Hello All! Today’s post is going to be a bit different as this year I am showcasing my winter home decor tour 2021 as a YouTube video!
I went for a cottagecore, mushroom, forest theme for this year’s decorations. Addtionally, my decorations are completely non-Christmas-themed since we do not celebrate Christmas but celebrate Yule/winter solstice instead.
We don’t even have a Christmas or Yule tree, but that is mostly due to the fact that we do not have any room in our apartment to put one up!
One day I hope to have a home where I can put up a beautiful and delicious-smelling real pine tree.
I like to put my decorations up mid-December, right before the solstice, and leave them up until the end of February when I start noticing the shift in nature that spring is upon us.
Joann Fabrics had a lot of mushroom vibe winter decor this year and I could not resist!
I am really happy with how it turned and love how simple and minimal it looks.
If you would like to see previous years’ decorations click here.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my new YouTube channel for additional vlog and seasonal content.
Thanks for watching my Winter Home Decor Tour and happy holiday!
Hello and welcome to the August 2021 monthly favorites!
Although it is still incredibly hot and humid here in Pittsburgh, summer is coming to an end.
I am looking forward to cooler weather and of course, I am ecstatic for the spooky season!
This past month I tried to fit in all the summer activities I didn’t get to do yet this year.
Alas, I wasn’t able to fit in mini-golf or a trip to the forest but I can try for that in September.
Keep reading to discover my August 2021 monthly favorites. Click here to read the monthly favorites archive.
Movies/ TV Shows:
The Tudors – This is one of my all-time favorite shows and the show that got me into Tudor and English history in the first place!
I was feeling the urge for some good old Henry VIII and started watching the series for possibly the 10th time through. I’ve watched it too many times to count.
Wolf Hall – Another rewatch! Clearly, I was in the mood for Tudor England this month between my show and book choices.
I had previously watched Wolf Hall before but decided to give it another try and enjoyed it much more the second time.
Book:
Anne Boleyn: 500 Years of Lies by Hayley Nolan – Continuing on with my month of Tudor England I decided to read a book on Anne Boleyn. This book came out a few years ago and has been on my to be read for a while.
It was defiantly not what I expected from a history book.
Nolan wrote her book in an expose style which I found really refreshing compared to other history books that can lull you to sleep. I specifically enjoyed her frequent use of British slang.
Food/Drinks:
Peach Panzanella Salad
Cinnamon in Coffee – I started putting cinnamon in my coffee to get some of the health benefits from the spice and found it was the perfect pre pumpkin spice drink
La Prima Coffee – La Prima has been a Pittsburgh coffee staple for a long time but I just recently decided to give them a try and am so glad I did because their coffee is fantastic!
End of Summer Peaches – We have been getting peaches in our CSA and they have been so juicy, delicious, and full of flavor! I like adding them to salads and just eating them plain with a good slice of cheese!
Ginger Cookie and Red Velvet Cake
Summer Activities:
County Fair – At the beginning of the month my boyfriend and our friend Matt went to the Washington County fair. We walked through the barns looking at all the show animals the locals brought and watched some of the demolition derby. It was a nice way to spend a cool summer evening.
Getting Ice Cream – I’ve been living in Pittsburgh for 13 years now and just now found the best ice cream! We went to Antneys which has homemade ice cream with flavors that rotate daily. Hands down some of the best ice cream I have ever had in my life!
Going for Walks – This has been an incredibly hot and humid summer which has made it very unpleasant to go outside. Recently it’s been getting cooler in the evenings so the boyfriend and I have been able to get back to our evening walks.
Thanks for Reading My August 2021 Monthly Favorites!
If you enjoyed this post don’t forget to check out the monthly favorites archive. Make sure to check back next month for my September favorites!
Hello and welcome to another week of outfits 8/15/21 – 8/21/21!
This is my third post in this series and so far I am really enjoying it. Being able to chronicle my outfits has definitely helped me get more rarely worn items out of my closet. It has also helped me stay creative with my outfits by coming up with new ways to wear the item.
I have to say that after the very hot and humid summer we are having I am ready for sweater weather!
I already am scanning Poshmark and other sites for fall arrivals and am looking forward to switching to the new season.
Without further ado, here is the week of outfits 8/15/21 – 8/21/21!
Welcome back to another week of outfits 8/8/21 – 8/14/21 post! I went out quite a bit this past week so I was able to wear some items that I don’t get out of my closet very often.
I was super excited to be able to wear this handmade, vintage, mosaic bracelet I picked up from an artist at the Pittsburgh Art Festival this year on Friday when we went out to dinner with a friend. I have a close-up of it below.
If you would like to see another week of outfits post click here.
Week of Outfits 8/8/21 – 8/14/21
Sunday
Kevin (bf) and I went to walk around Pittsburgh Strip District
Hello! I had this idea last week to do a week of outfits post.
Back when I had Instagram I would do an out-of-the-day post. This was really helpful in knowing what items I wore often and what styles worked for me and what didn’t.
I am curious to see how this transitions over to my blog! Especially now that I no longer go into an office and work from home. My outfits are much more casual (as you will see), so when I do go out I tend to dress up.
I am going to try my hardest to do this every week so wish me luck!
Week of Outfits 8/1/21 – 8/7/21
This week I mostly worked at home but we did go out for dinner and ice cream and had our usual Friday night grocery store outing.
Keep scrolling to see everything I wore this week.
Once Upon a time is an older TV show that I can remember watching when I was in college but I never finished all 7 seasons.
I decided to rewatch them in June and am making my way through all the seasons.
Clothing:
I have been wearing this thrifted chambray skirt so much lately! To be honest, I have worn this a ton of times this summer.
It is super comfy and lightweight. Plus it has the cute, vintage, cottagecore vibe I was going for!
Food:
We signed up for a CSA from a local farm this year and it was a FANTASTIC decision! We have gotten so many yummy vegetables and fruits.
Since we get lettuce every week from the CSA, we have been having salads every night with dinner. Whoever said salads were boring has no idea what they are talking about. We add all sorts of things to our salads but feta cheese, olive oil, vinegar, and a variety of seeds always get tossed in.
Another food item that I have been obsessed with is grilled zucchini. I slice it lengthwise, toss it in olive oil with salt pepper and homegrown lemon thyme, and oregano. Then I throw it on the grill for a couple of minutes and each side and it’s AMAZING!
Grilled Zucchini!
Nicoise Salad!
One of the CSA shares!
Beet, fennel & citrus salad!
Typical salad!
Salad with apricot!
Apps:
I just downloaded this app about two weeks ago but I am really loving it so far. I downloaded the Aura meditation and sleep app to see if it could help me with my sleep and anxiety problems.
Since using it I have noticed my sleeping patterns are getting a bit better.
However, what really helped me is the 3-6 minute mini life coaching and cognitive behavioral therapy sessions. Not all of them have been geared to my life situations but the more general ones have helped me with negative thoughts and being more mindful.
That wraps up my July 2021 favorites!
I hope everyone enjoys the last warmth of summer in this upcoming month.
This is the last book I needed to read in the Philippa Gregory Tudor and Plantagenet series.
I was already aware of the storyline of this book since I watched the ShowTime series the White Queen a handful of times and that show followed a bit of Anne Nevilles story.
I really enjoyed the entire series and although this one wasn’t my least favorite, it wasn’t one of the best either.
I really enjoyed this book and took pages of notes!
This book focuses on the ancient Indian health and wellness system of Ayrevada. The author explains how to use Ayrevada wellness to change your schedule and optimize your health.
This book was straight to the point and gave very specific routines for your Ayrevada type.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I thought maybe it will discuss the possibility of these infamous women actually being witches with evidence supporting the claims.
It turns out that this book covers how these women were accused as witches for political reasons with a heavy focus on their biographies.
I found the book interesting but I was already aware of the biographies of Jacquetta of Luxemburg and Elizabeth Woodville.
It is worth a read if you enjoy English history and the roles women played in historical times.
I read this book to find out what all the hype is around hygge.
I found the Danish culture and tradition of hygge interesting but after reading I don’t feel like you can really experience hygge unless you actually are a Dane or live amongst them for a longer period of time.
Many of the traditions are similar to the American versions of I guess what we would call cozy; candles (lots and lots of candles), dim lights, sweets and pastries, fuzzy blankets, etc.
I listened to an audio version of this book but I think it would be a good reread in the fall or winter to give me some inspiration on brining warmth into my home during the cooler months.
The author gives background to the wall as far as where, why and how it was built. The book goes over how the wall was used during the Roman occupation.
The book was full of information but I found it a bit dry and not engaging. I did listen to this as an audiobook so maybe I would feel more engaged if I read it.
This has been one of my favorite books since I was a child! This is probably the fourth time I have read it and I love it everytime.
Although the story focuses on a boy who runs away from home to live in the woods, as a 30 year old woman, I still want to run away to the woods and live off the land.
This is a great book if you like foraging, the forest and nature.
There is also two more books in the series but they are not as good as the first one in my opinion.
Currently Reading
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir
Home Sweet Maison: The French Art of Making a Home by Danielle Postel-Viney
The Bookshop of the Corner by Jenny Colgan
Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Style Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris by Jennifer L. Scott
