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Dorothy Draper Inspired Entertaining & LONNY

Lauren-McGrath-Lonny-Mag-2012
I was so excited to see Lauren McGrath of Good Bones, Great Pieces on the cover of this month’s Lonny Magazine. Inspired by the design icon, Dorothy Draper, Lauren creates a beautiful setting for a summer dinner party on the shaded lawn of her Westchester County home. As a  starting point Lauren uses Brazillance, a South American-inspired textile designed by Draper in 1947 to create a stunning table runner. Lauren did a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of the revolutionary designer. It was Draper who in 1923 launched the first interior design company in the United States, something that was considered daring for the time (& aren’t we glad she did!).
dorthy-draper-inspired-dining-tablescapegold-bamboo-chairs-dining-eventgreen-gold-pink-table-setting-draperblack-white-tent-pavilion-bar
I love Lauren’s mix of pattern and color. Isn’t the bar housed in the black & white striped Portofino Pavilion from ZGallerie fun?
* all photos by Patrick Cline via Lonny Magazine
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Read full story By on August 13, 2012 in Entertaining, Garden, Parties, tables, textiles

My Hexagon Terrarium

I’ve been a little obsessed with two things lately – hexagons and terrariums. So when I found this vintage hexagon glass container at a local consignment shop, I knew it was meant for me!
hexagon terrarium w succulents by simplified beeterrarium with succulents
I love low-maintenance succulents and they are perfect for terrariums. For visual interest, I selected three varieties of succulents in different colors, textures and shapes. I think it turned out great!
succulents on tray displayhow to make a terrarium bhg

Interested in making your own terrarium? Check out easy, step-by-step instructions by BHG.

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Read full story By on August 6, 2012 in Garden, simplified bee portfolio, vintage

Empire Patio Covers Giveaway & Discount

protecting_patio_furniture
As I stare at this outdoor pool, I realize I am already longing for summer and warm evenings outside on the patio. During the colder months, patio furniture typically goes unused and needs to be stored in order to protect it from the elements. In many cases however, storage is not an option and  larger pieces such as tables, benches and lounge chairs must be kept outside. Patio furniture covers are a great way to keep your outdoor furniture looking new and lasting for a long time.
patio_furniture_covers
If you are in need of covers for your outdoor furniture and accessories, you are in luck! Empire Patio Covers has generously offered a $100 gift certificate {with free shipping to U.S. or Canada} to one Simplified Bee reader.
attractive_patio_furniture_covers
I was most impressed to learn that all of Empire’s outdoor patio furniture covers feature an eco-friendly dioxin free coating and a positive air flow venting system to ensure the protection of your outdoor patio furniture against mold and mildew buildup. They also provide covers in a variety of designs and colors so you can coordinate your furniture covers and your accessory covers to complement one another.
The nice folks at Empire Patio Covers would also like to extend a special discount to all Simplified Bee readers! Save 25 when you purchase 4 or more patio furniture covers. Just use coupon code SIMPLEBEE in your cart before checkout.

Here’s how to enter to win the $100 gift certificate from Empire Patio Covers:
• Leave a comment. {provide your email if I don’t have a way to contact you}.
• Extra Entry – become a new follower of Simplified Bee’s Blog, Twitter, Pinterest or Facebook Page.
• Extra Entry – mention this giveaway in a blog post, FB link or tweet, then leave a comment letting me know.
• Please post a separate comment for each extra entry.
• Entry period closes at midnight PST on Wednesday, January 11, 2012. The winner will be chosen by Random.org and will be announced on the Simplified Bee Facebook page on Thursday, January 12, 2012.

Best of luck!

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Read full story By on January 4, 2012 in discounts, Garden, Giveaways, home organization, household cleaning, patio furniture

Our Backyard Chicken Coop

baby chicks yellow brown
Back in August of 2010, I wrote an article on Keeping Backyard Chickens and discussed the idea of our family raising backyard chickens. Well this spring, we brought home two baby chicks that were hatched at the kids’ school. Their names are Fluffy and Chipmunk. It’s likely that Chipmunk is a hen, but not sure about Fluffy.

For weeks they lived in a small box in our home. At about nine weeks {when fully feathered}, the chicks out-grew their box and moved outside to their new coop.
doc woody diamond deuce
Originally my husband wanted to make the coop from scratch. Knowing how much time he has one his hands {wink}, I encouraged him to drop by a nearby feed store. He came home with a chicken coop designed by Doc Woody that only needed to be assembled. {smile}

doc woody text

This Doc Woody guy knows his poultry and we got a smile from his bio on the back of the box.

backyard chicken coop small
Here is the coop built and in our backyard. We hope it is secure enough to keep the raccoons out.

backyard chicken coop doc woody
The large galvanized barrel houses the birds’ water. We still need to hang it.

backyard chickens in coop
Here are our happy chickens in their new coop! We are crossing our fingers for some eggs in a few months.

Any advice on keeping backyard chickens is welcome!


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Read full story By on June 15, 2011 in backyard chickens, Garden