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Casual Friday

Casual Friday: September 22, 2017

September 22, 2017

Over two years ago, we made this raised feeding station for Charly--you can read the easy tutorial right here. This week, on my Instagram stories I showed that we updated it (the scrap wood we used previously wasn't the best choice of wood) using a stair tread we stained and sealed and attached to the same cheap brackets we used previously that I had spray-painted gold. It was the easiest upgrade and looks so much better now--love that rounded edge! I got hundreds of messages asking if we were going to sell these--we're not, but you can easily make your own. I know it! 

Other fun things this week!

• We often get asked our go-to places to shop for _____, so we decided to put it all in one spot. It's still a work in progress, but check out our Where We Shop Page for our favorite sources to get everything from rugs, to art to furnishings, pillows and more!

Old Navy is having a 30% off sale, today only! Which means my favorite jeans are on super sale! These gray ones are only $21 at checkout. These Rockstars and these boyfriends are also on constant rotation!

• I've been tweaking our living room, rearranging art and lamps and plants, and it's finally to a place that feels just right. Sometimes when you get a major new thing, it takes a while for the "this is different. this is new. this feels weird." phase to rub off and home to sink back in again. It feels like home again around here, but in an even deeper way. There used to be a long list of things in our house that felt a little off or we knew we'd change down the line...and now we've remedied almost all of them. Well, except mind and Chris's corner of the house. That's next! (Psst! this laptop stand is heaven sent.)

• World Market is having a sale! 20% off all regularly priced items, which means our faux fiddle leaf tree (that we get so many inquiries about!) is going to be $153 shipped (can't beat that price!) and this beautiful, cognac leather chair that I've been eyeing but have no place for is FINALLY ON SALE...and I still have no place for it.

I have watched this video 100+ times this week and can't stop laughing. (@almostmakesperfect's home and baby are some of my favorites.)

• The prettiest velvet pumpkins.

West Elm's friends and family sale is still going on. 20% off the entire site using code FFSALE. (ICYMI, all the best sales are right here.)

Hope you all have a wonderful first weekend of fall. We have a big 3 day photoshoot starting on Monday with a major magazine and although the inside of the house feels ready (we've been deep cleaning every inch!), it's been non-stop rain all week outside and I'm getting concerned we're not going to be able to get the outdoor cooking area done. Here's hoping for a break in the weather. Also! We'll be doing an Instagram live on Sunday walking through our home! After our most recent house tour video, the requests have poured in to do a slower walk through, so I hope you'll join us over there @chrislovesjulia on Sunday!

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  1. I've always loved the food bowl holder you guys made for Charly! Does this help prevent water from splashing onto the floor? I have a big dog too...and I swear....more water gets on the floor than into his mouth. We have a raised edge mat under his bowls now, but it doesn't always catch everything. Have you noticed that the raised bowl helps with that?

  2. Loving all your pictures with Polly in them! You guys make having a baby look super chill and I forget all the hard parts. Makes me want another baby so bad and I am not a baby person! Keep up the good work with the blog and your family, you guys are awesome!

  3. I love your comment about new things taking a while to feel like home. It's so true, like a new hair cut you have to get used to. I am forever planning for and imagining what I want and how it will look and when it's finally done I always have this feeling of "oh great now everything else in here looks weird". Thanks for articulating it, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one! Anyway, love your blog and IG!

  4. Julia,

    A long, long, longtime fan of your blog. And the podcast--I chuckle aloud on my way to work, THANK YOU.

    I have to laugh so hard about your laptop stand, it seems perfect the way you use it. Just perfect. At work, we use this very same model for our standing desks. AND IT TAKES THREE PEOPLE TO MANEUVER IT! Every.dang.time. One person holds the computer, one person pushes the levers on one side, etc. We have been in hysterics with laughter every time a new staff members orders theirs, as three brains and six hands try to get it back in place. It is like the Rubik's cube of office equipment. We have all just resigned ourselves to either standing or sitting, since it can't be adjusted very easily.

    I'm SO happy to works for you--you and Polly may it look waaaaaaaaaaaay cooler ;) And working looks more comfy, too.

    Wishing you all a restful weekend!

    Lins

    P.S. The website link I included here will intrigue Chris. I converted a 72-passenger schoolbus to a mobile kitchen to teach low-income kids how to cook! It's pretty amazing, if I say so myself. #mannythemobilekitchen

  5. I would love for you to share a post about how you do it all - care for three kids, maintain a tidy home, stay fit, eat well, etc. I only have one toddler, but most of the time I can't even manage one of those things. Any insight/tips/etc would be much appreciated!

    1. Oh man, that is very kind of you. I don't feel like I do it all very well. I still have 20 pounds of baby weight to lose. My toddler is watching a movie right now. I wrote today's post when I woke up this morning because I was too tired last night and we had KFC for dinner. Ha! Some days are great and some days aren't. Our house is mostly cleaned because it's part of the job. :)

  6. FYI for your readers who want a slower walk through of your house tour video: go to the little gear icon in the bottom right & change the speed :) Available on all youtube videos ;)

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