ORC Lucky No 7 - Week 4

As I stated last week, I've been in Charleston SC (lots of pretty porch inspiration!!)

 and the Virginia mountains 

for the last 8 days so nothing much has happened physically.

I used all my travel time to think, visualize, source and plan 

so I can hit the ground running this week.

Time is flying by!!

One thing that did actually happen was my handy husband worked on the "box" for the gas fireplace insert while I was away.

There is still a lot to be done but I'm excited to see progress. 

We salvaged that fireplace mantel from an old house in Marietta GA over 27 years ago that was scheduled for demolition.
Every time my husband mentioned getting rid of it because I hadn't done anything with it yet, I resisted. Then several years ago we added this section onto our screened porch and we "installed" the mantel as a focal point. Then we started looking for a gas insert and one finally showed up at Restore ages ago and now it's close to being a reality.

We certainly took our time on this one!

Things still look pretty rough but there is actually progress. 

I have the floor paint ready to go now that I'm back in town!

Gorgeous green!

I just need good weather so I can roll it on and show y'all some actual progress. 
Please check out everyone else's progress here and if I haven't bored you too much please come back next week and see if I might actually get something done!!

Current Room Crush

I am currently obsessed with this small (800 sq. feet it says) apartment
 located in Charleston SC.

I was born in Charleston and head to the Lowcountry every time my landlocked self gets a chance.
 I consider one of my greatest parenting successes to be that I raised Mollie to be in love with Charleston and everything about the Lowcountry 

(except the extreme Summer heat which I do not mind but she does!)

Anyway - back to this room. It is in the latest issue of House Beautiful.

It belongs to J.P. Horton, a local Charleston decorator.
 He is renting. Doesn't look like the rentals of my past!

There are so many things I love but the first thing that caught my eye was the turquoise curtains.

I have been considering putting these turquoise curtains 

(along with bamboo blinds) at my family room windows for at least a year and a half.
 Yep - I'm speedy on these types of things.

 My curtain choice is obviously the low end of a high/low knock off situation. 

Believe me I will post a picture on my IG if I pull the trigger any time soon.

Other things I love that could be pulled from this room on a budget are:

1.The Palm   I love big plants, I cannot lie.
I've never met a palm I didn't love.
The one in his apartment is a Banana Palm. 
I have blogged about my love for them before.
Isn't this botanical of the Banana Palm fabulous?



The palm is elevated on a wooden stand and in a huge glazed pot. 

Palms are currently everywhere in Atlanta and are available for $10.00 to $30.00 depending on size. If you have to go smaller with the palm then you could simply place it on a taller stand to give it more impact. 
Small tables and plant stands can be found in thrift and vintage stores.

Pots are available in every size, color and finish in every price range at discount stores and home stores like Home Goods and At Home.
Of course, I think you could put it in a blue and white chinoiserie planter as well!

2. That Picture centered over the neutral couch! It is a framed piece of hand painted wall paper and I'm sure a bit pricey. One way to have something similar is to find a scene online that is free to the public and can be reprinted without copyright infringement. Then you can upload and print in a large format. I use a site called Poster My Walls. You can quickly design and download a large scale printable. I send it off to my local Walgreen's and have it printed 24 x 36 for under $20.00. If you go with black and white you can do an engineer print for under $6.00. Spray an inexpensive poster frame with gold spray paint like I did here and you've got a pretty good knock-off!

This image is an instant download from an Etsy seller.
Find something you love on Etsy or the many copyright free sights and print it in a large format!

There are lots of options to give you a look similar to the one in the inspiration room.

3. Ghost Chairs  IKEA has some great looking clear chairs for under $100.00. I've seen them in person and they are nice and not flimsy or wobbly.

This chair is only $39.99. I've never seen it in person but what a price for a clear chair!


It is from Classroom Essentials.


I love so many things about this gorgeous, elegant and inviting room. 
There are so many great elements to examine and use for yourself.
I can't stop looking at the room and finding new details to love and use in my own home.
What's your favorite detail?

In a Pickle...

If  you've read one blog post or seen even one IG post of mine you probably already know I'm a Lowcountry gal at heart. Charleston born and proud of it!

I consider myself "stuck" 5 hours inland :)

I have ingrained that love of coastal South Carolina, Charleston and all the Southern goodness that entails into Mollie!

(IOP beach house with colorful chairs and Coast hat!)

A friend from Ohio once purchased a t-shirt for me after knowing me only a short while. 

It said "GRITS"

*Girls Raised In The South.

I loved that shirt!

One of the things that Mollie and I like to do when we are in Charleston is have lunch at Jestine's Kitchen. 

After we stroll through the shops on King. 

After we stock up on candles at Candlefish and buy some candied pecans in the Market.

 Then we are ready for a hearty lunch!

This spot is perfect for a completely, undeniably, deep fried Southern lunch.

Mollie thinks Jestine's in Charleston, SC and Michie Tavern in Charlottesville, VA have the best fried chicken evahhhh!!!

I'm all about the okra gumbo. Okra anything, really.

But we definitely agree on this - the little saucer of pickles that they bring to your table when you are seated is fabulous.

We were reminiscing about Jestine's Kitchen the other day 

(be sure to read the top 10 questions tourist ask them!!) 

and I decided to "google" Jestine's pickle recipe and give it a try.

Here's what I came up with (just in time for Fourth of July snacking!)

I bought some fresh cucumbers from Trader Joes.

Any pickling or regular salad cuke will work.

I used a vegetable peeler to remove some of the skin. 

I like the striped effect it makes on the edges of the pickles.

I sliced them very, very thin on my old Pampered Chef slicer.

 It's been around here a long time and well used!

Some recipes indicated you could make them any thickness you prefer

 but we like how paper thin the pickles are at Jestine's.

Then I sliced a small onion paper thin as well. 

I dice my thin sliced onion because I personally like the onion to be smaller.

Next up - peppercorns. To taste. I put a lot (like a lot!!) in my pickles.

We use an antique industrial cabinet to hold our multitude of spices.

And fitting for this post - to the left you can see a favorite lino print by Charleston, SC artist Stacy Bradley of Perlaanne Press. 

And then you add sugar.

 I combined a couple of recipes that stated they were similar to Jestine's. I chose to do about a 1/2 cup of sugar to my 6 small cukes. Some recipes suggested 3/4 of a cup. 

That's up to your pickle sweetness preference :)

 The pickles aren't just sweet pickles - they have a tart side too but they aren't dill pickles. 

They are just really, really yummy!

Stir it all gently and then fill your clean glass jars with the cucumber mixture. 

Be sure that each jar has plenty of peppercorns and onions 

mixed in with the cucumber slices.

They are so crisp and fresh looking.

Pour white vinegar to the halfway mark of your pickles.

Then fill the jar the rest of the way with water.

Put a lid on the jar and shake gently to be sure everything is well mixed.

Then simply put in the refrigerator over night so all the flavors can blend together.

They are delicious as a starter like at Jestine's, on sandwiches and more. 

The small jar will be a hostess gift when we join friends for a Fourth of July cookout.

We will enjoy the other jar at home.

Jestine's pickles will keep in the refrigerator for a week or two -

if they last that long!!