Where I've Been...

hello, friend.

You might be wondering why you haven't seen me recently.  I'm not gone...just have been readjusting to my new site.  The site is amazing, thanks to some fantastically amazing people.  They have been willing to do this and that, and listen to my non-technological self give lengthy explanations of all that I do and do not want. The great thing, is that I still have the blog on the new site, and it's all in one place...
trulytogetherwonderfulness... I tell ya.

So, come see me over here, and as I get settled, and as wedding season is wrapping up, I'll have lots more fun to come!

Come on over...there's plenty more celebrating to do!

Coming Soon...

My sweet friend has lots of exciting things happening in her life. And, it's actually stuff that you might be interested in, as well.  Like, free concerts and great books...just for starters.

So, for today's "Around the Corner", hop over to Emily's and see when she might be chatting it up near you!

autumn = happiness

It's coming.  And, I love seeing it happen.  I'm pulling out my chili recipes and my sweaters and getting excited about the Fall once again. I even made a Autumn Love board that is making me very happy right now.  I seriously want to throw a party just to be able to design this table.

Peeking around the web, I found several fun easy ways to celebrate this season.  Tatertots and Jello always has a scad of fun ideas, and these are a few of her featured Top 20 Halloween projects.

i mean, really...what's not to love about burlap and lace.

Autumn Bunting @ My Blessed Life

i love this wreath.  it's pretty and elegant with a dab of spook. perfect.

 Simple Halloween Wreath @ Nikki, In Stitches

you know i can't resist a bucket list.

Halloween Bucket List @ Makoodle

Wedding Inspiration at Anthro...{around the corner}

The other week, I happened to stop in at Anthropology.  I don't do that nearly enough.  

It's always been one of my favorite stores, but I don't usually have the time to stop. However, when one of my dear friends had her birthday, and I wanted to treat her to a little something from her favorite store, it gave me more than enough reason to visit.

As soon as I walked in, I had to start taking pics. Not just because it was beautiful, or because it welcomed me in with her wonderful smells...but because I couldn't stop seeing wedding inspiration.

centerpiece material

These fun things have DIY written all over them.  It doesn't have to be bought at anthropology!  Wrapping yarn around cylinders and putting different candle holders inside with buttons could be all of $2 for a unique centerpiece!

eclectic decor ideas

grab some cool old bottles and books and set them out to add to the decor of your event.

unique jewelry for bridesmaids

whimsical fall foliage wrapped in gold paper

another DIY vision!

polaroid picture display

I love finding creative ways to display pictures at weddings.  Polaroids make such a statement, and I love the way Anthro hung theirs here. You could find a spot to hang pictures of the past, or to show off the fun from the day of the wedding.  Your guests will have fun taking and viewing them for the entire time!

i may be the only one that thinks wedding all the time, but hopefully, it will give you a little inspiration!  are there stores that you find yourself feeling refreshed and inspired?

Around the Corner...Something to Scream About.

We were on our way to the mountains, but wanted a hearty breakfast on the way. We wanted more than just coffee and a pastry, and we were a town away.  As I started googling breakfast restaurants in the Winston Salem area, a funny name pulled up...

Of course, I was interested.

I called, and was so pleased to find out they did serve breakfast (and not just for Sunday brunch!), and we were just a few miles away.As soon as we walked in, I knew it was gonna be good.

Any restaurant that decorates their cute cafe to look like a warm inviting home, is gonna get my attention.  As fun as the mason jars and pumpkins were, I hoped the food would hold up to the standard.

The Screaming Rooster did not disappoint.  I ordered the Almond French Toast with fresh berries and brown sugar glaze (on the side), and ate every last bite...except the ones I sacrificially shared with my adorable son who was begging with big blue eyes.

Everything was delicious.  And, the ambiance couldn't be beat.  Even though it's 30 min. away, you can bet that some Saturday morning, very soon, I'll indeed be heading back over to Brookstown Ave.

Around the Corner...A Little Sweetness from The Sugar Shack!

I vaguely remember when I was a little girl, going into my Grandaddy's old store, and being able to pick out candy for just a few cents.  It didn't happen a lot, but when it did, it was something special.

Today, I happened to pop into a (fairly) new shop in town.  The Sugar Shack has been opened for just about a year now, and is the cutest little candy store around.

Of course, the first thing that caught my eye was the old-timey cash register (that still works!) That definitely took me back to watching Willy Wonka!  But, as you look around, that feeling of being a kid rushes back as you see all the endless jars of candy.

They have a whole wall dedicated to multiple Jelly Belly jellybeans, any flavor you so desire, and chocolate gems in any color you want. Plus, an entire collection of organic candy!

There is table after table of tried and true favorites as well as hard to find specialty selections.  And, everything is $8.99 per pound, so you don't have to wonder how everything is priced.  

However, the sweetest part of this little shop was how it felt to be there.  The happy colors of candy and friendly staff was eager to have a visitor.  And, don't you dare tell my kids that I went without them, because there was even a cute little kids table for children to be able to sit and color.  (not to mention the mouthwatering snack selection.)

This Saturday is the Sugar Shack's first anniversary...or as I would say 1st Birthday!  They're putting on a fun party with pretty hefty swag bags for the first 30 people. Balloon Artist, Magic Christopher will be there from 12-2, and face painting from 3-5 done by Allison Wood. But, no matter when you get there, you're sure in for a treat!

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I've decided Thursdays are going to be my "around the corner" posts.  I'll be highlighting a local business or event that you don't want to miss.  Make sure you check back on Thursdays for an upcoming local outing that's sure to please! And, if you are interested in being our spotlighted business, feel free to email me with information.

Know your flower STYLE...with 5 simple questions!

So, we have been chatting about fleurs for the last couple of posts.  And, funny enough, you might not think style has a lot to do with flowers.

When you think of "your style", what immediately pops in your head?  Clothes?  Jewelry?  Or, maybe shoes?!?  

You probably weren't about to say flowers.  And, strangely enough, flowers are what can really make or break the style of your wedding or event. However, many times, it's the flowers that people have the hardest time knowing how to explain what they want.  (And, here's a hint...sometimes it's showing what you don't like that gives the best clues!)

I've found that the more communication you give your florist, the more they are able to understand your vision for the day. With that understanding, should come the look you're dreaming of for your wedding.

When you describe what you like (or don't like) to your florist, make sure they ask you these five things...and, if they don't make sure you tell them!

Five Questions Your Florist Should Ask...

1.  Do you prefer hand tied or cascading (trailing) bouquets?

2.  Do you prefer a mixture of flowers or all one type of flower 

(composite is their fancy word for this)?

3.  What is the style of your wedding?  

(elegant, natural, whimsical, classic, modern?)

4. What are your favorite flowers, and your least favorite flowers?

5. What colors do you want to use?

If all you told them was what flowers you like, you never know what look you will really get.  Those five questions will give them a starting place to know exactly what your style is.

chatting about fleurs...

Apparently, I'm just like Fancy Nancy.  Everything sounds prettier in French.  Thus, flowers become fleurs, and oh, so pretty!

Before You Go...

You might have heard the old Southern saying, "Don't arrive empty handed."  Well, going to your florist is no different. Don't go empty-handed!  Your florist cannot event begin to think, design, or create what you will like without having some idea of what your vision for your flowers is.

Pin It.

Have fun pinning away and make yourself a board or, you can go the old fashion route and clip out from magazines.  Your florist will be thankful for pictures, either way.  As you pin, you will begin to see a trend with colors and arrangements, that will help to show what your style is.  (Don't take mine as an example of similar tastes and styles...Mine is the opposite...it's a starting board for finding out which ones are clients favorites, so that then I can begin to narrow down which ones are their style.)  But, just from looking over a few pictures, you can begin to see which style and colors you like the best with flowers.

The last thing you want is to have your flowers show up at your wedding and be completely off from what you were thinking your flowers were going to look like.

So, if you're in the middle of planning, that's your homework...find pictures of what flowers you absolutely love, so that you know you're all on the same page.

flourish{ing}

 Flowers are amazing.  

You have a bare space, and then all of a sudden, you add flowers or greenery, and there's life!

But, similarly to color schemes, the trends with flowers change over time.  What I picked for my bridal bouquet (13 years ago today actually!) was perfect...then.  

Maybe I'm just too fickle, and vary my taste too much, but my flowers would be completely different now, than what I chose in August of 1999.

Over the last decade, {like many things in the wedding industry} the floral industry has taken quite a turn.  There is a whole movement toward more organic and natural arranging, and not your grandmother's (no offense!) florist.

For years, I didn't like the term florist.  It just felt stuffy, and unexciting, to say the least.  But, I love flowers!  It wasn't that I was unhappy with the flowers, more of how I would see them arranged.

There is a huge difference between having someone do the flowers, and someone being a floral designer.

In the next few posts, I'll be giving some tips on how to pick your favorite flowers, and how to make sure your style will truly flourish.

On Saying Yes.

I could have said no.  It would have been less messy and a whole lot less time on her part.

It started with her asking for the last fourth of the watermelon that was sitting on the counter.  I thought at first, how I knew she couldn't really eat all of that.  But, then I thought how cute she would be putting her whole face into the huge piece of watermelon.

The next time I looked, she was not eating, but working.  Creating.  Dreaming.

As she scooped and mashed and juiced away, I saw delight in her heart.

She said,

"Mom, this is going to be for all the people walking by!"  (to which I thought, 'all the people' meaning, the very few people walking their dogs?)

I could have spoken realism into her hopeful heart. I could have corrected her spelling.

But, then, I wouldn't have had the best watermelon juice I had ever tasted.  And, even though her only customer was her very own Mom, she felt like she had just served the queen.

Sometimes, you have to say no. But not always. And the times that I choose to say yes, seem that much more important.

What are you saying yes to this week?

Going, Going...Not Gone Yet!

I'm one of those people with the awful disease of thinking you have more time than you do.  Like, when I'm going out of town, not only do I have to pack, but I also have to clean the house, get all the laundry done, etc. etc.  Or, when I have an extra 15 minutes, I think that I'll have plenty of time to go to the grocery store really quick just to grab a couple things before picking up the kids...sometimes that works, sometimes, not so much.

We have a month left, folks.  Well, I do at least.  Until school begins again and my "baby" starts Kindergarten.  

It always astounds me how fast the summer flies by.  There are definitely things that I've wanted to do that haven't happened.  And other things that I wanted to finish that are still in progress.

But, about now, I always start to think, "Ok, priority time!!  What are the things I want to do most before the summer ends?"

Here's my short list...

make {and eat} blackberry cobbler

go rock hopping

fly a kite with my kids

fall asleep reading in a hammock

go hiking

watch a sunset with my hubby

What's on your summer punch list?  Because my other sickness is making checklist and checking things off, I might actually print my list off.  I might be a little more prone to make these things happen!  Whether your list would be staying home every day, or hiking the Appalachian Trail, let's make these last few summer days ones we love.

Color, Color, Who's Got the Color?

Maybe it's just because it's summer and these colors are so fun, but this is my favorite color combo right now for weddings.  It's so fun and spunky, but also modern and sophisticated. I think I'm in love...

Whenever I say or hear the phrase, "What are your colors?" I totally think of Steel Magnolias, where they're all in the beauty parlor, and they ask Shelby what her wedding colors are, and she says... (come on now, say it with me if you know it)

"My colors are blush and bashful."

And Weeza says...

"Your colors are PINK and PINK!"

Oh, I love that movie.  Ok, so what about you...

What were your colors? If you had to do it all over again, what colors would you choose?

I'm sure I'll change my mind in another month, but for now...I think I'll go put on my coral earrings and a turquoise dress.

A Very, Very Unbirthday...

One of my favorite things to do is to give gifts.  It's such a little way to celebrate. When we were little, my great aunt would always bring everyone "unbirthday presents" to our family's annual beach trip.  We wouldn't always see her throughout the year, but she knew she would have all the nieces and nephews together at the beach.  Now, I don't remember one single gift (I know, that's awful), but I do remember how fun it was to anticipate the unbirthday gifts, as well as my Aunt Ruth being so excited to pass them out to all of the eager recipients.

This past week, I was so excited when I found a great deal on some super cute Steve Madden sandals for under $10!  I couldn't resist a pair for myself, but because they were such a good deal, I grabbed an extra pair. I wrapped them up and surprised my big sis with reinstating the "unbirthday" gift beach tradition.

So, needless to say, whenever I see a good gift idea, or a clearance marked little goodie, I try to stash it away for the next gift I might need.  I don't have an extra $30-$50 to spend on each gift, so it's always fun to find little gifts that don't cost a ton.  Then, the best part is wrapping it up and surprising your next friend, guest or hostess.

One rule of thumb I've learned is that you want your gift to be useful or enjoyable. Here are some thoughtful little gift ideas that are all under $10 and are sure to please!

homemade baked goods are always a treat.  Wrap up a few in a clear or paper bag, and tie a ribbon around the top.  A note attached adds a little extra cuteness.

A bundle of flowers from the farmers market are sure to make anyone smile.  Bouquets are as little as $5 and are gorgeous on any table.

A little basket of garden goodies tied up with raffia makes a great gift! 

Surprise a friend on their special day with their favorite coffee drink.

Books from used bookstores are always so much less than retail, and can send just the right message.

My favorite local bakery always puts whatever I'm getting in a kraft paper cake box, and whenever I ask, they'll tie a satin ribbon (of my color choice) around the box.  It's a great gift, wrapping included.

Sometimes you can happen upon silver serving beauties at your local thrift stores for just a few dollars. Even second hand, they're still quite a treasure. 

At our Founders Day party, one of my sweet friends came in with hand soap wrapped up so cute, and the tag said, "To the Hostess with the Mostess".  It has been blessing me ever since!

It doesn't have to be big to make an impact!


*garden picture credit: Real Simple

Founders Day Party

Remember when I said I was gonna have a party?  Well, last week we had some friends over for the fourth and we had a good ol' fashion founders day party.   It was a blast! We had sack races, and a watermelon roll, lots of sparklers, and tons of great food.  And, for dessert, we had a pie baking contest...with real non-biased judges and everything!

My daughter is to the age where pretty much any project I can do, she can do even better!  I taught her how to do pinwheels, and she couldn't get enough of them.  We used scrapbook paper we had on hand, and didn't worry about the patterns and colors not being the exact color of the flag.  We accented the centers with cute buttons, and they were fabulous.

In my favorite potluck fashion, everyone brought a side dish and we provided the burgers and hot dogs.  Then, for dessert, those who felt up to the challenge, made a pie for the pie baking contest!  It was great.  We had non-biased judges and everything.

I had fun pulling out all my red, white, and blue anything to make a festive tablescape ready for everyone's yummy food to be displayed.

I always love a bargain...I found some paper fans at Dollar Tree, and with a little ribbon and fabric, they were super cute hanging off my back deck!

With a few things on hand, I  changed my staple of a wreath into a little patriotic decor for our front door.  

More to come on that easy project!

Even though it was one of the hottest days we've had yet, we mainly kept the party outside. The pinwheels made great centerpieces and eliminated the need to spend more on flowers.

We sent people on their way with "cookies for the road". Of course, "Homemade in the USA".

The true test of how much I love my job...I love to do it even for free!

If you're looking for a new twist on your July 4th, this fun for all ages party was a great way to spend the holiday together!

Linking up today with one of my favorite artistic communities over at Studio JRU!