Wednesday Five - 21

So, I totally blew off last Wednesday’s blog post. Which you already know…because no blog post came to your email inbox last Wednesday. Wait, you do know that you can subscribe to this blog. Right? To make sure that you don’t miss a post. Right?

Well, if you don’t yet subscribe, I’ll make it super easy:

 
 

Okay, back to last Wednesday, when I didn’t post a Wednesday Five blog post. I must have a lot of guilt because I can’t seem to move on. So, I host Thanksgiving. And that is my excuse. Between food prep, in-laws arriving from out of town, special festive school stuff with the kiddos, it didn’t happen.

But I’m here today!!!

1) This week and last, we posted a couple photos (on Instagram and Facebook) of the foyer from our Hutchins Project. Exhibit A:

 
Gray Oak Studio - Hutchins Project - Foyer
 

Side note: check out all sorts of family room pics from our Hutchins Project in our portfolio.

Back to the foyer. We got tons of comments and questions about those beautiful stems. Well, they’re faux (aka not real…aka totally fake). But they look real. They kinda, sorta feel real. You don’t have to give them light, water and love. And they last foreva.

Now, you know we’re plant ladies. We believe in plants they way most people around here believe in Tom Brady. And Sonia can even keep them alive. But, faux stems have come a long way.

And now, obviously, a roundup. These are stems we’ve used and loved or get great reviews.

Gray Oak Studio - Wednesday Five - Faux Stem Roundup

Top Left, clockwise - 16” Ortata Stems ($9 - on clearance!) / Desert Rose Succulent ($4) / Flocked Snowy Pine Stem ($9) / Petal Leaf Branch ($35) / Silver Dollar Eucalyptus ($18 for 6 stems) / Monstera Leaf ($20)

2) Mary Poppins Returns is coming. I haven’t been so excited for a movie in a really long time. Mary Poppins is one of my favorite movies from childhood and I have a renewed love for it in recent years, watching it with my daughters. Here is the trailer if you’ve missed it.

3) We are still pulling together some additional holiday gift guides (click here for the one we posted over the weekend), but in the meantime I wanted to share one of my favorite gifts from last Christmas. A year later I’m still obsessed with this gift: sheets. Gorgeous, comfy, soft, perfect, sheets. From Brooklinen. They might be a little more pricey then you typically spend on sheets, but first, they’re worth it (seriously), and second, isn’t that the mark of a good gift? Something you wouldn’t buy yourself because the price point is a little much.

Below is the pattern I was gifted.

 
 

4) Carson Kressley spoke our love language in a recent episode of his new show Get a Room with Carson and Thom. Let’s back up and talk about the show itself. The former Queer Eye castmates (Carson Kressley and Thom Filicia) decorate rooms of all shapes and sizes on budgets of all shapes and sizes. It’s on Bravo and, yes, it’s another home makeover show. But a good one. Great for binging.

Anyway, Carson said (in episode 2) that blue can be used as a neutral, not just a pop of color. And he used the term “Bluetral”, which we will start using immediately and often. Blue being a neutral color is absolutely, 1000% our belief. If you’re a client reading this (thank you!) you’ve probably heard us preach this exact concept. We love using blue in our designs. And we use it interchangeably with gray, ivory and beige. Here is an example of blue as a neutral (again with the Hutchins Project!):

 
Gray Oak Studio - Wednesday Five - Using Blue as a Neutral Color
 

To take this idea one step further, where blue is used as a neutral, you can and should feel free to choose another color as your pop. Go for it! And there concludes our design tip of the day.

5) Did you know we have a Pinterest page? We don’t talk about it much. It gets outshined by its dominating, older siblings (Instagram and Facebook). But it exists and it’s worth checking out. We add to our boards ALL. THE. TIME. And we have a bazillion boards that range from “tile we love” to “hostess gifts”.

Until next Wednesday.

- Leah

*This post contains affiliate links*

Holiday Gift Guide 2018

My 2018 holiday gift guide is halfway here (women and kids). Thanksgiving came early this year and I tried my best to keep up. I also want you guys to be able to take advantage of all the crazy sales happening this weekend.

Women’s Gift Guide

Gray Oak Studio - Holiday Gift Guide for Women 2018

1. Leather Tote - $158 (use the code “dealwithit” for a 25% discount)

2. Kate Spade Amazonite Stud Earrings - currently on sale for $26

3. Slipper Socks - $32 (30% off sale going on now)

4. Sweater Dress - $148 (30% off sale going on now)

5. Ugg Slippers - $120 (own these, obsessed)

6. Tory Burch Tote - currently on sale for $132

7. Faux Suede Moto Jacket - currently on sale for $35 (!!!)

8. Nordic Boots - $188 (use code “TGIF” for 50% off)

Kids’ Gift Guide

Gray Oak Studio - 2018 Holiday Gift Guide Kids

1. Dinosaur Sleeping Bag - On sale for $80. There are a bunch of different themes (i.e. mermaid, etc.)

2. R2D2 Bop It - On sale for $10. This is a game that kind of reminds me of the Simon game if you’re a child of the 80s. There’s also a Minions version.

3. Polar Express - $16 for hardcover version

4. Pom Pom Rainbow Hat - $25 (additional 50% off with code)

5. Bunny sweatshirt - $17 (additional 40% off with code)

6. Airplane Zip Pajamas - On sale for $26 (additional 30% off and free shipping with code “cyber30”)

7. Ride on Bumblebee - $60 (comes in different animals - pig, tiger, ladybug, etc.). My oldest was gifted the ladybug version on her 1st birthday and she LOVED it for years. Then my younger daughter loved it for years. Five years later it still looks brand new, seriously.

8. Water Bottle - $13. Great stocking stuffer.

We are have officially one month until Christmas…go for it!

- Leah

*This post contains affiliate links*

Wednesday Five - 20

After taking a break for a couple weeks to fill you in on our 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge participation, we are back to sharing our potpourri of weekly happenings.

1. After sharing my odd interest in weighted blankets, I came across an article on Hunker.com about all different “types of blankets”. For example, the infinity blanket which “increases blood flow”…hmmm…and the footed blanket (think mermaid blanket for adults) and the ever popular wearable poncho blanket, to name a few. If you need a new blanket, before you hit up HomeGoods for your regular old knit throw, you may want to consider one of these guys.

2. Our 2018 Holiday Gift Guides are in the works, but in the meantime I have to share this sweet find from Etsy. It’s a serving dish, which everyone needs more of because they’re constantly being broken by small children and left at neighbors’ houses. Your favorite, sentimental recipe is printed onto the plate, making it not only a serving dish but also great for hanging on the wall in your kitchen.

Gray Oak Studio - Wednesday Five - Personalized Serving Dish with Recipe

3. Do you know what a Putz House is? Well, you probably do but you’ve never heard it referred to as a Putz House. They’re the little glimmery, shimmery, intricate Christmas houses or villages that people (maybe your grandma) uses as a holiday decoration. The white ceramic houses you see at Target (and everywhere) are a modern take on a Putz House. But, trend alert, the originals are coming back. Everyone from Neiman Marcus to Pier 1 has them in stock for you. So, get glam with your mini house this season.

Gray Oak Studio - Wednesday Five - Putz Houses

from top left, counterclockwise - 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

4. The confluence of two of my favorite things happened this past week. Dax Shepard interviewed Jerry Buting on his podcast (Armchair Expert). You already know I love Armchair Expert from a previous Wednesday Five. Well, I’m also a Making a Murderer addict. I’m currently binging Season 2. Jerry Buting was one of the defense lawyers in Season 1. If you’re into crime dramas…like me…this is a fascinating interview.

5. Moving on to Sonia’s obsessions. So, she has a slightly unhealthy love for all things Hamilton. You know Hamilton - the amazing Broadway production that catapulted Lin-Manuel Miranda into mega stardom. You may have caught Sonia’s incredible behind the scenes tour of the NYC stage on our Instagram stories last weekend. Well, for Sonia and her fellow Hamilton groupies out there, Leslie Odom Jr. (who was in the original Hamilton cast as Aaron Burr) has a new Christmas CD. Stocking stuffer anyone?

 
Gray Oak Studio - Wednesday Five - Leslie Odom Jr. Simply Christmas Album
 

Have a great rest of your week! It’s almost Turkey Day!

- Leah

*This post contains affiliate links*