February at a glance...

February at a glance... | Blooming Magnolias Blog | Lifestyle, month at a glance, month in review, home decor, coffee table decor

Links: Similar mother-of-pearl tray, here in a larger size; Exact marble box; Similar marble box; Marble box with heart; Two-tone marble box; Marble coasters; somewhat similar marble candle holders (love this and this one as well), and in black if you prefer it. Similar gold taper candle holder (set), as well as here. Petrified wood slab here and here (note that as natural pieces, they’re all unique).

Btw, if you’re looking for coffee table decor, how cute are this selenite candle holder, this agate tray, and this marble tray?

Wow, this year just keeps me on my toes, but things are moving along, which is good, I guess. It’s been a stressful month overall, but we’re getting things done, which feels nice. Read on for a glance at our February, what we did, watched, purchased, read, etc.

What we did

This month has been home-focused since we moved! After months of searching, we have finally found a place that we’re happy with — fingers crossed it lasts because you never know with housing and people (aka, neighbors) these days. It was definitely a last-minute find, hence we were unprepared, and settling in took a little longer and more time than we anticipated. But we’re really liking it so far!

This and life have taken the better part of this month, and now that it’s off my plate, I am in desperate need of some fun, though I’m currently tapped out on ideas… We have visited most of the places we wanted to visit in the area, and I want to try something new. That aside, what do you do for fun? I’m craving bowling, zip-lining, and kayaking — we did that a few times while living in California, and I loved it (we did this zip line — not sure they’re still in business). I’ll have to look into these for here, too.


What I bought

The shopping this month has been mostly home-focused, but among that, these three purchases I made for myself stand out:

MAC Frost Lipstick in CB 96. I wanted to get away from my usual matte lipsticks (I have them in almost every color) and added this “frosted”, aka shimmery red-orange one to my collection (buy it here on sale). It’s definitely buildable and creamy.

Yoga pants, haha! Seriously though… if you’ve read this blog before and/or have followed me for a while, you know that I dislike athleisure and just don’t wear this type of clothing or even owned it, until this month. Due to lifestyle changes, I have put on some weight and have been moving a lot less, which is not something I’m happy about as I started noticing negative changes in the way I feel. For that reason, I decided that I had to, at the very least, exercise for 30 minutes a day, if I can’t make it outside for a walk. Well, I can exercise at home (limited types of workouts) wearing anything but when it comes to going to the gym, I couldn’t do that. Hence, I decided to get a pair of yoga pants (note that these don’t have pockets). Don’t get me wrong, my personal style isn’t changing, — they will strictly be worn for exercising only — I will happily stick to my dresses all the other times. As I said on my Instagram, you do you, I do me…

Leather crossbody bag for errands/everyday wear. My bags take a beating, and pretty quickly, usually (I explained in this post how), so for that reason, I decided to get away from PU/vegan leather items as much as possible as I’m tired of throwing them out. After I purchased this leather basket bag (which I really, really love still), I wanted to add a crossbody one, and I have come across this one (I found it in red). It’s a bit different than my usual go-to, but I love it and can’t wait to wear it.

Love this style? Consider these ones too…

What I watched

Truthfully, we haven’t had much time to watch things this month, however, I managed to sneak in three movies I knew my husband wouldn’t want to watch here and there:

Letters to Juliet. I haven’t watched this before, and have been avoiding it, thinking I wouldn’t like it. After running out of ideas to watch, I decided to give it a try and I really enjoyed it. Apart from the gorgeous Italian scenery, you get beautiful love stories and maybe even lessons on taking chances. In a nutshell, this is a typical rom-com.

Becoming Jane. I love Anne Hathaway, and even though it feels like this particular story has been told over and over, I wanted to watch this movie because of her. Needless to say that I enjoyed it a lot and recommend it.

13 Going 30. I’ve watched this one years ago, and since I came across it the other day, I decided to watch it again. It’s a fun movie, and really, a wishful thinking one… Wouldn’t it be nice if we could go back in time and undo certain decisions or actions?


What I read

The Book Club on Waverly Lane by Rachel Hanna. This was a light, heart-warming read about women’s friendship, plus a little romance for good measure. If you’re looking for a cozy book to read that will leave you with a pleasant feeling, I recommend this one.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. I just began reading this book the night before, and so far, I’m liking it a lot; I think I’ll have to add all of this author’s books to my reading list because I thoroughly enjoyed them so far (see my January at a glance post for more).

Curious/fun reads

How to Eat and Drink Like an Italian.

8 Sicilian Secrets, Stereotypes, and Missteps from The White Lotus S. 2.

40 Humorous Up Close & Purrsonal Pictures Of Cats To Inspire A Full Bellied Chuckle.

Bizarre design fails that will make you look twice.

59 of the best internet optical illusions around: You won't believe your eyes.


Goodbye, February… Hello, March!

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