A Month of Thankfulness: Elizabeth of The Little Black Door

Here we are readers, just a few days before Thanksgiving. Today, I have my last guest blogger of the month sharing her thoughts on thankfulness: the charming Elizabeth of Little Black Door. 

A Month of Thankfulness: Michelle of Armas Design

Today, I feel very fortunate to have the incredibly talented artist and blogger Michelle Armas here today sharing her thoughts on the month's theme. As someone who is spending her life on creative endeavors, I think we can learn a lot from Michelle's perspective on thankfulness.

A Month of Thankfulness: Michele of My Notting Hill

Is it just me or is November flying by quickly? This week, I've got a pair of Michelles (actually, Michele and Michelle) guest posting on the theme of thankfulness--isn't that great?

Today, the very talented Michele of My Notting Hill is here and I'm tickled at the way she ran with the theme of thankfulness, how she sees it in some very special mementos around her home.

A Month of Thankfulness: Kate of Kate Collins Interiors

Today I'm happy to host a very special blog friend of mine, Kate of Kate Collins Interiors, and her heartfelt reflections on gratitude, thankfulness and the joyous blessing she and her husband welcomed into their lives this year. I promise, you will need to grab a tissue or two for this post and will feel very thankful for your family after reading it.

A Month of Thankfulness: Sara of A Dose of Pretty

With another week upon us, I am glad to share a new guest post on the month's theme of thankfulness from another wonderful blog friend. Today, Sara of the lovely blog A Dose of Pretty stops by. Read on to see how she finds gratitude in the kitchen!

A Month of Thankfulness: Beth of designPOST Interiors

Are you all ready for another guest blogger? Today, I'm pleased to host Beth of designPost Interiors as she shares her thoughts on thankfulness. Take it away, Beth!

A Month of Thankfulness: Paula of Two Ellie

Happy Monday, friends! As I posted on Friday, the month of November is dedicated to gratitude, blessings and appreciation here on the blog. I consider myself a fortunate gal in many respects, and one way I'm blessed is with a host of wonderful blog friends who will be guest posting here throughout the next few weeks on the theme of thankfulness.

Today: Paula of Two Ellie!

Quick & Easy Halloween Pumpkin Treat Bags

Tomorrow is Halloween and, while I'm not much for decorating with witches, bats or ghosts, I did get into the Halloween spirit by prepping a quick and easy treat bag to hand out.

Our Harvest Tablescape

Sometimes, it's fun to craft just for the sake of crafting and that's just what I did earlier this week. I felt the urge to add a little fall feeling indoors so, with the simple addition of some paint and inexpensive craft supplies, I created a harvest tablescape in our kitchen. 

A Quick Trip to Maine

Late last week, I snuck up to New England with my Mom. As the weekend began we headed up to Maine, specifically to Mount Desert Island to spend several days with my aunt, grandmother and some of my cousins. 

Though our intentions to visit Acadia National Park were unrealized thanks to the government shutdown, I still enjoyed my time on Maine coast during this gorgeous time of year.

Fall Comes to Our Front Door (Thanks to Terrain)

Let me preface this post by stating that I never win any contest, giveaway or raffle I enter. Ever.

But about two weeks ago I got lucky...no, not like that. I'm talking about winning something.
I got an email from the über-popular Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo announcing that I had won her recent $200 Terrain gift card giveaway! What the what?!?

Needless to say, I was thrilled. Awestruck. Dumbfounded. Excited! My winnings went a long way to bringing fall to our front doorstep and, today, I'll tell you all about it.

Gardening Goals This Autumn

This is a banner day here on Meet Me in Philadelphia. For the first time I am delving into the topic of gardening, a topic that I've never known much about but always appreciated from the sidelines.

This is our first autumn as homeowners and--as any good gardener knows--this season is prime time for garden clean-up and the ideal time to prepare for beautiful results the following spring.

So, let's gab about the fall garden, shall we?

Indian Summer Paper Leaf Garland

Fall is my most favorite season. Is it yours, too? Here in the Philadelphia suburbs, the weather has been clinging to the warm temperatures in these final few days of the summer before the official start of the new season next Sunday. With the summer saying its long goodbye, I felt inspired to capture the soft colors of these early autumn days.

Today, I'll show you how I made a paper leaf garland inspired by the indian summer!

A Pumpkin-filled Weekend

My husband Adam and I had a very productive weekend, which included everything from shelf building to socializing to pumpkin picking. On Saturday afternoon, we headed out of the city to Linvilla Orchards in a nearby suburb to enjoy a little bit of autumn and a lot of fall produce.

Guest Bloggers: Court of Holding Court

The "must-do" tourist attraction in NYC is actually a must: the High Line

The High Line is one of NYC's newest parks and is built on a historic freight rail line that exists over the streets of the Meatpacking and Chelsea neighborhoods. After being neglected for decades, the rail line was overgrown by brush and was sentenced to demolition until a band of dedicated community members raised the funds to develop the beautiful park we enjoy today. (For more info on the history of the High Line and its current events please check out their website here: http://thehighline.org/about/park-information).

Architecturally, the High Line is one of my favorite places in Manhattan. The design is fresh and modern, but its angles and lines echo its former life as a rail line. The architects thoughtfully mixed stone, metal, wood, and even water to weave this beautiful park through 20 blocks of buildings. The views are amazing.

This is one of my favorite places to shoot pictures. On the High Line, you get city street vistas deliberately framed by the park's architecture to the east and skyline views (my favorite being that of the Frank Gehry-designed IAC building). The park hosts art installations, performances, and has some great refreshments to boot! I am dying to get there during the week for Astronomy night.

Below are some recent shots I've taken on my iphone for my Instagram feeds of the sights from the High Line (@holdingcourtblog).

(images via Holding Court /@holdingcourtblog)

The High Line is open daily from 7AM to 11PM. My suggestion is to go there during the "golden hour" (aka sunset) to take amazing pictures and watch the sun go down over the city. There is ample seating on the park and my favorite thing to do there is to pack a picnic. Stop by Dirty Bird to Go on 14th St. for the best fried chicken you will ever encounter in NYC. Dirty Bird offers fresh, organic, natural-fed chicken and has an upbeat, dedicated staff. Their 4-piece meal will feed 2 people (yes, even if one of them is a man!) easily. Pair that with their mac-n-cheese and coleslaw, and take it to the 14 St. entrance of the High Line. Picnic there and you will not be disappointed!

Guest Bloggers: Kate of Kate Collins Interiors

Hi everyone! 

I absolutely love reading Ashley's blog and so I feel very honored to be here while she's off on her fabulous vacation.

As a San Franciscan, my Fall inspiration lies on the opposite spectrum of the rest of America. You see, September is the start of San Francisco's summer. Currently, we live deep in fog and it is bitter cold here (for a Californian, bitter cold is 54 degrees). 

But come September, the fog leaves us and be bask in long sunshine days, sunset sailboat rides under the Golden Gate Bridge and leisurely outdoor dinners. It's the perfect respite from the fog, to remind all of us city dwellers that SF is a fantastic place to live. That is, before our mild winter sets in.

So, for me, I'm inspired by...

 This DVF maxi dress is perfect for our "Fall" summer.

A daybed to lounge around and soak in the sun.

And no Indian Summer is complete without some outdoor dining.

I can't wait for the warm summer days ahead!!

Guest Bloggers: Camille of The Vintique Object

Hello readers of Meet Me in Philadelphia!  I'm Camille from the Vintique Object and am so pleased to be here today.  I admire Ashley for everything I am not, decorating-wise.  Her fearless use of color (I'm a neutral nelly), her ability to pick and mix amazing patterns, and her can-do DIY attitude. 

My post today might seem strange to you because you'll notice it has not much to do with September or fall, but I hope it will make sense to you when you start to read!

This is the only bathroom in our 1920s rental duplex in the San Francisco Bay Area.  It serves our family of four well though, as we have three year-old twin girls who don't need a ton of bathroom time -- yet.

When fall rolls around, the first thing I start to think about is our upcoming influx of guests.  With my girls' birthday, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, we have a constant stream of visitors in and out of our house.  Hanging towels for all of those people becomes a bit of a challenge when you only have three towel bars.

Until I spotted these in the kitchen department at Ikea the other day.  They're large stainless steel s-hooks and can be used in damp areas. 

Hang them over one towel bar and suddenly you've tripled your towel hanging space without wielding a drill.  And the best part is that it's all reversible. 

So what inspires me this autumn is anything I can do to make a tad more room for our guests.  Hoping this tip will help you when comes time to welcome visitors to your home, whether you have one bathroom or three!

Guest Bloggers: Kim of Chattafabulous

Hello Meet Me in Philadelphia readers! I am so honored and flattered to be guest posting for Ashley! She is one of the kindest and most generous bloggers I've had the pleasure to (virtually) meet, and I love seeing all of her projects and DIYs on her blog. Ashley asked me to blog about what September means to me, so here are my thoughts on the month of September.

First and foremost, September means sweet freedom! Around here, school usually starts back at the end of August, and I still have one school-age child (13), which means I have each Monday-Friday from 9-4 to do whatever I want to do...sort of. Honestly, there's nothing terribly exciting that happens while she's at school, but it's so liberating to have that time to myself!

Another thing that comes to mind when I think about the month of September is feeling a little relief from summer's oppressive heat and humidity. July and August can be particularly brutal here in the Southeast, so in September it's such a gift to get a few mornings with cool temperatures and lower humidity. The cooler temps make me want to get out and do something touristy--like See Rock City!

And finally, September is the yard work season here in the Southeast, and in just a few weeks I plan to plant some new grass seed and plant some trees and azaleas in my front yard. I love to garden and I'm excited to begin my yard work at Project Dollhouse!

What do you love about September?

Guest Bloggers: Heather of Love Your Space

Hi there, it's Heather of Love Your Space.

I've always been a lover of plaid (and all forms of check, ranging in scale form gingham to buffalo check.)  It has been on my mind as I vacation at a Wisconsin lake (feels like Pendleton country), and I've shown samples to more than one client as of late--for throw pillows, upholstery, wallpaper, you name it!

  While I always think of plaid as a fall staple, it seems to be having a particular moment this year.  Adding just a bit to an interior can bring you to a different place.  Whether it's Sweden, London, or Palm Beach is really a matter of hue.

I'm loving all the sophisticated neutrals available right now.  Keeps it masculine and European.

(sources here)

But if you are more the feminine type, or crazy for color, there are plenty of brights to be had, too.

(sources here)

I'm particularly eyeing those little black check x-benches.  Perfectly transitional, and altogether seasonless.

Would you stick to the classics with a wool blanket?  Or get a little wild with your plaid?

Thanks, Ashley, for having me over.  This fall fling was fun!

Guest Bloggers: Sarah of The Estate of Things

Hi, everyone! I'm Sarah from The Estate of Things, standing in today for Ashley as she tromps around Scandinavia. As summer wanes and back to school shopping begins, our minds and Pinterest boards begin to wander over to fall. I began thinking about moodier spaces, richer colors; less Hamptons, more cozy throws. I've been waffling about paint colors in my den. For the longest time I was convinced that I should go warm white on the walls and blue on the ceiling. But I recently started thinking about purple.

So far, it's been a brief and intense affair with the color. I want to branch out from the blues, greys and whites that I tend toward and I'm wondering if smokey purple might be the perfect transition. It's so hard to commit.

Let's take in some purple, shall we?

Some lilacs for a warm up.

(via Pinterest)

Designer Angie Hranowsky uses a variety of purples in her designs:

(via Pinterest / Pinterest)

Never thought I'd say this, but purple velvet looks pretty sumptuous:

(via Pinterest)

One of the smartest mixes of purple and grey by far. The room is by Carrier & Co. 

just makes purple so grown up and mysterious:

(via Pinterest)

Purple as an accent in a more refined or traditional space:

(via Pinterest)

More purple accents in some fun spaces:

(via Pinterest / Pinterest / Pinterest)

For some reason, I really dig printed window shades in purple.

(via Pinterest / Pinterest)

Now we're headed into some serious purple, unabashed use of color:

(via Pinterest / Pinterest / Pinterest / Pinterest)

The verdict on purple for me is that it's got to be smokey with a good amount of grey in it. It needs to be mysterious, otherwise it's too feminine or immature. Ready to paint your dining room lavender or purple--or not so much?