About barbara

I'm sure you are wondering how the blog was named, "The Enchanted Manor". Well, this blog will be like home to me and I wanted a name that reflected my different interests. During a normal day you can find me in several rooms of the house. Maybe I'll be in the living room decorating, or in my craft room working on a project, or in the dining room planning a great dinner party or at the computer in my office planning a great vacation. When you come to visit my blog you might find me in any room! Please return often for ideas and inspiration because this blog will be about decor, craft, celebration and travel. So, welcome to the "Enchanted Manor". Come in, sit down and let's talk!

Craft – Halloween Signs

Haloween sign - Treat or Treat finished sign  Haloween sign - Eat Drink and Be Scary  finished sign

Last year I made a Christmas sign to hang over our fireplace mantel where I displayed my Department 56 North Pole Village in our family room.  Then, when I was decorating my home office where I write my lifestyle blog, I made a sign for The Enchanted Manor.  (To take a look at the Christmas and home office signs, please see the photos from these two Décor Posts, Department 56 North Pole Village and Home Office)  Both these signs turned out great and I was very happy with the results, so this year I decided to make two new signs for Halloween.

The inspiration for the signs starts with the popular wall decals that are sold in the craft stores.  Usually these self-adhesive decals are directly attached to the walls, but I decided to use them in a different way and make seasonal holiday signs that I can be display in our home.  With a little bit of paint and a few additional items to add some interest to the signs, these craft projects may take a little longer to create but I think the results are worth the effort!  I have seen seasonal signs in retail stores that sell for a minimum of $50 or more and I can create great looking custom signs for a fraction of that cost.

In this post I will explain the steps needed to create my custom Halloween signs.

Step one

The first item needed to create a seasonal sign is a self-adhesive wall decal or wooden letters.  Wall decals are very popular and there is a great selection available in local craft store.  If you can’t find the exact wording needed for your sign, consider using large wooden letters.  The two Halloween signs created for this craft project will be using decals, one is “Trick or Treat” and the other is “Eat Drink & Be Scary”.

Haloween sign - checking placement

Step two

After the decal for the craft project is selected, I will shop for additional items to use as embellishments.  Select decorative items that match the theme of the decal which also add interest and some dimension to the sign.  For the “Trick or Treat” sign I found some resin candy corns to use.  For the “Eat Drink & Be Scary” sign I found a small resin pumpkin wearing a witch hat and some spiders.

Step three

Select a board that will fit the decal’s measurements with additional space around the decal of a minimum of 3 inches.  Wood can be used for this craft project but there is always a risk of the wood warping or splitting over time.  For my seasonal signs I used MDF board which usually costs less than a piece of wood and the surface is much smoother and no sanding is required.  Next, with the help of my husband, he cut the MDF boards to match the measurements I needed for the two signs.

Step four

Select a color for the sign’s base paint, this color will become the background color of the sign. Using a paint roller for a smoother finish, paint the board.  Be sure to paint the edges of the board for a finished look.  Allow it to dry overnight, if the paint is not completely dry it will cause problems later in step five.  For my signs, I used an off white semi-gloss paint that we had leftover from a previous home project.

Haloween sign - painting the base color

Step five

Determine what color or colors to use for the boarder or trim sections of the sign.   When selecting colors, choose ones that coordinate and compliment the colors of the decal.  Then, when the base paint of the board has completely dried, use painter’s tape to create straight edges for the boarders of the sign.  Allow the paint to dry completely; if the tape is removed too soon the edges can smug.

For the “Trick or Treat” sign I used a metallic green paint for the boarder and black paint for the trim and for the “Eat Drink & Be Scary” sign I used black paint for the boarder and a metallic bronze paint for the trim.

Haloween sign - using painter's tape for border and trim

Haloween sign - painting border and trim

Haloween sign - boarder and trim paint

Step six

When the board is completely dried but before peeling the back off the decal, place the decal in the desired position on the board and add the decorative items.  When you find a visually pleasing arrangement, remove the backing from the self-adhesive decal and carefully attach it to the boards while smoothing out any bumps.  If you need help making the wording level and straight, you can draw a very light pencil mark to aid in the placement of the decal.

Step seven

The final step is to attach the decorative items in their pre-determined places on the board with hot glue for heavier items and stick glue for lighter items.  For the “Trick or Treat” sign I hot glued resin candy canes around the board to create a fun border.  For the “Eat Drink & Be Scary” sign I hot glued a cute pumpkin in a witch’s hat between the words.  I found some fuzzy spiders in the scrapbook section of my local craft store, they had self-adhesive backs and I attached them to the board.  On either side of the board I positioned a spider and drew a black line with a marker to create the illusion of a spider hanging from a web.

Haloween sign - decorative items placement

I was very happy with the results of these two Halloween sign craft project.  The “Trick or Treat” sign was hung in our entry foyer, a picture hook was attached to the back so that it could be hung on the wall.  The “Eat Drink & Be Scary” sign was put on the top of the kitchen cabinets using a standing plate holder and displayed with a ceramic pumpkin and my daughter’s toy black cat.  They both look great and are a fun addition to our Halloween decorations!

Front entry

Kitchen 1

Decor – Halloween Decorations

Front door autumn wreath

Like most seasons throughout the year I enjoy decorating our home for each of the different holidays and Halloween is no exception!  I try to keep the decorations fun with just a touch of elegance.

Let’s start on the front porch … every year I place two artificial pumpkins outside near the potted plants.  Usually I will add several more real pumpkins that we will later use to make roasted pumpkin seeds and my husband’s delicious pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving dinner.  Next, I placed a wooden “Trick or Treat” black cat into the potted plant for a whimsical Halloween touch and I also added several long-stemmed sunflowers.  Just under the front porch overhang I hung a quirky “Enter If You Dare” wooden sign and on the front door I hung an oval fall wreath decorated with golden chrysanthemums and autumn leaves.  After Halloween I will attach a resin oval pumpkin that has a small metal “Welcome” sign to the Autumn wreath.

Front porch

In our entry foyer is a low wooden bench and I placed a three foot high scarecrow which holds a wooden sign that says, “Welcome Happy Harvest”, that is decorated with sunflowers and berry sprays.  Next to the bench is a wooden pedestal with a floral arrangement of white rose and during the fall season I add several peasant feathers to the arrangement for a festive touch.  This year I change the picture on the wall with a new Halloween “Trick or Treat” sign that I recently made.  (For more information and instructions on how to create this one of these for your home, please check out this month’s Craft post, Halloween signs)

Front entry

To the right of the entry is our library and in this room is an oak wooden lawyer’s bookcase which holds my Boyd’s Bear collection.  As discussed in a previous post, Displaying a Boyds Bear Collection Part One, I usually decorate the bookcase for each of the different seasons and holidays throughout the year.  For Autumn I added several acorns and oak leaves to the Boyds figurines to the top two shelves.  On the bottom shelf of the bookcase my Boyds Bear Village is displayed and this will also get a seasonal change.  This year I added several cornstalks and sunflower plants, I had searched in the local craft stores and couldn’t find any that I liked or were the size that I needed.  Finally, I found plastic cornstalks and small sunflower buttons.  I added small berry seeds to the cornstalks that would resemble ears of corn and for the small sunflower buttons I added twigs to resemble stems.  To finish the display I add a group of Halloween trick or treaters.

Boyds Bears Bookcase - fall decorations

Boyds Bears Bookcase - Boyds Village fall decorations

Moving on to the family room, I decorated the fireplace mantel with artificial pine boughs and layered on sprays of berries, grapes and burgundy colored magnolias to create a festive autumn floral arrangement and on either side I finished the display by adding two scarecrows.  To the left of the fireplace is a bookcase that has a display of family photos that are displayed year-round.  For Halloween I removed some of the photos in a few of the gold frames and exchanged them for other photos of my children wearing some of my favorite Halloween costumes.  To the right bookcase I replaced a photo with a cute photo of my dog when she was wearing her Halloween costume.  To give the photo a festive look I add simple scrapbook letters in the shape of bones that spell out “Happy Halloween”.  These simple changes are a wonderful way to add some seasonal style in an easy way.  To the bookcase I also added a few wooden pumpkins and a special ceramic pumpkin that my daughter made years ago.  Also displayed in the bookshelf is a display of the Disneyland Haunted Mansion decorated as Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas.  (For more information about this entertaining 1993 Disney movie, please see this month’s post, the Nightmare Before Christmas movie)

Family room bookshelves

Family room bookshelves  - Haunted Mansion Holiday   Family room bookcase 2
Halloween picture frame supplies  Halloween picture frame

The next room to be decorated is the kitchen.  On one side of the kitchen sink is a next to a basket of artificial vegetables where I placed a small resin pumpkin and on the other side of the sink I placed a Halloween witch.  On the granite top kitchen island is a lovely ceramic pitcher filled with ivory sunflowers and for an unexpected touch I’ve added several peacock feathers.

2012-11-15 07.59.06

Kitchen witch  Kitchen autumn floral arrangement

Across the room there is counter desk area with cabinets overhead.  In the space above the cabinet I removed the sign that is usually there year-round and replaced it with a Halloween sign I made recently that says “Eat drink & be scary” that is decorated with spiders.  Next to the sign I placed a large ceramic pumpkin and a black cat stuffed toy to complete the display.  (For more information and instructions on how to create a seasonal sign your home, please check out this month’s Craft post, Halloween signs)

Kitchen 1

The room to be decorated is the dining room.  Currently there is a lovely floral arrangement of gold roses that usually is displayed with an antique doily on the dining room table.  The color of the roses is still appropriate for the autumn season and will remain there until I set the dining room table for our thanksgiving dinner in November when I have some wonderful plans for some festive decorations.  (Please check next month for a Décor Post, Thanksgiving table Decorations, for more information and photos)

The finishing touches to the dining room are two different jeweled pumpkins that I made this year.  The first one was very easy; it is a plain ivory ceramic pumpkin that I bought from a local craft store which I decorated with black crystals and spiders. for an elegant Halloween Pumpkin.  This elegant Halloween pumpkin sits on top of the tall cabinet near the dining room table.  The other two pumpkins are also very easy to make, they are small bisque pumpkins that I bought from the craft store and painted in a beautiful bronze metallic color with the stem painted a pale green metallic color.  Then to add a little sparkle I glued individually placed beautiful dark topaz crystals.  The pumpkins are placed into two Nortiake Rothschild teacups and displayed in the china cabinet.  (For more information about creating these elegant pumpkins, please check out this month’s Craft Post, Jeweled Pumpkins)

Jeweled Pumpkin 2 final  Jeweled Pumpkin on display in china cabinet

The last few items that I want to share when I’m decorating for the Halloween season are handmade decorations that my Mom made several years ago.  Now that she passed away, these decorations have become very sentimental to me and eventually they will be passed onto my children so that they will have something to cherish from their grandmother.  The first is a fabric witch with pipe cleaner arms and legs riding on a broom that my mother crafted almost 35 years ago and it has hung in all the houses that I have lived in since my mother made it for me.  The second is a fabric bat that my mother made around the same time and it has been a part of my annual decorations for years.  The third item is a large fabric cat that my mother made and I use as a pillow decoration of our sofa or recliner chair.  Bringing these decorations that my Mom created and displaying them every Halloween just puts a smile on my face!

Halloween 2003 - Witch

 

The Queen’s Jewelry Collection (Part One)

Over the past months there have been two posts that discussed the Crown Jewels of England, Part One and Part Two.  Part One detailed the Royal Regalia which is used in the Coronation of the British Monarch and Part Two had information on some of the other items within the Crown Jewels collection, such as Queen Victoria’s small diamond crown and the Queen Mother’s crown with the famous 105 carat Koh-I-Nor diamond.  (yes, the diamond is that large!)   This post will detail some of the items in the Queen’s personal collection; such as the George IV State Diadem, several beautiful tiaras and other pieces of lovely jewelry that have been passed down within the royal family.

By definition the British Monarch’s Jewels are a collection of tiaras, necklaces, earrings and brooches that are part of their personal collection.  Queen Elizabeth II is the current British Monarch and for her coronation in 1953 she wore St. Edward’s Crown and for the annual State Opening of Parliament she wears the Imperial State Crown. (for more information about these two crowns please see Crown Jewels – Part One)  According to tradition, the Crown Jewels never leave England, so when the Queen travels to another country she will wear one of several tiaras from her personal collection.  In addition to a variety of beautiful tiaras, the Queen also has a lovely selection of necklaces, earrings and brooches that she will wear while attending the daily events on her royal calendar.

Listed below are some of the items from the Queen’s personal collection:

The George IV State Diadem

The George IV State Diadem was made in 1820 for the coronation of King George IV.   The diadem includes 1333 diamonds, including a four-carat yellow diamond and 169 pearls, the circular frame alternates between crosses and a floral design which incorporate roses, thistles and shamrocks which are the symbols of England, Scotland and Ireland.

The diadem was later worn by Queen Adelaide, the consort of King William IV.  Queen Victoria inherited it in 1837 and she wore it at her coronation during the recessional from Westminster Abbey.  Upon her death in 1901 the diadem was passed to a secession of Queen consorts; Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.  The diadem was worn by Queen Elizabeth II for her coronation on the procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey and it is now part of the Queen’s Personal Jewel Collection.   The diadem is one of the most easily recognizable items of the collection since it is worn by Queen Elizabeth in the image on the postage stamps, coins and currency of England; it is also worn in the annual procession from Buckingham Palace to the State Opening of Parliament.

George IV State Diadem

Queen wearing the diadem - young Queen-Elizabeth-Parliament-Opening

Queen Mary’s Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara

In 1893, this tiara was given to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, the future King George.  Funds were privately raised and it was given by the “girls of Great Britain and Ireland” as a gift to the future Queen Mary. (hence the name of the tiara!)

The tiara is circular in form with diamonds pave set in silver and gold.  Originally the tiara had 14 large oriental pearls at each top; in 1914 Queen Mary adapted the tiara to use 13 large diamonds instead of the pearls for a slight change.  The tiara can also be worn as a necklace.  Queen Elizabeth wears this tiara often and can be is seen wearing it in the images on the paper currency and coins of Great Britain.

Britain Royal Jewels

crown 1 crown 2

Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara

Known by several different names, such as the Hanoverian Fringe Tiara and King Georg III Fringe Tiara, the history of this tiara can be rather confusing.  The piece started as a diamond fringe necklace owned by Queen Adelaide, the consort of King William IV, made with diamonds formerly owned by King George III and Queen Charlotte.  The necklace was inherited by Queen Victoria and passed down within the royal family.  Queen Mary had the fringe necklace remade into a tiara.

Later, Queen Mary decided to combine this fringe tiara with diamonds from a necklace that Queen Victoria gave her as a wedding present.  The royal jeweler, Garrard, was brought in make a new tiara that used elements of these two pieces.  The new tiara now included 47 bars of diamonds with smaller diamond spikes, the new piece can be converted into a necklace.  In 1936, Queen Mary gave the tiara to her daughter-in-law Princess Elizabeth, the Duchess of York (the future Queen Consort of King George VI and later the Queen Mother).

The Queen Mother lent it to her daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, to wear on her wedding day in 1947.  The tiara broke but was quickly repaired and in photographs taken that day the tiara can be seen looking a little off-centered.  The Queen Mother also lent the tiara to her granddaughter, Princess Anne, to wear on her wedding day in 1973.  The Queen Mother wore the tiara frequently over the years and when she died in 2002 the tiara was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II.

Fringe Tiara

fringe tiara 2

Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara

In 1914 Queen Mary commissioned Garrard to recreate the tiara of Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel, her maternal grandmother, who was the Duchess of Cambridge.  According to her will, when Queen Mary died she left the tiara to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.  The tiara was later given to Diana, Princess of Wales, as a wedding present and she who wore often.  After her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996 the tiara was returned to the Queen.

The tiara is French Neo-Classical in a design which features 19 openwork frames of diamonds in the form of arches with 19 graduated large pearl drops.  At the top of each arch are lover’s knot bows with a large diamond at the center.

Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara worn by Queen and Diana

The Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara

The Grand Duchess Vladimir, Maria Pavlovna, was the wife of the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexanrovich and the aunt of the Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.  The tiara was created specifically for her in 1874 by the Russia royal jewelers and was a semi-circular band made of platinum with a design consisting of fifteen interlaced circles set with diamonds and a band of diamonds across the top with pearls drops and small diamonds mounted inside each of the circles.

With the start of the Russian Revolution in 1917, many Russian royalty members including the Grand Duchess fled the country but most of her fabulous jewels were hidden in a secret vault in the Palace.  Sadly, Tsar Nicholas and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918.   The Grand Duchess lived exiled from Russia first in Venice, Italy and later she moved to the south of France.  Her jewels, including the tiara were eventually smuggled of out Russia by a trusted British diplomat and returned to the Grand Duchess.   When she died in 1920 her jewels and the tiara were given to her daughter, the Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirona, who married Prince Nicholas of Greece.  As the family’s vast fortune was reduced, she sold several pieces of jewelry, including the tiara, to Queen Mary in 1921.

By this time the tiara was in very poor condition and in need of repairs.  The tiara was refurbished by Garrard, the royal jewelers, and Queen Mary decided to make the original teardrop pearls interchangeable with her famous Cambridge emeralds.  When Queen Mary died in 1953, the Vladimir Tiara was given to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth wears this versatile tiara frequently and it is also one of her favorites, sometimes she will wear it with the original pearl drops, sometimes with the Cambridge emeralds and she has even worn the tiara with no pendants at all.

The Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara with pearls and Cambridge emeralds

Cartier Halo Tiara

This tiara was made by Cartier in 1939 and purchased by the Duke of York, the future King George VI, for his wife the Duchess of York.  The tiara is designed in the form of a band with 16 graduated scrolls set with 888 diamonds.

As Queen Elizabeth, the consort of King George, she wore the tiara several times over the years before presenting it to her daughter, Princess Elizabeth, for her 18th birthday.  When King George died in 1952 Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II and for her 1953 coronation, the tiara was loaned to her sister, Princess Margaret to wear.  The tiara was loaned most recently to Catherine Middleton for her wedding to Prince William in 2011.

Cartier Halo Tiara

The Prince Albert Sapphire Brooch

The day before their wedding in 1840, Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a beautiful sapphire and diamond brooch.  The center stone is a large oblong blue sapphire surrounded by twelve round diamonds and set in gold, the size of the sapphire has never been confirmed but it is estimated to be between 20-30 carats.

After Prince Albert’s death in 1861, the brooch became a very sentimental to Queen Victoria and she wore is very often for during her long life.  When Queen Victoria died in 1901, this important historical brooch was given to the British Crown. Several Queen Consorts have worn the brooch over the years including the present Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince Albert Brooch

 “Granny’s Chips” – the Cullinan III & IV Diamonds

The Cullinan Diamond was found in South Africa and presented to King Edward Vii on the occasion of his birthday in XXXX.  Several stones were cut from this massive diamond, two of those were the pear shaped 94.4 carat Cullinan IIII and the square shaped 63.6 carat Cullinan IV.  Queen Mary had both these stones made into a brooch and they became known collectively as “Granny’s Chips”.  When she died in 1953, the most of her jewelry collection, including the brooch, was passed onto Queen Elizabeth II.

The combined weight of the two stones when worn as a brooch can be very heavy. During her reign the Queen has worn the brooch only for very special occasions, the most recent time was for her Diamond Jubilee celebration in 2013.  The beautiful brooch has great significant historical value and it is considered one of the most priceless items in the Queen’s Personal Jewel Collection.

Granny's chips  Granny's chips 1

For more information about the Queen’s Personal Jewelry Collection, please click on the link to Part Two.  Also, if you are interested in more information about the Royal Family and their jewels, please click on the links to the following posts:  The Crown Jewels (Part One and Part Two) and the Cambridge Emeralds.

 

Travel – Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA

Heast Castle - aerial panorama shot

Hearst Castle was the home of newspaper owner William Randolph Hearst and the magnificent mansion he had built is located on the coast of Central California halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.  I had the great opportunity to visit Hearst Castle several times over the years.  The first time I visited was in the 1960s and as a child I was amazed at the size of the house and I thought it was absolutely fascinating to see the herd of zebras roaming over the mountains that surround the property.  (Yes, I said zebras … Hearst had a small zoo on the property!)  Later I visited with my son when he was small and again several years later with my husband for a unique evening tour which was a very unusual way to see Hearst Castle at dusk with the sun starting to set over the Pacific Ocean.

Hearst Castle is located near the small town of San Simeon about 43 miles from San Luis Obispo.  The estate is known as La Cuesta Encantada (“The Enchanted Hill”) but Hearst usually called it simply “the ranch”.  Hearst Castle is both a National and a California Historical Landmark and despite the relatively isolated area, the site attracts about one million visitors each year.  Tours are available daily and there are several different ones to choose from including the evening tour mention above, more information about tours can be found at the end of this post.

A Brief History of Hearst Castle

William Randolph HearstGeorge Hearst originally purchased the 40,000 acres property in 1865.  The estate was located along the coast of Central California and had beautiful vistas of the Pacific Ocean as seen from the hills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range.  The property remained largely undeveloped with only a Victorian house built for George, his wife Phoebe and their son, William Randolph Heart.  There were also stables and some outbuildings and the younger Hearst loved horseback riding and taking rustic camping trips on the estate.  George died in 1891 and Phoebe, died in 1919. Their son, W.R. Hearst inherited the ranch which at that time had grown in size to include 250,000 acres.

Julia MorganAs early as 1915, Hearst had contacted an architect named Julia Morgan to discuss plans for a home that he wanted built on the estate.  He selected a site that was five miles inland and located on the top of a hill with an elevation of 1,600 feet.  Hearst had explained to Morgan that he wanted something permanent built on the site because he loved the location which had spectacular views but was tired of camping in tents.  The original plans for a modest and simple home quickly began to grow into a much larger Spanish Revival mansion.  By the summer of 1919, Morgan had the site survey completed and had drawn the first plans.  Later that year construction began with the three guest cottages known as Casa del Mar, Casa del Monte and Casa del Sol.  When those were near completion construction then started on Casa Grande, the main building, which is 60,645 square feet.  Construction steadily continued on the estate until 1947 when Hearst stopped living there due to his failing health.

Hearst Castle - constructionHearst Castle includes 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, a movie theater with 127 acres of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, an airfield for guests to arrive by private planes and at one time the world’s largest private zoo. Morgan was a competent civil engineer and created a gravity-based water system that would transport well water from a location on the property to a reservoir that was built less than a mile from the main building.  In addition, a private power plant was built on site to supply the electricity for the estate since at the time Hearst Castle was being built homes powered by electricity was a new technology.

Hearst was an eccentric art and antique buyer and he furnished his home with a collection of items gathered on his many trips to Europe and his warehouses were bursting with inventory.  Hearst would buy entire ceilings and facades of old European buildings on these buying trips and Morgan was challenged to fit them into the design of the estate and as a result the architectural style is a variety several different periods and the floor plan can be rather chaotic.

Hearst Castle - Hearst in the Dining RoomDuring the time that Hearst owned the property, especially during the 1920s to the 1930s, he entertained lavishly with guest lists including Hollywood actors, directors and prominent political people.  Guests would arrive by private planes or on Hearst’s private train that traveled from Los Angeles.  Guests were free to use the estates facilities during the day while Hearst worked on his publishing and entertainment businesses, but at night they were expected to dress formally for dinner.  Card playing, billards and films shown in the private theater were the main entertainment in the evenings for Hearst’s invited guests.

In 1947, Hearst left his beloved “La Cuesta Encantada” due to failing health and he never returned.  He moved to a home in Beverly Hills and died on August 14, 1951 at the age of 88 years old.  He was buried in the Hearst family mausoleum at the Cypress Lawn Cemetery in Colma, California.  In 1957, the Hearst Corporation donated Hearst Castle to the State of California with the provision that the Hearst family would be allowed to come to the property whenever they wished.  They usually stayed at the old Victorian house that was originally built by George Hearst, the house is located on the lower portion of the property and is screened by a grove of eucalyptus trees to offer privacy from the visitors to Hearst Castle.

Information About Visiting Hearst Castle

Since 1958, when Hearst Castle was first opened to the public there have been tours of Casa Grande, the guesthouses, pools and gardens.  The new Visitor center is a great place to start a visit to “The Enchanted Hill” and is where visitors can purchase tour tickets.  While you are waiting for the tour to start, there is a gift store and also a place to eat.  Don’t miss the movie in the Visitor Center Theater that is included with the tour, “Hearst Castle – Building the Dream”, before boarding the bus for the 5-mile ride up the hill to the estate.

TOURS –

Knowledgeable guides take guests on informative tours of William Randolph Hearst private estate.  There are several different tours that explore the various rooms of Casa Grande as well as other areas of the estate.  The three different tours are described below and also the seasonal evening tour.  All the tours visit three of the most photographed areas of the estate, the Gardens with beautiful flowers and lovely statues, the Neptune Pool which is a large outdoor pool with views of the Pacific Ocean in the distance and the Roman Pool which is a lavish indoor pool.

Heast Castle - Gardens 1 Heast Castle - Gardens 2
Hearst Castle - Neptune Pool Heaset Castle - Roman Pool

We would highly recommend making advanced reservations since it is a long drive to Hearst Castle and tours do sell out especially during the busy summer months.  Visitors can reserve tickets online up to 56 days in advance at the Hearst Castle website, www.hearstcastle.org

The Grand Rooms Tour –

This tour is highly recommended for first-time visitors.  The tour length is 45 minutes and takes visitors through Casa Grande, the largest house of the estate, and the rooms included in this tour are the Assembly Room, the Refectory, the Billiard Room, the Theater, Gardens, the Neptune Pool and the Roman Pool.  These rooms and areas of the estate were where guests gathered to eat and be entertained.

Hearst Castle - Dining Room Hearst Castle - Billard Room

The Upstairs Suites Tour –

This tour is 45 minutes and takes visitors into the upper floors of Casa Grande to see rooms such as: W.R. Hearst’s private rooms and opulent guest rooms – the Doge’s Suite, the Library, the Gothic Suite as well as the exterior Gardens, Neptune Pool and lastly the Roman Pool.  Be sure to look out the windows for amazing views of the beautiful gardens with the coastline and the Pacific Ocean seen in the distance.

Hearst Castle - Library The Gothic Study at Hearst Castle

Cottages and Kitchen Tour –

This tour is 45 minutes and takes visitors into to two of the three guesthouses on the estate, also visited are the large Kitchen and the Wine Cellar in Casa Grande, the Gardens, the Neptune and the Roman Pool.  While construction of the estate was ongoing for several years, Hearst and his family usually stayed in the Casa del Monte and the other cottage on the tour is the Casa del Mar.

Hearst Castle - Guest House 2 Hearst Castle - Kitchen

The Evening Tour –

This 1 hour and 40 minute tour is available every spring and fall during designated evenings.  The Evening Tour allows visitors to see Hearst Castle as the sun is setting over the Pacific Ocean.  The stage is set in the 1930s as if visitors are attending on of Hearst’s famous weekend parties for Hollywood and Political guests.  Living History Docents dressed in period clothing roam about the estate as visitors tour Casa del Mar and the several rooms of Casa Grande, such as the Assembly Room, the Refectory, the Kitchen, the Library, the Gothic Suite, the Billiard Room, the Theater, the Gardens, the Neptune Pool and the Roman Pool.

Hearst Castle at night 1 Hearst Castle at night 2

For more information about dates and times of the tours and additional details about visiting Hearst Castle, please see their website at www.hearstcastle.org

Interesting information about Hearst Castle   

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, when I first visited Hearst Castle during the 1960s I have a distinct memory of the zebras grazing on the hills surrounding the estate.  It seems that Hearst had one of the world’s largest private zoos on the property.  Below is information regarding that period of the history of Hearst Castle.

Animal Hill –

William Randolph Hearst owned a private zoo located on the property, this was not uncommon for wealthy men of the time who owned these private zoos with exotic animals to impress and entertain their guests who visited their large mansions in the countryside.

At the estate in San Simeon, Hearst kept some of his wild animals located in cages just north of the main buildings. Here in this area of the estate in cages of various sizes were several different species of animals, such as black bears, grizzly bears, lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, chimpanzees, orangutans, monkeys, macaws, swans, storks and an elephant.  The animals’ diet and exercise were carefully overseen by a veterinarian and staff.

Hearst also kept a small herd of 300 fallow deer which roamed the surrounding hills of Hearst Castle.  Other exotic animals that grazed on the property were the American bison, Rocky Mountain elk, Alaskan big horned sheep, several different types of African and Asian antelope, camels, llamas, kangaroos, ostriches, emus, four giraffes that were kept in a small pen located near the road and of course those famous zebras.

In the late 1930s, as Hearst was experiencing financial difficulty he halted the construction on the estate and in the process of cutting expenses over the next several years he decided to sell or donate many of his exotic animals to public zoos.  Two years after Hearst death, most of the animals were gone.  By the time that the State received Hearst Castle from the estate, the only animals that remained were elk, goats, sheep, deer and zebra.  Today, only a few of those animals survived but a herd of zebra is all that remain.

Hearst Castle Zebras

Craft – Butterfly in a Jar

Butterfly in a Jar

With the end of summer and the start of autumn, I thought this craft project would be a fun way to “preserve” those wonderful summer days as the weather starts to get colder.  Below are the supply list and instructions needed to complete this easy “Butterfly in a Jar” craft project.

Butterfly in a Jar – supplies

Jar with a lid
A few artificial ferns or other greenery
A floral spray to add a little color
An artificial butterfly
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
A small amount of potting soil, sand or small rocks

Butterfly in a Jar - supplies

Butterfly in a Jar – instructions

  1. Start with a clean glass container with a lid. (A lid is important because we don’t want the butterfly to fly away!)
  2. Cut the floral spray to fit the size of the container, hot glue the floral spray to the bottom of container.
  3. Cut several ferns in varying lengths to fit the size of the container, hot glue the ferns in various places to the bottom of the container.
  4. Hot glue the butterfly to a wire, then hot glue the wire to the bottom of the container.  When selecting a color for the butterfly, remember to use a color contrast for a visually appealing display.
  5. To give the container a finished and realistic look, scoop potting soil into the container to fill the bottom.  Sand or gravel can be used as other options to fill the container.

Butterfly in a Jar 1 Butterfly in a Jar 2 Butterfly in a Jar 3

After I finished the “Butterfly in a Jar”, I put it on my office desk to replace the floral arrangement already there.  I enjoy glancing at it during the day – it is like having a little bit on summer sitting on my desk!

Butterfly in a Jar - final

For another variation of a container arrangement, please see last months’s Craft post – Glass Dome Arrangement.