Garden and Seaside Inspiration

Welcome to Roger's Gardens in Orange County, CA

http://www.rogersgardens.com/

Dear Blog Friends,

I've been writing a lot lately so needed a creative break and I promised to show you Roger's Gardens in Orange County, CA which was part of the tour my hubby and I took recently up the southern CA coast, a.k.a. SoCal. I was thrilled when my friend Erin Houghton told me about Roger's Gardens and I think you'll see why, so let's go!

My hubby and I began our tour at the entrance...


I loved the big floral banner that told us they were "Now Open!"


Hubby Steve took this shot of the "Renaissance Women" as he called us...


They had delightful orchids displayed in these beautiful pots of all shapes and sizes...


And the blue hydrangeas everywhere were incredible!


Their displays were meticulous and artful and there was room after room of them...


I was ready to sit down to dinner!


They also had beautiful furnishings for sale everywhere.

I loved this "faux cathedral window" or at least that's my name for it!

And I was also ready to have tea!

Big Ben stood watch over this incredible green urn...

And this colorful floral was ready to take home!

Again, I was mesmerized by every color and shape of pot imaginable!

And I loved all the red here...

Dear St. Francis was feeding the birds...

And this pretty lady presided over this urn...

Oh so pretty in pink...

And a rhapsody of white to die for!

I hope you enjoyed my tour of Roger's Gardens! Now we're off to the world famous Hotel Laguna for a nice lunch on their seaside terrace. Please join us!

Hubby Steve catching some rays at Hotel Laguna, which is perched on the bluff in downtown Laguna Beach, CA, right above its own private beach. It's one of our favorite places to go for lunch as the sun is always magnificent, especially at sunset time! Here's a little map: http://www.hotellaguna.com/location.html

Okay then, we're done catching some rays at the beach and must get back to work!

I hope you enjoyed my creative tour up the SoCal coast. When I'm busy writing, a "beauty break" of some sort always refreshes me and gives me creative inspiration. It also relaxes me for stress management. I observe by keeping my eyes open, letting the beauty of nature and other creative artisans' work sink into my very soul. I come back home refreshed and ready to dig in and tackle my next intense writing project.

How do you relax and recharge? What fuels your creativity? What inspires you? Feel free to leave a comment below!

'Til Next Time!

Kathryn :)

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

Let's Take a Creative Road Trip Up the CA Coast

Artist Erin Houghton of http://www.thepaintedgarden.net/

welcomes me and hubby Steve to her home and studio...

Dear Blog Friends,

Spring has sprung and recently it was time for a creative road trip for me and hubby Steve. Won't you join us?

Two or three years ago artist Erin Houghton found my blog and e-mailed me. Turns out we had a lot in common and became e-friends and she also hired my professional writing and consulting services. I have long admired Erin's beautiful "happy garden art" (my term) and decided to have her paint a custom piece for my kitchen. Luckily Erin lives just up the CA coast from us, so off we were.

As we stepped inside Erin's front door to her lovely cottage-style home, we were embraced by her charming colorful paintings hanging everywhere...

We had a nice chat in her sunny living room...

And toured her garage studio to get ideas for my custom painting...

Yummy colors and motifs--oh which one to choose?!

All her paintings are so happy, but I decided to stick with my original plan of a custom piece just for my kitchen. I can't wait to see what she comes up with...

And I also love the little geranium painting she gave me as a gift.

It says "Welcome" and now hangs by my front door.

Erin's cute dog Bentley is her biggest painting helper and he loves her outdoor garden!

Hubby Steve took a rest in Erin's sweet garden after our nice lunch at her home, and then we were off to tour the fabulous Roger's Gardens that Erin recommended. Stay tuned next post as we take that wonderful tour and have lunch on the seaside terrace at the famed historical Hotel Laguna.

All creatives, writers and artists alike, need "beauty breaks." Do you have a road trip planned any time soon to fuel your own creativity? I heartily recommend it as an effective time and stress management tool. Not to mention it's fun!

Happy Travels!

Kathryn :)

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

You CAN Get Organized With Ease!

My newest downloadable e-book to make your life easier!

Dear Blog Friends,

Are you overwhelmed by your "e-mail elephant," "paperwork pileup," or "business card bulge?!" No more!

Here's what a "Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work" author says about my new e-book, which I've updated from my previous newspaper column/audiotape:

“Freedom at last! Kathryn offers simple, clear, and concise tips on how to bring order to our work and personal lives. Following her fun, effective steps will create the motivation and flow for so many of us who want to organize our over-burdened and stressful lifestyles.”

--Tim Clauss, Co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work

http://www.martinrutte.com/tim.html

To see the Table of Contents and to buy* this e-book or one of my six other organizing, decorating, and business e-books for only $10 each (or NEW! package savings) go to my new e-book store here:

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/store/

*A portion of every e-book you buy from my website store is donated to the prevention of child abuse. "Because every child deserves to bloom at home." (TM)

Happy Organizing!

Kathryn
http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

In Memory of My Gentleman Cat Beau

Beau

1993-2009

Dear Blog Friends,

A long chapter of our life has ended as hubby Steve and I just lost, only two weeks after our dear Monique to kidney failure, our loving Beau, to cancer. They were our dear "fur kids" and my devoted writing assistants for nearly 15 years.

We chose Beau from about 40 cats at a Scottish Fold breeder in Omaha, NE when he was nine months old. He stood out to me immediately as he was my kind of guy and one word always described him perfectly...

GENTLEMAN. No matter what vet we took him to over the years (we've moved quite a lot), he never failed to be called that by the latest vet and her staff, and we'd smile and say, "Yep."
His help in my office was legendary, and paper management was his specialty!


Like most guys, he hated clothes shopping, but he did love the bags because he got a kick out of the "crinkly plastic sound."

And so, when I arrived home with my new clothes, he helped himself to my shopping bags.

Like most quintessential cottage cats, he loved quilts. And he adored my hubby Steve. Like clockwork, every morning, he'd sit on Steve's chest to wake him up for work. And then he'd proceed to sit on the bathtub ledge to keep him company. Every day.

I think I already mentioned that Beau's office paper management skills were legendary!

Needless to say, we already miss our Mr. Beau very much. We learned that even our vet had a hard time with our fur babies' passings, as they were quite a special pair. She even sent us a beautiful bouquet of flowers. And it made us feel good to donate all their "cat gear" to her office for other animals.

We are sad, yet happy that Beau graced our life with his fun antics and loving gentle spirit for so long. And we are also glad that he's once again with his favorite buddy, Monique. Since we live near the Pacific Ocean, their ashes were scattered at sea, and I'm at peace because I just know they're both enjoying all that TUNA!

Hug your own fur baby. TODAY. You never know when it could be your last chance.


'Til Next Time,

Kathryn :)
http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/