It is no secret that Mississippi produces brilliant writers.  For decades, the voices of our state have beautifully conveyed moments of great joy, pain, secrecy and hilarity through their powerful words.  Mississippi authors continue to capture the hearts of readers around the world. 

This Saturday from 9am until 5pm, you are invited to celebrate our published writers at The Mississippi Book Festival, held on the lawn of the State Capitol in downtown Jackson!  Today, Executive Director, Holly Lange, shares more about this incredible event!

Tell us the history behind the event.  Who was involved and why is this event so important for Mississippi?
“A small group began meeting informally in the spring of 2013 to explore the possibility of launching a book festival in Mississippi.  It was hatched over lunch between Jere Nash and Leila Salisbury (with the University Press of Mississippi), gained enthusiastic support from John Evans at Lemuria, and given initial support and funding from Malcolm White with MDA’s tourism office.  The initial group came together at Lemuria and included Leila Salisbury & Steve Yates with the University Press of Mississippi, Traci Carr from the Mississippi Library Commission, Diane Williams of the Mississippi Arts Commission, Mari Irby with Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Sarah McCullough and Mary Margaret White from MDA’s tourism office, along with Peyton Prospere, Emily Gatlin, John Evans, and Jere Nash.  From there, the planning effort expanded with the creation of an official Board of Directors and an Advisory Board, the hiring of Holly Lange as executive director, and associating with the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson to handle all accounting and financial responsibilities.”

This is the first Festival.  Why did you choose the Capitol as the location?
“The location of the Mississippi Book Festival is critical to its success. We believe hosting the Festival at the State Capitol makes it our state book festival, not the Jackson Book Festival or the Tupelo Book Festival. This location will serve as an architectural backdrop to some of the region’s finest authors.”

The MS Book Festival is a non-profit organization.  Where does any money earned go?  How does it support literature and the state?
“The money we raise simply pays for festival expenses. Eventually we hope to make a profit and establish a grant program that will support statewide literacy efforts.” 

Outline the actual event for us.  Which authors will be there, and what can guests expect? Are there any can't-miss moments?
“We have over 80 authors participating in official panels, as well as 50 plus self-published authors and 3 independent booksellers selling books. We have exhibits and programming by the Mississippi Children’s Museum, the Mississippi Library Commission, the Library of Congress. John Grisham will kick-off the event on the south steps of the State Capitol at 10:00 a.m. and his panel will be held at 3:00 p.m. at Galloway Methodist Church, adjacent to the Capitol complex. In addition to panel discussions inside the Capitol, the Mississippi Library Commission will have a 3-D printer experience for kids of all ages on the 2nd floor of the Capitol. On the lawn, various non-profits and foundations will have tents promoting their organizations. On Mississippi Street, there will be rows of tents, under which independent bookstores, self-published authors, book organizations and other vendors will be selling goods. We will have a stage with live music throughout the day and, hopefully, a food truck presence. The Welty Foundation is involved in almost every aspect, and offered the use the Welty House and Visitors Center for a VIP reception the evening before the festival. The William F. Winter Building will serve as the backdrop for an author-only breakfast Saturday morning, where guests can get a sneak peak on the progress of the two new museums going up in downtown Jackson.  There is so much information to share that we send everyone to our website, www.msbookfestival.com for the most up-to-date information!”

What do you hope this festival will achieve?
“To recognize authors and the books they produce and to celebrate literacy, writing, reading, and our cultural heritage.  Mississippi is home to an astounding number of published writers and its time we had a statewide event that recognizes their craft and connects them with their readers, while creating interest in reading and literacy.”

Many great authors are native Mississippians.  Why do you think our state has produced such a large number of incredible writers?
 “To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.”  William Faulkner

“As with many Southern Writers, I believe that the special quality of the land itself indelibly shapes the people who dwell upon it.” ― Willie Morris, The Courting of Marcus Dupree

What an inspiring event!  Holly adds, “The festival is free and open to the public! We want everyone to come celebrate at our own Literary Lawn Party!”  For more information, please visit the Mississippi Book Festival Website here, or their Facebook page here!

Providence Hill Farm is known as a spectacular venue for weddings, with its moss covered trees, sparkling lake, and stunning stable. But did you know they also offer an exceptional sporting experience? Just a short drive from downtown Jackson, the Providence Hill Farm Sporting Club "has opened its gates to a limited number of Members who desire unsurpassed excellence within the sporting lifestyle."

Members of the Providence Hill Sporting Club enjoy fishing, a skeet range, a 13-station clay range, quail shoot, pheasants shoots, shooting and archery classes, overnight accommodations, and much, much more. It is absolutely perfect for the sportsman or sportswoman in your life!

Providence Hill Farm recently joined with Circle Seven Outpost & Provisions and Mercedes-Benz of Jackson to host an extraordinary Purdey Gun and Rifle Makers Event. Jimmy Grant of Providence Hill Farm says, "Members and guests had the great opportunity to shoot four different Purdey Guns. It was such a neat event; people are still talking about it!"

Purdey & Sons Ltd. was founded in London, England, in 1814. Allie Stanislas of James Purdey & Sons says, "Within ten years, James Purdey was being spoken of as the finest gun maker in London. Now widely attributed as the world's best gun maker, a Purdey 'Best' gun is a gun that cannot be bettered. No extra time or expense can bring further improvement. From the very first measurement, it is designed to perfection."

After handling these famous gun, guests were treated with a delicious assortment of fare from Saltine Restaurant. Guests also sipped drinks from Colony Wine Market in Madison.

A special thanks to Caitlyn Sullivan for providing these incredible photos! For more information on the Providence Hill Farm Sporting Club, please visit their website here.

You can visit the Circle Seven website here, as well as the Mercedes-Benz of Jackson site here! Learn more about Purdey Gun & Rifle here.

A gorgeous high-end lingerie boutique will soon be opening its doors in Ridgeland!  Laura Hunt, owner of Arabella, says, "We offer customers a tastefully-curated collection of lingerie, swimwear, sleepwear & loungewear. Many of the lines are European and the quality is exceptional. We carry everything from T-shirt bras to gorgeous bra and panty sets, from comfortable pajamas and robes to slips and shapewear."  Laura adds, "We want women to feel beautiful, comfortable and pampered."

We have seen many of the lines Arabella will offer, and they are simply exquisite. Today, Laura shares the vision behind opening her lovely store, and more about the incredible pieces Arabella will offer!

What inspired you to open Arabella?"
I was frustrated by the lack of options for well-made lingerie and stylish swimwear in the area. I had several friends who got married over the course of a couple of years and found myself at a loss when it came to finding tasteful options for their lingerie showers. I grew tired of having to always order things online. I studied Biological Sciences at Ole Miss and originally planned to apply to nursing school but I also have retail experience. I worked at Fetish in its original location in Banner Hall and at Whittington at The Township and gained some wonderful experience working in both stores. I kept thinking that someone would eventually open a high-end lingerie store here but it never happened. After a few years of it being in the back of my mind I finally decided to go ahead and do it."

How did you choose your location?"
I love the feel of Olde Towne Ridgeland. High quality retailers & restaurants among all the character and charm of turn-of-the-century architecture made for the perfect spot for Arabella. The location is convenient and the thriving business community is eclectic Southern shopping at its best. The historic Jackson Street District offers busy traffic and several neighboring high-end retail businesses that complement Arabella very well. I could not be happier with the location."

Tell us more about the products you will offer!
"We have a great selection of wardrobe solutions — NuBras, fashion tape, bra converters, etc. — to help customers look good and feel confident in even the trickiest of outfits. One area of the store is devoted exclusively to bridal lingerie & accessories. We also offer some beautiful gift options including candles by Ecoya & R. Nichols Collection as well as beauty & body products from Naked Princess & Prtty Peaushun. We are also excited to be carrying Lauren Lorraine’s chic collection of stunning shoes, as well as jewelry lines by Marcia Moran and Adonis by Anne Taylor Duease."

Describe Arabella's customer!"
The store will fill a void for discerning shoppers who want, not only upscale lingerie for everyday and special occasions, but who also want a personal shopping experience with expert fittings and individual attention, especially needed for special occasions. We are committed to the notion of everyday luxury, compassionate assistance and helping women feel great from the inside out. Our swanky and spacious fitting rooms are decked with Italian chocolates, Artesian water & exceedingly fluffy robes, perfect when prowling the store for alternative sizes and colors. Arabella is special because of the great selection of styles and brands that we offer, but also because of the atmosphere in the store and because of our knowledgeable and friendly staff. We will be working hard to make sure the customer experience at Arabella is above and beyond what is found in most chain stores."

Thank you so much, Laura, and congratulations on your beautiful new store!  Arabella will open at the end of August, and we know customers will be enchanted with their selection of high-quality pieces.  For more information on Arabella, please visit their Facebook page here. 

“Our denim is built for you.  We don’t require you to fit into our jeans,” says Josh West, owner of Blue Delta Jean Co. in Oxford, Mississippi.  “No matter your body type, we can perfectly build that jean around you.  Even customers who are not a hard fit are buying our denim because they want quality jeans and something different.  We are the YETI cooler of the jean world on college campuses.”

Josh has always had an eye for fashion.  “I dress differently than my peers, and I saw a place to create value in custom clothing,” he says.  His keen sense of style sparked the brilliant idea to create custom garments in North Mississippi.  He quickly realized custom jeans were highly in demand, and Blue Delta Jean Co. was born. 

Josh and his business partner, Nick Weaver, hired their first seamstress in 2012.  They began with custom fittings around the state, and by 2013, signed with retail stores around the country to fit customers for their brand.  They even signed with Tom James, the largest custom clothier in the world.   

Denim is a difficult product to custom build.  Josh says, “We are a touch and feel business, and we are not creating these jeans as quickly as we can.  We are building each jean for one person.  We use premium raw denim, 99% American-milled.”  Each pair of jeans is created in Tupelo, just an hour from their sales office and showroom in Oxford. 

We recently traveled to Blue Delta Jean Co. to see their incredible showroom in person.  Today, Josh guides us through their custom process:

~ “Come to our studio, just steps from the square in Oxford.  It looks nothing like any other store.  You are here to build your jean with one of our stylists!”

~ “Choose your denim.  We have up to 15 choices of denim on the roll.  You get to touch, feel, smell, and stretch the denim.  That becomes your canvas.”

~ “Choose your thread for top stitch, bottom stitch and accent stitch.  We have eight colors to choose from; some are conservative and some are more decorative.”

~ “Choose your extras, such as hardware and pockets.”

~ “The most important part…we take tons of measurements for fittings.  We take 8 to 12 measurements from the waist down.  You can choose straight, flare, London trim, or boot.  We will give you pointers on which style best suits your body type.  You wait around 6-8 weeks and then we like our customers to come back into the store and try the jeans on.  If the fit is not correct, we are more than happy to change things for you.  If you cannot come to the Oxford store, we will ship the jeans to you.  The first meeting is the most important part of the process!” 

Blue Delta Jeans run from $350 to $500.  The Oxford showroom is open Tuesday through Saturday, or you can request a custom fitting here on their website.  You can also call or simply drop by the showroom!     

Josh says, “When the garment world moved overseas, a lot of our talent left with it.  I saw an avenue with all of the talent we have in this area, to bring the ability of a premium custom product back to America.”  We are in awe of the phenomenal jeans Blue Delta is producing, and we cannot wait to slip into a pair of our own Mississippi-made custom jeans!

For more information, please visit the Blue Delta Jean Co. website here!

A special thank you to Brian Flint of b. flint photography for capturing these wonderful photographs!  You can view his inspiring website here. 

{Name} Tara & Bryan King
{Hometown} Gluckstadt, MS
{Event Location} Terry, MS for Maternity Pictures

{Tell us about the occasion for the event!} We are excited to be welcoming our first child, Katy Grace, any day now. We wanted to take a few pictures to remember the journey of preparing for her. We are so excited to finally get to meet her!

{What inspired your event location and theme?} Jeff has become a close friend of ours and he took our engagement pictures in the same place 4 years ago. We thought it would be fun to go back to the same place and relive that special time.

{What’s your favorite event detail? Is there a story behind it?} I love the fact that Bryan and I took our engagement pictures in the same place, using the same couch. It kind of symbolizes where our relationship started and how much we have grown as a couple.

{What was your favorite part of the event planning process?} Jeff is so great to work with and easy going! He is always up for whatever!

{What was your favorite moment of the event day?} It has been such a hot summer and this day was no different! Everyone was so patient in the heat. My favorite part of the day was when Bryan said he was going to take a picture to scare off all of Katy Grace’s future boyfriends.

{Your favorite picture from the event day?} I love the photo with Bryan and me behind the couch where he is kissing my forehead!!

Photographer: Jeff Chao of Chao Photography