Anyone setting sail, hitting the road, jet setting, spreading your wings, traveling near or far during these fine summer months? Whatever sort of traveling you may do, make sure you do it in style! Our “it’s time for vacation in summatime” travel-wants are looking a little like this….

“Where I want to be” graphic tee by Madewell. Yes, I will take a road trip any day!

These shades from Anthropologie.

This J. Crew tote.

This Kate Spade bangle captures my sentiments exactly.

Happy travels!

December is shaping up to be an exciting month here at Southern Flourish! Starting with our Holiday issue (out in just a few days on December 1), we’ll be moving to a subscription-based format. What does that mean for you, our valued reader? For just $10 a year, you can receive exclusive access to each quarterly issue — over 125 pages of the home, garden, food, travel and typically Southern content you love!

You definitely don’t want to miss Holiday 2010 issue, which features a cover story styled by the amazing Annette Joseph and photographed by the equally talented Lara Rossignol. Plus, we’ve got a fabulous travel guide to Birmingham, a stylish home tour in Huntsville, and delicious holiday goodies cooked up by the ladies of Big Girls, Small Kitchen. Your $10 subscription fee helps us continue to work with great contributors like the ones in the Holiday issue, as well as expand our coverage across the South.

Our $10 subscription cost means that for less than the cost of a latte, you can enjoy each issue of our ever-expanding and popular Southern magazine. Even better, save $2 when you subscribe before Monday at noon EST. Just use discount code GIVETHANKS. Ready to subscribe? Click here!

xoxo,
Kate, Natalie, Lesley and Olivia
The Southern Flourish Editorial Team

P.S. Our new website goes live on Sunday. Be sure to visit www.southernflourish.com and update your RSS feeds!

Thanks to the following bloggers for their recent kind words on our latest issue!

P.S. Did you blog about us? Drop us a line at southernflourish {at} gmail {dot} com and will show you some love on the blog!

Creativity Seminar: Launch Your Life!
Learn how to jump start your next creative endeavor.

October 13th @ 7-9 PM EST
Only 40 spots available! Click here to pay and register!

Have you been itching to jump into your first (or next!) big creative endeavor, but aren’t sure where to begin? Join host Kate Hash, founder and editor-in-chief of Southern Flourish magazine, and special guest host Olivia Rae James, a popular lifestyle blogger, for an inspirational online seminar dedicated to helping you launch your next creative project.

So often in life, we unfairly compare ourselves to others, but the fact of the matter is this: great minds don’t necessarily think alike. Your path to creative success will look very different from friends, family and those you read about online. In this seminar, you’ll hear how left-brained Kate and right-brained Olivia took two very different paths to creative, personal and professional fulfillment. What’s more, Kate and Olivia will discuss challenges they faced along the way, how they stay motivated, and techniques they use for staying inspired. Then, Kate and Olivia will use their expertise to share innovative tools for carving your own creative path.

At the end of the seminar, you’ll have the tools you need to take the next step toward creative freedom.

Seminar length: 1.5 hours + .5 hour for questions
Cost: $40 | Click here to pay and register!
Read more

Summer is winding down, and that means a cool down from the heat! Spend a day in the country in this beautiful weather. Horses, Four-wheelers , freshly cut grass, and cowboy/riding boots.

 Do you have a favorite pair of RIDING BOOTS??

Occasionally I get tired of the same ol’ same ol’ foods and desire something different. Mexican, American, home-cooked, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Italian, German…. GREEK! Some of the most flavorful dishes are found in Greek cuisine. Where is your Greek restaurant near you?? I just want a great GYRO (pronounced: YEER-o)!

Often times people pass up the avocado section at local supermarkets or farmers markets. Reason?? People don’t know the proper way to choose, core, cut, and serve avocados.

The first the you need to do is decide when you will be serving the dish. The sooner, the softer, yet not too soft. You want the skin to still be close to the actual meat of the avocado.

After unpacking the groceries, take the avocado over a chopping block and slice lengthwise.

Next, you can either stick the knife as if to cut the seed and twist to remove, or you can spoon it out.

If you are serving on a salad, you may want to have slices. You will need to make slice marks while holding half still in its shell, then spoon out and serve.

If you are making guacamole, do the same as above but slice the length and width of the avocado. Careful not to cut the outer portion (only make marks through the green).

Have a healthy, natural snack today. Like nuts? They can be good for you! Mix in a handful of spicy peanuts for an extra touch of flavor.

Yum!

Because we love you, here’s the Summer 2010 issue cover to start your Friday off right! On the cover is the gorgeous Claira, whose wedding we’re featuring in the summer issue. Along with a wedding from Kentucky, we promise you’ll be drooling over lots of wedding detail goodness!

Be sure to stop back on Tuesday to read the issue!

If you don’t read Mrs. Lilien you are totally missing out on some serious fabulousness (yes, we just made that word up). We are LOVING her Derby post.

{ collage from Mrs. Lilien’s blog }