What a week! On Tuesday, we closed on our house. It was actually kind of anticlimactic to receive the keys after signing off on all of the paperwork. I think I was expecting to feel intensely elated and while I was certainly happy, I was mostly just ready to move on with it and start working! We’ve made some pretty impressive progress for the first week (after we were able to actually get into the house — some of our keys don’t work and there’s a trick to opening the front door). We removed the kitchen cabinets in the upstairs bedroom from when the house was converted into two apartments, pulled out remaining carpet, removed carpet finishing staples in the staircase, primed and painted the wood part on the front of the house (scroll over to see the original), and primed the railing and column on the front porch. We’ve been working for a few hours on the house after work every day and would like to finish those outside projects today so that we can start painting inside before our floors are refinished in two weeks. And I wish I could say that the walls and floors were all we needed to do in this house. There are a lot of projects that I’ll be documenting over on Curated Couple (and the blog once I have time to sit down, pretty it up, and add content). It won’t be the most glamorous Instagram feed, but I really wanted it as a way to document our progress and our mini successes. In more exciting house news, I ordered this jewelry cabinet for my closet. ::heart-eyes:: It arrives on Tuesday and while it’ll sit in its box in the kitchen until the floors are done, I can’t wait to start seeing the place come together.

WEEKEND READING:

• We’re a long way off from hosting parties at our house, but I just love this flamingo ring toss game! I’d love to spray  paint them gold instead.
• Why has the statement earring grown in popularity?
• Take an extra 30% off sale items at Tory Burch with code EXTRA30. Obviously I have no money now, but if I did, I’d spring for these shoulder-dusting earrings.
• Start planning your Fourth of July menu. I’m all about corn salad.
• Photography tips for shooting in crowded places.
• Skittles gave up their rainbow colors for a limited time.
• It’s not often I fall in love with something from LOFT, but this has captured my fancy (and soon, my money).
• The story behind the world’s largest watercolor painting.
• The best U.S. cities for an affordable getaway.
• Disney has the best paint color for camouflaging unsightly things on their properties.

FIVE UNDER $50:

• An unexpected bow detail in back makes this striped tank a favorite of the summer.
• How great are these raffia tassel earrings? They’re a steal at just $10.
• I love the look of this dress, but Old Navy is always hit or miss for me (and usually a miss). Has anyone tried it?
• This vintage-inspired bag is too cute.
• Update your pajama drawer with this charming set.

ICYMI:

• We bought a house!
• I finally wore the jumpsuit I bought last November.
• Rounding up the best woven bags under $100.

It’s our last weekend of R&R before we’re homeowners! I have packing tape in bulk and piles of boxes to pack, but we’ll likely spend as much time as possible this weekend lounging by the pool and going for walks. We’re not actually moving out of our apartment until the end of July, so we may as well relax before we need to spend every weeknight and weekend working on the house. In the meantime, I’ve spent hours looking at furniture and decor to figure out what direction our house will go in. We love a lot of Scandinavian and mid-century modern pieces, punctuated with unexpected, cheeky or glam details (think brass pineapples, a tufted bench, or this print that I want to put above a bar cabinet). I’ve jokingly dubbed my style “Glamdinavian,” but it totally fits.

WEEKEND READING:

• Are you washing your hair often enough?
• Kayu partnered with Net-a-Porter to create exclusive fringe totes. I love the turquoise one!
• How perfect are these locations for Wes Anderson films?!
• Reimagining iconic art subjects in the modern world.
• To say that I’m obsessed with these earrings would be an understatement.
• Tips to help yourself become more of a morning person.
• Itching to book a trip abroad? Megan shared her guide to Rome and Fran shared travel tips for Ireland.
• Shimmering fabric and tassel trim make this top a showstopper.
• Zendaya dances through nine decades of fashion in 90 seconds.
• This cactus-themed party is too cute.

FIVE UNDER $50:

• Pink satin slides for $20.
• I just placed an order for this dress in the dark floral print. I found reviews indicating that it runs large, which should make for a comfortable, breezy dress on hot days. Plus, the color scheme will transition to fall nicely. (I know, I know. Let’s not talk about autumn yet.)
• A pair of statement-making gold drop earrings to wear with all of your summer dresses.
• Tory Burch’s nautical rope-print scarf is being price matched right now.
• This pinstriped peekaboo-shoulder top is preppy perfection.

ICYMI:

• You have a few days left to enter to win a new phone case! Good luck!
• Wearing a striped dress lakeside.
• A jewelry designer who will help you achieve your dreams of wearing oversize gemstones without being the heir to a fortune.
• The items I can’t stop thinking about this week.

Have a wonderful weekend!

We’re in the final steps of the home-buy process. All that’s left ahead of us is the confirmation that the agreed-upon repairs are done, the final walk through, and then closing day. It’s hard to believe that after a year and change of looking, we have just 11 days to go until we’re homeowners! Though, I get the impression that that’s when the real work begins and the rest of our summer will be spent working on the house! We’re planning to spend most of this weekend packing things we don’t need right now (like winter clothes and books), taking breaks at the pool, and putting our grill to good use. I hope you have a wonderfully relaxing weekend!

Weekend Reading:

• It’s Anthro Day, which means that AnthroPerks members get 20% off full-price purchases. Sign up free here and then get shopping. I’m in love with this tassel keychain and this jumpsuit.
• Serve vegan Greek nachos at your next soiree. (Or just eat them yourself for dinner. No judgment.)
• Add a touch of glam to your kitchen with the most chic measuring spoon and cup sets you’ll find anywhere.
• The amazing amount of work that artists do to colorize vintage black and white photographs.
• This vibrant fit-and-flare jersey dress is the perfect way to freshen up your summer work wardrobe. The print is also available in a pair of statement-making palazzo pants.
• In-flight beauty tips from those who know it best.
• DIY a color-blocked, pom-pom trim basket.
• This necklace is everything. (It’s also expensive, but a girl can dream.)
• With busy days and evening events, vegetables have been missing from my diet over the last week. That needs to change starting today. I’ve bookmarked this list of 18 summery salads for side dishes this season.
• This article about the Apostle Islands made me so happy to read. Visiting Bayfield every summer is one of my favorite childhood memories. (I grew up in nearby Ashland, Wisc.) I take Lake Superior’s proximity for granted, but we should really plan a long weekend trip up north this summer.

ICYMI:

• A budget-friendly floral dress that I’ve worn twice this week.
• This week’s covetable collection takes a moody turn.
• Enter to win a new phone case! (I recommend the pineapple print version that I snagged!)
• Relaxing poolside.

 

Happy Friday! This week flew by and I’m delighted the weekend is here again, especially since it’s finally over 80 degrees and I’ll be heading to the pool with Dave as soon as he gets home from work! But first, virtual thank-you hugs for all of the birthday wishes this week! We spent most of the day furniture shopping for our house. We picked out a couch that we’ll custom order in the next couple of weeks with a light grey tweed-esque fabric and walnut legs. I just love the elegant lines! And then we stumbled across this leather armchair in the “Classic Sahara” color on sale for $700. We were going to wait a week and see if we were still smitten with it, but two beers later I decided that we needed it in our lives and we went back to purchase it. It’s such a beautiful, classic piece that we’ll likely have forever. Now, my willingness to impulsively purchase furniture was partly due to the happy news that the seller of our house is willing to take on around $3,000 of the electrical and plumbing work that needs to be done. There’s still plenty that needs to be done eventually, but getting the must-dos taken care of by someone other than us was a huge sigh of relief. So, now we’re in the final throes of the home-buying process. It’s scary, but unbelievably exciting and we’re champing at the bit to to get our home blog up and running!

Weekend Reading:

• Comparing subway maps to their actual geography.
• I’d like to make this charred corn salad every weekend this summer.
• The psychology behind why you can’t stick to a budget.
• I don’t wear heels enough to justify the price tag on these, but I’m obsessing over them regardless.
• Temple St. Clair has always been one of my favorite jewelry designers, and the fact that she refers to herself as a “jewelry anthropologist” makes me adore her even more.
• It’s national doughnut day! If anyone wants to whip up these coconut raspberry doughnuts for me, I wouldn’t turn them down. 😉
• Marianne looks so cute in her nautical-inspired look. Those sleeves!
• My recent Sephora order came with a deluxe sample of AERIN’s Waterlily Sun fragrance. I don’t normally go for floral scents, but this one is light and dewy and, well, perfect.
• And, speaking of perfection, this mini dress is amazing! I love the flirty hemline, long sleeves for shielding arms from too much sun, and lace-up front. Better yet, it’s under $100.
• Ivenoven, a baker from Jakarta, made the most stunning cakes decorated with frosting succulents.
• A convincing reason to unplug from the office when you’re on vacation.

ICYMI:

• Another year older.
• How I spent my money this month.
• Pairing an easy summer dress with moonstone baubles.

 

I’ve been a terrible blogger lately! I’ve had so much on my mind with our house that I’ve left the blog woefully neglected. I promise that will change after Memorial Day weekend. I have a ton of content ideas that I’m working on and can’t wait to share! I just need to carve out time to actually bring those ideas to fruition.

We had our home inspection on Thursday and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. Obviously an inspector is hired to point out every little thing that’s wrong in a property — and there’s a lot in an 88-year-old house that’s been neglected for 15 years — but it’s a bit shocking to realize just how much work we’re taking on with this property. The good news is that everything we do to the house will be an improvement, and it is exciting to bring the home back to life and really make it our own. But that needs to happen after we tackle some plumbing and electrical concerns. (I’m not exaggerating when I say a third of the electrical outlets don’t work.) But there are also some more fun maintenance projects like replacing the shattered glass doorknob in the bathroom with a new-to-us vintage one that I’ll be hunting down on eBay this weekend. I also had a floor guy come out to give us a quote on refinishing the hardwood floors throughout the house. His estimate came in $1,500 less than I was prepared to pay. Whoohoo! Anyway, it’s a process! We met with our realtor yesterday afternoon to go over the inspection report and the quote from the electrician to decide what we’re going back to the seller with to repair some of these things. And then, I’m unplugging as much as possible this weekend to give myself a chance to recharge. 🙂

Weekend Reading:

• Did you see the Instagrams that Pete Souza posted of “President” Frank Underwood? So. Good. I can’t wait for the May 30 debut of the next season of House of Cards. It’s my birthday, so we all know where you’ll find me that day…
• This dress looks more expensive than it is. I’m debating between white or navy.
• Sure, pretty packaging makes for a great Instagram opportunity, but are we just creating more waste than necessary?
• Are you prone to headaches? Try natural pain relievers before reaching for a bottle of Advil.
• This is totally nerdy, but my favorite post I came across this week was this one on how to change outlets. Our house has a lot of black ones (which I might keep, depending on how they look when the rooms are painted and the floors are done) and outdated almond-colored ones. I’d like to swap them for white.
• This office faux pas is the worst.
• Grace included this jewelry cabinet in her weekend roundup. I’m absolutely obsessed with it! The best thing about our house is the “fourth bedroom,” which is really a walk-in closet in the upstairs hallway. There’s more than enough room for all of my clothes and I’d love to add this cabinet for my jewelry, which you know there’s a lot of!
• Bold stripes make this dress a showstopper!
• Anne’s stylish guide to Washington D.C. makes me want to book a trip to visit again. We’ve been to the city four times and still find plenty to do on each trip.
• Now that it’s finally getting warm out, I’m all about fresh veggies and fruits. I can’t wait to try this avocado and citrus salad.
• This $15 blouse is incredibly chic.

Notable Sales:

• Ann Taylor: 40% off full-price styles, which makes it a great time to pick up summer work wear.
• ASOS: Save 20% with code LIT20. I bought this dress recently. I love the mixed eyelet patterns.
• Nordstrom: It’s impossible to avoid the Half Yearly Sale hoopla right now, but it is a great time to pick up an indulgent piece you’ll wear for years like a pebbled leather bag, ankle wrap sandals, or a conversation-worthy cocktail ring.
• Lands’ End: 50% off regular priced swimwear with code STARS and pin 1278. I ordered a polka dot bikini to try. I’m hoping the high-waisted, ruched bottoms give me enough coverage to feel confident in a two-piece.
• Loeffler Randall: Up to 30% off spring shoes. These block-heel strappy pumps in gold are perfect for wedding season.
• LOFT: 50% off summer essentials. The dress I’m crushing on isn’t included, but it is available for 40% off with code VACAY. Doesn’t it look perfect for summer getaways?
• Old Navy: If you have a Gap brand credit card, you can snag flip flops for men and women for just $1 with code FLIP. We love having these on hand for trips to the water park, so it’s not a big deal if a stranger accidentally wanders off with the wrong pair.
• West Elm: Up to 30% off with code SUMMER. I have my heart set on buying this for our house. I also love the colors in this throw pillow and these brass candlesticks.

ICYMI:

• A pair of pearl sandals was just the thing I needed to fall in love with this dress again.
• Coveting a fresh blue and yellow color scheme.