**This blog contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

These are unusual times friends. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster in every way. There have been many blessings, like more family time and appreciating the simple things but a lot of disappointments and challenges as well. Things like sport events, celebrations, church gatherings have all been cancelled but the seasons are still changing, people are still having birthdays and all of this time we are spending at home is bound to give you the urge to change up your home decor.

I started blogging because I have always had a passion for sharing things I love that make life a little better, easier or just more fun! I also love home decorating, crafts, clothes, art, photography and more recently getting in shape and staying fit! My love for these things has led me to discover several online companies that absolutely love and use frequently for business or for fun. I find myself recommending them to friends all the time which inspired me to become an affiliate for several of them! Because “traditional shopping” is not really possible right now and because I truly love these brands, I thought I would share them and maybe fill a need for someone or just take your mind off things for a while with a little online “window shopping”. Many of these companies are also small businesses so if you happen to make a purchase you will be helping them as well.

Decor Steals

Check out their amazing home decor here:

Oh what I wouldn’t give to go down to the West Bottoms here in Kansas City and walk around some of my favorite home decorating shops. Since that isn’t an option right now, this family owned business is the next best thing. With new “steals” coming out every day it’s become a favorite place to check out and buy some fun things to update our home. One of my favorite pieces in our entryway came from here years ago…our giant angel wings!

Cricut

This year I decided to spend my Christmas money on a Cricut Machine and I am so thankful that I did! I have used it so much and absolutely love coming up with new designs and creative ideas. My favorite thing so far has been designing shirts but I have so many projects and ideas I want to try! If you don’t have a Cricut yet, or if you need some supplies for yours you can check out all of their machines, tools and products on their site where there are almost always sales and bargains!

CLICK BELOW TO SHOP CRICUT MACHINES AND PRODUCTS!

Also, here is my Etsy shop if you would like to check out some of my designs. 🙂

Minted

Well this is company just speaks to my soul and I think it’s one of the coolest things and best places to get personal gifts, beautiful art, invitations or many other unique items. Independent artists submit their work and then it gets voted on and the winning submissions are sold on the site. I recommend them to many clients because of both their photography related items and their beautiful invitations and save the dates but it’s also a great place to find meaningful gifts for loved ones!

Canvas On Demand

Get those beloved photos on the walls! Canvases are my favorite way to display our family photos and Canvas On Demand is my “go-to” for all of our canvases. The quality is fantastic and they won’t break the bank! If you feel like you are sitting around staring at the same ‘ole walls lately, this is a great way to mix things up a little.

Stitch Fix

Click here to schedule your first Fix and try it out!

In the middle of all of this “staying at home” the world is still turning which means the seasons are changing and although you might be spending a little more time in your pjs or leggings than usual, you are going to want to wear real clothes at some point. I actually have been making it a point to put on some cute clothes and do my hair and make-up most days of the week. It just feels good to look good. I also recently lost a lot of weight (which I will be sharing next) and none of my clothes from last spring or summer fit. I LOVE Stitch Fix for so many reasons.

• A box full of clothes picked out especially for you arrives on your doorstep as often as you like…how fun is that?!
• The quality and fit of everything I have received is amazing!
• I hate returning things. It’s usually such a hassle. But Stitch Fix makes it so easy to return anything you don’t want. Just throw them in the postage paid package enclosed with your Fix and drop them in the mail!
• You can try pieces on with clothes you already own! It’s a lot easier to decide if you would actually wear or use something when you can see how it looks with things you already own!
• Skip Fixes anytime. If you don’t want to receive your regularly scheduled Fix, simply go online and skip it. No obligation at any time!

Noom

So this isn’t really shopping, but it is something amazing that I have to share because it literally changed my life in so many ways and also because now is the PERFECT time for it to change yours too! Years of putting everything and everyone before myself resulted in putting on some extra pounds that I did not love. I had no interest in any weight loss program I had ever seen though because most of them involved depriving yourself of things and made no sense to me long term. I didn’t just want to lose weight, I wanted to get fit and healthy in a realistic way that I could keep up for life. I saw something about Noom on social media, read only a little bit about the program and new it was for me so I tried the free 2 week trial which I loved (and lost 5 pounds doing) and was hooked. I started in September of 2019 and hit my goal weight (35 pounds lost) on Christmas Eve and let me tell you it was the BEST Christmas gift I could have ever given myself. I decided to lose another 5 pounds…because why not and now over 4 months later I am easily maintaining my perfect weight, started working out and run 5k weekly ( I was training for a race that has sadly been postponed but I will keep running and be ready!). This program is real. It deals with the mental aspect of why YOU eat what you eat and helps you relearn how to eat in a healthy way while enjoying anything your heart desires in moderation. I got so excited about this program and the thought of sharing it with others that it is the very thing that inspired me to become an affiliate and use my platforms to share all the things that I love. CLICK ON THE NOOM PHOTO ABOVE TO GET YOUR PLAN, START YOUR TRIAL AND START LOSING! You won’t regret it and when you can finally leave your homes and see friends again, won’t they be surprised!!