The Ballenger House in Seneca

By Laurie Bower Epps

When I saw the forecast, I did see a break in the typical thundershower pattern we have in summer last Friday, so I decided to get out there for a blog while the weather was good. The Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. Since I've lived in the Upstate of South Carolina, that usually means fireworks shows are postponed due to the rain. But down here we just roll with it. Lately, I've mainly been straightening my hair, but with all the humidity, I went with a more Bohemian look. It was much easier to achieve with my naturally curly hair. 

The Ballenger House

Home to the Seneca's Women's Club, the Ballenger House was built in 1925 with not too much focus placed on its history in the Seneca area. However, there is a huge focus on sending local Seneca high school girls to college and that's something I can get behind. As an English professor myself, education is mission that I'm already a part of, and I'm very passionate about the importance of education.

Presently, the site is in a bit of an upheaval. Rugs are taken up in spots, and double sets of furniture are crowding the upstairs mostly. This is due to their transformation as a commercial space. As I looked around, I could see the wonderful craftsmanship to the structure, and I could even envision the classic  venue that it's becoming. The Ballenger House will be available for rent this fall for your wedding, bridal luncheon, business meetings, and more! Plus, you can feel good that you're helping local youth go to college.

To find out more information, or to schedule a tour, go to:
https://www.ballengerhouse.org/

The Ballenger House is situated conveniently in the heart of Seneca's Historic District. If you're a history buff (or just find it interesting), you'll be pleased to know that they're also adding a gift shop. Now if the interiors of the past influence you, they've even got you covered there. On July 13th, they'll be having a rummage sale with everything from end tables, to area rugs, paintings, and even a piano! I will definitely be featuring the sale on my writer page on Facebook in early July.

Fashion

I'm not sure what it is, but every time I wear a floral pant, I get tons of compliments. Especially popular is this happy daisy print from Old Navy that was a steal! Now that Old Navy has expanded to offer plus sizes through size 5X, I just wanted to look around and found this cheerful pair that was only  $13. I know that the trend is pattern with pattern, but I just wasn't feeling like the pattern combos I was seeing fit my personality. When shopping one day at Dillard's, I saw this breezy top from I.N. Studio Woman high on the wall. I beelined to it knowing that it would match perfectly. My top even came with the necklace! As predicted, this blouse does move a lot for a perfectly breezy effect. It felt like I had wings. My white slide mules are from Sketchers so they're more comfortable than your average wedges. I bought them at Rack Room Shoes, I do shop there a lot for shoes, so that my daughters and I can all look for shoes at the same time. I finished off my look with my dove grey purse from Simply Vera (Vera Wang) which is available at Kohl's (not pictured).

If you're going to be in Seneca, SC this little gem is well worth the visit. The President and docent were delightful. If you're planning an event and you're fairly local, I'd implore you to give this venue some careful consideration. As you can see, the Ballenger House is extremely photogenic, and this was even during transition! The cool breezes on a very warm summer day were just glorious under the canopy of trees near the front porch. So capture a little air in your sleeves and a smile. They'll be sure to bless your little heart, and serve your guests with refreshing sweet tea.

Until next time fashion-love's, 

Stay fashionable and be blessed.

Happy Birthday America!