Heather C. Watson 12/22/15 Heather C. Watson 12/22/15

5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Diane Sawyer

Celebrating the 70th birthday of Louisville native and broadcasting legend Diane Sawyer.

On December 22, 1945, Lila Diane Sawyer was born in Glasgow, Kentucky to Jean and E.P. "Tom" Sawyer. Her parents moved to Louisville soon after her birth. As Jean taught elementary school and Tom studied law and moved up the Republican political rankings to an eventual judgeship, Diane and older sister Linda seemed destined for great things in bigger cities than Louisville. Linda would go on to become a fashion editor at Vogue, while Diane became a groundbreaking television journalist. In celebration of one of our very favorite Kentucky women, here are 5 facts you probably didn't know about Diane Sawyer.

1. Diane Sawyer was a cheerleader for the The 1963 State Champion Seneca High School Red Hawk basketball team, which boasted future Boston Celtic Mike Redd and future Washington Bullet Wes Unseld.

Diane with her mother Jean and father, County Attorney Tom Sawyer, before the 1963 National Junior Miss pageant.

2. Diane's beauty has always commanded attention. The 5'10 blonde was crowned National Junior Miss in 1963 and Queen of the 47th annual International Flower Show in 1964.

3. She earned an undergraduate degree from Wellesley College. She initially planned to follow in her father's professional footsteps, but after one semester at U of L Law, decided she wanted to pursue a career in journalism.

4. Diane Sawyer worked as a staff member in the Nixon White House. She drafted several of his speeches, and later collaborated with President Nixon on his memoirs.

5. Ms. Sawyer's journalism career has been groundbreaking. She was the first female correspondent on 60 Minutes, political correspondent for several national political conventions, and has served as an anchor for evening news and morning shows. She has interviewed a wide array of personalities, from heads of state to 9/11 widows to Bruce Jenner.

Happy Birthday to an amazing Kentucky Lady. Diane Sawyer, you're an inspiration to us all!

Heather C. Watson 12/21/15 Heather C. Watson 12/21/15

The Best Christmas Pajamas!

In 1823, Clement Clarke Moore first published his poem A Visit from St. Nicholas with the legendary verses,

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

And, basically, ever since, we've associated Christmas with snuggly pajamas that are perfect for late evenings by the fire and early mornings, opening presents. In fact, my goal this week is to wear Christmas pajamas as frequently as possible.

This year, I'm rocking these snow globe flannels from Nick and Nora at Target.

I've picked a few more favorites for y'all below!

Heather C. Watson 12/17/15 Heather C. Watson 12/17/15

Poinsettia + Christmas Tree Quilt

Every Thursday here on HerKentucky, I share photos of a gorgeous quilt that my grandmother has made for me. I love getting this Poinsettia and Christmas Tree quilt out every year for holiday decorating. Isn't it fun and festive?

Check out more Quilt of the Week posts here:

Heather C. Watson 12/16/15 Heather C. Watson 12/16/15

5 Christmas Sweaters That Aren't Ugly

Ditch that Ugly Christmas Sweater for an elegant holiday knit!

'Tis the Season for Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties. I'm sure that most of y'all have been invited to a party or two where the dress code called for hideous holiday knits. Here in Louisville, there are so many ways to show the world that you have terrible taste in Christmas attire. Garage Bar is hosting an Ugly Sweater Brunch this Sunday, Hilltop Tavern and Maker's Mark are throwing an Ugly Sweater Party (with prizes!) next Wednesday, and there's even an Ugly Sweater Run tonight, if that's your jam.

As for me, I like my holiday knitwear to run a little more toward pretty and non-ironic. I like to stick with vintage L.L. Bean Sweaters or pretty knits paired with neutrals. Here a few great Christmas sweaters that will take you through the next week of holiday parties in style.

These Ralph Lauren corduroy leggings are seriously THE BEST for pairing with boots and oversized sweaters. They're so comfy and yet give you such a polished look. I LOVE mine!

This Lands' End Supima cotton cardigan adds holiday flair in an understated way. It would be just perfect paired with a pretty skirt and tights.

This Vineyard Vines Snowflake Fair Isle Turtleneck combines the season's snowflakes with some lovely neutrals.

This would be great with winter white leggings and neutral boots for a comfy yet sophisticated holiday look.

Talbots seriously knocked it out of the park with their holiday line this year. How cute is this sequin fawn tee?

Pair with black jeans and booties for a casual, festive look.

I've already told y'allhow much I love Fair Isle sweaters. This Brooks Brothers Red Fleece sweater is perfect for casual get-togethers with distressed jeans and duck boots.

Happy Holiday Styling, y'all, and just say no to the ugly sweater!

Heather C. Watson 12/15/15 Heather C. Watson 12/15/15

A Good Enough Christmas

An old family photo taught me an important holiday lesson.

The Greatest Christmas Card Photo of All Time.

This post first appeared on HerKentucky in 2012; today felt like a nice day to repost it.

I like perfection.

If things are in their place, we're all happier and more productive, right? Why have a bookshelf when you can have a color-coded bookshelf? And, if every tree is perfect, every serving dish is perfectly chosen, every decoration is perfectly spaced, then we'll all have the happiest Christmas ever, right?

Well, at least that's how I've always seen it. In my head, the holidays take on a Martha Stewart meets Southern Living meets Pinterest air of forced perfection. I want things just so, damn it. I choose a color and a theme for each holiday season, and I like to stick to it. My Christmas cards match my tree which matches the presents. It just looks so nice that way.

This photo is about Love. With a Capital L

This weekend, I was putting up the tree when I realized I'd spent a full hour fluffing branches and positioning lights. To be fair, the tree looked amazing but, you know, there still weren't any ornaments. And then I undertook the Great Wrapping The Ribbon Around the Tree Incident of 2012. We shan't speak of it.

My beau, God bless him, often tries to gently remind me that the holidays can never be as perfect as I envision them. Every day of December can't look like the L.L. Bean catalog, he reminds me, and every day (much to his delight and my chagrin) doesn't come with a Michael Bublé holiday soundtrack. And all I do is wear myself out trying to make it so.

That's my grandpa on the far left with the sweet bowtie.

Recently, I was going through some photos of Christmases at my great-grandparents' house. They had six kids, including my paternal grandmother. By all accounts, Christmas was a big crazy party with lots of family, food, and fun. As I looked at these pictures, it didn't stand out to me that they didn't have a ton of money. It didn't matter what people wore or what dishes they ate from. They looked... happy. They were genuinely glad to be with each other on Christmas. It wasn't forced or overproduced. It was a holiday with family. And that was enough.

Now, I'm not exactly going to give away my beloved Spode Christmas china, nor am I taking down any of my many themed trees. But, this Christmas, I am going to try to slow down and enjoy the season. People and memories are more important than the perfectly decorated cookie. Maybe happiness is good enough.

Heather C. Watson 12/11/15 Heather C. Watson 12/11/15

HerKentucky Great Gift Guide: Lee W. Robinson Company

How's that holiday shopping coming along? If you're like me, the big presents are easy to find, but the smaller gifts are a little more difficult. This week, I visited the Lee W. Robinson Company and just couldn't believe how many small gifts I found. In fact, they have 100 pieces under $100! I knew that Lee W. Robinson Co was known for incredible interior decorating all over Louisville, but I didn't realize that Lee has so many fun items for sale in-store and online. Lee's boutique, nestled in the heart of Louisville's St. Matthews, is a great mix of Southern, classic, and preppy. The Draper James or Lilly Pulitzer lover in your life will love a gift from Lee W. Robinson!

This debutante candle is subtle and sophisticated.

This Santa is a great mix of rustic and luxe.

How precious are these little trees?

I LOVE this raccoon. Can you believe he's under $45?

Of course, we all need a little more Dolly in our lives...

This Dom Perignon box is fantastic for the champs lover in your life!

And I simply adore this tortoise frame!

Thanks so much to Lee W. Robinson Co for sharing their awesome holiday gift picks with us!

Heather C. Watson 12/10/15 Heather C. Watson 12/10/15

HerKentucky Great Gift Guide: Mustache Cups

As Christmas draws near, HerKentucky is committed to helping you find the best, most unique presents for everyone on your list. Today, we want to share with you a great gift for the guy in your life, especially if he's a lumbersexual, a hipster, or a competitive whisker-grower.

Of course, I'm kidding just a little, but the mustache cup is an often forgotten piece of history. Unless you attended Transylvania University, that is. My alma mater just happens to boast a collection of over 300 Victorian Era mugs and teacups that feature little guards to keep the drinker's mustache safe. And, Transy's art department may have just created the world's largest mustache cup.

Professors Kurt Gohde and Kremena Todorova have built what could be the world’s largest mustache cup. (They're working on getting it recognized by Guinness World Records.) See it at Christ Church Cathedral during Friday's Gallery Hop along with other works by #Transy professors, students and alumni.

A photo posted by Transylvania University (@transylvaniauniversity) on Nov 17, 2015 at 12:32pm PST

Why not give the sophisticated gentleman in your life a mustache mug of his own?

Bucardo recently sent me (well, really, my beau) a mustache mug to review. Bucardo has and partnered with the global men's health movement of Movember to help draw attention to men's health issues. Bucardo will donate $5 from every mug sold now until Dec 31st. What a great way to let the guy in your life know that you're thinking of his immediate comfort as well as his long-term health!