Recently, Tara and I hosted a beautiful bridal shower for our dear friend Claire, who will be getting married in November.  Y'all know we love an excuse to have a party, so when Claire got engaged, I didn't waste any time starting to put together ideas for her bridal shower.  This party was extra special to me as I am blessed beyond measure to be Claire's Fairy Godmother.  Claire was in middle school when I moved back to Ocilla after college.  I rented my first little house from her family and since that made us backyard and backdoor neighbors, Claire and I became fast friends.  She would pop over to my house in the afternoons to chat about school.  She begged me for a job at the store and never forgot that I told her she had to be fifteen to start working.  She rode her bike to work on her 15th birthday and she has been a part of The Shoppes family ever since.  When I bought my little house and moved around the corner, she was thrilled that we would still be backyard  neighbors.  It is so comforting to live so close to someone who has become so dear to my heart.  

Over the years we have cried together, mourned together, worked hard together, laughed together and celebrated together.  It is so exciting to now be celebrating her upcoming wedding!  I don't think it is possible for me to be more happy for her. ​She is going to make the most beautiful bride!

The date was set, the menu was planned and we got to work on the decor. Tara and I put our heads together and decided on a color palette of greens, and shades of pink and coral.  We used citrus fruit and peaches for an extra pop of color.

I used my collection of vintage milk glass containers as vessels for the beautiful floral arrangements.  Some arrangements received whole peaches or small oranges and others were decorated with halved grapefruits.  The addition of the fruits to the decor was really beautiful and added an extra special touch.  

We enlisted the help of Jorjanne and Claire's special friends, Courtney and Kelsey, to help us host.  This talented group of women worked hard to make our vision come to life!

The shower took place in the morning so we decided on a brunch menu.  Tara was full of good ideas for this because brunch foods are her favorites!

We knew we needed sweet and savory menu items alike, so of course cake was at the top of our list.  How can you have a party without cake?!

Tara took one of her favorite recipes and dressed it up a bit.  She started with a vanilla cake and layered it with white chocolate buttercream and peach filling--yum!  She piped the outside of the cake to look like petals to give it a fancy flair.

Our other sweet option was a glazed lemon cookie.  These treats were tiny and delicious--perfect for a brunch!

We love a beautiful charcuterie board, and we thought this would be a fun opportunity to have one!  Full of baked ham, cheese slices, fresh fruit and miscellaneous biscuit toppings, this board was a hit!

We offered homemade plain and blueberry biscuits to go with our board.  We thought we needed another savory option, so we decided on a Sausage and Cheddar Quiche, baked as individual servings!

It turned out to be a beautiful display of delicious breakfast favorites.

This shower was so fun and so sweet.  As I looked around the room at all of the beautiful women that came to celebrate with Claire, I was overwhelmed by the amount of love contained in one space.  Our gathering wasn't just about gifts and cake.  (Although it might have been the best cake I have ever eaten.)  This group truly came together to shower Claire with love and support as she prepares to enter into a new season of life, which made the day just perfect.

If you are planning a party or shower for someone special to you, check out our blog posts about "parties and get-togethers".  ​

It is no secret that I love a good cocktail!  A few weeks ago I shared with you my favorite champagne cocktails.  Click HERE to find them if you missed it, they are definitely worth trying!  In this post I want to share with you my favorite gin cocktails.  In the winter I am more of a bourbon girl, but when the summer heats up, I am in the mood for a lighter, refreshing option.  Gin and citrus fruit are my go-to ingredients during summertime.  

The drink I have enjoyed the most this summer is a little something I came up with myself, called the Gin Roxie.  It is a take on the Gin Rickey with a little extra flair!  To make this cocktail you will fill your favorite cocktail glass with ice.  Squeeze the juice of a large orange wedge (or two of my frozen cubes), the juice of a large wedge of lime, and 1.5 ounces of gin.  Top it off with club soda and a lime slice and you have yourself a Gin Roxie.  This drink is so refreshing!  If I am sitting outside I love to sip it from my pretty floral, insulated cup from Paulk Vineyards winery.   

Whether you are getting together with friends or just relaxing on your screened in porch, I hope these recipes inspire you to take a little time and enjoy the simple pleasures of summer in the south!

To find a recipe card for the Gin Roxie, click HERE to visit our recipe archive.  Look around while you are there and find a little inspiration for your next summer soire! 

Check out our store for a great selection of recipe books, including this cute cocktail book, "A Spot at the Bar".

I love the 4th of July. I love decorating the shop with flags and buntings.  I love the color red, I love sparklers, and I love cook-outs and all of the traditional southern dishes that are served at them! I love the sense of pride that surrounds this special day, filled with concerts, parades, family gatherings, and fireworks.  

​My grandpa was a WWII vet and a history/government teacher so he never missed an opportunity to educate us on historical happenings and he did his best to instill in us a love of our country.  He was a patriot through and through.

Though my 4th of July celebrations have become a bit more simple and quiet as an adult, it is still fun to get together and reflect on the blessings of living in an independent nation.  Whether we get invited to a barbeque at a friend's house or just hang out with whoever is home on Alder St., we always eat well!  The meal always includes something off the grill, and of course potato salad.  We southerners love our potato salad. There are so many delicious versions of this classic dish.  I will confess to you that I have never been a fan of traditional, southern potato salad with pickle relish.  I much prefer the more interesting versions full of extra veggies, unusual dressings, and maybe even a little blue cheese.  Bacon ranch potato salad has quickly become one of my favorites, second only to my dad's famous potato salad.  

We have tweaked this recipe over the years and it has become one of the most popular versions of potato salad that we serve in our café.  Filled with boiled egg, celery, bacon, and ranch dressing, how can you go wrong? If you are looking for something new to try this 4th of July, head on over to our recipe archive and give this extra special potato salad a try.  ​

You will also find many other delicious recipes, perfect for your summer gatherings.  Happy cooking and Happy 4th of July!

You will find a great selection of cookbooks full of delicious southern recipes in our online store.  Be sure to check them out while you are here!

It isn't any secret that I LOVE to set a pretty table.  I love table linens, dishes, glasses, silverware... if it involves entertaining, I am in.  I thought it would be fun to give you guys some examples of ways you can set a beautiful summer table.  These tips will come in handy whether you are having a couple of friends over for dinner or hosting a large party or shower.  I had a great time using some things from my own collection as well as things we offer in the store.  

My first tip for achieving an interesting and beautiful table is to mix old and new.  I love mixing my vintage finds in with new decor items.  For this table I used a beautiful vintage table cloth, vintage brass candlesticks and my vintage silverplate.  

The white and green color pallet is so warm and inviting and was perfect for showing off gardenias and Queen Anne's lace from the garden.  

My next tip is to not be afraid to mix different shades of white and off white.  For this table I mixed old and new plates.  The off white vintage floral plates sit atop the large white chargers and each place setting got a fresh gardenia to make things extra special.  

Mom and I have had a great time collecting mix and match vintage brass candlesticks. We enjoyed them on the Christmas mantel last year and many of you gave them good homes during the holiday season!  If you are trying to think of other ways to use these beauties, I think it is a cute idea to re purpose these candlesticks as flower vases.  All candlesticks won't work for this but some have hollow centers that allow the flower stems to slide down.  While there is no way to keep the flowers in water, they will stay pretty for a few hours, long enough for you and your guests to enjoy during dinner.  

The next table is much lighter and casual.  I still used my vintage silverplate  for fun but mixed with more casual everyday dishes.  The zinnias and pittosporum were cut from my dad's yard and look so good in these textured white vases.  

When your table is as pretty as this one, sometimes it is nice to use a runner rather than a full tablecloth.  This grey woven runner was just the right amount of texture and color to add a little life to this table.  

If you are decorating your table for fun or for a special occasion, think of fun details you can add like these sweet little birds nests.  A little surprise on every plate!

The next table has a much more modern feel.  The simple white dishes, succulents and black and white linens are begging for a fabulous lunch in the garden or supper served fresh off of the grill.  If you want to mix things up with your linens, try using double runners across the table rather than one runner down the middle. If you have a very long dining table, you might need 3 to achieve this look.  Mixing in the wood, terracotta and blown glass makes it feel very fresh with a nod to the west.  I imagine myself sitting on a fabulous patio in Arizona, surrounded by cactus and a gorgeous orange sun set.  Ok, I am getting carried away.  Can you tell I am really in love with this table?  

I cut some of my biggest succulents for this table.  They happened to be blooming which was perfect to add a little length and drama to my arrangement.  Don't worry, they weren't wasted!  They were given to a friend to be potted where I am sure they will be very happy and make lots of succulent babies.  

Just one more shot of this because I think it is perfection!

The last table is a little more refined and traditional, set with woven place-mats, simple white dishes and plain stainless silverware.  A ginger jar shaped vase full of hydrangeas and gardenias adds a classic, southern feel. 

A place-mat is a great option when you are setting places at your counter or if you have a beautiful table you want to show off.

I hope you will have a little fun this summer dressing up your table, even if it is only for your family!  As always, we love to see how you are decorating at home,  so tag us on Facebook or Instagram!

To shop these beautiful tablescapes, visit our store HERE.

We had such a pretty spring this year here in South Georgia and Matt and I found ourselves out on the patio almost every evening.  The patio is always more fun with a cocktail so I decided to share a couple of my favorites with you.  These two cocktails require simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand and are quick to mix up for unexpected guests or impromptu porch parties.  I purchased everything I needed at my local package store and my local Piggly Wiggly, definitely no fancy ingredients here!

Another delicious champagne cocktail is the Champagne Julep.  It is a crisp and bubbly alternative to the classic mint julep and is every bit as good! For this drink you will need: simple syrup, champagne, sugar cubes, and fresh mint.  I grew this mint in my little garden which makes it taste extra special to me!

Pictured here in a vintage champagne glass, this drink is traditionally served in a silver julep cup. See the video below for measurements and instructions.

If you love champagne, I hope you will take the time to try one of these delightful concoctions and let me know what you think.  From my porch to yours, cheers to the start of a happy and healthy summer!

If you get excited about fun and unusual cocktails, these two bar books are full of good ideas, and they are available on our website!  The French 75 recipe is from "Southern Cocktails" and I found the Champagne Julep, along with many other tempting libations in "A Spot at the Bar".  

To get all of the details on the tools and ingredients you'll need to make these two cocktails, along with measurements, check out my video below!

 I have done a lot of traveling over the last few years and at all of my shows the number one question I get is "what can I put in this dough bowl I just bought?"  The second most asked question is "what do people put under these bell jars?"  I thought I would take a minute today to show you a few of my favorite ideas for accessorizing your favorite home decor items.  Lanterns, bell jars, and dough bowls are easy to jaz up and even change out with the seasons.  This is a great way to breathe some new life into your home without having to make big changes and spend a lot of money.  Toss a new pillow on the couch and you will feel like you have a new room!  

I like to decorate in layers.  Whether it is a lantern, a bookcase, or a Christmas tree, layers help you to create a full design that is so much more pleasing to the eye.  You can see in the pictures below that I started with the plain lantern, then added my bells.  I had to knot the twine on one of the bells to make it shorter so that I would have different lengths.  

After the bells I tied a piece of cute ribbon on the top, and then attached some fresh eucalyptus with that ribbon.  

It just took a few easy steps to really spice this lantern up.  

If you choose to use something fresh like eucalyptus, just let it dry naturally and continue to enjoy it.  It will change colors but will still be beautiful!

I love decorating the inside of a bell jar!  Historically, bell jars or cloches were used to cover plants to create a greenhouse effect.  While I think this is beautiful, you have to be careful to air the plants out or they will get moldy. Bell jars come in all sizes and are such a beautiful way to showcase your favorite treasures.  As a rule of thumb, you will need as least 3 things, and I like to incorporate some kind of greenery or "fresh" looking element.  Don't be afraid to use old family pictures, or vintage cards at Valentine's Day.  Ornaments and bottle brush trees are great at Christmas, but for Spring, you just can't beat a good bird's nest!  If you have a little collection of real nests, that's even better.   

Think of your jar as a little memory capsule and have fun changing out the pictures and family heirlooms.  

Now on to the dough bowls!  Whether yours is big or small, have fun changing out what you put in it and don't feel like you have to stick with one "perfect" thing.  Before taking these pictures, Tara and I went around the shop and gathered up a few of our favorite things.  Tara supplied the fresh and dried eucalyptus from her tree and I have a never ending supply of dried hydrangeas!

This is a collection of two white vases that can remain empty or be a catch all for what's blooming in your garden.  I included one of our favorite Park Hill candles that is surrounded by a faux eucalyptus wreath.  

One simple change up and you have a completely different look.  I traded out the wreath for a collection of faux succulents.   

The next idea is a grouping of mossy orbs, classic pillar candles and a bird's nest.  I used the flame less candles that are made of real wax so that they look real but won't drip on the bowl.

If you lean towards a more simple style, you could use just the mossy orbs by themselves or with the simple pillar candles.  

At home, I love to use my vintage pottery collection around the house.  Here I mixed a couple of vintage pottery pieces with dried hydrangeas.  

The dried hydrangeas with the bird's next seemed to be the favorite of the day so I will leave you with that.  A classic southern take on decorating a dough bowl.

A little dried eucalyptus added a nice touch of a different color and a new shape.

Like I said before, don't be afraid to change it up!  Move your favorite things around from room to room and enjoy them.  If you liked what you saw in the pictures, a few of the items above are available in our online store.  We would love to send a little something your way!  Happy decorating!

​I have made efforts to hire young people and listen to what they have to say in an effort to keep things fresh, new and relevant.  This is a hard balance because I also have to keep things as comfortable as possible for my older customers that absolutely do not want to have their receipt texted to them and they would really prefer to write me a check. (Yes, we still accept checks.) We are proud to accept Apple Pay, even though I have only ever had two people use it!  We offer as much customer service as possible, which we see as a draw and a reason for someone to choose to shop with us instead of a big box store. We offer complimentary gift wrap, we help you take your bags to the car, we will fill out your check for you if you forgot your glasses, and have even looked up phone numbers in the phone book for folks who have called and asked us to.  I can’t say I am crazy about looking up phone numbers for people when it seems like such a simple thing they could do for themselves but it is a simple way that I can offer an extra service and a way I can set my store apart from a Wal-Mart or T.J. Maxx.

​We offer a full service bridal registry with free gift delivery to local showers.  (Our customers never actually have to touch their gift, we take care of everything!)  One Saturday I received a phone call from our closest Belk store. The Belk employee was trying to help a customer that was choosing a gift for a bride that was registered at my store and the customer couldn’t remember the name of the bride, she could only remember that the bride was registered with me.  Though it pained me that someone drove to a neighboring town to shop at another store, located in another county, I still answered all of their questions. I didn’t make the sale and my county received no sales tax benefit but I still did what I could to be nice and helpful with the hope that everyone involved will have good memories of working with us.

O.k, I will get off my soapbox for today and let you have a break!  If you have made it this far and you are still reading, just try to remember that there are small businesses everywhere that are the lifeblood of the small communities where they operate.  If you are able to change your mindset set from what is easiest and cheapest to asking yourself what you can source locally or from a small business, not only will you meet some great people and receive really awesome customer service, but you will also be able to feel really good about doing your part to help someone stay in business, help someone keep their job, and help a struggling community to grow and thrive.  I know that I am writing this as the owner of an online store and yes, I would love for you to choose to support The Southern Mercantile! Just know that every purchase you make from us helps keep our store open in downtown Ocilla, GA. Not only that, every sweet email we get from you or encouraging comment on a blog post, helps energize us and spurs us on to keep trying to make great things happen for our little home.  We would love for you to drop by for a visit sometime! Tour our lovely shop, eat the best fried chicken you have ever tasted at Chicken Delite, and drive out to have a glass of wine at Paulk Vineyards. We love where we live and we can’t wait to show off all the things we are proud of! ​

As Tara and I sat down at the beginning of this fresh, new year to work our blog schedule and 2020 goals for The Southern Merc, we quickly realized that a common theme was coming together in our thoughts, outlines, and plans.  It is nothing new or mind-blowing, or even surprising.  We love our small town, and we want to do everything in our power to help it grow and prosper. This idea is something we have talked about many times before, but in 2020 we will be sharing with you so much more about the place we call home and the importance of community involvement.  

​The world seems so smitten these days with television shows and magazine articles that revolve around very talented folks fixing up older homes and opening hip new restaurants in “small” towns or bad neighborhoods. It is very “on-trend” to renovate an older home, start your own small business, or make an investment in a small, struggling town.  My husband and I must have been a little ahead of the game 16 years ago when we began our downtown mission here in Ocilla, Georgia, population 3,400.  On t.v. things seem so simple. Crews swoop in like very creative super heroes, armed with paint samples, a hammer, and some sort of delicious new recipe that involves sriracha or random animal parts, and somehow manage to save the neighborhood and more than likely, the entire town!  While I am extremely thankful for all of the extra marketing regarding shopping small and saving a neighborhood, for most of us on the front lines in the battles of small town saving, life isn’t so glamorous and rarely leads to a prime-time television show, furniture line, cookware and a book deal.  

Before this starts to sound terribly “Debbie Downer”, let me get down to my point. There is a world of people out there that are fighting for their communities who receive little, if any, recognition or fame.  These folks are a determined group of people that sacrifice heavily to keep the doors of their small businesses open.  Folks that invest in revitalizing homes in their neighborhoods in an effort to keep their towns clean and safe.  Sweet people that volunteer to help with community clean-up days, mentor kids after school or have decided to become foster parents.  People that are brave enough to put their names on the ballot and run for a city council or commissioner seat. Folks that make an intentional effort to shop small and support their local businesses. I am one of those people, and know lots more of these noble warriors that truly believe in the idea of safe, nurturing, loving, supportive, and successful small towns.  

​I have written many times about our small little town here in South Georgia.  I have written of its highlights and its short-comings.  I have told of all that I love about it.  I am passionate about preserving its history, while working hard to help it grow and change in a positive and healthy direction.  Over the years I have been involved in the revitalization of a very large old building in our downtown.  I have renovated a small, old home and been a catalyst for change in my neighborhood.  I have served on our chamber board, various committees for downtown events, and chaired our merchants association. I currently serve on our Family Connections board and our Downtown Development Authority,  and am proud to serve alongside my husband who has taken on the role of our mayor, which I can tell you is not an easy or glamorous job!   I am not telling you all of this to toot my own horn or convince you that I am good person.  I am flawed in so many ways and thankful for the grace and guidance of my almighty God!  The picture I am trying to paint for you is the picture of a person who cares.  I have become a bit battle-weary over the years, but I must tell you, just when I am ready to give up the fight,  the Lord sends fresh, young troops to re-ignite the cause!

​I am sharing all of this with you today, to ask that you make a conscious effort to make some day-to-day changes in your life that will make a great impact on your community.  As you are reading your favorite magazine or watching your favorite HGTV show, remember that there are so many communities and neighborhoods in this country that are struggling to hang on to their rich history, while working hard to fight against poverty and move towards a goal of sustainability and opportunity for the people who live there.  Let the “trend” that is taking over the country become a “movement” that inspires you to get involved in your own community.  There are many simple ways you can start this mind-set change.  Shopping local is the easiest thing you can do to make a great impact.  I know you are probably tired of the "shop local” band wagon, but as a local shop owner I am telling you, this is so important!  Before you make the snap judgment that things are more expensive in the smaller shops or at your local grocery chain; do some research, you might be pleasantly surprised! If some things are a little more expensive, look for coupons or catch the sale.  Or heck, buy them anyway!  Consider the few bucks more you spend on screws at your mom-and-pop hardware store a donation to the cause of saving your community.  Make an effort to always buy gas in your county and get your prescriptions from a local pharmacy (if you are lucky enough to still have one).  Not only are you aiding in the success of your local businesses but you are helping to provide jobs and keeping very important tax dollars at home.  

If you are the owner of a small business, don’t expect your community to shop with you just because they are “supposed” to.  Make sure you are keeping current with what people need and want, offer excellent customer service and get involved in community activities so people know who you are and what you stand for.  It is your responsibility to give your customers a reason to shop local.  

Now, ready to really get down to it and take on some harder tasks? If you are looking to buy your first home, give the fixer upper in the heart of downtown a chance and turn that run down property into a beacon of hope for the whole neighborhood.  If you are constantly discouraged by what seem to be the “lost” youth in your community, get involved in a mentoring program or boys and girls club.  If you don’t have a program like that going already, be open to starting one.  If you have a heart for suffering children, become a foster parent.  If you are not happy with decisions being made by the leaders of your community and think you have something to offer, run for office.  Tired of looking at trash in your park or on your streets?  Organize a community clean-up day, or, just go pick it up!  If you have been bitten by the entrepreneurship bug, start a small business or cottage industry. Find the people in your community that you think are “less fortunate” than you and go meet them.  Walk and talk with the people that are struggling with addiction, pain, homelessness, hunger and poverty.  It will surprise you what comes out of those relationships.  Don’t sit around and get too comfortable and begin to expect that “someone else” will take care of all of those things.  None of these things are “easy” and most of them will require you to give up a Saturday, learn how to use a power tool, or force you to operate out of your comfort zone.  

More than likely, none of these things will land you a TV show or a book deal.  There will be no fame or glory.  There will be, however, a wonderful sense of fulfillment in knowing that you are doing everything you can to make your community a more vibrant, thriving, safer place!  So, if you find yourself making a pilgrimage to Waco, Texas or Laurel, Mississippi, or off to the PW Mercantile in Oklahoma, be aware that you are passing through a dozen or more other small places that are working just as hard to save their communities.   Pay attention to the world around you, not just the world that is on t.v.

My goal in this life is not to be famous or on TV.  My goal is for my little business to be successful, for my community to prosper and for God to be glorified in all that I do. My hope in sharing these thoughts with you is that you will feel encouraged and empowered to set out and get your hands a little dirty in the work of loving your community!  If all of this sounds overwhelming to you and you are just not sure where to get started, just remember you can always start with one.  Andy Stanley says it over and over and I remind myself of this daily “do for one what you wish you could do for everyone”. 

Over the next few months, we will be sharing stories about the joys and challenges of running small businesses in small places, more about the importance of shopping local and shopping small, and about the importance of getting involved in community programs.  Don’t worry, we still have lots of delicious recipes headed your way and tips on being a good host or hostess.  Southern hospitality plays a huge role in not only how we live our personal lives, but how we interact with people and the way we run our business.  We have also curated a selection of spring goods that make us so happy and they will be available in the online shop soon!

​To those that have visited our shop, ordered online, read and shared blog posts, interacted on social media, and to those that I know pray for us; thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continued love, support and kindness.  Supporting The Southern Mercantile allows us to continue to work hard in our community, to keep our business open to be a place of hope and encouragement to those who enter, and to continue to fight for the success of our small town.  Every purchase you make in our store, at a show, or online is not just a simple purchase of goods.  It is an investment in our local community that helps keep our mission moving in the right direction!  

With love and a grateful heart, Roxie