Thanksgiving Deorations on a Budget

Everyone is on a budget these days....So for your Thanksgiving Table  this year...instead of purchasing the same old boring yellow and orange mums with a few cats tails...why not bring in foliage....use branches and berries...

 For example take a string of sweet gumtree pots together with garland.....you can find them in the parks now....



 Or berry branches in a vase...Take a walk around the wooded areas and see what you can find..

Have fun and relax....its only family and friends

Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake

I love to entertain and I'm always looking for something easy for desert.....This is a winner and I thought I'd share.... A great simple apple cake for the fall.....

Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake
Serves 8.
From “Around My French Table,” by Dorie Greenspan.
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
2 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons dark rum
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled.
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.
Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they’re foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and, when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it’s coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it’s evenish.
Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it’s fully opened, make sure there aren’t any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.
Serving
The cake can be served warm or at room temperature, with or without a little softly whipped, barely sweetened heavy cream or a spoonful of ice cream. Marie-Hélène served her cake with cinnamon ice cream, and it was a terrific combination.
Storing
The cake will keep for about two days at room temperature and, according to my husband, gets more comforting with each passing day. However long you keep the cake, it’s best not to cover it — it’s too moist. Leave the cake on its plate and just press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut surfaces.

Natural Colors

I took a long walk up in the country side of Warren County New Jersey over this past weekend....I came across a field of rag weed and tall grasses and thought how beautiful .  I took a photo for the sole purpose of discussing color.  Many people struggle with picking colors when decorating their homes.   This is just a little reminder to think of nature when you are looking for contrasting or complementary colors...Mother Nature is never wrong...

A little secret from Harmonizing Homes  the color "Chartreuse" which is the color of the rag  weed.. a mix of yellow with a small amount of green is a perfect accent color for any color scheme.  Enjoy Nature..

Garden Ornaments

If you are living in a small space with a small garden it is fun to add some dimension and fun in your garden.  I have inquired several pieces that add support, color and height to my little cottage garden.  Have fun with your gardens through out the year....The fall is a great time to plant various shades, textures and variations of the garden Kale that will last long into the winter months that is in the North East Areas of the US..... Happy Gardening....Harmony!  

Visit my at my website ......if you are interested in redesign inside or out...

www.nychomestager.com

The Bees mark the end of summer

The cottage flowers are covered with the last bees of the summer this weekend; as it marks the end of the sailing season with "Sail Feast" in Island Heights NJ.....the flower boxes still look great...but its only a matter of time....when the cooler nights start to arrive and the flowers will soon be gone...

If you live on the East Coast it will only be a matter of a few weeks and things can start to change very quickly.....So be prepared with a stock of mums, asters, and kale for a beautiful display of fall colors.

During the end of the summer you should .....plant some brightly blue asters to perk up a dull garden....In a few weeks you will be able to introduce the yellow and oranges...Don't be afraid to clip, dig, and rearrange to keep your garden fresh....have fun....you and others will so enjoy the changes...  Harmony.

Preparing For Fall

As I walked around the summer cottage this weekend I was sadden by the lack of color in the gardens which is a  result of the long hot summer days... The blue Hydrangea's are a mauve and brown...the black eye Susan's are crisp and black, long gone are the peony's....Flax's are at the end of their purple glory. 

It is time to revitalize your gardents' with some hardy mums, asters, colorful Kale's.... So cut back the Lilly's be careful with hydrangea's they are not fond of cuttings - pull out the annuals....rake up the mulch...add some fall color...
Harmonizing Homes is all about staging, design and presentation.  So have some fun, with the plantings...think about the spring by planting some flowering bulbs now. Have fun before the leaves start to drop!  Harmony!

Labor Day

Labor Day Photos

Well, it’s the end of the summer (unofficially).....I have never really been able to deal with summer end....As you sit on the beach in September, the water color is diverse, the sun cast a unusual glow.....as I dig my feet into the sand it is cool and moist. September brings rip tides, and hurricanes....this weekend was Earl....next will be Gus...


The end of summer marks the beginning of a new school year, yearend for governmental organizations, organization, time schedules, deadlines, and holidays....it’s a exciting hectic time of year.......putting the lazy days of summer as memories.... As we come to a close of the summer, and think of the upcoming fall and winter seasons….Harmonizing Homes will be able to assist you in any of your holiday festivities, parties and home sale preparations…Happy Labor Day, Rosh Hashanah