Hey hey party people and design lovers! How are you guys? We’re fully diving into fall around here and are lighting candles/making soup pretty much every day (well, Emily does that all the time anyway). Let’s jump right into another fun edition of the link up.
Did you see Caitlin’s Balcony Reveal on Friday?? She totally gave the space some elements of Palm Beach/Beverly Hills Hotel/Hollywood regency fun, so to keep with the pattern we have going…here’s a VERY FUN home tour by Amirah Kassem and designer Elizabeth Backup. If you’re into the pink/banana leaf/bright/fun/regency aesthetic this one is for you. Let’s talk about that dining room…and the wallpapers??? WE LOVE IT.
From Em: Fun Fact. Before Ariel Fulmer was THE Ariel Fulmer, she managed The Flea at EHD we used to have and we love her so much. So it’s been very fun to watch her and her husband Ned’s careers and influence blow up via her designing and The Try Guys. I ran into her last week in LA and it was such a treat and reminded me of what a good human she is. If you’re looking for two fun follows follow Ariel and Ned. And guess what?? They published a cookbook called The Date Night Cookbook. Full disclosure I haven’t received yet but I’m excited to help support these two people and cook up some delicious meals with my date:)
Also From Em: Everybody asked this week where Brian’s jacket was from. He did HOURS of research to find the perfect “cool dad jacket” (trust me). It’s the perfect combo of utilitarian and cool guy in our opinion. Surprisingly it makes him look broader than he actually is (which he really likes).
From Anne Sage: My whole life I’ve been “that person” at parties who would rather sit on the floor than on the furniture. And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that the world can be divided into two types: People who look at me like I’m crazy when I decline a spot on the sofa, and people who scream, “OMG I’m a floor sitter too!” Nicole at Bente Vintage is the latter, a fact we bonded over when we first started tossing around ideas for a collection. We decided then and there that the world needs a curated selection of rugs chosen with floor sitters in mind. These rugs are ultra-soft and inviting—a necessary quality when your derriere is in direct contact with them—but they’re also unusual and offbeat in colors and patterns you won’t have seen elsewhere! Some are vintage and completely one-of-a-kind, while others we had specially commissioned and can be woven-to-order if you need a different size than what we have listed. And of course, we included some striped throws with massive pompoms in the mix. Because as any seasoned floor sitter knows, the only thing better than a cozy spot on the rug is a big ol’ blanket to go with it! Check out the collection here.
From Ryann: It’s possible I have recommended this facial hair removal tool before, but since I’ve had it for a year and still use it regularly I figured it deserves another shout-out. It’s saved my life on more than one occasion, where I am about to leave for a party or event and at the last minute I notice some unwanted hairs above my upper lip. It’s so easy and painless to use and it works!! I know we’re not supposed to “shave” our upper lip because it could cause the hairs to grow back thicker, but honestly I think that is a myth. In any case, this little guy is really useful to have in a pinch!
From Mallory: My boyfriend, Chase and I have had a toiletry bag problem for YEARS. Meaning, we’ve found it’s VERY difficult to find a bag that organizes your stuff well when you’re traveling so you don’t throw your hand at rocket speed into an abyss of lotions, shampoos, and oh yeah, RAZOR BLADES. Enter the Freegrace hanging toiletry bag. Chase actually found this from a Youtube video and was immediately like ‘I NEED THAT.’ So for his birthday, I bought it for him (and pssst it’s only $15!!) I cannot even tell you how this $15 has changed both of our lives for the better. You can hang it up on a towel rack or shower or whatever too so you can actually SEE everything you have!!! No more playing roulette in the abyss of your toiletry bag!!! If you’ve ever had this issue – it’s time to snag yourself one of these bad boys.
Also From Mallory: Meet my favorite fall statement jacket. I’ve never had a jacket this cool in my lifetime. ever. But me and this jacket are truly BFFs. The shape of it is so special – it’s got those kinda cool-girl balloon sleeves but it’s still structured – plus that pattern is VERY COOL AND CHIC!! Especially for fall!! Also – I went into the store to try it on and the nice man working there told me it was inspired by Amelia Earhart (their entire collection right now is inspired by badass women). I was sold and now have worn it almost every day 🙂
From Albie: With the mini in school full time again, I knew masks would be part of her daily wardrobe… but she’s still a kid, and as such, I wanted to make her mask-wearing as easy on her as possible. Since her school has designated mask-free times & zones (not to mention lunchtime) I didn’t want to risk her losing her mask or putting it down somewhere gross. These lanyards are the perfect mask accessory because she can hang her mask around her neck when she’s wearing it & easily put the mask back on when needed. They clip really well on both her reusable & disposable masks, and come with an easy snap feature if she needs to quickly get it off her neck. The color assortment + her mask assortment makes the whole thing seem more fun, like picking other shoes for the day.
From Jess: It was time for a new pair of jeans. While I love my Madewell Perfect Vintage pair, I wanted ones that didn’t stretch out so quickly (and by what feels like a whole size sometimes). So when I went to the store, tried on this pair (I’m in between sizes so I sized down for the snug fit I wanted), and have been super happy with them since! They stretch out a little since they aren’t a fully rigid denim but it doesn’t bother me. Big fan!
Also From Jess: Let’s get personal, shall we? I am a big toilet paper over user. It’s a horrible habit that I’m trying to break but in the name of “feeling clean”, it’s not an easy one to change. Cue Fresh Peaches Toilet Paper Gel. I heard about this product from the Add To Cart podcast with Kulap Vilaysack and SuChin Pak and man was it a convincing pitch. It basically solves the problem of wanting to use a wet wipe but also not wanting to hurt the earth or your pipes. So instead, you just put a little dab of this on the toilet paper you were already going to use and BAM you feel cleaner and apparently use less paper. And no it doesn’t make the toilet paper rip apart! Veronica and I tested it out and she already “added to cart”.
From Caitlin: There’s 20% off at Anthropologie this weekend and OH MY, their whole site is GREAT for inspiration and online window shopping. I’m not really in the market for anything right now but the styling on their product shots right now is so beautiful and elevated and delightful to look at! If money were no object, I’d buy out the whole holiday section in a heartbeat – everything just looks happy and cheerful and bright. Hats off to everyone involved in getting those shots set up and styled because Anthro FOR SURE has the best visually merchandised home store on the internet right now IMO. (Please, someone, confirm that I’m not the only one who just likes scrolling decor sites on a weekend morning! It’s just so relaxing and fun :))
Opening Image Credits: Design and Photo by Anne Sage and Bente Rugs
Ryann, I waxed or used depilatories on my upper lip and chin for 25 years fearing the hair would grow back thicker. Last year – after researching the very tool you’re promoting – I just went for it with a regular razor and guess what: TOTAL MYTH! Shaving is quicker, easier, cheaper and better for the environment. We need to spread the word on this!
BOOKS
SHOWS
SHOPPING
Love the piggy banks. I’m thinking I’ll get those for all the nieces and nephews. Of course, I wonder if anyone collects loose change anymore other than us. Maybe a better gift for my siblings. I also love the denim rug. I’ve saved some old denim to make a patchwork denim dress or quilt, but maybe I’ll make a rug. That Ted Lasso video is a gem!
Kj, I’ve been reading your posts for the past weeks and now I look forward to your reading, listening and viewing recs. Thanks for your consistency and commitment for life beyond shopping! PS Love the new format too. Looks great!
KJ I love your contributions to the Link Up each week! 😊
If you’d rather support a small business when buying your kid’s mask lanyards, my kids have used these throughout almost the entire pandemic, and they’re super cute (remind me of friendship bracelets) and robust: https://kirakids.com/products/kids-mask-rope-cord
Cute lanyards but $8 shipping is too much for this item.
This post is interesting. But where is an update on the farm house?
Jess, try a bidet! You can get inexpensive attachments – I have one and I’m a renter. Great for hygiene and really minimizes toilet paper usage. Great for hygiene, the environment and saving money. Now when I travel and stay places without a bidet I can’t believe I used to live like that.
Ok so am I the only one who thought, who are Ned and Ariel Fulmer and clicked through to see they have like millions of followers??? Who is their demographic and am I totally uncool for not having a clue about either of them or his YouTube thing?? I feel old.
You’re not alone. 🙂 I didn’t know either. I have actually watched a bunch of Try Guys videos, but don’t know the names so I had no idea which one he was. Ariel somehow slipped past me and I did not know about her design work or cookbook even though that’s 2 of my major interests. Ah well, there’s just so much world out in the world, you know? No clue on the demographic question, but it’s probably people younger than me. I’m mid-40s, the Try Guys videos seem to skew about a decade younger than that? And they all look like they are in their 30s.
Just an FYI for anyone who’s trying to be careful about it: Moosejaw is owned by Walmart. They do have good brands, and they are giving people jobs and giving back to communities, etc. However, the line is in different places for different people.
Before toilet wipes were a thing my mom would always dampen the toilet paper a bit with water but that required your toilet be fairly close to a sink and the wetting ratio had to be spot on. I recently decided to keep a spray bottle of water on top of the toilet for this purpose less chance of over wetting. However this fresh peach thing looks interesting.
re: toilet paper. I switched to Who Gives a Crap at the beginning of the pandemic and haven’t looked back. I ships to your house and packaged in paper (vs plastic). I have also switched to their paper towels for the dirty jobs around the house I don’t want to use a rag for.