5.25.2022
Preppy Summer
My friend Anna Louise and I were chatting yesterday on the phone, and one of the things she shared with me was her recent trip to Belk. Her words, "I was just going to pop in, but there was no popping in; it was straight-up shopping." I knew I had to check it out with that review as we have similar styles, both of us loving a timeless preppy style. So this morning, over coffee, I sat down and decided to shop online and what I found was share-worthy. It is indeed so good, and the sale they have now is kind of crazy, crazy good. I found some precious pieces to purchase and even more to share.
5.24.2022
How To Set A Table Like A Southerner
Well, if this topic isn't perfect timing? My friend Nicole Letts is a freelance writer, in case you didn't already know. She contributes to a number of magazines in both print and digital and her repertoire is growing daily. She is an excellent writer and we have used her to help our 17-year-old form ideas for a number of papers this year. She is a willing participant, with her extensive teaching background, and we pay her in eats and drinks.
5.23.2022
Seersucker Memorial Day
5.18.2022
Emily McCarthy Collection
5.17.2022
Serena + Lilly Sale
5.16.2022
Bathing Suit Season
5.14.2022
Coastal Grandma Aesthetic
If you haven't heard, the new buzzword in clothing and lifestyle would be the "coastal grandma." The definition of this term is... "based on the clean and classic style of middle-aged, wealthier women living in luxurious oceanfront properties, similar to that of Diane Keaton in the Nancy Meyers movie, and Something's Gotta Give, set in the Hamptons. Coastal grandmothers wear cashmere and linen; they love to garden, take leisurely walks on the beach when slightly windy, and sip white wine while reading on their wraparound front porch. They cook fresh meals with goods they picked up at the farmers market in their open concept kitchens accessorized with neutral and natural elements like butcher block and rattan. And, naturally, they listen to soft jazz and the oldies while doing so." (source)
Being a big fan of all Nancy Meyers movies and their sets, I am very intrigued by this concept and its appearance in society. The short story ... I am here for this. And before I type any more, you must read the blog post that goes with the image above, it is so perfect and I am in love with her kitchen!!
5.10.2022
The Summer Edit
Y'all. Summer is almost here. My girl gets out of school in exactly 15 days. I am not ready, yet I am prepared to soak up some serious quality time. I am working very hard the rest of this month, so I can take some real time off this summer and spend it with her. She is only home one more school year before life really changes, and I am absolutely soaking up every single second.
5.09.2022
Six Things I Bought + Loved Vol. 15
Happy happy Monday! I hope your weekend was terrific, and if you are a mother, you were spoiled rotten. I had a wonderful weekend with many things to do, including time with my friend Mary Huddleston. We were at both etuHOME + Dillard's, and it was the most fun. Two events, lots of friends, chatting, eating, and some shopping. I have a great new release of your favorite blog post, and it is perfect for a Monday.
Let's start the week with the good stuff. 😉
5.06.2022
Spring + Summer Uniform
5.05.2022
Garage Organization
I shared the other day on Instagram that I am working on organizing our garage. It is a long process and a really hot one, but I absolutely love every step. Our garage was a hot mess and in major need of some sort of organization. Honestly, this is something I should have done when we first moved in or any year since, but I finally got to the place where I could no longer deal with any of it. Running a small business from our home needs organization and it had been spilling into the garage one too many days. So, I finally made the decision I was done with the clutter and dove in to get it organized.
5.03.2022
Dillard's Event + New Dresses
Mary is coming!! You read that right; Mary Huddleston is coming to Alpharetta for an event at our local Dillard's. I am so excited to see my sweet friend and cheer her on while she shares her Southern Living Collection, talks all about table settings, the specific pieces of the collection, and shares her tips and tricks with us all. Mary has a long history with event planning and setting a fabulous table and has so much knowledge it would take days to share. I am thankful she will be meeting and greeting for a few hours and genuinely getting to hear all the fantastic feedback from her friends and followers in the area. If you are local, please plan to go; it will be fun.
5.02.2022
Laura Ashley For Derby
The Kentucky Derby, attending is a bucket list item for us, and one day it will happen, but until then I choose to celebrate at home. Every year I grab the yearly Derby bottle of Woodford Reserve, stock up on the mint, and make sure I am ready with all the fixings to watch the race and enjoy the day. It may be the fastest race at just 2 minutes, but I am sure to enjoy it all afternoon with yummy food + all the juleps.
4.27.2022
Derby Prep
So many fun things happening in the next few weeks. First, we have Derby, Mother's Day, and fun graduation ceremonies. It is time to prepare; they will sneak up on us before we know it. Today I am talking about things Derby, our plans, and the items I have pulled together to create a simple day of watching races while eating and sipping. We planned a fun Derby party a few years back, and a cancer diagnosis derailed it, so I am really excited to be chatting Derby and showing you how to set up a fun little event. For us, it will be an early cocktail hour with some bourbon tasting and, of course, all the Mint Juleps. Yes, please!!
4.25.2022
Our Porch
I spent most of the afternoon yesterday scrubbing our screened-in porch to prepare it for porch season. It was covered in pollen, as it always is, and it took a bit, but she is on her way now to a beautiful and shiny space. I love my porch. I could honestly spend most of my day answering emails, having coffee, and even reading and needlepointing. I am a true porch girl.
4.21.2022
Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth II
Today is the 96th birthday of the Queen of England. Elizabeth, the longest-lived British monarch, took the throne in February 1952 at 25. She is an avid horse lover, rarely seen without a hat and matching purse, and her love for her country is remarkable. I have been a follower of the royals for as long as I can recall, even getting up quite early to watch every single wedding televised during my lifetime.
4.20.2022
CDT x GMS
When I wrote this blog post about two weeks ago I shared that Christine Trant was planning a fun and amazing collaboration. Well, that time to share is now as the collection launched yesterday. Christine collaborated with my friend Nicole and her shop, Grand Millennial Shop and they created 14 unbelievable and gorgeous pieces of framed art. But this isn't just art or art in a frame, this collaboration is truly one of a kind.
4.19.2022
MSS + Dillard's
4.15.2022
Six Things I Bought + Loved Vol. 14
Happy Good Friday! I feel like this week was so long and I am so ready for this long and special weekend. We have so much family time planned, which is my favorite way to spend any day. I am a bit unsure of the weather coming, but it is sunny and bright in my office at the moment and I am truly loving every second of it. The yard is in full bloom with azaleas, the trees are fully green, and the sun is pouring in the windows. Yes please.
4.14.2022
Mrs. Southern Social for The Southern Living Collection at Dillard's
4.13.2022
Hapsy, The Science
If you recall I shared my experience with Hapsy with you here in this blog post. Hapsy is a CBD company started by a fellow Southern C summit alum Andrea Wightwick. I met Andrea at this year's summit and walked over to her table during the first session of the day. She was talking and sharing her company and her passion for CBD and I could not stop listening. What grabbed my attention was her wealth of knowledge and her personal story. She was incredible. Long story short ... I took the bottle she handed me with a sincere thank you, took it the next night, and the rest is my incredible journey.
4.12.2022
Wicker Bag Season
The second the air warms up I can be seen using one of many wicker bags in my collection. Having collected them over the years I find they keep me connected to my Florida roots. Wicker + natural bags, earrings, shoes, and hats instantly take me right back to years spent in central Florida. I pull them out once the weather warms up and they don't leave my side until the leaves begin to fall. I used my largest bag on my trip to Florida last week and got a number of requests for the source. This bag is one of my favorites, and my largest, and was a gift from the darling owner of The Monogram Corner. She gifted it to me before my epic trip to Palm Beach in 2019 ... and I have loved it since it arrived. It needs a bit of a painting repair but that doesn't even change my love for it one single bit.
4.11.2022
Sephora Spring Savings Event
Today is the very last day of the Sephora Spring Savings Event and I got up early with a to do list as tall as me. The third thing on the list was "order Sephora" since the sale ends tonight and I definitely did not want to miss out. I needed to order some Vitamin D and more sunscreen after our trip last week. I love this sale, I get to stock up on what I need and I always try an item or two since the return policy is so generous. I have a list of must haves that I stock up on like vitamins, sunscreen, and deodorant. And luckily, I am almost out of all three of these.
4.08.2022
Stoney Clover
I have known about Stoney Clover Lane for some time seeing it pop up in my feed and in the posts shared by my cute friend Caroline. But honestly, I did not understand the cult following. I was very much a ... "it's so cute, but maybe not me?" person ... until yesterday. I was in Target with my son and I immediately got pulled into the SCxTarget section and could not leave. Now it has been out for the week but our Target had quite a few pieces left over including a darling pink cooler and enough bathing suit pieces for all to purchase. I walked into the section, snagged a dog collar and some patches and am now the complete Stoney Clover lover.
Who knew?
4.05.2022
Introducing Christine Trant
When I met Christine Trant at The Southern C I was drawn to her. Her vast knowledge of the art world, art history, and her rebuff of every statement I made about my own lack of art knowledge set her apart to me. I had just "crashed" a conversation she was having with my friend Nicole who is the art buff of the two of us. Nicole is passionate about art and artists and can always be found chatting up new to her artists. Christine was lovely and her statements to me intrigued me so, I wanted to know more about her so I requested her business card. She was knowledgeable and yet so inquisitive about what I was speaking of ... the kind of person I strive to be. I always want to gain knowledge from others so she was definitely someone I would be connecting with post Summit.
4.02.2022
Easter Palm Cross Linens
Palm fronds are synonymous with Easter season. As Jesus entered Jerusalem the people carried + fanned palm leaves. They are a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life. These beautiful green backed Easter Palm Cross linens are the creation of the darling brand Honey + Hank. The palm leaves are placed in a cross pattern, creating a special print and a linen that is absolutely perfect for Easter season. Not only can you use it for Easter Sunday, but a week earlier for Palm Sunday as well. It is, in my opinion, absolutely perfect for Easter.
3.31.2022
Round Top Travel Guide
As promised I have all the details from my recent trip to Round Top, Texas with recommendations from four of the best guides I could imagine. In recap we spent four days in Texas last week, one in Houston and then three actually in Round Top. It was the best trip, better than I could have imagined, and shopping Round Top is something I will be doing twice a year from now on. It was magical, something that you must experience to completely understand. I describe it as a cross between Scott Antique Market (on steroids) + Highpoint Market (the way the town comes alive) + the best shopping, eating and sipping you can imagine. I am telling you ... it was phenomenal.
3.30.2022
Duffield Lane Times Two
3.29.2022
Beautiful Home, Beautiful Life
I am super excited to share with you that I was invited to speak at the Beautiful Home, Beautiful Life online conference which starts in just one week. I am honored to be among the amazing speakers you see here chatting about everything from organization, decluttering, design, and my session, how to add pattern and color to your home. The online event is FREE and I hope you will register and enjoy all of this incredible content that has been created for you. I have registered myself and will be soaking it in while lying on the beach during Spring Break. Can you imagine a better place to take it all in?
3.28.2022
Green Check For The Masters
3.18.2022
Introducing Caryn Lawn
3.17.2022
29 Years of Green Beer
As I share every year, St. Patrick's Day is the anniversary of our first date. He poked his head into the war room where I was working and simply said, want to grab a green beer? That simple question spun into a full on love fest and here we are 29 years later with a family, the house, the dogs ... and each other. I will never not love St. Patrick's Day and that memory, I recall sharing a large plate of nachos, two beers and lots of conversation. We walked from our office on Lake Eola in Orlando to Church St. Station and then walked back. March in Florida is the perfect weather and that walk there was the beginning of the rest of my life. Looking back I never saw it coming ... but it chose me and I am forever grateful.
3.16.2022
Round Top Bound
Yep, you read that right. I am heading to Round Top on Sunday morning. This is my first time and I truly am so very excited that I am having trouble settling down before bed. Antiquing and hunting has always been one of my most favorite things to do and traveling to and shopping Round Top has been on that list for quite some time. Between the excitement of a new adventure, seeing everything, and the things I will be able to shop, it just doesn't get any better.
3.15.2022
WPB + Holly Shae
I am so lucky to live minutes away from one of my favorite local boutiques and to know both the owners as well I as do. If I am in a pinch for any outing, adventure, or just wanting to shop I can pop literally down the street into Willow Park Boutique and check out the new arrivals. With spring weather coming, well and going, and a sunny evening in the forecast I was thrilled to stop in and shop. I found such goodness while I was there, which you should absolutely check out on their website. I was shopping with a specific event in mind so it was easy for me to keep my blinders on and check out the dresses + the table linens.
3.14.2022
Pi Day
Happy Pi Day ... aka March 14th. Who else loved math and science in school? What is so funny to me is that I love math and science, did not like English at all, and completely passed notes in History and Geography so I am constantly relying on Google to set me straight on where things are and when they happened. Got 101 in Organic Chemistry ... but probably squeaked through English with a mid B and here I am writing for a living. If I only knew then what I would need now ... 😉
3.11.2022
Introducing ... Hapsy
I had heard of CBD for quite a while. I had seen my friends on Instagram talk about their journey with CBD and how they were using it and taking it. I had heard of friends locally talk about CBD and what they were doing. But ... in all honesty I had no idea how to add it to my life, whether or not I needed it, and how I would even begin. For me it was one of those things I would hear people talk about and would think to myself that I needed to know more but would always stop there. Kind of like a great toothbrush people were raving about and I needed to investigate, but I never took it any further. That was until one evening at Summit last month when my friend Nicole and I decided to try the samples we were given before bed. We both read the instructions, took the dropper full, and I closed my eyes and went to sleep. It was that simple, yet not at all, and truly with that one bottle, that one dropper, and that one evening my life changed.
3.10.2022
Inspire Collection
I was thrilled when I got the email from Talbots about their stunning new Inspire collection. Talbots is a leader when it comes to traditional classic clothes and their partnership with Dress For Success seems like a match made in heaven. I think this collaboration is the perfect time to think about getting involved in a DFS chapter near you and see what more you can do. I know I feel like I could be donating gently used clothing and accessories and diving into what more I can do as a woman to help other woman in my area. I think this darling sweatshirt, and the other two in the collection, are not only great and inspirational to wear but most definitely speak to the strength and core of the values of DFS.
3.08.2022
Spring Shopping
3.07.2022
Toast Please!
Yesterday my besties and I showered another bestie with a brunch to celebrate her birthday. It has become a tradition for us to sit and soak each other up since our girls are getting older and our time of carpool antics has ended. The four of us have been close since our girls became besties since fourth grade and their girls are so special to me. These women have been the world to me and any chance I get to throw them love I do.
3.04.2022
Add Trim Please!
Today's blog post is short and sweet, but includes one of my favorite projects. I posted a video the other night talking about clean beauty and my evening shower habit and I got a number of questions about my bathroom. Well, not only the bathroom, but more specifically the blinds. I love our bathroom, its happy colors and I love how custom the blind on our large picture window feels. It was a simple project, easy to do, and delivers a ton of goodness in return.
3.03.2022
A Perfect LWD
The perfect little white dress, it is essential for spring and summer in the south. I think the combination of the breezy feeling of white and the endless ways you can wear it makes it an essential. It began long ago with Easter. We wore our white dresses + new white shoes for Easter Sunday ready to ditch the cool weather of winter and embrace the warmth. And in the south, that still happens except grown up me has traded the white dress + white shoe combination for a great dress and some new fun espadrilles. Yet the little white dress is a staple in every woman's closet and is worn religiously all summer long just as the little black dress is ready for any and all fancy occasions and dining adventures.
3.02.2022
Denim Jacket 101
On Monday while cleaning out my closet I mentioned upcycling my denim jacket with some darling fabric on the collar and cuffs. I got quite a few messages about how to do this and even more comments about people upcycling their own. So much so that I was sure this topic deserved a blog post of its very own. I wear my denim jacket quite often and found that its a great and easy go to when I am cold or trying to wear a piece of clothing out of season. It is a great grab and goes with every single thing I have. Because, you know, it's just an easy piece of clothing to style.
3.01.2022
White Jeans Four Ways
You know those white jeans I hunted for you last week? They are still in my mind. They are, in my humble opinion, the perfect white jean for spring and summer. In case you missed out, I am speaking about these jeans. Do not miss out on them, they are the perfect high waist, the best length (maybe cut an inch off) and the best amount of stretch. Like I said, perfect for spring and summer!
2.28.2022
Shop Your Own Closet
Happy Monday!! I hope you are ready for the week, fully caffeinated, and feeling good. I know for me I have had to take a read on my own mental health, the news on the happenings in Russia and Ukraine are heartbreaking and very hard to read and watch. I so wish I could do more, even help more, pray more, and bring more peace. I do take some comfort in the news that prayer does help them and I will continue to pray until they are safe and this madness is over. It is truly heartbreaking and makes me so very angry and sad.
2.23.2022
New To Me Sustainable
As my mind continues to think about sustainable shopping I had the luck over the weekend to find some new to me shops that I think are perfect for your list of sustainable shopping stores. The more I think about this the more I come to realize that my hunting and love of finding things barely used is not only helpful to me, but also helpful to the planet. Look at me being so proud of myself ... ha ... but seriously, I am thankful I have been shopping resale and selling my items for years. My want to buy and replace, donate and sell has definitely been helpful in building a closet I love and continue to curate. I think it may be one of my favorite hobbies, and one I have become pretty good at over the years.
2.22.2022
Spicy Margaritas
I had the best spicy margarita yesterday and decided it needed to be something I learned how to master for taco nights at home with friends. I really love a great margarita, the tang, the salty + the sweet, I think it is just so delicious. We eat a lot of Mexican food at home with tacos, bowls, and fajitas and I do love pairing a Mexican evening with a great margarita. I mastered the regular margarita in 2020 and now I am ready to tackle the spicy one.
2.21.2022
Living In Blue + White
I have been incredibly inspired by all things blue and white lately and after seeing two different dresses in stunning blue and white patterns I was inspired to gather all sorts of blue and white items. Have you heard that Mark Sikes has been chosen to decorate Jill Biden's East Wing office? I am thrilled for him and can't wait to see what kind of amazing and timeless design he includes. 💙
Blue and white .. timeless and as traditional as it comes.
2.17.2022
Sample Sales
There are some great deals to be found at a sample sale and I most definitely check them out when it is a brand I love. This week I found not one, but two, great ones to share with you. Both of these brands are brands I love, own, and would recommend repeatedly. My friend Elizabeth Cook notified me of both of these sales and I thought I would pass on the goodness to you.
Can we all have a yummy cocktail + shop the sales? Doesn't that sounds amazing? Oh, and by the way that isn't a tray of three cocktails, it is a CAKE. I was just chatting with the darling Julie McAllister and that is a groom cake she made. If you do not know Julie, here is the first introduction to her, I will be sharing more of her very, very soon. 😉
2.16.2022
All The Dresses
I was looking for a perfect thing to write about today and this lovely follower sent me a message yesterday complimenting my dress collection. She asked if I would be willing to share some great ones with all of you and her timing was perfect. Between all the content I had planned to share today I had this day waiting for a great idea. Thanks to her I had one immediately. I love wearing a dress almost every day. I love how easy they are to put on, how great they make me feel, and how I can go so quickly from errands during the day to dinner in the evening with just one shoe change. 💗