(I stocked up on beauty buys and got a few freebies, too.)
My birthday is coming up soon, and I always take advantage of Sephora’s birthday discount to make the most of my beauty purchases. I’ve written about this before, and I highly recommend using the discount to stock up on supplies. Since my birthday is halfway through the year, my purchases last until the Christmas promotions, another great time to replenish your beauty cabinet.
This year, the gift is a lipstick and mascara set from Makeup Forever that will be great for fall. To fill a few gaps in my product supply, I ordered a second tube of Dior Addict Lip Glow, my new favorite lip product. I also purchased another Caviar Eye Stick Colour in Moonlight by Laura Mercier. These are probably my absolute favorite eye colors because they work really well with my oily skin and are too easy to apply. And because I haven’t updated my blush in a while, I also tried Hourglass’ Ambient Lighting Blush in Ethereal Glow. It is a very subtle blush that adds a light amount of color and glow, and I like the result very much.
From Jo Malone, I also ordered a small bottle of Lime Basil and Mandarin Body and Hand Lotion, as well as the soap in the same fragrance. I first tried this scent right after James was born, and it’s very crisp and fresh. The lime makes it almost masculine, but it’s a lovely fragrance and the lotion is perfect for layering.
Now I’m all stocked up on beauty supplies and I can enjoy them as I celebrate my birthday. Do you use any birthday coupons to treat yourself?
(Our new pergola.)
Since we moved into our house almost nine years ago, we’ve talked about adding a pergola to our back patio, both to increase the shady space and to block the sun’s rays as it sets in the summertime. This has turned into the summer of getting things done, and the pergola was high on our list. We hired a local landscape design company and they installed the pergola last week. It took less than a day to complete, and we are thrilled with the results! It’s only the first part of several steps to spruce up our backyard, and already, it makes a huge difference.
(I moved my plant table off the patio and into the shade.)
We live on a busy street and since the boys are old enough to ride bikes now, we don’t feel comfortable letting them ride in the front yard, especially in the evenings when people are apt to drive too fast. Our goal with our backyard project was to make better use of our L-shaped patio that wraps around the back of our house, and to increase the play area for the boys. This week, we’ll also begin a patio extension project that includes an area of pea gravel, where a playscape will be installed eventually. We also plan to add ceiling fans and a mister system to our existing patio to help keep things relatively cool in the hotter months of the year.
(My hanging plants also help to block the afternoon sun.)
I especially love the pergola because I can hang my potted plants from it and care for them easily. I moved my plant table off the patio and under our large tree, and this gives the boys more room to play and ride their bikes. We can also use the space for outdoor parties as the weather cools down, and we’ve already spent several evenings outside after dinner, just relaxing and enjoying the cool breeze. The temperature is steadily rising and we had our first triple digit day this week, but once our backyard project is finished, it should be tolerable to spend the evening outdoors.
(A view from the side.)
I’m really glad we finally decided to tackle this project, and I’m excited to complete the other phases, too. I’ll be sure to share them with you once everything is finished.
Ace & Jig is a brand I see mentioned frequently on various blogs, and while I haven’t personally bought anything from them yet, I admire their designs and ethics, too. The company is Brooklyn-based and sources woven fabric from India, working closely with the weavers to develop textiles for each season. Like many small clothing lines these days, Ace & Jig is focusing on a few statement pieces that can be worn year-round.
The colors and fabrics are lovely and unique, and they look perfectly suited to the warmer months of the year. I’m a big fan of the Surf Dress shown above, as well as the designs of previous seasons, which favor a minimal style. I definitely consider Ace & Jig’s pieces an investment, but one or two items from this line could prove extremely versatile in your closet.
