My Table Top Books

Decorating the top of my dresser was a first endeavor for me as it’s my first true dresser I have ever owned in my adult life. [I know… haha]. I actually really didn’t even know how to decorate a dresser and had to sift through a ton of Pinterest photos before I felt confident. I ended up going with table top aka coffee table books as my focal points and I sifted through dozens before landing on what I did. I saved tons to my cart that I loved and then narrowed down the selections aesthetically and topically that I felt paired best together/matched our lives best.

If you don’t know this about me, I love Lucille Ball and grew up watching I Love Lucy. I had I Love Lucy memorabilia and have definitely seen every episode more times than anybody out there, I am certain. I even wrote my Texas college entry essay about how Lucy was the impactful person in my life, and I guess it worked because I got into every Texas school I applied to. I had my AP English teacher in the back of my head when I received my prompt saying “Whatever you do, if you get “Write about somebody who impacted your life”… don’t do your mom or dad or a grandparent.” So, I chose Lucy. Putting her as a focal point on my dresser just made sense. The others I chose aesthetically more than anything, although I love Liz Marie Galvan and have followed her for years! Blush and natural tones were the main lure to all the ones I went with! I would look at my options in the cart side by side, making sure everything went well together.

A Summer Soiree at Home

My 29th birthday party was intentionally a tiny gathering with the girls who truly carried me through the last year. It was the most difficult year, full of heartache and disappointments, and yet I actually somehow had one of my favorite years even still. It was 100% because of the women I call my best friends. I don’t take it lightly that I am blessed with a genuine group of women who seriously love each other equally. We fight for one another, love our differences, and not only embrace these differences but actively learn about them to better our friendships. If there’s a personality test, we’ve all done it [most likely together] and discussed it for hours, later using it as as a tool in our toolbox for things that arise between us as we ARE all so different.

To celebrate the girls who made what should have been an awful year not only bearable but a blast, I honored THEM with a special dinner. I told them to wear a dress that makes them feel like a goddess in the blush/cream or floral aesthetic and to come ready for a secret garden inspired soiree. Originally envisioned as a dinner party under the stars, Texas decided to be unbearably hot after weeks of unseasonably cool temperatures, so I moved it inside. We all looked too beautiful to die of heat stroke 😉 I knew I wanted good food, a table that seated us all comfortably, a lot of flowers, and a variety of our favorite bottles of wine. We had Etta James ringing in the background all night long and it felt like we lived in a different time for just a night.

I wrote a toast to each girl, celebrating the thing they taught me through the year of heartache that I truly see in them. None of it was blowing smoke or needing to come up with something to live up to the rest… it’s incredible who God has surrounded me with. They all are the most beautiful women, inside-out. Writing a toast to each of them was so easy. I wept my way around the table, cheers-ing a toast to each as we all nodded and cried in agreement. These women walked a similar path this year in some respects, all of us have a bond over a life change we didn’t ask for but knew had to happen. But, we also have women who lost another baby and then got pregnant with a rainbow. We have women who lost friends and family. We have women who have struggled with deep anxiety because of autoimmune diseases but confidently champion others regardless of what’s happening behind closed doors. We have women who are infectious about what they love, inherently making everybody love it, too. We have women who are so selfless they make sure everybody else is having a great time even if they need help themselves. We have women who can literally talk to anybody, anywhere and connect with them as though they’ve been lifelong friends, and it always somehow ends with a conversation about God. We have women who teach us that confrontation isn’t a bad thing and is actually a great tool to resolve peace in our lives.

I could go on and on, and sadly there were a few of the people in my life who couldn’t make it this night. But dang, I am so lucky. This goes down in the books as my favorite birthday party ever. It was so special, intimate, and just felt like me. Paul stood in the kitchen as we all were about to eat and he said, “wow, this is so you.” It felt magical!

For my secret garden soiree, I used the following vendors:

The Styled Affair: Farmhouse table and table setting (8-10 seats)

Unrefined Bakery: Raspberry Lemon Cake with Sprinkles added on top

Caterer: Paul Morrison (hehe) But honestly… Y’all. Traeger has changed our life. My husband cooked our entire spread of salmon, chicken, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and grilled pineapple. And it was THE best. The girls said it was arguably the best chicken they’ve ever had. IF you’ve ever considered buying a Traeger… do it. I mean it. Do it. (We have our Traeger Grill Shop, here!)

Costco: 4 bouquets of roses – wholesale price and BEAUTIFUL! I have used Costco florist for multiple big events in my life and they never disappoint!

Dress: Vici Dolls *I bought small with the hopes it wouldn’t be too big (usually an XS in dresses) and it fit GREAT!*

Paper Goods:

I made each girl take a photo with my new camera because they’re just so lovely. I wanted them to leave with a photo of themselves they loved! I mean… can you EVEN with how beautiful they all are?

Our Family Amazon Storefront

Happy Monday, friends! I am so pumped to share my Amazon Storefront with you today. We’ve been working on this for a while, curating the best and most purchased items from my personal Amazon orders, as well as what’s in my cart or personal favorite finds. I will be keeping this up to date for you to easily shop and see what I have been buying lately.

The fashion finds on Amazon have actually been shocking to me! I didn’t realize what I was missing out on! They have affordable finds, but they also carry some of my favorite designers. All of my favorite home gadgets are linked, including my coffee makers and even our dog treats for Presley. Anyways, all in all, I hope this storefront helps you navigate purchases easily for your family to take a couple things off your plate. From baby to doggy to you!

I was going to edit out the blue tape still on my cabinets for spots that need the builder to fix… but I decided to leave it for you. This is reality and even though I am sick of the tape, I am so thankful for everything, tape or not! Life update: Rory is walking and Knox looks like a teenager all of a sudden.

xoxo, Hannah

Exact items are unavailable but I linked lookalike items for WAY less! My Always Pan is pictured in the background, too, and I love it! Worth the hype, in my opinion.

Top Sellers, Transitional Coastal Design!

HELLO FRIENDS!

My goodness, it’s been a wild but fun week. We are officially moved into our new home and I still wake up excited. After pouring our hearts into this space for the last year, dreaming of one day sitting on the porch sipping our coffee or grilling out back, it’s really wild to actually be doing it now. It feels like a dream come true.

I have so loved designing things and bringing you along with me throughout the whole journey. I love seeing what you guys are buying for yourselves from my curated HOME collection, too, and I feel somehow closer to you guys after doing this whole thing together! I wanted to share your top purchased pieces so far from the home to help you as you navigate making over your own spaces. I have learned my specific style is Transitional Coastal… WHO KNEW? It’s so funny how different my design style has changed over the years, but knowing the technical term for my style has really helped me as I search for pieces. I have been shocked that majority of my purchases have ended up being from Target, y’all. The Studio McGee line is AMAZING and, while I had budgeted to purchase items from McGee & Co./Pottery Barn/West Elm… I have ended up going with the Studio McGee line with Threshold at Target more than anything else. I am not one to buy “cheap” or skimp on quality, so I can assure you this line is truly impressive. I actually even returned some West Elm purchases to exchange for Target because I liked it better! … it’s the REAL deal. To be honest, in all likelihood, pieces in the line at Target are probably the McGee & Co. design but manufactured by Threshold [making it THOUSANDS of dollars cheaper!] As you’ll see below, 4/6 items you have bought the most are from Target!

I can’t wait to show you guys every little detail of this home. It’s so fun and I have felt so supported in this move. It feels like you guys are just as excited as we are!

Emery Bench | Whitewash Beaded Chandelier | Emery Backless Stool | Felt Artwork

 Upholstered Accent Chair | Casaluna Bedding

 

Favorite Target Finds for the Home

Can y’all believe we are SO CLOSE to our move in date?! One month and 6 days to be exact… hehe. I cannot wait to get my hands on my home and start truly making this space that I have dreamed of and designed into OURS, once and for all. I have mentioned it throughout the process, but majority of my design inspiration comes from Studio McGee. Crisp, traditional meets modern, and a neutral space that you can build off of. With that said, I have rounded up my favorite items currently available at Target – much of which is from the Threshold x Studio McGee line itself. I hope this helps you find that new piece you’ve been hunting for to make your home exactly what you have been dreaming of *and on a budget!!*

You will catch on that I go neutral on the big stuff and add color with vases, dishes, throws and pillows, and artwork that is easy to exchange when my style changes! Replacing these items is a lot easier to do than replacing tile or a $3k sofa/large piece of furniture.

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