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 Photo by Greg Roller
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Home&Garden departments winter 07
Dear Reader, The more I do this job, the more I’m inspired by the opportunity our homes afford us to be creative in everyday life. Indeed, “home sweet home” speaks very clearly about our traits, our passions, our habits and our joys. My home reveals a love of greenery and nostalgia for family heirlooms and art. It also shows a passion for creative cooking, with a well-supplied refrigerator and shelves of exotic cookbooks. If you look closer, you’ll see I’m also a bit of a neat freak who prefers cozy, worn and eclectic to sparse, industrial and new. And though I’m not much of a gardener (too many deer and too much digging), I enjoy the bountiful talents of the many gardeners whose plots I’ve had the privilege to visit through this magazine. All of these gardens and homes tell me a lot about their caretakers. They reveal their humor, their taste, their ego, their eye for beauty, their creativity, their values, their accomplishments and other characteristics. For example, this issue’s cover home shows one couple’s joy in taking the path less traveled. Owners Alice and Karl Starek wanted a home “outside the box.” Although not for everyone, the spiral house that Alice designed attests to this couple’s creative approach to everyday life, their love of nature and their belief in supporting the local community. The things we fill our homes with tell a lot about us, too. Mary Anne Eckert’s home shows her indefatigable passion for creating dolls and quilts—hundreds and hundreds of them. It also speaks to Mary Anne’s spirit, as she donates many of her creations to children’s homes and charities. Erin Dreistadt’s home tells of her family’s commitment to healthy living and a healthy planet. Given their modest budget, building a “green” home wasn’t easy, but unwavering values enabled this family to realize their dream. This magazine is filled with the creative efforts of ordinary people—and some not so ordinary. World-renowned botanical artist Jenny Phillips is one of these. Her exquisite flower paintings capture the beauty of nature and portray a passion for the magical things that happen in the garden every day. There are so many ways to be creative in your home, even if it’s just choosing a countertop, picking out carpeting, or refinishing that chest that’s been sitting in your garage. As for me, I’d like to thank my design team for creatively putting together this magazine, issue after issue. Karen Sperry, our editorial art director, designs the lovely layouts that make the magazine so gorgeous. Production manager Angela Bowman ensures the photos are ever so inviting, and advertising art director Hilary Stojak puts together all the pieces and designs the tasteful ads that support everyone’s efforts. Thanks to them, and many others, you can be assured of a quality magazine that hopefully will inspire your own creativity. Enjoy this season and this issue.
Sincerely,
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