2. Outdoor Wood and Rope Lantern – Perfect for your fall front porch decor along with some pumpkins and potted mums! See it here: goto.target.com/q6j1y
4. More animal print! These slip-on sneakers work well with pretty much any color and are so easy to slip on your feet when running to the bus stop. Shop them here: http://goto.target.com/j6L4n
6. Bring a little bit of Fall colors indoors with this Goldenrod Faux Arrangement. An easy way to bring your decor into the new season. Find it here: http://goto.target.com/VD5KR
7. I am obsessed with this Hobnail Terracotta Footed Bowl – narrow enough to fit on most mantels while also looking right at home on a dining or entryway table, this bowl is truly a versatile piece. See it here: http://goto.target.com/0KN53
9. Boys’ Fleece Jacket – Fall is coming, keep him warm during this transitional weather with this modern-look fleece jacket. Get it here: goto.target.com/j6L6n
Hi all! Welp, this spring is not going as planned. Here in Chicagoland we have had a horrible spring: low temps, late season snow, then rain all the time. It has been a rough start to what is supposed to be a better weather season than winter. Usually, at this point into the spring, our family has enjoyed many nights by the fire before the mosquitoes get too bad in the thick of summer.
Our entire family loves spending time around the fire pit. We all take a break from screens and just enjoy each others company telling stories and making s’mores. This weekend we also want to try an outdoor movie, I’ll let you know how that goes!
A few years back we were in the market for a new fire pit. Our old pit did not stand the test of time, it was really pretty with mosaic tile around the outside but the tile started cracking and falling apart after the first season of use. So, as I always do, I researched online for a new fire pit that we could use for years to come and landed on this beauty – the Landmann Big Sky Fire Pit.
Disregard the weird fake-looking fire, I’m not sure why my phone took this picture like that.
I ended up getting it for Father’s Day for the hubby from my girls. It comes in a few styles and the girls both picked the one with the animal cut-outs on the sides.
Boy, have we loved this thing. Let me give you the details on how we help make it last because if you don’t take care of it, it will rust.
First, as some reviewers suggested, we sprayed the entire pit with High Heat Rustoleum right after we assembled.
Then we added sand and a layer of fire safe bricks.
I also always cover it. I don’t want it to rust or to gather water from the rain and then have to scoop out ashy water. This is the cover we bought for it, it’s a bit big but does the job and has held up through 2 summers and winters with lots of rain and snow.
Finally, I thought I would also tell you about these amazing Lighter Cubes we use from Weber. These make starting a fire so, so easy. I literally only need one or two cubes. I place them underneath some of the wood then light them with a lighter, they light fast and easily.
Last minute shopping? No problem, we rounded up some great Mother’s Day items that are all Amazon Prime eligible and sure to get to that special mom in time.
Our house definitely doesn’t have one style to define it. A little modern farmhouse, add some traditional elements, marble, different wood tones and more I just like different objects, textures and looks. And, lot’s of gray and white, especially in our family room. We have a gray couch, white walls, a slate gray fireplace, and white and gray marble tile surround. So with that in mind, I wanted to start bringing in more color to liven things up a bit. To do that, I purchased these OK Lighting teal glass lamps.
Although these lamps look a little coastal in style, I like how they give my family room a lighter, airy quality. Amazon lists these lamps as “blue” in color. I do not agree with that, they are definitely a teal/sea glass color. The tone of the teal color mixes in nicely with the cool grays and whites in my decor. The shade is a slight off-white, I do not consider it cream like some reviewers. The bottom of the lamp is open and the glass has a slight ripple texture to it.
I use these pillow covers all year round! The versatile plaid pattern can fit pretty much anywhere in your house. I have these covers in black and white and also mix them with pumpkin pillows in the fall and snowflake pillows in the winter. This month, pair them with an Easter pillow for a Spring Farmhouse look or place one on a dining room chair for a pop of color and comfort. Remember- they are just covers, you need your own pillow forms.
Check out these Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena Soy Candles, they smell like heaven. Sometimes Amazon will run a deal that makes them less than $6 a piece! Find them here.
This weeks Today I need a… post focuses on Standing Desks. When I started working from home I ran into some issues related to staying active while not really leaving the house. I take my kids to school in the morning, but unless I have errands to run I am at home on my computer working, mostly sitting. One of the first decisions I made to help me feel like I was doing something healthier was to buy a standing desk. Below I outline my criteria and research process for how I made my decision on the desk I ultimately bought.
1. I knew I wanted something that would fit on top of my desk and not a new desk altogether. This is because I am extremely lucky to have a large desk that fits two chairs and spans the wall of my home office thanks to my extra handy father-in-law. I love my desk. I especially love having so much desktop space to work with and didn’t want to add more large furniture to my house. This helped me narrow down my search to desktop versions of what I was looking for.
2. I also wanted something that was a flat surface. I use a laptop, mouse and sometimes an extra monitor for most of my work. This meant that I didn’t want a desk with a separate, sometimes lower, keyboard section. I wanted it to be large enough to fit my laptop while also having room for me to draw/write in my notebook for taking notes and sketching ideas.
3. Finally, I wanted something adjustable that I could use either for sitting or standing. Let’s face it, I don’t want to stand all day long. While wanting to be healthy I also know that there are some days I am just plain tired. I looked for something that was easy to adjust at a moments notice.
After looking at a number of stores the desk I eventually chose I found on Amazon. Called Innovadesk Adjust Standing Desk Converter, I can say I love this desk. It moves smoothly up and down and gives me enough space to hold my items necessary for work. Obviously, the weight of raising and lowering will change depending on how much you have on the desk. It was definitely heavier when I had a monitor on it compared to just my laptop, but not enough that I couldn’t use it.
This is the desk in the raised position. Very easy to raise and lower.
*Please ignore my super plain office, it is on my list to get a makeover and will be part of a later post!
This is the handle you squeeze to raise and lower the desk. There is a small cutout on the desktop surface to make room for this handle, but it doesn’t bother me.
Additional notes: Because this desk will not be the same height as your regular desk be aware that you may have to raise your desk chair or add a cushion in order to raise yourself when seated to the best ergonomic height for seating comfort.
If you are looking into doing your own research you may need to look under different names such as desktop converter, adjustable desk, desk riser, and/or standing desk.
If you are looking for a new desk altogether there are a number of desks where the entire desktop raises and lowers. With this option you will see a higher price for a larger piece of furniture.
This is where I’m going to chime in! While I don’t have a standing desk at home I’ve been working for an office furniture company for over 10 years and have experience using many different models. There are numerous places to buy a standing desk but I will use examples from Office Designs first since I’m familiar with their product line. Their curated selection of height adjustable options can be seen here: https://officedesigns.com/our-products/shop-by-category/height-adjustable
My top recommendation from these items would be Herman Miller’s Renew Sit-to-Stand. The price for a 48” x 24” desk with laminate top begins at $1545 which may seem a little pricey but it includes Herman Miller’s 12-year, three-shift manufacturers’ warranty. When purchasing a desk with moving part you want to be certain you won’t be stuck with a “plain” desk after the motor dies in 5 years. Herman Miller builds gorgeous high-quality products that last a lifetime. This desk is no exception it has style and works flawlessly.
If you are not ready to invest and need a full height adjustable option there are some available on Amazon. When browsing online for a cheaper model I wouldn’t discount hand cranked options, you may find they will last longer than one that relies on a motor such as this one.
A mid-range option would be an entry level model from Uplift Desk. You can design your own model here or shop their pre-configured models here. The have a 60″ x 30″ black laminate option for, it comes with free shipping and a 7-year warranty. This company specializes in Height Adjustable Desks and would be a good place to start your journey.
Today I need a... 