. It even helps those with dementia. My life would be a lot less joyful without Micky and Benny.
10. Oh I adore this tiled fireplace. I saw it also in the latest issue of Good Housekeeping. The tiles are zellige tiles from Emery and Cie.