garden state Products we recommend
Sterling Silver Skull Necklace

Sleek and solid, this stylized skull pendant is an artist-original design crafted in solid sterling silver. The skull pendant measures 1" in height and includes an 18" sterling silver chain. Handcrafted in the USA.

Price: 59.99

Ceramic Serving Set with Pewter Mouse Cheese Spreader

Serve up a dashing display of chic color and creative concoctions! Perfect for cheeses or hor d'oeuvres, this serving set includes an 12x6" rectangular tray of ceramic earthenware, a smaller 3" condiment/relish/spread dish of ceramic earthenware and an adorable pewter mouse cheese spreader. Handcrafted in the USA.

Price: 79.99

Sailfish Metal Wall Sculpture

A favorite nautical symbol in a full spectrum of wonderful color! This striking sailfish is cut from ground steel and hand-painted with colorful transparent paints that provide a fantastic reflective glow. Sturdy, yet lightweight, this sculpture creates an energetic focal point on any wall! Crafted in South Carolina. Recommended for indoor use only.

Price: 82.99

The Good Book Leather Journal

The Good Book Leather Journal features 160 pages of acid-free, archival-quality, thick cotton rag paper torn, folded, and stitched by hand. The pages are bound to thick leather of the highest quality and includes an attached wrap to secure the book when not in use. Best of all, the entire journal is handmade in the USA. Pages measure 5 x 6.5 inches. Available in 2 colors: Buckskin or Dark Brown.

Price: 42.99

Cup of Yarn Scarf Knitting Kit

Each 'Cup of Yarn' includes all the ingredients needed to create a multicolored full length scarf! The kit includes 270 yards of colorful acrylic yarn, a pair of 14-inch bamboo knitting needles and an instruction booklet. The finished scarf is shrink-proof and machine washable. Choose from four gorgeous flavors! Made in the USA.

Price: 18.99

garden state For Your Reading Pleasure
The Gazebo Spa: One of 5 Creative Ways to Use Your Garden Gazebo

The Gazebo Spa: One of 5 Creative Ways to Use Your Garden Gazebo

A gazebo is a great addition to any backyard because it gives it strength, charm and a focal point. But often garden gazebos sit empty because homeowners don't know what to do with them.

One solution is a Spa Gazebo - the perfect blend of beauty and functionality. Spa gazebos come in a variety of styles and allow you to enjoy a hot dip in the whirlpool rain or shine, or on a chilly fall evening.

Some are totally enclosed by walls. Others are more open with partial trellising or screens. They're wonderful if you like privacy and also help keep out pesky summer bugs.

The spa tub can be built into the ground or sit on the floor inside the gazebo. Spa gazebos look fabulous accented with pots of colorful flowers and baskets of crisply rolled towels in calming cool green and taupe colors.

Other Great Ways to use Your Garden Gazebo? Turn it into a:

*Home Office

With computer notebooks, high speed wireless internet connections and cell phones there's no need to stay stuck inside doing business. If you work at home, then take your office outdoors and enjoy the warm sun and fresh air while you're wheeling and dealing.

All you need to add is a desk, chair, some leather stackable filing boxes, and a bulletin board for the ultimate gazebo home office. Accent your space with accessories in warm earth tones-browns, greens, and terra cottas for a connected to nature feel.

Imagine how your clients will love coming to meetings in your wonderful outdoor living space!

*Kid's Playhouse

Do you have children? A gazebo makes a fabulous kid's playhouse. Position the gazebo to the side of the house so you can keep an eye on the kids, and fill it with big pillows, a small table and chairs and a throw rug.

Keep your color scheme bright and fun in playful shades of red, blue, yellow and green. Then add plenty of toys like Lego, board games, coloring books, and stuffed animals for a playhouse they'll never want to leave.

An added bonus - a playhouse gazebo will keep kids safely shaded on very sunny days.

*Potting Shed

Transform your garden gazebo into a potting shed by equipping it with a potting bench, seed packs, foliage, interesting containers, and all your favourite garden tools.

Hang some garden gloves, wall planters and a garden apron or hat at various points along the inside of the gazebo. Make a statement by artfully placing a watering can full of flowers just outside the entrance.

Your favourite hobby now has a spectacular new home.

*Yoga Retreat

You can create the ultimate space for rest and spiritual rejuvenation inside your gazebo. An open air gazebo works best for this theme and the view is important.

Place your gazebo close to water--a swimming pool, a pretty pond, a rushing waterfall, or a trickling fountain so you can gaze out at the tranquil blue water and soak in its soulful sound.

Sheer curtains tied back inside the gazebo reveal the view and will also help give you that heavenly feel. Top it off with candles, a yoga mat and an Asian garden ornament to meditate on, and you will be in heaven.

So start thinking about how you'd like to use your garden gazebo and then play around with the look and feel. The possibilities for this timeless garden structure are endless. Just use your imagination.

About the Author

Deborah Boland is the host of the popular HGTV Canada TV series, Backyard Pleasures and author of Backyard Pleasures: 7 Simple Steps to Transform Your Ho-Hum Backyard into a Breathtaking Oasis. Sign up for her FREE e-course 7 Secrets to Creating Gorgeous Garden Rooms at backyardpleasures & or visit her blog at backyardpleasuresblog

Headlines on garden state
New Jersey Grants Rights to Build a Wind Farm About 20 Miles Offshore (New York Times)

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:20:39 GMT
Regulators in New Jersey awarded the rights on Friday for construction of a $1 billion wind farm in the southern part of the state to Garden State Offshore Energy.

Spiritual spot

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:41:48 GMT
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Worst Buildings: Razing the Garden (New York Times)

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:49:37 GMT
To the Editor:.

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