sunday simplicity.

Nataliya Studios via Style Me Pretty

“Stay is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary.” 

― Amos Bronson Alcott

clicks of note: you take all the time you need...

get your week off to a colorful start...

• The past two weeks have been busy.  Now that my classroom is set up (almost) just the way I like it, I've learned all of my students' names, and my classroom routines are rolling right along, I'm hoping that my life will settle back into its easy routine.  This week, I'm teaming up with the amazing Rebecca and some other lovely ladies for a Back to School Giveaway over at Caravan Sonnet!

LISTEN.

• I fell in love with Oh Honey's "Lonely Neighbor" when it popped up on my YouTube suggestions - it's such a sweet song, the sound is very different from anything that's on the radio right now, and I love that the video features different kinds of couples.  I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Danielle Evans Photography via Elegance and Enchantment

• E+E shows off a classic barn wedding with the best cake stand ever.
• 100 Layer Cake spotlights a beautifully bohemian bridal shower.
• Southern Weddings features a pretty, classic Amelia Island wedding.
• Loving this chic, creative San Diego engagement session from SMP.

SMILE.

• Check out BRIDES' gallery of celebs who eschewed white weddings.
• Freutcake teaches us how to set a perfectly mismatched table.
• Fun, quirky, useful and interesting life hacks from Quora users.
• I enjoyed this peek into a ballet dancer's daily life from Vulture.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up some olive and moss green wardrobe inspiration for fall, styled a classic preppy gameday,
• Two years ago I shared neutral wardrobe inspiration and home decor ideas and daydreamed about a mod-influenced citrus wedding.  
• Three years ago I shared inspiration for a destination wedding in tropical shades and a pump-it-up playlist.

entertaining: breeze's shower! [how to plan a rustic bridal shower: games & gifts]

As much as I love entertaining, party games are not really my forte.  Luckily, I wasn't alone in planning Breeze's shower.  Mandi and I decided on a few games that are easy to play and fun for party guests without making anyone feel awkward.

The Clothespin Game

I used the same washi tape I decorated Breeze's recipe card dividers with to decorate clothespins for a classic shower game.  I got the yellow tape from The Washi Shop on Etsy and the gingham tape from WashiWishes on Etsy.  For the clothespins, I did have to trim the sides of the tape with scissors, but it was one of the easiest crafts ever!  Our rule for the clothespin game was that guests could not say the word "wedding."  If you heard a fellow guest say "wedding," you got to take her clothespin.  Whoever had the most at the end of the party would be declared the winner.  It's fun to hear people get creative with their conversations - like the bride's sister asking her friend, "what time are you getting there on the 14th?"

Breeze's grandmother was our clothespin game winner, and she was very sneaky about getting people to say the "W-word" - now we know where Breeze and Mandi get their competitive streak.

entertaining: breeze's shower! [how to plan a rustic bridal shower: food & drinks]

Because we had a lot of helpers and a lot of "yes" R.S.V.P.s, we also had a LOT of food at Breeze's bridal shower.  We tried to stick to a country, comfort-food theme and to serve most of Breeze's favorite party treats.

In addition to lemonade and sweet tea, we served sangria and fruit punch.

White Peach Sangria

Ingredients:

• Peach Schnapps
• Riesling
• Lemon Lime Soda
• Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapes

Luscious Slush Punch (from Allrecipes.com)

Serves 25

Ingredients:

•  2 1/2 cups white sugar
•  6 cups water
•  2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored Jell-O® mix
•  1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
•  2/3 cup lemon juice
•  1 quart orange juice
• 1 bottle lemon lime soda

Directions:

Bring the sugar, water, and strawberry flavored Jell-o® to a boil in a large saucepan; boil for three minutes. In a large bowl, stir together the pineapple juice, lemon juice, and orange juice and slowly add the gelatin liquid. Divide the mixture into 2 separate containers and freeze.

Combine the contents of 1 container with 1/2 bottle of the lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage in a punch bowl; stir until slushy. Repeat with remaining portions as needed.

Sausage Balls

Makes 40

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork sausage (mild)
• 2 cups biscuit/pancake baking mix
• 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sage

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, add cheddar to baking mix and toss to coat.  Add sausage.  Mix until well combined using hands, adding spices while mixing.  Roll mixture into 1-inch balls.  Place balls 1/2 inch apart on a greased baking sheet.  Bake until balls are starting to brown, about 20 minutes.  Serve warm.

summer style: what to wear to a casual bridal shower

This past Saturday was one of the most anticipated days of my summer: my BFF's bridal shower!  Honestly, the last time I hosted a big party was my own wedding, and I had the hostessing itch.  Since Breeze's wedding has a rustic theme and laid-back style, we wanted to keep the shower fun, casual, and a little country.  I'll show you the inspiration for Breeze's wedding and what we did for the shower later this week, but first I wanted to take some time to daydream about how I would decorate and what I'd wear if I had a magazine editor's budget.  I came up with a vintage inspired farmhouse-style summer shower with coral accents, and a dress that keeps finding its way into my ModCloth cart.

Disclaimer:  ModCloth links contain an affiliate code.

The Outfit: 1. Floral dress from ModCloth  2. Betsey Johnson pave stud earrings from Lord and Taylor 3. Fossil lock and key necklace from Macy's  4. Fossil crosshatch iPhone case  5. Kate Spade bridesmade idiom cuff bracelet  6. Max and Chloe sterling silver monogram bracelet  7. Straw Studios crochet handbag from Nordstrom  8. Camper wedge sandals

The Serveware:  1. 12" x 20" Wooden tray from Bed Bath and Beyond  2. Chalkboard condiment tray from Pier1  3. Scalloped cake stand from Pier1  4. Mason jar  style drink dispenser from Bed Bath and Beyond (also available at World Market) 5. "Emma" cupcake liner from Dress My Cupcake 6. Libbey dessert spoons from Bed Bath and Beyond  7. 13" Chip and dip tray from Bed Bath and Beyond

clicks of note: she knows she's found a keeper.

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• The band is Charleston-based Shovels and Rope, the song is "Keeper," and with honey-sweet harmony from a husband-and-wife team and lyrics about loyalty, it's perfection.  Fans of The Civil Wars and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes will love this one.  Once again, I'm linking up to Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos!

SWOON.

Troy Grover Photographers via Bridal Musings

• I think you'll love this stylish outdoor engagement session featured on Bridal Musings.
• Camille Styles shares summer shower inspiration from Antiquaria.
• Style Me Pretty features a gorgeous watercolor-inspired shoot in shades of peach.
• For our currently-planning brides, Southern Weddings offers sound budget advice.

INSPIRE.

• The brilliant Jonathan Safran Foer's "How Not to Be Alone," from the New York Times:

"We live in a world made up more of story than stuff. We are creatures of memory more than reminders, of love more than likes. Being attentive to the needs of others might not be the point of life, but it is the work of life."

FLASHBACK.

• Two years ago, I recapped the bridal shower my friends gave me, my final hair and makeup trial, and my bachelorette party.  I also shared a sneak peek of our townhouse.  Last year, I shared a few of my favorite blogs, an al fresco Sunday Simplicity, hot pink fashion inspiration, and a round-up of braided bridal hairstyles.

clicks of note.

LISTEN.

• Janelle Monae's new song "Q.U.E.E.N." is so much fun and I love her mod look in the video.

SWOON.

Ruffled

• There's a stunning and elegant 1920's inspired shoot at Ruffled inspired by Gustav Klimt.
• Glamour features a round-up of Gatsby-inspired wedding ideas.
• If you want to add some 20's style to your daily look, check out Ruche's Vintage Style Guide.
• Keira Knightley's sweet town hall wedding dress via The Daily Mail.
• Intimate Weddings shares 10 Ways to Make Your Wedding Fun - for real!

SMILE.

• Beautiful portraits of fashion models and their moms.
• The Tomkat Studio offers a pretty printable chevron Mother's Day card.
• My sweet mama will be getting this plantable card with one of these stamps.
• This quote from The Year of Lettering pretty much sums up why I write this blog.

MAKE.

• These punched tissue paper fans from Oh Happy Day would be perfect for a spring bridal shower.
• I absolutely adore this blooming floral monogram from Parcel Post!

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I met Ben Savage at the Lake Effects premiere party, shared my favorite neon yellow fashion and beauty finds, and neon party ideas.  Two years ago I was working on my DIY flower girl basket and sharing why my mom was going to be walking me down the aisle.

clicks of note: i only care about you and me.

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• "You and Me" by Elizabeth and the Catapult was stuck in my head this weekend, so here you go.

SWOON.

Ruffled

• Ruffled features pretty inspiration for a Provençal peach bridal shower.
• Beth from Home Stories of A to Z shares a round-up of cute change of address cards.
• Oh So Beautiful Paper features a round-up of cherry blossom wedding stationery.
• I love everything about this spring-inspired inspiration shoot from Paper Muse Press.
• Purple Wedding of the Week: a bohemian NC love fest featured on Ruffled.

SMILE.

• Madewell's spring lookbook has me convinced that skinny jeans + floral flats = the way to go.
• Is it time for spring colors yet? (You Are My Fave)

MAKE.

• I plan on trying Cathal Armstrong's Irish brown bread recipe this week - there's more St. Patrick's Day goodness on my Pinterest board.

Surprise work shower!

This Monday, one of my co-workers informed me that we were having an English department meeting after school.  My reaction was something like "Ugggghhhh."  It's a stressful time of year.  When I got to the classroom where our meetings are always held, I was one of the first ones to arrive.  Our department chair asked me and the 3 other teachers who'd apparently arrived early to "help her carry some boxes."  The boxes were, apparently, in the Family and Consumer Sciences (back in the day, we called it Home Ec) room.

Here's what was actually in the home ec room:

That's right, it was a surprise bridal shower!  There are FOUR English teachers with upcoming weddings, so our faculty threw us a combined party.  Look at all of this yummy food:

There were ham biscuits, Mexican dip, chips, cheese and crackers, nuts, and of course party mints.

Cheers!

Roanoke Valley Bridal Shower Venues

Roanoke:
- The Plantation on Sunnybrook - a lovely restored house.

Vinton:
- The Vinton War Memorial - our wedding venue hosts bridal and baby showers regularly.

- Teaberry's Cafe - Brenda is a really nice person to work with and the cafe is adorable!

- The Woodland Place - Mr. Spin and I have attended a wedding here and it is a beautiful venue.

- The Boxtree Lodge - Have not been here, but this is public venue that looks rustic and pretty.

- Bobby's Occasions - a new banquet hall that recently opened in what used to be the Stewartsville Public Library. I have not been inside but judging from the pictures on their website they have plenty of space for guests, and a full kitchen.

- The Stewartsville Public Library has a room that can be used for meetings and other events.

Bedford:

- The Duchess of Bedford Bakery and Tea Room - I have never been inside, but this Victorian house looks like a beautiful place for a shower- the hostess wouldn't have to decorate at all!