A Southern Accent

It's been crazy around here, but I still managed to get some additional Halloween decorating completed. I have to keep up with my neighbors Mary Beth and Angela that are trying to out-do me this year. Here's an easy idea anyone can do - and you'd be amazed at how much of an effect it has. So simple, cheap and easy! Last year, I picked up an orange light bulb at Party City and changed it out with the regular bulb on my front porch. It gives a wonderful glow at night and when Halloween is over, I just pop the regular bulb back in! Easy, peasy!  And here's a little look at our family of pumpkins. Walker picked them out this year - with the exception of the white one - I always add that one to the pile. Then there's the fake one - can you pick it out? We emptied the inside of one of them because Walker wanted me to fry some pumpkin seeds, but I haven't carved anything on the front yet. I can't commit to a design. I decided to name the dude hanging out on th...

This is a blog created for everyone and content will be submitted by everyone!! Let's preserve stories from the south! It's not pretty yet, but I'm working on that - in the meantime, visit my new blog here: Just Some Southern Stories

Some of you may know that I work closely with a group in Chapel Hill called the Pink Pacers to raise money to fight cancer. I've been with the Pink Pacers for more than five years and we have grown into group of men, women and children who believe in giving back to the local community, promoting healthy living and fighting cancer! Whether it is before, during or post treatment, we care. Over the past 5 years, we have all been affected by so many cancers in men, women and children. Every time we hear of someone diagnosed we think, well…we need to fight one that too. We want to give back and make a different in the local community. This year, we are proud to be part of the first Get Heeled 5K! The Get Heeled 5K is this weekend in Chapel Hill, NC and we are setting a goal of $75,000 to go directly to Get REAL & HEEL! $75,000 will allow 50 women to go through the program for free, 100% completely free! Get REAL & HEEL is a unique program designed to s...

The annual Halloween mantel is officially up! This year, I used some of the same elements from past years, but also ventured out to the Dollar Store to pick up some new items for next to nothing! I finished it off with a homemade printable in a Gothic frame I bought at TJ Maxx from the clearance section. I pulled some books from the shelf in the family room, and found the large vase that's sitting on top of the books under the house. I haven't used it in a while and it was this ugly puke green color, so I grabbed some black spray paint and made it "Halloweeny." Items I picked up from the Dollar Store: mini skulls to fill the vases, black mesh fabric, moss and mini pumpkins. I found the black owl candle at World Market, and the bird was from Michael's. I made the owl art from some images I found online. I think birds just add an extra creepy factor to Halloween - especially owls! Those eyes just give me the willies! To print your own, just click here. ...

So it's been a while, but I have a new print in the shop ! About My Shop: I designed my prints to be delivered digitally - saving you money on shipping and offering you affordable decor and gift ideas. Each print is only $6.00 for the file, and I send it to you as a high resolution image that you print and frame yourself! You can resize it for a smaller frame, choose your own framing options and even request custom colors (for a little bit of an additional fee). My prints make perfect house-warming gifts, teacher gifts and great for that last-minute gift you need! One exciting thing happened with my shop last month - I haven't said anything about it here because it's not for sure yet, but Southern Living magazine contacted me about my " Kiss My Grits " and " Life in the South " prints and asked me to send them framed samples for consideration in their December gift guide. I haven't heard back from them to see if either one actually made the ...

Yesterday I had Walker's first parent-teacher conference for first grade. I get so nervous when these things come around. No one wants to sit and talk to someone about how their child needs to improve and their flaws, and being a child of a teacher, I know that the teachers don't too much enjoy the experience either. So I showed up yesterday afternoon to find out the latest on my little guy and how first grade is going. I have a hard time getting him to give me details about school - I hear it's pretty common, especially with boys. I really have to drag things out of him - he's so much like his father in that manner. The teacher says he's doing great with math, reading, etc...but evidently my little "angel" is a bit of a class clown and likes to be the center of attention. He also can't seem to wait for the teacher to call his name when he raises his hand. I think that's probably the competitive nature in him. Also, he's being a bit too ...

Just a quick update of some things I've come across on the web lately...happy Monday yall! It's almost over! I so want this for my front porch. Love. It.                                                                   Source: etsy.com via Wendy on Pinterest I don't know about you guys, but I think this is pretty amazing and I can totally use this tip in my kitchen: How to Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds. No more evenings sleeping with my hand under my pillow because I can't stand the smell of garlic on my fingers. No more tedious peeling of those tiny, little, annoying, smelly pieces of flavor. How to Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Sec...