Our Pick With A Pro Retreat is hands down one of the BEST weekends of the entire year (it might even top Christmas – I kid you not). Miles and miles of antiques – furniture, china, architectural salvage, collectibles and curiosities. The best part? The deals! I seriously get spoiled each year.

Last year I was joined by the most amazing group of individuals! Not only did we swap pickin’ stories, share tips and tricks, and laugh until our sides hurt, we all became such good friends. To this day we still keep in touch. We had CAMPer from Georgia all the way to California – the World’s Longest Yardsale has something for everybody.

We kicked the retreat off with a down-home style low-country boil out on the lawn over looking the lake. It was a great time to relax and get to know one another better. Everyone turned in kinda early to prepare for our early morning pickin’ adventures – we hit the road bright and early in search of the best deals and awesome loot!

We covered miles and miles of the Tennesee countryside – plundering through old barns, large fields, roadside stands and front yards along the 127 Corridor. It was great seeing all of the amazing finds and unbelievable deals everyone was finding. Everyone got a chance to brush up on their haggling skills and we would swap stories in between each stop. At the end of the day, all of the CAMPers would spread out their loot for everyone to get a look. It was so cool to see everyone’s style and tastes through their purchases. There were definitely some “Oh-my-gosh-how-did-I-miss-that” moments.

What’s a retreat without a swag bag full of goodies? All of the CAMPers left with an awesome camp-inspired swag bag – vintage style CAMP pennant, CAMP mini-pillow, and even a handmade flannel throw. A big thanks to our swag bag contributors: Yours Is The Earth, Meredith Mejerle, Fallen Arrows!

Visit the Pick With A Pro website to grab your spot for this year’s retreat, August 7th-10th. It’s an adventure you’ll be talking about for years to come.

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A huge thanks to the darling Tricia Lee Photography for joining us on this adventure and capturing all of our fun treasures and new friendships.

A little while back I had the great pleasure of teaming up with some of my favorite Atlanta vendors for a styled shoot and tasting celebration to debut Foxhall’s newest venue, Lakeside Terrace. Stylist, Ginny Branch, created a sea of neutrals using crisp green and natural elements such as oyster shells and wooden slabs. Erica Loesing of Yes Ma’am Paper + Goods handcrafted a stunning invitation suite including hand lettering and custom paper cuts. She also hand lettered tags for the food display and escort cards. The Savage Garden wowed everyone with a dramatic driftwood installation above the head table and created an unbelievable lakeside altarpiece. For the lounge area, Blue Eyed Yonder incorporated some of our favorite neutral upholstered pieces accented with natural wood tables and accessories.

The shoot and tasting could not have been more beautifully documented. Buffy Dekmar (Buffy Dekmar Photography) and husband, Chris Dekmar (Dekmar Films) were on hand to capture all these beautiful details. You couldn’t ask for a more down-to-earth, talented duo. They’re both so easy going and unbelievably talented.

From Buffy: “This shoot, designed by Ginny Branch and executed by Sun in My Belly, features a light, natural palette. Lush greenery with succulents and green apples provides an unexpected crisp freshness to the florals (by Savage Garden). The venue is a peacful sporting resort just outside of Atlanta, and one of my favorite details was the ethereal “Kensington” bridal gown by Carol Hannah Whitfield (via The Sentimentalist)–so pretty and soft!”

See more of this lovely shoot featured in the 7th Anniversary issue of Modern Luxury Brides Magazine and also on Wedding Sparrow.

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Photography: Buffy Dekmar Photography // Creative Direction: Ginny Branch // Coordinator: Simply Charming Socials // Venue: Foxhall Resort & Sporting Club // Catering: Sun in my Belly // Florals: The Savage Garden // Paper Goods: Yes Ma’am by Erica Loesing // Furniture: Blue Eyed Yonder // Dress:Carol Hannah Whitfield via The Sentimentalist // Suit: Billy Reid // Cake: Anne Kathleen Cakes // Cinematography: Dekmar Films  // Rentals: Finest Event Rentals // Linens: Party Tables  // Salt Spoons:Honeycomb Studio // Hair/Makeup: Lux Studio // Models: Kathryn McCrary, Jackson Ratcliffe

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and we couldn’t be happier to be a sponsor of this year’s Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tour. Come out this weekend to walk amongst some of Atlanta’s famous “eternal residents”, hear their stories and see a few special pieces from Blue Eyed Yonder’s collection. These tours are very special since it’s the only time the gates stay open after dark. The cemetery is so peaceful at night and holds so many wonderful stories and also a fantastic view of the city.

Happy weekend y’all!

I’m so thrilled to share more beautiful images from Elizabeth Messina’s A Lovely Workshop that was featured on Martha Stewart Weddings The Bride’s Guide.

I (along with some of Atlanta’s best wedding vendors) traveled to Sea Island to style and produce three different shoots for the workshop. Each day was different – new colors, new props, new dresses, new locations. These images were from Day 3 of the workshop – The Gilded Wedding. Ginny Branch did a phenomenal job of creating the most inspiring mood boards for each of the vendors to pull inspiration from. She orchestrated and styled each of the different shoots – it’s like pure magic watching her work. I’m so flattered to have been a part of this dream team.

On the final day of shooting, all of the workshop attendees were surprised to find out the 24-foot farm table spread was created especially for them – complete with red velvet cake and champagne for a Southern send-off!

For more lovely images and to check out some beautiful shots captured by some workshop attendees, visit Martha Stewart Weddings The Bride’s Guide.

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Photography: Elizabeth Messina // Prop and Fashion Styling: Ginny Branch // Floral Designs: Amy Osaba // Vintage Rentals and Set Design: Krista Janos // Printed Collateral: Wiley Valentine // Hair and Makeup: Erin Skipley & Claudia Mejerle // Calligraphy: Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls // Custom Spoons: Monkeys Always Look // Champagne: Cupcake Vineyards

And if you’re coveting the fashions, here’s the scoop, on who wore what in the last image above, clockwise from the upper left: Ivy & Aster dress and bolero, Claire Pettibone floral clip; Jessica Fontaine dress,Chelsea Rose Bridal bolero, Construct Jewelry necklace; Billy Reid suit, shirt, and bowtie; Sarah Seven dress; Myra Callan dress, Claire Pettibone headpiece; Claire Pettibone gown, robe, and cap; Carol Hannah Whitfield dress, Twigs & Honey hairpiece.

“Curiosity is, in great and generous minds, the first passion and the last.” – Samuel Johnson

So, you’ve been seeing all the teasers for the awesome CAMP schedule – lots of classes, workshops and retreats – I promise, it’s totally worth the wait!

We’ll be announcing our schedule and launching the CAMP website this week! Like CAMP’s Facebook page to get updates.

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Photo by the talented Ali Harper