Saturday, January 30, 2021

Saturday Shopping

Happy weekend, friends! It is COLD here so we are staying warm inside, that's for sure! I browsed a bunch this week so I was able to find some pretty cute things! Enjoy!

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Lately

Hope you are having a great week thus far. I feel like I started the week off on a 'wrong foot' because I was LAZY on Monday and Tuesday and didn't accomplish all that much. I turned things around on Wednesday after I basically gave myself a kick in the boots! Thankfully Wednesday was much better and now we are nearing the weekend! 

We don't have anything planned this weekend (shocker). It has been cold this week with lows in the teens which is pretty typical January weather here in Pittsburgh but I am always hoping for a sneaky 35/40 degree day here and there so I can enjoy being outside for a while! 

I've been on the hunt for a dining room table... for almost 2 years, ha!!! My aunt and uncle lent us an extra table that they had and I am using cane chairs (that I couldn't pass up- but they aren't for dining room) around the table. It's been like this for a year+ and it's fine but ultimately not what I want as the end product. I've been looking since I moved in, but not looking 'hard' until the last 2 or 3 months as I'm just ready to have the dining area finished.  I haven't found much I like. I have a VERY specific table in mind. I like antiques and there really hasn't been too much in our area lately and not much even if I were to extend my search into other states. A little frustrating, but my patience always pays off, so I know to just keep looking! It has been fun to browse, I prefer looking with a purpose rather than just browsing because it makes things easier! 

Wearing:
 There are few things more classic than a Lacoste polo. I just got this one on sale and I love the  relaxed fit! I am wearing a size small. I wish were were more colors available, I would have seriously bought them all. A polo paired with shorts or white jeans or even a skirt/skort is a really easy and put together outfit for the warmer months! 

Eating: Do you guys remember the burrata and roasted tomato pasta I shared this summer? I was craving that flavor the other night but didn't feel like pasta so I marinated chicken in an Italian marinade and grilled it and then topped it with the roasted tomatoes from the recipe and instead of burrata, I used fresh mozzarella. It's definitely a summery dish, but oh my goodness on top of chicken it was AMAZING. It was also the biggest chicken breast ever so I got to eat it for lunch the following two days and put it on top of mixed greens (roasted tomatoes and all) and that was also fantastic! But so easy and so wonderful. 

Drinking: This is VERY random, but I went to Target the other day for eggs (you know how that goes) and in the soup aisle, I saw Swanson Bone Broth (chicken with ginger and turmeric). It was in those drinkable cups that you just put in the microwave and then drink from. I was intrigued so I figured why not try it. It has no sugar, the ingredients are clean, it has 9 grams of protein, and it's only 45 calories for the entire 11oz. It was delicious to have as an afternoon 'snack'- almost like having a cup of tea! I know it's really popular right now to drink bone broth, and I am pretty sure you are supposed to drink 'fresh' bone broth for the best health benefits, but this was a good foray into the whole bone broth thing, especially because this was flavored with ginger and turmeric- I think the ginger was the key for getting it to taste delicious! 

Watching:
 I'm currently in a show rut. I have only been watching the OC. I was rewatching it a while ago and got bored of it so I stopped. I picked back up and I'm so into it again. It's such a great show from the early 2000s and brings back some of the more questionable style choices I made back then, ha! 

Listening: There's not a ton on my winter playlist right now, but it's off to a good start! The overall vibe is very upbeat and happy! 

Loving: I saw this Retinol body wash the other day and was very intrigued. I've showered with it once so far, so it's a stretch to say it's a miracle worker but it smells great and worked nicely as a regular bodywash. I'll be curious to see if this improves my body's skin as it has both retinol and b3 in it which are typically face skincare ingredients. 
Wanting: Love this sherpa vest so much! I found quite a few cute things this week... are you all ready to shop spring or are you still shopping for lounge sweats and sweaters? I can't wait until I can wear lightweight sweatshirts, easy shorts, and breezy dresses! 

Smelling: Target has some new candles and I really liked Moss and Ivy, Honey Bergamot, and Salt. All three were obviously different scents but they had a similar 'freshness' to it that felt very spring. 

Quoting: 'Be faithful to your own taste, because nothing you really like is ever out of style.' -Billy Baldwin// See more of my favorites, here. 

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Tuckernuck Online Sample Sale

Tuckernuck Online Sample Sale

Tuckernuck usually does a sample sale in DC each year around this time. Due to the pandemic, they have decided to move everything online,  and today is the day that the sale goes live! It ends tomorrow 1/27 at midnight. You can see all of the details in this post, here

Everything is final sale so I hope this helps you out with sizing and quality questions, I will be as thorough and share as many items as I have that are included in the sale as possible! 

I'll be on stories with a try-on so definitely check that out! 

If you are waiting in line, keep waiting, I got in pretty quickly and was able to check out but I know that hasn't been the case for others! This is their first sale so there's bound to be kinks, but remember they are going to add more items tomorrow, so if you don't snag something today, it may be worth checking out tomorrow once the popularity has died down a bit!! 

These are just things and at the end of the day, it's a bummer, but also, just things!! 

Tuckernuck Online Sample Sale


Tuckernuck Online Sample Sale
Sizing/Fit: I'm wearing a size small, so I would say it is true to size. The top portion of the dress is fitted, and the bottom half is very roomy/flowy. 

Quality: This is a great quality dress. There is not much stretch at all to the fabric, it's a true crisp poplin type material that is lightweight so it is perfect for the hotter months! Since it is cotton, you can dress it down, but also dress it up quite a bit as I have done in the photos above with some statement earrings and heeled sandals. The waist is fitted and also has a tie so it gives the dress shape and is not at all frumpy! 

Tuckernuck Online Sample Sale
Sizing/Fit: I'm wearing a size 4. I'm usually a size 2 or 4 in dresses and went with a 4 in this as it is very fitted. There is no stretch to the material, so I would say order up if between sizes and you can always get it taken in if need be. I'd say to especially size up if you have a larger bust. 

Quality: This dress is STUNNING. The fabric is high quality and very dressy. I think this works as a year-round cocktail dress. Normally I'd say the floral makes it early spring-early fall, but since it is black I really think you could wear it whenever. I don't really think you can 'dress it down' as it's a true cocktail dress! 
Tuckernuck Online Sample Sale
Sizing/Fit: I am wearing a size small, which is my true size. I prefer roomy things and don't mind the slightly oversized fit of this top. It has a swing fit to it so there's lots of room, especially at the waist. If you like something a little more fitted or are in between two sizes, definitely size down. The V neckline is not low/revealing. 

Quality: This is such a beautifully made top. It's a thick tweed fabric that looks a bit dressy but could also easily be paired with jeans and sneakers, too. It's a winter top as it's quite thick and the shimmer in the tweed is lovely. The fringe at the hem and sleeve hem is not sloppy so it really looks nice. The 

 I did an entire blog post about the Easton top that highlights fit and quality that you can find here. It's one of my very favorite tops ever. 

Sizing/Fit: These boots fit true to size and are roomy in the calf but don't fall down. They have a stretch at the back so you get a nice secure fit. 

Quality: Such high quality! The selling point of these for me is that they are waterproof. So I can wear them in the snow/slush during the winter months and they look way cuter than a more casual/traditional snow boot. 
More Favorites
 

Monday, January 25, 2021

What Music I Listen To While Working

What Music I Listen To While Working

I originally posted this in March of 2020, but wanted to update it as this is a topic I am asked about every single week! 

Music is a huge part of my life. It has so much power and I feel that it enriches my life in so many ways. I love all music and I seriously think I could go on a music-based game show and potentially win with all of my knowledge, ha!

With the times we are in now I think music is more important than ever. I think it can be a respite from the worrying and fear and can be a way to uplift our souls. 

Today's post is all about the music that I listen to while I'm working (during the 'regular'/non-holiday season). I cannot work in silence so I either have to have the TV on or music playing, but typically it's the latter.

Honestly, there is likely some music playing during 60%+ of my waking hours. I love cooking dinner to music, cleaning, working out, driving, etc. If you're looking for the types of things I listen to while doing things like that, you can find a great blog post of my top favorite Spotify playlists that I have created myself! 

I do a mix of my own Spotify playlists, Spotify radio, Pandora Radio, and the actual radio. You can find some of my favorite playlists that I have created, here, and I'm linking to some more in this post. 

Cocktail Jazz (Spotify)- This is a new-to-me playlist and I love it. It's just very easy to listen to and pleasant-sounding. 

Dinner Party (Spotify)- This is my own created playlist that features big band classics. It's feel-good but mellow all at the same time. 

Ballet and Beyond (Spotify)- This playlist has so many Classical pieces that you might find familiar. It's great because it's one of those 'set it and forget it' playlists where you won't have to skip around a ton. 

Scores (Spotify)- This is a playlist I made of all of my favorite scores from movies! There are no words in any of the songs and I would say it skews pretty mellow but this is really a hodgepodge of songs. Think Nicholas Hooper, John Williams, James Horner, etc. 

Wynton Marsalis Radio (Pandora)- A jazzy favorite on Pandora. I would just die to see him live. 

London Philharmonic (Pandora)- This is popular symphony music that the general public is likely to know by the tune. 

Dave Brubeck (Pandora)- One of my favorite jazz artists. 

Ahmad Jamal (Pandora)- Another jazz favorite and a Pittsburgher himself! His Pittsburgh Album from 1989 is one of my favorites. 

Kenny G (Pandora)- Some think of it as elevator music, but I love it. It's easy listening at its finest and what I prefer to listen to if I really need to concentrate on something. I love the sound of a saxophone in general. *Some other options with a good smooth jazz vibe and havy sax are: Dave Grusin, David Sandborn, Dave Koz. On both Spotify and Pandora, you can just put in the artist's name and they usually have a 'station' or a greatest hits type playlist. 

Miles Davis (Pandora)- Another jazz favorite. Is it clear I love jazz?!

Nancy Meyer's Kitchen (Spotify)- This user-generated playlist has almost 300 songs on it and I definitely don't love them all, so I skip a lot but this is a fun playlist. It has songs with words, so this is not for when you need to be concentrating a lot. Nancy Meyers is basically my idol and I think this playlist really encapsulates her work. 

Harry Potter Soundtracks (Spotify)- This is a playlist with almost 200 scores from all of the Harry Potter movies. I love the HP soundtracks and I love that this playlist has them all in one place. It's also fun to listen to because I think there is a clear distinction in each composer's work. You get to know the composer better and learn the differences between their music. 

Classical Playlist (Spotify)- This is my personal classical playlist that I created myself that contains many better-known pieces although it really ranges when it comes to composers. I have everything from more contemporary composers like Philip Glass and Steve Reich to historical composers like Vivaldi and Mozart. I used to dislike minimal composers, but I took a class in college focused on them and found a new appreciation for their music. My favorite piece of note within the playlist is the Appalachian Spring Suite by Aaron Copland which is over 25 minutes long (this is his Pulitzer-winning piece). It's an incredible piece and you'll likely recognize the 7th movement as that is one of the most recognizable melodies, in my opinion. I am particularly fond as the piece was inspired by Western Pennsylvania (a different time period, obviously), which is where I call home. Whenever I feel overly stressed or anxious, sometimes I'll put the entire suite on, close my eyes and just listen. 

Father of the Bride Soundtrack (Spotify)- One of my favorite movies of all time and this soundtrack lives up to the movie. It has phenomenal scores but also some great big band classics by Steve Tyrell.  

This is Van Morrison (Spotify)- So much love for Van Morrison and this playlist has all his top hits. This is not a playlist to listen to when you need to concentrate because there are obviously words and a lot of the songs make you want to get up and dance. 

John Mayer Any Given Thursday Album Live (Spotify)- This is my all-time favorite John Mayer album and has my all-time favorite version of Covered Rain (one of my all-time favorite songs ever) on it. Again, not something to listen to when you need to concentrate, but it's easy to listen to and mostly upbeat. John Mayer is so darn talented! 

For the holiday season, I have a post similar to this that you can find, here

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Saturday Shopping

We are off skiing today! It's really cold, so probably not the best idea but I'm always looking for excuses to get outside! At least we are going to get some sun, though! Here are some of the items I am loving from this week! 

Friday, January 22, 2021

Valentine's Day Tablescape Inspiration

Valentine's Day Tablescape Inspiration
Shop the Items:
With not having much on the calendar, I've been finding myself getting even more excited about holidays- even the 'little' ones. I'm not a huge 'Valentine's person' but this year, I'm a little more excited and willing to embrace the festive red and pink colors and hearts everywhere. It's something to look forward to!

As of right now, we are cooking at home. We have had way too many crazy mishaps in the past few years with going out to dinner (and even with takeout)... so many, it's at the point of comical!!! So we have learned our lesson and will be cooking. I *think* we are going to attempt making lobster rolls. I'm not sure what we will have as our sides, but for dessert, I'm going to make the copycat Levain cookies that my sister made over Christmas. I'm actually doing a trial run today because I literally have never baked a day in my life. My mom is going to help me, haha!! 

Anyway, we are just about 3 weeks away from the holiday and I have started brainstorming fun tablescape ideas! I've mentioned this before, but setting a table is a fun creative outlet for me. It's really relaxing, there is no pressure, and overall, it's just something I really enjoy. 

I've been browsing around the internet for inspiration so I thought I would pull a few things together in case you are decorating a Valentine's Day table, too! 

My one tip for holidays like these is that you truly do not have to buy all new plates or really anything to create something festive. We registered for the plain white Wedgwood Nantucket basket dinner plates because they are a blank canvas. I find them SO easy to decorate around. Because they are bone china, they still feel 'fancier', but the basketweave texture lends a casual feel, too. I like that they do not have any metallic on them so they are both dishwasher and microwave-safe.

So with that said, I'm going to design a table around the Nantucket Basket dinner plates! That way, if you have mostly white plates, you can use this as inspiration! I always think meals look best on white plates, too, as the food really pops (but still can't resist printed dishware, too). 

I'm also focusing mostly on pastel pink because you can use pink items a lot outside of Valentine's Day! It works really nicely all spring/summer and even in fall. This floral tablecloth is the perfect example, you can definitely style it for Valentine's Day but use it all spring/summer long, too!

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Lately


Hope you are all having a lovely week!! Mine has been low-key just doing lots of email catch-up, which is always a bit tedious! It was nice and sunny several days this week which is always welcome and puts me in a good mood. I took Henry on several long walks and it always feels so great just to get outside, even if it is cold!! 

I'm planning on going skiing again this weekend. It's supposed to be pretty cold, but it's a good reason to be outside soaking up some vitamin D! 

I'm also planning on baking... WHO AM I?! But my sister made these incredible chocolate chip cookies over Christmas and they were so good, I am going to try and make them. Wish me luck because I'm going to need it. I've never baked anything in my life other than break and bake cookies and boxed brownies, ha!! 

Wearing: I am so glad that J.Crew brought this Sweater back! It's really more of a spring sweater because it is loosely woven and lightweight but the neutral color is my favorite, especially when paired with white jeans! It runs true to size, I am wearing a size small! 

Eating: Trader Joe's has an antipasto salad that is SO good. It's salami, artichokes, olives, red onion, cucumber, and Italian dressing. It is so flavorful and kind of tastes like an Italian hoagie without the bun. YUM! 

Reading: I read this article on the order that you are supposed to apply your makeup. I was so surprised to see eye makeup BEFORE foundation... do any of you do that? I always do foundation first before mascara or anything else! 

Sale: Lots of new markdowns on Nordstrom's website. Quite a few pairs of classic Ugg's on sale... thinking about getting another pair, they're usually what I throw on to walk Henry during the winter months! 

Watching:
We watched American Murder which is just one long documentary and it was really good. I had never heard about it so I had no idea who did it. It is on Netflix and definitely worth the watch if you like murder mystery docs.

Listening: Kenny G radio on Pandora has been my go-to. It's definitely 'elevator music', but it's just so easy to listen to and very calming! I love it while I work! 

Loving: These are truly one of my most favorite lounge pants ever. I bought one pair this summer on sale and I have since been waiting for them to come back in stock. They are extremely soft, wash well (and easily), and are inexpensive. They don't shrink at all and run pretty true to size. They are very thin, not in a poor quality way but just lighter weight than most of my lounge items so if you are always cold, these will be better when the temps warm up a bit. I have them in navy and white stripe but they now come in this really pretty light blue color. 
Wanting: I didn't find too much this week. We are in that 'awkward' period between after Christmas sales and 'not quite spring'. I do love some of the fun Valentine's stuff I have been seeing, though! 

Smelling: Did you catch yesterday's post where I rounded up some of my favorite candles that I burn year-round

Quoting: 'Be wary of people who constantly keep an eye on what you're doing but never support you.' // See more of my favorites, here. 

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Candles I Love To Burn Year Round

I typically burn fall candles and then go right into winter candles September-December. When January rolls around, I retire my seasonal candles and tend to go with more 'seasonless' scents that can be burned year-round. 

I've talked about this before but I am really picky with candles. Everyone's scent preferences are different so this is all so subjective, but I do think this could help for those of you who like a similar scent profile as I do! I wish there were a scratch and sniff option, ha!! 

The words I would use to describe my scent preferences would be woodsy, manly, woody, smokey, warm, musky, fresh, light, sandalwood, citrus, rain. I don't like overly floral scents (I don't love rose, but I do love lavender,) I don't like sweet scents, I don't like anything that smells 'fake' or anything where the scent is so overpowering. 

Instead of trying to describe the scents myself, I figure you all can just click over to the scent to check it out because I am SO bad at describing them. Just know that if they are coming from my recommendation, they have my personal stamp of approval.

Candles I Love To Burn Year Round
Shop the Candles:
Honorable Mentions:

I shared a Target candle in my roundup, but I am always seeing my favorites go in and out of stock and some of them are never brought back! I typically think Hearth and Hand candles are great, though! It seems like our Target has been really low in stock/picked over entirely in the candle section since March, so it's been slim pickings! 

So many of you recommended Bath and Bodyworks candles to me back in August when I was chatting about fall candles, and I am sad to report that I didn't love any of them. 

I really love Voluspa for another good trusty candle brand. If I'm splurging it's usually Diptyque or Jo Malone. The Wood Sage and Sea salt is one of my most favorite scents of all time. I wear the perfume almost daily, even if I am in sweats or pajamas. It smells incredible and truly so luxurious.

Homegoods is another great spot for candles. My local Homegoods seem to be picked over when it comes to candles, too (similar to Target). But pre-March 2020, they always had the best candles. The thing is, if you find one you love, grab multiples if they have it because I rarely see the same ones again! 

What are your go-to scents that work year round?!

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Tuckernuck Online Sample Sale

Tuckernuck Online Sample Sale
Tuckernuck usually does a sample sale in DC each year around this time. Due to the pandemic, they have decided to move everything online, which is SO exciting. I had always heard the sample sale is amazing, so it's awesome that people across the country will all have access to it. 

This post is not sponsored, Tuckernuck gave me a preview of the details and a sneak peek of the items that will be included in the sale and said I could share with you all! I thought it would be helpful to my fellow Tuckernuck lovers out there to share the details! 

When is the sale?
The sale will begin at 8am on Tuesday, January 26th. It will end at midnight on 1/27. You can enter your phone number for text updates (I did that) because those who are on the text list will get a link to shop at 8am, vs. it will be live for everyone else at 9am! 

Will new styles be added on day 2?
Yep! They will be adding new styles on the second day of the sale (1/27). 

Will there be a lot of items to choose from?
Over 1000 things! I only previewed a small selection of items so I haven't seen everything, but what I did see was awesome! 

What will prices be like?
50-85% off. 

Will there be varied sizes?
Yes, but there will be limited quantities of things so if you want to act fast if you have your eye on something because things will sell out quickly. 

Are things final sale?
Yep. All sales final. Whenever a brand is doing final sale, I tend to order the larger of my two sizes, so that way, even if it is a little big, I can always get it tailored to fit. It's harder to get something to fit when it is too small as you never know if the item will have enough fabric to let out. 

Will you be doing try-ons or sharing your picks?
That's the plan! The set up will be similar to how I do the Lilly Pulitzer sales. I will share items I have and love and try some things on Instastories as well and talk about sizing/quality here on my website. I get access when you all do, so I will be updating it in real-time, so just keep that in mind! 

And if you can't wait, there is a TON on sale right now, too! 

Are you shopping for anything in particular?
Yes! For the past few months, I have been keeping my eyes out for dresses- cocktail dresses, evening gowns, etc. Once the world opens back up again and things start to get back to more normal times, we have SO many weddings and events on our calendar- things that got postponed and new things that are kind of just hanging there waiting. I honestly don't know how we will manage it all, but I can't wait. Anyway, I have been trying to wait for sales to snag some gorgeous dresses to have on hand when the time comes! Let me know if you are shopping for anything particular and I will keep an eye out for it and share it/include it in the roundup! I know someone DM'd me and shared that they are hoping for a specific faux fur vest! 
Current Tuckernuck Favorites:

Monday, January 18, 2021

Pajama Sets I Love







Do you wear matching pajama sets to bed? If you have been reading here, even a short period of time, it is probably no surprise that I love PJ sets! I've always had several sets of high-quality pajamas that I rotate through throughout the week, but since March, I have started quite the collection. 

With not a lot going on, I'm often in my pajamas by 6pm (especially right now that it is winter). So, I personally prefer cute sets that are comfortable but also still feel put together! 

Sail to Sable just launched Pajamas and I was SO excited to receive a pair. They are SO soft. They are Pima cotton and just beautiful and so well made. I got the palm leaf print but they also have an adorable navy and white striped set, too! They also offer children's pajamas. 

I got a size medium as I prefer my pajamas roomy in the first place but also because the washing instructions are to hand wash cold and lay flat to dry. I plan on washing mine and drying them on 'low'. The medium is pretty roomy on me, so if you plan on following the washing directions then you're probably going to want to order your usual size rather than sizing up! 

Shop more pajamas I love:

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Saturday Shopping

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend! We kicked off the weekend doing a date night just the two of us and it was great. Today I'm going to be getting a little work done and trying to figure out what I want to do with my office. I keep saying I want to 'decorate' some more, and just never get around to it, so tomorrow I'm going to hopefully start to get a direction to move in! Here are some things I've been loving from this week! 


Friday, January 15, 2021

Organization At Home


This is a very unglamorous post, but I truly love the topic: Organization!! I love organizing and enjoy keeping things tidy and neat. Most of our house is pretty organized and orderly, but I hadn't gotten to some of the drawers or our garage yet, so I spent the week between Christmas and New Year's finishing off the organization of our home. It feels so good to be done, but I honestly enjoyed doing it. 

I thought I would break down the items I have ordered for organizing and go through each one with all of you. It's all on Amazon. It was just easy to order from Amazon to begin with but I was also glad I did because I realized I need more as I was going, so it was nice to get everything quickly so I could continue eahc day. 

It's hard to photograph this type of stuff, because to me, the photo above still doesn't look great, but it is so nicely organized for me! This is my bedside drawer. You can see my bathroom organization, here, and I will do a closet post separately because I feel like that's another beast itself. This is mostly for kitchen/office/garage! 

Here is my routine when I'm organizing a space- whether it's as small as a drawer or as large as a closet or garage:

1. Take everything out. 
2. Wipe down the drawer/cabinet
3. Lay it all out so you can see it all. 
4. Get rid of anything you don't need. 
5. Measure the available space. 
6. Decide what organizers will work in that space. 
7. Put everything back in! 

It's honestly so easy, it's just a bit time consuming. I feel good to have purged items and now every time I open a drawer or cabinet, I am happy! 

If you are someone who loses things, I really think organization could be your new best friend. I pretty much know where every single thing in our house is just by memory just because it's all so organized and every single thing has its own place.



Drawers
Clear Divided Tray// This is the tray you see in the photo above. It's all one piece so you definitely have to measure your drawer to see if this will fit. This worked exactly as I need it, too. It's well made, too. I prefer clear items as I think colored plastic can sometimes end up looking junky. Plus for this specific one, I lined the drawer in an old wallpaper sample so I like seeing it everytime I open the drawer! 
Custom Layout Drawer Organizers// These are my #1 favorite because they come in a bunch of different sizes so you are able to create custom layouts that work for whatever drawer you have. I bought several sets of these because they are modular and work pretty much anywhere. 

Clear Dividers// I bought these specifically to hold all of my stationery. They separate everything nicely and keep things tidy. I've seen people use this kind of thing for clutches or makeup palettes, too. 

Clear Tiered Paper Tray// This is another item I'm using to separate stationery items. This doesn't have to just be used for paper- you could use it to organize magazines or whatever you see fit! 


Cabinets
Extended Shelves// These are great for stacking items. We have a few cabinets where we are able to use these to stack plates. I have a plate collecting 'habit' and this is the only way we are able to store so many plates! These are not the nicest, I want to find something a little 'prettier' but they do the job just fine for now. 

Clear Lazy Susan//I use this specifically for storing Nespresso pods, tea packets, and all of that. It's so nice to be able to see it all and have it turn so I can pick out what I want. You could use this in your refrigerator, too! 

Adjustable Bakeware Rack// This is supposed to be for bakeware, but I use it for large serving platters. I find that when they are stored like this, rather than on top of eachother, I'm able to see them easier but also able to easily pull one out without having to move any of the others. 

Lazy Susan with Grip// I use this for pantry items like olive oil. I like that this one has the grip because some items are tall and tend to topple without the grip! 

Tiered Sliding Baskets// I use these under our sink. They are perfect for holding extra sponges and other cleaning products. I like the tiered design so I am able to use the height of the cabinet, too. 


Basement/Garage
We have a spacious garage so luckily, we are able to store quite a bit there. We hadn't really paid any attention to this space, but over the past (almost) 2 years, we had just been putting random stuff down there. I did a big clean out and got things organized. I would love a custom organized garage space, but for this, I really wanted to do it with minimal spend. It worked out pretty well. It's not pretty by any means, but it's defintiely much neater and works! 

Shelving Units// I started out with a few of these. They're not huge, but they're great for keeping things organized. I bought these vs. ones that you attach to the walls/ceiling as I thought we might want to bring these with us to use in a future home storage area. They're very sturdy and can hold a ton of weight and really worked with the other organizaitonal items I bought below. 

Clear Open Front Bins// I bought two types of clear bins. Both are the same size but this one has a dipped 'open front'. So we use it for items we might want to grab out of the bin, rather than grabbing the entire bin. Ex. tennis balls, extra sparkling waters, etc.

Clear Storage Bins// I bought these for item's I'd want to store where I might grab the entire bin. For example, I ended up putting all of my wrapping supplies into clear bins. I separated it all out into holiday and year round. It holds things like ribbon, tissue, etc. So when I need to wrap a gift, I can just pull out the entire bin to wrap the gift. 

Wall Mount Organizer// This is great for holding things like brooms and shovels. We literally just had them all leaning in the corner so even this little 'fix' was a big improvement. 

Gift Wrap Bin// I had a different gift wrap organizer but it started to overflow so I went with this bin, which basically looks like a hamper you might have used in a college dorm room. It holds a LOT of gift wrap and tucks away nicely. 

Ornament Storage// I've shared this one with you all but this is just so great. It's so easy to put this on a shelf and know the ornaments are safe and stowed away. 

Wreath Storage// I just got this one and it is HUGE. You can fit way more than a wreath in it so I ended up putting our garland in there, too, and I really like it more than a big tupperware container. 

Clear Boxes// These are great because you can stack them. They are clear so you can easily see what is inside. They're pretty large so they hold a ton. They have a gasket closure so it protects items from air/bugs/water/dirt/etc. I keep Christmas decor in these. They look nice and uniform if you have a lot of them all stacked together. They're a little 'expensive' as far as plastic storage bins go, but they are really nice and sturdy. 
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Thursday, January 14, 2021

Lately

Sweater (on sale under $100!)
This week went by so incredibly fast and I'm not really even sure why! I can't believe we are already to the weekend. We had a lot of sun this week and it made me SO happy because we were going on weeks without it. I took advantage and went on a lot of long walks with Henry, despite it still being quite cold. 

The only really 'exciting' thing that happened this week was that I went skiing with my parents yesterday at Seven Springs. It's about an hour outside of Pittsburgh so we go quite a bit when there is decent snow. I actually didn't end up skiing at all last winter because we had so much going on in January/February, so I was so excited to get back out on the slopes!

Wearing: Loved getting this sweater in the mail this week. It's so bright and cheery but it's a nice winter weight! 

Eating: Did you catch my post on Monday with some recipes I want to try this winter?! 

Reading: Home trends we are likely to see in 2021. 

Sale: These are some of my very favorite sneakers for working out and this colorway is on sale!

Watching:
 Did you guys see there is going to be a Sex and the City reboot?!

Listening: I loved Spotify's Christmas cocktail jazz playlist and I just discovered that they have a regular cocktail jazz playlist that is lovely, too! 
Loving: I love beef jerky and sticks and all of that kind of snack food. I have loved Lorissa's beef jerky as you can get a big bag of it at Costco, but I had never seen these beef sticks before. I ordered them on a whim and in true Lorissa's fashion they are SO good. Easily the best beef sticks I have ever eaten. Not that I am on the go much right now, but when I am, I love having a snack like this stowed away in my bag for 'hanger' moments, ha! 
Wanting: I've been craving lots of color. I think it's just the time of year is so dreary that I want everything to be bright and cheery! 


Pittsburgh: Unfortunately, the Steelers lost, but we did get Cucina Bella takeout on Sunday for the game and it is so good. If you all haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend it. Their meatballs are out of this world and I am obsessed with their Noce salad. 

Smelling: Just ordered my go-to year-round candle as it is about $6 off! It smells cozy and slightly manly but also has a hint of freshness to it. 

Quoting: 'Be the type of person that you want to meet.' // See more of my favorites, here. 

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Valentine's Day Inspiration

Valentine's Day Inspiration
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Can you believe we are just about a month away from Valentine's Day? I saw this Dress and it immediately got me excited and totally inspired this entire roundup. 

I am sharing some items to get excited about the holiday. We really don't do much to celebrate, in fact, these past two Valentine's Days have been comical, but this year, I'm going to create a beautiful tablescape and we are going to cook a delicious dinner and really make a holiday out of it! It's on a Sunday so we may celebrate on Saturday instead. 

I'm not a huge lover of the color red, but I do love blush pink! I do, however, think some subtle red touches are fun on holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day! 

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Winter Wardrobe Staples





Similar Camel Coats:
Lip Color (babe- a good everyday mid-tone pink)

I wanted to share with you all two wardrobe staples that I've been wearing a lot, even when at home because they make me feel put together but they are comfortable and warm. Not to mention, you can easily dress the 'base' of the outfit up or down! 

Base Outfit:

So here you can see the 'base' of the outfit. It's just a black Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater and black Velvet Jeans. So in all of the photos, I'm wearing the same base and I just changed up the coat and shoes. I think they are two very different wintertime looks without having to buy a completely new wardrobe and instead just working with what you have. 

All-black outfits are my go-to in the winter months and I find that you can really change up the look quite easily. Whenever I am doing a monochromatic outfit, I am sure to switch up the textures of the fabric. For example, the pants are velvet and the top is cashmere so you are able to see that they are two distinct pieces of clothing rather than just having them run together. 




 

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