Wishing you a beautiful holiday weekend filled with family, fun, good wine and good food! Sending lots of love and appreciation to each and every one of you for checking in to CBL and leaving your comments and sending your kind words.
This blog has become one of my absolute favorite hobbies and has been so rewarding and such a blessing in so many ways. Thank you for helping to make it so much fun by tuning in each day – XO –
Measure your coasters and determine the size you want the paper and felt bottom to be and cut accordingly. Brush one coat of mod podge on the coaster and place the paper on top. Let it dry for about 15 minutes.
Once that is dry, brush a coat of mod podge on top of the paper. Allow it to dry (around 15 minutes) and repeat this step 2-3 more times.
After you have applied several coats and the mod podge has completely dried, spray the tiles with the acrylic sealer, following the instructions on the can.
Once the sealer is dry, use your fabric glue to glue the felt on the bottom of the tile.
It’s that easy! How fun are these!?
Thanks so much for reading! XO –
A few weeks ago I shared a post about making ornaments with extra save the dates and wedding programs. Since then I’ve been working on another project.
Y’all know I’m weirdly obsessed with wreaths. I already made these book paper wreaths a while back in addition to my wine cork wreath …so I was hesitant to make yet another one, but I thought a paper rose bud wreath could be a neat way to put these pretty programs to use.
It took a lot of time watching TV with a pair of scissors glued to my cramping hand…but the end result is definitely worth it.
You’ll need:
I covered my styrofoam base with paper to help the roses stay on better.
I also covered the back of the wreath with sheets of the program so the styrofoam wouldn’t flake all over the floor.
With some wine, a few SVU & Criminal Minds marathons, two weeks of patience and a few finger burns from that stupid glue gun…ta da!
I love it! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
My mother and sister designed our wedding programs and used a twig of cypress from the trees surrounding my parents home on each program – isn’t that so neat?! Kudos to Karen for coming up with the idea. We made way too many (especially considering our ceremony + reception was the same venue so guests didn’t take the programs to cars like most weddings) and I knew I had to get creative – I couldn’t just let these beauties sit here until they were eventually tossed.
I also had a few extra save the dates, designed by Rock Paper Dove.
We’ve all seen these ornaments on Pinterest — and they’re just so stinkin’ cute that I had to make some for both of our moms too!
Step One: Purchase glass or plastic balls at your local craft store (or here or here if you’re in a small town) and cut the paper into thin strips — about 1/3 an inch.
Step Two: Roll the strip around your finger – giving it some shape so it creates a prettier visual in the ornament. Drop it in the ornament ball.
That’s it! Easy peezy. I used the ribbon that secured the cypress twig to the program to tie around the top of the ornament and secure a sparkly snowflake, also purchased at the craft store.
I’m still working on the part two…stay tuned! Thanks for reading – XO –
Honeymooning is what makes all of the wedding preparation stress worth it. Hands down the best week of my life, spent with the husband (!!!) at the Rosewood Mayakoba. We were already talking about when we could come back before we hadn’t even left!
Here are some photos from the week, and any engaged gals out there – I can’t recommend this spot enough if you’re considering Mexico.
Our ferry ride to our villa…with our butler, Ana, waiting for us. I think my cheerfulness and excitement took her by surprise…but I mean… clearly I was excited!
I was so touched and surprised when Christian surprised me with an extra sparkly band in the car when we left the reception. Love love love.
There you have it — the best seven days of my life and a trip that I will cherish for years. No worries – I only took 800+ photos and videos so I don’t think I’ll forget a minute. I’m that lady – she crazy.
Already saving for an anniversary trip…in my dreams! Thank you so much for reading – XO –
Hello again!! Thank you for all of the warm wishes and for being patient with me while I took a little time off from CBL.
I wanted to share some photos that I only have thanks to my best friend and bridesmaid, Kady Truesdale. She was so incredibly thoughtful and generous to snap hundreds of photos for me, capturing every moment of the entire weekend. I will never be able to express how grateful I am for both Kady and her new Nikon! I am already counting down the days to her April 6th wedding when I can play paparazzi!!
More photos to come once I get some images back from our photographer – the talented Will Jacks. He did kindly share an image the Monday after our wedding — such a treat to preview with Christian on our honeymoon!
HONEYMOON pics to come next week!
Wedding hair & makeup by the fabulous Syd Curry and Anna Hester.
Friday, November 9th…
Saturday, November 10th…
A gorgeous day — such a blessing!
Honeymoon preview…
HAPPY THANKSGIVING and go eat some turkey, y’all! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
I love champagne, don’t most girls?
I love to celebrate special occasions with some champs, but I never want more than a glass or two and usually end up eventually pouring half the bottle down the drain.
While flipping through a magazine a while back, I noticed the idea of using that extra champagne to make ice cubes – genius!! You can even pop a cube or two in a glass of white wine, lemonade, the possibilities are endless.
So with half a bottle left, what to do?
Drink it straight up:
Mimosas, anyone?
Or just make more ice cubes because they are perfection.
This could be dangerous.
Pink lemonade with three rosé ice cubes… I like it. Thanks so much for reading! XO –
Such a fun weekend with some of my favorite people!I knew that it wouldn’t matter where we went or what we did — I just wanted to spend time with these girls who came from all over the country to spend the weekend together. I loved catching up with everyone and seeing all their wonderful faces.
We had a slight shift in plans as we found out two bridesmaids, including the host of the weekend and one of my closest childhood friends and Dallasonian, were unable to be there, so we tried to navigate an unfamiliar city as best as we could. I hated that they couldn’t be there and we missed them both!!
I must confess it was slightly stressful but my sister and MOH, Sarah Thorne, AMAZED me by running countless errands in a city she didn’t know, buying decorations and food and doing everything in her power to help make this weekend special and memorable. I am so appreciative and thankful for her. It makes me realize what a terrible maid of honor and 18-year-old sister I was when she got married seven years ago!! I wish I could go back in time and be as helpful and wonderful to her as she has been to me.
Robert Aiken, Anna Wise, Charles Blount, Katie McCabe, Corey Allen, Cassie Gregory, Jeremy Martin & Jonathan Dillard
Another fun night to celebrate our engagement with family and friends and this time, in Christian’s hometown of Madison (outside of Jackson). Such generous and thoughtful friends to host such a fabulous evening with some of the tastiest treats – check out the adorable s’mores bites. No worries – my brother-in-law managed to snag the recipe from one of the hostesses who actually found it on pinterest!! Check out the recipe here.
Lots of thanks to my fabulous sister and future sister-in-law who are so amazingly helpful and supportive and bring their fancy cameras to snap all these photos so I can remember these special evenings!
Some iPhone snaps –
And if you’re thinking, “her makeup looks a little more glam and her hair looks like it took a trip with Bridget Bardot to Texas,” that’s because I had a little trial run for wedding hair & makeup with the fabulous Anna Hester and Syd Curry.
I’m thinking a half-up, half-down effortless looking hairdo and while I love this fun voluminous look (and it looks like the photo I showed and asked for), I’m not sure it’s going to making a repeat appearance in November as I think it looked better on Odette Annable than it did on me. I still can’t seem to find a photo of the exact look I’m going for so I can show Syd…do y’all have any suggestions? Any former brides out there that want to give some hair advice??
The only thing I need that I can’t seem to find are these little guys shown in the window display at Kleinfields in Manhattan.
Thank you so much for reading! XO –
It’s taken me a while to figure out how to master a ponytail with volume and I have finally found something that seems to work!! With just a few easy steps, here’s how you can get a perky pony too.
What you’ll need:
-hair band
-a small plastic stretchy band (you can find these at Wal Mart or Sally’s)
-a few bobby pins
-a hair clip
-teaser
I usually use this ponytail strategy on the days where I haven’t washed my hair and need an easy up-do. Brush your hair out and get out any tangles.
Separate the top portion of your hair and secure with a clip. Gather the bottom portion of your hair and secure with a ponytail holder.
Take the clip out and tease the crown of your hair. Fluff it on up, y’all. Gather all of the hair that’s down and pull it back with the ponytail you’ve already secured.
Gather all of the hair together around the ponytail. Take the small plastic hair band and secure all of the hair together. Don’t wrap more than twice or the little sucker will probably pop and I’m warning you now — it hurts.
Feel free to tease some of the ponytail to fluff it up.
Grab a piece of hair from the ponytail and wrap it around the hair band, securing with a bobby pin.
Ta da! Easy breezy — a ponytail with a little more attitude, or as I like to say, kattitude. Thanks for reading! XO
Thoughtful friends who sent flowers that were waiting to greet me in my bedroom when I came home for the weekend. I had to bring them home with me so I could continue to enjoy them!
This past weekend C and I traveled to my hometown to celebrate our engagement with family and childhood friends and I was so thrilled and proud to show off and introduce Christian to longtime friends as the groom-to-be.
In special moments like these I am so humbled and thankful to see so many wonderfully familiar faces walk through the door of a neighbor’s beautiful home to share hugs and warm wishes with my family (and future family!). I cannot say enough how blessed, appreciative and thankful I am for so many amazing friends during this year in my life. It has been a sentimental and at times challenging year but I don’t know how I would get through any of it without so many loyal and loving people by my side.
Words can’t express how appreciative I am. And a BIG thank you to my sister and matron of honor, Sarah Thorne, for snapping these photos so I can always remember the lovely evening.
Cheers! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
As I mentioned on a guest post for Always A Blogsmaid, I love pilates. I have taken several mat pilates classes in several cities and I love popping in this dvd for a quick workout at home as well. I always feel productive sweating it out with intense cardio (treadmill, elliptical, walks/jogs outside), but pilates is like getting a massage. I leave the class feeling stronger yet relaxed and peaceful, while being sore the next day as if I ran three miles.
I’d been dying to try reformer pilates and finally scheduled a class last week at The Pilates Studio of Ridgeland. The first visit is only $10 (the second visit increases to $20, but ask about the monthly deals and specials). For those of you who may not be sure what exactly the reformer machine is or how it’s used, here’s a short video example:
If you’re like me, you’re thinking, “I don’t think my body is going to move like that,” but you are WRONG! These machines are incredible and I’m not surprised…..I’m obsessed. The teachers are calming, helpful and encouraging and I quickly realized that I had no reason to be intimidated or nervous. I even asked two of the instructors about exercises I could do at home to target specific areas and they kindly shared and demonstrated several things I could do in my own time.
What’s so amazing to me is that there are unlimited ways to use this machine. Each instructor has different exercises and methods – try taking a regular pilates class and then power pilates. I took these two classes two days apart and I don’t think we did one similar move – it was a completely new class. Having so many different instructors on the schedule helps keep every class fresh and challenging. I took my measurements when I began taking the reformer classes and I’m eager to see how they change once I’ve committed to regular classes.
I love the lengthening and stretching that pilates provides and it feels like therapy for my body. In the Ridgeland studio there are ceiling fans over all of the machines, keeping the temperature cool and providing a breeze which makes these workouts even more enjoyable in this excruciating summer heat. I’m telling you – try a class. I feel confident you’ll be glad you did. PLUS you’ll get to admire the beautiful decor — one mirror and oriental runner for me, please!
