Even though I was raised in a small, rural area in the south, I never learned the art of keeping up a garden or canning and "putting up" vegetables. My family traveled a lot in the summers and I didn't have a grandma to teach me those important southern traditions.

When I moved back after college I turned to my friend Mrs. Carolyn for a little help!  I have known Mrs. Carolyn my entire life. She was the secretary at the elementary school where my parents taught and our families have been long time friends. When my dad was opening our shop and cafe 13 years ago, he called on Mrs. Carolyn to help in The Cafe. She has been with us ever since! She lovingly tends to our Cafe guests every Tuesday and it is her pimiento cheese recipe that has become famous in our little town. 

Carolyn and her husband always kept a summer garden. Several years ago she let me come out and pick peas with her. We took our peas to the local canning plant to have them shelled and then she helped me blanch and bag them up to freeze them. One summer she helped me with okra and this summer I got a lesson in canning her delicious sweet pickles!

We have decided to share her secrets with you, with her permission of course. :) The pickle process takes a few days to complete, so be sure to have a little time on your hands!  Here is your peek into Mrs. Carolyn's pickle making methods.

What you will need:

• Seven pounds of cucumbers (the smaller the better)
• Pickling Lime
• Pickling Spices
• One gallon of distilled white vinegar
• 8 pounds of white granulated sugar
• 14 pint or 7 quart sized jars with lids and rings
• Piece of an old t-shirt or pantie hose
• Large bowl or basin (should not be aluminum)
• Large pot (should not be aluminum)

Give them a good wash and set aside.

Once all of your cucumbers have been cleaned, begin cutting!  You will want to cut off the ends of the cucumbers and discard them.

Try to cut your cucumbers as uniform as possible to keep your pickles looking and tasting consistent!

Cutting is the step where you may want to recruit a little help.

Mrs. Carolyn follows along with the directions on the Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime package for the basic measurements.  (She adds a little extra here and there to get them just right.)  When you begin the "liming down" process, make sure that the bowl or basin you are using is not made of aluminum because of the reaction that could take place with the lime.

Sprinkle one cup of Pickling Lime over your freshly cut cucumbers.

Now begin filling your basin with water to ensure that your cucumbers are covered.

Make sure to give them a good stir so that the lime distributes evenly throughout the water.  After "liming your pickles down", let them sit overnight, stirring occasionally (otherwise the lime will settle to the bottom).

 The next day, you will want to begin the rinsing process.  To ensure that you wash all of the lime off of your cucumbers, you will need to rinse them multiple times.  

Using a colander, rinse your cucumbers off and rinse out your basin.  Place the cucumbers back in the basin and cover them with water again.  Let the cucumbers soak in the clean water for one hour.  Repeat this step two more times!

After you have soaked the cucumbers in clean water three times (at one hour each time), drain them again with your colander.  Rinse your basin and place the cucumbers back in, covering them with ice water this time.  Mrs. Carolyn let her cucumbers soak in ice water for three hours before moving on to the next step.

 Now it is time to get your pickling spices ready.  You can use a piece of an old (clean) t-shirt, as Mrs. Carolyn has done, or even pantie hose!  Tie up your spices so that they are not loose in your pickles.  We used two tablespoons of spices, tying up one tablespoon per bundle. 

Now it is time to bring your vinegar, sugar and spices to a boil. (Not in aluminum!)  It is important that your cucumbers go straight from the ice bath into the boiling mixture.  This gives them that special crunch!  

You can follow along with the recipe on the Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime package, or do what we did!  Mrs. Carolyn's pickles are perfectly crispy, sweet and tart--so her version is a little different.  We ended up using one whole gallon of white distilled vinegar. *This is where experience comes in.  She knows what to add by simply looking at it!

We also used eight pounds of sugar.

We even had a special guest show up to help! Abi is one of Mrs. Carolyn's biggest fans.

Keep stirring as your vinegar begins to boil.  You will want to stir as the sugar dissolves.

Once the sugar is dissolved and the vinegar is boiling, carefully add in your cold and drained pickles!

Mrs. Carolyn added more vinegar than is stated on the Pickling Lime Package to ensure that her pickles would be covered.

Give them a stir and wait for the vinegar to come back to a boil.

Once it comes to a rolling boil, turn the stove off and let your pickles sit over night.

The next morning, bring your pickles to a boil one more time.  Let them boil for 30-45 minutes stirring occasionally.

As your pickles cook, they will darken--this is the color you are looking for!

While your pickles are boiling, get your clean jars, lids and rings ready.  You will need to boil a little water in a separate pot to drop your lids down in.  The rim around the lid will need to be heated in order to seal on the jar correctly. 

Begin filling your jars once your pickles have boiled for 30-45 minutes. 

Make sure that your pickles are submerged in the liquid by pressing them down with a spoon.  You want to ensure that you have enough liquid in your jars to prevent any from going bad.

Be sure to wipe the rim of the jar clean before placing your warmed lid on top.  You will want to get rid of any sticky liquid that may have gotten on the outside of the jar.

Screw your ring on as tight as you can and set the jar aside.

Mrs. Carolyn likes to leave her pickle filled jars sitting on the counter while she waits to hear the jars seal with a "pop"!  (Although Mrs. Carolyn does not process her pickles, it is recommended that you process your jars of pickles in a water bath for at least ten minutes to prevent any presence of bacteria.)

The best part about pickle making (besides the outcome) is all of the "waiting" time.  That gives us plenty of time to chat!

Once the lids on your jars have "popped", you are ready to enjoy your pickles for months to come.  

We hope that you have enjoyed this glimpse into a classic Southern kitchen.  We'd love for you to give pickle-making a try yourself, and let us know how it goes!


We have a few things over in the store that you might find helpful if you do decide to make a batch of pickles of your own!  Purchase a Canning Kit to dress up your jars or an enamel basin to make the liming and soaking process a little bit easier!

I love to walk in to my bedroom and see a made up, super cozy bed just waiting for me to crawl in.  I won't lie to you though, I do not make my bed everyday!  I know, shame on me.  Because, when I do leave the house with the bed made, it makes me so happy!  I wanted to share a few tips I have picked up along the way to make your bed a place you can't wait to crawl into!  Making your bed as cozy and inviting as possible will help to make you love your home even more.  

The most important element of your comfortable and cozy bed is the mattress.  If your mattress is not comfortable, you are not going to feel cozy in your bed, no matter how many pillows and blankets you put on it!  If you aren't in the position to run out and buy a new mattress, (I feel ya) there are several things you can do to make your existing mattress more comfortable.  A memory foam mattress topper is a great investment!  This will increase the level of comfort on any bed. You are also going to want to invest in a nice mattress pad.  A quilted mattress pad will create a nice comfortable layer between your sheets and your mattress/topper.  You don't have to break the bank to get a nice mattress pad, as T.J. Maxx usually has a nice selection! 

Comfortable sheets can make or break your sleeping experience.  You don't necessarily have to look for the most expensive with the highest thread count to find the softest and most comfortable.  There are so many different things you can look for when buying sheets like: thread count, type of weave used, type of cotton used... etc.  I say, just open the package and feel them!  You won't know if a sheet has the potential to be super comfortable until you touch them.  You are looking for a nice, heavier weight, with a tighter weave that is soft to the touch. Nobody wants to sleep on sandpaper sheets!  Hehe.   

In order to give your bed a luxurious look you are going to need layers!  I believe in sheets, a blanket, a comforter, a bed skirt (if needed)  and many pillows!  When making your bed you can either pull the sheet all the way to the top, as I have done, or fold it back over the blanket.  You want to pull the blanket back so that you can see the sheets and then pull the comforter down to the foot of the bed. Sometimes I fold the comforter in thirds, sometimes just in half.  There isn't really a right or wrong, you will know what looks good to you!  

The picture below is of my guest bed.  I keep the sheet and the blanket pulled to the top of the mattress on this bed so that I can keep the sheets fresh and clean and ready for guests!  

On this bed I used four standard pillows, two to rest your head and two for propping and reading.  I have also incorporated two vintage embroidered shams and one extra decorative pillow.  ​

I prefer using a duvet and cover as opposed to a printed comforter.  This makes it super easy for me to take the duvet cover off and wash it more frequently than I would a traditional comforter.  (It is also more cost effective than taking a bulky comforter to the dry cleaners multiple times a year!)  I love a down duvet but they make me so hot!  I have down on the guest bed and a "down alternative" duvet on my bed.  

​The last layering piece to consider is the bed skirt.  You may have a bed that does not require one but if your bed is elevated off the floor at all and doesn't have decorative wood panels, then you need a bed skirt.  Most ready-made bed skirts will not be the right length as bed heights vary.  Ready-made bed skirts are usually not available in many color/fabric options, so you will be limited in this area as well.  I recommend having a custom bed skirt made or making one yourself if you are in the D.I.Y. mood! 

My sweet Aunt Janet made the bed skirt below that is on my bed.  I chose a cute embroidered polka dot fabric that coordinated with my other bedding pieces.  My bed is old and very tall, so I needed a bed skirt with a little extra length.  

For the bed skirt in the guest room, I re-purposed a pair of curtains that I bought at T.J.Maxx.  I needed to get it done in a hurry, so I covered the box spring with a fitted sheet and pinned the fabric to the sheet, box pleats and all!  When the bed is made up and put together, you would never know it!  I got off cheaper than buying fabric by the yard, and the curtains already had hemmed edges so that made this a "no sew" project.    

Just in case you haven't figured this out already, I love to mix prints and colors! This is a good way to keep your bedding looking fresh and interesting.  My bedding is such an eclectic mix!  I have picked up bedding items at Pottery Barn, West Elm, T.J. Maxx, Target and Anthropology.  If you are not feeling confident in your mix and match capabilities, then by all means, just pick up your favorite home decor catalog or log on to your computer and order yourself some fantastic bedding!  There are lots of good bedding options these days that come as a set but still give you a nice variety of textiles within the collection.  You may not like the look of all my patterns and colors, and that is okay too!  You can use a neutral palette for your bedding and still mix textiles and textures to create a much more interesting look!     

Don't get stuck in a bedding rut.  I know that most of us cannot afford to change all of our bedding with the seasons, but there are small changes you can make to your bed to keep things feeling fresh!  Changing your throw pillows now and then can give you a whole new look!  Here is an example of my bed with new pillows.

I hope this post has inspired you to change things up in the bedroom!  It doesn't have to be expensive to get a new look--you can even work with what you already have!  

If you are looking for a sweet new addition to your bed, check out our hand embroidered pillow cases in the store!  

Summer is here,and so it begins!  Our gardens and neighborhood farmer's markets are full of fresh fruits and vegetables ready to be enjoyed.  It seems like we Southerners live for summer and the excitement of growing, picking and putting up our own produce.  Although I don't enjoy eating many vegetables (yes, I know I'm weird), there is just something nostalgic about taking part in this Southern tradition.  (And my husband is thankful for my participation!)  I particularly LOVE the fresh fruits that become available to me in the summer.  If you know me, you know I love to bake--and summer is a baker's delight! 

As a kid, I discovered wild blackberries trailing through the woods behind my Nana's house.  

As a kid, I loved the adventure of hunting out the ripe berries and showing off my bounty.  As I stumbled upon each darkened berry, my soul smiled.  Now as an adult, I have found that my experience hasn't changed much.  I still feel that flutter of excitement when I spot perfect berries ready to be picked.

I love finding new and delicious ways to enjoy these summer treats--juice, jellies, syrup, cobblers, pies...you name it, I've tried it!  Syrups and cobblers are my go-to options because you don't need a ton of fruit to whip up something delicious!

This past week, I chose to make a little syrup with my haul--since it was a LITTLE haul!

You won't believe how we chose to enjoy our syrup that night.  Nana made her delicious cornbread, like only she can do, and we decided to dip it in our fresh blackberry syrup!  Phillip was skeptical at first, but later admitted that it tasted like blackberry cobbler--talk about a southern makeshift dessert!

You may not be brave enough to dip your cornbread in blackberry syrup, but you have to try these delicious Blackberry Pie Bars if you get your hands on fresh blackberries this summer!  The only thing that could make them even more delicious is adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

If you want to store your fresh summer berries in style, we have just what you need! How cute are our ceramic berry baskets?  What a simple way to dress up your kitchen and have a little fun with your summer finds!

Whether your eggs are fresh from the farm or from the carton, our ceramic egg holders are the trick!  Not only are they cute, but they make reaching in the fridge for a few eggs easy when your hands are full!

Be sure to have joined our email list on the Homepage or our Recipe Club to receive the Blackberry Pie Bar recipe and many more!  We love sharing our favorites with you, and we would love for you to let us know what your favorite summer recipes are too!

I am sitting at my desk today with a heavy heart.  I have lost a good friend, somewhat unexpectedly, and I am feeling a bit lost.  I was supposed to write a post about our Southern Mercantile Wedding Design Service, but somehow that seems so unimportant right now.  I am finding myself trudging through the day, struggling to keep a smile on my face for all my team mates at work and for the guests that enter our doors.  The only thing I feel like writing about today is my good friend Janis Roberts.  Many of you that keep up with the blog are from my hometown of Ocilla and are very familiar with Janis.  For those of you that have not had the pleasure of getting to know her, let me just take a minute to tell you how amazing she was!

I have known of Janis my entire life.  Some places have a town troubadour but in Ocilla, we have a town clown!  (Yes, a real, live, been-to-school-for-it clown.)  Clancey the Clown, that is, the Mayor of Smileville in the state of O’silly that left a trail of donut seeds and laughter wherever she went.

​Janis’ funeral was held a week ago Friday.  Though it was a sad day, it was amazing to be surrounded by so many that love Janis and that were loved by her.  There was plenty of laughter to go around as we gathered to celebrate Janis’ life and to rejoice that she is now with her savior, Jesus Christ!  Even in death, I have felt such comfort and encouragement from Janis.  You see, I have been having a bit of a dark time myself.  I go through spells of difficulty in this small town when I spend way too much time focusing on the negative aspects of my life and imagining how much better life would be if I lived somewhere else.  I often think of how successful my business could be if I lived in a bigger city, or that my creative talents would be more appreciated, that I could make more money and that life would not be such a struggle.  So on and so forth, down the negative spiral. 

Last Friday I was reminded of how blessed I truly am to live in a place where I am loved and supported by so many.  I reflected on my last 12 years in Ocilla and all the wonderful people I have had the opportunity to build relationships with, all the sweet people that have ministered to me in my times of struggle and all the folks that I have been able to minister to through my business.  I know I have mentioned before that my husband and I consider Ocilla our mission field.  We are on a mission to help better our community, to love and support those who need us and to spread the love of Christ through the streets of this little town. 

I will be the first to admit to you that there are times in my life that I fail miserably at this.  When I let the negative thoughts creep in and take over, I am letting Satan win the day.  I subscribe to a daily devotional from one of my favorite, Godly women, Christine Caine.  I wanted to share with you the message I received yesterday:


That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 
(2 Corinthians 12:10)
“Difficulty is hard. It's the bully that steps into your path and tries to arm wrestle you to the ground until you cry uncle.  And no matter what you're trying to do, especially if it's worthwhile, difficulty will try to outshout both God and your own thoughts to confuse you. It tries to look so large that you can only see what's right in front of you – the problems, the obstacles and the walls.  But we can't let difficulty keep us from daring to go where God wants us to go. God will make a way, and He wants to show it to you today. Seek Him!”


It is shameful that it took the death of a very good friend to shake me out of my funk!  It is time to move on and continue embracing this small town that I do love so much.  One of Janis’ best friends, whom I am also blessed to call friend, stopped during the eulogy she was giving to say through tears, “aren’t we all so lucky to live here and to have each other?”  Yes we are!  Janis loved this town with every bone in her body (especially her funny bone)!  If you are not from Ocilla, and you are wondering why I chose to share all this on the blog today, then let me just tell you.  This is a representation of small town southern living at its best.  These are the times that we band together, in times of grief and struggle to comfort each other and help each other.  Not only will the church ladies drown you in casseroles and hams when you have lost a loved one, but you will be prayed for in times of illness or hardship.  You will be offered a ride if you are walking somewhere, folks will ask you how you are doing and usually they mean it.  If you need your grass mowed or something heavy moved, there is always someone you can call on to help you.

As our community grieves the loss of Janis, it seems an almost impossible feat to “delight in weakness” but let’s remember that when we are weak, we are strong!  I love you Janis Roberts, every bone in your body, especially your funny bone!  Thank you for loving me.

This portrait was painted in honor of Janis by a local artist, Della Farmer.  Della has chosen to share this treasure with everyone, she will even send you a high resolution image to print.  To learn more about Della and her artwork, click HERE.