Noteworthy
Here we are on the first day of December, and I’m wondering where this year went. I’m definitely feeling the spirit of the season as we head into the holidays! I thought I’d squeeze in one last Noteworthy post this year. Click through to catch up with me. I’m sharing a peek at our entryway styled for the holidays (if you missed my living room holiday tour- find it here!), updates, inspiring links, plans, recent purchases, good reads, good recipes, and more!
Let’s talk holiday housekeeping first! If you’re still looking for gift ideas, don’t forget about my annual gift guide! I hope it saved you some time this year and made brainstorming a bit easier. I also included a bunch of quick and easy Amazon gift ideas here (for fast shipping), as well as holiday decor, and gift wrapping items. I’m 90% finished with my holiday shopping. I just have a few people left on my list to shop for, but I’m feeling great with my progress on the first day of December!
In regards to holiday decorating, similar to my shopping- I’d also say I’m about 90% there. I still need to hang some garland in the kitchen, and above our exterior front door, but things are feeling extra cheerful and festive here at home! As promised, I’ve got an evening holiday tour lined up for next week. I’m going to photograph that this weekend, so be sure to check back if you’d like an after dark tour. It’s always fun to share our home with the lamps turned on, candles lit, twinkly lights glowing, and everything feeling cozy & warm.
I’ve also been saving plenty of holiday and winter recipes I’d like to try this month. Check out this Pinterest board for everything I’ve saved recently, but I’m especially excited to make all the fun comfort food & treats… here are a few:
- French onion and apple grilled cheese (I’ve been on a grilled cheese kick lately)
- Chicken and dumplings
- Eggnog creme brûlée french toast with bourbon whipped cream
- Hasselback potato and shallot gratin
- My grandma’s sugar cookies
If you’re traveling this holiday season (or just want to take a virtual Christmas vacation), check out 30 of the best Christmas villages & towns across the globe! I enjoyed scrolling through these.
Moving onto renovations and plans as the year comes to a close… I realized we did not complete a single room renovation this year. Doesn’t that seem crazy? As a designer and blogger who used to thrive on tackling project-after-project in a short timespan, this year has honestly been a nice change of pace. I actually have a lot of thoughts and feelings on not finishing any renovation projects this year, but maybe I’ll save those for a dedicated blog post? I hope it’s a good reminder that home happens in our own time. Some years and chapters are filled with bigger projects than others. Sometimes home is a sanctuary as is. Just remember that our homes evolve, grow, and change with us through each season- there is no timeline (too soon or too late) to make changes. It’s ours for the updating and styling, as we see fit. Isn’t that a beautiful concept? Home is really whatever we need and want it to be. Like I said, we’re working at our own pace these days and despite not having a completed room reveal to share, I’m really proud of our progress this year.
I’ve decided I’ll share my office reveal in January, in hopes the last bits of hardware arrive within the next month or two. They’re the last item on backorder, and Emmett has officially given me the green light to begin styling and filling the interior of the beautiful built-ins. He’s still working on millwork (panel moulding) and sanding my antique desk, but the finish line is in sight. I’m excited to share it with you! For those of you who stuck with me for a YEAR of updates in that space… you’re my favorite people. Haha! But really, thank you. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
In other renovating news, our entryway tile is being delivered next week! Since it was shipped from France (it’s reclaimed cabochon tile- which I’ll admit was a splurge), it has been stuck at sea with everyone else’s cargo containers. It finally made it’s way to Utah and I can’t wait to see it in person. Fingers crossed it arrives as expected after the long journey. I’m looking forward to getting started on that project in the year ahead! I’m eager to rework our staircase components, install the tile, and give this room new life. If you missed my plan for it, check that out here. Who knows what the timeline will look like, but much like our home office- it will probably be slow and steady. For the month of December, before the chaos begins, I’m embracing the entry as is!
Speaking of the holidays and the new year, are you gathering with friends and family this year? Do you have any exciting plans? Laurie Anne and her little family will be spending Christmas at our house, which we’re all very excited about! Shortly after they head back to Arizona, two of our dear friends will be arriving. We’re planning to get in some good ski days if the weather cooperates, and we have a weekend trip to Jackson Hole planned that I’m looking forward to.
Something else I hadn’t done in ages, that was quite fun and exciting? Emmett and I went to the movies over the weekend- for the first time since late 2019 (pre-pandemic). Crazy!! We used to frequent the movie theater for date nights, and it felt so special to see a movie outside of our own home. We watched House of Gucci and we both really enjoyed it. The cinematography was beautifully captured, the set & interior design was top notch, and of course- it has me itching to plan a trip to Italy. If you’re into design, fashion, and a good drama- I’d definitely recommend checking it out. It’s funny how ordinary things, like the movies, feel so special and appreciated these days.
Sidenote- I also found Villa Balbiano on Airbnb, and you can rent the villa on Lake Como from the House of Gucci movie. It’s worth swiping for the home tour! Whoa!!
Let’s chat books! My sister is showing up with the book recs again. I feel like I’ve been reading quite a bit these past few months. Having to travel and flight time has probably helped me finish a few of these…
- You’ll Grow Out of It, by Jessi Klein
- Never Saw Me Coming, by Vera Kurian
- The Downstairs Girl, by Stacey Lee
- The Stationery Shop, by Marjan Kamali
- The Last Flight, by Julie Clark
My mom got me a subscription to ancestry.com for my birthday (which is such a thoughtful & unique gift), and I’ve been learning a lot about my family. It’s addicting! I’ve already uncovered some family drama, so it has basically displaced the hour I typically spend reading before bed. Hah! Has anyone else deciphered their family tree? I had no idea I’d be so into this, but it has been really fun. Once I get to a stopping point, I’ll need more book recs! Please send them my way if you have recently read something you loved. I’ll add it to my list.
Did you see the AD100 list? I love scrolling through it each year! Congratulations to the talented designers who were selected.
How do we feel about jacquard? I feel like it never really went out of style. I think we’ll see more of these traditional patterns in the year to come. That’s another thing I’m looking forward to inserting in our home in 2022- more pattern.
Recent purchases? Most of my recent buys have been holiday or gift related- or Black Friday restocks / favorites…
- Show Me the Monet Game // I always buy a new game for the holiday season, and Emmett, Laurie Anne, Taylor, and I all agreed we want to play this during their Christmas stay!
- Folex Cleaner // We had a bad Thanksgiving spill / stain… on our white living room swivel chairs. I was out of Folex cleaner and had to replace it! This stuff is the best for stains of any type- take my word for it. You can use it on carpet, upholstery, rugs, etc. It’s magic!
- Purifying Clay Mask // This is one of my favorite skincare masks. I try to use it once every week or two. It was a restock from Sephora’s sale!
- Concealer // I’ve been putting in a LOT of work hours, and based on the dark circles under my eyes, it shows. I definitely needed to restock my favorite under eye concealer, so I can look human again. I wear shade 4, and it’s true to tone.
- Boots // I treated myself to some new winter boots and took advantage of the weekend sale. This is my second pair of Sperry boots and I love how comfortable and casual they are- perfect for the winter months. I’ll live in these, paired with a sweater & jeans.
Speaking of purchases, I wanted to again say thank you for supporting my small business, shopping my gift guides, and most importantly- for shopping at Tuesday Made this year. If you placed an order last week or over the weekend, we’re shipping them out as quickly as we can. I paused to write this blog post, but for the most part- I’ve spent each day camped at the shop, wrapping & packing orders, which makes my heart so happy! I can’t tell you how much your support means. I truly appreciate everyone who shopped small or plans to shop small this holiday season… not just at my shop, but with any small business! It impacts good people, our communities, and believe me when I say (on behalf on small businesses), you make our day. We celebrate every share, order, and small victory!
I think that’s all I have for now! Let me know if you have questions about anything. I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone! If you missed my entryway tablecloth DIY (seen throughout this post), you can find that here. Have a wonderful day, friends!