A FEW THINGS... AN EASY CENTERPIECE, NORTH CAROLINA, FAMILY & FEATURES

Every once in a while I have several "little" things I want to share with you but they're not necessarily enough for a full blog post, so I jumble them all together for my "A Few Things" random topics post!  Today I'm sharing a bit of decorating with an easy centerpiece, a bit of travel with a quick trip to North Carolina last week, some family updates and some recents features I've been honored with.   We recently hosted a casual lunch and I wanted the table to look nice without being too fussy. I didn't have any fresh flowers on hand for a centerpiece, but I had some flats of flowers outside waiting to be planted! (You might remember that I kinda took a page from the same playbook for my Easter Table .)...

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LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO 10 COLORFUL/ECLECTIC/GLAM BLOGGERS YOU'LL LOVE!

I find it so inspiring to witness time and time again how our families, communities and the country comes together to support others during difficult times such as these.  I've witnessed that neighbors-helping-neighbors mentality first hand when we've had devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma, and in the last few weeks I have been encouraged to see others rally to support local restaurants and small businesses however they can in the current tumultuous  economic climate. ...

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A FEW THINGS... EVENT DECOR, FAMILY, TIPS, AND A DOUBLE FEATURE WITH BHG!

Occasionally I have a some things to tell you that don't warrant their own blog post, so "A Few Things" is my opportunity to share all of those random bits and pieces with you.  Today I have a little bit of everything to talk about, including some exciting news!  ( *This post may contain affiliate links, read my  full disclosure policy here .) I know that many of you who follow along here like to get simple new ideas for banquet or party decor, possibly even for church gatherings.  Last weekend I attended our retreat for ministry wives across our state, and snapped a few photos of the tables to share with you.  Each table either had a wood charger or a piece of burlap fabric as the foundation for the centerpiece.  Then, there was a lantern filled with battery operated twinkle lights or candles, a few hydrangea stems in a mason jar (we cleaned out Trader Joes!), and a piece of artwork scattered around on some of the tables.  Simple but pretty! ......

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OUR CHRISTMAS HOME FEATURED IN BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS MAGAZINE- BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE PHOTO SHOOT

Well, hello there everyone, and Happy 2018!  I hope you all had a blessed Christmas season and that your new year is off to a wonderful start!  I've taken my sweet time easing back into blogging after the holidays.  I truly unplugged from any kind of work here through the break and enjoyed the season with my family.  It was really nice!  However, because of my slower posting schedule I have neglected to share the details of a huge event for us here with you... our Christmas feature in Better Homes and Gardens!  I've mentioned the shoot here and there on the blog through the past few months, but the time finally came and our feature really was in the December 2017 issue (even though we had the shoot, a little bit of me never fully believed it would be published until I saw it in print!).  Many of you saw the feature and have already sent me such kind messages, so thank you! ...

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HAPPENINGS ON THE HOMEFRONT | 4 | AND EXCITING NEWS!

Our hearts continue to go out to our family and friends in Texas who are devastated by Hurricane Harvey.  Please do what you can to help.  Here are just a few ways you can help monetarily: We personally contribute to  Southern Baptist Disaster Relief , but  Samaritan's Purse  and the Red Cross  are also worthy organizations providing help to those in need.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all.  * * * * * * * Well hello there!  Long time no post, right?  I absolutely did not intend to only post a handful of times this Summer, but boy, our schedule over the past few months just about did me in!  Nope, no slow, leisurely Summer with afternoons at the pool here... we were WAY too busy and unfortunately when I did have a day or two to catch my breath blogging was not at the top of my priority list.  However, the kids are back in school, we're easing back into a normal routine, and I'm ready to get back to it! ......

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EVERYTHING HOME MAGAZINE FEATURE

I'm so happy to share my recent feature in Everything Home Magazine with you today.  Everything Home is a fairly new digital magazine that is packed full of home decor ideas and smart DIYs, as well as features and interviews with some of your favorite bloggers and creatives. I was honored to be asked by my friend Oscar Bravo , who is the Tablescapes Contributor for the magazine, to create a table to feature this month.  Somehow he thought I might be a good fit for this Fun Color issue.  ;) Oscar invited my to create a bold, colorful table that reflected my style and tendency towards mixing  pattern and color.  Here's a sneak peek- Click here to find the entire issue, and you'll find my feature on page 63.  Don't skip too quickly through the pages before mine, they're a feast for the eyes and I know you'll find some great new ideas and inspiration! Tomorrow I'm going to show you more of my table and give you my step by step process of putti......

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MY JOSS AND MAIN SALE IS OPEN! {PINCH ME!}

As a regular girl who enjoys decorating her home, I never imagined that people might be interested in peeking into our home to see what I was doing.  After the persistent encouragement of my husband who suggested otherwise, I started blogging about our home over 3 years ago, and cannot believe the opportunities that have come my way as a result of that.  This is one of those opportunities that is surreal for me.  Surreal but nice. (Name that movie!) ...

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HOME DEPOT STYLE CHALLENGE - TODAY'S THE DAY!!

It's finally here!  My project is live on the Home Depot's Apron Blog today.  My husband and I are roaming around London, but I am so happy to share my project with you.  I was assigned "Mantel" to decorate and sent a variety of mystery items to incorporate into my design. Here's a little preview, but you'll have to click over to see the full reveal.  Along with a ridiculous picture of me. ...

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FEATURE FRIDAY AT SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

Hello everyone, and Happy Friday! Today I'm so thrilled and honored to be featured at Southern Hospitality for Rhoda's Feature Friday series.  I have followed Rhoda for a long time, and she is an inspiration.  She's a successful veteran blogger and I'm convinced there's nothing she's afraid to try.  After a huge change of direction in her life, she and her Dad have renovated her new dream home into a place she can call her own (you won't believe the before and afters!). Her tenacity, creativity, grace, determination, and work ethic are an encouragement to me.  I love following her on Instagram and watching her projects unfold and how she honors her parents as they work together. So, I'd love for you to check out Southern Hospitality today.  Not necessarily for my feature, it's all things most of you have already seen, but to meet Rhoda, discover her wonderful projects, and to be an encouragement to her today.  I'm just a <little......

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SPRING HOME TOUR

Good Morning!  I'm popping in for a rare Sunday post today to let you know that I'm over at 11 Magnolia Lane today.  I'm so honored to be a guest for their Spring Open House series! These sweet ladies are featuring various homes throughout the season, and two of my favorite blogging friends, Simple Details and Bliss at Home have already shared their tours as well. If 11 Magnolia Lane is new to you, then you're in for a treat! Amy, Christy, and Terry combine their talents to provide endless ideas and stylish inspiration.  Hop on over and visit them here today! Alright, we're off to church and then spending the day celebrating our 11 year old!  Enjoy your Sunday, friends. ...

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A FAMILIAR FACE IN GOOD HOUSEKEEPING (MINE!!!)

Last year when Good Housekeeping published one of my photos , I guess they liked what they saw, because they invited me back!  So the next time you're waiting in line at Target or Wal-mart, or sitting in a waiting room, check out page 137 of the April issue. Don't you just love that cover?  I honestly was so surprised when they asked to see more photos of my home and were interested in featuring it for their monthly Show & Tell column. If you're a regular reader, you know things have changed since that Dining Room photo was taken.  Or rather, I finished the Dining Room ! And they were very interested in the botanical gallery wall but it wasn't photographing well with the kitchen table that's normally there, so it was fun to play around with the furniture in there. Photo for the magazine: How it normally looks: Also, they have very kindly added a few more photos on their website!  You can start  here  and proceed through a......

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GUEST POSTING AT THIS, THAT, AND LIFE

Just popping in today to let you know I'm over visiting Anneke at This, That, and Life.  She's been doing a fun series where blog friends just share a few of their favorites and what's on their mind.  I hope you'll come join in, and if Anneke's blog is new to you, you're in for a treat!   She does absolutely beautiful finishes on furniture, has just started putting her pieces into a retail space, and is a fantastic decorator who lives in a beach house...what more could a girl want?  :)  She's also a part of the Modern and Fresh Fall Tour, so if you missed her home you can catch it here.   Try to guess the 3 things I'm currently loving, then come on over to This, That, & Life and see if you were right! And while we're at it, I want to give a HUGE thank you to Kate at Centsational Girl and Abby of Abby M. Interiors for featuring my early fall tablescape last week.  That was a fun one!  Tomorrow I'll be back for real to fin......

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Q+A WITH SARAH M. DORSEY DESIGNS

Hey y'all!  I'm still digging out from the wedding, trying to put my house back together with everything that I swiped to decorate with there!  Thanks for thinking of us, the rain held off and it was a beautiful evening.  I've had to take a few days to work on a few other projects and catch up on some fun things that I keep putting off...like cleaning the bathrooms, finishing half done tasks, and cleaning my closet ...yet again!     But, today I'm over at Sarah M. Dorsey Designs taking part in her Q+A series while she's busy settling in to a new home.  She and her husband just moved across the country (see her wrap-up here  and find out why the movers showed up with a crane! ) and I can't wait to see what fabulous things she does with her new place.  Seriously, Sarah is one of the most creative and talented bloggers around.  Everything she does results in perfection! See?  I told you. I'd love for you to come see me ......

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A NEW LOOK AND GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

Surprise!  Notice anything different?  The blog got a little makeover,  I figured after 2 years it was time!   In the past I've done all of the work on my page myself.  I got it done, but it took FOREVER to figure out, and it just wasn't that fun.  So, I went in search of an affordable blog designer and found Rebekah Louise Designs.   She was able to work me in quickly, and responded to everything in a very timely manner.  She was fantastic to work with and did a great job making my sketchy design ideas into a reality.  And, she was extremely patient and professional as I picked at every little detail.  If you're interested in a Blogger custom design, go visit Rebekah Louise Designs  today! I hope you like it... I really do!  I'm still working out some glitches, adding some pages and links and making minor adjustments, but hopefully everything will be running smoothly soon! In other news, unbelievably lightning struck......

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NAIL HEAD TRIMMED DINING CHAIRS

I am oh so close to "finishing" my dining room, but an extra little project popped up that I wanted to do.  I think nailhead trim is such an expensive looking touch on furniture, and adds a bit of shine and texture to make almost any piece of furniture look better.  I've had a roll of nailhead trim for a while that I was planning to use for another project, but I decided to use it to add some detail to my dining side chairs. It only took about 20 minutes per chair, and I could do 2 chairs with each roll of trim.  I bought mine at Joann's, and it's around $12 if you use your coupon. Not a bad upgrade for about $6 per chair. I had never used this trim before, but it was super easy. There is a hole about every fifth nail that you hammer a separate nailhead tack through to attach it to the frame. If you try this on a piece of furniture, you'll have to make sure that you're applying it where the wood frame is under the fabric so the tacks wil......

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JUST POPPING IN...

I know I said I wouldn't have a post today, but I'm just popping in to let you know I have a new post up at Word Slingers (here) today.  Come on over to read about my favorite way to decorate with something from the grocery store! And, my sister has 3 new tutorials up on the Hobby Lobby website if you want to check them out.  I just did, and the Needle Felting...oh so cute!  She also has some super unique (fancy!) friendship bracelets, and I have no idea how to crochet, so I better watch that one!   I hope you all have a great holiday weekend! ...

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NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS...

did I ever think this would ever happen! But today, on news stands, is the September issue of Ladies' Home Journal. And I'm in it! Well, my mirror wall is! I had a strong idea that this was coming, but was so surprised to get a message on Facebook this weekend from a friend saying "I  thought someone had successfully copied your design until I saw it was YOUR design in the Ladies' Home Journal magazine. Congrats!!!"  For some reason I had it in my head that the photo would come out NEXT month...and even though I had been in contact with a super sweet Editor at the magazine, I hardly told anyone, and I wasn't believing it was really happening until I saw it in print with my own two eyes! This feature is totally a testament to the power of Pinterest.  Several months ago I got an email from an editor with the subject "Your blog in Ladies Home Journal?" and about passed out.  Actually, at first I thought it must be a j......

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A GUEST POST AND A BABY SHOWER

I'm SO excited to be over at Brittany Makes today participating in her   Summer VIP Guest Blogger Series !  If you're visiting from Brittany's site, Welcome!  I'm so glad you're here. Brittany got married a week and a half ago and invited me and some other friends to guest post while she is away on her 2 week (lucky duck!) honeymoon in Europe.  I'm crazy about all of Brittany's projects, and featured her DIY poufs as one of my Friday Favorites a few weeks ago.   I hope you'll join me at Brittany Makes  today and spend some time looking around.  I know you'll find lots of ideas you'll love! * * * * * * * * * *  In other news, I wanted to share a few images from the Baby Shower I hosted over the weekend.  We were celebrating the upcoming birth of a sweet little baby girl, and her Mama couldn't be prettier! There were several hostesses to help with the party, so they did most of the work, and one of them m......

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