Beach lovers always find a way to incorporate something coastal into their home decor, no matter what the season! If you love the beach the way we do, bring home a bit of the beach to your autumn décor just in time for Halloween!

Check out these autumn décor ideas we found online and around town!

On Seabrook Avenue, we love the cheery autumn feel of the décor going up the front steps of Ocean Song Beach Cottage.

A few pumpkins, some greenery, and a bright and playful pillow make for a tempting spot to enjoy a lazy autumn afternoon at the beach. While this front porch used natural pumpkins, why not try a design like this one featured by Better Homes and Gardens?

Ocean Song Cottage in Seabrook, WA

Just stencil the design you want on to the pumpkin using pencil (try a simple one like a few of those featured by The Pumpkin Lady) then begin filling in the stenciled space with a variety of black thumb-tacks!

This year we’re also seeing blue pumpkins popping up everywhere!

Shaunna of Perfectly Imperfect paints pumpkins every year and was thrilled with the results of Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint pictured on the pumpkins below.

With colors such as “Greek Blue” shown in these darling displays by Bonnie of A Wee Meenit, this incredible new paint may be one of the best new DIY products to come out in quite a while.

Thumb-tack Pumpkin

Greek Blue Painted Pumpkins

The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is available online from Oxford, England but if you’re here in the United States and can’t wait for a direct shipment of this paint, be sure to check the list of local retailers on Annie Sloan’s Website.

If pumpkin painting isn’t your thing, check out this gorgeous silk pumpkin design that we found at The Charm of Home. Or, you may find this rope version with step-by-step instructions from Completely Coastal interesting.

Silk Fabric Pumpkin Wrap

Rope Pumpkin Design

Both designs are an easy DIY project and either would coordinate beautifully with any color palette.

While we’ve got pumpkins on the brain, we can’t forget the classic Jack-o-Lantern!

This amazing collection of jack-o-lanterns was featured on Completely Coastal back in 2010, but it will still inspire an incredible seashore Halloween display this year!

Although we haven’t seen any jack-o-lanterns yet at Seabrook, we did find this charming wreath outside of the home of Pam and Bob Bennett, owners of Colours Pottery Painting Studio.

Decorative Seabrook Wreath

If you’re in the area, stop by Colours to ask Pam where she found this beautiful wreath while you paint a seaside keepsake.

If you can’t make it out to Seabrook this autumn, perhaps this wreath design on Etsy (by Beach Wreaths) is a little more your style?

Each wreath is completely different but both definitely capture the ambiance of autumn at the beach!

If you’ve already got a perfect autumn wreath, this collection of swags just might tempt you! Available from the Outer Banks Trading Group, they would be a perfect addition to any kitchen, entry, or sun porch.

Decorative Swag Collection

We’ve found that many beach lovers wonder how to introduce fall into a beachy room.

If you’ve ever asked yourself that same question, try creating your own version of the below driftwood centerpiece we found at Caron’s Beach House.

Coastal Fall Driftwood Centerpiece

Whether you use it for your dining room, a sofa table, or even your fireplace mantel, you’ll be love the way this display pairs with rooms filled with whites, blues, or browns already filled with beachy décor.

Finally, if you’re short on time but enjoy shells throughout your home, it doesn’t get much easier than this idea we found at Going a Little Coastal!

Autumn Leaves Decoration

Let us know which of these ideas is your favorite and share your autumn decorating ideas!

Driving through Copalis Crossing on the way to the Washington coast recently, you’ve surely noticed a charming little produce market luring tourists and locals in for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Voss Acres, North Beach’s newest local market, has quickly become a household name for fresh, quality produce and warm, friendly conversations. Since opening on Mother’s Day weekend, Voss Acres has been a delightful new addition for residents and tourists on the way to the beach.

You don’t just encounter a small produce market upon entering Voss Acres;  you immediately embark on a journey into the last century sprinkled with neat stories and traditions told by the pictures on the wall and casual conversations. Passionate owners, Steve and Sharon Voss, are always eager to share any of the fascinating history while shoppers pick fresh fruits and veggies.

For example, the house in which they both live right next to the market was built in 1898 and is one of the oldest houses in the North Beach area. What has been a renovating project for Steve over the past few years, was once a “mobile” home for the workers along the railroad – the house would move along with every section of railroad that was completed.

As you walk through the market, you’ll also notice many old souvenirs and artifacts. Steve and Sharon found most of these on the site of the house when they acquired the landmark, with some items dating back almost a 100 years. The most recent find being a spark plug piece from a Model T Ford (1909-1927).

If you circle the market building to the back, you’ll immediately spot a drove of pigs surrounded by little chicken and turkeys, ducks, etc. Fresh eggs are collected all week and sold on Saturdays.  In addition to the farm animals, adjacent is an organic farm that Steve has been passionately gardening for almost 10 years now. Local, organic carrots, beans, Swiss chard, and other vegetables are a big hit at Voss Acres. Regulars ask for them all the time as they are picked fresh and cleaned as you wait.

Otherwise, Voss Acres gets most of its produce from Charlie’s Produce in Seattle, who has an excellent network of local and national farmers delivering fresh food a couple times a week to Copalis Crossing.

Seabrook’s local grocery store has also started featuring Voss Acres’ products as of late. If you stop by the Lil’s Pantry on Front Street, greeting you is Sharon’s fresh produce that is sure to complete any meal or provide for grocery shopping during your stay at Seabrook.

Whichever way you decide to try Voss Acre’s fresh fruits and vegetables, you certainly won’t regret it. Furthermore, if you can learn a thing or two about the history of the area while you’re doing your grocery shopping, all the better. It is usually the context to a place and the people in it that make it a unique experience. Voss Acre has both, and a little bit extra.

In the meantime, check out the market’s website and add Sharon on Facebook for the latest information, news, and pictures out of Voss Acres.

It’s that time of year! When the leaves are just barely starting to change color, you know it is the best time to spend an afternoon outside picking berries! The biggest problem? Which type to pick when you have so many yummy berries to choose from!

Here at the beach, we not only have delicious blackberries, but also red and black huckleberries to enjoy. There are so many different recipes you can prepare with the berries you pick. From berry pies to cobbler, smoothies, and cocktails, the opportunities are endless. Here are the top five scrumptious berry recipes that are fun to prepare and even better to enjoy!

1. Huckleberry Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup milk
4 ounces huckleberries, fresh or frozen, red or black, plus extra, for serving
Whipped butter and maple syrup, as an accompaniment

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Then, stir in eggs, oil, and milk until mixed. Do not beat the mixture.
Pour 2 to 6 ounce ladles of batter on a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan. Then, add 1 ounce of huckleberries to each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Place the pancakes on a large plate. Then garnish with huckleberries, whipped butter, and hot maple syrup.

2. Huckleberry Salad

Ingredients:
2 oz mixed greens
1 oz Chantrelle mushrooms
½ oz hazlenuts
1 cup huckleberries (red or black)
½ cup olive oil
½ cup sugar
½ cup water

To make the vinaigrette salad, bring the huckleberries, sugar and water to a boil. Reduce by half. Take 1 cup of the reduced huckleberries and add raspberry vinegar and olive oil. Mix well.
For the salad, sear the Chantrelle mushrooms in 1 Tbl. olive oil until they are soft. Cover mixed greens with warm mushrooms and hazelnuts. Add 2 oz. of the warm vinaigrette dressing. Top with goat cheese. Serves one.

3. Blackberry Cocktails

Ingredients:
1 (0.75-oz.) package fresh mint sprigs
12 (1/4-inch-thick) cucumber slices
2 (6-oz.) packages fresh blackberries
3/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
8 to 12 tsp. turbinado sugar*
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. gin
1 cup cold club soda
Crushed ice
Garnishes: cucumber slices, fresh blackberries, lime wedges, lemon mint sprigs

Place first 5 ingredients in a large pitcher. Gently press mint leaves, cucumbers, and blackberries against side of pitcher with a wooden spoon to release flavors. Stir in gin and club soda. Serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.
*Superfine or powdered sugar may be substituted.

4. Huckleberry Sauce for Salmon

Ingredients:
1/2 pint of huckleberries (black huckleberries work best for color contrast)
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or use a tsp or two of fresh lemon zest – this might even be better!)
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 jalapeno (seeded or not depending on your taste)
1 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp. water

Add the first 5 ingredients (through to the jalapeno) in a small saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Then add the cornstarch solution and simmer another 5-7 minutes until thickened. Serve over grilled or baked salmon that is still slightly pink and tender in the middle (we like ours grilled). This is enough for at least 4 servings – possibly more depending on how big your servings are.

5. Blackberry Cobbler Recipe

Ingredients:
Berry mixture:
4 cups blackberries, rinsed clean
1/2 cup sugar (less or more to taste, depends on how sweet the berries are and how sweet you would like your cobbler to be)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch (for thickening, can use instant tapioca instead)
Cobbler topping:
3 Tbsp sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Place berries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a 9×9 casserole dish. Stir to coat the berries evenly with the sugar. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of sugar, the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender or fork (or even your fingers) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the egg and milk until the batter is just moistened.
Taking large spoonfuls, drop the batter mixture over the berries. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the berry mixture is bubbly and the topping is nicely browned.

With a campfire burning, stars twinkling, and a warm breeze blowing, there’s nothing better than spending an evening outside with friends and family.  Such a perfect summer evening calls for the perfect summer dessert and there is nothing so quintessentially summer as a s’more!  All it takes is a few gooey marshmallows, a delicious chocolate bar, and a scrumptious graham cracker to create this classic summer treat. Whether you’re looking for a new take on the traditional recipe or just want to stick with what you now, here are five delicious s’mores recipes!

The Classic S’more

Nothing quite like the original!

1 large marshmallow
1 chocolate candy bar (1.5 oz)
1 graham cracker

Skewer the marshmallow on a long pointy stick over an open flame until it begins to brown and melt. Break the graham cracker in half and sandwich the chocolate between the cracker and the hot marshmallow.  Allow the marshmallow to cool for a moment before eating.

Chocolate Peanut Butter S’mores

Three of the most crave-able treats combined into one!

2 large chocolate chip cookies
1 teaspoon hot fudge ice cream topping
2 large marshmallows
1 full-size peanut butter cup

Spread the bottom of one cookie with fudge topping. Then, using a long pointy stick or a long-handled fork, heat the marshmallow over an open flame until golden brown, turning occasionally. Carefully place the marshmallow and a peanut butter cup on the fudge-topped cookie.  Top with remaining cookie and serve immediately.

Ginger & Caramel S’mores

Give your s’more a kick with gingersnaps and caramel-filled chocolate!

2 large ginger snaps
1 Ghirardelli dark chocolate-caramel square
1 large marshmallow

Place a Ghirardelli dark chocolate-caramel square on one of the two ginger snaps. Next, using a long pointy stick or a long-handled fork, heat the marshmallow over an open flame until golden brown, turning occasionally. Carefully place the marshmallow on the chocolate topped ginger snap.  Top with remaining ginger snap and serve immediately.

Nutella & Raspberry S’mores

If you’re nuts about Nutella, try this European take on the American classic!

1 tablespoon Nutella
2 large marshmallows
7 ripe raspberries
1 Honey Wafer, cut into quarters

You can purchase the delicious Honey Wafers from the Honey Wafer Baking Company in Illinois (don’t worry they ship!).  Started in 1925 by Macedonian immigrants, the original recipe brought over from Europe is still used today.  Take one of the 8” wafers and cut into quarters, using two quarters per s’more.  On one quarter, spread Nutella over one side of the wafer.  Next, skewer the marshmallow on a long pointy stick over an open flame until it begins to brown and melt.  Sandwich the marshmallow  between the Nutella covered wafer and the other quarter of the wafer.  Allow the marshmallow to cool for a moment before eating.

Banana S’mores

This gooey cousin of the s’more is so deliciously messy, it takes a fork to enjoy!

1 large marshmallow
1 chocolate candy bar (1.5 oz)
1 large banana, ripened to taste
1 graham cracker
Paring knife
Long pointy stick
Long-handled tongs
12” x 12” sheet of aluminum foil

Pull away one side of a banana’s peel, slit an opening about three quarters of the way through the banana and insert small chocolate pieces and marshmallows into the cut. Re-cover the stuffed banana with the banana’s peel, wrap the entire banana (peel and all) in foil. Lay the foil packet on the hot coals of the campfire for a few minutes. Once the chocolate and marshmallows are melted, carefully remove the foil packet with tongs. Open the packet, pull off the banana peel and crumble graham cracker crumbs on top. Place it in a bowl (it’s hot!), grab a fork (its messy), and enjoy.

This Friday, April 22 marks the 41st anniversary of Earth Day! This important day is recognized around the world for raising awareness about the environment and the small daily actions to which people can commit creating a healthier, cleaner, more sustainable world.

This year, Earth Day’s theme is A Billion Acts of Green. A Billion Acts of Green is an organization aiming to reach one billion actions of environmental service and advocacy world-wide prior to the global Earth Summit being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2012.

Right now, people all over the planet are registering their personal, company, and community commitments to A Billion Acts of Green. The actions being pledged can be as simple as packing your children a waste-free lunch or washing laundry in cold water. Larger actions include creating a community recycling program or implementing an environmental education program.

Here at Seabrook, we are concerned about the health of the community as well as the planet, and every decision we make reflects that concern. We believe that nothing is more beautiful than the natural environment, and nothing is greener than something that lasts. In fact, green building has been an emphasis of ours since day one. With this in mind, we asked some of our employees and homeowners what their pledge will be this Earth Day. Here is what they had to share:

• Walk to work rain or shine
• Better support our local businesses
• Adopt a low-animal product diet
• Grow more fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit
• Bring a trash bag on beach walks to keep our beach pristine

Share your commitment to the environment this Earth Day. What are some of the ways you pledge to start acting green? Let us know in the comments below!

Interested in learning more about what other aspects of Seabrook are focused on a green and sustainable lifestyle? Check out Seabrook’s Sustainability Statement and take a look at these videos that The Green Economy TV series creates about Seabrook’s Green Features.