Farmdale's First Party!

Have y’all ever hosted a shower for one of your closest, dearest friends at your house? I’m sure most of y’all have. But, have you ever had to install indoor plumbing and a driveway before the party? Well, it is doable, it will age you, it will question your sanity over and over and it will be the most fun you’ve had in a long time!!!

Farmdale is not finished. Farmdale will not be finished for a while longer. Farmdale though is where I would be hosting a shower for these friends – a proclamation I told my friends Katie and Douglas upon their engagement this summer. I thought I’d be in a Christmas at the latest… ha!!! I wanted to stick to my word and thankfully my fellow hosts pitched in! We had a party – a Perry Party for our sweet friend who’s moving from Houston County to Houston County… that’s pronounced like “House-ton” for us in Georgia and “Hugh-ston” for the Alabama reciprocal.

About a month ago, Katie and our friend Maggie texted me if we would have bathrooms at Farmdale. As a man, I can honestly say the though didn’t cross my mind. As the host to a group of my closest friends – a mixture of my buddies who thought like I did I’m sure, but our group now their pregnant wives, new fiancés, young moms and just lovely ladyfolks in general – I decided that the phrase “y’all just go outside” wouldn’t be very polite. Ha! Somehow though, in the course of that month, my septic system was installed, toilets installed too, a couple sconces hung in the bathrooms and I even hung a mirror over the sink – which had running water mind you!

Lucky for me, our social circle in Perry is a casual, relaxed group. We wore our jeans and boots, built a bonfire, roasted s’mores and dined on Amy’s famous chili – the white chicken and the awesome red one too! I made a big arrangement on top of a table I fashioned from sawhorses and shutters. This centerpiece boasted a couple racks from this year’s deer season, branches from my surrounding woods, pine cones and couple really cool pieces of wood Meredith and Maggie found on their walk. For the entertainment, we resorted to our old high school and college days. Growing up in a small, Southern town, we hung out around bonfires in high school and college. And we are still good at it too! Of course, the fear of being caught with beer has passed since we can buy our own – now we get flattered if we’re carded! S’mores were our dessert and I must admit I had my fair share! Who can resist a charcoal-caramelized marshmallow?

Farmdale Lane was dug out and lain with gravel so folks didn’t have to park in mud – mud that was frozen slush at one point since the well had busted in the cold one night. Miraculously, my front sidewalks got poured even amidst the cold weather which left on the day before and made for the most delightful, comfortable late winter evening in Perrydise. Regardless of moving heaven and earth to get extra lights, more amps for space heaters, sinks installed and the official plumbing to go with them, we were all together. A group of friends who have known one another since childhood, college and now into adulthood. We are tightly knit group who love one another and love to throw parties for one another too! I cherish our times together – times that are even more precious and treasured as our careers blossom, marriages begin, babies are born and even, sadly, move from Houston County to Houston County.

All in all, the party was a hit! I’m just thankful the toilets flushed! Congrats Katie and Douglas!!!

{Throwback Series}...Farmer Family Christmas Card!

Proverbs 31 describes a woman of high character, a wife, a homemaker, a cherished lady and so amazingly too describes a beloved mother. This particular verse from Proverbs 31 kept running through my mind this past holiday season – our first without our Mama. But a thought kept running through my mind – a thought that pierced the chaos of the holidays, work, travel and life in general. It was a thought that the “Proverbs 31” woman was blessed – by her children. What a comfort and joy!!!

In the wake of losing a parent, kind words, delicious meals, warm thoughts, fond memories, heartfelt letters and cards and flowers and calls and texts and emails pour in after the fact. Then, there is the melting of the ice that packs around our mind and heart and you realize a month later, a few months later, a season or two later – whenever – that your parent is gone. And you are faced without the shield of shock with the brutal reality of your loss.

The “firsts” are the toughest I feel. The first birthdays, holidays, events and even simple life happenings without your Mama just wind your heart and soul into knots. Yet, you get through them. Peace finds its way amidst the disorder and disarray. Even your faith grows stronger too. Friends and family remember to call, write or simply send a text. Those notions mean the world you. And, somehow, you want to thank them all – thank them all from the bottom of a broken heart… but thank them nonetheless. You want to be as good a friend as they are to you – and you have refined their friendship like gold through a fire.

So, as Christmas came zooming at lightning speed towards us, I realized I just could not pull it together and send a card this year. Then, that verse in Proverbs kept pummeling through my mind and onto my heart. The Proverbs 31 woman is glorified by her duties, actions and love. So much so that even “her children rise up and call her blessed.” Blessed is the life – however it ends – for the children to rise up. That I feel is our honor, our duty and joy.

From the 2015 side of the holiday season, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year y’all! And thank you for all your love and support! Trust me, it means the world to us!

  

Thanksgiving Throwback!!

Fall is my favorite season – I say it over and over and love it just the same each year. I love too that fall is capped by a swansong holiday like Thanksgiving – a time set aside to simply give thanks.

Setting the table is probably my most enjoyable task for family gatherings, dinner parties and events. When you set your table, you get to quell all the design-desires at once! You pair linens with coordinating flatware and stemware. China and dinnerware and silver and flowers are all integral. Food and flavor and scents for the senses are all brought onto one tableau. When decorating a client’s home, it takes time to layer all the elements together. To set and decorate a table doesn’t usually involve such a process as an interiors project. To decorate my home takes nerve medicine. But that is another post, y’all!

When setting a table, instant gratification is achieved. That design “itch” is scratched and one is forced to dabble in all realms of aesthetics. As Mimi always said, “We eat with our eyes first.”  Before we have feasted, we must feast visually. So I relish in the chance to set the table. Whether it be grandly or simply, I love bringing together the home, kitchen and garden onto a level playing field.

Invite the generations to the table with your heirloom plates, silver and stemware. Bring in the fall bounty from outdoors. Add a new element or even element of surprise! (It is no surprise anymore when I place a piece of taxidermy as a centerpiece on my family’s table… oh well!) Get your fix for decorating by setting the table. I know it is my favorite part of the holidays and entertaining.

Here is my Thanksgiving table from 2014 and some food and family shots too! Nothing like talking turkey well into the New Year, y’all!

A Toast to a fine Coody Couple

In the events business, I have the privilege of witnessing many celebrations - and weddings especially - from an interesting, firsthand viewpoint.

Often I am honored to present the bride her bouquet wrapped in a grandmother's lace and secured with an heirloom cameo or brooch evoking emotions of all sorts. Often too I get to pin a boutonnière on a groom because his hands are a little shaky and then have what may be the only quiet, still moment of the day with a guy that's often my friend or marrying a friend of mine.

I get to don the cake with flowers, light candles upon candles upon candles, sneak peak at the bride in her dress and veil before the crowd, bring a diet coke to the mother of the bride and a myriad of other little things that just make the day special. Little things that make the day memorable too. These little things are even more special and memorable when I know the bride and groom - cherish them more so.

Growing up in Hawkinsville, I've known LL's family for years, and her home place is a stone's throw from my Granddaddy's church. Laura Lyn is my office manager. She's the steady hand guiding the SS JFI through the wild waters of being a small business - a small, multifaceted business for that matter! LL is probably the one of the most brilliant and poised and eloquent and gracious gals I've ever met... And then hiring her was a brilliant decision on my part! Really. Brilliant move ol' Jimmy!

The brilliance of me hiring Laura Lyn is only outshone by the brilliance of Brince marrying her. Brince is the brother of my best friend Maggie Griffin and has been a great buddy of mine since we were children growing up in Hawkinsville. We grew up in what I feel is a magical place of Georgia farmland and Ocmulgee River bottom - all intertwined with memories of the shockingly cold Mock Springs, late night monopoly games and enough AB's BBQ to feed an army. Such a childhood could not have been shared with a finer friend.

Now we're all "grown up." Yes we still have fun times at the river and eat BBQ, but being grownups now means Brince is my insurance agent and the former Miss UGA and Miss Warner Robins and marvelously intelligent college gal runs my business rather than the pageant circuit. We're buying and building houses and celebrating one year anniversaries - Brince and Laura Lyn's first year of marriage proper and my first anniversary of their wedding date... For it was memorable, special and full of so much fun and meaning for me for two such amazing people in my life to be joined.

As Mr. and Mrs. Harris Brinson Coody celebrate their first anniversary, I want to toast this amazing couple and share some of the images from their special day. Selfishly, it was awesomely special for me to be a part of that day. I could elaborate on the details of the food, flowers, decor and the dress, but this is honestly a case where pictures are worth the thousand words I would use.

Laura Lyn and Brince's rehearsal dinner and wedding reception further mean so much to me, for they agreed to let me include them in Dinner on the Grounds. Special day, special memories and even special weather that day for two incredibly special folks in my life. Happy anniversary y'all! The honor of being a part of your story and wedding is all mine.

Photography: VUE Photography

Venue: Twin Oaks

...don't forget to check out Laura Lyn's blog, Miss New Coody!

Vichyssoise and Butter Crackers

“William and Kate had trees. Y’all will have trees.” Famous last words from this Farmer to his pals TJ and Catherine. 

When my friends asked me to be a part of their wedding, I was truly flattered. The Avett Brothers song “January Wedding” started playing in my mind when they set their date for this past January. The only design challenge was how to transform the Piedmont Driving Club into the winter wonderland of Catherine’s dreams.

(behind the scenes photos)

PDC is an institution in Atlanta. I can remember going to “the club” as a child with friends of my parents and tasting the famous vichyssoise and butter crackers – a favorite Atlanta lunch to this day! Over the years, PDC has seen a multitude of weddings and events, so thus my charge from the blushing bride was to make it somewhat unique from past nuptials and parties. Enter my famous last words again – “William and Kate had trees. Y’all will have trees.” 

I loved how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding was a floral fanfare but not overdone with flowers. Trees from the Royal Arboretum were used for their special day and thus inspired my design moxy for PDC. The Driving Club has gorgeous, classic Southern architecture and impeccable interiors set by legendary Atlanta designers such as Dan Carithers and Jackye Lanham. Embracing the main ballroom’s stately, yet simply elegant décor and architecture was thus completely apropos. 

Large planter boxes reminiscent of those I’ve seen in orangeries and conservatoires were anchored at each column and planted with ficus trees casually lit with twinkling lights and washed softly with spotlighting. A classic color scheme of green and white with nods to cream and chartreuse too filled the ballroom and Georgian Room buffets. Cymbidium and phaleonopsis orchids scented the air with their peppery floral notes. White amaryllis trumpeted the season from their lofty stalks as did limbs of agarista, budded willow and camellia greenery. 

White hydrangeas along with a myriad of white to cream to green roses in silver julep cups dotted the tables scattered around the ballroom. David Austen roses, tightly bound into a bouquet, were carried by the bride. I absolutely love how full these roses are as well as how fantastic they smell – they smell like a true rose! 

For the altar, tone on tone white linens set the scene under a clear tent in the main courtyard. Large, white temple jars billowed forth their contents of greenery, flowers and winter branches. White hydrangeas, lime green cymbidium orchids, roses, amaryllis Hurricanes and pillar candles and tea lights dotted across the altar and cast a romantic glow for the ceremony. The bridesmaids all carried bouquets of mixed roses and hydrangea in keeping with the floral scheme throughout. 

Dinner and dancing followed the ceremony and a fabulous time was had by all. Though the vichyssoise was not a part of the buffet, the famous PDC butter crackers were – classics never go out of style, y’all! My team and I were so honored to be a part of such a classic affair celebrating the marriage of two of my dearest friends, and will fondly remember the night each and every time I visit the club. I hope y’all enjoy these photos from a night we all will truly remember! Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Callaway!

 Kate Belle Photography