Joyeux Anniversaire Brett!

As promised, I'm featuring some photos taken last evening at the home of my friends Kevin Ivy and Brett Thibodeaux, in Southaven, Mississippi. It was a beautiful fall evening to celebrate Brett's birthday. After cocktails, the guests were served a cajun feast prepared by the host Kevin Ivy. The birthday boy was born and raised in Louisiana and is a graduate of LSU, so he is huge tiger fan. Their home is decorated in French-Spanish decor and everytime I go over, I find more great decorating ideas! Come along and see what you might like...

Geaux Tigers!

Brett the birthday boy in the center...

The foyer

The dining room is painted dark...it's lovely!

This is the dining room chandelier. Many of the light fixtures in the home formerly graced the Jack Binion Steakhouse at the Horseshoe Casino, in Tunica, Mississippi.

The entrance to the study...

The study...sorry it's dark, but it's very classy!

This is another chandelier from the Jack Binion Steakhouse at the Horseshoe...look at that ceiling! I love it:)


Custom shower curtain to hide the shower door



Love this wall treatment and coordinating window treatment near the jacuzzi

This is actually one of my favorite things they have done in the house. The prints are of famous places in New Orleans. The iron gate section is from a home in New Orleans...it's placed over the toilet.

Bookshelves line both sides of a kitchen window, usually loaded with fleur de lis pewter, which is being used as serverware for the evening...love the iron piece at the top!

Over-the-kitchen-cabinets decor

More decor over-the-cabinets

Another favorite of mine--the wrought iron pot rack LOADED with Daniel Cremieux copper pots and pans

Here's the menu:

White Rice with Beans & Sausage

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo*

Garlic Bread

Birthday Cake

Mixed Beverages

*The recipe for the gumbo is at the end of the post.

Here I am enjoying some chicken and sausage gumbo. Of course, I did not blow on the gumbo to cool it down, certainly never slurped the gumbo, and for sure I was spooning away from me!

The birthday cake...I told you he was a tigers fan!

*Recipe for Kevin Ivy's Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, cut up

3 lbs. andouille sausage, sliced

12 cups water

2 lg. onions

4 celery ribs

1 bell pepper

3 cloves of garlic

1 cup flour

1 cup oil

Cajun spice to taste

3 tblsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

6 shakes tabasco

8 bay leaves

1 tsp. file

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Boil the chicken until done with cajun spice and salt & pepper, saving the seasoned broth. Chop the onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic--set aside. To prepare the roux, mix one cup of flour with one cup of oil; microwave for three minutes, then whisk. Continue microwaving eight minutes, whisking after each minute. Add chopped celery, bell pepper, garlic, and onion to the browned roux; saute until softened.

In your stock pot make sure you have 12 cups of the seasoned broth, if not, add water to make a total of 12 cups. Add the chicken, sausage, and roux. Stir and begin cooking. Season as follows: 3 tblsp. salt, 1 tblsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 6 shakes of tabasco, 8 bay leaves, 1 tsp. file, 2 chicken bouillon cubes, 1/2 cup chopped green onions, and 1/2 cup chopped parsley.

Serve over steamed white rice.

Thank you to the host Kevin for making this event very Southern and very memorable.

I thank y'all for stopping by today. Tonight I am attending one of those mega-Southern Baptist Church tablescape events. I hope I have some great table displays to show you. I am also planning to participate in Charm School Saturday. Until then, Make your weekend Southern...make it memorable.