A winner of fall fabulous, a new contest and an award!

Good Sunday morning to you! Hope you are having a nice weekend...the weather turned out spectacular here which kind of disappointed me because i had plans to go to Vermont and originally they were calling for Sat. to be a bit of a washout...boy they were wrong,  it turned out to be an incredible weather day. Only upside is I was able to catch my sons game! So all was not lost, may head up there next week really want to catch the tail end of the magnificent one and only fall foliage, to me it just doesn't any prettier than fall in New England.

So first thanks a million to all of those who participated in my "Fall fabulous contest". It was overwhelming to get so many incredible images!! I truly wish I had a prize for everyone. As most of you know, I had difficulty with note one but two of the polls, both which had to be removed and therefore the votes canceled. Then I resorted to the old fashioned way by having everyone leave a comment with their choices. It was a pain, yes I know (for both of us) but it made things as fair as they can be. Promise by next contest to hopefully have an accurate glitch free poll up and running!

Without further ado, here is the unmistakable winner with over 70 votes, congratulations to......

Cannell Dillard, this is picture perfect indeed and really does say "fall fabulous"! Congratulations on a spectacular shot!

A close second with over 50 votes was this glorious shot....

And a few honorable mentions in order of votes....

Please contact me with your information to claim your prize. I am offering either the gorgeous wood and pewter nut bowl or a monogrammed carving board bearing your name! Email me at theenchantedhome@gmail.com

or

Moving along.....I think its a great time to announce my November contest, this way it will give you a few weeks to send in your pictures. My contest theme for November is not surprisingly "Blue and white love". You know what that means..send in your pictures of your blue and white anything...however you love to display it or use it in your home, your favorite vignette, a beautifully displayed ginger jar, your plate collection....whatever it may be.

Max. 2 pictures per entrant, please in subject line of email put "Blue and white love". I will collect pictures up until Nov. 1st . The contest will run on Nov. 4th for 2 days. Thanks in advance and I cannot wait to start receiving your pictures...I  know they will be fabulous! Email me your pictures to theenchantedhome@gmail.com.

Finally I had posted this wonderful Sunshine award post bestowed upon me by the wonderful Kate from Preppy Empty Nester but unfortunately had to remove it the same day to repost the fall contest (crazy few days) so here it is again.......

I was so delighted to receive the Sunshine award last week, so much so that I treated myself to a pasta lunch with a little dessert to celebrate of course!!!!  What made it even sweeter was that it was bestowed upon me by power blogger, glamour woman, queen of funny....yes I am talking about the infamous Kate of Preppy Empty Nester, the one and only. The idea behind it is to answer the 10 questions  she asked of me and pass it along to ten other bloggers with my own set of 10 questions. It took some time and thinking to get this done but it was a fun exercise and I am happy to present my portion of this award as well as  my list of questions I am passing along...

Hope you will participate (at your leisure) and pass it along, its fun and a creative way to get to know more about other bloggers......

So here is what Kate asked me-

1.  You ladies are all creative and talented.  What was the biggest blooper that you made while decorating?

 Way back when I was a newlywed, I had decided, because I had a "revelation" that we just had to have our master bedroom (all 25 sq feet of it, living in NYC)  painted "blush" (relative word). However my little swatch of "delicate pink" proved to explode when on the walls. I left in the morning handing the paint can to the painter as I trotted off to work all smug about my design finesse at 21, and came home literally walking into a bottle of Pepto Bismol. The pink was so incredibly strong that it almost made me faint from the "pinkness". Needless to say my painter was back the next day, painting the walls a boring white:) I was humbled right back to being a 21 one newbie.

2.  Which child is your favorite?

KIDDING!!!!!!  Just wanted to make sure you were paying attention.

Funny! However on pondering this question.....on some days the scary thing is I might actually be able to answer this question....lol

2.  What is your favorite movie and song of all time? 

Honestly I do not have one, are you kidding? One???? Sorry! But a few- yes,  I can manage that.....The English Patient, Sense and Sensability, It's Complicated, Horse Whisperer, Sabrina and Roman Holiday, Atonement, The Devil wears Prada, Somethings Gotta Give, Anna Karenia, Doctor Zvhivago, geez...I could go on.

Songs- When I need a good cry "Everybody hurts" by R.E.M or "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera, both hauntingly beautiful songs.  I love Ava Maria, enjoy my fair share of current pop music, most music by Coldplay, Midnight Sonata....love Bossa Nova, what can I say with my musical genius I love and embrace it all (sad thing is I am the only one who thinks I am a good singer)

3.  If you wrote a memoir, what would the title be? 

How about "An Enchanted life"? 

4.  What has been one of your most embarrassing moments? 


 Wow I have a lot of those :)  One recent one was one morning frantically trying to get my son to school on time, I could not find my keys (I know you all can relate) so we decided to take my sons nifty little car. Yes as in one that is so high tech I have no idea how to turn it on and freak out when I think its stalling at lights by turning off when in fact its supposed to do that:) 

So we pull up to his school, (private conservative school that is) and he runs out to class and the car goes off with yours truly sitting behind the wheel. Somehow I press a button and the ignition shuts off. I have no idea how to get the car going and as I am trying hard to not look like too much of an idiot, the school headmaster walks by with a group of administrators and as they pass I hit the magic button and the car goes on but not without the preprogrammed music (rap music) my son has set to come on automatically when the car starts so loud I am certain those in the next county can hear it. So deafening, it obviously caused them to turn around and stare at little 'ol me in this car with this music so loud and the saddest thing was I didn't know how to turn it off, that was the worst part of all! So not only did I look like a 40 something year old loser having a serious identity crisis but I  was a surly "in your face" one too....by not turning it down. I was dying of embarrassment! Finally figured it out, slouched into  my seat and drove away with my tail between my legs:) 

5.  What is your biggest regret?  I don't mind hearing juicy details.  


Not having had a fourth child. I know, I know its crazy to some but since I am still in my 40's I feel too young to become an empty nester next year (boo hoo) and would sooooo love to have a younger child right now. 

6.  If you were awarded an all expenses paid vacation for two weeks where would you go?  Don't get any ideas... this is not tied into a give away.  

Thanks Kate, your treat? Well.......I do want to go to Greece, Turkey and Tuscany. So how about all three....no worries I can manage to take off a little extra time to make it happen :)

7.  How many homes have you lived in?  Which one was your favorite? 

I have lived in 1 apartment and 4 homes including this one. (have to say this one is my favorite) but I do have some really fabulous memories in each of my others of a time when my  kids were younger, and the house felt "fuller" (translates to louder and messier)  etc.......but it's all good.

8.  If you could sit next to any famous celebrity on a 5-hour flight, who would it be? 

Well,  maybe Nancy Meyers because I just know after a 5 hour flight she would want me to become her partner in her next movie, no make that she would be begging me to become her partner, hey give her credit for recognizing sheer genius when she meets it. If I were a producer...seriously she is the one I would most like to be. I love her style, aesthetic and take on "feel good" movies....Somethings Gotta Give, Its complicated, The Parent trap, The holiday, need I go on?

9.  What would your friends say are your 3 best qualities? 


Kindness, generosity and humility. Of course I am most inspired to be all those things to my friends who make it so worth the effort (you  know I love you)!

10.  Why do you blog? 


Because I so enjoy the personal connections I make with so many that I would otherwise likely not meet. It is a creative outlet for me to express my love for design and its opened up so many wonderful doors. and I of course, have to admit, I also love the free loot. 

Blogging has become my happy place (I call it cheap therapy) . Even when I am having a rough day, the world seems right again when I enter blogland.....its filled with so many amazing like minded people. Its been wonderful and is a virtual classroom, cannot tell you how it has opened my eyes and taught me to much.

The biggest perk you ask? Of course we all know....meeting Kate. (you can send me the money via Paypal Kate) lol..

 Kate being coy.........

Thank you Kate! Now it my turn to come up with 10 juicy questions and pass them along however instead of selecting 10 bloggers I am opening them up to any blogger that wants to participate (there are so many great ones), the more the merrier!! Here are my questions for you........

1. If you had to move to another country for a year, where would you go? Why?

2.You are having a dinner party with a table of  famous people (past and present). Who will be lucky enough to sit on either side of you?

3. What are two things in this world that are "must do's"on your bucket list?

4, What is one of your weaknesses and one strength? (comfort and junk food included)!

5. One of your most dreaded household chores?

6. Something most of us don't know about you.....

7. Fill in the blank, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing..........

8. Have you ever won a trophy? If so for what, do tell!

9. What is your best dish? (feel free to brag)!

10. Be honest...have you ever faked an accent?


I do hope whoever this appeals to will participate and let me know if you do! I love reading more about my favorite bloggers:) Thanks Kate! 

Thanks for stopping in, wishing you a wonderful and relaxing Sunday. Many thanks once again to all those who sent in their beautiful fall pictures! They were so enjoyed and I will no doubt go back to that post again and again to enjoy all the beauty and inspiration. I cannot wait to get in your blue and white pictures! Until tomorrow......