Hi Friends! Today I want to introduce you to Noonday Collection - a socially responsible business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. My childhood friend, Lindsay, introduced me to Noonday and their jewelry a year or so ago. Lindsay is one of their Ambassadors, and is an advocate for socially responsible fashion, whether clothing, jewelry, shoes, bags, etc. I really want you to know about the incredible sale they have going on, called Impact Uganda Sale - it's a giveback sale going on this month and so far, $100k in Ugandan product has been sold. What does that mean? $10,000 in additional funding for social programs!! Bonus! Every week of this month there is an Instagram contest with a different theme, and the winner will receive all of the new pieces from Uganda when the new fall line launches! What a great gift! To follow Noonday, click here: NoondayCollectionIG For Lindsay, she set a personal goal to sell 36 items this month - you see, this month she turned 36 so what a great birthday gift for herself and for those for which she is striving to make a difference! As of today, she's sold 23 items, so will you be one to help her reach her goal of 36 pieces? Just so you know, I personally have a couple of their necklaces and they are carefully and beautifully made by the Noonday artisans. Last year I bought a few of the Dainty Paper Bead Necklaces {the colorful one pictured above ↑} and gave them out as Christmas gifts, and of course kept one for myself :) I hope you're able to check out the website and find something pretty for you,your mom, a sister, a friend, a neighbor...and know that as you're picking out these unique pieces of jewelry, you're making a difference in the lives of many! … [Read more...]
Magnolia : A Gift
Way back in February, when it was my birthday, some super sweet and incredible friends that I work with got me a gift certificate to Magnolia Market. Magnolia, as most of you know {or should know...} is Chip & Joanna Gaines' shop in Waco, Texas. If you don't know who Chip and Joanna Gaines are...well, we just cannot be friends any longer. Kidding. They are just mine and Andrew's couple-twins and they are living our dream in real life. Oh, and they also have that fabulous show on HGTV, Fixer Upper. Now, you know who they are. So, I got the gift card to Magnolia and from time to time I checked things out...what would I buy?? I wondered. Hmmm. I debated several things. I even put things in my cart and then removed them. As you can tell it took me close to 3 months to decide what I would purchase. Tonight I got my box. Giddy, I brought it inside, got the scissors out of the drawer. Reynolds helped me open the box... First impression. They use black and white striped tissue paper on top. Classic. There is a picture/thank you card from Chip & Joanna. We're bffs, they just don't know it. I bought one of Joanna's signature candles because I loved it so much and burned out the first one I purchased {more on that in this post}. I also purchased a "Toilet" sign for our new powder room. But the best thing was yet to come...in it's own envelope... With it's own black and white tissue paper.... Oh, the signs! I love all of them but there is a saying that Andrew and I have when things go awry..."at least we're together". So when I saw this sign, that was it. This was the one big thing I had to have. I'm not entirely sure where in our home it will end up, but out of the two ideas I'm toying with...one of them will surely be fantastic! Drew, at least we were together. I forget the rest. ♥ … [Read more...]
Columbia Open Studios : Forest Acres Tour
I hope you read my post last night about Columbia Open Studios this weekend...tonight, check out this great itinerary my sweet friend Chloe put together for me in preparation for Saturday. This itinerary is how my family will explore our neighborhood route of Columbia Open Studios this year. It covers the way we’ll hop to and from artists’ studios in Forest Acres – with some of our favorite places to grab breakfast, lunch and dinner along the way! How will your family explore Columbia Open Studios? Check out the artists in your own neighborhood online at ColumbiaOpenStudios.org, then answer in a comment below to be entered to win a pair of tickets to the official Columbia Open Studios Preview Party, Thursday, March 31, 7-9 pm, at 701 Center for Contemporary Art in historic 701 Whaley! →MORNING← Start your neighborhood tour of Columbia Open Studios with breakfast in Trenholm Plaza on Forest Drive: Settle down with a stack of housemade pancakes and a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice at one of our favorite family-friendly spots, Original Pancake House, or grab brunch at the trendy Tazza Kitchen to try their Spicy Sausage & Black Pepper Honey Breakfast Pizza, huevos rancheros or crabcake benedict – and a mimosa, if you’re a passenger on this self-guided tour! Want something quicker to eat on your way to artists’ studios? Pick up a scone or muffin at neighborhood bakeshop, Ally & Eloise, further up Forest Drive; or a healthy pressed juice and fresh granola, yogurt and fruit cup from local health-nut haven, The Fresh Market back in Trenholm Plaza. Making your way down Forest Drive, start your tour at mixed media artist Lyssa Harvey’s studio (24). As well as working as an artist, Lyssa is a therapist and runs the Art and Play Therapy Center of South Carolina, a nonprofit that helps children through counseling, art therapy and play therapy. Next, visit the studios of Scotty Peek and Sally Peek (42), creative couple extraordinaire. If you … [Read more...]
Explore The Artists’ Studios! + Preview Party Ticket Giveaway
This is for my local friends {sorry everyone else!}, in and around Columbia, SC.... Starting this Saturday, you have the unique opportunity to see our local artists at work. In their homes, their gardens, their garages, their lofts, etc. AND buy their art, with 100% of sales staying with them. This is really great! For a couple of years now, Andrew and I have seen the signs in our own neighborhood but never took the time to actually get out of the car to see what was going on. So, if you're interested {like me!} and want to know where to start with this tour, there is a 32-page guidebook with maps and full artist list, with work samples, available at 701 Whaley - in the Center for Contemporary Art. Or check it out here: Columbia Open Studios. Also along the routes, there are tons of restaurants supporting the the tour: Open Studios: Restaurants - so you can stop in between homes to grab a meal, a snack, a beer, whatever! You could totally make a day of this either Saturday and/or Sunday, with 70+ artists available to check out. For a sampling, check out these top picks for cool new artists to visit: J Renee – "reverse glass painting," African-American female artist who has exhibits in Nola, NYC, CHS, DC (and at Columbia College!); work was feat. in Haitian exhibits at United Nations, MoCADA Museum, CCCADA Art Institute all in New York; work is in collections of Southern University of Louisiana in Baton Rouge; W. E. B. DuBois Museum in Ghana; & McKenna Museum of African-American Art in Nola Caroline Harper of Chi Design – indigo textile dyeing; Crafty Feast "best in show" runner-up Dylan Critchfield-Sales – drawing & painting; was a 701 CCA Artist in Residence Jason Jaco of TexasStreetWorks – he's a blacksmith! We believe the first to participate in Columbia Open Studios. Billy Guess – installation, mixed-media & sculpture. As a friend of Tracie's, he's known as off the wall & very entertaining. You never know what … [Read more...]