Cemetery Love ♥

October really just came and went a little too quickly this year! We had our 7th annual party. I took a few pictures, but not enough for a blog post! [and they're all on Instagram!] So instead, I thought I'd just do a little cemetery blog. I didn't take any of these pictures, I've just had them for years as inspiration. 

I grew up with a cemetery in my back yard, so I've always had an affinity for the dead. I used to play, do my homework and bring friends back to my special little graveyard when I was a kid. It was a family graveyard from the 1860s. The family was McClendon and although I've researched it since I moved, I haven't been able to find any pictures! I'm sure it is because it is randomly in the back yard of a suburban neighborhood and has surely been neglected and grown over since I left when I was 12. 

If you're interested in finding a grave of a family member, please check out FindAGrave or BillionGraves and enter your search info. BillionGraves is probably easier to use, but I prefer FindAGrave because you can leave virtual flowers! So cute! 

Nerdy Thirty ♥

Y'all know I love throwin' parties!! This one was too much fun ... bestie Ashlie is quite a nerd [like most of my good friends] so I thought a Nerdy Thirty would be super fun. Good thing I'm always right. [jk, calm down]

We scattered nerdy paraphenalia all around the venue including her high school band uniform [band geeks for life!], Captain America and Hermione showed up, we had a dress-up photo booth, we watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer on the big screen and the favors were ... Nerds, of course! It was such a blast and Ashlie could not have been happier. These are requirements for any party I throw, so I have to say I'm pretty pleased myself. Here are a few outtakes, enjoy!

Stellaaaaaaaaaaa! ♥

I'm such a fan girl for Stella Rose Saint Clair. Besides having wonderful personal style, she's an amazing milliner! [I hope to own a velvet spiked turban someday!] You should definitely visit Confessions of a Female Drag Queen and experience true personal style for yourself.

Style is something that is really important to me. My outward personal style is dark, often monochromatic-based with a pop of color and usually consists of one statement piece. Looking inwardly, I'm often drawn to decadence. Louis XIV is my number one style inspiration. I have boards dedicated to him in the fort and I always find myself tracing certain style elements back to him.  Big names that inspire me constantly are Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Vivienne Westwood, Louis Vuitton & Lanvin  Being a Gemini, always needing that balance, I also tend to gravitate toward Celine, Calvin Klein & Alexander Wang.

Cookie DuBois, a dear friend of mine who champions the cause of finding one's personal style, can be credited with introducing me to Miss Saint Clair. Cookie and I scour the internet in search of unique personal style. We share the belief that fashion is art and that you can create art with just about anything. Of course it would be nice to be able to shop all of my favorite designers, but just because I can't doesn't mean that I can't be fashionable. This is where personal style really gets interesting. I don't enjoy blogs that show girls buying brand names, arranging them in an obvious fashion, etc. I really like to see someone find a statement piece or a vintage piece and watch what they can do with it. Creating an outfit with one or two quality pieces arouses my style senses much more than seeing someone spend $10,000 of daddy's money on a designer gown.

I often find myself wondering how I can show appreciation for what/who I'm thankful for, I think that life is about balance and showing appreciation balances my life in the best way. Stella is amazing. To show my appreciation for the inspiration, I've created a Zombee in her honor. "A Rose Named STELLA" hearkens to New Orleans [namely a drunken Stanley K.] while evoking a decadent, floral mixture worthy of Miss Stella. Wrapped in a gorgeous color I've dubbed "StellaMint," this Zombee is sure to make you think of playing dress-up on a warm spring afternoon ... and don't forget the glitter!!

Stella showed some love for ZC on her amazing blog! I had my little fan girl moment and it was marvelous! I can't thank her enough for her support. 

Thank you so much, Stellaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa [sorry, I can't NOT do that].

Shop now @ ZombeeCandle.com!!

Too Hot ...

This shit is BANANAS! Seriously, its eleventy million degrees outside. This makes me grumpy and in turn, makes me not want to blog. I'm gearing up for Autumn, so in honor of how terrible it is, here is some amazing inspiration that is in no way summery. Enjoy!

 ♥

Summertime Sweet Tea

Is there anything better than sweet tea on a hot day? I love the South! Everyone has their special way of making tea. My grandmother puts a whole cup of sugar in hers! My mom ads lemon and always keeps a pitcher of unsweet next to the sweet for those who can't handle the real version. I've got my own little twist as well! This recipe is especially wonderful in the heat, so I call it my Summertime Sweet Tea.

2 family size bags of Luzianne tea

boiling water

1 orange, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

1 large sprig of mint

1/2 cup sugar or Splenda

2 quart pitcher w/top

I'll start with the basics, in case you don't know how to make tea. [no shame! we all have to start somewhere!] I always use Luzianne; it's delicious, affordable and made in New Orleans. I use caffeinated sometimes, since I like to drink tea at suppertime. Bring a teapot full of water to boil, remove from heat and place the tea bags in the pot and let them steep for at least 10 minutes, I usually let it steep for about 15. [I read somewhere to let it steep for "no more than 2 minutes" ... that is crazy! Let it sit and get good. Haha.]

Add the sugar to the pitcher, pour in your tea and fill the rest of the pitcher with water [leave a couple of inches at the top.] Stir it together and let it cool off for a few minutes. Add fruit and the mint [don't break up the mint, just put it straight in!] and refrigerate, with top/lid. I like to use the kind that has a strainer for easy pouring. 

Serve over ice, garnish with mint/lemon. Délicieux!