I am looking forward to this weekend because I’ll celebrating my friend Kaitlyn’s birthday with some of my college girlfriends in Atlanta. I’m heading to Georgia later this evening and looking forward to lots of quality time with my girls!
Today’s Things I’m Loving Friday post is actually two weeks in the making. Truthfully, I had most of this post typed up and ready to share on Friday two weeks ago when Ryan, Chase and I were supposed to be in Sarasota with his family. Our plans obviously changed but this post has been sitting in my drafts for a while now, so I figured it was time to share some of these oh-so-simple things I loved two weeks ago that I’m still loving right now.
(The first two bullet points are new ones I added this week!)
Let’s get to it…
Things I’m Loving Friday
I’m sharing this Friday fav for my blogger friends out there! As you can see above, I’ve been using paper photography backgrounds from this Etsy shop and this Etsy shop for my food photos for a couple of months now and absolutely LOVE them. They are inexpensive and 10,000 times easier to work with than the heavy tiles and marble slabs I used to lug all over our house in search of good lighting. Paper = Lightweight and very easy to store. I cannot recommend them enough. The above background from my High Protein Hemp Oatmeal photos is Northern Drops’ white marble background and it’s definitely my go-to background at the moment despite the little stains that are slowly finding their way onto the paper thanks to the tiny photography assistant you see above.
- You Are My Sunshine Mug
My new You Are My Sunshine mug (complete with my beloved Koffie Straw) was a sweet surprise I found in a gift basket from some of my closest girlfriends and it instantly made me smile. They know that the song “You Are My Sunshine” has a special meaning to me and now this mug serves as the perfect early morning reminder that I have a whole lot to smile about every day thanks to my exuberant and energetic 18 month old ray of sunshine.
I ordered these ankle booties online back in September when I was in the market for a casual fall/winter bootie that would look good with jeans and leggings but still be incredibly comfortable. I wanted a slight heel and a slip-on style and these Fergalicious Westin Ankle Booties hit the nail on the head… And they were only $30! I’ve found myself wearing them all over the place and they’ve definitely been my go-to shoe for the past several months when I want something a little dressier than sneakers.
- Eminence Organics Bright Skin Booster Serum (for Dark Spots!)
If you struggle with dark spots and skin pigmentation issues, I have a feeling you will fall in love with this incredible skin brightening serum just like I did a few months ago. It is so fantastic and I only wish I would’ve discovered it sooner! You guys know by now that I am trying to gradually incorporate more natural products into my beauty and skincare routine (<- not a complete overhaul but small changes) and this serum is my latest obsession. I began using it a few months ago and now it’s something I apply to my face daily, after cleansing in the morning and at night.
Eminence Organics Bright Skin Booster Serum works to correct dark spots without irritating even the most sensitive skin and I was honestly shocked by how well it worked on some of the dark spots I have on my chin from picking at zits and a dark sun spot I’ve had on my forehead for a year or two now. (Something about turning 30 brought alllll the dark spots out on my face!)
- 1,000 Rep Leg Workout
Finally a leg workout I actually LOVED! Woo! I completed this Burn Boot Camp leg workout at the end of last week and had to snap a picture of it to keep in the workouts photo folder I have saved on my phone that I use on occasion when I need some workout motivation for an at-home or travel workout. To complete the workout, we completed two rounds of 50 reps of each exercise or one round of 100 reps of each exercise for a 1,000 rep leg workout. I opted for two rounds of 50 reps and my legs were on fire. It was awesome easily one of my favorite BBC leg workouts to date.
- Recreating and Reimagining Blue Apron Vegetarian Dinners
Bring on all of the delicious veggie-packed dinners! As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we have been absolutely loving the meals in our vegetarian Blue Apron deliveries this year. Everything is so darn good and I’ve already found myself recreating certain parts of the recipes to use in other ways.
In the broccoli salad you see above, the broccoli was roasted with red onion and za’atar spices and it was so good that I found myself eating it right off the roasting pan when I took it out of our oven. Well, I lucked out because I managed to find a small packet of za’atar spices at Whole Foods earlier this week and picked it up to use on the veggies again so I could incorporate them into sweet potato egg bowls for lunch this week.
I loved every bite! YUM!!
And, just a reminder, as part of my partnership with Blue Apron this year, the company is offering the first 25 PBF readers who wish to try Blue Apron three free meals off their first order.
- Friday Flashbacks
12 Inexpensive Date Ideas (To help you plan somethin’ fun with someone special! Keep this one in mind for a fun budget-friendly Valentine’s Day date next week!)
Little Indulgences = Big Happiness (A blog post inspired by one of my favorite podcasts that focuses on tiny things I can do to improve my personal happiness and cultivate joy in my life.)
Question of the Day
- What is one thing that is making you smile this week?
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Oooo I will have to check out those spices!! I’m a huge spice fan and that looks amazing.
This week I’m loving Premier Protein Vanilla Shakes from Costco! They’re great for after a workout with only 160 cals and 30 g of protein. Other than those, just looking forward to a weekend of downtime!
I’ve been praying for you! Hope you have a wonderful weekend in Atlanta!!
-Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog.com
Thank you, Sarah! And the spices are fantastic — my local Whole Foods has TONS of unique spice blends and I can’t want to try more. They’re the best for giving roasted veggies new life and flavor!
Oh I need to order some of those paper backgrounds. I hate carrying around large slabs or wood pieces. And za’tar is one of my favorite spices, so good on chicken too!
Try Superica and West Egg for brunch while in Atlanta, and have a “poptail” (a popsicle in a cocktai) at King of Pops in Ponce City Market for an afternoon snack. Enjoy my home city!
Thank you for the recommendations! So excited to visit!
Safe travels and have a blast in Hotlanta! One of my favorite cities to have a girls’ weekend! So much fun.
Thanks for the background paper tip! I love Etsy and am not surprised to find such a genius idea on the site. Have a blast this weekend!
Hi Julie! I’ve been trying to make a similar shift towards natural skin products and I love the sound of that serum. I know you’ve mentioned being a fan of rosehip oil, too – do you apply them one after the other or combine them?
I do Rosehip oil first and then the serum!
Thanks!
Welcome to Atlanta! It should be perfect weather this weekend too!
Love those boots! I found a pair of higher black boots and have been wearing them nonstop since the Fall! Isnt it great when you finally find the perfect boot?! I’ll wear these to death for sure!
This week I’m loving french vanilla coconut milk creamer in my coffee…so delicious brand!
If you like spices, you need to check out Penzey’s!! Zatar is one of my most utilized spices (fabulous on roasted eggplant or a heated pita!)
Oh, and also Fox Point seasoning!
I’d love to hear more about how you are incorporating things you eat/learn from your meal delivery service into your normal cooking! That is a great idea and one that isn’t always easy to figure out.
I’ve been wanting to try a pair of booties like you mentioned but I’ve been scared to try them! How do you like to style them and do you wear socks with them?
I was also wondering the same thing-do you wear socks with them? I noticed on amazon that they were open on the sides.
No socks!
I don’t wear socks with them and I just pair them with ankle length jeans or leggings and casual tops!
Making me smile this week: YOU commenting on my blog!!! Major starstruck moment, haha! My boyfriend knows exactly who you are (without knowing anything about blogging besides my blog and yours) and he also felt special that you mentioned his name in there too 😉
And since I’m interested in going into dermatology I have to comment about the skin discoloration 😀 Melasmas become increasingly common with age, especially women in the reproductive age! (Those pesky hormone fluctuations…) So your hunch about the correlation between your 30s and skin discoloration has scientific background 🙂 If you have one specific melasma, you could look into trying a hydroquinone solution. You can get these OTC but a dermatologist can give you a prescription for more potent formula. One that’s very common in Finland is this one from Avene (https://www.amazon.com/Avene-Pigment-Dark-Spot-Corrector/dp/B0075WP6SM) I was surprised to see only 3 stars on Amazon because it gets rave reviews on this side of the pond! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
The you are my sunshine mug is so cute, what a thoughtful present to get. I’ve never heard of that serum but I’m always on the hunt for new skincare products so I’ll check it out. xx
cocobellablog.com
I just discovered those paper backdrops!! I haven’t made the purchase yet, but it’s high on my priority list!!
Those photo backgrounds from etsy are such a good idea! And I love your boots. I need a new pair like that, too.
Something that’s making me smile this week is getting to babysit the little girls I nannied for three years tonight. They’re so much older now, but it’s amazing to see them grow up and their little personalities develop so differently.
Also smiling about the fact that I have little planned this weekend except a hot yoga class, church, and watching the Grammy’s/ordering Chinese takeout/drinking wine with my boyfriend.
Have a great time in Atlanta!
Hi Julie!
I love inspirational mugs as well! I just received one that says “Find Joy in Each Day” and I swear it makes me smile a bit larger every time I use it.
Hope you have an amazing time in Atlanta! I used to live there are my favorites restaurants are Two Urban Licks (http://www.twourbanlicks.com/) and Einstein’s in Midtown for brunch (http://einsteinsatlanta.com/)!
That leg workout looks intense!
Thanks for the heads up on those backdrops on Etsy. I’m definitely going ot get one or two for my blog.
Wishing the temperatures would dip a little into the 60’s down here in South Florida so I can wear my booties!! Blue, hot and sunny sky’s does here… I guess I can’t complain!
My fiance and I ended up getting Blue Apron vegetarian meals after your recommendation! We enjoyed them a lot this week and it was nice to get out of our routine. I’ll have to look for that spice pack at Whole Foods!
Love those boots.
I just added that serum to my wish list!!!
I have always been surprised how yummy the Blue Apron vegetarian meals are. Some of them are a little too intense for my non-cooking skills but its fun to see whats coming.
A girls weekend will be good for the soul. Have a great time, Julie! 🙂
Would you be able to clarify some of the leg exercises? I’d love to add this to my routine, but even after googling, the volley tips, quad raises on box, and some others don’t come up. Thanks!
I love your inexpensive date ideas! I’m not huge into Valentines Day, and we have a little baby at home which makes it tricky, but I was trying to think of something small to do, and those ideas are perfect. Have fun in Atlanta!
Come say hi at Good Mews Sunday from 10:30-12:30 – we will be having
Meows & Meowmosas Valentine’s Brunch and you can see all the cats! Welcome to Atlanta!
I am just loving the fact that it’s the end of the week and we have ZERO plans this weekend!
Hi Julie!
I too have been trying to overhaul my products to more natural ingredients and have been loving the app ThinkDirty. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it or use it but it’s awesome! You can scan products and it gives you a 1-10 rating on the ingredients and suggestions for similar products with cleaner ingredients.
Yes!! That app is amazing (and kind of terrifying haha!!)
I have the same mug! My daughter is now 20 months. When I found out I was pregnant I would sing the song to her all the time. Her room colors and decor are based off of the song. My mother in law bought me the mug for Christmas, knowing how much the song means to me.
Oooh love the Valentine’s Day ideas! We gave a 10 week old so needless to say we need some simple ideas we can do at home!
Oh I’m so excited for the photography backdrop recommendations! I have been searching, and hadn’t quite found what I’m looking for, so thank you for this! (I make floral bouquets, and I need good backdrops for them!)
Also, I LOVED that little indulgences post you did – it was so helpful and inspiring and I think of it often. It’s important to find ways to self-care, and doing the little things that make us happy is such an important ritual to incorporate into our lives.
Thanks for such a great post, as always. Love that thoughtful mug gift!! <3
Do you have any tips or advice as to how to get motivated to start working out regularly again? I’m in medicine so I know I don’t have any medical concerns, but I am so exhausted between residency, running after my 18 month old, studying, and the boatload of household chores to do that I have started slacking and becoming overall more “lazy” during any downtime. I feel I am “letting myself go” a bit (and I hate to use that term). How do you motivate yourself when everything in your body is resisting your efforts?! I do like to be active, but life has left me feeling….tired ?
Appreciate any advice! Thanks!!
Do you think the Eminence Organics Bright Skin Booster Serum works better than the rose hip oil? Are you still using rose hip oil?
I use both!! I just use the serum for dark spots but use the rosehip oil all over!
That dinner looks so good!! Love the booties as well
Love those ankle boots! I’m just curious what socks you wear with them because they go so low on the side
Love that mug! And those ankle boots are too cute!!
I never thought about getting a back drop like those! There are so many to choose from!
Love these round ups! Have you heard of EWG’s Skin Deep database (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/)? The Environmental Working Group developed it to catalog personal care products and their ingredients in order to give them ratings on how safe the products based on current research. Some products now are even coming out with a EWG verified safe stamp on their packaging. I am also slowly switching to more natural products so I love using it to see if my products have a safe rating.
cannot believe you made that statement about 30 bringing out your spots bc i say the EXACT same thing all the time! i tell everyone, it’s like i turned 30 and literally every freckle decided to pop to the surface. might have to try out this product!
I never thought of getting paper backgrounds! Thank you for sharing that, I will for sure be looking into that. I could never make it through a leg workout like that. I started sweating just looking at it lol! I wish I could look forward to leg day, but I still see it as my enemy haha!
Still praying for you, and happy to see you having a good day!
Ashley @ https://theburlapbunny.blogspot.com/
That mug is so cute!
I imagine drinking out of it just brightens up your day. x
Izzy -http://www.pinchofdelight.wordpress.com
I absolutely LOVE the backdrops! What a great idea! A great price too! I also love the Koffie Straw, I might have some on the way from Amazon now! I may or may not have also saved the 1,000 leg workout picture, hahaha! Loved this post, this is a great group of things.
Mariah
http://www.delightfullydapper.com
This is a sill question but how do you apply your rosehip oil and serum? Do you use a cotton ball or your fingers? Thx!
I use my fingers but you’re making me think maybe I should rethink this!! It might be better not to use my fingers for blemishes!
That dark spot serum looks great but it’s $125 in Canada.
Now a mug I can afford 🙂
Thanks to a friend, I just got into Beautycounter, which is really good. She lent me some of her stuff and I was really impressed with the quality of the products and they have zero harsh chemicals in them. I’m slowly converting to all-natural products (as we use up other things in our house!)