hope you like our new site!!

It is not totally "done"....but what ever is, really?

Anisa and I are so pleased with it, and we hope you will be, too!

Milk and Honey Home is the new address.  This ol' blog sure has been good to me, but it was time to make the portfolio look more professional.  If you like reading this blog, please subscribe via email or a browser in the new one.  Lots of things still are incomplete (like the blogroll), but it will get there--promise.

I will do an adequate post to thank Ellie Snow (mint blog) and Chris, the blog butler, very soon.  They were awesome and I would recommend them to anyone.

Enjoy your weekend......Go Dawgs tonight :)

Julie & Anisa

stylist Thea Beasley

Do you subscribe to Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles?  If not, you should.  Please check out a few images of stylist's Thea Beasley's home near Atlanta.  I'm loving it.

One day I too want a fireplace filled with crushed oyster shells

It's a small world, too.  I just found her blog and realized that she was the stylist for photographer Rob Brinson's images (well, some of them anyway) that I posted the other day.  Even with 5 million people, Atlanta is not such a big city afterall.

Are y'all shopping today?  I can't do it.  I did buy some gifts from Brooke's shop Pure & Noble since she is having a little sale and am planning to take advantage of Ceri Hoover's 20 percent off.  I'm buying handmade this Christmas!

Julie

still grateful & Jill Brinson

So Happy Thanksgiving!  This is me, thankful for a clean and quiet home.  There is really no other way to scrub and clean and organize for a shoot than kicking out my husband and the boys.  We are having Thanksgiving today at my in-law's place at Lake Lanier....so I just pleaded for them to head out early.  I was so happy to walk around in a clean and ready house that I had to pull out the camera at 9 pm.  It is like spotting the Lochness Monster.  When you have little boys, no one would ever believe your home was clean.  You try to catch a shot for proof.

Sherry came over and spent about all day with me.  I wish I had before pictures of my office.  (Just insert "Hoarders" here and you can imagine.  When they came to scout our home this was where I threw everything without a home.  You couldn't walk in it.)

She took everything out, organized and put it back in (beautiful) order.  I am so thankful for her help!

She really is like a mentor, too.  She's been designing for fifteen years, and been published often, so she has so much information to share and I am like a little sponge when I'm with her.  She gives me tips on what she does with clients, shows me hidden resources in Atlanta and spends hours with me in ADAC.  Why?  She is just that kind of a person.  While she was working I was trying to organize, but mostly I was pulling out old tear-sheets and saying, "Look, Sherry!  Couldn't you eat this room?"  She would oblige and then continue cleaning up my crap.

I am not a real fan of color-coded books in libraries, but LOVE them in an office!  So calming on the eye.

Why didn't I think of putting lamp shades with lamp shades?

And Elle Decor with Elle Decor and Country Home with Country Home?  This decorator is so happy.

She even pulled out a roll of burlap from her trunk and cut me a runner for my desk on the spot.  (I'll get a  pic next time.)

It is weird (and good) being in the house alone.  I won't lie.  

I pulled out my heavy, velvet blanket...

Found Julia on demand...(little tidbit here.  I used to teach at Campbell High School where she went.  I even taught English with her former teacher, Mrs. Romanchuk.  Some good stories there.)

Found another friend....

And one of my best friends.

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And about Jill Brinson--I am such a dork.  How did I not know that the photographer, Rob Brinson, is married to her and lives in this home?  I just didn't put two and two together.

Sherry told me this.  I hope I can act a little normal around him.  His wife has perfect taste--there are not many homes where I love everything about it.  

You know this home....forget football and pie, here is your after turkey snack:

Can you pick a favorite from this kitchen?  I think the lights and the windows.  And this table/island?!  What do you love?

(All from Housebeautiful.com)

And next time I'll be posting it will be from milkandhoneyhome.com (almost done)

Enjoy your families today...I'm off to the lake to kiss my boys.   

Julie

kitchens & being thankful

Hey Brandi, this one is for you.....


So last week I was writing about kitchens and how I'm thinking that we will be seeing a lot more of rustic wood kitchens soon.  Just like life:  you say something then you see it everywhere....

In Southern Living & House Beautiful this month I saw examples of this.  Southern Living featured a kitchen with loads of reclaimed wood and House Beautiful's cover is a natural wood tone as well.

I do kinda hate trends, but they are inevitable.  And this is my prediction for the next few years, at least.

This is from Bobby McAlpine's book via South of Market

And this rustic island is actually the inspiration for our client's kitchen:

And another kitchen from House Beautiful....rustic walls.

I am very sorry it is sideways  (there is no way to rotate after uploading, right?)  If you turn your head you will see the wood island and the wine barrel chandelier.

I love this look, though, because I think it will stand the test of time.  (I also think white kitchens will, too!)  I recently watched Woody Allen's Crimes & Misdemeanors for the first time--and I was in awe of how timeless and not dated Woody Allen's character's NY apartment was.  It was natural wood.  It looked so simple against all of the hard, angular '80s decor in the rest of the film.

But what I also think we will be seeing more of is tables in lieu of large islands.  I think because of our downturned economy and because of the "trend" to eat at home and eat locally (which I hope is here to stay!!  I wish I would never see another McDonalds again.), having a warm & intimate eat-in kitchen is something that is definitely not going away anytime soon.

a cozy eat-in kitchen (sorry--don't have the source.  Please email me if you do!)

And even though this kitchen is white, you have so much warm wood with the ceiling and the table (and no large island!)  (House Beautiful or Elle Decor?  forgive me I forgot.)

Another shot of the House Beautiful kitchen.  

(I promise to take a picture of my mom's kitchen when she lets me.  She has a table in the middle instead of an island and it is kinda fun to sit at the table and prepare a meal together...and easy on the legs.)

And if we are dreaming about eat-in kitchens....I can envision a warm, wood kitchen with this Currey & Co. green pendant over the table:

This farm table

(White Flower Farmhouse)

And this table surrounded by these....

Design Within Reach

It may sound tacky, but I know it would be lovely.

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I want to say I am thankful for all of you this Thanksgiving...and I am also thankful for some true friends I have been lucky enough to discover through this blog (Sherry, Ally & Seleta).  Sherry is even coming over to help me clean up before the shoot--who does that?

Have a great week and I will see you back at the end of the week with a new blog!  With client now asking to see a portfolio, I figured it was time for a little makeover.

Happy Thanksgiving.....Julie

(Also---anonymous:  our kitchen shelves are 12 inches deep, and Dina, yes, please come to the design blogger dinner!!  It is open to design lovers, too :)  If you ever have a question make sure to give me your email address so I can respond.

Ceri Hoover is giving y'all 20% off! (and pics)

Remember not too long ago you may have read about Ceri Hoover and her wonderful fabric creations on
this post?  She sells pillows, lamps shades, table runners, furniture, coasters, ornaments and more at her shop Cooper Grey.  Well, y'all showed her show much love last time that now she is offering 20% off to Milk & Honey readers!!  It is the giving season, right?

(sorry these aren't high res, but you get the point--here are some coasters!)

These creations will most likely run you more than the pillows you will find at TJ Maxx, but these are to-the-trade fabrics...they are unique and well-made.

To get the discount, just click the "conversation" button on her shop and mention the discount.

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And I have to share a few pictures with you:

That's my little four-year-old smiling.  There is really nothing better than this.

He was so into the songs.

Why is it, that even though the room is filled with children, it is like yours is the only one in the room?

Life is hard, but it is pretty good, too.

And lastly, if you don't read this blog (but I'm sure you do), you gotta read Emily's post from Jones Design Co. sometime this weekend.  We can all relate to it.

Have a good weekend...  Julie    (And Anisa is going fine, thanks!)

I still love Cottage Living

and I still find so much inspiration in its rooms.  Do you?

The chairs.  The candles.  The toile panels.  Perfection.

Love the contrast of the bold floor and bold pendants with the white walls and sunny windows.

that ceiling!  love.

remember this feminine house?

This is our local community, Serenbe, south of Atlanta.  Next time you are in town it is worth the drive out there.  Such a utopia.

And lastly....is there much better than rows of metal bins in a kitchen?  

Have a good Thursday.  I'm off to finish cooking my contribution to the feast at 6 in the morning.  Oh, the things you do as a mom you never dreamed you would do.  Like making hearty casseroles before you've had your morning coffee and saying things like, "Liam, get that enema out of your mouth!"  Don't you wish we had a recording of all the ridiculous things we say and they?!  Julie

And Anisa is getting her wisdom teeth out today, bless her heart!  Please say a prayer for her.  

Photographer for BH & G Shoot

So I received a few more details about the upcoming shoot.  I still can't believe it!

I learned the photographer will be a local, Rob Brinson.  Please look at how talented he is!

(and look at this floor--I'll come back to it in a minute)

dead palm leaf

long drive

white barn

julie silo bending

No words needed for these photographs!

Back to the yellow zigzag rug--Did you get your email from One Kings Lane today?  Lee Kleinhelter is featured today.  Oh, I wish I had some extra cash lying around.

this is for sale!

what a great dining table

side table

sconces

I know I post about her often, but I love that most of her items truly are one-of-a-kind.  Reinventing an antique will ensure no one else will have one like you!  It is just like when Julia Roberts wore that black and white vintage Armani when she won the Oscar for Erin Brockovich.  She wasn't in fear of anyone having the same dress on as her--a true original.

Forgive the cheesiness--but you be original today!!

Julie