rainbow living room

Happy Sunday evening to all of you!

At home I have been making a lot of changes to my living space over the last couple of months and I have reached a point now where everything is settled in just the way I like it. What sparked the changes was the beautiful commissioned art piece I purchased at the end of the summer and then received in my home in October.

Because of all of these changes I wanted to make sure I shared some updated photos as well as walked through the new pieces to the space. I also have added an amazing faux fireplace, a yellow accent chair, and a new rug: just to name a few others! The style and vibe of the space has turned very boho and electic and I love how the space feels. It has given me plenty of ways to incorporate a heavy use of color just like I like to.

If you have any questions on any of the pieces in the space please don’t hesitate to ask! Some were purchased quite recently but others not. I will always try my best to find you something similar if something isn’t being sold anymore. Ok…here we go!

Here is a wider look at the overall space. I am standing over by my dining room table to capture as much of the new layout as I can. I changed the layout of the room completely during the Christmas season and I have loved having the couch this way. It makes the room feel WAY bigger. and allows the window to be highlighted and lets in so much more light when it’s not partially blocked by the couch. One thing that is best seen in this photo is the amazing rug I found on Amazon. It goes PERFECTLY with this space and I got it for a steal of a deal. The tassels at the edges add a great element of texture and I like that the rug itself has a higher pile so its nice and warm on your feet at this time of the year!

This stunning yellow arm chair was a gift to myself for my birthday. I got it on Houzz.com (similar to Wayfair) for an amazing price. I love the statement it makes and the classic oversized shape. The infamous commissioned art by the incredible Bailey Builds team from Duluth steals the show everytime – they got the colors of my living spot on and I couldn’t be happier with it. It really stands out against the wall and I highlighted it even more by draping a strand of pom-pom garland below it from the Opalhouse collection at Target. The wooden wall decor and sparkle wording above the chair are both from Hobby Lobby. As for the pillows and blanket – the faux fur pink blanket is from Home Goods, the pink knot pillow is from Hobby Lobby, and both the blue ruffled and metallic beaded pillows are from Gordmans. My metal magazine storage basket is from the Hearth and Hand Magnolia collection from Chip and Joanna at Target!

I scored this incredible rattan accent table from Picks the other week and it was the perfect addition to this room. It doesn’t look too busy in front of the window and it’s the perfect place to create different vignettes for each season – now with Valentines and spring hopefully around the corner I have fun florals, tassel garland, and a sweet new pink and gold lamp from Hobby Lobby. The faux fiddle leaf fig tree in the textured basket was a great score from TJMaxx – SUCH a good price compared to other ones I’ve seen. My gold and turquoise yarn and metal wall hanging is from Target – it’s probably more than a year old but it might still be around!

My white faux fireplace with faux marble accents is another of my favorite new additions to the space. This piece is also from Target (only sold online) and it’s truly stunning. I have loved having the feeling of a fireplace at home – especially during these colder months. It’s certainly an investment but it’s the prettiest TV stand ever in my opinion! Atop the TV are all pieces from Target – two different gold and white vases, some faux floral stems, and then two fun gold picture frames. My vintage paned window is from Picks a couple of years ago. I love showcasing and updating photos of my beautiful friends and family there – right under my “thankful” word wall from Hobby Lobby. The fun turquoise and gold hooks on the wall for purses and jackets are also from Hobby Lobby. Another new addition is the white decorative bell hanging from my doorknob – I got it at Kittsona and love the delicate touch it adds to the entryway.

The gallery wall behind the couch also got a slight face lift – the large gold piece and the small framed canvas are both from Gordmans, the fun pink textured tapestry hanging is from Hobby Lobby, and then white feathered hanging (called a juju hat!) is from Surface Abroad. My white sectional couch was my first adult purchase after graduating from college – it’s from Furniture Row but its unfortunately no longer available. My yellow lumbar velvet pillow is from Target (Opalhouse collection) and the pink throw and two metallic style/blush pillows are all from Home Goods.

My stunning dining room table is from Picks and my chairs were a steal from a garage sale. The wooden letter board was a Christmas gift from my brother and is still available at Target! The yellow vase, floral steams, pompom garland, and the glass jar are all Target items from various times. The gold mirror is the Dollar Tree and the beautiful colored yarn hanging is from Kittsona (a few years old).

As for the dubbed “awkward corner” at the landing of the stairs I finally found the perfect set-up and now I love how it looks over there. I wrapped another string of pompom garland from Target around the banister, used the great vintage dark wooden table that was by the couch before and placed it on the landing. The silver and gold basket I spray painted myself (was a plain rattan basket from Target) and I placed a mini faux fiddle leaf inside of it – also from TJMaxx, just like the bigger one by the front door. What REALLY stole the show over there though and made everything work perfectly is the amazing sunburst rattan mirror. I found that at Hobby Lobby a few weekends ago and I am so happy I came across it. I put a more up close picture below just so you can see it in all of it’s glory 😀

It has been so fun to evolve this space into something that matches my want for color. The changes have certainly been done slowly over these last 4 months so that’s a good reminder for all of you who are stressed about decorating your own spaces – take your time finding pieces that really meet what you’re looking for. No need to rush 🙂 when you find something after a period of waiting and it’s exactly what you want you’ll be glad you didn’t rush into buying something just because you felt you were on a timeline.

I love sharing my spaces with all of you and I hope you enjoy seeing photos and details! Thanks for much for reading. Have an amazing week!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

 

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the beauty of SHE

Hello, my friends! Those of you that follow along with me on Instagram (@sugarspiceandstylethatsnice) heard me talk about some wonderful events I have attended in the last month and I wanted to spend some time discussing them here so that I can build awareness for my sweet friends and the beautiful community they have created right here in Grand Forks.

SHE is a women’s empowerment movement that was started by 3 gal pals of mine: Mary, Kristin, and Nicole. I attended my first SHE event at the end of January and was overwhelmed with the community, vulnerability, and sweetness that happened over the course of a few hours together in the workshop they hosted. I learned a lot about myself and experienced a lot of emotions while opening up to a group of women about healing and the healing journey.

As I was leaving the event in January I asked if we could be expecting another event anytime soon and was overjoyed when they shared they were planning something with a Galentines theme in early February. Last Friday night they hosted a wonderful Galentines retreat and it was honestly the perfect Friday night: a pizza party, pajamas, wine, hot chocolate, candy, yoga, education on healthy relationships, and the creation of community with like-minded women.

The event was hosted at Nicole’s home and it was so beautiful!! I had to take a few photos of the space because they had it decorated so nicely for us and all of the little touches made it even more special. There was a spot for photo booth style photos, tons of food and drinks, and a big open living space that fit all of our yoga mats!

When we arrived we just got to spend time (in our pajamas – arguably the best part) getting to know the other women at the event and enjoying snacks, wine, hot chocolate, and plenty of candy. They thought of every little detail – all the way down to your gift for attending which a coffee mug of your choosing out of a whole selection of Target coffee mugs….another dream come true for me. I chose one that has to do with shopping (surprise, surprise) and enjoyed filling it up with hot chocolate and a heaping serving of marshmallows 🙂

After we had a meal and team for community we had such a great session of yoga with the always lovely Kristin of Sorella Wellness. It was the perfect way to wind down and find center and grounding in your own body through breathing, movement, and meditation. There’s always something powerful about practicing yoga and in a room full of women it felt extra empowering (maybe it was the fact that we were all in our pajamas!?)

With the theme of the retreat being Galentines, Mary spent some time teaching us about relationships and the way toxicity can be found in them: friendships, romantic relationships, family connections, coworkers, etc. It was a good reminder to hear about common ways that we allow toxic behaviors to be a part of the relationships we keep with people and caused reflection on my part to think about the relationships I currently have and which ones I am negatively influencing or allowing to negatively influence me.

After the discussion on toxicity Mary changed directions to talk about what positive relationships look like and a framework to follow that will help to evaluate the best qualities that a friendship (or other type of relationship) can possess to be healthy for both parties and allow for growth and trust. The framework was created by the incredible Brene Brown and its called BRAVING. You can read more about it here! The framework is laid out and explained in depth in Brene’s book ‘Braving the Wilderness’ which has been on my reading list for awhile.

To end the night we spent time doing something that we did at the first workshop event I did called “circle processing”. We spend time sitting in a large circle as a group and we go around the circle one person at a time and answer different prompts or questions asked – usually about the content we learned in the workshop or from the speaker. We spent time talking about BRAVING and relationships and where we have experienced positive or negative relationships in our lives and how we’re working through and journeying through them. One woman speaks at a time and it’s powerful to have so many women listening to you and your thoughts while showing support.

 

You can learn more about SHE by visiting their Facebook page here (and you can also find them on Instagram!) which will keep you updated on the upcoming events and workshop that they are hosting. I highly recommend SHE to all of the women in Grand Forks and the surrounding area – it is a fabulous place to build community and practice vulnerability and self-care in the presence of other women with open hearts and listening ears.

If any of you are looking for a friend to attend the next event with please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I would be more than happy to join you 🙂 As always, thanks for reading and I’ll be back with more soon!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

beauty product roundup

Hey friends! I have been noticing how much you all enjoy when I share beauty products and routines on my Instagram stories so I wanted to share a blog post with all of you that showcases some of my favorite beauty go-to’s

Almost all of these products are available at Target and almost all are under $20. Each of the products is linked so if you want to buy for yourself just follow the link directly to the item 🙂

Haircare

Speaking as someone who suffers from really dry hair (especially in the winter months) this Kristin Ess weightless leave-in conditioner has been SUCH a good find for me. It’s only $10 and sprays on just like a hairspray. I put it on my hair immediately out of the shower when its still damp and use about 10-12 sprays. You don’t have to be afraid of how much you use because the product is so light. It provides good leave in protection and keeps my hair moisturized all day.

I change up my leave-in curl creme and product every so often just because my hair tends to “get used to” certain products and they don’t create as nice of a curl anymore after a period of time. I’m currently using Miss Jessie’s and I really like the weight and smell of this coily custard. It has been creating great curl definition for me and it’s less than $15 so it’s a major score.

Skincare

I have extremely sensitive skin and way back in high school my dermatologist recommended the Cera Ve brand to me because it is so light and free of scent. I have used it for the last 8 plus years and I don’t think I will ever change. I buy both the AM and PM versions because the AM contains SPF for daytime wear and the nighttime packs in extra moisturizing for the overnight hours. 

The Bliss brand (which you can find at Target!!) has quickly become a new favorite of mine. The first thing I purchased was this amazing watermelon scented overnight energizing face mask and I use it 2-3 times per week. You apply right before bed and the scent is heavenly. It’s lightweight and dries really quickly – it’s easy to remove in the morning and leaves your face glowing and energized! The second product I bought to try is this under eye cream – it comes with an easy to use rollerball applicator and can be used both morning and night. I appreciate that it’s unscented especially because it’s used so close to my eyes which are really sensitive. For $20 it’s a really affordable anti-aging product.

Last but not least is this Ahava hydration cream. You can use it as a short-term application mask or you can apply it and leave on all night as another overnight mask. It is such an amazing product and always leave my skin feeling amazing the next morning (I always use as a full overnight mask). This one is a little bit more costly but certainly worth the price – I use this on the 2-3 nights of the week that I don’t use the Bliss energizing mask so just rotate between them 🙂

Makeup

If you follow me on Instagram you know how much I love NYX soft matte lip cream. You can score these at Target or other drug store locations and they come in TONS of shades. I don’t like shiny/glossy lipstick so I’m all about the matte. This goes on great and has long lasting wear – especially for the price. Truly can’t be beat! If you’re looking for a shade to get started with Cannes is my favorite!

I have used Maybelline lash sensational mascara for at least the last 5 years and I love it so much. After trying SO many different kinds I finally found one I love and I truly don’t know what I will do if they ever stop making it one day…I don’t even want to think about it!

Julep brand is something that I had never even heard of until my mom gave my a cute beauty gift box from them as a Christmas gift. I fell in love with the “it’s balm” lip crayons that came in the box and I’m so excited to see that there are way more color options online. I got three in my box and I’m planning to order at least a couple more. Since it’s a lip crayon it’s really hydrating and easy to apply. At $20 per stick it’s a little more than I would typically spend but for the quality I’ve witnessed so far it’s definitely worth it.

I have used Bare Minerals foundation for countless years as well. I use the matte powder because I tend to get oily/shiny throughout the day. I use two different shades depending on the time of year and sometimes combine the two. I love that it has SPF so then I have an extra layer of protection on top of my moisturizer.  I have always been a fan of powder foundation because I feel it’s easier to apply and I feel that liquid foundation doesn’t fare well with my breakout and acne-prone skin.

Miscellanous

I’ve shared this Queen Bee perfume from Target multiple times now but it’s so good. It’s a great every day scent and at $25 a bottle (which will last you a long time!) it doesn’t get much more cost effective than that.

These bausch + lomb lumify eye drops are pretty amazing…I got them in my Target beauty box a few months ago and they are definitely expensive but their eye whitening and refreshing feeling really helps with my itchy, sensitive eyes.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a way to shorten time in a certain area of your beauty routine definitely considering buying some Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nail polish. It comes in countless shades and truly does try instantly (60 seconds or less). When I paint my nails at home I usually have zero patience to sit there and let them dry and I usually end up ruining them by starting a task or project before they’re all the way dry. I gave this product a try a few months ago and at less than $5 per bottle it’s a cheap way to have quick dry polish.

 

I hope all of you enjoyed checking out some of my favorite products that are all friendly additions to your beauty product regimen. I hope those of you in the upper Midwest with me are staying safe and warm this week. As always, thanks for reading and be back soon 🙂

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen