April Moodboard + Mindset

Even though I have no idea what day it is most of the time, I'm surprised we are already almost a week into April. This month I want to focus on gratitude.

This Week's Top 10

image via Pinterest -- what I wish my WFH set-up looked like

Omg, can I just say that the content this quarantine is getting me so excited?! I've been so motivated to blog, as it is the most productive way for me to procrastinate school. Is that a good thing? Unsure.. but if it's wrong, I don't want to be right.

This Week's Top 10 is so packed that I actually had to organize it into categories, LOL.
I hope you enjoy it!

H O M E
1. EXCITING NEWS! So, we moved into this house the summer before my senior of high school. I love this house... it's close to downtown while still feeling like a cozy, quaint suburb. It's absolutely gorgeous around our neighborhood, and I get the best vibes. HOWEVER. There is one thing that has driven me crazy since the get-go, and it's our kitchen cabinets. I despise the cabinet pulls. They are black, and they are so ugly, and I think about it every single time I take a picture of something in my kitchen. WELL, this quarantine has found my mom and I redoing our cabinets and pulls!!! I am ecstatic. I cannot wait to share the transformation! It's a small upgrade, but I think it is going to make a huge difference.

2. On this topic, Studio McGee, one of my favorite interior design accounts to follow, recently released a collection at Target! There are some very cute things, all at great prices! I love the neutral theme. You can click to shop a few of my favorite pieces from the collection below:

F O O D
3. Going vegan isn't something I think I will ever actually do, but the concept intrigues me. I think about it a lot. I support veganism and absolutely love the effects it seems to have on (most peoples') bodies and the environment. Jess's blog post on her recent transition to a vegan diet really has me wanting to try it.. maybe I could make the switch just a few days a week?

4. Man Repeller (yes, I'm obsessed) posted my favorite article.... of all time, possibly. WEIRD FOOD COMBINATION SNACKS!!! The article gave me some really good inspo for future snacking endeavors... My personal favorite snack combinations are Frito's dipped in sour cream, and grapes dipped in peanut butter. I'm sorry... I know it's weird... this is something I've been keeping to myself for a while, and I finally feel enough validation from this article to share.

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

5. I just discovered Scribd and thought I'd share! It's an app with magazines, books, and audiobooks, and they're offering a month free with no credit card required. How nice! I've never listened to an audiobook before, so I'm thinking I'll download the app and give it a try! I have heard great things about Jessica Simpon's memoir!

6. I watched episode 23 of 20/20 the other night because (1) my friend recommended it to me, and (2) after reading Verity, I've been strangely obsessed with morbidity. This particular episode (The Chameleon) is about a serial killer, and not only was this absolutely fascinating and horrifying, but it held my attention, which is very hard to do.

7. Taking a long walk and getting outside has made me feel much better about the amount of time I spend in my bed these days. I love listening to a podcast while I walk, so if you need a little motivation, let me recommend Gals on the Go, NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, My Favorite Murder, or The Morning Toast!

(addition: I just read this thread on Twitter... a professor wrote the things she's experienced with students since the transition to online classes. It is so sweet, thoughtful, and eye-opening. Worth a read)

S E L F - C A R E
8. I love painting my nails; it always makes me feel more put together. I posted about my favorite red nail polish on my Instagram Story the other day, and I was surprised how many of you actually cared what my favorite polish color is... haha. If you're in need of a bright, classic, gorgeous red, this (called "red-iance") is my all-time favorite!!
Also love this post by Krista on how to get the perfect at-home manicure!

9. I've been missing my Daily Stoic book so much since I left it at school. It is the best way to do a little self vibe-check every morning. It just really puts our lives into perspective, which is nice in times like these, where we need an extra reminder of what is in our control, and what is not.

10. Here's another reminder to encourage you to do a little personal writing during this time! If you need a quarantine activity, whether you're bored, need to get your thoughts out, or just want to feel a bit more productive, you can check out my writing prompts here.

Happy Friday, even though everyday kind of feels like the weekend anyway...
xoxo

My Quarantine Cocktail Menu

I've been ~in the house bored~ lately and making random cocktails most nights for a quarantine cocktail hour. I shared one of them the other night and some of you asked me to share more cocktail recipes! In typical fashion, that got me way too excited and resulted in this "Quarantine Cocktail Menu." I had so much fun naming these drinks; I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Yes, I think I'm really funny.

March Favorites

Was March not the weirdest month... ever? Or what? For me, the first two weeks were spent at school, then spring break, then all of a sudden, quarantine at home (which isn't ending any time soon). At the beginning of the month, Coronavirus seemed like such a distant worry. A month ago, none of my classes were canceled, graduation was still on my radar, and senior year was really fun. Suddenly, as if overnight, I found myself reading the news 100 times a day and unable to go back to school to even grab my books and binders for class. A month ago, who saw any of this coming?!

Spring Finds Under $100

photo via Brunch on Chestnut

Welcome back! In today's episode of "how I'm procrastinating my ~virtual~ homework by writing blog posts instead," I'm sharing a ton of cute spring things I've found under $100! I mentioned on Friday that I haven't been doing a lot of shopping for clothes... I have nothing to get dressed for these days (does anyone?!), but that doesn't mean that spring won't eventually roll around, and we might find ourselves craving a cute outfit to keep us sane. Maybe in a few weeks, we will even get a little Instagram photo while social distancing? I mean, the quarantine creativity is surely only going up from here.