DIY

A New Year – A Better Me

Posted on by thewexfordhousewife

With every new year, the outside world encourages us to push a restart button, to reinvent ourselves, to start over with new beginnings.  But, what if we don’t need to be reinvented?  What if we like who we are, what we stand for and what we bring to the table?

This year, instead of making broken promises to myself or becoming something that I’m not, I am embracing the real me.  I don’t want a new me in 2018, I want a better me.  I want my best self! With that being said, I came across this fantastic journal at Marshall’s, The 52 Lists Project – A year of weekly journaling inspiration.  For those that don’t know me, I love making lists so it was like this journal was made for especially me!

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The journal is broken into sections by season i.e. winter, spring, summer & fall.  Each week it prompts you to write a list “that will help you discover the beauty, joy, creativity, and power you already have!”  In the words of the author, this journal is the perfect way to “celebrate, enjoy, and take ownership of your life, as each week of the year becomes more thoughtful and vibrant.”

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Like I said, I picked this book up at Marshalls for $9.99, but you can also find it at Barnes & Noble, Anthropologie, or on Amazon.  Whether you use this journal or your own blank pages, you’d be surprised at how therapeutic making a list/writing down your thoughts can be.  I won’t be posting about this every week but I will include updates here & there on my progress on becoming my best self.  Stay tuned!

The Wexford Housewife xoxx

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Lemon & Honey Facial Scrub

Posted on by thewexfordhousewife

Since turning 30 over the summer my skin isn’t what it used to be.  It’s not as vibrant, I always look tired even when I’m not and I’ve spotted little ‘lines’ here & there.  In my 20’s I could’ve been hungover & running on 2 hours of sleep and still looked radiant, what happened?!

Sadly, as we age our skin loses the luster it once had.  Uneven skin tone & sun spots become more apparent due to life style habits – I’m starting to regret all of the times I went to the tanning bed.

I needed something to bring back the energy to my skin, especially my face.  I did some research via Pinterest (my favorite go-to for everything) and came across some pretty amazing DIY facial scrubs.  Last night I made my first scrub thanks to A Beach Cottage.  It only took 5 minutes to make and I already had all of the ingredients in my pantry – quick & easy!

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½ Cup White Sugar

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Honey

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

After using this scrub my face felt smooth & reenergized, and it smelled good too!  A lot of the scrubs I found only called for sugar or baking soda and lemon.  I love that this one included honey!  According to Women’s Health Magazine honey is full of antioxidants and enzymes that can nourish and cleanse the skin.  It also contains antibacterial properties that can help fight breakouts and reduce redness.  I can’t wait to make this scrub part of my nightly ritual!

The 1,2,3’s of renovating a room

Posted on by thewexfordhousewife

Renovating a room should be fun & stress-free.  For me, decorating a room is like styling clothes – sometimes it takes a while to find the right piece but I love the excitement of the hunt!  I’ve put together a few questions that help make (re)decorating a room a little easier:

  1. What am I using this space for?
  2. What is my color scheme/accent color?
  3. Am I incorporating a pattern with my rug, curtains and/or furniture?

When my husband & I moved into our new house this summer the room I was most eager to get my hands on was the Morning Room.  I wanted this room to be inviting and comfortable.  A place where we could sit and watch the sun rise & set, drink wine, discuss our day & entertain guests.

Since this room was going to be a place to relax & unwind we chose a calming color scheme of blue & grey.  The first step in our transformation was changing the paint color from a burnt orange to a tranquil blue called Jubilee (Sherwin Williams) – this made a huge difference!  If you can’t decide on a color scheme, take direction from one of the largest patterns in the room.  Maybe you have an oriental rug that you plan on keeping in your living room that could become the feature of your color story.

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It’s important to stay flexible when looking for furniture.  I originally planned on incorporating a pattern with the two accent chairs, but couldn’t find any that I loved and ended up with a patterned Fretwork rug instead.  With the accent chairs and storage bench both being grey I realized I needed a pop of color – I chose yellow!  Blue & yellow are complementary colors on the color wheel and should technically be used in more formal areas of the house, but as with fashion I like to bend the “rules” with decor as well.  Don’t be afraid to mix patterns either.  I’m still on the hunt for a floral-patterned love seat or oversized chair to add to the Morning Room!

Whether you’re renovating your living room or adding decor to your bedroom, find a theme or color story that you love and run with it.  You’re the one that has to live with it, so make sure you’re happy!