If you have been following me on Facebook, you’ll know I have been in Mississippi. I wasn’t sure how much I could talk about what I was doing on my blog until now…. so here is the scoop!!

Have you read The Help by Kathryn Stockett? I did and absolutely LOVED it!! At the time, I thought, this has to be made into a movie! So I found their Facebook page, which confirmed they were making a movie, which lead me to a link about a contest where you could win a trip to be on the movie set. With about 2 hours until the contest closed, I entered a photo and talked about how the book inspired me. Never thinking another thing about it, because I never win that sort of thing.

Turns out, I did!! I was one of the five grand prize winners! So earlier this week, my friend Naomi and I, had one of the most wonderful girl trips EVER to the cotton capital of Mississippi to meet movie stars, hang out with wonderful people, and stuff ourselves silly with fried southern food.

This wouldn’t be a good trip with out something happening right? After arriving at the Memphis airport, I find out that my luggage never made it on the plane. What?? A car was coming to pick us up in about twenty minutes and drive us two hours away for only one day. I really needed my bag that day!

My luggage would be put on another plane, but not arriving until later that evening. Ack!! I’m going to meet movie stars and have no underwear, make-up or my high heels!! Noooooo! So that’s exactly what I said to the workers behind the counter at the “Lost Luggage” place. This is how the conversation started in a very southern drawl…

Luggage Lady : “A movie set? Well gosh! So, where you gonna be staying at? We’ll have someone deliver your bag when it gets here.”

Me: “A hotel in Greenwood, Mississippi. I think it’s several hours from here. We actually have to go soon to catch our ride. Is there anyway possible my bag will get there tonight because I’m only here for one day?”

Luggage Lady to Luggage Man sitting next to her: “Hey, isn’t Morgan Freeman from Greenville?”

Luggage Man: “Yes, I think he is!!”

Me: “Excuse me, I said GreenWOOD, not Greenville.”

Luggage Man: “I swear, I thought he was from Greenville, but now that she said Greenwood, I think that’s where he’s from!”

Luggage Lady: “What would you know, you’re not from the south anyway!?!?!”

Luggage Man: “Hey now, I’ve been here long enough to know where Morgan Freeman is from! Is he in that movie you’re going to see?”

Me ( Ignoring Luggage Man): “Sorry, are you sure you got that I’m going to GreenWOOD and not Greenville? I really need my underwear.”

Luggage Lady: “Oh honey, I almost put down Greenville! Good thing you corrected me because that’s a really far drive. I wondered why you would you be going there? Unless they were filming that movie there, because that’s where Morgan Freeman’s from, you know?”

Several long minutes later of trying to figure out where Morgan Freeman was from… I leave the Lost Luggage office more confused than ever, but ready to have a good time no matter what and just cross my fingers my bag shows up sometime that night. I’m in the deep south. This should be fun!

Evidence of being in the south. I’ve never seen so many flavors of pork skins in my life!! ha.

After arriving at the hotel, I noticed a few gorgeous clothing boutiques right across the street. Of course, in small towns, nothing is open on Sunday and if it is, it closes early. I call Delta and told there is no way my bag will get there tonight. Ack! We leave for the movie set in the morning!

Twenty minutes before our scheduled dinner, one of the hotel workers drives us to JcPenney (it’s either that or Walmart) to find some clothes. I feel so much better just knowing I’ll have some underwear!!

As we walk into JcPenney a worker gets on the loud speaker and says. “Attention shoppers, we will be closing in 10 minutes, please bring your items to the check out counter.” Noooo!!! Seriously cracking up, my girlfriend and I split up for a super quick shop-a-thon!! LOL! I think the lady working there thought we were crazy. After 10 minutes, I had a few tops, a necklace, and best of all underware. Too bad they didn’t have make-up and hairspray at that store.

On the way back to the hotel, we got a short tour of the town and saw some antique cars that were being used for the movie. The guy driving told us the cast was mostly gone because they had the wrap party the previous night. It was a big to-do, the town even had fireworks for them!

I have to say Greenwood is beautiful and the magnolia trees are bigger than houses!

We made it to dinner, got to know the other winners and meet the film studio’s publicist. I found the stories about the movie fascinating and the fried shrimp and fried green tomatoes amazing! It was such a fun time, so what if I was wearing granny panties from JcPenney!

Then out of nowhere we heard a loud southern voice say, “Did someone order some chocolate pie??? You better hurry and eat this because I’ve got five kids I need to get home to!”. It was Octavia Spencer, who plays Minny, and one of the producers Brunson Green, holding chocolate pies. If you have read the book, you know the significance of that pie… and this was the pie that would be in the movie!

Octavia is one of the nicest, funniest people you’ll meet. The character Minny was actually based on her. It was a blast having her at dinner.

We enjoyed the most incredible chocolate pie I’ve ever had. I’m guessing it had caramel in it as well. YUM!

The producers are from the area and their moms bring in homemade pies and cakes. Apparently everyone has gained weight from working in Mississippi. After eating this pie, I can see why!

The next day we were off to the movie set to watch scenes filmed with Emma Stone (Skeeter), Viola Davis (Aibileen) and Octavia (Minny).

I’ll continue my story soon… maybe when the movie comes out.

**UPDATE- The movie is opening in August 2011. I’ll write about my behind the scenes look soon!

So have you read the book? What did you think of it?

Be sure to join Amy on Facebook for more fun!
Also, be sure to check out Printables by Amy! Find easy and affordable digital files to download and print at home or at your local quick print shop. Each product is custom designed by Amy, a professional graphic designer. Amy makes do-it-yourself projects a breeze!

I’m excited that  The Celebration Shoppe is doing another giveaway!

This giveaway is closed! Congrats to Holly on winning:-)

You know I love parties and The Celebration Shoppe is one of my favorite party stores! Kim just launched this super cute Little Sailor design.

I also just noticed this new lady bug theme… CUTE!

One lucky winner will get to select a collection from any of their printables!

Enter to win by:

• Go to The Celebration Shoppe, look around then come back and leave a comment letting me know which birthday or shower theme (with or without printables) you would choose if you win.

For an extra entry:

• Follow @celebshoppe and Twitter about this giveaway!  Sample Tweet: Enter to win the cutest party printables by @celebshoppe http://bit.ly/cWfyna (via @livinglocurto)

• Subscribe to Living Locurto – Today is the LAST day for subscribers to get my cute purse printable!

Let me know if you already subscriber or twittered in a separate comment so you can get extra entries – 3 entries per person

Contest Ends Tuesday, June 28th at 5 pm (Pacific) / 8 pm (Eastern)

Make sure you become a Celebration Shoppe Facebook Fan for more giveaways!!

Be sure to join Amy on Facebook for more fun!
Also, be sure to check out Printables by Amy! Find easy and affordable digital files to download and print at home or at your local quick print shop. Each product is custom designed by Amy, a professional graphic designer. Amy makes do-it-yourself projects a breeze!

Woo Hoo! I finally have a REAL web site for my printables shop! Yay!! Now I just have to fill it up with goodies. I hope you’ll go take a look and tell your friends! I used the design from my son’s first birthday for my new “On the Farm” printables and a really cute princess pack is coming very soon!

To celebrate the new web site, I’m doing a week of great party giveaways. Just in time for Mother’s Day!

To kick-off the giveaway week, I’ll be giving away party packs to five readers!!

This giveaway is now closed. Click here to see if you won.

To Enter:

• Visit my new shop, then come back here to let me know what printable party pack you would want if you won.

Extra Entries:

• Subscribe to Living Locurto to get the latest shop news and special freebies delivered to you!

• Join my Facebook Page. If you have used my printables for your parties, please add your photos there. I’d love to see them!

(Please leave a comment for each thing you did, three entries per person.)

Congrats to Kelly O! You won the Scrubbing Bubbles Basket Giveaway!

Be sure to join Amy on Facebook for more fun!
Also, be sure to check out Printables by Amy! Find easy and affordable digital files to download and print at home or at your local quick print shop. Each product is custom designed by Amy, a professional graphic designer. Amy makes do-it-yourself projects a breeze!

I’m excited to introduce you to one of my sponsors Lisa Leonard Designs.

Thanks this giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winners  Leslie & Amy !!!

If you haven’t visited her site before, you need to! Lisa designs the most beautiful handmade jewelry. Each piece is hand-cut, hammered, antiqued and polished sterling silver. I was excited to meet Lisa at Blissdom and received this awesome necklace in my swag bag.

I’m loving her new piece as well. Really, all of her jewelry is gorgeous and perfect for wearing everyday.

Lisa is giving two lucky winners a $50 gift certificate!!

Enter to win by:

• Visiting Lisa’s Shop,  look around and come back here to let me know what you would buy with your gift certificate.

Get an extra entry by:

• Following Lisa on Twitter and tell your followers about this giveaway! Sample Tweet:

Enter to win a gift certificate for gorgeous jewelry by @lisaleonard over on @livinglocurto http://bit.ly/9VSEmZ

(please let me know you did this in a separate comment to get the extra entry.)

**Only two entries per person. Contest ends Sunday the 14th at noon (Central) Two winners will be announced that afternoon. Good luck!

Be sure to join Amy on Facebook for more fun!
Also, be sure to check out Printables by Amy! Find easy and affordable digital files to download and print at home or at your local quick print shop. Each product is custom designed by Amy, a professional graphic designer. Amy makes do-it-yourself projects a breeze!

January 2010 is very exciting at I ? Faces! Next week we’ll be celebrating our first birthday! WOW! I can’t believe it’s been a year already. I can’t express how much fun I’ve had throughout the year. Believe me, you won’t want to miss what we have in store for our party! It’s a surprise of course:-)

This week, I’m one of the guest photographer judges, you can learn more about me (warning you, it’s pretty silly) here. I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve been working on for our I ? Faces theme. One lucky winner will receive a new Tamron lens!!!

Thanks to all of you who have supported our photography community through the year, we couldn’t have done it without you!! Your kind words mean the world to us:-)

For this week’s challenge we wanted to see our logo creatively displayed in your photo. You have to love Photoshop!

* I’m one of the Co-Founders of I ? Faces and judges . No winning for me.*

Come on over to I ? Faces and share a photo with us! Enter Monday & Tuesday. This week you could win prizes!!

Be sure to join Amy on Facebook for more fun!
Also, be sure to check out Printables by Amy! Find easy and affordable digital files to download and print at home or at your local quick print shop. Each product is custom designed by Amy, a professional graphic designer. Amy makes do-it-yourself projects a breeze!