Weekend Reading

October 14, 2017 by jessica Leave a Comment

Dave is forever catching me in the act of snapping Instagram photos on my phone! I was looking back at our travel photos from our March trip to New Orleans (the last vacation we’ve been on — I’m itching for something soon!) and laughed at the “behind the scenes” look at this Instagram. We found cheap tickets this fall to NOLA, but it’d be too soon to go back, right? In any case, daydreaming about another adventure is a nice escape from the crazy busy days I’ll have over the next week. Expect me to be just as quiet for another week, but then I’m anxious to start posting again. I have a lot of ideas in the works!

Weekend Reading:

It’s Kate Spade Friends & Family time! Take 30% off your purchase with code FRIEND through Sunday, Oct. 15. I usually use this as an opportunity to buy my annual day planner (very old fashioned of me). I’m also crazy about these boots. They’d be so good with black tights and a short wool dress. These striped loafers are also pretty great, as is this striped peacoat.
Processed food gets an unfair bad rap.
The Erdem x H&M collaboration looks dreamy!
I came across Lauren Williams’ work last week and I just love her bohemian-inspired wall hangings. I’m also all about the velvet lumbar pillow. What a great way to add texture to your bedroom.
The holidays are going to sneak up on us this year like they always do! I’ve been doing some early planning by picking cookie recipes (chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies are always a hit), and thinking about decorating our house (love these modern glass trees!).
Seven ways to add hygge to your home this fall.
How cute are these bow-topped kitten heels? (The black pair is the best.)
A museum dedicated to the art of forgery.
How Jennifer Fisher packs her jewelry when she travels.
Have you seen this awful hack for making peanut butter sandwiches? It has to be a joke, right?
I’m not one to wear high heels very often, which you know. But these? I want to wear them with opaque tights and all of my fall/winter dresses! (I keep opening a tab to stare dreamily at them, which means they’ll be on their way to me shortly to at least try in person.)

Five Under $50

A sleek shoulder bag. I love the plum option.
I can’t get over how much I love the colors and print of this silk scarf.
Graphic gold earrings are a statement you can wear with just about everything this season.
This smocked halter top is perfect to dress up for the holidays with cigarette pants or wear tucked into bell bottom jeans.
I’m not really a sneaker girl, but I’m loving this velvet slip-on pair!

Earlier This Week:

Missed out on under $400 tickets to Iceland, since I had to ask permission for PTO. Hoping the low price comes back soon!
National Handbag Day is a thing.
What we’ve been up to lately. (Spoiler: buying a lot of things for the house.)

Life Lately

October 12, 2017 by jessica 1 Comment

This is the busiest time for me at work, which I’m sure you’ve gathered given my radio silence so far this week. It’s hard to set aside time for a hobby when a couple of hours to get through a post means I’ll be burning the midnight oil later that night on the work that pays the bills. Instead of staying completely mum this week, I thought I’d share some of the photos on my phone from the last few weeks. Most of these aren’t edited (our living room walls are white and not that weird cream color), but, hey, I’m crunched for time. 😉 And with that, a little peek into the life of Dave and myself over the last few weeks:

Our bar cabinet finally arrived and we couldn’t be happier with it. We haven’t had a chance to style it, but that duck lamp is totally staying on top. (Sources: bar, lamp, pumpkin, planters)
Enjoying lazy weekend mornings at home. The blanket isn’t cheap, but it’s such great quality. And I’m loving my new robe.
Trying on Halloween masks at Target. I’m still tempted to go back and buy this one. We’ve been throwing around a few costume ideas, but we haven’t settled on one yet. This would make dressing up so much easier. (I can’t wait for our first Halloween with trick-or-treaters!)
I think we’ve picked out our wallpaper! We’re going to hire someone to hang it because we’d hate to screw up something so expensive, so I’m going to wait a couple of months until I feel like we won’t be straining our budget to make this happen. (During the flurry of buying things for the house, we also ordered this media console.)
We went out for afternoon drinks last Saturday at one of our favorite bars. While I was snapping that leafy photo, a tornado unexpectedly touched down roughly a mile from our house. I’m so thankful that our house is fine. (It was a weak tornado, as far as those things go, and most of the damage was done to trees, signs, and awnings. Phew.) The shoes are from Madewell and required no break-in time.
There’s a random tomato plant that sprouted up in the small grassy area between our house and driveway. It’s been producing quite a few cherry tomatoes. It’s a fun surprise, even if it’s not the best place for it!
I casually suggested we buy a record player some day so we could adorably play vinyl as we cook together. Apparently when you express an interest in electronics to someone who loves technology, “some day” came awfully soon. Dave bought this turntable, and we’ve now been scouring flea markets and record stores for albums.
That bottom middle photo is pretty much what I come home to every day now and I love it. I love when the cat runs to greet me. I love our bar. I love the floors. I love that piece of artwork … that we still need to hang.
And our couch arrived!

Weekend Reading

October 7, 2017 by jessica 1 Comment

Weekend Reading:

We should all be angry about this.
I take Amazon Prime for granted and order things like shampoo knowing it’ll save me a trip to Target, and I get irrationally annoyed when the shipment takes longer than the two-day promise. But I’m better off in an urban area than those in rural parts of America. Learn how rural areals throw a wrench into shipping logistics.
If a wig is part of your Halloween costume, you have to check out this post for inspiration.
Not a fan of traditional fall decor? Try a rainbow-colored pumpkin wreath for your front door!
This tiered mini skirt is so pretty!
A French brand is turning vintage hotel curtains into chic jackets.
I’m disappointed that the series finale of The Mindy Project is fast approaching, but at least Mindy Kaling promises it’ll be “romantic” and “unexpected.”
Itching for a decent drink the next time you’re on a plane? This book has the recipes you need to cocktail with the best of them while you’re traveling.
We treated ourselves to a turntable this week and purchased this for our first album on vinyl. Record players are adorably pretentious, I know, but I’m looking forward to building our collection and putting a record on while we make weekend brunch.
Thirteen thrillers to read this month.
This DIY will make you look at vintage tables in a new light.

Five Under $50:

A soft-structured tote bag.
Lightweight statement earrings.
A peacoat for under $40? Sold! I love it in camel, but it also comes in blush, black, and grey.
This Jo Malone gift set is perfect for the beauty lover on your holiday shopping list — even if that person is you!
Chelsea-style rain boots for soggy fall days.

Notable Sales

Bloomingdale’s is offering 25% off almost everything with code FRIENDS.
Saks is also having its Friends and Family sale this weekend with 20-25% off. I love these earrings!
Take 50% off of everything at Ann Taylor, including sale items. I love the print on this blouse. Plus, I picked up the sandals I love in black to tuck away for next summer.
West Elm has 20% off this weekend, along with the others in its family of brands: Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Mark and Graham, and Rejuvenation. We’re considering this media console to replace the ugly side table our TV is currently sitting on. If you’re not in the market for housewares right now, get an early start on your holiday shopping. This pouch is great for the frequent flyer to stash away ear buds and loose cords. A plaid monogram mug is practically begging for a starring role in an Instagram. And this faux fur throw in navy is perfect for the most glamorous person on your shopping list.
H&M is having a flash sale with up to 60% off select items. You can’t go wrong with this cute dress.
Take 30% off your purchase at J.Crew. I love this tie-sleeve sweater, this swing coat, and this polka dot tulle dress.

Earlier This Week:

This coat is my favorite thing about autumn.
The best serum for dry, flaky skin.
Style steals under $100 and under $50. (That dress!)

Try This For Dry Skin

October 5, 2017 by jessica Leave a Comment

If you suffer from dry flaky skin, you need to add this serum to your beauty arsenal. Once the humidity lessens in the fall and winter, I can’t escape flaky skin no matter how many masks, lotions, and exfoliants I use. This is the only thing that has worked to keep flakiness at bay and keep my complexion smooth.

The marketing spiel: Formulated for all skin types, Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum instantly infuses skin with essential hydration to help plump and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Its lightweight texture makes it perfect for layering under your favorite AM and PM moisturizers. Hyaluronic acid—a moisture-locking agent—helps hydrate, plump, and nurture. Peptides help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while collagen helps skin appear more plump and replenished with an improved-looking texture. Colloidal oatmeal, along with aloe leaf juice, help calm and soothe irritated skin for an allover healthy-looking and feeling complexion.

My thoughts: I apply one pump of product to my face at night after washing my face whenever my skin looks flaky. The instructions suggest following up with moisturizer once the serum is fully absorbed, but I’ve never done that. The texture of the product doesn’t feel luxurious — and sometimes a little sticky — but after you smooth it on and leave it for 15 minutes or so, it disappears into your skin and feels weightless. In the morning, those little flakes have miraculously disappeared leaving my skin smooth and soft. The price is steep at $36 per ounce, but you really don’t need a lot of product at a time.

Bottom line: It’s definitely worth trying if you also have dry, sensitive skin that’s prone to flakiness.