Five Minute Fourth of July Decor

I had an all time productive naptime this weekend and have a few quick things to show from it. Truth be told, since we have bought this house I have been sucked into the "big" projects so it was fun to finally do something fun and quick without feeling the guilt of not accomplishing something bigger.

Once upon a time I loved to decorate for holidays {like every single one!!} but now I have found I don't have the time to do as much for each one so some smaller holidays get paired down. In my mind, the Fourth of July should not be one of those! Actually, some summers we are so busy at the time and end skipping right over it because we are celebrating elsewhere, and I hate the fact that I didn't dress up my whole house in red, white and blue. This year I finally did a little American spruce up in the kitchen and I am loving it.

I remembered seeing an ad from Michaels earlier on in the week and the sparkler ideas stuck with me. Michaels sells a tinsel/star garland {all on sale now} that I cut into about 5 inch pieces and simply hot glued in a loop on to the end of a dowel. {I had leftover dowels from an old sunburst mirror}

Seriously, how cute are they!?!

 

Now normally, I am not a tinsel type of person, but it seems appropriate and fun for the Fourth. Very American. I added the sparklers to a trophy vase {clearance at Hobby Lobby!} and added red, white and blue straws to a floral blue and white vase. The little American flags are so cute but they will be perfect for an appetizer later on in the week. Recognize the Lilly for Target tray? I love it. 

They were so easy I ended up making enough to go in white jars over our sink too...

This ledge is the perfect place to let tomatoes sit and ripen and you can find a stack here almost every day of the summer! 

This year I am remembering even more how important our American flag is...thank God for the red, white and blue. It's the flag that all of our soldiers fight for, fight under, and look to....it is what we all unite under. We went out and finally bought an American flag that is proudly waving outside our house, and also got a little mini American flag that is garden size. Love it so much! 

If you missed my post of ideas for dressing for the Fourth, see here {lots of good stuff over there!!} What are you doing to celebrate and get ready for this American holiday? 

Three Ideas for Dressing for the Fourth!

It is no secret I love the Fourth of July. It's always been such a fun holiday for me and I love the great memories that I have in my mind from years past. I love summertime food, easy styles and the celebrations that surround this holiday. Since I can't help but love this holiday, I had a blast putting some fashion ideas together... 

 
magensia strapless dress {on sale} / arrowprint dress {on sale} / zig zag shell / twist back dress

Love all of these dresses for throwing on to get ready for a cookout or hanging out on the porch, patio....beach at sunset. One thing is for sure, when we have had a heatwave for practically two weeks, I am reaching in my closet for only the easiest and coolest clothing I can find! These all fit the bill.

silk drawstring dress / sashi fringe sandal / wedge sandal / fiona thong sandal

Being an NC State fan, I know how hard it is to find pretty red tops and dresses. Seriously, it's an issue! You would not think it would be hard, but it is. I love this silk dress that you could dress up or down. I may or may not be obsessed with those tassel heels. I have had my eye on those flip flops for months and now they are on sale! And the wedge is perfect for not being too tall and needing a teensy bit of height.

terry sweatshirt and shorts / striped tote / sunshower drops / rattan clutch / tortoise sunnies /

 striped shorts and top / chambray fedora {on sale!}

And, last but not least, some of my favorite items! The loungewear you change into after you have washed off all the sunscreen and salt, and are ready to curl up on the sofa {in the AC!!} and just feel good. And I threw in some extra cute accessories too. Don't get me started on that fedora....

What are you thinking about wearing next week? I'm hoping to have some time to pull together some more Fourth inspired posts so stay tuned!
Have a great weekend!! 

Living Room E-Design #1

I mentioned a few weeks ago I had a great time working on an E-design for myself. It really helped me to design the room the way I want it to look instead of piecing it together over time and hoping it works. Can't wait to show y'all where we are on our room! Until then, here is a reader that contacted me about her living room. Shauna has a family of three {husband, herself and one toddler} and another one on the way. They wanted something comfortable but couldn't figure out how to "design" their space. Here is what I came up with!

CURRENT:

Gallery wall over sideboard

Mostly brown/tan furniture and accents

Overall, a great space, just needs some brighter colors to break up the tan and brown.

Here is what I came up with! 

fireplace image via / roland media stand / papaya pillow / savannah armchair / ming dragon pillow /

ombre throw / beach blaze art / coral / tea caddy / wood frame / personalized canvas / captains mirror / sofa / buffalo check pillow / lamps / sideboard {similar} / assorted frames / starburst mirror {similar} / foo dogs {currently sold out}

I know everyone has their own budget and since this was just a "design" I tried to keep it somewhere in the middle of the road of designing for style, but also cost conscious. I know sofas and chairs are big purchases and I still think the client could use most of the room with her current furniture if she didn't want to do the new slipcovered furniture route. By the way, I love my slipcovers! Both the sofa and the chairs look like they will be extremely durable, yet have a chic style. Absolutely love the skirt on the chairs. Love, love, love.

The living room has great "bones" and character and is actually a really great set up. So many living rooms have quirky things to work around but they had theirs set up really well. My very first thought was to paint the brick around the fireplace the same color as the bookshelves. It will make the space seem bigger and seamless. Can we talk about the fireplace and bookcases for a second? So jealous of this feature! While we are talking about the bookshelves, I have a simple idea...I regularly frequent thrift shops/ consignment stores for books with nice bindings {check under the covers!} that I can use on my bookshelves. Maybe even look for a bunch in the same color scheme {i.e all white, all brown, all tan, all turquoise} It will take time but it is worth it and its something you can do over time. I also added a few items that will make those shelves pop. I suggested using some metallics, and other items that tie back to the rest of the room. Don't use all small items or else they will be lost on the shelves. Above the fireplace, I thought a round sunburst mirror style would be really nice.

For the white sofa and chairs: I added a classic buffalo check and a fun geometric. I think the pillows in the room really add some energy that the space needs. I have learned nice pillows make a big difference. Try and use down inserts if possible. 

I would keep the side table the client already owns against the wall, add a few lamps and use a large scale piece of art over it instead of the gallery wall. I would then, in turn, make a gallery wall around the tv instead.

I think the wall color is great and I would wait on the rug after they made some more decisions. {In most cases the rug would come first, but here I think she can wait since it sort of works!} 

______

Shauna seemed really happy with her design and I look forward to hearing how she implements it in her home. If you are interested in a complimentary e-design, email me, with photos, information on your current space, the direction you want to go in and what you hope to get out of the e-design. Must be willing to let me share your photos on Miss Dixie :) Look forward to hearing from y'all! 

Meal Planning Lunches

source

Does anyone else struggle with what to have for lunch? I feel like its always a task to have the right foods at home, being fresh and what we actually feel like eating. Nothing worse than buying food that goes to waste, right? On the days I am at home with Weeks, Stephen will end up bringing us something, a lot of times just for convenience, not necessarily something we really want {Chic Fila salads or Panera most likely}. I have been trying out some new lunches that have been hits so far, and I've got a new plan for this week. Here are a few recipes for you...

I made these Vegetarian wraps last week and I would say they are a keeper! I don't mind anything vegetarian, Stephen probably would've preferred some kind of meat in there. They were easy to throw together and were yummy.

I found this recipe for Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad but I plan on switching it up a little. I wont use as much mayo and I will probably dice my avocado and serve it in a bowl or on a wrap. Planning ahead, I will chop everything ahead of time so at lunch time it just has to be thrown together and is fresh.

I have everything I need for this Greek Chopped Salad and can't wait to try it out! Not that a Greek salad is anything new, but I haven't tried this recipe yet. Seems so refreshing and light, perfect for a healthy lunch. I most definitely will be adding feta to mine, too.

I've got a few variations of wraps I am trying out and will be sure to share if they are good. In the meantime, I pin a ton of recipes to this board. What are your go-to lunches? Do share!  

For The Dads In Your Life...

chillsner beer cooler / sperrys / soundlink mini / mac sports folding wagon 

 moscow mule mug / iGrill device

Another fun little gift giving guide I thought most Dad's would appreciate...of all ages :) Dads are such important people and they definitely deserve their day and some fun signs of appreciation. If they don't already own the soundlink, its such a good investment! I swear, we love ours and they are so portable. Just plain nice. For the drink lover, a nice way to keep a beer cool and of course, an ice cold copper mug. Most Dads would appreciate the beach wagon for making their haul down to the beach a little painless. Can't go wrong with a new pair of Sperrys right? And, what a cool gadget: a monitor for the grill temperature that sinks to your iphone. Can't tell you how useful that would be in our house! What have you found this year for Father's Day?

Oh, and most of these are available on Amazon, so you still have time ;)

Living Room...Making it Work

A few days ago I posted on finding a new living room rug. Thank you to those that weighed in on the options, it definitely got my wheels spinning. First, I went to our local carpet and flooring specialty store to see what their options were for having a rug made {sort of like out of a piece of carpet. Scroll down to see that option at the end}. I found a herringbone option I really, really love but it's still a little more than what I want to spend right now with Fathers Day and hubby's birthday right around the corner. So the long term plan is to invest in that rug in a few months, until then I have come up with a plan that will make it work! I will keep the jute rug and layer over it a black and white striped rug that we aren't using. So excited about this short term fix.

I made this design below and I can't wait to implement it! To start, we have a white sofa similar to below, and I am trading my plaid wingbacks with my parent's club chairs from their beach house. I love my estate sale wingbacks, but the mauve plaid just isn't working, and recovering would also be an added expense I am not up for right now. I've had them almost a year and they still are in their original plaid :) I'm hoping the club chairs aren't too big! Although this is technically our formal living room, it is definitely the room we spend the most time in because of its large size. The club chairs will add an element of "comfiness", I think.

I mentioned I have the ritvas I will be switching out with my old floral drapes, and we already have a starburst mirror hung in between the windows. Wall color is matched to pale powder by Farrow and Ball. It looks a little more green in the design than it does in my house. Love this color! It goes from our living room, foyer and down the hall. 

I actually already own {hoarder!!} the dalmation print fabric that I will turn into pillows, and now I just have to get the floral and the pink velvet. Not sure if I will use these exact fabrics, but they are good contenders! 

roll arm chair / seabury sofa / ikea ritva / maui chunky loop rug / olin black rug / velvet pillow / floral pillow / dalmation pillow

Here is the herringbone rug that is currently the long term contender, placed alongside our wood floors and on top of the current rug. I love that it is still neutral, but has another element of design, but doesn't blend with the wood either. I think the current rug is not the right shade, making it look dull.

On another note, I had way too much doing this little e-design. Anyone want me to take a shot designing one for you? Free of charge! Email me or leave a comment below and we can be in touch.

Hope y'all have a great weekend!!

Hunting For A Rug

sierra paddle rug / diamond cotton trellis / diamond trellis flatwoven / quinta moderna trellis / beaumont adileh / safavieh heritage

I mentioned a few weeks ago some house projects I would like to work on over the summer. One of those being replacing the rug in our living room. It is a jute, large weave rug that has seen better days and I am looking for a cleaner, fresher look. The sofa is white and the wingbacks are in a plaid that will be recovered eventually. The drapes are going to be replaced soon with ikea ritvas. The walls are a pale powder blue, so we are looking at a mostly neutral palette. I think most of all, I would prefer a traditional rug in a light colorway, but that has been hard to find. We have fairly light wood floors and I need a little bit of a contrast too. Right now, the jute is a shade darker than the wood and I don't like that. I think it needs to be overall a brighter look or with some pattern to break it up. Cost is another issue. Like most people, I would like to find a good rug on a budget. The way our dogs wear on rugs, plus baby spills has really taken a toll on the current rug and I foresee that same thing happening over time. A rug that can easily be spot cleaned would be excellent. Sounds like a tall order, right? But for now, just weigh in on your favorite design above. All of these came from RUGS USA since they always have great deals. Other than spotting one at Home Goods or TJ Maxx, where do you find good quality rugs for a deal? I'll be searching the web to find more good deals but let me know if you have a tip as well!

Beach and Summer Ready!

zig zag cover up / festival tassel drops / black and white tote / flat studded thong / tassel straw tote / aleah sandal / hoodie cover up / round keyhole sunglasses

It's officially beach season and I rounded up a few favorites that just scream summer to me. Cute, functional and breezy cover ups, here and here, are a must for me these days when I'm looking after Weeks. I think that beach tote is very Mara Hoffman-ish, minus the price, and that is a win-win for me. Can't forget bright tassel earrings, easy sunnies and cute sandals to complete the look.

What has been your favorite beach/summer find so far? Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Shed Makeover Progress

How is it Wednesday already? I forgot to fill in over the weekend on instagram {@missdixie30} what we spent most of our weekend doing. The husband had plans for us to paint the shed, the last of the exterior painting to be done! {I also shared a while back that we painted our brick house white. I haven't gotten around to posting the final pics but I will do that soon}. I was actually pretty excited about painting our old shed after posting this inspiration. We are about half way finished and I can't wait to see it done once we have more time on the weekend! 

BEFORE {prior to move in}

DURING

Here you can see the shed primed. And what a pain that was. When we first started painting it we were using a normal roller and had to cut in the cracks that are sort of like vertical planks. After the cutting in was taking forever, Stephen suggested I spray it instead, which worked like a charm. {I love my sprayer that I used to paint our bathroom cabinets!!}

So far, we have painted the front with the final coat, in Swiss Coffee, and I've started to add the black trim. We also tried using a roller meant for brick, which is has a high nap and got into all of those vertical cracks. What a time saver! What are your thoughts on the black window boxes? I think once its all done the window boxes will look good in the black. 

I would love to make the window casings brass...wouldn't that be sooo good? Would spray paint work for that? And on the barn doors, we are looking for a brass barrel bolt for closure. We are doing brass accents on our house, so it will tie together.

Still to do...

-A new light would be amazing

-Landscape on right side of shed {we have pulled out most of the old wax myrtles}

-Finish painting

-Find brass hardware

What do you think? Better black and white?