My Monthly Edit

READING
My friend Alyson recently wrote an honest post about dealing with invisible health issues, which really struck a chord with me.  As difficult as it’s been coming to terms with my Lupus diagnosis over the last few years & learning how to manage my disease, those hardships have only been amplified by insensitive comments (“but you don’t look sick”).  I think what she shared about her own struggles serves as a great reminder that we can all stand to be a bit more compassionate & understanding towards others when we don’t truly know their whole story – a little bit of grace goes a long way.

WEARING
Lately I’ve been loving simple jewelry that still makes a statement & these ear jackets are my new favorites.  I like that they can be worn two ways (with both circles in front or staggered on either side of your lobe) + they have a cool hammered finish that’s elegant & modern without being too bold for every day wear.  Other pieces to try: this adjustable-length pendant, these gold plated hoops, this classic signet ring, or this layered necklace.

PLANNING
One of our first holidays together after we were married, my brother-in-law surprised us on Christmas morning by giving us his-and-hers bikes.  This past summer, on one of our camping trips, we were all biking together as a family and it hit me all the memories we’d made on those bikes, which are now over 15 years old.  We instantly stopped to text and tell him how much we were still enjoying them after all that time.  Reflecting on his gift has made me realize that I want to put more effort  & thought into the items I’m buying for my friends & family to ensure they are special, useful & meaningful.  As I begin to plan gift guides for the coming season, I’d love to help you do the same – please let me know in the comments below what type of content you find the most beneficial and what format you prefer!

LOVING
My parents are coming from Oregon to spend 6 weeks with us right after Thanksgiving, so I’m starting to prep the house for their arrival (we are so excited!).  Because our guest suite is in the basement & it gets much cooler downstairs, I want to make sure they are plenty warm during their stay.  So I purchased this new quilt & this soft throw – my mom’s favorite color is red, so I’m hoping this setup will be a nice surprise & make her feel right at home.  If you’re looking to update your bedding for the cold weather, check out these flannel sheet sets, this duvet cover & this cable-knit blanket.

CRAVING
I was window shopping at the mall last week and the color of this velvet camisole instantly caught my eye.  At full price, it’s a bit out of my budget, so I’m patiently waiting for a sale to scoop it up.  I think it would be gorgeous layered under a cozy cardigan, worn with a tuxedo style blazer or tucked into a satin skirt for evening.  There’s also a ruffled version in burgundy or black – more styles that would be great for the holidays include this velvet cuff sweater, these velvet joggers, this velvet blazer & these velvet pumps (such a steal!).

USING
I’m one of those people who hates letting anything go to waste – whether it’s food (I just started freezing my avocado – game changer!), paper (I’ve been known to save my kids art scraps & reuse them for game score pads and reminder notes for my husband) or toiletries (I always cut open my makeup primer to scrape out all of it).  So I was beyond thrilled to discover this tiny “spatula” that helps retrieve every last bit from beauty products – you would not believe how much is at the bottom of those containers!  These work on foundation bottles, concealer tubes, face serums & even lip gloss (get the full set here).  It’s one of those small, inexpensive accessories that I don’t know how I ever lived without & now I’m so happy knowing that I’m not throwing out a single drop of my makeup & skin care products.