Year of the Weddings

2011 has been a great year so far.  Several of my girlfriends are engaged, and I have been fortunate enough to join in the celebration of their pending nuptials.  I hold my friends in very high regard, so I am even more joyful to confess that each of them has found a man equally deserving of their awesomeness.

I was able to celebrate one such couple's engagement this weekend in DeBordieu.  Hanna and Nelson have been together for eight years!  Through high school, college and post-grad, these two have overcome more than just the test of time.  Hanna accomplished her dream of becoming an entrepreneur with the booming success of her stationary line, Gadabout.  Nelson is in medical school where he is not only making impressive strides in the radiology department, but also holds a position on MUSC's honor board.  Impressive as this may be, the power couple's laundry list of successes pales in comparison to their abilities to grow as individuals and a couple.  Although we have all called them a married couple through college, I can't wait until July when we can witness their official union.

Friday night we all reunited at the Hot Fish Club to relive our college days.  The sunny Saturday weather was perfect for a day of relaxing on the water and soaking up some rays for the first time in months.  I LOVE summer!

 

Saturday night we enjoyed a cocktail party hosted at a beautiful home, which we nicknamed "The Lair".  We thought this it was a fitting name thanks to the "game room" which displayed an array of hunting trophies, including. but not limited to, two bears, a leopard, a baboon and of course, a lion.  Neglecting all rules of social etiquette and decorum, we all could not resist snapping a picture (or three) of the lion's den.

After a delicious Sunday brunch on Pawley's Island, we all said our goodbyes.  Fortunately, we will only have a short time apart as we are all reuniting this coming weekend for a highly anticipated wedding.  On Saturday I will be standing by one of my dearest friend's Mary Loyal as she exchanges vows with her long-time beau Lash.  I am so excited for them! Let the water works and champagne flow!

The Big Move Part 2

I have been devoting every spare hour in my days to decorating my apartment.  It is finally beginning to feel like a home as opposed to a storage shelter.  For my birthday, my grandmother refurbished a chair that she found in the attic of my aunt's bridal shop.  What is even more special, Grammie modeled the chair off of a similar chair I blogged about months ago.  With the exception of the fabric, Grammie's present to me is an exact replica of Graham & Greene's chair.  It is now a fixture in my bedroom and I absolutely LOVE it!  Do I have the world's best grandmother or what?!

Speaking of chairs, Will snagged this piece below from his Grandfather's Estate sale.  It needs some work but it is still a beautiful chair.  It was hand crafted and even has bits of mother-of-pearl embedded in the framework.  With a little bit of TLC, I can hopefully get this antique looking good as new.

My favorite purchase for my new apartment is my patio furniture.  TJ Maxx has an amazing home goods section.  Case and point, the Kelly green wooden table and chair set we found on clearance.   In front of the table, I have a mini-herb garden consisting of a rosemary, thyme and basil plant.  Time will tell if I have a green thumb.  I hope I do because I had some fresh basil on my Caprese salad last night and it was delicious!

Next came the difficult task of hanging curtains.  My handyman status is definitely lacking so I was glad Will was in town to teach me the importance of measuring tape and a level.  I also learned that a "stud finder" is not a tool used to search for cute guys.  I feel so enlightened!

Step 1

Step 2

Finished!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have been hunting for campaign furniture, in particular, a dresser.  A few weeks ago while on Craig's List, I found a mid-century chest of drawers that looked promising.  The piece was in Virginia so, after whittling the price down in a series of emails, I was able to claim my prize.    The handles need a good polish and I intend to add some hardware to replicate the campaign style. Other than that, the dresser is in great shape and it looks great in my bedroom.

 My living/dining area is coming together slowly but surely.  There is much more open space than I anticipated so I am trying to find ways to fill the room.  A circular drop-leaf bistro table was another Craig's List find.  I love that I can push the table against the wall or open it up to fill more space.  My hutch is on one wall and is now serving as an entertainment center.  Mom and I found a large mirror that is now hanging behind the couch which adds a lot of depth to the room.

There is still a lot of work to be done but thanks to the help of Will and my family, a lot of progress has been made.  The biggest (or smallest in this case) challenge will be making over my kitchen.  I'm not exactly sure how to spiff up the tiny area but I am open to suggestions if any of my readers have some ideas!

.....Must Have.....

As I continue to search for ways to brighten my small apartment, I have been frequenting etsy.com for inspiration.  Etsy has an array of brightly colored throw pillows in all shapes, sizes and patterns.  Shams are one of those small items that come with a not so small price.  You'll save so much money by ordering from Etsy, you might even keep these pillows on your bed at night.  What a novel idea, a decorative and purposeful pillow.

KainKain

DecidedlyChic

PersnickityHome

CastleCreekDesigns

.....Must Hear.....

"To Build A Home" The Cinematic Orchestra

The Big Move

Well, I am finally in my new place! Mom, George and my uncle all came into town to assist in the move.  Last week I boxed everything up so that Friday night we could fill our fleet of cars with my clothes, furniture, etc.   This is the first I will be living alone and I am a little nervous. More than anything however, I am thrilled to be living in a place I can call my own.  I am excited to add my own touch to the rooms.  I am excited to wake up early and go to bed late without worrying I am disturbing my other housemates.  But most importantly, I am excited to be in control of the thermostat! Now no one can call me crazy for keeping the apartment a comfortable 76 degrees year-round. 

Five hours, 3 trips between apartments, and 1 flat tire later, we had everything moved to my new place.  I will be spending the next week hanging pictures, painting furniture and buying odds and ends.  Decorating my first place will definitely be an ongoing process but I am so happy to have an endless supply of projects ahead of me.   Here's to making this house a home!

Bedroom

Dressing Room/ Bathroom

Living Room

My HUGE kitchen...5' X 8'

Front Porch

24 Years Young

Thanks to the help of Jessica, Will and I flew to Washington D.C. this weekend to celebrate my 24th birthday.  I was completely out of the loop as to our Friday night plans and was thrilled when we walked into a dueling piano bar.  The icing on the cake (pun intended) was Will and Jessica's musical surprise in honor of my Dad.  They knew Dad used to play "Walking in Memphis", so when the pianos began playing the familiar tune, I was speechless.  It was my first birthday without Dad, so their heartfelt request was a way of incorporating him into my special day.    

On Saturday we spent the day in Alexandria's historic Old Town.  I loved the outdoor cafes, the shaded walkways and the antique brick architecture. As Jess aptly noted, "Old Town is such a Concetta place."  She knows me too well!  We finished the day off with a trip to Whole Foods.  But not just any Whole Foods...I needed a map to navigate my way through this maze of magnificence.  My favorite feature was the in-store wine loft.  A wine bar...in a grocery store...Yes, please!

.....Must Have.....

Have you ever been on the phone at work and reached for a pen and paper but can only manage to find a stack of mini-Post-Its and a dull pencil.   How about when reaching for said pencil, your telephone cord brushes the pound of reports you just printed sending them cascading off the desk and onto the floor.  In a matter of seconds, this simple act of jotting-down a callback number has turned into a minor headache. Well, there is a simple (and cute!) solution to these omnipresent office uh-oh's.  From bronzed tape dispensers to personalized paperweights, Iomoi offers all the essentials to keep your workplace organized.  Iomoi's playful designs supply color for your desk and a solution for your mess.

     

.....Must Hear.....

"Sweet Serendipity" Lee DeWyze