Happy Friday!
I’ve been getting a ton of questions about our home decor lately so I wanted to share some of the sources from recent images I’ve shared on Instagram. We still have so many projects to complete in our home, but it’s coming together, little by little. I keep joking that by the time I finish decorating this house, I’ll be ready to sell it and start over. I love moving, I’m a weirdo.
This week we had our front walkway re-done (we switched it to a classic brick laid in a herringbone pattern), our home and porch power-washed and we’re having our steps re-painted as well. Can’t wait to show you everything!I shared this image recently and there is a nearly identical marble and wood cutting board that’s part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and this exact recipe box is also part of the sale and just $21! A similar tray is here and the salt & pepper shakers are here.
Here are some of my other Nsale decor faves:
marble and wood cutting board | fringe pillow | turkish towel | marble tray | white latte bowls | storage bin | metallic stripe straw basketSpeaking of the Nsale, I got this pom pom pillow (under $25) and this Barefoot Dreams leopard blanket this year and I adore them. If you watch my Instagram stories, you probably see it a lot– the kids are obsessed with it too. It’s the softest blanket you’ll ever feel.
We added these planters that look like wood but are actually plastic self-watering planters to our front porch and they’re awesome! You can also get them here.The pendant lights I spray painted brass to hang over our kitchen island are here. They show as gold online, but they’re not gold at all. I used this Rustoleum spray paint to make them a true brass. My favorite ginger jars can be found here, here, here, here, here and here.
I made this arrangement for Candice’s bridal shower with some blooms from Trader Joe’s. They have peonies right now for $6.99 per bundle! You won’t find them cheaper anywhere else.
I had one of our wedding photos framed by Framebridge recently (it was gifted) in their Logan frame with an oversized mat. I adore it and love the way it looks leaning on my nightstand. I may hang it eventually but I love where it is right now.
Framebridge has an entire wedding section on their site and they make really great gifts (and start at just $39!) I actually gave Candice a gift card to Framebridge for her bridal shower present because she mentioned recently that they don’t have a lot of art on their walls and haven’t framed any of their engagement photos. It’s seriously a gift that will last a lifetime.
Getting our new nightstands was one of the best decisions for our master bedroom ever. They look SO good and more expensive than they are.
banana leaf print pillows | monogram pillows | scalloped duvet | new headboard
Happy Friday!
S H O P T H E P O S T
Maria says
Since you don’t cook, what do you keep in the recipe box? Is it good for keeping odds and ends out of sight in the kitchen? Same for the cutting boards? What do you use those for if you don’t cook?
Veronika says
We still prepare food at home. My in laws bring us dinners not every meal of our day. That cutting board is mostly decorative but I have a drawer of others we use all the time.
The recipe box is a great way to keep track of family recipies like the Christmas cookies we baked when I was a child. It could also store things like coffee pods if you wanted to use it differently.
Trina says
Thats amazing that they bring you dinner, that saves SOOO much time and money in shopping and prepping food. Do they even bring you meals on the weekends? And do you think eventually you will start cooking? I think its a great skill to have the kids involved in meal prep to help them understand how to make food and it can be fun (although messy.. lol)
Véronique says
So what do you cook Veronika then if all your dinners are prepared by your in-laws? Your kids are in daycare so most likely they have their lunch and snacks provided for them five days a week. And from what you featured here about your diet when you were trying to cut on your sugar intake you eat out for lunch or bring ready-made food and weekend includes lots of eating out or ready-made food again… it’s just puzzling why you would need a recipe box?! For someone like me that cooks everything from scratch (I even make my own mayo) and never eats out, I just find it intriguing to see you feature that recipe box so often… I don’t even have one ha ha! All my recipes are either in my head or from a few selebt cookbooks or websites…
Veronika says
How wonderful that you cook everything from scratch and that you enjoy doing so!
I’m not sure why my owning of a cute recipie box is so puzzling. It looks cute and can store special recipes like the Christmas cookies I grew up making. It sounds like you store your recipies differently- great!
Even before having these meals from my in laws I didn’t cook much. I do a ton of other things around the house. Every family is different.
Laura says
I’m disappointed that comments have been shut off for your previous post and you chose not to approve my comment (and how many others) that I left last night. It feels like you don’t care about your reader responses given your replies yesterday and failure to approve my comment. I wish you the best of luck but I will be unfollowing.
Veronika says
I’m not approving comments that shame me as mother. The reason I stopped reading forums is so that I would not have to read those types of comments so I will certainly not let them be published here.
If you’d like to unfollow me, then that’s okay. There are many people who continue to enjoy my content and support me. I wish you the best and I hope you find some blogs you love.
Laura says
With all due respect I don’t believe my comment shamed you as a mother, your response continues to prove that you see this discussion as one sided and your followers should not provide any criticism or feedback. Since you compare blogging to shopping in a store, if I didn’t enjoy the service I received while shopping I would be sure to share that with someone and would not be likely to shop there again, same as unfollowing.
As I said in my post yesterday I have been a long time reader but do not like the direction your recent posts have gone, many others have said this as well.
Veronika says
Laura,
I’m not going to continue to respond after this because it’s clear we don’t agree. You don’t like my blog anymore and don’t enjoy my content. That’s OK. Please unfollow if that’s what you’d like to do.
Summer says
I’m disappointed Veronika; you haven’t added a full disclosure to this post stating you have affiliate links and you’ll make a commission.
Veronika says
There is a disclosure on my about me page, which is standard across blogs. I listened to the feedback from some of my readers and have contacted my site designer to add a disclaimer to the footer of my blog in addition to the one on my about me page. She will do it as soon as she’s able, as she has many other clients.
Summer says
Okay I found it. Thanks! As a former online business owner and blogger, I would like to suggest the disclosure be a separate link; I think it makes it’s easier for people to find it. Many other blogs I read and follow always disclose if there are affiliate links on the blog post. Some put it before the post and some after. This makes them completely transparent.
Veronika says
Thanks for your suggestion Summer — when a post is sponsored, I always do include that in the body of the actual post.Can you please send me the link to a blog or a few blogs who you feel do a good job at this consistently? I’d like to see how they format it. Thank you!
Lynne says
I’ll chime in if I may! One of my favorite bloggers, Andrea from Momfessionals always does this at the end of her posts. You can check out her Friday post today and see it. She further thanks the readers for supporting her blog, which I think is a sweet gesture.
Veronika says
Thanks for sharing this example Lynne! I try to show my appreciation to my readers by being engaged and responsive to them on IG and Facebook, but I agree it’s a nice gesture in her post. I have seen other bloggers use the verbiage “thanks for supporting the brands that make this blog possible,” but that never felt like a good fit for me, because I would be blogging whether I was doing sponsored content or not.
I know a lot of readers get annoyed by too much sponsored content, and affiliate links are actually a way many bloggers have replaced the need for having as much sponsored content as they did in the past.
I still don’t think saying “this post contains affiliate links” will suffice for some people because some feel it doesn’t explain anything (though I suppose one could do their own research if they were so inclined). I’m getting an overwhelming amount of messages on IG (the large majority coming from longtime readers) who have zero issues with affiliate links and say they actually think bloggers should use them because they’re delivering free content,so there are definitely two sides with totally different views on this.
Summer says
Here are few examples. Hope this helps.
Before the post:
https://theworkathomewife.com/jobs-dont-do-a-background-check/
https://realwaystoearnmoneyonline.com/welocalize-work-from-home-review/
After the post:
https://problogger.com/recommended-blogging-resources/
LauraEK says
What a gorgeous front door and those planters are just lovely!!! Beautiful home 🙂
Veronika says
Thank you so much! 🙂
Kylie says
I love those peonies! Trader Joes has the best deals on flowers!
Sooo tempted to pull the trigger on a Barefoot Dreams blanket! Have heard nothing but good things and the Anniversary Sale really does seem like the best time to snap one up!
Veronika says
Oh my gosh yes- the regular price is pretty high (though, after experiencing it, I will admit I would fully pay that, haha) 🙂
K says
Hi! Long time reader here but don’t usually comment.
Just curious about the dinner situation….do your in laws bring dinner every day? Is it a arrangement you have worked out with them and do you cook at all?
Only asking because I do cook for my family, but honestly I am working on enjoying it because it is definitely at the top of my list as something I do not love to do like some. I do love to bake though! And I enjoy cleaning over cooking, weird I know lol.
My in laws are Slovenian and my MIL loves to cook (too bad she lives in Canada and we are here in the US so we don’t get to enjoy it as often as we would like!)
Oh and I love your Toronto posts. My husband’s family lives very close to Toronto.
Veronika says
No they don’t bring us dinner daily- they bring us two different dinners they’ve prepared once a week but it’s enough to last us for dinners during weeknights.
Do you and your spouse work full time as well?
K says
My husband runs a huge company actually so he works a lot of hours. I have a degree, but stay at home as I have 5 kids 8 and under that play sports and are in 2 different schools.
I did not mean to ask as a insult, I asked because I was actually curious on how that worked as we have a MIL who loves to cook (and I do cook but don’t love it) but she lives 8 hrs away. I think it’s nice they can help.
By your response I feel you took it I was asking to be condescending and I would like to clarify I was NOT.
Veronika says
Oh not at all! I just was curious since I’m always wondering how parents who work FT outside of the home make their schedules work (and post-work routines). It obviously makes our lives a lot easier after work to have the prepared meals. We feel really lucky. But yeah, enjoying cooking is something that is probably more learned than innate for most people. I’m more of a cleaning person. I love cleaning and organizing – it clears my mind!
With five children you sure have a tremendously busy schedule – and a lot of kiddos to feed!
Terri says
I am surprised by all the negative comments. Weren’t you taught that if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all. It is your choice to read Veronika’s blog. Does it really matter that she does not cook. She likes her recipe box.
Personally I really enjoy her blog and all the suggestions/ideas she has.
Please think before you type.
Terri D says
I am surprised by all the negative comments. Weren’t you taught that if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all. It is your choice to read Veronika’s blog. Does it really matter that she does not cook. She likes her recipe box.
Personally I really enjoy her blog and all the suggestions/ideas she has.
Please think before you type.
Veronika says
It has been surprising to read the feedback about not cooking (I mean we do prepare breakfast and we cook big breakfasts on weekends). Lots of women don’t cook a lot (many times it’s the man in the family that cooks and there’s nothing wrong with that).
It doesn’t mean we can’t value family recipies we’d like to keep around.
Cheryl says
I think the comments are rude too. It seems that some people are harping on the smallest details. Veronika, if the worst thing they can say about you is you shouldn’t own a recipe box because you don’t cook much, you are doing a lot of things right! A lot of people get help with their families. My family watches my son while my husband and I work. We get help and are grateful for it. Veronika gets help with cooking. Some people’s parents watch their kids so they can go on date nights. If you don’t get help in some way, I am sorry for you but don’t hate on Veronika because she gets help. Also, I own sewing things but don’t sew much. I bought a designer pin cushion because I thought it was cute. I can spend my money on that if I want just like Veronika can spend her money on a recipe box if she wants. I am sure we all have decorative items in our homes that don’t serve much purpose other than looking cute.
Veronika says
Hi Cheryl!
I agree that a lot of families get help from their family members and I see it as a wonderful thing. Back in the day, there was very much a village mentality, even when more mothers stayed at home with their children. Nowadays, where the majority of households have two working parents, having help from family is priceless and I won’t apoligize for it or feel bad about it.
Some people will harp on every single detail of someone else’s life. Sounds a little too invested to me 😉
Have a nice weekend!
Mimi says
Hi Veronika! I love your blog and love seeing new features in your home. I have a recipe box from Anthro and tons of cooking tools. I try to cook about once a week. I work from home and am a mother of two. My husband is a partner at a large accounting firm and is always busy. Compared to others, you might say I don’t cook much. I don’t enjoy cooking. I have plenty of other things I do around the house and outside of the house including volunteering. Why do people care if you do not cook? You are a full-time working mom who provides a lovely life for her kids, her husband, and takes such good care of her house. Unfortunately, everyone has an opinion about this and here’s what I think it comes down to: there are just some people who are so miserable in their lives that look at you and want to bash you. Perhaps they do not like cooking and feel that they have to do it, and are upset that you don’t have to. It is no one’s business. I have an owl cookie jar with no cookies in it- it’s there for decoration. Guess what’s in it? Nothing. WHO CARES? As for affiliate links- I come to Veronika’s blog because I like seeing what she posts, what she wears, what she buys for her home. I like to buy some of the same things. If I didn’t see them on her blog, I might not have seen them at all. If I’m buying things from Nordstrom anyway, what difference does it make that some of the money goes to Veronika if she is the one who referred me to the item I am buying!???!? I am paying the same price regardless!
Anyway, keep posting- I love the content, especially the home stuff!
Veronika says
Hi Mimi! Thanks for your comment 🙂
I too will never understand why someone cares if I cook or if I have decorative things in my home.
I’m glad you like the things I share on my blog and I feel the same way! Sometimes I see something on a blog that I never would have stumbled upon otherwise.
Have a happy Sunday!
Gretchen says
Who in the name of all that is holy cares if she has recipes in that card box or if it’s used to hold spare change? It sounds like a whole lot of jealousy about having loving in-laws who are kind enough to care to make dinner for her family. Seriously people, find something IMPORTANT to worry about.
Personally, I’d use the damn recipe box in my bathroom to hold tampons. So there.
Veronika says
I’m literally laugh crying at the idea to nuse it for tampons. Yessss ???
Lindsey says
I am a long time reader, but this is my first time commenting. I have to say that I am surprised by all the negative comments. The recipe box is cute! Who cares if it is just for decor??! I am a full time attorney and mom to three, young boys. My husband works as well. I don’t cook a lot at all, but it doesn’t make me a bad mother. I keep our house clean and tidy, keep my family organized, keep up on laundry etc. By the time I pick up my kids from daycare and get home, I only get a couple to a few hours with them before bedtime and would rather spend the time WITH them than cooking, so I get it. Each family can run their own house differently and shouldn’t be subject to judgment. Thankfully, my mom is retired and helps us out a lot and we eat dinner there a couple of nights a week sometimes. I wouldn’t be able to work full time without her help.
Veronika says
Amen! It takes a village 🙂 Family life is simply different than it was when we were growing up. I too would rather hang out with my kids and relax after they’ve been learning and stimulated at school all day during those couple of hours we have together.
Cooking isn’t the be all end all. It’s wonderful if someone does cook or enjoys cooking, but I contribute to our home and family in many other ways (including working two jobs and doing a large majority of the cleaning and laundry, just like you).
How wonderful you have family that helps – it’s a beautiful thing!
Yohaira says
Hello Veronika! OMG I hardly come to your page and saw this post and when I started reading the comments I could not understand! So what if you don’t cook! You still are allowed to have a beautiful decorated kitchen. I think they would want to be like you! What a blessing you have that your in-laws help you guys out! I wish I had our families closer to help us. I now work from home and allows me to cook more, but sometimes I run out of ideas and not always in the mood. Thanks for the decorative kitchen ideas, I was actually searching in pinterest and thought of you since you had purchased a new home!
Veronika says
Hi Yohaira!
Thanks for your comment 🙂 Having a beautiful kitchen is a great thing!