Celebrate #BetterBfastMonth

Starting tomorrow, I’m going to be celebrating Better Breakfast Month. My goal is to make more of an effort to eat a better breakfast each day.

There aren’t any rules about what constitutes ‘better.’ For you, it might mean simply eating breakfast, where you didn’t before. It might be adding fruit or just cutting out an extra cup of coffee. If you feel especially inspired or enjoy something truly delicious, I hope you’ll take a picture of it and share in the Flickr group I created. Maybe we can all inspire each other! I’ll also be using the hashtag #BetterBfastMonth on Twitter.

A Toast to Marshmallows

I’m trying to slow down these days and appreciate the small joys in life. That includes random obscure holidays that might not cause the banks to close, but are fun just the same. Today is Toasted Marshmallow Day and what better way to enjoy toasted marshmallows than blended up with ice cream in a decadent milkshake! Here’s a recipe to try if you’re interested.
Now, I really want to know…how do you like to eat marshmallows? Here’s a little poll I created so we can share!
 {image via flickr}

Wedded Bliss: Southern Style

I already did my post for today, but then I ran across some gorgeous images and couldn’t help but share them! This is one of the sweetest weddings I’ve seen in a long time. From the whimsical sign directing guests to the bridesmaids dresses and flowers, I’m smitten.

Talk about a bridesmaid dress you could wear again! I love how they aren’t identical but when grouped together, they make such a sweetly unified statement. And the bride’s bouquet of vintage brooches? LOVE. IT.

These are just a few of the lovely shots from this obviously special day. If you’d like to see the rest, follow this link. And if you’re in Middle Tennessee and need a wedding photographer, give Lindsay a call!

{Bride Alicia gets credit for the dress styling and the bouquet was made by Jennifer Dyer}

Friday Flashback: BBQ & Cold Beer

June 1940. Melrose, Louisiana

{via Shorpy}

Flawless Face a’ la Noxzema

At around 12 years old, I starting experimenting with make-up and asked to wear it regularly. I’ll never forget my mom taking me to the Dollar General store and buying me a giant blue tub of Noxzema. She told me how important it was to wash my face each night and take good care of my skin. This is somewhat ironic because she often sleeps in her make-up, but her skin always looks great.

When I opened that first tub, the smell was so distinct. I don’t remember buying Noxzema in years, but I ran across some of these wipes in my bathroom the other night and used one to clean my face. It was so crazy how the smell was exactly the same as I remembered it, even in a wipe-form.

Did you grow up using Noxzema or some other iconic skincare product? Do you still swear by it or have you declared your loyalties elsewhere?

Going Greek

Yesterday was Bid Day for the sororities at the University of Tennessee and I attended my college chapter’s celebration with some other alums. If you weren’t sure from the pic, I was a Zeta. One neat thing about blogging is that I’ve connected with other ZTA ladies I never would have known. Even just the other day, I discovered I had this in common with a sweet blogger friend.

If you were in a sorority in college, which one was it? Even if you weren’t in a sorority, I’m curious…do you still keep in touch with all the your school pals from back in the day?

le fete de l’imagination: Amy Adams

I’m a big fan of Amy Adams and since tomorrow is her birthday, I thought we’d end the work-week with a little virtual soiree celebrating her! You might think of her as the girl from Enchanted or Julie&Julia, but my favorite Amy Adams film is distinctly southern, hence featuring her here on the blog.

If you haven’t seen Junebug, you definitely should…although be warned it isn’t a romantic comedy. It tells the story of a regular family facing the ups and downs of life in North Carolina and how they react when their son returns home from New York with his posh new wife. When I first saw this sad, beautiful movie, I was so mesmerized by Adams’ character in it. I thought she was surely from the south with how she captured the accent and everything.

For her party, I think we’ll enjoy the season’s tomato bounty with a yummy tomato tart, recipe & image via the fabulous Ezra Poundcake!

We can wash it down with this delicious peach tea (recipe here) and just enjoy each other’s company!

And as a whimsical treat, I think Amy will love this little June bug ring (which is actually sold out on Etsy…but this is only an imaginary party).

I hope you’ll join us in the festivities! And I hope your real-life weekend festivities hold even more fun! Happy Friday friends!

Barking Mad

Do you ever feel like there are so many things are whizzing around inside your brain at one time that it’s difficult to contain it all? This is pretty much what I’m experiencing right now and these whimsical silhouettes sort of capture that!

I hope all of you are having a wonderful week & hopefully managing to steal a few moments for a cup of tea…on the table, not on your head! Happy Thursday!

{Both prints are available from Barking Mad Arts on Etsy}

Sculpture with a Point

As a child, my favorite thing about school starting each fall was picking out school supplies. There is something about crisp new sheets of paper and perfect pencils that makes a person feel reborn. When I ran across these pencil creations, I thought they fit perfectly as today is the first day of school for many folks. My No.2 pencils never looked anything like this!

These intricate creations remind me of my grandfather who sometimes whittled and would always sharpen pencils for me with his pocket knife, which pleased me to no end.

I love people who can take an ordinary everyday object and turn it into something magical. Who would have guessed a simple pencil could be transformed in such a way. Have any of y’all seen this before?

The King (Pencil) says “Have a hunka hunka good Monday!”

{Pencil art by artist Dalton Getty via UK Daily Mail}

Ankle boots: Yay or Nay

It seems like ankle boots are going to be one big trend for the upcoming season and I’m definitely in the market for a new pair of fall/winter shoes. What do you all think about this style?

Some fashions are great in theory, but don’t translate very well to the average Joe or Jane. I definitely want something that combines quality, style and comfort for a reasonable price (demanding, much?).

These boots look very vintage to me, like something my great-grandmother might have worn as a little girl. I’m curious if any of you lovelies have seen/tried them or maybe even brought a pair home. Please share!

I’m Simply Mad for Mad Men

I have a confession to make….my name is Kate and I’m now completely obsessed with Mad Men. It isn’t even funny how late I am to this party, but since last week I’ve managed to watch a respectable number of episodes (from the series premiere to the beginning of season 3). I always thought the show looked interesting, but now I’m utterly engrossed in it.

I studied public relations & advertising in college and I'm hoping to work in PR, but it's still neat to see the inner workings and daily happenings in the lives of 1960's ad men (or I guess I should say mad men!). In watching the show, I have learned a few things and recognized some of the strategies employed in the advertising agency from what I learned in my college classes. I've even gotten my southern beau to watch the show, even though he swore he wouldn't like it and it would be "boring." I love proving him wrong sometimes.

These vintage drink ads are an homage to the illustrious team at Sterling Cooper…see Don’s signature old-fashioned above? Part of the show’s appeal to me is the glamour, but also how it seems like a cultural anthropology lesson. From the way men and women interact with each other in the professional setting of the agency to the way husbands and wives interact at home, it doesn't make me long for a return to the 1960's....but the fashions are fun and the notions are interesting to think about.

The drinking and womanizing can be a bit much at times, but overall I’m pretty invested in the characters. Who else is sold on the show? I’m hoping to get all caught up before the newest season airs on television. Let’s talk Mad Men…but no spoilers please!

Were vs Are

I saw this book at Borders over the weekend and skimmed through it while waiting on my sister. I didn’t buy it, but I think I will end up ordering it because it had some great stuff inside. I try to keep SBS fun and since diets are not typically fun, they aren’t really a topic I discuss on here.

This post isn’t exactly about diets though…it’s more about the idea of who we are now vs. who we were as teenagers. The fittest I’ve ever been in my life was in high school when I was playing soccer, but even then I had a distorted sense of my body (i.e. I thought I was huge). Only now am I beginning to learn about what it means for my body to be healthy and what it takes to achieve that health.

While flipping through this book, I kept wishing I could give it to my teenage self. It’s not a fad diet, just basic smart ideas about healthy eating and being active. Even though I can’t change my teenage self, I’m hoping my 29-year old self will make her proud!

Is there something you keep wishing you could share with your previous self? I think I’ve decided it’s never too late. Happy Monday friends! 

Anti-Recipe: Peachy Onion Salad

I enjoyed this colorful concoction with my dinner recently and it was simply yum! The peaches are plentiful right now and I used a combination of white and yellow, but only because both came in my CSA box and I didn’t realize they were different. You could probably add a tiny bit of Chevre or Mozzarella if you wanted to, but it’s perfectly delicious just as is.

The Anti-Recipe:

• 2-3 peaches, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• a few leaves of fresh Basil
• Oil & Vinegar (to taste)

Place peaches and onions in a bowl. Drizzle with oil (I used olive) and vinegar (I used red wine). Sprinkle with Basil leaves and enjoy!

{Of course I’d rather this post be about gooey peach cobbler, but since we’re trying to get healthy at my house, this salad will do. It really is tasty…not that it can compete with cobbler though!}

What’s for dinner at your place tonight?

Southern Weddings at the Swan House

The Atlanta History Center’s Swan House provided a gorgeous backdrop for these images, featured in the Summer 2011 issue of Weddings Unveiled Magazine.

While my schedule was filled with weddings to attend last summer, this year has been much lighter. I guess as each year passes, I have less and less single friends left for which to attend festivities.

Are your weekends filled with weddings these days? Maybe you’re planning your own. Whatever the case, I hope your special events are joyous. If you’re already married, were you a June bride? In what month did you marry and why did you choose that particular time of year? I’m always curious about these kinds of things!

Support your team in Style via @Dressforthegame

We’re only 30-something days away from SEC football and I know all you fans out there are gearing up. I love how we all respect each other’s teams and act lovingly towards one another, win or lose.

In anticipation of the season, I’m partnering up with the fabulous Heather, whose company Dress for the Game offers fun and beautiful options for you to wear while cheering on your favorite team. Heather is giving away one of her gorgeous scarves as today’s #TuesdayTreat.

The thing I love most about Dress for the Game is you can shop by team and see beautiful options that aren’t over the top. Any of the selections would be as perfect for tailgating as in everyday life.

There are several scarves to choose from and the winner will get to select one of them. I know you’ll want to check out your team’s gear. To enter the giveaway, hop over to Dress for the Game’s Facebook and give it a like. You can also follow on Twitter. Leave a comment telling us your team, either here or on SBS’s Facebook to be eligible. We’ll announce the winner Friday morning, so all entries must be in by Thursday at midnight.

Good luck and Go Vols!