Please keep in mind that all the cut flowers used can be interchanged with your favorite mix of purple, green and gold flowers. Feel free to be creative and experiment!

Step 1: Place perfect arranger into your vase

Step 2: Place leaves around your vase to ‘hide’ the perfect arranger

Step 3: Cut your flowers at a 45 degree angle using your flower pruners

Step 4: Begin placing cut flowers into your vase using the perfect arranger as a guide.

Step 5: First place your cut flowers into the perfect arranger ie. Gerber Daisy, Dutch Iris and Bells of Ireland

Step 6: Make sure that flowers are placed securely into the perfect arranger

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Bella Notte Linens - Duvet Covers in Peony

Spring is winding down, and that means storing those sweaters and breaking out the cotton tees.  Just as we store away our winter clothing, we must also take a look at our homes.  From duvets and sheets to throw pillows, it’s easy to capture the ambiance of the season with the right combination of summer linens.  Summer bedding can help you enhance your bedroom while paying tribute to the season.

Linen and Cotton’s Airy Appeal

Although down comforters and flannel sheets may be ideal for the winter months, summer calls for a change of fabrics.  Natural fabrics remove moisture, allowing for a comfortable night’s sleep.  Light-weight, breezy summer linens such as Bella Notte’s Whisper Linen collection or the Adele line are classy and functional and capture the overall mood of summer.

Cotton and linen fabrics both allow air to flow, allowing for a sufficient night’s rest when the heat ramps up.  Cotton is breathable and light, so it’s cool and comfortable during the warm weather.  Despite linen’s airiness, it provides full coverage without feeling too heavy or warm.  Cotton and linen are long-lasting and highly durable, allowing you to enjoy them as your summer bedding year after year.

Summer Sophistication and Inspiration

When we think of summer, crisp white or off-white summer linens in bridal white, silver mist or champagne colors come to mind.  Colors such as fresh white or light petal pink epitomize summer, but bold colors such as aqua or chocolate linens can bring dimension and character to a room.  However, lighter colors appear more lightweight and can always be perfectly paired with other vibrant colors for a distinct summer bedding look.

Tantalizing Textures and Patterns

To add texture to your summer bedding, choose decorative throw pillows to help the primary colors in your room stand out.  Scrolling floral patterns and intricate botanical details are an ideal look for summer and can help add interest and texture to basic sheets.  Floral patterned duvet covers work well with other summer linens; they are a lovely addition to a little or a lot of color, and can provide a subtle reminder of the outdoors while adding depth to your bedroom.

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Stay tuned to meet the real Housewives of The Garden Gate individually up close & personal…

http://www.facebook.com/thegardengates
http://www.twitter.com/thegardengates
http://www.youtube.com/thegardengatesnola
http://www.thegardengates.com/

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Hey Lisa! It’s Claire, your favorite niece!

Cute story…

I was chillin’ at The Garden Gate taking pics of flowers & stuff , & Dad comes staggering in, lost, clutching a list in his hand.

I knew what Mom had put on that list–inside stuff. So I went to help him.

I took him room to room & he tripped out when he saw all the cool stuff we have at home that he’s been taking for granted.

So he got the list & I talked him into buying those pj’s I told you about–remember? And yeah, I’m totally snagging them after Mom wears em once.

I miss you, aunt Lisa! I love you! Come home soon! Bye.

Our site:
http://www.thegardengates.com/

St. Jean de Fos Luminaire Anduze Pottery, $620:
http://www.thegardengates.com/St-Jean-de-Fos-Luminaire-Anduze-Pottery-p/fos-7473.htm

Nouvele Urn Candles, $40:
http://www.thegardengates.com/Nouvelle-Urn-Candles-p/nv-10070.htm

Eighty Days Dew Drop Hummingbird Feeder, $55:
http://www.thegardengates.com/Eighty-Days-Dew-Drop-Hummingbird-Feeder-p/ps-1009.htm

Guarding Rome No. 1 print by Roy Barloga $75:
http://www.thegardengates.com/Barloga-Guarding-Rome-No-1-Print-p/bar-9456c.htm

Dried Lavender Bunches $9.50:
http://www.thegardengates.com/Dried-Lavender-Bunches-p/dzi-1006.htm

Long Oval Wire Basket $80:
http://www.thegardengates.com/Long-Oval-Wire-Basket-p/adg-9304.htm

Tall Architectural Lamp with 2 Shades $540:
http://www.thegardengates.com/Tall-Architectural-Lamp-with-2-Shades-p/adg-8373.htm

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In our home we find all kind of things that we need to improve.   Its really funny that we just completely renovated our home from top to bottom and I still see a million things that we either need to change or improve.

Our boys bathroom really needs the finishing touches.  We wanted to have a custom vanity built but just can not seem to find the right builder.  We have put great thought and found that we could use a French Curved Dresser with modifications like a marble top and under mount basin.

Our kitchen turnout great after the second go around with typical contractor issues.  A friend of mine, Marc, used  the Tuscan Kitchen Island to add additional storage and a meeting point in the home.  After seeing it in his home, I am jealous that we didn’t do the   same thing.

Our bedroom is just yummy.  I have talked about it before and I will say that it gets better everyday.  Our Belle Notte Bridal White linens are so comfortable.  I am noticing that each time we wash our linens, they get softer and softer.

Our bathroom has been a long time coming.  Beth has waited for this bathroom for a long time, over 10 years.  Well, it has all the wonderful things a bathroom should have and more.  We have filled our bathroom with Savannah Bee Bath and Body Products.  I use the hand cream every night.  Beth use to complained about my dry hands and told me that even men need to use moisturizer.  So I started using a variety of different products that I found at the local drugstore and then decided to try Savannah Bee products that were at the shop.  I couldn’t believe the difference in how my hands felt in the morning.  Then I  started using it on my legs, elbows and knees to help with all problem areas.

Our family room has really taken shape.  We spend most of our time in this space as a family, I guess thats why its called the family room.  Beth picked out a great sofa with matching “swallow you alive”chairs by Four Seasons.  I thought she lost her mind when it showed up in “Charleston White” seeing that we have 2 growing boys but they are learning the rules around the sofa quickly.  I think Beth has them so scared that she will take a limb off if they get it dirty that they think before the sit.

Our landscape has really come together and looks really mature for such a young garden.  We held off on the landscaping because I want to raise the house to 11 feet so I can park under the house and keep it above any possible flood that could come our way but Beth just wanted it finished.     We have one of our signature French Anduze pots in the center of the front garden with a beautiful white flowering vine growing on an obelisk.  We also have a tremendous amount boxwoods, 3500 1 gallon plants, not thats a lot for such a small yard.  Our backyard is really simple and clean.  We planted boxwoods, holly trees and seasonal color.  Our pool house has 2 beautiful copper hayracks planted with “ of course white flowers” to tie in the copper gutters on the house.

The one distinct thing that you can always tell in our home when you walk in the door is we always having some wonderful smell lingering throughout the rooms.  Somedays its a Seda France candle or one of the  Sienna Arts candles delivering such an inviting warm sense.  Our boys, Aiden and Ashton  have become so accustom to the smells that they are often the one to light a candle first.

I think sometimes its because they like fire but others days I think its because they have come to appreciate the little things in life.  It only took me 38 years to figure it out.

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Scents play such an important part of our environments. I thought to myself, how can I make my hotel room and my car smell like home and how can I come home to a house that smells fresh and clean? In other words, how can reduce my stress and put a smile on my face during the fun of running away from weather.

My answer came to me…Seda France has this new fragrance Malaysian Bamboo. This candle comes in a nice pagoda box with a mint green and orange toile pattern making me feel rather decedent. The smell is fabulous; it is this fresh clean fragrance that fills the room with out being over powering. I keep a candle at my house and lit it the minute we got home and with in the hour I was feeling better about the terrible adventure I just had.

Sara's Favorite Scent

I thought to myself, that I need to get the room spray to use in the car and the hotel (that way I won’t have to worry about burning the building down….like we need any more challenges.) I think next time we take a evacucation I am going to be more prepared than ever.

I am not the only one with this brilliant idea. I got back to the shop and every customer that came in asked for the best smelling or the strongest fragrant candle we had. I immediately thought of my Seda France candle. Our most popular scents are the Japanese Quince and the French Tulip. The Japanese Quince comes in the same pagoda candle with a chocolate and blue toile pattern. It has the same fresh clean scent as the Malaysian Bamboo but it is much more powerful; great for larger rooms and parties.

The French Tulip, also in the pagoda box, has a blue and orange toile. Its fragrance is floral and fresh, nice and strong, it makes a statement.

There are so many more scents that Seda France makes. I have yet to find one I can not stand…and I am picky. I also like the fact that you can get them in these cute travel candle tins (perfect for trips) and the room sprays. I think the best part of these candles, is that you get what you pay for; gotta love Oprah for finding these. Once you light the candle you don’t have to leave it burning for long, let the wax liquefy on the top and blow it out, the scent will carry through a average size room well.

I guess life is always going to have storms and power outages, the best thing to do is find the small things that make you happy. Whether it is a yummy candle or a special treat don’t be afraid to indulge…being strong in tough times means you deserve it. I think I said it best in a letter to my Mom. “I admire the bugs in my garden, because whenever there is bad weather they protect themselves from harm and when the clouds clear and the sun come out, they go right back to their business. May we all learn to be bugs.”

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Its as easy as changing your skirt.  Change the way you look and feel about your dinning area whether inside or outside by adding new tableware.  Colour Noture offers seasonal influenced napkins, tablecloths and place mats that make the  perfect diner companions.  
 

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Use a coffee filter to clean glass and mirrors.  They make the surface shine but don’t leave anything behind!
 

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