Lauren got her groove back.  I started painting again yesterday & I'm feeling a bit more motivated.  I've been wanting to put this collection together, but got a little hung up for whatever reason.  I finally finished and I think they turned out pretty cute.  I would definitely use these for a rustic outdoor dinner party.  Growing up on a farm we dined outside during the summer on a regular basis.  I can picture one of those evenings and these fit in perfectly..... several mason jars of zinnias on the table (my mom always grew zinnias in the vegetable garden),  citronella candles (the skeeters are bad here in Georgia!), mix-matched glasses (she has a thing for dishes & glasses... a ton of different sets), a nice spread of fresh vegetables.... all on an old picnic table under the pecan trees.  We'd eat late because my dad would be bailing hay until the sun went down..... the smell of fresh cut hay, the cicadas in full chorus, the stars twinkling away.... oh the memories!  

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 (images via pinterest)

Georgia On My Mind...

This beautiful Saturday morning has reminded me how blessed I am to live in Georgia. All the windows are open, a cool breeze is floating around the house, the soft pitter-patter of rain is filling my ear, and everything is so wonderfully green. This is my most inspiring environment... I get extra creative on these days.

Georgia is a wonderful state. We've got beautiful countryside, beaches, mountains, lakes, and a bit of city action. This picture is my quintessential Georgia:

I grew up playing on a road that looked just like this with my BFF, Leanna. We started out exploring on our bikes in elementary school & continued to have adventures when we obtained drivers licenses. We romped through the fields during cotton season, hid amongst the stalks when the corn was full grown, played in the mud when it rained, and did an excellent job of scaring ourselves by driving down the roads at night. I still remember the smell of that clay.... dry & wet.

Having grown up on a farm, I was always aware of the Georgia weather. It dictated my father's hay crop and foreshadowed what kind of blueberry season we would have. I remember plenty a dry, dusty, and hot days, but there were also plenty of muggy & cool rainy days. Those are the days where my best memories of the farm remain....plump blueberries.......

...freshly clipped bouquets of Hydrangeas adorning the dining room table (the more water, the more glorious bloom)...
..hanging out under the barn while the rain made music on the tin roof... and countless others.

Last year almost everything we planted died. For two years everything has been brown, yellow, dry, and dead. It almost caused me to pack up & head for the hills. I truly thought things would never be the same.

I don't want to "jump the gun" here, but things are really looking up. The lakes & rivers are full, the landscape is lush, and the earth is grinning from ear to ear. I'm not excited about flooding & I'm a little sad that the Monday night Concert on the Lawn is probably going to be canceled, but I sure wish everyone would stop complaining about the rain!

This day in history.....

We bought our first home (3 yrs ago). Our price range was.... how shall I say it, a bit limiting, but we finally found the one we thought we could work with. It's been a labor of love:


The yard was bit junglesque and the front porch was covered with some sort of decorative white brick. Thank goodness for the Trent's parents, they were a HUGE help.

The kitchen has been a work in progress until just a few weeks ago when we installed a pantry & cut the doors out for glass. It's amazing what a little paint, hardware, and new countertops can do.

The most dramatic change to the house was removing a wall between what was the breakfast room & dining and redefining the spaces. The house is only about 1400 sf, but with this wall gone a lot of people can comfortably move around.

We also removed 2 other walls & a lot of brass light fixtures.

The first week we owned the house, I came home from work to find a lot of painting progress, beer cans, and Trent napping on the floor.

We lived in the house for well over a year with a heinous bathroom before remodeling. I still shutter at the thought of that room.

I hope everyone feels this way about their place.... home ownership is NOT over-rated (in my opinion). We both love this little place and if we ever move, I'm sure it will always have a special place in our hearts. We have truly been blessed!