Kitchen with Sarah Otts Painting!

I've been thinking that our kitchen needed a little punch of COLOR for a while. Don't get me wrong, an all-white kitchen was what I wanted and what I love, but it just needed some colorful artwork to tie it all together. I wasn't sure what to do with the wall space above the island extension, so I put a mirror there for the time being, and was reliant on flowers or bowl of fruit to add the "punch of color."



So, Sarah Otts to the rescue! Sarah custom designed this painting for this space, and it's just the amount of color I wanted. It's also the perfect use of color — these colors flow throughout our entire house and this painting could work well in any room in the house. She's one of my clients so we trade often. I do her website and blog design and she does some paintings for me. It's a wonderful business / best friendship / relationship we have going on. Love you Sarah!

She nailed it on this one, and every other painting she's done for me! Check out her amazing work on her website and on her blog.
 

And since my designer eye can't ever rest,  now on to the window treatment. I'm still marinating on this one and have been since we designed the kitchen in August 2012. My husband loves to say "Rome wasn't built in one day" (he heard my mom say that and can't stop reminding me. Thanks Mom!)...but,  I have taken that to heart. Sometimes you do have to live in a space for a while, to decide what it is that you want.
 

I'll blog about this soon and show you what I'm thinking for the window treatment. It always helps me to think out loud. And Calder loves to think out loud too, especially when she walks around the kitchen. Like Mother, Like daughter!

Behind the Paint

I recently gave Sarah Otts' new blog, Behind the Paint, a makeover. Please check it out and "follow" her creative journal!  Her work is BEAUTIFUL. Last night she had a preview party for her exhibit at Lyons Share Gallery in Fairhope—and don't worry, it will be on display all month so stop in anytime. First Friday is tonight, November 2nd and the Lighting of the trees will be on the 15th.

You can also check out her website (designed by yours truly). Isn't she amazing?

And her work will be in a gallery in NYC this month too so stay tuned. She will have LOTS to share!

And finally here's a pic of our two girls on Halloween night. We are so blessed to have two little girls only three months apart! Love you Sarah and so, so proud of you!!

My baby shower invites!

 
I have been busy with baby showers lately, and the fun part is, they were my baby showers!:) I wanted to share with you these adorable baby shower invites! Both were designed by close friends and amazing artists. My first shower was in Chattanooga (where I'm from), and was at the Fairyland Club on Lookout Mountain. It was absolutely gorgeous and such a special day! It was so fun to celebrate Baby Binion with my best friends from high school!

Meredith Whitaker designed these precious invites. Check out her blog here — she lives in Atlanta and is a VERY talented graphic designer! My friends decided to include these cute little cards in the invitation that said "If I could give Hadley any Parenting advice it would be...", "My favorite thing about Hadley is..." and "The best advice my mother gave me was..." Guests were asked to fill them out and mail them or bring them to the shower. How cute of an idea is that? Then, the girls gave me this beautiful scrapbook filled with the note cards at the shower.

I will cherish this forever! Whenever I feel down or need a little advice,  I have to remember to get this scrapbook out! I don't think I will have to look very far since it looks perfect on the dresser in the nursery!


My second shower was in Mobile at one of my best friends homes, Ashley Dukes! It was absolutely beautiful and again, SO SO special! I can't thank the hosts enough for such an amazing shower! The invites were designed by Sarah Otts, one of my best friends and an AMAZING artist and painter. You must check out her website (designed by yours truly)! She drew this drawing of me, and I think it turned out great!

I am SO blessed to have such wonderful friends. I love y'all and can't tell you how much this meant to me! Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday.

XOXO

Sarah Haas Otts Paintings

 

Visit Sarah's newly renovated Studio in Midtown:
2605 Old Shell Road, Mobile, AL

 

I am constantly inspired by Sarah Otts.  Not only is she one of my closest friends, but one of the most talented people I know! We both went to Ole Miss and spent a lot of time in the Art Department, working on projects and trying to make deadlines. She was painting and I was in the graphic design lab, but I can remember us sharing our love for art and design back then. 

I never would have thought that five years later, we'd both live in Mobile, pursuing the same passion we were back then, but now on a professional level. Sarah exudes talent, and her work just keeps getting better and better! I have a Sarah Hass Otts painting in our living room, and it makes ALL the difference in the world and ties the entire space together!

Check out her website to view all of her work.