Happy Sunday and happy December if you can even believe it! We spent the week catching up from Thanksgiving week and now we are in prep mode for our winter break that Emily so GENEROUSLY gives us at the end of each year. Well actually, Caitlin is currently on her way to her annual bucket list adventure! Fingers crossed we have an exciting blog post to recap like last year🙂 Ok, links?
This week’s house tour is another stunning kitchen by the one and only deVOL. This kitchen is calm, grand, and full of character. That island is clearly the true star but the pendants and mouldings are stealing our hearts too! To see even more photos head here.
From Emily: When it comes to decorating outside of our house it’s really hard for me to put in too much of an effort because we aren’t on a street – i.e. no one sees our house besides us and friends when they come over. But I wanted something, it just needed to be easy and high-impact. Since our house is bright white we went with colorful lights (and we love them, although they are certainly bright) and then I bought what I think are the best inflatable ball ornaments on the market. I love these because they have a real-looking top (versus just being inflatable) and honestly they do not look like they are inflatables, they look like large round ball sculptures. I can use them every year (they are a bit of an upfront investment, ranging from $35-$49 each). But the kids love them, they were SO EASY and I think pop so well in our yard. 10/10 recommend.
From Gretchen: My friend is in town staying with me to celebrate her birthday and when she crashes here she requires three very specific things to make her stay comfortable: the squishiest of pillows off of my bed (I like a flat pillow, so this works out), a table or surface big enough to do a 1000 piece puzzle, and a very specific sleeping eye mask of mine I bought a few years ago from Ban.do. It’s slightly padded, very silky, and is embroidered with the phrase “HAPPY PLACE”. Since she’s visiting for her birthday, it only felt right to gift her an eye mask of her very own and thankfully Ban.do still carries them, just with different embroidery. I snagged this “Greetings From Paradise” mask for her because she loves the color green and sleeping is her favorite form of vacation. We can both attest to the comfort level of this mask (it’s like wearing a pillow on your face) and I just can’t get over how cute the design is. A great gift for the nap-lover in your life and currently on sale!
From Jess: If you’re looking for a funny but thoughtful podcast that’s all about modern dating may I introduce you to the U Up? podcast hosted by Betches cofounder, Jordana Abraham, and comedian, Jared Freid. You definitely don’t have to be single to enjoy it but if you are, you will absolutely relate:) I love their dynamic, I love when they open up, and I’m never not having a great time when I’m listening (which is most of the time right now since they have I think 7 years of episodes. The dream!).
Also From Jess: If you’ve also fallen in love with all of Emily’s striped velvet pillows (like these, this one, or this one), I happened upon this VERY affordable option while Black Friday shopping. It’s not an exact dupe but it’s totally the vibe and looks much more expensive than it is.
Jess here! So we had planned to do a full-on coworker/neighbor gift guide for this week but given that we just had the biggest sale weekend of the year and there has been no shortage of gift guides on the internet, we thought we’d pass, especially since Arlyn did such a cute, thoughtful one that was less product focused on Thursday. But as a gift guide fan myself and someone who technically already started pinning for coworker/neighbor guide I thought I’d share just a handful of great AFFORDABLE ideas I really loved in time for your holiday parties (these should all ship really fast too). Plus, Gretchen had already made that super cute opener for the original post, and the world needed to see it! Ok, here we go:
Small Pillar Candle | Brown Marble Vanity Tray | Terracotta Tray ($15)
The first item is that very cool pillar candle from H&M and it’s only $15 (there’s a green one too!)! To me it’s a win/win, you either get a non-designy person something cool but not too flashy for their desk or home OR this is an affordable piece a design-loving coworker will love! Plus, since it’s a candle it’s not something they have to keep forever if they want to light it (and not use it more as an art object). If you want to up the ante, I love the idea of adding a small stone tray like the one in the middle (only $17). This is a chic and affordable gift set they can put anywhere in their home but is also a great addition to a desk. But an extra cool catchall tray/bowl like the one on the far right as a stand-alone gift is so fun. It’s only $15 and is something that someone might see and like but never think they “need”:) Caitlin got me something similar a few years ago and I love it! It’s in my living room as I type.
Pout Preserve Hydrating Peptide Lip Treatment ($22) | Graza Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Finishing Oil ($18)
Ok, I’ve been using this lip treatment/gloss for about a month now and it’s THE BEST. It keeps my lips so moisturized (something they usually aren’t) and they legit look fuller if I’m consistent with it but doesn’t have that annoying “lip plumping” burn (IYKYK). I forgot it in my car when I left for Thanksgiving in Santa Fe (aka the desert) and let’s just say I was begging for it when I returned. It may seem like a small gift, but your makeup-wearing friend or coworker will thank you forever. It’s that good. Then a gift that is consumable and everyone will love is a great olive oil. This one is a finishing oil but this brand has a cooking oil too (and the branding is so fun!). There’s a variety pack of both for $40 if you have a bigger budget but adding a good salt is also a perfect way to make it a little bit of a bigger gift!
Trigger Point Massage Tool ($22) | Apple AirTag (1 Pack for $30)
Another gift that people likely won’t buy for themselves but will LOVE when they get is this trigger point massage tool. I have it, my dad has it, and a sweet reader even emailed me about it when she read that my dad deals with back pain. Needless to say, it’s great! This is also kind of a perfect gift to give to a coworker since they likely sit in a chair a good chunk of the day and would love a little after-work back massage. Oh, and this magic contraption is only $22! It’s also a great white elephant gift:) Lastly, I chose an Apple AirTag. This one is the most expensive on the list at $30 but I would LOVE to get this. It’s so practical, not too big, and they’ll never lose their keys, suitcase, or whatever else they use it for again. They might even call you a hero;)
Well, that concludes our mini coworker gift guide. Hope it helps and back to The Link Up! P.S. Mal’s link would also make a great coworker gift too.
From Mallory: I recently snagged this personalized Airpod case and LOVE IT. It comes in lots of colors (I got it in black) and I love how chick it looks (especially paired with my black leather purse, ya feel??) It would make an excellent gift for someone (or for yourself)!!
One of our favorites, Dabito, did an awesome collab with Brooklinen!! The patterns are fun yet the colors are super versatile. But of course, there had to be an awesome pop of color with that great mustard throw. Go check it all out here and below are some of our favs. Congrats, Dabito!
Dabito Luxe Sateen Reversible Duvet Set | Dabito Dreamweave Waffle Throw Blanket | Dabito Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set
From Caitlin: The best part about having a boyfriend with a Criterion Channel subscription is that sometimes, you’ll be sitting and feeling restless on a Sunday night, and he’ll pose a question like, “hey, do you want to watch a documentary about the people who make 85% of the world’s carpets, including all of the crazy psychedelic patterned ones that coat hotels and airports and city busses and such?” and then suddenly, 90 minutes have passed, and you’re staring at the screen, mouth agape and in awe, because 90 minutes was NOT ENOUGH TIME. Y’all, I am begging you to add Carpet Cowboys to your to-be-watched list. I wish it had been made into a series – it captured an incredible slice of life in Dalton, GA. I loved it. (PS. Highly recommend a Criterion Channel subscription for the cinephile in your life. It’s a great last-minute gift!)
Also From Caitlin: I bought this cherry red sweater on Black Friday and I LOVE IT. It’s a little lighter than I’d anticipated, but it works in my favor as the drape and movement are really, REALLY pretty. A lot of my sweaters leave me feeling a bit like the Michelin man – thick and dense, you know? – but this one is the perfect weight to wear year-round. I’ll be living out of a carry-on for the next 3 weeks, and it made the final cut for my travel capsule wardrobe – I swear, it’s that good. 100% merino wool, too!
From Arlyn: Since I had my daughter almost three years ago, I’ve struggled to find a way back to myself in a lot of ways, especially when it came to how I thought about my body and just general well-being. After a conversation with a mom friend about this topic, she told me she had started seeing a dietician that was more therapy than meal plan and it sounded like something that might be beneficial to me. I had worked with a nutritionist in the past that kind of just put me on a calorie deficit, told me to track my food, gave me some tips (that I already knew because I do know a lot about food and nutrition) and it just wasn’t what I needed. I signed up for Dietician Live in early October and it has been so eye-opening for me. The dietician I got paired with is so wonderful, and we get a 1-hour block every week to talk virtually. Set goals, talk through any of my mental blocks (there are many), and just generally have someone holding me gently accountable and helping me completely change the way I think about food and weight loss. I realize this sounds kind of like a weird paid promotion, but it 100% is not. I was able to process it through my insurance, and it’s fully covered under preventative care. I’m SO happy and cared for, and just wanted to tell everyone here in case you’re looking to add someone to your health team. The second part of my recommendation is this recipe she shared with me that I’ve made on repeat the last few weeks to satisfy my need for daily chocolate intake. These black bean brownies are RIDICULOUSLY good, full of fiber and protein, and don’t have any “fake” ingredients like artificial sweeteners or protein powders. My daughter and I are obsessed with them, and I know you will be, too.
Thanks for stopping by and hanging out with us! See you all tomorrow. xx
Opening Image Credits: Photo via deVOL
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