Weekend Shopping with my Friends Cozy living

Hi friend. It’s been four months since writing a blog post. I had almost forgotten even how to write one! But I did it. I finally wrote a blog post.

Maybe it’s a bit like riding a bike. Once you start peddling, it all comes back. 🥰

This week I’ve had the blessing of spending time with some of my blogging friends in California. We’ve learned about using Pinterest to grow our blogs, how to organize our blogs and content to better serve our readers and managing our business finances.

We also scheduled in time to enjoy some of the local places like restaurants, shopping estate sales and attending the weekly flower market in downtown Los Angeles.

It’s been an amazing week and has helped to heal my hurting heart. If you haven’t heard why my heart has been aching, you can listen to the story in this YouTube Video.

The following post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and then buy something, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting my blog. full disclosure here.

Saturday shopping

Some of my best blogging friends have patiently waited for me to rejoin them for our monthly shopping. We love sharing with our readers and each other some of items we have purchased or are hoping to purchase soon!

See what’s been in our carts lately!

You can check the links below for our faves and be sure to pop over to visit their blogs. Each of these ladies has a beautiful vintage-loving and repurposing style like you and I do. I’m sure you will enjoy reading their posts!

Reinvented Delaware – Cindy

Walking through grief has been the hardest season of my life. I’m sure if someone you know has died, you understand.

Most of us have experienced loss. For many of us it’s been our mother, father or siblings. And for some it’s been a child.

When you loose a spouse, you loose your other half. Your day to day life changes dramatically. So today I’m sharing some of the items I’ve purchased of the last couple of months. These items have helped me to begin learning to live alone.

• These last months have been hard. Journaling has been a huge help to me as I walk through this difficult journey of grief. Journaling my thoughts and prayers each morning has become a lifeline. Having a quality journal and a smooth writing pen helps me to get my hearts thoughts and prayers onto paper. I currently have the gorgeous sage green journal but it also comes in several other beautiful colors.
• My pastor gave me a book called Finding God in the Gray. He wrote the book several years ago as he walked through several difficult seasons in his own life. I’ve poured over that book at least twice and each time I read it, I gain new understanding. I’ve also written in the book as I have read it. The blue ink of my favorite pen is always with this book. If you or someone you know is in a hard season, I recommend you grab this book.
• My son wanted me to have a Ring Alarm Security System for my home. He found the one that he thought would be best. It arrived a couple of days ago so I will be installing it soon. It will send out an alarm if the doors or windows are opened during set times. I’ll definetely have it set for the night hours so that I can sleep soundly. I also purchased a couple of rechargeable brass lamps that help the dark evenings feel a bit more cozy.
• The house has been oddly quiet without my sweet hubby there. I’ve decided it would be nice to have music that I could turn on when I am feeling the quiet a little too much. So I bought an Alexa Echo Show. It sits on my kitchen island and I can tell Alexa to play a particular genre of music or a podcast. There are several other commands Alexa will do for me, I’m still learning about it!

Lora Bloomquist – Lora

• It’s the season of yard clean up! I just got Mr. Fix it THIS mini chainsaw. It’s going to be great for trimming trees and other small jobs. Think I may even enjoy using it. I’m also stocking up on THESE to wash windows and spraying THIS around the foundation of our house.
• Maybe it’s because I’m grinding my own flour and baking a lot lately, but I’m attracted to vintage mixing bowls. Especially green ceramic ones with lines. There are so many beautiful vintage versions available; they’re beautiful and functional! Find vintage mixing bowls HERE.
• In the pursuit of better health, I’ve added a couple items into my daily routine. I add THIS and THIS to my glasses of water. And shake THIS on anything and everything. Simple, great way to add health to your everyday!
• I’m still decorating for Fall. Love bringing out my collection of Amber glass bottles. I try to set them where the sunbeams can shine through, to add that Fall glow. Find vintage amber glass bottles HERE.

Sky Lark House – Anna

• I fell in love with this round pheasant pillow I found on Amazon for $36. It even has a zipper so you can remove the cover for cleaning.
• Have you seen the recent trend of adding brass rails in your kitchen? I am thinking of adding a brass rail to my coffee station to hang my mugs. These rails range from affordable to super expensive. Here are three affordable options. I like this one the best at almost 40 inches for $55. This one is also a good option at 15 inches for $16. Finally, this version by IKEA is also reasonable at 23 inches for $31.
• Now that it is getting darker earlier, I am looking for some cordless lamps. I found a variety to choose from ranging in price between $30-$40 each.
  • lamp with black base
  • lamp with modern brass base
  • Two pack of lamps
  • Lamp with Rattan shade lamp
  • Lamp with wooden base
  • Lamp with pleated fabric shade
• This set of 6 brown transferware dinner plates are lovely for fall and Thanksgiving. They are a great price point at $45.
• Finally, I could not believe the sale price of this chair from the Jenny and Dave Mars collection. These will be sold out soon.

Living Large in a Small House – Lynn

• I’ve had my eye on this throw from JSH Essentials in Kansas City. I’ve held it in my hands in person and it’s incredibly soft. I can be used as a home decor throw or as a wrap around your shoulders on a chilly evening.
• I have it on good authority that this Luxe Chenille Throw from West Elm is to die for!
• I have only bought clothing from Quince, but their quality is amazing, and so I’m sure this Mongolian Cashmere Throw is fabulous. It comes in two colors and two sizes. I’m thinking about getting the smaller size to use as a pashmina. It could also double as a light blanket when you’re traveling.
• This one is an Oprah #1 pick, so I’m guessing it’s good. This Barefoot Dreams Throw looks so soft and dreamy for snuggling up in front of the fire, watching a good movie.

South House Designs – Diane

I have a few amazing, totally unrelated discoveries to make our lives just a bit more enjoyable:

• We need to replace the ceiling fan in our primary bedroom. I’ve been intrigued by the new fandeliers, but couldn’t imagine that they would actually work. After four nights sleeping under this exact sleek one, I assure you they are amazing!!! And this is the exact one in Wendy’s primary bedroom. Here’s a great budget-friendly version. a sleek budget-friendly one. And even a casual Boho version.
• The right lighting makes all difference. I’ve seen the little rechargeable accent lights, but was skeptical. Wendy has several and these are the favorites of all of us. They look solid. They are a great height. They charge quickly and last. We used them outdoors, then on our work table and then in a tall bookcase as nightlights.
• This may be the craziest thing I have ever recommended. But trust me they are a little slice of heaven for your feet — especially if you wear a 9 1/2 or larger shoe. I have tried four different pairs of low no-show sox for cute sneakers and even booties. (three from Amazon and one from Marshall’s — worthless) They either didn’t stay on my heel, or my toes were painfully restricted, or bulky seams. But I found these at Walmart, in extended sizes, that are truly long enough, truly no show, and surprisingly refreshing for my feet!
• I custom ordered this large canvas “tapestry” for an organization I’ve been working with to reimagine their Admin offices. Loads of vintage artwork to choose from, many sizes, delightful family to work with. You can pick your own quote, saying, Bible verse, or as I did Mission Statement. I am absolutely thrilled with how it turned out.