I’m a huuuuge fan of Amy Butler.  Just take a look at her Ohio home…

(all home photos courtesy of Apartment Therapy)

Since we’re both from the Midwest and I read her book, Midwest Modern, AND she emails me, we’re pretty much like this…

Okay, maybe she only contacts me because I signed up to receive her email updates.  Still, I was thrilled to see her latest contribution to the world of decor.  She started out designing sewing patterns but has since moved onto fabric, stationery, home decor and now wallpaper design.  Yum.  Here are some of my favorites.

(wallpaper photos courtesy of Graham & Brown)

That last one, Memento in Moss, is my absolute new design crush.  If I had a little girl, I’d be slapping that paper on her bedroom walls.  Alas, I have two boys.  And those other prints would look fabulous just about anywhere.  I don’t think I’m brave enough to wallpaper an entire room but an accent wall, art piece or wall space above white wainscoting would be totally doable.  Deeee-lish.

I’ve planted sweet potato vine for the last 5 years in various places.  I love the chartreuse variety.  I don’t know the correct botanical name.  I could google it, but I’m feeling lazy.  This year I planted it in 2 window boxes just outside our master bedroom.

Last winter I clipped a few leaves at the stem and rooted them in water over the winter to use as houseplants and then replanted them outdoors in the spring.  It worked like a charm.

To my surprise this past Sunday morning, I noticed actual ‘potatoes’ growing at the roots of one of the vines.  In all my 5 years of caring for sweet potato vine, I haven’t encountered this before although I knew it was possible.

There are actually 2 tubers growing here…the golden-ish one in the foreground and another redder one in the background below the soil.  They look like tumors (not tubers) growing right off the vine!  I’m thinking of storing them over the winter and then resprouting vines from the tubers later.  So, my question to everyone out there is  – Does anyone have experience in doing this?  I think I read something about drying them out for a few days in late fall then putting them in a shoebox with peat for the winter but I’m not sure how to sprout vines from them.  I’d be glad for any advice!