A Touch of Southern Grace

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Favorite Summer Dresses

One of my favorite things to wear during the summer months is a dress, for the simple reason that it can just get so hot and so humid in Nashville. This year I’ve been having a little bit of a hard time finding dresses that I really like; a lot of them are either too preppy, too boho, too young looking, or just a little too dressy to wear during the day.

Thanks to my late night internet shopping I have found a few dresses that I love and some can even be accessorized to be turned into a dinner dress!

Shirt Dress

Nikki Gingham Dress

Lemon Grove Dress

Striped Seersucker Dress

Tessa Dress

Sunday, June 16, 2019

Current Favorite Netflix Shows

Netflix has become a guilty pleasure that I indulge in on a nightly basis. I honestly think I watch more Netflix shows now than real live TV shows. The only downside to Netflix is that it is like a rabbit hole, you can watch one episode after another until you have complexly plowed through all the episodes. Lately Netflix has come out with some great shows and movies; here are a few of my current favorite Netflix shows/movies!

Always Be My Maybe// I am a huge fan of rom-coms; the cornier the better. This one could not hit the spot any better than it did. Two childhood best friends who secretly had a crush on each other go years without seeing each other, until their paths eventually cross again and an old flame is lit again

Ozark// I just started watching this with my boyfriend about a week and a half ago and we are already on season 2. It is such an addictive show and will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat

High Seas// Fair warning, as far as acting goes it is a little B grade, but the story line is so good! The story takes place on a ship post WWII. It follows the story of one family and the secrets that are unveiled throughout the series

Dead To Me// This show will have you experiencing so many feelings it is ridiculous, in a good way. Two women become very good friends under the oddest of circumstances, all the while; one is trying to hide a murder…

Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life// I know this has been out for about two years now, but I just started watching it for a second time, and I love it even more than I did the first time. I still have my fingers crossed that a sequel is coming soon!

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Guest Post :: 5 Themed Summer Birthday Party Ideas

When I was in elementary school a part of me wished that I didn’t have a summer birthday. I felt like I was always missing out on the lunchtime celebration at school and passing out little cakes; I always came to my senses when I would think how much I would dislike actually having to go to school on my birthday. I always embraced having a full day to celebrate, and there was always a theme involved when it came to the birthday party. Not much has changed, I still love a good celebration and a fun summer themed birthday party. Today Peter Minkoff will be sharing a few fun summer themed birthday ideas!

Just because you’re an adult, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a fun themed birthday party! Summer children are really lucky because they can enjoy the nice weather and take their themed parties outdoor and make the whole backyard their dance floor. So, if you’re looking forward to your summer birthday, here are five of the themes you can consider that will definitely get the party started and produce some hilarious photos!

Patriotic BBQ Party

Summertime is made for celebrating your country and all its beauties and people. When practised in moderation and with respect, patriotism can be truly beautiful! So, why not celebrate your birthday while also celebrating your homeland? Grab your grill and prepare smoky BBQ, whip up some fresh salads, get some light summer desserts and make sure to provide plenty of craft beer. If you have a spare grill, fill it with ice and use it as an Instagram-ready cooler for your drinks! And don’t forget to show off your love for the country by buying plenty of little flags and dressing up in your country-inspired clothing.

World Cuisine Party

Barbecue is great and beloved by everyone, but it’s not exactly super unique and impressive. So, if you’re a self-proclaimed foodie and love to explore new cuisines, why not bring the world of cooking to you? If you know your friends are just as interested in culinary acrobatics as you, organize a World Cuisine party that will blow everyone’s taste buds away! And of course, you don’t have to cook. There are amazing catering services out there that handle everything from food prep, decoration and presentation. And if you find the right caterer, you can get the world on your plate, literally! You’ll get a true culinary rollercoaster that will take your from Nonna’s house to a New York bistro to bright lights of Singapore and back! You can really have an adventure of taste and impress all your foodie guests.

Masquerade

If you want to organize something very mature yet exciting, why not go for a masquerade? If you rarely get to wear your expensive gown or your tuxedo, this is a perfect themed party for you. All your guests should come dressed for the event accompanied by some elegant masks. And when they arrive, surprise them with a beautifully decorated backyard together with a little stage perfect for ball dancing. And don’t forget to provide plenty of champagne to make the event even classier! Your dance floor, your masks and your champagne will make or break your masquerade, so make sure to really splurge on those. If you manage to get them right, your adult party will be a total success.

Beach Party

Beach has no age limit—it’s beloved by kids, teens and adults alike. But if you live inland, it can be really hard to get enough of the beach, even during the summer. So, make sure to bring the beach to you and organize a fun beach party in your backyard! Fire up your fire pit and provide people with easy foods to roast, get plenty of light beachy cocktails (Sex on the Beach is a must) and play some nice and relaxing music. Make your dress-code super casual with shirts, shorts and flip-flops and you’ll get just the right vibe of those beach parties you used to attend when you were younger. Even friends who think themed birthday parties are for kids will love this kind of party.

Hollywood Party

If you’re itching for Halloween and can’t wait to whip out your next costume, make Halloween come early this year by organizing a fun Hollywood birthday party. Since movies are something everyone enjoys, so make it a theme of your party and ask all your guests to dress up as their favorite movie stars or movie directors. Blast soundtracks from movies and watch as your guests have a blast on the dance floor/your lawn. Keep drinks and foods classy (after all, you have all these movie stars in your backyard) and you’ll create just the right atmosphere. It’s really amazing how crazy and relaxed people can get when they are in a costume, so expect a lot of hilarious photos! Your Instagram will blow up!

Adult birthday parties don’t have to be boring get-togethers with just dinner and wine! Pick one of these themes and organize the best summer party that will get you going hard until the morning.

Monday, June 10, 2019

It's The Small Things

In today’s society it seems like it becomes more and more easy to get caught up and this and that and just become discontent with things in general. I think it is wonderful that we live in such a goal driven society that fills people with ambition and drive, but it seems like every know and then you just need to slow down and take in all the small things in life that bring happiness to your life on a daily basis.

I have always been a strong believer that you attract what you think and positive thinking goes a long way – if you have positive thoughts and a positive attitude then you eventually start to have positive things happen.

I always try to find a little something that happened positive in the day, even if I’ve had a not so great day. Today I thought it would be fun to share with you a few of my favorite things and moments!

Puppy kisses in the morning

A bouquet of flowers

The feeling of sunshine on my face first thing in the morning

Any excuse to get dressed up

Christmas music

Black and white movies

Bubble baths

Hot chocolate from Starbucks

Stumbling upon a great Instagram account

An unexpected text/call from a friend

Hearing someone say ‘I love you’

The smell of a bookstore

Rosé

When you’re current favorite song comes on the radio

Frank Sinatra

A new dress that fits perfectly

The sounds of laughter

The smell of grass right after it’s been cut

Peonies

An unexpected surprise

Your favorite home cooked meal that takes you back to your childhood

The sounds of water {preferably, the beach}

A calm night after a long day

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Sunday Night Thought

Friday, June 7, 2019

Happy Hour Time

Helloooo Friday! It’s so nice to see you again – what took you so long to get here? I hope everyone has managed to stay safe and dry today with all the rain that seems to keep pouring down. I think I see myself snuggled up with a blanket, good movie, and some popcorn later on this weekend – don’t rainy days/nights just make for perfect movie watching weather. Here’s to a wonderful weekend ahead and many memories to be made. Cheers!

“She was unstoppable not because she did not have failures or doubts, but because she continued on despite them.

~ Beau Taplin

Drink Special!

Fluffy Ruffles

½ounce rum

½ounce Italian vermouth

Ice cubes

1 lemon peel for garnish

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with lemon

Around Town!

Nashville, TN: CMA Fest at Downtown Nashville, Friday, June 7 – Sunday, June 9

Charleston, SC: Birmingham Legion FC at Charleston Battery, Saturday, June 8, 7:00pm

Little Rock, AR: AAROC Zoo Day 2019 at Little Rock Zoo, Saturday, June 8

Atlanta, GA: Ariana Grande at State Farm Arena, Saturday, June 8, 7:30pm

Austin, TX: Hamilton at Bass Concert Hall, Saturday, June 8, 2:00pm

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Guest Post :: How To Turn Your Hobby Into A Business

With the development of social media and word of mouth advertisement being a touch away with each passing year the internet makes it more and more possible for you to pursue your passion, share it with others, and even possibly turn it into a business. Today Peter Minkoff has written a fantastic guest post sharing tips on how to take you passion to the next level!

If you are very passionate about a hobby of yours and you tend to do it every spare minute you find, have you considered turning that passion into a business? If something you do whenever you are free is your true love, why not also make it your career? Maybe you like to take up more than just one activity whenever you can, but there is surely something you are keen on the most and you do most of the time compared to other things. Whatever that is, here are some tips on how to make some profit out of it as well.

Figure Out Your Strengths

Are you creative, good at planning, inspired, or maybe you have impressive organizational skills? If some of these traits describe you, that is great, but if you have all of them – you should definitely start up a business! Before engaging in anything serious, you should figure out what all of your strengths are. After that, you can aim all your efforts to attract all the right people, the ones who will appreciate these certain skills of yours.

Create a Business Plan

You can ask someone who is already successful in their business how to do so, or read a book that tells you about your first steps. Once you have figured out what you want to do, it is time to make a plan what to do next. What are the things you need, who are the people you need to contact? What about the workspace, working hours, workers? These are all the things to think of, just like there are so many more details you need to take care of. It can be stressful or exhausting thinking about all of that, but it can also be quite fun and rewarding.

Invest In Appropriate Equipment

If you want to paint for money, what you might find useful is purchasing a quality canvas online. If you want to bake – be sure to have all the baking tools that you need. If you want to sell products online, don’t hesitate to invest in trusted sites. Whatever you enjoy doing the most, know that all the money spent on the appropriate equipment will definitely be worth it. Invest in all these things and be sure they are of high quality. When you have all you need for your hobby that is also your business, everything will eventually pay for itself.

Don’t Hesitate To Sell Yourself

When it comes to business, being modest is a bad quality. You need to know how to sell yourself and everything that comes as a product of your efforts. You need to be fearless and not at all hesitant to convince people you have exactly what they need. It might not be easy, but it is the only way it brings you success. Why is what you are selling exactly what they need? Why would they choose you from all people? You need to have answers to these simple questions.

Be Patient And Don’t Be Afraid Of Failure

Some people just need more time to succeed. There are many stories in which people had to wait for a long time before their business took off. However, once it became popular, it was very fulfilling. Be sure to always work on yourself and your products and never give up. When it feels like nothing is happening, think about all the ways how to take your career to the next level. Also, if you fail at first, know that only people who are persistent get what they want. Do not be afraid of failure, learn from mistakes and always find new things to include in your business.

We all want to be rich and successful and at the same time do what we love for a living. Yet, only the bravest of us manage to combine what they love with work – and become accomplished. If you have a hobby you enjoy so much, why not earn money from it, especially if you are good? What is even better, why not make a thriving business? Now you know what to do next… It is all up to you!