LOV for the MOB

Last weekend's wedding (a few images here) was a sweet celebration and we were honored to work with such lovely clients and friends. Though the reception site - the childhood home of the bride - had little structural damage from the tornado, the landscaping was a bit disheveled and debris was piled up and down the roads leading to the home. With the help of some talented folks, everything was cleared and re-scaped beautifully, just in time.

When we started planning the event a year ago, the MOB (mother of the bride) kept mentioning Lily of the Valley. It's not often that we work with the tiny, delicate, fragrant blooms, but we were able to sneak it into our flower order for the weekend and nestled it around the reception as a surprise for her. A quick google search brings up the storied history of the flower with some references reading that it symbolizes a return to happiness. Undoubtedly, the wedding weekend brought a new found joy and we think we'll try to use Lily of the Valley every chance we get.

market thursdays

There's a good thing going on every Thursday afternoon this summer and the best part is that it's a few skips away from MCD. Homegrown Alabama, the brainchild of some sharp UA students, sets up a farmer's market at Canterbury Episcopal from 3-6 every summer Thursday. Their farmers come out offering the gamut of Alabama produce (summer squash, strawberries, radishes, carrots, onions, garlic, fresh herbs), locally-raised beef, handmade soaps, pottery, live music, ice cream, fresh tea, jams and more. We guess this means we'll have to stop using impromptu beach trips as an excuse to pick up Chilton County peaches. If you missed it this week, mark your calendar to stop by next time, we'll be there.

warming up

Amidst prepping for a fabulous wedding this weekend, we pulled together a preliminary proposal for a client looking to refresh a masculine living room. We stumbled across this image from the January 2008 issue of Southern Accents (may you rest in peace) and were inspired to include details of weathered leather, whiskey tones, and woolly plaid to evoke a warm, traditional feel. Of course, we'd also suggest to keep the AC on and the ice chest well-stocked, since we are at the threshold of summer in Alabama.

not your mom's iced tea

Summer's just around the corner (well, after this freaky mid-May cold snap passes), and WSJ has already nailed our new favorite seasonal cocktail. What makes it our new favorite cocktail? It's concocted with MCD-favorite St. Germain elderflower liqueur (find it at Spirits).

Adapted from Wall Street Journal's compilation of summer cocktails with Aperol and St. Germain:

Pour 1 cup of loose Earl Grey Tea into 750 ml of Gin, seep for 7 days

Strain Tea (ahem, Gin)

Combine:

1.5 oz of Gin-Tea

1 oz St. Germain

.5 oz Lemon

Shake with ice, strain into a highball filled with funky ice cubes

Sip, repeat

Photo: F. Martin Ramin for the Wall Street Journal, food

Styling Brett Kurzweil

how sweet it is

To have a single gardenia bloom at your desk.

thibaut dreams

Paper is back in BIG way. It's been trending for a few seasons now, and we've been riding the wave every chance we get. Thibaut, one of our top wall covering firms has been pumping out classic designs like Tree of Life, Toile and Trellis patterns for over 100 years. We were pleasantly taken aback when we saw New York-based travel and lifestyle writer/decorator, Jason Oliver Nixon's guest room in the most recent New York Magazine, covered floor to ceiling in the Barron pattern. Extremely traditional and almost psychedellic...we kind of like it!

mother mother

A snapshot of our Mother's Day peony arrangements that were sent on Friday.

simply

A clock, garden roses, sunshine through french doors (when the power is still out from the tornado). Simple beauty is making us smile today.

currently

Our previous post is laughable considering the events that followed that evening. It's been a long week for our team and we are fortunate beyond measure to be where we are today. We've wept over loss and are encouraged by the spirit that's pulling our community back together. We are trying to keep a rhythmic balance between helping with relief efforts and helping our business thrive during this time of uncertainty. It has been overwhelming being in and out of the office, surrounded by the all of the "stuff" and unnecessary, lovely things at Matt Clinton Designs.

All said, we look forward to helping with the upcoming celebrations - weddings, engagements and of course, Mother's Day...by the way, we'll have an amazing deal on Mother's Day peony arrangements if you mention you saw it on our blog.

Almost everyone we've been in contact with has helped in one way or another. We are humbled by all of the organizations that are contributing, but would like to give a shout out to student-led start-up UA Greek Relief, as well as Project Blessings, which was founded by our friend, Marsha Sprayberry. If you (understandably!) can't fancy flowers for Mother's Day, click through the links above or check out Give Tuscaloosa to donate.