Emily Henderson's Blog, page 216

Best Gifts For Mother’s Day – What Boomer Moms Really Want

Mother’s day is a couple of weeks away, and as a daughter myself I never really know what they want (besides a card saying how we owe our entire lives to their generosity, love, and beauty). For one of my holiday gift guides I asked my boomer MIL what her friends want or don’t want for Christmas and what came out of that text chain was pure honest gold – we all learned so much about what that generation of women really want* (spoiler – gift cards for new experiences, not things). But now what?? The world has changed and that fly fishing school that Suz so desperately wanted to take lessons at might be closed for a while. So I texted her and my mom and said: “do dish – what do our moms really want?” Their direct answers are below.

*Don’t worry, last year Jess reminded us that quality time will always be the most valuable gift our children can give us, and that we can give the mother figures in our lives.

NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO HELP THEM START A NEW HOBBY

This is the category we probably got the most recommendations in, and it’s probably because we’re all finding we have a little extra time on our hands while staying home.

GARDENING

“Kits for small vegetable or herb gardens!”

Bloomscape Aromatic Herb Collection ($65) – This collection of three herbs (rosemary, sage, and thyme) arrive already potted, and sprouted, so all mom has to do is keep them alive.

Amazon Vegetable Growing Kit ($25) – This is a beginner’s kit that comes with everything someone would need to plant and grow four different veggies: purple carrot, lemon cucumber, romanesco broccoli, and black corn.

Verishop Herb Garden Basil Grow & Glow Kit ($35) – Not going to lie, I want this cute little kit for myself. The pot, packaging, and idea are all super cute.

“I suggest plants. Anything that blooms, always makes me happy.”

The Sill Blooming Plants Gift Set ($125) – This gift set comes with a petite white orchid and a pink anthurium both potted in their own well designed and stylish pots already. But, unlike sending a bouquet, these will keep living.

Modern Sprout Chamomile Growing Kit ($50) – This kit comes with everything needed to grow a little chamomile plant, and drink the tea your mom can make once it’s blooming.

“Gardening kits with gloves, spades, clippers, etc.”

Terrain Garden Gloves ($32) – Your mama’s hands have done so much for you over your life, so now it’s time to take care of them. These gardening gloves have miles of style over the bulky ones she has from Home Depot.

Terrain Carry-All Garden Stool ($48) – This is a foldable chair and tool carrying bag all in one, and it’s actually exactly what Caitlin from our team got her mom this year (because it’s exactly what her mom asked for).

Terrain Watering Can ($22) – If you’re thinking of getting your mom some indoor plants then make sure to get her a watering can to go with them.

Target 4-Piece Planting Kit ($20) – This is the budget option for a collection of essential gardening tools that will serve your mom well for years to come.

Food 52 Essential Set Of Two Garden Tools ($110) – And here’s the splurge-worthy set. As beautiful as they are functional.

Cooking

“I’ve always wanted to learn how to make things like sushi or pasta, but never had the patience. Well, it feels like now is my chance to find that patience because I certainly have the time.”

Williams-Sonoma Sushi Kit ($32) – All your mom will need to provide is the fish (or whatever filling she prefers). Otherwise, this kit has everything she needs to take a stab at making her own sushi (plus the directions).

Food52 Handmade Sushi Serveware ($90) – And then she can set the table for a sushi dinner using these pretty ceramic chopstick and soy sauce serveware.

Food52 Wood Slotted Spoon ($25) – This is a spoon to last generations and become an heirloom piece. Plus it’ll scoop out homemade ravioli or tortellini with style.

Food52 Solid Wood Pasta Cutter ($54) – Learning to make her own pasta is as easy as mixing up some dough, rolling it out, and taking this pretty pasta cutter to it.

Amazon Pasta Maker ($50) – While rolling out dough and cutting it with a knife (or that pasta cutter from above) is about as easy as you can get, this Italian made pasta maker is the next step in achieving pasta perfection. Sara can attest to its ease and efficiency since she owns this exact model.

“I could definitely use a few cookbooks!! Meals have taken on ridiculous importance here. Jim went out and brought back egg McMuffins this morning… it was so exciting!!!”

Half Baked Harvest Super Simple ($18) – This is one of my favorite cookbooks, so I can only hope that either of my moms would love it too. It’s got so many delicious and healthy recipes, and so far we haven’t had a bad one.

Food52 Genius Recipes ($28) – If your mom is really into cooking, then she might enjoy this cookbook, which is filled with classic recipes that also happen to have pretty genius twists.

Jamie Oliver’s 5 Ingredients ($25) – But if your mom likes to takes things easier in the kitchen (and is trying to be a little more pantry conscious these days), then this might be the book for her. Like the title says, each recipe only takes 5 ingredients, and they’re all super easy to follow.

ONLINE CLASSES

“Online subscriptions to meditation or classes!”

Ron Finley’s Gardening Master Class – No matter what size garden, patio, or indoor pots your mom might have, this online gardening course is going to teach her how to make the most of gardening wherever she can.

Alice Water’s Cooking Master Class – Alice Water’s literally seems like the nicest, most soothing woman I’ve ever seen, and I want to take this class myself just to listen to her talk about cooking. Not to mention, it looks like the dishes she teaches would be delicious.

Emily Henderson’s Styling Skillshare Class – LISTEN, we really did put a lot of thought and work into this online course. So if your mom just happens to be interested in design and styling (and maybe needs an excuse to move around all the throw pillows in her home), my online class might just fit the bill.

Calm App Subscription – This subscription app works on smartphones, tablets, and computers with tons of guided meditations. It also has these really awesome sleep stories, and a great collection of sleep sounds (like a noise machine) if that’s something you think your mom would enjoy.

Aaptiv App Subscription – I talked a bit about this app in our recent workout post, but it also has a ton of guided meditations. Sara is getting this for her mom this year – She already knows her mom uses a running app so she’s got the tech know-how and interest to use a health app, and she’s been lamenting about missing her weekly yoga classes. Problem solved.

these silhouettes would be a pretty cute mother’s day gift…



LITTLE PROJECTS

These are just a few other ideas for fun project-based gifts that might be the perfect gift for a creative mom who needs something to work on.

Embroidery Kit ($13) – This was actually a gift idea from someone on our team’s grandma, who loves doing little creative projects, but likes having guidance to do them. This cute succulent embroidery kit comes with everything needed, and the finished project is ultra sweet.

Scrapbook Album ($119) – My love for scrapbooking is no secret. But even if your mom isn’t a hardcore scrapbook devotee, they might still like the idea of putting together a well-curated, beautifully designed scrapbook.

“There are cute jigsaw puzzles you can order with their pictures on them.”

Custom Puzzle ($54) – Indeed there are, and with Shutterfly you can upload your own photo to have it be turned into a puzzle (you also get to decide how many pieces your puzzle will be). I’ve never been a “frame a puzzle when it’s done” kind of person, but if it was a super cute photo of my kids I might reconsider. Also, imagine how fun it would be to put together a puzzle of your grandkids WITH your grandkids when they’re little?

SOMETHING A LITTLE EXTRA SPECIAL . . .



TO WEAR

ABLE Phrase Necklace ($68) – I love this little necklace, and even though I don’t NEED a piece of jewelry for Mother’s Day, I wouldn’t say no to something this cute.

ABLE Mama Necklace ($58) – This is also very cute . . . .

Etsy Mama Necklace ($40) – I love this too! There’s just something about being called “mama” that makes my heart happy.

Le Papier Studio Silhouette Necklace ($68+) – GUYS, silhouettes are in STYLE right now, and I’m feeling very on trend. These little silhouette necklaces are so cute, and a creative take on the custom charm necklace.

Stacking Name Ring ($35+) – Another cute take on customized jewelry. I’d happily wear Charlie and Elliot’s names stacked on my finger.

Mama Sweatshirt ($35) – I actually just bought this for myself, and I’m so excited to get it in the mail. It looks like the perfect casual sweatshirt, and I love the graphic print.

TO PAMPER

“It is real easy for women to let their self-esteem slide and things that bolster her self-esteem really help out a lot.”

Living Libations Seabuckthorn Oil ($17+) – This was recommended in one of our recent beauty posts, and since then about 4 people in the office have bought it. If you think your mom needs some healthy skin indulgence, this facial oil (and literally anything from this site) are a good bet. It’s all-natural and organic.

The Ordinary Hydration Bundle ($20) – As skin ages it’s even more important to keep it hydrated and cared for. This bundle from cult skin care company The Ordinary is a good jumping-off point if you think it’s time for your mom to up her skin care game.

Replica Under The Lemon Tree Eau De Toilette ($30) – This bright, citrus scent is the perfect summer perfume. It’s light, happy, and not all stuffy.

Olive & June Nail Kit ($80) – Listen, I know from personal experience that right now a lot of us are missing our access to a nail salon. Now most of us go to a nail salon for a reason (I couldn’t paint my own right-hand nails if you paid me), but this kit comes with a cool tool that makes painting your own nails a lot easier. And the quality of the polish is top-notch.

L’occitane Hand Lotion ($29) – Is anyone else’s hands extra dry right now because of all this extra hand washing? There’s something about a good, creamy hand lotion that feels so luxurious. And honestly that what all moms need a little more of right now.

TO ENJOY

Super Soft Throw ($25) – This isn’t fancy, but boy is it GOOD. And the value of a good blanket for cuddling can’t be underrated.

“Helping Me Put Together Family Photos”

Artifact Uprising Photo Book – I too am a hoarder of family photos, and can’t wait until I can rely on my own children to collect and curate them for me. Until then, I’ll keep making these photos books. They take up a lot less room than framed photos, but they are so fun to go through.

Ceramic Oil Diffuser ($28) & Essential Oils ($25) – A small departure from the traditional candle (don’t worry, we’ll get to that below if that’s your jam), an oil diffuser is the pretty styling accessory that also makes a room smell amazing. And with all the essential oils out there, your mom can choose her scent based on her mood.

Anthropologie Capri Blue ($32) – A cult favorite, all the amazing reviews on this candle have to mean something.

Otherland Mom Gift Set ($36+) – Sara wrote about Otherland candles in her ode to why candles are the best gift ever, and right now they have a really pretty box set available just for Mother’s Day.

“Pretty stationary and cards to send to family and friends are nice gifts.”

Personalized Stationery ($20+) – Staying connected right now could be even cuter on personalized stationery. I personally love this buffalo check style.

Valley Brink Road Curated gift Box – For those of you who want to pamper and splurge from a far, my friend Barrett has a really beautiful gift box company. While it is splurgey, the sets are BEAUTIFUL and she is giving 25% off all orders in hope of keeping their small business doors open.

Kindle Gift Cards – A lot of people are doing a LOT of reading right now, and Kindle gift cards were recommended two or three times. I get it, I’m reading a lot too.

GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Right now a lot of favorite gifts options – trips to an exciting show, dinner at a favorite restaurant, visit to an indulgent spa – are off the table. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t give your mom something to look forward to in the form of a gift card.

Here are our ideas: gift cards to a salon or spa, gift card to a favorite or extra special restaurant, a sweet letter with the plans for a weekend getaway once traveling is back on the table, season tickets to a theater.

Plus, this has the added benefit of supporting local businesses during this time!

BUT IN THE END, WHAT THEY ALL SAID THEY WANTED WAS JUST MORE QUALITY TIME

So, in case you are able to spend quality time with your mom/mom figure, or you just need some ideas for when you finally can, here are some amazing requests straight the mouths of the boomer moms in our lives.

“Making me a pie and then eating it together”

This is an actual quote, and it’s equal parts sweet and hilarious. But mostly SO SWEET. The only question is, what kind of pie? In case you’re not able to spend Mother’s Day together how about a zoom cooking class date. Think of your favorite dish that your mom makes, and have her teach you how to make it live over video chat! We love using our Facebook Portal for these sorts of things.

“Bike ride with sandwiches”

CUTE, yes ok we will go on a bike ride and bring sandwiches. Can’t wait.

“There are a lot of moms especially grandmas who are very lonely and feeling rather worthless because they can’t contribute very much. Sometimes letters of appreciation or things like that mean so much when you’re alone and missing family.”

This just really hits home right now. We’re all feeling a little more lonely, isolated, and helpless than usual. And honestly, the most important thing is to let the people we love know how important they are to us. A great twist on this could be having grandkids handwrite out a letter and then framing it.

So there are ALL of our Mother’s Day ideas, with a lot of help via direct requests and recommendations from our own moms. But we know there are so many more ways to get creative out there, so if you have something special you’re doing for Mother’s Day this year please let us know in the comments. And for any of you “boomer” moms and grandmas in the audience, do any of these requests ring true?

The post Best Gifts For Mother’s Day – What Boomer Moms Really Want appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Rules To Picking The Most Comfortable Sofa (Plus The Ones We Can Guarantee)

These days it would seem safe to say that we are all accumulating endless amounts of hours sitting, working, lounging, binge-watching & let’s admit it probably eating most of our meals on our sofas. So we figured that now is the best time to share all the tips and tricks of what to look for in finding your most comfortable sofa for your lifestyle (if you need one). If there is one person that has been on the hunt for the sofa that is both stylish and comfortable it’s Emily. She has finally found ‘the one’ and fingers crossed can hand out her metaphorical final rose. Hey Bachelor fans, did I use that correctly? It’s been a sofa saga. I am personally so excited for it to arrive since I’ve seen the floor model in the store with her 3 times now but have yet to see her’s in the pretty powdered blue Crypton Fabric. So now that Emily and I have acquired all the comfy sofa secrets from our extensive research, I am giving them to you today (and yes that means dimensions!). We have also included EHD’s tried and true favorites that we keep coming back to and talking about what makes them special to the people who own them. Let’s just say we have a lot of nappers on our hands:) But if all those don’t hit your style spot, we have a bunch more options at end for you. Hope you are as excited to read this post as I am to write it.

The Rules To Picking The Most Comfortable Sofa (Plus The Ones We Reviewed & Can Guarantee)

These days it would seem safe to say that we are all accumulating endless amounts of hours sitting, working, lounging, binge-watching & let’s admit it probably eating most of our meals on our sofas. So we figured that now is the best time to share all the tips and tricks of what to look for in finding your most comfortable sofa for your lifestyle (if you need one). If there is one person that has been on the hunt for the sofa that is both stylish and comfortable it’s Emily. She has finally found ‘the one’ and fingers crossed can hand out her metaphorical final rose. Hey Bachelor fans, did I use that correctly? It’s been a sofa saga. I am personally so excited for it to arrive since I’ve seen the floor model in the store with her 3 times now but have yet to see her’s in the pretty powdered blue Crypton Fabric. So now that Emily and I have acquired all the comfy sofa secrets from our extensive research, I am giving them to you today (and yes that means dimensions!). We have also included EHD’s tried and true favorites that we keep coming back to and talking about what makes them special to the people who own them. Let’s just say we have a lot of nappers on our hands:) But if all those don’t hit your style spot, we have a bunch more options at end for you. Hope you are as excited to read this post as I am to write it.

How Birdie Broke Her Arm + Where To Buy Cute Face Masks Since Everyone Asked

We had our first broken bone this weekend, and it really gave us some excitement. My little Birdie fell off her huge tumbling blocks while in ninja training with her brother. Somebody might have kicked the block as she was standing on it and about to jump and she landed wrong, fracturing her elbow. Charlie, her ninja master, felt AWFUL and many lessons were learned (mostly about the intensity that one needs to train their ninja proteges). Generally, we want them to take physical risks, learn how to fall, understand their body, physics/gravity, blah, blah, blah, so this is the first time we are wondering if maybe we should be more cautious. But like I said, I think lessons were learned and it’s also going to be fine.

Here are the questions that my friends keep asking so I figured you might, too:

How did you know it was broken and that you needed to go to the ER? This is a good question as most parents have been in the “do we really need to go to the ER?” situation before. Answer: Birdie is TOUGH and has an extremely high pain tolerance (far higher than her ninja master or her ninja grandmaster if you know who I mean). She was shrieking in pain, wouldn’t let us touch it, or even come close to it (like SCREAMING at the top of her lungs if we even tried to look at it), and she went (even extra) pale. Since the hospital was 5 minutes away and we knew it was likely empty, it just felt like we should go sooner than later. How was it being at a hospital right now? Fine! I was so glad we weren’t in LA (for this minor break, anything major would have been a different story) as this hospital is so small and so close to our house. No one was in the waiting room and it felt very, very clean. Everyone wore masks and gloves (we didn’t have any gloves as this was our first public appearance in 7 weeks). We tried to be super friendly and grateful and just say thank you over and over. Were there any Covid-19 Cases? Not at the current time in the hospital, thank God. We know that there were 3 cases in the next town over but not sure if any of them were hospitalized and to be honest I didn’t want to know. If the answer was yes I would be more worried but it wouldn’t change how safe we were being (SUPER EFFING SAFE). But knowing that there were none there that day was a huge relief. They were very prepared, every room looked like it was ready for the pandemic, with having zipper plastic walls which I appreciated. How did Birdie handle it? Oh good, just GREAT. She was a real peach. That poor brave trooper screamed bloody murder at anyone who came near her arm, more out of fear than pain (but who knows, 4-year-olds aren’t too articulate when it comes to deciphering why they are absolutely losing their sh*t). You’d think I was swinging her around by her arm if you didn’t come in and see that I was just standing near reaching my arm over to press play on the iPad, accidentally grazing her leg (not arm). The nurses were horrified and impressed, which is probably why we were in and out in less than 2 hours. But there is nothing quite like having to hold down your broken boned 4-year-old screaming daughter so that two nurses can put a splint on her. We talked about it, she understood why I had to and I of course mostly talked about how brave she is, as she remembers it “only kinda hurting”. HAHAHAHAWhat now? Brian is taking her to LA to get a cast today with celebrity orthopedic Surgeon Oh Bob (@bobbybob – Oh Joy’s husband – how am I JUST now calling him Oh Bob???). I called Joy asking for a referral and he was like “come to me!” which is awesome. I’m just wondering if we should do waterproof cast (that might be itchy) or normal (that might be miserable to bathe her in). I suppose I have to choose her discomfort over my inconvenience (or vice versa) for 5 weeks.

Brian’s brother is an orthopedic surgeon, too (and he knows Oh Bob!) and he helped us throughout which was just so amazing. Thanks, Pat!

Look at that little warrior. She is SO proud of herself. Also if you need to convince your children that breaking a bone is a positive thing you can tell them what my brother Ken told both my kids years ago (and they have retained). He said that when you break your bone it grows back together stronger. He knows this because that’s what MMA and Thai fighters do in the offseason. Uncle Pat (orthopedic surgeon) didn’t agree when Birdie told him that, but I shut him right up, concurring with Uncle Ken’s MMA story. So for now, she is going to have a VERY strong right elbow, which will come in handy (!!) as that will be the new handshake for a while.

Meanwhile, a lot of you asked about our masks on Instastory. I ordered mine from an Etsy seller who I had collaborated with before on projects – Bramble workshop out of Portland, and they are hand-dyed shibori and so cute (kinda expensive, but if you can afford to shop small please do). We also linked a bunch of others that we like on the interweb down below.

But before you go – any tips for broken bones? Our neighbor came over and brought watercolor paints (having just took a cast off of her son) and told us to tape paper to the table and it’s so much easier. So any other tips like that would be awesome. She’ll be fine, we’ll all be fine – I’m obviously just glad it wasn’t worse and so grateful for those working on the front lines.

1. Organic Cotton Face Masks | 2. Fabric Face Mask With Filter | 3. Face Mask | 4. Eco Adult Mask | 5. Protective Mask |6. KES Sustainable Washable Face Mask | 7. Summer Picnic Fabric Face Mask | 8. Linen Face Mask | 9. Cloth Face Mask | 10. Cherries Adult MasQini Face Mask  | 11. Reusable Cotton Mask (2 Pack) | 12. Bow Face Mask | 13. The Wake Up & Fight Mask | 14. Sentry Face Mask | 15. The Sustainable Mask

Okay, that’s all the excitement the Henderson’s have for you today. Again, if you have any tips for broken bones let me know in the comments. xx

The post How Birdie Broke Her Arm + Where To Buy Cute Face Masks Since Everyone Asked appeared first on Emily Henderson.

EHD Photo Intern Turned Creative Power House – Tour Monica Wang’s Stunning New Space (Plus a Design Cameo From One Of Our Favs)

It’s safe to say that when you finally fulfill your dream of opening your own event space/photo studio, the last thing you think is going to happen is a national order for everyone to stay at home and forbid events. The same idea goes for debuting your first furniture line like EHD alum, Ginny did. This is where photographer and owner of DTLA’s The Revery, Monica Wang, is at. She is navigating this truly unimaginable time with patience and figuring out how to temporarily pivot so that hopefully someday soon she can share this wonderful space with the world…in person. But for now, we are lucky enough to get a VERY special sneak peek.

Here is a video, courtesy of Monica, that gives you a real understanding of this awesome undertaking (just wait for the ad to play then enjoy:))…

But before we move on, let’s rewind for a minute. A few weeks ago Anne Sage, whom you probably know, (and if not check out this post), emailed me about featuring Monica’s new space (including a studio she helped design). She and Monica have been friends/collaborators for the past 5 years and Monica actually shot Anne’s “nursery” that we posted about last month. To make this even cooler, I found out that about 7 years ago Monica was Emily’s photo intern in the midst of a full-time career in finance. Like I said, COOL (and inspiring).

“I remember being interviewed by both Emily and Orlando and wishing so badly that I could have a creative job.” – Monica

I love getting to hear and see how small the world is AND how someone can truly create their career path with hard work and dedication. So, I asked Monica (and Anne later in the post) a bunch of questions about her journey and this new venue. Let’s get to it.

Let’s start with your professional background. When did you make the switch from finance to your now very creative career? What was the moment that you knew it was the right decision? 

For a few years, I had a full-time finance job in the tech industry and I photographed part-time on the weekends. I don’t recommend doing that long-term because of the sheer number of hours that I was working, but it worked for me. I had the energy to explore and the yearning to learn more about photography. Eventually, I knew I wanted to find a way to blend both my creative and finance backgrounds together and that is what led me to The Revery. 

I didn’t fully quit my steady finance job until we found a location for The Revery. While working simultaneously in finance and photography, I mapped out my business plan, created a financial model, figured out how I was going to fund the project, raised the money, and assessed the property to see if it was feasible for my business plan. There was a lot of homework that needed to be ironed out before I even presented the idea to a prospective business partner and/or investor.  

I had done similar work in my full-time finance job for other companies and watched first-hand what the fundraising and due diligence processes looked like, so I soaked in as much I could and eventually figured out how to do it for myself.

Why did you start The Revery?

I truly saw a need in the market that wasn’t met and I thought there was a way to do things better! I wanted to find a location that had both an indoor and outdoor space. More photographers were shooting in natural light vs. artificial light and our location gets a ridiculous amount of amazing natural light. I also found an opportunity to design the space to be versatile enough for two separate uses —  it functions as both an event venue and photo studio. In the venues I encountered as a photographer I saw these two uses being melded together rather than treated separately and thought there was a huge opportunity to create a space that never existed before.

Jess here, back for one sec! So now that you have a little intro, let’s dive into this dreamy space of truly limitless transformative abilities and more of its journey. If you missed the video go back and watch and you will see that they started with nothing (i.e. no plumbing, electricity, AC, the list goes on). Ok back to the interview.

The Common Areas

Quartz Countertop | Limewash Paint (Kingdom) | Art Work | Pot |
Wooden Kitchen Accessories, Plates, Mugs, Glassware | Wood Top Canisters | Stools

How long did this project take?

From start to finish, it took 2 years. It felt like 5 though! Ha!

What was the thought behind the design plan and did you have any specific inspirations?

I gave Venn Studio (the main architecture and design firm involved) adjectives of what I wanted the space to feel like vs. specific design instructions. I wanted the space to feel editorial, collaborative, sophisticated, calm, inclusive, urban, airy, and inspirational and they used those to draw up the design concepts! They also understood the objective of the space very well — it needed to function as both an event venue and photo studio as seamlessly as possible. I hired them for their vision and their design and architecture background, and trusted them wholeheartedly throughout the process.

What were some of the biggest challenges in creating the space/working with collaborators in creating your vision?

We had so many subcontractors, engineers, architects, designers, etc. involved every step of the way. I had little to no understanding of the construction process and didn’t realize just how many different little steps I had to take to get to the end result. It was an eye-opening and life-changing experience. When mistakes were made, it had a domino effect on everyone involved and created scheduling delays; and time is money. I have experienced firsthand how painful and expensive it is when you hire the wrong person, so if I were to tackle another project like this in the future I would go through a more thorough vetting and interviewing process before selecting my team!

Woven Window Treatments | Stools | Stove | Black Vase | Footed Bowl

With the installation of that truly stunning and yet welcoming kitchen, was it your intention to have the space feel both warm/homey as well as airy/grand?

That was exactly what our vision was — to create a kitchen that felt elevated, but warm and approachable. After photographing so many beautiful kitchens on different photo assignments, I was finally able to create a dream kitchen in our lifestyle photo studio. I’m hoping for many cooking shows and TV commercials to be filmed in it! And if people want to incorporate the kitchen as part of their event, they can easily do that as well.

Is there a design element that you are most excited about in the space?

I absolutely love how the wood reeding turned out on our kitchen island and dressing room vanity. The craftsmanship is incredible and something I cherish every time I see it!

Quartz Countertop | Brass Lighting Fixture | Travertine Side Table | White Pedastal | Chair | Andorra Rug | Ceiling Lighting Fixture

We know all too well that despite how beautiful a space is, mistakes are inevitable. What were some the mistakes that were made and how did you adjust?

I did catch a few oversights in our electrical plan — we forgot to add outlets for hair dryers and curling irons in the dressing room. Luckily I was on site almost all day, every day, so I was able to keep a close eye on all of the details. Could you imagine?!! Haha! Before our drywall went up, I did a thorough walkthrough with my general contractor, City Constructors, to review the electrical work and we were able to coordinate with our electrical team and fix the problem right away. I know that most people have terrible experiences with their general contractor but I have nothing but good things to say about mine. They were amazing from start to finish.

Brass Lighting Fixture | Sahara Entrance Mat | Candle Holders | Vase | Wood and Marble Tray

Did your designer have to talk you into anything that you now love?

Venn Studio had to talk me into the green onyx in our luxe restroom island vanity! I love it now, but in the beginning, I was trying to stick to neutral colors only so I’m glad I listened because the green onyx came out stunning! That vanity is truly a work of art.

Lighting Fixture | Floor Mirror | Towel | Vase

Jess again! Julie and I both gasped when we saw that vanity. We are SO happy Monica went with their suggestion:) What a DREAM.

The Studios

How many studios do you have within the space? Are they any full-time tenants or are they meant for more temporary use like photoshoots?

We have two large photo studios, designed to be temporary locations rented by the day or week, that can also be used as a single large space. We have a foldable partition that can be used to break up the studios, but most production crews in Los Angeles are anywhere from 40 to 80 people deep for filming and commercials so I wanted to have a large photo studio for filming and still have space for a “base camp” set up.

Jess here! Let’s now pass it over to Anne to talk about the beautiful studio she designed…

Daybed | Coffee Table | Leather Chair | Floor Lamp | BESTA Wall-Mounted Storage in High-Gloss Beige | Rug | Art Work

Anne, I know that you and Monica work together regularly but were there any new challenges with designing this very personal space? What is your collaboration style?

I have such fond memories of all the work Monica and I have done together over the years—including the first time we ever collaborated back in 2015! We were shooting engagement rings together (not an easy subject!), and it went so smoothly that I knew I had found my perfect match. She and I are both methodical and exacting, willing to spend hours tweaking every detail to get the perfect shot. For this project, we poured over every round of designs, going back to the drawing board as many times as needed to achieve our shared vision. 

And honestly, that meticulous design process wasn’t a challenge at all. We had a blast letting our inner perfectionists out to play! The hard part was meeting my own high standards and designing a space I felt was worthy of this woman who inspires me so much as a photographer, an entrepreneur, and a friend. I’m proud to say, I think the final result exceeds both our expectations!

Candlestick Holders | Tall White Vase | Round Vase | White Terrazzo End Table | Dining Area Rug

Were there any challenges in designing this studio specifically? 

There were plenty of considerations I took into account when designing this studio. We knew we wanted it to be a place where people could buckle down and get work done, but also feel homey and stylish enough that it could be used for meetings and intimate gatherings. I, therefore, avoided furniture that felt too “office-y” and instead chose comfortable pieces that could just as easily be found in a living space.

I’d been itching to use a daybed in place of a sofa in a lounge setup—it’s such a chic look that feels very current—so I was delighted when Monica was open to the idea. The open-backed seating nicely echoes the airy, open feel of the lofted room. (Sadly the exact Living Spaces daybed we used is no longer available, but the brand has an equally lovely daybed in the same color). The silhouette of the daybed also allows the graphic construction of the background storage cabinets to shine through. I adore the look of built-in cabinetry and we were able to get the look on a budget using several IKEA BEST units mounted next to each other on the wall!

Dining Table | Side Chair | Woven Globe Pendant | Footed Bowl

For the floor plan, we created three separate functional zones: a kitchenette, a large work table that can be used by up to 8 people as a shared desk, and a cozy seating area suited to breakout sessions.

That big gorgeous wood plank table is from Living Spaces too. It’s actually one of their outdoor tables, which is fantastic because it means it’ll be up for the wear and tear of a high-traffic space like this one. Then, I’d recently used Design Within Reach’s Hoffmann Side Chair in my husband’s office design—he loves it!—so I felt confident using it as a work chair in this setting as well. The woven globe pendants from Serena & Lily provide overhead lighting as well as an organic touch. 

Kitchen Runner | Sconces | Faucet | Quartz Countertop | Kitchen Cabinets | Zellige Tile

In the kitchenette, our goal was a streamlined area where Monica’s employees could prep a quick lunch or make TGIF cocktails—but that also could be used to style and shoot recipes or kitchen products. We kept the backdrop simple yet really elegant, using a foundation of richly grained cabinetry in reclaimed Douglas Fir from Reform Copenhagen. Engineered quartz countertops and backsplash by Mikado mimic the look of Calacatta marble without the upkeep – I’m absolutely obsessed with the narrow display ledge made of the same material. It’s an extra element that takes the kitchenette to the next level! For the fixtures, we chose sconces and a faucet from Rejuvenation, one of my favorite sources for timeless finishing accents. The luster of the brass fittings softens the honed stone and planed wood surfaces.

Hot Tip

To ensure that each functional zone felt distinct, we used three different overdyed rugs from Jaipur Living to ground each space. They bring a vintage, timeworn feel into the office that subtly contrasts with the modern lines of the furniture and nicely dovetails with the raw architectural envelope of the warehouse. I especially love the quiet splash of blue in that pretty kitchen runner! - Anne Sage

The neutral space you created is so layered yet serene. What are some tips for people to do the same in their home? 

Whether at home or in an office, when you’re working with a neutral palette, a strategic blend of textures and materials is key for achieving a dynamic look. I group materials into categories—fabric, leather, wood, metals, stone, glass—and make sure I’m pulling from at least three or four as I design. The leather Living Spaces chairs in the lounge are a great example of a piece that adds tons of personality while still maintaining a quiet vibe. The supple leather injects warmth, and the slim brass legs have a luxe sensibility, yet the overall clean lines and taupe hue gel perfectly with the rest of the decor!

Thanks Anne!

Jess one last-ish time:) As most of us are trying to adjust to what our hopefully temporary way of life I wanted to chat with Monica about how she is holding up.

Monica, I know that this is likely hard to talk about but I don’t want to ignore the fact that this is undoubtedly a difficult time to open an event venue. How are you pivoting any part of your business plan or just doing your best to ride it out?

It’s very challenging and hard but I am hopeful that people will be able to safely gather again after the curve flattens, starts to decline, and more testing is widely available. Ultimately, I don’t foresee digital content going away any time soon and after the quarantine, I expect people to cherish gatherings and celebrations more than ever before. I am doing my best to ride it out but at the same time, I am exploring different ways to rent out the space that I didn’t consider before and we will be offering in-house photography services very soon! That way brands can send us their products and we can photograph them for them.

We have also experienced an incredible amount of support from other businesses in the industry, so the help we’ve received in spreading the word about our space has been instrumental in getting us through this difficult period. We have all experienced huge setbacks and struggles from COVID-19, and I am hoping and praying for the best outcome possible so we can get back to sharing The Revery with others.

Ok now it’s Jess for the actual last time and all I can say is that we cannot wait to come to some wonderful event and see all of this beauty with our own eyes. Thank you SO MUCH to Monica and Anne for talking with me and sharing this space with us. We hope you are staying as safe and healthy as possible.

What is your favorite part of the space? Dare you to choose just one. Can we also talk about the return of the glass block wall trend? This space has me pretty into it. See you wonderful people in the comments!

Love you, mean it.

Credits:
Construction – City Constructors
Design Architect – Venn Studio
Architect of Record – Ziese Architecture
Office Design – Anne Sage
Photography – Monica Wang

The post EHD Photo Intern Turned Creative Power House – Tour Monica Wang’s Stunning New Space (Plus a Design Cameo From One Of Our Favs) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Practical (But Less Stylish) Things We Are Opting for Right Now

This post will garner some eye-rolls, as it should. But if you are here it’s probably because you, too, care about style and aesthetics and get joy from, say, the FRONCH washed linen shibori tea towel. No one is more of a perpetrator of “the love of the beautiful” more than stylists, truly. Although I have to defend myself and say I’ve gotten highly more practical over the years. In the last few weeks I’ve been taking note of the more beautiful things I’m opting away from, and the more practical version that my hand is grabbing for more often. Here’s what those things are.

But first here’s a video so you can seem them in action (just need to wait for the ad to play first:))…

THE CUTTING BOARD

The cutting board. We have so many pretty wood boards, the vintage french board, the walnut cheese board with the leather handle, and the simple carved round loop. But I think I subconsciously don’t want to scratch them up (what will my guests!!?? think?) so I don’t really use them. So last year I bought a pretty high-quality big butcher block – a classic, never-go-out-of-style-board and I thought I would leave it on the counter all day as the sandwich making, lemon cutting day-to-day go-to board. And while I still like it, it’s super heavy and annoying to wash, so every time I go to chop anything all I want to use is THIS. And so does Brian. It’s extremely lightweight but durable. The cut marks don’t look super scratchy, and the black really works in our kitchen so it’s not like it stands out (I like the black so much more than the brown one – but again, its more about the practical).

OUR “FAMILY BLANKET”

Next up. Stylists love a blanket or throw and generally I have a lot – over the backs of sofas, draping over a chair but the one one that my family wants to snuggle with (and is big enough for us all while we watch Nailed It) is this one.

OUR LIGHTWEIGHT DISHES

You know what else we typically love? Super heavy handmade rustic-ass plates and serving bowls. I really do. But right now because of the sheer volume of meals and dishes (3 x 4 = 12) I’m so glad that I have these thin, light, hard to break plates. The kids can set the table very easily because they are so light. And while I did bring my pretty heavy pottery Heath serving bowls up here (the ones I’ll hand down to my kids and will forever use for dinner parties or special occasions), I just use these for everything every day.

A PRACTICAL FLUFFY BATHMAT

Now even I’m too practical for a white linen or cotton bath mat (maybe in my guest room). I have some that we put in a locked closet for “shoots” but I didn’t want to ruin them by actually using them, imagine that. But I’m dying for a fluffy big even dare I say suburban-style bath mat, one that I can wash in the washing machine. The kids bathe in our bathroom with our black floors. So while the sheepskin we had there looks great in photos, I’m going to buy this one now that we are using this tub so much (currently I lay down a towel every night before they get out). FYI I’ve seen this mat in person many times and she’s fluffy and cozy and washable and not precious at all.

THE DISHTOWELS

I guess the “dish towels” that I bought for up here technically might be linen napkins and Brian Henderson is not happy. We have two good drying rags and he wants more. I guess the ones that really dry things well are thinner (goes against any logic) and I think there is a thing about them needing to be washed a few times to really get absorbant. I couldn’t find the exact old rags that he is so drawn to, but I found these that look like classic dish towels.

DRINKING GLASSES

Oh, we all love a Marta glass – that thin straight glass that I’ve used in no joke 50-60 shoots. It’s affordable and lovely to drink cocktails out of. It does, however, break SO EASILY (we are down to 3) so instead, I’m opting for thicker glass. The ones we have a good, but I’m thinking about ordering some good old fashion pint glasses for water. I like this whole set a whole lot and $39.99 for 18 glasses looks good. Hoping they are durable.

I’m telling you, it’s a new Emily that is being born and I like her. But don’t worry my love for truly beautiful things will NEVER disappear:) Have you guys also made some practicality switches or did you always know the secret. Also if you have any other recs please let me know in the comments xx

The post The Practical (But Less Stylish) Things We Are Opting for Right Now appeared first on Emily Henderson.

My Favorite Workout App + The Free (or Affordable) Workouts We Found All Over the Internet

With gyms and parks closed (and if we are lucky most of us are staying home) working out is both harder (you have to motivate yourself) and yet more convenient. You can go from pajamas to athleisure with clear intention of a workout at some point and without commutes and rushing kids to school, schedules are a bit looser. I have a particular workout philosophy these days… I want my workouts to be fast, enjoyable and more for mental endorphins and maintenance than getting into shape – not that I don’t want to do that, but it’s not the goal. And there is no shame if you aren’t feeling it, I just find it drastically effects my happiness so I have to – I NEED the endorphin hit to keep my spirits as high as possible. But most of my workouts are 20-30 minutes. Sometimes i’ll just do a micro sprint (like 5-8 minute run) and call it a day – its not about huge workouts right now, just getting those endorphins. But there are a lot of apps, youtube videos and IG glasses out there, so we did a bunch of research and crowdsourced from the EHD team what are our go-to at-home workouts. Here are all of our picks…

Photo taken by Charlie Henderson



CARDIO

From Emily: Aaptiv – A big #nonsponsored endorsement is coming your way. I’ve been using this app for almost two years and after trying many others for this post, its still HANDS DOWN my favorite. I consider Akeem my personal trainer (although there are others I really like). Here’s why its so great – 1. It feels like a personal trainer in your ear. They speak conversationally (not robots) and keep you motivated the whole time. 2. There are a million different types and lengths of workouts (cardio, stregnth, HIIT) in all different levels. 3. It’s set to good music (Lizzo, Dua Lipa, really good hip hop) and that makes it go so much faster.

There are so many apps that have no music or sure you can use your own, but then it’s not timed to the workout and it can be hard to hear the voice. For a lot of the cardio workouts, they’ll time it so that when you’re about to do a high interval or a sprint, the chorus of the song drops at the same time, so you just feel extra motivated. They also have guided pilates, indoor cycling, elliptical, yoga, stretching, and meditation. I’ve mostly done the strength training, indoor cardio, core, and outdoor running, (I don’t know why I haven’t tried the yoga). Sara has (see below) and Brian started doing it with me and he LOVES it, too. It’s the first time in like 15 years that he and I have worked out together (mostly the cardio strength classes that are Tabata or HIIT) and it’s pretty fun. I love it just being audio because generally the moves are so easy – like jump squats, but if you need help you can look at the app and they have examples of the moves. With videos, I either get confused about what side I’m on (are we supposed to mirror or do the side they are doing?) and then I look at their bodies and get distracted and end up watching them. Anyway, I’m a big fan of just having it be audio so I can pair with our speaker system or just use earbuds. 

My favorite actual cardio classes are these: “Fartlek cross Training” with Akeem, “I’ll Be The Run” with Akeem, Cardio Fat Burn, with Kenta, Intervals of Pace and One Step is All It Takes (both Akeem).

From Sara: I’m a big Aaptiv fan, too (I’m the one who introduced Em to it cough), and I’m a huge fan of a 9-minute workout called Ab Assassin. In just 9 minutes your abs are going to be ASSASSINATED. We’ve been doing this almost every night and think the coach is hilarious, but also endearing. Another favorite quick Aaptiv workout is a 9-minute one called Pop That Booty. My booty does burn after I do this one.

From Sara: Nike Training Club – NTC is giving away premium for FREE right now, so if you’re looking for some good workouts, this is a great one to try, too.

From Mallory: Boxing with Kev – THIS IS MY FAVORITE WORKOUT TO DO RIGHT NOW. You guys. I cannot stress this enough. My friend, Kevin is a boxing instructor and does IG Lives + Zoom classes ON THE DAILY. Before I continue, let’s get something straight, I do not consider myself a “boxer” in the slightest, but this is hands-down my favorite workout on the list. It’s basically a quick 30-minute cardio boxing blast and by the end of it, you feel like you’re on top of the world. The class is donations-based, requires zero equipment, & Kevin is the BEST instructor/motivational speaker (plus, he’s easy on the eyes which never hurts). Take this class if you want to break a quick (but hefty) sweat and feel the best you’ve ever felt in your life. He accepts donations via Venmo

The Link Up: The 3 Shows Emily’s Whole Family Loves, The Pants Julie’s Been Living In, & A $12 T-Shirt Dress

photo by victoria hely-hutchinson | design by emily adams bode | via architectural digest

Hello friends and welcome back. We are feeling extra chatty today so we’re going to get right to this week’s lengthy link up:)

This week’s home tour does colorful and textural in the best possible way. Head over to give your eyeballs a real treat (and let’s definitely talk about how great that cobalt blue accent wall is).

From Emily: “We finally found now THREE shows that all four of us look forward to watching together (we tried many others). Magic For Humans, LegoMasters, and now Nailed it. It’s a cooking competition for amateur bakers trying to do advanced cakes/cookies etc. and it’s meant to be hilarious and it really is. Brian and the kids laugh out loud a lot (and he’s been a fan of the host Nicole Byer for years – she’s hilarious). There are so many seasons to go through and it’s keeping us entertained most nights. Our kids had an idea to do a family team competition against each other which sounded like so much fun. So we are going to divide up into teams this Saturday and try to bake and decorate something far outside of our skillset. I mean, it’s something to make the weekend feel different.”

Also From Emily: “We’ve had this one step ladder that we bring from bathroom to kitchen back to bathroom and kitchen for both handwashing and to help cook and it was driving me NUTS. We also didn’t have one in their bathroom and it’s time for them to start brushing their teeth at the sink, not us chasing them around and pinning them down in bed (lovingly). In LA I have one from Serena & Lily that I love, but I found one 1/3rd the price on Etsy that is equally as cute and comes in all black, white/wood, and all-natural wood. The stool schlep is over.”

Lastly, From Emily: “My go-to bag that is the perfect size for everything I need to carry (including my laptop) and I have talked about many times on this blog is 30% off through today only and it could be a great mother’s day gift. Parker Clay is a truly incredible company giving so much back. If you are interested here is a bit more about them and what they are trying to do.

From Sara: We all know about my love for Bloomist (and the wood chain I featured in my living room reveal), but I’m currently looking eyeing this simple, beautiful vase as a potential Mother’s Day gift. It’s coming up quick! They also offer a line of eco-faux florals (made from recycled single-use bottles, for all you black thumbs out there) and I think this one would also be a great gift.

From Mallory: “I had big plans last month to go to this fancy gala, but life happened and I quickly realized I needed my fancy dress money back. So I returned it (although now it’s on sale for 70% off) & got my Nordstroms gift card back in my pocket. I’ve been pondering what the heck I should spend this gift card on (like do I really need anything right now??) but I found something good. I was going to keep this link a secret because I felt so scummy and guilty at first, but then I read a Manrepeller article that Caitlin sent me about what people are spending money on, and this comment felt very relatable: “I’m honestly not ashamed to say I’ve been spending a considerable amount of money on clothes. I’ve been supporting local brands, enjoying the reduced prices (some brands I wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise), and most of all, it makes me happy amidst all the chaos. My therapist also said that buying stuff is an attempt at controlling the situation around you, which I agree is true. AM I JUST LONGING TO FIND CONTROL? Or did I just buy these shoes because they’re literally $100 off?? I’m genuinely not sure the motive behind it…do you guys feel like you want to buy stuff or not? What are you spending money on right now??”

From Caitlin: “Confession: before I decided to do laundry in the tub, I did the lazy thing first and actually just ordered some more comfy home clothes. I ended up grabbing this t-shirt dress in a few colors because it was only 12 dollars, there’s nothing comfier than wearing a giant shirt with no pants, and it can be repurposed for actual clothing later. BIG FAN.”

From Ryann: “I’ve been coveting this dress that Emily has had for a while and I don’t know why, now that I have absolutely nowhere to go, I felt compelled to buy it. Nevertheless, I am SO excited for it to come in the mail, and will probably wear it to work from home everyday. “

From Jess: “I want to give a second shoutout to Supergoop! and their sunscreen that Whitney recommended yesterday. She uses the “Matte” formula while I use the “Unseen” version. Both are likely wonderful but since I have only used Unseen I am going to just speak to that one:) Ok so here is the deal. I am not an avid everyday sunscreen wearer. I know it’s so dumb but unless I’m going out into the sunshine, I’m like, why?! Fast forward to 2 weeks into quarantine (with no sun exposure the whole time) and my face was kinda red and my texture not normal. I chalked it up to stress. BUT THEN, literally last week I had a revelation after seeing an instastory from @itsreallynana. I am spending a minimum of 3 more hours a week looking at a screen due to workload and Netflix consumption. Meaning I am exposing my skin to way more blue light than it’s used to AND not protecting it! So while she was promoting a different sunscreen (that I almost bought because I NEEDED it right at that moment) I decided to take a breath and look at my SuperGoop! face sunscreen that I already owned but rarely used. Guess what? It had blue-light protection too! So now I am using it every day and it’s honestly my most favorite face sunscreen I’ve ever tried. I love the gel formula because it’s so silky and there isn’t that white residue you have to wait for it to absorb. Really, it just feels awesome on my skin. So now (finally) my skin is being properly protected from my screens and I am creating a new and easy habit. Which is more necessary than ever since I’m about to start using a retinoid serum…wish me luck and I will report back once I give it a go!”

From Julie: “Lately, I have been living in these pants. No really, I am on day 4 and have no plans of switching up my wardrobe, I even slept in them the other night cause really who cares right now. They feel like sweats but are technically a pant with a whole button AND zipper, so I am still a working professional in them.”

And one small business note: Taryn Schumacher is the incredibly talented photographer behind Dusted Boulevard. She’s currently offering digital downloads of her photos in an attempt to raise $3,000 to cover the cost of a shaping helmet for her newborn son, Bray Conrad. If you’re in the market for some new art, this is a great way to score a beautiful piece ASAP while helping a lovely family

Kids Play Clothes: Hacks, Ways To Save + Some Basics Our Kids Love

I’m generally the parent I predicted I would be pre-kids (so far), with varying degrees of “surprisingly ok” or “still learning” in some areas. But one of the truly shocking developments, or digressions I should say, is how little I care about what they wear. Prior to having kids I verbally marveled at the stylish 3-year-old girl, wearing a peter pan collar under a french-style suspender romper, likely with a beret. I still do I guess. Sure, when they look pulled together and cute I love it and take many a photo – what mother doesn’t? But once they formed opinions contrary to mine about their wardrobe, it became a battle I stopped fighting regardless of how “creative” it looks – See Exhibit A and B below. (I obviously love how they express themselves no matter what, I promise).

Brian is good enough to do most of the clothes shopping (except special occasions) and HOT MARRIAGE TIP: If your cis male partner buys your 3-year-old daughter the unicorn and princess dresses that she wanted, you open your mouth only to say, “oh cute, thank you for doing that!” That’s right, ladies – you, like me, may have to mourn the death of the little french schoolgirl outfit you envisioned her in, cause it’s not happening (and it’s ok). If she loves it then Bite. That. Tongue. Now if you are super into fashion and how well your kid dresses brings you joy or pain, then you do you and maybe stop reading this post.

In short: we believe in play clothes, and nothing makes me happier then them getting messy and dirty (preferably outside). But we are ruining clothes faster than usual, or maybe just noticing it more. So it made me think about what we can do now that is more environmentally friendly (aka not just buying new replacements), but still practical for small kids that destroy clothes.

Our current situation has forced a lot of us to rethink every single purchase to ensure that what we are buying is truly what we need and what will get used for as long as possible (this is going to be a reoccurring theme this year, so get used to it). Regardless of your budget, the greenest thing you can do is buy used when possible, make them yourselves (ha), hand things down or trade, and then when buying new ensure that it’s what they will actually use and wear for as long as possible. Kids are hard on clothes (and they should be) and buying heirloom-quality doesn’t really make sense for play clothes or when they are so young and grow so fast. So I did what any mom would do – I asked my sisters and mom, impressive child bearers, with a large inventory of children and experience, for their tips (as well as mine). Here we go:

Let Practicality Drive The Ship



It must be comfortable or our kids won’t wear it – I get it, I think we agree right now. Birdie only wants to wear dresses over cotton leggings, which doesn’t seem that “practical” but she refuses denim (same) opting for leggings instead. These are 5 for $29.99 and are consciously made (but I’m not sure exactly what that means in H&M terms). Birdie, of course, would much prefer the patterned ones.Easy on and easy off – This means not a lot of buttons, zippers, or laces. Those cute suspenders or rompers you love with the zipper up the back? They only work if they are a shorts version and don’t have buttons, laces or zippers in the back. Think hard before buying them for everyday clothes. When an “emergency” arises, you’ll be bummed your 2 1/2-year-old is in a lace-up one-piece (some of them are easy, just something to think about). If you are in a dressing room and they can’t get it on and off by themselves, skip it – why give yourself another job?A drop crotch is good – like mother like daughter – and it looks pretty darn cute, but be careful once you go drop crotch it’s hard to go back (trust me). I think they call them “harem” pants for children.Go affordable for play clothes – For play clothes (shouldn’t they all be play clothes?) buy used, affordable or swap with friends/neighbors and just splurge on the pretty/fancy stuff for your special occasions (1st day of school, Easter, Christmas, birthday, etc). And for those occasions or if you have a larger budget year-round then think about supporting a small business or an Etsy maker.Curate their play uniform (buy multiples) that you don’t have to think about – For instance, we know that these are Charlie’s favorite pants that are stretchy enough to run in, but are a level above sweats that look nice (and are lightweight). So we buy 3-4 of these a year and besides sweats and shorts, these are his only pants. My sister swears by these jeans for both her boys for years – so if you find something that works for you and them, stop shopping and buy multiples. Birdie loves this dress and it comes in many patterns and is $7.99) and these shorts.







Reduce your battles



Narrow down a curated list that YOU like. Going shopping with Birdie for the first time was one of the most fun (but INSANE) 2 hours of my life. She had never been and her enthusiasm for EVERY SINGLE sparkle, pink, princess-anything was so contagious. So many “ooooh mamamamama!!!!!” I don’t want to label my children (yet) but I’d bet 100% she’s enneagram 7. Anyway, I learned that day what I knew in every other way – limit the options, curate the choice. Let them choose. Every kid is different, but we have found that our kids actually wear the stuff that they pick out – they feel ownership over it and autonomy. I totally get it. Have less, wear more often, reduce the daily mess. Options make us all go nuts (I’m realizing this so much about myself being up here, saving so much time with so much less to choose from in every way). Our kids pick out their own clothes and the method in which they do this is to dump out at least 1/2 their entire drawer each time. But with just one drawer each, it’s manageable. Limit shoes. We have maybe 3 pairs per kid – their everyday sneakers, natives or summer sandals, taller boots for hiking and up here we don’t have any nice shoes but I think most people would want to have at least one pair that isn’t totally disgusting. Nothing with laces, too many straps, everything has to be easy for them to get on and off and nothing too fashiony that might be uncomfortable (I’m always shocked when kids wear heels. It’s like ladies put off that torture, you have decades of it down the road).

** If you want to know what Natives are it’s what 3 of the 4 of us are wearing (ha! me, too!) in the below photos (Brian has some, too). They are basically cooler versions of crocs and totally waterproof and so comfortable/easy to get on).

How To Buy Once And Save on basics



Size up at least one size (can even do two for pajamas). Sounds obvious but just don’t forget. Every store is different, too. Separate school clothes, church clothes and play clothes (making play clothes hand me downs) so that the nice can stay nice and you can care less about the play clothes. Buy pants with button waist control.Make hand me downs feel fresh by adding patches, embroidery, or even a tutu on the bottom of a T-shirt. Birdie is psyched to have anything from her older girlfriends, but NOT from Charlie. We found these patches in bulk from Etsy and thought it would be fun to let them choose, to help shake things up. By basics in bulk, then give them options, and then offer ideas like embroidery or patches. Go for busy patterns, dark colors, OR bright white (so you can bleach, but I’ve never personally done this). Sounds obvious but every time I’ve let Birdie choose something light pink it gets obviously stained quickly. Gotta hide those stains. Socks in bulk. The fact that some idiot/genius decided that packs of kids socks should not all be the same is insane to me. I want to buy 12 pairs of socks, per year that are identical, to make our lives easier. I’m ready to just buy only these for both our kids. If anyone knows a source that I can find matching socks in bulk that are cuter (all the same stripe) please let me know. If you can buy matching pajamas then handing them down is easier. Our Christmas pajamas (below) are the only ones that Birdie will wear of Charlie’s because I think she thinks they are hers (we love this brand’s pajamas, in general, a lot). Good note for next year. I know if we forced her to wear more of his clothes we’d eventually win, but see point #2 about battles.







More tips?

Obviously I’d love any other tips you guys have. It seems like the perfect time to do clothing swap or trade of hand me downs by just dropping them off at each other’s door. But if you are like us and kinda stuck somewhere not near friends, here is our strategy: buy in bulk for affordability, then buy used for anything that might feel more special (or shoes) that we’d want more high quality. In our experience, our kids grow out or stain clothes before they rip them. We researched the best used kids clothing sites and if you have the time and resources shopping from them keeps them surviving: Thredup, Kidizen, Etsy, Toycycle

In general, we are big “play clothes” people for our kids and are very not precious – as demonstrated in the above photo for literally a national lifestyle magazine in 2018 (Real Simple). I’m not saying it’s cool to be messy or not care, I think it’s just from being raised in the woods of Oregon with lots of kids – it simply wasn’t what was valued and that was passed on.

Lastly, here are some sustainable/ local brands we love and want to support:

Pact kids (30% off through Sunday), Mabo, Chaboukie, Omami Mini, Pepper, Ultra Violet

Now, what are your strategies for buying clothes for kids who seem to be constantly growing and spilling?? Any and all tips are welcome. xx

The post Kids Play Clothes: Hacks, Ways To Save + Some Basics Our Kids Love appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Beauty Advice From My Friend That Tries And Tests Everything So We Don’t Have To

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: portland reveal: how the bathroom I was most nervous about turned out to be my favorite

We all wish we had this friend – the one that has tried every single beauty product. I’ve only met Whitney once, but my friend Suzanne has talked about her for years, mostly saying, “Whitney says we should be using _______” or “Whitney found this new product that is way cheaper and better for your _______”. I would ask Suzanne to ask Whitney questions for me all the time (until I got her number and cut out the middle man) not because she is a dermatologist or a makeup artist but because she literally TRIES EVERY NEW PRODUCT. She’s my trusted beauty expert hobbyist who now runs an instagram called, The List (follow her!), who has sacrificed her own money in the name of beauty research, regardless of price. And when you are around her you believe every word, her opinion is so strong. She is SO adamant, that you find yourself buying the item mid-conversation. I’m running out of all my beauty supplies as a lot of us are, so before I buy what I always buy, I found myself wanting to ask this friend who I barely know what I should be using because I trust her and right now I don’t want to waste any money nor do any returns. So I figured we could all use a bit of Whitney in our life. Take it away…

Whitney here, and I’ll start by saying I am not an expert. Just a product obsessed beauty lover. I am continuously testing, updating, and replacing the products in my line-up. Through all my trials and errors I’ve found some solid products that I know I can always rely on, as well as a few tips and tricks that will help them work and look better.

FIRST UP, SKINCARE . . . .

Let’s start with skin care first, because healthy skin is the first step to a better overall makeup application. I have a pale complexion and sensitive skin that can lean on the oily, break-out prone side if I am not properly taking care of it.

When trying a new skin care product there can be a purge phase where you might break out and there can also be an irritation phase, especially when initially introducing acids or retinoids/retinol. It is normal for some products to make things worse before they get better. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should give up on it. Try lessening the frequency of the product while continuing a consistent routine to build up a tolerance.

My nighttime cleansing routine is the most impactful routine I do for my skin. It’s a simple three-step process, that involves breaking down and removing make-up followed by a two-step cleanse. I find that washing my face at night is super important, as it gives my skin a break from pollution, dirt, and makeup.

STEP ONE – REMOVE YOUR MAKEUP

Product of Choice: Avocado Oil & Living Libations Organic Hemp Face Cloths ($8+)

Organic avocado oil is my go-to makeup remover. It’s nourishing to the skin and super effective at removing stubborn foundation and eye makeup. I rub a little less than a quarter-sized amount into my palm and massage into my face (including, carefully, my eye area). Then I use a warm, damp face cloth to wipe the oil and makeup away. These organic hemp face cloths are thick, fleece-like, and glide over even the most sensitive skin.

STEP TWO – OIL CLEANSE

Product of Choice: Living Libations Best Skin Ever Seabuckthorn Oil Cleanser ($17+)

This is a thoughtfully crafted oil cleanser that will rebalance and reset your skin. This is also an effective makeup up remover but a somewhat pricier product. If you have the budget you could absolutely use this to remove your makeup with a double oil cleanse and forgo the avocado oil altogether but I prefer to make this product last longer. I use the same face cloth method to remove my oil cleanser as I do to remove my avocado oil. Make sure to use a fresh side of your face cloth with each oil removal. 

STEP THREE – GEL CLEANSER

Product Of Choice: Reflekt 1 – Daily Exfoliating Face Wash ($18+)

I usually feel traditional cleansers dry me out and cause skin imbalance, but this has done the complete opposite. It is moisturizing and exfoliating while protecting the balance and pH of my skin. Because this cleanser has (biodegradable) exfoliation beads, you are in control of how intense the exfoliation will be. The less water you use the more intense the exfoliation will be. I tend to start on the drier side and once I’ve achieved the exfoliation I am looking for I then add more water to my fingers and it turns into a more traditional cleanser feel. 

HOT TIP: Remember to rinse your skin thoroughly. I literally put my head under the faucet and let the water run over both sides of my face. The ring around their face of leftover cleanser that gets “wiped away” with a towel will get you into some clogged pore trouble!

And the most important (daytime) step:

Product Of Choice: Supergoop Mattescreen Sunscreen SPF 40 ($38)

SPF is an absolute must, even if I am having a no-makeup day at home. I will still apply SPF because the UV rays are coming through the windows even when you are inside. If you use peels/acids or retinoids/retinols your skin is now more vulnerable to sun damage/aging. Once you start regularly using these types of treatments for anti-aging you could be doing more harm than good if you are not religiously using SPF. For example, I always tell my friends who want to start a retinoid/retinol that if you are not committed to protecting your skin with SPF then I would not start it at all. 

I love this particular sunscreen because it is a duel product for me. I use it as my makeup primer to blur my pores and as my daily protection from the sun. I think it is also amazing on its own because it gives you a subtle blurring and evening of skin tone when you want protection for a natural no-makeup day.   

NOW FOR THE FUN PART, MAKEUP . . .

I have two big notes I want to start with before we dive into the makeup products I put on my own face almost every day. First, if you’re using sponges or brushes you’ve had for a long time, consider replacing them. Even if you clean them regularly. It can be hard to prioritize your tools, but dirty or worn tools can cloud your judgment as to whether you like a product or not. If your tools are not performing to the best of their ability then it will result in less than stellar makeup application.

Secondly, test new makeup products on their own to see how they perform before you use them in conjunction with your other products. For example, if you are trying a new foundation try it without primer to see its true nature first! Ok, let’s dive into some products . . . .

CHEEKS

Powder Product of Choice: Hourglass Cosmetics Veil Translucent Setting Powder ($46)

Setting powder for me is something I use strategically and in places that accumulate oil and unwanted shine. Be intentional in your placement. I do not put powder all over my face. I focus on my t-zone and under my eyes to ensure my concealer is set properly. This powder melts into the skin flawlessly and doesn’t have talc in the ingredients.

HOT TIP: When applying powder I want you to gently press it into the skin as opposed to brushing it all over. When you press your powder into the skin it will give you better coverage as well as minimize the disruption to your foundation/concealer. I like to press my powder in with the Morphe M536 brush, or I use my sponge for even more coverage.

Powder Blush of Choice: Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso or Dolce Pink ($8)

It’s a drugstore product, but when it’s good, it’s good!

Cream Blush of Choice: Stila Convertible Color Cream Blush in Petunia ($25)

If you prefer a cream blush, this is my go-to.

LIPS

Lip Pencils of Choice: NYX Suede Matte Lip Liner in Sandstrom ($4) & KKW Beauty Lip Liner in Nude ($12)

I love a nude lip. With that said, nude is relative to skin tone and I am on the paler side – be cautious when buying my version of nudes because it could wash you out the deeper your skin tone is. I gravitate to brown lip liners/contour colors and a soft matte pinks for my lipstick.

Lipsticks of Choice: Pat McGrath Matte Trance Lipstick in Peep Show ($38) & Kjear Weis Lipstick in Honor ($56).

These are my favorite lipsticks to pair with the above lipliners. I use all of these interchangeably, combine them, and switch them around.

Lip Gloss of Choice: NYX Butter Gloss in Fortune Cookie ($5)

If you’re into a glossy lip, I love to top any of the above combinations with a swipe of this.

HOT TIP: Combining a contour shade lip liner with a nude lipstick will give your lips the illusion of being larger. 

EYES

I am a complicated mascara person. I prefer one mascara for my top lashes and one for my bottom lashes. This has been the case for years and years. I  want my top lashes to be a bit fluffier and I want my bottom lashes to have a more twiggy feel. (editors note: I, Emily, can’t stop laughing every time I read this – the level of obsession, detail, and enthusiasm is amazing and I get it – we all have our things – Whitney, please continue).

Right now my daily top lash mascara is the Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara by Estee Lauder ($28). This mascara has a large bristle wand and a formula that gives your lashes volume, length, and thickness. The formula has a blend of three high volume fibers that are combined with a conditioning vitamin complex base that creates a lash extension look. This is a wetter formula and when you combine that with a big brush it can be a bit messy if you are not careful, so make sure to take your time applying so you don’t have a messy application. This mascara is buildable, does not flake, and gives me the dramatic lash that I love! 

My favorite bottom lash mascara is Loreal Telescopic Mascara ($11) (the gold tube version is my favorite). This mascara provides length, drama, and it separates lashes really well! I am a multi-coat mascara applier – you can go as natural or as dramatic as you like! The brush is on the thinner side with what I am assuming are short silicone bristles. There is one downside to this mascara – over time it can be hard to get the wand back in the tube because there is some flexibility where the wand and brush meet. This is usually my signal to buy a new one – for me it’s worth it but I know that might be frustrating for some. 

To be honest, most of the brow pencils and powders I have used over the years are all very similar to each other. The only brow “product” that has truly stood out to me is Soap Brows – this is more for hold/thickening than for filling in – you will still need an additional product to do that step ). Soap Brows used to be my go-to daily brow but it is a more complicated process that I now reserve for a more glam special occasion brow look when I’m going for a bigger bushier brow.

I feel confident in Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Pencil ($23) and their Brow Powder Duo ($23). They perform well consistently and are not over the top expensive. 

I think a great inexpensive dupe for Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow wiz pencil is the NYX Micro Brow Pencil ($10). 

APPLICATION TOOLS

Real Techniques and Morphe brushes are my two go-to brands for brushes. They are both inexpensive and deliver amazing application! I also love the Real Techniques sponge. It’s made well and performs as well as the more expensive version. I believe makeup tools should be replaced far more often than they typically are and these price points allow you to do that more easily without sacrificing quality.

HOT TIP: Clean your brushes with two parts mild soap (I use Seventh Generation dish soap) and one olive oil. Whisk the soap and oil together and it will emulsify. The olive oil will break down your makeup like an oil cleanser would, while conditioning the bristles. The soap will help you thoroughly wash away any residue. Dampen your brush with warm water and then lightly dip it into the solution and work it in with your fingers, or makeup brush cleaning pad if you have one. Depending on the condition of your brushes you might have to repeat this process. Make sure to run your brushes under warm water until the water runs clear. You want to give your brushes a good shake and dry them laying flat on your counter, using a clean towel. I generally leave the bristles hanging off the counter to ensure water does not accumulate during the drying process. You never want to dry your brushes upright because the water will run down the bristle to the base of the bristles and accumulate causing damage and possibly mold. 

OUR FINAL BURNING QUESTIONS:

1. Do you use any toners or serums in your skincare routine? if so what are they?

The nightly toner I use is iS Clinical Active Serum ($138). This is a very expensive toner and for many people, it may seem really out of touch and crazy to spend that much on a very small dropper bottle that is $138 which I get. But sadly there is not a hack for this little gem.

I am prone to breakouts and this serum has helped keep my skin in check and has evened out my skin tone. It has a water-like consistency and I use more drops in the palm of my hand than they have recommended and gently press it all over my face. This is a toner that I am desperately trying to avoid any waste so I skip the gauze step entirely. I tried to drop it directly on my face for an even more efficient application but it absorbs too quickly in my opinion for it to have a thorough application. You will feel an immediate tingly sensation – I look forward to this nightly. This toner has never irritated my skin but I do feel like it is a product that needs to be eased into. 

Biossance Squaline + Tea Tree balancing oil ($49) is an oil I keep in the rotation that I will apply day or night depending on my need for it. This is a clean beauty product that is EWG certified. This oil has never clogged my pores, feels hydrating, and lightweight. I think oils can have a tendency to sit on top of the skin without ever absorbing fully and I really like that this one seems to penetrate easily. I  use this when I feel like I have a break out coming for its antibacterial properties that help to keep acne from thriving. 

2. Do you have a go-to foundation that has SPF?

Foundation is such a complex situation. I started writing it in my initial email to you guys and then it was like  – this option for this skin type and categorized by coverage – it kind of got out of control – so I deleted it all.

I do think if you are specifically looking for a foundation that has SPF – It Cosmetics cc+ cream ($39) is an awesome option. It is a lightweight feeling foundation that provides medium to full buildable coverage. It comes in three different versions depending on what kind of look you are trying to achieve. Original, oil-free matte, and illumination (my personal favorite). I apply this foundation with my Real Techniques Sponge. Start with one pump and build your way up if needed. The better primed your skin is the further a pump of foundation will go and the more natural-looking it will be. If you are overly dry it will absorb quickly and you will need more product and it can end up looking cakey. Skin prep is key! 

When applying foundation, I like to focus on the center of my face/cheek area to begin with because that is where I need the most coverage and then I work outward towards my hairline using less and less product. I try to use the residual foundation left on my sponge in the places that I do not need as much coverage. If you have a blemish try to spot conceal with the foundation instead of adding more product all over. This will help you achieve the coverage you need and have a more natural finish. 

3. Do you use any products that make your skin look especially glowy?

I  think the more hydrated the skin is prior to foundation application the more naturally glowy your makeup will be. If I want a more matte finish I will use my moisturizer sparingly before my foundation application. If I want a dewier finish I will prep with a little heavier handed moisturizer application. Do use caution when applying more moisturizer before makeup application as it can affect the longevity of your foundation and create unwanted movement. There is a sweet spot you will have to find for your moisturizer ratio and foundation ratio so it will not completely break down throughout the day when you want to go more glowy. This is very individual to your complexion and will take some trial and error. 

Emily here. HUGE thank you to Whitney for giving us tons of great advice and product recommendations. A few of us already bought the Supergoop Sunscreen and Ryann bought the Reflekt Exfoliating Face Wash and LOVES it. If you want more beauty advice and product recommendations be sure to follow Whitney on Instagram