the little house: bar

my kitchen had not a single drawer. 
plenty of cabinets, that are well made, craftsman, real wood {not kitschy plastic set from home depot}, matching appliances in good condition... but not a single drawer.

completely bizarre. 
{and i spent way too much time wondering where the past owner put his silverware and spatulas, but whatever.}

the kitchen is the heart of my home; and always has been, wherever i lived. so I knew this tiny spot need some special attention and t.l.c. first off, we knew that knocking out the wall between the living room and dining room would definitely help. then came the idea for the barnwood bar.  

we knew no matter the bar design, drawers were going to have to be added.  W was prepared to put in the time and design work to make the custom cabinets for the bar.  but one day during our then daily visits to the Habitat for Humanity store...I saw W thinking, looking at a piece of something that i couldn't quite decipher...he caught my eye across the store and gave me the silent "come'ere" nod.  standing on its side was a piece from a set of cabinets that had lost the rest of it's family.

after a simple "hear me out", willie talked through how this could be the "other side" of the bar and would save him a lot of custom work. we talked it out, i asked questions, made suggestions and we settled on real potential here. for $40 bones, we went with it, hoping to make it work, if not it could be scrap wood for other projects or a bonfire. 

within the hour of unloading it at home, W had it cut down, sized and placed. then shortly after he built the three large drawers. PERFECT.

now the fun part for me -- paint.  i went back and forth...
keep it neutral to match the rest of the house?
not hopeful that we'd be painting the cabinets anytime soon {a battle i had given up on at that point} should i try to tie it in, make it an accent color?
oh! accent color, yes! but what?

all this is swirling through my head as mr. woodworker says, I'd really love if we painted it turquoise.

jesus, mary and joseph, my heart leaped.  but i thought he was joking because he knows i have a thang for the turq. but he was for real! for really real!  it took about 2 minutes and 47 seconds to go and find my leftover "peacock" paint i already had and get to work before minds changed.

i decided I wanted it a bit distressed, so i made random strokes of lime, greens and blues that i would paint over then lightly sand off. 

 

working on the other side of the bar

I painted the entire piece "peacock" blue and did a little sanding. then added the simple hardware knobs. we bartered with a lil guy at the flea market to get plain wooden knobs for 10 cents each. I painted them gray with a small orange dot in the middle.  

here she is!

the veiw into the living room:

I use this surface space multiple times every single day.

It's where I prep, where I serve meals buffet style 

and where we sit in the morning with our computers and coffee. 

It truly has become the heart of this little house.  

An imagination, leftover barn wood, salvaged cabinetry, paint and craftsmanship transformed the kitchen into a functional, comfortable gathering place.

...next up: details on those purdy creamy cabinets and tin backsplash!

the 4 hour bridal party

I was a bridesmaid in wedding #11 two weeks ago -- which is one of the several reasons why i am not having a bridal party. 

i'm tired. and old.

i have genuinely loved and have been so incredibly honored to be a bridesmaid or maid of honor in each of these weddings.  they are some of the best memories of the last decade of my life, actually.

I love my friends, adore my sisters, and want them all there -- but this is me giving them and my sanity a giant gift.  managing bridesmaids and groomsmen becomes a full time job for me and is quite time and money consuming for them.   besides i'd have to have approximately 37.5 and that's over a third of the entire invitation list.

this subject is one of those where everyone has an opinion mostly dictated by "what everybody else is doing" and "what you're supposed to do".  and I'll admit, in moments of pure drama, girl craze and holy shit i've only got one chance to to this --  i've seriously questioned if I should have just bitten the bullet, called my gals & chosen the dresses.

*will i miss that wild bachelorette party? the excuse for a vacation with my favorite people?
*am i offending these girls who matter so much in my life?
*don't the bridesmaids dresses and the groomsman's get up, complete the palette?

i have answers to each of those questions that don't change my decision whatsoever.  however, with just over a week out from the big day, the only question, the only thing i'm already missing is that special 4 hour slot of time just before the wedding.

you know the one that starts with mimosas, bloody mary's and button up shirts?
the tears fought back and cussing that ensues with getting your hair did and make up done with the beaming bride?
...that's the part of the experience that means the most to me.

so i'm taking care of that wonder and "what if" with an open invitation to several of my favorite gals, to come to the farm early, to drink some beer or that late afternoon bloody mary.  
    to tell me if my hair looks ridic, that i need to put on more blush and brush my teeth 
    to talk about how cool i used to be: how i was wildcatting & playing the field just over a year ago.  
    to prepare a plan as to how i'm going to make willie stop talking about immediately having children. 
    to reassure me that I won't forget the vows i've memorized and that it's ok that i'll ugly cry.

...that's the part i'm taking advantage of.  the "4 hour bridal party", if you will.

truly, the girls that would be the bridal party are the only friends I really invited. i am so fortunate to have many especially strong and special women from every stage of my life; high school, college, Nashville 8 years ago and Nashville now -- and they live all over the ole U S of A.

more than anything, i just want them there. 
present.
to enjoy the day, look forward to the day, consider it a reunion, 
and just plain
celebrate.

it rained. full on downpour.

Speaking of Pallie and those handwritten invites, I also remember sitting through her wedding showers, keeping up with the list of who gave what, not really knowing what every gadget was, when I whispered to my other sister Whitney ..."how will i EVER act excited about a silverware set?!" 

well it's here, my time has arrived... and i was proved wrong in a BIG way.  I had two showers a few weekends ago at home in GA and they were so much fun, humbling & exciting.  I anticipated and partly dreaded the attention; it's an awkward balance of the gratitude vs. guilt in understanding that all these people SHOWED up, for ME?!  but on the trip down there I had that little moment of relief and clairty realizing I would be selling myself short...I needed to appreciate this gracious outpouring of love & soak up every single second.

and so i did. Thankful, is an understatement. Each of the parties were absolutely delightful and my little nest is all the better because of it. Over that weekend I got the most helpful & vital things for my kitchen -- AWESOME pots & pans, corning ware, pyrex, place settings, towels, etc...along with several sweet and fun gifts too. And that ole question of yore quickly became clear --- I was SO DAMN excited to get some silverware!!! {and I got 3 sets ;)}

Pallie took pics the entire weekend and I'm SO GLAD she did.  Fun memories and facial expressions so very "Laurel", {flattering and not} that only a sister can capture in love and spite ;) You'll see. (TO NOTE: it is very weird posting a ton of pics with me in them :/, sorry)

On Saturday my mom's BFF's who have been a part of my life...for my whole life...had a luncheon for me for all my hometown folks at Mrs. Judy's house.  I LOVE girly brunch food -- we had my favorite chicken salad, croissants, broccoli salad, fruit salad, cookies, YUM! then we gathered to open gifts.  

with the hostesses {di isn't smiling because she's either pulling my pony tail behind ms. judy's back or telling a joke! for sure}

 corning ware is hilarious. so hilarious!!!

 

mom, ms. mickie (who's making my dress!!) & sosie

i'm such a proper lady. thanks p ;)

my childhood best friends/sisters/partners in crime!  its amazing how we can pick up like we were hanging out last week. most of my best and only distinct memories from childhood include these girls. mercy, i love it!

 . . . . . .

On Sunday, Pallie and my sister-in-law Christina threw a shower at Christina & Josh's great new house in Carrollton -- this was for my rowdy fam (the heard girls!, aunts, cousins, friends, etc..) 

It was the loudest shower I've ever been to. Seriously. 

These ladies love to talk. It was awesome. 

 P & C had an adorable spread of "Laurel's Favorite Things" to eat. It was my jam!

these are the pics pallie lives for me to share. 

knee deep in story telling. shocker. 

    

bff chikki, aunt becky, cousin grace

hannah & christina

how CUTE are these dishtowels?! 

 

gotta framer here: spud, pallie, tater tot, me, 'tina

 

ok...all the pics are really gettin weird, but it was such a fun weekend and I got so much neat stuff...can't ya tell??

I got everything i needed and wanted.  it was a great weekend, the weather was amazing, i got a "home" fix and got to see pretty much all my fam.  My heart spaces were FILLED to the brim when I left Monday.  Thanks Gals!!!

 

little house: living room

when i say "little", i ain't kiddin.

this house is small cozy...and that is further confirmed as i am attempting to separate posts to reveal each room, it has become quite clear that three rooms are covered in one shot, ha! so there will be inevitable sneak peeks along the way. but this is mainly documented for us to remember and for me to look back on when i need reminding how lucky i am to have a roommate who's a handy man:) -- as he did every.single. renovation himself.

first things first, our living room.  let's just get this party started with pics. {and please pardon the low quality iphone shots for many of these :/} 

view from front door:

• full wall to kitchen walkway -- kitchen isn't visible at all 
• the transom going through the center of the room
• the 1992 brass ceiling fan and overhead light

ALL making this space feel millions times smaller than it already is! 

what went bye bye:

• a portion of the main wall blocking the kitchen 
• all decorative transoms in middle of room and kitchen entry
• half of the ceiling 
•  all old electrical & insulation 
• ceiling fan

what changed or was added:

• new dry wall hung, plastered, sanded, repeat, repeat, repeat
• ceiling rolled with a special plaster for texture  
• painted entire room {and entire house interior for that matter} valspar Swiss Coffee. this included the ceiling, trim and baseboards. the room is small enough already, that painting different colors (even if all naturals) would break it up and take away the illusion of it looking larger. {thanks for the suggestion mom!}
• built bar exterior -- willie used barnwood for the outside and trim, but used the actual beams that he knocked out of the walls and ceiling to make the "butcher block" top. recycling at it's finest!  
• new ceiling fan with no overhead light

lordy, she's cute and cottagey.

....and the obligatory before and after side by side:

decor what nots:

• couch and loveseat given to me/us along the way from bff's lindsay and wynne (respectfully) -- both slip covered
• lamps & ottoman from TJ MAXX
• pillows from TJ MAXX & Steinmart
• side tables & bar stools built by Willie
• window treatments are drop cloths
• most everything thrifted/flea market

 to do:

• new front door that's mostly glass
• hide tv cords in wal
• finish mason jar chandelier {above table}

..........

we finished this entire project in about 3 weeks total start to finish. pretty proud of ourselves there!  it's refreshing space and very us. feels like home, indeed.

 

guess I'll spotlight the kitchen next, since it totally got to show off a little this go round, stay tuned!

join us, won't you?

expectations vs. reality

traditional vs. well, not

society's "rules" vs. i do what i want

so far, these subjects, in regards to this little wedding I'm throwing, are in an edgy but peaceful interweave, currently in balance, but running just short of straight.up.tangled.  the handful of details I share over the next few weeks about the wedding are shining examples of this beautiful mess i've created.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
there was time, about four years ago, when i sat in the living room Pallie and i shared in Nashville and as I was addressing her wedding invitations i thought, "without a doubt, I'll definitely pay someone to do this for me when my day comes."

...and here I am and not only have I addressed the damn things, the entire design was done by my hand! eeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkk

and boy has it been a labor of love 

 {and a little bit of hate}

while I am so excited and proud of them now, it may be the most vulnerable and unsure I've ever felt when it comes to my artistic/creative side.  with my paintings and collages, i am content enough because at least i like them and know they can live in my house if no one else likes them -- then when people rave over them {and i continue to turn down lots of $$$ for my ferris wheel piece} it is obviously fulfilling and definitely encouraging, so the balance is great and it truly feels like a positive creative outlet.

but these bad boys, these invites, in the simplest form of black ink on kraft paper, may as well have been the offspring of the notorious "starry nights & mona lisa" when it comes to the complex conflict filling my brain and testing my confidence.

through the process i have sketched no less that 50 design options, run several fine point sharpies dry, cried a little, cussed a lot and I may or may not have thrown the entire clipboard & all the papers that accompanied it clear across the room in a fit of utter frustration {Mom, quiet!; please don't confirm or deny...}

But here she is in all her glory.  Her nontraditional type and conversational content, that rebellious yellow "curry" envelope flanked with causally addressed names of our favorite folks... i think she's kinda cute.

Willie. Sweet Willie...I swear he has asked {in secret and not in secret} everyone he knows that is receiving an invitation to please call, email, text or send smoke signals to let me know how much they love him {whether they really do or not} because he has had to listen to my wonder and worry for weeks now.  HAHAHA! He does not {and never will} understand all the angst I went put myself through. To him, it is the most minor, minute detail that is literally black ink on kraft paper.  He appreciates them, likes them and is thrilled that I followed through and did what I really wanted to do, but in his most simplistic, black+white rationale he continues to shake his head in wonder at this crazy creature he's about to call his wife.

.
.
.
I pretty much can't blame him.  :)

but now that they're printed, stamped and sent...i really feel like they were worth it.  and hope i feel the same way fifty years from today.

little house: found

Willie had been itching for a little piece of land and workshop for nearly 6 months before he found our house in early November . we're familiar with the area as he's been keeping all of his tractor equipment at a little organic farm down the road for the past year.  he liked the community and we had already made a few hippie/country friends down here. {it's the middle tennessee organic farmer mecca}

the internet search, real tracs listings and phone call leads with relator friends became another full time job for WD. {he is NOT a patient person when it comes to making up his mind and getting junk done}  

and we rode around. a lot.
but that's kinda or our thing...truck rides {always with rt. 44 sonic drinks}
i love it.  a lot.

he always waited for me to go with him to see the spots. though there was no official spoken testimony of "we're doin this together" -- it was very much understood that this house would be OUR home, for a little while, at least. and BOY HOWDY did we look at some properties; trailers, 100+acres, too many miles away, those we thought were "the one" but didn't pan out, more trailers, more fixer uppers, some we couldn't afford, many we could afford but were too far out....and this went on for MONTHS.

so this house W had driven by several times before we went to see it with the realtor for the first time.  We were on our way home to GA for Frolona Fest and  something in me was less critical, more open and it felt right. Willie loved the shop and lean-to barn -- and that's pretty much all he cared about.  The house was tiny & outdated, had a lot of potential, and he didn't need much more than that anyway.  I fell for the huge back porch (shocker)...the rolling fields across the road (duh, felt like home) and the trickling creek we could constantly hear.

he made an offer about 2 hours into our trip to GA.
the next day they countered.
inspections happened. minor issues found.
new negotiation.
back & forth.
SOLD! 

.....for literally $400,000+ dollars less than then rental houses & going rate in the neighborhood we were both living in at the time.  I'm still blown away thinking about the cost of real estate in the hot spots of 12South on 0.12 acres --- and here he was getting several structures, land, creeks & sweet neighbors for so much cheaper!

anyway...after a few normal closing glitches, the delay from the holidays and a lot of anticipation from one anxious boy ready to settle down...closing day came!

he signed papers at 9:30am and at 11:07am I got a text message photo from him of a large wall he had already torn out.  i expected nothing less.  i was on-site at an event that day, but was so excited to hug his neck and celebrate.  

i showed up bearing a bucket of KFC chicken with the trimmings and biscuits, a case of busch light and cheap champagne.  

we ate on the floor, popped open the cheap champagne, i took a few swings and some stress out on a few more walls that had already fallen victim and was thrilled for my ole boy.

the same day, in the pouring rain he put up a large flag pole in the front yard. 
     i think it's some boy, southern, i-do-what-i-want thing...but flying that flag in his new front yard was so very important. i can appreciate that.

For the next three weeks he worked around the clock, sleeping on pallets on the freezing floor, tearing out walls, ceilings, reworking plumbing + electrical, painting, rebuiliding -- full on renovation. I also worked like a dog.  I pretty much just did what I was told and spent a lot of time pulling staples out of orginal hardwood floors, stripping floors, sanding floors and cursing floors...but it's all worth it -- just wait and see!

this is not our forever home. or our start a family home. but it's an investment, a landing place vital to W's business and a stepping stone that's perfect in every way for right now.

The first day we saw the house it looked like this:
 {bless it's little ugly potential filled heart}

 

and 2 weeks after it was W's...it looked like this -- a fine work in progress: 

{grow grass grow!! needing landscaping, new glass door (coming!), dynamite to scratch those awful numbers off...and that lumber you see? -- gonna be an artsy fartsy herb & flower garden, yippee!!}

 

So this is going to be a chronicle of all the the things we've done to make this "little house" home.  
And that simple term "home" is demonstrated in the photo below in a way that makes my heart leap and tumble and nearly burst open.

I'll be sharing lots of befores + afters, the how we did it's, re-sale value decisions, what we still have plans for, and why we're loving it 
    -- all part of this bigger story that we're just beginning....

hang on for the ride!!!!!!

knots + nest

oh my stars...

i've moved to the country and i'm getting married!

how's that for subtle and nonchalant?

the last several weeks have granted me a beautifully chaotic peace of mind composed of:

surreal, giddy, contentment, fast paced, honesty, come-aparts, forgiveness, loose ends, gratitude, trust, tears 

& all out love

::tying the knot: one string at a time
i'm planning this sweet little wedding with a big ole party on our family farm in a few short months. (jesustakethewheel)
the event planner in me is freaking the eff out but i've got her contained...she's not completely invited to this circus.
...cause this is the laurel + willie show. 
       where black & white, structure and logistics are hanging a bit loose
       where the reigns lie in the simple notion that it will be a day filled with our favorite people on sacred ground.

the reason I know EPL (event planner laurel) is on vacation/likely in an asylum, is because I've found a certain special thrill in unlikely components of the process:
+i thought i'd care most about the music -- i don't even have a confirmed band and have given creative freedom to our music friends for the ceremony (the verdict is still out on that decision!)

+i thought i'd demand a defined theme, color scheme and decor palette -- i'm using neutrals & nature and trusting some way or another they'll string together perfectly.

+i am completely overcome with joy over my dress. a dress that i have gotten to dream up & design.  it's like every stitch is my little secret. this opportunity is truly a gift, a creative process i'll always hold dear.

 +i am completely committed to the words and how they connect.  i'll explain...
       my invitations are going to be special. non-traditional, a bit witty, authentic & friendly. i want you to feel like you're getting a note in the mail from me on an extraordinary day.
      we started developing the ceremony. not just the vows...the ceremony. we're scripting every single word. what fun it's been to think about, laugh about & get sentimental about the very words that will be spoken on the little hill in the field. it's been memorable already and through this process we know that the words that will be said, without a doubt, completely and absolutely are for us and our people to share & take away.
. . . . . . .
::the closest country to the city you can get
y'all.
i live on this little piece of land that i simply adore. it has enveloped me, my spirit, my right-now, my right-where-i-need-to be. 
it's my nest and I feel like it's literally made up of the best parts of where i've been, who i'm meant to be, how i've grown and why i learned to love.
...and come to find out, i just needed somebody to help me weave these strands together in an imperfect circle to make our landing spot; our home

in the deepest pit of my being, I have a real understanding that this place has always meant to be a life changing stitch in this thread of my life.

by and far, my favorite part (that I hope I don't soon get over) is that i get to turn on my bright lights the very second I turn right at the Country Store for the last 2 miles home.

this is a big deal for a girl who grew up in a place where it gets completely dark and every single star can be accounted for on any given night.  of late, i've spent some of the best times of my life right smack dab in the middle of good ole light pollution, living in a bustling downtown city of a million or more...

so the click forward on the steering column is the only sign I need, to know I'm getting just a little bit closer to where I came from, where i need to be.

. . . . . . .
i feel like i need to record my thoughts during this crazy few months, cause who knows how boring life's gonna get as an old married hag?! (yeah right! not around these parts). 

but i need to write about the proposal, it's my favorite story to tell and i don't want to forget a single detail. i want to share about this wedding and the love flowing at every turn. 

our friend-family is still rockin my face off; they threw an all out party for us only 3 days after we were engaged and we hosted them this past weekend for an epic night of bbq, a bonfire, creek crawlin and a guitar sang-a-long. we've got a good thing goin, life is movin, things are changing, and we're clinging on tighter to each other...sometimes braving, mostly enjoying the ride.
 
and wait! we've completely remodeled this little home with our own four hands and i'm damn proud of my main squeeze's skills and how i've fluffed this nest. ive got pictures, befores & afters, the plans gone good and plans gone bad...lots to tell!

oh, and no big deal but i've got four new girlfriends: egg laying hens...and a blue heeler puppy who herds them around the back yard.

yep, stories to tell...my favorite thing.

heard girls: 2013

the heard girls are at it again! 

this time

charleston, south carolina::january 2013

this is our fourth year in a row of the most bad-ass family tradition.

{next to our thanksgiving throw down}

we'll be staying in a house near downtown

and are currently 16 girls strong!

Christina & Pallie worked together to hook us up with a really cool volunteer opportunity where we'll be doing a community based version of "Restaurant Impossible" through the Lowcountry Local First/Local Works organization.  We are working with a local family owned restaurant who has weathered the ebbs and flows of a falling economy, lost patrons, etc...  But as a staple in the community, they are working hard to regain their footing and re-launch even better than ever. Through this opportunity they gain an interior designer, public relations and web/online resources, along with business development help, etc... AND over the two day period, they get all of our hands on deck to make this change happen!

We are excited about this trip, rejuvenated by the loyalty of this tradition, and for awesome four days in Charleston!  I hope to  be back with a full recap with pictures and  thoughts from our experience.

Heard Girls in Review
2009: Washington, DC {Obama's Inauguration, and what started it all}
2010: New Orleans, LA {planted trees, worked on dilapidated church, door to door in 9th ward}
2011: Nashville, TN {helped in a popular urban homeless shelter, painted interior and exterior of house for women's safe haven}
2012: Savannah, GA {worked in community center and homeless shelter based thrift store}