Moving Announcement with Basic Invite - Truly Custom Invitations

I’ve partnered with Basic Invite to share more about their products. While this is a sponsored post, all thoughts + opinions are my honest own!

The day has finally come for us to share our big news! We’re moving… to Florida! After nearly nine months of research, planning and pro + coning our hearts out we decided to make the sunshine state our new home! We couldn’t be more excited for this next step in our life together + will be sharing all about our move, decor + design, and all things DIY over at Let’s Staj Home - our YouTube + Blog!

While we’ve been spending time decluttering + packing, we’ve also been savoring + looking for all the small ways to celebrate and share this exciting time with friends and family! Though we can’t be in person to celebrate, there’s something so special about getting exciting news in the mail + that’s where Basic Invite comes in! Despite the unassuming name, Basic Invites invitations are far from basic + it’s been a joy working with them as we craft our own moving announcements!

While we’re still figuring out our exact change of address, we’re already dreaming up our stationary! We wanted our announcements to mimic our housing palette + elements (something we talk a ton about over at Let’s Staj Home). So far these are some of our favorites:

With over 180 colors to choose from, finding our palette was a breeze! Honestly there were so many versions of all of these we’ve loved in various combos of our color palette it’s so hard finalizing. One thing I love about Basic invite is your ability to order a printed sample of the invite, announcement or really any piece of customized stationary before ordering! You can ensure everything is just right + make adjustments if you want to before ordering! I definitely love this in our situation as we’re still waiting for our exact address, but, want to get an idea of how the announcements will actually look!

Basic Invites not only offers essentials for anyone moving + wanting to celebrate with change of addresses or home warming events but any other type of stationary you’d need for any event! Heading into this time of year we have LOTS of birthdays to celebrate so I’m also excited to have all their amazing birthday card options right online! We know things are different right now - birthday parties are a little more FaceTime + Zoom than real face time, but these sweet birthday invitation cards make those virtual moments that much more special. Whether you’re celebrating a little one’s exciting day or a 60 years young milestone, Basic Invite has options for you!

While Cody hasn’t popped the question just yet, looking into their wedding stationary has us so inspired and in love with how highly customizable each piece is. Beyond the 180 different color options I mentioned with our moving announcements, they also have over 40 different envelope color options to choose from making customization for the beginning parts of your big day truly possible! Another bonus with envelopes? They’re peal and seal so no paper cuts or icky taste when it comes time to send off invites to our many guests! As a creative + visually driven person, these (many) options make Basic Invite an exciting no-brainer of convenience, stunning design + personalization to the highest degree.

Even though we aren’t to the point of choosing details like our save the dates or invites, I can already tell you I’m leaning towards these stunning clear options! So simple + timeless with the fun and fresh impact of the clear is just so lovely! You can even keep any foil colors like gold, silver or rose gold continued to the outside of your envelopes for the perfect, classy look!

Until I can start dreaming up even more about our wedding, I'll be spending spare time between packing boxes + searching on Zillow tweaking our Announcements to be just right! If you’re interested in using Basic Invite for your next stationary needs, be sure to use code 15FF51 to get 15% off your order!

Looking to keep in touch? Be sure to check out Basic Invite across social platforms on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

Neutral Summer Home Decor Updates

With the summer - and my seasonal needs to change things up - come some sweet new corners of our home I’ve been designing + putting together for months I’m SO excited to share. With a mix of practical + beautiful, these sweet decor highlights are all shopable through the links below each post!

Tip Tuesday : 12 Couples Poses & Photo Ideas At Home

I know during these times at home it can feel like there isn’t anything all that special - date nights for a lot of us included getting out. But, since we’re all staying in I wanted to round up some photo ideas to do at home AND photos you can do yourself! All of the photos here were shot on our iPhones AND I’ve linked any “extras” you can order online if you want to up your photo game! I know some of the things that have been canceled - weddings, engagement parties, celebrations and so much more - are heart wrenching but we can still celebrate our love at home until we get to celebrate.

To take these photos you’ll need either a phone or camera! You certainly don’t need a tripod but having one does open up options for unique shots. I’ve linked the ones I use for my camera and phone below and definitely suggest at least getting one for your phone! If you don’t have one or don’t want to get one you can lean your phone on books, stools, tables or really anything else you can think of - just be careful! Your phone will break if you’re not careful so take risks wisely! Beyond those, you can also purchase a bluetooth clicker that allows you to take photos with a simple click! I love using this when we travel but its perfect at home too!

Dog Stack

Forehead Kisses

Half & Half :

Making Breakfast:

Dog Hugs :

Holding Hands :

Bed/Couch & Coffee :

Stool Shots :

Tippy Toes :

Pillow Talk:

Projector Pics:

Mirror Shots:

DIY: How to Make This Dreamy Cloud Mirror

A while back Suzy Shattuck posted about creating a dreamy cloud mirror and happening to have a mirror myself I went for it! I totally just watched the tik tok a few times and guessed the rest BUT here are some tips & steps to making it yourself!

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To make the mirror you’ll need:

• any mirror! I used this circle mirror from Michaels Crafts but you can use literally any mirror!

• paint brushes - you’ll want to use smaller brushes for this and a wider brush but you can honestly use anything you have if you have patience and get creative!

• paint - again, you can really use any colors you like but I really think lighter pastels look best! Acrylic paint is the one I used but you can probably use others! I went with my favorites - peachy shades & pink! I also think this would be gorgeous with whites, blues or purples!

• mirror cleaner - you definitely don’t have to use this but I do recommend cleaning off the mirror before you paint for best outcomes!

To make the mirror…

1. Start by cleaning the mirror off! You can use cleaner or water but make sure to get any dust or gunk off of it to ensure paint goes on and stays on!

2. Paint the general boundaries of your mirror with a base color. On my mirror because it’s circular, I did the edges and figured out about how far in I wanted the clouds going. For my base coat I went with a darker pink and then a lighter pink to create some depth of color. Be sure to let this layer dry before moving on!

3. Once your base layer is done, pick another color and start creating the shadows of your clouds. This is a great time to mix up random colors and get creative with the base of your clouds! There is no perfect way to do this so just try your best and keep going back until you’re happy! It can look a bit funny at this point but I promise it’ll look good! Once this is almost dry you can mix your colors with white to lighten them up slightly. Use these to define your clouds a little more then let the layer dry completely!

4. This (almost last) layer will be extremely light colors and whites to define the clouds! Be sure to create some purely white ones and add the white on top to create depth! Again, make sure it dries completely!

5. This is totally optional BUT if you want a more whimsical mirror, go in and add little dots and sparkles throughout with white and a very tiny brush!
   

   Keep going back and touching up as you want, then let dry & hang when you’re ready! It’s the perfect little touch in an office, closet, vanity or really anywhere!

Hat Wall Display Essentials & My Fave Hats

I adore how easy and effortless it is to display your hats - who doesn’t love accessories doubling as decor? Here are all the tools you need (minus a stool) to display your hats, plus some inspiration from Pinterest & links to my favorite Lack of Color Dupes now on sale (4/21) for only $34!

My At-Home Office Revamp with Command

This extra time at home finally gave me the chance to take on decorating out at-home office! I’ve been so excited to do it since we moved in but just hadn’t gotten around to doing it. Through InfluenceHer Collective’s Spring Essential’s Kit partnering with Command, I’ve been able to get all the things hung and decorated exactly how I’ve always wanted! Today, I’m sharing some of the projects we took on and with which Command products we used!

Calendar & Music Corner

When we started out working on this little nook, we knew we would put the record player on our vintage chest but beyond that were pretty clueless. I knew I wanted to have a functional but ever changing calendar and between some Pinterest searching and seeing what we had in the apartment I put together this makeshift calendar. It’s our leftover butcher paper, some strong pom pom string and large letter stickers! Be sure to use the large hooks for this since the paper can be quite heavy depending on the roll!

Minnie Ears Display

Since I’ve taught myself how to make Minnie Ears, I really wanted a way to display them! I’ve seen a few different ways around Pinterest and thought lining them up like this was my favorite for the time being! For this, we used Command Small Sized Wire Hooks.

Above Desk Gallery Wall

This was by far my favorite project in the office! I have had my diploma since December of 2018 and haven’t hung it up until literally a few days ago when we did these projects! It feels so good to finally have the most expensive piece of paper I own up on the wall! Before we placed everything on the wall, I took a photo of above my desk and made stickers on PicsArt of each item rearranging them until I found the way I liked them best! Once we figured that out, we used the Command Frame Strips - two at least - on the back of each item and started hanging! I still have to figure out what I want on the letter board and any other pieces to add but for now I am so happy with how the above desk area turned out!

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Now that the office is (almost) done, we’ll be moving on to our living room and bedroom with more Command projects! Be sure to save these pins to come back when you do your own Command projects around your space! Happy decorating!

Tip Tuesday: 150+ Ideas of What to do at Home

For many of us in the US, we’re about a week into social distancing, being quarantined or following our state’s mandated time at home. The first week I was pretty swamped with stuff to do - chores, unpacking, work, work and more work so I can’t say it was all too bad. However, come into week two and honestly I’m feeling a little cabin fever. I might have our sticky note to-do list, but I thought it would be most helpful to create a huge blog post on different ideas I’ve come up with personally and even one’s I’ve come across! If there are any you come up with, please please please leave them in the comments so we can all get through this together!

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In our home we LOVE board games regardless of the season or reason for playing them. To date I think we have over 30 and try to play one at least once every week or every other week. These are some of my favorite - most of which we own and few we have played at our favorite spot in our neighborhood - Snakes and Lattes!

From coloring books to slime and even a few things on my own list - like painting a jean jacket - there are tons of different ideas below for those who like to be hands on, crafty or something a little different!

It might seem like food is scarce but thank to the hardworking truckers, farmers, groceries and more your regular (but limited) grocery shopping is the perfect time to try some recipes, cooking techniques and more! Here are some of my favorite - including some family recipes of my own. TIP: make these cheesy breads if you can - they freeze and are amazing as snacks and apps.

Recipes

• Pretzel Jello Salad

• Cheesy Breads

• Corn Souffle (Like a creamy corn bread)

• Creamed Corn

• Yellow Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting

• Calzones

• Sweet and Spicy Noodles

• Anything from BA Test Kitchen

DIY

• Charcuterie Boards

• Cookies (iced, decorated, etc)

Whether you’ve been meaning to organize a pesky junk drawer or even take on your closet or pantry to make donations, now is a wonderful time to do just that! I personally am going to be working through my closet and office!

• Organize your tech gear - chargers, headphones, etc.

• Go through your clothes and separate what you want to keep, donate or sell

• Color organize or seasonally organize your closet

• Tidy up your entry way area

• Take on that pesky junk drawer

• Go through your cosmetics/toiletries and dispose of anything expired

• Go through your pantry and donate extras to a local food bank or community resource center

• Organize your pantry so you can see everything

• Tidy up your kitchen drawers - consider organizing trays

I don’t know about you but we’ve been watching tons of our favorites (or new) shows and movies! from Netflix to Disney+ I’ve made a few templates with some of my favorites as a bucket list of sorts!

I actually haven’t been listening half as much as usual, but Podcasts are a great thing to turn on while you’re working or cleaning around the house. I personally have a hard time just listening to them without doing something else but that might just be me!

• My Favorite Murder - “is the hit true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Since its inception in early 2016, the show has broken download records and sparked an enthusiastic, interactive “Murderino” fan base who come out in droves for their sold-out worldwide tours.”

• Lore - “Lore is a podcast about non-fiction scary stories. Each episode examines historical events that show the dark side of human nature (usually through the lens of folklore) and is presented in a style that's been compared to a campfire experience.”

• The Clearing - “When April Balascio was 40 years old, something she’d feared for decades was finally proven true. Her father, Edward Wayne Edwards, really was a murderer. The Clearing is about what came after April called a detective in 2009 to tell him about her suspicions — a call that led to her father’s arrest and eventual conviction on multiple murders — and tracks the emotional journey as she and host Josh Dean dig back into her childhood, unravel the truth of her father’s life, and overturn a viral online narrative that had turned Edward Wayne Edwards into a kind of serial killer caricature.”

• Cocaine and Rhinestones - “Want to hear a story? Country music is full of them, always with a killer soundtrack, sometimes a soundtrack made by a killer - like Spade Cooley, the only convicted murderer to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Or there’s the time Loretta Lynn released a song about birth control in the 1970s and everyone pretty much lost their minds. You’ve heard those? You sure? Millions of people think they know all about Merle Haggard’s 1969 song, “Okie from Muskogee,” but they’ve had it wrong the whole time. You’ll find those stories and others right here, obsessively researched, written and narrated by Tyler Mahan Coe, a lifelong veteran of country music and its mythology”

• 1619 - “An audio series on how slavery has transformed America, connecting past and present through the oldest form of storytelling.”

• Forever35 - “Forever35 has a passionate following, and with good reason. Hosts Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer emphasize they are not experts, which makes for a relatable discussion. And they are as interested in general wellness practices — meal planning, organizing your Google calendar, yoga — as they are into masks and mascara.”

• Goal Digger - “The live-workshop style business podcast that is helping thousands redefine success and chase bolder dreams. You can train from the experts how to dig in, do the work, and tackle your biggest goals along the way.”

Not gonna lie - I haven’t done a single workout since this whole thing started - maybe that’ll change once I make some space? If you’re ready to get some sweat goin, try these!

• P90X - I did these in high school (my most athletic) and loved them! They’re at home and require pretty minimal equipment. Plus, who doesn’t love the famous Tony pep talks, motivation and talking fav soups during cool down?

• Claire Audrey Fitness - she shares amazing fitness & health related content here & recently shared this interesting post/study on loss of progress during breaks (like we have at home). She is the ONE fitness guide/influencer/human I really trust and admire.

• BBG - I personally have not tried this but have heard tons of friends and peers have and like it! I’d definitely do your research!

I SWEAR I will read at least once book while we’re stuck at home (but tbh I haven’t started one yet). Here are many of my favorites, most recommended and other popular reads I might give a go.

I know getting dressed and ready for the day is an important part of having some normal, but, if you are happy to stick to cozies like myself, I highly recommend these!

From better understanding your taxes (or doing them) to learning how to shoot in manual or another language, now is the PERFECT time to commit to something, even if for just a little bit each day.

• Learn a new language

• Do your taxes

• Learn calligraphy

• Learn how to sew or embroider

• Learn how to cook, bake or use a new technique

• Learn how to make a floral arrangement

• Learn how to do Yoga or work on your movements

• Learn to weave

• Learn to draw - your favorite cartoon, character, design (coloring books count!)

• Learn how to make your favorite (or a new favorite) cocktail

• Learn how to DIY something you’ve been wanting to do

Over time a few small projects around the home turn into a huge list of things. I would say over half of our things to do on our list include these types of things. Below I’ll share many of ours as well as some I’ve seen online I will certainly be adding!

• Hang up frames or items for a gallery wall/decor

• Make a vision board for Bedroom & Office Re-Vamp

• Take down old decorations and add spring refresh items

• Plant new flowers or seeds in pots or the garden

• Deep clean the home

• Create an entrance table/area

• Put together your put area

• Clean your sheets and bedding!

• Go through closet and set aside donations, items to sell, etc.

• Look on Pinterest for home project ideas

From mastering the at home manicure to practicing meditation, right now is an essential time to take moments for yourself, to love on your body and mind. Here are some of my favorite tools to do just that!

• Don’t check social media or emails within your first hour of being awake

• Meditate for 10 minutes

• Take a 15+ minute walk around the block

• Go to bed earlier than usual (and use pillow spray!)

• Declutter your desk/bed side table or any area that is cluttered

• Take a bath (bonus points for bubbles, bath bombs or a yummy candle)

• Snuggle with your pet

• Light your favorite candle and enjoy the scent

• Switch up your morning to-do list with an evening I-Did-It list by writing down all your accomplishments big and small from the day

• Give yourself a mani/pedi

• Do a face mask or other skin care activity you like

• Call or text a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while

• Read a book or magazine for an hour

• Sit outside on your patio, balcony, etc.

• Watch funny Vine or TikTok compilations

• Turn on your favorite playlist and sing at the top of your lungs

• Bake a dessert

While there ARE a ton of things we all CAN be doing during this time, don’t think for a second you have to do anything, let alone ALL the things. If you need a day to veg, do it. If you need many days to just take it all in? Do it. This time is not about being the most productive, creative, brilliant, etc. ever - our (crumbling) systems and society have told you you have to be those to be worthy, to be human - even in times of panic, and that simply isn’t true. So, here are some ideas but at the end of it all, do what you need and want to do. Wishing you all a very safe and healthy time at home!

Valentines Home Decor Refresh

I don’t know about you but after the holidays when everything is put away and your home gets back to “normal” things can feel a little sad and bare. While we haven’t gone full send like we do during the fall or holidays, we have decorated here and there to make things a little more festive for the month of love! I’ve linked everything below & on the Like To Know It App to make shopping that much easier!

Holiday Decor Tour & Links

Sharing our apartment decor for the holidays! We have a mix of some old & new and I’ve linked as much as possible! I’ve also been rounding up some of my favorite holiday decor inspiration on Pinterest here!

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Christmas Tree & TV Area

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Couch & Cozy Area

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Bar Cart

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Kitchen & Entry

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