More Southern Style on the Cheap...

Saturday morning we wake up to thunder and lightening... for once a rainy morning NOT on a weekday when you have to work!?...awesome! However, I had my Saturday already mapped out with bargain shopping, ugh, bummer. After sleeping in a "little" while we got ready, slapped on our rain jackets and went out to the monsoon & tornadoes. (I might or might not have incentivized my husband with lunch at McAlister's Deli...)

First, return the fireplace screen to Outrageous Interiors at their Alpharetta store. Since we were going all the way up 400, we might as well hit the Homegoods on Northpoint (my fav Homegoods-seriously awesome) and since we are going to eat at McAlisters which is next to the other Ballards Backroom, we'll go there too. Here's my finds:

My mom had mentioned that she wanted one of these drying racks you mount on your wall from Ballards for her laundry room, they had a stack of them on a clearance special for $49 bucks... of course I grabbed her one.


On a rainy day this Sunburst mirror was perfect! On Abode Home's blog that she found a similar one at TJ Maxx and ever since I have been on the lookout. I can't decide where to mount this sucker in my house. I know a lot of folks mount it above a bed or maybe a sofa. I was actually thinking in my entryway above my mirrored table. One thing I do know is this baby is HEAVY! Might need to call in the big guns to hang this piece up!... Big guns as in my dad, our handy neighbor Drew, or a guy I met at a local design shop who does all of their installations.

Ok, so really I didn't buy much else except the mirror and my mother's drying rack... pretty good right? One thing I forgot to preface in yesterday's post when I said I was practicing contentment, I walked away from the boutique warehouse sales, yada yada yada.... Earlier in the week I scored big time on Gilt Group's Blowout sale, OMG. Well these lovelies came in the mail over the weekend and I am sooooo excited!!!


This dress is by T Bags (yeah, weird name) but they have really pretty maxi dresses. You might have seen them on celebs like Adrienne Maloof on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Emily Maynard, Brad Womack's ex and the future Bachelorette doll (can't wait to see what she wears).

Anyways, you can't tell in this picture but the dress has a deep v and a ties around the rib cage, so cute and only $19 bucks for a designer dress, loves! Plus is so forgiving but doesn't look like a moo-moo. I love an easy, breezy dress that you can just "throw on".

If you aren't a member of Gilt Group, it's invitation only but I think you can request membership. Right now they have an extra 25% off promo going on (extra25off) and shipping is always quick and only $5.95.
























The next dress is this AWESOME hot pink Tibi number (sorry for the grainy pics). This beaut was $89 and I am obsessed! With all of the parties and weddings we have this year I can't wait to show this off especially with a nice tan, sunkissed hair, and killer gold heels. My best friend actually has a version of this dress that she wore to my rehearsal dinner and I loved it so when I saw this for so cheap I died. I didn't even know the back was open with the cape-back over it until it arrived.

I know what you are thinking... contentment? huh? what about that resolution? I'm a bargain shopper so when I see a deal it's hard for me to not buy something "just because it's cheap." My husband says if I would quite buying so many little things that were "dirt cheap" that I just like so-so it would be a start for my road to recovery. I really have done quite well lately of walking out of stores empty handed. Will this girly-gal not ever buy clothes? No way. I can start by only buying things that I truly love and will get a ton of wear/use from. So that's how I am starting, baby steps....

Winter Sales Make Me Happy :)

Last weekend there were some fabulous sales, my 2 favorite times of the year are 1) daylight savings time in the spring and 2) End of season clearance sales!!!

I started the weekend by hitting up the Boutique Warehouse Sale. They hold this twice a year at an empty spot in Atlantic Station. I always attend this sale and make sure I am there right at open, however, I must say this year it was so crowded from 10AM on.


This photo is from last year's location above Z Galleries, this year they were in the old Pier 1.

I must confess though, I didn't buy a single thing this time. They had some good deals but one of my resolutions this year is being more content with what I have and there wasn't anything I was dying to have. Not to mention I was a bit caught off guard by the mass amounts of people and baby strollers right at open. I also stocked up on the last sale in July with quite a bit of goods so I really didn't need anymore $50 designer jeans (got 3 last time) or any $75 Tucker dresses. Oh well, I'm sure hubs would be very happy to know I walked away empty handed, that is until I got to some of the other stores in Atlantic Station.... oops...

The next stop was on of my favs! Outrageous Interiors, I received an email in the week saying they were having a clearance sale. If you live in ATL and haven't been to Outrageous Interiors (formerly "Outrageous Bargains"), you need to go, esp when there is a sale. They have great furniture pieces that are fun and reasonably priced, their staff is amazing and super helpful, and they also carry great nic-nacs.

Again, I wasn't looking for anything major here but I needed some inspiration for my home, I feel a bit stuck on it right now. While I was there I saw a fireplace screen that was very pretty however it might have been too traditional/whimsical looking for my house. I took it home to try it out, thank goodness they have a very liberal policy on returns because it didn't work in our house. Just one more reason I love shopping here because they let you try things out to ensure they look good. Here are a few random pics I snapped...




I thought this chair was pretty and I love the fabric... almost what I am looking for in my master bedroom.


This abstract city-scape painting I am dying over... I love it since we live in the city but I keep going back and forth on 2 things... Do I want the art above my sofa to have much color and do I love it enough (or will I love it forever) to pay $450???


The crosses did come home with me. I need something to hang hand towels on in my powder room but we are limited on space. I'm not sure if the ring on these is decorative or functional but I think they are super cute for hand towels. Now I need to head to Gramercy in Peachtree Battle to pick out some pretty monogrammed towels (not these in the pic).

Ok, this post has been long enough so I will stop here and continue next time with some pretties I scored on the cheap last weekend.

Pinterest Recipe- Pizza Casserole

I was frantically trying to find something to make for dinner when I ran into the grocery store. I did what almost every pinterest-obsessed person does, pulled it out and looked for a yummy recipe... all intentions were to find that potato soup recipe I pinned a couple weeks ago, no luck and this is what I landed on... PIZZA CASSEROLE.



via

If I know one thing, my husband could survive on 2 things: Pizza + Casseroles.

We do eat pizza probably once a week but this southern gal is not a big casserole fan. Don't get me wrong, they taste great, but I literally can't stop stuffing my face of that cheesy, goupy stuff, I ALWAYS overeat. Not to mention, I was raised on meat and potatoes and I tend to try my best to stay away from dairy/cheese as much as possible. (That's a whole other story for another time...) My ideal meals consist of a lean meat, a whole grain starch, and vegetable/salad.

Anyways, I had to cook tonight since we've been living on leftovers from the weekend the first half of this week. So I went for a run and started cookin', here's how it went.



Step 1: boil noodles (I opted for whole grain egg noodles), brown beef (I might try ground chicken next time, beef: another conspiracy theory I have like cow's milk/dairy).



Step 2: Start your layering, see recipe for the order, I also used more than 1 jar for the sauce, thankfully I had an extra. One other change I made to the recipe is that I sprinkled in Italian seasoning here and there.



Step 3: Ready for the oven after you cover with foil. This is where I didn't plan appropriately (you can tell I don't make casseroles much), it bakes for a total of 45 minutes and needs to cool for a bit after. Therefore, we are still waiting for it to finish as I write the start of this post....

...yep...still waiting.....



DONE! So delicious! Maybe not the healthiest but hey, that's why I ran earlier... although not sure my run cancelled out the sweets I also ate today... life goes on....
Thanks to pinterest for this awesome recipe. Be sure to check me out on pinterest and follow my boards too! https://pinterest.com/arbowden/

Scott's Antique

Over the weekend our in-laws came for a last minute visit from Florida. They are Almost done building their beach house in Seagrove off of 30-A. Ry's mom called a week ago and said she was looking at her schedule and they were about to get really busy with their new house finishing up in the early spring so they wanted to pay a visit. Luckily we didn't have any plans except going to Scott's Antique and I finally had an excuse to call cleaners to come clean our house. :)

In true Bowden fashion, we relaxed, ate a ton of food at fabulous restaurants, watched football, and did some shopping at Scott's. Next time you want a great meal check out Horseradish Grill in the chastain area of Buckhead. I don't know why it took Ryan and I so long to visit this great place but it's a new fav. We also ate at Fox Brothers BBQ with my parents (ahmazzzing bbq), Corner Bakery (cafe adjoined to Maggianos-try their chopped salad, it'll change your life), West Egg (West Midtown), and Malaya (Collier Hills).

Enough about food, back to Scott's... this place was PACKED. I'm not sure if it was due to college football season being over, the long weekend, or the fact that market was going on this week but I haven't seen it this packed in forever. Luckily Ryan and I weren't looking for too much and honestly it felt picked over by the time we arrived Saturday. I ended up going home with an all-time spending RECORD! ...low that is. 3 hours and $8 later we left with an old coca-cola crate for my desk area in the kitchen. I had one but needed another... I did take a few pics, I'll take more next time, promise!



An armoire we found (in front of the North building) to possibly put in our Master, these babies were already sold but the vendor said he has these every month, so I plan on checking back with him.



The inside...



Don't worry if your spouse goes with you and starts to get tired there are plenty of interesting chairs to take a rest in...




A pic of my desk area (was a large pantry before we moved in) with my $8 coca-cola crates... (butcher block from Ikea, office filing cabinet and counter stool from Ballards outlet, baskets from homegoods, metal bins from Lowe's, cake plates from Juliska, Poterry Barn, and Homegoods)

After Scott's we hit up the Ballards Outlet near my house... All Christmas goodies 75% off, we are talking nice ribbon for $2-$3 but most of the Christmas goods were gone by the time we got there. I did however score the very LAST 3 foot pre-lit Christmas tree for $17.50!!!!!!! (Outlet price before xmas $150). I plan on using it on my skirted table in living room this next year and moving my big tree to the dining room in front of the bay window. Talk about a steal... One thing about living where we do, we get the best deals on home stuff with all the awesome stores near our house, so blessed!

High and Low

No, I'm not talking about uppers and downers... I'm talking about style. Whether it be your wardrobe, your shoe collection, or you house... I think it's all about mixing high-end style with low-end style. Maybe it doesn't even have to be super high end but it appears high end or fancy but on the flipside you pair it with some good 'ole comfort pieces.

Similarly, I feel like you can do a mixture of new and old with vintage things too. Whatever you love make it work but a good mixture of both will always add more interest and make for an inviting and cozy home.

Here are a few images via Pinterest that I love...



Love these Tolix chairs mixed with a farmhouse table and a crystal chandalier!
(Pic courtesy of Melissa Edelman, designer and owner of Antiquaire.)



If you are on Pinterest, you've probably seen this image. Who doesn't love exposed brick? Mix it with crisp white bedding, vintage or reclaimed side tables and a sparkly chandy, perfecto!

(Image courtesy of Country Living)



You've seen this pic before, it's my dining room. I'm aspiring to mix the high/low in here too... I found this farm table and loved it, then I fussied it up some with these Louis XVI French chairs which I reupholstered. Throw in a cowhide for a touch of SOCO (southern comfort) and a corner china cabinet. Next I am planning on a mirrored buffet like this one from Z Galleries for more sparkle in shine... rotate the mirror (vertical), add pretty buffet lamps, curtains, table linens, and BAM! I might be about done! Well, maybe...



(Image courtesy of Z Galleries)

All things Vintage...

This weekend is Scott's Antique Roadshow in Atlanta which comes once a month (always the 2nd weekend of each month). It is set up in 2 HUMONGOUS size warehouses located on opposite sides of the interstate just south of Atlanta. It cost $5 to get in ($4 with the coupon off the website) and it is the best $5 you've ever spent. There is soooooo much to look at, seriously, I think almost anyone could entertain themselves here, even my husband likes going (with the exception of fall months=football).

You walk in and it's vendors and booths set up all over the place with any and everything you can imagine. There's silver, vintage nic-nacs, vintage books, chairs, artwork, custom pillows, lamps, lighting, tables, chests, china, old doors, old shutters, old military nic-nacs, basically anything! The icing on the cake is that the food here is kinda like fair food, hub's favorite is the old fashioned donuts similar to funnel cakes. If you are on pinterest and obsessed with it like me then you seriously need to go to Scott's. So many times I'll see pins and I think to myself "gee this person needs to go to Scott's to get this..."

Scott's can be overwhelming the first time, so this is your warning but once you go and get acquainted you'll love it. Get ready to bargain too, these vendors will haggle with you back and forth which makes it a challenge but really fun, especially when you end up with a steal. One tip is that it opens to the public on Friday but really most of the vendors are set up on Thursday (even late Wednesday sometimes too) for decorators and designers and it runs until Sunday afternoon.

This weekend hubs and I are headed to Scott's we haven't been in a few months and I miss seeing all my dealer friends so I am looking forward to it. I will definitely try to take pictures.

Another thing about Scott's that I failed to mention is that if you like vintage fashion sometimes there are great vintage booths with fun dresses and coats for not much $$ at all. Last time I found a lovely sparkly dress that was about $25, it was long and need some minor alterations but so cute and one of a kind! I also found a wool coat with fur trim collar and cuffs for $30. Plus there are tons of minks and fur coats and stoles in the fall and winter. One item I did walk away with last time was a great wool Pendleton Cape. For $40 it's so fun and Pendleton is totally making a comeback especially in the design world. I wore it to church the other day with a new outfit I put together. It might have been a tad matchy but I thought it was cute, why not? I'm not brave enough for solo shots of myself like other fabulous bloggers on the internet so here it is laid out...







(Mustard Yellow Corduroy Skirt- Anthropologie, Navy and white polka dot sweater- Old Navy, Red Belt- Gap, Red Shoes- Urban Outfitters, Bracelet- Loft, Cape- Pendleton from Scott's Antique)

Chairs: DONE.

Boy oh boy does it feel good to have these babies completed! You have no idea how many fabrics I looked at in person and online. Even though navy is quite trendy I have learned it is very hard to find 2 things in Navy: A) pretty Wallpaper and B) Upholstery grade fabric.

I found a few in lightweight cottons and in outdoor fabrics that were ok but none that were the right grade or the right shade of Navy. The Navy I was looking for has the slightest twinge of green in it. With some help from a fabulous decorator who I consult with from time to time we finally found it! Yes! She actually got it from another decorator who had it left over. It was definitely a sign from above that it was meant for me because there were 2.5 yards left to cover the front AND back of 4 french chairs. Amen, praise the lord, because there none left to spare but enough to cover :)

Without further adieu... (pardon the crappy iphone pics)



Navy chevron with Nailhead trim and coral velvet with double cording...





Anyways... I feel like this was a big hurdle to jump before I could complete the rest of my house. Now that these are done I feel much better and I can focus towards curtains and buffet! Which I think I found the perfect buffet at Z Galleries... thinking mirrored for some sparkle and shine! The perfect southern touch... :)