Vol 18 | The Indy Edit
A Season of Homecoming & A Surprise!
This past weekend finally felt like fall in the South—temperatures dipped into the low sixties, the trees became gilded in gold, and the low country boils began. To top it all off, it was also our alma mater’s homecoming.
As Jake & I walked down Techwood Drive before kickoff, we embraced long-time friends to the beat of age-old fight songs reverberating from the stadium. It was a homecoming, indeed.
That word—homecoming—feels especially resonant right now. We’re nearing one year since our move from New York back to Atlanta, we recently celebrated our five-year wedding anniversary, and after what feels like months of living out of a suitcase, the last of my bags have finally been unpacked. I am finally—and truly—home.
And with this pause of pace, I am overjoyed to share a long-overdue recount of where I’ve been, as well as your exclusive Indy Edit invitation to privately peek at what has been blooming in the studio…
So read on, dear collector, and I’ll meet you at the end with your surprise!
With love,
Meg
To Texas & Back!
Round Top. Two words that have lived on my vision board for nearly two years—and last week, they served as the carrot that guided me on a twelve-hour solo road trip from Atlanta to Texas to showcase my artwork at Blue Hills. Twice a year, this tiny town of just eighty-seven welcomes thousands of boot-clad designers and hat-topped shoppers eager to wander miles of barns and tents brimming with antiques and treasures alike.
My great-aunt Alice and great-uncle Rodney used to live here—yes, two of the eighty-seven—and it was remarkably tender to receive their stapled packet of notes in the mail about what to expect just days before my departure.
But truthfully, no amount of stamped envelopes could have prepared me for the fullness I would feel after just one week of meeting collectors, mingling with like-minded creatives, and honestly, stretching my wings to take on this cross country venture on my own (additional thoughts here).
It was like chuck-wagon chicken noodle soup for the soul, and I can’t wait to ladle some more into my cup in the very near future! But more on that to come!
The Round Up!
Amid the stampede of creatives and designers that overtook Round Top, it came as no surprise that even a quick walk to the local coffee shop felt like front-row seats at a Western runway. Having been given proper notice of the fashion fanfare, I too made sure to tote some of my favorite brands and small business friends to Texas with me —and I’m thrilled to share my round up!
Hats — Sissy Light Midsummer Hat, Sarah Bray Begonia Hat
Jewelry — Britt’s Funky Stitch Green Beaded Necklace, Emily Kearn Designs Charm Bracelet, Stacked By Stew Knotty Necklace in Lime, Peyt Shop Gold Cross Necklace
Clothes — Sassy Cinnamon Garden Ruffle Skirt, Scottie’s Studio Red Flower Day Dress (seen above!), Saint + Goldie Chartreuse Smocked Dress
Boots — these babies in light blue & in the tan!
I also had the distinct pleasure of popping up alongside not one but two clothing designers I have come to deeply admire — Eddy and Kit! Both female founded brands and both were absolute delights to work alongside during the show. Check them out!
A Day in Daufuskie
It is always a delight to receive a voice note (we send many!) from my dear friend Lauren Dills, the incomparable hostess behind Escape and Celebrate. But an even greater delight to receive an impromptu invitation to partake in her fall photoshoot for the illustrious Supper Club.
Without hesitation, Jake & I hopped in the car, boarded the ferry just off Hilton Head and made our way to Historic Haig Point on Daufuskie Island, where an evening of friendship and food simmered together as the sun melted into the horizon.
Lauren spared no detail: candied pears with calligraphed name tags, sparkling apple cider crowned with cinnamon sticks and star anise, and a table thoughtfully adorned with extraordinarily ordinary items anyone could get their hands on. And that’s it. That is Lauren’s magic.
Not only does she add a dash of whimsy to everything she does, but she does so in a way that invites you to follow suit. She shares her tidbits and tricks quarterly in The Supper Club, and between us gals, a subscription is the perfect gift this holiday season for the fellow hostesses in your life!
Lauren, thank you so much for having us — I look forward to reliving it all through your recipes!
Walking Through West Point
It’s not every day you have the chance to walk the very grounds where your parents’ story began—and how lucky was I to not only visit West Point in September, but to have my mom and dad as our guides around campus.
From the dance hall where they first met, the bridge where my dad sealed their courtship with a (forehead) kiss, to the Trinity Chapel where they exchanged vows—the sentimentalist in me savored every second!
Some side quests of our trip upstate included window shopping in Cold Springs and Beacon, downing a half gallon of apple cider and a dozen donuts at a nearby orchard, and happily stumbling upon Wildflower Farms.
What began as a simple pit stop quickly unfolded into drinks on the patio, then inspired light bites, and before we knew it—a full-blown culinary experience as we tasted our way through their inventive menu (celery burger included!). We closed the evening with a leisurely stroll around the grounds, just as dusk settled behind the Adirondacks. A memorable stop indeed!
The Hamptons In A Day
After dropping off the boys at Bethpage Black, my mom and I embarked on the last leg of our trip—taking on the Hamptons in a single day. This feat deserves its own Indy Guide, but for now, here are the highlights:
Round Swamp – worth it for the sea salt chocolate chip cookies alone (and, if you’re lucky, a possible sighting of Miss Ina Garten herself).
Sagaponack General Store – hands down the best breakfast biscuit you’ll ever have and the farm views out the back door are *chefs kiss*
Il Buco Vita – handcrafted ceramics from Italy? That will have both you and your mom obsessing over? Yes and yes!
Nellie’s – the quirkiest nook for antiques (with the Olsen twins shop next door!)
Lobster Rolls from LUNCH – ask for yours to go with an extra bun; with a heaping helping of lobster, it’s a two-for-one if you will!
Magnolias in Mobile
Each year, Mobile Bay Magazine partners with local architects, builders, and designers to bring to life show-stopping Inspiration Homes, with ticket proceeds supporting a local charity. When esteemed interior designer, visionary, and friend Gabrielle Picard was invited to transform the guest bedroom of this year’s Inspiration Home, I had the distinct pleasure of color-matching a custom magnolia diptych to her meticulously curated palette of fabrics and finishes.
While the photo above offers just a glimpse of her genius—you simply must see her vision realized in person! Gabrielle, alongside the other remarkable designers, has created a space that is a luminous testament to the beauty and creativity that emerges when a community comes together.
Feeling Fourteen in Augusta
These last several months have undoubtedly been full on—long days on the road, late nights in the studio, and the ping, ping, pings of to-dos that leave you feeling your age by bedtime.
But somewhere in the mix, two of my good friends from New York pressed pause with me as we stole away to my parents’ home in Augusta for the weekend. I knew it was exactly what my spirit needed because the whole time, I kept saying aloud how I felt fourteen.
We spent our days perfecting dives in the pool and romping around the neighborhood tennis courts, running aimless errands with the windows down, playing round after round of cards on the deck, moseying through antique shops and chatting with someone’s meemaw by the cash wrap, accomplishing a reckless amount of sunbathing sans sunscreen, and—most importantly—doing it all in the absence of those internal ping, ping, pings.
As I continue to grow up alongside my friends, I’ve come to deeply appreciate this superpower we ignite in one another: an open invitation to come in to play, leaving your cares by the door.
Like growing older, but never aging—almost as if you’re forever fourteen.
Surprise!
To my cherished Indy Edit subscribers who have made it to the very end—it brings me immense joy to offer you your well earned surprise: an exclusive invitation to shop the Wildflower Collection, before it is released to the public at 10 a.m.
Simply click below to enter the shop, tap the arrow in the upper-right corner of your screen, and enter the password RESILIENT to begin your private stroll through the collection.
In a season of to and fro, it has been a joy returning home to this collection, time and time again, to watch it bloom into this body of work. The story behind these paintings is rooted in resilience, and I pray that as each piece finds its way to your walls, it mirrors your own seasons of wondrous persistence.
So take a moment, start your morning with a walk among the wildflowers, and let yourself root and rise—wherever the wind may carry you.
Love always,
Meg
Should you have any inquiries about the collection or commissioning a work of art, it would be my joy to hear from you at hello@meg-indy.com!