The Weekender: Shifting Moods, Covid 2 Years Later, + My Everlane Picks for Spring

Shifting Seasons, Shifting Moods

It’s almost spring, can you FEEL it!? Depending on where you live, this may not be breaking news, but to Chicagoans, the time of year that we all look forward to is just around the corner. We always joke that Chicago spring and summer more than make up for the brutal winters. (Although dare I say, this winter wasn’t awful?) Summer in Chicago is pure magic; there’s no where else I’d rather be.

As the seasons shift, I’m feeling my mood shift right along with it. In addition to the lovely weather hot streak we’ve been on, Covid restrictions are only now starting to lift through most of the city. While we’ll all experience different levels of comfort, we’ve slowly been stretching our sea legs. We’ve dined indoors, we stayed at a hotel, we planned a vacation and I’ve enjoyed several girls’ nights. It still feels very new to us, but I’m embracing it with an open mind, and my mental health has been so much better for it.

Every day, we look for tiny bright green buds to break through our front and back gardens, but perhaps that’s the over achiever in us – ha! I know our garden looks crunchy and bare right now, but this is going to be the year of blooms. Blooming gardens, blooming hearts. I can feel it.

Other Things This Week:

I mentioned in my skincare routine post that I stared dermaplaning, and now I can’t imagine going back. I recently upgraded to this dermaplaning tool, and WOW. These blades are extra sharp, take less effort, and less risk of nicks. 10/10 would recommend!

Picked up a few new things from Everlane for the spring, and I haven’t taken these jeans off since! I’m also waiting for the ground to firm up so I can slip on these shoes every day, too. Here are a few more of my Everlane spring favorites – my go-to shop for high quality basics:

I watched this entire live chat with @ohjoy and her husband @drbobbybones, about Covid-19 2 years later. I found it to be incredibly insightful, and I knew without a doubt that I wanted to re-share it here. If you have questions surrounding this endemic, feel worried (or not), feel hopeful (or not), have children (or not!), then this broadcast is for you.

@Sharonsaysso is a delight that I look forward to watching at the end of the day. She recently won an award for Communicator of the Year from PR Week, and although she only posted a small excerpt from her acceptance speech, I had to resist urge to print it out and tape it to my bathroom mirror. A thousand standing ovations, Sharon! Sharing a snippet below, but you can read the entire excerpt right here.

Abandon the game entirely. The game is not worth spending your one wild and precious life pursuing. Develop an entirely new game from scratch. ⁣

— @sharonsaysso

My ride or die CBD brand, Equilibria, turns 3 this month! To celebrate, they’re offering everyone – including existing customers – 33% off your purchase with my code YELLOWBRICKHOME. Fun fact: This is also my 1 year anniversary of using CBD daily, and one of the best parts of sharing with you has been hearing how it’s made your days a little brighter, too. My recommendation is to start with the Relief+ Bundle, which saves you 20% off the top, plus that additional 33% off for your first month!

We Stand with Ukraine

Like you, we sit in horror and sadness as we watch the war unfold in Ukraine. The heartbreak and helplessness feels unimaginable, but I believe that even small steps can make a big difference in someone’s life. Below, I’m sharing a few ways below that ensure your money or goods go directly towards supporting the families that need us more than ever.

• Type ‘Ukraine’ into Etsy, and you’ll find countless Ukraine-based shops that are offering a digital print or small token for a donation of $2-5. This money goes directly to the shop owner. Here’s one example, and another. During checkout, let them know you don’t need them to mail you anything in return.
• The Ukrainian Cultural Center in Chicago has limited hours, so Sprout Home has offered up their shop as a drop-off location for goods. See the full list here, and go anytime between 11-6.
• Airbnb.org is funding short term housing, or you can help by offering temporary stays for free or at a discount through Airbnb.org, or donating to fund stays. Learn more here.
• Through the freelance hiring platform Upwork, you can send support to individual freelancers by turning your project purchase into a donation. Every project offered by Ukrainian freelancers includes the option to send funds directly to them without requiring any work.

Weekend Sales

• Anthropologie: Up to 30% off furniture and decor
• Boutique Rugs: 60% off St. Patrick’s Day sale, no code needed
• CB2: Up to 60% off new-to-sale items
• Crate & Barrel: Up to 60% off clearance
• The Company Store: 25% off sitewide with code FAMILY22
• Equilibria CBD: 33% off through 3/31 for new and existing customers with code YELLOWBRICKHOME
• Everlane: 20% off your first denim purchase with code EVERLANEDENIM20
• Gap: Up to 50% off spring styles
• J. Crew: 25% off with code SHOPSPRING
• J. Crew Factory: Take $10 off every $50 you spend with code SOLUCKY
• Lowe’s: Savings now on these site wide deals
• Madewell: 20% off everything for Madewell Insiders!
• Old Navy: 40% off sitewide, no code needed
• Rugs USA: 75% off St. Patrick’s Day sale, no code needed
• Urban Outfitters: 17% off your entire purchase
• West Elm: Up to 50% off warehouse sale
• Williams-Sonoma Home: Up to 75% off Fresh Savings Event

Have a Warm Weekend!

What are your plans for the weekend? Chicago is officially above freezing temps (even overnight!), so our plans include walks around the neighborhood, park playdates, and – if the sun comes out – dining al fresco. At the very least, we’d love uncover our patio furniture and to light up the outdoor fireplace. Have a good one, friends!