Rosemary

Rosemary....!

Here at my house, my once small 
planting of rosemary is now a shrub!

I cut back armloads of rosemary every
 few months because it grows so fast.

I have about a pound of it chopped and 
frozen in ice cubes to use in soups and stews.

My next adventure I want to try?
Making homemade rosemary soap.

Here is the next thing I am going to craft...

Source: centsationalgirl.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Don't you just love this rosemary wreath?

Can't you just smell it?

Source: marthastewartweddings.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Look at these simple bouquets attached 

to chairs at this wedding.  

Source: everythingfab.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Look at this beautiful tablesetting with 
a sprig of rosemary tied around 
the napkin with jute string.

And it would work even better if you 
were serving this...

Source: marthastewart.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Rosemary Fried Chicken

or this...

Source: ohsobeautifulpaper.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Rosemary-Strawberry Sangria

(be still my heart!)

 - and let's not forget dessert...

Source: blogs.babble.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Rosemary-Lemonade Popsicles.

Uh-huh!

THAT got your attention, didn't it?  :)

Source: potterybarn.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Do you love rosemary as much as I do?

How have you used rosemary in 

your own home?

I'd love to hear your ideas.

And if you have not already registered to

win my Pier1 Pillow Giveaway, you have

one more day to do so.

Look for another exciting giveaway for participants in the
Souther Bloggers Conference.


xxoo,

English Hutch

There are a few pieces of furniture in our home
which have extreme sentimental value to us.

One of them being our antique English hutch.


It was inherited from The Hubb's grandmother,
and has traveled all over the world with us.

(Christmas)

I was always petrified, whenever we moved, that
the original glass would get broken.  So we always paid extra money to the movers so they could construct its own for a crate.


I wish you could smell the inside.  It's has a wonderful, slightly musty but old wood smell.
I can't explain it, but every time I open the doors
I get a whiff and I love the smell.

When my Living Room went through its various color changes over the past year...
aka "The Season of Indecision"


Cherry Red


Laura Ashley Navy

and now Summer Cottage Blue...


I wanted the hutch to get a fresh pick-me-up, too.


Here is the hutch as it appeared for several years with some of my collection of blue and white
Staffordshire, along with some crystal and silver pieces too.

You can see how this hutch has its shares of boo-boos.  Chips in the veneer.  One day I will get it to the Furniture Doctor for a much-needed facelift.


I emptied it all out of the blue and white, and filled it with an assortment of white dishes and accent pieces of crystal and old books.

I love the lighter look.

Above, you can see the new Summer Cottage Blue color, which I absolutely adore.

I love layering pieces in a hutch to create peaks and valleys.  Books and plate stands work great for that.

Some old, some new, some borrowed, some....wait.
Some white.  Yes, white. All white.

I am thinking about adding some fabric to the back of the hutch.  I think some blue and white French ticking.

I also added some crystal pieces for a little sparkle.
We Southern gals just love our sparkle.   This is my grandmother's vinegar cruet.

My fave mini salt and pepper cellar, and Victorian eye cups. 

One of my many gravy boats.  I love the versatility of gravy boats.  But, I love gravy too so that would make perfect sense.  :)


Hopefully soon I can reveal the new Living Room.


Until then, thanks for letting me share my English Hutch.

I will be sharing this Before and After Hutch display on:


Met Monday, Between Naps on the Porch
Boogieboard Cottage, Masterpiece Monday
A Stroll Thru Life, Tabletop Tuesday
Wow Me Wednesday, Savvy Southern Style


Don't forget about the Pier1 Pillow Giveaway.

 If you have not already registered to win, you still have time.


And tickets! Tickets! Tickets!  Get Your Tickets!
The Southern Bloggers Conference 2012 is now on sale.  Visit the SBC2012 website for more info.
Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality, Kari @ Thistlewood Farm, Heather @ At the Picket Fence, 
Kristen @ Sophia's Decor and Myself with be presenters!  What a fun day we have in store for everyone.  Did you miss Haven?  Then here is your chance to get a small taste of a 1-day conference.

Guest Speaker

Do you know this sweet lady?


I'm sure many of you do.


But, just in case you are not quite sure, she is
Rhoda Vickers with Southern Hospitality.


In the world of Blogging, she is as close to a 
"Rock Star" as we have.


Southern, sweet and talented - all rolled into one.


AND...she will be a Guest Speaker at the
Southern Bloggers Conference 2012.


Yep!  She will be sharing all of her vast knowledge about blogging and growing a blog.  


To us.


In Raleigh.  Oct 12-13th.


Tickets have just gone on sale.  I am even going to add the "Ticket Widget" for your shopping convenience.  Cause that's how I roll.


And like Rhoda isn't enough, we have several other
big name speakers you may know, too.


And like that isn't good enough, a gourmet popcorn
company is creating a special Southern-flavored popcorn just for SBC2012.  
(No, it isn't catfish.  For some reason my suggestion was not received very well.) :)


We will be giving away awesome door prizes throughout the event.  Prizes will be given to a lucky ticket buyer between Ticket Purchases #1-30, Tickets # 31-60, and #61-100.


Will this be you?


Check out:
www.facebook.com/SouthernBloggersConference
www.southernbloggersconferenceblog.com

Event Registration Online for Southern Bloggers Conference 2012 powered by Eventbrite

....where creativity blossoms!

Southern Bloggers Conference 2012

I am "pleased as punch" about the Southern Bloggers Conference 2012 to be held in 
Raleigh, NC.

I am not sure what I love more - Blogging or meeting other Bloggers.

At Conventions.

Where there are great Speakers.    

And Swag Bags.  


Filled with all sorts of yummy goodies.

Here is where the convention will be held...

I know pretty darn awesome huh?


Kinda tropical oasis.


In the South.




















And look at this great conference room where 
we will talk about, well - Blogging.  :)


And DIY, too, such as Furniture, Painting, Thrifting and maybe some Tablescaping and
Floral Arranging.  

Do you have your seat picked out yet?


Shirley at Housepitality Designs has lots more pics
to share with you.  Like the atrium where the yummy lunch buffet (or Boo-fay) as we say here in the South - will be served.


Also, take a look at some of the Guest Speakers and presenters we already have lined up.


Did I mention the sweet tea will be flowing like
honey on a Spring Day in a bee's nest?


Hop on over to Shirley's blog and check out her post.  Then, make sure you buy your ticket for this great event. We promise we will only say "y'all" every 5th word or so.

Sell Tickets through Eventbrite

Giveaway

It's Giveaway Time!

What's the occasion?

Just. Because.

That's All.  Just Because I Wanna Say Thanks.

What is this Giveaway?

These.

Pillows.  Or as we say here in the South -

Pillars.

Two pillow covers to be exact.

These are sold at Pier1.

I bought these specifically for my formal

Living Room after I painted it 

Laura Ashley Navy and before I painted

it Valspar Summer Cottage Blue.  :)

So can you use two "pillars?"

Cause I would LOVE to give them away.

There are lots of ways to enter an win!

Take a ride on the Raffle Copter...

and good luck to everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Home Tour

Designing a New Blog is Hard Work.

Ok, not really that hard for me, since 

www.littlebluedeerdesign.com did all of the work. 

But, I am trying to finish up some small details,

such as adding pics and links to the Home Tour section.

At least the ones I am willing to share.  :-D

While creating my Home Tour, it made me realize 

that I had never really featured my Family Room, 

for example, except at Christmas Time.

And the pics of my Master Bedroom look like they were 

taken sans flash at midnight.

Really?

But that's ok, it will make me strive harder 

(aka clean the room) so I can take new and better pics.

Until then, please enjoy this mini House Tour.

Many of you have already seen these spaces, so just

come on in and grab a glass of sweet tea while

my new friends take a look around.  

xxoo

Fall Mantle {mantel}

Why I am featuring a Fall Mantle in the middle

 of July you ask?   

What?  Don't you like to get a good start on your

Fall decorating too?  

:)

Actually, I am joining in the "Autumn Decor"
Talent Scout Party at Whisperwood Cottage.

Remember the Vietri Pottery I featured a while back?

The same pottery I felt like I stole from a VA Thrift store 
because it was such a great deal.
"My Own Bramasole."


I decided to use a few pieces on my mantle.

I started with the soup tureen for a Fall-inspired floral 
arrangement using some recycled stems from my
 handy-dandy bin-o-florals.

Look at this beautiful piece.  If you remember from my post,
Veitri named this line "Bramasole" in honor of the
release of one of my favorite movies,
"Under The Tuscan Sun."

Hydrangeas, berries, feathers and twigs - and a pretty
vine pumpkin added in too.  Perfectly Fall.

I placed the large platter on the opposite end.

Here is a close-up of the platter. 
I heart this piece!  It is absolutely gorgeous.

In the center, I added two ceramic candlesticks
which echo the rusts of the Vietri.


Some grapevine and bittersweet woven randomly throughout...

... and a pair of sweet ceramic birds, again in a beautiful rust color.

My original intent was to create the mantelscape, then 
take everything down and put it back as it was.

But, I am such a lover of Fall that I may just keep it here 
for a few days to enjoy it a bit more.
(to read:  I am too busy to take it down right now)  


haha

I hope you enjoyed this easy Fall mantle project.

Please visit Whisperwood Cottage to see all the beautiful
Fall Decor Projects.


I am also joining:


Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Me Wednesday
Kristen at Kristen's Creations for Share Your Creations
Also joining It's Fall Y'all Autumn Linky Party
with Kate at Centsational Girl.

Two Easy Projects with Big Impact

I wanted to share two more pics from the Atlanta Mart. 

 I took these primarily for the purpose of sharing the overall idea.

I loved that these two looks offered such a large impact 

with basically very little effort.

The first one immediately caught my eye -

DISHES!  

(Did I have you at Dishes?)  :)

I was on a dish high everywhere I went 

throughout the Mart.  I am sure I left behind some of my

 DNA in the form of slobber in some of these showrooms.  

Look how these beautiful white dishes just pop against

the framed squares of black paint.

How easy would this be to copy?

Wouldn't this be a great look on any wall in

almost any room?

I think you may be seeing this look very soon in

The Everyday Home.

The second project immediately caught my eye.

I apologize these pics are not great.

(camera phone, and many showrooms didn't allow 

photography so I had to be kinda sneaky!)

I know its hard to see, but these are shelves created 

with vintage suitcases placed on brackets.

Are you breathing heavy right now?  :)

I am now on a hunt for some smaller cases to copy this idea.

I also love how they displayed the vintage trophies on top.

(Vintage-style trophies very HOT at the market, btw.)

I think what I loved about the Market, other than the 

showroom after showroom of eye candy of every style, 

was the tremendous amount of time and effort spent on

 display. I had a huge appreciation for the creativity and 

effort that went into each space.  I wish I could have

 taken so many more pictures than I did.

But, I thought you would enjoy these two in particular.

Do you have a similar project in your own home?
I'd love to hear about it.

Next week, I will be offering two Pier1 
Pillow covers as a Give-Away. 

Have you seen these pillows?  Can you use them in

your own home?

They currently retail for $34.95, and I am giving
 away a pair.


They are really beautiful, but since I painted my 
Living Room they are just a bit too bold.


Look for this great give-away next week.


I am looking forward to a trip to Raleigh tomorrow to
meet with some other local Bloggers to plan the
Southern Bloggers Conference.
Just meeting other Bloggers is fun in itself, but planning
this awesome conference will be the cherry on top.
Have you liked the new Facebook Page for this event?


No?  Then hurry on over to:


www.facebook.com/SouthernBloggersConference


Also, my newest Blogger friend from Haven - 
Barbara at The Treasured Home -
 has started a great group called The Blog Sisters.
She is inviting everyone to join, and I think it is
a beautiful concept.  


Hop on over to The Treasured Home 
and read all about it.