The Gardens of Hansel and Gretel in the Snow

This house. I can't begin to describe how much joy I get out of this little cottage in the woods. Right now it is full of clutter and there are coats piled on top of blankets piled on top of theater seating and cherubs and jewelry and corbels…ugh. It's full!

Tuesday, Birmingham may have gotten a little snow storm. It may have only been 2 inches, but people, it shut this city DOWN! I was lucky enough to get my kids and a few others home to my house before the traffic got dangerous. There were so many that were not so lucky. Some that spent the night in their cars or walked miles, serious miles, in the snow. uphill. both ways. They can totally tell their grandchildren that story and not be exaggerating!!

I look outside after I got a phone call out of the blue that kids were getting out of school early. I had no idea. This place, what I call Hansel and Gretel, looked like a winter wonderland! It was gorgeous!! I was walking to the car snapping photos with my iPhone left and right. I just couldn't get enough! After the debacle of getting home and calming my nerves, I got out the Nikon and got some up close and personals.

Here is the tour of the Hansel and Gretel Gardens in the Snow.

This antique gate is from New Orleans. It is the entrance into the front gardens of Hansel and Gretel.

I could eat the patina off of this gorgeous gate. 

Upon entering into the front cobblestone walkway, you will see several characters that were here when we moved in. The angel at the end was my addition and I love the way she is looking over our home! 

This cutie was here and can't you tell she is a flirt? She's always smiling! 

This bike was featured with a bow for the Holiday issue of Fresh Style Magazine last year. 

Here's an upclose of that gorgeous angel. I know she is praying over our home.

When you pass her you come into the courtyard at the front of the original part of Hansel and Gretel.
The snow is covering the antique bricks that are in a gorgeous pattern surrounding the fountain.

This tree overlooks the courtyard and holds the twinkly lights in place. It is truly magical at night!

From our steps leading down into the courtyard, you see the front of the house. Kevin Palmer took an awesome shot of that red door and doorknob when he and Layla came by a few weeks ago. You can see some of these same spaces with no snow!

I just love these icicles hanging on our little cottage!

The back of the house was a true winter wonderland! 

The Magic Barn….I should have styled it for Christmas for next year with the snow.

We don't get very much snow this far south. I enjoyed it while it lasted…3 days! If it ever snows here, it usually melts within hours!

Birmingham Snow Shuts Down the City

Hansel and Gretel Courtyard

Tuesday morning I woke up with a smile on my face. One of my best friends, Ashlee came to Birmingham for my birthday party at Bottle Tree the night before and we were going to have a fun day playing. The kids went to school and we sat and drank coffee enjoying the view of Hansel and Gretel and reminiscing about the songs my new favorite singer, Davin McCoy, sang the night before. I heard him at the Songwriter's Fest the weekend before and fell head over heals. Connor surprised me on Friday saying he was coming on Monday! So incredibly blessed with that guy. Connor not Davin. (wink)

I was on the phone with another friend laughing about the events from the night before and I saw a few snow flakes. It was that whole, "Oh, look! It's snowing!" Ashlee asked how I could even see those flakes they were so small. She declared, "It's just flurries.". She had an appointment with TMB Skin Clinic at 11:00, I was going to go with her and then it was lunch, shopping and playing for a few hours. OH, I forgot Connor's car battery was dead and he had to jump it off before he left for work. I'm thinking that was around 9:00. Ashlee and I decided we should get up and get going, so we started getting ready. As we were finishing up, Connor called and asked if the I thought school would get out early. Why in the world would they? I looked outside, the ground was covered and snow was falling as fast as it could! How wonderful! 5 minutes later, I got the phone call, school would be out at 11:30. Ashlee's car was still at Bottle Tree, we needed to pick that up, go to her appointment and get back before the kids got out. We had an hour. Still just taking our sweet little time and trying to look cute for the day, we finally got upstairs and realized there was no time to get her car, that could wait. MY CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING SINCE CONNOR LEFT! #seriously

My driveway!

We start out of my neighborhood toward TMB, there's a hill to climb. It's covered in snow. There are cars going up…slowly. Ok, no biggie, let's get her to her appointment, I will drop her off, go pick up kids and head back to pick her up. We make it up the hill. People are turning around. I freak out a little. These people are panicking. They are worried about not making it over that hill and back. My kid's school is on this side of the hill. I look at Ashlee and say, "We have to go get the kids!". 30 minutes before they are letting them out. I get gas since the light is on….just in case. I tell Ashlee to get some snacks inside the gas station. I go in to help her, she has nothing. She's looking at Vienna sausages and mac n cheese single servings. No, Ashlee, we need chips and salsa, doritos and junk food! It's a snow day!

We jump on Hwy. 119 and this is what we see.

Not a lot of cars, but a lot of snow. I pull in the parking lot and decide to go ahead and go inside. I've since talked to two different parents and need to pick up 3 extra kids. The check out desk was diligent with her "rules" and I had to tell her each kids name one at a time and she had to double check that I was on each ones list. The last two? I was not on their list. She wouldn't let me have them. I told her I would just grab them in the parking lot. Abduct much? I stood in the hall as John Connor walked around the corner in shorts and a short-sleeved t-shirt. All the parents just stared at him, shook their heads and then found me. Yes, he's mine, he only wears shorts. If he's comfortable, I'm comfortable, ok? Sophie walked up next, then Emma with Caelis, "Can Caelis go home with us?", sure. Bryson, one of the kids I'm abducting and we set out to find her brother. I just tell them where the car is and we head out. Guess what? I have 2 seats. 6 kids and 2 seats. Pile in the back, kids. I know it's snowing, the roads are slick, but I was not prepared!! We pull out of the parking lot, to the left 119 is backed up, we can go the other way to pick up Conor from the high school. I'm crossing my fingers we make it the 3/4 of a mile home. As we turn the corner to the high school, it's pretty backed up but moving. We are trying to call Conor and get him to walk down the hill. There are high school kids walking around everywhere. The signal is horrible…has been for the last hour. We finally get him and he's already started walking. We pick him up at our road and he jumps in…that makes 7 kids, 9 people with 4 seat belts. We are on the home stretch, though! Our house is a winter wonderland!! We all pile out and snowballs start to form and be thrown. They can't wait to get on the trampoline and bounce all that snow off!

In the meantime, Ashlee is a little worried about her car, oh and getting home!! She's from Florence, Alabama where it isn't snowing at all. Our first priority is feeding all these kids. If you know me…I do not cook. Seriously, never. My husband cooks and buys groceries on the day that he decides to cook because we eat out 5 nights a week. I'm not kidding, at all. I know we have frozen PBJ and maybe some eggs. We did buy a loaf of bread. Toast? Emma starts making cheese quesadillas for everyone. She's 14. She's so smart. I thaw out some deer meat and find a chili seasoning packet in the pantry. We put on a pot of chili. (I know how to cook some things, I just choose not to) We feel pretty good about the situation. Then we start watching the news and I start getting text and phone calls from friends that are stranded or their kids are still at school. The buses in our district never even left. The next area over sent their buses out and had to turn around or leave their bus. My MIL had to be rescued with her bus full of kids. They were coming home from a field trip. There were teachers on the bus, but she was stuck on the interstate for 2 1/2 hours!!! She said there were so many people helping move cars out of the way. They got a police escort, meaning she still had to drive her bus full of kids through the mess! Thankfully, she delivered them all safely. I felt so much panic for all of those mothers. One of the mothers of the kids I had had to abandon cars and walk home. One was on an airplane and was rerouted to Memphis. She wasn't going to be home until Wednesday. That hill I mentioned earlier, well…those panicky people? They panicked, slid, got slammed by other cars, and realizing they weren't going anywhere anytime soon, abandoned their cars. Panick. I was safe at home, with my kids, my friend and I were panicking for them. Connor was in a meeting, remember? He was in Vestavia, which is not too close to home when there's a blizzard and cars are stuck ALL OVER THE INTERSTATE! He has 4WD and believe me, he was going to take advantage. He is not a patient-sit-in-traffic kind of guy. He was off-roading and taking the "back way" all the way home. Remember the panic? People needed to call people, the phone lines were jammed and not a lot of talking was going on. We were just texting to find out where he was and how bad it was. He was updating and it only took him a few hours to get home. On the way, he was picking up old ladies that had abandoned their cars and taking them up the hill to the church. One told him her car was sliding and she just opened the door and rolled out, letting her car slide away. STOP.THE.MADNESS! I was so glad when he made it, but we still had friends that were stranded. My other friend, Ashlee, really how many people have two besties named Ashlee with 2 EE's? Me. So, she and her mom were on their way to UAB to see her Mom's hubby that had been admitted the day before, when they realized they couldn't make it. Heading down 119 from HWY 280, toward home, they made the 5 mile trek in 3 1/2 hours!! Sliding, blocking traffic, creeping home. Her mom is in a wheelchair…no chance of walking home! They made it to the entrance of her neighborhood about the time Connor with the 4WD got home. He went to help and some other sweet samaritan had already come to the rescue. When he got home, he said it was terrible with all of the cars all over the roads, abandoned. What is going to happen to those people that got out of their cars in the snow and less than 20 degree weather?

We just sat and watched it all unfold on Facebook and the news. The kids were happy and warm and fed, so all we could do was wait. If there was someone in need that we could help, we were ready.

It took my brother 6 hours to get to his kids. Speaking of kids stranded at the schools, there were 1,000's, seriously THOUSANDS, that had to spend the night at school. Not just middle schoolers who were glad to hang out with their friends all night, but preschoolers, kindergarteners, teachers who rocked them to sleep that night.

So many were on the highway over night, in their cars, with limited gas and some without chargers for their phones. A friend's sister was on the highway overnight and sent a picture of around midnight when they were standing on the side of the road by a fire. Gas was limited and it was the only way to keep warm. One friend was sliding down a hill uncontrollably in her car and was hit multiple times. She got out of the car and walked to the hospital nearby. Thankfully, a friend picked her up so that she would have a bed to sleep in. Her husband stayed at work all night trying to get trucks in and her boys were safe with family or in college within walking distance of all that he needed. Another friend also slid down a hill, had a wreck and ended up in a hotel room with a stranger as a roommate. She gave a blanket to a fellow stranded driver that was sleeping in the hallway of the hotel!! There are so many more stories just like these, some a lot worse and some not near as bad. Never the less, we all have a story about this Snowopacalypse of 2014. We were supposed to get a dusting. Our friends on the coast cancelled school this day and the next because they were supposed to get snow. I think they did, but nothing like what we got. Our weather people got it wrong, but man, I don't envy that job. I know they do their best and we have some of the best in the country in our area. I sure don't blame them or anyone for what happened. We get made fun of when there is a chance of flurries around here. The grocery stores have bare shelves of milk and bread and some of my snarky friends make snarky comments laughing at themselves, us southerners. We just aren't equipped, we don't have to deal with it like those northerners do. Remember at the beginning when I said my son was in shorts and tshirt? He has one pair of pants and one small under armor lightweight jacket that I BEG him to wear when it's below 20 degrees. I had on a shirt, jeans and boots that day….with a scarf. No coat, no socks, one layer. We play in the sunshine 9 months out of the year. If it gets cold, it's usually in the 40's. Our city was shutdown on Tuesday and finally made it's way out yesterday, for the most part. My kids are home again today and yes, my son is sitting next to me dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. He's heading to Arkansas with his best friend to go duck hunting. He has his camo….he'll be outside for a long time in the cold. He can handle it!

My friend, Ashlee finally got to go home yesterday, we ate chili and soup and chips and crackers, made cookies and ate the dough. I enjoyed having her here so much and can't believe she's not sitting on the couch with me again today.

Happy Snowmageddon, snowpocalypse, brrrrrrmingham snow 2014!!!

Hansel and Gretel Barn

Fall Dinner Party with Southern Lady Magazine Preview

I am having a Fall Dinner Party tomorrow. Not really, but Southern Lady Magazine is in the courtyard today, styling for a gorgeous party! I want to invite all of my friends over to enjoy the beautiful transformation!

There will be food tomorrow, but it will be at odd times and probably not enough for everyone to enjoy! Too bad. I love that they took my dining room table and chairs and filled it with gorgeous fall china, decanters, and candles. There are doilies down the middle being used as a runner. It is amazing!

Here is a quick photo of them working on placement! So fun to have them here!

Mr. Kitty is enjoying the pumpkins in the fountain!

August in Instagram

Summer is over. It doesn't feel like it really began. Too much work, too much rain. Next summer will be better! Let's get ready for Fall! Heading out to a college football game tomorrow. Very fitting, don't you think?

August had us making videos for last days of summer, going to church, Haven in Atlanta, the beach, the beach! Exploring old buildings in downtown Birmingham, teaching cheerleaders, research for The Chapel Market, loving scenes from Hansel and Gretel, decorating for Christmas and friends bringing back prizes from New Orleans! Planning a new house!  It was a fun month!

Save the Tree

There was a big story coming out of Alabama last week. There were some trees being removed from Toomer's Corner. It was a big stink. You may not have heard about it if you aren't from Alabama. We take college football seriously around here. We also take tradition with those football teams very seriously! The teams I'm referring to are Alabama and Auburn. Sometimes pranks are played on the opposing team before a big game. Sometimes they are taken too far. A few years ago a man decided to poison the trees on Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Alabama. These trees have so much tradition behind the Auburn Football Family. After Auburn wins a football game, the fans will go to Toomer's and roll the trees. It's a tradition. After the Spring Game this year, the trees would be rolled for the last time. They were taken down this week. You can search the hashtag #toomerslastroll on Instagram or Twitter and see lots of pictures. I snagged this one so you could see the trees and all of the people that wanted to be a part of it. I'm telling you, we love college football here! 

So, I came home after taking the kids to school on Monday and Connor was flagging trees. This one had a flag on it. It's the Christmas Tree. (thats what we call it) I begged him not to take it down. He wants a yard to play in, you know, throw the football, baseball, etc. But, this one? Why this one? 

The heavy machinery got there to take down the trees and I asked for their support to save the tree. I told them to tell Connor it shouldn't be taken down and it worked! The tree was saved!  #thankful They started laying the sod and I realized it was going to be great. I love the way it turned out. I got to keep my tree and we have a great front yard to play in! John Connor got out and helped them, too.

After the best baseball game of the season on Saturday, we got home and wanted to hang out in our new and improved front yard. Connor went to the store for burgers and dogs and we invited friends over to play! They didn't get to throw the football or baseball because we need to let the sod root for a few weeks, so the basketball goal got put back up and the shot some hoops! Man, I love this place!!

A Walk Through the Garden

Ok, it's really not a garden. It's my yard. I can't wait to get some bushes and flowers planted! I'm itching to get started. Is it still too early? I pulled out the camera and walked around the grounds here at Hansel and Gretel. At 5:00pm the light is beautiful! I truly feel blessed every time I walk around and see something new. This little corner just has so much character and I'm so lucky to have found it!

I started toward the barn and saw these doors I picked up at DWS a month ago. I need to get Albert, the handyman, over here pronto to get these put up inside!

 As I step inside, I see the light hitting this wood. The window is a bit blown out, but I love the way the light is falling on this pile of bead board. I think it's time to start on those projects!

I found this screen door under the house after we moved in. I wanted to put it back up, but the Connor Farmer thinks it's old and dirty. Hmmmph. It's on the list to be cleaned up and hung! {oh, Albert?}

As I stood up, I saw this church birdhouse that Connor's grandfather built many years ago. It looks so beautiful in the light and that chippy old shutter just adds enough character to make me want to leave it right in that spot!!

 All I had to do was turn and turn and see so many spots that had the texture and character that I find beautiful. That stack of bricks is showing because the door has fallen off. {Albert better hurry}

 I walked over to the courtyard in front of the house. This bike was left behind by the previous owner. I don't know if it was parked there on purpose or left there in a hurry. I'm sure the ivy will take over and it may never be moved again!

As I'm walking back onto the porch, I see the light hitting this corbel. I picked this little guy up at Scott's a few months back. He needs to come inside! Those stars in the background are from Scott's and my mom. This place is full of treasures.

Modern Rustic Design Trend

Are you on the bandwagon, yet? It's been sneaking it's way in for a couple of years, but is full throttle right now! Modern Rustic Design is what I'm talking about. We built a house close to 8 years ago with this style before it really had a name. The best way I can describe it is texture vs. smooth. The modern has smooth, straight lines and rustic has texture and patina in it's natural state. There is also a sense of something old that has a story and a can't-recreate feeling. Wallpaper peeling off the walls. The texture and look that can't be found.

This is the house we moved from. I love that brick backsplash and walls!

 A lot of people think the copper tub was uncomfortable. It's very comfy and the water stays warm the whole time you are in it!

 Three years ago The Wall Street Journal described it as Rough Luxe:

Rough luxe is, at first glance, a study in Contradictions, an attempt to reconcile the antique or the just plain old with the contemporary, the accumulated with the newly acquired, the decrepit with the pristine. It’s artful dissonance. For those who have come to think of luxury as smooth, shiny, polished, refined and expensive, rough luxe will undoubtedly come off as unfinished, unplanned and somewhat chaotic.

That is EXACTLY how I love to decorate. Sometimes it feels masculine. I just love to use texture and natural elements in my designs. Our last house was on the market for several years. So many people came through and thought it was too masculine. The house we moved into is very rustic. It was built in 1964 with all reclaimed, salvaged materials. You may have read this post where the family came by that built it and told me many, many stories! The character at Hansel and Gretel is so incredible. Almost every person that comes in asks for us to call them when we are ready to sell. The idea of the Modern Rustic aka Rough Luxe is to use items that are not updated or cleaned up. It's also is to use items in unlikely places. There are no rules. I have really low ceilings with dark beams covering the ceiling in what I call the dining room. Then hanging from the middle of the room is the most gorgeous chandelier with more crystals than you can imagine hanging from it! 

I work with Southern Accents Architectural Antiques promoting ways to use the architectural salvage they get from homes that are being demolished. I created a Pinterest board to give you several ideas of how to incorporate this style in your home. I hope you will check that out and if you want to see more of what Southern Accents is doing, you should like their Facebook page. It wouldn't hurt if you told them I sent you....just makes it look like I'm doing my job {wink, wink}! 

Follow along on more things that inspire me on my Facebook page, Twitter, Instagramhttp://instagram.com/lucysinspired and Pinterest!

It Snowed in Alabama!

I am humbled by the beauty of this house everyday. 

I couldn't wait for the kids to get out of school. I sat in the den watching the snow fall, waiting on the schools to say they were getting out early. I never got the call. I made an executive decision to go get them at 2:30. Wouldn't you know, it quit snowing. After we went home to get warm clothes, we headed over to John Connor's best friend, Reynold's house. He has a hill! On the way over, we noticed the snow was melting minute by minute. The sun was actually peeking through the clouds! We haven't seen the sun in a week!!! There was a little stress that we had missed it. 

As you can see, it wasn't a lot of snow, but it was enough to play in, make snowballs and have fun!

 Someone is going to be in trouble with that snowball!

 Sorry, Marie! WATCH OUT!!

She can handle those boys!

I love that girl's smile! Isn't it electric?

 These two are always laughing!

So thankful for best friends and snow days!