Hello again. I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day weekend! I love the 4th of July, and my birthday just happens to come the day before, so I always have a lot to celebrate in July. This year I spent the weekend at the lake, soaking up the sun and eating all my favorite foods, generously prepared by my friends. It was a lovely time, and I couldn’t resist sharing this sunset photo from my birthday night. Glorious!
Found it! Fridays: Favorite Summer Flower or Plant
We asked our team for their favorite summer flower or plant. Here’s what they found:
Tiffany Burgess, Managing Editor WHAT SHE FOUND: Hydrangeas!
WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT IT: “I absolutely adore hydrangeas. In fact, when I made my 2014 goal list ‘Plant a Hydrangea Garden’ was at the top. Unfortunately they have not done so great this year, but I’m not giving up.”
WHERE SHE FOUND IT: http://www.southernliving.
Mandy Keener, Art Director WHAT SHE FOUND: Peonies!
WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT IT: “The smell and the fluffy petals make me smile!”
Emilie Head, Account Executive WHAT SHE FOUND: Sunflowers
WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT IT: “I absolutely love sunflowers! I love to pick up a fresh bunch at the farmers’ market on the weekends. They are so happy and just scream Summer!”
WHERE SHE FOUND IT: http://theglitterguide.com/
Ashley Gill, Online Content Editor WHAT SHE FOUND: Butterfly Weed
WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT IT: “Butterfly weed is my favorite, because it’s somehow scraggly looking, yet intricate and delicate. And I’m over the moon for a punchy orange. So pretty.”
friday favorites : summer style
From editor Rosemary Hallmark: “Katie Rosenfeld is one of my favorite designers. I love her quirky, classic style and the way she’s always able to inject her rooms with playful color. And green is my favorite color too!” {“Going Green” from Sanity Fair}
From managing editor Tiffany Burgess: “I’m a longtime fan of Caitlin Wilson’s gorgeous fabrics. I absolutely adore these cute pics from her photo shoot in the park.” {“Picnic in the Park with Caitlin Wilson Textiles” from The Glitter Guide}
From assistant art director Ellen Scruggs: “Wallpaper is so hot right and such a great way to add pop to a powder bath, hallway or accent wall..designsponge makes it easy to find just the right one with their Top 50 Wallpaper Source Guide. I think my powder bath is about to get a make over!” {“Top 50 Wallpaper Sources” from Design Sponge}
From account executive Emilie Head: “Happy First Day of Summer! These flavored lemonades are a perfectly delicious way to start the season!” {“Flavored Lemonade 3 Ways” from Oh Happy Day}
At Home Friday Favorites 6.4.10
From our editor, Diane Carroll:
A lovely post from Things That Inspire, highlighting Southern vernacular
architecture. This wonderful quote, from the architecture firm Bates Corkern
Studio, so eloquently sums up the power of home:
“We dwell in our homes and our homes dwell in us. It lingers with us when we
leave. Beckons when we are weary. It is the place that gives us comfort and
ease. Home is the one place where we can simply be. Where we can find our
way in the dark. Where we can identify the sounds of our childrenâs feet on
the floorboards, trace the same patch of sunlight across the dining room
wall â from spring through the coming winter.”
(Inspirational Architects: Bates Corkern Studio from Things That Inspire)
“I love this soothing shade of blue for a bedroom,” says Katie Rawlings, account executive. “It is so calming, which we all need at the end of the day in our place of rest!” (“Welcome to our Blog” from Shayla Copas Interiors)
Associate editor Paulette Pearson says, “This is the epitome of summer to me: sweet lemonade and alfresco dining, and a sprawling field of green grass.” (Sur La Table from The Bright Side Project)
Wedding inspiration from forget.me.knot.weddings
For all of At Home in Arkansas’ engaged or soon-to-be-engaged readers, Megan Shuler’s blog, forget.me.knot.weddings, is your go-to for ideas leading up to the big day. It’s a comprehensive resource with loads of real weddings and oodles of ideas (most of which would work just as well for everyday entertaining or even holiday parties)! We’re so thrilled Megan stopped by to share a few of her magical inspiration boards… Aren’t they positively lovely?
PS-Donât forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a year-long subscription to At Home in Arkansas magazine! Click here for details, and to see our month-long Holiday Guest Blogger Series schedule.
As an editor of the wedding blog forget.me.knot.weddings, I find myself immersed in all things lovely that inspire a couple when they tie the knot. Whether featuring real weddings, chic color palettes or unique details, these are all aspects to guide someone when in the process of designing their day. Styling and coordinating weddings is another passion of mine, and with the seasons changing, the style themes are endless in creating your dream day. I am envisioning a rustic late fall wedding or even a sophisticated winter inspired celebration, and with spring around the corner a spring time wedding with soft, creamy tones of blush pink would be heavenly!
{cake, vintage books, farm tablescape, table set up, acorns, bride, escort cards, calligraphy}
I never seem to tire of the ‘rustic chic’ look that has that laid-back charm. The worn wood accents, loose florals set in wooden creates with vintage bottles decorated throughout the event makes for the perfect rustic chic celebration. The warm color palette of browns, creams and sage green create a inviting, elegant rustic touch.
{tablescape, plate, table with flowers, escort card holder, books, white flower, cake, bouquet & chair, menu card}
With winter upon us this time of year a couple-to-be can create a glamorous sophisticated look for their wedding day. Using a cool color palette of mint green and gray mixed with hints of warm neutrals, such as bronze and cream can create a very sophisticated winter feel to any celebration.
{escort cards, bride, flowers, table number, big flower, table set up, invitations}
Even though it is winter I of course can not help but think of Spring time and the endless wedding inspiration that is to come. Spring will be here in no time and this soft, romantic rosy pink board is for anyone daydreaming of an elegant, vintage wedding celebration.
organization goes on a beachside vacation—so that you can, too!
Katie Buchanan of Little Rock Paper Scissors has done it again, this time bringing us a fun, clever way to stay organized this summer and ready to hit the pool at a moment’s notice. From the woman who brought us this delightful tale of mother/daughter organization, here’s how to build your own ready-for-anything beach bag for summer. We can’t wait to put together our own fun beach bags and spend time soaking up the sun. And thanks to Katie, we’ll be prepared for anything that comes our way.
Beach bags are the quintessential symbol of summer. Once they come out from winter’s weary closet we know that school is out, vacations are imminent and cares will soon wash away with the falling tides. And when stocked properly, these bags can truly represent practical preparedness worthy of any proper sun god or goddess.
There are a million ways to fill the perfect beach tote, but I like to keep the organization of your getaway bag loose and easyâjust like summer. To accomplish this, be fairly relaxed and adaptable in your approach, beginning with only two big pieces of pre-pool-bag-organization homework:
1. Choose the right oversized beach bag for you and be honest with yourself, the thing will get super ratty by September, so it does not need to come from a couture house in Paris and/or cost more dollars than you would be comfortable watching dissolve into a chlorine-laced pool puddle.
For me, the go-to carryall is the L.L. Bean canvas Boat and Tote bag. I’m absolutely obsessed with these versatile, monogram-ready and highly durable classicsâthey are as timeless as a Chanel bag or a white, cotton oxford shirt, and oh so useful. As a matter of fact, if you come to my house, chances are you will see various sizes of the Boat and Tote in every room… playing the role of purse, grocery bag, portable filing cabinet, cat bed, you name it. I can’t get enough of them, and the best partâaside from their washabilityâis that they are made right here in the good ol’ USA.
2. Make a list of what it needs to hold in order for your days of sun soaking to be as easy as they deserve to be. Try to list items that can live in your bag all summer, making your bag as ready-to-go at a moment’s notice as possible. After you decide what things “live” in your bag all season, from sunscreen to trashy romance novels, you are ready to inventory what smaller bags will live inside the large beach bag.
Yes, you read that right. I said “what smaller bags will live inside the large beach bag.” It’s true. I’m a bag lady. Not even a bit ashamed. I just love things that hold other things. One day, my friend Mel said, “Oh Katie, you are a total bag junkie just like me.” Now I love bags, but please! I’ve never done anything even close to illicit or illegal in order to own one. Well, yet…
Your list will vary according to your needs, your kids, your locations and your sun-worshiping goals, but as the typical female pool/lake goer, this is what I like to keep on hand:
- Sunscreen and lots of it! Various SPF levels, sprays, face lotions, all of it. And remember, sunscreens expire after about six months, so it will be necessary to re-stock at the beginning on the summer. At season’s end, toss what you didn’t use.
- Books, real live books made of paperâleave the iPad inside. I love all kids of book from grocery story brain cell killers to large format New York Times crosswords and sudoku. One favorite idea is selecting summer books is to check out a teen’s English Literature summer reading list. As an adult, you’ll now have the time and desire it takes to finally enjoy those fabulous classics. I also love to keep summer reading coolâenjoy stories set in mountains and snow while you sweat it out in the Arkansas heat.
- Pencils, sharpener and a case, even though pens are my preferred tool for crossword puzzles. They just don’t do well as season-long residents of a pool bag. A nice, trusty pencil will never melt under pressure.
- Hair-care goods, such as color-protecting leave-in conditioner and a wide-tooth comb, and large clips (not breakage-inducing rubber bands). In the impossible, albeit rare event that my hair actually be submerged in lake or pool waters, I like to curb the damage ASAP!
- Deodorant, for the inevitable failures and post-shower application.
- Lip balm, because it’s easy to forget those lips, but they need as much SPF protection as the rest of your skin.
- Nail products, such as cuticle oil, travel polish remover pouches and emery boardsâsee the part above about curbing the damage.
- Toys and games, because even grown-ups should have fun at the pool, and there are tons of travel options out there from Scrabble to trivia games. And don’t forget the good times had with a Frisbeeâa flat, packable bit of entertainment.
- Laptop, with a very protective case, for those vacations when writing deadlines loom. I have a rule that I will only use my laptop in the morning, if I am fully dressed, do not have on a bathing suit and plan to be in a maximum of 85-degree dry, sandless weather. Late in the day, when I am by the pool or beach, the laptop stays inside!
- Non-SPF lotion is a handy thing to use after sand and chlorine have been rinsed away and you want to sit, dressed and waterside, under the protection of an umbrella.
- Insect repellant, because mosquitoes love lakes and nibbling on sweet people like you! Although they stink, sprays can be your friends in the fight to ward off those pesky creatures. If you are completely opposed to putting the nasty stuff on your delicate skin, some brands now make repellant devices that clip onto your bag or chair.
- Water-tight wallets so your iPods, earbuds, cell phones and keys can bounce safely between your purse and bag all summer longâthis year I found on of the best ever at By Invitation Only in the Heights in Little Rock, and they have quite a few styles that make a fun addition to any organized summer wardrobe.
- Flip-flops, but find a pair that won’t break your heart when they inevitably fade after 1,000 harsh rinses in the lake or pool. Like sunscreen, some well-used flip-flops have a shelf life of about six months.
- Hats, and although I love a big, wide-brimmed stunner of a hat, ball caps and visors can roll up with ease or attach to bag handles, taking up little space when it’s time to protect the hair and skin during the sun’s most dangerous hours.
- Cover ups. Locally, Cynthia East Fabrics and Bella Boutique in the Heights carry adorable, bold-printed tunics that don’t cost an arm and a leg, and they are thin enough to fold up teeny tiny. Other smart choices can be found at Old Navy, Gap and that little fashion-mecca known as Target. Instant, disposable fashion is key for outdoor fun!
- Mesh laundry bags are handy to hold all the grubbies that need to be washed in the house at the end of your pool/lake day.
- Insulated cups or water bottles are popping up in lots of stores, and they can even be monogrammed to keep the beverage confusion low!
- Snack bags, from insulated lunch bags to foldable coolers, carryalls for nourishment (and maybe a cocktail or two) are a much for all that important energy we need to relax.
Once the bag is chosen and the happy content list has been made, you are ready to get to packing. The process reminds me of pre-camp trunk-stuffing days… which I LOVED.
(Now camp itself I despised, by the way. Hot, crowded yuck-fest, almost like a bad food-and-wine festival… Ick. Now I wish I hadn’t even brought the whole thing up now. But my good childhood friend Anne, who is a few years younger than I am, reminded me that when I was about 13 or 14, her mother paid me to pack Anne for Camp Timberlake. She said her camp trunk was the picture of perfection, and every day’s outfit was bagged and labeled by day so that she could just grab and go. It’s amazing I had any friends at all, really…)
Just as we did for camp trunks back in the day, I like to begin beach- and pool-bag-packing by setting everything out so that I can see the big picture. As in most of my organization lectures, I will tell you again to label your items. Labeling can always be done with a label marker, but with out typical hot summers, labels sometimes do not hold up so well during outdoor playtime. Therefore, now is the time to go to a monogram shop and let the thread and paint fly all over your well-chosen beach items.
Mesh laundry bag and washable, collapsible food/game tote as well as a fabulous insulated to-go cup from By Invitation Only in the Heights.
Summer reading assignments, puzzle books and a zip top water-repellant plastic pencil bag courtesy of my extra-hip niece, Kate. I place all books and such in a smaller version of the Boat and Tote bag that willâyou guessed itâfit inside the larger one.
Plastic Ziploc bags are perfect for all things hair, nails and lips as well as a great way to add an extra layer of water safety to your Phone/iPod holder/wallet, the interior of which is shown.
Extra-large, monogrammed beach towel and (mostly unnecessary) wallet/phone/iPod pouch, laptop case, sunscreen, insect repellant, deodorant and a wonderful collapsible blue and white, waterproof pocketed tote from By Invitation Only that can hold it all from bug spray to sunscreen to beverages.
And voila! All packed and ready to go⦠Towels, supplies and bags-in-bags holding all of your essentials for a ready-to-go-at-a-momentâs-notice day of fun in the sun. As you can see, I like the BIG L.L. Bean tote bag. And if all else fails, I can sleep inside of it.
* * *
Okay, now that organization how-to business complete, I HAVE to brag on my very favorite new product âfindâ in quite some time. Billed as a dorm shower caddy, this collapsible blue tote pocketed tote from By Invitation Only has about a million uses, and I could devote an entire blog to this bag alone! I LOVE this silly thing, and my head spins thinking of all the fun year-round solutions afforded by itâfrom bathroom to kitchen to the garden. So, in closing, a little bonus pictorial for making a college shower bag work in the grown-up poolside world!
Yes, I know. The concept is pure genius. You can thank me later.
It is a good idea to keep the bag on the ground after you take it outside, because once your ice melts, this little dandy can just drain out of the bottom poolside.
And finally, this last photo is for my friend Michaela who works at By Invitation Only. When I told her my stroke of brilliance for the shower-caddy-turned-ice-chest, she said, âOoh, yes! You could even put in all the supplies for margaritas in there! Limes, salt, tequila.â Great minds really do think alike!
* * *
Cheers to you all for an always-organized and VERY extra-safe summer!
Xoxo, KTB
chris olsen designs with summertime watermelons
Now you can have your melon and eat it too! Our resident garden expert, Chris Olsen of Botanica Gardens, shows you how to use the summertime favorite in your exterior decor. Just one more reason to throw a party!
For other decorating ideas from Chris, click here and here.
When I think of summer, I imagine a tasty cold slice of watermelon. Watermelons are ready for the picking in summer, and they are not just for eating. Why not decorate with them???
Create that perfect centerpiece for your next summertime function. All you have to do is slice your melon into two halves. Then divide that half into two more halves. Take each of the quarter slices and remove about 8 inches of meat from the center. Then slip in place of the missing melon flesh, a pre-moistened piece of floral oasis foam. Now you have the perfect base for a summer arrangement. Just use flowers like colorful zinnias right from the garden, blue thistle, vibrant mums, and even fresh foliage. This arrangement should last for about 4 or 5 days.
Hereâs another idea for you!!! Take an assortment of color watermelons and tuck them around your potted containers and even in the garden as you would pumpkins in the fall time. Create groupings of two or more melons. They will last for only about 2-3 weeks outdoors before turning to mush. Watermelons can become that perfect summertime accessory for your patio, deck, or landscape.
8 fun ways to spend Memorial Day weekend
Memorial Day Weekend is almost here! How do you plan to spend this favorite holiday? We’ve got seven tips for making the most of this long weekend. Just remember to have fun and be safe!
1. Make use of that outdoor kitchen while the kids play in the pool. Click here for many more pool and patio inspiration images.
2. Find the perfect wine! Click here for summer wine recommendations from Clark Trim of Colonial Wine & Spirits.
3. Enjoy the outdoors from a serene patio – don’t forget the smores!
4. Spend a day at the lake. Get the info on these products by clicking here.
5. Set the table in summer style with a red, white and blue tabletop. Click here for tips on getting the look.
6. Whether you’re on the lake or grilling out back, click here for summer wardrobe inspiration.
7. Use the long weekend to freshen up your home with these quick updates.
8. Or simply hit the road.
Backyard Beauties
By the end of May, we are moving full speed ahead towards summer. Summers filled with cold drinks, fireflies—or lightening bugs as I prefer to call them—and tons of time spent outdoors. Before the temps get too steamy, the boyfriend and I have big plans to whip our backyard space into shape with a full scale patio DIY ahead of us in the coming weeks. Naturally, I’ve been scouring all edges of the internet for outdoor inspiration. Along the way, I encountered some killer before & after projects. Let’s visit a few of my favorites.
First up, get a load of this patio/raised flower bed/outdoor fireplace slice of heaven. Hubba, hubba.
DIY raised flowerbeds are a part of the master plan for my soon-to-be-transformed backyard, so these were surely a sight for sore eyes.
Our next backyard could be worse (the hot tub and lush lawn definitely give it a boost), but let’s be honest. It’s still pretty boring.
Amped up with a new pergola, entertaining areas and landscaping galore, this backyard is transformed into a true retreat.
Last but not least, this DIY-er was craving a relaxing spot to kick up her heels just steps from her backdoor.
Her fabulous dark wood pergola with cream curtain panels and expanded patio is just so stinkin’ perfect.
Check back in with me next month and I dish the ins & outs of our very own backyard rehab on At Home’s blog. Until then, happy DIY-ing!