It's been over two weeks since I wrote a blog post guys. As I mentioned on my stories last night, the house has got me stretched pretty thin. It's like, you know when you're in a spin class (or outside riding a bike) and you're at the top of the hill, and you're pushing and pushing with all your strength to get to the top, knowing that it's all downhill on the other side? That's basically where we're at. Pushing through all the super hard work right now, knowing that the finish line is just a few weeks away.
I'm exhausted, but pushing through because I know it will be worth it.
So, here I am, waking up at 5:30am on a Sunday morning to get some blog post written because in a weird way, this is a piece of me that's been missing for a couple weeks and I needed to carve out space for it.
I recently hired a photographer and it's been a godsend to let Brandon off the hook while we're in house renovations. I was always so nervous to hire someone because I've been shooting with Brandon for 6+ years, and I'm just comfortable with him. Luckily, Laura and I hit it off pretty quickly and have been making some fun content (which you have been seeing a lot lately over on Insta).
We've shot this leopard skirt a couple times now and I just can't get enough of it! It's definitely the most versatile piece that I own. I paired my leopard skirt with my favorite white tee, for a casual vibe, but have paired it with my favorite cropped sweaters, and oversized sweaters too. This is exact one is sold (dress version of it is here) out now but I linked to an almost identical version below. See how I styled another leopard skirt a few different ways here.
Speaking of white tees, this tee is the softest tee I've ever owned. It lays perfectly and has enough material to tie the perfect knot. You can buy it in a 3 pack (gray, black and white) here or by itself here. Highly recommend this tee!
I haven't been buying a ton of clothes this month, because I'm spending on the monies on house stuff. Because I don't have much time to shoot right now, or even much time to write a blog post, I've been extra thoughtful with my purchases. That said, there are five staple pieces I've invested in this month that were absolutely shareworthy, so I wanted to do a quick post below. These items are definitely at the top of spring and summer 2019 fashion trends. (And I'm not talking runway trends. I mean trending pieces that you will actually wear, over and over again.)
I've been investing in interchangeable basics and totally think they are worth the extra money. Although pricier spends (I had to dip into my March clothing budget for these!) the items below will definitely see their pay-per-wear, and be in heavy spring/summer rotation.
Also, hi...clearly I can't get enough of white right now.
Ivory Rancher Hat - This is such a fun hat for Spring. You all know I love hats but was in need of a more spring-appropriate one. I've been seeing this one everywhere and love the fit. It's going to look so good with dresses and booties, or paired with jeans and a fun top. You'll wear this one over and over again, so it's worth the splurge and the quality is top notch.
White Button Up Blouse - I've seen one of my favorite bloggers wear this over and over again. She pairs it with shorts in the summer, or crop jeans in the fall/spring. It's a staple style that I finally snagged and know will wear over and over again.
High Waisted Wide Leg Crop Jeans - If you followed my white jeans saga over on Instagram, these are the jeans I finally landed on. I still may snag a skinny ripped pair, but these are definitely the "it" style of the season.
White Heeled Cowboy Mules - I honestly can't get enough of the mule trend, and there is no doubt these will be my go-to summer shoe. I had a similar woven flat version that I wore over and over again last year, so I knew I had to snag these when I saw them. They also make for a great way to dip your toe into the western trend, if you aren't sure you can pull off full blown cowboy boots.
Coin Necklace - I recently picked up a coin necklace and have been wearing it on repeat. It's the perfect layering piece to any look. I love these ones by designer Meghan Bo designs. Here is the Holy Spirit coin that I shared on my Instagram.
I think I've officially reached the stage where I know I need to be a hermit until we get #FixerUpBehr done. I almost had an anxiety attack last week when I realized how many details I needed to still sort through. This is our first time doing a renovation to this extent, and we are definitely learning things along the way. We should have ordered things ages ago and had our selections ready, but we've been cramming all our purchases into the last week and it's made things super overwhelming. It's totally our bad though because we procrastinated on this and could have had things picked out when we were under contract. BUT with the uncertainty of us even getting the house (see this post) I was reluctant to dream too much, so...here we are.
I wanted to get up a quick post to share some of the items we've purchased for the house so far, along with a few pics to help you understand the vision. This is just a small peak at the overall vision, but if you want to get a better idea of the direction we are going, you can take a peek at my Pinterest board.
Kitchen
source
So far the only item I have purchased for the kitchen is this faucet - with the exception of the appliances. We are ordering cabinets within the week, and this is the direction we are aiming for.
Main Level Bathroom
source 1 / source 2
Sorry if the combined image above looks busy, but I thought both pictures helped convey the vision. We're really aiming for the overall look on the left, but doing a vertical 3x12 ceramic tile surround and wall, like on the right. I've purchased EVERYTHING for the main level bathroom and I'm so excited to see the vision come to life.
I've also purchased these bubble sconces to hang around the bathroom mirror.
For Brandon's bathroom....yes we are claiming separate bathrooms - when you've been sharing tiny ones for your whole marriage, we are frankly elated at the idea of pooping in peace. #ThereISaidIt
Anyway... for Brandon's bathroom, we are wanting to create a white on white look. We are doing the octagon dot tile on the floor and the entire bathroom is already tiled with a 4x4 square tile, so we are leaving that. I ordered the vanity below, that I plan to put gold hardware on versus the big silver plates that are on there. I'm trying to convince Brandon to let me accent the rest of the space with gold faucets, etc. We'll see who wins this battle.... (wish me luck).
I haven't purchased much else for the house yet, but will update this post as I do. A couple other random items I've purchased are below.
Demoing a house is no easy task. We have already filled up not one, but two full size roll-offs, and our free time has been spent in the company of hammers and crowbars, this past month. It's honestly so crazy to get to put your own stamp on something, like we are. Brandon was at an economic forecast event a few weeks ago, and they shared that less than 2% of the Colorado Springs homes were sold as a distressed property last year. That means we were super fortunate to have found one! It's funny because we thought we had everything figured out to a tee, budget wise, but as we have got into the project, we realize there are so many little things we never even thought about. And, of course, like every couple you've ever seen on Property Brothers, we keep coming up with costly changes. ;)
We've been working super hard to stay on track, helping out any way we can to keep costs down, and it's taken a toll on my body for sure. My feet and hands are so dry! Luckily, Palmers sent me their Palmer's Solid Jar Formula to try, and it's been so great to combat some of these concerns.
I've been lathering up with Palmer's Solid Jar Formula before I go to bed at night, applying it generously on my hands and feet. (Yes, I have officially reached my old lady stage, where lathering up my feet and hands before bed is a high concern. #stayawaywrinkles) The cocoa butter and Vitamin E formula provide maximum hydration and has so many uses.
There's actually over 101 ways to use this formula. Here's how I use Palmer's Solid Formula. Cracked heels - Living in Colorado, my heels always seem to be cracked. (The girl that does my pedicure literally makes fun of me every time with how much she has to file it done. Just sayin!) Combine that with long hours of hard labor over at #FixerUpBehr and my feet crave moisture like no other! I've been rubbing Palmer's Solid Jar Formula into my heels before bed to give my feet a nourishing treat.
Lips - I seriously don't understand people that don't have to use lip balm. I am completely addicted to it and my lips are so dry without it. I'm super picky about what I put on my lips too, but I love using this formula. It does the trick and has a delightful taste/scent.
Cuticles - All the sawdust and hard labor have wreaked havoc on my hands! I've been rubbing this into my cuticles to show them some love. Bye bye hangnails.
Hands - Like I mentioned above, I have been so careful about moisturizing my hands before bed time, and I love this product for that. It's perfect for night use, because it's a little thicker than a product you'd use during the day.
Flyways - Believe it or not, you can even use this product to tackle your flyways! It's sort of like a pomade and is perfect to touch up split ends and frizz without getting a greasy look.
Palmer's Solid Jar Formula can be used in more ways than you could even imagine. It's a handy little jar to have on hand, and is super affordable, too. Check out all the uses here, and you can pick up your own at your local drugstore.
By the way, if you're wanting to see an update on #FixerUpBehr, I did a home progress tour over on IGTV. You can watch that here.
If you follow along on Instagram, you know I spent a short weekend in Seattle. We were only there for 48 hours, but managed to do all the things and fill it with so much fun. We walked and ate, and walked and ate some more. Isn't it remarkable how many restaurants you can fit in while you're on vacay? We went to 14 in 48 hours! That feels crazy! (But I'm so here for it.)
Where To Stay In Seattle
If you are planning a quick trip to Seattle, I recommend staying downtown. You're close to all the action, and within a miles walk of some really great Seattle attractions. We seriously lucked out with our stay at Inn at the Market. It was literally RIGHT next to the famous Pike Place Market, and close to all the action. On top of that, the views were out of this world! It's definitely THE place to stay in Seattle, IMO.
I swear Seattle is home to some of the nicest people in the world, which makes sense because you're so far north at that point that you're basically in Canada. The hotel staff was no exception. We were always greeted with a friendly smile, and the bellhop/valet offered us some lovely suggestions on places to go. The rooms felt freshly updated and the overall accommodations were top notch. Don't worry if you forgot an umbrella or if yours is too big to pack. The hotel has plenty and they are easy to grab on your way out the door.
Things To Do In Seattle Pikes Place Market- As I mentioned above, there is so much to do within walking distance of the Inn At The Market. We started at the Pike Place Market (obvi) and got to witness first hand the famous flying fish at the Pike Place fish market. We walked up and asked if the guys were going to do it soon, and they grabbed us and put us right under the action! The fish literally flew right over our heads. What a way to start our trip!
Space Needle - We walked over to the Space Needle to see it (about a mile walk from our hotel). It cost $27 to go to the top, so we skipped that and save the extra cash for drinks.
Bainbridge Island - If you're looking for a nice half day trip, definitely take the ferry to Bainbridge Island. The town is so cute and lovely, and the food did no disappoint (see below for where to eat lunch or dinner in Bainbridge Island)
Amazon Spheres - I had never heard of this amazing place before going to Seattle but it's an absolute must! It's basically a massive collection of bio-domes/life size terrariums, where Amazon workers get to work during the week. They open it up to the public on Saturday for viewing. We didn't have tickets, and it was a few weeks booked out. Next time I go to Seattle, I'm making sure I snag tickets for this. One of the coolest things I ever see for sure. It's like Central Park 2.0 in the middle of a concrete jungle - if you know what I mean.
Where To Eat Downtown Seattle
As I mentioned above, we pretty much ate the whole time in Seattle. Doing a quick google search of "beast lunch downtown Seattle" and "best dinner downtown Seattle" was helpful, but we also stumbled upon some gems while walking around, and were pointed in the right direction by some locals. Here are the deets on all the restaurants we ate at in Seattle. Definitely pin this now, so you can reference it if you head that way later.
The Hart and The Hunger - This is one of the cutest restaurants I've ever been to! It's super close to Inn at the Market, and the perfect place to pop over to for breakfast or lunch. They have everything from eggs and bacon, to avocado toast and sammies. Wash it all down with a mimosa and grab a coffee to go when you're done.
Zig Zag Cafe - Almost every friend I spoke to that's been to Seattle, recommended we go to Zig Zag Cafe. It's located in the Pike Market Hill Climb (stairway), opens at 5pm and has the coolest dimly lit atmosphere. The perfect place for drinks and pre-dinner tapas. (They do serve dinner here too.)
Pink Door - Again, this place came highly recommended. It's located in Post Alley and has no signage. Just look for (you guessed it) a pink door. They serve up yummy Italian fare here, and actually have a trapeze artist perform on Sundays. We didn't get to catch the trapeze artist, but enjoyed our meal just the same. We got a carafe of the house wine, which was pretty good for the price.
Storyville Coffee - We went to the location at the market, and started our Saturday morning off with coffee and a view. The coffee was delicious (get the cashew milk!) and this place had all the zen vibes. Definitely recommend starting your day here.
Biscuit Bitch - All the locals know and love this spot, but TBH I wasn't a huge fan. It's basically biscuits and gravy and that's it. You can order it a variety of combos, but it was heavy and not the kind of place I love when on vacation. If you're into that sort of thing though, definitely check it out. The food was great for sure, just not my cup of tea.
Bad Bishop - We stopped here for a drink before taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island. I couldn't make up my mind on what I wanted so I ordered a gin drink which proved to be too strong for 11:30am. (duh) I'd opt for the bloody mary next time instead.
Bruciato - We all agreed this was one of our favorite meals during our trip to Seattle. Bruciato is located on Bainbridge Island and is a fabulous place for lunch or dinner there. They serve pizzas (that looked amazing) but the girls and I shared roasted vegetables (that were out of this world!), burrata and beets, and flatbread with olives. The flatbread was lightly oiled and had a light touch of tomato on it. So delicious!
Hitchcock Deli - We picked up coffee from Hitchcock Deli, and it was delish. This looked like a great place to grab a sandwich on the island, too.
Mora - Because we didn't eat enough in the hour we were on the island, we stopped and got a double scoop of ice cream to share. The raspberry cheesecake paired with the XOXO (chocolate with cherries) was the way to go for sure.
Shaker and Spear - We popped in here to have a drink, but the restaurant was so full (a good sign) that we decided to have dinner here as well. I ordered the crusted rockfish, which I would order again and again. It was cooked to perfection!
Bath Tub Gin - Located in a dimly lit alleyway (where it's sketchy Af, TBH) this was a surprising treat of a place to have drinks. The wait was about 30 minutes to get in (even with a long line), and worth it. The drinks were yummy and the bartender knew his stuff.
Shugs - Apparently all sugar intake rules go out the window on vacay, so we stopped for our second dose of ice cream at Shugs. This place is located near the market, and the best place to grab a sundae (and even a drink). We ordered two ice creams to share, but the kitchen accidentally made 3 and we basically ate ice cream til our stomachs hurt. I can't recommend the S'more Sundae enough. It was worth the tummy ache after.
Top Pot Donuts - I feel like this is the Dunkin Donuts of the Northwest, except actually good. Everyone told us we had to go here and luckily there was one right across the street from our hotel. I grabbed the maple old fashioned and a black coffee to go.
Local 360 - We ended our trip with lunch at this restaurant, where everything is locally sourced from within a 360-mile radius. This is EXACTLY the type of place I want to go to when on vacation. I ordered the last piece of salmon in the house, for my salmon kale caesar. Order a biscuit on the side.
We had the best time in Seattle, in our quick 48 hours. Have you ever been? Any plans to? Be sure to pin this post so you can reference it for your next trip! Happy Friday!
Colorado winters are long. Don't get me wrong, we get our fair share of warm days and I'm definitely not complaining considering what's going on in the midwest right now, BUT we barely even have a Spring, and when we do, it's usually mixed in with snow days all around it. Still, I crave cute Springy fashion this time of year. Who doesn't? I figured some of you all might be in the same boat, so today I wanted to share some inspo on how to style a spring dress when it's still cold outside.
I've been working my way toward a more neutral wardrobe and steering clear of pastels this Spring, but I am trying to incorporate softer spring fabrics like chiffon and lace. Still, the weather doesn't always cooperate and I find myself relying on layers to bundle up in. Turns out, my favorite Fall layering jacket is working double as my favorite Spring layering jacket, too.
I recently picked up this chiffon dress, which I love for a chic work outfit. I layered it with this wool jacket, and my favorite OTK boots (currently 40% off!) to create a chic transitional look - with all the 70's vibes.
Guys, I'm off to Seattle this morning and I'm so excited! We are staying like right above the market and I can't wait to explore everything. Be sure to follow along on Instagram, and if you have any suggestions for places to eat or things to do, drop them in the comments below!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Gillette Venus. The opinions and text are all mine.
I'm always looking for ways to make my life easier. When you keep your schedule as full as I do, every little thing that takes some pressure off my calendar is welcomed with open arms. That's why when Gillette Venus reached out to me with their new deliver-to-your-door subscription service, I jumped on the opportunity to test drive it!
I always love working with brands that I have used forever, and Gillette Venus is one I have used since high school! When I think of it, there is literally no other brand that I have used so consistently. No matter what other razors I've tried, I seem to always come back to the Venus razor. It says a lot about the brand when you can trust them for that long!
Did you know Gillette was actually the first company to bring razors for women to the market back in 2001? (Also, how crazy is it to think the first women's razor was released in 2001?! Hi freshmen year...) They were pioneers in this space, and have been delivering a quality product for women ever since.
Now, with the Gillette Venus subscription service, I can get the same razors I've been loving for years, delivered to my door, making my life all that much easier. Yes please! With the option to choose whatever handle and razor options I want, with product that ships the same day and for FREE, I am here for it, people! You can even set up automatic delivery based on how often you need new razors, so that you never have to end up in a hairy situation again. ;)
I test drove the Comfortguide plus Olay Coconut blades and I'm obsessed! There's a built-in moisture bar that releases Olay body butters, ensuring a smooth and luxurious shave - plus the smell is so yummy!
Plans start at $10 a month, shipping is free, and you can cancel at anytime. Sign up for your very own shave club for women here.
