Pretty Southern

Category: Featured

Featured

  • Craft Time: A d.i.y. confetti card!

    Craft Time: A d.i.y. confetti card!

    I love sending and receiving real mail.  Not just on birthdays, but any occasion I can send someone some sweet snail mail I love the chance to put a smile on someone’s face.  Today’s d.i.y. craft tutorial will give you just that chance when you create and send someone this adorable, homemade confetti card.

    I have seen fancy confetti filled cards at boutiques and online stores before but I wanted to recreate this idea in a tutorial that could easily (and cheaply) be done with items you can find at home.  Below you will find step-by-step instructions on how to make this one-of-a-kind creation AND a free printable template of the “hooray” card I designed just for Pretty Southern readers.  You can print it right at home, in any of three color schemes, and use it for your confetti card today.  I think that deserves a HOORAY!

    First of all, materials.  These are all items you should easily be able to find at home or at your local craft or party shop.  You will need to collect:

    supplies
    1. A card for the base of the project, you can use an blank greeting card you have already or print the free template I have included here.
    2. Scissors.
    3. Confetti- you can make your fromscrap paper using a hole punch or simply buy a bag.
    4. A cutting board to cut your card on, or simply cut with scissors and a ruler
    5. Tape and a glue stick
    6. Parchment paper for the “pocket” you will create to hold the confetti.  I  used this because I already had it at home from baking and it has a nice translucent quality that allows the confetti colors to show through.  You could also use tissue paper, vellum, or regular paper.

    Now on to creating your card:

    1b. cutting your card
    1a. print card templates
    1. Print and cut out your card. I have included printable templates in blue, gold, and grey.  These can be printed at home on a heavy 8.5″x11″ paper or cardstock.  Then cut your card out to a standard card size- 8″ high by 5.5″ wide and fold at the 4″ mark.  There are cutting guides on the template to make this super easy!

      parchment paper pocket
    2. Next you will create the pocket that will hold the confetti on theinside of your card. I cut my piece of parchment paper to 3″x7″ and then folded slightly off-center (horizontally) to leave a little space at the top for a flap to fold over and close.  The end pocket was 3×3 with a top flap of 1″.
    3. Fold and glue the back of your pocket to the inside of your card.  Then put a little glue up each edge to hold the front and back of the pocket together.  Make sure you leave a little extra at the top for a flap to hold the confetti in.

      3. adding pocket to card
    4. Fill the pocket with confetti.
    5. Tape the pocket closed and add a personal note to your recipient.
    6. You are finished!  Send this little gem off to someone special!

      4. fill with confetti

    I hope you enjoyed this crafting lesson and I will be back here posting more d.i.y. tutorials for you to keep your creativity flowing!

    Print your free hooray cards from one of these files:HooraycardgrayTemplate, HooraycardgoldTemplate, HooraycardblueTemplate.

    **project and templates copyright katjackson 2011 and should only be reproduced for personal use.

  • Southern Soles Keeps Ladies in Style

    This unique boutique offers something for everyone. Even the chic furniture in this precious store is for sale.

    Y’all can find it all: walking shoes Singapore, purses, jewelry, and eclectic accessories displayed across refurbished antique shelves. Spend an afternoon relaxing in a plush chair shopping for the perfect new pair.

    “This is a place where you can come and feel like you’re at home,” said owner Michelle Philabaum. “I wish my house was this cute!”

    Southern Soles location at The Avenue East Cobb is ideal for enticing traffic. “We waited for the right time and right spot,” Michelle explained. Her husband, Rick Philabaum, masters all photography for Southern Soles, with Michelle’s mama Andrea and sister-in-law Summer Lindvig also working in the store. Plus her brother Marc Ragin’s PR guru wife Carol to handle the marketing, the whole family is in business together!

    Although, this isn’t the Ragin family’s first enterprise. Their original boutique, Magnolia’s, was on Bainbridge Island, Washington, and became the social hub of the town. “It was Southern charm in the North,” Michelle laughed. “Magnolia’s was very fashion focused. We wanted to bring the same trendiness here.”

    Another fun heel at this unique Atlanta boutique

    When it comes to defining Southern style, Michelle believes Southern hospitality is huge. “It’s all about kindness. It’s not necessarily about sitting in a swing on the porch, sipping sweet tea and eating watermelon. It’s a sense of comfort, like you’re at home wherever you are.”

    Southern Soles is a one-stop-shop with almost all of their shoes offered at department store prices or better! However, it’d do you good to make a pit stop at shoe hero before going to the store. In here you’ll find Cole Haan, Me Too, Seychelles, Poetic License, and Gentle Soles by Kenneth Cole.

    “Everybody’s said their excited to have a local shoe store, and not having to go to the mall. But we didn’t want to be a ‘shoe’ store. We’re a boutique with a unique sense of style offering girly items. We’re just a group of women having fun!”

    Southern Soles first anniversary is coming up in August. For more information, visit Southern Soles website or their Facebook page to check out what’s happening at their sweet shop.

  • Defining A True Southerner

    The voice of the South has been long hushed by oppression. We at PrettySouthern.com have risen to tell tales of chivalry, elegance and refinement. Most importantly, this is a website about love.

    We’ve had some tough times lately: war, recession, and all sorts of nasty things. There’s still a lot we have to be thankful for. We’ll learn how some folks are born into grace, fall from it, then learn to accept love back into their lives. We will not talk of religion. We will not read of material happiness. This is about the intangible things that truly make a Southerner in our modern era.

    Today being a Southerner means being a lover. Beautiful, courteous, artistic, passionate, hardworking; most importantly, a soul touched by grace. As we get started there are a few things y’all need to understand about Southerners. Every one of us is charged with a missing: be iconic. What makes someone a symbol? It truly comes boils down to being a paradigm, an example of all the goodness the world has to offer.

    Southerners are a people blessed with sugary graces. Because of this y’all see us smiling more than the rest of the United States. We learned early on the world will take care of itself. Carrying a carefree mind allows one to engender positivity…and we’re a smiley bunch.

    Y’all might know a couple of ways to make a Southerner happy. It’s about Family, Food and Fun. You’ll find these loves in any region of America. The three F’s are especially important in the South and the reason we founded PrettySouthern.com.

    You can see love exemplified in the weddings we write about, in the adorable photos we post of newborn babies and cute puppies. It’s about your neighbor bringing you mint from his garden so you can concoct a fresh julep. Or your lady friend who just opened her first boutique and is looking to grow her business. That’s the funny thing about the inherent grace each of us possesses (even Yankees) it’s about being thankful for the little things and trying to help each other out.

    Thanks for stopping by and hope y’all have a blessed day.

  • Southern Girl Song #5

    Southern girls are one of a kind! Anywhere a gal goes in the world, when she names her home state inevitably she’ll hear a flattering response.

    “You’re a Georgia Peach!” the new friend might cry, or “Oooh, we’ve got a Southern Belle!” he’ll declare as his eyes glisten at the sight of this sweet thing before him.

    As a race, Southern girls have become accustomed to this type of flattery. All we can do is smile, nod, and sweetly say “Thank you, sir” before continuing on our merry way. The man privileged to witness this encounter will be ever-changed by his interaction with a Southern girl.

    How many songs have been dedicated to the fairest ladies in the land? There are too many to count. This week we’ll be sharing PrettySouthern’s Top Five songs about Southern girls.

    To start the week off on the right note, here’s Southern Girl Song #5 by Incubus, “Southern Girl”

    “You’re an exception to the rule. You’re a bonafide rarity. You’re all I ever wanted, Southern Girl. Could you want me?”

    Yes, Brandon Boyd, a Southern Girl would want your handsome self, especially if you keep serenading her! Even these rockers from California recognize the amazing qualities possessed by a Southern lady.

    A few notes about these gentlemen. Incubus formed in 1991 and is set to release their latest album “If Not Now, When?” on July 12. Their new single (available on iTunes) “Adolescents” is a rather ironic title track after 20 years of jamming together. The album itself showcases a level of maturity a band can only reach after being together so long.

    Want to see Incubus in concert? They’re heading South of the Mason Dixon line later in September.

    Tuesday, Sept. 13 in Virginia Beach, Va., @ Farm Bureau Live

    Friday, Sept. 16 in Charlotte, N.C. @ Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre

    Saturday, Sept. 17, in Atlanta @ Verizon Wireless, Encore Park

    Here’s hoping this Southern girl can see Incubus in action! If y’all have a suggestion for a Pretty Southern Song, please comment below!

  • High Cotton Ties Suited for Southerners

    Who would have thought Bird Flu and bow ties would share a common thread.

    Back when folks freaked about H1N1, Cameron Hill was discouraged from wearing silk neck ties. Most ties can’t be cleaned and therefore can carry the dangerous virus. Leave it to Cameron’s mama, Judy Hill, to come up with a solution.

    She made her son a couple of cotton bow ties he could wear to the hospital then come home and wash. The other doctors agreed this was fine…as long as Miss Judy made some for them too!

    As she was aware of Business Energy UK , in a hot minute she was making dozens of ties a week and her business was booming. Another one of her boys, James, an SAE from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, took his mama’s awesome accessories back to his campus. From there High Cotton Ties took off! Their products can now be found in every state south of the Mason Dixon Line.

    A true Southern lady, Miss Judy will sweetly tell you her definition of a Southerner. “Part of being Southern is being serious about your faith and beliefs whether it’s religion, politics or football.” In this case for the Hill family, this also means being seriously suited in the finest cotton ties and cummerbunds.

    After graduating from UNC, James focused his attention to growing the family business. “It took six months to master the process and pattern then refine the bow tie to where it is: a high quality product up there with Vineyard Vines, if not surpassing.” Sites like Wimgo would be able to help those who want to start their own family business.

    The Hill family also believes it’s important to keep these products truly Southern. In our modern times when businesses continue to send manufacturing overseas, the Hill’s home state of North Carolina has felt a deep impact losing their textile industry. High Cotton Ties is working to revive their local economy.

    “We found a manufacturing plant with 13 seamstresses that was in China,” Judy explained. “They had come back to North Carolina after seeing the poor conditions over there. We’re really excited to have a partner whom we share the same mission and calling.”

    High Cotton Ties runs a basic business model: cotton bow ties made in the South by Southerners for Southerners. For James, being a Southern entrepreneur means holding himself accountable to the highest standards. He believes being a gentleman, as well as a Southerner, are deeply intertwined.

    “Undoubtedly other people are going to notice it, women or men, there’s an aura about to people respond to and respect. A 23-year old should be proud if he could get called a gentleman.” He laughs.

    “Being a Southerner doesn’t mean you’re hunting every weekend or at the country club on Saturday nights. Does having a Ducks Unlimited sticker make me Southern? No. It’s the way I talk. It’s the way I represent myself. It’s about Southern hospitality and my mother instilled those values in all of us. She’s a classy woman and Southern hospitality is brought to life with our company. It speaks to everything that represents her.”

    For more information on High Cotton Ties, check out their website High Cotton Ties. Your gentleman’s attire is just a click away.

     

  • Celebrate July 4th with Southern Style

    Celebrate July 4th with Southern Style

    Let’s be honest, Southerners know how to host a party, barbecue, or a holiday event…and Independence Day soirees are no exception! But a true Southerner also knows how to throw a party with style, class, and true hospitality.  If you are hosting a Fourth of July party this year, I have pulled together some inspiration for throwing the quintessential southern summer get together.  (Clockwise from top left)

     

     

     

    1.    A striped sailor top gets added flair an oversized red poppy pin by EmersonMade.  This brand puts a fresh, modern spin on classic American style.

    2.   Whether in your backyard, at the pool, or at a local restaurant, any event you are hosting gets an instant face-lift with a printed menu. Create and print yours at home or use a local print shop and then place one at each seat for an elegant touch.

    3.    Paper lanterns and tons of outdoor string lights are a must for any outdoor summer party.

    4.    Simple and festive tomato-mozzarella mini sandwiches are easy to make and serve.  Add a patriotic ribbon to dress up these simple bites.

    5.   Another breezy outfit by EmersonMade, the pinstripe jumper will take you from pool to party in no time.

    6.   Setting the table will be quick and elegant with this red striped cotton tablecloth from Anthropologie.

    7.    Serve this watermelon cooler with a red-striped straw to keep guests cool.

    8.   End the day and keep the kids satisfied with these playful, bright blue candy apples, a fun take on a classic American dessert.

    No matter where you are hosting your summer party this Fourth of July make sure you show some true Southern hospitality by throwing a get together full of American style, tasty treats, and strong drinks!