Pretty Over Perfect

Relationships shape our lives in many ways - sometimes by encouraging the good in us, and sometimes by showing us the areas we need to grow. We’re talking this week about a variety of relationships and how we’re becoming more refined through and because of them.

Jessica shared this Mirror-Mirror article about relationships and Michelle mentioned the Individualism Index and you can learn more about that here. She also recommended Sebastian Junger’s interview by Oprah where he speaks about individualism vs collectivism and what we can learn about working together. And this song, “Made,” by Spencer Crandall is worth a listen! 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

We don’t normally do trigger warnings, but we do want to let you know that this episode is a heavy one. We both share our own experiences of loss and the grief that followed and has undoubtedly shaped our lives and world views. There are lots of tears and even some laughter, because that’s what grief is. We don’t get to choose the suffering that is thrust upon us, but we can choose our reactions to it, and our hope is to encourage anyone going through a hard circumstance to allow themselves to be hopeful enough to emerge better not bitter.

Kate Suddes wrote this article that Michelle mentioned for Huff Post about losing her infant son. 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

However you pronounce "Hygge" is not as important as the feeling it creates. Known as the "art of intimacy", hygge has gained popularity over the years for being an invitation to lean into dark and cold seasons as a place to grow relationships, slow down and carve out space for quiet and reflection. We cannot always live our lives at a frenzied pace, and hygge reminds us to take joy in simple pleasures, be present with ourselves and our loved ones and light all the candles.

The Hygge Manifesto comes from the altogether delightful and inspiring book, "The Little Book of Hygge," by Meik Wiking, which has tons of research into what makes people happy and what it means to embrace hygge.

"Hygge" from Frozen The Broadway Musical is adorable and you should listen to it!

Jessica loves this bread so much she's talked about it twice, so you really should make some!

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

Having guests over can be exciting… and intimidating. With the holidays fast approaching, many of us will have the opportunity to have people in our homes, and we’re helping you take the guess work out of being a happy host! With ideas about what to put on autopilot, how to simplify and how to let go of the idea of Pinterest-perfection to enjoy your time with friends and families more.
We know that friendships are forged over dishes and relationships are strengthened when we let people into the vulnerable parts of our lives. So we’re encouraging you to plan that pizza night, make brunch for your besties and have your neighbors over just because.

Some favorites mentioned in this episode:
Spinach and Artichoke Dip from La Terra Fina
Super Easy Bread Recipe
A cozy blanket!

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

Gift-giving can be so fun... and so stressful! The purpose of gift-giving is to celebrate a relationship, but it's easy to get wrapped up (pun intended) in all the perceived anxiety and pressure around tangible expressions of love. In this episode we break it down to its simplest form: desiring to surprise and delight the person you are honoring. We chime in on our favorite gifts to give, our go-to gifts we keep on hand, and the best gifts we've ever received.

Here is the article Michelle referenced about the evolution of Halloween.

Some of our favorite gifts for kids:
Wild Animals of the North by Dieter Braun
A beautiful Encyclopedia of Animals - that's only $10!
Perler Beads are back and just as good as ever!
Biranco Flower Garden
Migargle Wooden Block Set
World Market's Toy Section is amazing!

We also like shopping the Anthropologie sale for kitchen items or candles and decor!
Michelle likes Nordstrom Rack for jewelry and accessories.

And a few random recommendations that didn't even make it into the episode but are worth mentioning if you've read this far:
A beautiful deck of cards.
Capri Blue's Volcano Body Oil!
And a few gorgeous coffee table books: The Color Teil, All in Good Taste, Mother, Elements of Style 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

This week we are so excited for you to hear our interview of Lu from Life's Frostings. She is chock-full of amazing ideas for decorating for the holidays - from finding inspiration in your natural surroundings to balloon arches and sequin tablecloths. She has an amazing Instagram where you can follow along with all her creative ideas, but she also spills so many of her secrets, tips and tricks for us here and we can't wait for you to listen! Plus, find out some of our best tips for not-so-scary Halloween ideas and inspiration for crafty adventures!

This episode is full of resources that Lu loves to utilize:

Hobby Lobby and Home Goods are great places to look for seasonal decor. They change their offerings often, so keep checking back if you're looking for inspiration.
Floral spray paint takes any flowers or natural elements up a notch!
Afloral.com is a great place for artificial flowers you can use again and again. She recommends the Real Touch Flowers.
Joann's has fabric that is great for tablecloths - from patterned to sequined!
Cher Can Do It is an amazing source for custom balloon arch supplies. 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

October is a month for celebrating! We’ll be talking all about celebrations of all kinds, beginning with this episode on birthdays! We discuss Jessica’s magical dinner party in the mountains for her 30th, our cleverest ideas for kid’s parties, and our regular little ways of making people feel loved and cherished, no party necessary.

Jessica used Spark Post to create a digital Birthday invitation. Modern technology meets a snail mail vibe - brilliant! 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

Update: If you downloaded this episode on Monday morning, you may notice a corrupted file after 26 minutes. A new file has been made available now - be sure to click on “Fixed!” We've laid the foundation of good flow in your home and moved on to combining styles and working within constraints, and this week we're talking about all the sparkly details! We interview Makelle Clark to get her take on making her home truly hers with inspired ideas for a unique take on decorating - from precious family heirlooms to TV show sets! Now that we're grown ups and get to play dollhouse in real life, we might as well have some fun with it!

Plus, Michelle reveals the weirdest thing she has on display in her house and Jessica tells us what she puts in every room of her house to help it feel alive.

Take a quiz about your design personality on the Aesthetics of Joy blog if you're wondering where to get started!

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

Though we all have visions of our "dream homes" dancing in our heads, most of us live within constraints of some kind: location, budget, resources, even the desires and opinions of the people you live with. This week, we're talking about finding ways to love where you live regardless of your unaccomplished wishlist. We discuss combining styles, embracing joy over sophistication and choosing to find the good in the here and now.

Michelle's Portland house was featured on Design Mom's Living with Kids in 2015. You can see her obsession with gallery walls to cover up all the quirkiness of that house.

Ingrid Fetell Lee has great advice for bringing joy into your home in her book Joyful and on her blog, The Aesthetics of Joy.

Minted, 1Canoe2, Fy! and Etsy are all great places to find art for your home at affordable prices!

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

For the month of September we’ll be chatting about all things home design and we’re starting with the basics: finding a good flow in your home’s arrangement. We’re talking about some principles of Feng Shui and how they teach us to think about a room’s layout so it can be the most inviting to our family and guests. We want to point our lives (and furniture) towards what we want more of: rest, connection, coziness and serenity. Revamp your living space alongside us this month as we get ready to hunker down a bit more in the months ahead.

Michelle mentioned this podcast episode with a Feng Shui consultant that is very helpful! 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect