Author: blonde rosie

Friday Favorites 6.7

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The last few days of school are here and we can all feel the excitement that summer is almost here! We had our garden party at school and this week I did a lot of baking for end of year parties. Last month I spent time working on our yard to get it ready for dinners outside or reading a book. I love summer because it encourages us to slow down and spend as much time as possible outdoors. Last weekend we woke up early to drive to Ocean Grove to go to the annual flea market and the beach. We grabbed dinner at a new to me place, Barrio Costero, and had to stop at Cookman Creamery to get ice cream on the walk back to the car. On Sunday we lounged around and got some stuff done around the house. This weekend was the first time in a long time that felt like a w e e k e n d. It was the perfect combination of beach time, trying a new restaurant, scoops of ice cream, and time at home to unwind before another week begins.Below are some of my favorite things lately as we kickoff summer!

A few weeks ago, I bought some new makeup because everyone on social media was raving about it. The last thing I want to do is wear a lot of makeup during the summer but sometimes need some products to add a little glow. The new dewy look is here to stay and so much easier during the summer months. This foundation is light but provides coverage that lasts all day. This blush is my newest obsession. It’s the perfect pink shade that gives a natural pink to the cheeks. A few dabs of this bronzer on my nose and jawline and I’m out the door.

Picked up a new nail polish, OPI Elephantastic Pink, and it may be my new go to nail color for summer! Keep scrolling to see it!

Picked up some sweets from Ladurée to enjoy during our tea party in celebration of the new season of Bridgerton.

I’ll go months without shopping and then in a week I buy all of the things! I can’t believe this sunglasses style is popular again. Mad at myself that I threw out my old rectangle sunglasses years ago but loving my $15 ones to look cool and trendy. I also got a new tote bag inspired by Prada that is everywhere on Instagram. I’ve already used it a few times and I am very impressed by the quality and even happier with the low price.

I finally ordered the carpet cleaner I’ve had in my cart for MONTHS and I’m mad I didn’t do it sooner. I spent hours cleaning every carpet in the house one night because you can immediately see a difference. As someone who vacuums and mops every week, it was gross and satisfying to see how much dirt came out of the rugs.

la vie en rose

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La vie en rose translates to see life through rose-colored glasses. I love this time of year because the weather gets warmer and the flowers start to bloom adding pops of color all around us. I grab the pinks and pastels in my closet and put away my winter darks because it’s time to brighten my life with some rose colored pieces. Some of my favorite retailers have the cutest pink items to add to my collection! I don’t know what it is, but when I wear pink, my day is just better!

pink ballet flats // staw bag // puff sleeve top // pink sweater cardigan // hair clip with bow // pink blush // perfume // gingham dress //

just a girl who loves Diet Coke

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So you can imagine my excitement when I was scrolling on my phone and saw a new Coca-Cola collaboration with Forever 21! I quickly realized I needed everything because I love it all but here are a few of my favorites that are a must for any Coca-Cola girl! This collection has so many great finds so hurry and get them now. A few styles are already selling out!

Coca Cola Towel // classic Coca Cola pullover // Classic Diet Coke Pullover //
Embroidered Coca Cola Denim Jacket // Coca Cola Bikini

A new season brings new projects

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Spring is the time of plans and projects. – Leo Tolstoy


A lot is going on at the moment. Spring is inching its way in the Northeast, some days more warm and sunny than others, and I am ready for the change. With the new season, I have a lot of projects going on at the same time and I’m excited. Last weekend, we went to Home Depot to get some supplies for the yard. I thank my past self for raking the leaves and getting the yard in good shape a few weeks ago so last weekend. We added some grass seed to bare spots in the lawn and planted ferns in our big planters. It’s still a little early to plant flowers but the yard looks lush and green as last year’s hostas and hydrangea bush are growing day by day.

Inside the house, I’m doing a deep clean so I can swap out winter decor for my spring decor to liven it up around the house. I’m going through every corner of the house to take everything out to organize it so for the next few months I can feel relaxed coming home from work. Right now I have a pile of winter boots and sweaters in my bedroom ready to be brought to the basement for storage to make room for spring clothes. It’s a project that takes forever but I love the weekend-long project of swapping out my wardrobes.

Work is busy with planning the end of the year ends, because the last day of school will be here before I know it and I have a lot of fun events planned for May and June. I also am busy planning summer camp, working on camp logistics, and a long list of admin tasks to make camp possible and most importantly, fun.

When I get home from work, I’m using my limited free time to work on wedding planning. Even though we are five months away from the big day, this is when big decisions need to be made and big items on our to-do list need to get checked off. I now understand why people prefer a two-year engagement because there is so much to do in planning a wedding.

With all of this happening simultaneously, I’m trying to slow down and enjoy each project. Instead of thinking of everything that needs to get done constantly, I’m slowing down to enjoy each project that comes my way this Spring. On Saturday morning, I made an iced coffee and grabbed a magazine to spend some time enjoying the sunshine in our backyard to enjoy our hard work last weekend. I ended up going through a few magazines because I wanted to stay outside longer and instead of jumping to the next task, I let myself sit in a chair and read.

This spring, take the time to enjoy the changing of the seasons. Make plans to spend outdoors and get your home a place you want to come home to.

SHOP MY GARDEN

terracotta planters // four piece patio set // tall planters

Friday Favorites 3.22

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Hey, there Spring! It’s been a very chilly week leaving me wondering, is Spring on its way or if I am going to continue to pay a high PECO bill keeping the heat on blast to stay warm? Next week is my Spring Break and it’s hard to get excited when it’s this cold outside and I have no plans to go somewhere warm. The one perk I’ve been enjoying the last few weeks is that sunset is later in the day. Those extra few hours have been helping me stay motivated to be productive when I get home from work. It’s hard to see but I know summer is around the corner!

Speaking of summer, on a recent call with my mom we both had the realization at the same time that my wedding is coming up. We are on track to get vendors booked and the rest of the items on our longgg wedding to-do list checked off. My goal is to get a blog post dedicated to our wedding planning on the blog soon because so far, it’s been very smooth and I’d love to share some details!

I have been using these exfoliating peel pads on my face like every other day because I’ve become obsessed with how soft my skin has felt after using them consistently. I’ve used a lot of face masks and creams and nothing compares to how amazing my face feels after using them!

At this point, if Elemis sells a product I need to have it because I LOVE LOVE LOVE their stuff. It’s pricey but they are a staple in my skincare routine. I’ve been using the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream in the morning under my makeup and my face stays hydrated and glowing all day.

Bought myself an iced coffee maker a few months ago and in honor of Spring, I finally took it out of the box and have been enjoying an iced coffee on the weekends. It’s easy to use and makes delicious iced coffee – I miss my trips to Stabucks, but it’s nice to make an iced coffee for pennies!

I have been on the HUNT for these amazing macaron pillows and I found a blue one in stores! I’m still hoping I can find the other colors to add to my collection.

  • Quiet on Set Any 90s kid who grew up with Nickolodeon will have a hard time watching this and learning what happened behind the scenes of the shows we grew up with.
  • Vanderpump Rules It’s become my gym show that I watch while I’m on the bike. Life is so crazy right now we all need something frivolous to watch.
  • For All Mankind I’m kind of embarrassed to admit how fast we binged this show but it was so good! Each season is a time jump and keeps the story going in a direction we were not expecting.

London Trip: Day 9 Pints in Regent’s Park

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We needed an extra cup of coffee this morning because this was our last full day in London and had a lot to do! We enjoyed a full English breakfast at the hotel restaurant and made our plans for the day. My most helpful travel advice is to plan what you want to do before you go and have your day mapped out before you head out. We were able to pack so much into our last day because we had it mapped out with where we were walking and where we were taking the Underground.

While we were here, we wanted to stop by the London office of the company he works at. They were in the process of moving offices so we stopped by to say hello to his coworkers and see the new office. It’s next to St. Paul’s Cathedral and I wish we had more offices with this view here in the States!

We walked around St. Paul’s Cathedral and it really is magnificent. I was hoping to be able to go inside but they charged money for people to go inside and it was just a bit too pricey for an entrance fee. While we didn’t go inside, the grounds around the cathedral were beautiful. It’s definitely worth making time to just walk around it, not so sure it’s worth the 25 Pounds to be able to go inside though.

From there, we took the Underground to Kings Cross Station to catch a train to Hogwarts. JK! But we did go to Kings Cross Station and visit the Platform 9 ¾ gift shop. It’s a bit of a queue to get inside the store but the line moved quickly. There is also a photo area where you can get a photo of you traveling through the bricks to get to the Hogwarts Express. There was a long line to get a photo and we were trying to accomplish a lot this day so I said we could skip it since we had already gotten photos of the same thing at Harry Potter Studios.

We got lucky and the sun started to peak through the clouds. Of course the sun finally makes an appearance on our last day! We then made our way to the Sherlock Holmes Museum and got tickets to visit the museum. If you don’t have time for an hour to visit the museum part, you need to make time for the gift shop. It’s perfectly currated for the best souvenirs and gifts!

By the time we finished up at the Sherlock Holmes Museum, the clouds were gone and the sun was shining brightly! Jacob wanted to take me to one of his favorite parks in London, Regent’s Park, so we started to make our way there. We had to stop at a pub when we saw that they had takeaway pints for the park. We both grabbed a Camden Hells and made our way through Regent’s Park.

Can you imagine being able to walk through this park every day??

Next up on our list was shopping at Harrods! I was hoping to treat myself to a nice handbag while we were there but I wasn’t in love with anything. In the lower level there is a Harrods Gift Shop with much more reasonable prices 😉 I fell in love with this large tote bag and also got the matching cosmetic bag as a nice souvenir. We picked up a few other items for gifts for our friends and family while walking around the very large floor of Harrods souvenirs.

We left Harrods and made our way to Piccadilly Circus to walk around. It’s London’s version of New York City’s Time Square. We walked around enjoying the bustle of the street and did some window shopping. Piccadilly Circus is filled with so many restaurants and stores that you could spend the whole day here.

We chose to walk back to our hotel so we could walk past Big Ben one last time. For our last night, we decided to get dinner at the restaurant at our hotel and it was the perfect way to end the night. We got all dressed up and enjoyed a nice dinner and drink to celebrate our last night in London. We spent the dinner talking about our favorite parts of the trip and planning our next trip back! It was also hard to say goodbye to our beautiful hotel, The Royal Horseguards.