Wednesday Words of Wisdom

Amen! What a great reminder. I need to print this out and frame it somewhere so I see it all the time...

Oxford

We went to Oxford this weekend for a wedding and it was so great to be back. It honestly was the perfect weekend! We stayed with one of my very best friends from college, Mary Allyn, and had a ball. I took two pictures the entire weekend, so these are some pics I found online to help me document our trip.

Since we rarely we get back to Oxford, we made sure we ate at our favorite restaurants! Friday night we went on a triple date with Mary Allyn, Stephen, Jordan and Taylor to 208. Here's the one picture I took of Bruner and me. Seven years ago (yes, it's been 7 years!) we had our first date at 208 when we were sophomores in college, and we sat at the table behind us in this pic!

Saturday morning, we got up early and walked around the campus and through the grove. Wow, how things have changed — but the campus and the grove are still as beautiful as ever!

Next, we were off to meet MAR, Stephen, J-bird and Taylor at the Big Bad Breakfast. One word to describe: YUM!

And the rest of the day was pretty perfect too...we shopped around the square, had drinks and apps at Proud Larry's and City Grocery, and went to a beautiful wedding for Ryan Walker and Chelsea Logan.

And we finished the trip off Sunday morning with a trip to Bottletree Bakery...

Thanks for such a great weekend Mar! Can't wait to get back to our favorite place on earth!

My First Guest Post

Today head over to a' la mode and check out my first guest post ever, on the 3 Secrets of Design! :)

Guest Post: Hadley Binion Designs - Design Secrets!

Here is a sneak peak at a Guest Post I did for one of my very favorite blogs, a' la mode. It'll go up on Thursday, so you guys get to see it first!

Hello everyone! My name is Hadley from Hadley Binion Designs. I was thrilled when Shelli asked me to guest post for her "3 Secrets of Design" series! I just love her style, her fabulous blog AND her gorgeous home! 

 So...here are 3 decorating tips I live by and find to be very true!

1) Mix Old with New

Always mix old with the new and combine your antiques with fresh, modern pieces to add another dimension! When decorating my living room, I mixed old with new and it makes the space so much more interesting. The antique, demilune table in the corner has been in my family for years, and I love the white sofa next to it and modern accessories like the garden stool. I believe your home should tell a story, and it should be layered with pieces (both old and new) that you accumulate over time...

2) Mix Found Treasures with Fine Purchases
Don't be afraid to mix something inexpensive with something expensive. Collect pieces from all walks of life, and sometimes those inexpensive treasures you find, are better than any fine, high-priced antique. One of my favorite pieces in our home is a mirror I found in an antique store in Virgina for less than $60. To me, there is nothing wrong with having a bargain piece from Ikea or a garage sale next to a fine antique. It just adds interest and again, it tells a story...

1) Mix Classic with FUN!
I love mixing classic pieces with a funky fabric or a fun, bright color. It makes a space come alive, and the FUN pieces keep everything from being too predictable and monochromatic. In our living room, I have solids on most of the upholstery with one or two accent pieces like the cane chair in funky fabric and the fun, colorful pillows. Several other fabric tips... always Mix textures and Mix scale of pattern (large patterns with small patterns)...

I hope you find these design tips helpful! Thanks so much, Shelli — I am honored to be a part of your blog!

xoxo

NoteTrunk Designs

It's the little things in life that make us happy right? Well, yesterday as I was addressing baby shower invitations, I realized I had run out of my return address stickers. Because I refuse to write out my address 65 times, I went straight to etsy and ordered a new custom return address stamp design. I immediately fell in love with NoteTrunk designs. You must check them out. Their designs are cute and original...not to mention very affordable!

Which one is your favorite? I was so torn and wanted to order all of these! However, I finally bit the bullet and went with the design below...

 Here are a few other designs I love...

 

So go ahead and order your stamps today! Just think about all of the time you'll save!

Bathed in Blue

 

I love this home featured in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles and photographed by Mali Azima. I was amazed that it was designed entirely by the homeowner, Elizabeth Elsey, a nurse for over 20 years. Not surprisingly, however, is that she is inspired by all the colors of the beach...especially all spectrums of blue, from the water to the sky. Her style is dressier than mine, but I do love the colors and every room is gorgeous! (Here are some helpful resources...Dining Room Walls: Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue over Farrow & Ball Light Blue in custom strié finish. Trim: Benjamin Moore Bavarian Cream.) Read all about the home and see more beautiful images over here!

Happy Thursday everyone. The weekend is almost here!!