Summer Must-Haves–My Shopping List

June 2, 2016

Summertime and the living is easy!

I loving this beautiful weather we’re having. I trying to soak up every minute of these low humidity days because I know that in no time flat it will be hot, humid and sticky outside. A couple of weeks ago I purged my closet and organized it for the warmer months. I’ve also been doing the same with my decor. After all the organizing was done I made a shopping list for a few new things I ~~needed~~ wanted to help me usher in summer.

If you know me, you know I love colorful earrings, especially during the summer. I’ve got my eyes on these Baha Drop Earrings which happen to have two of my favorite summer colors in them–turquoise and orange.

I’ve had this book, It’s Not How Good You Are on my reading list for a while now and just picked it up to take on the cruise we have planned later this summer. I always enjoy inspirational reads when we travel because my mind is more relaxed and I can really absorb the content.

My favorite candle scent of all times is gardenia and this Gardenia Scented Candle is what I’m burning right now in my office. I wish you could scratch your screen and enjoy this amazing scenes with me.

I’ve never met a handbag I didn’t like and this Boho Clutch is not only colorful and cute, it’s only $9.99! The perfect piece for a weekend or to throw in a larger summer tote like the one below.

Target has some really, really fabulous tote bags right now and this classic Straw Tote with Tassel is perfect of all my summer activities. Available in 4 colors.

I spotted this Acrylic Monogram Bracelet when I was shopping for earrings and think it’s perfect for my summer wardrobe.

I started wearing readers a few years ago and have been on the hunt for reader sunglasses. My favorite reading eyewear company, Peepers has a great selection of sunglasses and great prices and these tortoise Reader Sunglasses are my fave.

I already own 3 pair of Converse sneakers and just ordered these adorable Converse Crochet Sneakers. They’re also available in navy.

I think I found the perfect dessert spoons for summer, Floral Dessert Spoons from One Kings Lane.

I rarely shop at Old Navy but popped in over the Memorial Day weekend because they were having a great sale. I bought these Stripped Linen Pants ($20) which just scream summer to me. Also available in a cropped length which would be really cute with your crocheted sneakers.

Picnic In The Park

April 22, 2016

Did you know that Saturday is National Picnic Day? If you’re lucky enough to have great weather where you live, it’s the perfect time to pull together your favorite picnic décor, picnic food and head to the park. Despite a busy weekend of work and projects, I’m hoping to squeeze in a couple of hours of lounging under a tree and enjoying the our first picnic of spring.

Picnicking has become an art form over the last few of years and it’s no longer PB and J sandwiches and an old quilt.

These days, picnic basket are a style statement and just about any woven basket will work. I was lucky to score a really great vintage basket last year similar to these below. The great thing about these vintage baskets is that they are sturdy, have a wide-open interior and it’s easy to pack food, blankets and anything else you might want easy.

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Iced Tea Pitchers–Southern Entertaining Essential

April 13, 2016

southern living

On my trip to Round Top Antiques Market, my friend Marsha scored a really great deal on a milk glass pitcher and glasses. It’s the perfect set for serving up sweet tea on her back patio, on a lazy summer evening. Make sure to check out her blog because rumor has it that she’ll be sharing her Round Top finds soon.

Now that iced tea season is here, I’m on the hunt for the perfect pitcher to serve up my favorite iced tea beverages. A quick search of the web and I found a several pitchers I love and even better, the prices!

It’s amazing what beautiful items you can find at H and M Home. This Patterned Glass Carafe is an amazing find for only $24.99 and the emerald green is such a hot trend color right now.

You can never go wrong with classic glass pitchers especially when it has a hobnail detail and gold rim. This Textured Glass Pitcher is another H and M Home find. $17.99

I love the scroll detail at the top of this Pressed Glass Pitcher and could see it being used for all types of summer beverages. At $12.98 this piece is a great buy and would also make a great wedding or shower gift.

You know I love blue and white so it’s not a surprised I was attracted to the Azure Design Pitcher from Overstock. This one has Sangria and iced tea written all over it. $32.99

Maybe my favorite of them all is this Meyer Lemon Pitcher from Williams Sonoma Home. I love the lemon image and the vintage enamel ware styling. $45.99

And for those of you that love margaritas as much as you do iced tea, this Tequila Sunrise Pitcher is for you. The color combo makes it easy to mix with any table setting decor. $43.99

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Since we’re on the subject of iced tea, here are a couple of my favorite summertime iced tea recipes you might want serve up in your pitcher.

Since I grew up on the west coast, I didn’t acquire a taste of iced tea until I moved to the South but I must say, summers wouldn’t be the same without it.

Blue and White Spring Tablescape

March 23, 2016

Don’t you just love spring? The bright colors, beautiful flowers, birds chirping and all that sunshine. Spring is one of my favorite times of year and the season always pushes my creativity to new heights. Over the weekend as I was moving the accessories around, the creative bug hit and I decided to pull together a spring tablescape featuring blue and white.

It’s been a while since I’ve shared seasonal table decor with you so I’m excited to unveil my Blue & White Spring Tablescape!

Blue and white tablescapes have always caught my eye but until recently I never owned enough blue and white decor to create one of my own table setting. Over the last year or so I’ve collected a handful of blue and white porcelain pieces and together with some new items I picked up recently, my spring table was easy to pull together. Let’s take a look…

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Sunflower Door Basket

March 22, 2016

Hello there. Is anyone else out there feeling the effects of all this spring pollen?

I woke up yesterday at 6:30 am ready to hit the ground running and get some stuff done. I had two morning appointments and then had to go by the post office to drop off some shipments. By 12:30 I was on my way home and feeling a little scratch in the throat but I still felt like I had lots of energy.

Once I hit my garage door I felt like someone had pulled the plug on my energy supply and the idea of sitting at my computer and working didn’t sound like fun. All I wanted to do was take a nap so that’s what I did. A nap in the middle of the day is such a magical thing especially when you’re lying on your bed with the sun streaming through the window.

Needless to say I didn’t get around to posting yesterday so today I’m sharing my spring door basket.

DIY Sunflower Basket!

When we first got married, my hubby sent me a huge bouquet of sunflowers in a beautiful cobalt vase. It was the most beautiful arrangement I’d seen and since then I’ve had a love for sunflowers. They are kind of like an afternoon nap and always put a smile on my face.

Anyhow, I knew I wanted to use sunflowers in my spring door basket so I set out to find some. I hit up my favorite craft stores and some pretty stems but most were $6.99 or more per stem. Then I stopped by a Dollar Tree to pick up some items and spotted beautiful bundles of sunflowers in the flower aisle. Sold!

Putting the arrangement together was really simple.

I pulled out this woven basket I picked up at the Country Living Fair last year and gathered a few stems of greenery (from Hobby Lobby) and got busy.

I layered my stems placing the green leaf stems at the back of the basket, the sunflowers in the center and the succulent sprays at the front so they would drape down the front of the basket.

I love how the yellow sunflowers pop against the black door and the greenery provide a color and texture contrast.

Here’s my little basket transformed into a water-color image using the Waterlogue app.

Ok, spring….I’m ready for you!

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Shop the materials and create your own sunflower basket:

Woven Door Basket or Welcome Door Basket with Leather Strap (great price)

Green Leaf Stem

Sunflower Bush or head to the dollar store like I did

Succulent Sprays

Spring Inspiration–Decorating Ideas and Tips

March 1, 2016

I can’t believe the weather we’ve had the last couple of days here in Atlanta. Spring is definitely in the air and I’m super excited for its arrival. The other day I was driving and noticed that a few cherry trees had started to bloom and that daffodils are popping up everywhere. All these signs of spring have me thinking about decorating for the season which is not typically something I do a lot of. This year though, I want to add a few more spring touches to my decor and rounded up a few ideas and inspiration that just might inspire you too.

When we lived in Seattle there were tulip fields about 60 miles outside the city. Every year we’d take a drive to look at the beautiful rows of tulips and buy bundles and bundles of tulips for $5.00 ea. The tulip festival took place around my birthday in April so tulips hold a special place in my heart.

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Dream Home–My Favorite Rooms From The 2016 HGTV Dream Home

February 24, 2016

Have you had a chance to check out the 2016 HGTV Dream Home? Every year HGTV decorates a beautiful home and holds a contest to give the fully furnished home plus a car and cash prize away to one lucky person.

Every year I look forward to see the beautifully decorated home and every year I enter the contest and cross my fingers that I’ll win.

Every year my sweet husband who happens to be a tax man reminds me that if we did get lucky enough to win we couldn’t keep the house because of the enormous tax liability that comes with it!

And every year I continue to dream. This year was no exception.

p.s. it’s reported that only one winner in the history of the giveaway has kept the house. Most winners have sold the home or taken the cash option which allows them to pay the tax debt and still have some mad money left over.

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Let’s go on a mini tour of the home and check out my favorite spaces in the home…

For the first time ever, instead of building a brand new home, HGTV decided to remodel an existing one for the 2016 Dream Home. Located in Merritt Island, Florida, this years home has undergone a total transformation thanks to designer Brian Patrick Flynn and has a style and vibe perfect for its Florida setting.

OUTDOOR POOL & LANIA

I love a beautiful outdoor space and this outdoor patio and pool area of this home are gorgeous. The area was designed for entertaining and lounging, all centered around a gorgeous pool.

BACK LANIA

I love that multiple seating areas were created which make it ideal of large gatherings. The paint color on the windows and doors is a perfect match to the outdoor furniture creating a harmonious feel between the indoor and outdoor space.

LIVING ROOM

The living room has a causal vibe because of the soothing colors and abundant seating. I love the trio of light fixtures that serve as a focal point for the room and mirror the details or the coffee table.

KITCHEN

I’ve written about using furniture pieces in a kitchen before so you know I love the cream cabinets that were used in this space along the windows. What a unique was to incorporate storage and a serving area into a functional kitchen space.

MASTER BEDROOM

While the coastal colors used throughout the home are not my style, I love that Brian painted most of the ceilings in the home. The master bedroom was dressed in a bold aqua color and along with the white furniture the room really pops. You gotta love the beaded chandelier and the gallery wall which was designed to incorporate the TV.

GUEST BEDROOM

And the last area of the home that I love is the guest bedroom. Again, dressed in coastal colors the peach + neutrals is really pretty. I’ve always liked the idea of a desk as a night stand alternative and love the accessorizing that was done in the bedroom.

The entire Merritt Island home is stunning but these are the spaces that really stood out to me and where I’ll be spending all my time if I happen to win!

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You can hop over to HGTV to check out the entire home and see all of the before pictures. You won’t believe what the exterior of the home looked like before they started the transformation.

Other facts about the Dream Home:

The home is 3,100 sq. feet and has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms
Ethan Allen is the primary source of furniture and décor
All of the paint used in the home is Glidden
The entire second level of the home is the dedicated to the master bedroom retreat
The prize package also includes a 2016 GMC Acadia Denali, $250,000 provided by national mortgage lender Quicken Loans, and a brand new boat
The winner of the giveaway will be chosen in March

DIY Holiday Mug Wraps–2015 Edition

December 22, 2015

Last year one of my favorite holiday DIY projects was the mug wraps I created. It was so simple to make these chic cup coozies with just some plush tartan plaid ribbon and velcro.

2014 Holiday Mug Wraps

I wanted to update the look this year to fit my holiday decor so a new version of my Holiday Mug Wraps was in order.

2015 Holiday Mug Wraps

My 2015 Mug Wraps were made with printed burlap ribbon (from Hobby Lobby) and instead of velcro, I attached red eyelets to the edges and used red suede cording to lace up the ends of the wrap.