south – Belle Antiquarian

A Twist on a Southern New Year’s Menu

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I am a girl who loves tradition. Love it. And apparently y’all do, too! My previous post on the Southern New Year’s menu, along with the explanation of why we eat what we do, has been extremely popular. (thanks for that!)

And while we will be keeping to tradition this year with my New Year’s Day dinner, I will also be changing it up a bit. I’m not going to repeat my previous post with all of the symbolism, so please go HERE if you need a refresher.

With this menu I’m still going to serve greens, black eyed peas, cornbread, and pork, just with a modern twist! So fun!

The black eyed peas will be used to make a hummus. (Mmm! I love hummus!) I found a recipe (here). Since I don’t like black eyed peas, I usually only choke down (how ladylike) a few of these. So cheers to trying something new this year.

As for the greens, I’m going to make some kale chips. The flavor of the kale chips will go great with the hummus, but won’t necessarily be sturdy enough to be a “vehicle” for it. These are super easy to make. You can even find bags of kale at the grocery store that come with seasoning packets. But basically all you need is some olive oil, salt, and pepper. For a recipe go (here).

For ham, I’m going to make some ham and Swiss sliders with King’s Hawaiian rolls. Can.Not.Wait. To find the recipe, click (here). The only changes I’m going to make are that I’ll be using some shredded Swiss that is already in the fridge, and since there will only be 4 of us eating, I’ll cut the recipe in half or even 1/4.

And finally, the cornbread is actually going to be our dessert. I found a cornbread pudding recipe that looks fairly simple, and I’m going to give it a go. You can find the recipe (here).

My predictions are that the kids will love the sliders and the pudding, but not so much the hummus or kale chips. They are pretty good eaters, but aren’t always great at trying stuff that I make myself. (Please don’t tell them that they often have kale in their smoothies and have absolutely no idea.)

I really hope that y’all have an awesome New Year.

P.S. If you’d like to save this page for later, please click the Pinterest button at the top or bottom of the page.

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December 31, 2014

AbbyLeave a comment

Atlanta Fall Bucket List

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October, the Southerners’ reward for surviving summer.

I’ve never met a Southerner that doesn’t ~~like~~ love October. Honestly! Would such a person be human? Despite having 31 days, and sometimes 5 glorious weekends, there never seems to be enough October to go around. Unless I schedule our October days to make the most of the cool things happening around town, we just don’t get around to doing it all.

I’ve made a list of some neat things both ITP and OTP (that’s inside-the-perimeter and outside-the-perimeter for all of you newbies) that you may want to take advantage of this fall. Each name links back to a website; Just hover your mouse and click for more details! I’m happy to add to the list. Just leave a comment or shoot me an email.

Now, go forth and get your pumpkin on!

Inside the Perimeter

1. Boo at the Zoo (Zoo Atlanta) – Special activities Saturdays and Sundays, October 18, 19, 25, & 26. 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

2. Ogre-tober and Scarecrows in the Garden (Atlanta Botanical Gardens) – Lots of Ogre-tober happenings! Click to check out their calender of events.

3. Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tour (Oakland Cemetery) – The only time of year when tours are available after dark. Advance tickets must be purchased and sell out quickly!

4. Georgia A-Scary-Um (Georgia Aquarium) – Special extended hours. Kids 12 and under get in free if they dress in costume with each paying adult. Click the link for details!

5. Fernbank Boo-Seum Trick-or-Treat (Fernbank Museum of Natural History) – Lots of un-scary fun for the little monsters on the Saturday before Halloween. Special events throughout the museum from 10 – 2, all of which are included in admission or FREE for members.

Outside the Perimeter (and Beyond!)

5. Stone Mountain Park Pumpkin Festival – Tons to do here for the kids. Check out the website! Sometimes tickets go on flash-sale.

6. Buford Corn Maze – More than just a corn maze! Hayrides, family activities, and a haunted forest.

7. Jaemor Farms – Take a drive up to Alto, Georgia. The farm itself is gorgeous, and there are super fun things like apple canons, slides, corn maze, pick your own pumpkins, petting zoo, etc. Even a wonderful farm market with everything from fresh produce to fried pies. This is my fave!!! Click the link for more deets!

8. Gold Rush Days – Dahlonega, GA. Before the California gold rush, there was the Dahlonega gold rush! During peak times to see fall foliage, this should be a blast!

9. Oktoberfest – Helen, GA. The town of Helen is a re-creation of an alpine village, and this year marks their 44th annual Oktoberfest.

10. Georgia Apple Festival – Ellijay, GA. It’s 43rd year as the Georgia Apple Festival, the town of Ellijay puts out quite the welcome wagon. Fun for the whole family, minus Fido (no pets allowed).

11. Six Flags Fright Fest – Frights by night and thrills by day!

12. The Great Miller Lite Chili & BBQ Cookoff – Chili? Yes, please! Held at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, GA.

This is is far from being complete of everything Atlanta has to offer this fall. Make sure you take the time to create some awesome, life-long memories!

October 1, 2014

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Barn Wood China Cabinet: Before & After

I like refinishing hutches. I have a whole folder on our hard drive dedicated to before and after pictures of hutches that we’ve done. They are straight forward, and they sell really well for us. (BONUS!)

So I don’t know why it is that we hate china cabinets. But both Ken and I do. Somehow those simple doors on the front that officially make it a “china cabinet” also turn it into a project from hell. I also have a folder dedicated to before & after pictures of china cabinets. I hope I don’t ever have to add another picture to it. I don’t want to say, “never” but, I never want to refinish another china cabinet again. Unless it’s free. And unless I’m doing it for myself.

Ugly, ugly!

Here’s the before of the latest china cabinet that we’ve redone. It was next to free because the glass shelves on the inside were gone. Buying it we knew we’d have to invest in the expense of replacing them, but we know a guy. 😉 Not really. We know Ace Hardware. They sell and cut glass.

Now, this is the point that I also have to point out the missing pane of glass on the right. I wish I could blame that on the kids. But that was an adult in the house. And not me.

The other pane came out and some chicken wire went in. Because chicken wire definitely goes with what we had planned for this.

Yesterday I posted about how we came upon the jackpot of barn wood. Check out that post (here). Before we even started on this china cabinet we knew that we wanted to add some of the barn wood to it and change the look completely. This is where I get on my soap box and proclaim, “Please do not throw out furniture. Find a way to reuse it. Invest in quality furniture to begin with and you will never need to replace it!”

Ahem, without further ado, the AFTER:

This took over a week to complete. Seriously, it did. With prepping, cutting wood, installing wood, drying wait time, painting, drying wait time, sanding, curing wait time, waxing, hardening wait time, installing chicken wire, and new glass shelves it was a FULL WORK WEEK. The wood is priceless. It cannot be replaced or replicated. This is a one of a kind, truly unique piece. And since I’m never making another one (never say never?), there is only one opportunity to get anything like it from us!

Now THAT’S a makeover! Completely different.

//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.jsHope you enjoy the before & after. ~~If you’re local and you’re interested in purchasing this, please use the icons at the top to contact us. Facebook is the best way!~~

Update: This piece has sold and is no longer available,

September 9, 2014

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Barn Wood: The wood that almost wasn’t.

The area we live in, a suburb of Atlanta, has changed a lot in the past 25 years. Like, a LOT. It’s not the same place it was when Ken and I grew up. There aren’t many open fields left. It’s mostly businesses and neighborhoods and concrete. And more people. And it wasn’t. Before.

Atlanta is known for having the native-born people far outnumbered by the transplants. But we’ve lived here our whole lives, and we know a lot of other people that have, too. So this story is for them. And us. But I have to start from the beginning:

Fort Daniel isn’t just the name of an elementary school in Gwinnett County, and Hog Mountain isn’t just the name of a road (or two). Fort Daniel was an actual military fort built in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries on Hog Mountain, which was the southern boundary of the Native American hunting grounds. This area is approximately located on Scenic Highway and in between Old Peachtree Road and Gravel Springs Road. The fort was rebuilt in 1814, but there is some speculation as to whether it was completely rebuilt from the ground up, or rebuilt using the existing structures. For our purposes, it just matters that it’s old.

Recently a barn-type structure located near our home was being demolished. A sign invited anyone that wanted to take whatever wood they liked. And so, being us, we started the process of removing wood. During our visits there to load up our truck, we talked with the landowner, Mr. Boyce, a few times. He was having the structure removed so that his two sons could build their homes there. Someone was supposed to come demolish the building and haul it away, but those plans didn’t work out. And, it turns out, this wasn’t just a barn. Mr. Boyce bought the property 25+ years ago, and he was told that at some point in time someone had moved one of the old barracks from Fort Daniel there, and it had been used as a storage barn ever since.

Ken carefully removing pieces of wood from the structure. At one point he was balancing
on a rotten tree stump to get the perfect pieces for me.

This wood that we got, is, at youngest, from the early nineteenth century. Each piece of wood is stunning. On the sides that were exposed to the elements you can see the faint, original green color, places where a “newer” (which may be decades old, as well) whitewash color shows. Mostly there is the much sought-after silver gray color. On the back, the sides that were not exposed, the wood is rich and brown. It is a color that you can only get with time, and a lot of it. This color is enough to move ~~you~~ me emotionally.

This is my favorite piece of wood that we got. Isn’t it beautiful?! I’m saving it for something special.

We’ve taken some of the wood that we collected that weekend and added it to a china cabinet that we’ve customized. The wood looks weathered and beautiful, but don’t mistake it as fragile and brittle. This wood is rock hard and strong. It has lasted a very, very long time. This wood is our history. It’s special. And it was almost trash.

Here’s the china cabinet! I was trying to avoid my reflection, so you have to see it from an angle. 😉

Ready to be filled with special things!

Ahhh! THIS WOOD is a dream!

This piece is currently available and can be seen by appointment. Use the icons at the top of the page to contact us.

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To learn more about Fort Daniel, Georgia, visit these websites:

http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/fort-daniel

http://www.thefortdanielfoundation.org/History.htm

September 8, 2014

Abby2 Comments

Belle & Beau on the Dixie Highway 90 Mile Yardsale

Nothing says “family time” like packing up the kids and dog and heading out to spend the entire day yard sale hopping. Oh, who am I kidding? I forced them to go, all of them. But since I put in almost 5 hours sitting at the ball field for soccer tryouts this week, I figured they could spend 5 hours in the car while I ~~worked~~ had fun searching for inventory.

Diesel’s first time coming “picking” with us, and he did great!

My friend, Kimberly, told me about the Dixie Highway 90 Mile Yard Sale a while ago. But unfortunately for me, it always conflicted with other plans. I was on the fence about going right up until the time we pulled out of the driveway. It’s a really long drive for us to get there, and there is never a guarantee you’ll find anything good. In fact, I was worried we were going to drive all of that way and get rained out.

First things, first. In my world of yard sales, people set up at 8:00 and “early birds” show up at 7:45. With traffic, we ended up not getting to Adairsville (one of the cities on the 90 mile stretch) until 10:30, and people were just then starting to set up. Not sure what that was all about, but I’m glad we got a late start. I would’ve been all huh? and wuh? and “this is a bust.”

Our 9 year old played “photographer” today. And I love seeing the day through her eyes! Here are a few of her pictures. At the bottom you can see a picture of some of the things I ended up buying.

Sweet iron bed. The guy insisted it was a “twin” but I knew better. Smaller than a twin! He wanted $75

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Loved this.

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Some very cool bottles here. We must be on the right track!

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We ended up buying all of the insulators here.

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Here is a small portion of what we ended up getting:

Insulators, camera and case, skates, dolls, milk glass tea sets – one for iced tea and one for hot tea. etc, etc

Best deal of the day: the insulators
Favorite find of the day (that I’m keeping!): jadeite sugar bowl with holly leaves on it. Everything else is for sale.
Should’ve skipped on: antique scale (not pictured)

We had fun and will definitely do it again!

June 7, 2014

AbbyLeave a comment

Dressing with Southern Class (& a little bit of sass!)

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1. Pearls go with everything. A nice, quality set of pearls is basic piece in every southern wardrobe. Pearls can be worn everywhere from work or a wedding to a baby shower, church, or picnic. Pearls never go out of style and can be passed down through generations. Pair your necklace or earrings with a dress or jeans. You’ll look and feel fabulous with them on.
Sterling Silver and White A-Quality Freshwater Cultured Pearl Necklace (7.5-8mm), 18″

2. Monogram it.
If you liked it, then you should’ve put a monogram on it! Southern ladies like to add a monogram to shirts, workout shorts, handbags, and sheets. You can even add a monogram to your wall! I love this timeless monogram necklace.
Sterling Silver Fancy Monogram Necklace (18 Inches)

3. Timeless pieces mixed with modern and trendy accessories. The basis of any great southern wardrobe are timeless pieces that you can mix and match. Find ways to bring colorful, modern, and trendy patterns into your wardrobe with accessories!

4. Fun with classic lines. Think Lilly Pulitzer fabrics . Think Seersucker suit. We do like to have fun with a playful pattern! Southern gents have been known to wear shorts in all sorts of tongue-in-cheek patterns. The important thing to remember is that pieces should always have classic, modest lines. Have fun, but command respect!
Lilly Pulitzer Women’s Janice Shift

5. Modest and tasteful.
Let’s face it. Modern jeans that make your figure look fantastic while standing up, don’t always step up to the job while you are sitting down or bending over. The same can be said for semi-sheer to sheer tops or tops with lower cut necklines. A southern lady leaves certain areas to the imagination. I personally own several of these tank tops and wear one almost every day. They help cover areas that jeans and tops can leave exposed. As an added bonus, these tanks make all of your curves feel fantastic. (i.e. Not jiggly!)
Sugar Lips Seamless Rib Tank Top, Black, One-Size

6. Dress for the occasion.
Knowing exactly what to wear for each occasion can leave you feeling panicked and unsure of yourself. Black tie, white tie. Formal, business casual. Company picnic, baseball game. It’s important to know what is appropriate and how to make a good impression at all times. Check out this fantastic guide:
A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions

7. Always support your team, your sorority, and your school.
Southerners are known to support their colleges, sororities, and fraternities for life! A SEC football game is an opportunity for every southerner to bring out the preppiest of fashions in their school colors. I personally love this shirt. Because, well, it *is* home…til the day I die, y’all!
Homeland Tees Women’s Georgia Home State T-Shirt

Keep it classy, y’all!
XOXO,
Abby

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April 23, 2014

Abby1 Comment

Fall Antique Festivals in the South

Hooray! Hooray! One of my favorite times of year is here — fall. Not only does it mean mulling spices and pumpkin everything, it also means fall antique festival season is here. And that, my friends, is almost as yummy as a pumpkin spice muffin with my pumpkin spice latte while my pumpkin spice candle is burning. Ahhhhhh, sweet heaven on earth…antique festivals.

Below is a list of festivals that are on my radar. I am more than happy to add your favorite to my list and get it some publicity. Please email or leave a comment and I’ll add it to my list. The only requirements are that #1 It’s an antique festival #2 It’s in the fall. #3 It’s in the South. (Nothing against our neighbors to the north of the Mason Dixon Line, but that’s the theme of my blog, after all.)

Crabapple Fest Antique & Art Festival (One of my faves! One day only.)
Milton, GA

October 5^th10-6

http://www.crabapplecommunityassociation.org/CCA/Arts_Festival_MAIN.html

Clinch River Antiques Festival

Clinton, TN

October 11 & 12

http://clinchriverfallfestival.com/

Georgia Apple Festival (This is an apple festival, but the town of Ellijay where it is held has some fantastic antique stores. Have a blast at the apple festival and stop at the stores before you leave.)

October 12-13; 19-20

http://www.georgiaapplefestival.org/

Elligay, Ga

The Chapel Market

October 19, 2013

Pike Road, Alabama

http://theletteredcottage.net/goin-to-the-chapel/

Braselton Antique & Holiday Festival

October 26 & 27 Besides the festival, there are 5 antique shops within one block of the festival.

http://www.countrysideantiques.net/braselton-antique-festival.html

Country Living Fair

October 25-27