House Beautiful

{ Currently Loving } Fall 2019

Published on September 14, 2019 in Decor, Eat & Drink, Fashion, Favorite Things Friday and Mishmashes & Musings (Steph). 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

I wish there was a scratch & sniff on that picture above cuz MAN – is there anything better than Fall?!  I personally think Pumpkin Spice Lattes taste like old socks but I DO otherwise get real goofy this time of year… and by goofy I mean almost achingly nostalgic (…I just felt Chris Driscoll’s eyes roll into the back of his head – HAAAAAA).  But it’s true, yo: the Fall always feels like where things come full circle, and it seems to be where all of my sweet, in-slow-motion memories of growing up come flooding back and make a vivid resurgence. To the tune of the St. Elmo’s Fire Theme Song, obviously.

 

Have truer words ever been spoken? Pretty sure I post this quote every year as part of an annual nerd-out post about Fall.

It reminds me of high school volleyball season – squeaky shoes on the gym floor and the sound of whistles and the smell of Ball Gym… and the dynasty that is Burris Volleyball.

It reminds me of the big maple tree in the yard in the front yard of the little red house where I grew up.  Of watching Felicity and wondering if she was ever really gonna end up with Ben.  Of waiting with baited breath, then watching my high school crush round the corner in the hallway the first day of school each year – also in super slow mo – and then dying on the inside when he smiled at me.

Fall reminds me of college bus rides back from away games that were seemingly never-ending, and the fact that we were all always cozied up in our little seats with pillows and blankets and seemed to have Legends of the Fall, A League of Their Own and Sleepless in Seattle on a permanent loop on the bus’ VHS.

I smell bonfires and wet leaves underfoot and feel a chill in the air – which, we’re def feeling here in Crested Butte (cuz it snowed up on the mountain last night). PS Travel Crested Butte has the most beautiful pics, always.

GRACIOUS IT IS GLORIOUS!  That was a medium-sized tangent… scuzzi!!  (But if you really wanna go to crazy town, these posts from when Covet Living was just a baby are ALL. ABOUT. FALL)…

Fall Faves 2016 | I Dream of Fall 2014 | 7 Fall Looks to Love 2013 | Fantastic Fall 2011 | Ode to Fall 2010

Moving along… HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I’M LOVING THIS SEASON:

THIS is one of my favorite autumn candles – put this guy in yer pipe this Fall & smoke it!  A huge shipment of these are arriving to my shop today and you better believe I’m lighting them all up at once.  You can also buy them here.

WHAT IS THIS FABULOUS OUTFIT AND WHERE DO I GET ONE?

These Ulla Johnson Carin booties are a start.

How fabulous is this rug?  I snapped it up for a client’s office and I’ve been cursing myself ever since that I didn’t keep it for my personal collection.  JUST KIDDIN SUZ!

I do have this one on its way to the shop though and I’m LOVING the sage + tangerine + chocolate hues!

ALSO – could we please discuss this rug I just picked up. I’d love to say “COMING SOON TO THE SHOP!” but I actually don’t know if I’ll be able to sell it (every 5th one or so, I keep… #whoops).  It will, however, look really pretty to sleep on when I’m living under a bridge in a few years because #rugsaremydrugs and when I see a super unique one, my credit card accidentally swipes itself. It’s crazy.

Can we also discuss that Amber Interiors did a wall mount wicker dining banquette? WALL MOUNT WICKER!  I am dead every time I see this.

Perfection. (source unknown)

The only thing it’s missing is THIS:

Would you like for me to make some pillows out of you?  Cuz I will.

SWEET BABY JESUS IS THERE ANYTHING MORE PERFECT THAN A NATAN MOSS LAMP?? I’d put it on my registry if I wasn’t afraid of getting judged until the end of time (they retail for about $1500 each). Oh wait, I put a copper Kitchen Aid Mixer on there, so that ship has sailed (DID YOU KNOW THEY CAN SHRED CHICKEN? #notjustforcookies). Natan Moss Lamps are available through Hollywood at Home.

There are no words.  Except that Ulla Johnson is a damn genius.

I think I’ve posted this short rib truffled gnocchi 75x and haven’t made it yet.  THIS IS THE YEAR PEOPLE.

I think this is Ted Baker from last season and I can’t find it for sale anymore, but I can still dream about it.

If there is a perfect guest room, this might be it. Photo by Luke White.

Same for the perfect Lacanche range.  (via)

I am literally DEAD over these platters by Ingrid Wens Ceramics.

Have you seen Anne Hathaway’s country house in the new Arch Digest?  Pam of Studio Shamshiri is the master behind it (she was one of the founders of Commune) and I think it’s so brilliant. Check out the whole thing here.

WHO KNEW THEY MADE A TILE THAT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE FALL? I get a little tickle in my shorts every time I see a cement tile that isn’t the same black & white pattern that’s circumnavigated the Pinterestphere 875,000x in the last 5 years. Tulipier by Cement Tile Shop.

J’aime beaucoup le bijoux.

J’aime beaucoup aussi having brassy cabinet door fronts.

AMEN. Last night (Chris is out of town), I came home from work, made myself a delicious bowl of ravioli and plopped down on the sofa with a glass of sauv blanc, and then embarked on a Felicity binge, which I do almost every Fall. And it was divine.

The show came out the same year I went to college, so it takes me straight on back to 1999.

Was here last weekend to do a little wedding biz… this picture by Studio Castillo envelops how it feels to be in San Diego, almost to a T.  It was heaven.  We were in Wilmington for Labor Day weekend a few weeks back and one of Chris’ college buddies was telling me about how he went there for a small stretch of time after a breakup and that the only word he could use to describe it was “rejuvenating.” (*Cough* – sounds familiar)… but that’s exactly what it is, that place.

There may not be anything more charming than a pleated / shirred lampshade.  Thinking about starting to stock these…

These little pleated sconces in a laundry room by uber talented San Diego Designer Amy Meier also kill me.

HOW SWEET ARE THESE MUFFINS?

Brass + Mint Green = good times… (though not sure about that “+” hack around the shower trim). Or was that intentional? If it was, I strike the “hack” comment from the record.

Amber Lewis nailing it for – I dunno – the 75th time this week?

I would buy this, except it’s from one of those wild goose chase Tumblr posts. But we can all marvel at it – and then maybe find its doppelgänger at Forever21.

The lines on this chaise lounge slay me.  I would like to curl up with a nubby blanket and some popcorn and a fat glass of red wine and watch Dead Poet’s Society here… and maybe while burning a pumpkin spice candle.

I don’t think I have ever loved any piece of clothing I’ve ever seen more than this one.  Maybe second only to my wedding dress, which, if I didn’t have it, I might break with tradition and do this green guy.

So I’m not getting married in a green dress, but I sure as sh*t am doing this green bar.

Look at this little Moroccan buddy!

The kind of entry that (mountain rustic) dreams are made of.  (Source unknown)

I love this and I have no idea where I saw it… oh right, Jayne’s closet in 1987.  I LOVE IT STILL!

Um, Clé just started doing Victoria Larson’s fern textile print on cement tiles.  I die.

OBSESSED with this wallcovering from Wallshoppe!  I just got a sample of the removable version, just in case I wanna slap it somewhere in the office or – oh – I dunno… our bedroom?  Did I say that out loud? It’s labeled as “tan” but it’s actually more khaki with a green tint to it which is PERFECT.

You know what I actually really wanna do? I wanna wallpaper some panels – or a folding screen. I just saw this one that I may grab:

I mean, what if I also slapped these in our house before he comes home?  “I dunno babe – some vendor just delivered them by accident.. guess we have to keep them. #whoops”

Where does this lead to?  Probably heaven.  By Lowe Hardware.

I love Pratt & Larson for their myriad of colors, textures, and how the glaze pools in the corners.  This bathroom is by Emily Henderson.

The cutest Smurfmobile I’ve ever seen.  And I think the seats are wicker which means my brain just exploded. (Source unknown).

How stunning are these?  I think they might be artifacts in a museum somewhere or something, because they’re labeled: “MURRLE BENNETT & Co 1896-1916 Art Nouveau Earrings.”

Very into the scarf thing that’s happening this year.  (source unknown)

THESE ARE THE MOST DELICIOUS CHICKEN TENDERS!  My friend made them the other day and I wanted to steal them off the kids’ plates when I was done with mine.

Mommy likes.

I have a thing for handmade, salt glazed pottery.  Why is it so elusive?? Ever since Karrie & I bought the most beautiful mugs that Michelle Luu made for us (shown here, in my grubby little hand, and on Karrie’s shelf)… Um, our open shelf in the kitchen with ALL of our every day (and favorite) dishware fell a few weeks ago and every single piece shattered.  Michelle was lovely enough to tell me she’d make more, but (she’s doing the mom thang now) and her Etsy shop has been on vacation mode for YEARS.

I also do love Freckled Pottery, but she’s also tricky to pin down.  Because I have a wee retail storefront now, I’ve started also curating (in addition to vintage rugs, pillows and some custom furniture) really lovely home accessories… the kind that are harder to find, some handmade, etc.  Things like these… stay tuned!

I love this Lady Pin.  Little pricey at close to $45 after you ship it, but really rad.  I also just got a lecture from a stylist about how I’m murdering my hair by heat styling it all the time, and putting it up in ponytails, so this seems like it would be a little easier on the locks, yes?

What does this mean for you??  My favorite time-wasters are: blogging (heeeey), moviefest-ing (this means a double or triple feature in PJ’s), or meandering through antique stores on Saturday mornings.

I was binge-watching Season 3 of This Is Us last night, and she had a tweed/plaid coat on in one of them and I immediately took to scouring the interwebs for it.  Crested Butte – the little Colorado mountain town where we live – is a little more shall we say – utilitarian?  So I might get laughed off the street if I went traipsing down Elk Ave in that (don’t even get me started on heels – haven’t worn them in years) – but I could put this in the arsenal for an east coast trip, or just whenever I’m feeling like scaring the locals to death.  LOLOLOL

Speaking of fancy… I literally will probably be barefoot for most of our wedding (which they strictly say is prohibited in the Darlington House bible of rules, but whatevs)… but I guess I do need a pair of kicks to walk down the aisle in.  I’m not doing heels, and I know these are a little like, 2000 SJP chic, but I love them still.  Photo by Rachel Elaine Photography.

This should all be in a separate wedding post but HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THESE INVITES?  I have had this pic saved for probably 10 years, and Linda + Harriet no longer do calligraphy… (I begged to no avail)… so looking to do something similar.  In the world of, “Does it really matter?” – ehh probably not, but it’s REALLY FUN.

Hello Fall and nostalgia, all wrapped into one cozy sweater.

Hello shagreen scales – do you see the little mother of pearl detail in there too?  People have so much talent.

Sunnies are the bomb.  Source unknown, which I know makes you want to punch me in the face.

That’s all I got for now!  Well… that’s a lie.  I have GOBS of fun wedding stuff to spitball – but will save it for next time!  Have a great weekend!

xoxo,

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Aftermath: The Eggs are in the Nest!

Published on August 12, 2019 in Egg Freezing. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

We’re all done!  Coming to you from a white cushy hotel bed surrounded by a gaggle of fluids, heating pads & ice packs, a fatty stack of magazines and 2 empty Annie’s easy macs (thanks Linds!!)

Let’s rewind to last week and pick back up at the end of the last post. As you know, I’m freezing my eggs with the global leader in fertility care, CCRM, and I’m excited to share the latest:

WERE THE SHOTS TOUGH?

For me, the shots just weren’t that bad.  The scariest part wasn’t sticking myself, but when everything came in the mail (they overnight it on cold packs from a pharmacy), and I opened it, then stared at it all and like:

It was just a *little* intimidating at first. BUT, you just gotta pull up your big girl britches and get your arms around it:

  1. Double check everything is there (I cross-checked my list of dosages from CCRM), and if not, call your nurse immediately.  You should order so that you get your meds in the mail about a week before stim meds are supposed to start. AND have everything arrive when you’re home so you can promptly pop them in the fridge, if needed.
  2. Watch the videos on CCRM’s website so you’re prepared (these teach you how to do the shots and handle the needles), and
  3. Plan accordingly… because we all know life – for most of us – doesn’t stop for 10-12 straight days.  If ever I was away from home, I carried my Arctic cooler of (shots that have to be refrigerated) around so I’d have them on hand when I needed them. And no, I’m not a rep for Arctic, but it IS one of those brands – like a Yeti – that keeps things super cool for far longer than your traditional Igloo.  Since I was traveling with thousands of dollars worth of meds, I needed to make sure they never got warm.  Anyhow – typically, you take 1 shot in the morning (I had Menopur), and 1 shot 12 hours later in the evening (I had Gonal-F).  I did 8:45am and 8:45pm, but would set my alarm for about 10 minutes prior to each time so that I gave myself time to wash my hands, prep and get all my stuff laid out, then ice for a few minutes before injecting. So, you know – if you’re camping – leave the s’mores, take the Menopur.

And if you’re going to a Red Rocks concert?  Don’t forget to pack your Gonal-F in an icy baggie in your fiancé’s sock (way to take one for the team, babe!) until it’s time to take your shot. We went to see My Morning Jacket last Saturday (and had the SICKEST seats, because my buddy’s cousin Bo is in the band)…

They were about to go on **right** at evening shot time, and I didn’t wanna miss it, so I just sat right there in the roped-off section and gave myself a shot of Gonal-F – right in front of Howie & Chris Long.  Done and done.  I should write a Green Eggs & Ham-esque poem about all the places I gave myself shots… but Starbucks parking lot doesn’t really rhyme with Red Rocks, so ye know. The point is – don’t let it intimidate you.  Just set your alarm and pack your cooler and go on about your business.

DOES IT HURT?

I shared this last time and I’ll share it again: icing the injection spot beforehand made it painless, which – your shots are only a prick to begin with – but not feeling an actual thing changed things mentally and made the shots a non-factor.  2-3 min of ice, prick, done. The only thing that stings a little is Menopur – not the injection but when the medication goes in.

GOING IN EVERY DAY THE WEEK PRIOR TO RETRIEVAL?

Yep!  For about the last week prior to retrieval, I’ve gone in to CCRM every morning for an ultrasound: a tech checks your follicles on both sides and measures their growth and quantity, day by day. I didn’t mind this because it was kind of fascinating to watch them grow from one day to the next, and I got all competitive and excited about my growth numbers. It also made me feel better to know they were progressing, because (on some level, with the shots) you’re like: “AM I DOING THIS RIGHT???” But this was reassurance that I was.

After Ultrasound (ode to how I will miss the oven mitts!), you go get a quick blood draw.  This entire process took about 30 min every day.  Then, CCRM would call me in the afternoon after the doc had a chance to review my results, and they would give me a little state-of-the-uterus update and let me know if the doctor needed to alter my doses/shots at all, based on how my body was responding.  They did end up adding Centrotide to my nightly routine to make sure my ovaries didn’t drop too early. I found comfort in knowing the CCRM team would follow up with me immediately to identify the best next steps.

BLOATING?  INSANITY?  BOTH?

During the stim meds (about 10 days leading up to the retrieval), you can’t have any alcohol or caffeine, so I kicked my (probably 2) glasses of wine I normally have at night, and I swapped my Peet’s Coffee for decaf.  I don’t know if it was the absence of those things from my diet – or if my body just liked the hormones (I was on Menopur, Gonal-F, Centratide), or if I just felt great because I knew I was checking this long-awaited proactive box – but whatever the case, I felt GREAT. Plenty of energy, no Jabba the Hutt bloating, no psycho-hose-beast episodes. I just kept waiting for insanity to ensue, and it never did.  I also just felt very empowered and in control – and that’s never a bad thing.

I heard a lot of my girlfriends who’ve done it say they were hyper emotional in the days before the retrieval – basically like this:

…and that they felt super swollen and tender and bloated – but I didn’t really get that.  I have another close friend who didn’t have any of those symptoms either.  The worst thing I had was a little tenderness and mild bloating on the morning I went in for the retrieval, but that was it.  Everyone’s body is different, but it was almost like mine was so happy I was finally doing the freeze that it decided to make it easy on me.

HOW WAS THE PROCEDURE?

Um, a damn breeze.  I got into pre-op at 6:30am CCRM Colorado on Wednesday (yesterday), during which time I climbed into a (warm, fresh out of the dryer) robe + blanket, answered a few questions from my very sweet nurse (Paula!), met with the anesthesiologist and the doc, had my IV put in my hand (didn’t even feel it) and then got wheeled into the OR at 7:30am.  After a few minutes, they put some happy juice in my IV drip, and before I knew it, I woke up an hour later in recovery.

I do tend to get motion sickness, so I told the anesthesiologist that beforehand and he gave me the (little patch behind my ear) that stays on for 72 hours and keeps nausea at bay.

My nurse also gave me a little Zofran in post-op when I was feeling a little woozy, which kicked my nausea almost immediately.  I was literally home (well, to my hotel) an hour later at 9:30am. And came back to this sweet care package from our good friends here in Denver.  (Look at the eggs! BAAHAHAHAHAHAH). I also told a few of my clients what I was doing – just because it takes something off of your shoulders to set the right expectations and let people know you’ll be out of commission for a few days. I got an email from one of my clients yesterday that only said: “HAPPY EASTER!!!” Bahahaha – #snort.

My post-op pain wasn’t awful – at worst, it just feels like bad cramps.  I bought a heating pad to help with that, but ended up putting that on my lower back and an ice pack on my lower abdomen.  Then took some Extra Strength Tylenol and slept for 4 hours, after which I felt MUCH better. I’ve been told that the cramping doesn’t last much past 24 hours after, so it’s really just this one day of (laid-up) recovery – which I’m not even mad about. Got my friends Annie’s mac, Netflix and PJ jazzy fuzzy pants to hang with.

HOW MANY DID THEY GET?

Here’s a hint:

…DEUCE DEUCE!  They got 22 (my college jersey #).  That has to be a good sign, right?  Actually, they got 16 mature ones and 6 that weren’t quite mature yet, so those were in the incubator overnight to see how many came up to speed… just got a call that 1 of the 6 in incubation made it (that bunch was about 2 stages behind the rest) – so I have 17 eggs total that are now on ice, just hangin’ out with their bad selves until we’re ready for em.  THAT’S NOT BAD!!!!  Not bad at all.  They expected 15 so I feel good about 17 chickens on ice.

{photo by Nick Knight, via Time to Chill? Egg-freezing Technology Offers Women a Chance to Extend Their Fertility on Vogue.com}

HOW DO I FEEL NOW?

I feel awesome. Not like, wanna-run-hurdles-right-now awesome (I am a little sore) – but I am so happy I was able to get this done. It’s AMAZING that CCRM got so many (!) though I do have to bear in mind that quantity doesn’t necessarily mean quality, and that I won’t know until they go to fertilize them. But for now, I feel content knowing that I’ve literally done all I can do and everything in my power to plan for and protect our future. Chris just told me that he was super proud of me, and thanked me for looking out for our family – and that made me feel really, really good.

And I wouldn’t have wanted to entrust my future and my fertility to anyone else but CCRM. There’s JUST something that takes an extra mental toll (off of you) during the process when you know you’re in the best and most capable hands, and I think that played into why this was relatively easy for me.  CCRM has some of the best IVF success rates in the industry: at CCRM, it generally takes women 1.2 cycles to get pregnant – vs. the national average of 1.6 cycles.

WHY, AGAIN, DIDN’T I DO THIS BEFORE?

I’ve had a lot of time to think about why that is… why I waited so long. I think it’s a combination of things: not having been educated about fertility in general – especially not my own.  Ignorance really is bliss, and it’s easy to have the “maybe I should think about that!” in the back of your mind but also just kind of leave it buried back there. Case & Point: this is one of the comments I got from someone who read the blog post, and is precisely why I wrote it in the first place:

Not being as educated as I should have been made the idea of freezing seem so much more daunting and extreme than it actually is in real life.  I also don’t think I was in a financial position to consider it before.  And I probably also thought – wellllll, we’ll get engaged and settle down soon anyway so I’m ALMOST there. But unfortunately your body isn’t always on the same timeline as (your social self is), and it’s so, SO important to know what’s happening with your body so you can make positive decisions for yourself to plan for the future you want.

I hope all of this serves to help some of you who are thinking about doing it but haven’t known what to expect. If you’re considering fertility options, I would strongly encourage you to just schedule a consultation at a CCRM nearest you, so that you’re armed and educated with the knowledge you need to make the best possible decision for yourself.  Their website is http://ccrmivf.com – or you can call any one of their locations in the US:

xoxo!

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