INSPIREMS

Designing for a Cause- BlairHaus {Insider Inspiration}

10/8/2018

Happy Monday everyone!
Was it just us or did this Monday morning feel especially Monday-ish to y’all too? Today we wanted to bring your attention to an event coming up in Tupelo next Friday, October 19th! Our good friends at BlairHaus are hosting Design for a Cause, a special charity event to celebrate their three year anniversary. Keep reading for the details and mark your calendars!

Design for a Cause will take place at BlairHaus in Tupelo. There will be a silent auction full of fabulous items curated from local vendors, live music, and plenty of yummy refreshments provided by Sugaree’s Bakery and Park Heights restaurant. The proceeds from this event will be going to The Tupelo Children’s Mansion.

The Tupelo Children’s Mansion describes its mission as, “to offer hope through the love of Jesus Christ to orphaned or disadvantaged children by providing their physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and educational needs… contributing to their health, security and happiness, and equipping them to lead productive lives.” Since 1953 the Mansion has been recognized as one of the oldest and most trusted organizations of its king. It’s sprawling 40 acre campus has a total of 27 buildings that include residence halls for the children, staff housing, a Christian school, a gymnasium, and an on-campus Church.

In addition to the silent auction and other donated items. BlairHaus is also donating 20% of every purchase made during the event to The Tupelo Children’s Mansion. When asked why BlairHaus chose to support The Tupelo Children’s Mansion, owner Traci Lewis responded, “For our 3rd anniversary we wanted to give back to the community and raise awareness of Tupelo Children's Mansion. We believe in the programs they offer and we want to support and help grow an organization that is going to give these children a better life.”

Recently, BlairHaus has reorganized the layout of their store to make shopping for beautiful home accessories and designing custom interiors easier than ever. The downstairs of the building is now completely devoted to providing customers with top of the line home essentials and specially curated gift items. Upstairs, you will find the design center and room settings, where you can see how some of the pieces available for purchase fit into the design of a room.

BlairHaus is located at 208 W. Main Street in Tupelo, Mississippi
To learn more about BlairHaus, please visit their website, follow them on Instagram @blairhausinteriors and check out their Facebook page.

If you are unable to attend the event, but would still like to learn more about The Tupelo Children’s Mansion and possibly donate to their cause, please visit their website.

Renaissance Euro Fest Classic European Auto and Motorcycle Show {Events}

10/5/2018

Hey y’all!
Happy Friday! We hope y’all have had an excellent week this far and that the weekend will end up even better. We wanted to bring your attention to a really neat event coming up next weekend! On Saturday, October 13th, car enthusiasts will gather at the Renaissance in Ridgeland for the 10th annual Renaissance Euro Fest Classic European Auto and Motorcycle show. We got the chance to talk to Mike Marsh, the founder and director of the show. Keep reading for more on this event and make sure to mark your calendars!

{How did you come to start the Renaissance Euro Fest Classic Auto and Motorcycle show?}
As a collector of vintage Mercedes-Benz, I got tired of showing my cars at local hot rod, street rod and rat rod, etc., shows. Ten years ago I told myself if I could ever find a nice enough venue, I am going to start an all European show. About that time the Renaissance shopping center was being completed and I fell in love with the place.

{Why did you decide on the Renaissance as the location for the show?}
I thought the Renaissance was a perfect fit for an all European car show for a few different reasons. For starters, its Mediterranean architecture, European style fountain and clock tower, and its dedication to green space with magnificent flowers represented such a high quality lifestyle. Additionally the shopping center worked well with our needs logistically; the wide sidewalks with many handicap ramps were perfect to park car without obstructing shoppers.

Conversations with the Renaissance management team got off to a slow start when, after I started my presentation, I was asked, "you want to do what!? However, my vision and that of Jan Mattiace, wife of Managing Partner, Andrew Mattiace and Renee DeWeese, Marketing Director of the center, came together when we decided to go forward.

{What makes the Renaissance Euro Fest so special?}
The show is unique because it is one of the only shows of it type in the entire country. It is all European by approved selection. We do not make attendees or participants pay to be a part of the show, something that doesn’t happen often in the auto show world. In addition to European cars, we also have motorcycles. Every year, the show grows in the number of participants and attendees, we expect the 10th anniversary to be the biggest one yet! The show has attracted over 135,00 spectators that come in from 10 different states to view over 1,200 entries from five different countries. We have had entries from Chicago,Little Rock, Dallas, Houston, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Pensacola, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Greenville, SC, St Louis, Memphis and smaller markets in between.

{What can attendees expect to experience at this year’s show?}
This year’s show will have new events such as our "Outback" Class, which is outdoor type vehicles, campers and Land Rovers that will join in the fun of "Orvis Day" at the North end of the Renaissance. Also, on the East lawn, between the center and I-55 we will have the "Legends of the Interstates,” a collection of newer German marques (auto term for brand) consisting of Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW, VW, and Audi. The cars featured in the “Legends of the Interstates” exhibit will be parked around a German Beer Garden, complete with German food and our "soon to be famous,” Bavarian band, The Delta Krauts.
Another new feature this year will be our "American Invited Marque" Class, which will feature Ford. We will have Fords on display starting with a 1911 "Brass Era" Model T Torpedo going all the way to a 2018 F40 and a Ford model for each decade between.

For more information on this event please visit their website.

Deep Blues Festival {Events}

9/27/2018

Happy Happy Friday y’all!

We sure are looking forward to what looks to be a beautiful weekend!
We wanted to bring y’all’s attention to the 11th annual Deep Blues Festival going down in Clarksdale on October 11-14. Located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Clarksdale is such a fantastic weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the every day routine. Keep reading for more information on this unique festival!

This year the nation’s best blues artist and biggest fans will all gather in Clarksdale to celebrate the incredible power of the blues. Do you feel like you would love to go and check it out but maybe music festivals aren’t really your thing? The Deep Blues festival isn’t Bonnaroo, Coachella, or Lollapalooza. It’s a unique event that the creators of the festival were yearning for, “Organized by hardcore roots music fans — a mix of Clarksdale locals and international transplants — Deep Blues Festival is not your typical music festival. It's the fest that they always wanted to attend but could never find.

"Look, there are plenty of amazing festivals with enormous stages, big anonymous crowds and rows of portajohns. They're fine, sometimes even great. But Deep Blues Fest is better," according to co-organizer Robin Colonas. "Our event aims for two things missing from that 'festipalooza' formula — authenticity and intimacy. At DBF, concert-goers enjoy the town, the venues and the people every bit as much as the absolutely killer musical lineup."

The Deep Blues festival celebrates the history and local flavor of Clarksdale. The New Roxy and the Shack Up Inn are the stages for incredible talent. Attendees of the festival are sure to be delighted by the richness of the Mississippi Delta. This year's festival lineup features RL Boyce, Alvin "Youngblood" Hart & Muscle Theory, Jimbo Mathus, Psychotic Reaction, Bob Log III, Big George Brock, Reverend John Wilkins, Monsieur Jeffrey Evans & His Southern Aces, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, Molly Gene One Whoaman Band, Robert "Lil Poochie" Watson & Hezekiah Early.

For more information and to grab your tickets, please visit the Deep Blues Festival website.

Molly & David {Weddings}

9/26/2018

Happy Wedding Wednesday y'all!
Today we wanted to share a beautiful celebration of one of the sweetest couples we've ever seen! From the stunning florals to the delicious food, the details of this wedding came together perfectly resulting in a beautiful, elegant, and perfectly southern celebration!

{Tell us about y’all!}
David and I met and started dating almost 11 years ago when we were both in the 8th grade at St. Joseph Catholic School in Madison, Mississippi. We attended Mississippi State University together, where David graduated with a Bachelors in Exercise Science. I left MSU after my junior year to attend nursing school in Jackson. After 10 years of dating, David planned the most special proposal at the Chapel of Livingston. Afterwards, our family and close friends were gathered at The Farmers Table Cooking School to celebrate with us!

One of my favorite things about our relationship is that we have been a part of each other's life for as long as I can remember. There aren't many memories in my life that David is not a part of. We have been together through so much together over the last 11 years and I'm so excited for all that is to come!

{How did you pick your wedding venues?}
We chose to get married in the church that I grew up in and that holds a special place in my heart. My dad played a huge role in building our new sanctuary, so having the wedding there made it even more special! As for the reception, I wanted to have it at a place that would allow us to choose our vendors and I loved the look and feel of Bridlewood of Madison.

{Tell us all about the flowers!}
I could talk all day long about how incredible Lesley Frascogna, the owner of Tulip Floral, is. She was the creative design behind our entire wedding day decor. I knew that I wanted my florals to be primarily whites and greens with a pop of lavender for color. My biggest request was to have a large bridal bouquet and bridesmaid bouquets. I was blown away with how beautiful her work was.

{What was your favorite moments of your wedding day?}
There are so many moments from our wedding day that are my favorites...getting ready with all my favorite girls, the first look with my Dad, putting on my dress with my mom and sister, seeing David at the end of the aisle. I could honestly go on and on! If I had to pick one, I would say my first look with David before the ceremony was my all-time favorite. I will always remember the moments during and after our first look. It was the moment that the two of us got to be alone and soak in that our special day was finally here.

{What were some of your details from your celebration?}
The food! Oh my goodness, it was phenomenal! The first decision I made when planning my wedding was choosing to have our close family friends, Derek and Jennifer Emerson cater our wedding. The Emersons own multiple restaurants in the Jackson metro area, including Walker’s Drive in, Local 463, Caet, and Parlor Market. David and I have always loved celebrating special occasions in our life at their restaurants, so having their amazing food be a part of our day was a must!

One of my other favorite details would have to be the music! Magnolia Strings played for thirty minutes prior to the start of the ceremony and accompanied the vocalist. This elegant music set the tone for the beautiful ceremony to follow. Their final number of the prelude was Surely the Presence. I chose this song because I wanted everyone to feel the presence of the Lord during the ceremony. The worship songs sung by the vocalist were personal favorites of mine. How deep the Father’s Love for Us and In Christ Alone were both sung by our dear friends. It was important to both of us to have our ceremony centered around worship and the music we selected allowed us to do that!

The band that played our reception, Entice, was INCREDIBLE! They ensured that our guests had the best time.

{What was your favorite part of the wedding planning process?}
My favorite part of planning a wedding was getting to spend the quality time with my mom. My wedding day would not have been what it was without all of her help! After the wedding, we had the best time going through our photos when Lindsay got them back to us! They turned out so well and we are so happy that we made the decision to hire Lindsay Ott Photography to capture our celebration.

{Do you have any tips for anyone else planning a wedding?}
I would suggest to slow down and make sure to focus on enjoying the day! Try to take as much as you can in because it truly does go by way too fast!

{Vendors}
Photography: Lindsay Ott Photography| Reception: Bridlewood of Madison|Catering: Walker's Drive In|
Florist & Creative Design: Tulip Floral| Ceremony: First Baptist Church Madison| Cake: Cakes by Iris|
Lighting: Davaine Lighting| Day of Coordinator: Meghan Robinson| Make Up & Hair: Static a Salon|
Menswear: Kinkade's Fine Clothing| Bridal Gown: Maggie Louise by Amsale| Bridesmaids Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid| Band: The Entice Band| Videographer: Hinkle Productions|

Fall Cover Reveal

9/21/2018

Y'all!
It's finally fall! Today marks the official start of the fall season and we couldn't be more excited. Today we wanted to share our fall cover and the amazing photoshoot behind it with y'all. With the help of some amazing vendors we put together the tailgate of your dreams and we can't wait for y'all to take a look!

With the cooler temperatures and the change in color of the leaves, Fall is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy food, drinks, games, and fun for a few or in a group of many. The South is home of the best tailgating around and Southerners sure know how to throw a party! With backyard games that will provide hours of entertainment for guests and the Karavan Bar providing the perfect place to serve your favorite drinks, this tailgate party will leave you wishing it was Saturday all over again.