“Lovin’ Lately” is a regular series posted on the first Friday of each month, where I dive into the latest things I’m obsessing over in beauty, skincare, wellness, travel, lifestyle, and more. From my new favorite face mask to a recent destination that deserves a place on your travel bucket list ASAP, it’s a complete collection of everything I think you need to hear about and try for yourself — because I know you’ll love it, too! So, grab a Starbucks PSL (they’re officially available as of last week 😍) and let’s dive into it.
Hi friends! I am so excited for today’s post.
It’s been a long time since I’ve developed and kept up with a recurring series here on the blog, and I am ecstatic to be bringing something new to the table. I’ve been putting a lot of time and effort into writing more long-form, cohesive blog posts (hence the less frequent posting schedule), and you guys seem to love it.
That being said, I want to step back for a minute and just “talk” with you guys on a personal basis. I get wrapped up sometimes in creating the “perfect”, curated pieces for this site, that I’ve missed sharing my day-to-day life lately.
That’s why I wanted to start up this series, so that I can share with you some of my favorite things that I know you’ll love. I started this blog so that I could have a space to voice my recommendations and “talk” with you guys about the products, rituals, pieces, etc. that I enjoy, so let’s get back to that!
This also gives me more of a push to experiment with different products, routines, etc. so that I can bring them back to you guys and report. Sound good?
Okay, let’s get into this month’s “Lovin’ Lately”…and don’t forget to tune in on the first Friday of next month for more cool stuff I think you need to try 😊
Lovin’ Lately — Our New Home, Vitamin C Serum, PSL Dog Treats & More (August 2018)
1. Our New Home!!!
Of course at the top of this list is our brand spankin’ new home we moved into just two weeks ago! It’s been a big change for us + we still have way too many boxes waiting to be unpacked, but we’re nonetheless excited to have a place to call our own. Now that we’ve moved in all the major items, it just comes down to unpacking all of our clothes, organizing the office, and completing other projects like painting and hanging our decorations on the walls.
It’s funny, because I thought that once move-in time rolled around we’d be all set. We’d get our stuff in, complete a few projects, and call it a day. Being a homeowner is so much more work than I expected! Little things keep popping up that we’d totally forgotten about (like installing electric fence for the dogs, purchasing and installing blinds, etc.).
I can’t wait to share more of this space with you guys though once we’re settled!
2. The Samsung 27.8 cu. ft. Food Showcase 4-Door French Door Refrigerator
Yes, our fridge is totally on this month’s list of things I’m loving. Quite honestly, it wouldn’t be complete without it. Ever since we got our new Samsung 27.8 cu. ft. Food Showcase 4-Door French Door Refrigerator, I’ve been raving about it every chance I get. Really, I think it’s one of my favorite purchases so far for the house — ha!
We went back and forth on which fridge to buy for months, but I’m really happy we decided to splurge a bit. I love the middle, temperature controlled pullout drawer, and there’s even a nifty “food showcase” button you can push when opening the righthand door, which essentially gives you quick access to all your necessities (we put cans of seltzer and other drinks in here for convenience).
I don’t love side-by-side fridges, so I knew we’d be going with a french door. Overall though, I think paying a bit more to have some nice features (also, the water/ice dispenser on the front!!!) was totally worth it.
I’m obsessed, and highly recommend looking into this model if any of you are in the market for a new fridge!
3. Vitamin C Serum
Okay ya’ll, I think I’ve found the beauty product of the year.
Have you guys heard of vitamin C serum? Because it is BOMB.
In fact, it deserves a full post. We’ll get to that later though. Right now, you guys just need to know that it absolutely works wonders. I use it to lighten/clear up my acne scars, which I’ve literally had since high school (this three ingredient DIY brightening scrub works wonders, too).
Vitamin C serum also promotes collagen production, which is responsible for filling in existing or future fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, the serum protects skin from sun damage, reduces under-eye circles, reduces inflammation, and more. It’s SUCH a good find. I’ve only been using the serum I own for about a week consistently, and I’m already noticing my acne scars + current inflammation going down.
Also guys, don’t feel like you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a good serum. I was really intimidated by this at first after reading through some of my favorite bloggers’ skincare routines, but I got my vitamin C serum for less than $20 from Amazon! I’m leaving a few affordable options below so you guys can experience the magic of this antioxidant, too 😊
4. Pumpkin Spice Dog Treats
It’s Fall, which means we need all the pumpkin spice in our house…like yesterday. I recently stumbled upon Pumpkin Spice Greenies at the pet store, and I’m utterly obsessed. Greenies are our little treat for the dogs when they go in their kennels when we leave the house, and I think it’s so fun that they have a special pumpkin spice flavor now.
Who said pumpkin spice was just for basic b’s? It’s clearly for dogos, too!
5. Repurposing/Up-Cycling/Etc.
Moving into our first house has definitely taught us to be resourceful. We’ve had to make several large purchases in a very short amount of time, so we’re doing just about everything we can to cut costs and live a bit “frugally” for now.
One thing R. and I have discovered is the wonder of repurposing/refinishing/up-cycling old furniture. We actually got our kitchen table for free from my parents, and for under $100 were able to make it look almost identical to the one we were scouting at Ashley’s for over $1000 👏🏻
We’re also in the process of revamping some bar stools for our island, our kitchen chairs, and a wooden armoire I bought off of Facebook marketplace for $75 to hold all of our doggie-related things (treats, extra toys, bones, leashes, etc.).
I highly, highly recommend looking into refinishing furniture if you can commit a bit of time to learning how…we’ve saved SO much money, our pieces look brand new, and the compliments keep rolling in from our friends and family who’ve seen what we’ve done!
Q: Would you guys be interested in a tutorial on how I’m refinishing that armoire? I can show you step-by-step how to take an old, outdated piece & make it new + totally, 100% your own!
6. Vegan Everything
Recently, R. and I have been trying to eat a (mostly) vegan diet. It’s not particularly easy, but we’re going this route due to some health issues that we think might be solved by switching to a plant based diet. I’m definitely having to be more creative in the kitchen without access to meat and dairy products, but overall I think it’s a great thing.
Also, did you guys see my Insta story the other day? I talked about the idea of doing a little book club here on the blog, where we read a few different titles each month geared towards different topics like: health/wellness, self-improvement, and just for fun.
I’m testing a few titles right now for the pending series, so keep your eyes peeled for an awesome vegan cookbook potentially coming your way!
7. My Spiralizer
Speaking of vegan cuisine, I am a huge fan of my spiralizer! I’ve definitely mentioned it on the blog before (I’ve been using it for years), but spiralized zucchini and sweet potato noodles are becoming a major staple in our house lately as we transition our diets.
Let me know if you guys want to see any recipes or tutorials, because meals made with this kitchen tool are absolutely to. die. for.
So, that’s a wrap on this month’s list of things I’m loving! Let me know what you guys think of this new series and if you like the random roundup thang of cool sh*t I think you need to know about.
And do tell, what things are YOU lovin’ lately? Is there a new beauty product you can’t keep your hands off of, or a Pinterest recipe you think we’d all enjoy? Leave your suggestions below, and you just might see a few on next month’s edition of “Lovin’ Lately”.
