Saturday, September 14, 2013

Lifestyle: True Vintage Style

In the middle of helping my sister move and rearranging tons of stuff in my parents house, I stumbled upon some of the the coolest, most adorable, and truly vintage pieces of clothing I've ever seen. A pair of self-cut, hand-embroidered jean shorts, from roughly 1972. Seriously, how cute are these? And the fact that my mom cut off a pair of old jeans to make shorts and used her Brownie Scout skills to embroider all the the designs herself, just too neat! I could see the memories flooding back as she showed them to me.






So cute! It's crazy to see how popular styles of the past always make their way back around. My sister owns a couple pairs of shorts extremely similar to these, except she paid for hers to look this frayed when she bought them, and they aren't quite as customized!

And then, just when I thought it couldn't get any cuter, my mom showed me a few old school outfits from her childhood. Cue me completely GEEKING out over the little dress I'm about to show you. I mean, it's like a miniature 1959 prom dress for a toddler. I think the only think more precious than this dress would be a picture of my mom as a youngster in this dress! (I'll have to ask my grandmother to break out the old albums) Ok, maybe I should also mention that I'm totally and completely in love with the styles of the 1950's and 1960's. If I thought it was acceptable to wear Mad Men-esque dresses and my hair hived up on the top of my head every day to work, I totally would!

And here it is, the cutest little dress I've ever seen, that my future unborn little girl WILL be wearing!





So, so sweet! And pretty impressive that it's in such great condition considering its somewhere around 50 years old. If there was ever a reason to have a child, it would be this dress! Ok, ok, just kidding, but seriously, this makes me want a little girl some kind of bad. (And something tells me that our current little beagle girl, Harper just wouldn't be very happy in it)


Home Decor: Interior Shutters & Roses

The Southern Maryland heat and humidity finally broke *knock-on-wood* and I was able to open the house up for the first time in months! With a high temperature in the 70's you really couldn't ask for a better day. The sky was clear, the breeze was cool, and the house was finally open. Which made me realize, this was also the first time I completely opened our new interior shutters to let the air circulate in the house. 

The lighting isn't the best, but at least you can see how they look pulled back AND the view of St. Clements Island and the Potomac River.



On another note, did you know that this is the time of year that newer-breed roses put on one last and final show for the year? I didn't either, until I saw my knockout roses in full bloom last night and asked my mom if that was normal. And of course it's normal, and apparently common knowledge...whoops! Anyway, I picked a couple of the sweet, pink blooms, popped them in a mason jar, and ta-da: a beautiful accent for the living room, at least for a couple of days.




They add a soft, feminine feel to the deer antler display, don't you think? Are your rose bushes putting on one last show before the cooler weather sets in? Snip a couple and add a quick, beautiful touch of color to your home decor!


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Never Forget

Via

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." -Martin Luther King Jr.



Monday, September 9, 2013

Home Decor: Fresh Flowers

Farmer Bubba and I celebrated our 3rd Wedding Anniversary last week! And thanks to that, I had some beautiful, fresh flowers to add a little pop of pretty to the house. I placed them along the ledge between the living room and kitchen so they can be seen from both rooms!

Via my Instagram - @MindleHill

I was really pleased with the beautiful bouquet, they actually really reminded me of my wedding bouquet! Not sure if it was coincidence or planned, but either way, well done, Mr. Hill.

See more of our Wedding photos, HERE!




And just for a little trip down memory lane...I can't believe we've been married for 3 years already! I always try to remember to take a picture together on our anniversary so we can look back and remember what we did to celebrate. Here is a little peek at how we've aged...I mean how we've celebrated over the years...

Our big day :)
1st Anniversary - Before the Blake Shelton Concert
2nd Anniversary - During the Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean Concert
3rd Anniversary - Overlook on the Upper Hawksbill Trail, Shenandoah National Park.


Thursday, September 5, 2013

Lifestyle: When the Mountains are Calling...

Sometimes you have to stop what  you're doing and answer the call of the mountains. At least that's what we do in my family! Ever since I was a little girl we would travel over the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge to the lovely state of Virginia and make our way through the winding back roads toward Skyline Drive, part of the Shenandoah National Park.

My grandmother hails from South West Virginia, and my grandfather from Olive Hill, Kentucky, so this 2.5 hour drive always satisfied their need to get back to their roots and our need for a mini-adventure. And it answered their calling once again over the Labor Day weekend when my mom was kind enough to pack a cooler full of lunch meat, fixin's, and other picnic necessities, and let us pile into her new mini-van to make our way to the mountains.

There is something so calm and peaceful about the Blue Ridge Mountains. Something I never noticed as a child, but coming back as an adult, I was fully aware of Mother Nature and all of her beauty. 



Where do you go for a quick escape from the daily grind? Here are a few pictures from our mini-escape!


Along the Upper Hawksbill trail - My mom, left, and her parents/my grandparents - Nan & Pa!


King and Queen of the Mountain - Bub and I both arriving at the end of the trail/overlook!

Family <3 Three generations

Just days before our 3rd wedding anniversary - I think I'll use this one as our official anniversary pic!

As we were driving down the mountain to our picnic site, we saw these cute, baby black bears having a leafy snack in the trees. We slowed down for a picture, but kept moving. Where there is a baby, there is almost certainly a Momma!

After a day in the mountains and taking in all of that fresh air, I couldn't believe how salty the air smelled and almost tasted when we got back home to the Point Breeze Cottage. It didn't help that it was all kinds of muggy that day, but it was still pretty neat to notice the differences in air quality.

If you want to learn more about the Shenandoah National Park or Skyline Drive, be just to visit their website: http://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Home Decor: Etsy Fall Decor

Despite the humidity lingering in the air here in Southern Maryland, everyone seems to be ramping up for the Autumn season. My mom, sister, and I all run an Etsy store called, none other than, Point Breeze Cottage, where we sell vintage items, and  re-imagined and re-fabulous furniture; And right now we have several different items for sale that will add a touch of vintage-fall to your home decor.

Use the discount code: PBCBLOG for 20% off any item of your choice!











Head over to our Etsy shop for more great deals and unique items! And don't forget to use the coupon code!



Saturday, August 31, 2013

Lifestyle: Mixtape Festival 2013

As summer comes to an end and we say goodbye to the month of August, I started to think back on all of the fun things I did and saw this summer. I shared several pictures in a couple of my "Life Lately" posts, but I realized that I never shared with you all the details of my trip to the VH1 Mixtape Festival in Hershey Park, PA.

I've been to a couple of concerts in my time, but never one that was a festival of sorts with multiple headline-worthy acts. My sister, Marci, is a Hanson fan and when she found out that they would be in nearby Hershey Park as part of this festival she immediately bought tickets. I am typically her Hanson concert partner so when she asked me if I wanted to go, I agreed. In fact, I guess you could say I'm a Hanson fan too. I have a lot of respect for them; They've handled their fame (and money) far more responsibly than most child stars, they are true to who they are, working hard and even starting their own record label when others wanted them to conform, and most importantly, they are extremely talented!

When Marci found out they were offering upgraded "VIP" tickets, she decided that this may be her one chance to finally meet the man of her dreams, the one she's been pining over for 15 years, Taylor Hanson. (That's not even an exaggeration) So she upgraded our tickets as a birthday gift of sorts to me and we were ready for our big day.

The festival was actually a two day event, but we opted for only the first day. Money doesn't grow on trees people! Our line-up was as follows: Serena Ryder, Hanson, Gavin DeGraw, The Script, One Republic, and Train. And with our upgraded VIP tickets we had access to air-conditioned bathrooms, a pre-concert picnic, a VIP tent where VH1 was doing band interviews, we got to see a private acoustic concert by Hanson, and they had a photo booth and bar...it was pretty sweet. Oh, and we had some pretty close seats for the main event!



Marci (top) and I both got to meet Taylor Hanson at the VIP BBQ meet and greet before the private concert in the tent and then the full concert after that. Marci was starstruck so I made sure I told him how long she'd been waiting to meet him...and then he asked if I'd been waiting even longer, inferring that I'm the older sister. I kindly let him know I was the younger, bigger sister. :)



Next up - private concert by Hanson in the VIP tent. There were literally only three people in front of me!



Photo booth fun with Marci and some of the friends we made in the VIP tent!



Hanson on the big stage!




Train - incredible live. Sounded just like the radio :)




Special guest, Ashley Monroe, joined Pat M. from Train to sing their new single, Bruises. My favorite!




I honestly wasn't sure what all The Script sang, but once I heard their songs, I recognized almost all of them. Really great stage presence and performance as well. Representing from Ireland!




Sorry about the angle, but this is Gavin DeGraw performing. A surprising amount of swag on this fella!




One Republic put on a great show too. Their entire band is crazy good!



Did you make it to any concerts or festivals this summer? Who was your favorite performer? I can't thank Marci enough for her persistence in wanting to upgrade to the VIP tickets. I'm not sure I'll be able to go back to the "normal" concert experiences after this!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Living Room Reveal!

After lots of deliberating and hours of hard work, we have finally finished our living room makeover. Though the room wasn't horrible before, it didn't reflect our style as a couple in the slightest. Once Farmer Bubba and I decided it was time to tackle the cottage and finally make it our own, we thought we'd start with the living room. This is the one room in the house that won't be affected when we add up and redesign the rest of the house to make it more functional. Before we get started, here is a little reminder of what the living room looked like before:

BEFORE
BEFORE

One day, while browsing my all-time favorite blog, The Lettered Cottage, I saw a post about using shutters on your interior windows. It was a great idea and a jumping off point for our living room. It was the one element I KNEW I wanted to use. We have a long bay of four windows across one wall that provides an incredible view up the Potomac River looking towards Virginia, but they let in A LOT of light and specifically, heat. So the interior shutters were a great solution for style and function, keeping out the heat and prying eyes when necessary.

My next hurdle was figuring out what color I wanted to paint the walls. I tend to get overwhelmed when making decisions, especially one with SO many options. I was having a hard time getting out of "neutral land" with creamy whites and light grays, but nothing really jumped out at me once I had it on the wall. During a quick visit from my mom, I mentioned how I love dark blue and turquoise colors and she encouraged me to go for it. And she had a point, the house is full of old baseboards, window and door trim painted white. Not to mention with all the windows and high ceilings we have quite a bit of light to work with. I was hoping the blue color I chose would make the white trim "pop"...and boy was I right!

So, without further adieu, here is the new and improved Point Breeze Cottage living room:

View of the entire room - from the kitchen/back of the house looking towards the front. Front wall - "Desert Fortress" Side walls - "Swizzle Stick". We also painted the overhang where the air ducts are white to match the ceiling. It really opened it up!

View from the front door. Sitting area in the front, TV area in the back.
Sitting area - I found ALL of the pillows for the living room in one trip to Marshall's! It was totally my lucky day!

One of my favorite displays in the room. Top shelf of the book cabinet - memories of our honeymoon in Kauai, Hawaii! aka - Heaven on Earth! Cannot wait to go back, hopefully in the near future. (Thanks to my mom for the Anniversary gift/decoupaged serving tray with Hawaiian postcards!)

Another display atop the electric fireplace. Something to represent Farmer Bubba - Four generations of Hill men, a tobacco knife and spear-head, tobacco basket and dried leaves, and a couple of other farm related trinkets. PS- check out the pretty wildflowers from our garden in the backyard!

View from the front of the house, looking at the bedroom doors and old library ladder that leads to the loft.

Ahhh, my beautiful interior shutters and shades!! I was planning to make my own shades/curtains, but I found a GREAT deal on these at Lowes and they brought just the right amount of nautical to the room!
The bay of windows with the shutters closed and the shades down.
A special gift from my mom - a touch of "bling" to bring a little Mindy to the room.
On the top of the TV cabinet I decided to bring a touch of my family's watermen roots to the room. The beautiful, hand-carved Heron was a wedding gift from Bubba's close friend and talented artist, Tommy Deagle.

There is nothing quite like a Southern Maryland Blue Crab :)
I've noticed how trendy antlers are becoming in home decor. Lucky for me, I have a husband with a garage FULL of antler sheds he finds in the woods during hunting season. And it brings a little bit of his style to the room :)

Another shot of the antlers on the coffee table. Can you tell I read a lot of Coastal Living?! 

New slip cover from Ikea for the couch - perfect! We were also able to reuse a rug we had in the living room previously.

A couple of aerial shots from the loft. 
Again, from the loft. You can really see how great the floors look from this angle! I know the rug is too small, but it is serving its purpose until we can afford a larger one. It was on clearance at Marshall's and is softer than anything else in the house...Harper loves it!

AND we're beagle approved!

Thanks for taking a look at our new living room. I really am so pleased with the way everything turned out, and owe so much of the credit to my handy husband and helpful grandfather. Without them, I'd still probably be painting right now!

Have you made over a room in your house lately? What was your favorite part of the process? For me, it was the fact that we were able to "re-use" so much. The love-seat in the sitting area, round table behind the love seat, old mirror on the wall and the TV cabinet were left with the house when we purchased it. The recliner and book shelf/cabinet were hand-me-downs from family members, the coffee table, table by the bedroom doors and small bench under the front windows were yard sale finds, and the fireplace and clear lamp were gifts from my parents. Even a lot of our decor pieces, like the antlers, tobacco basket and leaves, and binoculars were pieces we had from everyday life.

This makeover was quick and mostly painless, and I loved every minute of it! Now, to get rolling on some more projects...
 
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