#FootballFriday- University of Georgia vs. University of South Carolina

It's Football Eve again! I know, I know... you're just as excited as we are. We kicked off the season with a really exciting #GameOfTheWeek and this game should be just as exciting!

The University of Georgia vs. University of South Carolina match-up should prove to be a very exciting, hard fought, grudge match. These teams don't like each other and the Dawgs are looking to make up for last year's 35-7 loss in Columbia. Here's watch to watch for on the field:

1. Clowney.
We didn't get to see a lot of this last week:

via DreamGirl Diaries

...which we clearly found upsetting. Here's hoping Jadeveon's running wild tomorrow. 

2. Murray keeping it together. 

via Bleacher Report

If Clowney does get hot, Aaron Murray has enough experience to keep it together. It's highly unlikely that UGA will be able to stop him completely so look for some major scrambling. 

3. Giving the ball to Gurley. 

via AJC

I got to witness first-hand just how good this guy is last week and trust me, he can fly. It's really exciting to see- whether he's scoring for you or against you. The USC defense did a really good job of containing him, and Keith Marshall, last year. We'll see what happens this year...

4. Did USC's placekicker earn his last letter??

via USA Today

We'll finally see if Elliott Fry (who looks like a 12-year-old) earned a correctly/completely spelled jersey after making his first first goal last week. I'm kind of hoping they just leave the 'A' off forever. Maybe they can add it to the Pretty Little Liars storyline...

If you're headed to Athens tonight, I have it on good authority that General Beauregard's, 9D's or the Silver Dollar are where to go to have a good time. If you've never been out in Athens, you're missing out. I highly recommend it :)

If you're looking for a last minute gameday dress, we highly recommend The Red Dress Boutique. We love love love these dresses!

via Red Dress Boutique

Happy tailgating y'all! Let us know if you're heading to the game over on Twitter :) 

4 Easy Steps: Ziplock Margaritas

Why not combine #ThirstyThursday and gameday preparations? Exactly.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Girls, football season is upon us, and I know you probably are finding yourselves preparing for a fun game day on a weekly basis. It can get a little hectic and cray-cray at times, but hey, it's so worth it! 

My job is to make your next game day experience a little bit easier with this fabulous drink that is perfect for tailgating. In four easy steps, you are on your way to a WIN on Saturday (at least a tailgate win). Just mix, pour, freeze and sip. This portable margarita will make your friends cheer for you over the home team.  

ZIPLOCK MARGARITAS

Ingredients

1 can frozen limeade

2 1/2 cans of water

1 can of tequila

1/2 can of triple sec

1/2 can of beer
1 large Ziplock freezer bag

Directions
Note: Your limeade can is going to be your measuring cup for all this. 

1. Mix contents of the limeade can with the remaining ingredients into a pitcher or a bowl.

 

2. Pour contents into a Ziplock bag. (Some assistance may be needed in holding the bag for you so find a friend.) 

3. Freeze the contents by placing the Ziplock in the freezer until frozen/slushy. I usually make these the night before so they get really frozen and toss them in a cooler. This way, they have time to become the perfect "slush" consistancy. 

4. Sip and drink responsibly :)

Cheers y'all!

-Sara
SayTheBlessing.com

Happy Birthday Beyonce!

The ultimate diva (and Modern Magnolia) turns 32 today! We love all things Queen B so here are some GIFs to celebrate.

via Buzzfeed

via Buzzfeed

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via Buzzfeed

via runwayrepublic.tumblr.com

via anakcahaya.tumblr.com

via beyrihsus.tumblr.com

via fas-d.tumblr.com

via gotmelookingsocrazyrightnow.tumblr.com

Game Of The Week: Georgia at Clemson

I hope y'all enjoyed your holiday weekend! Not only was it Labor Day weekend (Mondays off are FABULOUS!!) but it was finally time for college football. To say we were excited would be the understatement of the century. Here at #ModernMagnolias, we are a Clemson-heavy bunch so we couldn't have been happier when ESPN selected the Clemson vs. UGA game as the site for the first week of College Gameday. 

Thousands of fans flocked to Bowman Field for the broadcast. We especially loved the outfits on these sorority girls. (Their sign wasn't too bad either!)

College GameDay was a fabulous experience, even though Lee Corso failed to pick our Tigers. At least we got to see some adorable bulldog puppies!

via SB Nation

Planning for this game was pretty difficult- having to take long hours, fickle weather and Southern humidity into account. These #ModernMagnolias pulled it off flawlessly!

#ModernMagnolia Mary Lauren

#ModernMagnolia Laura

#ModernMagnolia Lanie having fun at College Gameday

#ModernMagnolia Anna Catherine repping for the away team!

The bad weather during the day turned into an unbelievably beautiful evening. 

 

If you haven't seen Clemson's entrance, you are really missing out. Watch this video y'all!! There's a reason it's called "The Most Exciting 25 Seconds in College Football."

It was a hard fought game that highlighted some of the best that the South has to offer. We can't wait for next week's game of the week. 

We've chosen: University of South Carolina at University of Georgia. Will you be there? Send us your pictures on Twitter or Instagram using #MMlovesGameday for a chance to be featured in the wrap up post!

Labor Day Sale Round Up

via Pinterest

If you are staying in to try and recover from gameday (like me...), you can still take advantage of all of the fabulous Labor Day sales!

• L.L. Bean- 10% off entire purchase. Go ahead and grab those Bean Boots for later in the year!
• American Eagle- 40% off entire purchase. Code: 74693461.
• ASOS- 20% off non-sale items. Code: SUMMER4EVER.
• Express- 40% off entire store.
• J. Crew- 30% off Final Sale items. Code: HELLO30.
• J. Crew Factory- 40-50% off everything. Code: LABORDAY.
• Neiman Marcus- up to 50% off selected items. 
• Urban Outfitters- extra 30% off sale items. 
• C. Wonder- 25% off full-priced items. Code: LABORDAY.
• Nordstrom- up to 40% off shoes. 
• Bloomingdale's- 20-65% off selected items.
• Tory Burch- 20% off a $300 purchase, 25% off a $500 purchase, 30% off a $750 purchase. Code: LABORDAY.
• Ann Taylor- 30% off full-priced purchase. Extra 40% off sale items.
• Madewell- extra 30% off sale items. Code: BYESUMMER. 
• Joe's Jeans- 30% off fall items and 50% off sale. Code: LABORDAY.
• Gap- up to 40% off and 20% off entire purchase. Code: GAPNEW.
• Old Navy- 30% off entire purchase. Code: SPREE.

Happy shopping!!

The Best Excuse To Buy A New Outfit: Gameday

Football season in the South: where the final score is almost as important as what you’re wearing and your mama’s tailgate looks straight out of an article from Southern Living. 

People from other parts of the country can say what they want about the South, but y’all, they KNOW we do Gameday better. For Modern Magnolias, going to a football game is not only to see the game, it’s the social event of every Saturday in the fall. It’s where we get to see and be seen, so you know you want to look your best while sporting your favorite team’s colors. Here’s a breakdown of some of my favorite brands that will make you the best
dressed college football fan in the South.

1. Judith March- judithmarch.com

via Genealogy Dresses

via Genealogy Dresses

You cannot go wrong with Judith March for Gameday. Classic styles, always with a touch of sass... perfect for every Modern Magnolia. 

2. Ellen and Ollie- ellenandollie.blogspot.com

via Genealogy Dresses

Though I have yet to purchase an Ellen & Ollie dress, I am seriously dying over how cute they are! Super simple, yet super fun, with absolutely perfect colors for nearly any team. And y'all, the founder of the line is from South Carolina! She's a Modern Magnolia for sure. That purple and orange number will be in my closet very, very soon. 

3. Tracy Negoshian- www.tracynegoshian.com

via Tracy Negoshian

The fact that there is a GAMEDAY section on their site... I'm sold. These dresses are not only super cute but SUPER comfortable- which is important on long days of watching football socializing.

Check out these brands and others at some of my favorite websites for Gameday dresses: geneologydresses.com, scsugar.com, sidelinesweetie.com and shopentourage.com (they have stores in Athens, Clemson, Kennesaw, Statesboro, and Carrollton). And don’t forget to shop at boutiques and stores in and near college towns. They usually have the best selection for the PERFECT colors for your team! 

So go out and buy a new dress (you deserve it) and tweet us a picture of you in your Gameday outfit this Saturday (@ModernMagnolias)! You may just end up on the blog! Happy tailgating! 

Stay Southern Y’all,

Mary Lauren

It's Finally Time To Tailgate!

After months and months of waiting, COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS FINALLY HERE!!! Excited doesn't even begin to describe our feelings right now. We can't wait to see what happens when Jadeveon Clowney takes the field tonight- hopefully it will be similar to the last time...

It's still painful/amazing to watch...

As excited as we are for the game, we are probably more excited for the tailgates!!!!!! We've got four of our favorite bite-sized recipes for y'all so you can blow everyone's socks off when you show up on Saturday.

1. Mac n' Cheese Bites

via PantryChef

Time: 20-25 min.
Servings: 48 mini macs

1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for brushing
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. milk
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c. deli-sliced American cheese, chopped
1  egg yolk
1/4 tsp. paprika

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni about 5 minutes. Drain pasta. Spray mini muffin tins with non-stick spray. Sprinkle muffin cups with 2 tbsp. of the Parmesan.  In a large saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in  flour over medium heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and cook, whisking constantly, until boiling, about 5 minutes. Add cheddar and American cheeses and whisk until melted. Take the saucepan off the heat and whisk in the egg yolk and paprika. Fold in the drained macaroni. Spoon macaroni into muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp. of Parmesan on top. Bake the mini macs in the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden. Let cool for 5 minutes. Yum!

2. Tea Time Tassies

via Check It Out

Mini Pecan Pies
1 frozen pie crust (thawed and rolled out into as close to asquare as you can get it)

Once you've rolled out your crust, cut out an even number of squares (about 1 inch squares) I got 16 squares out of my crust. Use mini muffin pans that have been sprayed and floured and form little pie crusts in each space using your pie crust squares. Bake the crusts for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pecan Pie filling:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup chopped pecans

While the crusts are baking, combine the butter, powdered sugar and corn syrup in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring frequently. Stir in chopped pecans, turn off heat and mix well. This recipe is good for 16-20 mini pecan pies, double the recipe for 36 or 40 mini pies.

Pour your pecan mixture in each baked crust, bake for another 5-8 minutes. Let the mini pies cool a bit before removing from the pan.

3. Sausage Biscuit Bites

via Plain Chicken

In case you have an early kick-off, these bite-sized breakfast treats are absolute perfection! (Plus this recipe is SUPER simple!!)

2 (10 count) cans flaky biscuits (Grands Jr.)
1 lb. sausage (Tennessee Pride)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400.
Mix uncooked sausage and cheese gently until well blended. Shape into 40 balls of equal size.
Remove biscuits from cans and separate each biscuit into two layers, making 40 total biscuit layers. Press one layer of biscuit into cup of lightly greased mini-cupcake pan. Repeat with remaining layers.
Place sausage-cheese ball in each biscuit cup.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until biscuits are browned and sausage balls are bubbly.

BONUS!!

via Leanne Bakes

Click here for the recipe for these yummy donut holes! You'll be everyone's favorite if you roll up with these babies.