Musings of a 21st Century Southern Belle

Putting a @millieandmarge Baseboard Coat hanger to good use....

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:40:08 -0500

Putting a @millieandmarge Baseboard Coat hanger to good use. Can’t wait to put these bad boys up for sale!

“Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar.” #45auto...

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:10:52 -0500

“Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar.” #45auto #ammo #bullet #etsy #diesellacedesign #usamade

#ootd An All-American outfit. Dress: American Apparel, Tights:...

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:31:15 -0500

#ootd An All-American outfit. Dress: American Apparel, Tights: Urban Outfitters, Boots: Lucchese, Jacket, Alpha Industries // #americanmade #usamade

I’m not a Scrooge after all. My first Christmas tree....

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:34:43 -0500

I’m not a Scrooge after all. My first Christmas tree. #burlap #foxes #driftwood #twigs #pinecones #rustic #stars

More of my #Christmas decor #westelm #ball #masonjars

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:26:07 -0500

More of my #Christmas decor #westelm #ball #masonjars

Happy Thanksgiving from Belton, SC #farmlife @thomas0528 (at...

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 17:08:02 -0500

Happy Thanksgiving from Belton, SC #farmlife @thomas0528 (at Possum Kingdom City Limits)

Now part of my collection, a Case and a Schrade from my...

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 13:08:32 -0500

Now part of my collection, a Case and a Schrade from my Grandfather’s collection. #knives #usamade #heirloom

They’re here & I’m in 😍! @imogenewillie Jessie...

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:51:38 -0500

They’re here & I’m in 😍! @imogenewillie Jessie Skimmer are #usamade & fit me like a dream.

Made myself a flag. #merica #usa #burlapbag

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 07:43:24 -0500

Made myself a flag. #merica #usa #burlapbag

imogene + willie : substance & heart

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 23:11:00 -0500

My hunt for American made products has proven to be a challenge, but an inspiring one. I’ve come to realize that these products & companies that i’ve found are not just that, with it comes a story laced with heart & substance that electrifies the American Spirit. It’s become more ‘treasure hunting’- in both stumbling upon these companies & then investing in the story & products. It truly has changed my mindset on consumerism.

My latest find is one of my most cherished yet. It’s a story of a couple, living the American Dream.

Co-Founders, Carrie & Matt Eddmenson

Drenched in history & rooted in generations past, imogene + willie is a denim company in Nashville, Tennessee. It is craftsmanship & quality in it’s purest & most potent form. They offer high- quality Selvedge Denim & a small but sound collection of structural/utilitarian shirts:

Beautiful jewelry & accessories:

ALL MADE IN THE US of A, NATURALLY.

Their story & marketing made me an instant advocate. They especially captured my heart when I learned they are American pickers and it runs deep in their blood.

To get their full story, watch or read it here:

http://www.imogeneandwillie.com/story

AND can it get any better? Why, yes!

Having an interior design background & an intense love for all things Americana, their brick & mortar screams my name. It’s my style to a T.

Not to mention, all this wonderfulness is housed in a service station from the 1950’s. Swoon!

Their passion has further fueled my passion of being American & buying American made products. I plan on being a life-time patron.

Taking A Right Turn.

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:47:00 -0400

It’s been a hot minute since I have posted or had time to post. My life has been a whirlwind these past months. Among many other things, I’ve been busy with work (Page 6 is growing and rapidly at that), busy collaborating with my mother to start our very own business (which we are hoping to launch within the next month, so keep an eye out :) ), my grandfather passing and training for my very first 5K. My life is busy, but I’m keeping my schedule full with the things I am passionate about. I say all that to say, I’m changing the direction of topics I will be writing about to some degree.

I’ve recently had the desire to start buying only USA made products. This change in my consumption sparked when my grandfather passed at the end of August. I was close to my papaw, but after his death, I learned even more about who he was as a man. It was inspiring. William Dee Roland Mantooth was born into humble beginnings in the belly of the Great Depression in 1932. A native to Etowah, Tennessee and later a transplant to my hometown, Louisville. He served in the Air Force and later worked as an inspector for the Navy. He was a man’s man and a hard worker with a heart of gold. He was the first to rise and the last to hit the sheets. No minute was wasted. He was a master craftsman, carpenter & fisherman in his free time. He always did things for himself and was dubbed a ‘Jack of All Trades’. Not only has he been a catalyst in my desire to be an entrepreneur through hard work, he was an inspiring American.

Papaw Bill circa 1960’s (guestimate)

My gears were a-crankin’ and I thought to myself, in what ways large or small, can I contribute to the well-being of my country? I am a very active consumer, especially being in the fashion industry with an interior design background. I love aesthetics and I help make things/ people more beautiful for a living. So, if I am contributing to the economy with my many purchases of clothing and material items, why not make sure every cent is going to support the USA? So that was that. I didn’t go cold turkey starting off. I first chose to not buy anything made in China. After a month or so, I decided to switch over to only USA. It is honestly takes a good amount of effort to buy all USA made. There isn’t much of it out there. I’ve done hours of research and still feel like I don’t have a lot of info to show for it. I am determined and won’t quit, so what I’ve decided to do is share my findings via blog.

If you would like to join and take action with your consumption, I will direct you to sources and share all my findings here!

One of my favorite sources right now is HauteAmericana.com

The operator, Alexia, does a fantastic job of sharing what the latest happenings are in American Fashion and posting leads to great brands and specific USA made products. I’m glad I found this site, because the majority of my findings before have been geared towards men’s fashion, which I will also document soon.

Along with clothing sources and brands, I will be documenting USA made products pertaining to toiletries, food, etc… because everything you buy, whether it be your car or your toothpaste, is made somewhere!

Look for my first list of sources and brands of USA made products very soon.

Enjoying creation this morning with my buddy, Winston. (Taken...

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 08:03:19 -0400

Enjoying creation this morning with my buddy, Winston. (Taken with Instagram)

I ROY-G-BIV’ed my @westelm Cadman spine bookcase. (Taken...

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 19:54:36 -0400

I ROY-G-BIV’ed my @westelm Cadman spine bookcase. (Taken with Instagram)

#diy // Added rows of picture wire to the back of an antique...

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:21:20 -0400

#diy // Added rows of picture wire to the back of an antique frame to create a beautifully accessible way to store my earring collection. (Taken with instagram)

The new art piece: Antique yoke. (Taken with instagram)

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:59:34 -0400

The new art piece: Antique yoke. (Taken with instagram)

"Your 20’s are your ‘selfish’ years. It’s a decade to immerse yourself in every single thing..."

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:39:12 -0400

“Your 20’s are your ‘selfish’ years. It’s a decade to immerse yourself in every single thing possible. Be selfish with your time, and all the aspects of you. Tinker with shit, travel, explore, love a lot, love a little, and never touch the ground.”

- Kyoko Escamilla (via sorakeem)

Enjoying beauty in the littlest of things. Using my...

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:03:21 -0400

Enjoying beauty in the littlest of things. Using my Great-Grandfather’s scratch awl to hang a new art piece. In awe of the character of the tool & time that is represented visually & physically. It’s a piece of art in itself.

Bathroom Remodel

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:09:00 -0400

It’s been a while since i’ve actually had time to sit down and write. Spring is always a crazy time and this one has been no exception.

A quick update:

Business at the boutique seems as though it’s tripled and we certainly stay crazy busy with new merchandise coming in the store daily and our customer base both online and in our brick & mortar expanding rapidly. On top of work being crazy, its my favorite time of year for sports! My Kentucky Wildcats won the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship. I was twelve years old the last time Kentucky hung a championship banner in Rupp Arena. It was a great honor for me and my family to watch this talented & humble team go all the way. When March Madness ends, our TV’s automatically switch over to golf. The Masters is such a fun time for our family. We have access to Patron Badges every year from my grandpa so we pass them around the family. The last leg of the spring sports trifecta is the The Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. If you are from Louisville or have lived there, you know the city’s pride and love of horse racing. It’s in my blood and like they say, It’s the most exciting two minutes in sports! I love crazy, hectic spring.

With all the things going on in my life, i’ve found time to remodel my bathroom. I wanted to document the process and results. Since I can remember, my father and mother have done all their own renovations in all the homes we’ve lived in. They have passed that passion on to me. We are the do-it-yourself kind of family. My father and grandpa used to have their own siding business back in the day. In high school, my parents decided to build a new house. They put down all the hardwoods and tile throughout the house and they taught me along the way. I like to do things for myself, so I was glad to learn and apply it in my own bathroom. Here are the before, process, and after photos:

My bathroom is super tiny. It’s the perfect size for 5’4, size zero me, but I wouldn’t think anyone bigger would enjoy maneuvering around in this little space. As you can see in the picture, the traffic-way to the toilet between the sink and the wall was only about 16”. It was a tight squeeze even for me. The linoleum was gross, ugly, and as old as the house (which was built in the 80’s).

Everything was outdated and gross, so I was more than happy to rip it all out.

And I literally ripped EVERYTHING out.

And the tiling begins…

With my budget, I was happy when I found a neutral 12” tile for a great price at Home Depot. I got it for 59 cents/ sqft. Still haven’t mastered the tile saw, so I was grateful for my mother’s help on that.

The new sink console also came from Home Depot. I chose this particular one because the 12” depth gave me eight more inches added to the traffic-way to the toliet! I did all the plumbing, with success, which was a first for me.

Finished floor and sink installation.

I’ve done stenciling in my past, so I was excited when a friend showed me this pattern and tutorial from Jones Design Company Blog. I chose to simplify the design a bit for the small square footage application and I knew I wanted to incorporate a couple more patterns into the decor.

I have a shower stall with a glass door. My design preference is to treat it like a window and add curtains to conceal that space and add color. I couldn’t find a manufactured curtain that I liked (of course), so I made my own. I chose a very geometric, tight pattern to contrast against the more organic and larger pattern on the walls. I get my fabric from Mary Jo’s in Gastonia, NC.

Here is the ending result. The towels look more red in the picture, but they are actually a burnt orange. Mixing patterns is my favorite design element, so I was more than happy to apply it in this small space.

I took the shower curtain almost up to the ceiling with a 4” opening for steam ventilation. I bought the stainless steel suspension system at Ikea for $12.99. We are lucky enough to have an Ikea in Charlotte, but you can also buy it online: DIGNITET Curtain Wire

Three still isn’t enough, but I’ve found that hooks are the best way to preserve costume jewelry! I bought these vintage looking hooks from Hobby Lobby.

Because of the lack of storage, I use these shadow boxes and baskets as toiletry storage. The shadow boxes are from Target.

Finished sink area. Mirror is from TJ Maxx.

It’s all about the little details. Studded knobs are from Hobby Lobby.

More storage solution. Three tiered basket storage from Target.

I always try to surround myself with my loved ones. I especially love having vintage family photos hanging. These are of my great grandparents and grandmother. The picture frames are also from Ikea: RIBBA Frame

I always enjoy the process of a project, but living in a finished space brings joy and a happy environment.

Screw it.

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:51:00 -0500

I’ve never really been silent about this issue. I think I haven’t been vocal enough though. It’s the skewed definition of beauty that our culture has engrained into our minds. What is beauty really? Inner vs. outer, XS vs. XL, melons vs. mosquito bites…the list could literally go on forever. Well screw it. Here is me being vocal. I’m here to stick up for all women and to hopefully shed a little light on this sick culture we live in.

Being in retail and working in a clothing boutique for years has given me a rare inside view into the minds and hearts of women. I see and work with all ages, all body types and all backgrounds. I see hurt, confidence, low self-esteem, joy, strength, passion, pride, confusion, excitement, et cetera. I see it all. I, myself, have experienced them all. Every female in their lifetime will experience all. I want more for not only the women that come into my store, but for society as a whole.

This picture is what fueled this entry. It pisses me off.

I’d have to admit that my initial disgust was of selfish nature, because I fall into the top row of that picture. I’m naturally thin and have received A LOT of flack all my life for my weight and silhouette. It has hurt me to the core. It is amazing how hateful people can be (we’ve all been hateful-I’m definitely not excluding myself from that).

As the steam wore off, I looked at the picture again as unbiased as I could. What I wished it said was ‘Beauty comes in all different shapes, sizes, and colors.’ Cheesy, I know- but truthful (this picture should also the beautiful women of other races in it). The media and the porn industry has done a pretty banged-up job of portraying beauty. They have corrupted the minds of not only women, but men. The expectation is ‘perfection’ and NONE of us will ever reach that…not even with Photoshop and plastic surgery. The pressures on women these days is unreal and unbearable. By no means am I against plastic surgery. As with many things, it can be addictive and because we are human and all have a touch of narcissism in us, it can easily be abused. I think plastic surgery is a wonderful thing used in the the right applications. But I digress.

I believe the real answer starts within. People have become so consumed with the outward, that they have neglected the mind, heart and soul. Whether it’s through your spirituality, the things your are gifted in, your passions, knowledge or [hopefully] all of those, true beauty is fueled from the inside out. It is generating, nurturing, and living out those things that makes someone beautiful. If you don’t have that, even if you have the desired outward beauty, you have nothing. Solely pursuing outward beauty will never bring true happiness.

I want to call bullshit on one thing: this business of “real women have curves”, telling skinny girls to “go eat a sandwich” or making fun of women if they drastically gain or lose weight- they are all hurtful and wrong. Out of all the bashing that i’ve heard- I’ve heard that the most. The realness of your femininity should again, lie within. Yes, some women have bigger hips and boobs and some have the figure of a boy- that should never be the determiner of “real” or not. This has got to stop.

Ladies- outwardly, we need to stop bashing and making fun and start supporting and encouraging one another. Even if everything looks great on the outside, we don’t always know what’s going on internally. A lot of us are really hurting and are extremely insecure. Words can cut deeper than we know. We need to be FOR each other- fighting against eating disorders, obesity, the media’s definition of beauty.

My Top 10 Beauty Products

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:56:00 -0500

Within this past year, i’ve had the wonderful opportunity to model for Page 6 Boutique. Being in front of a camera all the time means Photoshop is my best friend and i’m constantly hunting for new beauty products. I’ve had ladies ask me what makeup and hair products I use, so I thought I share my secrets.

Being the subject of photos was extremely hard for me at first. I actually used to make them cut my head out of every picture. Since middle school, I have suffered from acne and after college, my acne became pretty severe. I still bear the embarrassing scars from that time. Over the years, I’ve tried every treatment and beauty product under the sun to hide my acne and now my scars.

Here is the list of my top 10 favorite beauty products:

(if you want to know where to get any of these products or would like to buy online, click on the names of each product)

1. Hot Tools Nano Tapered Iron, $54.99

This is my newest find! It’s perfect to create that 70’s Farrah Fawcett ‘do. I now use barely any hairspray- and my curls last for two days. WARNING: don’t think you are too skilled to use the heat resistant glove it comes with…I’ve learned the hard way- this thing get HOT!!!

2. Bare Minerals Foundation, Bronzer, & Mineral Veil, $19- $26 each

This makeup has been my saving grace for many years now. This has been the only foundation that covered my acne and still covers my scars well. It was the only makeup that made me feel pretty when I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin. This makeup feels lightweight on and looks like you aren’t wearing any at all. I will be a advocate of bare minerals till death do we part.

I use Summer Bisque SPF 20 Concealer, Regular SPF 15 Foundation, Faux Tan All Over Face Color (Bronzer), and SPF 25 Mineral Veil (finishing powder).

3. Urban Decay All Nighter, $29

I was coming home everyday from work with my mascara smudged, blush and foundation completely gone. It doesn’t matter what makeup you use, the natural oils and environment take a toll on your face. I needed something that would make my makeup last and look fresh all day long. The Urban Decay All-Nighter makeup setting spray ensures a 16- hour lifespan on your makeup! It resists moisture which means— you can sweat, cry, or take a dip in the hot tub without a smudge or a smear! It’s dermatologist tested and free of oil, parabens and fragrance— which is a bonus if you have sensitive skin or are acne prone like I am.

4. MAC Paint Pot in Painterly, $17.50

This is technically not an eye primer, but can be mixed with shadows. I have adopted it as my eye primer. It works better than any other eye primers I have tried. It is creamy, goes on smooth, and dries smooth. It isn’t cakey, which means it gives you that perfect palette for your shadows to lay on. It helps my shadows to stay bright and prevents that awful crease that you always happen to notice at the end of the day.

5. Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel, $38

It’s gel, it’s actually black and it’s a bit pricey…but it is totally worth it!! Again, I have tried every moisturizer under the sun and this is my favorite. I never thought a gel could give my skin the moisture that a cream could. I was also a little weirded out that I was going to put this black gunk all over my face, but I fell in love after I tried it. Its natural and free of all those nasty chemicals that other products have. It leaves your skin feeling cool and refreshed. It has some natural goodies that do wonders for your skin:

Artichoke leaf extract- improves elasticity to help tighten pore walls.

Charcoal- absorbs excess oil and impurities as it detoxifies.

Glycolic acid- helps clarify skin and smooth rough texture.

Vitamin C- helps brighten skintone and minimize fine lines.

6. NARS Orgasm Blush, $27

This isn’t a secret, but it is my favorite. It is and has been an Allure Best of Beauty Award Winner for multiple years. It’s overall flattering on most skin types, and my favorite part- it has a little bit of gold shimmer in it!

7.Wella Brilliance Shampoo & Conditioner, $19-$24 per Liter

Born a dull dirty blonde, I started highlighting my hair at an early age. I just recently went brunette, so I have always had to have a shampoo for color treated hair. Brilliance smells delicious and has triple-blend care technology plus goodies like diamond dust & champagne in it! It keeps my color vibrant and leaves my hair feeling softy and shiny. I am a patron of Ulta, but they don’t sell Wella products online. If you have an Ulta nearby, go get your Wella there! They have their liter sale once or twice a year. I always try to stock up then! Wella liters usually go on sale for $12.99- $14.99.

8. Moroccan Oil Treatment, $40

This is a gem. My hairdresser got me hooked on this vitamin and antioxidant packed oil treatment. I put it on my ends while my hair is still damp. It smells heavenly and helps repair/ protect my hair from styling and environmental damage. The bottle usually lasts me a good 6-8 months, so it’s definitely worth the $$. I buy it from my salon.

9. Redken Guts 10, $16.50

For that extra lift at the roots. If you like that big Texas hair like I do, it helps to create volume with out the nasty texture of hairspray.

10. Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner, $22

Long lasting and looks like liquid eyeliner- but much easier to apply. It’s water-resistant which is a +. It doesn’t budge until you wash it off. The little container usually lasts me over a year… (don’t judge, I know you aren’t supposed to keep makeup that long, but it does!!)

I use Sepia.

My beauty regimen is always evolving…it’s the second best thing next to fashion. I love being a lady!