blonde rosie

Our Wedding Invitations

Published on January 9, 2025January 3, 2025 by blonde rosie1 Comment

If you ask me about my favorite part of our wedding, I would say it was the details. Every detail of our wedding was perfect. The months of planning and overthinking every single decision were completely worth it when we got our wedding photos back and I could see what we created together.

Wedding invitations set the tone of a wedding and I wanted a classic, traditional wedding with a luxury feel. I looked at dozens of options from different companies trying to find the one I wanted but nothing stood out to me. Finally, I came across an invitation that made me stop and immediately I knew… it was the one!

We went with Shine Wedding Invitations in the end. I ordered sample invitations from different companies but kept comparing them to the paper quality at Shine Wedding. We sat down and did the math and decided that we were only doing this getting married thing once and wanted the best, Shine.

Ordering online was easy with their user-friendly website that asked all the questions to fill out. That information then went to the artist who designed our wedding invitations who did a mock-up of what they would like us and then emailed us a PDF of what they would look like. Since we were working with a real artist, we were able to get amazing customer service and she was able to point things out that we would not have noticed if we just used a template like other companies. Working with Shine gave me a peace of mind knowing that our invitation were in good hands and they would come out perfectly.

To save some money, we ordered our own vellum paper and wax for the seals on Amazon. We spent a whole day assembling invitations and had an assembly line for Jacob to add a wax seal to each invitation.

Ed also participated and inspected every single one to make sure they were good to mail out!

Neutrals for 2025

Published on January 7, 2025December 31, 2024 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

After months of putting up and taking down to put up more holiday decorations, I am always ready for a blank wall in January. There is something so calming about putting away Christmas decorations and having an empty house for a few weeks. While some people avoid neutral colors in their homes, I keep returning to a more neutral look. January is when we all sit on the couch and just exhale. It’s been a busy month of entertaining and keeping the holiday traditions alive, but now we rest. Having a clean home with a neutral color palette can be so calming. As much as the decorations around the house bring me joy in December, I also get joy coming home without any clutter. The lack of clutter lasts about two weeks before I start swapping out pillows again for Valentine’s Day, but having a good foundation of neutrals makes swapping out decor extra easy. In February, pops of pink and grey start coming up around the house.

Leading up to my birthday, I realized I had held on to many things that I purchased in my twenties and didn’t fit my life or style anymore. I’ve been slowly going through my house and putting items in a bag to pass on to friends and coworkers to give them a new home. Stuff that has been collecting dust and taking up space is now out of the house and brought joy to my friends. Once a week, I have a bag of items in my trunk and I let my coworkers “shop from my trunk” and it’s become a fun game we do. I think one of the reasons we hold onto items is because they have sentimental value or we know how much we spent on an item. Some of the coffee cups I never reach for now were once my favorite ones but now they just clutter up the cabinet. Now that I give them to friends, I can see the joy it brings them and it makes giving them away a little bit easier.

Here are some of my favorite neutral home items that will be making their way back this month as I put away the Christmas decorations to make room for neutrals!

SHOP THIS POST

wooden cake stand // dish towels // candle // wreath // teddy pillows // basket // blanket // wooden tray // white vase // wicker vase

**Purchasing items using my links helps support this blog with affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Embracing Peace: My Word of the Year for 2025

Published on January 6, 2025January 5, 2025 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

Hey there, friends!

Happy New Year! I can’t believe we’re already in 2025—time is flying by, but I’m stepping into this year with a fresh sense of clarity and intention. If you’ve been following along on the blog, you know I’m all about embracing the messy, the fun, and the unexpected moments of life. But this year? Well, I’m ready to make peace my priority. I went to bed on New Year’s Eve saying out loud, I’m so happy I don’t have to plan a wedding this year! Last year….was a lot. A lot of planning, emotionally, financially and so now this year, I want to have some peace. Some time to live in the now.

Yes, you heard me right—peace is my word of the year.

Now, before you roll your eyes and think, “Oh, great. Another person talking about peace and zen,” hear me out. I’m not talking about some unattainable state of perpetual calm (although, wouldn’t that be nice?). Instead, peace for me means finding balance, cultivating inner calm, and setting boundaries that protect my well-being. It’s about feeling settled in my choices, trusting my instincts, and not getting bogged down by the chaos around me. Last week, I was talking to a friend about how my mind can’t shut off and I’m an overthinker. My friend asked me what I do to find peace when the world gets loud…. and I didn’t have a good answer. Turns out, it’s up to us to find our own peace and it looks different for everyone.

Why Peace?

2024 was a whirlwind, to say the least. There were highs (hello, planned a wedding and got married) and lows (you know, the usual life hurdles), but one thing I realized through it all was how much I craved a sense of peace. Peace in my heart, in my mind, and in my daily life.

Life is full of noise—whether it’s work, family, social media, or just the constant pressure to “do more.” But this year, I want to create space for calm. I want to step back and give myself permission to take things slow. No more hustling just for the sake of hustling or saying “yes” to everything in fear of missing out. At work, I’ve been able to step back and let the team do what they need to do without having to tweak things to make them perfect. I work with kids and I have to remind myself, they don’t know an event was supposed to be grander or I forgot to order something. On my last day at school before break, my team brought a few problems for me to fix, and my response was “Pretend I’m not here, how would you handle it?” as I sat back as my team handled the situation just like I would have. Sometimes we need to put faith in other people around us and trust that things will work out…. we don’t need to be involved in every single thing.

For me, peace means choosing what matters over what’s loud. It means aligning my energy with the things that truly light me up, and letting go of what no longer serves me.

My Goals for 2025

With peace as my guiding word, here’s what I’m hoping to cultivate in 2025:

Create More Calm in My Day-to-Day Life
- This year, I’m all about creating moments of peace throughout my day. Whether it’s starting my mornings with a quiet cup of coffee (no phone allowed!) or carving out time at night to color before bed, I want to build little pockets of calm into even the busiest of days. The last few days, I’ve really enjoyed putting on a record and drinking coffee on the couch while I read for a little bit before officially starting the day. The goal: less rushing, more breathing.
Prioritize Real-Life Connections Over Digital Noise
- While I love sharing with all of you here, in 2025, I’m making a conscious effort to step away from my screen and spend more time in real-life moments. That means more dinner dates with friends, outdoor walks, and making plans with friends, without interruptions from notifications. It’s all about nourishing my relationships—offline!
Embrace a Simpler, More Sustainable Wardrobe
- I’ve always been a sucker for cute outfits, but this year, I want to focus on quality over quantity. I’m aiming for a wardrobe that’s chic, minimal, and more sustainable. This means investing in timeless pieces that I actually love and making smarter choices when it comes to what I buy. In the past I’ve tried to stay away from fast fashion and wear more sustainable luxury. This year it’s also about the purge. I want to get rid of as much as I can that’s just taking up space and clothes that no longer work for me. It’s about feeling great inside and out. I don’t need more clothes in my closet. I need more places to go with the clothes I already have in my closet!
Mindfully Build My Creativity and Side Projects
- In 2025, I’m giving myself the space to nurture the creative projects that bring me joy, whether it’s writing more, reading more, starting a new hobby, or learning a new skill. Or like starting a Substack and committing to write more. The key is to enjoy the process without putting pressure on the outcome. Creativity should be fun, not stressful.
Give Myself Grace and Space to Grow
- This year, I’m practicing self-compassion like it’s my new full-time job. I’m letting go of perfectionism and giving myself permission to take breaks, to rest when I need it, and to evolve at my own pace. No more guilt for slowing down or changing my mind—growth is a journey, not a race. Last week I noticed that whenever I sat down, I would take an accidental nap. Like a deep sleep two hour nap and wake up and not know where I was. I think that is my body telling me to slow down?

What Does Peace Look Like for You?

As I step into 2025, I’m inviting you to join me on this journey. What does peace look like for you? It might not mean silence and stillness, but it could be about finding balance or letting go of unnecessary stress. Maybe it’s about carving out more time for yourself or choosing to focus on the people and things that truly matter.

No matter where you are in life, I believe we all deserve a little more peace in our days. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, scattered, or just need a little reminder to breathe, know that you’re not alone. I’m right here with you, setting intentions and finding my way to peace one day at a time.

Here’s to a Peaceful 2025

I’m so excited for what this year has to offer, and I can’t wait to share more with you along the way. If you’re feeling inspired to choose a word for the year, I’d love to hear it—share it with me in the comments or hit reply to this post. Let’s make this year one of purpose, growth, and, of course, peace.

Wishing you a year full of all the beautiful moments that make life so special.

Until next time,
Rosie

Friday Favorites 1.3

Published on January 3, 2025January 10, 2025 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

I have been asking myself a dozen times “What day is it?” because the concept of time the last two weeks is a blur. It’s Flursday. I have alarms set on my phone to make sure I am aware of my commitments but other than that, it’s been a lot of lounging around in pajamas and giving my body permission to REST. I’m using this time to make lists, reflect on the last year, and deep clean the house. I’ve been seeing the trend Pan Project 2025 a lot and I thought I was bad with having a lot of clutter but after watching these videos, I’m realizing I have a normal amount of backstock products. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving myself permission to not clear the shelves so to speak. This being my first Favorites post of the new year, I thought it would be fun to summarize my favorite things of 2024. So let’s do it!

This year, I’ve been grabbing my makeup that brings me joy and that has been a lot of pink. I took that Barbie trend and kept it going into my makeup routine. I created a go-to easy, natural makeup look….Glowy skin, pops of pink with pink lipstick and gloss in my pocket to reapply often. Each season I committed to an eyeshadow palette and only used that one (or two) to use up what I already have. Swapping them out every few weeks reminded me what I already have and it felt like I was getting something new even though I already had it.

Lipstick lasts longer, but gloss is more fun.
– Serena van der Woodsen

This year has been about less stuff and more joy in experiences. Going to one of my favorite restaurants in Philly, Parc, just because we want to, and no longer waiting for a special occasion. Getting tickets to see the Philadelphia Orchestra perform, taking advantage of the amazing restaurants in walking distance from us like the amazing Italian restaurant, Giuseppe & Sons. Walking to The Dandelion for tea and scones on a Sunday morning because we missed London. Walking through Rittenhouse Square on a Saturday morning to shop the farmers market is always a must for me in the summer because it reminds me to slow down and appreciate where I am in life right now. I worked so hard to be able to live in a city and be able to do these amazing things, that I need to slow down and appreciate the things around me.

Now or Never

This year I really committed to always have a book I was reading. During the warm summer months, I would get home from work, pour myself a glass of wine or an Aperol Spritz, and head out to the backyard to read a little before making dinner. During the “ber” months, I’ve been finding time to read before work or have a cup of hot tea and get into bed to read a few pages before I fell asleep. I didn’t read as many books as I wanted to this year, but it’s been nice getting lost in a fantasy world of the Ton or 200 years ago in Scotland.

Monday Mourning, Kathy Reichs
The Woman in Me, Britney Spears
A Breath of Snow and Ashes, Diana Gabaldon
The Christie Affair, Nina de Gramont
The Duke and I, Julia Quinn
The Viscount Who Loved Me, Julia Quinn
An Offer From a Gentleman, Julia Quinn

Another highlight of this year…..

One of my goals this year is to write on this little corner of the internet more in 2025. It used to bring me so much joy to recap my weeks and share things that brought me joy. Then life got busy and the internet told me videos were more trendy to do so I found finding time to write long updates about my life difficult to do.

Thank you for supporting Blonde Rosie. Your support helps keep this little page on the internet running.

Our Christmas Cards 2024

Published on December 31, 2024December 31, 2024 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

Sending out our Christmas cards every year was one of my favorite traditions growing up. It was always a process though… get dressed up in coordinating outfits with my brother, find the perfect location, take photos, get cards ordered, write a personalized message on each card, address cards, seal ’em, and put a stamp on it before dropping them off at the Post Office. Did I mention, that my mom did all of this while working a full-time job and she got them out in early December??? Now as I sit down to order our Christmas cards, write a personalized message on each card, and go to the Post Office to buy stamps because who has them these days to then address them and bring them back to the Post Office to mail out — I have a lot more appreciation for what my mom did for decades to get these cards out on time!

A lot of hard work went on behind the scenes to get these cards delivered, but the looks on people’s faces when they got one, were worth every minute I stayed up past midnight to write on each card. Let this be a reminder to bring Christmas cards back because they are a part of the Christmas magic that makes the holiday season so special.

PS – Ordering cards from Minted was the easiest part of this process. Finding time to write on them and get them out was because I needed to plan better LOL

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My Christmas Cookie Tradition

Published on December 17, 2024 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

Baking around Christmas is my favorite tradition! There’s just something magical about making batches of cookies and making the whole house smell like a gingerbread house. Over the years, I started to pack up cookies and give them to friends and family. What began as a few cookies in a plastic ziplock bag, has turned into a very large production that takes hours of baking and taking over the dining room to turn it into a cookie assembly and distribution center.

This year is busier than most and I was thinking of not baking this year or at least not going as big as I usually did. Until people started asking when the cookies were coming and making sure their Snickerdoodle cookies would be included this year. I realized that one long (very long) night on my end where I’m up until the early morning baking, is a small price to pay for the joy when someone receives a cookie package.

If you have a small budget or are looking to spread Christmas cheer to your friends or coworkers, maybe a cookie package is the right gift for you. Below is my list of cookies and sweets that make the list every year. This year I’m being kind to my body and breaking up the baking in two days so be sure to plan ahead! I like to get cute boxes and packaging at Homegoods or TJ Maxx to make the cookie packages a little more special. Or if you want to keep it simple, I have put cookies in a ziplock bag with a cute holiday cocktail napkin.