Friday, August 31, 2012

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

The end of summer....Pawleys Island

I have lots of good posts in store for next week (I promise!) This week has been crazy, we got home from the beach with friends and I got the stomach flu...it was AWFUL!

Labor Day Weekend for us usually means Dove Hunting and the weekend in Asheville. Unfortunately I have been unable to find a sitter that will watch Ford for 11 hours Saturday so it looks like it is pool time in Charlotte for us!

So my wishes for you this Labor Day are to:

Beach it up!




Drink it up!


Football it up!


And Shoot em Down!
Yummy Dove breast!


And don't forget to pack up those straw shoes/bags/hats and your summer whites. Because Rules are rules Dammit!

xoxo

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Naughty Dirty Harry

His Security team should be fired. Rule #1 in Vegas, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. (Not that I've ever been). Are these people idiots? They didn't make the girls hand over their phones?! I would think to party with Harry you would need a blood and urine sample, family financial history and definitely be searched for any recording devices. I really don't blame him...he is in Vegas and wanted a little booty....his security team takes the major fail on this one. I wonder how much $$$ the chick made that sold these photos. Hussy.

On the other hand....did you notice the carpet?! What a beautiful and classic carpet to be in a Vegas hotel room. Well done Vegas! Do you think that is wool or a combed cotton? I can't see any rug-burn marks on the girls.

Has anyone else ever thought that a Prince Harry or Prince William (DoC) sex tape could solve World Hunger?
Harry, I still think you are lovely. At least you didn't lose a tooth, marry a stripper, go to the hospital or get knocked out by Mike Tyson.

Rawr.

xoxo

Pics courtesy of the also naughty and dirty TMZ

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Ahoy its a Boy Baby Shower!

My BFF from College is having a baby boy in less than a month! We headed to Raleigh a few weeks ago to throw her a baby shower in her new house. Crazy right? But out of the seven hostesses only one lived in Raleigh and she was in the process of moving. I think it worked out really well! We kicked the mama-to-be out of the house with her Mom and future sis-in-law and sent them shopping while we decorated (and drank).

Elie wanted to go with a nautical theme for the baby's room so we carried that through to the shower. Thanks to Pinterest and my friend over at Pink to Green I think we all threw a gorgeous baby shower!

A special thank you to the Cupcake Shoppe in Raleigh! I wanted to use my favorite local Charlotte cake woman but she was booked solid! I googled "cakes in raleigh" and Cupcake Shoppe popped up. I confirmed with MJG that they were indeed fabulous and called them right up. I emailed the invite and look what they came up with?!!!
Perfect and delicious cake from The Cupcake Shoppe

Look at the rope detail!!!

Drink table with Mimosas, Tea and the Prego fave... Diet Cherry 7-Up


The spread! Perfect in Elie's red dining room! Betsy-Please get that pimiento cheese recipe..the rollups were out of this world! The Chicken Salad croissants filled me up and thank goodness counter-balanced the Mimosas. :)

Pirate ship Watermelon

Another shot of the spread

How to make a Life Preserver? Dollar store inner-tubes & streamers!

Thanks Pinterest!

Elie did very well!

The Hostesses with the Mama-to-be


Thank you for the idea Megan! All the guests wrote a sweet message to baby boy that will be opened on his first birthday!

We had such a wonderful time and are so excited for Elie & Charlie!

xoxo

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Smocked Resale Secrets



 I promised to spill the details of good deals for kids clothes so here you go! (You can thank me later...or as in the case of my friend Abby, her husband hates me)

I have been an ebayer forever. Sometimes I go on benders and buy several things and sometimes I don't login for months. I have bought Vineyard Vines ties, smocked outfits, books, fabric...you name it! I'm not that good at winning though so I have to get M to remember to bid for me.

Craigslist is hit or miss. For F we bought his crib (yes, don't judge!), glider, Pottery Barn laundry basket, and cute PB number hooks all from CL. We sold all of our Panthers tickets through there last year and also sold some of our old furniture. My biggest score was a PB coffee table for $39!! It is still in the catalog for $299.

The above two sources are obviously not news to anyone, but have you heard about the facebook sites? I created an alias login on FB so all my friends wouldn't see me being thrifty. I already have 300 other friends that sell their clothes, kids clothes, jewelry..you name it!

I have made a deal with M that F will only wear smocked clothes until he is 2 (except for major holidays) so I only have about 6 months left to dress him up. But at $50 an outfit it gets really expensive!! I stumbled across the kids pages through a mom on Re-lilly and they are stocked with amazing deals! As far as kids clothes go the top sites are Smocking Hot Mamas, Trunk Show and Boutique Addicts, The Smocked Swap and Pink Piggy Consignment. Here are a few examples:
$22 shipped Bebe by Vive la Fete NWT! 12M and 18M....a STEAL!

Claire and Charlie 4T $30 shipped, how cute is this dress!

18M (Which I'm assuming lasts awhile or is my son short?) Kids sizing drives me to drink. NWT Silly Goose longall $27 shipped. I want this one!

Claire and Charlie 24M Lobster Dress, $24 shipped. So stinking cute!!

Anavini Puppy Jon Jon, $25 shipped.

Please tell me this comes in a Longall!!!!! WHO DAT BABY!!!

Royal Child 18M $20 shipped, that is a bargain! I had this in 6M for F and paid double that!

And please don't forget about my Trunk Show this Thursday! You don't have to buy, just come drink wine! Last year only 4 sweet and dear friends showed up and the sales rep thought I was a loser! Thank goodness some of you emailed me orders so it wasn't a bust!!! So at least come drink wine or email me an order!

xoxoxox


Friday, August 17, 2012

Dream House Example:A

Do you ever search Realtor.com for a house you would buy if you won the lottery? Well, we didn't win. Womp Womp.

But I was surfing around and this house popped up and it is exactly the space we need. Now don't go roll your eyes....just listen as I explain!
What a beautiful Foyer! Look at all the light from the French doors and the windows on the landing. Boudreaux (yellow lab) would run down these stairs and slide right out the front door!


I love this bright breakfast nook. Okay its larger than a nook but can't you imagine reading the paper and having your coffee in here? I don't do either but I definitely would if this was my house.

Ah, backyard parties. I would probably switch to teak furniture but look at all the space! Outdoor speakers are a must as well as a fire-pit, spotlights on the trees, a mosquito spray service and a bartender.

You can never have enough areas for entertaining...ah, there is the teak. I'm assuming this looks out over the pool. Would you screen this in?

The "study". We both work from home but since we won the lottery we wouldn't really need an office. This could be the after-dinner-drinks-room . (AKA Bourbon room) Probably need a deer head right?

Dinner parties! We could finally have everyone over in the Supper club group at the same time!

Formal Living Room....for hosting baby showers.

Very pretty kitchen, might add some glass cabinets and a gas stove. Max would love all this space to cook, I wish we could see another angle. If it is large and in charge that is perfect because you know EVERYONE always ends up in the kitchen.

Change out the decor and this is our football/Dexter/Game of Thrones/Justified/Storage Wars/Chugginton/Octonauts watching room. 

Don't you see this being our perfect house? It has 4 bedrooms (Ours, K's, F's, and maybe a sibling for F's room.) It has a guest cottage which is perfect since I really prefer to have a guest room and my Dad will finally have his own private guest bath. 

Just imagine the parties!!!!!


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Smocked Fall Trunk Show Season!

F wearing his Easter outfit from Smocked Designs by Bulldogs and Bows

I LOVE getting all the emails from friends about their trunks shows! I know the clothes are expensive but you have to splurge on a few outfits each season for your little one! M has put his foot down and said no more smocked outfits after F turns 2 in March. Well....I better get as much as I can now! I have been working late at night but the best thing is most of these ladies will take email orders!

I am hosting a Smocked Designs by Bulldogs and Bows next Thursday! If you can't come please feel free to email me your order! Look how cute their stuff is! I already want the Farm longall!

Bulldogs & Bows Farm Longall 

Just a few items from the Fall 2012 Line!

Please come by or email me your order for my Bulldogs and Bows Trunk Show next Thursday August 23rd! I am also having a drawing for a free photography family session! I'm no pro but I'm not that bad either! Each outfit you purchase enters you into the raffle!

I also think it is great that most of these companies are based right here in the South! Other lines that I love and try not to spend all my hard earned money at...

Shrimp & Grits Kids out of South Carolina

How cute are the labs and pumpkins?!


Orient Expressed out of New Orleans, love their stuff!

Need this outfit! It reverses to Santa!!!

And Just Ducky Originals out of Asheville! Gotta love a hometown goodie!

 My friend Laura is hosting a show featuring these cute clothes from The Travelin Trunk. Ford NEEDS this longall. Do you hear that Grandparents??? 18-24M just depending on the sizing.

What are your favorite kids lines? Check back with me this Friday on my tips on how to score these gorgeous outfits for more than 50% off! All it takes is quick fingers and a computer. And no, I'm not talking about Smocked Auctions!

xoxo