Pretty Southern

  • Southern Girl Song #3

    Y’all may have heard this one before, especially if you like to shag. If not, meet “Carolina Girls” by General Johnson and the Chairmen of the Board.

    Norman Johnson (a Southerner born in Virginia who died last year in Atlanta) teamed up in 1978, with Danny Woods and Ken Knox under the name General Johnson and the Chairmen of the Board.

    In 1980, the new Chairmen founded Surfside Records, for which the group still records out of Charlotte, N.C.. In 1980, “Carolina Girls” was released and became one of the most popular songs to shag to across the Carolinas.

    In an interview, Danny Woods of Chairman of the Board was asked if “Carolina girls really are the best? He replied:

    “You know when I first came here (The Carolinas) there was no style. You know you had the New York girls, California girls and they all got the attention. Even songs about them. And that just made Carolina girls feel like nothing but there’s quite a difference between Carolina girls now and then. Their self esteem just magnified after that song.”

    It’s the all-time favorite Carolina beach song. If you’re hittin’ the road to the beach this summer, be sure to include it on your playlist. Here at PrettySouthern, we believe all Southern girls are the best in the world, regardless of their home state. Today, this one’s for the Carolina Girls.

    “Sweet Southern pearls! Sure look tough, girl I can’t get enough!”

    Happy shagging!

    —Editor’s note: photo contributed by our favorite Florida girl, Heather McCole Williams. To view more of her art or book her for photographic work, check out Heather’s blog or their Facebook page to check out what’s happening at their sweet shop.

  • Southern Girl Song #4

    From their album “Eat A Peach” the Allman Brothers most recognizable song is arguably “Melissa”. Who was Melissa you may ask? Gregg Allman gave the history of this song’s origin to the San Luis Obispo Tribune on Nov. 30, 2006:

    “I wrote that song in 1967 in a place called the Evergreen Hotel in Pensacola, Fla. By that time I got so sick of playing other people’s material that I just sat down and said, ‘OK, here we go. One, two, three – we’re going to try to write songs.’ And about 200 songs later – much garbage to take out – I wrote this song called ‘Melissa.’

    “And I had everything but the title…So one night I was in the grocery store – it was my turn to go get the tea, the coffee, the sugar and all that other s–t… and there was this Spanish lady there and she had this little toddler with her – this little girl. And I’m sitting there, getting a few things and what have you. And this little girl takes off, running down the aisle. And the lady yells, Oh, Melissa! Melissa, come back, Melissa!’ And I went, ‘Oh – that’s it’!”

    No, the song is not “Sweet Melissa” it’s just “Melissa.”

    Did y’all know Melissa is also a flower? It’s found in the U.K. (botanical Name Melissa officianalis) and the essence of oil in this flower can be used to mist your skin replenishing its moisture and restoring its healthy glow. Seems like Melissa did the same for this Allman brother.

  • Pretty Southern Puppy

    Now let, say it once all together y’all… “Awww! How cute!”

    Meet 1/2 Pint the Pup. At only two months old, he was hand picked to be our first Pretty Southern Puppy!

    Every Friday, we’ll be featuring a puppy available for adoption at the Atlanta Humane Society. We’re so excited to be working with our first philanthropic organization to help promote their adorable pets looking for owners.

    This super cute hound/retriever is marvelous mutt is ready for his new home. Deborah at the Atlanta Humane Society says this one is so well behaved.

    On his trip to visit the folks at CBS this past week, 1/2 Pint was such a good boy! He was so chill and just enjoyed his field trip (and tv appearance)! This little pup is just a baby and will need a loving family to train him in all the doggy dog ways.

    If y’all know anyone looking for a great puppy, please send over this link. His adoption fee is only $150 and (for reference) his animal ID #13383466. For more information, please call the AHS at (404) 875-5331 or visit http://www.atlantahumane.org/

  • Southern Theatre Hosts Salute to Motown

    The Earl Smith Strand Theatre is bringing Motown hits this Fourth of July weekend. At this marvelous Marietta, Ga., theatre y’all will be treated to hits by Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, and a host of Motown greats.

    “Our focus for Independence Day weekend this year is to celebrate music born in America, music still alive today,” said Earl Reece, Strand director and show producer. We’ve been enjoying Motown music for over 50 years, and still, young people today know the words to songs like ‘My Girl’ and ‘Stop in the Name of Love.’ Motown is truly America’s music.”

    The Strand’s Salute to Motown musical revue will be a non-stop salute to some of the best music in the history of America. The show will tell the story of the origins of Motown, starting when Berry Gordy opened Motown Records in 1959 and posted a sign that proclaimed “Hitsville, U.S.A.” There wasn’t much of a reason to brag – yet. But soon his prediction came true. Emerging at the peak of the civil rights movement, Motown gave Americans everything they could want in music: anguish, romance, joy, and a reason to dance.

    Fabulous performances in Salute to Motown include a cast of soulful singers who are all local professional talent with choreography by Cindy Mora.

    “Some work as professional backup singers, have been on national tours, or are attending some of the top performing arts colleges in the nation,” said Director of Business Development & Marketing, Cassi Costoulas. “Motown may have started in Detroit, but its universal appeal helped unite Americans of all races across the country and especially in the South.”

    Smokey Robinson said “I would come to the South in the early days of Motown and the audiences would be segregated. Then they started to get the Motown music and we would go back and the audiences were integrated and the kids were dancing together and holding hands.”

    Salute to Motown promises to be a show filled with fun and exciting memories of extraordinary Motown sounds. Patrons can move, dance, laugh, and romance to the vibes of Motown, Friday and Saturday, July 1 & 2 at 8 p.m. and Sunday and Monday, July 3 & 4 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 day of show.

    For more information, tickets, or to join The Strand’s email list, visit www.EarlSmithStrand.org or call the Box Office at 770-293-0080. The Box Office is located at 117 North Park Square, Marietta, and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; and two hours before the show.

    ~ Contributed by Cassi Costoulas

     

  • 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 Song for N’awlins Lovers

    It’s Thursday which means ’tis time for another Pretty Southern song. Today’s selection was close for making our Top 5 songs about Southern girls; yet, the characters featured in these lyrics aren’t very representative gentility. This song simply rocks.

    Better Than Ezra’s “Southern Thing” is a true homage to their Delta roots. This New Orleans band gives a shout out to Robert Johnson (featured as our first Pretty Southern song) for whom all Southern rock stars should build a shrine. Mr. Johnson deserves credit for those strong guitar melodies which Better Than Ezra pumps into their tunes.

    Like most Southern rockers, Better Than Ezra does a fantastic job of telling stories through their music. It’s reminiscent of minstrels roaming the country side in King Arthur’s times. There’s a simple, fine art of narration and Better Than Ezra can call themselves masters. Plus only N’awlins natives could sing of a Kappa from Tulane and a Blackjack dealer on a renegade throughout the South.

    “Now when they held up the bank in Mobile, they finally made it on the evening news. She’s a Georgia peach never within reach. He’s a fellow from Baton Rouge.”

    We hear almost every state below the Mason Dixon line featured in “Southern Thing”. From Memphis to Mobile, N’awlins to Georgia, Better Than Ezra takes us across the South and back in just four minutes.

    “Gulf breeze on the porch, Me and my honey rocking back and forth…Pretty mama come and take me by the hand. Don’t mock what you don’t understand, it’s a Southern thing!”

    Do you have a suggestion for next week’s Pretty Southern song? Please comment below!