StyleBlueprint » AshBlue

Her Q’s: Quick & Easy Labor Day Recipes

Elizabeth — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:20:26 +0000

Dear StyleBlueprint,

My husband and I have been invited to join friends at their mountain cabin over Labor Day weekend. I am so appreciative of the invitation and want to bring a nice hostess gift and some goodies for the group. Since we will be hiking all day, I want to be able to quickly reheat or even microwave it. Do you have a good recipe that uses fresh ingredients? I love soups! Thanks so much.

Becky, Belmont neighborhood

Dear Becky,

I have several end-of-summer recipes that will wow your guests. These are tried and true; I promise your guests will be clamoring for the recipes. Please feel free to share the recipes with your guests – that alone is a true gift.

Nothing says summer (or any season!) better than a well-mixed gin and tonic garnished with a lime. I absolutely adore the combination of Hendrick’s gin with Fever-Tree Indian Water tonic. Combined, they create a delicious flavor. I love tonic in the small bottles because they never lose their fizz.

This soup is so simple and tasty. Buy cucumbers and fresh dill from your local farmers’ market—it makes a huge difference. This can be served as an appetizer in a small cup once you return from your hike. A dill or cucumber garnish is a must!

Lucy’s Cucumber Soup

1qt. buttermilk
1/2 cup mayo
2 medium cucumbers
1 small onion or some green onion
1 T Ranch dressing
Salt & pepper to taste
Pinch of dill
Peel cucumbers and scoop out seeds.

Add all together and blend in blender.

It’s better when made a least 1 day – preferably 2 days – ahead.

I promise this is the best Pimento Cheese you’ll ever taste. I served it while on my family vacation and everyone asked for more. Don’t underestimate the addition of vinegar; it gives it a wonderful zing. Where typical pimento cheese can get boring, this version will titillate your taste buds—cross my heart.

Amy’s Pimento Cheese

1 bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp vinegar
1 jar pimento, drained ( not the tiny jar, but the next largest size)
Walnuts or slivered almonds
Sliced green olives, drained
Hellman’s real mayo

Stir it all up, chill and chow down……..

My sisters and I have certain cookbooks we just love. The Tomato Basil Pie recipe below came from one of our favorite cookbooks, Heart and Soul published by the Junior League of Memphis. If you ever have the opportunity to buy one on eBay, do it! They are hard to find, but worth every penny. I promise there is not a bad recipe in this book. I made this last night and substituted Panko crumbs for the crackers which added a nice crunch.

Tomato Basil Pie

1 9-inch frozen unbaked deep-dish crust
3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced, drained, and patted dry
Salt and pepper to taste
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
3 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup crushed rich round crackers

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thaw pie crust for 10 minutes at room temperature. Arrange some of the tomato slices in pie crust to form a single layer. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with some of bacon and basil. Repeat layering, using remaining tomato slices, salt, pepper, bacon and basil. Combine Parmesan cheese and mayonnaise and spread over tomatoes. Sprinkle with crushed crackers. Bake for 30 minutes or until crumbs begin to brown. Makes 6-8 servings.

AshBlue in Bandywood has lovely hostess gifts, check out their selection of hostess napkins and holders.

Happy Labor Day!

Elizabeth, StyleBlueprint

Each Thursday we answer one question from a reader for both StyleBlueprint and the Her Q’s blog found at HerNashville.com. We also answer two questions each Tuesday just on the Her Q’s blog. Please send us your questions at: email@styleblueprint.com

My addiction: hand towels & napkins

Liza — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:51:46 +0000

I love hand towels. I’m not talking cheap hand towels here, but ones rich with color, made from true, albeit absorbent, fabric and preferably oversized. It all stems from the inheritance of my grandmothers french hand towel collection. I even made this bench cushion, pictured below, from that collection over a decade ago! Still looks pretty good after three babies, huh? And it’s always been in my kitchen, where you’d think it would look worse for the wear by now:

I had to move the bench outside to get a picture in natural light.

I also have added them to a basket in my powder room:

Elizabeth has been so taken by napkins lately that she was compelled to take this photo where the napkins steal the show (anyone else instantly notice the McCarty Pottery as well?)

This near addiction has spilled over into a love for cloth napkins as well. As I’ve popped in so many local stores this summer, I started taking pictures of my favorite hand towels and napkins. I hope you are inspired as a beautiful hand towel within reach somehow can be that beam of happiness smiling back at you in the midst of the chaos of life. And at $15-$25 each, they also make a great gift as we often won’t spurge on these beauties for ourselves. But one rolled and bound with a special ribbon is always perfect.

A quick note, be sure to check out our THIS WEEK section as it was guest written by 365Nashville, a local blog highlighting 365 great things in Nashville!

Available at Digs, these beautiful hand towels are $15 each.

At Digs, linen guest towels, $24 each

See Digs online at Taigan. If you missed the press release, a Taigan shopping membership is now free! www.taigan.com/shops/digs/

At AshBlue, these fisherman weave oversized kitchen towels are $25

Also at AshBlue, these sets of 4 napkins for $48. I got these for my MIL for Mother's Day.

AshBlue

At A La Maison, these french large kitchen towels are perfect. $22

A La Maison

At Nest Interiors, these oversized napkins are extremely versatile. $18 each

Nest Interiors

Kayce Hughes has a new line of napkins made from her wonderful fabrics. $5 each

Kayce Hughes

Seashells…They Are Everywhere

Liza — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:47:22 +0000

I know. It’s summer so there are supposed to be seashells everywhere to summer-ize your decor. But over the past year, there has been a stronger than previous focus on sealife in home decor and it’s even crossed over onto the fashion plate. I’ve said it before, but every room can use a nod to the sea. Just a little something.

all available at Anthropologie. $88- $298

For $99 at Pottery Barn

Galvin Shell Large Micrometer from Beckwith Interiors. $120.00 (online or at Nashville showroom)

I had to show this other display from Pottery Barn just to get your creative juices running!

Look at this fabulous shell table available at The Iron Gate in Franklin. They also have the most extensive collection of coral I have seen in the Nashville area. I mean, really, just look at all the coral you can see in this one picture! Drop by for prices. This is one of my FAVORITE stores in all of middle TN.

This starfish bracelet, which I ADORE, is available at The Perfect Pair on Bandywood.

J McLaughlin has some of the most flattering dresses. This one, with coral and starfish, is one of the many examples you will find. This print is also available in a halter style dress which just screams complete fun. I, in all seriousness, would buy 3 or 4 dresses from this store in the Hill Center if I weren't on such a dang tight budget! The material is perfect for hot summer days.

Necklace with coral from Margaret Ellis

Tory Burch, also available in flats, $325

You can get this ENTIRE collection of seashell hairpins for $37 from ETSY site ShellScapes

www.etsy.com/shop/ShellScapes

This box by WS Home winks at the sea as it is covered in stingray leather. Who knew there was such a things as stingray leather? Starts at $196

$38 from WS-Home

From Margi's Chair and Chair alike on Bandywood. This cross is large and impressive. This store also has some great shell boxes and picture frames.

Paper weights at AshBlue. They start at $35.

Local Artist Maggie Troutman has such a way with shells that it is hard not to feature several of her works. The last three pictures feature her work. To contact Maggie for prices, email innovativedesigns@comcast.net

Isn't the detail here incredible?

What room wouldn't be charmed by this collection?

I have no idea how long it takes to create a mirror like this, but I can't even imagine the patience...

Now is the time to indulge in your own nod to the sea!

Excuse Me, Can You Pass Me My Pestemal?

Elizabeth — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:27:20 +0000

Getting someone’s attention is hard to do these days. The world is coming at us fast and in between the tweets and the texts, lots of great ideas never get seen, much less noted.

That’s why I’m making this VERY IMPORTANT OFFER, because I want you to become familiar with something called a Pestemal. If you already know what a Pestemal is, great. If, after you’ve read this post, you would like to own your own Pestemal FREE, then read about our first ever sweepstakes drawing for a FREE one at the end of this post!

Now, take a look at the photo below.

As you ponder it, you may say, “What the heck is it? Is it a Mediterranean prayer cloth, a feed sack, maybe a tablecloth? Or could I use it for a bath towel, a wrap or a sarong?” The answer to all of the above is “yes.” What’s great about Pestemal is it can be used for whatever you need, whenever you need them.

The Pestemal is a 70″ x 35″ hand loomed textile, known as a hamas towel, which is making a cult-like resurgence in the Western world for a variety of reasons. They are environmentally friendly and take less energy to launder, so Pestamals really appeal to the green crowd, of which I’m a proud member. They’re also very absorbent. Big, fluffy towels that look great on the shelf but don’t absorb a drop of water are passe’. Give me something utilitarian any day.

If you are heading to the beach this summer, grab a couple for your trip. They can be used as a picnic blanket on the way down for your roadside lunch, or as protection from the sun as you stroll down the beach. The Pestemal is versatile, with many different uses and is an affordable gift that fits everyone.

Sue Joyce, a local designer and founder of The Trillium Collection, scours the world looking for unusual objects to sell. She will be at AshBlue this Saturday to demonstrate all the ways to wrap your Pestemal and use them. Pestemals are made in Buldan, Turkey where artisans weave them following a centuries-old technique. Pestemals come in colored cotton, natural cotton, linen and silk. They come in a huge array of colors, all playful and reminiscent of Spring. Most are priced between $25 – $45 depending on the fabric and style.

AshBlue and The Trillium Collection will offer a 10% discount this Saturday on all sales made that day. With high school graduations, weddings, and parties galore, it’s worth a drive to Bandywood this Saturday to stock up. Sue also has a gorgeous collection of linens and other handmade textiles for sale at AshBlue.

Now – how to get your FREE one! We have one to give away and all you have to do is tweet out “sign up for @styleblueprint daily emails at http://bit.ly/drWrG4 . This Nashville style blog succeeds at being your daily “coffee read” We will randomly select one Twitter and let everyone know who won on our Facebook page on Friday night! Don’t have a Twitter account? Ok, you can play too. Just email out that same thing to at least 10 friends and include us (email@styleblueprint.com) on the cc or bcc. You will be entered as well!

AshBlue (they also have the Temple St. Clair jewelry collection in the store and it is GORGEOUS!)

AshBlue
2170 Bandywood Drive
Nashville, TN 37215
615-383-4882

Cindy Wall Tells of a Very Necessary Accessory

Liza — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:24:51 +0000

There’s no color in my closet, and I like it that way. Black, white, beige, gray, some occasional navy. That’s my palette. But I’ve got a drawer full of scarves that’s an entirely different story. Wild hues. Crazy prints. Fancy French silks, hand-woven cottons, and some excellent synthetics not found in nature.

My scarf drawer. Yes, all my drawers are this organized!

There’s no better, more multi-purpose, more necessary accessory than a scarf. That probably explains its staying power.

Queen Nefertiti sported a scarf with one of her headdresses.
Eleanor of Aquitaine started a Middle Ages fashion craze by tying a piece of gossamer to the tip of her pointed hat.
Napoleon sent cashmere scarves from India to his wife in the 18th century. And these days, every designer who’s ever filled a catwalk has a line of scarves.
I rarely leave home without one.
There’s a scarf for every season, every budget, every occasion, every age, and every personal style.

How to tie your scarf:
It’s the lament I hear most often: I just don’t know how to tie a scarf! To which my response is: It’s not macramé. Remember, millions of men manage a four-in-hand knot every weekday morning. Tying a scarf isn’t half as hard.
French women rule in this arena. But I think it’s habit, rather than their knot-tying expertise, that makes it look so je ne sais quoi. What they don’t do – and you shouldn’t either – is fuss too much over your scarf. A lovely scarf will look lovely, no matter how you wear it. There’s plenty of online help for scarf-tying fears. And this is when a picture really is worth a thousand words.

“Playtime With Your Scarf” booklet from Hermès. The scarf-tying bible from the high church of scarves.
Hermès will give you a print version of this when you buy one of their scarves (the famous square now runs $375), but Hermès doesn’t make it easy to find the link to the online version. So, I just saved you tons of time- you’re welcome!

Ok, winter is technically over, but this video is worth bookmarking on how to tie long scarves and pashiminas.

The picture you get with your Hermes scarf purchase

Basic folds and knots (and dozens of other options). You’ll find some repeats here from the Hermès booklet, but all nicely labeled and named.

Basic Folds Knot

What’s New & Local

As the weather warms, fabric and color combos especially matter. A scarf’s utilitarian function of keeping you warm doesn’t really apply anymore (except in over-air-conditioned spots). Sheer cottons and silk, loose weaves, and lightweight are essential to spring and summer scarves. I’ve got some of those famous French scarves I just won’t wear after April or May. That heavy silk twill isn’t meant for a Nashville summer. But there are so many other options!
I love the nautical-style stripes that are everywhere this season. Trims like fringe, braid, and even pom-poms look fun and fresh on sunny spring days. And tie-dye’s making a comeback. There’s hardly a store in town that doesn’t have a scarf selection, but here are a few I particularly like.

Tie Dye

I was inclined to leave the tie-dye trend to my 20-something daughter until I saw these. Incredibly lightweight and gauzy, so the size isn’t overwhelming. You could wrap these around your waist or over a bathing suit too. Silk, $65 – $88 at the Perfect Pair, 2209 Bandywood Drive, Nashville.

Tie-dye, perfectly translated available at The Perfect Pair

Natural indigo, in all its bygone glory:

Probably the oldest dye known, indigo was once called Blue Gold. Virtually all of today’s indigo dye, however, is synthetic. Not in these patterned scarves though. Woven and dipped in natural indigo in India (by Bart Sights, brother of I+W’s co-owner, Carrie). Subtle and spectacular. Available at Imogene + Willie.

Cotton, $128 at Imogene + Willie, 2601 12th Avenue South.

Next, a pom pom minimalist:

A little pom-pom accent goes a long way, and this scarf has got it just right. Navy, white or lavender, in t-shirt-like fabric. Cotton, $79 at Habit, 2209 Bandywood Drive, Nashville.

Available at Habit

All over the rainbow:

A zillion gorgeous colors, two gorgeous styles. A loosely-woven raw silk version ($30) that could easily double as a belt or hairwrap, and a perfect summer pashmina ($75) that could outfit an entire bridal party. At Ash Blue, 2170 Bandywood Drive, Nashville.

AshBlue's beautiful selection

Wherever you find your next favorite scarf and however you wear it, you’ll always be in style – and in good company.

Cindy Wall

ABOUT ME:
Cindy Wall is a Nashville-based communications consultant, usually wearing a scarf with a story.

“I bought my first serious scarf on my first trip in France in my 20’s, lucky enough to be working on a film project about Hemingway and Fitzgerald. All I knew was that I wanted to look ‘French,’ says Cindy. “I never managed that, but I still wear that beautiful scarf,” says Cindy.

Savoring Succulents

Liza — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:31:46 +0000

I adore succulents. I’m becoming obsessed actually. While considered a bit like a cactus, with the little water they need, succulents don’t look out of place in a Southern home. We have a concrete pot in the North Carolina mountains filled with succulents. They’ve been there for decades and no one does anything to them. They stay outside year round and they continue to flourish year after year. This no fuss attitude makes them dear to my heart. Happily, succulents look equally at home with both traditional and modern decor. I think they are like a piece of coral in their ability to look at place where ever you put it. Here are some of our favorite ways to add the succulent look to your everyday life:

AshBlue:

Available at www.ashblue.com

Did it take your breath away like it did mine? AshBlue in Nashville can order it for you, through company Be Sweet. Lg size (7x12x28) is $590 and the smaller square size (7x12x12) is $270

Tuvaluhome:

www.tuvaluhome.com

With these candles, you could skip flowers at your next dinner party. Available through Tuvalu, $6 each

Gretchen Walker:

Getchen Walker ETSY site for ring, and other fabulous items, click here.

I love the mixed metal color and visual impact. ETSY $140

Simply Succulents:

www.simplysucculents.com

Available at simplysucculents, this 22" turtle is just $75. A living piece of art.

Krislyn Design:

And check out this centerpiece that Krislyn Design did for a wedding. Click here to see see more of their stunning arrangements.

This picture caused me to start a file - "Weddings." My daughters are just 8 and 11...but it's never to early when you see something like this arrangement.

Etsy:

Etsy link for wreath, click here.

Available from ETSY, this living wreath is just $69.50

I’m wondering if Nest Nashville might have any succulent decor on sale during their annual 20-75% off everything sale. It’s going on through Feb. 3rd and is a completely fabulous shop. Stop by Taco Mamacitas, next door, and you’ll be glad you made your way to the Edgehill Village shops….
Remember to subscribe for StyleBlueprint emails (it’s free) so you don’t miss a post! Click here to subscribe.
And, if you are visiting from Ms. Cheap’s blog, mentioning StyleBlueprint in the Tennessean, our consignment is this Friday and you can click here for more details!

Feel Good Gifts….

Liza — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:07:56 +0000

Buying something and feeling good about what you are supporting is the ultimate way to get the shopping high. As we (almost!) finish up our theme of gifts this December, we bring you a couple organizations you might not know about — but that we wanted to ensure you did — as each one supports women trying to escape the clutch of poverty.

Mekong Blue

12 beautiful scarves, 1 worthy cause. “Out of the embattled Stung Treng region of Cambodia comes Mekong Blue, a collection of hand-woven scarves by women artisans who are determined to uplift their families from a life of poverty. Using time-honored talents passed down from generation to generation, the women of Stung Treng fashion beautiful creations for a better tomorrow. Each woman who creates a scarf provides for her family and her future. Each woman who owns a scarf wears a magnificent symbol of tradition and hope.”

Each scarf takes up to three weeks to complete and is made using hand pulled silk. The scarves are of such high quality that they have received the UNESCO award from the U.N. which recognizes “superior quality, creativity and originality.”

Amazingly, these 17.5″ x 74″ scarves are all priced between $45 – $60. So feel good by ordering some scarves for your last minutes gifts with a click to Mekong Blue. The US side of this organization was recently launched by Nashvillian Anne Walling and her family, so the scarf will get to you quickly! If you need one super quick, stop by St David’s Episcopal Church in West Meade as they are sold there.

And here is the community you are helping out:

KEZA

I love this organization because KEZA develops woman owned businesses in Africa. This is an organization set up to duplicate a true success story: Buranga is an organization set up in Rwanda to give a business to women desiring a pathway out of poverty. This ambitious goal was successful and provides well paying jobs to 37 mothers. Now, this model is being duplicated under the umbrella organization, KEZA, all over Eastern Africa. 2009 collections were designed by Rhode Island School of Design & hand crafted by Rwandan women.

From the KEZA website:

“They are proud entrepreneurs, fully capable of achieving sustainable growth. Through the proliferation of their products, and progressive industry model, they play a significant role in rebranding their country with beauty and excellence.

In order to replicate the template we created through BURANGA, we formed a luxury fashion label and business development firm called KEZA, meaning “beautiful” in Rwanda’s native tongue. Now we’re replicating the BURANGA model all over East Africa.

KEZA provides women with a sustainable income, but equally as important, it allows them to experience DIGNITY. That’s something a donation or handout can’t buy. It’s something experienced only through a process of achievement. It cannot be purchased or given to you.

Our partners own and operate their business. They create products that others desire because they are exclusive, quality and unique. People want what they create. Something beautiful and powerful happens when we create something others desire. It gives us purpose, importance and worth.

KEZA is not about pity; it’s about dignity.”

Ashblue, one of our favorite stores, carries the KEZA line of jewelry. Stop by Ashblue and be amazed at these creations.

Our Top 10 List for Your Mother-in-Law

Liza — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:24:58 +0000

Mother-In-Laws. So hard. So hard. I can feel heads nodding all around the South as you read that truth. To help you out, here is my top 10 list. Most are local to Nashville, but a couple are available online. And, any of these Nashville stores will take your order by phone if you are part of our growing readership that lives somewhere else.

image courtesy of funny site Post Secret

1) Hand-made Ceramic Bowl. Available in Nashville exclusively at Digs: $85. This is the perfect size to hold a side dish on the dinner table, a pile of soaps in the powder room, or placed stylishly atop a stack of large books on a coffee table. Digs Interiors also carries serving platters far larger (up to $350) in this same line as well as sauce bowls for just $25. (Digs JUST moved and opened next to the Crowe’s Nest on Bandywood.) Allison Evans

2) Nashville by Design: Architectural Treasures. Bob Schatz’s latest book full of his fabulous photography. Text by Christine Kreyling; With 170 pages and 244 color photographs, this book will not just lay dead on a coffee table. It will be picked up, loved and possibly dog eared with time. Available at Caldwell Collection: $48.95

3) Cashmere. Cashmere anything, but how about cashmere slippers? Bluefly currently has brown, grey and black by Kashmere for $60.99 reduced from $120. MIL doesn’t need to know you bought them on sale. Available in s/m. White + Warren makes some eco-cashmere slippers and they are the cutest slippers featured here. These are not dyed but retain the beauty of natural cashmere. Available from SimplySoles.com for $175 in small, large and x-large, but sold out in medium. However, medium is the only size available at the White+Warren Website — so we’ve got you covered! Restoration Hardware may be the steal of day with their Cashmere Slippers on sale for just 34.99.

bluefly $60.99

White+Warren $175 eco-cashmere

Restoration Hardware $34.99

4) Sour Cream Caramel Cake. There are some that truly don’t need anything else,”stuff” wise, but they always love yummy treats. What could be more tasty than a Leland Riggins Caramel cake? Website states that 48 hours are needed to make the cake. As the Holidays approach, I’d order a week out just to be sure. Cakes can be shipped….$39. Leland Riggins’ Dessert Designs

5) Terrarium. How pretty is this? Includes all the plants inside and you don’t have to have a green thumb for these plants to thrive. In fact, ideally, they will thrive without anything beyond the initial water as they make their own little eco-system in there! 20″ x 10″ this terrarium is quite large- don’t let the picture fool you $145. AshBlue

6) Painting. A watercolor painting of the family, or the grand kids, by Susan Underwood. These faceless beauties are total steals starting at $135. See below. Aren’t they great? Email her your photo (check website for details) and get her your check by Dec 12th and you can give your MIL, or your own mom, a special piece of original art that she will surely love. I’m actually ordering one of my husband with our son for his Christmas present. I hope he doesn’t read this and ruin the surprise. Ask Susan to open a paypal account so we can all pay online. But a snail mail check is worth the time to get one of these lovelies ordered: www.susanwoodardwatercolors.com

7) Low Country Candle. From Spruce, in Brentwood. Candles are a hard one for our mother-in-laws as the packaging is usually tiny and we want our gifts to be a bit bigger unless it is cashmere or jewelry. These candles come boxed in a rather large and beautiful box. I put my iPhone in the picture below so you can get a better sense of the box size. Scents include: Spanish Moss (my favorite), Gulah, New Orleans and High Cotton. Super eco-friendly and burns for 100+ hours. $50. Low County Luxe Candle

8) Party to Go Tote. From Custom Embroidery. This tote solves all the problems of how to carry loose items in the car in an organized fashion with no broken bottles! Get it monogrammed for MIL to know how much you love her. $30 includes that monogram.

9) Clarisonic. Skin Guru Tracey Harris introduced me to the Clarisonic and my skin has thanked her ever since. Available at many local stores including Trace Skin Care, Maxwell Aesthetics and The Cosmetic Market. $195. Clarisonic.

10) Ornaments. Set of four glass ornaments, each encasing a different feather; available at AshBlue for $24 each, or $96 for 4. These just ooze “special”:

Happy Shopping!

AshBlue: One Incredible Sale

Elizabeth — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:50:14 +0000

Susannah Scott-Barnes wearing one of a kind necklace and rings discounted up to 30% off

I returned from my vacation last week and as I was pouring through the newspapers, a small ad caught my eye: AshBlue SALE - JUNE 12-13. It took me months to get to the NEW store in the Bandywood Shopping Center, but when I did, undoubtedly, I found it to be one of the most lovely stores in all of Nashville. A wonderful mixture of eclectic offerings from all over the world. Furniture, jewelry and gifts all swirl together in a gorgeous setting with hues of blue accented by dark woods.

So with my STYLEBLUEPRINT hat on, I stopped by yesterday to find the true skinny on AshBlue…..and most importantly, WHAT WAS ON SALE.

For the neophytes in the group, AshBlue’s owners are Zulu and Susannah Scott-Barnes. Delightful! Susannah describes this weekend’s sale as a RARE SALE. After some contemplation, she said the last sale AshBlue held was in ’06. It seems that the Bandywood merchants are banding together to pool their marketing efforts. This sale is the first in their 2nd Saturday On Bandywood series. LOTS OF INCREDIBLE STORES WILL OFFER DISCOUNTS. As for AshBlue, they are moving out inventory to add some new lines of jewelry and furniture. One of my favorite furniture items are the Havana Chairs in Rosewood and canvas. What is so cool is they come in singles and doubles and are a whopping 75% off. Everything is sun and weather protected.

Sitting in the lap of luxury. Havana chairs $799 reduced to $199.75.

Bandywood has the finest collections of boutiques in Nashville. Think about it. Ashblue, Woo Cosmetics, The Paper Place, The Perfect Pair, Habit, Pastiche, The Caldwell Collection and the list goes on and on. Expect to find sales in most stores with great discounts. Just for fun they will have a outside sale tables, lemonade and music. Here are some of the incredible sale items you’ll find at Ash Blue!

Gorgeous English refectory table in Walnut at $2625 discounted 30% .

All summer hats 25-50% off! thanks Molly

AshBlue
2170 Bandywood Drive
Nashville, TN 37215

615.383.4882
www.ashblue.com

Steeplechase Hats. Where to Go.

Liza — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:10:14 +0000

I’ve been scouting out places to find the perfect Steeplechase hat or a last minute Derby hat if you are lucky enough to be heading to KY this weekend. I have a range of $28- $378 here. They are all great it’s just what you want. Your outfit can truly come alive with a splurge purchase of a hat. Sometimes you’ve spent so much on your dress, you really just need a cute hat that does the job and then you can take it to the poolside. But, you do need at hat. Have fun looking at the following hats from Jamie, Pastiche and AshBlue (who knew AshBlue sold hats???). Store addresses can be found by clicking on the store name. If you go in, remember to tell them you read about it here, at StyleBluePrint.

First stop: Jamie. The place to go to drop some money on a hat that will make you hold your head high. Wear it again to a summer mid-day wedding, graduation, or a outdoor luncheon. Hats by by KOKIN are scattered throughout the store and KOKIN is the hat to have…no matter where in this entire world you live.

At Jamie: a stunner sure to wow. by Kokin, $348

At Jamie: My favorite hat of the day. by Kokin $378

At Jamie: I swore off pink a few years ago just b/c it was Paris Hilton's favorite color. This hat makes me want to embrace it again. By Kokin $328

Pastiche has a delightful range of hats to fit anyone’s budget. There were several gals hat shopping today while I was there. With a price range of $28-$358, you will find something here. The new location is next to Firefly and shares a building with Willow Pilates. The windows are full of Steeplechase inspiration.

At Pastiche: I love how airy this hat is. By Almar; $125

At Pastiche: By Frank Olive, this classic hat is $298

At Pastiche: if color is your want, this is the store to hit. $28 and up

Lastly, I have some hats from AshBlue. I adore this store. This is the best place to find that perfect unusual gift. It also happens to carry San Diego Hat Co. hats which are my favorite pool side, ocean side, va-cay, sporting event hats! I love these and most fold up for easy packing! All these hats are very reasonably priced. Wear one to Steeplechase and then put your ballcaps away and embrace your feminine side with one these on those bad hair days!

At Ash Blue: This hat is kinda Hippie girl meets Southern girl. I fell in love with it. They have ONE. San Diego Hat Co. $34

At Ash Blue: This hat is reversible (striped black and white on reverse side) and boasts an SPF 50. San Diego Hat Co.$45

At Ash Blue: pretty cute, huh? San Diego Hat Co. and just $32 with an SPF 50.

Happy Shopping! Want another place to go? Check out our post about Fabu right here.