Author Archives: Hannah B.

Our Christmas Gallery Wall

picture collage display close-up

Confession: We bought our 1st house 6 years ago and, until recently, had virtually nothing hanging on the walls. I don’t know why. I love interior design, but when it comes to our own home, it’s been so much harder to get things done. I think it’s the perfectionist in me that is nervous things won’t turn out perfectly. But recently I made a goal to stop putting things off. So this weekend, I bit the bullet and put up the frames that had been sitting on my desk for over a year. I still haven’t decided just what photos to put in them (we hardly ever print any out) so in the meantime, I’ve made this Christmas gallery wall. It turned out to be a lot easier than I’d expected.

framing

Step 1: I cut a piece of butcher paper to the size of the space where I wanted to hang the pictures.

Step 2: I laid out all the frames out in a random way and moved them around until they were just right. Then, I used a ruler to make sure things lined up correctly.

*Tip: Get 2 different sizes of frames to mix it up a bit. I had 6 5×7 frames and 8 4×6 frames. 

Step 3: I traced the frames onto the butcher paper and then made a dot 1/4 inch into the box where the nail would need to be.

Step 4: Hang the butcher paper in place with masking or painter’s tape. Then, place the nails where you put the dots. After that, you can just gently remove the paper and leave the nails behind.

scraps collage frame

Step 5: I gathered a bunch of Christmas-y images from magazines, cards, wrapping paper, and old books. Then, I cut them to size using the glass of the frame and the XActo. I used a single image for some and for a few I made collages.

Step 6: Finally, I put the frames back together with the artwork inside and hung them on the wall.

picture collage display

What do you think? Do you ever hang seasonal artwork in your home?

Hello, Gorgeous!

Good morning & *HAPPY* Monday! After last week’s holiday madness, here are a few random links to help you start your week off smiling.

Hello Gorgeous Grace Coddington Breakfast at Tiffany's

Listen

On Sunday, Husband, bestie, and I will be going to see Grace Coddington at the Frist in Nashville. In case you haven’t heard (or have been living under a rock), the Vogue creative genius has just release a memoir with Random House. Needless to say, I was particularly excited when I heard Grace’s lovely British accent speaking with Terry Gross this week on NPR’s Fresh Air. (& thoroughly entertained by how polite she remained despite some rather ill-informed questions) You can click here to hear the entire interview.

Read

Did you know Breakfast at Tiffany’s was 1st published in Esquire’s November, 1958 issue? (After being rejected by Harper’s Bazaar, might I add.) Whether you watch the movie, read the novella, or read this book about the making of the film
(which I found fascinating!), spend a little time with Capote’s geisha this week.

Watch

I’m just an old romantic (and a Cosby Show addict), but I just had to share this video. I had no idea Mama Huxtable had been proposed to on national television on Thanksgiving Day. Isn’t that sweet?

Thanksgiving Weekend

Here’s a little glimpse of our holiday weekend, which consisted of a lot of food, a lot of drink, a house full of family, crafty projects, & Netflix.

instagram weekend

How was your weekend?

Google “Vintage Thanksgiving”

Go ahead; I’ll wait. If you do, you’ll come up with several weird/wonderful gems including but not limited to…

When I first read this one, I wasn’t sure if it was the girl speaking or the turkey. I’m not even going to mention the phallic shape that a friend pointed out to me. Nope, not going to mention it.

Come on, kids! Let’s play with Plucky one more time before he goes into the oven. Side of salmonella, anyone?

“Quite a dish herself.” Ummm, wow.

Charlie Brown’s Feast

Still worried about the holiday tomorrow? Have all your friends decided to congregate at your casa despite the fact that your family is going to Grandma’s house for dinner? Well, I’ve got you covered! *wink*

Charlie Brown:
I can’t cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.

Linus:
That’s right. I’ve seen you make toast. You can’t butter it, but maybe we can help you.

 

charlie brown thanksgiving essentials

Presenting: The 1st Ever How-To from Bestie Matt

This morning I am super excited to introduce you to my best friend, Matt. Not only did he decorate a cubicle junior year like a boss and sing all the words to every Disney movie made between 1987 & 1995 with me while we were in college, he also happens to be one of the craftiest people you will ever meet in real life. So, needless to say, I was super excited when he called to tell me about this How-To he’d put together for us. It is a super cute project that can translate any time of year. So without further ado, meet Bestie Matt…

Fewer things go together like southern belles and mason jars. But southern belles and mason jars *covered in glitter* would be a match made in the Heaven all southern belle’s hair strives to reach. When I was brainstorming for an idea, I thought, “What is more southern than a mason jar?” The next question was, “How do I ensure my front door doesn’t look like a recycling bin?” Welcome glitter to the situation.

What You’ll Need:
Jar Lids
Glitter
Glue
Drill or Metal Punch
Office Brad
Hot Glue Gun
Ribbon

The first step was to lay out how I wanted the wreath to look. This should be a close approximation. I ended up using a few less lids than I originally thought as I began connecting the lids together.

Next, select the colors of glitter that you want to use. I chose colors of fall. I glittered a few of each color.

Next, I laid out the colors in a pattern that I liked. Once you lay them out, mark each one with a black dot where the connection point between the lids will be.

Either using a drill or a metal punch, make a hole in the lid where the connection will be made. After the hole is created, place the insert back into the rim of the lid. I used a dab of hot glue to hold it together.

Using an office brad, connect the two together. To ensure a tight connection, put some hot glue on the open end of the brad. The more connections you make, the more sturdy the wreath will be.

The last touch is to add a bow to the front and you have a festive and southern touch to your decor!

A Good Belle Stocks Her Bar

Well ladies, if your house guests have not arrived yet, odds are you will all be together by tomorrow. So what sort of belle would I be, if I didn’t include one of the most important things to have on hand during the holiday season? I’m speaking of drinks, of course! It’s very hard for people to have unhappy discussions while holding a drink. It’s not only something to do (sip when there’s a lag in the conversation) but also something to spill, which will prevent the discussion from getting heated. So here’s how to build a basic bar with something for everyone…

Start with Liquor

You’ll want a good vodka, gin, and bourbon. Then, you can start adding different things like a good rum and a good scotch. You’ll also want some things to help you make cocktails like bitters, Triple Sec and simple syrup. Oh, and Grand Marnier.*

*Fun Fact: A glass of Grand Marnier is guaranteed to make over-stuffed Thanksgiving tummies feel better.

Add Some Wine

At all times you will want to have a good red, a good white, and a good sparkly wine on hand. Here are a few of our favorite picks.

Of note: Cupcake Prosecco is the perfect sparkly for every day, but if you’re having a celebration, you may want to invest in a good bottle of Veuve.

Then There Are the Extras

You want to be sure you have something for everyone. Always have Coke and Diet Coke on hand. This will take care of the people that don’t drink, the people that need a jolt of caffeine, and, heaven forbid, people that mix things with Coke. On that same note, having a variety of juices is great for kids, non-drinkers, and people that love cosmopolitans. Also, stock up on fruits commonly used as garnish with emphasis on the lemons and limes.

Finally, the Tools

A shaker and jigger are the absolute musts, and, if you’re looking for something new, might I suggest looking at the W + P collaboration with West Elm? I want one of everything!

Hope this helps you prepare for company. On a personal note, we just made a liquor store run and are now stocked up for the weekend. Bring on the in-laws! Cheers!

Disney + Barneys New York

I’ve got to say that when I first saw the pencil thin sketches of Minnie, Daisy, & Goofy, I could not believe Disney would do this seasonal collaboration with Barneys New York. With the emphasis on weight and vanity that already exists for young girls, I just didn’t understand how the exaggerated figures of such beloved characters could ever be a good idea. However, after watching the short, I think I was wrong. As Barneys had said in the past, it really is all about fantasy, and it doesn’t seem (to me) to be encouraging the behavior as much as showing a little daydreaming about something that already exists. We do put waif models on the runway twice a year in beautiful clothes. When you imagine yourself in their shoes, do you really see yourself as that realistic size 10 wearing Dolce & Gabbana?

What do you think? Offensive or just a little daydreaming?

The Pumpkin Pie Post

OR
How 9-year-old Me Won the Pie Contest

When I was little, one of my earliest memories is helping Woo-Woo (my grandmother) make pumpkin pies before each holiday. She would make the dough a day in advance and then spend a morning making enough pies to feed our huge family as well as numerous neighbors that would pop in or get a special delivery Thanksgiving day. She was so patient teaching me how to form the dough (despite the fact that I always wanted to overwork it), and I will always remember how super-cozy her kitchen smelled the rest of the day.

When I was 9, we moved to Tennessee and our church was preparing for it’s annual end of summer social. Naturally when I heard that there was a baking competition I wanted to make Woo-Woo’s pumpkin pie. Little did I know, it was (at the time) a contest for all the blue-haired ladies of the church.   So there my pie went on the table with all the ladies’ entries and, after a blind taste test by the judges, guess who won? The only thing I really remember is that I couldn’t wait to get home and call Woo-Woo! But I was thinking about that the other night and thought, in the spirit of giving, I should share the recipe for Woo-Woo’s *Award-Winning* Pumpkin Pie with you… Enjoy!

Woo-Woo's Award-Winning Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Woo-Woo’s *Award-Winning* Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbls. molasses
2 eggs (well-beaten)
1 1/4 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
1/4 tsp. salt
unbaked pie shell*

– – – – – – – – – –

1.) Preheat oven to 450°

2.) Mix ingredients & cook in an unbaked pie shell at 450° for 10 minutes.

3.) Reduce heat to 350° and cook for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when stuck in the filling.

* This time of year, I tend to keep store-bought pie shells in the freezer, but if you’re looking for a great crust recipe, I’d recommend Emma’s on A Beautiful Mess.