Romantic Prairie Style

As I mentioned in my post from last weekend, I received my copy of Fifi's wonderful book entitled Romantic Prairie Style recently.  Many of you already own a copy, and if you've been visiting my blog for any length of time then you may have noticed a link to this book in my sidebar, and for good reason.

You see, I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at a few of the photos from Fifi's wonderful book ahead of time when she was here shooting last summer.  She and the very talented Mark Lohman, who photographed the entire book, were here shooting the stories I recently had published in Country Sampler Magazine and Cottage Style Magazine, and Mark and Fifi were fresh off some of the shoots for the book.

I knew right away that this book was going to be something special.  After watching Mark and Fifi work together, you get a sense that they make a wonderful team, and it shows in the finished product...Romantic Prairie Style. 

The book, which has been a dream of Fifi's for some time, reflects her love of everything romantic, country, and also her love of the simple beauty of living.  Together with Mark, she more than captured the idyllic prairie style that so many of us try and capture in our own homes and lives.

Like summer soirees or intimate family gatherings spent chasing fireflies amidst lush green lawns and the backdrop of farm fields.  Or humble, sturdy homes that are filled with useful yet beautiful things that remind us of days gone by, and connect us to those who came before us.

I love that these are real homes, owned by real families who have found a way to mix the gritty realities of life with the beauty life has to offer.

As  with any book, be it a novel or a decorating book chock full of beautiful images, you need to be moved by it, and this book moves me.  It is my very own grown up version of the Little House on the Prairie books which I read when I was little.  Those books made me don bonnets and skirts and pick berries in the field across from my house.  Fifi's book has that same effect on me, and it makes me want to make my own jam, raise chickens, and live simply and beautifully.

Inspiration, glorious photos, and a warm happy feeling...that's what Romantic Prairie Style provides!  And to my friends Mark and Fifi...congratulations on a job well done, and big hugs!


Spread the Love...


Meadowbrook Farm...(loved her latest post, it so could have been about me!)

So Excited

Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes for my daughter.  She was so thrilled to see your comments on her photography and of course the great birthday greetings!

I hope each of you is having a wonderful weekend!  I know I am....it's absolutely glorious fall weather outside, time to pull out the fall decor and shop for pumpkins, gourds, and everything the season has to offer!

But before I head out the door, I want to show you a few gifts I recently received!  My dear friend Connie, from Hartwood Roses, sent me this gift!  I got home very late one evening last week, and I was so excited to find a package from her in my mailbox.  

She knows how much I love anything crab related, and when she heard about my rough week, she thought of me and sent me these wonderful little crab placecard holders from Pottery Barn!  Aren't they too cute?!

Connie is always busy...this weekend she is off selling her beautiful roses in Richmond, Virginia.  I hope she has a wonderful sale!

But even with all she has going on, she took the time to mail me something she knew I would treasure!  I'm not surprised though, she is just like that and I'm so lucky to be able to call her my friend!  Thank you Connie, I can't wait to use these cute crabs with my crab plates for one last taste of summer!

I also wanted to share with you something else wonderful that was sent to me this week!  The other day it was cloudy and rainy here and when I stepped out on my back patio to let the dogs out, this is what I saw in the sky!  I was so excited and ran inside to grab the camera.

Call me crazy, but my friend Dan clearly sent me this little heart shaped cloud from above...I have no doubt!  And even though it is a bit of a broken heart, if you look closely at the upper left hand corner of the cloud, you'll see almost a perfect outline of a whole heart...so symbolic and so like him to let me know that he is happy and for me to not worry or be sad.

As it slowly drifted over the field and off across the water, I couldn't help but smile, even on such a gray and dreary day, knowing that those we love really are never that far away from us!

And last, but certainly not least in my book, I was over the moon last night when I stopped by my local Giant grocery store and saw a copy of this...the new issue of Romantic Country Magazine!  It's packed with wonderful articles and great decorating ideas for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!  

And there on page 34 was my name...Kat Warren, the author of the story on designer Dena Fishbein's gorgeous home!  And on page 16 is even one of the photos I took of Dena's beautiful bedding!  Now I know it's silly because I've been published now for 12 years in regional magazines, but I was giddy with happiness to know that I am finally in a national magazine.  Thank you Fifi for taking a chance on me!  And now my friends and family can just go to their local store and pick up a copy...so exciting!

I hope you all have a great weekend!