My Favorite Room :: My Kitchen

Happy Friday!

It’s been a little while since I’ve done a My Favorite Room post, and I’ve been missing them, so I’m so glad today ends the streak of favorite room nothingness!

(For you who might not know about this series, it’s a fun thing I like to do with my blogger friends where they answer seven questions about their favorite room in their house and send me photos! Be sure to check out all the past My Favorite Room posts when you have a chance!) 🙂

Today, we get a little tour of the kitchen of my sweet friend Lauren who is the blogstress over at Four Bowies and is also the founder and queen baker of Meringue Macaron Kitchen, the most incredible French macaron business ever! She tells what makes this room special, a little about her baking, and when she most loves being in there!

Lauren’s little girl Fenley

What is your favorite room in your house?

My favorite room in my house is my kitchen… at least as of late. You know us women, we tend to change our minds a lot. But I’ve been spending lots of time in my kitchen lately and it has definitely become my happy place.

What about this room makes you love it so much?

I think the main reason I love this room is because of how it makes me feel. I think it’s beautiful, but more than that, I like to make things here. I like to use my hands and create something beautiful. I love my subway tile backsplash and my kitchen counter and the memories made in this kitchen and the many French macarons that leave this kitchen. There’s something dreamy about creating something with your hands and then handing it off to people for them to enjoy. I don’t ever want to lose the appreciation that someone wants to spend their hard earned money on my French macarons. That’s a big deal.

If you had to pick your favorite element in the room, what would it be?

My favorite element in this room is the fact that the lights dim and the subway tile backsplash! Oh, and my collection of dish towels. I’m a sucker for dish towels.

What’s your paint color?

My wall color is Analytical Gray and my trim/cabinet color is Alabaster… both by Sherwin Williams.

At what time of day do you most enjoy being in this room?

The time of day I love this room the most is either first thing in the morning to make coffee for my husband (when I then talk his head off while he is still waking up) or mid morning when I am baking non stop and feeling really accomplished and organized!

If you had to describe this room in 3 words, what would they be?

My kitchen in three words… fresh, cozy, clean.

Anything else you want us to know about your favorite room?!

I love my kitchen… not in spite of the messes I make there, but because of the messes that are made there… As a close family member says, we are doing life here! Safe to say a lot of life happens in my kitchen and for that I am thankful.

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Thank you SO MUCH Lauren!! If y’all are ever in need of macarons, I hiiiiiighly suggest contacting Lauren! Those little cookies really are something special. Once you try some, please come back and tell me what you think! 🙂 And have a wonderful weekend!!!

Sheep and Wreaths

Before you ask what I was thinking with the weird title, I’ll admit… I had no idea what to title this post! I did, however, want to share these designs! These are the latest batches of custom gift enclosures that I’ve gotten to do, and the title sprung from my two favorite designs… The little sheep and the wreath! 🙂

Don’t forget that there is now a listing in my etsy store for customized gift enclosure tags like these that can be done just for you! And if you give me colors, themes, etc that you (or your children) like, I do my best to tailor the designs towards your preferences!

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On a completely different note, I wanted to remind you of the upcoming trunk show at Arco Avenue where the brand new, hot-off-the-press Jackson Metro posters (and notecards, too!) will be for sale! While you’re shopping TLB merch at the show, you can also shop all of Katie’s fantastic new fall arrivals… CLICK HERE to get excited about her new pretties… Warning- you might die from the beauty of what you’re going to see… 😉

Hope to see y’all on 8/22 if not before! Have a wonderful day!!!

Retro Vintagers on High Street

Happy Wednesday people!

I hope you’re having a great week!

Today I wanted to tell you about a pretty snazzy new place where you can shop The Lovely Bee! This is pretty different from the other places I have my cards, but I’m really excited about it!

There’s an antiques place just off of High Street in downtown Jackson (806 Larson Street to be exact) at which my mama and a few of her friends have a booth! Their booth is called Retro Vintagers and I had so much fun yesterday not only exploring their booth, but all the booths in the building!

Obviously the building itself isn’t much to look at, but I think if you give yourself a few minutes to poke around, you’ll find some pretty cool stuff in there!

Retro Vintagers in particular has a mix of vintage items, handmade furniture, fixtures, and lighting, Ski Mississippi t-shirts (I LOVE mine!), Lovely Bee cards 🙂 , books, art, and so much more!

I’m pretty in love with that light fixture right there ^^^, and it’s handmade by one of my mama’s friend’s husbands! He’s got some serious talent!

I hope you’ll drop by next time you’re in the area and check this place out. You never know what you’ll find at a place like this! 🙂

Have an awesome day and thank you so much for dropping by!

Jackson Metro

Happy Thursday!

I sure hope everybody is having a good week!

Last week, I completed one of the most fun yet most challenging projects I’ve ever been commissioned to do. (You may remember me mentioning it here!) The task was to take a map of the Jackson/Ridgeland/Madison, MS area and make a simplified subway map, if Jackson were to have a subway, then paint it onto a 5′ x 6′ wall at Arco Avenue!

The first few drafts were pretty ugly to say the least… But after playing around with a map, some tracing paper, and doing lots and lots of erasing, the final version was born! I took tons of pictures of the whole process, and of course my phone completely craps out Monday before it backs up again, so I lost all of those pictures… Oh well!

Here’s what I DO have!

You can see it much better in person next time you head over to Arco to shop their new fall arrivals! 🙂 (They have SO MUCH CUTE STUFF in right now, by the way!!!)

And while we’re on the topic of Arco, I must give props to my friend Elish, interior designer at SummerHouse, for doing such a FAB job on the re-design of the store. If you haven’t been by Arco Avenue in the past week or so, you need to check out the changes. It’s breathtaking!!

This is my favorite thing in the whole store– how amazing is this custom built nesting table, made by local artisans!?

So chic and high style! In love!!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by today! Hope you can make it by Arco Avenue sometime soon to see all these cool changes for yourself! And I hope you’re gearing up to have a wonderful weekend! 🙂 Thanks for reading! XO!

 

Pattern Play { Will Work For Shoes }

Today, I bring you PART TWO of this fun series with Arco Avenue and Elish! I’m so in love with these graphic tees that Katie had made for her store! They’re so perfect for any shoe loving lady! But I’ll let Elish and Katie do the talking from this point!

> > > > > P A T T E R N   P L A Y < < < < <

Elish on this look:

“As this quote implies, there is no reasoning with a girl about shoes. So why not spend a hundred to feel like a million?” 😉

Katie on this look:

“I can only try to explain how much I love this outfit! From our custom made graphic tees, to the pattern mixing, and of course the Gigi New York clutch, this look is SO on trend for summer.

If you get one of our tees, you’ll be back for another. These tribled V-neck graphic tees are super soft and have a loose, easy fit. No need to wait for a “skinny day” to throw it on! They are perfect with everything from your skirts and heels to a day at the beach (and everything in between).”

“THE SHOES… oh my. The orange pattern is to die for, especially mixed in with another great pattern like the one in Elish’s skirt. Orange has to be one of my favorite colors for this summer, and in a statement heel like this one, it makes me swoon even more. And I just have to mention how much I LOVE Elish’s white pedi (also a super hot summer trend). Get the perfect white polish for this look at Arco Avenue! Only two coats of this butter LONDON polish are needed for nails with perfect, smooth, full coverage. And bL is always 3-free, so your nails stay healthy!”

“If you aren’t familiar with Gigi New York handbags and accessories, let us introduce you. This line was designed by two moms who wanted durable, high fashion, and functional handbags. Gigi New York is all of that and more. With accessories from phone covers and leather bound journals to handbags in all shapes and sizes, they are perfect for the trendsetter, mom-on-the-go, or business woman. One major thing we love is that you can personalize any of these pieces with your initials in chic little gold foil letters. A nice change from the overdone styles of monogramming we tend to see too of much in the South. Order yours today at Arco Avenue!”

V Neck: Arco Avenue
Skirt: Anthropologie (Elish’s own)
butter LONDON polish: Arco Avenue
Poetic License Heels: Arco Avenue
Gigi New York Clutch: Arco Avenue

> THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY ARCO AVENUE <

Spring Fashion With Arco Avenue ( Part 4 ) OFF DUTY

It’s Friday! Woo hoo! The weekend is HERE!

I am just a little sad that today is our last post in the four-part spring fashion series with Arco Avenue, though! This has been so much fun for me. I’m going to miss editing pictures of my beautiful friend Elish wearing my beautiful sister-in-law’s store’s shoes and accessories! But I have a feeling this won’t be the last Arco collaboration… So that’s a good thing! 🙂

Today’s look was saved for last because it happens to be the favorite of all three of us! Katie, Elish, and I all commented separately that this might be the favorite of the four looks, so I thought I’d save it as the icing on this sweet series!

Enough of my babble… Let’s get to it, ok?! 🙂

OFF DUTY

Elish on this look:

“I have two great loves (ok several) in my life: reading and coffee. Although coffee is a daily necessity, my downtime usually involves a good book. This Gigi New York tote is perfect for the girl who has her life in her handbag, as well as room for a few extras. Jane Austen, anyone?

Boyfriend jeans and a sweater with feminine details are the quintessential lounge wear disguised as street clothes. Add a beanie and shades to fly under the radar and these fabulous sandals to get you from point A to point B in style.”

Katie on this look:

“This look gives off all the right vibes — cool, casual, comfortable, and high fashion.

I die over these sandals! I mean, I can’t even… The chunky block heel is the perfect addition to boyfriend jeans, shorts, or hi-lo dresses. And who doesn’t need a fabulous, carry-all tote? This one by Gigi New York is a winner every time. You can even get yours personalized.

The geode necklace is just the right accessory for this look. With the beanie, not too much more needs to be happening. A simple stud earring and this all natural, earthy necklace is just the answer.”

Beanie: Anthropologie (Elish’s own)
Sweater: Anthropologie (Elish’s own)
Denim: Banana Republic (Elish’s own)
Sandals: Coclico at Arco Avenue
Teddie Tote: Gigi New York at Arco Avenue
Handmade Aragonite Geode Necklace at Arco Avenue
White Polish: Butter LONDON at Arco Avenue

And that’s a wrap!

Don’t forget that you can see the other three looks HERE! Also! You can shop at Arco Avenue today and tomorrow and 100% of all sales will go to benefit the tornado victims in Louisville, MS. More about that at the end of this post.

Have a great weekend! Thank you so much for stopping by!

> THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY ARCO AVENUE <

Lately

Hey friends! I hope everyone had a great weekend!! Sorry I’ve been so M.I.A. lately… I’ve had the hardest time staying caught up on everything! C’est la vie, I suppose (even though I’m still doing my best to simplify!)

Over the past month or so, I’ve gone on a road trip or two, cooked a lot, spent time with family and pups, eaten at a few new local restaurants, and indulged my crafty side! Here’s a peek!

That gorgeous hunk of meat would be the AMAZING redfish from the brand new restaurant 1908 Provisions located at the Fairview Inn in Jackson! For the folks familiar with the Fairview, it’s where Sophia’s used to be! Same wonderful chef (shout out to Gary!), same great staff, same exact spot, but brand new look and fabulous new menu!! We had the Boiled Peanut Hummus for an app, and it was almost as incredible as the fish. And the feel of the place with it’s updated decor is almost Gastby-esque to me! I was in love with the art deco elements of the design! When you get a chance, I highly recommend checking it out! I can’t wait to go back!

Another swank new restaurant in the area is La Finestra, a new Italian joint in downtown Jackson that Price and I went to with a few friends a few weeks ago. I gotta tell y’all… The specialty cocktails were amazing! I ordered the fish, which was not the right choice that night, but I tried everyone else’s pasta and know for sure what I’m ordering next time we go there!

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On a trip to Nashville last weekend for a darling friend’s bachelorette party, we ventured about 30 miles outside of the city to Leiper’s Fork. Y’all, this is the cutest little town!! It’s like a movie set! These little snaps were captured with my lovely Instax Mini 8! 🙂

Leiper’s Fork also had General Lee and the Sheriff’s car from Dukes of Hazzard! So fun!

The same friend whose bachelorette party was in Nashville also asked me to hand write her wedding invitation with my newfound calligraphy skillz! I haven’t seen the final product yet, but I’m pretty excited, and was beyond honored that she asked me!!

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Two weeks ago, we hosted the first of hopefully many Neighbor Nights where we invited a bunch of families on our street to come over for burgers and fellowship. We always wave when we pass each other on the street, but hardly do we ever take time to really hang out! We had the BEST time getting to know the neighbs just a little more and are already itching for another Neighbor Night! Hopefully it’ll be soon!!

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Ever feel like you just need to punch a certain day of the week in the face? I can totally relate… and this mug comes in handy!

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This is my favorite meal to date from a super cool company called Blue Apron! Price heard about it on the radio one day and it has really been SO cool. A lot of people have asked me about this company so one day I might do a post all about how it works, but in a nutshell, they send you ingredients and recipes to make three meals a week. The price is reasonable, the ingredients are fresh, and they’re all natural. You won’t find any processed junk in the bag o’ ingredients. And everything is already all measured out for you!! This particular dish was a Thai chicken dish with peanut sauce.  I’m telling y’all… I had no idea that I loved Thai food so much nor that it was so easy to cook!! Price and I are LOVING getting to spend time working on our kitchen skills three nights a week! It’s SO fun!!

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These were the valentine happies I made for my SummerHouse co-workers! I loved getting to play with my semi-new white calligraphy ink and fun washi tape! (And who doesn’t love Dove chocolates?!)

Speaking of love and hearts and what not… Price and I had a blast getting all dolled up for this year’s Heart Ball! I love seeing this guy in a tux 🙂

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This was a pretty noteworthy moment… Price’s brother and his wife live two doors down from us, so they brought Miss Kitty, their new kitten, down for a little visit and the beagles LOVED Miss Kitty! LOVED her. They followed her EVERYWHERE!! Meanwhile…

…Ringo hated her and just wanted to get petted on in a separate room… But he just isn’t quiiiite as outgoing as those beags are!

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Fell in love with a new(ish) song at church and wanted to share my fave line. Love this!!!

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What have YOU been up to lately? Hope your Monday was bearable! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!! XOXO!

On A LARK is HERE!

Hey friends!

Just a quick reminder that the inaugural On A L.A.R.K. holiday show is tomorrow! 🙂 I’ll have a booth set up with all my goodies (many of which are brand spankin’ new!) so I hope you’ll be able to stop by! 🙂 I’ll have my square with me, so I can take cards as well as cash and check!

Feel free to email me or leave a comment if you have any questions about the show! 🙂

Merry (early) Christmas!!

Cool Event Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, Thursday 10/10, SummerHouse is having a super cool event that anyone who is able should consider attending!!

The event is a trunk show for The Lauren Lachance Collection, which is an amazingly inspiring collection of pressed botanicals collected from all over the world! The trunk show will run all day from 10 until 7, but from 5-7, there will be some wine and hors d’oeuvres on hand to shake things up!

Here is a sample of Lachance’s work in a gorgeous, light-filled room done by an interior designer in New Orleans…

(photo source)

The newest collection from Lauren Lachance will showcase findings from a recent journey she and her husband Eduardo took along the gulf coast. They collected flowers, leaves, and other neat plants on their trip from Naples, FL to New Orleans! I can’t wait to see this new collection with my own eyes!!

Every single piece of art from The Lauren Lachance Collection I have seen with my own eyes has been absolutey AMAZING, and they look beautiful with just about any other style of art. Nature always mixes in nicely and easily! 🙂

Here are a few more beautiful pieces of hers to leave you with!

Christmas In The Township

Hey everyone! I hope y’all are all having a fantabulous week! I know I am! 😉

One thing making this week so wonderful is an upcoming event that I’m pretty excited about! CHRISTMAS IN THE TOWNSHIP is tomorrow (Thursday) night and should be really fun!! If you have a minute tomorrow night between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m., you should stop by The Township in Ridgeland! It’s located on Highland Colony Parkway and is home to several businesses that I’m pretty fond of 🙂

First of all, it’s where SummerHouse is located! Keeping up the Always Summer… (the SummerHouse blog) is one of my jobs, and I worked there for years full time, so this gorgeous furniture boutique and design firms holds a very special place in my heart. (If you like the picture below, then you’ll love this place. The fab-o design team of Lisa, Elish, and Marty made this room the beauty that it is!) I seriously cannot get enough of this space… Ah….

Firefly Cottage by SummerHouse

Right up there with SummerHouse is the best shoe store in the whole wide world: ARCO AVENUE! Owned by my super stylish sister-in-law Katie, Arco is probably one of very few stores on this earth in which I would happily own everything for sale in there. It’s such a breath of fresh air, and Katie’s great taste is magnetic.

Not only does Arco Avenue sell shoes, but they are a retailer of The Lovely Bee! There are several individual cards and sets, both holiday and not, for sale in there. I promise you’ll love this place if you stop by!

The Lovely Bee at Arco Avenue

You’ll be able to tell Arco from the outside because of their super festive window display! Here’s a close up of my favorite part:

View Gallery, Hemline, Fusion Coffee, Sombra Mexican Kitchen (home of my favorite margarita EVER), and Millie D’s Frozen Yogurt are several of my other favorite places in The Township. When you come by tomorrow, you shop (or eat at) them all! PLUS, Santa will be on hand taking pictures with the young ‘uns. You can’t miss this event! 🙂 Hope to see you there!