Noteworthy
It’s already time for a new Noteworthy post! Summer seems to be flying by. I can’t believe we’re almost to September… although I’m welcoming fall with open arms. It has felt too hot in Utah lately and I’m craving crisp, cool weather, sweaters, and all of the things that accompany autumn. We’ve been working on lots of exciting projects this month and I’ve been stockpiling inspiration. You know the drill… click through for renovation updates, recent purchases, links I loved this month, life happenings, and more!
The renovating update looks about the same as it did in my last Noteworthy post. We’re still working on the shed and the guest bedroom, but we’ve made excellent progress on both! I’ll have two reveals for you very soon. It’s going to be a good August & September here on the blog. Plus, in a few weeks I’ll be spilling the beans on something that has been taking up allll of my time lately, Tuesday Made.
Our garden is exploding! We have so many tomatoes, zucchinis, peppers, and onions right now. I’ve been getting creative with ways to use all of our produce, and Cathy’s zucchini cake with raspberry buttercream is on my must-make list. I’ll also be using Megan’s tutorial on freezing zucchini so we can enjoy it during the winter months. I don’t think I have enough tomatoes to can, but I used to do a lot of that… canning. We’ve just been roasting them, making lots of pizza, salad, and eating them straight from the vine. Anyway, I’m really happy we decided to tackle the side yard and plant our tiny garden during the spring season. We’re certainly enjoying the fruits of our labor now!
My recent purchases have pretty much all been clothing. I’ve been itching to bust out my fall wardrobe and expand my loungewear collection. Haha!
- funnel neck sweater // I got this cozy sweater in green for $29.
- joggers // I snagged these comfy joggers for $28.
- deodorant // I took advantage of the Nordstrom sale (early access) and stocked up on my favorite deodorant. Are you the type of person that has a stockpile of your toiletries when something runs out (mouthwash, toothpaste, deodorant, makeup, etc)? I am.
- perfume // After receiving some samples in my latest Sephora order, I ended up ordering the full size in this perfume. My go-to perfume is almost empty and this one smells incredible! So good that the sample size made me commit to the full size. I’m just a fragrance lover (perfume, candles, room spray, whatever…).
- high-rise summer jeans // I snagged these high-rise Madewell jeans on sale and love them!
We haven’t had much time for TV, but we totally got sucked into Yellowstone. Multiple readers recommended it (I think Danna was the first?), and then Emmett & I video chatted with my mom and it was all she could talk about. So we broke down and bought the first season on Prime to see what the fuss was about. Emmett and I both agree it makes us want horse property someday. We both grew up on farms with acreage, riding horses and often miss it. Maybe someday!
I had a recent video chat date with someone you might know already… who follows Alisa (A Glass Of Bovino)? We’ve been Instagram friends for awhile, so we hopped on a video chat for cocktail hour to “meet in person” and spent over an hour talking about our mutual interests- thrifting, blogging, Italy, upcoming projects, and renovation fails. It reminded me that this community we have going here is pretty special! I’m thankful that the blog, Instagram, and other social outlets allow me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people- including YOU.
If you can’t travel this year, maybe bring the vacation-scape to you? This couple did! What a fun photoshoot… “from quarantine to Cuba”. My sister-in-law is Cuban and since we had to cancel our flights home to Kentucky (where she and my brother currently live), I’m missing her delicious food this year. It’s something I always look forward to! I’ll have to track down some good food here in Salt Lake. Local friends- let me know if you have recommendations.
Speaking of friends, my pals Will & Susan just launched the most beautifully curated shop! From barware and entertaining items, they have a stunning collection and awesome taste. My favorite thing in their store? Matches!! You guys know I’m a sucker for styling with pretty matches and they have the BEST collection.
I think our next Design Discussion post is going to be about open shelving in the kitchen. After chatting countertop space, I received a bunch of questions about my feelings on open shelving being trendy or impractical. Chloe echoes my sentiments about kitchen vignettes in this post. Spoiler alert- I’m into it… I don’t think it’s a fad.
Now that the shed is nearly finished, I’m trying to convince Emmett we need a pool next summer (he’s all about planning in advance). Ha! He’s not convinced YET. I sent him this article… crickets. No response. I keep messaging my friend Sarah and telling her I’m road tripping to visit, so I can use her dreamy patio & pool. I feel like the shed is just the start of making our backyard a magical, functional sanctuary. Someday I envision a pool, outdoor kitchen, and a paver patio. For now, I’ll enjoy what we have– it’s just HOT outside and it has my brain spinning (wishing for water).
We’re headed to the Oregon coast for a little getaway soon. I bet you can guess who is coming along… Laurie Anne will be arriving and we’re road tripping to our Airbnb. We both needed to escape the summer heat and get away from work for a few days. Emmett and I were supposed to be sailing in Tahiti (a dream vacation we had been saving for), but obviously Covid squashed our plans. This felt much safer and will still allow us some time to unplug and refill our creative tanks.
Ok, Anthony D’Argenzio… I really like what you’ve done with the place! That tile is dreamy. Did you guys see this kitchen renovation yesterday on Domino?
Let’s mentally teleport to Switzerland to tour this garden… you in? Switzerland is one of my favorite countries. I haven’t visited in over a decade and the last time I was there, I was doing allllll the outdoorsy things (like skydiving over the Alps and canyoneering) and didn’t tour a single garden or museum. I feel like I need a do-over. The boxwoods we planted in front of our shed (if you follow along on IG stories) should eventually grow together to form a solid topiary line, like the ones in this garden. Here’s to hoping they can survive the hot Utah summer.
Well, that’s all from me for this one! Tomorrow check back for a BIG post on our kitchen, one year after the reveal. I’m chatting about our favorite features, some things we would change, and am sharing “real life” photos in the space.