Key Ingredients V.10

six small refreshing things.

He!!o

Hi. I see you showing up. Thank you for helping this little space to flourish! I thoroughly enjoy writing about the goodness of brightly-lived days in this compact newsletter. The Key Ingredients series is a monthly edit of all the things I am into that I think you will love too. With an abundance of everything, we can’t consume it all!! I edit down to the best-loved and most inspiring.

If you happen to be my next milestone subscriber (one lucky winner!) you’ll win a sweet giveaway box (full of goodies TBA coming atcha!). We are getting close but not there yet…

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🎧 Listening to ~ this one hack will unlock your happier life. Deceptively simple! Plus, I love the researched backed evidence.

My immediate reaction was to cut the latest garden blooms and add a vase on my desk and my husbands. I typically put fresh cuts in our dining room, on our kitchen table, and in the foyer. But after listening: offices, bedrooms, lets go!

To be clear, my home is not some beacon of fresh cut flowers all the time. This does take some effort! An artificial fig leaf tree and fake decorative plants add pops of green for an effortless and longstanding touch.

get yer greens

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📸 Space Refresh ~ I’ve been printing photos at home and replacing some older frames. We’ve had an HP Photosmart for a long time (they probably don’t even make this exact version anymore?) but I recently realized how it easy it is to adjust the settings and print a nice little glossy 4x6 photo.

you see what i did there.

For large format framed prints, I had a terrific experience with Frameology.

I gifted this photo I took on our honeymoon of Kauai’s Nāpali Coast to Bob for our anniversary. The quality of a 24x30 enlargement from an original 4x6 is impressive and I really like the gold metal frame choice. I also think Frameology offers an incredible value — not a lot of money for frames of this size and caliber!

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🌈Wearing ~ a beaded gemstone necklace, a huggie earring reset and colorful beaded anklets.

the vibrant gemstones are high quality.

The ear edit is from Uncommon James. My first time purchasing anything from Kristin after all these years of following her career(s) and I’m high on the quality for the price. A theme emerges.

Snake Huggies 🐍 — because shedding your skin like a snake and all that woo. The little eyes for a pop of emerald!

Open Bar Ear Climber — these don’t climb my ears as expected based on the UJ model photo; but I like the J shaped gold bar look and how it still achieves the desired hug at the base.

Riverside Ear Climber — A little pizzazz glimmering in. A shake up for the cuff holes. You can nestle the climber up or down as shown in my ears.

Steven Alan Ligne Earring — my tiny gold line is not UJ, it’s Steven Alan. The closest I could find is sold out but there are treasures on that site!

Andd the beachy boho colorful anklets. (Thanks

Jen

!) For $6 why not? I get the most compliments on these!

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🔗📰Good Links. Just a few!

A Study in Scarlett — a joy to read. love the Colin Jost commentary, too. love them both!

A Love Letter to Target at 8am — made me laugh! c/o

Older, Wiser, Hotter

If You Only Look For Comfort And Luxury, Have You REALLY Travelled? c/o Wildhood Wanted

World’s Worst MLM — c/o ELLE

6 Best Lips Balms — This writer blind tested 56 lip balms (80 since 2020). Incredibly thorough in her approach, she wrote about every balm she tested and why they did not stack up.

I have Rhode Peptide Lip Treatments stashed in every purse / desk / console / pocket. I feel so validated by this list!

My favorite for summer is 🍉Watermelon Slice 🍉. It is juicy, nourishing, smooth not sticky, and lasts: giving you hydrated plus gleaming lips!

I came cruising into your inbox starting last December with recommendations galore, Rhode Peptide Lips included! I definitely want you to feel some sense of…she’s not throwing another (and another, and another!) link at us for “the next best thing”. It’s the everyday, use all the time, game changers that I want to share and keep sharing. Like this STUFF clear zipper pouch I am currently using as a clutch!

Deceptively simple things like bringing flowers indoors, updating framed photos, wearing colorful beads, golden earrings that hug, and reading good links (but isn’t that all the time?) is where we are at.

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☀️ Summer Reading Update 🏖️

• Real Americans by Rachel Khong

• This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

• Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

• Funny Story by Emily Henry

• Swan Song by Elin Hildebrand

• All Fours by Miranda July

• The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza

• The Women by Kristin Hannah

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Cruising through! (Find past blurbs from the list above here and here.)

A friend passed along The Women which is a wrenching and poignant display of historical fiction storytelling about Frankie McGrath, who deploys as a 21 year old nurse to Vietnam in 1967. Specifically not summer reading but simply a must read — especially if you are seeking initiation into the Kristin Hannah club. I will certainly read more of her books now!

Big Magic by

Elizabeth Gilbert

was also in the mix! Anyone hoping to live a creative life should prop this up on a pedestal. A windfall of inspiration. A modern day artists bible if you will.

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August crept in like a sly panther, like a sneaky yet humble fox. It did not announce itself boldly like in years past. A linen shirt blowing in the breeze, an inhale of fresh cracked coconut from your tube of Sun Bum, a new constellation of freckles, now with fiery Leo season underway, your summer plans swinging effortlessly from one to the next. July right in to August. We’re here! I hope it’s good to you.

Don’t forget to hit the heart!

See you next week!!