Country Living June 2013

It was a long, long time ago, but I can still remember how I felt as a 22-year-old Mississippian, arriving in New York City with endless ambition and no money. I count myself lucky. Almost immediately, a generous editor—Dorothy Kalins, who oversaw Saveur and Garden Design magazines—gave me a chance and, ultimately, a career. I owe Dorothy a debt impossible to repay directly. Instead, I try to pass the favor forward. Now middle-aged and successful, I've developed a real soft spot for small-town girls and their big dreams. So it was with near-maternal pride that I witnessed the wedding of Jourdan Fairchild, née Crouch, in her Kentucky hometown (see the story on page 90). I first hired Jourdan as my assistant at InStyle. She then joined me at O at…

Green-thumbs-up on your Garden Issue! The collection of seed packets on the cover was eye-catching, and the feature on Linda Lipsett's home [above] invigorated all my senses—as though I were actually strolling through her gorgeous grounds. A wonderful job, indeed, Country Living! —Ann Burke, Carson City, Nevada Your suggestion to turn registered patent diagrams into artwork was so satisfying. I located drawings from an 1887 patent filed by my great-great-grandfather for one of his inventions: a furnace that burns sugarcane. I've already given the art as gifts to my family members! —Lucy Mayson, Lake Havasu City, Arizona I just discovered Country Living this month and am completely enthralled. My husband and I recently bought our first home, and I've been searching for decorating inspiration. Your magazine is chock-full of the…

STORAGE You'll find any number of uses for Woodland Imports' 12-drawer iron cart, topped with a fir shelf. ($487.19; 37"W x 32"H x 16"D) LIGHTING For a more feminine take on the industrial pendant, enlist this creamy steel lamp by Trans Globe Lighting. ($37.81; 15½"W x 7"H) SEATING Butler's Metalworks recycled wood-and-iron design evokes the spirit of vintage school chairs. ($259; 17¼"W x 35½"H x 18¾"D) ACCESSORIES This cotton throw pillow by Shiraleah delivers the French flea-market look at a frugal price. ($32.99; 12" square) RUGS The bottom line: This Dash & Albert striped cotton carpet comes in five different colors and an array of sizes. ($104; 4'W x 6'L) TABLES Crafted from unfinished parawood, International Concepts' table looks great on its own or with a coat of paint. ($150.14;…

CHOOSE THE DEMO TOPICS! You can help decide which crafts and recipes our experts demonstrate. The most repinned projects and dishes will be the ones we'll tackle live. SNEAK A PEEK AT THE LOOT! We've already pinned pics of many vendors' best wares—both vintage and handcrafted. Check 'em out now, so you'll know which booths to visit first. COMPETE FOR A SPOT IN THE MAGAZINE! Step inside our photo booth at the fair, and we'll assist in uploading the shot to Pinterest immediately. The most repinned image from the event will appear in a future issue of CL. Enter for a chance to win! We're giving away 10 copies each of two great books featured in this issue. Visit countryliving.com/win or see page 123. The Flower Recipe Book ($24.95;…

Mr. Ice Bucket's insulated pails, $30–$50 each; mricebucket.com It's like a scene from The Graduate: Frederick Haleluk was just a year out of college when he bet his future on plastics, investing $500 to buy a New Brunswick, New Jersey, manufacturer of vinyl-wrapped tumblers. Haleluk—who renamed the firm Penny Pak, for his wife—began experimenting with other uses for the pliable material. Collapsible trash bins flopped, but his natty ice buckets caught on. 1967 Haleluk unveils the vinyl-covered pails at a trade show, scoring his first sale. 1976 The business gets a new moniker, an homage to its best-selling product: Mr. Ice Bucket. 1978 In tune with the disco era, Haleluk introduces a metallic-gold option. 1990s The company is hired by the U.S. government to create individual ice buckets for senators…

This wooden seat from our Kmart line delivers Adirondack élan for less than you'd expect. Plus, it folds flat, making off-season storage a cinch. ($129.99; kmart.com) WIN THIS! Enter for a chance to win one of five chair-and-ottoman sets at countryliving.com/win or see page 123. ONE GOOD DEED Farm to Table—to Farm After winning $1 million on The Amazing Race last year, The Fabulous Beekman Boys—Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell—paid off the mortgage on their Sharon Springs, New York, farm. Now they're sharing the wealth via their savory pasta sauce, made with heirloom 'Mortgage Lifter' tomatoes: 25 percent of the profits will help struggling farmers get out of debt. ($7.95 for 26 oz.; beekman1802.com) VISIT COUNTRYLIVING.COM/FAIR for info on our June event.…