Steel Megnolia

Ever since we took a little visit to Austin, TX, I cannot seem to stop thinking about steel window frames and wood paneling. It was prevelant in most places around Austin, like this patio at Trace (in The W Hotel). Here's some more pinspiration:

I would love to incorporate this look into a home if we were ever able to build. I'm completely obsessed!

xo,

SugarMeg

Birthday Girl

Today is my birthday!! One last year ahead of me for my twenties. It's definitely bittersweet, but motivating to spread some love and make this year count! I'm making a list of 29 things I can do to be a positive impact on others and executing it this year. I'll be working on that list and I'll share it here :) For my birthday, we went out to dinner with some sweet friends over the weekend in celebration and then we mixed our own mojitos back at our house! I really missed my mom and grandma this weekend, though. Typically we always go to my aunt & uncles and do a mother's day/birthday celebration full of Parker's BBQ, dirt cake, and family games! They skyped me in, but it wasn't the same. I'm looking forward to a little R&R tonight with my hubs. 

Celebrating with my girls, Robyn & Katie! All of us are wearing adorable tops from Semblance!

Finley is the sweetest and got me some 'dog mom's' day blooms! So pretty!!

What's your favorite thing to do on your birthday??

Yippie!

xo,

SugarMeg

Porch Curtains

Lately I find myself dreaming about sprucing up our exterior. It'll most likely not happen any time soon, but I can dream, right? When we picked out our home, my first impression was that it was absolutely charming and very cute, which it is! I just haven't been the biggest fan of our bright blue shutters and porch floor. Call me crazy. We get loads of compliments, but it's just not "me." While I wouldn't invest in painting our brick white in this home, I've always been drawn to little white & black homes with a small pop of color. Add some porch curtains, and I'm forever charmed. I've drawn a little inspiration from a couple of places/homes I've actually seen. One was a home in Raleigh, NC in the neighborhood where I lived in college. I'd frequently jog by this house and try not to look like a stalker, but every time I would stop and stare. I just couldn't help myself. I love the home tour in Country Living! 

The second home is one we found in Martha's Vineyard, while we were on vacation last year. I'm quite in love with a plantation style porch & balcony. It's beyond charming and this home had the perfect amount of southern sophistication mixed with a fabulous dose of welcoming hospitality. I would have porch parties all the time!

And thank you, Pottery Barn for reading my mind on all of this. I'm loving the striped drapes! Mix in a cozy couch and you've got an amazing outdoor living space, but I'm going to need to reel it in. Our front porch isn't that big, so we will keep it simple with a couple of chairs. The great thing about the stripes is that maybe, just maybe the fabric won't be too noticably dirty when the dust blows. The white drapes would be ruined!

#AmarilloProblems. 

So, I attempted to do some botchy "photoshop" sprucing get see how all this could potentially come together if I had it my way. What do you guys think? Am I crazy? 

xo,

SugarMeg

Friday Frills

"I can't think of anything but nights with you. I want them warm and silvery, when we can be together all our lives." --Zelda Fitzgerald to Scotty Fitz, 1919

Happy Weekend, darlings!

xo,

SugarMeg

Stayin' Alive

(a depressed Finley after I told him I was leaving for 2 weeks)

It's been a crazy last (almost) three weeks. I wanted to get up a little post to let you guys know I'd be on a two week vacation, however, prepping for vacay was a bit more hectic than I had anticipated! Add a sick puppy to the mix and blog was neglected! (Don't worry! Finley is A-OK now, but getting back into the swing of things this week has also been crazy here.) SO! Where have I been? Celebrating two beautiful weddings in Raleigh, a couple of  'hometown' family visits, and a visit with my bestie in Huntersville kept me going all over NC. Then a trip to Austin was thrown in, partially for business for the hubby and partially in celebration of our two year anniversary! Whew! I'm glad to be back in my own bed and very thankful to be back with little Finley, but boy do I have a new appreciation for NC! It's so GREEN and lush and there are so many good restaurants and great things to do downtown Raleigh...and Austin was amazing! I digress. Living where we live now is alot different, but I shouldn't complain. The people here are the best part. We just miss NC!

I did miss my Amarillian girlfriends here a bit while I was gone, so I'm so excited to join in with them this weekend to see The Great Gatsby & to celebrate my birthday! Friends, I'm UHBSESSED. I don't know why. I even read it again throughout my travels. I'm literally FREAKING out to see it on the big screen already. First of all, Leo. OH MY. Never has he looked better, especially in a pink suit. But, oh, the story. The rise and fall. Nick Carroway. Eeep! Also, the soundtrack is really good and has been on repeat in my house. I'm going to do my best to focus on the movie and not be distracted by all the fabulous glitz and sparklesssss. 

Oh Em Gee.

(exploring South Congress in Austin & Finley making sure I don't leave again)

I'll be back to regular posting soon! Hoping to do a food review of NC and Austin. It seems like much of our travels revolve around food. Fatties for life? Perhaps.We love to explore new places and while we do so, we try to eat locally along the way :) 

Have a wonderful rest of the week!

xo,

SugarMeg