JFK – A Nation Reacts 50 Years Ago

Today being the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy, there has been plenty of discussion about the man and the event.

Style icon notwithstanding, I’ve been fascinated with JFK for years. Reading about that day, seeing the films of the event, watching old news coverage, and even going to the Sixth Floor Museum have all contributed to quite the fascination. However, nothing has ever had quite the impact that this recording has. The first 45 seconds place you right in that room with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as the news was announced. It is completely devastating. What follows is one of the most emotionally charged performances of the second movement of Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony.

I’m sure you’ll be inundated with coverage of this event today, but make sure you have a listen and read the article. Just make sure you’ve got your crying face ready.

Introducing Hannah & Husband

Hannah & Husband

As you may have noticed if you follow us elsewhere (maybe here or here), Husband & I have had quite the busy Fall thus far. In the midst of parties, photo shoots, and building projects, we decided to take on one more thing: Hannah & Husband. We hope to document our daily rituals, our projects, and our travels in the hopes that we inspire others to stylishly domesticate as well.

Follow Hannah on Twitter & on Instagram.

Follow Husband on Twitter & on Instagram.

Like us on Facebook.

HGTV Home for the Holidays: Behind the Scenes

That’s me, Blondie, instagramming away!

If you’ve been watching my Instagram this week, you know that our Made + Remade crew over at DIY Network teamed up with HGTV’s Design Happens to throw a holiday party of epic proportions. In the coming weeks each of the blogs will be posting about how we pulled together everything from the mantel to the bar with our characteristic sparkle & charm. The fabulous team put together some really unique projects inspired by Liz’s vision of a modern, rustic holiday party. (See her mood board post here.) We shot in a stone room at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens, and while I can’t give away the finished shots, I just had to share some behind-the-scenes peeks!

Despite the fact that it made my face itchy (I’m allergic to Christmas.), that big, leafy thing on the left was one of my very favorites. My friend Virginia made it–she’s the one wrapped in fur below.

Kayla, Virginia, & Farima getting cozy with Grant hiding in the back. That fabulous bow with the mad iPhone skills? That would be my girl Deanne!

Keri rocked out a beautiful hanging sculpture. Finished pics will be on one of the blogs in a couple weeks.

Liz has a serious gift for baked goods. Wait until you see the rest of the food–it was gorgeous!

My first contribution are some invites you can download and then dress up. Click here to read the post!

Life Lately

This is the face Husband gives me when I’m taking too many pictures.

Blame the change in seasons, but things have gotten a little crazy here in Knoxville lately. We’ve been so busy! Here’s a little glimpse at what we’ve been up to, as well as links to some killer music, courtesy of my iPhone…

The weather is finally getting a little bite to it, which in turn is making our living room the perfect place to spend an afternoon.

Last week, I organized a Pumpking Extravaganza. More to come on that later.

Last week, I organized a Pumpkin Extravaganza. More to come on that later.

For someone that hates reading new fiction, I certainly got absolutely obsessed with “Austenland.”

My friend Caryn did this adorable window display at our local bookstore.

On Friday, we went to see St. Paul & the Broken Bones play WDVX’s Blue Plate Special. Later that night, they gave a killer concert at Barley’s in the Old City.

If you live in the South, you know that Saturday is game day. While I’m not much for football, the Tennessee-Georgia game was a total nail-biter!

If Saturdays are made for football, Sundays are made for driving.

Tonight, we saw Chris Thile solo at the Bijou– best show I’ve ever seen.

My Holiday Mantel on DIY’s Made + Remade

diy-maderemade-mantle

This week on DIY’s Made + Remade, we debuted our latest Blogger Challenge. Inspired by the upcoming holiday season, five bloggers partnered with JoAnn to create a holiday mantel. The one I created is a wintry white with a vintage vibe that I have to admit is a lot more more neutral (read: elegant) than my normal red & green kitschy ornaments we’ll bust out in December. Take a look at all 3 of my posts:

(Tips for Achieving my) Wintry Mantel with Vintage Style

Make Yarn Trees for Modern Winter Decor

Repurpose Old Jars into Holiday Decor

diy-blogger-challenge-mantels

Then, check out the other mantels! There are some serious Pinterest-worthy projects.

Ellen’s Whimsical Mantel With Natural and Coastal Touches
(Love her Birch Log Fireplace Screen!)

Emily’s Natural and Sophisticated Mantel

Kim’s Rustic Winter Wonderland Christmas Mantel
(Love her DIY Cabin Snow Globe!)

Amy’s Luxe and Rustic Christmas Mantel

Which one is your favorite?

An Autumn Playlist

We’re Going To Be Friends – The White Stripes

Going Up the Country – Canned Heat

Down Home Girl – Old Crow Medicine Show

Tennessee Saturday Night – Robinella and the CC String Band

Little Ghost – The White Stripes

Superstition – Stevie Wonder

Trick or Treat – Otis Redding

I Put a Spell on You – She & Him

Season of the Witch – Donovan

Girl Named Tennessee – Need to Breathe

Carry Me Back – Old Crow Medicine Show

Shine on Harvest Moon – Artie Shaw

Autumn in New York – Harry Connick, Jr.

‘Tis Autumn – Chet Baker

Autumn Leaves – Cannonball Adderley

Turn Around – Marian McPartland

Carnival of the Animals – Aquarium – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Autumn in New York – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

Make My New Necklace Hanger

necklace-hanger

A couple weeks ago, Husband redid my closet (because he’s the best), and I decided that if my clothes were getting a stylish new home, my jewelry should too. So I went to Lowe’s–not quite sure what I was looking for. I ended up finding these beautiful pre-cut corbels in the aisle with the banisters and trim so I nabbed ’em!

Here are the other supplies:

a bit of paint & a brush
drill
screw hooks
set of picture hangers
hammer

01-necklace-supplies

I also got a sample of Pantone paint and applied two coats.

02-necklace-paint

Next, I drilled holes for the hooks.

Note: Be sure that your drill bit is set short enough that it won’t go all the way through the wood. Husband helped me with this part, and I was pretty excited to conquer some serious fear of the drill.

03-necklace-drill

Next, grab the hammer. Before you attach the picture hangers to the back, be sure you’re working on a soft surface. You don’t want to scratch up your paint job.

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Then, just screw in your screw hooks, and hang it up.

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If you have an old house like we do, you live in constant fear of the plaster cracking.

Here’s a little tip (again thanks to Husband): Place a piece of painter’s tape over on the spot before you start hammering in your nail. Then, just pull it off before you hang things up.

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Now there’s nothing left to do but hang up your necklaces.

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Fun Fact: On This Day in 1868

When I was 12, Aunt Vangie got me my first copy of Little Women. Since then, the story has become a part of me. Do you have books like that? I reread parts of it every winter, often finding myself subconsciously relating things to parts of the book. It’s like an old friend.

By middle school, I’d fallen in love with the movies. While I am normally a Katharine Hepburn devotee, I will forever picture June Allyson as Jo. Although, I confess my love for the 1949 version probably has more to do with my crush on Peter Lawford than anything else. And Liz Taylor as Amy? I mean, how could you picture anyone else? (Sorry, Kirsten Dunst.)

Check out this tote on Out of Print’s website.

When I was in high school, I started collecting copies and also read Alcott’s books that followed: Little Men, Jo’s Boys, An Old-Fashioned Girl. I couldn’t help being fascinated by Alcott, her transcendentalist parents, and her influence on female writers in the late 19th century.

An illustration I did for a colored pencil, paper doll assignment in college.

Louisa Alcott was quite a pioneer: she was an abolitionist, a feminist, and a critically acclaimed author by the time she was my age. And although, she was at first hesitant to write a story for girls when asked by her publisher, on this day in 1868 the first volume of Little Women was released. So I’d suggest pulling out your own copy and giving it another read.

And if you aren’t a fan of Little Women, perhaps there’s another book you consider to be an old friend that could use another perusal?
What do you think?

Setting New Goals

I know most people think of Spring as the time of new beginnings, but I am the exact opposite. I *love* Autumn! With the leaves changing colors and a little chill in the mornings, I suddenly have an inexplicable burst of energy. We must clean out the closets, dust the baseboards, and think about all the things we’ll do to prevent cabin fever this winter.

Last week it started. In a way, I took my momma’s advice. She always says, “Change your hair–change your life!” If that makes you skittish, she says the same thing about shoes.

new-do-sept-2013

So I decided to go blonde. I blame it on turning 28. Suddenly I realized I was 12 years away from 40, and I should probably start getting some of the weirder things out of my system now. Then, I sat down and did what I do every year around this time. I set a few goals for the year ahead.

fall-goals

2013 Fall Goals:

1. Get out the sewing machine and learn to use it (again).

Disclaimer: I’ve known how to sew since I was 6 or 7. (My mom’s an incredible seamstress so that was sort of a given.) However, when one’s momma is not around to thread the machine, the whole undertaking becomes quite overwhelming.

2. Read more books.

3. Bake the perfect loaf.

Husband is a fantabulous baker. I don’t hear timers.

4. Doodle and paint more.

So tell me…

What are your Fall Goals?
Do you set goals each season?
Have you ever gone blonde on a whim?

Fall’s Simple Pleasures

Cue Ella & Louis singing “Autumn in New York”…

Saturday morning Husband & I woke up with the windows open. There was a crispness in the air that was unmistakable: Autumn is on it’s way! It’s my very favorite time of year, and here are a few reasons why…

Our dining room table early this morning.

1. Buying candy for the sole purpose of making adorable decorations.

2. Having an excuse to order boots online.

3. It’s the only time “peeping” won’t get you arrested.

4. Having an excuse to say “bouquets of sharpened pencils” any time you go to the supply room.

5. The inexplicable urge to watch old episodes of “Coach” (and perhaps crush on a young Craig T. Nelson or fawn over Shelley Fabares 80s hair).

6. Apple Cider… Wait… Caramel Apple Cider.

7. Afternoon drives in the mountains.

Hannah and Husband

Main menu

JFK – A Nation Reacts 50 Years Ago

Introducing Hannah & Husband

HGTV Home for the Holidays: Behind the Scenes

Life Lately

My Holiday Mantel on DIY’s Made + Remade

Which one is your favorite?

An Autumn Playlist

Make My New Necklace Hanger

Fun Fact: On This Day in 1868

And if you aren’t a fan of Little Women, perhaps there’s another book you consider to be an old friend that could use another perusal?
What do you think?

Setting New Goals

2013 Fall Goals:

What are your Fall Goals?
Do you set goals each season?
Have you ever gone blonde on a whim?

Fall’s Simple Pleasures

So, tell me, what’s your favorite thing about this time of year?

About Us

Which one is your favorite?

And if you aren’t a fan of Little Women, perhaps there’s another book you consider to be an old friend that could use another perusal? What do you think?

2013 Fall Goals:

What are your Fall Goals? Do you set goals each season? Have you ever gone blonde on a whim?

So, tell me, what’s your favorite thing about this time of year?

And if you aren’t a fan of Little Women, perhaps there’s another book you consider to be an old friend that could use another perusal?
What do you think?

What are your Fall Goals?
Do you set goals each season?
Have you ever gone blonde on a whim?