Happy Birthday, Miss Dolly!

(This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small per-click commission on some product links at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting HerKentucky.com!)

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born January 19, 1946 in Sevier County, Tennessee, the fourth of twelve children born to a subsistence farm family.  Dolly's family may have been poor, but she had dreams of doing something great. "I went to bed hungry many nights as a child," she's said. "It was a Dream that dressed me up when I was ragged, and it was a Dream that filled me up when I was hungry. Now it's my Dream to see that no child in this world ever goes hungry." When Dolly began making money as a singer and songwriter, she and her husband Carl Dean provided for her younger siblings. As much as her prolific songwriting career -- she just was awarded two Guinness World Records for her long-lived success -- Dolly is known for her amazing sense of humor, over-the-top style, and her kindness. 

Now, y'all know that I'm basically obsessed with Dolly not only because of her amazing songs (Jolene is my favorite!) and her amazing films (9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias both had a huge impact on my early life!) but also because of her graciousness and kindness. I love that she's embraced all her fans and made Dollywood an inclusive, LGBT-friendly workplace. I love that she's providing preschool children around the world with books through the Imagination Library. And I love that she never forgets where she came from. Robert Harling, who wrote Steel Magnolias, recently recalled Dolly's amazing attitude on the film's set in a Garden and Gun article. While the film's other ladies were complaining about wearing heavy Christmas sweaters in the Louisiana heat, Dolly kept her cool, both proverbially and literally:" The women were dressed for Christmas, and Dolly was sitting on the swing. She had on that white cashmere sweater with the marabou around the neck, and she was just swinging, cool as a cucumber. Julia said, 'Dolly, we’re dying and you never say a word. Why don’t you let loose?' Dolly very serenely smiled and said, 'When I was young and had nothing, I wanted to be rich and famous, and now I am. So I’m not going to complain about anything.'" I mean, that's a lesson we could all take to heart: remembering the blessings we actually have.

Draper James Dolly Tee

To celebrate Dolly's birthday, our friends at Draper James are donating all of their online and in-store proceeds for the day to Dolly's Imagination Library. Y'all, this is seriously one of the coolest initiatives ever. Miss Dolly founded the Imagination Library in 1995 to provide books to the children of her hometown Sevierville, Tennessee. Dolly's mission to ensure that children had access to high-quality, age-appropriate books, regardless of household income, was designed to honor her own father, whose circumstances in the Appalachian hills of Tennessee led to his never learning to read or write. Over the past 22 years, the Imagination Library has mailed more than 100 million books to children in Australia, Belize, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. This service is completely free to the recipients, y'all! Over 1600 communities are served, and over 1.1 million children have registered! Here in Kentucky, there are over fifty Imagination Library affiliate programs. You can register your child aged 2-5, regardless of household income, if you live in an area supported by the Imagination Library. 

I LOVE my What Would Dolly Do tee from Draper James, and I want the tote bag so badly. Celebrating Dolly's birthday AND helping kids have access to books sounds like a win-win reason to order it, doesn't it?

Do y'all love Dolly as much as I do? Tell me your favorite Dolly song or role in the comments below! 

What to Buy on the L.L. Bean Winter Sale!

(This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small per-click commission on some product links at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting HerKentucky.com!)

I love L.L. Bean, especially in the winter. Their footwear, flannel, and pajamas really are the best I've found.  And, through tomorrow (Thursday the 4th), L. L. Bean has an additional 25% off all sale prices! I love this sale because there are so many things that you can use right now! Here are my picks for stocking up!

Slippers and House Shoes

Bean's slippers are the absolute best. I got Bob a pair of the flannel-lined leather slippers for Christmas; they've been the perfect thing for this cold weather snap! I've had my Wicked Good Camp Moccasins for a couple of winters now -- it might be time to stock up on a new pair!

Tote Bags

I love the open-top Boat & Tote for carrying odd- or over-sized items, or for daily errands. Order one to keep in your car. Trust me, it will cut the time you spend toting groceries/ Target run purchases in half! The Large bag in Mulberry is under $30!

Tees and Tanks

I LOVE the Unshrinkable Layering Tank. I have this in white and grey, and I wear it under everything from sundresses to sweaters. You can always use a few more plain tees to wear under sweaters and sweatshirts!

This sale is great, and it's made even better by Bean's free shipping! Let me know if you find any good deals - but don't forget it ends soon!

Pumpkin-Peanut Butter Dog Treats and the Draper James #BeKindYall Challenge!

These cookies are Sophie-certified

The recipe I'm most frequently asked to share is for my homemade dog treats. They're full of pumpkin and peanut butter, and dogs go crazy for them!  I adapted the recipe from this one to make a double batch and amp up the pumpkin and PB goodness. This morning, I decided to bake a batch for my own dog, and to share with my friends' dogs. My friend Ashley just adopted a precious senior beagle from the Kentucky Humane Society (that story is coming soon!) and Cathy's Willie is recovering from severe leg injuries. Since our crazy dog lady crew has eight dogs among the three of us, it seemed like a great time to make a big batch of dog treats! Here's the recipe for you to print out for yourself! (Just make sure your friends' dogs can tolerate wheat! It's a pretty common allergy!)

View recipe on Kulinarian.com

It just happened that, as these treats were cooling this morning, my Draper JamesBe Kind, Y'all tote bag arrived, along with the #bekindyall challenge card. I love this idea: simple ways that you can make someone's day a little better. You'll notice that I may have edited my challenge just a bit! 

I have to say that this challenge has inspired me to find more ways to do small everyday things to be kind to others. I plan to use this tote to carry donations to the food bank donation bin at my local grocery store and dog toys to my humane society. I also plan to keep out some notecards to drop notes to friends more frequently. Thanks so much to Draper James for the important reminder to be kinder! (Click here for $20 off your next Draper James online order!)

How do y'all plan to be kind today?

Why Do We Wear Hats to the Kentucky Derby?

Did you ever wonder why we wear elaborate hats to the Kentucky Derby? Well, the history of the Kentucky Derby goes back to the Derby Stakes in Britain, known here in the States as the Epsom Derby. The Epsom Derby was first run in 1780 and is the highest-purse horse race in Britain. 

In 1873, Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. visited Europe, taking in the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp. He returned home to Louisville and organized the race now known as the Kentucky Derby, looking toward these races for inspiration for track design, race length and other details. When the Kentucky Derby began in 1875, Kentucky ladies wore their finest to the races, just as their British counterparts did. Of course, in those days, finery included a chapeau, and the tradition stuck.

Kentucky Derby 1938. via The Huffington Post.

These days, a Derby Hat is the first thing most ladies look for when they make place for the big race. Kate Welsh, co-owner of The Hat Girls, the Official Hat Designers of the Kentucky Derby Festival, says "Sixty percent of our business is custom work, which wasn’t in our original business plan. We find that, typically, a lady wants to pick out her clothes around the hat. Others want a custom design made from dresses they’ve already picked out."

Of course, there's a fine line between a dramatic hat and one that's too comfortable for race day wear. Kate Welsh says "We’re very honest with customers about what works for them. People try the hats on, and they don’t always realize that an adjustable hat brim only helps them so much. As designers, we try to limit how many feathers or sequins we add to the hat so thatit’s not sagging down into the customer’s face."

Rachel Bell, Ms. Welsh's Hat Girls partner, notes that their designs do strike a balance between practicality and flair. "But, at the same time, the hat usually is the focal point of the outfit." 

Kate Walsh of The Hat Girls shows a hat that was custom-made to match a client's Derby Dress.

Whether your preferred look is a practical fascinator or a show-stopping chapeau, you can thank the Derby's English roots -- and especially Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr's trip to Epsom -- for the tradition of Kentucky Derby Hats.

Want to learn more about the Kentucky Derby's history? Download The Kentucky Derby by Bill Doolittle, now in eBook format, on Amazon or iBooks. 

Vineyard Vines 2017 Kentucky Oaks Collaboration With Norton Cancer Institute

In recent years, Kentucky Oaks Day has become a celebration of survivors of breast and ovarian cancers. There's a beautiful symmetry to the fact that the most important fillies race of the horse racing year celebrates some of the strongest and most resilient women in the Commonwealth. I can't get enough of the Survivors Parade -- I only wish more Kentucky women were able to participate -- and I can't get enough of the pink hues that paint the track on Oaks Day.

I was thrilled to learn that, this year, Vineyard Vines has teamed with the Norton Cancer Institute here in Louisville to help some Oaks Day attire make a difference. Twenty percent of the purchase price of the Pink Lillies tie, Pink Lillies bow tie, and Run for the Roses scarf will go to the Norton Cancer Institute. It's so wonderful to see a contribution that goes directly to patient care, right here in the Derby City. I thought my Derby week wardrobe was already selected, but since I learned about this partnership, I feel like one more scarf might be in order... 

I was thrilled to learn that, this year, Vineyard Vines has teamed with the Norton Cancer Institute here in Louisville to help some Oaks Day attire make a difference. Twenty percent of the purchase price of the Pink Lillies tie, Pink Lillies bow tie, and Run for the Roses scarf will go to the Norton Cancer Institute. It's so wonderful to see a contribution that goes directly to patient care, right here in the Derby City. I thought my Derby week wardrobe was already selected, but since I learned about this partnership, I feel like one more scarf might be in order... 

(This post contains no affiliate links, sponsorships, or other forms of remuneration; I simply want to get the message out about benefitting a crucial, life-saving resource in my city. These products are a lovely way to make a difference this Derby season!)

Cat Studio Keeneland and Kentucky Derby Pillows

Yesterday, I attended an event at Keeneland, and simply fell in love with the new Keeneland embroidered pillow designed by Cat Studio and available exclusively at the Keeneland Gift Shop.

Photo via Keeneland Gift Shop.

Cat Studio pillows have always been a decor #goal of mine. There are so many great designs from which to choose!

If you're a Derby fan, the Kentucky Derby pillow is available at the Kentucky Derby Museum.

You can order the Kentucky state pillow here.

This UK Pillow is available locally at Two Chicks & Company!

Cat Studio has the Cards fans covered, too! 

A Cat Studio pillow would be such a fantastic housewarming gift or a nice reminder of home for a Kentucky expatriate. Which design is your favorite?

Vineyard Vines Ties for Spring!

The spring social season is in full bloom, and it feels like we're all planning our spring wardrobes. What should I wear to Keeneland? For holiday services? For spring weddings?  
Here's a quick roundup of some adorable Vineyard Vines ties that will get the guy in your life ready for spring festivities.

For Easter Sunday

If you're a golf or basketball fan, then you probably love Jim Nantz. Even if you don't plan vacation days around the Masters or the NCAA tournament like we do here at HerKentucky HQ, you have to love the message behind the Jim Nantz Forget-Me-Knot Tie. Twenty percent of all proceeds go to the Nantz National Alzheimer Center at Houston Methodist Hospital.

For Keeneland's Opening Weekend

I love this tie from the Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby Collection. It looks so perfect for Keeneland's Spring Meet!

For the Dog Lover

I LOVE this Vineyard Vines tie for anyone who has a Black Lab in their life. (Pretty sure Bob's going to need this one!)

For the UK Fan

You can never go wrong with Kentucky Blue!

For the Bourbon Lover

This mint julep tie is perfect for Derby season!

Happy Spring, y'all!