Favorite things: Home and more
And a very happy end of the week to you, my friends! Remember when I said I had an exciting thing happening this week? Well, last night it happened when my Mom arrived from Florida! For the first time in nearly three years, she made the cross-country trip to visit me, Dave and Rudy. I couldn’t possibly be more thrilled to have her here with us, especially since she hasn’t yet been to Walnut Creek to see our place since we moved out of the City. She’ll be here for 10 days, and we’re going to do a ton, while also doing absolutely nothing. But hey, it’s Friday, so let’s talk favorites …
This week’s “Favorite Things”
Speaking of guests … Seriously, it took Dave and me more than a year to finally decorate and populate our guest-room. After many years of living in a shoebox-sized apartment in downtown San Francisco, you’d think we would have been more proactive about building out the second room in our house once we finally had one — but not so much. However, knowing we had a stream of visitors coming in the spring, it was time to make it happen.
Because I still use the room as a place to practice Les Mills classes and do workouts, it was clear a bed wouldn’t fit, so we elected to get a futon. We purchased the Holmsund futon from Ikea. We found some blue pillows, a side table, a lamp and small clock at Home Goods. And the wall art? That’s a story worth telling …
The kind folks at Minted reached out to me long ago about picking out a few items, and I held off. I wasn’t sure what I wanted. Well don’t you know, when it was time to do the guest-room, I went onto the Minted site and was amazed at all I could find.
Minted has a collection of pieces from independent artists from all over the world, which is totally cool, because by purchasing, you’re helping someone’s business. You can search by color. By subject. By artist. By whatever you want. And once you choose your print, you can pick the size and color of the frame.
I went with the Dash, Sun and Sea and Sun Drop for the guest-room, after knowing that I wanted the accent colors to be blue and yellow. Then, I also wanted to pick up a piece for the guest bathroom and had a plan to find something San Francisco or California, and this “The Golden State” piece just called to me.
You’re looking at the Dash, Sun and Sea, Sun Drop and The Golden State.
DEAL TIME: By the way, Minted has a special going on the site, and if you order something between 4/19 through 4/25, you can get 15 percent off site-wide. Seriously, you’ll be very impressed with the selection!
*Thanks to the team at Minted for providing me with complimentary artwork in exchange for a review. I love it!
My favorite links of the week
Did you miss the latest on A Lady Goes West this week?
And from around the web worth checking out …
- I am dying to try this: “What Facial Yoga Really Is and Why You Should Try It” — I wonder if it’s offered in the Bay Area?
- Have you ever made cauliflower-crust pizza? It’s been on my list of kitchen creations forever, and I’ve yet to make it happen: “Low-Carb Cauliflower Crust Pizza” looks divine.
- A great read about why women need to lift weights: “The Weight-Lifting Myth Women Need to Stop Believing.”
- And this is an awesome move to include in your next workout.
Have a wonderful weekend. Be sure to follow my Mom and my adventures on Instagram, and I’ll see you soon!
Got a minute? Check out these #favorite finds for the #home ... Click To TweetRead more Favorite Things
To see more favorites, visit Heather‘s blog or my older “Favorite things.”
*There are affiliate links in this post. Thanks for your support.
Questions of the day
What are you up to this weekend?
When was the last time you had a visitor?
Yay for more visitors! I love when my mom comes and I can cook for her for a change. And loving the artwork. I had no idea minted sold pieces like this. We still have yet to decorate our master bedroom after owning our home for 2 years, so I will need to check this out. Have a great weekend!
Hi Patricia! Minted has so much! Sounds like you delay decorating like I did hehe. Get to it! Hope you have a nice weekend, lady!
We were hoping that we would get a legit sized second bedroom in our new place, but it really is only office sized. Our guests will continue to get the air mattress! Or we will switch with them. But at least we will have a full bedroom to offer (ours) this time rather than a partition wall!
Hi Susie! Oh city living, I know. But that’s sweet you give guests your room. We always put them on the air mattress in the living room ahahha! 🙂 Happy Friday, lady!
Yay for your Mom making the trip!!! I hope you have a wonderful time together. Xoxo.
Oh you KNOW we will, Court! Happy Friday, my friend! 🙂
Have a wonderful time with your mom! She’s the greatest!
She sure is! Thank you so much! I’m really proud she hopped on that plane! Have a nice weekend. 🙂
aww so exciting! Have so much fun with her 🙂 Love the guest room–it looks so great.
Yay! Thanks, Heather! Happy Friday to you! Hope you have a fun weekend! 🙂
Happy Friday! So I tried out my first Body Pump class this week and I absolutely loved it! It 100% kicked my butt into next Tuesday. I’m going to try and incorporate at least 1 into my week of workouts from now on 🙂 Also, I’ve been wanting to try cauliflower mac & cheese, I’ve seen some recipes for that floating around. This weekend I’ll just be trying to soak up the beautiful weather since the East Coast is finally heating up. TGIF!
http://www.afloatonafullsea.com
Hi Danielle! I LOVE to hear that you’ve gone to BODYPUMP and that you enjoyed it. I would say the BEST way to do BODYPUMP is 2-3 times a week with some days off in between. It will feel SO much better if you could strive for twice-a-week (trust me, I know, and I’m only doing it once a week, which means each session is killer). But of course, once is better than nothing. Enjoy the hot weather, lady!! Happy Friday!
Luckily my parents only live a few hours from me so they come visit every few months. I just love hosting my parents and am like you in that I don’t even need to have much planned because I love spending time doing nothing with them!!
Today FINALLY feels like spring has arrived in our area so of course we’re going to have a bbq to ring it in and then we plan on relaxing to max. Tomorrow we have supper out with a few couples that we haven’t seen in ages so I’m really looking forward to catching up with them.
Have a great weekend and enjoy your time with your mom!!
Hi Catherine! Oh sooo jealous that you have your parents only a few hours away. I wish! But yes, I could do everything or nothing with my Mom — doesn’t really matter. I hope you enjoy your BBQ and spring weather, lady! I think it’s going to be warm here too.
Those pieces from Minted are pretty! It’s neat to see you putting thought and care into decorating your home. That is an area I could learn so much more about, and it’s fun to follow your decorating adventure.
Hi Emily! Although I love for my home to look good, it’s actually not an area that I pay a ton of attention. But now that we live in a bigger place than we did in the City and have friends over so often, it makes more sense to decorate. But you’ve got time for that heheh! Happy Friday to you, lady!
Great pieces! I’m decided what furniture I want in my new house so this is all really helpful 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Ohh yay for picking out stuff for the new place! Enjoy that, Gretchen! 🙂
Your guest room is adorable! We are currently searching for a pullout sofa for our living room. Yup, we are in that small space living now. 😉 Minted looks great! Enjoy your mom visiting – I know how special that is!
City living, Heather! I hope you purged a ton before the move. 🙂 I actually enjoyed living minimalistically for so long!
I haven’t had visitors in a while, but my sister is coming in 2 weeks and I’m super excited for her to see my new place 🙂
Have a lovely visit with your mom!!
That’s awesome, Ange!! I hope you have a good weekend.
That sounds so fun to have your mom visit for a while—-yay! I hear you on things taking longer to get set in a new place…….we are finally getting our living room established. Cohesion is not that easy with 2 people and there stuff………..but it’s almost how we want it:) My husband is great at letting me decorate, but I don’t want to get rid of all of his stuff-ha.
Oh and we’re super excited, vacation begins in 1 week–we’re going to Naples, FL for 6 days—Yes:)
Hi Amy! I know! You’ve got to learn to blend the styles. And how cool you’re heading to Florida! I love Naples. Enjoy the beach and sunshine!
I’m not an “art” person, but I do love print and the like for decorations! Loving that California one!
Hi Morgan! You don’t have to be an art person to like nice things hanging on the wall, right? 🙂 heheh! Happy weekend to you!
I’ve been wanting to make cauliflower crust pizza as well but haven’t done so yet. Everyone makes it look so perfect and yummy and I have a feeling mine would be a total flop.
Hhaha I know – I expect my first try to be a bad one, and if it’s bad, my husband won’t try it again hahaha — so I need to get it right. Let me know if you do it and have any tips! Have a great weekend, Allie!
What do you think of the Holmsund? Is it comfy as a couch?? I love the look of it and want to get one for our family room and throw a ton of pillows on it!
Hi Tori! It’s definitely a firm couch — but our visitors say the bed isn’t too bad with a good mattress pad on top. But it sure looks good! 🙂
Thanks! I think I am going to go back and try it again. We wouldn’t use it as a bed much but the look of the couch is so great but maybe not worth an uncomfy couch 🙁