Day 731's anniversary

Today is our two-year anniversary! As much as it seems like our beautiful wedding day was just yesterday, it also seems like we have been together forever. It's hard to imagine myself without my husband, and I am grateful that I don't have to.

Day 730's party pictures

The shower on Friday night was a big success! Of course I stressed a little too much, but it went off without a single hitch, and I think everyone had a great time. Here's a little peek ...

Invitations printed with navy and "pool" blue ink set the tone for the party.


We used mis-matched cloth napkins in shades of blues.


I bought a half yard each of navy calico and blue-and-white striped ticking from Wal-Mart (the teal fabric came from my stash) and made string of flags to hang on the mantle.


Hydrangeas from the wholesale florist were the biggest and most beautiful I'd ever seen!


We opted to have the food catered from a local Mediterranean-style restaurant. Rice and chicken kabobs are an easy crowd-pleaser, and since the party was in the evening, serving dinner was a hospitable gesture.


I dressed my glass canisters (which I was waiting to use until after the party!) with fabric left over from the flags, and served lemonade and blueberry iced tea inside.

Day 727's pretty

Since I have been on the subject of all things blue lately (here, here, here, and here), I thought this pretty bench was a nice end to the week. Doesn't it look so perfect for napping?!

Happy Weekend!

Day 726's dessert

Nearly all of my childhood Fourth of July holidays were spent at my grandparents lake house. There was much swimming, boating, hamburger-eating, and firework-shooting, but also blueberry-picking at a nearby farm. For me (and many Southerners, I'm sure), blueberries and the Fourth of July are one-in-the-same.

Now, my granddad -- Pop -- has a yard-full of blueberry bushes that he offers up to anyone with an empty bucket to fill. The last time I checked, they were nearly in (above photo). I have go-to cobbler recipe, but this year, I think I'm going to branch out a bit. The top contenders are ...


Smitten Kitchen's Blueberry Crumb Bars


Martha Stewart's Blueberry and Buttermilk Tart


Cooking Light's Lemon-Scented Blueberry Cupcakes

How about you? Have any summer memories or blueberry recipes to share?

Day 725's kitchen love

I know I said I wouldn't be around much this week -- and I still have plenty to do! -- but wouldn't you know that we'd have major technology issues (actually it was called a "catastrophic hardware failure") during one of the busiest weeks ever?!

So ... I've got kitchens on my brain. I've been slooooowly working on a little makeover in our kitchen, and I got to see Brooke's gorgeous makeover in person on Monday, when she graciously hosted our little group of Birmingham bloggers. I was impressed when she posted it, but let me tell you, it looks so much better in person. And she totally tackled the tile herself!

Which brings me to these kitchens. We get several IPC publications at work, and I almost always tear out the ads for Plain English, a UK-based cabinet (er, cupboard) maker. The kitchens are so simple and well-edited, and I love the country feel -- they get me every time! Have a look ...

Day 724: more party inspiration

More blue and white party inspiration, this time courtesy of Carolyne Roehm (of course) and Veranda magazine.


What a dreamy porch!

Day 723

This week is already shaping up to be a real doozie. There is A TON to do at work, and plenty of last-minute things to take care of for my sister's shower this weekend. I hope I'll be back at least a couple of times, but I won't lie, it's not looking good at the moment!



Photos: via I Suwanne, and Country Living.

Day 720's pretties

I've been meaning to post about New York, but there really isn't much to say. I only had an hour or two here or there to wander around, and didn't go far since I had my laptop, purse, and a huge umbrella in tow, and was wearing a trench coat, to boot.

One morning I ducked into Anthropologie to admire the always-impressive merchandising, and thought this Central Park Chinese dogwood covered in raindrops was pretty. See? Not much.


Though I did sneak a photo of offices for the Web site I'm working on for the next couple of months. That was exciting!

Day 719: new decorating rules

Oakland, California designer Sheri Sheridan offers her new rules for decorating in a recent issue of Sunset magazine. Some wise words, I think.

Celebrate tchotchkes: Make what you already have display-worthy.


Indulge in art: "Never be afraid to buy original art if you love it," Sheri says. "Art is always a smart investment."


Salvage something: This bench came from the side of the road, and was updated with paint and a fabric remnant.


Shun labels: "I love mixing time periods and styles so they work together," says Sheri. The combination makes the vintage seem current and the contemporary pieces less stark.


Mix the old with the new: I whole-heartedly subscribe to this one, which I'm sure is no surprise to most of you. To me, there is nothing more boring in the world than a room chock-full of brand-new furniture. Old things give a room a personality and a history that simple cannot be found on a showroom floor. Do you have any decorating rules of your own?

Day 719's post

Today I am so flattered to be the "featured guest" in the Through Her Eyes series on Layers of Meaning. Head over to check it out, and say HI! to Maria while you're there!

Day 718's pretty party

Megan at Beach Bungalow 8 recently hosted the exact party I've been fantasizing about. Held in her front yard, the baby shower's blues and whites color scheme was sweet without being saccharine, with no cheese in sight. My kind of party.


Megan found an ebay seller that offered Blue Willow plates for $4 each, and bought the rattan chargers at Pottery Barn and World Market.


Burlap covered the table, and fresh limes served as placecards. Blue and purple hydrangeas, green PeeGee hydrangeas and white roses were arranged in silver bowls.


I've been wanting to throw a blue-and-white themed party since I stumbled on this idea board at Style Me Pretty. I love the crisp, summery look.


Blue and white can also take on a slightly vintage feel (as seen on this board from Snippet & Ink), which is the direction I'm hoping to go for a shower for my sister at the end of the month. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!

Day 717's house love

I'm head-over-heels for the Savannah home of Liz Demos of @home, featured recently on Design*Sponge. The mix of architectural salvage and flea market finds with an edited color palette is so great, and there is more to discover each time I take a new look.


Check out what Liz has to say about some of the interesting pieces in the house: "The old school globe is one of those ones you can write on with chalk to learn about geography. It is one of my favorite possessions. The white country cabinet houses the TV and lots of our son’s toys."


"I love metal furniture and you can see why, lots of drawers and great surfaces. They look modern but not totally out of place with all my other old things. The faux wood grain metal cabinet next to the sofa is from an old library. The drapes are from Ikea (about 5 years ago) and we bought extra to upholster valances. I think this is a great trick to get a custom look from off the shelf draperies & you get lots of extra fabric if you decide to make pillows later." Totally love this idea!


"Close up of library cabinet and on top a vintage bingo spinner, an arts & crafts lamp and a 19th century fabric sampler."



"I adore Swedish painted furniture so when I spotted this 1920s dining table and chairs set I scooped it up."


"The sideboard is also a vintage find from a central Florida antique fair. I made the drapes from wide striped ticking yardage."



"This is a view of the top of a cabinet in the hallway. In the assortment: tin purses, a print of a pigeon, an old mirror and an alabaster lamp."



"This is a shot of our bathroom towel hooks under a shelf that houses a collection of pond boats and one of my many apartment for rent signs. I also like antique wire hangers so you can see two of them hanging near the window. The are like sculpture and all so different."