Dress up?

I'm waiting for Bailey to pick me up for work and it's given me too much time to accessorize and analyze.  I think I might look a bit like I'm playing dress up now...



Sequins on the shirt and shoes...a bit much?  Hey, it is Friday!

The shoes were made by a cobbler in Capri on our honeymoon!  I get to wear them so rarely, I decided to rock them today in honor of kicking off our anniversary weekend.  Can't believe it's been two years. I am so blessed. 

We are heading to Chapel Hill tonight for Friday's on the Porch at Carolina Inn and then Top of the Hill for drinks and din.

XO,

Whit

Guest Headboard Project

My parents, Bailey and I headed up to the new Homegoods in north Raleigh on Sunday.  I have been searching and searching for a screen to make into a headboard for the guest room.  I really wanted something old, but to date they've all been very expensive or just junk.  The closest thing I found to my vision was this $600 screen at Printer's Alley.  A bit pricey considering there is more to my vision than the screen alone...



At Homegoods I stumbled across this gem (I'm telling you...there is a vision, don't worry)

Not quite finished!

Finished product

Josh came home from playing golf and said, "It's very creative and I'm proud of you, but does it look a little bit like an artifact?"  While I don't know about that...there is something about the harshness of the shape (or maybe the chocolate brown frame) that I'm not crazy about. 

I want to also add a crown / valence like one of these to soften the bed a bit.  Ignore the fact that some of the pics are actually canopies -- the idea is to have some flowing fabric behind and above the headboard to make it cozier and more romantic (and of course, feminine!).

What do you think?

Architectural Digest

Atlanta Homes Magazine

Bunny Williams' house in Provence (too frufru)

Elizabeth Dinkel via Veranda (love this one!)

Jan Showers

Jan Showers

Mrs. Howard

I'll show more of how this room has transformed tomorrow.  We are making progress, but still have a lot to do!

XO,

Whit

Swiss Chocolate Cake

This is a Jean Otto specialty and she might kill me for putting this recipe on my blog, but it's too delicious not to share.  I have made it a few times and received rave reviews from my family.  They requested I now bring it to every family holiday!!  This weekend my parents came up to celebrate an early Father's Day and it made for a great refreshing dessert.  Don't get me wrong..it is very sweet, but the cool icing makes it appropriate for summer time.

Rachel - I have a big chunk with your name on it...bring your skim milk on over this week!!

Cake Ingredients:

1 box Duncan Hines Swiss chocolate cake mix (this is hard to find...I substituted with Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge cake mix and it was fine -- just don't use Devil's food cake mix)

1 sm. box instant vanilla pudding

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

3/4 c. vegetable oil

Mix above ingredients together.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 min.  Use 3 pans (8").

Icing Ingredients:

8 ox. cream cheese

1 c. confection sugar

1 c. regular sugar

12 oz. cool whip

Cream above ingredients with mixer until smooth.  Once smooth add in the following:

1/2 c. chopped pecans

2 chopped Hersey bars

Ice and serve.  Thank you Jean for the most delicious cake recipe!!!

 My mom got my dad a portrait of Ethel for Father's day -- how much does it look like her twin.  One of her friend's daughter's did it and they are very reasonable if you are interested.

XO,

Whit

Charleston Wedding & Bday Weekend

This was originally posted on May 30, but somehow Blogger deleted it from the blog.

Last weekend Josh headed to Pinehurst for his annual firm retreat and I headed to Charleston (Isle of Palms, technically) for my cousin's wedding.  I had a great time being the third wheel with my parents (Bay stayed with a friend).



(Recognize that Kate Spade necklace from an earlier blog post?)

We ate so much delicious food -- I'm going to try to recreate some of this for us at home this summer.

XO,

Whit

CMT Awards - Justin Dweeber

We had such a great time in Nashville!  We rubbed elbows at the pre and post parties and got to go back stage with some of the CMT execs.

McK girls at the Pre Party

Katie, Andrea & BB with Kasey from Idol

McKinney girls at the Awards show

Backstage we ran into: Shania Twain, Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alania, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, etc.

McK back stage with our fave CMT exec who got us acces

At the post party, after some drinks, we got up our nerve to talk to a few people - highlights include:

Rebecca Woods (Nationwide client), Kristen Chenoweth and I at the Post Party

Kristen was my personal favorite and she couldn't have been more bubbly and adorable.

Katie, Cheryl Hines, Kristen Chenoweth & BB at Post Party

The Band Perry with Andrea, BB, Katie & CMT Rep Melanie

The Band Perry & I at Post Party

BB & David Archuleta at Post Party

Hines Ward with McKinney girls

Justin Bieber came into the after party with an entourage of 16 secret service looking security.  He looked absolutely ridiculous.  No other celebs had even one bodyguard.  His "people" wouldn't even let you take pics of him passing by and I now pretty much hate him.  We have taken to calling him Justin Dweeber.

The next day we ran into Sugarland during brunch at Noshville.  They were gracious enough to give this note to my sweet co-worker's mom!  She teaches Kindergarten in Charlotte and her 5-year-olds "journal" to Sugarland each day and know the words to all the songs.  They seemed genuinely touched and interested to speak with us.  Jennifer didn't have on a stitch of make-up and her skin was flawless!

XO,

Whit

Trip Recap - Best of Austria

The second stop on our European trip was Austria.  We rented a car from Munich and explored Hitler's Nest, countryside, Salzburg, Hallstatt and Innsbruck.



I've pretty much been living out of a suitcase the past two months (8 straight weekends out of town in a row is a bit much).  This past weekend I headed to Virginia for Julia's bachelorette weekend.  We had the best time!!  It was so nice to see some of my best friends in the world and make some new friends.  Rach- send me some pics to put up.

I was in Columbus, OH yesterday and today for work and head to Nashville tomorrow a.m.  One of our client's has a large partnership with CMT so we get to go to the awards show and pre and post parties.  I'm hoping to rub elbows with some of country's finest!!

XO,

Whit