Chris Cooks
Baked Blueberries with Pancetta Pecan Crumble | Chris Cooks
Chris Cooks
October 16, 2022
Baked Blueberries with Pancetta Pecan Crumble | Chris Cooks
If you look at most desserts, gluten and dairy are part of almost all of them. For your friends and family that may have food restrictions, this can feel a little isolating - I've seen it happen to Jules and our daughters countless times. And while they're always positive and good sports about it, it's […]
October 16, 2022
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product lines
The New Loloi Jules Rug + Other Rugs in the CLJ Team's Homes
product lines
October 14, 2022
The New Loloi Jules Rug + Other Rugs in the CLJ Team's Homes
We're happy to announce the latest addition to our family – our Loloi rug family, that is! The Jules collection grew by one, and boy-oh-boy is she good. So say hello to Ink Terracotta, the baby of the fam. This Loloi Jules rug is the perfect addition to the printed, vintage-inspired collection and I can't […]
October 14, 2022
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round up
Finding the Best Amazon Products
round up
October 12, 2022
Finding the Best Amazon Products
In honor of the Early Access Prime Days both yesterday and today, I wanted to showcase some of the product tests we've conducted because a lot of them are from Amazon and on sale! A lot of these tests have been recommended by you, for you, because you take these as seriously us. Let's go! […]
October 12, 2022
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Sales
The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals 2022
Sales
October 11, 2022
The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals 2022
Happy Amazon Prime Day! One Prime Day isn't enough, so this year they added a second one and I think it's the perfect early Holiday shopping window! Over the next few days, we'll be sharing the best finds in real time on Instagram Stories, as well as updating the list below. If you don't want […]
October 11, 2022
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DIY
How to Deodorize Wood Furniture (and How We Organized Our Linen Armoire)
DIY
October 10, 2022
How to Deodorize Wood Furniture (and How We Organized Our Linen Armoire)
For the laundry room, I purchased this vintage linen cabinet from Chairish, which smelled a bit old and musty. I hoped to put my fresh sheets and bedding in there, but I couldn't in good conscious store them there while it smelled so dirty. So I rolled up my sleeves and got to work! Lucky […]
October 10, 2022
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Chris Cooks
EPIC Twice Baked Potatoes - cooking without gluten, grain and dairy
Chris Cooks
October 9, 2022
EPIC Twice Baked Potatoes - cooking without gluten, grain and dairy
This post is sponsored by EPIC Provisions. Get 20% off everything on their site with code CLJ20. When we first started adjusting our diets for Julia's restrictions, I was constantly trying to find things that I could use to make food taste exactly like it did before. But over the years, we've come to approach […]
October 9, 2022
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DIY
Our Sunken Fire Pit Paired With Black Adirondack Chairs
DIY
October 7, 2022
Our Sunken Fire Pit Paired With Black Adirondack Chairs
Our fire pit in the backyard officially passed inspection, and we've been spending our fall evenings fire-side with a basket of s'more goodies. Just in time too! Honestly, being unable to turn on the fire until just a couple of weeks ago hasn't been a huge deterrent because it's been too hot to use anyway! […]
October 7, 2022
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Design
Paint Sheen Guide
Design
October 5, 2022
Paint Sheen Guide
Whenever we do a painting project, the follow-up questions we get are, "what color is that?" and "what paint sheen is that?" I'll geek out on paint colors and color theory another day, but today it's all about paint sheen. Selecting a paint sheen is just as important as selecting the color because it can […]
October 5, 2022
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DIY
7 Tips for Staining Unfinished Wood Furniture
DIY
October 3, 2022
7 Tips for Staining Unfinished Wood Furniture
There are DIY-ers out there building furniture from scratch! Chris and I have dipped our toes in the world of furniture building and while it can save you money (sometimes), it requires a lot of gumption. Staining unfinished wood furniture is a great middle-of-the-road place to be if you're looking to stretch your budget and […]
October 3, 2022
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Chris Cooks
Beef Tips Braised with Sweet Potato & Cinnamon | Chris Cooks
Chris Cooks
October 2, 2022
Beef Tips Braised with Sweet Potato & Cinnamon | Chris Cooks
I love Fall. So, so much, I love it. And though I am a huge fan of grilling, I would say that this upcoming season is most "me" when it comes to my natural cooking style. I love to roast, stew, simmer and broil. But of all the cooking techniques that seem to naturally come […]
October 2, 2022
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Best Of
Our Favorite Things | September 2022
Best Of
September 29, 2022
Our Favorite Things | September 2022
The weather in North Carolina is officially starting to turn. Temperatures are dropping and I'm putting on my boots and layers, but not mad about it at all. Last year we learned that fall actually lasts longer than a couple weeks here in North Carolina! In Idaho we were used to temperatures and leaves dropping […]
September 29, 2022
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DIY
10 Things That Can Derail a Home Renovation
DIY
September 28, 2022
10 Things That Can Derail a Home Renovation
It's no secret that renovating can come with some hiccups. Actually, whether you're DIY-ing or hiring contractors you would be naive to NOT anticipate hiccups. While we typically lean into optimism around here, bumps in the road seem to be inevitable no matter how much planning and precaution we take. To quote Murphy's Law: "Anything […]
September 28, 2022
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Design
Everything we did, ate and saw in London
Design
September 27, 2022
Everything we did, ate and saw in London
Last week, Chris and I had the incredible opportunity to travel to London for work. We were invited by Williams Sonoma and William Morris and Co to preview their newest collaboration and the inspiration behind it. It was my first time in London and although it was a quick trip, they brought us all over […]
September 27, 2022
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updates
Using a Ceiling Curtain Track to Hang a Shower Curtain
updates
September 26, 2022
Using a Ceiling Curtain Track to Hang a Shower Curtain
I mentioned on our Project Punch List that I was considering trying out a shower curtain in the upstairs bathroom while the glass enclosure gets fabricated. Well I did it. It's going to be 8 weeks (expecting there's no delays) until it's finished being made and so I figured we had two options. We could […]
September 26, 2022
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Product Tests
Blender Wars! Testing and Ranking 7 of the Best Blenders
Product Tests
September 22, 2022
Blender Wars! Testing and Ranking 7 of the Best Blenders
Welcome to Blender Wars!–Where we test 7 of the best blenders and tell you which one takes the cake (or blends the cake?). In our house, the blender is our most used kitchen appliance! We are daily smoothie drinkers and so we want a blender that's going to get the job done and hold up […]
September 22, 2022
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Renovations
An Overdue Outdoor Kitchen Update
Renovations
September 21, 2022
An Overdue Outdoor Kitchen Update
This outdoor kitchen has been a long time in the making! And we're still not done, but it's officially usable and in service. Chris's parents AND my sister Patti happened to be in town over the weekend and so we figured... Why not break in the outdoor kitchen and pool furniture and throw a pool […]
September 21, 2022
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Design
10 Ways to Mix and Match the CLJ x Loloi Rugs
Design
September 20, 2022
10 Ways to Mix and Match the CLJ x Loloi Rugs
With all the excitement around the launch of our new Loloi collections, so many of you asked if we were going to be doing another mix and match post! Well you're here! This is it. Humphrey Forest / Multi Rug | Vase | Fall Stems | Candle | Dining Table | Pendant | Chest | Lamp | Shade | Vase | Living Room Sources I have had the most fun playing […]
September 20, 2022
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North Carolina Home
The Pool Furniture in Our Backyard Vacation Oasis
North Carolina Home
September 19, 2022
The Pool Furniture in Our Backyard Vacation Oasis
This post is sponsored by Sunbrella. This little slice of backyard heaven has been a long time in the making, but it has actually come together at the perfect time. I had my moments of discouragement — when the backyard was a literal mud pit — and it was hard to believe this day would […]
September 19, 2022
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Chris Cooks
Honey Garlic Peas - 5 Minute Side
Chris Cooks
September 18, 2022
Honey Garlic Peas - 5 Minute Side
When I'm prepping for dinner, there's always that one thing I'm excited to make that gets almost all of my attention and time. The meal hinges around it, and so I really want to nail it. But what of the sides? Having a list of 5-minute side dishes has been so helpful, so I can […]
September 18, 2022
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Product Tests
Putting Kitchen Towels to the Test
Product Tests
September 15, 2022
Putting Kitchen Towels to the Test
Whenever Chris is doing anything in the kitchen, he's got a kitchen towel tossed over his shoulder. It's a little trick of the trade he's been doing ever since I can remember and it's purely practical. Chris is all about doing things effectively and efficiently, even down to wiping up messes. When he's cooking he […]
September 15, 2022
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