Let's Do Brunch...Mother's Day

Mother's Day is tomorrow and I'm just now  making out my menu.  For dessert I want something easy, pretty, and light, if that makes sense. But I saw the embellished angel food cake on Pinterest the other day and can't stop looking at it!  Store-bought too!  Anyway, I'm off to walk the dog and Hubby, then on to some gardening a little cleaning and then to the store.  Happy Mother's Day!

 

Martha Stewart Bundt Cake

Derby Time!

I was having lunch with my friend Colleen yesterday and she told me she was going to a Kentucky Derby party this Saturday. Colleen said she was working on making her own hat, that girl never ceases to amaze me!  Well, I've never actually been to the Run of the Roses but Hubby and I have been to the iconic Churchill Downs.  Indeed, a place to check out if you are ever in Louisville area. These roasted brown-butter pecans with rosemary from Southern Living caught my eye in case you need a quick, easy bite for Derby day!

Mother's Day Gifts for The Nature Loving Mom!

Bird Bingo!  Love the charming illustrations!!

Audubon's  Aviary - I gave this to my Mother-in-law for Christmas and could not help but peek through.  Beautiful book!

Gardening Gloves from Red Envelope

The Classic Fisherman Cable-Knit Sweater!

Grace Kelly via Habitually Chic.  Love!!

I'm always a day late and a dollar short. Last year, the classic ivory cable-knit fisherman sweater was all the rave!  I've been obsessing over them since early Fall,  when I read this great post over at Habitually Chic, but I just never got around to getting one.  Now I do have one, but I don't really like it, so I'm not counting it.  In fact, I had it on the other day, but I was desperate and I want to step it up a notch.  

Just in case your wondering, why is it April and everyone else is shopping for Spring and Summer and I'm not? Well, this is why. Hubby and I finally booked our trip to Montreal and Quebec City. We leave in the middle of  May, and I've been warned to dress warm!  So here's my chance to finally grab that fisherman staple that I've been wanting.

Marina Rust pic via Vogue. Love it!!

Since I can only focus on a few things at once, my visions of tunics, white jeans and espadrilles will just  have to wait until I get back. Here are a few that I've rounded up, just in case your holiday takes you somewhere cold too, or you want to grab a classic staple at a really good price. Over at Brooks Brothers I found three: a shawl collar wool cable knit sweater, a long sleeve Aran cable knit turtleneck, and the V-neck cable knit Saxxon sweater. And just this afternoon I stepped out of my office and placed an order for two of them. So perhaps, being a day late sometime pays off, at least it did in this case.  

Also, found this one at L.L. Bean in the men's department. I loved it. Great price, but I'm petite, and I thought that it would be a little to big.  I should have checked the boys department.  Anyway, it's time  for me to move on so I can cross a few other things off my list. 

Here's another great post here that I found while searching for the fisherman.

Book Alert!

Last Friday evening, while browsing Pinterest, my latest obsession, I spotted a beautiful living room done in blue and white.  I knew immediately that the living room picture that I was ogling over was from One Man's Folly The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood.  Because earlier that week, perhaps it was Thursday, I had read a nice review over at The Peak of Chic.  Blue and white Chinese porcelain, simple cotton duck slipcover, nikko blue hydranges, a barn, and dawgs...doesn't get much better then that.  And written by one of my favoriate Southern writers too, Julia  Reed.  The release date for the book is April 22, just in time for a nice gift for Mother's day.  

Arriving at Dogwood Living!

It wasn't until this past fall, while cleaning out drawers and such, that I came across some of my old business cards from my antiquing days. Many were old business acquaintances—from vendors who I would buy from, to innkeepers in the English countryside. One old business card instantly put a smile on my face. It was from a taxi cab driver named Babs. She had befriended me and my good friend Brandon. I even found the little pom poms that she had made for our luggage that day, right along with several other memories, all just thrown in a drawer. Naturally, with life, everything just got thrown by the wayside for years. In this case, these were in my old beat-up English secretary that you can't even open!

So a few weeks ago, one early Saturday morning while organizing some pictures, it finally occurred to me that it was time to get organized, and to get into the 21^st century. I arrived at the decision to stop blogging incognito, jump on Pinterest, and perhaps send out a few tweets here and there.

 

Now the tricky part, the name! Of course something southern came to my mind. Southern Chic, Southern Charm, Southern Flair...no not me at all. Then came magnolia...synonymous with the south. Magnolia Living, Magnolia Lifestyles, you name it, it was taken. I even found a Magnolia.com located in Germany! And you know what, I don’t even have a magnolia tree. Forget magnolias...who needs 'em! 

 

I googled every Southern flower, tree, plant and finally arrived at dogwood. Dogwood Living - which more describe my lifestyle – southern, simple and I think pretty easy-going if I do say so myself. And it's awakening now...just like I am!

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa Mule'
www.dogwood.com

Pretty In Pink...for Mum!

Mother's Day is just around the corner, as all the sales promos in my mailbox keep reminding me. So I've pick out a few things for Mum and for some reason the color pink is on my mind. I don't really decorate that much with the color pink and I don't really wear too much pink either. I could probably count everything on one hand. In fact, the only pink things I buy are: collars, leashes, dog coats, which, of course, are for the dog.

Check out my "Pretty in Pink" Pinterest broad. It's still a work in progress, but I'll keep adding to it. So here you go, a few gifts for Mom in "Pretty in Pink". 

Above: pink wallet from Tory Burch in Tory Pink.

Refined Silk Cashmere wrap from J.Crew in Vintage Blush. Perfect little pop of color...I find!

 

The boat and tote bag from L.L. Bean in pink.  Perfect for Mom, or better yet the new mom-to-be.  Just don't forget the monogram...cute!