|| April 2021 ||

Happy June 1st! Wow, I can’t believe we are already into June! I feel like as soon as wedding season hits, time just flies by at lightning speed. This past month I jumped headfirst into wedding season with four weddings in four different states (welcome to my normal busy season life haha). I had a lot of fun gathering this month’s favorites and I hope you enjoy seeing what I loved in May!

01. Bible Highlighters

I have seen the Daily Grace Co pop up on Instagram ads for a while now and a little while ago I decided to actually check out their website and these Bible Highlighters caught my eye. They are gel highlighters and they are so nice! I actually have used them more for my daily to-do lists than reading my Bible (I prefer underlining with a pen than using a highlighter in my Bible). But I have used them every single day in my planner and I am really happy with them.

02. Black Button Down Dress

Someone recommended this dress from amazon in a facebook group I’m a part of and since I am always looking for new comfortable black dresses for wedding days, I decided to try it. This is actually the very first dress I’ve ordered from Amazon and I was pleasantly surprised. It is very lightweight (it is a light cotton t-shirt material), and it is super comfortable. I also really love the length and neckline because they provide plenty of coverage which is super helpful for wedding days when I’m constantly moving around. There are a bunch of different colors and patterns to chose from and I might get it again in a different color in the future.

03. Low-Carb Chocolate Chip muffins

The other day I randomly decided I really wanted a chocolate chip muffin and after a quick google search I found this recipe from Mrs. Criddle’s Kitchen. Goodness, gracious these are good! They are sugar-free and low-carb and they have one of the best textures of all the low-carb baked goods I’ve made. If you want a healthy chocolate fix, then I highly suggest trying this recipe!!

04. Opalhouse Front Porch Chairs

After hours of searching online for chairs for our front porch, I came across these Opalhouse chairs from Target and I knew they would be exactly what I was looking for! They were on the higher end of my budget for the front porch but I decided to splurge and I am so glad I did! They are very deep which means you can sit cross-legged on them and the cushions are so comfortable. They also fit my aesthetic perfectly and basically, I am obsessed and sit on them almost every day.

05. Luminance Skincare

I discovered Luminance Skincare back in December (I was influenced by Meg Wells on instagram haha). All of their products are 100% natural and organic and I love that I know every ingredient I am putting on my skin. I have tried various organic skincare products in the past and some have been better than others but I’ve never been overly impressed by any of them…until now. I have absolutely loved everything I have tried from Luminance! My top two favorite products are Deep Hydration Moisturizer and the Acne Serum. I use both every morning and night and my skin has stayed so incredibly soft and healthy. The Acne Serum is especially amazing. I use it if I start to feel a pimple forming and it helps keep it under control and helps them go away much much faster. I use it as a spot treatment as needed and also as preventative treatment for my more acne-prone areas on my face. (My other favorite products are their Rose Toner and Makeup Remover). Oh yeah, and did I mention that every single one of their products smells AMAZING?

06. Longwalks App

One of my best friends introduced me to this app a few weeks ago and I have been using it almost every day. It is such a simple way to check in each day and be reminded of things you’re grateful for and that there is still good in the world. I think I also love that it’s similar to a social media app (in the sense that you can connect with friends and family) but without the addictive quality of facebook or instagram and without the negativity you often find on those platforms.

07. Gentleman in Moscow

I recently finished reading this book and it was so intriguing! I did not expect it to cover such a huge amount of time (I’m talking 20 some years) but it was really good. It also was such an interesting (and sad) look into life in Russia during the Soviet Union. I haven’t read many novels based in Russia in that time period and I learned a lot from this one. If you’re looking for a very different but fascinating historical novel, I’d recommend checking this one out.

08. Video Light

This one is for my photographer friends! I have been using flash on my camera for reception shots for years, but I finally decided to try out a video light at the recommendation of another wedding photographer on instagram. I’ve used it for the past several weddings and I really like it! I still use my flashes for certain parts of the reception but it has been awesome for dancing photos and for sparkler exits. I also think I’m going to be getting a light stand at some point in the future to have this video light set up in the corner of a room.

09. “Shower of Roses” Corda Candle

If you’ve been to my house at all in the past few months, you probably know that I have an obsession with Corda Candles. I love pretty much all of them but lately “Shower of Roses” has been my go-to one for the month of May. All of the candles at Corda are based on Saints and are made with coconut wax and beeswax and 100% natural and organic fragrances. So not only do all of the candles smell amazing, but they aren’t filling your home with toxins! Also, the coconut wax and beeswax combination burns much much longer than a normal soy wax candle so these candles are well worth the money. Shower of Roses is inspired by St. Thérèse of Lisieux and it smells like rain-soaked leaves and rose blossoms and basically, it smells like a heavenly garden right after a perfect spring rain.

10. Vintage Cameras

Last but not least, I had to share my love for vintage cameras. I have been slowly collecting them over the years from flea markets and antique stores and I just found two more at a local antique store a few weeks ago. These add the coolest touch to my office and I also love wondering about the people who owned them and the kind of photographs they took. So far none of my vintage cameras are functional, but someday that would be awesome to find one that still works. The world of film is beyond my area of expertise but I would love to actually dive into it someday. For now, I’m content to continue slowly adding to my vintage camera collection.

Xoxo,
Mary Kate