Current favorite pieces + Pin-spiration

A while back, Nick wanted to reclaim his portion (note “portion,” never “half” muahaha) of the closet thus treated me to this homemade garment rack. The assembly is straightforward, but for the less handy, it’s definitely more of a several-hours project vs. “30 minutes” like some DIY tutorials claim! Staining the wood and spray-painting the pipes added extra time, but was well worth it in the end. I use this rack to rotate in favorite pieces or color schemes that I’m feeling at the moment.

I wasn’t much of a Pinterest user before, but now browse frequently for useful ideas on recipes, makeup, home decor, STORAGE (a nightmare in our home), and where to travel. Follow my Pinterest account for my daily favorite ideas, and I’ll be blogging some every so often too. Here’s a few of my boards & pins I’m loving:

Left: clear panel drawers with dividers so you can easily see what’s inside
Right: bookshelf for storing bags with vertical-facing hooks to hang totes (nifty!)

How to Store it All: Living in a small city condo, storage is something we just never have enough of. This is my favorite board – love browsing for closet inspiration and tips & tricks on how to put everything away tidily and most importantly, functionally.

Left: nifty & informative graphic on how to style a midi skirt when petite. I try to demonstrate most of these tips in outfit posts but it’s always helpful to see this way!
Right: in love with how elegant but simple this pairing is. Copying for sure!

Style Inspo: favorite looks and pairings ideas from around the web. Olivia Pope is whom I want to dress like “when I grow up,” so I was swooning over her clothing rack from an interview with the character’s costume buyer. I showed Nick the pin for inspiration and he goes, “huh, isn’t this a picture of your clothing rack.” I looked over at my own rack (first picture in this post) and suppose I can see how he’d be confused…I just need a few more trench coats and long gloves ; )

Left: loose braided bun look for shoulder-length hair
Top right: prettiest gel nail polishes Bottom right: Revlon lip balm swatches

Hair & Beauty: From new nail polish to lip colors to try (I always like finding swatches on others online before buying), as well as hairstyle ideas and homemade beauty masks.

Left: Ikea nightstand makeover tutorial, Right: DIY floral wall ornament

Do it myself: projects & tutorials across all sorts of categories. Love a good Ikea hack!

shrimp scampi “zoodles” (I need a spiralizer, stat!), crockpot beef & broccoli

Nom nom: Nick and I both love to cook, and it’s been a fun challenge trying to cook healthier this year. One of my guilty pleasures was beef with broccoli from Chinese takeout joints, but it is so much yummier and healthier homemade (restaurant versions are usually super greasy!) that I can never go back. This crockpot version is just as easy as the recipe promises, and freezes well for quick weeknight dinners. I throw in lots of extra garlic and quickly blanch my broccoli instead of microwaving, since I like it crisp against the melt-in-your-mouth tender beef.