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Showing posts with label Mainly Southern. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mainly Southern. Show all posts

28 June 2017

A little facelift and feeling fancy free

after - living room & fireplace

before - living room and fireplace



Every now and then, I catch myself forgetting that our home is different than it used to be. In fact, in my mind, I think I still picture it as the little blue house with very little curb appeal (but a whole lot of potential). Even though we have so much more space now, almost every nook of the house has been touched in some way whether through a complete transformation, like our living room, or just a little paint to bring it up to speed, like our kitchen. 

The truth is, we loved our little cottage before it was renovated. We didn't have a ton of extra space (and we definitely needed another bathroom), but it was quaint, cozy, and charming. As we've wrapped up construction and started focusing on furniture placement and other decor, I really wanted to maintain that same feeling. After all, at its core, our home is still the same home it was before. It just got rebranded. 






Think about it like this: rebranding is something that happens through the years for many businesses. If you've noticed, many of the chain restaurants of our childhood look totally different (and way cooler?) now. Other brands have done the same. Recently, Southern Breeze Sweet Tea got a little facelift of their own. They updated their packaging, swapped some colors, and even created a new tagline. Like our home, Southern Breeze is still the same awesome, zero calorie, guilt-free sweet tea it was before. It simply got a little exterior update. Like a new manicure or a new pair of earrings, sometimes, you just need a little update to feel more like yourself.

For our own living room makeover, we really focused on making our fireplace the star of the show. It took us a loooong time to choose the pretty pink brick that we finally settled on. I think we must have looked at at least 30 samples of brick! My favorite part of construction was choosing our lighting fixtures. The sconces above our mantle by Hudson Valley flank one of our largest piece of art in our collection, a landscape by Atlanta-based artist, Winston Wiant. Our bookshelves hold our electronics like our t.v. (don't worry, we're getting a bigger one eventually), and our record player and speakers. We've love having the record player when we have friends over for afternoon chats (with sweet tea & snacks, of course) or on Friday night happy hours. Ultimately, we'll trade our sectional for a sofa with two swivel gliders, but for now, I'm enjoying our cozy space. 

Stay tuned to my Instagram for more house updates and sneak peeks of all of the changes and facelifts we're doing around here. Our living room is only the beginning! 

Thanks to Southern Breeze Sweet Tea for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. 







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31 March 2014

Lettermade

When it comes to cocktails and entertaining, we southern women do not mess around. In fact, we're known for our hospitality, so anything less than sweet, charming, and scrumptious is simply not acceptable. Luckily for all of us, there are places like Lettermade that help make our cocktail parties and afternoon teas that much more special. 


Lettermade is an online retail shop specializing in embroidered linen cocktail napkins, and when I stumbled upon Malia's unique designs, I knew immediately that I wanted to share them with you. Malia is one of those girls who I just know I would be friends with if state lines didn't separate us. Her gumption and kindess is exactly the kind of thing that southern women stand for, and her shop is no different. 

Today, I have a couple of treats for you! First, a delicious cocktail fit for a fantastic set of monogrammed linens, and then a full interview with the cocktail napkin queen herself! 

Berry Fizz: 
1 cup of frozen or fresh berries
squeeze of lemon juice
2 oz gin
top with club soda 

Blend or muddle berries. Add lemon juice to help add a bit of liquid to the mixture. Fill cocktail shaker with ice & add blended berries and gin. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass & top it off with club soda & a lemon garnish. Serve with your favorite Lettermade napkins & a few other sweet treats!

Want to hear more about Malia's Lettermade venture? Read the full interview after the jump!

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05 March 2014

Pink House Press

What do southern values, Ray Charles, and Carolina blue have in common? They’re all a part of Carolann Belk’s Pink House Press. Pink House Press houses some of the most adorable (and affordable!) prints and drink holders around...all laced in southern hospitality.

I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with Carolann, the owner and operator of Pink House Press, on an unseasonably warm February afternoon after several days of Atlanta snow. Stick around and learn more about this charming belle and her southern pride prints. 


  
Why did you decide to focus your shop and designs on the spirit of the south?
I moved to New York City after graduating from UNC, and I became re-obsessed with everything southern. I missed it so much here. I think that reinvigorated me to be inspired by everything southern. Even when I moved to Atlanta, I found myself constantly looking up southern things on Etsy and everywhere else. That’s how Pink House Press came to be. 
What is your favorite product that you sell?
It has to be my original Carolina print because it is an homage to my alma mater, and it was the first thing I ever made, so it was the most exciting product, too. 
Tell me your definition of "southern hospitality"?
For guys, treating ladies with chivalry and having the “old” manners; being respectful towards women. For girls, putting on a smile even when you don’t want to…to everyone you meet…and if you really don’t like someone, “bless their heart.”
Fill in the blank: one thing every home should have is...
Photos or some type of art that means something to you.
What is your favorite southern dish? Pecan pie or key lime pie?
It’s a tie between my mom's fried okra her cheese grits; she makes the best cheese grits. Better yet: fried okra with cheese grits. Definitely pe-can pie! 
What was the last book you read?
I don’t read a ton of books, but Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is the last book I read start to finish and actually enjoyed; it made me want to move to Savannah. 
Want to read more about Carolann and get to know the story of Pink House Press even better? Head over to Mainly Southern for the full interview! In the meantime, Carolann is offering 20% off of her shop right now with the code "DOTS20".  AND! She's offering you a chance to win a print & drink holder combo of your choice.


To Enter:

Visit Pink House Press and leave a comment below telling me what your favorite drink holder & print combination is. Don't forget to include your email, so I know how to reach you if you're the big winner!

For an extra entry like Probably Polka Dots on Facebook and leave another comment below stating that you did.
(If you already like my page, simply leave an additional comment that you do!)

For even more entries, follow Pink House Press on Instagram and leave another comment below!


This giveaway will end at 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, March 19th and is open to US residents only. Winner will be notified via email.



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