A Couple of Affordable Finds of the Day

Well, the countdown for back to school has officially begun at our house.  This is our last week of freedom, and my kiddos are trying hard to enjoy the last few days.  Secretly, I think they're ready for some routine and to see their friends.  I know I am!!  I'm really craving some normalcy and routine.  So,  with that in mind, here's an installment of my "Finds of the Day" series.  I wanted to show you a couple of wonderful things I've found lately.  Both are super affordable and perfect gift ideas.

The Southern Cook

First, a great friend/mentor of mine, Margaret Agnew, has just published a new cookbook - The Southern Cook.   Margaret worked for Southern Living for years as a cookbook author, and then took a break to raise her son.  Now, she is back in the swing of things with a brand new cookbook.  I'm told this cookbook includes lots of traditional southern recipes like Hoppin Johns and Spoonbread as well as my "go to" recipe for Christmas Eve - Shrimp and Grits.  I've ordered my copy and can't wait to see what it includes.  No doubt it's going to be a wonderful addition to my cookbook library.   Also, it is the perfect price point for Christmas gifts for all your girlfriends.  Do something different this year and give your friends something they can use.  Who knows?  They may even invite you for dinner!

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Sweet Home Sewn

I spotted these precious dishtowels this summer and instantly fell in love with them! 

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Paige Willcut started her business when she was desperate to find some cute, simple teacher and neighbor gifts on the market.  After looking around, she decided to make her own!  Once friends saw them, they all started asking her to make them for their friends, and so the business began.   These dish towels are NOT monogrammed which Paige says is hard for some to overcome!  But rather they are truly Southern from the flour sack dish towels that all Southerners KNOW are the best dish towels! With the 7mm block lettering reminiscent of hand stitching.  The wording and embellishments are all customizable. Keeping the design simple is key to being able to keep the price low. Plus sometimes simple is better!  

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She has more than just the state of Alabama - she does fish with the name of your lake house and even holiday themed towels.  These make the perfect hostess gift and since they are customizable, they really show you were thoughtful in the gift you selected for your hosts! 

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If you are local, you can run by and pick these up at Marguerite's Conceits in Mountain Brook Village, A Little Something in Cahaba Heights, 3rd Street Promenade in Cullman, Homewood Antiques in Homewood, and The Paisley Pig in Bessemer.  Also, she has shops in other areas carry them - Moxii in Auburn, Freshfully in Avondale and even Ocala Traditions in Ocala, Florida!

I hope you have a marvelous Monday! M.

Project in Progress - Guest Bedroom

I did an installation this week for a guest bedroom in a beautiful home in Vestavia Hills.  I posted about a redesign I did back in October here for the same client.  After we finished moving furnishings around in her home, my client wanted to freshen up one of her guest bedrooms.  So, we used furnishings and accessories she already had and unified the space with new bedding. 

The zebra print chair was our jumping off point.  

In order to make the different styles of furniture work, I added a hint of Asian (which always does the trick) with these fantastic Chiang Mai pillows by Schumacher.  

By pairing these with the larger, less expensive trellis pattern pillows, you get the impact of the Chiang Mai without spending a fortune. 

If you've ever seen this fabric in person, you know the pictures do NOT do it justice.   The color is so incredibly saturated and the fabric is the most perfectly textured linen EVER.

Ah- maze-ing.   Makes my mouth water when I think about it.  

So, with the help of a couple of new fresh fabrics, you have a new guest bedroom.  Happy mid-week. M.

Hold the Top Sheet, Please!

Recently, I had a conversation with a well traveled client on not using a top sheet with your duvet coverlet for bed linens.  To be clear, you would use a fitted bottom sheet on the mattress, but no top sheet between the duvet cover and the fitted bottom sheet. 

 This has been the norm in France and other countries for years, but it has not really caught on here in the states.  

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I'm sure there are lots of reasons people do this, but my client wants to simplify her morning routine and did not want to sacrifice the look of the bed by eliminating all the accent pillows.  So, with this arrangement, she does not have to bother with adjusting and re-tucking the top sheet each morning.

 For this particular client, we are going to buy two duvet coverlets (just as I would recommend for bed linens, slipcovers, etc).  So the bed can be changed immediately without having to wait on the laundry!

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Well, needless to say, I am intrigued with the idea.  On the one hand, it would save a ton of time and would be particularly good for new moms who barely have time to bath (at least that's how I felt during that phase of life) and for children who are just learning to make their own bed.  Talk about easy!  

But, a few tiny negatives keep creeping into my thoughts.  If you slept with someone who takes more than their fair share of the covers (I'm not naming names), you may literally end up in the cold.  Also, I LOVE a layered look on the bed.  It adds depth and color and gives you lots of temperature options in the middle of the night.  You also have to consider that the coverlet needs to be super soft since it's not buffered by a top sheet.

But, I'm still pondering the whole the idea.  Where are you on the "top sheet vs. duvet coverlet sans top sheet" debate?  Would love your thoughts.

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If you would like to read more about this trend in Europe, Apartment Therapy has some interesting points.  Happy Monday! M.