Stella & Dot Giveaway from Southern Belle Simple

What is it about a new piece of jewelry that just brightens up a gloomy day? If it’s rainy and gray outside your window like it has been outside mine these past few days, I know just what will cheer you up!

I recently met Heather Peterson, an independent stylist for Stella & Dot, and she has graciously agreed to give away a fabulous pair of Stella & Dot earrings here on Southern Belle Simple.

For a chance to win the Goddess hoops (shown above), just hop over to Heather’s Facebook page and give it a like. For an extra chance to win, you can follow her on Twitter. Leave me a comment or send me a tweet (by midnight Thursday) to let me know you entered and we’ll announce the winner on Friday. 

You can also visit her Stella & Dot site to check out the 2012 Spring Collection…it’s gorgeous, I tell ya! I’m definitely putting the Pippa earrings from the Amalfi Collection on my wish list.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week, and best of luck in the giveaway!

Design*Sponge Event & Giveaway

Earlier this week I traveled across the state to Nashville for an event I just couldn’t miss. After the much-anticipated release of her first book, Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge has been doing a book tour and the West Elm store in Nashville was one of the stops on her agenda.

Not only was I able to meet Grace (who is tiny in real life) and get a copy of the book signed, I attended a special pre-book signing event where we were able to complete a fun little craft from the book.  I took my mom along for the adventure and we had a blast.

Here Grace, Amy A. (left) and others ham it up for the camera. We were all encouraged to take silly pictures in front of that bright backdrop and they should be posted on the Design*Sponge Facebook page. I’m going to do another post detailing the craft, but you might be wondering about the giveaway.

I had pre-ordered my copy of the Design*Sponge book as soon as I heard about it, but a signed book was included with each ticket to the event so I asked Grace to sign the extra copy for me to give away to one of you. She wrote a sweet note inside for the SBS reader who wins. 

Design*Sponge at Home Giveaway:

1 entry per person for a chance to win a copy of the book signed by author & D*S creator Grace Bonney. You can leave a comment here OR comment on the Southern Belle Simple Facebook page OR tweet me @sthrnbellesimpl. It’s that easy. The giveaway will be open through midnight on Thanksgiving and I’ll announce the winner on Friday November 25. Good luck to everybody!

Happy Friday!

Happy Birthday Pe-Pa!

I’ve been very blessed in my life to have wonderful grandparents who made me feel like the most special person in the world…it’s only fair to return the favor in the best way I can.

Today is my Pe-pa’s birthday and since he is one of my most loyal blog readers, I knew he’d see this tribute. I was the first grandchild so I like to think I gave him the opportunity to learn how to be a grandfather. And what a good one he is!

His life has been full of much hard work, but also great rewards. He is well-known and well-loved in my hometown. He’s also a pretty good sport…this was a couple years ago at his birthday fiesta!

Happy Birthday Pe-pa! I hope you know how very special you are!

A Moment for Elizabeth Taylor

We lost a jewel this week with the passing of Elizabeth Taylor. From the first time I saw National Velvet I loved her, but my favorite of her pictures is a little more off the radar. Released in 1954, Elephant Walk is the story of wealthy colonial tea plantation owner John Wiley and his elegant wife Ruth. Set in Ceylon and filmed on location, there is intrigue, glamour, elegance and sadness. It’s everything that Elizabeth Taylor was so known for bringing to life on screen.

The film received lackluster reviews, but something about its visual elements make up for that in my mind. The setting is so vibrant, it almost acts as another character. Vivian Leigh was originally chosen to play the female lead and supposedly some of the long shots are of her. When Leigh’s mental illness became too much of an issue, Taylor stepped in to replace her.

I’m interested to hear if any of you have seen Elephant Walk and what you think of it. Elizabeth Taylor was a legend…they just don’t make movie stars like her anymore. She will be missed.

I’ll do the honors…Awards all around!

One thing that I really love about blogging is how supportive all the other bloggers are of each other. From leaving daily comments, re-posting on twitter and “liking” on Facebook, there is no shortage of community where we can build each other up! Awards are another great way to let a blogger know that you love what he/she does. While these might not be actual trophies or those fancy acrylic awards, a little virtual pat on the back does a body good! 

I understand that some folks would rather not participate, which is also fine. I just wanted to take today’s post and give out two awards (both created by moi) to some of the wonderful friends I’ve made along this journey. If you are looking for a bit more reading material, these are a great place to start!

The photo for this award was taken at my great-grandparents’ farm…they’ve passed away, but the legacy they left was a magnificent one!

In no particular order:

Farmchick at It’s a Small Town Life …this lady is such a talented photographer and her glimpses of daily life “through a fishbowl” make me long for simpler times and a town with less traffic. Her Thoughtless Thursday posts are works of art!

Lana at Walking the Off-Beaten Path…never short of farm adventures, Lana shares her exciting experiences with her Tall Guy, including visits to festivals, machinery mishaps and her unique perspective which will definitely make you smile.

Tyla at Tire Swings and Fireflies…we both call Tennessee home and I love it when we visit the same places, even if we haven’t managed to be at the same place at the same time yet! Plus she’s got a gorgeous new Halloween header and I do love Halloween!

Mary at Life in a Small Town…a sweet friend who always has a kind word. She shares her life including her handsome sons, Chubby Hubby (her words!) and all the fun they have living in a small southern town.

Now, for the next award…

Searcy at Old Southern Garden…if you’re looking for scenes and stories of a simpler more peaceful time, look no further! I know we throw the term southern belle around loosely, but from her writing style alone I’d be willing to wager that this blog’s writer truly personifies that phrase!

kLl at Little Southern…we not only share the same town, but we root for the same team as well! Perhaps I’m just living vicariously through the adventures of a sweet college gal having much fun!

Ashley at Miss Ashley in Mississippi…this lovely southern sweetheart has a great perspective and her posts include fun & useful info about fashion, food and more! She is a Fla Gator fan, but I’ll let that one slide!

The Southern Lady at The Southern Blossoms…I just recently found this wonderful blog whose author is living in Japan with her darling family…and she still manages to keep all her southern traditions at the same time! She shares lots of insight and plenty of great images of life abroad.

Tiffany at Holiday…another new find, this dear one might be my long lost bff! Our shared faves include fried okra, banana pudding, the velveteen rabbit, flea markets and old souls! Her blog is lovely and so is she.

Angela at Slaughterhouse Rules…sometimes crafty, sometimes cheeky, but always tons of fun with this amazing writer/blogger! I got hooked after watching a video of her hubby attempting to say “Arnold Palmer” and then she lovingly makes fun of him for the way he said it!

The Rules: Whatever you want to do! If you were given an award, feel free to pass it on. But don’t let it be something burdensome if you’d rather just bask in it for yourself! If anybody else would like to give these awards to a blog you consider deserving, give away!

Hope you all have a weekend full of adventures!

Odds & Ends

Today’s post is a mixed bag of sorts, so hopefully you’ll stick with it! First, so as not to keep you in suspense any longer…the winner of the custom made Diana Warner necklace! (I did the selection via random generator and I can’t tell you how nervous I was before I clicked the button! I truly wish I had a necklace for every single one of you!)

 

Yes, Miss Rusty Belle, that’s right! You won! Email me and we’ll hash out the details! Congratulations!

…

Secondly, I’ve been given a kind award by Miss Carol the Gardener! Such nice words for my humble blog.

…

Thirdly, I’ve been given a sweet award by that lovely Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong over at How I Met your Father!

The rules of the award dictate that I share 7 things about myself, so I decided to share the last 7 books I’ve read…creative, no?

1. Last Night at Chateau Marmont: A Novel by Lauren Weisberger

2. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives: A Novel by Lola Shoneyin

3. Serendipity: A Novel by Louise Shaffer

4. The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper

5. Uncharted TerriTORI by Tori Spelling

6. My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict’s Attempt to Discover If Not Being a Dumb A$$ is the New Black; Or, A Culture-Up Manifesto by Jen Lancaster

7. The English American by Alison Larkin

I have to say all were pretty good…3 stars out of 5 except for #7 which I gave 4/5. None life changing or anything, but enjoyable reads. I always like to know what people are reading, especially when it’s something good that I might like to give a try! So tell me, what’s the last great book you read?

 

{Think I should have passed these awards on to some other fine blogs? Never fear! I’ve got an upcoming post pegged for awards I’m giving out!}

A Random Roundup…16 Sweet Questions

I’m playing catch up a little bit with today’s post. I really love being tagged by other bloggers to answer questions and things, but because I plan my posts by the week, I don’t always get a chance to respond as quickly as blog etiquette would require. Two fantastic ladies have pegged me to answer 8 questions of their choosing!

First, the fun and feisty Candace at Mi Chiamo

1. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up and are you living that dream? an artist or ballerina…neither of which is on my yearly w-2!

2. Do you have a Bucket List?  If so, what is the one thing on that list left to fulfill that means the most to you? do a cartwheel…seriously, I’ve never done one

3. What is the best thing you ever ate? a cheese omelet on the roof of the Pompidou museum, overlooking Paris

4. What is your most memorable birthday? the most recent one…my friend Rachel had cupcakes delivered to my work! xoxo

5. Who was your best friend when you were a child and are you still friends? I always had a different bestie, but I hold all the friends I’ve made thru the years close to my heart, even if we aren’t in touch

6. What was the best piece of advice your Mother ever gave you? keep yourself open to any opportunity that comes along

7. If you had a child today, what would you name him/her? something good and southern…just found an ancestor of mine named Izadora, what do you think?

{my sweet great-grandpa and moi}

8. Tell me about one of your favorite family holiday traditions - any holiday you choose. Having a huge Christmas breakfast at my great-grandparents’ house at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning. While I was growing up, I didn’t always love waking up that early and having to leave all my toys, but what I wouldn’t give now to experience it again.

Now, 8 more questions from my new friend, the sweet and sassy Carol –The Gardener

1. Is there any one thing in life you still long to do? make a career out of blogging/writing, spend a month traveling

2. What makes you sad? missing people I love

3.  When you think back over your life so far...what is the one perfect day that stands out in your mind? just any random day spent going to yard sales, spending time with bffs, great food and conversation

4. Who is your favorite person to be with? I have so many favorites, I could never choose just one!

5. Do you keep or tell secrets? I’ve kept a few crucial ones over the years

6. What kind of music do you listen to the most? contemporary Christian, Broadway showtunes

7. Eggs and bacon or French toast and waffles? yes please!

8. If you had one idea to share with the world what would it be? Oh I have so many ideas…sometimes I worry this little blog will explode!

I’m not going to tag anyone individually for these questions! If you’d like to share your answers to any of them with us, feel free to do so in a comment!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

If I were, I would be…

I was tagged by the lovely L.A.S. Lowcountry for a fun set of questions…check out her blog if you haven’t already. You will not be sorry! She is a wonderfully sweet belle living it up in the lowcountry and she’s always in high style!

-If I were a month, I would be October because it is gobs of fun, but also mysterious

-If I were a day of the week, I would be Saturday because it’s everyone’s favorite day!

-If I were a time of day, I would be a sunny afternoon…hopeful for what the rest of the day holds

-If I were a sea animal, I would be a mermaid so I could comb my gorgeous hair with a fork  (is this cheating?)

-If I were a direction, I would be southern as southern could be 

-If I were a piece of furniture, I would be wardrobe…full of hidden treasures

-If I were a gemstone, I would be a sparkly one

-If I were a tree, I would be tall with deep roots…able to bend without breaking…providing a comfortable spot for a friend to sit and visit

-If I were a flower, I would be a perennial with a long life of blooms to look forward to

-If I were a kind of weather, I would be the calm before the storm

-If I were a car, I would be a Cadillac, a bit awkward to maneuver but classic all the same

-If I were a place, I would be a side porch…a little hidden with a perfect view of the street

-If I were a fabric, I would be denim, timeless and durable

-If I were a scent, I would be strawberry shortcake

-If I were a song, I would be Amazing Grace

-If I were a pair of shoes, I would be red patent leather mary janes

Now I’m supposed to tag some other cutie to answer these same questions…so, I’m tagging one of my favoritest blog pals Angela over at Slaughterhouse Rules because she is a real live writer and I bet she has great answers for all of these! (no pressure). 

Wishing you all a wonderful rest of the week! Get mondo excited about a jewelry giveaway that I have coming up. You will not be able to contain yourself. That’s all I’m going to say.

Award Season

I’ve been honored with a blog award by sweet Miss Lana over at Walking the Off-Beaten Path. Her blog provides a wonderful glimpse into her life on a farm…and all the adventures she and her Tall Guy experience together. Drop by and say hey to her if you haven’t already made her acquaintance!

The rules of this award dictate that I share these 10 tidbits so here goes…

1. If you blog anonymously, are you happy doing it that way; if you are not anonymous do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now? I don’t blog anonymously…Kate is my real name…and I’m fine with that. But I don’t throw my loved ones names around unless they want me to. I mention my grandma sometimes and while some might think Me-me is an alias, that’s what she is called.
2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side. Only one? Ha. I’m pretty stubborn. Since this is my blog and I’m choosing not to incriminate myself, we’ll just leave it at that.
3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror? A pretty cool gal
4. What is your favorite summer cold drink? UN-sweet tea is my favorite anytime cold drink
5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do? walk aimlessly around Target, read magazines, catch up on the blogs I follow
6. Is there something you still want to accomplish in your life? What is it? get paid to write
7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the class shy person, or always ditching school? I always did pretty well in school, but I like to make people laugh also
8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life, what do you see? Good lord, these questions are deep! If you’re looking for a sweet moment, let’s go with my high school graduation when several sets of grandparents were there to celebrate with me
9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events? I like to blog about other interesting folks and events, but since I’m the author, my personality still comes through in the writing. I knew I didn’t want to do a really ‘personal’ blog but I think those are great too.
10. If you had the choice to sit and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why? I enjoy doing both so it’s kind of a toss-up. I love reading good books and I love catching up with good friends!

Now to pass this award on…a few wonderful blogs that I’ve recently found:

Miss Katie at Harrington House

Miss Bright at The Bright Life

Officially Mrs. at Thirty Something?

Rachel at Nest Egg

Hope you lovelies are having a wonderful week! Any great blogs y’all have found recently that you think we all need to know about? Don’t keep them to yourself! Share!

Gracious Hostess Winners

 

My most recent giveaway ended this past Sunday at midnight and it has taken me way too long to acknowledge the winner…or should I say winners? I was so impressed with the entries for this contest, y’all really pulled out all the stops with your best party hosting tips and ideas. From the delicious recipes shared to the “why didn’t I think of that? ideas,”  I will be much better prepared the next time I host a shindig, thanks to all of you! Since you lovelies put forth such an effort, I thought it my blogger duty to do the same, so I rounded up eight more copies of the book and will be giving it out to nine lucky folks!

 

 

Here are the winners, randomly (blindly) drawn out of a hat in no particular order:

Susan

I Do Declare

The Simple Life

Leiah

L.A.S.

Ashley Stubbs

Meg Mitchell

pve design

Leigh Pearce Weddings

 

 

Hopefully the next time you winners play hostess, you’ll have a great little volume in your hands to assist you…although from your comments, it sounds like you are all set! Such an inspiration to me! Be sure to send me your contact info so I can get your prizes in the mail soon! And to those of you who didn’t win this one, keep playing because I have several giveaways coming up! And you never know when I just might hand prizes out to all those who comment!

 

Happy Friday!

Seeing double

I’ve been honored with the Versatile blogger award by two sweet ladies…does that mean I’m doubly versatile? Huge thank you to Miss Liza over at The Smiths for deeming me worthy of this honor! Another huge thank you to Miss Kelly at The Simple Life for honoring me as well! I must have done something very sweet to deserve these!

 

Per the rules, I gotta share seven things about myself, so since I’m dreaming of cooler temperatures, I decided to share seven things that I’m looking forward to in my favorite season…fall!

1. blue jeans and sweaters

2. Hayrides, scarecrows & pumpkin patches

3. football Saturdays in the south

4. Blues & Brews

5. Thanksgiving

6. leaves crunching under my feet

7. no more mosquitoes! hip hip hooray!

 

Now for the folks I am passing the award to…

Miss Southern Prep

 The Southern Belle Fashionista

Rebecca @ Ella Mae’s Barn Gathering

Jo @ Bees and Fleur de lis

Tyla @ Tire swings and Fireflies

Farmchick @ It’s a small town life

Angela @ Slaughterhouse Rules

Congratulations lady bugs…you all make my daily blog reading a little sweeter!

Honoring a Dapper Gent

You might be wondering who is this fine fellow in the above photo. He isn’t my dear old granddad, beloved uncle or even a cherished beau. He isn’t a southerner, but still deserving of a feature on this blog. In fact, I never had a chance of meeting him because he has been deceased for sixty years. Nevertheless, he managed to improve the quality of my life by leaps and bounds. Mr. Willis Haviland Carrier invented modern air conditioning. If you are indoors and you can hear that lovely purr of cool air being pumped into the room, you have Willis to thank. If you are in the south in the middle of an extreme heat advisory (like yours truly), you need to build a statue in his honor. That’s what I’m planning on doing this afternoon. Do you think he’d mind if it’s just out of play-doh? I don’t want to get too sweaty.

{this is where I’d like to be}

{with this close at hand}

Keep it cool y’all! You have my permission to go to any (well almost any) lengths to achieve the cool today! Thanks again Mr. Willis Carrier, this one’s for you!