Fashioning “An Education”

Instead of venturing to the beach this weekend, my Hubby and I decided to spend the holiday relaxing at home with our three little boys and enjoying some wonderful food and films. One of our movie selections was An Education, starring Peter Sarsgaard and Carey Mulligan. Set in England in 1961, it is the tale of a young girl’s coming of age. While I definitely enjoyed the storyline, I was most taken with the fashion. This is lady-like dressing at its finest.

If you are a lover of vintage fashion, this film is definitely a must-see.


Photos ©2009 Sony Pictures Classics, courtesy of Hollywood.com.

How Does My Herb Garden Grow?

If you think growing your own produce is too difficult or time consuming, think again. In addition to shopping at the farmer’s markets, I decided to try my hand at growing herbs and peppers this year. After reading about the success others were enjoying with the EarthBox, I really wanted to test it myself.

Seven weeks ago, I planted six seedlings: three basil, one rosemary, one jalapeno pepper and one serrano pepper. As you can see from the photos below, we now have more basil than I ever imagined. And my rosemary, jalapenos and serranos are thriving. I’m thrilled!

My Earthbox today

Basil

Rosemary

Jalapeno Pepper

















The beauty of the Earthbox is in its simplicity. It comes with instructions on layering the soil and fertilizer, and details about the number of seedlings to plant. In addition, it features a water reservoir that allows the plants to absorb exactly the amount of water they need. It’s the perfect solution if you have limited space or challenging soil (like we have in my corner of the earth).

Now all I need is a great recipe for pesto!

Do you grow any of your own produce? If so, please share your best gardening tip!

Beach Bag Essentials

In honor of Memorial Day Weekend and the thousands of folks who will be hitting the beach, I wanted to share with you some of the items that I consider to be essential to a day of fun in the sun.

Amazon Kindle, Vineyard Vines Under the Sea Tote, Blue Lizard Baby Sunscreen, Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby Sunscreen Stick, Scala Hat, Chloe Oversized Square Sunglasses, Vera Bradley Ditty Bag in Raspberry Fizz, Hanna Andersson Floppy Sun Hat, Nikon D90


Blue Lizard Sunscreen – As you can probably tell from the profile picture on the right, Mrs. Julep is quite fair skinned so some fabulous sunscreen is an absolute MUST. A friend in Virginia turned me on to Blue Lizard sunscreen and I must say it is the best I’ve tried, plus the Baby and Sensitive Skin varieties are chemical-free and fragrance-free, which is great for the minis. I also love sunscreen sticks for coating little faces. This year we’re trying the Pure & Free baby stick from Neutrogena.

Scala Sun Hat (for moi) - My wonderful sister-in-law sent me a fabulous salmon pink Scala hat for my birthday last year. It has a nice wide brim to shield my face and it is completely crushable, which makes it perfect for toting along on vacation. Factor in the adorable color and it was love at first sight.

Hanna Andersson Floppy Sun Hats (for the babes) – In 100% cotton that holds up to repeated washing, these hats claim to block 95% of UVA/UVB rays.

A Wet Bag – As a mom, it is absolutely essential to take an extra bag along to hold wet bathing suits, toys, and the like. Personally, I never hit the beach without a Vera Bradley ditty bag tucked inside my beach tote.

Camera – As a mom, I don’t want to miss a moment of sand-covered cuteness. I’m currently rocking the Nikon D90, but there are plenty of cameras on the market that do a fabulous job of recording those precious memories. (My mom owns a Canon Sureshot that takes great photos.)

Reading Material – My trip to the beach wouldn’t be complete without some frivolous reading material. As a mom, I don’t always get to pull this out as much as I might like, but I still pack it in case a quiet moment presents itself. I love to take a few new magazines and a book (or even better, the lightweight Amazon Kindle).

Sunglasses- Of course, my beach bag wouldn’t be complete without some spectacular shades. Personally, I love the oversized Jackie O. look, as evidenced by the Chloe sunglasses which are pictured above.

What about you?  What are your beach bag essentials?

Time for a Pink and GREEN Giveaway

As you know, I am a HUGE believer in buying local and eating what’s seasonal whenever possible. Now that summer’s here, I’d like to add to the fun of shopping at the Farmer’s Market (or anywhere else for that matter) by giving away a Lilly Pulitzer Market Tote in the Crème Fraiche print!

Here’s how to enter:
1) Get one entry for being a follower of this blog (or becoming one).
2) Get two additional entries for featuring this giveaway in a blog post or on your sidebar.

The winner will be chosen by a random number generator, so please COMMENT ONCE FOR EACH ENTRY YOU GET. (In other words, if you get three entries, please add 3 comments at the end of this post.) Entries will be accepted until 11:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, June 1st. Good luck!

Paula Deen Showcases Savannah Style

My husband is a BIG fan of Paula Deen (to put it mildly). Ever since he watched her cook a Turducken on the Food Network, he has been determined that we will eventually serve this for Thanksgiving. And trust me when I tell you that he hasn’t stopped reminiscing about the meal we enjoyed at Paula’s restaurant, The Lady and Sons, during a trip to the lovely city of Savannah a few years ago. The only thing that could have made it better would have been a visit from The Lady herself.

When I heard about the publication of Paula Deen's Savannah Style,I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. What could be better than the Queen of Southern Cooking showing us the style of the grand homes and gardens in her historic city?

This book doesn’t disappoint. The pages are filled with gorgeous photos of beautifully appointed spaces brimming with southern charm, including many in Paula’s own home. And Paula’s friendly tone comes shining through, making you feel as though she is right next to you, sharing family anecdotes and taking you on a private tour of her favorite abodes. Add in decorator Brandon Branch’s style secrets that are peppered throughout the book, and the result is a can’t-miss guide to southern style.

Here are a few of my favorite layouts:

If you are looking for some inspiration for your own traditional home, this might be it!

Do any of you own this book?  If so, how do you like it?

What a Great Giveaway!

Who doesn’t love Lilly Pulitzer’s Murfee scarves? I know I do!

Trish, at the adorable blog Pink Preppy Lilly Lover, is giving away one of these supremely soft and colorful scarves to a lucky reader. Be sure to check it out!

The Sippy Solution

Labeling my toddler’s sippy cups for play group and mother’s day out has always been a challenge. It’s important for his name to be on his cups, but it’s difficult to keep it there. So-called permanent marker washes off and stickers don't stay put for long.

My sister-in-law recently sent us the perfect solution: the BumpyName Orbit Label. The non-toxic, reusable BumpyName labels stretch to fit bottles, sippy cups and snack containers, and they fit snugly so that busy little hands can’t peel them off. They are also microwaveable and dishwasher safe.

Genius!

Many Thanks

In the last week, we have received another wave of adorable baby gifts for the twins. Tonight I need to sit down and write thank you notes to our wonderful friends and family members so they know how much we appreciate their kindness and generosity.

I adore personalized stationery. I think it adds a beautiful, classic touch to routine correspondence, so I always try to keep a few designs on hand. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites with you.

I’m currently using:

Classic Frame Monogram Notes from Embossed Graphics

Damask Embossed Notes from Embossed Graphics

Green Patio Trellis Note Sheets from Whitney English

I also love:

Emily Note Cards from Whitney English

Savannah Pink Folded Notes from Boatman Geller

Adelaide Note Pad from Stacy Claire Boyd

Do you enjoy personalized stationery? What’s your favorite brand?

A Lucky Lilly Weekend

What a weekend! My Lilly wardrobe has grown, and for less than full price, which makes it even more fun! Since I know many of you enjoy Lilly Pulitzer clothes as much as I do, I wanted to share my finds. First of all, my VERY FIRST purchases from Rue La La arrived – and I am in love! I can’t believe it took me so long to join! I ordered the Set in Stone Sandals in Coral Red and the Sunny Shift.

The sandals are beautiful and they look so great on my feet. I only wish I had ordered them in white, too! I don't think I can get enough of these!

The Sunny Shift is absolutely darling, too, although I’m considering nipping it in at the waist just a tiny bit. (Is that sacrilege? I know shifts are designed to be a bit loose in the middle.)

I am thrilled with my bargains and I will definitely be ordering from Rue La La again. (If you still haven’t taken the plunge, but would like an invitation to Rue La La, click here.)

In addition to my wonderful Rue La La finds, I also happened across a nicely stocked sale section at the Lilly store in San Antonio yesterday- and fell head over heels for the Andover Dress in the Leaf it to Me print.  (Yes, the photo below is me modeling the dress.)

The fit is so cute! I couldn’t really leave it at the store, now could I? (They also had some Adrianna Dresses, Beach Pants, Fiesta Dresses, and solid slub lawn Elina Tunics on sale for anyone who may be interested.)

Now I know what you’re thinking. I initially said that I was NOT going to invest in my wardrobe until I lost the rest of the baby weight. Yes, this is true – and I still have some pounds to lose – but I’ve also realized that I need something to wear between now and then (other than polos and khakis). So a couple of discounted purchases can’t hurt, right? (I'm so bad, I know!)

Before I left the Lilly store, I also ordered a couple of Market Totes, which will be shipped to me from Austin. I am a big believer in buying local and eating what’s seasonal and I know these totes will be great for my trips to the Farmers’ Markets. I am so glad that Lilly Pulitzer incorporated these ideas into their line and their marketing this year.

What about you? Have you made any wonderful Lilly purchases recently?

No Ordinary Bootie

Every baby needs some gorgeous footwear to warm his or her tiny toes. These lovely cashmere booties from Hermés certainly fit the bill.

Be forewarned; At $130, they are not inexpensive. (You really didn’t expect them to be, did you?)

For a more wallet-friendly option, take a peek at these adorable crocheted cotton creations from Country Kids.

(Available on Amazon.)

Wishful Wednesday… Dream Bedroom

I wish I could come home to:

This gorgeous bedroom, designed by the ultra-talented Tobi Fairley of Little Rock, Arkansas.

I adore this room. It has been in my inspiration file since we moved into our house last year. I love the traditional furnishings and the mixture of yellow patterns. Combined with the white and green accents, the result is absolute perfection.

What does your dream bedroom look like?

And the Award Goes To...

I’d like to say a big thank you to Little Me, The Queen Bee for honoring me with the Versatile Blogger Award. Little Me has an adorable blog where she writes about her family, her fashion obsessions, and her newest love – her newborn son, Mister Baby!

The rules for the award are simple - just list seven things about yourself. Here goes:

1) I grew up in a small town in rural Virginia.

2) I moved to Northern Virginia (just outside Washington, D.C.) in 1999. It was there that I met my husband (a very proud Georgia boy).

3) We relocated to Texas a little over a year ago and I really like it, but I still miss D.C. sometimes.

4) I have been married almost 4 years and I’m now the mother of 3 boys under the age of 3!

5) I love to decorate and organize and I’m always in the midst of at least one project.

6) I really don’t like to garden (bugs – ew!), but I do it anyway because I love the result.

7) I have an enormous sweet tooth and always have goodies stashed in our house.


Now, time to pass this award on to seven others! Congratulations to:

A Note on the Screen Door

A Wedding Story

If I Can’t Wear Heels…I Don’t Want to Go

Same Sweet Girl

Sweet Tea & Biscuits

Short Southern Momma

The Company She Keeps

Keep up the great work!

In Full Bloom

I’m loving all the vintage-inspired, flower motif jewelry that’s popping up everywhere this spring. Imagine any of these beautiful baubles with a simple, classic sheath dress, shirtdress or even a crisp button down, trousers and heels. What a statement!

Stella & Dot

Elva Fields

Alexis Bittar

Kate Spade

Kate Spade

Van Cleef & Arpels

Chanel

Chanel

Dior









Dior

In the Spotlight: Boden

Since you all loved the Boden tunic I featured last week for Pink and Green Thursday, I thought I'd share some other pieces from their adorable spring and summer line. I must admit that I don’t currently own anything from Boden (other than a little boy’s jacket from Mini Boden). However, the current designs are so fabulous, I think I may have to add a few things to my wardrobe.

What I’m loving now:

Wrap Jersey Dress

Fun Loving Floral Dress

Embellished Sateen Dress

Riviera Top

Fab Sandals

Suede Ruffle Heels

Do you own clothing from Boden?  I would love to hear what you think of their quality and fit.