Blog - The Lilypad Cottage

December 4, 2019 By Kelly 18 Comments

Holiday Gift Guide for Her

I have had SO many messages and emails asking me if I was going to do a gift guide for myself again this year! I sort of forgot about it honestly. I’ve been so focused on shopping for the Mr. and the kids. BUT if the people demand that I spend the day shopping for myself, who am I to deny them?! ;)

So, without further ado! Here is a collection of things that I either:

A. Love and may have snagged for myself on Cyber Monday (a lot of them are still on sale!)

B. Things I’ve suggested to my mom that I would be happy to see in my stocking (yes she still gives me a stocking), or

C. I’m shamelessly putting it out there for the Mr. who is not the most adept at gift giving (he gave me a carwash kit for my birthday last year, “wrapped” in the Amazon box it came in…my daughter said “oh dad, no.” Bahaha).

Also, forgive my sloppy collages, but little man is still home with the flu and I’m rushing to get this out to you all before the end of the sales! Just click on the BOLD WORDS to shop for each product or double click the images at the very bottom of the post.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission on items purchased through these links at no additional cost to you.

Rifle Paper Co. Mug – You all know I’m obsessed with their planners (I’ve shared them every year for the past 4 years), so when I saw they have cute initial mugs, I needed one of these for my collection!
Capri Blue Volcano Iridescent Jar Candle – These are my absolute favorite candles and I love the iridescent jar they have out for the holiday season.
1 For You, 2 For Me Mascara Set – This set contains two of my favorite mascaras, and I haven’t tried the 3rd, but it’s a great price for all three. Such a fun way to try out a new product. The perfect stocking stuffer!
Single Barbed Cuff – I have a variety of dainty gold bracelets that I like to stack. I think this one needs to be the latest in my collection. The barb design is so cool yet delicate in the gold.
Flash Watch – This watch is from the same brand as the bracelet and they show them paired together. I love the modern yet classic styling of this watch. It reminds me of one my grandpa used to wear when I was little and it’s on sale right now too.
Seedlings Journals, Set of 3 – I’m a paper and pen kind of girl (yet I am a blogger, welcome to the paradox that is me) and I’m constantly jotting down notes, thoughts, blog post ideas, etc… I always love to have cute notebooks or journals on hand and these are so pretty and a great price point for the set.
The Original MakeUp Eraser, Chic Black – Another great stocking stuffer! These things take all of your makeup right off.
Your Face & Eye Essentials Mini 5 Pc Travel Brush Set – I have a similar set of It Cosmetics makeup brushes and they are my favorite. This is a great set for travel, or I even like the smaller brushes for every day.
Birthstone Bar Necklace – This is such a fun twist on a birthstone necklace and I love the idea of a personalized gift. My birthday is in March (just reminding the Mr. ahem..) and the aquamarine one is beautiful.
Chloé Eau de Parfum – This is hands down my favorite perfume ever. I received a sample of it last year and it’s been my everyday scent since then. I always get compliments when I wear it.

11. Mockneck sweater in supersoft yarn – This sweater just came in the mail today, and it is legit the softest, coziest, thing I have ever put on my body. It comes in a million gorgeous colors and as of right now, it’s still 50% off. This will be one of those classic sweaters I will wear year after year.

12. Shawl Open-Front Cardigan – I’m constantly cold working from home, so I have a rotating cardigan sweater collection that I wear every day. I’m basically Mr. Rogers :) This one is the newest addition.

13. Pashmina Large Warm Blanket Solid Winter Shawl – Ok, this is an amazon find that has a million 5-star great reviews. I ordered it in two colors (it’s only $12!). I’ll keep you posted when they arrive, but I love big scarves like this for fall and winter. I always wear one when I travel too in case the airplane is cold.

14. The Medium Transport Tote – I love the quality of Madewell’s bags and their jeans are my favorite too. This bag is the perfect size for when you want your laptop, notebook etc… and it’s one of those classic pieces you will have forever. As of typing this, it’s still 40% off which is the best deal you will see all year at Madewell.

15. Suede shearling moccasin slippers – I love this style of slipper to wear around the house every day. If you follow me on Instagram you know I accidentally wore them to the grocery store last week too! These are a great under $20 gift for anyone.

16. Leather Chelsea boots – I have been on the hunt for the perfect every day Chelsea boot forever. These are perfection. I snagged them 1/2 off on black Friday, but there aren’t many sizes left. I linked my runner up (and also a little more budget-friendly) next as well.

17. Yale Chelsea Boot – I love these too and they come in a bunch of pretty colors. The snakeskin ones are so fun.

18. Boatneck Dolman Sweater – This sweater came in the mail today too (I’m starting to realize I did a little more black Friday shopping than I thought whoops!). It’s super soft and perfect with jeans or you could dress it up with winter white pants and a camel jacket too.

19. Women’s Cuffed Knit Beanie with Lining – I have spent a lot of time outside brainstorming in the pool house remodel (blog post coming soon), and this hat is keeping me cozy. Every time I wear it on Instagram, I’m flooded with DM’s about it. I love that it is fleece lined and under $15.

20. Wool-Blend Dad Coat – A little elf told me that my wonderful mother in law bought me this coat for Christmas and I can’t wait to get it. Again, another classic piece that I will have forever.

Phew! I think that’s everything. Happy shopping Mr.! Ahem, I mean ladies ;)

One quick note – Thursday I have a super fun giveaway exclusively for my email subscribers! If you are already subscribed to my emails be on the lookout for it. If not, you can enter your email above the subscribe button on my blog and get on the list for a chance to win!

December 2, 2019 By Kelly 20 Comments

Colorful and Fun Kid Christmas Tree

I have another fun Christmas decor blog hop with some friends for you! Today, we are talking about colorful and fun kid’s Christmas trees and decor. We’ve all created some fun Christmas spaces in our homes especially geared towards kids. You can start the tour over at Kaleidoscope Living.

Ever since we moved to this house, we have had a fun and colorful tree in the basement, which is the kids’ zone. I just never seem to get around to sharing it over here on the blog. Mainly because in year’s past, it has consisted of whatever random leftover ornaments my kids scrounged for themselves from my collection. So, when I got the chance to participate in the Michaels Dream Tree Challenge this year, I jumped at the chance to get a bunch of fun and colorful ornaments for them. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you may have already seen it. I thought it would be fun to share a few more details and photos today.

I started with this colorful felt garland and went from there trying to pick matching ornaments in every color under the sun.

I also found these adorable Gnome Santas that added a bit more fun and whimsy to the tree.

These white stars are actually those inexpensive paintable clay ornaments. I loved that the white tied all the colorful ornaments together with the garland. Although I promised the kids next year they can paint them all before we hang them up.

I kept with the white and colorful theme with wrapped presents (empty boxes much to my kids’ disappointment) in plain white wrapping paper and rainbow-colored ribbons.

Our library bookshelves got a little Christmas zhushing too! I love the colors on these bottle brush trees, and my kids have been stealing these battery-operated Christmas bulbs for their rooms.

By now, you all know the Mr. is the smartest person I know and that he loves a good spreadsheet. However, he has been hiding his secret crafty side from us all! I could not figure out what kind of topper to put on this tree. I was lamenting how I wish I had just a plain white star of some sort to add to it. 15 minutes later my origami wizard husband (who knew??) handed me this adorable 3D star for the top of my tree. What can’t he do? A little secret – spell, he can’t spell to save his life…

That’s it! Did you ever think you would see so much color in my house?!? Ha! My kids love it!

I even managed to grab a matching PJs shot in front of it – major mom win! There may have been candy and bribery involved…

Be sure to check out all the other fun kid-friendly Christmas spaces below! Next stop on the tour is Lemon Thistle

SOURCE LIST: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission from any purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you.

Two Twenty One / Modern Glam / DIY Decor Mom / At Charlotte’s House

The Lily Pad Cottage / House by Hoff / Organized Mama / Kaleidoscope Living

C.R.A.F.T. / Lemon Thistle / Kate Decorates / Love and Renovations / Inspiration for Moms

November 29, 2019 By Kelly 16 Comments

Cozy Winter Master Bedroom

Hey! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving yesterday. We had a great day at my in-laws, and now we are having a cozy morning at home. I may be sneaking a little online shopping in too… I’ve been meaning to share our cozy winter master bedroom refresh with you for a while, but I got a little sidetracked with the Christmas crazy. Today seemed like a great day to share since all of my new bedding is 25% off this weekend.

If you remember waaaay back this summer, I talked about finally getting rid of the ceiling fan in our bedroom. It was one of my practical concessions when building our house. It stopped working about a year ago and we realized that we didn’t really miss it.

Which means we got to put up something pretty instead! I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a new light and then it sat in our garage for 2 months. You all know how much the Mr. enjoys being dragged into my home improvement shenanigans, so it took me a minute to get him on board with helping me. While Charlie (our dog if you are new here) is a good little blog assistant for most DIY projects, electrical work is not his strong suit.

Along with the new light, it felt like a good time to swap out some new cozy bedding for the winter. I love to switch things up with the seasons, and bedding is an easy swap to make your room feel fresh. Also, if you could just pretend that I did, in fact, use my steamer on this bedding rather than just plugging my steamer in the bathroom and forgetting all about it – that would be great…

The grey and white windowpane pattern feels perfect for the quiet winters out here and is a nice change from the summer blue ticking stripe.

You also may notice one of the old white chairs from our living room has been relocated to this room. It’s become my new go-to spot to read when I have a few minutes. If you remember the great “team bench” or “no bench” debate of the summer – moving the chair in here gave me the push to lose the bench. It feels so much more open now.

I shot this on a rare sunny day in Michigan this time of year. Even my plant on our dresser is reaching for some vitamin D! I added this chunky knit blanket to the end of the bed because I’m always looking to add texture over color in the winter months.

So there you go, our cozy winter master bedroom! I’ll link everything below including our summer bedding since that is part of the sale too! Just double click on the photos to be taken to the site. Everything at Serena and Lily is 25% off this weekend with the code THANKFUL.

You can see our summer bedroom here. And info on all our paint colors here.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission from products purchased from these links at no extra cost to you.

November 26, 2019 By Kelly 8 Comments

Gift Guides for Everyone – Men, Tweens, and Kids

Confession – all the gifts under my tree are empty amazon boxes and fake presents. I’m a little behind on the Christmas shopping this year. I did manage to gather up a few ideas of things I either bought this week, or have in my online shopping cart as I type. I decided to just put all my gift guides right in one post for you so I’ve got you covered for A Holiday Gift Guide for Men, Tween Girls, and 7-10-year-old boys this year.

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you

You can shop by either clicking on the BOLD WORDS (they are links to each product) or shopping the images under each post. Just double click the images.

First up, let’s talk about the Mr. he is hard to shop for (as are most men it seems) but here are a few of his favorite items plus a few things on his wishlist this year.

Bathrobe – I bought the Mr. this bathrobe last year and then promptly began to steal it from him every day. I finally bought myself a matching one because it is so cozy and soft! I wear it to the bus stop every day. ;)
Toiletry kit – The Mr. travels several times a month for work, and his toiletry case was looking weary. I just ordered this classic looking one for him and it has great reviews.
Yeti – The Mr. brings a giant Yeti of coffee to work every single day and he could not live without it. I think this makes a great gift for any coffee drinker, but I’ve also bought these for my dad for out on his boat too.
Joggers – My son wears joggers all day every day, and I’ve been trying to convince the Mr. for a while to give them a try for lazy Saturdays. He could not wrap his head around wearing for sweatpants for some reason, but I finally just bought him this pair and now he basically lives in them on the weekends.
Briefcase – The Mr. brings his computer home with him every night so he can work from home. This is the messenger bag he has and swears by. It fits his computer plus files, pens, and pads of paper – everything you need! He has had it over a year now and the quality is great.
Slippers – One of the Mr.’s duty’s around the house is letting Charlie out every morning. Nice slippers make facing the freezing outdoors more bearable. He prefers these ones that are more like a shoe so he can wear them out on the porch.

Alright, let’s talk tween girls now. My daughter is at the age (almost 12) where clothes are a fun gift now vs groan-inducing like my son. She wants to be cozy but cute at all times and I’m sharing some of her faves below.

Fleece pullover – Every tween girl I know wants to be cozy and this fleece is the best! I have the adult version and wear it at least twice a week, and I bought this one for my daughter. Plus its 50% off right now!
Beautiful Word Bible – My daughter asked for this bible this year. It has really pretty wording and coloring pages so you can customize your bible which is such a fun idea.
Knit hat – Again with the cozy, my daughter has a huge collection of pom-pom hats and this one is adorable.
Pull-on Jeggings – My daughter claims these are the comfiest jeans in existence. They feel exactly like leggings and they come in slim sizes as well if you have a tiny kiddo like I do. These are the only jeans we have found that fit her and the quality is great. I just bought her two more pairs because they are 50% off right now.
Fleece blanket – I bought one of these as part of my daughter’s room makeover that we are working on. She is basically curled up in it at all times. It is so soft and washes up great, plus the fringe is very boho cool.
Kindle paperwhite – My daughter LOVES to read but with their busy schedules, it’s hard to get to the library enough to keep up with her. She has been borrowing a kindle from school and loving it. She is really excited to get her own this year. They are a great deal right now as well! The best part is she can use the library’s app to check out e-books too. I have one of these also and I love to keep it in my bag for on the go reading. It’s also great for vacation!
Wireless headphones – She loves to listen to music while she does her homework, but I don’t always want to listen to it too. She wanted ear pods (yeah, no, not happening) but these are a nice alternative and have great reviews.
Bracelet making floss and storage – She loves to make bracelets and there is string all over my house. This is a great carrying case filled with fun colors of embroidery floss, perfect for any crafter!
Makeup palette – At almost 12, she loves to play with makeup especially with her friends. This is a nice inexpensive palette with pretty neutral colors for her to experiment with.
Kindle case – I want to protect that new paperwhite and this case comes in lots of fun prints and colors. I bought the rose gold one for mine too!
Hairdryer – My daughter is at the point where she wants to be doing her own hair, but wielding a brush and a hairdryer at the same time is still a tricky thing. This all in one tool makes it a lot easier for her to handle herself.

Ok, onto the 7-10-year-old boys. My son is very into building things and how stuff works but he is getting a little tired of legos. I’ve ordered a few new STEM toys that still incorporate building, but also have a bit more of a complicated engineering aspect.

Tinkering Labs Robotic Kit – My little guy is into how things work, so this tinkering kit looks right up his alley. This kit comes with different challenges to try and you can build a bunch of different little robots.
Laser Tag Kit – I feel like this may end up being more of a family gift. We can all play hide and seek laser tag in the house during the long winter. I’m sure he will have fun with his friends with this too. I like the laser gun idea so much better than nerf guns because there won’t be those stinking nerf bullets all over the house.
5,000 Awesome Facts book – My son is obsessed with random facts and largely useless knowledge. I am mentally preparing myself for the peppering of crazy facts I will be hearing from this book. He loves to keep this in the car and spout random facts on long trips.
Snow tube – My kids have been wanting a new sled. I’m hoping going the tube route will result in fewer bumps and lumps that sled collisions sometimes result in.
Mechanical Engineering Robotic Arms – Again with another robot kit. This one looks really cool and you can build several different machines with the same kit. Which is so nice compared to Legos one and done system.
Mechanical Robot Coding Kit – Sensing a theme yet? Another STEM toy, but this one combines coding with the building. My dream is one of my kiddos really picks up coding. I can have them take over the whole back end of my site ha!
Ski Scooter – My little guy loves his razor scooter and this looks like it could be a fun winter option!
Hammock – Both of my kids have these and they play with them ALL the time. They can hook on most trees. They take them to my in-law’s cottage and hang them there too. They love to sit in them and read, or swing around like crazies. Even though this is more of a warm climate toy, they put them up a few times last winter too.
Ship in a Bottle Legos – I had to put at least one Lego set on the list. My son actually got this for his birthday last summer and he loved putting it together. It’s super challenging and looks so cute on our bookshelves now that it’s finished too.

Phew! I hope that is helpful to you all, happy shopping! You can also check out my gift guide from last year for kids as well.

November 22, 2019 By Kelly 10 Comments

Boy Christmas Bedroom Decor

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

I’ve been having so much fun adding little touches of Christmas here and there in our house this season. Since I’ve been working on my daughter’s bedroom makeover, my little guy has been a tad jealous. So, I partnered with The Company Store to add some cozy new Holiday bedding to his room. You all know I love their sheets, I think I own four sets now? They are my go-to for great quality bedding. After feeling these new Everett Cotton Flannel sheets, oh my gosh, I’m going to need to order some for our bed asap! They are sooooo cozy! Perfect for the early winter and freezing temps that have descended on Michigan.

I started with the new cozy sheets and layered one of their pretty Cable Knit Micro Cotton Blankets. This is such a perfect weight blanket, and it comes in a bunch of different color options as well.

For extra warmth, we tossed the Penguin LoftAire Down Alternative Holiday Throw along the end of the bed. The penguins are so cute and will transition well for the rest of the winter.

Charlie has made fast friends with the penguins. :)

The Company store has a great selection of fun holiday items this time of year. I’m a sucker for felt garland and it’s a fun addition to his room along with the colorful felt wreath.

My DIY picture ledge made it easy to swap out art for the season. I did this quick tree sketch inspired by the Holiday Crewel Pillow .

I always like to use a Euro pillow on twin beds, so I added this Red Quilted Sham for a pop of color.

Of course, no Christmas bedroom would be complete without cozy new pj’s! The Company Store has the cutest selection of matching jammies for the whole family every year. These best buds look pretty adorable in their Whitaker Plaid Flannel Pajamas! Bonus – all of their Holiday pajamas are now 30% off with the code N19PJS.

I’ll link everything we used in the room below for you. Now is a great time to spruce up your spare room in preparation for hosting guests this holiday season. Be sure to check out The Company Store for all your bedding needs!

November 20, 2019 By Kelly 28 Comments

Green and Brass Christmas Living Room

We are getting further and further into November, which means my Christmas decor is starting to seem less crazy lady and more appropriate for the time of year. Although I do claim my crazy Christmas lady status proudly. Today, I’m sharing my favorite place to decorate – my living room! I’m teaming up once again with a bunch of my fave bloggers in the Seasons of Home Tour hosted by the fabulous Kristen from Ella Claire & Co. The talent in this group is bananas, and I love visiting all of their homes to see their twist on Christmas decor. I will link to all of them below so you can check them out as well. Green and Brass Christmas Living Room

I mentioned a few weeks ago that the green velvet pillow I added to our couch for fall really kicked off the whole theme for my Christmas decor this year.

When I found matching velvet Christmas ornaments it felt meant to be!

I mixed them in with a lot of the gorgeous mercury glass ornaments I used last year as well as a few copper/brass toned ornaments.

I also bought a roll of green velvet ribbon and just tied little bows onto the tree for a sweet and simple look. I’m all about keeping it more classic and pared down this year, so I skipped garland and stuck with simpler ornaments.

I also used my white candle lights from last year which I, of course, forgot to actually turn on for all of these photos, so use your imagination with me! Green and Brass Christmas Living Room

My mantel got a simple swag of garland and some velvet bows as well.

I always get questions on how I hang my garland. That is one of the perks of having a rustic mantel this time of year – I just pound small nails right in wherever I need them. I’m sure command hooks would work too.

I used a mix of four faux garlands this year. I start with a really inexpensive one to give it fullness and shape and add on the more realistic ones in the front once I have the shape I want. I simply bind them together with floral wire. I used to use a mix of faux and real, but the pine needles shedding everywhere make me feel crazy!

These gorgeous aged brass bowls filled with ornaments give the mantel a classic and elegant vibe.

They pair perfectly with my brass candle holders on the opposite side of the mantel.

I used my same cozy knit stockings from last year again.

I mixed in some more shades of green pillows onto our sofa and added a cozy knit throw as well.

The coffee table got a simple arrangement of branches from the yard and a large brass platter filled with candles. I love to have candlelight this time of year especially in the absence of any sort of sunshine here in Michigan.

That’s it – the grand tour for 2019! I did my best to keep it more simple and pared down. So far it feels like just the right amount of color and cozy to enjoy throughout the season. Be sure to check out all my friend’s gorgeous homes below!

You can shop this post by clicking any of the images below. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission when you purchase something through my links at no additional cost to you.

Sofa and chairs from Maiden Home

Stockings – HomeGoods find

Ella Claire & Co. | Rooms for Rent | Handmade Farmhouse | Zevy Joy

Kindred Vintage | Home Stories A to Z | French Country Cottage | The Lilypad Cottage

Inspired by Charm | Dear Lillie | Maison de Pax | Nina Hendrick Design Co.

Boxwood Avenue | Craftberry Bush | Jennifer Rizzo | My Sweet Savannah

November 15, 2019 By Kelly 5 Comments

Floor & Decor

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Floor & Decor. All opinions are 100% mine.

When my mom and I tackled the master bathroom renovation in their Florida house, we hit up the nearby Floor & Decor . I had never been in one before and was totally blown away by the amazing tile selection they had. Her bathroom turned out fantastic, as you can see in the shots below. So when I found out a Floor & Decor was coming to Michigan I was so excited to check it out.

If you have never been to a Floor & Decor before, prepare to spend some time looking at all the gorgeous options. They have everything – luxury vinyl plank flooring, real hardwood, engineered hardwood, marble, stone, and tile in every color imaginable. You name it – they have it. The best part is it’s all in stock!

You all know how I am when I have a project in my head, I just want to go for it, and here you can. I love that you can show up, pick out all your tile, and go home with it the same day to get started. They also carry all the tools and materials you need for your project. It really is one-stop shopping and totally worth the drive, since you can plan your project and grab everything you need in one trip.

My mom and I chose this faux wood tile for her flooring and this beautiful gray subway tile for their shower. They have free in-house designers to help you along with your project, in case you don’t have a handy blogger daughter to help you along. The one my mom worked with was great with answering all of her questions.

One of the designers showed me around their store and she was so knowledgeable about all the different products they carry. They also have a few pretty displays to jumpstart your brainstorming process. I love the subtle pattern of this kitchen backsplash display.

This fun blue tile had me dreaming of our bathroom renovation project in the new pool house.

I couldn’t resist grabbing a few samples to bring home with me since construction started over there this week.

I feel like a pool house bathroom is a perfect place to really have a little design fun. I love the idea of this blue subway tile as an accent wall with a white pedestal sink. It would look perfect with a round mirror and sconces on the side. Then picture it with either this colorful penny tile in shades of blue, or this fun patterned cement tile would be great too! Floor & Decor had so many options that I’m still brainstorming. I want to do something more playful and fun for sure.

I think luxury vinyl plank is going to be the way to go for flooring in the loft space and the entryway/mudroom area. With wet feet coming from the pool waterproof is a must for this space. I couldn’t believe how close this sample is to the wood flooring we already have so I had to bring that home with me too. I was SO impressed with the low pricing on all of the samples I picked up – you know how the Mr. loves his budget and spreadsheets!

We aren’t quite to that part of the building process yet, but it’s fun to start dreaming and planning. I will definitely be heading back to Floor & Decor when we get to that stage in the remodel. You can contact a designer to get inspired or visit your local store if you are dreaming about a flooring project too!

November 8, 2019 By Kelly 9 Comments

Friday Feels – Favorite Finds as of Late

Welcome to another Friday Feels where I share what I’m feeling this week. This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

The Mr. is whisking me away to Chicago for the weekend and I cannot wait! Surviving the post-Halloween candy hangover/daylight savings weekend crazy from last weekend seems like perfect timing. It’s also always fun to head back to Chicago because that’s where we lived when we were first married. Our apartment was 400 sq ft and featured a space heater in the bathroom so the pipes didn’t freeze in the winter. We ate a lot of ramen noodles and cooked exclusively on a George Foreman grill. Ahhh the memories! Back to the present – He planned the whole weekend and I have no idea what we are doing, so I’ll report back or maybe share a bit on Instagram stories too!

Before I go though, I thought I would share a few fave finds I’ve picked up that I’m loving lately. First up, I love a small crossbody bag. My days of giant diaper bag type bags are behind me – now I love a small simple bag just big enough for my phone, wallet and a hairbrush. I just bought this one and the details are so pretty and perfect for fall into winter. I have a few bags and shoes from Sole Society and the quality is great. I pair this with a camel-colored coat for all the fall vibes.

It goes perfect with this fall sweater dress that I wore for family photos last week. I’m loving all the long sleeve midi sweater dress options this fall because I hate dressing up and being cold. I added some cute boots and a belt – I was nice and toasty warm! It comes in a few different colors and it isn’t too clingy either. I’ll share some photos of me in it when we get them back from the photographer!

Next up, I’ve raved about Half Baked Harvest before as she is one of my fave food bloggers. Her last cookbook is a fave of mine for entertaining, and she just came out with this new one that is more for weeknight meal ideas. I cannot wait to make literally about everything!

Target has started putting their Christmas decor out (along with the rest of the world), and every year the Sugar Paper wrapping paper is my absolute fave! They have really simple yet pretty paper and ribbon that make your gifts feel special. I snagged this ribbon and a few rolls of the green and gold paper that are perfect for my green and brass vibe this year.

I’ve been on the hunt for a more natural deodorant for the last year. One that actually works! I’ve tried 4 different kinds now and this one is the best! Plus, it smells great – I love the grapefruit bergamot scent.

These Bear Yo Yo snacks are my son’s new favorite treat! They are sort of like the fruit roll-ups that I loved as a kid, but the ingredients are “apples, pears, and strawberries.” That’s it! My fact loving son also loves the little cards inside that have fun facts about different countries. I found them at my local grocery store, but they sell them on amazon too. He loves strawberry and mango.

We as a family recently joined the year 2019 and got our first Alexa device. I never really got the point of them before, but my father in law had an extra one. Now, I have no idea how we lived without one! From checking the weather to playing music to setting timers when I’m cooking, it is so handy to have. Our kids both quickly used their allowance to each buy one for their rooms too. We all love music and this is a great way for them to play music in their rooms without needing access to their phones or iPods. Now we walk in our kid’s rooms at night and they are tucked in reading and listening to music (my daughter likes Lauren Daigle, my son listens to jazz piano). Their Alexa’s came with smart plugs so they can have Alexa turn their reading lights off too when they are ready for bed.

The Mr. and I would walk into their rooms every night feeling pretty jealous of the cozy music vibes and jetson/clapper light capabilities, so the Mr. ordered another Alexa for our room since they were on sale for only 99 cents (we now have 4) and these super fancy lightbulbs. Our wall sconces are hardwired and on a switch, so we never had the ability to turn one on and one off. Well, let me tell you now that the Mr. ordered these smart lightbulbs we can not only have Alexa turn them each on and off separately, but we can also have them dimmed, bright white lite, soft white light, red, blue, green. It’s basically a disco party happening when my kids hang out with us at night shouting out different colors to Alexa ha! But honestly, it is nice to all the different lighting options.

I feel like this post may win for the most random collection of stuff, but that’s what I’m feeling this week!

November 6, 2019 By Kelly 27 Comments

Simple Christmas Kitchen Decor

Well, it’s that time! My first official Christmas post of the season is up today. I’m teaming up once again with a bunch of my fave bloggers in the Seasons of Home Tour hosted by the fabulous Kristen from Ella Claire & Co Everyone is sharing how they like to add a little bit of Christmas cheer to their kitchen’s this time of year.

I’m trying to keep things pretty simple this year in order not to drive myself crazy with clutter by December 15. The Mr. has teased me in the past about dismantling the Christmas tree while our kids are still opening presents, haha.

This is entirely an exaggeration, I waited until at least after breakfast last year to start taking it all down. ;) Don’t get me wrong, I love all the fun of Christmas decorations, but they start to make me twitchy by the end of the season. I always crave a fresh and clean start for January.

I started with a pretty branch print that I found at Hobby Lobby and a few cute juniper plants from my local nursery. I like their little simple Charlie Brown tree vibe.

An old Balsam Hill wreath I have had for years got an update with a new green velvet ribbon and those brass bells I mentioned in last week’s post. I love the warmth and a little bit of shine that they add to the kitchen.

Once again I trudged through the snow to snip a few branches in the woods. I found this pretty green glass vase to add some drama and a plate of pomegranates for a pop of color.

Bonus I love pomegranate seeds in salads, so these have been slowly disappearing over the last few days. I’ll have to restock them soon!

I swapped out the pillows in the breakfast nook and hung a wreath up in the window.

I promptly took it down 2 days later because it was driving me nuts as it was blocking my view of the kids playing basketball outside, ha! It was pretty while it lasted though.

I told you I’m being pretty cutthroat about this twitchy eye thing when it comes to Christmas decor this year. I’m basically like the Marie Kondo of Christmas decorations – if it’s not sparking joy off it goes!

A little green ribbon wound through my cake stand was festive with my pumpkin spice bundt cake (I used this muffin recipe here and just added frosting – so good!)

Now be sure to head over to all of my friends’ gorgeous kitchens and check out their fun ideas!

Ella Claire & Co. | Zevy Joy | Inspired by Charm | Maison de Pax

Dear Lillie | The Lilypad Cottage | Maison de Cinq | Kindred Vintage

Rooms for Rent | Home Stories A to Z | Craftberry Bush | French Country Cottage

The Handmade Farmhouse | Boxwood Avenue | Nina Hendrick | My Sweet Savannah

October 31, 2019 By Kelly 8 Comments

Friday Feels – Christmas Finds

Welcome to another Friday Feels where I share what I’m “feeling” this week. This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

I’m gearing up for Christmas over here, which I know is too early for most normal people like you, but it’s all part of this weird blogger gig, being ahead of the game. I like to think that I’m giving my kids good stories to complain about to their kids someday :) Like instead of “I had to walk 2 miles to school uphill both ways!”, it will be “We had a Christmas tree up Halloween to Valentine’s day one year!” Or “I never knew if the food on the counter was actually dinner or just a photoshoot waiting to happen!” The tree til Valentine’s day has only happened once for a magazine shoot, but still, my tween daughter was trying to explain to her friends over facetime the other day why there were Christmas lights in the background and I couldn’t stop laughing. Her explanation was basically that her mom is insane… she is not wrong. :)

I thought I would share a few things I’ve ordered in my Friday Feels today in case you are starting to get in planning mode too!

The green velvet pillow I bought at Target for fall has me thinking green for Christmas decor too! So, I snagged a few of these green velvet ornaments for this year’s tree. I plan on mixing the green ornaments in with some of the gorgeous mercury glass ornaments I used last year (check out last year’s tree here).

Over my 7 years of blogging, I have amassed quite the Christmas collection, so it’s easy to buy just a few new items to rotate in here for a new look. Well, I’m hoping it’s easy anyway :) Here is what I’m planning this year so far:

Green velvet ornaments – H&M is a great spot for inexpensive seasonal decor, I snagged a bunch of these green ornaments.
Mercury Glass ornaments – I have a bunch of mercury glass ornaments from last year, these are similar.
Silver Ornaments – I picked up some bronzey silver ornaments at a local store to mix in these are similar.
Green wood bead garland – Studio McGee has a bunch of beautiful Holiday items this year (well everything they have is beautiful, I love their stuff). These emerald beads are so unique.
Iron Bells – And I also picked up these brass bells to hang somewhere
Striped Pajamas – Speaking of kids I’ve been hunting down Christmas jammies on amazon. I just need to get final approval from the previously mentioned tween in the house who has the final say on all her wardrobe choices.
Green velvet pillow – I also bought a few of H&M’s velvet pillow covers as well. I love the texture of velvet for the holidays.
Emerald velvet pillow
Metal Bowls – I’m anxiously awaiting these 2 brass bowls to arrive, I’m thinking they will go on the coffee table with some ornaments resting in them?
Brass Candle Holders – I think I’ll be using these pretty brass candlesticks on my mantel this year that I picked up at Stoffer Home which is a gorgeous local store but they have online ordering as well.
Christmas tree – Don’t throw things at me but I already have one tree complete in the basement and I debuted it on Facebook and Instagram today as part of the Michaels Dream Tree Challenge. It was so fun to do a colorful kid-friendly tree. I will be doing a full kid’s Christmas tour downstairs in a few weeks, but this is the new tree they sent me and it’s so beautiful! The price on it is awesome right now too!

So far the vibe I’m going for seems to be brass, mercury glass, green velvet thing. Upstairs anyway, downstairs is all fun and color this year!

Happy Weekend!