Baggu

Check out these new Baggu prints.    

Love them!

My faves have to be the pink foxes and grey geometric.  What about you?

Animal Safari

blue chickadee

Any of you in need of baby gifts?  

"Contact Me" or drop by Novel. 341 King Street 

Charleston, SC

Hours M-F 10:30-3

Burnt Horn

I need some help from you people!  I am looking for a dresser redo in little R's room.  All his knobs are falling off...see below.

I am thinking of painting it Naval by Sherwin Williams.

And adding these knobs from Anthropologie.  

I love them but they are priced a little higher than I wanted to spend at $8 a knob.  I need 10 so that means $88 total.  Any chance any of you know of cheaper, just as handsome knobs somewhere else???  Please do tell:)

My Boys

I don't know if you remember back in July when I went to Pawleys Island with the fam and squeezed in a little photo shoot with my uber talented photography friend, Emily Corey?  She seriously has some mad talent.  I have anxiously awaited the arrival of these precious pics, and today they arrived!!!!  I could not be more thrilled with how they turned out!!!  Here is a sneak peek.  

I must say 15 months is a tough age to get your angel baby photographed:)  Doesn't this picture above tell it all?

A little Shrimp and Grits Kids shout out here.  My friend Megan has the most adorable line of smocked and appliqued children's clothes here in Charleston.  She designs them all herself!!!!  Aren't they precious!

I can't tell you how much I love this eyelet dress!  My good bud and Novel. business partner, Lauren Lail, owns Library: Archives of Fashion and this is a little number from her.  Can you believe it used to have huge puffy long sleeves???

And this gorgeous necklace came from my cuz and unbelievably talented jewelry designer (partner at Novel. as well-enough descriptive words for ya?) Jane Pope Cooper.  You would know her jewelry lines as Balboa Jewelry and Jane Pope Collection.

Look at these little backs!!!  I'm getting a little sappy over here, but I know before too long they are going to sitting here in their board shorts drinking a beer..sniff sniff.

*Emily is based out of Durham, NC but she does travel.  She is AMAZING and the funniest person you will ever meet!

Hyper Blue

So remember Monday, when I posted my BEFORE picture of this ugly chair and my whole fiasco with the paint store/ paint color yada yada yada?  Well, I finally got around to finishing my project yesterday.  So here is the BEFORE:

Blah!

And here is the AFTER:

Rad!

Me likey. You?

Tuesday Food Day

Spinach Basil Pesto

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This is the perfect recipe for those of you who want to use up all of your basil this summer but want to stay  health(ier).  Pesto is not "bad" for you, but the amount I like to use on pizza, spaghetti, dips, is unhealthy.  So, I came up with a much lower calorie/fat recipe if you are interested.  I do not measure so I will try my best at proportions here.

Huge bunch of fresh basil (like the bunch you get at Whole Foods if you were to buy)
1/2 container of crumbled Parmesan Cheese (again at Whole Foods where bagged shredded cheese is, but this comes in container)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 bag fresh spinach-wilted in steamer or microwave
2-3 garlic cloves
salt if needed
few dashes of olive oil

I blend all above ingredients in a blender but you most certainly can use a food processor.

*I don't use pine nuts or any nut for that matter and only a touch of olive oil. 


I am telling you, this stuff is good!!!  Really hard to tell the difference!  Perfect to use on my Naan Bread Pizzas or as a spaghetti sauce!!!!  I literally have dipped pretzel thins in it too and still good!!!  Give it a try and let me know what you think!!!

Also have you checked out Food Gawker?  Love it!!!  And Craft Gawker, Design Gawker, etc....One more addiction I have no time for:)

Smart vs Dumb

Do any of you have husbands who make impulsive decisions?  Without consulting you first.  I do.  It's happened more than once and usually revolves around football.  

I'll take you back a week and a half ago.  Big R tells me he has a surprise for us (the boys too) when we get home.  My excitement level is through the roof.  Can't you tell?  I'm no dummy, I know football season is approaching.  We walk in and he shows me the massive (exact same TV that we already have, eh hum) in a box.  Smart TV.  Any of you familiar?  I'm not and had no idea what a Smart TV is, still don't.  All I know is it's the exact same TV-size and brand that we already have???  FYI, he went to Best Buy to buy cable wires and came home with this.  So, if any of you can help me out with positives for the Dumb  Smart TV, bring it on.

Just so you know where I am coming from on impulsive football related decisions, here is another prime example.  A 12' X9' inflatable screen with HD projector for every single Clemson Football Game.  What?  I was not consulted and as you can tell, not as big a fan as Big R.  

(This is my father in law below playing the roll of Fireman Roo, spraying all the kiddos out of the backyard.)

He's a riot, I tell you!

Ok, moving on to more exciting projects around my house.  I have decided to spruce up my front entry with a pop of blue.  I want to paint this chair.

I went to Lowes this morning, taking the advice of Jenny, to buy some Rust Oleum Protective Enamel oil based paint.  Mr. Big and I made the trek unsuccessfully though, because as she mentioned in her post, Rust Oleum only comes in a handful of colors.  Not the color blue I wanted.  So, off to Sherwin Williams we go.  As I am standing in line, I notice Mr. Big needs to start brushing his teeth.  No more baby breath coming from this guy!  I go to switch hips to pay for my paint, and his diaper has leaked (in the most horrible way imaginable, I will spare you the details) all over my white shirt.  Lovely.   I scribble my name and race home only to realize after painting one coat that I got the wrong shade!!!!!!!  Seriously.  Is it Monday?  This is what I got. 

 Pulsating Blue-intense name, right?

It's not bad, but this is what I meant to get-Hyper Blue-more my style.  I hope to have an "AFTER" for you on Wednesday.  Happy Monday to those of you still reading!

Outfit a Room

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I just made an impulsive, end of summer buy, from the ever faithful, J. Crew.  And if you would look a here.  We have a room to match.

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I couldn't decide.  I went with dark slate.  It was on sale and still is....

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Weird, don't ya think, that the only two color options for the caftan are the exact colors used on the chairs and curtains.  I like it.

Tears

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My baby cakes starts his first day of "Toddler Time" today.  How is this happening??  I never thought I would be so sad to see him go to school.  As my mom would say, "You need to PEP up, Way Way.  Things are going to be fine."  I can hear her now:)  I may cry.  She would laugh.  

We're heading to Fast and French after drop off for a "pep me up"coffee and croissant.  That should do the trick.

Talking in Circles

via Pinterest

via google

via Novel.

tote blue chickadee, dress Library: Archives of Fashion 

And totally off the subject, but will get you "talking in circles", is this stuff.  For any of you coffee lovers out there, you have got to try Trader Joes "ready to drink" Cafe Mocha or Cafe Latte.  I never thought coffee in a can would be any good but this stuff surprised me.  Low fat to boot.  These are awesome especially over ice and they give me the jolt of energy I need come 4:00.  Go getcha some.

*Y'all, I hate this, but cannot remember where I found a few of these images.  If you know, please let me know so  I can give credit.  Thanks

Happy Labor Day Weekend!