Brunch Anyone?

My sister and I absolutely love entertaining. We enjoy designing the table setting, preparing the menu, wearing our aprons, sharing our home, cooking our feast, and anticipating every last bite. Whoever created brunch was an absolute genius because it is the perfect opportunity to enjoy one overly delicious and large meal in place of two mediocre meals, and it’s a wonderful time to enjoy the mid day/late morning with friends. Here was our table display and food spread for our most recent gathering. We enjoyed fancy scrambled eggs, pecan waffles topped with banana pecan syrup prepared in the skillet, seasoned bacon, tossed and diced hash browns from scratch, and Bloody Marys. The table was set with mismatched napkins (purchased at a local thrift store), woven chargers, white plates, classic goblets, and fresh flowers simplistically displayed in a rectangle vase. We like to follow up our brunches with a quick team cleaning, loading of the dishes, and we then finish off everything with an extended nap.

“Free Starbucks Coffee” and I’m sold!

One of my mothers favorite things to do is shop. And one of her favorite places to go, is the estate sale, found in the back of an antique store on the Belt-line. The attraction is not seen through a pretty window front or even experienced while browsing pleasantly displayed venues, but the sale is done warehouse style with things scattered and sectioned by price on folding tables. It is run by a very helpful pony-tailed man (who my mother is now on a first name basis with); he kindly offers to transport our purchases to an accumulative pile to be tallied at the end of our shopping. Rhonda, my mother, has taught me to not be fooled by the appearance of things and to instead dig, be choosy (but not too choosy), and to appreciate details. I am happy to say that a little dust, grime, dirt, wear, and tear can not keep me away from something as fun as recycling someone else’s forgotten belongings. I found that I just could not leave behind: a few teacups and saucers (miss-matched and well worn), antique picture frames and artwork, books, a black patent leather purse, an old silver tray with a maritime map, and a few other things. I was pleasantly surprised by the complementary Starbucks coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts (a Mobile obsession). I was thrilled to return to Auburn toting someone’s old that is now my new. As Rhonda always says, “You never know you need it, until you look.”

Design Quote from 1952:

“Through [an] understanding of the world we live in, the history we have known, [the individual] can show the way to the future and show it for people now. In the continuity of history of which we are a part, he must above all, understand the motivating forces which caused the creations of his past. To do creative work, he must reject the vast heritage of the mediocre, and find the true values within the human expression of the past. He will then realize that these are the values of all men, all times and all societies.”

– Henry Hill, Architectural Record June 1952

Muffins + Coffee = Perfection

[Created by Christin Eubanks, my sister and room mate, and enjoyed one unforgettable Sunday morning]

The perfect greeting to a sunny morning is warm blueberry muffins and orange juice (or a mimosa) paired with steaming coffee. I enjoy the simple bundle of tiny white flowers and greenery overflowing from the silver pitcher as a center piece, along with matching antique mugs, and brown and baby blue polka dotted plates. What a pleasant surprise for an early guest or a late riser.

Photography by: Amanda Eubanks

View this Gorgeous Table display at: www.mytraditionalhome.com

Organization is bliss: “You are not your stuff”

I am a supporter of the newly released magazine, “Organize.” Claiming to be: “[T]he one source where you will find information about organizing all areas of your life,” this magazine introduces the products and processes needed to get your job started and finished. “No more buying multiple magazines for multiple ideas!” Getting organized is a daunting task, but the results can create an uplifting feeling of accomplishment and serenity. Check out their website or purchase the magazine, it may prove to be an initiator to a new and uncluttered you. If you are still not convinced of the benefits of organization, I appreciated the statistics found directly on the “Organize” website:

According to the National Association of Professional Organizers:

* 80% of the clutter in most homes is a result of disorganization, not lack of space.
* 50% of homeowners rate the garage as the most disorganized place in the house.
* 80% of what we file never gets looked at again.
* 40% of housework can be eliminated by getting rid of clutter.

Organize Magazine Website: http://www.organizemag.com/