april discoveries

It's the last day of April and I haven't done a discoveries post since January! How is 2017 going by so fast? This collection of discoveries spans the last three months so it's a little longer than usual. I hope you enjoy!

 

Madison Reed Hair Color

Each year post grad school more gray hairs have been popping up along my hairline. This year I turn 30 and I'm definitely starting to feel the need to color my hair regularly to cover grays. In college I colored my hair for fun but now it's more of a necessity. Getting my hair colored every 8-12 weeks at a salon is a luxury I can't afford. 

Thankfully, I discovered Madison Reed. I've used this mail order hair color twice now and have been extremely happy with the results. The color wears really well and I love everything in the $25 coloring kit they send you. If you color your hair regularly, I highly recommend giving Madison Reed a try. 

 

The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've made a lot of chocolate chip cookies in my life, and this recipe really does produce the best soft chocolate chip cookies ever. The cookies are soft but not crumbly and melt in your mouth. You cook them at 350 degrees and melt the butter before mixing all of the ingredients together--two changes from my normal recipe that I think really make a difference. Try this recipe NOW!

 

Unfancy Capsule Wardrobe Planner

The idea of a capsule wardrobe has been buzzing around the blogosphere for a few years now. Lately, I've been really attracted to the concept. Now that I'm a married lady with a house, husband, kids, and pup, buying clothes just isn't as much of a focus for me anymore. I still like to look nice and put together, but my overall style is much more simple than when I was a single lady living in Chicago.

Slowly but surely I'm starting to adopt the capsule wardrobe idea and invest in higher quality clothing that can go the distance rather than too many cheap t-shirts that only sort-of look ok.

 

Lark Skin Co. Beauty Balm

I recently had the opportunity to try two products from Lark Skin Co. Designed with minimalists in mind, their products work overtime meeting a variety of beauty care needs--all while being made from safe, natural ingredients. I'm loving the beauty balm and can't wait to share more about my recent natural beauty product discoveries. Stay tuned for a entire blog post on natural beauty products coming soon!

 

 

Nate Berkus Duvet Cover

I would love to snatch up this duvet cover for our bedroom. None of the rooms in our house are finished but our bedroom is probably the closest to feeling complete and styled. On our honeymoon we bought some wool southwest rugs, one of which is in our bedroom. I think adding this duvet cover would pull everything together nicely.

 

Allbirds Wool Runners

So I haven't tried Allbirds shoes yet but the I find the design concept totally appealing. I hate wearing socks with shoes but also hate stinky feet. These shoes are made of merino wool (weird but cool right?) and not only promise to regulate temperature and moisture without the need for socks, but you can also throw them in the washing machine.

A pair costs $95 but for busy ladies and mamas out there, I think that could be a very wise investment. In my opinion, good shoes are usually worth paying a little extra for. Has any one heard of Allbirds shoes or ever worn a pair? I'd love to know what you think!

 

Glitter Guide Home Tours

A big reason I haven't been blogging as much over the last few months is because I've been busy interning for Glitter Guide. One of the main projects I worked on during my internship was GG's weekly Home Tour posts. I got to work on some fabulous home tours, including the one pictured above. Interning for GG was a dream come true. I enjoyed every minute of it and saw myself improve as a lifestyle writer, which was my main goal. Now that my internship is done, I'm excited to hopefully transition to being a contributing writer.

 

The Dressmaker

Although The Dressmaker came out two years ago, I only recently discovered it while perusing Amazon Prime. Dale indulged me a few Sundays ago and watched it with me. Kate Winslet can do no wrong in my eyes and she definitely did not disappoint in this role. Set in 1950s rural Australia, Tilly returns to her hometown armed with her haute couture style and desire for revenge on the sordid townspeople who did her wrong. A dark and twisted yet artful story, The Dressmaker feels like a Faulkner novel set in Australia. It's not a movie to watch over and over but it's definitely worth a dedicated viewing. 

 

 

Avengers Felt Finger Puppets

When I stumbled upon these puppets on Etsy I absolutely squealed with delight. My boys loves all things Marvel and I think they would adore these sweet puppets just as much as their step-mama. If you think these puppets are cute, wait until you see the Les Petites baby mobiles. When we get pregnant, if we are having a boy, I don't think the nursery will be complete without this mobile.