One Kings Lane

Well, well.  Where to begin about One Kings Lane..... my close girlfriends can tell you that this post is way, WAY overdue.  But better late than never right?  And I always have so many ideas bumping around in my head that it's hard to keep track.... like bunnies hopping all over the place.... I stole that little catchphrase from my family friend and author Mary Kay Andrews.  If you don't read her books you have to start.  They are too much fun - Southern, funny, sweet, and always with a little romance and a fun backdrop thrown in too.  The perfect summer reading, in other words.  Her new book Spring Fever comes out June 5th.... a fun tidbit and some shameless name-dropping and cross-promotion too.  ;o)  But I digress.

iPods From Cohen - A Mother's Cause to Help Others Who Have Children Born with Congenital Heart Defects.

This week we want to raise awareness around a charitable cause. It's a cause near and dear to a really wonderful mother/blogger, Megan, who has suffered the greatest loss a parent could endure, the loss of a child. In Megan's blog, In This Wonderful Life, she talks about her precious, little boy, Cohen, who was born into this world with Congenital Heart Defects. Although he only lived in this world for 12 short days, it's apparent that his faithful mother (and father too) believes he lives on with Jesus. I understand that not everyone shares in the same spiritual beliefs, and I have nothing but respect for people of every faith out there, but as a Christian, Megan's story touches me deeply. I would like to think that if I were in her shoes I would find comfort and healing in this belief too.

Not-To-Be-Missed Grocery Store Party Pics

Today I am going to blog about one of my favorite ways to make a party easier, especially if you are short on time (or energy).  And what way is that?  Well, don't tell Martha (Stewart, but of course).... but I'm talking about grocery store party items.  Literally, I mean those little extras I can nab at the last second - and they take minimal (if any) prep and still look good and taste delicious too.  You won't tell anyone my little secrets, will you?  :o)

And while I am on this topic, do y'all remember the movie Mermaids?  You know, the one with Cher before she went blond, Winona Ryder before she went shifty and no-good, and little cherub-cheeked Christina Ricci before she went Addams Family.  

Why a book makes the perfect gift!

I thought I'd change things up and write about something sort of off the topic of entertaining. This information may not help you when hosting a party/shower, but it may give you a gift idea if you're attending one.

I recently learned of this store specializing in rare and out-of-print books called Atlanta Vintage Books. Interestingly enough, this obscure little gem has been within walking distance of my house and all these years I never got around to making my way over. To be honest with you, it doesn't look like much from the outside... I know, I know, you can't judge a book by its cover, but nevertheless, I always overlooked it until recently hearing it was packed with some great finds. So, yesterday I scooped up my baby and my wallet and we strolled over to see what treasures we could find.

Two Parties in Two Days - Part Two

And now.... on to the Egg Hunt!!  (To get up to speed, be sure to check out Two Parties in Two Days - Part One.  :o)

There are the balloons from the foyer the night before, tied along our back fence.

Nothing really that Eastery here, but I changed the furniture in front of our living
room mantle around and like it so much better!  :o)

Two parties in Two Days - Part One

A few weeks ago my husband and I celebrated a fun-filled weekend when we hosted not one, but two parties at our home on consecutive days.  I think my husband thought I was a little nuts at first, but it actually worked out quite well in the execution.  :o)  We had a party on Saturday night for dear friends Chris and Katie, getting married this Spring in lovely Charleston, South Carolina.  On Sunday afternoon, we had a children's Easter Egg Hunt for our son and some of his precious little friends.

Happy Easter, Peeps!

I started brainstorming about creative Easter ideas for this week's blog post and as I was perusing the world wide web I came across a blog called Neatorama. If you have never heard of this blog you should definitely check it out, it's an entertaining read. One of their posts featured dioramas made with Peeps which is what caught my eye. For those of you who don't know, Peeps are the sugar-coated, marshmallow candies retailers sell around the Easter holiday. As a kid, I thought they tasted spectacular... now, not so much. Anyway, Neatorama's post I'm referring to is called 13 Hilarious Peep Candy Easter Dioramas. It's definitely worth taking a look, the creator (or creators) of these scenes are so imaginative. They're creativity is really impressive and they're really humorous as well. The most hysterical of these settings is the first one you'll see... the 'peep' show. I've included a picture of it below.

Ahoy Baby Boy!

A few weeks ago, my husband and I co-hosted a coed baby shower for some dear friends who live out-of-state.  Along with our fellow co-hosts, we really wanted to make this shower memorable for Ali and Jason and their soon-to-arrive baby boy.  We went with a nautical theme, as we figured this was perfect for a baby boy (and his nursery is decked out in sea-worthy furnishings as well). 

The shower was at our friends Staci and Alex's lovely house, and between Staci and Heather (the other co-hostess), we were set for delicious food. 

Are your weekend plans rather bland? Spice things up with a cooking class!

If you're looking for something fun to do either with friends or as a date night, then hopefully this post will inspire you! I've been meaning to give The Cook's Warehouse (TCW) a shout out for quite sometime now. My sister turned me on to their cooking classes and I've been hooked ever since... I believe her fiance was a volunteer there which is how she came to know of the place. TCW sells every kitchen gadget imaginable so if you're in need of some Le Creuset pots and pans or maybe a really nice paring knife then you need to check them out, but what sets them apart from their competition is that they offer a wide array of cooking classes taught by some of Atlanta's most accomplished chefs. These instructors own some of the hottest restaurants in town, some of the chefs have made TV appearances, and of course all of them have written a recipe book or two.

Lindsay, A to Z

Callie over at Calliespondence (Catherine and I have told y'all about our dear friend and her stationery before, here and here ) was kind enough to tag us in a trend that has been sweeping the blogging world, the a to z post!

So here goes ladies, all about me!  :o)

A.  Age: 31. As a child, that put me square in the middle of two great decades.... the 80's and the 90's.  Let's just say that I was obsessed with most of the characters in the photo montage above.  Alf, you handsome devil you.... Scott Baio, you were a major crush on Charles in Charge.... and Punky Brewster, I loved your spunk.... and my Converse All-stars "you" designed.