September 17, 2012

our sweet home south {update: floors & tiling}

Good Morning, Sweets!!

The Hubbs and I have updates for y'all on Our Sweet Home South!!

At the end of last week, the hardwood floors were partially installed!! Currently the Common Areas are finished, which leaves the bedrooms to finish the beginning of this week. Then our next step is to pick the stain and the finish for Our Sweet Home South's brand new hardwood floors!!

View from the Front Door looking into the Living Room and Kitchen

On Friday, the tile guy designed the walls of our Master Bathroom shower. We could not be happier with the amazing craftsmanship and the deco band I picked out to add a pop of color!! The shower walls still need to be grouted, and the tile in the shower floor and both bathroom floors still need to be laid and grouted.

Taking a bath will be even more fun with this lovely custom designed shower!!

Up close and personal with the shower deco band detail work!! It's going to look oh so chic with Baby Elephant, our master bedroom paint color!!

Common Bathroom now has a tub!! Tile will be laid this week...
More updates coming this week!!

September 14, 2012

woo pig, y'all...it's the weekend!!

Happy Weekend, Sweets!!

Like most of y'all, my weekend is going to be filled with dear friends, football games and tailgating food galore!!

Right now we are headed to The Faye (aka Fayetteville!!) for the weekend. Fun is always to be had when we are going to Call Them Hogs!! Especially at The Morrison's Tailgate, where having fun is no question.

To make sure we get invited back (haha..just kidding!!), I like to pitch in and bring something. Last weekend for the Little Rock game, The Hubbs and I brought these cute woo piggie cupcakes...

For this weekend, I was inspired by my sweet friend SaySay, whose #1 pick for a fun finger food is what she coins as Kappa Stars. For all of you non-Kappas out there, which includes me, they are called Sausage Stars and are DEEE-LISH!!

{I got the recipe from this adorable blog!!}

Here is the recipe, Sweets!! I cooked the sausage ahead of time, along with chopping the red pepper, so tomorrow morning all I have to do is mix everything together before I fill up each mini-muffin wonton cup and bake for 5 minutes. Prepping before we got on the road will most def help with my tight schedule tomorrow morning!!

These yummy Sausage Stars are too easy to make and way too easy to gobble up!!

{Hidden Valley Ranch Sausage Stars}

1 lb cooked crumbled sausage

1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup of bottled Hidden Valley Ranch Original

1 2.25 oz can of sliced ripe olives

1 chopped red pepper,

1 pkg. won ton wrappers

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees

~ Combine the cooked sausage with cheeses, salad dressing, olives & red pepper

~ Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray

~ Press 1 won ton wrapper in each cup & lightly spray with vegetable spray

~ Bake for 5 minutes until won ton is golden

~ Remove from oven & fill with sausage mix

~ Bake 5 minutes until bubbly

~ TA-DA!! Delishy, Sausage-Cheesy Goodness, Perfect for your next tailgate!!

Have a lovely weekend, Sweets!!

September 12, 2012

our sweet home south {update: paint colors}

Good morning, Sweets!!

I hope y'all are doing wonderful on this beautiful fall Wednesday!!

Decisions are being made everyday on Our Sweet Home South. Thank goodness The Hubbs and I know what we want and have the same vision or else this process would not be a happy one.

Today, I have our decisions on paint colors!! As I mentioned in our last post on Our Sweet Home South, we are going with brown-grey neutrals with a splash of blue-green. Our vision is to create a cozy home where we can relax {hint: the brown-grey neutrals} and have fun {hint: the splash of blue-green} at the same time!!

Drumroll Please...

TA-DA!! Our Sweet Home South's color scheme!!

The colors from left to right: Snowbound, Sea Salt, Collonade Gray, Travertine & Baby Elephant

Our inspiration was Baby Elephant. It was my first color pick that I was drawn to. From there, The Hubbs and I have coordinated the remaining colors around sweet Baby Elephant. Doesn't that just sound so cute and sweet, y'all?! I promise there is NO baby in the brain!! Haha!!

{Wall Colors}

We will be using the above paint colors for the walls within Our Sweet Home South. From Top-Left going Clockwise: Baby Elephant, Collonade Gray & Travertine

Baby Elephant ~ Living Room Accent wall color to make our mantle pop!! This sweet color will also be our bedroom wall color to give our intimate space a luxe feel. This color is from the Clark & Kensington Paint Collection found at your local ACE Hardware.

Collonade Gray ~ Guest Room and Office walls color to create a smooth transition for the eye!! This chic color will allow us to dress up or dress down our Guest Room and Office. It will also look perfect with the Guest Bedroom headboard. This color is from the Sherwin Williams Traditional Twist Paint Collection.

Travertine ~ Living Room and Hallway walls to make sure Our Sweet Home South feels open and airy! This cozy color pulls together the browns and greys and is a perfect color to complement our sweet Baby Elephant. This color is from your local ACE Hardware.

{Ceiling Color}

We will be using the above paint color, Snowbound, for the ceiling within Our Sweet Home South.

Snowbound ~ Ceiling color to warm up every inch of Our Sweet Home South!! This color is from the Sherwin Williams Livable Lux Paint Collection.

{Kitchen & Bathroom Color}

We will be using the above paint color, Sea Salt, for the Kitchen and Bathrooms within Our Sweet Home South.

Sea Salt ~ Kitchen and Bathroom color to add a splash of blue-green within our Sweet Home South!! We decided on doing the same color for the Kitchen and Bathrooms to keep a theme within our humble home. At first, we were going to do a more blue paint color in the Bathrooms and Sea Salt in the Kitchen, but wanted to keep a simple and classic color throughout the Kitchen and Bathrooms. This color is from the Sherwin Williams Coastal Cool Paint Collection.

Shout out to my sister-in-law for using this color within her new home. When I saw it up on her kitchen walls, I was all oooh's and aaaw's!! Also, the Sherwin Williams sales guy suggested Sea Salt, even though it is a trendy color now, it will become a classic color over time.

There y'all go, Sweets!! Our Sweet Home South is coming together decision by decision!!

Stay posted for updates to Our Sweet Home South!!

September 11, 2012

always remember

Today celebrates the 11 year anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. The norm is to say Never Forget but I feel by saying Always Remember resonates a more positive feeling.

Not only should we Always Remember what happened that day, but we should Always Remember the brave Americans that sacrificed their lives to help a stranger because they too were a fellow American.. We should Always Remember to say I Love You to our loved ones every chance we get.. We should Always Remember to be thankful for the little things in life because you never know what each new day may hold for you.

Go out and do good today, sweets. This World needs more of y'all!!

September 9, 2012

our sweet home south {update: sheetrock}

Hey Sweets!!

I have an update for y'all on our Sweet Home South!! We now have WALLS!! Never would have thought that simple sheetrock walls would make me all giddy inside!! Our contractor and I met on Friday and planned out the layout of each closet, too. It is a MUST that we maximize every inch of space in our Sweet Home South.

Currently, I am narrowing down our paint colors. We are going with Brown-Grey neutrals with a splash of blue-green. I will post colors when we have them finalized!!

For now, here are pictures for y'all..

Living Room ~ View from the Front Door

Living Room ~ View from the Guest Bedroom Hallway

Common Bathroom

Guest Bedroom
Office

Kitchen ~ View from the Dining Room

Dining Room ~ View from the Kitchen
Hallway from Kitchen to Laundry Room & Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom Closet & Entry to Bathroom

Master Bathroom

Our contractor has even rehabbed the storage room in our back yard. Brand new coat of paint and a new window makes our new storage shed a definite plus for our extra storage needs.

Progress is being made every day. This week the sry wall will be completed and cabinets are up next!!
 
Updates to be posted!!
 
Stay sweet y'all on this lazy {football} Sunday!!

September 6, 2012

sweet sites to swoon {jane sweet jane}

Hey Sweets!!

My oh my, I have been dying to publish this post. I have a very sweet site that y'all are just going to swoon over from top to bottom and click by click!!

A dear childhood friend of mine that I have been blessed to keep in touch with through random run-ins, my twitter-verse or via email, has something special for y'all today!! I'm chattin' about my sweet friend Jane Randall, and I want y'all to know EVERYTHING about her rustic chic Southern home lovelies company, Jane Sweet Jane. {Hope you like those whimsical words, JR!!}

Where do I start, Sweets?! I have so much to share and know y'all are simply going to swoon!!

I remember running into Jane Randall last Fall. The Hubbs and I were strolling down College Ave in Auburn on our way to our tailgate and there was no way I could miss that striking auburn hair and sweet smile!! That was when Jane Randall introduced me to her new little hobby, hand-made burlap pillows. {Insert my oooh's and aaaw's} Now that new little hobby has evolved into Jane Sweet Jane as y'all see it now!! Goodness me, it simply takes my breath away!!

See what I mean y'all!! How can you miss this beautiful lady, both inside and out?!

Jane Sweet Jane was founded by Southern artist Jane Randall and her sister, Laurel. Being raised on a farm in Opelika {Our Sweet Hometown} which is nestled in East Central Alabama, Jane Randall grew up with an appreciation for nature and The South which grew into a love for natural fibers and repurposed art always giving back homage to her roots. This passion for such Southern Arts shows in each rustic chic, handmade lovely that lives within JSJ.

What makes Jane Sweet Jane not only a wanted piece for your home, but an Oprah's-Favorite-Things kind of home must-have is everything that goes into each pillow before taken home by its owner to sit pretty. Y'all, these aren't your everyday burlap pillows you can order from Ballard Designs...Oh no y'all, these are the sweetest, most lovely pillows your dreamy little eyes will ever set sites on. Each hand-cut stencil that has been hand-painted and each vintage button that has been delicately sewn in its perfect place justs beams the love that was put into this intricate piece of art. What makes JSJ so one-of-a-kind is that no two pillows are the same and every pillow leaves the store making a statement in the lucky owner's humble abode.

Thankfully Jane Sweet Jane now offers lamps, placemats and table runners to add that homespun finishing touch as Jane Randall likes to put it!! To add a little spice to the JSJ line, the Darn It Doll was born. These dolls are made from pillow scraps and used in those not-so-lady-like situations you may find yourself in whether it be at a football game or just plain cleaning your house. You probably know what they are really named, but as Jane Randall likes to note, Ladies don't cuss!! If desired, each piece can be made to order, especially the pillows, which can be personalized to illustrate a picture or state-of-mind that gives meaning to the pillow beyond just a home decor top pick. As of recent, JSJ has been hard at work creating totes for everyday needs.

These Darn It Dolls are TOO CUTE!! Y'all better get one before football season is over!!
Here is the first JSJ tote personalized with Jane Randall's FUTURE last name!! Not only has she fallen in love with her business but she has one lucky guy for her forever!! Congrats, Sweet Jane Randall!!
If you are looking for a fun time with your girlfriends, Jane Sweet Jane will host your very own Soirée!! What sounds sweeter than girlfriends, arts&crafts and your very soirée!! Well at JSJ, you can have your cake and eat it too!! At every soirée, guests get to paint their own pillow with the help of Jane Randall who has hand-drawn and cut each stencil then instructs you how to sew on your own buttons and hand-stitch the pillow opening closed. JSJ makes it an enjoyable, stress-free time where you get to visit with girlfriends and make a piece of beautiful art for your home at the same time!!

The Table is all set for a JSJ Pillow Soirée!!
With all of Jane Sweet Jane's success, the want to give back to the community is a must. From donating pieces of JSJ or particpating in bizarres for charities like Big House Foundation {Also, founded by a childhood friend, Micah Melnick} or sponsoring a little girl involved with Distinguished Young Women, JSJ knows the importance of what you put in is what you get out. They also have participated in Junior League events in the Southeast to help support the local areas needs. With her future hubby fighting for America and our freedom in Afghanistan, JSJ's heart is closely tied to showing support for the local troops near her home.

As y'all have found out Jane Sweet Jane is not only a company that makes pretty for your home, but they do pretty in the world.

I hope y'all have enjoyed this blog because a lot of collaboration, love and excitement has poured into this post for your viewing pleasure. It is always my goal to keep you in the loop with Sweet Home South finds and what-nots. I know Jane Sweet Jane hits the nail on the head!!

Feel free to contact Jane Randall at janerandall@janesweetjane.com to place your order or learn more about her Rustic Chic Southern Home Lovelies!!

Stay sweet y'all and Shop Jane Sweet Jane!!

credit to room eleven media for the beautiful photography

our sweet home south

It's official!! The Hubbs and I have signed the contract, locked in our amazingly low interest rate and BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOME!! Our Sweet Home South will be nestled in the quaint little neighborhood of Hillcrest.

Last week, our offer was accepted, and now we get to play the waiting game. But this waiting game is way too much fun...Y'all want to know why?! Because we get to basically build the inside of our home from scratch. Our amazing contractor, Jett Ricks, bought this home with the intention to flip the house and resale the home after construction was complete. He had his hands full because this home had to be gutted down to the bare bones. The only original pieces of the home are the brick structure, selected beams and yes, the original door knocker. Yes Sweets, the entire house will be totally updated...new plumbing, new electrical, new floors, new ceilings, new doors, new windows, new countertops, new cabinets, new paint, new landscaping...NEW EVERYTHING!!

Our contractor has the pre-gutted before pictures {I will try and get these on the blog by next week..I have to get them from our contractor..}, but here are post-gutted pictures...

Living Room from Front Door

Common Bathroom

2nd Bedroom {Guest Room}
Office {Future Nursery..NOT ANYTIME SOON, Y'ALL!!}
Kitchen {Range, Microwave & Refrigerator}
Kitchen {Sink & Dishwasher}

Dining Room with Door to Backyard

Hallway with Laundry to the Left & Entrance to Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Backyard View from Back Door

Backyard View from Alley Gate

There you go Sweets!! My iPhone Tour of Our Sweet Home South!!

Be on the lookout for future posts as this house becomes our home!!