Beautiful Baubles

Swoon worthy baubles, omgosssh! How did I just now discover Oliphant Design? These baubles are something of a dream, something of absolute perfection. They demand attention and rightfully so. I want all of them, plllllllease.

Lake Rabun 4OJ

I'm heading to Lake Rabun, GA for the weekend to spend some time with boyfriend and his family for the 4th of July! Lots of activities are on the agenda: Rabun Ramble 5k, BBQ and Band Party, Wooden Boat Parade and topping it all off with fireworks! It's sure to be a great time. If you need me...I'll be floating at the boathouse all day. Happy 4OJ!

Bookworm

While on vacation, I was a total bookworm and read two amazing books. The first, "Freddie & Me", was a quick read and full of great life lessons. It is about the first white caddy at Augusta National (Tripp) and the life lessons he learned from Freddie (the head caddy master). Freddie's stories are hilarious and I only wish I could of hung out with him for one day. Freddie knew Augusta National golf course better than anyone else probably ever will and knocked arms with the best golfers that ever lived. I highly recommend that you read this, even if you don't enjoy golf.

"The Help" was my second read. Hands-down one of the best books I've ever read. They are coming out with a movie for it in August and I can hardly wait! The story is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960's when many white households employed black maids. These maids raised the children, cooked, cleaned and knew all of the family secrets. The author does a wonderful job of displaying what life was truly like from the maids point of view as they conspire among each other to tell their stories. You seriously need to read this book, I couldn't put it down and finished it in 3 days. 

Have any of you read these books?! Or have you read any books lately that you'd recommend? Summer is my "reading season" and I tend to read lots of books over the warmer months. 

Baby Baluga

This has been the year of babies in my circle of friends and family. Lots of little precious ones coming into the world. And with that, I decided it was time to learn how to applique and whip up some cute onesies. Ok, I didn't actually "whip" these up. It was a learning process with lots of frustration, impatience, and not so nice words..among other things. But I finally got the hang of it (well, for the most part) and I think these turned out pretty cute.
Have you seen any cute onesie ideas lately?
  

gator onesie and burp cloth for baby pierce :)

baby jay is gonna be a future golf pro :) isn't he precious!

Destin Recap

Our week long vacation in Destin was oh-so-nice and relaxing. Just what I needed! We spent most of our week laying on the beach, playing bocce ball, a little bit of shopping, and a whole lot of R & R. Love me some vacay...

Tanning by the emerald waters...

And reading in the pool...

Life is good :)

Destin Bound

Life has been super busy lately and a much needed vacay is in store. I'm Destin bound on Friday afternoon for a full week of rest, relaxation, and fun! I've never been to the Florida panhandle before and cannot wait to experience the clear blue. Sunshine, good reads, and afternoon drinks anyone? yes, please. So for all of you bloggers, have any of you ever been to Destin? Any good tips on restaurants, bars, things to do? Please share! 

Just a few of my beach essentials...

Seaside Style Sale

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Today Rue La La is having a sale on some seriously cute seaside-esq throw pillows. Wouldn't these be so cute on turquoise slipcovered furniture in a seaside cottage? Or just to add some sea loving accents to your home. I'm loving the orange turtle and trellis print pillows.

Geometric Cosmetics

You know I love a good geometric pattern. And Sonia Kashuk totally hit the Target (i got jokes, i know) with her new geo line of cosmetic cases. Aren't these darling? My makeup brushes would be oh-so-happy to live in one of these.

Keep Calm & Carry On

Cheers to Prince William and Princess Kate! Didn't she look absolutely stunning?! And to provide some comic relief on this Royal Wedding day...

Tuscaloosa Tornado

Please pray for those in Tuscaloosa. Last night, Tuscaloosa, Alabama was hit with a massive and devastating tornado. Over a mile wide, winds 200+ mph, and destroying everything in it's path, this monster has caused mass destruction to the town. Tuscaloosa is home to the University of Alabama (boyfriend's alma mater), and several of his friends still live there and have been affected by the tornado. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones, who have lost their home, and to all the students that woke up amidst a town in destruction. Please keep the town in your thoughts and prayers over the next few weeks and months that it will take to clean up the chaos and damage.

Target does Trellis

During my weekly Target trip last week, I spied with my little eye..trellis outdoor pillows. Wait, could it be? These look just like Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis fabric! no.way. Target is totally channeling the beloved imperial trellis, for a small fraction of the price. Like many, I have been deeply in love with Wearstler's imperial trellis for quite some time. My bank account on the other hand, not so much. So is it just me, or do these two look strikingly similar? Either way, these Target pillows are a total steal and would make any patio the best on the block.

{Target Fretwork Pillow Set $17.99}

{Kelly Wearstler}

Coral Inspired Dining Room

I'm totally swooning over this coastal inspired dining room. The color palette is almost exact to my bedroom colors. Loving those coral covered chairs and the light aqua curtain panels. And isn't that sea coral chandelier to die for? I picture many long dinner parties centered around this table, with hours full of laughter and chatter. love.love.love.

{via House Beautiful}

Carolina Cup

Carolina Cup is this weekend, and that means lots of Lilly, Vineyard Vines, and Southern Tide! Unfortunately, I will not be attending this year since I'll be moving and boyfriend is running in the Cooper River Bridge Run. Side Note: Why is the Cup always planned on the same weekend as the Bridge Run? You wouldn't think that they would plan two of South Carolina's largest events on the same weekend...just sayin. But anyways, we had so much fun at the race with the law school last year and were in good company! So get out your best Lilly, tie one on and hit the track.

What will you be wearing to Carolina Cup?

{Carolina Cup 2010}

{my favorite longchamp tote, and perfect for the race!}

Trina Does Trellis

It's finally moving week and I cannot wait to get all settled into my new place. And I especially cannot wait to decorate and show you pictures! But for now I leave you with a picture of my new bedding. I'm slightly obsessed with it. Trellis and Trina. What's a girl not to love?

GREEN!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! As I've mentioned before, green is one of my favorite colors, so naturally I LOVE St. Patrick's Day. Remember to watch out for any leprechauns and sport your green today! And if you find a pot of gold, send some luck my way! Wishing I was in Savannah today celebrating among the green fountains...

How are you celebrating the luck of the Irish?

{p.s. I know I've been MIA in the blog world lately, but I'll be back soon. promise.

I'm in the process of packing everything up and moving to a new apartment.

so much to do, so little time.}

Daytona Recap

What a weekend. I can honestly say I never thought I would have that much fun at a Nascar race. We had a non-stop party for 3 days. To recap some highlights: Saturday night we went out to eat at Gene's Steak House for boyfriend's 25th birthday. While there, Richard Childress who owns RCR racing ate at the table behind us. sweet. On Sunday we geared up for the race and took a limo to the race track. limo? Yes, I realize we looked slightly ridiculous. I sported my J. Crew and Citizens. hehe. I was wide eyed and in my own little ADHD land. There was SO much to look at and so much going on. Brad Paisley gave an awesome performance before the race started. It was definately a huge thrill seeing all the cars fly at 200 mph and it was so LOUD. I officially want to be a racecar driver. I wanna go fast. Congrats to Trevor Bayne for winning the Daytona 500 on his 20th birthday and being the youngest to ever win! how cool is that?!

 I got to wear these cool headphones and listen

to the driver's talk to each other over their radios.

On the 3rd lap, everyone had a moment of silence and

saluted a "3" in rememberance of Dale Earnhardt.

The only sound was the cars racing by. Very cool.

 

 Celebrating boyfriend's 25th birthday at the race! 

 Here they come, vroom vroom!

Classic Race Fan: mullet (check), Nascar t-shirt (check),

jorts (check), socks with no shoes? (check)

500 Fast Lane

True Life: I'm going to the Daytona 500. I'm living life in the fast lane this weekend and heading to FL with boyfriend to attend the Daytona 500. This will be my first ever Nascar experience and race. While I have no clue what to expect, I am looking forward to some quality people watching. I've heard I won't be let down. After a long debate about what exactly does one pack for the 500, I decided to poll my friends. Here are a few of the responses (hilarious):

• 1. wife beaters, jean shorts, trucker hat, and a cooler of bud light
• 2. Cut off shorts and a ripped TShirt and a leather jacket?
• 3. extra hold hairspray for an extreme version of the drunk poof
• 4. pbr and lots of it
• 5. You can leave your bra at home!

I'm sure this is going to be interesting, to say the least. Maybe I'll get lucky and meet Dale, hah! Have any of you ever been to a race? What did you pack?!

BMine Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your day is filled with lots of pink, red, chocolate and love. Absolutely loving these precious Kate Spade e-valentines. BMine...

Kitchen Pink

Pink kitchen accessories?! Yes, please. I'm not a big fan of cooking, but I do have a knack for baking. These fun pink kitchen items make baking so fun! I personally have the pink mixing bowls from Williams Sonoma and I use them all the time. huge fan. Just in time for you to cook up something for your valentine...

a. b. c. d. e. f. g

Get Em' Groundhog

Punxsutawney Phil woke up this morning and no shadow was seen! Thank you Phil, for sights of spring are near. 10 points goes to anyone that can pronounce Punxsutawney...I sure can't. Happy Groundhog Day!

Fun fact: A groundhog's life span is normally 6 to 8 years. Phil receives a drink of a magical punch every summer during the annual Groundhog Picnic, which gives him 7 more years of life.

Color Crush: Shocking Pink

Shocking Pink. My new found love. Oh J Crew, this is going to be one of your best seasons yet. I will be indulging in many of your shocking pink frocks that I spotted along my King Street walk today. Next agenda item...working on my tan.

Cupcake Confections

One death by chocolate cupcake, please. Can I just tell you how overly excited I was today to find out that Columbia has a Cupcake store now? ohmygosh. How did boyfriend fail to mention this to me before? Cupcake originated in Charleston, and I've been known to frequent their King Street shop for birthday gifts..and chocolate fixes, of course. A chocolate cupcake was just what I needed today. (side note: boyfriend lives in Columbia, therefore I have to begrudgingly make trips there to visit him. Cupcake will now make those trips much less begrudging.)

What is your favorite Cupcake fix?

Charleston: Joggling Boards

One of my favorite things about Charleston is the joggling boards that adorn most porches and gardens all over town. If you are unfamiliar with what a "joggling board" is, it is basically a long bench that bends and bounces when you sit on it. At the end of a long board are two rockers to support the weight of the bending board. These things are so much fun to sit on! I have one on my porch and love sitting bouncing on it when the weather is nice. One of the most common places to spot a joggling board is in front of Hyman's Seafood, as several joggling boards line the entrance to the restaurant.

Joggling Boards became popular in the 1800's around the lowcountry and in 1970 the Old Charleston Joggling Board Company was formed. Check out their website for more history and information. Happy joggling!

Restaurant Week

It's South Carolina Restaurant Week for those of you living in the Palmetto State! There are some amazing deals at restaurants all over Charleston. Some of Charleston's bests have 3 courses for $30 dollars. Can you say 82 Queen, Oak Steakhouse, or Charleston Grill anyone? Restaurant Week goes from January 14th-22nd and most towns in SC are participating. Happy dining everyone!



Snow Day Essentials

Who doesn't love a snow day? While it's not exactly "snow", but more along the lines of "sleet" here in Charleston, I'm loving this snow day because I did not have to work! Here are a few of my favorite snow day essentials for staying warm and having fun...

1. Kate Spade Rain Boots

2. UGG Earmuffs

3. North Face Triclimate Ski Jacket

4. Snow Gloves

5. Wooden Steel Runner Sled

6. SmartWool Socks

7. Turtle Fur Tassle Hat

Movie Love: Country Strong

Must see movie. Went to see Country Strong this weekend featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, Leighton Meester, Tim McGraw & Garrett Hedlund. It was amazing and I loved every single character. I was highly impressed with the singing skills of Gwyneth and Leighton. If you love country music (like I do), then you will def love this movie. "Give In To Me" sung by Chiles Stanton (Leighton Meester) and Beau Hutton (Garrett Hedlund) is a new favorite and was recorded by Faith Hill on the soundtrack. Go see this movie immediately.

Back from Steamboat!

I'm backkk! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! I joined boyfriend's family in Steamboat for 10 days full of lots of snow, skiing, and awesome adventures. Here are my top 10 favorite memories from the trip:

1. It snowed 23 inches while we were there!
2. We went to a natural hot springs one day that was over 102 degrees and surrounded by 3 feet of snow. It was a true "winter wonderland".
3. Drinking strawberry light margaritas at Rio (strawberry mixed with lime = bliss).
4. Beating boyfriend in the "mancala" championship. I think we played this almost everyday.
5. Snow tubing at Saddleback Ranch.
6. Getting lunch at an old fashioned soda counter. Complete with pharmacy and all!
7. Being my 2nd time skiing ever, I finally went down all blue slopes. No more green for me!
8. Ringing in the New Year in -9 degree weather with a champagne toast.
9. Skiing in to Slopeside for afternoon lunch breaks. Love ski-in, ski-out restaurants.
10. Inadvertantly skiing moguls and busting it = priceless.

 top of the mountain

 hot springs

 downtown Steamboat

 so much snow!

snow tubing @ saddleback ranch