What Goes in a Dough Bowl?

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is about how to style a dough bowl, and more generally, what to even put in it?

You can use a variety of decor in a dough bowl, but today I thought I would show you a classic dough bowl style with a few spring elements! 

I started with Pin it Co.'s door buster dough bowl, which is a medium size bowl! 

I like to begin with a garland as my base greenery. It covers a large amount of space in one, and it filled the bottom of this bowl perfectly!

Then, I like to add height to the set-up by adding these 6 inch grapevine balls. For this particular style, I used one light and one dark ball, placing those on opposite sides. I also added one light and one dark 4 inch ball, placing the light with the dark and vice-versa. 

Then I worked in two lambs ear picks for texture. I loved the way the lighter lambs ear looked in combination with the eucalyptus garland. 

My favorite detail of this dough bowl was the beautiful chippy bird I added! It was the perfect touch for spring, and served as the sweetest focal piece for this spring dough bowl. I also layered in this little nest next to the bird as well.

For color, I added four lavender picks to really bring in that bright pop for spring! I basically layered these in all four corners.

Lastly, I placed a few 2 inch grapevine balls around to fill in any remaining gaps in the dough bowl!

That's it! It's super simple and takes less than 5 minutes to put together!

These are currently out of stock, but you can get on the waitlist for this entire spring dough bowl kit by going on Pin it Co.'s app and searching "Spring Bird Dough Bowl Kit"!

Nashville Travel Blog

Yes, I sure do believe in Nashville! 

My husband and I took a Valentine's weekend trip to the Music City and it was such a needed and fun getaway! Today I wanted to share with you the places we went, food and adventures alike, to give you a glimpse into my trip and maybe even help you plan your own trip to Nashville!

On our first night, Friday, we originally planned to eat at Puckett's, but it was blowing rain with an almost 2 hour wait so we decided to go to Rippys! Our ribs were delicious and it was a fun restaurant in the middle of Nashville!

The second morning we started by going to Five Daughters Bakery, which was super recommended to me! I found a travel blogger who raved about it, as well as all of the fun things on 12th Ave, so that's where I wanted to head first!

Let me tell you guys, this place was crowded but soooo cute and so good! I totally see why the line was so long! They had the best donuts, pastries and more!

Clearly, it seems as though the trend of this trip was food! We stopped at The Flipside for brunch where they serve loaded tater tots and all the good things! Super Yummy!

We made a few more stops on 12th Ave like Reese Witherspoon's store, Draper Janes, and White's Mercantile! Nashville is certainly home to some of the cutest little shops!

Now, it became my turn to be a good wife. Shane wanted to go to this turkey convention, the NWTF Convention, and I have never seen so much camo and beards in my life. He did have a lot of fun though so I'm glad we were able to go! It was inside the Gaylord Opryland Resort which was beautiful as well-- so that was a bonus!

Our next stop was the Factory at Franklin, with some more super cute shops! There we also ate Puckett's, which was super good and I definitely see why it was so recommended!

For brunch on Sunday morning, we ate at Pinewood Social! It was a very vintage vibe, even complete with a bowling alley! I got a beautiful latte, chicken biscuits and gravy! So yummy!

Going along with the vintage vibes, we went to see some repurposed old factory buildings at Marathon Village and hit up a cool place called Antique Archaeology!

Unfortunately, after that it was time to come home and get back to work for Monday! 

We had such a good time and I would highly recommend all of the places we went! Especially, Pinewood Social! You guys HAVE to check this place out if you're ever in the area!

Nashville recharged and re-inspired me and I cannot wait to return to Music City in the near future! 

Romantic Tablescape Guide

DID YOU HEAR?

We are so excited for the Pin it Co. Cafe! Details on the beautiful Tablescape Below! 

This week, in honor of Valentines, my girls (and my fella) got together to create this beautiful, romantic tablescape! I am so obsessed with the way it turned out, and so I wanted to share it with all of you! 

 For the place settings, I created this sweet spring set-up. When creating a place setting, you always want to use layers. I typically like for the bottom layer of my place settings to either be some sort of textured placemat, or in this case a bread board, that really works to draw attention to each setting! For plates, layering is once again the key. You want to combine one large and one smaller plate, keeping with a color palette that you will carry throughout the tablescape. I used this silver metal charger in combination with a simple white plate. Remember, when styling you can utilize the simple elements you already own! They help draw attention to other pieces in your display. 

I also like to use cloth napkins in place settings, and these gray and white plaid ones did just the trick. I topped off the setting with a sweet birds nest. You want your topper to be something that coordinates nicely with your centerpiece and the overall look you are aiming for. 

Of course, don't forget your silverware and glasses! I loved the romantic feel these etched wine glasses had!

Moving on to the centerpiece, I really wanted to create something with a lot of texture and layering for a romantic feel. I started with this long tray with metal handles as the base for my centerpiece. It added a base height and tied in the wood from the bread boards. For the floral centerpieces, I picked three different vessels! This was probably my favorite part. I love combining elements that are different, yet coordinate with one another-- and these three metal vases did just that! I potted real plants inside these and added spanish moss for a draping, romantic look. I chose simple green plants for the other vases, and a more whimsical floral plant for the middle. To variate the height, I placed the center vessel atop of three vintage books! I've said this before, and I'll say it again, for something you can find at a thrift store, vintage books are some of my favorite things to add into decor!

To keep things from being totally symmetrical, I added a small terra cotta pot, and titled  it on its side. I also potted a small plant and added spanish moss in this pot as well.

To really cap off the romantic feel of this tablescape, I added four tapered candles and candlesticks at varied heights! These looked so sweet in the centerpiece and would be so sweet lit for a dinner with you and your sweetheart!

Overall, this tablescape was so fun to create and I loved putting it together with some of my best girls! If you create your own tablescape with any of these items, make sure to DM me pictures on my Instagram @allyturpen !

xoxo

A big thank you to @ENewbernPhotography for all of these beautiful photos and awesome video! Y'all check her out!

My Everyday Makeup Tutorial

Next to my bun tutorial, the most requested blog post has been a makeup tutorial! And tonight I want to share with you how I do my everyday makeup look! This is likely how my makeup is done in any videos or photos you see of me. I am no makeup guru by any means (some of these techniques may be huge "makeup no-no's" but they work for me) so this tutorial is perfect for the everyday woman! There will also be a video tutorial at the end of this post for those of you who like that format best!

I use the Real Techniques sponge to apply my face makeup so I start by dampening that. You want to wet it under the sink, and the squeeze out the excess water. Wetting the sponge allows it to make your foundation look natural and blend in better with your skin.

Then I take the ItCosmetics CC cream in the shade light and dot it on the sponge. This is what I have been using forever and it is incredible! It isn't as heavy as a regular foundation, but still has a nice full coverage! I then just blot the foundation around with my sponge, blending it in and down my neck until it looks natural and gives me the coverage I want.

Next, I move on to my eye makeup! I use Real Techniques brushes that I bought together in a set, and for my eyes I start with the 308 brush! I have been using the Tartelette in Bloom palette since my sister got it for me for Christmas, and I love the neutral colors in it. 

I start by taking the shade "flower child" and blending it all over my lids as a base. Then I take "smarty pants" and blend it into the crease and outer corner. Using a neutral light color for the crease is key in getting an eye look that is well-blended out! I use the shade "jetsetter" next and layer that into my crease and outer corner as well. 

Switching to a smaller brush, the RT 307, and the shade "rebel" and repeat my earlier process, blending into my outer corner and crease. After that, I use the same small brush to place "smarty pants" on my lower lash line.

To blend everything together so I don't look as though I have two black eyes, I take the RT 310 brush and blend like crazy until it looks nice and well, blended!

Instead of using eyeliner, I like to take an eyebrow brush and the shade "activist" from the Tartelette palette for some definition under my bottom lash line. Finally, I use the dark plum in the palette, "leader", to define my outer corner and of course go back in with my RT 310 to blend. To clean up any fall out from the eye-shadow, I just take my sponge again and pat it under my eyes. Then I highlight my brow bone and inner corner using the shade "strobe" in the Tarteist PRO Glow palette. 

Going back in with the In Bloom palette and that same brow brush, I use the spooly and the shade "activist" to fill in my brows. Remember the rule, eyebrows are sisters not twins!

For my lashes, I've been loving the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara! Oddly enough, I use one old tube and one new tube to add the perfect volume! I use a blinking method to apply the mascara evenly to my top and bottom lashes.

Now, onto the cheeks! I use the NARS Orgasm Infatuation Cheek Palette for my bronzer. This palette was unfortunately a holiday only release so it is no longer available, but you can find the shades in it almost anywhere high end makeup is sold! I use the Laguna bronzer with my RT contour brush, blending it in my cheek bones, on my temples, and on my neckline- creating the shape of the number 3! Then taking the RT blush brush, I use the Merle Norman blush in Teakwood. Of course, the most important part is the highlight! I go back in with the Tarteist PRO glow palette and use the shade "strobe" again to highlight my the top of my cheekbones, tip + bridge of my nose, and cupid's bow! I like using the same highlight for my brow bone and face so it matches well.

Finally, I go in with my favorite lipstick, Loreal Colour Riche in Bold Mauve and typically top that off with NYX butter gloss in Creme Brulee!

And, that's it! I hope you found this helpful, and enjoyed seeing how I achieve my everyday makeup look!

Find a video tutorial here: 

The Perfect Pillow Arrangement

Have you ever been scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest and seen the beautifully styled couch pillow arrangements and wondered how on earth those are possible? Sometimes it can be overwhelming to try to figure out where to start when it comes to mixing shapes, sizes, patterns and colors to create that perfectly arranged couch. Today I want to share with you a few tips on how to do that by showing you a couch I styled with a variety of decorative pillows! I'll also show you how I styled the table behind it as well!

First, I started with a throw blanket on the right side. I picked this brown and cream striped one with tassels that would compliment the color scheme I had planned out. The key here is to messily drape the blanket over the side. I didn't want it to look to prepped and proper.

For the pillow arrangement, I picked out two large, neutral pillows to go on both sides of the couch. This is the only symmetry I wanted to create in this look. I went with these large and in charge suede, taupe pillows and placed one on each side of the couch. My two biggest tips for styling pillows are to never set things super straight. I caddied these in the corner. And second, use the karate chop method. I always "karate chop" my square pillows in the center to give them the bend in the middle that makes them look as though they have been used and laid on. This helps give your home a "home-y" look! 

I worked on the pillows one side at a time after this. Starting with the left side, I picked two similar sized square pillows to layer. I chose one blue patterned one and one cream pillow with blue words to tie in the colors. Then, I wanted to add a shape variant, so I chose a tan lumbar pillow with cream fringe and texture. When selecting your pillows, you want to choose ones that have complimentary colors and make sure you tie in the colors in at least two of the pillows to keep it from looking random. When styling, you want to focus on making sure everything keeps a relaxed look--besides, this is one of the most relaxing pieces in your home!

Next, the right side of the couch becomes the response to the left. You want to choose and place your pillows in a way that corresponds with the opposite side, but isn't identical. You also do not want the same number of pillows on both sides.

I decided to go with a round pillow to add a contrasting shape and I think it was the piece that completed the whole look. I also chose another lumbar pillow, this time a blue one to again tie in the blues in the other pillows. The word "HELLO" on this pillow also helped draw attention to that side of the couch.

To style the table behind the couch, I used a variety of items. I used a lamp, a piece of artwork, a plant, and my personal favorite-- these memo stands. I attached a letter and card sign, but you could also use photos here!

You can find the memo stands here:

Small

Large

I hope this inspired you to put together pillows that you love to create a beautifully styled couch! Pillows are one of my favorite aspects of home decor because they allow you to play around with mixing colors, shapes and patterns that you love! It is so rewarding to finally finish with a style that you love!

My Mom Recounts My Birth for My 28th Birthday!

Back in December, on my 28th birthday, I thought it would be fun to interview my mom about my birth, and it was such a fun and funny conversation that I decided you might want to hear it too! 

I hope you enjoy her stories and memories as much as I did!

Me: What was your pregnancy with me like? Did you know I was a girl?

Mom: I was practically certain that you were a boy right up until the point I went and had the sonogram because my pregnancy with you was completely opposite from your sister. Everybody that looked at me would say "Ohh that's a boy, that's a boy, that's a boy".

Me: That's why I act more like a boy than a girl.

Mom: But then at the sonogram you were definitely a girl, and they also told me that they were going to have to take you early because you were getting so big. They thought that you were already close to 10 or 11 pounds by the measurements and I'm only 5 foot tall. But I was just big around, and you ended up being 8 pounds and 12 ounces and 22 inches long. I assumed you would be 6 foot tall, but you're not.

Me: Well, I didn't quite hit that expectation.
So what about my actual birth? 

Mom: Well the night before you were born, we went to look at some lights. They had already told me they were going to take you on December 27th, before your due date on January 3rd, because I was already so big with you. So on the 22nd we went to look at some Christmas lights at Callaway, and before we got home I knew something was up-- I was swelled up like a bull-frog. I went in to labor around 5:30 that morning, and had to wake your dad up because I wouldn't let anyone sleep with me that night. I was just so big.

Me: Good grief, that's miserable.

Mom: Well you carry a baby that's 8 pounds and 12 ounces when you're only 5 foot, you're carrying a load!

Mom: So on the drive there every five minutes I would tell your dad to slow down, and then I'd have a contraction and I'd tell him to hurry up. Which, we had to go all the way to Parkway in Austell. 

Me: That hospital isn't even there anymore; they bulldozed it.

Mom: That's right. Well, we got to the hospital and my sister met me there, and they wheeled me in. It was about 6 a.m. then and they said I was in full labor. I was a little upset because it was December 23rd and it was right there a Christmas, but they did a C-section and I had you at 10 a.m. on the dot. When you finally cried, you had the deepest voice I'd ever heard on a baby. I was like "I have to try to sit up and see this baby". 

Well, they brought your sister down the hall when they were wheeling me into the next room and she definitely wanted you to be left there. She did not want us to take you home.

Me: Yeah, she cried "I don't want her", didn't she?

Mom: Well, they decided that since it was Christmas Eve the next day they would let me go home in the morning so you could have Christmas at home. They brought you to me in a stocking.

Me: Well, I mean possibly I was switched at birth, right? Because it was the wrong picture in the newspaper.

Mom: Well they had three babies that they were trying to get home, two dark headed babies and a light complected baby. In the newspaper, they said the first dark headed baby was Allison Leigh. But you're not switched.

Me: So scandalous.

Mom: Well I was upset because when you have a baby you're all emotional, and when we got home I didn't have Santa Clause for you because you weren't supposed to be born until the 27th. So my sister, Susan, and my mom actually went shopping on Christmas Eve so you would have Santa Clause.

Me: Yes, I remember it very well. It was great.

Mom: Well I couldn't have Santa Clause for Amanda and not you!

Me: So, what kind of baby was I?

Mom: When you were born, you immediately slept all night, you never woke me up during the night. I'd have to wake you up to feed you. And now you're opposite, you want to eat all the time. 

Me: This is true. You're welcome Lyn.

Mom: Well I wasn't planning on having another baby, Amanda was so bad and I just was done. I had sold all of the baby things, and so when I found out I was pregnant I was like "Oh my goodness" because I had already had my rough one. But then you came, and if I would have had you as my first baby I would have had ten. You were literally that good.

You were also a pacifier baby though. It was to the point where you would carry one pacifier in your hand and keep one in your mouth. You'd swap them out. One night, I got rid of the one in your hand and you were old enough to tell me to go to Walmart and buy you another one... So...


Well, it seems as though I was a quality baby! I will say I have gotten a lot louder and more snacky in my 28 years though, haha! 

In all seriousness, I loved getting to listen to my mom tell this story, and I'm super blessed and thankful for the life I've lived up to this point and for all she did raising me and my sister! 

Bye-Bye 139

Yesterday, my business held the grand opening of it's new location! It was such a great night with a crazy huge crowd!

But with a new location comes saying goodbye to the old one, and so this week was also spent looking back on memory lane at our time at 139 City Hall Avenue. We've said "bye-bye to 139" as our store front, but luckily we are keeping this location as our warehouse! I am so thankful for that because this building has become so sentimental to me as it holds so many memories and the fruition of so many of my dreams. 

So I hope you'll come along with me as we look back on Pin it Co.'s time here!

Pin it Co., formerly Pin it Gifts & Events, has seen three different store fronts up to this point. The new location will be our 4th. 139 was my 3rd location, and I moved the business here in July of 2016. 

Consequently, Pin it has celebrated 3 of its 5 birthdays at 139! We have cake and treats to celebrate each year on Bowdon by Candlelight, the small town event I opened my business on back in 2013.

And going along with that, Pin it has hosted 3 Bowdon by Candlelight events in 139!

I have done 150 Tuesday/Thursday live sales in 139, and 400+ live videos in total when you account for mini sales and $10 deals. That literally blows my mind! We started these here in September of 2017.

139 has celebrated Bowdon's birthday 3 times at our annual Founder's Day event and sale!

Pin it has also seen one rebranding and rebranding event at 139! We changed over from Pin it Gifts & Events to Pin it Co.-- complete with a new logo, new graphics and new store displays!

139 is the location where my business grew beyond my wildest dreams. It is the place where I hired some awesome girls to come along side me and hustle for our goals. It is the space where ideas have been born, shaped and come to life. And most importantly, it is the 7,000 foot space that showed me that my dreams can become reality. 

So bye-bye 139 (as Pin it Co.'s store-front) and hello 140 City Hall Avenue! We may not be going far, but I am expectant for this little dream of mine to!