Labor Day Looks

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Personally, I'm looking forward to a little bit of "this" this weekend. Grab a beach blanket and enjoy the later summer sun. Side note: it has rained probably every day for the last two weeks here. Beyond ridiculous. As long as I get some sunshine and Vitamin D I will be happy with the weather! 

How great does this combo sound- nice comfy sweater, cute shorts, fabulous flats, your hair pulled back in a bun with a stellar set of big ol' pearl earrings to keep it southern?

Crumpet striped sweater / Rag bone striped sweater / Dorothy Perkins striped sweater / Rag & bone short shorts / 
Alice + Olivia short shorts / Calypso St. Barth lace shorts / J Crew ballet flat / J Crew ballet flat / 
Vince Camuto ballet flat / Pearl earrings

Linking up to Friday's Fancies as well, check it out for Labor Day Inspired Looks!

What will you be wearing this weekend?

xoxo.

The Latest, The Almost Done: The Dining Room

I am so ready to be done with this room it's not even funny! I am happy to say though it is in the final stages with just a few large items to go. I switched around some artwork, moved some furniture and replaced accessories. All it took was an afternoon or two to focus and get things organized and done. Sometime the focus part is hard for me! :)

Here's the little bar cart I showed you last week:

The only thing I added between now and then was a vintage tea cup with a votive:

I think it will be so fun to change out the accessories seasonally. Stephen can put his Scotch back on the bar cart for fall, the colors will look awesome with my Halloween decor!

Zoomed out of the room: new artwork, chair slipcovers, new pillows and a few new accessories for the buffet...

So the chairs finally got slipcovered. The upholsterer added a bow that sort of functions- the canvas fabric is so thick it's hard to tie a bow. Oh well.

I added silver frames on the buffet for some contrast to the gold mirror and lamps:

I also hung a silver platter {wedding gift} for some shine in the back corner. I love it hung on the wall!

I also made these throw pillows for the slipcovered chairs:

Here is the room in progression from the beginning of this year:

We've come a long way right?! It's only taken me six months!

FINAL LIST FOR THE DINING ROOM:

-New chandelier

-Larger china cabinet

-Decor for either side of chalkboard

Short and sweet right? I actually have a china cabinet in mind, which I can hopefully snag next time I take a trip to Wilmington at a dealer there I know. I also have an idea for wall art on the chalkboard wall, but you will have to wait to see that! I'm so excited about it and I think its the finishing touch on the room. As for the chandelier, I cannot decide what look I want to go for. Does anyone have any great sources for chandeliers that aren't outrageously priced?

As for what's next: I have several big projects I cannot wait to share with you next week!!

xoxo.

Weekend Shopping + Fun

Hello everyone! How was your weekend? I feel satisfied with a weekend full of fun. Makes Monday seem a little brighter looking at these photos! Shall we start?

We went to Raleigh for the weekend and Friday night the boys wanted to go grab a few beers at a rooftop bar. I decided I would drop them off and I would go hit a few of my favorite stores! I have to make every minute count when I am in the homeland! 

Here is my haul from TJ Maxx: I was pleasantly surprised with several Kate Spade finds and some festive Halloween straws:

The polka dot sheets were a no brainer: done and done. Waking up to polka dot sheets is a good way to start your day, right?

One thing I always look for in discount stores is pretty hand soap. I picked up these from Home Goods. I would rather have a pretty bottle on the counter for $4 or $5 dollars than Dial :)

The next day I squeezed in a trip to South Point while Stephen did some yard work for his Grandma. West Elm just opened this week and I loved browsing the crowded store. I have seen lots of Raleigh bloggers share this photo but it really is cool so I'm sharing as well. This is behind their check out counter- a live greenery wall! 

I couldn't leave empty handed so I grabbed this hand towel for our guest bath:

It actually matches our shower curtain, also by West Elm. I have debated on doing the double shower curtain look. Anyone have any thoughts on this? It's a small space so I don't want it to look crowded.

Saturday night we spent at the Durham Bulls game...

And Sunday afternoon I attended a bridal shower for my sweet friend Jenna who is getting married in October....

The cake was as delicious as it was cute!

Tell me about your weekend friends!! xoxo.

Friday Tidbits

Things I am excited about this week/coming weekend:

I have a stack of catalogs and magazines that haven't been read and that is on the tippy top of my list this weekend. I haven't even perused the checkout line magazines this week, so who knows what kind of damage is awaiting there as well. Don't laugh at my Better Homes and Gardens, it is one of my all time favorite magazines! I just renewed my subscription for $5.99/a year. If you want to do the same, I think this is the same offer. Cannot beat that. 

I worked on the Dining Room {again} and I swear it's almost finished! Here is a sneaky peek of my Grandpa's sweet little bar cart. 

I haven't finished all the fun here yet, but I love this framed fabric I fixed up yesterday.

I am SO hoping that my sweet dear friend Ashley has her precious baby this weekend. Rosemary, I think it's time for your debut! {especially since I will be in town this weekend ;) !!} I mentioned Ashley's "Sprinkle" in July with this amazing cupcake...

This is Ashley and I way back in the good ol' days of college: 

{unfortunately, I could not crop out those beer bottles, not that we drank beer then or anything}

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!! 

xoxo.

If Girls Ruled the Tailgate

First of all, I apologize in advance for bombarding you with what you are about to see. After my post yesterday on tailgating, you ladies really got the wheels turning for pulling together our menu for next week and for future tailgates to come. 

As a thank you to my awesome readers {I love ya I really do!} I wanted to feature some of their ideas they tossed my way. I really do appreciate each and every comment, but I am not the best at responding to emails and whatnot. However, I want to say "thank you" to everyone who reads this little blog and sends comments my way! 

Prepare yourselves....if we all got together...this would be our tailgate y'all: 

Soft Pretzel Bites

Mrs. Easton from Life of an Easton Wife recommended pretzel bread and beer cheese. I mean, that is a winning combination, is it not? As a twist on this idea, I have been wanting to make pretzel bites for quite some time now. I think it's time I give it a go. I have always been a sucker for Auntie Annes in the mall. Who's with me?!

Ham and Cheese Sliders

Laura from Our Life in the Queen City said one of her favorite things to snack on are these Ham and Cheese Sliders. Ham and cheese sliders are one of those things I will just pick up at a tailgate because they look so good and are irresistible.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

April from A. Liz Adventures knows how to make her hubby happy with Buffalo Chicken Dip. This recipe is the one I go by and the bowl is usually empty and devoured by the end of the party. I haven't made this one in a while so I'm thinking its a must!

Velveeta Chili Dip

Whitney from Drab to Fab Design shared that one of her favorites is Velveeta dip {also one of my all times faves}. Here is an easy version that looks delish!

And since we are on the "dip" subject, Megan from Fried Green Pickles  and I would get along great, we both are huge fans of any and all dips. Seriously though, if all my meals were dips I would be happy.

Southern Boiled Peanuts

Cotton from Cottons Pickins brings boiled peanuts and some good ol' beer to a tailgate. Sounds like every mans dream, right? 

I'm glad everyone kept it real and told me their favorite indulgences for this fun season upon us. Of course, we can throw in some celery, carrots and cucumbers to keep things under control.

Thanks again to everyone who commented yesterday!

{I only mentioned those who left specific food comments, but I appreciate every other comment just as much!!!}

xoxo.

Tailgate Time

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Yes, ladies. It is officially almost that time of year. Some of you may dread football season {I personally love it}. The husband usually starts a countdown sometime in July as to when the first NC State football game is. However, I recall one year when it occurred as early as the Spring Game, sometime in April. So...here we are, with our first football game just 9 days away!

For the first time in many years, our game on Labor Day Weekend will actually be an away game. The Wolfpack will be playing Tennessee in the Chic-fil-A bowl game Friday night! This means we get to spend the weekend at the beach for Labor Day, a rare feat for us football fans.  Since we aren't really tailgating, we will be enjoying AC, having finger foods and tailgate-esque tasty bites. We are planning our menu now...so tell me, what are your favorite tailgate foods/recipes? This time around, we have a handy oven and fridge and microwave to make things very simple.

Go Wolfpack! xo.

Designer Digs + Furbish Faves

I stumbled upon these first few images on Pinterest and had to dig a little deeper to see who was behind these stunning rooms. Meet Suellen Gregory out of Richmond, Virginia, the talented designer. One thing I noticed throughout, each room seems to have a touch of blue, even if it comes in the form of a book or dessert dish.

The chair is perfection, along with that neutral wall color that doesn't go boring.

If I had seen these next two images earlier, my dining room would've taken a completely different direction. The gold embellishments and pale blue are a pretty pair.

I love how the lighting keeps this room fun and young.

The animal print pillows are the perfect touch to anchor this breakfast nook.

Total elegance. Want those chairs.

The pop of bright art over the fireplace keeps this room fun and in the moment as well.

That wallpaper.

Are you as smitten as me? I got SO much inspiration by browsing Suellen's portfolio. This is just a small selection of her wide variety of design.

After looking at these interiors that really speak to me, one shop came to mind: Furbish. Here's a handful of my favorite accessories from Jamie's shop {in my hometown!!!} to add some punch and achieve a similar look:

all items available via ShopFurbish.com

Happy Tuesday! xoxo.

Breakfast For Dinner and Essie Love

Last night to cap off our weekend I convinced the hubby to have breakfast for dinner. Does anyone else love that besides me? I can con him into breakfast for din {or, brenner as I like to call it} about one time a year, so we made sure it was a good one. My meal of choice? French Toast. He added that if he was having French Toast for dinner then he was definitely adding sausage and bacon, too. Not a problem.

Sorry for the bad photo. This was devoured quickly!

Here is my recipe:

FRENCH TOAST

-2/3 cup milk

-4 eggs

-2 tsp ground cinnamon

-Bread

-Butter for the frying pan

-Maple syrup and powdered sugar for topping

-Beat milk, eggs and cinnamon in a small bowl.

-Transfer mixture to shallow dish

-Heat large frying pan over medium heat with a few tablespoons of butter

-Dip each piece of bread {both sides} into mixture and add to pan

-Cook on both sides until done

-Slice, serve and top with preferred toppings

In my book, French Toast is not French Toast with out powdered sugar on top. That's the way I grew up eating it and I can't have it with out! I wish I would've remembered some fresh berries to top with also, but next time that will happen.

ESSIE LOVING...

My Mom and I got a manicure and polish change for our pedicures this Saturday, a great way to spend the afternoon out of the blasting hot weather we have had. I have two new favorite colors!

ESSIE EAST HAMPTON COTTAGE

We both got this for our manicures and I am obsessed. Essie describes it perfectly as a beachy sand pink with hints of sheer shimmer. Absolutely perfect.

ESSIE CUTE AS A BUTTON

This was my pedicure color and it is hands down my favorite coral I have come across. THE perfect coral/pink that isn't too bright as I start to lose my tan.

Side note, we ran by the drug store before our manis to buy the colors we wanted instead of using the salons colors. I am thrilled to add them to our stash! 

How was everyone your weekend? Hope y'all have a wonderful start to your week! 

xoxo.

Beach Morning + Friday Finds

This is how Miss Dixie and I started off our morning. A quick little walk {for me}, run/play/chasing birds {for her}. Hopefully, I will do this the next two mornings as well to soak up a few more late summer beach days.

A few other things for your weekend....

How delicious does this Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread look? Someone please make it. I've never attempted to make bread before, I just enjoy eating it :)

I ordered this dress and this top in navy from Gap this week. I guess I am loving on some navy stripes! I am excited to wear this transitioning into fall with boots. It has a really cute zipper detail on the shoulder and is a great weight. Dresses and boots are a must here since it stays warm well into fall. 

AND, 25% off your purchase right now, good finds y'all!

And lastly, enjoy your weekend friends!! 

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XOXO.