Obsessing Over: Agate

Ever since I placed an agate ashtray that's been in my husband's family for years on our coffee table (as a decorative object), I've been mildly obsessed with the stone.  Its beautifully variegated colors and patterns are known to attract strength, protect from stress and ward off bad dreams.  Take a look at some of the ways you can adorn your home and yourself with this beautiful gemstone.

Botanical Inspiration: Persimmon Fruit

This week's botanical inspiration is a persimmon tree that grows outside our bedroom window.  This time of year, its fruit ripens and its leaves turn golden yellow and bright orange, perfect for  materials for floral arrangements.  Most people would make pudding or pie from this harvest but not I.   Using one of my favorite vases, I created a fall bouquet with our tree's fruit and other autumn garden finds.

The persimmon tree outside our bedroom providing lovely [california] fall foliage.

Cocoon's Gift Ideas For Pickie's Holiday Gift Guide!

For its Holiday Gift Guide, Pickie asked me to choose gifts for 3 different types of decorating personas:  the design obsessed, the decorator with artistic style, and the one with modern sensibilities.  It was fun putting the gift ideas together but even more fun to see them featured in this guide.  Take a look here to see my gift picks for the  Home Decorator With Artistic Style and be sure to check out Pickie's new IPAD app for even more great holiday gift ideas!

Out And About: Flora Grubb Gardens

This week's Out And About features 2 of my very favorite things:  coffee and plants.   They come together seamlessly at Flora Grubb, in San Francisco, creating an urban oasis for the coffee connoisseur and the horticulturalist.   Wanting to visit Flora Grubb Gardens for some time now, I finally went this past weekend.  Its artful botanical displays and vertical gardens were even cooler than I had imagined.  The interesting variety of plants and, of course, the coffee made for an inspiring experience. Take a look at some of the many photos (I went a little camera crazy) I took while I shopped:

Many thanks to Flora Grubb for creating such an inspiring and beautiful place to shop and to AM for taking me there this weekend!

AND,  many loving thoughts out to all to my friends and readers back East who have been hugely affected by the storm.

A Classic Game Of Clue

Our kids are having a blast playing my childhood game Clue (which resurfaced during our recent move).  The game pieces, board and clue cards are all original and each them stirs up memories of playing with my sisters years ago.  I love that our children are enjoying the game as we once did.

New versions of Clue can be found here and vintage ones here.

Do you have a favorite childhood board game?