Hello, hello! How was everyone’s weekend? I’m nearly caught up after our week away at Lake Powell, which was such an incredible time and a beautiful place to experience. Thanks for continuing to read and share your thoughts on last week’s blog posts, despite my absence. I really appreciate everyone who continues to show up here, read, and chat design with me! I loved coming back to my desk to read all of your comments. Today, I wanted to kick off the week with a new Noteworthy post. I’ve got monthly updates, links, inspiration, and random musings for you. Click through for the good stuff and have a great Monday!
As soon as we got home last week, Emmett & I immediately picked back up working on our entryway renovation. Things are really coming along, the newel posts are set, demo is totally finished, and we’re in the process of rebuilding and installing our new stair posts. I’ll work on a proper blog update for you once we get a bit further! Right now it looks like a chaotic mess.
Next week, Emmett & I are celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary! Time really does fly when you’re having fun. If you missed this post a couple years ago, it’s a good one… I shared some things you may not know about us (as a couple), as well as some entertaining old photos. This has been one of our more difficult years, but I feel incredibly lucky to have such a loving & supportive partner by my side. I still can’t believe we’ve been together longer than we’ve been apart, at this point. We’re gearing up for our trip to Italy and we can’t wait to properly celebrate with all the good food, wine, and experiences… we may or may not have tattoo appointments lined up while we’re there. Here’s to another decade of dreaming, tackling house shenanigans, traveling, adventuring, and making memories with my favorite person. If you’re in a long-term relationship, how do you like to celebrate momentous occasions or anniversaries?
I’ve been gathering and compiling my Amazon finds for the autumn season ahead… find them here! I’ve been adding to the list daily, if you’re itching to transition your home for the season and are interested in seeing my top picks.
Speaking of fall on the horizon, Emmett has been requesting all the cozy comfort foods lately. I’m not quite ready for chicken pot pie yet, but he convinced me to make stroganoff for dinner over the weekend. This recipe is my favorite because it’s a bit more healthy, a tad bit lighter, and I was able to sneak in a few zucchinis from the farmer’s market without him noticing. Ha! It’s a good one to save for the season ahead- you can also sub ground turkey or a vegetarian alternative in place of the ground beef, if you’d like. It’s an easy one to adapt to your liking.
A recipe I want to try this September or October? Espresso glazed cinnamon rolls… these look amazing! We’re hosting for Halloween (also my birthday) this year, so I’m going to plan to make these the next morning for our overnight houseguests.
I am not a beauty blogger by any means, but oddly enough- one of my most asked questions is about makeup (lipstick specifically) and skincare. I linked all of my favorites in this post… I’ve been sharing lots of great finds and favorites on my LTK page. If you’d like to follow along over there, I’ve been having a lot of fun curating & sharing! I’ll take any excuse to virtual shop and make pretty collages.
How do we feel about this boot trend for fall? I have a pair of working boots (that I use for riding and working on the family farm), and I have a pair of “fancy” boots that I wore on our wedding day… they have white roses embroidered on them and are actually gorgeous. They’re hard to describe. You’ll have to take my word for it. Anyway, I never wear either of them regularly or consider them fashion forward. Maybe it’s time to embrace them? Are you on board? I can’t decide!
Reading… Things We Do in the Dark
Watching… Hacks (on HBO)
Listening to… Feelin’ Good playlist on Spotify
Eating… Roasted Beet & Carrot Lentil Salad with Feta, Yogurt, & Dill
Local to me, the Park City showcase of homes is currently underway. I’m not sure I’ll have time to visit the show homes this year, but you can tour them digitally online, if you’d like! That’s probably what I’ll end up doing. Emmett & I usually go together and make a day date of it… typically brunch or Park Silly (the local market), then walk the homes, chatting about what we like or could take away as inspiration. Does your city have a designer show home parade? They’re really fun! If you’re looking for a unique date idea, give it a try.
I’ve been a pinning machine lately. Do you follow along on Pinterest? Most recently, I’ve been diving down a deep hole of laundry and dining rooms. I’m hoping the laundry room will be the next space we tackle after the entryway, while Emmett is pushing for the dining room. What would you like to see next? Maybe your vote will help us come to a decision or agree on a room.
Having a bad day? I loved this post sharing 11 simple reminders to help you feel better. I think some of these are good tips for well-being in general… taking some deep breaths, getting outside, putting down our phones, drinking plenty of water, etc. It always amazes me how those little things can really boost our mood.
This is an interesting article on how to determine whether a decor item will be timeless or a trend. What factors do you consider? You probably already know my philosophy! I’ve shared a bunch of posts on this subject matter.
My recent purchases? Here are five of my recent random buys…
- Caraway Bakeware Set // I finally got the Caraway Bakeware set I’ve been wanting. I swapped out all of our mismatched baking items (and organized the entire kitchen!) for this set that stores away so much more conveniently. It’s more compact and saved a ton of room in our cabinet. I’ve been using it for a couple weeks now and love it. I’ve got a recipe post coming on Wednesday for you with a closer look and my review on the set.
- Open Toe Mules // These have been my go-to slip ons for late summer / early fall. They’re surprisingly comfortable and can be dressed up or down. I usually wear them with jeans or white denim for a casual look.
- Cozy Alpaca Sweater // Rather than buying lots of inexpensive sweaters this season (that probably won’t last as long), I saved up all summer for this popular Jenni Kayne number that has rave reviews. It has yet to arrive, but I’ll let you know how it is.
- Black Athletic Swimsuit // I got this inexpensive swimsuit for our upcoming scuba trips (no ties, clasps, or uncomfortable straps to deal with under my wetsuit), and I can’t recommend it enough! You can’t beat the price, the cut is very flattering, it holds everything in, and it’s comfortable. It’s ideal for an easy pool or beach day, swimming laps, or diving. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, fuss-free, classic black suit- this is the one. Trust me!
- Epilator // I recently gave up shaving and tossed my razor for this thing. I wasn’t sure if it was worth the hype (or price), but I’m hooked. I used to have bad razor burn and bumps, but this epilator leaves me with smooth, non irritated skin. I gave laser hair removal a try and haven’t been happy with the results. I’m not sure if it’s because of my fluctuating hormones, but it grew back very quickly.
Alex Boudreau’s Mexico home has me wanting to hang onto summer for just a tiny bit longer. She built this charming modern casita on her own, without the help of an architect… that’s pretty impressive. Consider this one last home tour to scroll, as an ode to summertime.
I’m still struggling with my health and my aforementioned hormone issues, so I decided to visit my dermatologist to treat some bad dark spots and melasma on my face that has been a result of that. She recommend the VI Derm Beauty peel and while my face is still a peeling mess at the moment (it kind of looks like I dunked my face in glue that has dried), I’m hopeful it will pull some of the pigment I keep trying to cover up. If anyone has any home remedies other than floppy sun hats and loads of SPF, I’m all ears!
The magic of Instagram sort of faded awhile ago for me (I’m still mourning static images, ha), but I do love connecting with you over there (despite seemingly constant changes). I wanted to get your honest feedback. Is it still a platform you enjoy and keep up with? How do you feel about the new IG subscriptions? I feel like that may be a nice way to connect on a more personal and approachable level- with a smaller community of friends I feel most comfortable with. Anyway, I just wanted to ask what you’ve been liking lately, on what platform, and in what ways… especially as less people are reading blogs. Let me know your preferences, if you don’t mind, as I’m brainstorming adaptations for my small business. Where and how would you like me to show up to connect? I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
We have a couple more camping weekends planned, and I have to say- it has been one amazing month using our newly renovated camper! We love it so much. Emmett is trying to convince me we should renovate a boat someday. It seems like a similar project to tackle. Maybe if we ever move to a state with more water. Who knows… the camper was certainly a quick project that turned out to be so much more fun than I had anticipated. I’d do it again in a heartbeat! We want to catch the fall foliage in a couple of our go-to spots before we winterize it for the season. Where are your favorite places to camp or boat?
Can I ask one last question before I sign off? If you have any blog topics or posts you’d like to see, please drop your ideas & requests in the comment section below! Are you still enjoying the regular series I share? Do you have an idea for a single post or perhaps a new series? Since our entryway renovation is moving slow and steady, I’d love to be able to tackle topics that are helpful for you in the meantime. Between traveling, packing orders at the Tuesday Made shop, doctor appointments, and renovating… I haven’t had as much time to brainstorm thoughtful blog topics as I normally would. Let me know what YOU want to see and I’ll make it happen. Inspiration always strikes this time of year and I’m eager to fill up my calendar with helpful posts. Thanks in advance!
I’ve got a fall recipe lined up for Wednesday’s blog post, so be sure to check back for one of my favorites! While it’s still very summery feeling here (it’s HOT this week), I wanted to get a jump start on sharing my fall favorites with you (for when the time comes or the mood strikes)! Next week I also have a really fun giveaway lined up. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead! As always, thanks for reading. Have a great day, friends!
