October Festivals on the Carolina Coast Continue...

Yesterday, I traveled down to Myrtle Beach to go to Market Commons, a particularly pretty shopping center that has all the shops I love. 

Had to take a picture of this so that I could capture the blue October sky!

Isn't this a pretty place to shop?

I particularly love browsing through Williams Sonoma  - makes me want to have a party!  And, I've always loved their table linens...

After finishing my shopping, I walked down into an area I'd never been in before, and saw...

what looked like another October Festival!  I got closer and could see a happy crowd of people, sipping wine and enjoying some VERY GOOD music.

Turns out, it was the Myrtle Beach Wine Festival!!  I was in.  All of you know how I love wine and music.

Check out these hand-blown wine bottles.  The booth owner said they contained aged Port Wine, and each bottle was uniquely shaped.  

Selecting a wine to sample, I had my glass filled and moved closer to the music.  The band had Everyone's Attention, and I was captivated by these two little boys - who leaped up from their seat on the grass and began dancing with abandon...

They were oblivious to the crowd, and were just Grooving to the Music.

With that happy scene in mind, I left to go to the next Festival...The Annual October Fall Brawl Fishing Tournament.   When I got there, Husband was on duty as the Official Weigh Master, with cousin Brenda standing by to Tag.  Here's a photo of last year's winner - a monster King Mackerel that tipped the scales at nearly 57 pounds!

Image from Fishermanspost.

This year, the leading fish is right at 30 pounds...but the Tournament is not over yet!

Tonight, the final October Oyster Roast, hosted by the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, as they will hand out Thousands of Dollars in prize money for the largest King Mackerel, along with prizes for Lady, Senior, and Kids Anglers.  


What an October it has been!  But I'm missing Atlanta and the hardwood trees...I want to see yellow and orange and red leaves drifting down to the lawn, smell the acorns, and hear the wind in the Oak Trees.  Time to go home.


Thank you, Carolina Coast, for another beautiful October Festival Season!

Deciding Against Oil Rubbed Bronze

As you can see, I am FULL BORE trying to get this job under control so that I can go back to Atlanta and dance with my husband, cutting table, sewing machine and rude geese while the guys make our Beach Cottage beautiful and cozy.  Hopefully in our absence.

For the last 24 hours, I've been hot on the trail of Cabinet and Door Hardware, and I do mean hot.  After looking at images and samples until my brain blurred, I realized what was wrong with the Oil Rubbed Bronze that I have loved so much, for so many years...  It's too dark for my new warm white cabinets.  Take a look at these images:

Image from Decor Pad

 Do you see how these drawer pulls look like Black Polka Dots??  The pristine finish on the cabinets is simply jarred by the splots of black from the ORB knobs.

Now look at this:

 

Image from Heather and Lockyear

See how the cabinets are quietly wearing their hardware instead of the hardware wearing them?  That's what I'm talking about.  They are in the groove together, dancing in perfect harmony.

I finally realized that although I truly love the look and feel of any aged metal, it doesn't belong in my light and bright Beach Cottage.  


The funny thing was, when I put my hand on the front door knob of WB Properties to leave their office today, I was happy to see my hand grasping what looked liked an ancient, reclaimed metal knob.  Only it wasn't.  It was an Oil Rubbed Bronze knob that the dark patina had partially worn off of, leaving a mottled, copperish finish that looked like it belonged on a Factory Door!  So lovely, but... our Beach Cottage isn't an old factory... Love that, but it isn't.  So.  Done.