We're a couple weeks into 2024, and it's usually about now when the motivation to keep our New Year's resolutions begins to fizzle out. Did you know that there is something called National Quitter's Day? It's a different day every year (always within the 2nd or 3rd week of January) when most people quit their […]
Soup season is upon us, and is there anything better than lifting the lid off of the pot for a steamy soup facial? These six soups are basically all stars, packed with so much flavor and creaminess and heartiness that you won't miss the gluten or the dairy. Dare I say it? They're better than […]
There are some projects that we do in a weekend, some we do over a few weeks. Some take us a couple months and some take over a year! When it came to our kitchen remodel, it was an over-a-year kind of project. And now, since it's been over a year since we have finished […]
“How do you live in a house under renovation, as a family?” Chris grew up building houses with his family during the summers, and I grew up doing lots of DIY projects with my family. My sisters and I still talk about the summer we hauled railroad ties from the driveway to the backyard and […]
Q: What's the difference between polished nickel, chrome, pewter, brushed nickel, satin nickel and stainless steel? A: I'm so glad you asked. Silver is having a real moment this year (see all my trend predictions here), and there are so many ways to incorporate it into your home. When we talk about "silvers" in interiors, […]
It's the season for trend forecasting of all kinds, including home decor trends. And while I'm not a fan of declaring anything is "out", when you are embarking on a new project, that costs money and takes time, it's kind of nice to see what's up and coming! I think the wonderful thing about trends […]
Striped Dish Towel | Glass Food Containers No matter what time of year is it, we could all use a little more time. And when things get busy, sticking to health goals gets tricky. But with this simple meal prep idea, you can have a week's worth of high protein meals with no dairy, no […]
Although the Christmas decorations have all been packed away, we're still on a high from our holiday break. It was a pretty special year, not only because it was my parents' first Christmas in North Carolina, but Chris's parents decided to fly out for a week, as well! My in-laws stayed in our guest house […]
This post is sponsored by YNAB Something we hear often is "This is great for you, but I can't afford to renovate." I remember feeling that way when I was looking at inspiration photos from our basement apartment. This entire blog was built out of us DIYing just about everything, because we barely had two […]
Happy New Year!! Even through we have taken the last couple weeks offline, Chris and I have been talking non-stop about what projects we're excited about around the house. (We put out a project list every year in January and look back at the end of the year to see how we did.) Here's the […]
Scrolling back through a year of recipes, I'm really excited about where I am with my cooking. I feel like 2023 was the year I really embraced everything I've learned around cooking for food restrictions, creating a mix of original dishes, as well as remixing a few classics to be more allergy-friendly. And as much […]
This year, we didn't tackle all of the projects that hoped to (you can see our project predictions in this post), but we did manage to squeak out NINE reveals. Some of these were off-site. Some were small makeovers and some were larger scale. Let's dive in and see how many you remember, and maybe […]
Side Table | Acrylic Bookstand | Candle Warmer | Picture Frame | CLJ x Lola Blanket | Tabletop Tree | Candlesticks | Wooden Beads 1. Neck Pillow | $59 2023 gave me a literal crick in my neck. FOR MONTHS. (I went to the doctor and it was stress related. kewl) This pillow has been […]
We've done quite a bit this year, but we wanted to share one last project we completed before signing off for the year: the upstairs powder bath in the playroom! We finished it! The project started for a silly reason because I really wanted to try Roman Clay somewhere in our house and I really […]
In 2024, we are celebrating 15 years of Chris Loves Julia. It's a huge milestone and, to be honest, there was a time this year when I didn't know if we were going to make it to that bench mark. Not because there was anything at risk with our relationship, or our brand or opportunities […]
Making prime rib feels difficult, doesn't it? Just the sound of it is intimidating. Two obvious reasons for that are how expensive it is (hate to mess up an $80 6lb roast!) and how complicated most recipes are. Everyone seems to have this trick or that to make the best prime rib recipe, but how […]
What can I say, some years you got all the gifts wrapped and nestled under the tree by December 1st and some years, it's 10 days before Christmas and you haven't even finished shopping for your immediate family yet (guilty and also, eek!). For those of you who fall in the latter category, let's knock […]
I'm a crewneck sweater girlie. I'm not big on v-necks or hoods (they're not absent from my wardrobe, I just don't gravitate toward them), and there's something so classic about a crewneck — like you could leave any moment on a nautical voyage or get tagged in for a game of touch football. I've been […]
A friend of mine recently called me for ideas for hosting her in-laws, who will be in town for the holidays for four days. Together, we brainstormed what works when it comes to entertaining out-of-towners (aka it's fun but low stress for you and not too tiring). We came up with a comprehensive list for […]
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Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations