Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Gold-leaf Mirrors

 One thing every home needs is a beautiful mirror, not just any mirror, gold- leaf mirrors. I have several in my home, almost every room. I think a large mirror above the fireplace as the focal point does wonders for a room (although my husband won in this house and our TV is above the fireplace). I also have a mirror in each bedroom, it makes the room feel larger. The great thing is that you don't have to spend a fortune to have a great mirror. I have posted some of my favorites and then the look for less. 

Home Tour

Home Tour 

French antique ....  Home tour

Here's the look for less!




 ( Buy it Here)


(Buy it Here)


Thanks for stopping by! 
Lauren 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

A Shaun Smith Home

Last weekend I had the pleasure to go to the Madison Home and Garden Tour! There were so many beautiful homes, but one stood out in particular. It was AMAZING, I am so in love with everything about it. This home was designed by Shaun Smith of Shaun Smith Home.  I took some of my own photos but they just don't do this home justice.  Shaun was gracious enough to let me use his photos. 

Enjoy the Tour!  Don't forget to check out the fabulous outdoor dining tablescape Shaun created also! 








Shaun explained it's great to mix old and new pieces together! 

Thanks Shaun! 

Visit Shaun's shop at 3947 Magazine St. New Orleans, LA or website Shaun Smith Home
Follow Shaun Smith Home on Facebook

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Closet Therapy Part II

After I posted about my newly organized closet, I realized I never explained the details of the small changes I made that created a BIG difference! I figured I would share, especially for those who really want to "love" their closet.
Tip #1 Color coordinate :

I love to keep my tops color coordinated. This helps because I can easily find the right color that I am looking for and it motivates me keep my closet organized and neat.


 Tip #2 Have all the hangers MATCH:

You wouldn't believe the difference this will make! I prefer wooden hangers.  A lot of people think they are too expensive but trust me, I didn't just go out and buy 100 wooden hangers! I waited till I had coupons at Bed, Bath and Beyond and always checked T J Maxx / Marshalls. Worth the investment.


Tip #3 : Use decorative bins or baskets: 
If you have a closet without drawers I think these are essential to making your closet look organized and feel clutter free. Go ahead, buy the ones you really want so you can get excited about organizing your closet!



Tip #4 Keep shoe boxes: 
We would all love to be able to have a beautiful built-in shoe rack that we could keep every shoe we own out for display ... but unfortunately is it rare that we can all be so lucky. I always keep my nice shoe boxes.  It's great to store boots and shoes that are worn rarely.


Tip #5 Save gift boxes
I keep the nice gift boxes for another less expensive way to organize. I store scarfs, shape-wear and belts in these. 



Tip# 6 Work with the space you have

If you don't have the option to expand the size of your closet, work with the space you have! Every time I move, I thankfully have gotten a larger closet and  I think how did I ever have a closet smaller than this?  I just made it work and learned to improvise.

Happy Organizing!

Thanks for stopping by! 
Lauren

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Closet Therapy

When we moved into our new home in October I vowed to make sure everything had a place as soon as we moved in. I didn't want to be one of those people who just kept putting it off....  even though my husband complained the inevitable happened. Finally I decide I would just bite the bullet and instead of spending my money on clothes, shoes and makeup I would just buy some bins to organize my  closet..... 

Here are the results ... it only took seven months! 

This was a hot mess! 


Bins from TJ Maxx! My favorite place in the world! 
(google reader is going away. follow me on bloglovin to stay updated!)

Thanks for stopping by! 
Lauren

Monday, April 29, 2013

Old Treasures, New Memories

When my grandmother passed away my family went through the house and everyone got a chance to pick some things from the house that we would like to bring into our own home. This piece below was something my grandmother had in the breakfast room when my dad was growing up. I loved it but I needed to update the look to go along with my new kitchen. I know my grandmother wouldn't mind a bit that I painted it because she repainted furniture all the time.  I think she would be proud of how it looks now and to know that it will always have a place in my breakfast room.

I used Annie Sloan paint and added new knobs from Hobby Lobby.
For more information about Annie Sloan paint see my  blog "Duck Egg Blue Annie Sloan Cabinet "

(google reader is going away. follow me on bloglovin to stay updated!)

Thanks for stopping by! 
Lauren

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Tasty Guacamole

 One of the first restaurants my husband and I ventured out to in Jackson, MS had the best food. One of their specialties is table-side guacamole. If you know me you know I love guacamole. It was AMAZING! I could literally just eat a whole helping as my entree and be satisfied. I had to recreate it!

Here's the  recipe:


Thanks for stopping by! 
Lauren



Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Praying For Boston


My prayers go out to all the families and friends who were effected by this tragedy. 



Monday, April 15, 2013

Oven Baked Flatbread Pizza... Yum!!


My husband loves pizza...... but we either order from a chain or grab a frozen pizza at the grocery. I'm over that.  I decided that I could spend just as much (or less) on the toppings and ingredients to make several homemade pizzas. This was so easy and quick. 

What you need: Any type of flatbread....  I use Stonefire Naan Flatbreads (2 come in a pack), pizza sauce 
(I used Rustic Crust and 3 packets in a box) and then whichever toppings you prefer.  I used turkey pepperoni, salami, black olives, mozzarella cheese, spinach and parmesan cheese.


 Preheat Oven to 400 degrees, create your pizza and bake for about 5 minutes.  Bake time can depend on your oven and how soft or crispy you like your pizza.  










Enjoy!  Delicious and a much healthier option!!


Thanks for stopping by! 
Lauren

Saturday, April 13, 2013

A Southern Tradition...... McCarty Pottery



Happy Saturday!

 Above is my collection of McCarty Pottery.  I received most of it as wedding gifts from our family and friends in Mississippi. The pottery comes in three colors: nutmeg brown, cobalt blue and jade.  I love jade if you can't tell!  Based out of Merigold, MS the pottery is made of Mississippi clay and can be identified by the trademarked "river". To me McCarty Pottery is a true symbol of the South. 





Below is my cubby hole in my house where I keep all my favorite cookbooks and display my McCarty Pottery!


Thanks for stopping by! 
Lauren

Friday, April 12, 2013

Duck Egg Blue Annie Sloan Cabinet




 Annie Sloan Chalk Paint....  Need I say more????  I love this stuff and have seriously painted so much....  This piece above was in my Dad's office for years.  Originally it was a piece of furniture that he had refinished.  When he let me have it I wasn't a fan of the natural wood look. I decided to re-do it myself :)

Close up: I used dark wax over clear wax 

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is supposed to be done indoors.  It's best to lay furniture on a towel.  If you get the paint on your clothes or carpet it should wash out, mine did. Depending on how dark the furniture is you will most likely need to give it a coat of white, especially if you are painting it a color other than white. This way the other color such as the "Duck Egg Blue" that I used will be true to color. I can go through the steps of what I did and what you will need, unfortunately I did not take before photos. 

Old White and Duck Egg Blue Chalk Paint

What you will need : Chalk paint, Annie Sloan clear wax and dark wax ( optional), Brushes for Paint, Brush for wax (2 brushes if you choose to add dark wax), paper plate, pair of gloves, old white t-shirt or rag for buffing. 

Handles and Knob from Hobby Lobby

1. Take off any handles or knobs you do not wish to paint. 2. Start with white coat. You can get away with just doing one coat.  Let dry before starting with the next color. 3. After dry, start with the next color.  I have always and recommend putting 2 coats of the final color.  There are all kinds of things you can do with the colors, a lot of people mix Old White or Old Ocher another color to make color lighter. I have never mixed colors so I would not feel comfortable giving advice on that. 4. After paint is dry if you choose to "rough up" your furniture or add a distressed look , this is the time to do it.  I used sand paper.


Similar to what starter kit includes.

5. Once dry you can start on clear wax.  The way I have always done this is to get a spoon and some clear wax and put on a paper plate. You can then take a brush similar to one in the photo above next to the clear wax and dab in the wax. In circular motions brush the wax on the furniture.  Work in sections so you don't get overwhelmed.  6. Once you have put wax on a section buff it with an old white t-shirt or cloth. Make sure its white or off white.  If you use another color like pink or red you risk that color running onto your furniture. 7. If you like the way it looks... your done! 
If you want to add more this is where the dark wax comes in.  You will need to use a completely separate brush from the clear wax brush.  I used a inexpensive brush from a brush set from Hobby Lobby for the dark wax.  Follow the same steps as you did for the clear wax. Only difference is if you put too much dark on and you want to take some off you can put some clear wax on a t-shirt to get excess off. Buff with clean old white shirt. 

Finished Product
If you are looking for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in your area, visit http://www.anniesloan.com/
Please let me know if you have questions. 

Thanks for stopping by! 
Lauren


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Welcome to Senses of the South

I have always had a passion for playing on other bloggers pages, and I decided to create my own blog. When I was trying to think of what I would name my blog it made sense to include the word "South" .... I was born and raised in the south and plan to stay here!

What would I blog about ?  Everything I love of course... cooking, food, music, gardening, festivals, DIY projects, restaurants, travel, perfume, shopping and much more! I then realized everything I have desires to blog about have to do with the 5 human "senses" ( Sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell). My goal is to post information and photos of everything that looks fabulous, sounds amazing , taste delicious, feels good and smells incredible!

Thanks for stopping by!