Duke Cannon

While traveling recently, I saw a cool shop with stacks of Duke Cannon soap in the window. When I saw that this "Big Ass Brick of Soap" derived from Memphis, Tennessee, I knew I had to investigate further...

The guys over at Duke Cannon know their target group. This soap is strictly for manly men. As they state on their packaging, the soap "meets the high standards of hard working men who want to get clean and smell good without using feminine shower gels and accessories." Then of course, is the Mangina...no man wants that. 

This is a big ass brick of soap-  actually 3x the size of most soaps you'll find.  

The big brick is modeled after the soap used by GIs during the Korean War and manufactured in the same plant that made military soap for over 20 years. 

Quite simply, the soap has one function, to get you clean. Nothing less, nothing more. So if you're in the need of feeling more manly and just want to get the job done, grab a bar of Duke Cannon. Easy. 

Photos: Duke Cannon      Content: Sweet Peach

Mother's Day Gift Solution: HollyBeth Organics

The right Mother's Day gift can be hard to find. But after discovering HollyBeth Organics late last year, I feel I have the perfect go-to for all the moms in our life. HollyBeth Anderson handcrafts all manner of goodness for our skin and is the only USDA certified organic skin care line in all of Georgia. 

I've tried many of HollyBeth's products and every time I think I find a new favorite, I try something else and fall head over heels. They are all so scrumptious and good for you, I want them all, all the time. The Orange Peppermint Shea Butter Cream feels incredible on your skin, (currently soothing my sunburn) and works to moisturize and nourish dry lips, hands and feet- or wherever you need it most. 

The Marigold Bergamot Dry Oil works great to reduce oily skin and to calm and heal minor irritations. HollyBeth makes her foaming cleanser in both Chamomile and Marigold. These cleansers are gentle on the skin, hyperallergenic and 100% natural. The Camellia & Sunflower Face & Neck Elixir is one of my favorites. In all honesty, it feels a million times better than any face cream I've tried...

I'm a big fan of HollyBeth's best seller- the Eye Cream. It comes in a one ounce jar and will last your mom months and months (if not a whole year). This cream is so popular because it's rich in Vitamin E, (an antioxidant) Camellia oil, (UV protectant) and jojoba and sweet almond oils which moisturize and hydrate. Perfect combo. 

Peruse HollyBeth's site to decide which all natural skin care concoctions your mom would like best. You may remember I blogged about HollyBeth's Grits & Honey Scrub which is an excellent gift- but so is her Citrus All Over Cream which is highly effective in keeping away mosquito bites in the coming months. Why spray a chemical when you can have something all natural, good for your skin and sweet smelling? So many options...including a travel gift set. Peruse all the organic goodness here.

 Photos: Sweet Peach, HollyBeth Organics    Content: Sweet Peach 

Katherine Sandoz

Katherine Sandoz resides in Vernonburg, Georgia, about 10 miles south of Savannah. It is here, along the lush, meandering Southern coastline, that she finds inspiration for her abstract paintings- from flowers and trees to all manner of shapes, colors and textures that speak to her everyday life. 

Katherine often begins by taking photos of objects, landscapes or people that inspire. As she shares, "I paint a series of small detailed works from a selected grouping of my photo library. With old magazines, I might make quick collage studies to begin to understand and see the location in a more abstract manner. Then I will start another more abstract series working from both the detailed works and the collages." 

Acrylics and water based media are Katherine's go-to tools but she is open to using fabric, paper, found objects, oil and water colors as well. Katherine, "The media itself tells a story so it's important for me to use materials that are on concept." 

Color choice is obviously a big part of Katherine's process as well. As she shared, "I'm concerned with its temperature, its saturation, its proximity to other colors, shapes and textures." 

Many of Katherine's paintings feel wholly Southern to me. When I asked her what she loved about the South, she made me smile wide with her varied yet visual list; "Southern writers, story telling, little boats in back rivers and swamps, Cajun and Zydeco music, dirt and 'shell' roads lined with trees of any kind, camellias...

...women who have one set of silver buried in their back or front yard, men who stand up at tables and open doors, 'yes m'aam'..." I concur on all counts, adding one more thing to love about the South... artists like Katherine. See all of her lovely, inspiring work here. 

Andy Cruz @ Home

House Industries founder, Andy Cruz has created a home to admire and envy. Although Andy believes in a clean, modern aesthetic, his space feels lived in and inviting. Many of his furnishings include vintage Herman Miller and Knoll. 

House Industries is based in Yorklyn, Delaware. Over the years, Andy and his team have made a considerable impact on design, crafting fonts that we now see in ads, billboards, greeting cards and product lines. They've also designed objects for the home which include tea towels, blocks, dolls and prints. Andy's dining room has proven a good testing ground for displaying new wares...

As Andy is in the business of creating fonts, it's no surprise to see various ampersands and letters throughout the home. The hand carved carp was found at a flea market in Japan. 

This lovely chair is an art piece in itself, designed by Alexander Girard for Herman Miller. 

Such a fabulous home... Learn more about House Industries and Andy Cruz here.

Photos: Sarah Williams     Content: Sweet Peach

Shanny Beebo

A good wall clock is hard to find but the Shanny Beebo shop proves to be the exception to the rule. Shannon Ruby, fron San Antonio, Texas has handcrafted over 180 wall clocks, many of which are made from upcycled materials. 

The bases to many of the clocks are made from old vinyl records which give them extra charm- plus they're lightweight. 

When you buy one of Shannon's clocks, you're getting a one of a kind piece as no two are ever exactly alike. 

This labor intensive clock was made with individually rolled magazine pages. It's been featured in British Vogue and deservedly so. Such a fun piece- find it here. 

Photos: Shanny Beebo      Content: Sweet Peach

Lumina Superior Dry Goods

Barton, Justin, Peter and Paul are four guys in Raleigh, North Carolina who have joined forces to create Lumina Superior Dry Goods, a fashionable clothing and accessories shop for men. 

As stated on their site, "We wanted to do something innately North Carolinian and to bolster the industries that were once so predominate in our state." Currently, all their products are made in the USA as they continually work towards their impressive goal to produce all the items within North Carolina borders. 

From trousers and 100% cotton button downs...to ties, socks, belts, hats and bags, at Lumina you'll find menswear items that reflect the spirit of the American worker. Plus, all their modern goods have an excellent price point of under $100.  

 

The name Lumina is a play on the traditional cotton loom, which once provided a major boost to the North Carolina economy. Check out all their stylish and affordable goods online, or if you're in Raleigh, stop by and see the boys at 123 E Martin Street. 

Photos: Lumina Superior Dry Goods      Content: Sweet Peach

Cathead Vodka

Cathead Vodka is based in Jackson, Mississippi and is the first legal liquor produced in the state since 1907. Richard Patrick and Austin Evans, who were college friends at the University of Alabama, began the company in 2010 to showcase a love for their Southern roots. Their stylishly packaged vodka, which comes in regular and Honeysuckle, is corn based and crafted in small batches. 

Richard and Austin chose the name Cathead as cats is a common blues singer slang for musicians. Their logo was inspired by cat artwork that Delta blues musicians made to supplement their income. What I love most, besides their homage to the Mississippi blues, is that a dollar from each 750ml bottle sold goes to support live music in the Jackson area. 

I recently got together with my friend Wendy Binns from the Atlanta Intown Paper to prepare a couple of Cathead cocktails. I particularly like Cathead's concoction called Blues Cat, where the first step is to muddle together 10-15 blueberries. 

Add to the muddled berries 3 oz Cathead Vodka, 1 oz. fresh lemon juice, 1 oz. simple syrup and 5 basil leaves, muddled. Shake well then strain. 

Add ice then garnish with blueberries and a basil leaf. So good... 

I love the idea of Honeysuckle Vodka and Richard and Austin are the first distillery to attempt this combo. Honeysuckle is a Southern vine, growing plentiful in Florida, southern Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The Cathead brand is all about Southern roots, afterall...

To make a pitcher of Honeysuckle Lemonade, mix together 4 cups of Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (5-6 lemons), 1 cup basil simple syrup and 4 cups of water. 

Pour your lemonade into 8 oz mason jars filled with cracked ice, then garnish with a mint sprig and lemon wheel. And then may I suggest sipping this tasty beverage on your front porch with a little music playing in the background. Blues music, of course...

Learn more about Cathead Vodka and the Mississippi Blues, here.

Photos and Content: Sweet Peach   2nd Pic: Clarion-Ledger

Antebellum Abode...

I have little time to put together a blog post today but wanted to share these photos from a Garden & Gun article I loved so much. John and Carolyn Malone have spent decades restoring four antebellum dwellings on their 55 acres of old cow pasture near Madison, Georgia. It's a farm they've named Summershade. All of the log cabins (circa 1840's) were purchased and hauled in from other southern states like Kentucky and Tennessee.  

It's been a labor of love reassembling these structures and restoring them to their current state.

Carolyn is an interior designer and brings her many skills to this decades long project. As shared in Garden & Gun by writer John Kessler, "She decorates Summershade with understatment, favoring the natural tone and gently warped surfaces of weather-stripped wood. There's not a shimmer of varnish anywhere in sight, much less an embroidered throw pillow." 

John crafts all manner of furniture for the four structures, like this rustic bed made from a tree he cut down on the farm. 

This dwelling is a small cabin from Appalachian Virginia that was attached to the main house by a breezeway. The open shelves, rustic lamps and sturdy bowls gives off a sense of utilitarianism, probably much like the cabin's first life. A fig vine found its way in through the roof and Carolyn let it have its way, as it adds a sweet, natural touch. 

It's too bad it's not a B&B, I'd sign up for a room tomorrow. Such lovely, inspiring work showcasing how passion and time, when brought together, can produce phenomenol results. 

Photos:  Emily Followill, Garden & Gun       Content: Sweet Peach

B. Inspired: The Kitchen Island & Bar

When I visited Bryce over the Christmas holiday, (seen here with his manager, Genna) one of my favorite pieces in his shop was this Kitchen Island & Bar he constructed.  

The idea for the bar came when Bryce stumbled upon the entire top piece at Habitat for Humanity. (date on bottom of tile was 1978) Inspired to build something around it, he bought the top tile with brown scalloped edging for just $65. 

Using just $50 in lumber, (a combination of leftover plywood and new pine) it took Bryce just one day to build it. And in typical Bryce fashion, he started painting it the same day and was done with the entire bar by the following morning. 

Bryce was very thoughtful in the design. He wanted this to be a multifunctional piece and made a removable shelf for one side. This offers the option to use the cavity differently, such as hanging pots and pans. He also added wheels and made sure there was ample room for two bar stools on the opposite side. 

It's a great piece and available for sale at his lovely shop, Curious. Or maybe you'll be inspired to make your own island creation...Thanks Bryce. 

Photos and Content: Sweet Peach

Succulent Bouquets

I'm a bit passionate about succulents. As I tend to travel a bit, I like their ease of care plus their various shapes and textures that look so pretty in pots or planted amongst pebbles or gravel. Which is why when deciding on a bouquet or flower arrangement, succulents are a stellar choice. 

What is great about incorporating succulents into a bouquet is not only are they a sweet surprise and available year round but after you're done with them, you can reroot them back into the soil. Sustainable and eye catching is a good combo... 

To incorporate succulents into a bouquet, here's a great how-to I found on Poppytalk from one of my favorite florists, Flora Grubb. 

Succulents add a modern touch to a bouquet. Many have dramatic silhouettes and range in color from the lightest green to the deepest purple. 

Repeat the same plant for a dramatic yet cohesive look, then add contrasting succulents for depth and texture. The fun part is picking flowers to complement your succulents. Light pinks and peaches look so pretty with the soft greens...

But don't be afraid to be daring with your flower choices. Because of their versatility, succulents pair just as easily with the softer flowers as they do with the bright, eye popping ones. Experiment and play, see what works. 

Good southern flowers and pods to incorporate into your bouquet can include cotton, fiddlehead ferns, pitcher plants, magnolias, gardenias, bluebonnets, calla lilies... the list goes on. 

Photos: Theknot.com; blog.weddingwire.com; leucadiasucculents.com; thebridescafe.com; theexcitedbride.com; greenbridgeguide.com; besthomedecorators.com; weddinggraces.com; erinheartscourt.com; NK Photography; onewed.com; blog.myheritage.com; chicvintagebirdes.com; theclaytononthepark.com   Content: Sweet Peach