southernafternoon.com

Deep breath. Time to try to start regular life again.  This is Friday’s post, saved for a few days. Heavy hearts and deeply felt prayers took the place of our usual frivolities.

I love the idea of an anchor as a wedding symbol.  Sure, it brings to mind the sea and is perfect paired with the navy blue  and white stripes.  At the same time, the bigger symbol is finding the person who keeps you grounded and being the person that keeps someone else grounded.  It acknowledges the people in your life who do the same.  What a wonderful graphic to set the tone of your ceremony.  The handmade boutonniere is an unexpectedly perfect accent to the groom’s suit. Classic navy bridesmaid dresses and a preppy striped table and cake combine to make a crisp palette that’s fresh and bright.

I have a thing for houses with iconic trees.  A 150 year old oak is the centerpiece of my back yard, huge and sprawling.  And in the sweet little starter bungalow before this?  A magnolia tree that burst into pinkish bloom every spring and then dropped its glossy, leathery leaves every fall.  I had such a fondness for bringing in branches in the springtime.  I loved the craggy sticks bedecked with blossoms for transforming my shabby dining room into a chic one.

Every time I see this invitation, it reminds me of those happy newlywed times.  The sheen of the leaves, the rich creaminess of the flowers, the luxury of it all adds a note of sophistication without any sort of fussiness.   It’s pretty and unique, especially when you add grace notes like some South Carolina inspired basket weave to the cake and some lovely blues to compliment the green leaves.  Dreamy…

For sources for these great pics, as well as other great ideas, check out our Magnolia Pinterest board!

Today we get to play Santa!  We’re always thinking ahead and Christmas is on the mind and we’ve got an AMAZING deal for you!  Check it out, share it with your friends, pass it on to your second cousin once removed.  It’s too great a deal to miss!

I was hanging out on etsy the other day, checking out how things were going in our shop, playing around with the shop by color feature (I could do that all day!!) and checking out some awesome things from some amazing vendors.  And then I saw it.  One of those mythical things you spot everywhere on Pinterest, but it always has a broken link that you can’t track back.  I thought it was a handmade, DIY that would go on my To Do list, never to actually be done.  But there it was.  The “hey y’all” sign. For sale.

Love it because it’s just that little bit of Southern your back porch needs.  Love it because it’s fun and perfect for an entry way hung over your Grandma’s sideboard.  Love it because for just $50, it’s a perfect little splurge for your new home. Love it for your little sister’s dorm room or for your Mama’s garden shed. Just. Love. It.  The seller has a zillion other designs for everywhere around the house and for all kinds of tastes. The barrel of monkeys monkeys would be fantastic for a little boy’s room. And ‘sweet tea‘ in the kitchen? Don’t mind if I do.  All the signs are streamlined with that handmade, slightly vintage, very cool look.  Reviews are good, prices are great and I’m just trying to decide which one I really need…

It’s a quiet weekend around here, so I’m thinking of a million projects I want to tackle.  The one bad thing about Pinterest is that I end up with more crafty stuff to do than there is time in a hundred lifetimes.  I can only choose one for this weekend, though. And I think it’s going to be turning something into a chalkboard.  It’s crazy easy to do–we’ve got a link to a tutorial on our Pinterest Board–and you can make it in any color.  I think I’ll go with the standard black/slate for an ever changing art piece in my living room

Chalkboards like these are popping up everywhere!  They’re easy to find in shops, they’re easy to make with a little bit of time and a well ventilated area.  Regardless of how you track them down, they add a little bit of fun and whimsy to your party (and answer the eternal question of “Is that my drink?”)  They offer endless options for personal expression or art work.  How about one in a photo booth?  Or a cake shaped chalkboard centerpiece? How would you use one?

Sources for these ideas and lots of other great DIY projects, check out our Pinterest Board!

Conversation hearts are one holiday treat that I’m content to admire and not eat (to me they are slightly sweet chalk, but I know others who love them.) Still, I always loved getting a box or a few in a Valentines card and sorting through them, reading the secret messages and decoding them for context.  They embody youth and that giddy excitement of parties at school, of all consuming crushes, of the first flutters of love. And they also make pretty sweet jewelry!

Check out this adorable sterling silver necklace by Christina Korber’s etsy shop…so cute!  “Be Mine” is a classic from the conversation hearts repertoire, but she also has “1 and only,” “amore,” and “marry me.”  And they are customizable, so you can get anything from a pet name to the much coveted “Hot Stuff.”  What about “Angel” for your flower girl?  Or your bridesmaids initials? Or maybe you could just casualllllllly leave this page up so your fiance can spot it and mention casuallllllly that Valentines is less than a month away…..

Check out this and some of our other great finds on our Pinterest boards–there’s even a Valentines idea board with a link to how to make Conversation Heart Vodka!

I love fresh starts!  When everything is bright and shiny and new…and that’s exactly what we have for you today!  Paperwhites is pleased as punch to unveil our new website today!  We’ve worked so hard to put together paper products that reflect you and your style.  We have the perfect invitation to suit the tone of any wedding or event–from mountain top to ball room, from vineyard to library.  All our styles are unique to us and have a heavy dose of Southern charm mixed into the sweet and sophisticated styles. Whether you make an appointment to come visit us in our Cary, NC boutique or work with us online, you’ll receive the personalized attention to detail that everyone deserves.

Special thanks go out to the brilliant Hilton Pittman.  My Mama always warned me about bragging, but it’s hard not to with Hilton’s keen eye and hard work showing us at our best. Our gratitude is deep and sincere.  Here are a few samples of our (and his!) work.  Check our our Lookbook for more!

Happy Cyber Monday!  I hope you had an outstanding Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday (WOOT!!), a blessedly quiet Sunday, and now a good day today.  We’ve had a good rest, earned and imposed, and are getting ready to get back to showing you the best and most amazing ideas in weddings.

Since so many got a great start on their shopping over the weekend, it’s time to fill in the blanks.  I wanted to remind you all about the last few days of the stamp sale–there’s still some time to pick one of these up for some of the best people you know.  Thoughtful, personal, lovely…you know someone who would love one!  $30 down from the usual $40, they are a great bargain right now.  They give you just Monday, we offer it all of November.  They do take a couple of weeks, so order now!

I know I’ve been writing about it a lot lately, but I don’t want you to miss out on the great deal on these personalized self-inking stamps!  $10 off is a huge discount, the stamps are great for you or as a gift, they’ll streamline your holiday process or will add a bit of personal flair to your correspondence or your wedding!

The designs are so sweet and elegant-they really do exemplify everything Paperwhites strives for!  If you order now, they should be here right at the beginning of December, just in time for holiday cards!

With the holidays coming up, I’ve got a few projects here and there I want to get done.  One is to make some mercury glass vases, another is to look for great mercury glass vases to buy in case I run out of time (I am nothing, if not realistic.)

Either way, there is something terribly enchanting about mercury glass.  Vintagey wear, mirrored glamour, with golden candlelight glowing inside.  They are the perfect addition to any holiday table, shower or wedding.  No need for flowers or anything elaborate, though you can if you like.  The reflection and shine stand alone or can compliment whatever you’d like to add. Beautiful and simple and just lovely.

Tutorials and sources on our Pinterest board! Check ‘em out!

,