Life’s little luxuries

You know those little, seemingly meaningless, items that add sparkle to a day? Something that may not cost a lot, but somehow makes the humdrum of day to day life more bearable?

For me, I’m realizing that my “little luxuries” are pretty consistent from season to season, but the aesthetic of the item may change.

A lot of my favorites came as recommendations online that I tried and loved, and while I realize what one person considers soothing or uplifting, may do the total opposite for others, I thought I’d share my list of life’s little luxuries below, in case something here resonates with you.

I absolutely love the scent and feel of this Orange Blossom Honey hand soap. I’ve never been to France, but every time I wash my hands with this, I’m pretty sure I’ve been there in a past life. I can literally see myself exploring the streets of Marseille wearing a flowy white linen dress that daintily ties at the shoulders. Is that too much? Because that is a truthful depiction of what I see when I use this soap. I’m transported to France.  Try some. I’m dying to know what vision you see when you use it, haha.

Alright, now that I’ve taken you to Marseille, it’s time to let you in on another random life luxury: decorative paper napkins.

Boring, you think?

Nope. Here’s why: There’s nothing that brings about nostalgia for me like a pattern. To get a little more insight into nostalgia I did some research and came up with this explanation of why we seem to enjoy places, people, or things that bring about nostalgia for us. Most profound to me was this quote I found by Clay Routledge, a social psychologist at North Dakota State University: “We see nostalgia as a psychological resource that people can dip into to conjure up the evidence that they need to assure themselves that they’re valued.”

I must need this assure a lot, because I do find myself quite attached to things and places that bring about nostalgia.

Alright, back to the napkins.

I love to have several patterns to choose from stowed away in a drawer. Personally, I prefer the cocktail size that I can use in the morning to rest my coffee stirring spoon on or to place a cup or glass on to absorb condensation. They’re also great to pull out and place with a cheese board or hors d’oeuvres. Voila, instant charm.

Aren’t these pretty for spring or summer?

Or how ’bout these from Mackenzie-Childs?

Pro-tip: Dollar Tree has some of the cutest cocktail napkins in their party supplies aisle.

 

What are some things that add beauty to your everyday life? Please share them with me!

 

 

Continue Reading

Friday Favorites (Jan 19th )

Click to Shop

 

I’ve had a lot of phone cases over the years, but this one is my absolute favorite. It’s not bulky, it’s pretty, it’s high quality, and now I have no idea how I lived without a loop on the back of my phone. It relieves the weight of the phone while scrolling through feeds, watching videos, texting, or taking pictures. Plus, it’s saved my phone countless times from be dropped. I like the way it secures the phone tightly against my hand without having to hold onto or balance it.

 

Click to Shop

The name of this eye gel says it all. After using needles no more, I’m a believer. Granted, I’ve never had anything done to my eyes, but I feel like I have after using this product. It’s just not long-lasting (lasts until you wash your face). You have to reapply daily, but the results are great, and without the needles and high cost. I’ll take all of this I can get. You can click here for the link to purchase or to read my complete review.

 

Click to Shop

 

I have this necklace from Anthropology in the letter “E” and also gifted an “A” to my sister for Christmas.

We’re both in love with it. It hangs at an angle, so it’s not your standard initial necklace. This one has an edge that makes it different. The brass has a brushed look that I like as well. Plus, it’s adjustable (16″L with 2″ extender chain) so it can be worn close to a choker length or longer, depending on the look you want.

click to shop


If I could live in only one thing, it would be these Spanx leggings. They’re high-waisted, thick enough to wear no matter what length your shirt is, hold everything in, and are so comfortable. I probably wear these at least 3 days a week. I’ve been looking for a great pair of leggings for years and finally found these on sale. They are definitely a one-pair-and-done legging. They hold up so well and are all you really need as far as basic black leggings go.

 

You can check out last week’s favorites here.

Continue Reading