Derby Day Wear

As usual, Vineyard Vines is a great place to shop for Derby Day wear.

Love this Racing Horse Dress with the racing horse print scene on the silk sash.

This Race Day Hat with the grosgrain bow is adorable for any Spring or Summer day!

If you already have a Derby outfit and need a Race Day Scarf, this one is cute with the little tassels.

Love this Derby Day pony cap!

Monogram Monday

This hand-painted, monogrammed cross is on the front door today.  I love it and it's great for the Easter season or throughout the year!

Alicia, the artist and owner of Two of a Kind Art has the cutest loot y'all!  I first saw some of her work at The Emporium in Warner Robins and then started following her Facebook page.  I'm excited that she is opening her own shop in the quaint little downtown area of Perry, Georgia.  The soft opening is scheduled for March 26, 2015 10am - 5pm.

Take a peek at some of her designs...

How darling in this seahorse?  It can be monogrammed y'all!

Two of a Kind Art

900 Commerce Street

Perry, Ga

Facebook ~ Instagram

Cherry Blossom Festival

The 33rd Annual Cherry Blossom Festival is underway in Macon, Georgia.  There are lots of ways to "Party Till You're Pink"  with nightly concerts, food trucks and fair food, amusement rides, a parade, arts and crafts, luncheons, and tours of historic homes, churches, theaters, and museums.  There is truly something for everyone to enjoy...to celebrate spring and the beautiful cherry blossoms.

In 1949 the late William Fickling, Sr. discovered the first Yoshino Cherry tree in his back yard.  During a trip to Washington, DC in 1952, he spotted a tree that looked exactly like his tree.  On a return trip, he compared a cutting from his tree to those around the tidal basin.  It was a perfect match!  Upon his return to Macon, he learned how to propagate the Yoshinos and began freely sharing them with the community.  There are now 300,000-350,000 Yoshino Cherry trees in Macon.

Pink bows are tied to any and everything here in middle Georgia and talented artists have painted the cherry blossoms on automobile windows and business storefront windows.  The whole town is decked out in pink! 

My mailbox is adorned with a pink mesh bow and cherry blossoms.

Of course, if you have a festival and a parade in the South, you simply must have a queen.  Congratulations to Queen Jaedyn Ellis and the Cherry Blossom Royalty!

The Queen and her Court:  (left to right) Tolu Sogade, 3rd runner-up; Valerie Davis, 1st runner-up; Queen Jaedyn Ellis; Kiara George, 2nd runner-up; and Savannah Alday, 4th runner up.

The Cherry Blossom Festival will be going on now through April 4, 2015.

Wish List Wednesday

The Lilly 'Lulu' print is one of my favorites.  I love the colors and the pattern.

Yesterday I wore the Kate Spearmint Vest reversed to show the 'Lulu' print lining.

  

This vest also looks cute with a pink gingham blouse.

I am now on the hunt for the ' Lulu' scarf

The 'Lulu' Elsa is also on my wish list.

Royals Coming to America

The Royals are coming y'all!

Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla are coming to America!  On March 17th, they will arrive and spend three days undertaking a broad range of engagements in Washington, D.C. and Louisville, KY.  

Just in case you run into them, you must make sure that you follow proper Royal Etiquette.

Do you curtsy, bow, salute, or shake hands?  Unless you are British, you don't curtsy or bow to British Royalty.  Wait until they speak to you before you speak.  Don't shake hands until the royal hand is offered to you.  

When meeting the Prince, it's a gracious gesture to give a bow from the head.  Address the Prince as "Your Royal Highness," then "Sir."

When meeting the Duchess you might do a little bob, just to show respect.  Address the Duchess as "Your Royal Highness," then "Ma'am."

If you are British, you curtsy to the Duchess...Put your right foot behind your left foot and briefly lower yourself several inches while bending at the knees with one foot forward.  Be sure to keep your upper body straight.

Sarah Brown, wife of the former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, gracefully curtsies to the Duchess of Cornwall.

Hugging or kissing a member of the Royal Family is definitely a Royal Etiquette faux pas!

Royal Reading and Viewing

I must add this new book 17 Carnations, to my royal book collection.  Andrew Morton, bestselling author of a number of biographies featuring the British Royal Family, tells the story of Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor, his American wife, Wallis Simpson, and the bizarre wartime Nazi plot to make him a puppet King after the invasion of Britain, and the attempted cover-up by Churchill, General Eisenhower, and King George VI of the Duke's relations with Hitler.

And now I have a new show to watch on Sunday nights.  The Royals starts this coming Sunday, March 15th at 10pm.  This is a drama about a fictional British Royal Family set in modern-day London, who inhabit a world of opulence and regal tradition that caters to any and every desire, but one that also comes with a price tag of duty, destiny, and intense public scrutiny.  Elizabeth Hurley stars as Queen Helena, a fictional modern-day Queen Consort of the United Kingdom.

The Royals...this Sunday night y'all!

Monogram Monday

Up today for Monogram Monday is my boxwood wreath with a monogram...from Simply Stunning Home on Etsy.  It's the perfect size and since my porch is covered, I think it'll be okay outside.  I searched awhile on Etsy for this style and found several stores with not-so-good ratings, but this shop owner was very professional...good communication and fast delivery of a product that was just as described on her site!

It's that time of year when I change the door arrangement every week...so stay tuned y'all!

Social Graces Sunday--Remembering Names

Goodness gracious, have you ever forgotten the name of someone you were just introduced to?  How embarrassing is that?!  How does it feel when someone forgets your name?  Not good, right?  Usually you forget someone's name because you are not listening or paying attention.  It happens to all of us...You meet someone during a social function and the next day you see that person again and draw a blank on their name.  Faces are easy to remember, but names, not so easy.

Having just moved to a new town, I meet new people every day.  I'll admit that it's not easy to remember all the names of the new acquaintances I've met at church, at shops, neighbors, et cetera.  

Remembering a person's name is being polite and considerate.  It's the most basic step in showing respect and building a meaningful relationship.  There is no sound as sweet as the sound of one's own name.  You have to make an active effort to focus on the person's name to remember someone's name.  

When you are introduced to someone, repeat their name.  "It's nice to meet you Mary."  Use the person's name frequently in conversation and when saying goodbye.

Find something about Mary and associate that as a visual with her name; i.e., a similar person, place, or thing that you will remember later.  You might also ask for the person's card and make a note later on the card to help you remember the face to the card.

When people wear name badges in public gatherings, it makes things a lot easier!  Name badges should be worn on your right shoulder.  The reason is when we extend our right hand {always the right hand} for a hand shake, our eye automatically goes in the direction of the person's right hand and their right shoulder.  

Everyone struggles with remembering names from time to time.  If you forget someone's name say "Please tell me your name again."

Wish List Wednesday

Elizabeth McKay has the cutest clothes and I found some fabulous fashion choices on her site for St. Patrick's Day...just so you'll look cute and won't get pinched!

How perfect are these dresses?!  The Ruffle Wrap Dress and the Scotland Wrap Dress are both on my wish list!

Seriously, the Elizabeth Elephant Green Blouse would look adorable with green Bermudas!  I want this!

The Susan Ruffled Polo is cute too!

Love, love, love this Classic Green Tunic and it would look fabulous with white denim pants.

Check out Elizabeth's Instagram and Facebook for more of her fabulous clothes.

Monogram Monday

I'm just starting my collection of these cute monogrammed bangles by Stacy Brown Designs.  I was concerned that they would be too large for my wrists, but I wear mine with a cluster pearl bracelet and it holds them on just fine.  So far I have the "Check Ya Self" red and white buffalo check, "I Stripe the Way You  Work It" animal print, and the "Check Ya Self" pink and white buffalo check.

My friend Joy always mixes red and turquoise and I really like the two colors together.  

 Today I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone and wearing turquoise with red! I have to take advantage of the sunny days in Middle Georgia, so I'm wearing a gingham button down with a turquoise sweater.

I love these monogrammed bangles and here are just few on my "Wish List."  The geometric pattern is adorable.

Love this one with a clover pattern.

Yikes, I needed this one for Mardi Gras!

I wear a lot of pink and orange in the summer and this one is perfect.  It's a must-have for me!

I purchased my bangles through Frillseeker's Gifts...they have a cute shop in Destin, Florida full of cute loot!  Speaking of Frillseeker's, and because it's Monogram Monday, look at these adorable wreaths shown on their homepage.  I absolutely love the doors and the wreaths!

Social Graces Sunday

Your posture says so much about you!  The perfect outfit, immaculate makeup, and beautiful hairdo will not camouflage poor posture.  I remember as a little girl walking around inside my home with a book on my head to improve my posture.  Did y'all do this?

The way you stand and they way you sit can make you seem more confident and attractive.  Perfect posture not only keeps you looking youthful, it also helps to alleviate headaches, back pain, and neck pain.  Standing up straight increases your height and is the fastest diet trick ever...you will instantly appear to lose 10 pounds!

Do you have good posture?  Have someone take your full length photo from the front and the side.  Your head and neck should be centered above your torso.  Your chin should be parallel to the floor.  Your back should be straight.  Your shoulders should be pulled back, down, and relaxed with your core muscles pulled in.  Tuck your buttocks under and keep your knees relaxed and your feet forward.

This chart illustrates perfect posture on the top and types of poor posture on the bottom.

The manicurist on the left is displaying poor posture and the right illustration shows her spine aligned correctly.

It's is so easy to slouch, right?  I am constantly correcting my posture and I assure y'all that it is more difficult to maintain proper posture as you age.  I hope y'all won't follow the look of the "Runway Model Slouch" of today or the "Debutante Slouch" which was in fashion years ago!  The rounded shoulders and relaxed stomach is tres chic with some, but over time, poor posture will take a toll on your shoulders, spine, hips, and knees.

So how can you improve your posture?

• Balance a book on your head and practice walking.

• Stand as if a string were pulling you up from the top of your head.

• Sit up straight and don't work humped over at your desk.

• Consult a personal trainer who can assist you with exercises to strengthen your spine and build core strength.

So start practicing to improve your posture.  Sit up straight.  Stand up straight.  Smile and project an image of confidence!