Noteworthy
Happy Friday and Labor Day weekend, friends! It has been exactly one year since I drafted my last Noteworthy post (this is my 67th in the series), but I’m excited to be back with updates, inspiring links, and a good catch up session. Grab your coffee- or beverage of choice, and buckle up for a long, interesting, and hopefully entertaining heartfelt reunion… albeit, hopefully a bit more organized than my previous Noteworthy posts. You know what to do- click through!
Labor Day Weekend
What does everyone have planned for Labor Day? We’ll be working on projects this long weekend, and are staying close to home. While I typically enjoy pulling together the best Labor Day sales, I didn’t have the bandwidth this year and ran out of time. We are having our annual sale in the Tuesday Made shop… click here to browse our sale and snag up to 80% off!
Travel
While we currently don’t have any big trips planned, I am looking forward to a quick work trip to NYC for the Better Homes & Garden Stylemakers event. I’m honored to have been invited this year! Immediately from New York, I’ll be jetting across the country for a bestie’s bachelorette party in LA. It’s going to be a busy, but fun week. We also just arrived home from a boating & camping vacation at Lake Powell… if you were wondering where the breathtaking imagery throughout this post was taken. More on that below!
Savoring Summer, Lake Powell, & Our Boat
We spent a week on the water with 18 friends, and it was a magical time with incredible people. I highly recommend renting a house boat with your friends or family. I also wanted to share the story behind our boat- which I’ve been sharing snippets of all summer long. It’s a cool story (though a little long winded)…
I grew up boating on this exact boat in Kentucky on the Ohio River- it belonged to my stepdad. Emmett & I have so many wonderful memories on this boat- it was a hallmark of our teenage years. Fast forward a decade… my parents ended up selling the boat, and a couple years later when it came back on the market, Emmett & I jumped at the opportunity to purchase it. My parents hauled it from Kentucky to Utah a couple summers ago, but it didn’t want to run… for fellow gearheads- the carburetor was really struggling at altitude. Reluctantly, we had them tow it back to Kentucky- since it wouldn’t run here. We debated selling it, but that felt sad after saving up and having just gotten it back.
My stepdad happens to be a talented mechanic, so he tracked down a salvaged fuel injected engine for us, rebuilt it, then towed the boat back out over Memorial Day (this summer). Our nostalgic, memory-filled boat has been running like a dream each weekend since. Emmett & I have been working weekends for years, and investing in this boat has really encouraged us to spend at least one day on the water each weekend… a ritual we now look forward to.
Just like our camper reveal, we’ve got big plans for a boat makeover. After all… it’s a 1990 that looks exactly like it did when we were teens. In fact, I designed and installed the boat graphic when I was 15 years old. We’re excited to change the color palette, redesign the graphics, and address the interior upholstery- updating the aesthetic to feel more like us. It will be one of the more sentimental projects we tackle, and I’m excited to share it with you as it unfolds. Taking it to Lake Powell was definitely the first of many memories having it out West.
Home Project Updates
I also wanted to update you on our home projects. The entryway is still awaiting completion, as there are a handful of pesky paint tasks & touchups left on my to-do list. I’m hoping to wrap it up this fall, but as of now- it’s not our top priority. At the top of our list is our outdoor kitchen build, as we’re working against some deadlines. I’ve also got a fun kitchen island project to share with you in the week ahead! Of course, the home gym is still on our renovation list as well. I’m going to need that a couple months post surgery to get back into shape.
Room for Tuesday Updates
You may notice the blog took on a new look this month. After some technical difficulties, I decided to spend time updating the homepage, expanding the categories blog posts are filtered into, and really organize the main menu. Feel free to poke around and check it out! I hope the site is easier to navigate and you enjoy the elevated aesthetic- I think it looks much better. While the majority of blog readers read on mobile devices, I still think the best user experience is via computer. Don’t be afraid to pull out your laptop, scroll your desktop, or bring out your tablet every once in a while. Amuse me and try it sometime. As always, thank you for including me in your weekly routine, if you’re a regular around here!
Must-Read Articles & Inspiring Links
Yesterday, I was invited to W Design Collective’s open house. They just built a stunning new office and launched a lighting and wallpaper line. If you’re looking for truly timeless wall coverings that won’t go out of style- it’s not to be missed. You can also check out their Mill Road home tour, here.
Looking for fall home & fashion inspiration? I’ve been linking all of my favorite finds for the season, here!
I wanted to share one of my favorite home tours for the end of summer / early fall… check out Stephanie Sabbe’s College Grove home. I bookmarked it last year and still reference that pretty project.
Colored kitchens never went out of style, but are certainly gaining popularity… check out these colorful kitchen cabinets from one of my favorite print magazines. If you’re interested in my personal paint selections… find my top paint color picks for dark kitchen cabinets, here.
In preparation for my upcoming work trip to NYC, I bookmarked 43 of the best hotels in New York City– all with impeccable design. Although, after the fact… I decided to split a conveniently located Airbnb with a handful of designer friends. Any guesses who I’m rooming with?
As we eagerly await the arrival of autumn, here are 65 fireplace styling and design ideas to get your wheels turning. I enjoyed this one!
If you’re organizing for back to school, are looking for some budget seasonal home finds, or simply need a fun scroll this weekend- I’ve been adding lots of good things here lately!
I felt really inspired by the use of pattern in this San Francisco pied a terre by Heidi Caillier.
Personal Updates & Good Reads
Personal updates are plentiful (since it’s been a year). Many of you know I’ve struggled with my health these past few years, and while my autoimmune conditions are feeling more manageable, I’m having a hysterectomy in less than a month. After multiple uterine surgeries, it’s time. Prior to my surgery, Emmett & I have had many conversations surrounding our future. I’m currently in the process of our one and only IVF cycle pre-surgery, which has me feeling ick this week. It’s certainly been a year of surprises and challenging scenarios, but despite that- home and creating has continued to be a happy source of comfort for me.
If you’ve noticed I’ve been more absent than usual, that’s what has been occurring behind-the-scenes. While feeling not entirely myself, I have enjoyed losing myself in some good books. Be sure to add these to your reading list- my five most recent reads:
- All Good People Here
- Throne of Glass (a series)
- The Woman in Cabin 10
- Bad Summer People
- Wrong Place Wrong Time
I’ve honestly pulled back on sharing the intimate details of life on Instagram these past few years in an effort to protect my mental health. While social media can indeed be positive, uplifting, and helpful- it can also be a very judgmental, harsh space that I’m not always willing to subject myself to. However, I do miss the sense of community, friendship, and support, so I’d like to slowly ease back into sharing the more vulnerable or spontaneous topics. I think it’s important. It’s also how I’ve made so many friends and heartfelt connections over the years. That said, the blog and email still feel like my safe spaces… so I’m kicking newsletters back up again (scroll on to sign up & keep in touch).
I Recently Purchased…
My recent purchases? Here are my most recent buys, aside from some of the books I mentioned above…
723 Laundry Detergent // I recently switched from their signature detergent to this fragrance and I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Even Emmett commented on how much he likes it!
Secondhand Finds from The Real Real // I’ve been searching for some work outfits for my upcoming NYC trip and my first stop is always The Real Real. You can find some amazing designer pieces for a fraction of the price. I scored some classic black ballet flats, a blazer, and a skirt for less than $200. I’ll show you once they arrive.
Cotton Cableknit Sweater// This sweater is 100% cotton and such a great budget find (under $35)! I’ve already been wearing it often in my rotation, and it’s great for tying around your shoulders for the last bit of summer.
Cozy Pajama Set // I’ve been prepping for my upcoming surgery, and one suggestion someone sent was to treat myself to a comfy lounge set. I’ve been wanting to try Lake pajamas for years, and finally bought myself a set. These are like butter- so soft, breathable, and stretchy… they’ll be perfect for my recovery.
Quilted Jacket // I popped into local boutique, Katie Waltman, and couldn’t resist this lightweight quilted jacket for fall. It also comes in brown!
Newsletter Signup
Unfortunately, Google doesn’t like when I post these random, admittedly scattered-brained, long winded Noteworthy posts that are seemingly irrelevant in the scheme of my area of expertise or niche- interiors and home. I’m not sure when I’ll get around to posting another one of these, but I am committed to bringing back weekly newsletters with the same format… personal conversations & catch up sessions, inspiring links, recent purchases, project updates, etc. If you’re not already- hop on my email list here! The first one is going out next week, and from there they’ll arrive in your inbox every Tuesday. It’s the easiest (and most casual) way to keep in touch with me! You can always hit the reply button, too… responses come straight to my inbox.
Closing
This post is already much longer than intended, so cheers if you’ve made it this far. I hope you all have a fabulous long weekend, are able to unplug, and savor the last bit of summertime. This season has felt like a blur- it went entirely too quick. I’ll keep you updated on all the things via email. Thanks for your continued support, encouragement, and for reading all these years! I’ve got lots of fun projects and valuable design posts to cover this fall. I hope you’ll join me! Next week I’m getting back to it, so keep your eyes peeled for a regular home related post. In the meantime, drop any questions or thoughts in the comment section below. I’m still playing catch up over here, but will be respond to comments this weekend! Hope you enjoyed these beautiful landscape snippets.