Happy 4th of July!!

Happy Fourth of July, friends!  I hope your holiday is filled with friends, family, and fun.

Let's all be thankful for the sacrifices that have been made for us and for our freedom. 

Blessings!!

Willow House July SALE!! Red Hot Savings!

Too good not to share, even on a holiday weekend!  Remember you can shop directly on my website by clicking HERE.  Enjoy!!

Home Office Update: The Desk

Happy July, everyone!  June just flew by, didn't it?? This home office makeover has been in the works for months.  While it's moving at a snail's pace overall {and is being continually tweaked along the way} I'm so excited to share the results of my desk re-do.  Remember the banquet table/desk before?

And once I tackled the uncluttering...

And... drumroll please... HERE SHE IS!

I know... right??  I am loving the fresh clean look in what is a terribly busy, often cluttered room.  I'll be sharing the low down on the skirt soon.  Now before you start hating on the ugly lamp, just know there's a new one in the works and I'll share that with you soon, too.

What do you think?  :)

A new Willow House sale and giveaway is coming in July...stay tuned!!

Happy Decorating!

June's Favorite Things...

Welcome to my new monthly feature where I share with you my very favorite things from that month.  I hope this gives you a little peek into who I am, what I love, and what fuels me creatively!  I hope to surprise you just a little along the way, too.  Be sure to comment so I know what YOU think, and what your favorite things are!

So here we go...

Sun Tea made from Yogi Tea Bags.  What? you say?  Sun tea... a Texas thing, I think... is super easy to make.  Put your tea bags and water in a glass container and sit it in the sun for a couple of hours.  Easy brewing without heating up the kitchen! Chill it in the fridge and enjoy.  I have to say, I much prefer this particular tea better cold.

This jewelry organization idea from Lynda at the blog :::FOCAL POINT:::... I'll be incorporating this into my own dressing area soon. Love to use what I already have in a new way.  Check out the entire closet mini-makeover she did HERE!  Be sure to poke around her blog, too; she's a fascinating and talented lady.

My giveaway win from {simple} starfish jewelry.  I have had sooooo many compliments on my new goodies!  The workmanship on these pieces is stellar-- the chain on the necklace is delicate and I love that.  The starfish earrings have those lovely little stops on the back and dangle beautifully.  Both pieces are from her Sun, Sand, and Sea collection. Christine has a wonderful selection of pieces that are perfect for yourself or a gift for some special gal.  Click HERE to view her lovely pieces.

This is what I won.

This is what I bought... because I could not resist. :)

The best part about this giveaway win was Christine's impeccable customer service.  I won during the very crazy busy month of May and she was endlessly patient with me as I waffled and wavered about what to choose.  I so appreciated her proactive communication and sweet spirit throughout the process!  She blogs HERE, too (one busy lady herself), so pop over and you can get a peek at her gorgeous little boys and her latest jewelry inspirations.

And there you have it -- my Faves for June!  What inspired you this month??

I'm Lovin'... Patriotic Porches

I'm loving these gorgeous porches all decked out for the Fourth of July!


via bhg.com


via bhg.com


via SimplyThisAndThat


via Raised in Cotton


via Pinterest



via Pinterest

via Pinterest


via Pinterest



via Pinterest


Red, white, and blue perfection via coastalliving.com


And my own Fourth of July porch decor...

Get your Star Spangled Door Bucket HERE... on sale for only $16.96!

Happy Decorating!

I Can't Resist... A Great Sale {and This Entertaining Tip!}

Remember this Lovely from Avolli.com and a previous I Can't Resist...?



She can be yours for 55% off!!  Yes, Tricia is continuing her Early Retirement Sale by offering 55% off her entire inventory until June 30th.  She still has some incredible heirloom quality pieces left if you're looking for an investment, plus some wonderfully affordable artwork and accessories.  How about these pillars for $67.50 each??



Head to Avolli.com for this sale and find out how to help spread the word and win $100 at Tricia's blog-- I did!!

And because two is better than one, I also can't resist this outdoor entertaining tip to create ambience in your outdoor space. Strings of lights outdoors are the perfect touch, but I don't have any overhanging trees or structures on my back deck.  I spotted this photo in my July Southern Living magazine and am dying to recreate the bamboo poles strung with lights.



Their super easy tip is to anchor the bamboo poles with sand in the buckets.  They've done four poles and strung the lights up each pole and across above the table.  If you're pergola-less in your outdoor space, this is a really cool option!

And speaking of the July issue, Southern Living has also discovered our beloved Lake Rabun.



Touted as one of best family lakes in the South, Rabun is near and dear to us and a great North Georgia escape if you're looking one.  I introduced you to the lake and some of its gorgeous homes last week.  Take another peek if you'd like!

Images via avolli.com and southernliving.com.

What's on Your To Do List? {Take the Challenge}

Do you have a To Do list this summer?  Is it growing fangs while you juggle kids, pool time, travel, and a general lack of routine around the house?  I've been almost paralyzed by my own To Do list, so when my friend Cha Cha over at Sit, Relax, and Read threw out the 10 Tasks in 10 Days Challenge, I was still loathe to jump on the bandwagon.  Ten in ten?  But then sweet persuasive Cha Cha let me know it could be simple things.  Okay, maybe I could do this...

So here is my list of ten... feel free to hold me accountable!

1.  Make a blog calendar for the month of July {as in plan my posts for the month}.

2.  Tackle {organize} my kitchen desk drawers that we never use except to cram things in them.

3.  Tackle {eliminate] the basket of meds beside my stove... do we really need all that stuff out all the time? I have something else in mind for this basket anyway.

4.  Consolidate all of our pen/pencil holders.  Just because I have containers out the yin yang, do we really need to use them ALL? This isn't even all of them, sadly.

5.  Write thank you notes to my students for their end of year gifts (shameful).  See my note cards taunting me?

6.  Clean out my email "inbox."  This seriously could take the better part of a day.

7.  Create a binder for blog ideas and inspiration.  It's ready and waiting for me.

8.  Tackle {clean out} this little basket by my back door.  Sense a theme here?

9.  Inventory my Willow House/Southern Living at HOME products that I will be selling.

10.  Research a business idea... can't show you a picture yet, but maybe by summer's end?

So, what do you think?  Too ambitious or doable? 

Cha Cha will be keeping us accountable as well, as we'll be linking up a "progress report" along the way, in addition to this list.  Yikes!

Wanna join me?? Click HERE to jump in and link up! Cha Cha is giving away a subscription to Country Living, so don't miss your chance to win (and tame that wicked To Do list!!).