Northern Belle

Here is the second installment of my guest writers.  They are given the words "Southern Belle" and then write whatever comes to mind.  This one is written by my best friend Noel.  Enjoy!

I spent the better part of my childhood and teenage years fighting against anything and everything southern. I hated the country roads. I hated the accents. I hated the music, from southern rock to pop country. I hated people calling me “Darlin” and “Sweetheart,” and I most certainly hated the fact that I was born and raised in the south. (Food didn’t count though. I loved the food.) This is of course very natural – to rebel against what you’re given. Every other place on earth seems far more interesting than what you’re surrounded by. I wanted to be a California surfer girl. Or live in New York City. Or be in a military family and live all around the world. Anything but the Deep South. I didn’t know WHY I hated it so much. I guess I just thought the grass was greener on the other side. Or maybe I just needed a reason to be unhappy. I tried to escape the south when I went to college, but a full scholarship brought me to the University of Georgia. I tried to escape the south when I got my first job, but a once-in-a-lifetime intern opportunity pulled me right back in. I tried to escape the south by switching jobs, but the most amazing person ever came waltzing right into my life. The nerve. Finally, a little over two years ago, said amazing person and I moved to New York City. I had waited for this all of my life. I may have cried a little. And that’s when – big surprise – my appreciation for the south grew. I became PROUD of where I grew up. I finally saw the beauty in those country roads and the delightfulness of a sweet Southern Belle accent. I would tell my coworkers stories of my childhood, exposing them to things unfamiliar to them. And I ran around with a big pot of grits, forcing them down New Yorker’s throats while screaming, “They’re the best thing EVER!” As crazy as it sounds, I have become more of a Southern Belle since I moved to New York City. I have become more aware of my hosting ability and more conscious of gift giving and thank-you notes. I make collards and grits on a weekly basis. I sew. And most of all, I love visiting the south and surrounding myself with the people that help make the south what it is. Southern Belles make it a unique place, which is why embracing those traditional qualities is so important. Though I might be watching from afar, I no longer suppress any form of southern-ness that I experience.

I may not be your typical Southern Belle, but I was raised in the south. And there are some things that just don’t leave you, no matter how far you go.

Noel is an advertising copywriter living in New York City with her wonderful boyfriend, Austin, and their dog Dagmar.  She will one day travel the entire globe and probably be voted president of at least two countries she visits.  She is currently completing 30 challenges given to her by her friends on her 29th birthday, and you can keep up with her adventures on her blog, Year of 30 Challenges. Be sure to check out her incredible photography on her etsy shop,aperturious, and buy a print before they're in MOMA and cost a million dollars apiece.*





*Bio written by Charity - sorry, I can't help but brag on her!  :)

Thank You Notes

Hey y'all!
I celebrated my 29th birthday yesterday! Woohoo!  This means, of course, that I now have to do that task which was pounded into my brain throughout my childhood, and I will now lovingly empart to you:  "Don't forget to write your Thank You Notes!"

"No, I haven't written my thank you notes from my birthday party!  My friends haven't even gone home yet!"



Different people have different rules about thank you notes: if you thank the person face to face you don't need to send a note; for big events you have a calendar year before the notes need to be sent - but let's be real, here. Differing viewpoints and opinions as to what make a woman a belle, and that's great, but there is one thing I cannot waver on.  A Belle sends thank you notes.  Whether or not you said "Thank you" in person is irrelevant, and an email or a text (please!) does NOT cut it.  If someone was kind enough to give you a gift or do something for you, they are owed the respect of a hand written, personal, thank you note.  For weddings, the newlyweds can often get informals (I just learned about these when I got married, and I am obsessed now - these are cards with the couple's name on them, or just his or hers) when they order the wedding invitations so they match.  Inexpensive thank you notes can be bought pretty much anywhere, from high-end stationary stores to Target and Wal Mart.  If someone thinks so much of you that they go out of their way to do something nice, just for you, why wouldn't you want to make them feel warm and fuzzy with a little note of thanks?

Some tips for writing the ideal thank you note:

• Include a detail about the gift in the note.  This shows the recipient that the present (and the individual!) really means something to you. 
• Tell the person how you plan to use it (for an item) or how much you enjoyed it (for a service performed, a party, or any other event).
• Send the note in a timely fashion.  Some say the happy couple has one calendar year to send thank you notes out, but Emily Post says that a thank you for a wedding gift should be recieved within three months.  I don't know about you, but I would have lost my list of who gave what if i waited a year before I started sending anything out.
• Some Thank You's call for more than just a card.  It's customary, for example, to give a small gift to the host/hostess of a party that is thrown in your honor, for a wedding party, or for pallbearers.  One of my favorite Belles gave potpourri sachets and nice candles as hostess gifts for her bridal shower, another gave flasks to her wedding party and they were all engraved - such a cute idea!

Here's a copy of the note I'm sending today: 

Dear Noel,

Thank you so much for my Wantful gift!  I haven't been able to put the booklet down.  I've decided to get the hanging planter, but it was not an easy choice!  It's going to look great when I get some flowers planted in it for the balcony.  It means so much that you thought of me on my birthday, thanks again! I can't wait to see you when you're back in town. 

Love,

Charity

Pretty simple, and it means so much.  I need to get the others finished up - but first I'll leave you with two sites for great stationary needs at a bargain price.  Happy writing!

InvitationBox.com - beautiful Thank You notes, Casual cards, tons of monogramming (LOVE!!), and a great place to get really pretty printed, personalized invitations for showers, parties - whatever!  sign up for their mailing list to get great deals every week.

Zazzle.com - Cute stationary and cards, plus personalized EVERYTHING.  I used this site to get bags for my bridesmaids, plus cute stamps with engagement pictures on them!  This is a good spot to find gifts to go with thank you notes, or gifts to use as way of saying Thanks.

Holiday Cheer

Happy Weekend, y'all!  At this time of year, it's important to keep our "Belle Hats" on, but it's as difficult as it is important.  There are so many ways this month that we can make people around us feel good, make our homes welcoming, and feel good!
It may seem like it goes without saying, but having a home that smells inviting is probably more important than anything else in entertaining.  If you have a luscious spread of food but your cats litterboxes are out of control,  nobody is going to want to eat, or for that matter, stick around for dessert.  What can you do to keep your home fresh without getting a steam clean every month?
I utilize a few different techniques.  First of all, I do try to steam clean about once a year.  I was thrilled with the results the first time I did it, and I just rented a cleaner from Home Depot.  I recommend that if you do this you also rent the fan to dry the carpets afterwards - It was a lifesaver.  You can rent the equipment by three hour increments, and if you're ready before you pick it up you can get it done very quickly.  Here are a few options for between steam cleans:

• Febreze makes vacuum bags that have baking soda and scent in the bag, so you don't have an overwhelmingly chemical smell in your home, but it does smell fresh and clean.  Be sure to vacuum anything upholstered too, especially if you have pets.
• Glade makes some great scented items, such as plug ins, candles, and oils.  I keep a neutral scent in the plug in (clean linen) in our foyer, so guests are greeted with a rush of "clean."
• This option can be a little more expensive, but if you can splurge I recommend it:  Scentsy is a company that makes burners and waxes to go in them.  They are long lasting, strong but not overwhelming, and there is such a broad variety of scents there will be something for everyone.  Plus they're really pretty.
• Okay, this is a topic that nobody wants to discuss, but with all the holiday travel and heavy food, plus the fact that this product is MIRACULOUS, it warrants mentioning:  Bathroom smells are gross, the end.  Poo Pourri is a product that you use that actually eliminates the problem before it...well...arises.  You put a couple of drops in the toilet before you use it and it makes a shield over the water so everything basically disappears immediately.  Keep a bottle of this on the back of the toilet or somewhere obvious but not overbearing for your holiday soirees.
• Anytime you bake something, it smells like home, so to get that great smell in a  hurry, I keep some ready-to-bake cookies in the fridge - when someone says they're coming over, pop them in and you're set - plus, you'll have a great winter snack fresh out of the oven when they arrive!

What are other issues you find you face more during the holidays than other times of the year?