Slice of Southern Pie

15 Summer Fruit Salads

It’s officially Spring, despite the cool weather. So I thought a good round-up of some luscious looking fruit salads was in order!

These will have you running to the produce aisle in no time. There really isn’t anything more photogenic than fruit, in my opinion.

Strawberry Cucumber Salad from Oh Sweet Basil

Crunchy Apple & Grape Salad from the Cutting Edge of Ordinary

Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing from Oh! You Cook!

Citrus Pistachio Salad from Paul Eats Magazine (zoom in to see it!)

Grape Salad from Pearls, Handcuffs, & Happy Hour

Glazed Summer Fruit Salad from Macaroni & Cheesecake

Berry Mint Salad that I have no link for, but it looks simple enough: blueberries, blackberries, & torn mint leaves

Best Fruit Salad from Chef Recipes

Sugared Walnut Fruit Salad from Taste of Home

Pina Colada Fruit Salad from Hopeful Homemaker

Holiday Fruit Salad from Lunch Box Lunch

Stone Fruit Salad with Lemon-Lavender Syrup from Katie at the Kitchen Door

Summer Fruit Salad, another one from Lunch Box Lunch

Citrus Fruit Salad from Six Sisters’ Stuff

And last but not least, a Vintage Pineapple Salad that you make in the can! I don’t have a link for this one, but the directions are in the upper right corner: Open a can of pineapple slices & drain the juice out. Prepare a gelatin mix with half the water it requires. Pour into pineapple can over slices. Refrigerate until set. Run hot water over bottom & sides of can to loosen. Cut bottom from can & push out. Slice in between pineapple rings & serve!

Which one’s your favorite? Let me know if you make one!

There are some great recipes & blogs in this mix. I hope you’ll click over to get their full directions.

Who else is counting down the days till summer?!

I’m so ready to head to the beach with a bowl of one of these fresh, fruit salads under my arm!

Be blessed y’all!…

Printable Bookmarks for Moms, Teachers, & Yourself!

I wanted to make something little to go with some Mother’s Day gifts this year. Although I can’t go into too much detail about the gifts because the receivers might be reading this, I’m sure you can figure out what some of those gifts might be.

Mom- IGNORE THIS POST!

Some bookmarks fit the bill perfectly. They’re so simple, printable, & free! Yet incredibly necessary for avid readers. I went with the ever popular “keep on & carry on” theme.

I made 3 different sets in 4 different colors (goin a little crazy y’all) to share with you.

You can download them all here or copy/save as from the images below or click the pdf links above each pictured set. So many options I know! Be sure to print it 8×10 if you copy/save as.

First, I made the Mother’s Day set. I used 2 different sayings.

Mother’s Day Bookmarks

I printed them onto a kraft paper card stock to give them a more vintage feel. The only problem was the yellow didn’t show up so well, but the other shades were nice.

Summer Bookmarks

I made these ones for myself really!

But they’re great for summer reading & would be a really cute end-of-the-year gift for classmates. The kids could even print & decorate these with stickers to make their summer reading list a bit more exciting.

Or you can just use them for yourself, like I plan too!

Teacher Bookmarks

Teachers deserve a good end of the year too. How about one of these tied to a Barnes & Noble gift card or a stack of favorite books? You could even put in inside a plastic tumbler & fill it with candy. I think this version is my favorite, those apples are too darn cute!

The ones I’m keeping for myself were printed onto white card stock & the colors showed up much brighter. I punched a hole in a couple & strung short ribbons through them for an extra touch.

Don’t forget about your moms either! A sweet handwritten note on the backside of these will make mom think of you every time she opens her latest read or favorite book.

What’s on your summer reading list? Any suggestions?

I’ll be linking up at my favorite places, see them all here!…

Ultimate Collection of Organization Hacks!

Hello wonderful friends! I took a quick break to enjoy some Christmasness, but I’ve got an amazing post for you to ogle over for the next hour or so…you should probably grab a drink & maybe a snack while you’re at it.

I know how much everyone (myself included) loves to get organized with a fresh, clean start for the next year. In fact, I just finished emptying out over 10,000 unread messages from my inbox…oops! Now one of my New Year’s goals is to keep it clean!

So I started Pinteresting for new organization hacks & after finding so so so much greatness, I figured I needed to share it with all y’all! You’ll find everything below- home ideas, car ideas, kitchen ideas, & even craft room ideas.

So here goes!

40 Brilliant DIY Organization Hacks from Brit + Co

10 Organization Hacks from Thirty Handmade Days

41 Insanely Awesome Organization Hacks from Pop Sugar

20 Organizing Life Hacks from How to Nest for Less

19 Insanely Clever Organizing Hacks from Buzz Feed

25 Life Hacks for Your Tiny Closet also from Buzz Feed

10 Kitchen Organization Hacks from The 36th Avenue

7 Post Holiday Organization Hacks from Smart School House

60 New Uses for Everyday Items from Listotic

45 Organization Hacks to Transform Your Craft Room from Buzz Feed 

25 Free Ways to Organize from Kids Activities Blog

25 More Household Tops from Buzz Feed

19 Insanely Cool Car Hacks from Pop Sugar

25+ Car Tricks & Tips from Kids Activities Blog

27 Brilliant Ways to Keep Your Fridge Clean & Organized from Buzz Feed

16 Kitchen Hacks to Maximize Your Space from A Pretty Life

Wow! So many creative & inspiring organization ideas! Now time to get organizing!

Have a safe & fun New Years Eve y’all!

Blessings,…

Knock-off VS PINK July 4th Tee

     So I went to Jo-Ann’s to purchase some cute patriotic fabric & wonder-under. Then to Walmart to buy a plain v-neck top. This evening I completed the project in less than an hour & am so pleased with the result! It’s exactly like the over-priced one I saw in the mall, but more personalized & half the cost . 

    Here’s how I made it-

     You’ll need to gather up some fabric scissors, wonder-under, the material of your choice, & a t-shirt of some sort. Also, print out the letters in a big bold font. I used the font IMPACT on size 300. It appeared the most similar to the VS PINK shirt.

     Cut out all your letters! 

     Iron on the sticky side of the heat-bond to the wrong side of the fabric. 

     Trace the letters onto the heat-bond. This is probably the most time-consuming part. Be sure to do the letters backwards. That way they come out facing the right way the first time. Do not do what I am doing in this photo…

     Continue until all the letters have been traced onto the fabric.

    Then cut them out!

     Peel the white backing off all the letters.

     Place the letters exactly where you would like them. They shouldn’t slip around much so do not worry about pinning them or anything like that. 

     Iron into place according to directions on heat-bonding product. Continue working in sections until tee is completed. Feel free to stitch down around the letters if you feel led to. I did not!

     The finished shirt! I think its cuter than the original one 

     This technique could be used for countless projects. There are almost endless possibilities. So get creative! 

     Happy Fourth of July!! Go enjoy some fireworks!…

50+ PINK Christmas Trees!

You can go so many different ways with the color in so many shades. The creativity is literally limitless. You’ve already broken all the boundaries by selecting a pink tree, you better carry it out in the decor too. That said, a cluster of plain pink trees could definitely hold their own standing naked. You really can’t go wrong!

You are bound to find one you like below, if not 10 or 22 or 37 or all 51.

*Some links go straight to Pinterest rather than a blog. Be sure to check out the blogs though, I discovered some great new ones through their pink trees.

Creative Chaos

Hunted Interior

Pinterest

Not Too Shabby

Style Me Pretty

Seaside Rose Garden

Studio Ten 25

Pinterest

Smokey Demo

House of Secrets

Be Book Bound

Pinterest

Pinterest

Its a Cherry Icecream Smile

Pinterest

Dunlap Love

Pinterest

Pinterest

Aka Creativity

Pinterest

Pinterest

Cottage & Broome

A Mustard Seed Journey

2.BP

The Glitter Guide

Pinterest

Pinterest

Talking Trash

Johanna Ost

Bobby Socks Quilt Co

Rose Hip

Sea Dream Studios

Pinterest

Pinterest

France Seattle

Itl Blonde

Stacy’s Shabby Shoppe

Retro Renovation 

Jasmine Blu

Pinterest

Wayfair & Pinterest

Life Made Lovely

Pinterest

Jeffrey Alan’s

The Decolorologist 

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Whispered Whimsy Vintage

Pinterest

Doesn’t this get your Christmas brain waves going? Most people are saying it’s too early still, but today I’m finally giving in. The low tonight is 26 degrees, which is about as cold as it gets here! I plan to get into my warm pajamas, turn on some Christmas music, make some hot chocolate, maybe even a s’more by candle light & look through the new Southern Living Christmas issue. Gosh I sound like such an old woman! I’m only 21 I promise! Lol. Have a good night!…

Disney World Secrets & Tips

We are heading to Florida in less than 4 days & I am bursting with excitement!! I have spent the last 2 nights pouring over Pinterest & scouring the internet for the best secrets, tips, etc. related to Disney World. I have come up with quite a book full. You may see my Pinterest board where I’ve rounded up all these tips or simply take a look below at what I considered essential, significant, important, or plain interesting. I hope this helps some other families whom are Disney bound this summer. Also, please share any of your own tried & true pointers!

!

DISNEYWORLD

TIME-SAVERS 

Head to the back of the park. When you first arrive at the park, go straight to the back. Most people will start with the first ride they see.

Get your fast passes early on in the day!

Think left. It is most people’s inclinations to go to the right side first, so if you see two lines for a ride, hop in the left one to shave off a little waiting time. If you’re going around World Showcase or the Magic Kingdom, start on the left side going counter-clockwise.

Get in line right before the parades. About an hour before most parades start, people will put a halt on their attraction and ride plans to score a front row parade spot. If you don’t care about getting a primo spot (or about seeing the parade at all), use this time to get in line for big rides.

Shop on your way out. When the park closes, they shut down the rides, but they don’t actually kick you out of the park or close the stores. So spend your valuable time on rides when they’re running, and shop as you make your way to the gates.

GTK 

Chewing gum is not sold anywhere on Walt Disney World property. Plan accordingly.

If you are a veteran ask at City Hall (Magic Kingdom) first thing in the morning if you can participate in the evening Flag Retreat.

If you eat a meal in a park or hotel that you really enjoy, you can ask for the recipe!!!!  {It may be in bulk when you receive it though!}

When riding the ferry boat or the monorail ask the Cast Members if they have any trading cards – they sometimes give them out and there are lots to collect.

CHARACTERS 

You can enter the Animation Building in Disney’s Hollywood Studios for some of the best character meet & greets in Walt Disney World by going through the Art of Disney store (skipping the Animation Academy attraction). Likewise, you can experience Turtle Talk with Crush without doing the Nemo dark ride by entering The Seas pavilion through the gift shop at the exit.

Animal Kingdom – Camp Minnie Micky has a variety of characters in safari gear.

Epcot – find all the original characters in an air conditioned waiting area.

Hollywood Studios – Look in the art of animation for character greetings and at Pixar Place for Woody and Buzz.  The Cars are available for pics but are not animated and don’t sign books.  Phineas and Ferb are right next to them and do a cute little show with the kids waiting in line.

Magic Kingdom – the classic Mickey and a selection of princesses are located in the Town Square as soon as you enter the park, all the way to the right. Storybook Circus now has Minnie, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto, and Ariel is in the new Fantasyland.

Character meet & greet lines are typically shortest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and typically longest in the Magic Kingdom.

WHERE TO BUY 

Buying pins from Amazon or eBay to trade with Cast Members is the difference between spending $1 per pin and $8-10 per pin.

Disney’s Character Warehouse is an outlet carried heavily discounted and discontinued Disney merchandise. They have two locations off property, on I-Drive near Universal Orlando and on Vineland near Downtown Disney.  The Vineland location is larger and closer to Walt Disney World.

FREE STUFF 

If you are celebrating a special occasion, make sure to pin up a button reflecting the celebration at your resort hotel …

DIY Mini Flocked Pinecone Trees

I’m a wait till after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas/respect all the holidays kinda girl. While I’ve shared a few Christmas posts I haven’t actually decorated the house yet. However, I have a major problem.

My welcoming fall porch that was full of mums & pumpkins has finally turned on me. The pumpkins are finally rotting & the mums have been left out to freeze one too may times.

So now I must make a terribly hard decision. I cannot leave the dead stuff out front to greet my Thanksgiving guests & I can’t have a boring, empty porch either. So what to do folks?

I have to give in. To Christmas. But ONLY on the porch!

My first project for the porch are these charming flocked trees!

So the story goes…I saw these fab mini flocked pinecone trees at Hobby Lobby. I looooved them & thought they would be perfect on my Christmas porch. I did not love the price, $40. I thought surely I could whip up something myself for at least half the cost or less. Plus their’s were a little on the small side & I wanted something a bit larger.

I gathered all my supplies: Mini trees (Home Depot)

  Faux snow spray (Home Depot)

Red spray paint (Home Depot)

Burlap ribbons (Walmart)

Plastic pots (Walmart)

Gold ornaments (Dollar Tree)

Mini pinecones (I got mine from the thrift store, but they’re everywhere right now too!)

I’m happy to report that I made 2 bigger trees with the addition of pretty bows for less than the price of 1 at Hobby Lobby.

First step- Paint the pots a cheery Christmas red & let them dry.

Step 2- Hot glue the pinecones onto the tree branches

Step 3- Spray then with magical snow! You’ll want to do this step outside. It dries pretty much instantaneously but can get messy. Just sweep it off the concrete.

Now it’s time to put it all together. My favorite part of a project!

Step 4- Place trees in pots, use a filler (like plastic bags) if necessary. Cut strips of burlap to fill in around bottom of pot & slide under tree. Add shiny, plastic ornaments on top to help hold things in place. Hot glue if desired.

Step 5- Tie a big, pretty, red, burlap bow on top! Woah, that was a lot of adjectives. Be careful beause the wired burlap ribbon will go straight into your finger & I’m speaking from experience here ya’ll.

Have fun making your own little trees! This would such a fun project for the kids to help with too. Who wouldn’t love playing in faux snow?

Blessings Y’all,

Cathryne…

My Wedding Inspiration! [Navy & Gold]

Did anybody’s ears perk up when I mentioned a wedding the other day?! Well I’m bursting with creative excitement & thought I’d share some of my favorite inspiration so far. That way we can all be on the same page! I plan to journal all of my wedding goodness on here if you care to keep up & I’m instagramming #mealeywedding.

My style is rustic glam & I’d like to go for a “The Stars at Night are Big & Bright/Deep in the Heart of Texas” theme using navy & gold as my main colors along with some burlap, lace, silver, & maybe a hint or two of peach.  Our venue is a relative’s home in the Texas hill country right beside a lake. A green canyon will serve as a gorgeous backdrop for the ceremony & then we’ll dance under the stars. Doesn’t it sound dreamy already?

My biggest inspiration has been the cover wedding from Southern Weddings v6. I’m completely head over heels with their magazine in the first place. I’ve been collecting wedding magazines for 10 years y’all so I know a good one when I see it.

Here’s some of the photos of it from the southern wedding blog…

I love the calligraphy on the banners & the centerpieces. I’ve been collecting tons of old gold, brass, & silver pieces just like those. All kinds of bowls, vases, & candlesticks.

See the whole post here over at the Southern Weddings site.

I found this lovely navy & gold inspiration board over at the wedding bee.

The colors are perfect & I love the gold keys. We’ve already ordered the cakes & I chose a naked one somewhat similar to the one in the photo. The -I love you more than all the stars- print would go perfectly with the theme too!

I stumbled across a wedding on Pinterest from Mr. B Paisley & Me that is almost exactly what I’m wanting!

That first photo is what caught my attention- navy, gold, burlap, silver, white flowers. All the things I love for a wedding. Plus more of the calligraphy banners & I love the idea of corn hole & other backyard games.

Then there’s these flowers I found via Pinterest from B.Loved Blog.

Honestly I’ve been planning all white flowers with some soft peachy creams mixed in. But I’ve completely fallen in love with these flowers! Not sure what I’ll decide on in the end. I’m planning to DIY the flowers & ordering tons of them from Sam’s for assembly.

That’s all I have to share for now folks. Have any advice?? I’m all ears!

Blessings Y’all,…

Elf on the Shelf Ideas!

I cannot wait to have kids at Christmas & do Elf on the Shelf with them! I think I’d have much more fun with it than they would. I pin all my favorites to a board on Pinterest for safe-keeping. I’ve found quite a few collections & wanted to gather them all in one spot for sharing & ogling over. So here you go!

26 Ideas from Pretty Providence

51 Ideas from Mommy Savers

25 Ideas from Over the Big Moon

75 Ideas from Skinny Mom

50 Ideas from I Heart Nap Time

25 Ideas from Simple as That

10 Marshmallow Ideas from Bombshell Bling

Check out more of my favorite elf on the shelf ideas on my Pinterest board.…