You're sure to come home with lots of candy and a sugar high tonight. Set out some decorative bowls and unload all your loot.

I have some beautiful glass dishes I've picked up antiquing over the years, but my favorite is still the old-fashioned, glass penny jars from the classic candy shops. I still love the sound the chrome lid makes.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Rachel

There are eco-friendly choices for almost every thing you buy these days – including flowers.

When you purchase your holiday arrangements this year, check to see that they’re certified Veriflora, which means that they were grown under strict environmental regulations for soil fertilization and water usage, and that the materials used in their cultivation were recycled when possible. Buying certified also promises that those who harvest your blossoms work under safe conditions.

More florists are starting to carry Veriflora flowers – maybe even your local shop. Can’t find one? Order online at EcoBouquets, which offers a wide variety of holiday blossoms and wreaths that meet your now-higher standards.

Rachel

A couple years ago, my crafty grandmother started making something she calls an "a-MAIZE-ing" bag, which is basically a large bean bag filled with corn and used as a heating pad when zapped in the microwave for a couple minutes. It is a wonderfully simple idea and works nicely to warm up cold sheets or comfort a sore back – who cares that it smells a little like popcorn?

Now that the temperatures are finally dropping, make one of your own, or order this version which is infused with essential oils, and drift off to sleep relaxed and cozy.

Rachel

I walked home last night, which is one of my favorite things to do, because I can get a glimpse of the beautifully decorated downtown apartments that strangely have no window treatments.

Dramatic lighting completed with the glow from panel televisions in many of the enviable lofts, but what I enjoyed peering at most was an unusual chandelier that resembled a branch from a flowering tree — if that flowering tree was made of colorful crystal and retailed for $40,000.

I tracked down the Autumn Blossom chandelier at Moss, and while it greatly exceeds most budgets, if you saw it in person, it would surely also exceed your expectations. It was designed by artist Tord Boontje with Swarovski crystals and is the ultimate in fall décor. Happy dreaming!

Have a great weekend.

Rachel

If you love to keep up with new color trends each season, you’ve probably already got your home decorated for fall with warm colors and new textures. If that’s the case, jump over to Apartment Therapy to enter their I’ve Got Color contest and see if your home decorating skills can’t win you some serious cash. If you upload a winning photo, you could be $2500 richer. Still looking for some great ways to use color this season? Find inspiration from your competition – rooms are already posted and let me just say, they’re beautiful!

Rachel

If, like me, you feel a little faint when reviewing your electric bill each month, you probably could use some more tips for saving energy and lower your expenses.

Tomorrow the EPA’s Energy Star is launching a new tool, The Home Advisor, on their website, that will give you personalized ways to save energy. Simply enter information about your home and usage and customized suggestions and solutions, based on your region and heating and cooling methods, are instantly generated. Make the adjustments and you could be smiling by the next billing cycle.

If you're starting a home improvement project, now is the time to check out the Energy Star site, which is a great resource for energy efficient home improvement. Check out the site and the tool and let me know what changes you find make a difference in your monthly bills.

Rachel

Fall scarves and hats are not only your favorite things to knit, but star accessories for warmth and comfort that make great homemade gifts. If you need some ideas or want to connect with other knitters, visit iVillage’s community boards or check out Ravelry.com, a new place to show off knited masterpieces, connect with other knitters and find great design and yarn trends for new projects of your own. Enjoy a chilly evening inside and get a head start on the cold-weather essentials you and your friends can’t wait to show off.

Rachel

If you’re into smart, thought-provoking design, you’ll have lots of new things to add to your wish list once you flip through Cool Green Stuff. The book has hundreds of fun and functional fashions, gadgets, furniture and home accessories you’ll decide you can’t live without. Much of the products featured are created from reclaimed materials, like a fruit bowl made from discarded wool felt, so you don’t have to feel badly about your consumerism. Other items I love are a coffee table made from compacted aluminum window frames, and these key holders made from seat belt buckles rescued from used cars.

Rachel

Do you Kiku? Or even know what it is? Tomorrow marks the opening of the New York Botanical Garden's Kiku exhibit, the most buzzed-about flower show in the garden’s history. This celebration of the Japanese art of cultivating chrysanthemums goes through mid-November and is sure to attract crowds marveling at the perfect shapes, sizes and colors of the blossoms.

Can't make it yourself? Take a virtual tour of the garden here.

Have a great weekend.

Rachel

As I recently learned during fire prevention week, home fires usually start in the kitchen. Not so surprising. My natural reaction would be to throw water on the blaze, but you probably know that makes the fire even more dangerous, especially when you consider electrical appliances and a risk for electrocution. The safest way to put out a grease or electrical fire is with a fire extinguisher or a box of baking soda. Make sure you’ve got them close by and share these fire safety tips with your kids before you carefully cook dinner tonight. The tips include helpful hints on installing fire alarms and planning escape routes should flames overwhelm your baking soda. Review this safety check list to make sure your house and your family are prepared. And yes, there will be a quiz.

Need to throw a birthday party in flash? Keep these colored flame brithday candles on-hand and make even a convenience store cupcake something special in about 30 seconds... don't forget to enthusiastically sing "Happy Birthday" as your friend delights in your thoughtfulness.

Are you starting to get creative with the peppers, tomatoes and zucchini that are still hanging around from your fall harvest?

Check out what artist Ellen Hoverkamp is doing with the exquisite colors, shapes and textures of vegetables, fruits and flowers. She uses a process called "scanner photography" to create life-like images that are so crisp and deep, they seem almost three dimensional.

Learn more about her work and how to order her incredible prints that any garden lover will adore.

Rachel

The holidays are coming and that means tiny tykes with even tinier hands will be running amok on sugar highs at all your family gatherings. Hosting? Keep juice spills to a minimum with this children’s cup from the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. The jumbo handles, designed with small hands in mind, are easy for kids to grasp, increasing the likelihood that your carpet will see the New Year stain-free. In addition to blue and purple, the cup also comes in orange, making it a stylish addition to your Halloween festivities.

Rachel

If you live in Los Angeles or if you’re a regular reader of the L.A. Times, you're going to enjoy the return of the L.A. Times Magazine in your Sunday paper. You can say "adios" to West magazine, which replaced it in 2006 and look forward to the orginal suppliment's come-back.

I’m thinking I’ll have to pick it up (or check it out online) as this weekend’s issue is dedicated to home design with a focus on Mexican style. I’ve always loved the warmth of the Baja style for its rich colors and sophisticated take on the typical southwestern theme.

Flip through the issue for lots of décor ideas, as well as tips on coastal Mexico’s real estate hot spots – you know, in case you really want to immerse yourself in the lifestyle.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Rachel

This eco-friendly Sun Jar, masterminded by Tobias Wong, is a perfect example of a simple, brilliant design that makes going green easy and appealing. During the day, the Sun Jar’s solar panel stores energy in a rechargeable battery that powers a small bulb. When it gets dark, an orange glow is defused through the frosted glass of the mason jar automatically, creating the perfect nightlight with no negative impact on your utility bill or the planet.

Rachel

Love coffee? If you can’t start the day without your morning caffeine rush, you shouldn’t live without this travel mug from Contingo. The sleek, self-sealing mug has become my must-have commuting companion after I grabbed it off the giveaway table at work. Who on earth would give away such a gem?

The new Elle model with AutoSeal, keeps my coffee piping-hot until lunchtime and is comfortable to hold while running around. Best of all, it never, ever spills or leaks thanks to a button that seals the drinking hole when I’m not sipping – no thinking necessary.

Listen, if I can enjoy my hot coffee while navigating the Manhattan rush hour, surely this mug is a keeper.

Rachel

If you’re like me and have cabinets that are cluttered with pans, pots and miscellaneous lids that have no order whatsoever, you probably wish you could afford this. Don't worry if you’re not willing to drop hundreds on a hanging pot rack, there are lots of cheaper organizing alternatives.

Try the PanTree, a simple structure that when decorated with lids, pots and pans, brings sanity into your kitchen for only $25. The Lid Maid ($13) installs easily to slide in and out of your cabinet and is also great for cookie and baking sheets. This frying pan organizer ($7) has a slim design and makes the most of limited space by stacking 4 pans up and out of your way. If you’re feeling crafty and low on cash, learn how to build your own pot and pan rack for close to nothing using an old ladder and hooks.

Whichever organizer fits your budget and need, I think you’ll enjoy your kitchen much more when it's nice and orderly.

Rachel

We’ve been having some unseasonably warm weather (hello, 85 degrees yesterday!) and I hope that means your outdoor space is getting some extended use. Cooler air is coming later this week, but you don't have to abandon the backyard, patio or deck you’ve enjoyed this Indian summer, if you warm up to the idea of an outdoor fireplace. A fire pit or a chiminea can make the backyard one of your favorite places this fall.

Outdoor fireplaces come in a wide variety of styles, sizes, materials (clay, sheet metal, and cast iron), and drafting action and require different levels of maintenance. There’s a lot to consider, so be sure to check out these tips before you invest in one to cozy up to.

Whichever style you choose, chatting with friends around its golden glow will be the perfect way to share an autumn evening.

Rachel

You might remember that not long ago I tested out the Roomba vacuum robot in our office. The little guy did a great job, but frankly, our carpets have really taken a beating over the years and need some heavy cleaning before I’ll ever refer to them as not disgusting.

I broke out the new Halo UV-ST Ultraviolet Vacuum this afternoon after the build-up of crumbs from another office cookie party got out of hand. The vacuum's intimidating tags warned about staring directly into its virus-killing UV light, but the machine was set-up-friendly and maneuvered around our office easily.

Not only are all the crumbs gone, but apparently any mites, lice, bacteria, allergens, viruses, fleas and mold (they could definitely all be living in these old carpets) have been zapped to death by the UV light and sucked away to a dust filtered collection bag.

We all feel slightly better believing that if they did live here, they’ve gone to a better place.

Check out all the info and find out how to order here.

Have a great weekend.

Rachel

I’m meeting some of my more coordinated friends for sushi tonight and I have to say, I always feel slightly anxious about using chopsticks in front of them. I wish the restaurant had these three-pronged chopsticks to ease my fears and lessen the likelihood of embarrassing myself with a large soy sauce stain on my new shirt. (Come on, you know it’s happen to you, too.) The chopsticks were just showed at the Milan International Home Show, but when they’re available here, I’ll be ordering a pair for sure.

Rachel

It looks like our slideshow on how to create an affordable spa-like bathroom is on point with what many clients are asking of their interior designers these days. Decorator and author Roderick Shade says his clients want home sanctuaries, so he's tailoring his bathroom designs to include these most-requested amenities:

- A modern use of glass in showers and sinks
- Performance showers with digital lighting and water pressure control
- Vanities created from “green” materials
- Sleek hardware, like heated towel bars (sounds nice, right?)
- Lots of soft texture in towels and rugs

Luxing-up your bathroom can be as simple as adding some plush towels – and you can do it inexpensively. Try the new line of Abbey Hill bath towels and rugs at Kmart and you could be living in luxury for less than 20 bucks.

Grape harvesting season is underway, which means vineyards and oenophiles are celebrating this special time of the year with their favorite bottles of local wine. For the 68th year in a row, the oldest and most famous grape harvest festival took place last weekend in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and celebrations across the country continue into this month.

Pick up a couple bottles of vino and host your own celebration of the season with friends. Set a table with these fun candelabras and bring the warmth of wine and candlelight to dinner. The stopper-mounted four-taper iron fits into an empty wine bottle to become the perfect accessory for your party.

Rachel

Like any polite dinner guest, I believe in helping out with the dishes after enjoying the meal prepared for me. Friends usually protest and insist I let them tidy up, but this past weekend, my hostess didn’t hesitate to throw a pair of terrycloth drying gloves my way. I couldn’t stop talking about how great they were – but luckily the gloves helped us clean the kitchen in no-time so we could get back to discussing subjects more important than dirty dishes.

Rachel