Do YOU have a fabric that reminds you of a place or region..tell me about it!

{Oh and I also bought a smidge of this and this… I know, it’s a problem but they were great prices..less than wholesale!}

Our family of four recently embarked on a seven day road trip to Mississippi in search of good art, good food, good books, and good times with our boys! Yes, you heard correctly… we drove from Texas to Oxford, MS with a five year old and 13 month old.  We visited Vicksburg, Clarksdale, Oxford, Natchez and all points in between.  It was quite an experience as you can imagine.  We saw lots of kudzu and much more.

{kudzu growing near Natchez}

Not sure where to start in highlighting this trip, but from a cultural and historic preservation standpoint, Mississippi, like much of the South, is rich in history and architecture.  It all moves me deeply, everything from the grand views of Dunleith Plantation to the cotton fields, and life in the Delta pictured below.

It’s an interesting place Mississippi… not just Southern, but totally American and real, and we loved it!  Here is a glimpse of Drew pretending to be a lion at Dunleith Plantation, where we spent the last night in the Dairy Barn.   I wonder why they wouldn’t want our boys in the big house?   Ha!

We have many “statue” photos of Drew from the trip… I guess that is what happens to a child after you take them through the military park at Vicksburg (he. loved. it.) In fact, Drew had a great time the entire trip.  Henry, not so much.  He was more interested in keeping cool and snatching crackers!

Here is another “statue” photo below of big brother with Mr. Faulkner in Oxford.

And leave it to me to drive into blues town Clarksdale and instantly step out of the car and sniff out the coolest little store…

 and buy this apron…

If you are from the area, you know Clarksdale really isn’t a “cute apron” sort of town. It’s quite different from Oxford and Ole Miss which I will have to save for another post. But let me just says it’s very hip to be SQUARE in Oxford.   We had a blast exploring the bookstores, old homes, campus and quaint shops! Oh, and I saw the best looking man in all Mississippi while hanging out in the Grove at Ole Miss.  He sends his love!

Texans are friendly, but I have to say that the people of Mississippi were so nice and wonderful to our family, they made the trip better than any beautiful home or yummy food… thanks y’all!

SO WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS GREAT COLLECTION?

Well, everything came from either a thrift store or were items I inherited from my Grandmother that I updated a bit…I look for shapes that catch my eye but will need a little work- a brass trivet shaped like a key, an octagonal piece of wood with a funky decoupaged mushroom, an empty round picture frame painted bright pink, two 80′s style curtain rod holders in a wavy shape made out of oak.  Then I look for vintage looking pictures & postcards- it helps if they are in funky, vintage frames but if not, I know I can always paint them.  Then I looked for just plain picture frames and framed mirrors that were cheap (we’re talking .25 cents or less for the frames and $1.00 or less for mirrors).  Nothing was uniform and nothing matched but it all appealed to me because of shape, size, texture or color (for pictures).

HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHAT WOULD GO WHERE?

I laid everything out on my craft room floor and looked at everything for color.  I picked out about 3/4 of the items and spray painted them black- mirrors, picture frames, the trivet, and the wall sconce things.  I left a couple things in their original frame and I pulled a frame I had painted green for another project out of the closet and arranged again.  Then I ripped one of the needle points out of its gold frame and layered the frame on others to add dimension.  I needed more color so I took some scrap fabric and wrapped & hot glued it to an empty frame.  The plate looked empty so I dug into a jewelry box from my teenage years and dug out a clip my dad brought back from Russia YEARS ago and glued it to the plate.  I arranged again.  After I painted the trivet, you couldn’t see it on the black frame so my sister glued bright blue paper (picking up one of the more muted colors in the artwork) to the back of the frame.  I had a few M’s from craft stores laying around the craft room so my sister decoupaged one of them.  I glued the decoupaged M to the piece of wood.  The starfish was also in the craft room from another project (and it has special meaning for our family) so I glued it to a picture frame again, to add texture and dimension because I didn’t want the wall to look flat.

HOW DID YOU ACTUALLY GET IT UP ON THE WALL?

I don’t feel like I have an eye for this sort of thing but I’ve looked at enough blogs and spent enough time reading about what other people are doing to know the basics of what I wanted- hang things close together, the overall shape doesn’t have to be square, don’t paint everything black, use fabric, pick up colors I’ve used other places in the room/house, use what I have, use what I love, use our initial.  Basically, I took things I love for various reasons put them in the floor and arranged and arranged and painted and tweaked and added and took away until I LOVED it.  The gathering took about a year, the tweaking and putting together took about a morning.    But that’s how I decorate.

{Note: Brook’s sister Amanda (who is a now a beautiful, grown woman but I will always think of as a precious little girl) helped her finally take the plunge and hang her collection on the wall…SO Brook highly suggests enlisting a friend to help with the installtion part of this project!}

Thanks Brookie!  Well done! I love the variation of color and shape and the use of fabric and a trivet..so clever!

Invitation by Hicks Paper Goods!  Love the backdrop painted on a flat sheet!  And the capes for each child, adorable! Visit here to learn more..so creative!

FYI this party perfect blog has lots of great ideas! I also found this blog, Kate Landers Events, this week and it also has many great ideas and services..just fyi for your party arsenal!

I have always just loved their “bee” logo! I made a quick tour yesterday and it was inspiring.  How could it not be..look at the rows and rows of gorgeous paper…paper and ribbon are just below fabric on my list of favorite things in the world..such a product of creativity and source of beauty!

And they are creative in many areas, not just with paper, look at this use of doors behind their “card wall”..so cute!

Oh and look what’s is right next door to Paper Source’s Houston location…

That’s right…Sprinkles Cupcake bar..I did not go in..but it sure looks fun!

Have you ever had a Sprinkles cupcake?? How about this place?  I actually saw mention on google homepage this morning that cupcakes are going “out of style?”  funny thought..what do you think? are you over cupcakes..how did I get from Paper Source to Cupcakes?! ha!

Oh and thanks for the Lego love and empathy on the last post!

My super stylish friend Windy sent me this image…we love it and have dissected and discussed..so fun! It is from talented designer Amie Corley.

We are excited because we hear she will have a blog soon. Amie is based out of St. Louis, MO..talk about Midwest Modern!  She is so talented and got her start via a contest at Elle Decor. Click here to see what Jonathan Adler has to say about her happy style!

So what do you think..does this room appear to be for a boy or girl???  Notice the chair is different in the various pictures..it is hard to find the perfect chair–I think these both look great. Windy tracked down the drapes at Anthropologie. We love the giraffe lamp. And of course the tree! and the monogrammed shams.

Be sure and watch for Amie Corley!

Living near Houston, the shopping is endless..in fact overwhelming at times and the budget furniture deals abound.  For instance, look what i happened across on Thursday while shopping with a client to furnish a COMMERCIAL space..That’s right, Big Furniture Deals..my new favorite saying..classy right?!

And where do we go for “BIG ACCESSORY DEALS??  B.A.D….yes, Super Marshalls..where everyone now officially hates me…three carts maybe four carts later, we had to beg someone to check us out…but it was all worth it because i found the big leaf…which so reminds me of THIS image below from Cottage living (or maybe it was in Southern Living but it is the Coastal Living editor’s home???  Design Sponge via the Newlywed Diaries blog..read more about it there)….Please correct me in the comments if you know more about the sourcing…The large, organic  look of these pressed leaves has stuck with me..just adore it..come to find out..the blog above reports they are POSTERS from www.allposters.com  I can’t find them on their site but they have some great botanicals…it just confirms that large makes such an impact.

I am sure many of you remember this now…I totally thought of this when I saw the leaf in Marshalls…maybe I am nuts..luckily my client’s wife was game…

anyway, the big leaf coupled with inexpensive leather and a few manly, Texas-y items (like kilim pillows, cowhide rug, HUGE framed Texas map that is black and white and large iron scrolly console, chunky corbel lamp with grasscloth shade) HOPEFULLY will translate into a nice coastal Texas, masculine feel for this office..stay tuned to see more from this project and more BDF!;;

I love the happy colors and mix of pattern Robyn used on the banner. And y’all, their kitchen is SOO unique, what a backdrop!..notice the ceiling, the hanging windows, the door trim!..And of course the adorable family! Robyn sews in the cutest little basement and made all of this, even the cute baby shoes and hair flower! Good job mama!

Next, This amazing baby shower from the Cookie Mondays blog. This party is gender neutral..I love the yellow and the kraft paper accents..Oh how i love kraft paper!

..so much inspiration here..love the black ink on the coke crate AND the “naked” lampshades (Hey Missy didnt we sell a bunch of those for nothing?!)

Next, I just discovered the Jack & Izzy blog..she has a a darlin “Party in the Park” theme that is inspiring …love the circle banner..it’s all so clean and modern.

…but what really blew me away on her blog is THIS party by Suann Song where the little boy dressed up like IKE..as in EISENHOWER/campaign theme..hilarious…

and the favors…

PERSONALIZED STAMPS for each child..wow! This is unique..he is so cute! I LIKE IKE! (I couldn’t resist);;

And last but not least, this mama ALWAYS inspires…and reminds us what it is all about..not the stuff..not the banners and stickers but the PEOPLE!

I love the way she writes about her children.  Her post made me slow down and enjoy this week and my boys a bit more!…thanks Lisa! and thanks to all of the mamas + blog that inspire us…not to exhaust ourselves and feel inadequate..not the point but rather to enjoy a new idea and celebrate life! So take a fun idea but leave the stress behind..that is my theme this week…and if it doesn’t all get done, we’ll call it “editing”… well edited design is so chic!

[Pray it doesn't rain for Henry's shindig!..if it does, i will send pictures from our garage!]

Recently my friend Camille and I were able to meet up in a centrally located town for a girls’ weekend!  We’d been throwing the idea around for months and finally decided to meet in Waco, Texas, for several reasons. First, I would also be able to see my sweet grandmother who is in a nursing home there and that is much easier without the little ones in tow.  Also Camile and I first met in Waco while attending Baylor along with our husbands, so it is a special place to us both for many reasons, it’s our old stomping ground, sic’ em bears and all of that!  We also love the restaurants and shops near the Brazos River and downtown, and it’s not too far from this little guy so I could quickly be back home the next day (yes I was nervous about leaving Henry but they did great).  Another reason… THIS PLACE! 

When I was searching for lodging in good ol’  Waco, I have to admit my expectations were low. Very low.  But when I saw the Livingston, specifically THIS SUITE, I nearly flipped…for several reasons.

First off, within our budget and hello, the decor!  I was also very excited when I noticed on the website that Mary Baskin is the mastermind behind the wonderful design of the rooms at The Livingston.  I recognized her name from the pages of Better Homes & Garden so I knew it would be good.  And notice the Union Jacks and Brit theme..that is so up our alley.  See below.

{Camille & Holly, shopping in London, ca. 2003}

So yes, this mama to an 11 month old was excited to get away for a good visit with my friend…And granted the shopping in Waco isn’t Cath Kidston & VV Rouleaux on Sloane Square where we went nuts years before BUT we had a great time in Waco at Honey’s Home + Style on Austin Ave (which I mentioned last week in this post), Roots, and beyond…

{Photo courtesy of Honey’s Home+Style}

Better than the shopping and cool lodging is just spending time with a friend that loves unconditionally and can be honest about the shape of an eyebrow and more!

{Camille & Holly, Waco, Texas, 2010}

[Before our trip or even booking the Brit-themed room, Camille and I had been exchanging numerous emails about the Helkat pillows on Etsy. After our re-immersion into all things Brit, via Waco, she returned to West Texas and whipped up something very special..can't wait to show you!]

God save the Queen, good friendship & the Baylor Bears!

I am not a huge fan of clips more and more (though I have them in my bedroom until I find what I want to change them out for..) but they look just fine here..and notice..and these are simple squares, not complex.  GOOD JOB NANCY!

{the fabric is Waverly “lovely lattice” from fabric.com …I also like to call it “poor’s man’s KWID!” ha!}