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The Best of 2020

Published on January 7, 2021January 4, 2021 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

I love looking back at the previous year as a new year begins. I’ll go through my photos to remind myself of what I’ve accomplished, trips I’ve taken, and look back at my favorite things. This year I invested a lot of time and energy into this little corner of the internet. Blonde Rosie has always been just a fun hobby but this year I really needed a creative outlet to get lost in. After way too many days of working from the couch and not getting much done, we finished renovating our guest room and made space for a desk. Now when Jake works in his office during the day, I have a room to myself where I feel most creative! Over the weekend I sat down and looked at analytics to see what worked on the blog and what wasn’t. It was fun to revisit posts and see what your favorite things were on the blog.

THE MOST SHOPPED ITEMS

Refrigerator Bins
I need to do a better job of sharing the inside of my fridge because it is clean and organized all of the time because of the plastic bins. I shared them originally in THIS blog post over the summer and clearly, they were a bit hit with all of you!

Flannel Sherpa Comforter
There are a few things that I buy that Jake loves more than I do and one of them is this comforter! It was something I purchased because I wanted affordable (cheap) holiday bedding. I was okay with something that looked cute but didn’t have to be high quality since it was seasonal bedding. We were both pleasantly surprised at how soft and cozy it was and we have no plans to swap out our bedding anytime soon!

Gucci Belt Dupe
Looks like this older post was popular this year! I have always been weird about designer dupes because I know that you pay for what you get when it comes to quality and I’ve been slowly purchasing higher-end pieces. Saw this Gucci belt dupe circulating around Instagram a few years ago and decided to see if it’s as good as they say. Now it’s on display and rarely worn because who wears jeans these days?

Smoothie Fruit and Veggie Smoothie Kit Blend
Over the summer I was obsessed with these frozen fruit and veggie blends for an easy smoothie. Making smoothies at home can get expensive and I found it was cheaper to buy the bag instead of buying everything separately. I should also note that they are delicious!

Puff Sleeve Dress
This dress was a highlight of 2020 for me because once we made the decision to stay home for Thanksgiving and not see family, I bought myself a new dress so I could get excited. I shared it on the blog and Instagram and Target picked up the photo and shared it on their website. I’ve worked on collaborations before but I loved that my content was being seen by big brands without a marketing company making the collaboration possible.

Old Navy Thermal Pajamas
Our tradition of matching pajamas for Christmas is still going strong! These have been our go-to since we started dating (and matching) so we stocked up on fun prints again this year when they went on sale.

Lemon Kitchen Rug
We are renting our house right now so there are limits on how we can decorate at the moment. When I first saw our very yellow kitchen, I immediately thought of lemons and they have been slowly taking over our kitchen decor! This lemon rug was one of the first things I bought when we moved into our house and it’s held up very well the last two years. It’s still in stock and easy to throw in the wash when I clean the kitchen floors.

Serena and Lilly Glasses Dupe
For years I have been a big fan of the dollar bin at Target and this is where I found these Serena and Lilly dupes! A lot of my home decor is from Target and over the years I’ve been able to collect really timeless pieces that go together. Just a little reminder that you don’t need a ton of money to make your home look perfect.

Loreal Revitalift Derm Intensives Serum
This year I was really committed to taking better care of my skin. To make sure I don’t forget, I keep my nighttime moisturizer on my bedside table and a few times a week I’ll apply my Loreal Revitalift Derm Intensives Serum. Right away I noticed my skin started to glow and I could get away without wearing makeup because my skin looked so good!

Marc Fischer Caitlin Pumps
Remember when we wore shoes? To work!? Crazy times, I know! These are the only heels I used to wear to the office because they are so comfortable. I was able to commute, run around the office, and never had any discomfort! Over time I’ve been buying them in every color possible when they go on sale.

2020 Thoughts & Goals for the New Year

Published on January 4, 2021 by blonde rosie1 Comment

This was not the year I was expecting and I am sure my readers will agree. It was a tough year for me and it made me slow down to find some piece of gratitude each day. While this year had its challenges, by the final days of 2020 I was able to reflect and really understand the saying that everything happens for a reason. I started off this year leaving my job to find a different career path and I quickly went from job interviews to accepting funemployment until there was a vaccine. This was not an easy transition but after sitting down to look at our finances and my mental health, I could use the break to focus on me and we could afford me not working. After years of working long hours, multiple jobs and hustling, it took me a long time to finally breathe and realize you shouldn’t revolve your life around a job.

I’ve sat down a few times to write something that really explains my thoughts as this year comes to an end and another year begins. Nothing really felt right because while I am trying to find the good that came out of a very difficult year, I can’t neglect the bad that also came with it. While this corner of the internet may seem to look like a highlight real, there was a lot of hard conversations, difficult decisions and struggling that happened on my side of a computer. Besides the cancelled trips and staying home for a full year, my relationship had to grow and I had to work on my mental health which wasn’t so good even going into 2020.

I have to give a lot of thanks to Jake because he has been so supportive this year. He has encouraged me to take a year off of work and just enjoy this time. There were so many days I would feel so guilty that I wasn’t as productive as I thought I should be and he encouraged me to take advantage of this opportunity. His responsibilities at work changed like it did for a lot of other people so he was often working longer hours and was having to adapt to not only working from home, but his coworkers also working from home who he supports with tech requests. We have been enjoying the time in our house that we moved into two years ago but never got to really enjoy because we were either always working or traveling. Looking back at pictures from 2019, we realized how busy we were and how much we spent traveling so we have enjoyed having this year to slow down.

This year we learned that grocery delivery is a game changer, ordered a lot of food from Philadelphia restaurants to support them and I took a lot of long walks exploring my neighborhood. Since I wasn’t working, I took the opportunity to spend the summer with my parents in North Carolina. The summer I moved out of my childhood home, they also sold that house and moved to a house I had never seen in North Carolina. I’ve spent 3 day weekends here and there at the house and visiting them but it was never enough time to feel settled. This summer I was able to spend a lot of time outdoors and enjoy their pool, as well as spend some much needed time with my family. I finally was able to decorate my assigned bedroom at my parents house and go through my old things that got sent to North Carolina in the move. My mom and I worked on decorating a few rooms, a few renovation projects and spent a lot of time in the pool drinking sweet tea and reading books. With everything going on in the world, I knew I was lucky to spend this extra time with my family. In late August, my cousins and Jake joined us for a week at my parents house to have a mini family reunion. Since then we have experienced some health issues in our family and I’m grateful for FaceTime and weekly Zoom calls with my family this year.

In the next few weeks, I’ll go back to applying to jobs since the vaccine is finally here! While I’ve enjoyed this time off, I admit that I’ve missed working and being social with other people besides by roommates (Jake and Ed). I’m making a list of things I am excited to do this year. Even though things didn’t magically improve over night at midnight, I know that we have the drive and tools to make this year a good one.

As I look forward to 2021, I can’t help but notice how much I’ve learned this past year. I’ve grown as a person and have built up my self confidence. I’m motivated to get back to work and put more effort into my blog. I’ve seen what happens when I commit to a schedule and plan content so I hope to build on top of that. This year I learned to slow down and it’s something that I will take with me going into this new normal. Before I thought that your life revolved around your job and now I want to really find that balance of working and having a life outside of work. Life is too short not to travel and not see family. Jake and I have already booked a cruise for next summer because we wanted to look forward to something. My parents and I have become closer and I have renewed my relationship with my brother. With a world that made us stay apart, we clung to ways to stay connected and schedule time to socialize with each other. I’m grateful for what 2020 has taught me but boy, am I excited to see it go!

G O A L S
Get dressed every day.
Commit to a blog schedule and plan ahead content.
Feel more comfortable on Instagram Stories.
Find a job that fulfills me and allows a good personal/work balance.
Get back into a fitness routine and eat healthy.
Continue cooking healthy meals from scratch.
Weekly baths on Sundays.
Read a book a month.
Become a morning person.
Schedule weekly date nights with Jake.
Buy a car.
Hire a cleaning service to clean the house once it’s safe.
Be positive.
Use all the products I have before buying more.

RECENT FINDS

Published on December 5, 2020December 15, 2020 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

I want to make it easy to share my recent finds, good deals and purchases in one place so I created this page to share it all! This page will make it easy to get the links and shop anything that I share on Instagram or other items I find!

IN MY CART

Cozy bathrobe

Recent Finds

Keurig Duo

New Mantel Decor

Published on November 10, 2020November 9, 2020 by blonde rosie1 Comment

I was cleaning up at night before bed as I do most nights because I love waking up to a clean house. We have been in our house for a full year now and I’m still tweaking things here and there, especially around the holidays. After seeing new home decor items at Target released for fall, I decided I didn’t like how my first floor was decorated and wanted to change things up. For the record, it looks pretty as it is, I just need to rearrange things every few months because I’m crazy like that. I’m trying not to buy too much for our home because I may love it but we don’t have that much room for it all. I had to give in when I saw these candlesticks and the price was too good not to get them. I knew they would be perfect for my fireplace mantel throughout the year and could move them around with the seasons. The gold finish looks antique and are made really well for a low price. My mom has dozens of gold candlesticks varying in height and style that we love to decorate her home with. I’m excited to start building my collection with this set that can easily go with more candlesticks I buy in the future. Or more candle holders I buy from this amazing collection at Target right now! Right now I have my mantel decorated for fall and I’m excited to decorate it for Christmas in a few weeks. The candlesticks are the perfect elegant touch that this space needed in our dining room.

Candlesticks // candles // similar candle holder

Friday Favorites 9.18

Published on September 18, 2020September 19, 2020 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

Last week, I was wearing shorts and a tank top or a bathing suit and this week I am wearing long sleeves and leggings! The weather has definitely shifted; it’s cold, overcast and the sun is going down a lot earlier. It’s making me think of Jake’s family who was directly impacted by the hurricane this week in Pensacola and my friends out west in the path of the fires. I’m excited to be back home in Philly with Jake and Ed but I really am going to miss my time in the South with my parents.

One of the best things about fall is all of the new things to watch! I even made a list of things to watch because I didn’t watch much tv the last few months. Fall television is going to be different this year so I plan on watching shows live to support. One show that will be interesting because of the cast is Dancing with the Stars.

This week I made time to watch the This Is Paris documentary on YouTube. It’s free to watch and heartbreaking to see what happens in Paris Hilton’s life behind the cameras and her brand.

I was excited to be home because I can finally catch up on the current season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I’ve been trying to keep up with the drama on Twitter so now I’m binging season 10 this week.

I’m still sharing my reading list on Goodreads to keep me committed to my reading goal. I did a lot of reading over the summer and I need to get into a routine of reading everyday this fall.

I stocked up on a ton of products before we came home so I got this new bag to keep it all organized. It’s so cute and holds so much that I plan on getting some more bags in this print.

There is currently a ton of new products on my vanity that I am excited to share on the blog in the next few weeks. Over the summer I’ve been going makeup free most days and really focusing on skincare. After seeing an amazing deal on 3 full size eyeshadow palettes from Tarte, I had to order it ASAP!

Recently bought these sandals because they were on clearance and I’ve been wearing them nonstop since. Very comfortable and do not look or feel cheap even though they were only $12.

WOW, I have missed my kitchen so much the last few months! I am back to making dinner every night and trying new and old recipes. We did a big grocery trip when we got back to Philly so I was able to make our favorite penne vodka which was delicious! I’ve been sharing our dinners on Instagram stories and it’s been a great motivator to cook and interact with you all.

Speaking of amazing food, I just discovered the Starkist tuna creations and they are a game changer for lunches!

Nordstrom Sale 2020: Items I Already Own & Some Good Dupes

Published on August 3, 2020August 5, 2020 by blonde rosieLeave a comment

When I was clicking through the sale preview pages I realized that a few of the items looked very familiar. So maybe that’s proof I really do have good taste? Over the last few years I’ve been more picky about my purchases and choosing to spend more money on some items because I know they will last me for years.

Some items in my closet (and in storage) are from Nordstrom sales in the past. I think why this sale is SO popular is because you can’t beat these sales on items that truly are investment pieces that you can use daily. Other items in my closet are from Target and honestly, they do the same job. I love wearing clothes and buying clothes. I was happy to see that some items I’ve purchased from other retailers were included in the sale (for example a brown leather skirt). I purchased mine from another retailer last year and now I can’t wait to wear it again this year in new ways.

I love shopping but I love a good deal more. Below I put together a long post of items that I currently own that are a part of the Nordstrom sale. Some are from Nordstrom or other higher end stores and some items are from Target. Do some browsing and see what catches your eye. If you have the budget, do some shopping. The way that I look at it is you can buy 10 fast fashion bags that will break and fall apart easily or buy one amazing designer handbag that you can use every day for years. This year I’m shopping the sales on the jewelry to get presents for friends and family and a few things for myself because you can’t beat that price.

Happy shopping!

TORY BURCH LEATHER TOTE PURSE // If you want to buy yourself a nice designer item that you will definitely use a lot, I suggest getting a designer handbag. I treated myself to a Tory Burch bag in 2018 and it looks like I just bought it. I use it a lot in the fall as my everyday bag and I love that it acts like a tote bag because I can throw things easily in there and it’s small enough to be an everyday bag.

CHARLOTTE TILBURY LIPSTICK // I worked on a campaign with Charlotte Tilbury more than a year ago and that is when I finally understood why everyone is obsessed with this lipstick! It’s goes on smooth and I find it lasts all day. You can read more about the brand in this blog post here.

KATE SPADE INITIAL PENDANT NECKLACE // This is a necklace that I wear all the time because it’s tiny and goes with any type of outfit. I bought mine during a Nordstrom sale years ago and it still has its gold color even after wearing it in the rain, lots of sweat and daily wear. This would be a great present for someone or for yourself.

PLATED STUD EARRINGS // Whenever I wear these earrings, which is often, I always get compliments on them. They look super expensive but are very budget friendly which is great for treating yourself or stocking up on gifts. The earrings work for everyday and for work so these have been my go to since I got them a few years ago.

PAJAMA SETS // I love to buy pajamas and I’m actually a little embarrassed by how many pajama sets I own. That being said, Nordstrom does have pajama sets on sale during the sale but I have never purchased them. For now I am sticking with my pajama sets from Target because I feel like they are just as soft and are more budget friendly. I recently did a full blog post about my favorite pajama sets from target here.

MULES // I am slightly embarrassed by how many pairs of mules I own because they are so easy to slip into and walk out the door. This year, multiple colors will be on sale and I suggest you grab a few. They last forever and I wear them all year round. Great for weekends and can be worn at work so it’s a show that you really do get a lot of wear out of. I own mules in pink, 3 black pairs and white. I told you, I’m obsessed!

WHITE SNEAKERS // I have spent months trying to find a chic white sneaker that can be worn not for working out. I love the look of white sneakers with jeans or a dress but struggled to find a pair that would work. Recently I just purchased a pair of white Steve Madden sneakers at TJ Maxx and they look so good on! Obviously they are last seasons so I’m excited to see a new version this year just as chic!

LOAFERS // I purchased black loafers late last summer and they honestly became my most worn shoes. I’m excited to see these included in the sale because they are super affordable! The loafers are a great shoe to commute to work in and you can wear around the office. Honestly, a shoe that you can wear all the time is worth every penny.

ADIDAS SNEAKERS // Sneakers are always a great item to stock up on during this sale. I recently picked up some similar Adidas sneakers for $29 at Costco that I didn’t need but for that price I thought why not. Later that week I saw a whole display at TJ Maxx with the same sneaker for $35 I believe. Both were a great bargain and I assume “last years style”. But do sneakers go out of style?

OUAI LEAVE IN CONDITIONER // I recently rounded up a few of my favorite leave in conditioners lately and what do you know, the Ouai one is currently included in the sale! I’ll spray my hair with two squirts with the leave in conditioner and then brush my hair from root to end so the product goes all over my hair. A little bit goes a long way and I can tell I’m going to have this for a long time! Read more about my favorite leave in conditioners in this blog post here.

PLAID DOUBLE BREASTED BLAZER // Every year during the Nordstrom sale there is a plaid double breasted blazer on sale. I’ve wanted one for a while but my work dress code didn’t require them so I didn’t get one last year. So you can imagine how excited I was to see one on sale at Target for a much smaller price than the one listed on Nordstrom. I’m linking this years Target version here. I will say that I felt a lot better about throwing my blazer in my work bag on my way to work when I needed to wear a coat.

TORY BURCH LOGO EARRINGS // I bought a similar style Tory Burch logo earrings back in 2018 and I’m still wearing mine all the time. I love to wear them for work because they can dress up an outfit and for everyday look. It’s a nice small designer investment you can make if you have a budget.

TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX MASCARA // Easily one of my favorite mascaras that I have used for years and keep repurchasing.

TIE WAIST ANKLE PANTS // If you are looking for new work pants then these pants that have a cute bow detail would be perfect! I’ve purchased a few pairs from LOFT over the last year and love how polished an outfit looks when I wear them with a top to work. I’m linking the LOFT version here in case you want to compare.

KNEE HIGH BOOTS // I love these boots and the looks I can do with them. Last year during the sale I had like no money because we were in the process of moving so I was not able to get the boots. Insert sad emoji here. Luckily, a few months later I found an amazing dupe for the boots at Target. The price? Just what you would expect – affordable! So I bought them and they have been sitting on my closet floor since then. The point is, just because something looks pretty doesn’t mean you will actually wear it. And sometimes waiting to buy something pays off!

MULE SHOES WITH A HEEL // At work I used to have a drawer full of shoes that I could slip on after I got to work in Uggs or sneakers. Commuting to work on the train was not glamorous and I was not running in heels! I had a pair of brown leather mules with a block heel in my drawer that were easy to slip into if I had meetings that day and wanted to look professional. With long pants or even a dress, they give the appearance that you are wearing heels but you are actually wearing comfy shoes!

BLACK SUEDE WATERPROOF BOOTIES // It is so nice to have a pair of nice looking shoes that you can do anything in without worrying about the weather. A few years ago I bought waterpoof suede booties because they were inexpensive not realizing how much I would wear them over the years. Great for commuting, great for picking out a Christmas tree (see picture above) and perfect for unpredictable weather.

BROWN LEATHER SKIRT // Personally, I didn’t know I needed a brown leather skirt until I bought one. It’s an easy way to dress up oversized tees, sweaters and blouses. I purchased mine from another retailer last winter and I’m excited to see that the style is back. I’ve also noticed Meghan Markle often wearing a leather pencil skirt and a matching blouse. It’s a very chic look!

LANCOME HYPNOSE MASCARA DUO // If you are looking for a good mascara deal, this is the one for you! I wore this mascara a lot for when I used to go out with friends or dates because it gives a lot of volume and lots of lashes. Since running out I’ve tried to use drug store mascaras but nothing is as good as this mascara. Also the primer is amazing and the makeup remover mini is great for traveling! They offer the best deal on mascara sets right now during the Nordstrom Sale.

T3 HAIR CURLING IRON // Yes, it is pricey but I love my curling iron so much! It gives me gorgeous curls in just a few minutes and they last all day. For days that I wake up with frizzy hair, I can quickly curl my hair to get polished perfect curls in minutes.

T3 HAIR DRYER // After my hair dryer from high school stopped working, I put my money together and purchased the T3 hair dryer that everyone was talking about. I knew I needed to invest in a good hair dryer because I have a lot of thick hair and it normally takes forever to blow dry it, With all of that time using high heat on my hair, it can really damage your hair. So now with my T3 hair dryer, my hair dries faster with that polished shine look and I’ve noticed my hair looks less fried.

BRUSH SET // Normally I wouldn’t look to Nordstrom to buy new hair brushes but when you break it down, the cost per brush is so inexpensive! This will definitely be in my cart to purchase!

MADEWELL JEANS // I sure do miss working at J Crew because of that employee discount! One thing that I would tell anyone is to invest in good denim. It lasts forever and if you can wait for a good sale, you can get a good deal! I’ve tried wearing other budget friendly jeans and while they can be good, nothing compares to Madewell and J. Crew jeans.