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It’s officially hot here in the South. I’ve been trying to use my time in the great indoors wisely. There have been a bunch of wedding shower invitation orders in progress and it has gotten me thinking… what are the latest shower gift ideas? As I prepare to celebrate my 8th wedding anniversary, it’s been a blast to research what the modern bride is coming across these days. Here’s what I’ve discovered: Monogram Everything: Not sure this is so different than any other time in the south, but I LOVE that the monogram tradition is still going strong. Check out...

Did you have a chance to watch Barbara Bush’s gorgeous funeral? Living in Houston, her service was the buzz of the weekend and well deserved. Barbara was a legend: confident in who she was, supportive of loved ones, unyielding in her beliefs, gracious under pressure. The embodiment of a feminist icon, without ever having to declare her title. A true “Steel Magnolia”. Barbara’s strength was undeniable, yet she didn’t necessarily have an “easy” path. The cartoon image that went viral of the reunion of Barbara and her three year old daughter, Robin, at the Pearly Gates, struck so many hearts...

I’ve been on a quest lately to accept imperfection. As an artist, I’m constantly battling my inner perfectionism. It’s my career to make things aesthetically pleasing, yet most of the time my personal life can’t stand up to the pressure. Do you ever feel that way? The voice may start small: “This house is a wreck! We’re never going to host a dinner party again”, but soon a larger cultural pressure chimes in saying “your parties will never look like the ones on social media”. Gosh dang it, Pinterest! So where do we find balance? Is it still possible to...

I came across a great article over the holidays called "Why Northerners Will Never Get Southern Hospitality". The title alone captured my attention and made me chuckle, but the heart of the material gave me genuine pause in the midst of the Christmas chaos. Author Roy Blount, Jr. writes: "Before air-conditioning, climate was a factor [to hospitality]. In the South, people were more likely to be sitting on the porch when folks [walked by]. You couldn't pretend not to be home when there you were, sitting on [your] porch. You could pretend to be dead, but then you couldn't fan...