Autumn Harvest at Gatewood Hall

Well today is the first day of Autumn, and while I know not everyone is crazy about this time of year (Shawn Hall being one of those) I happen to love it! Many of you have heard stories about my mother and how much she enjoys decorating for the holidays and seasons...I remember my very first apartment, late September and she shows up with mums, and pumpkins that she had just purchased at the farmer's market to "help me decorate and get into the fall spirit" you guessed it, she loves the fall too!

Fall is especially nice in the North Georgia mountains, our neck of the woods becomes majestic and mother nature...well, she just "shows out"! Our very beloved British friend Ellie used to sit in a rocking chair on the porch of our cabin and look out at our view of Rich Mountain and say "That my dear is evidence of God!" and I couldn't agree more.

It's not just the beauty, it's the color, the crispness in the air, the idea of nesting and cozying up that I just love. (Don't get me wrong in early December I'll be dreaming of Spring) But for now I enjoy how some things just sort of slow down.

So this time of year brings us to our next theme that we call Autumn Harvest at Gatewood Hall! We'll be highlighting some of the our picks or things that we have in our shops and in our community that we especially love this time of year!

Some great fall inspired gourmet gear and goodies for your pantry or to keep handy for hostess gifts!

Beautiful decor for your harvest table and wreaths for your doors! Love these vintage looking wild turkeys and the faux gourds and pumpkins that we have look unbelievably real!

The new fall Caspari collection of napkins and guest towels are exceptionally beautiful this season. My mom always says buy those pretty paper napkins, "don't store them away, use them...they make an ordinary sandwich or drink taste better". You know what? She is right!!

We love this line and we have carried it for quite awhile, and they keep adding more beautiful pieces. These new items are gorgeous! I love the wood and pewter mix on the salad and nut bowls. The stag wine glass would be a great gift for the man in your life. Imagine a good red wine in that glass while sitting in front of the fire in your mountain home! The little squirrel on the stump is a salt and pepper set, the stump is for salt the squirrel holds pepper...how great is that?

A new gourmet line that we have is Captain Rodney's! The Boucan Glaze is a quick and easy cooking trick. It can be brushed on as a glaze for any game, fish, fowl, beans or vegetables. Straight out of the bottle, it makes the perfect dipping sauce for chicken or shrimp, quick and easy to use, always ready to add just the right amount of sweet spice to any dish. This glaze is added after cooking so you get full, rich flavor without the time and trouble of a traditional marinade. No long waits, just easy, all-natural flavor. We love the recipe for the famous cheese bake appetizer...we'll give you the recipe card on the bottle but- just to get your mouth watering.. you mix cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mayo, scallions, top with crisp bacon bits and buttery cracker crumbs and then drizzle with Captain Rodney's sweet, spicy glaze bake and serve warm with crackers, it is DIVINE!! Our friend who turned us onto "Hot Squeeze" told us about Captain Rodney's, what a great gift to keep on hand! Another one of our customers Martha from Alabama (who does famous catering) says she's used Captain Rodney's forever, she said "We call it the stuff that could make cardboard taste good!" She serves it over her well-loved southern fried chicken, YUM!

We also have Captain Rodney's Temptation of Jezebel Sauce which brings back a traditional recipe of the Treasure Coast. A sweet and tangy taste of the old south with tropical pineapples, sweet apples, cracked black pepper and a little horseradish for just the right amount of bite. Try it as a glaze over meat and vegetables or serve it as an appetizer with cream cheese and crackers. (I love it on a ham and swiss cheese sandwhich or biscuit). With just one bite you will see why the Temptation of Jezebel is impossible to resist.
Gosh now I'm so hungry!! Happy Fall Y'all! Please do come in and see us!

**P.S. I just had to come back in and add this footnote. It is around 11AM, I just called my mother on her cell to tell her to be sure to read this new blog post that I wrote last night..."OK" She said "Honey, let me call you back I can't talk, I'm on my way to Grandma's, I picked up mums and pumpkins and I can't even see out of my car, this is bad, I'm gonna have to pull over to rearrange..." I laughed and said- be careful, just call me later...Is that funny or what?? :) I LOVE YOU MOM!!

Pantone Reveals Spring 2012 Color Trend Forecast

Pantone Spring 2012 Color Report is revealed. It is Fashion Week in New York, and you have probably seen all of the new fashion commercials on television. The Kardashian’s collection at Sears, Mark Anthony & Jennifer Lopez at Kohl’s and the biggest shock of all Missoni at Target. Many of the zig zag Missoni items have already sold out, some pieces are already on eBay at four times the price. I guess it is as close as many can get when you consider that one of their tank shirts are being sold at Target for $29 versus the original for $595 at Bergdorf Goodman.

This is also the time that The Spring 2012 color report from Pantone is revealed. Pantone, a global authority on color for the last 18 years, surveys the prominent colors at New York Fashion Week each season to reveal the upcoming color trends that are expected to be most popular in fashion and interiors. Because we work in the Interior Design and Retail business we always like to keep on top of this report. In a few short weeks we’ll be going to the international Home Furnishings Market in High Point and it will be interesting to see these new color trends on furniture, fabric and other home accents.

You will notice that this season’s pallet features a variety of colors, ranging from cheerful vivid hues to muted tones and pastels. Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®, spoke of the new color report in a press release, stating “Consumers look to spring for renewed energy, optimism and the promise of a brighter day. They have learned how color can help them alter a mood and provide the vitality and enthusiasm that enables them to experiment with new looks and color combinations.” I like that there are some natural versatile neutrals to add practicality to this season's brights. Driftwood, an adaptable blend of beige and gray with a slightly weathered feel, and Starfish, a perfect warm summer neutral, complement all colors featured in this season's top 10

The Spring 2012 Color Report is called “Dance Into Spring 2012” Visit the Pantone website (http://www.pantone.com/pages/fcr.aspx?pg=20911&ca=4) to learn more about the 2012 Report. Let us know what you think about Pantone’s selections, as well as your favorite color from the palette.

Photo credit: Pantone.com & Target.com

Check Out The Sweet Shoppe Blue Ridge

Have we got something fabulous to tell you about. We have a new Sweet Shoppe in Blue Ridge and it is WONDERFUL!!! Susan Catron and Nikki Gribble opened this great place a little while back and shame on us, we just now got a chance to visit. You probably know both of these ladies as they have been very involved in our community for awhile but lucky for us they have decided to share this side of their talents with us in their new Sweet Shoppe! The space itself has never looked better, it reminds you of a little French Patisserie, so quaint and cozy! Filled with beautiful confections including home-made cookies, hand-made artisan truffles, premium dipped north Georgia apples, berries and cherries UNBELIEVABLE!! They also have some very, very special gourmet cupcakes. In fact they have so many flavors you can visit their website (www.sweetshoppeblueridge.com) for their entire menu or friend them on FaceBook (facebook.com/sweetshoppeblueridge) for the daily menu. Today we had Tres Leche (my favorite!!), Chocolate Cream Pie (Shawn's favorite), Key Lime Pie & Blond Bombshell (my second favorite)!! They are as beautiful as they are delicious. We can't wait to try Banana's Foster, Mississippi Mud, Orange Dreamsicle...oh who are we kidding...we want to try all of them. We hear that their new fall menu is coming out soon.... Heaven help us! Wonder how many Weight Watchers Points are in these babies??? Oh who cares, they are worth it!

Above a skewer of blueberries, hand-dipped in luscious, premium chocolate! Susan told me that Nikki is the "Chocolatier" and I am telling you each treat is like a beautiful, ittle work of art!

Above handmade artisan truffles, in flavors like Thin Mint, Oreo Cheesecake, Orange Melt, Coconut Cherry, and Irish Cream! What a beautiful gift these would make!

The Sweet Shoppe Blue Ridge is located in the courtyard below Harvest across from Christy Lee's (576 East Main Street, Suite D Blue Ridge, Georgia) and get this they are open late on Friday and Saturday so you can stop in after dinner for a little dessert treat. Also great to know they will ship their speciality items!! Treat yourself, go in today...Tell them Corky & Shawn sent you...you will probably see us there. ENJOY you are gonna love it!!

Our Field Trip To The Cashiers Designer Showhouse

Yesterday Shawn and I took our annual field trip to check out the 14th Annual Cashiers Designer Showhouse sponsored by the Historical Society in Cashiers, North Carolina. We love to visit the Highlands and Cashiers area, visit some of our favorite shops and we usually grab a delicious southern family style feast at the Dillard House.

This years showhouse called "Reflections" is an older log home built in 1967 from logs reclaimed from Tennessee Valley Authority construction sites, a second wing was added later in 1971. (I love it when they choose to decorate an older home, that is always a little more of a challenge and often requires a lot of creativity.) The forty-two acres that the property sits on is absolutely beautiful!! This years designers did a wonderful job and we would encourage you to treat yourself and make a road trip to check it out.

The stone terrace entrance was designed by James Farmer, it was lovely. In the photo above I love the color story cleverly tied together with the large bowl of heirloom tomatoes. (We also love James' beautiful new book "A Time To Plant" check it out next time you are in the store)

This was one of my favorite rooms, the Writers Retreat designed by Barbara Heath of The Mercantile in Atlanta it was such wonderful, calm room. (If you've never been to The Mercantile you should go, Barbara is the owner and her store is really fabulous!)

This is a view of the Shawn's favorite room the Lounging Porch designed by Francie Hargrove. It was so inviting, you actually felt like lounging here. The tall, stone fireplace and long drapery panels were so dramatic!

The dining table on the lounging porch was stunning, Hargove used beautiful, horn handled cutlery, and some gorgeous Jan Barboligio candelabras.

The library designed by Lynn Monday was such a cozy space, I love that she used such beautiful contemporary pieces to incorporate in a very rustic setting to create such a beautiful design. I also love the symmetry of this room.

Notice the unusual bookshelves, everyone can use some of these techniques like hanging art or even stag horns, and groups of books along with special objects to create visual interest on their own built-ins.

Of course Shawn enjoyed the many gardens and sitting areas. We thought the Adirondack wood furniture here was wonderful!

You really should go and check out this beautiful showhouse! For more info visit their website at www.cashiershistoricalsociety.org/about/cashiers-designer-showhouse/hile We so enjoy visiting the beautiful North Carolina Highlands area...But when we arrived home last night we took some friends out on our boat on Lake Blue Ridge and there is something really special about a Blue Ridge, Georgia sunset!!

Byrds Cookie Company Now Available At Gatewood Hall

Another fabulous arrival to Gatewood Hall Gracious Home- We are pleased to bring you Byrd's Famous Cookies from Savannah, Georgia! Byrd Cookie Company has been a Savannah tradition since 1924, when Ben T. Byrd, Sr. began making cookies by hand, packing them in wooden boxes and delivering them in a Model-T Ford to Savannah stores. Over the years, the company has earned its reputation as a leader in the specialty food industry, receiving many awards honoring the company's superior products and package design. Although their gourmet delicacies have brought much acclaim, they have never lost sight of the importance of personal commitment to their customers. Whether you choose their unique, delicious cookies, or the savory, epicurean cheese biscuits , you'll discover that their products are perfect for any occasion. We are very proud to bring them to you at both our Blue Ridge and Big Canoe locations.

The packages are beautiful and will make a great hostess gift or nice little goody to put into gift baskets. We loved the size because they are well-priced and perfect to keep on hand if a couple of friends stop over for a drink just open a box with abottle of wine and you are ready. Byrd's also offers wonderful larger tins that we may bring in closer to the holidays.

Some of the savory flavors include:

White Cheddar with Peppercorns- Smooth white cheddar cheese speckled with coarse black peppercorns will have your taste buds begging for more.

Cheddar Pecan with Cayenne- Sharp cheddar cheese and fancy pecans provide a rich flavorful crunch while a touch of cayenne pepper gives it a kick.

Gorgonzola with Honey & Walnuts- The distinctive taste of Gorgonzola cheese is perfectly accompanied by the sweetness of honey and crunch of walnuts.

We loved the festive cocktail shaker filled with their Savory Cocktail Mix which is a delicious combination of Byrd's New York Cheddar Cheese Biscuits, roasted almonds and sun-sweetened cranberries. (YUM!)

The sweeter flavors include:

Key Lime Coolers- A quintessential Southern dessert, Key Lime pie has long been enjoyed at many a picnic, dinner and social gathering. Bursting with this same fresh Key Lime flavor, our award-winning cookies capture the tart-but-sweet taste and pleasing crunch of this much-loved delicacy.

Georgia Peach - As deliciously Southern as a fresh Georgia peach. Our delicate, bite-size cookies are reminiscent of the tangy goodness of a tree-ripened peach and the rich flavor of sweet cream, with enough zing to keep you coming back for more.

Triple Chocolate Midnight Truffle- Our rich dutch chocolate cookie is loaded with dark chocolate chips and then sprinkled with cocoa powder for a triple chocolate treat. Packaging features natural tan linen with mocha accents.

Benne Wafers- Long known as "the seed of good luck," the rich flavor of the benne seed has graced Southern recipes for generations. Still made in the same tradition, our thin, crisp cookies are laden with crunchy benne seeds and sweetened with a blend of maple and brown sugar for a true one-of-a-kind taste.

Come by and check them out, you will love them!!!

New Paula Deen Furniture Arrives At GH

You may remember the photo below from a FaceBook post I did from the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina back in April...Shawn and I were fortunate to meet Paula Deen again as they were doing the photo shoot above. We had the opportunity to have met her before in Savannah, this time she was so sweet she kindly said "I thought I recognized ya'll!...so warm from a woman who meets thousands of people! (And for the record I tried to take a photo of Shawn and Paula however, I was a little nervous...I was apparently shaking and the photo was blurry leaving many to ask if we got butter on the lens!)

At any rate we fell in love with her newest "Down Home" collection. We are told that many of the pieces are reinterpreted vintage and antique pieces that she personally owns. We just really felt whether you were a Paula Deen fan or not the line was so fresh, the details are very special and unique...we had to bring it to you.

The chair below comes in other finishes and in a arm chair version. It is called the Corrie Kitchen chair. I believe Corrie is Paula's niece, and we heard that she has a version of this chair in her guest apartment at Paula's Savannah home. We think it is a great scale and looks great at the Sawhorse desk.

Probably one of our favorites is the cabinet below (called the Dish Pantry), love the color combination! The details are wonderful. It is a perfect display piece in a dining room, living room or office.

These little cloverleaf shaped end tables below are called "Lemonade Stands" and the colors are wonderful. So unique they feel vintage. There are several finishes including Molasses (dark rich, stain), Porch Swing (Distressed white), Screen Door (a blue green), and Oatmeal.

Another great cabinet below called Paula's Kitchen Organizer..it is really fabulous! We thought it would be perfect for a small kitchen in a cabin or lake house. It is finished so beautifully inside, it has an outlet for appliances, wouldn't that be wonderful in a guest suite with a coffee maker, or mini microwave? Love it!!

This great drop leaf end table below is wonderful in the living room but, wouldn't it be great between two twin beds!

Come in and see some of these wonderful new pieces for yourself. They really are special and we are thrilled to be able to bring them to you. As Paula might say...See ya'll soon!!!

A Great New Gourmet Line to Add To Our Summer Pantry

As you know we just finished the July Market in Atlanta and it was a really good show! Shawn and I wanted to find some more gourmet lines to bring into both shops not only for our GH Summer Pantry but for some great staples throughout the year. The criteria was- it had to be versatile, unique, delicious, simple and well priced. We also wanted it to be "giftable" so a pretty package was certainly a plus. We found several new lines and I am happy to introduce the first to you this week (yes, it has already arrived believe it or not).

We are thrilled to bring you Foxys Gourmet! This exciting new line met all of our criteria and more! We can't wait for you to try their products. They are beautifully packaged making them great gifts and all of their products are:

• MSG free; No trans-fat; No artificial sweeteners
• No artificial color; No preservatives
• Made in nut free facility

Experience the versatility of the savory gourmet dip mixes. Some of the flavors include Sun Dried Tomato, Garlic Herb, Cheddar Onion, Olive Tappenade, Lemon Dill, Onion Chive, and Roasted Red Pepper. These delicious dips can be used as toppings on countless entrée possibilities. Have one as a dip for crusty French bread, sliced vegetables or flat breads. Delight in the ease of creating gourmet dips at your next epicurean event. Simply add sour cream and mayonnaise and you can even dress them up by adding fresh items like chopped parsley, spinach or even olives to create an incredibly delicious "home-made" tasting treat.

You will enjoy the Sweet Dips as a topping on many desserts and fruits including bananas, strawberries, pears, apples, and so much more! The dips are so easy, simply add milk, cream or water to the mix to create an incredibly rich, creamy and delicious sweet treat. We went crazy over the Creamy Caramel, you just add water and you have a incredibly rich, decadent caramel sauce great on apples or drizzled over cheesecake!

And just wait until you try the amazing cocktail mixes. You can be your own bartender and dazzle your friends and family with impressive martinis, daiquiris, mojitos, and margaritas! Master the art of modern entertaining and use these gourmet mixes to make delicious and unique cocktails. Combine the mix with a few bar ingredients to create a sensational drink. These tasty mixes will become a delightful addition to your cocktail repertoire. Imagine some of these fabulous concoctions:

Chocolate Seduction Martini
Raspberry Buzz Mojito
Cool Lime Mojito
Cotton Candy Daiquiri
Raspberry Lipstick Margarita
Cloud Nine Martini

And get this there are 12 more flavors!!!! Come in and see us and we'll show you the whole line!