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I hope you had a great week!

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Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

What a week it was!

Chris and I had a great time at the Giants game last week. They won, so that made for a much better game!

At one point our seats were in the blazing hot sun it and it was almost unbearable to sit there. But thank goodness the sun moved and we were shaded throughout the whole second half.

It’s our last full week of enjoying the pool, so I have been outside enjoying it as much as possible before it closes for the season.

The dogs will miss it too. They LOVE being out there with me.

black lab by the pool with reflections of the woods

I am starting to pull my sunroom together so it’s ready before my plants come indoors for the winter.

The room is a work in progress right now, but I think it will be fully furnished within the next few weeks.

Speaking of bringing plants indoors, I brought my Boston fern inside to take a few pics with it and IT LOOKS AMAZING!

And why is that important?

Because for YEARS I’ve been saying ferns and I don’t get along.

Like not friends at all…Until now!

back of the house with gardens and back porch in fall

I somehow managed to keep this one going through the move last year and it hung around all winter long in the sunroom where it received a lot of indirect light and some humidity from the humidifier I kept beneath it.

The humidifier wasn’t on all winter long, but I had it on periodically through the winter.

The plant started looking pretty sad by spring but it had some green leaves so I knew it was alive,

As soon as it was warm enough to bring outdoors, I moved it out and it may have quadrupled in size while on summer vacation!

It’s seriously gorgeous.

Here it is in my living room that I just finished decorating for fall.

Speaking of which, my fall home tour publishes on Tuesday and I can’t wait to show you how good everything looks not to mention, how much it’s changed since my spring home tour!

Boston fern in the farmhouse living room with dark leather sofas, area rug, coffee table, throw pillows, area rug and fall decor

What I’m Shopping For This Week

I am still shopping around for different things throughout my home. A little of this and a little of that is pulling our home together.

Having been outside the last several months, it’s nice to do a little decorating inside to make it feel cozier.

Here’s what I’m shopping for this week!

And my good friend Lana Stenner from wrote an AMAZING book that’s available for pre-order called The Grace Filled Homestead.

I am fortunate to get an early copy and let me tell you this book is so inspiring. You will love it!

white front porch rockers in fall with zinnias and alliums

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms

It was a fun week on the blog!

We are wrapping up the month with my supper club’s chowder fest cook off party!

I shared my best tips for hosting a soup party potluck luncheon or dinner party with a little friendly competition.

close up of soup party table with labels, rolls, pots, fresh flowers and pots

Instead of pulling together a full menu like we usually do, my supper club and I each made our best recipes for chowder and they are each so different!

I made a corn chowder recipe that is super simple to make and packs a lot of flavors. What I love best about it, is it’s not as heavy as other chowders, so it feels a little lighter when you eat it.

Oh and the most fun part?

You guys get to vote on which chowder is your favorite. Head over to this post and cast your vote in the comments.

I’ll announce the winner in next week’s Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly.

corn chowder recipe easy with sides of cheese, scallions and bacon

In addition to supper club, I shared how I upcycled a thrift store ceramic bowl to look like stone and it turned out amazing!!!

I have other ceramic pieces here that I am totally doing this technique with. It was easy to do and looks just like stone!

Doesn’t it look so pretty on the dining room table?

Wait until you see what it looked like before.

Upcycle ideas to make a ceramic bowl look like stone finished in dining room as a centerpiece with greenery and pumpkins for fall

We also spent some time in the garden chatting about how to plant bulbs in fall for an unforgettable spring garden.

I ordered my bulbs a while ago and can’t wait to start planting! Last spring was incredible here.

The front porch and new cottage gardens will be getting some pretty new flowers for early spring blooms.

daffodils and double flowering tulips blooms in the spring garden

Amazing Inspiration from Around the Web

I love finding cool inspiration from around the web and wanted to share some of what I’m loving right now.

Seriously this is the cutest fall project I’ve seen all week!

My good friend Wendy from WM Design House made this adorable pumpkin topiary.

Don’t you love it? I need to make one of these.

Pumpkin Topiary by WM Design House

My good friend Jennifer from Cottage on Bunker Hill also got into the spirit of Halloween this week by making this cute pumpkin garland for her home.

It looks easy to make and so cute!

How fun would this one be to do with the kids or grandkids this fall?

pumpkin garland

My good friend Mary from Life at Bella Terra upcycled this wreath and it looks so pretty now!

We don’t always need to buy new stuff to make our homes look fresh and beautiful.

Follow Mary’s tips for refreshing things you may already have.

red and gold wreath on red door

And here is some more inspiration you’ve got to see!

This dried fall garland made with corn stalks.

This retreat bedroom makeover.

These back to school organizing tips.

good directions birdhouse with celosia on a shepherds hook in the garden

If you enjoy these posts, you can find past Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly posts here.

And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.

Home and Garden Blogger Stacy Ling cutting zinnia flowers in her cottage garden with wood picket fence in front of garden shed

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

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The bricks \'n Blooms guide to a beautiful and easy-care flower garden book by stacy ling
The Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy Care Flower Garden
  • Have you never met a plant you couldn’t kill?
  • Have you dug around in the dirt with nothing to show for it except a sunburn and a sore back?
  • Do you currently enjoy growing flowers, but are looking for more tips and ideas to level up your gardening game?

Then the Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide is for YOU

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12 Comments

  1. I bet you will be sad to see the pool
    close! You’re so lucky to have that beautiful greenhouse indoors! My fern did so amazing outside this year but it is now way too big to bring inside. I hope you have a great start to your week!

    1. Thank you Kim! I love that garden room and can’t wait to use it! Last year we just wanted to paint and move in so now the fun begins! You are welcome and have a great weekend!

  2. Looking forward to seeing your fall decorating. Would you please photograph the frameless candles in use? I’m interested to see how they look on. I vote for your easy corn chowder, looks creamy and yummy and corn is so fresh these days plus. I’m not big on seafood chowders. Our couple group had a blind cookie cook off years ago and our blindfolded husbands did the tasting and voting. I made diabetic cookies that were so awful and it was so fun watching our guys faces when they bit into them. 😂

    1. That is a great idea – I love the cookie bake off blindfold test! That is such a funny story! Which frameless candles? Do you mean the wire cloches or the battery operated candles themselves? Let me know which picture you are referring and I’ll give you the details!

      1. Stacy I’m referring to this comment on Amazon tapers you use in brass candlesticks.
        “ These battery operated candles are the best! I used them in the vintage brass candlesticks I bought while thrifting last week in Vermont. Set and forget on timer – I love that. I just orderd another set so I can add them to all of the windows in the front of the house.”

  3. Stacy, I love your weekly Sunday post! So much great information and I cannot wait to make that chowder. Thank you for featuring my upcycled wreath! You are the best! Where did you get the cute little bird house with the copper room? It’s adorable.