Southern Sweets Magazine Spring 2019 Issue by Southern Sweets Magazine

SOUTHERN SWEETS A HOME AND LIFESTYLE DIGITAL INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE

SUMMER BREAK GETAWAYS

BEST PLANTS FOR INDOOR DECOR 30-MINUTE MEALS

Three quick and healthy recipes for your weekday dinner plans

ASK SOUTHERN SWEETS ISSUE 06 • APRIL 2019

what's inside? 8 DIY Home Workshops: Custom Crafts

18 30-Minute Meals: Three Quick and Healthy Recipes for Weekday Dinner Plans

3 Editors' Note 4 5 Best Plants for Indoor Home Decor 6 Landscape for Spring 11 Shop the Look! A Nursery Edition 14 Summer Break Getaways Trips That Won't Break the Bank 21 Ask Southern Sweets

Summer Break Getaway Guide for anyone looking to rejuvenate

Best landscaping tips to kick off the season

From the Editors

First issue of 2019! We're already on a roll this year having co-hosted our first social gig with Blu Rose Art Bistro. That was a great learning experience in itself and we're so grateful for all the kind words and support we received. Koya and I both will be knee-deep heavy in DIY projects this year and can't wait to document and provide you all with more inspiration pics of 'before and afters' and tutorial how-to guides featured on our Southern Sweets blog. We're stepping out of our comfort zones to expand the Southern Sweets brand and reaching out to fellow designers, foodies, bloggers, travel experts, and more to bring you the latest trends, up-to-date home, travel, and lifestyle information, more live videos, opportunities to be brand ambassadors, and networking. Looking forward to another great year bringing you the best of Southern Sweets! Cheers! KOYA TYSON AND MICHELLE GOWDY CREATORS | WRITERS | EDITORS OF SOUTHERN SWEETS MAGAZINE EDITORS' NOTE | 3

5 Best Plants for Indoor Home Decor

BY MICHELLE GOWDY It's that time of year when the temperatures are rising, buds are opening, birds are chirping, and the color of trees and flowers are starting to come back to a vibrant and blooming life. Welcome spring! If you're like me, then it's also that time of year when I look around the house to determine where new plant life should exist or be moved to and since I have no green thumb, I typically go for the faux greenery. However, I'm changing it up this year and going with live plants. Pray for me. There are a number of beneficial advantages of having live plants indoors: purifying the air (better oxygen circulation), reducing levels of airborne dust, increase in air humidity, and just generally reduces stress and boosts your mood to create a feeling of well-being and relaxation around you. I'm getting to a point where I will probably incorporate some form of greenery in just about every room in the house, and I love it. It does give me a sense of zen at home. As much as I love the look and mood greenery brings me, I prefer to select the lowmaintenance houseplants that I can easily maintain, so here's my top five that I'll be looking to purchase and perhaps you may consider for an easy care-free upgrade to your overall home design: 5 BEST PLANTS FOR INDOOR HOME DECOR | 4

ALOE PLANTS Aloe plants are great for areas in your home that are cool or perhaps away from windows as they love indirect light. Just give them a good water down once a week or every two weeks and they shouldn't have any problems thriving.

YUCCA Place it in an area to receive direct sunlight, walk away, and go enjoy spring at the water park or in the gardens. Seriously. Yucca plants require to be watered sparingly and just give them sun, sun, and more sun.

BROMELIAD If you're looking for a burst of color, then the Bromeliad plants may work for you. They are longlasting and thrive in indoor temperatures close to 70 degrees. Just keep them away from any cold drafts or cold air in your home.

FIDDLE LEAF FIG I absolutely love the look of fiddle leaf figs, because I love the large scale leaf sizes. This one would be my fav for its style and lushness, and also its adaptability in environments. Requires indirect sunlight and more water in the summer than cooler seasons.

POTHOS If you have the space, this plant requires very little maintenance - irregular watering and can survive with low light. However, the vine trails can grow up to 10-ft long indoors so be mindful of its growth dimensions. Pothos is also sometimes regarded as the plant you can't kill, no matter how hard you try, so even the most challenged plant lover has an opportunity for a great success rate keeping this one alive.

5 BEST PLANTS FOR INDOOR HOME DECOR Â | Â 5

EXTERIOR

LANDSCAPE FOR SPRING BY MICHELLE GOWDY

Whether you're looking to sell your home and needing some quick tips to spruce your home's exterior for curb appeal or finally deciding to roll your sleeves up this spring and add a little extra 'oomph' to your home's landscape, here are a few sure-fire quick tips that are easy, budgetfriendly, and will provide beautiful results.

FOCAL

POINTS

Before touching the lawn, some key focal points that are worth your attention this spring, are areas that may need paint touch-ups. Think your mailbox, window trim, and front doors. If your paint is chipped or faded, you may be surprised how vibrant a new coat of paint will refresh the look. If you need new or larger size address numbers on your mailbox or door, go ahead and replace those. Those are focal areas your visitors, or potential buyers, see and use to identify finding your home. If you've spruced up the yard adding lush greenery and new flower beds, then don't skimp refreshing those other focal areas, keeping them dull and uninteresting. It's like putting on $5 shoes with your new high-end tailored suit. You just don't. LANDSCAPE FOR SPRING | 6

INSPECT

TREES

AND

SHRUBS

Now may be a good time to do a walk through of your property to look for any dead or rotten trees and plants that need to be removed. Broken tree limbs that should be discarded. Also, look for any unwanted nesting of lawn pests, ant beds, etc. that should be treated immediately. CONTROL

WEEDS

Go ahead and apply pre-emergent weed control solution to your yard and get an early start controlling weed growth before they take root and start to spread. This will give your lawn a healthy start to the season. FRESHEN

FLOWER

BEDS

Freshen up the flower beds by replacing new mulch or adding new flower buds to the group. Remove any debris, rake any leaves, and keep the beds nice and neat.

CHECK

WATER

HOSES

AND

IRRIGATION

SYSTEMS

Be sure to check your water hoses and irrigation systems to ensure they are working properly. So once you start your watering schedule, you won't run into any issues to stall your efforts.

LANDSCAPE FOR SPRING Â | Â 7

DIY HOME WORKSHOPS CUSTOM CRAFTS

By: Koya Tyson

I love DIY projects just as much as the next person, but let's be honest with ourselves, it can be very expensive. For the projects we want to do, we never have all of the tools and supplies needed. So we end up buying all of this stuff that we only use once, spending $150+ on a project, for an item we could have bought from Home Goods for $35. In the end, we love our custom project that took twice as long as it should have to make. You'd think, "There has to be a better way." Well, I have great news for you, there is. A lot of local hardware and craft stores offer wonderful instructional classes for home renovations and we've recently found a few companies that also offer home decor DIY classes. Here's a brief list of a few of my favorite.

DIY HOME WORKSHOPS Â | Â 8

The Home Depot offers a multitude of DIY Courses. Everything from gardening, floor tiling, wall backsplash, deck staining and repairs, and even workshops for the kids. The best thing about these workshops is that most are completely free. Topics vary location to location. To register, simply visit The Home Depot's workshops website (https://www.homedepot.com/workshops), enter your preferred location, and register for one of the listed courses. Courses typically take place on a Saturday morning with trained employees. All materials, tools, and equipment are provided. If you do not live near a Home Depot location, you can always watch their DIY videos online. https://www.homedepot.com/workshops

PIKE NURSERY

THE HOME DEPOT Now that Spring is finally here, it's time to get those perennials and vegetable gardens started. Pike Nursery is a local nursery with 17 locations in the metro Atlanta area and 2 locations in Charlotte, North Carolina. It offers a variety of workshops for gardening. Courses vary seasonally, so be sure to check their offerings often. A few of the course topics in season now include tomato growing, spring vegetable planting, and a lawn and garden trade show. To register, simply visit their website, find your preferred locations and sign up! Most classes are free of charge. If there is not a Pike Nursery near you, be sure to visit one of the local nurseries in your area. https://www.pikenursery.com/event-calendar DIY HOME WORKSHOPS Â | Â 9

JOANN

Joann, formerly Joann's Fabrics, is a nationwide craft store. Known for their variety of fabrics, Joann is now popular for all of your artistic crafting needs. They offer a multitude of courses including crocheting, embroidery, food crafting, jewelry, home decor, painting and drawing, and paper crafts. To register, simply visit their website and sign up. https://www.joann.com/classes/

AR WORKSHOP

Last Year, Southern Sweets had the honor of attending a DIY class at AR Workshop Smryna. AR Workshop is a national DIY workshop that focuses on making wood signs and other home decor items. You can make things such as wood signs, lazy susan, chunky knit blankets, centerpiece boxes, canvas projects, and blanket ladders to name a few. There are over 100 AR Workshop locations nation wide. If there is a location near you, simply visit their website to register. You will select the item you want to make, select the design, and upon arrival, a well trained staff member will guide you through the process. All supplies and tools are provided at the store location. The best part, you can bring wine and snacks if you'd like!!! I wouldn't recommend using power tools while drinking wine, but after you've completed that part of the project, bottoms up. Be sure to check their website frequently, because the list of items and designs changes seasonally. AR Workshop is the perfect venue for date night, girls night out, and birthday parties. https://www.arworkshop.com/ DIY HOME WORKSHOPS Â | Â 10

Shop the Look! A Nursery Edition By Michelle Gowdy Nothing brings more joy and excitement than the announcement of welcoming a baby on the way. Those were the sentiments of Kimberly and Eric Tisdale when they learned they were expecting their first baby boy. Having to transform their upstairs playroom they had for their two girls, a little bit of planning, weekend DIY projects, and online accessory shopping, they were able to create this beautiful nursery just in time for the arrival of baby Cruze. Take a peek and click the links to shop the look!

SHOP THE LOOK! Â | Â 11

Harlow 3-in-1 Convertible Crib Contemporary and stylish nursery crib in white with a unique handetched lucite front panel.

Personalized Reader Chair Personalized toddler reading chair that comes in a variety of colors and option to select font embroidery style.

Reading Tree Bookcase Can hold 12-15 books per shelf. Lead and Phthalate Safe, Non-Toxic HighGloss, Low-VOC Lacquer Finish.

Faux Fur Rug Soft 3' round white faux fur rug as the perfect sitting spot for your baby or toddler to play.

Drawer Accent Chest Elegant and transitional white and gold drawer accent chest with brass metal accents that style the corners and offer chic drawer hardware.

Acrylic Wall Mirror Acrylic wall mirror for a nursery or children's room, laser cut to be styled in just about any shape or animal cutout.

3 5

Name Sign Wall Art Customized mirror name sign for wall display. Personalize and select custom size and color.

Forest Wallpaper COLE & SON Woods Onyx/White wallpaper for a beautiful accent wall creating a magical forest design.

Custom DIY Wall Paneling A weekend project adding wall trim for added room detail and character.

SHOP THE LOOK! Â | Â 12

SHOP THE LOOK! | 13

SUMMER BREAK GETAWAYS TRIPS THAT WON'T BREAK THE BANK

MICHELLE GOWDY

Summer break is drawing near and there are so many options and things to do, we decided to put together a list of our recommendations for families, friends, and individuals looking to have some fun this Summer. If you're ready for the beach, the slopes, or a mountain retreat, we have the perfect spots picked for you.

CANCUN, MEXICO About two years ago, my husband and I traveled to Cancun, Mexico for our annual international getaway. We stayed at an All-Inclusive Resort, which is one of my best Summer Break tips if you plan to travel abroad. The beaches were beautiful, crystal clear waters, perfect temperatures. We are of the adventurous type, so we were able to parasail, jet ski, snorkel with sting rays and giant turtles, zip line through the forest, and of course, do some downtown shopping. So you definitely won't be without any ideas of fun things to do. Cancun has several all-inclusive resort options for adultonly and family friendly accommodations at affordable prices.

DISNEY CRUISE Cruises are definitely a perfect budget-friendly option for traveling, whether with a small or large family, and can accommodate all age ranges with fun things to do. Everything from spas, shopping, shows, pool parties, and unlimited eating can be enjoyed while on the ship and your little ones can take pics and meet their favorite Disney characters. Start planning now to catch some savings while they're starting to run deals and discounts.

SAIL AWAY SUMMER BREAK GETAWAYS Â | Â 15

NORTHSTAR RESORT, LAKE TAHOE Northstar Resort is a beautiful backdrop for your Summer Break selfies and photo albums. The resort is known for its exceptional customer service and family-friendly atmosphere. Close to the airport, you won't have a long drive ahead or you can opt to ride the train into the city. If you look now, you may be able to score some great deals their running for Summer Break.

HIT THE SLOPES COPPER MOUNTAIN, COLORADO This ski resort is ideal for the beginner level, intermediate, and advanced skier. It's split into three skill-level sections so no need to fret if you're not up to par with the more advanced skiers. You can stay clear away. And the mountaintop views, glaciers, and trees make for stunning photo ops while out. Choose between luxe to family size condos. And its close proximity to amenities like restaurants, bars, and shops make this a recommended Summer Break getaway. Fun fact: the US Ski Team uses Copper Mountain for their earlyseason training.

SUMMER BREAK GETAWAYS Â | Â 16

BLUE RIDGE, GA For my husband’s birthday this year, I planned a weekend cabin trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, not too far away from our home. We went with several other close family members and had an amazing time. The scenic mountaintop views, watching the sunrise, the stillness and peacefulness is what we all have come to love and enjoy and keeps bringing us back to the mountains year after year. It’s also a home away from home offering a lot of the same modern day amenities and conveniences most already have and enjoy in our real homes, and even more. For a relatively low cost adventure opportunity, I’d highly recommend everyone to try a cabin stay at least once. Most have game rooms, commercial-grade kitchen appliances, multilevel balconies, jacuzzi, and more. Going with a group offers even more affordability by splitting the cost for rental and food. For under $300 per couple, we stayed for three days and two nights.

We also visited the local Mercier Orchards winery, bakery, marketplace and Bear Claw Vineyards for wine tastings and tours, live music, games, and shopping.

MOUNTAIN RETREAT SUMMER BREAK GETAWAYS | 17

30-Minute Meals

Three Quick and Healthy Recipes for Weekday Dinner Plans

By Koya Tyson It's officially Spring and I haven't worked on my Summer body in the past 10 years. This year, I plan on making healthier life choices including changing my eating habits. I stopped eating meat a year ago, but my lazy vegetarian meals are extremely unhealthy. Here are a few of my favorite quick and easy healthy meals to help us reach our Summer Time Fine goals. 30-MINUTE MEALS | Â 18

Broccoli Rice Casserole

Avocado Toast

Pesto Primavera Pasta 1 package whole wheat pasta or

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 avocado

10 oz Plain Greek Yogurt

chopped onions

1/2 onion, chopped (optional)

feta cheese

1 tbsp garlic (optional)

garlic clove cut in half

1 cup steamed broccoli

minced garlic

1 cup low fat cheese

sliced bread

salt and pepper to taste

zoodles 12-16 oz pesto 1/2 onion, sliced 1 bell pepper, sliced 16 oz fresh spinach 1 tbsp minced garlic 12 oz grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced olive oil for sauteing

1. In a large skillet, saute onion.

1. Mash avocado with fork.

2. Once onions start to cook down, add

2. Carefully mix in onions, feta cheese,

garlic. Cook until fragrant. 3. Mix all ingredients together.

minced garlic, salt, and pepper into

1. Cook pasta according to package.

mashed avocado.

2. While pasta is cooking, saute onions,

4. Place mixture into a casserole dish.

3. Toast bread.

5. Bake in a 375Â° F oven for 25 minutes.

4. On hot toast, use the half clove of

6. Cool dish for about 5 minutes and enjoy.

meal, add pieces of cooked chicken to

garlic, and peppers. 3. When the pasta is close to being

garlic and spread it across the bread.

cooked, add spinach to sauteed

This will add a little extra flavor to the

vegetables.

dish. If you would like to make it a one dish

Parmesan cheese (optional)

5. Spread avocado mixture onto toast and enjoy.

the mixture or additional vegetables

4. Add cooked pasta to skillet with vegetable mixture. 5. Add pesto to mixture and simmer on low for 5 minutes.

such as brussel sprouts and carrots. For

For a little extra kick, I like to add red

a low carb option, use cauliflower rice

pepper flakes and/or diced jalapenos to

heated thoroughly, add Parmesan

instead of brown rice.

the avocado mixture. For a more filling

cheese for taste. Enjoy.

6. Once pasta and pesto is mixed and

meal, add a fried egg.

d a lo n w o D s e p i c e R

For those wanting more protein, add cooked shrimp, chicken, and/or sausage to the mixture before adding the pasta. Additional vegetables such as squash, asparagus, brussel sprouts, and mushrooms can be added.

30-MINUTE MEALS | Â 19

k s A n r e h t u So s t e e w S

Frosted window film

Another round of answering your burning home decor, lifestyle, and DIY questions. And GOOO! What's an alternative window covering when you don't want to use blinds or curtains for a bathroom window? Michelle: We have a large window over our tub in the master bathroom, and like you, I prefer not to have any curtains or blinds around it. I love having the natural light come through, but also for the sake of privacy, I'd recommend using a frosted decorative window film covering. Your local home improvement store usually will carry a vast amount of styles - decorative and plain - and in an assortment of colors. Here are two sample styles for reference:

Charcoal Gray film Add simple accessories to decorate a water closet

GILA Privacy Control Frosted Film GILA Privacy Charcoal Gray Film These coverings are also easy to apply yourself without any professional assistance needed and the film is longlasting and durable. A quick, easy, and inexpensive fix.

How do you decorate a water closet? Koya: The water closet/powder/half bath is one of those rooms that is used by everyone. For this reason, you want to make it beautiful and functional. Since it's such a small space, you can play with a lot of bold colors or textures. I would recommend starting with a textured wallpaper on the back wall as an accent or maybe even including a bold tile pattern on the floor. Pick one, but not both. You don't want it to be too busy. Once you have this bold element, you can keep everything else simple and calm. Be sure to include storage for additional tissue. If you don't have the cabinet space, consider using a nice basket. For accents, since the space is so small, consider using potpourri in a nice dish or a decorative diffuser to make the space smell nice. The water closet is definitely one of those places where you can experiment. With a space so small, it's easy to switch up the decor with a small budget. One last tip, since water closets typically do not have windows, find a way to keep it light, whether it is with the color pallet or a bright light fixture. Michelle: To maximize space in a water closet, consider vertical storage solutions. Open shelving above the toilet offers the opportunity to house extra rolls of tissue, potpourri, baskets, and other small toiletry items. I'd recommend keeping the design minimal because of the space constraints. You really don't need much. Choose to go bold with color or an accent wallpaper, which either can make a beautiful statement to your space with not much other decor pieces needed.

Accent wallpaper or bold colors can make a statement ASK SOUTHERN SWEETS | Â 20

I would love help to get my house organized. What are some of your best home organization tips? Michelle: When it comes to our closet organization, I've made it a practice to remove the same number of old items that I bring in that are new. For instance, if I go shopping and buy 3 dresses and 1 pair of shoes, then I go in my closet and remove 4 old items and place in a bag for my end of month clothing donation. As I bring in new items, I look for old items to dispose. Old = anything I haven't worn, looked at, thought of, needed, or loved in 1-2 years. It's always surprising that I can always find something to rid of! Let that item find its place in a new home where it's needed and loved. This helps us minimize clutter and accumulating a wealth of unused stuff. I'm also following in line with Marie Kondo's style of organizing and asking myself, "Does this item bring me joy?" It really works and makes me stop to question, why do I have this item and how bad do I really need it. Koya: I'm an organization freak. I could seriously Charcoal talk organization for weeks, maybe even months. Since we obviously don't have time for that,Gray herefilm are a few of my top tips. I love baskets. Baskets are great for organizing things in closets and on bookshelves. There are plenty of different types of decorative baskets so you can easily find something to match your decor. With the seasons changing, consider purchasing the vacuum seal bags. These are great for storing clothes that are out of season and even linen that is not currently in use. Another must have item are the storage plastic buckets. Rubbermaid makes a great brand but there are others. These can be found in Target, Walmart, and even The Home Depot. With everyone doing Spring cleaning, you will see a lot of these going on sell. I love using them for storing seasonal items: blankets, seasonal decor, even surplus items like extra toilet paper or paper towels. Store the buckets in the your basement or attic and pull it out as needed. Just be sure to label them so you don't have to search through 10 buckets just to find the the extra toilet paper.

Cycle out old clothing with new purchases

Use baskets for better organization

Variety of baskets to fit any style decor

Vacuum seal bags for storing seasonal clothing

ASK SOUTHERN SWEETS | Â 21

"IF MORE OF US VALUED FOOD AND CHEER AND SONG ABOVE HOARDED GOLD, IT WOULD BE A MERRIER WORLD." J.R.R. Tolkien, English writer, poet, philologist, and academicÂ

SOUTHERN SWEETS

Creative Directors: Koya Tyson / Michelle Gowdy Editors in Chief: Koya Tyson / Michelle Gowdy Photographer: Taij Harris Photo Credits: Kimberly Tisdale, Lowe's, The Atlanta High Museum