The Link Up: Em’s Ultra Cool “Mom Bag”, Mal’s Chapstick That Actually Works, And Two Cookbooks That Will Make Your Fall WAY More Delicious

Happy Sunday ya’ll! Hope everyone who has started school or has kids in school had a smooth transition back. For a back to school gift (ha) we have THE SUNROOM REVEAL YOUTUBE VIDEO for you today!!! It’s truly such a special room and we can’t wait for you to see it all styled out. Here is a little teaser (just wait for the short ad to play) so enjoy that, then get into the links, and lastly go watch the full video:) Oh, and have a wonderful day!

This week’s house tour is an incredible warm and personal space designed by best friends turned girlfriends, model Candice Huffine and interior designer Shelly Lynch-Sparks! But the twist here was that Shelley moved into Candice’s home making it a fun challenge to create a space that fully felt like “theirs”. Go see all the beautiful choices they made.

From Emily: I got this tote/weekender bag for hauling my kids’ sports stuff in. I know it may seem like too nice of a bag for that type of use but I love the fun contrasting stripes, its size (it can hold three different sports worth of kid gear), and the fact that it snaps close if I want to. It would clearly also be a great quick-trip bag since that’s what it was technically made for. Ultimately, it’s really practical for me and makes me feel a little cool which I don’t hate:)

From Mallory: They say don’t wear white after Labor Day but 1. I disagree and 2. It’s the best time to shop for white clothing (because it’s all on sale). I recently popped into Nordy’s Rack and bought these madewell shorts on a massive sale (only $19 originally $76!!) Em wore them in this fashion post if you wanna see them styled out…you guys I cannot tell you how much I love them. I’ve worn them this entire week (because it is STILL SUMMER). Also if you didn’t find your size on Nordstrom Rack they’re also on sale for $20 on Madewell’s site here!

Also From Mallory: I used to have the craziest chapped lips 24/7 until I found this chapstick. It’s not Glossier packaging and it doesn’t taste like cookie dough (smells more like vanilla Blistex lol) but it WORKS and it actually saved my life. If you struggle with the chap and are striving for soft, kissable, luscious lips… give it a shot!

From Arlyn: For anyone who doesn’t know, September comes in like a lion with book releases, particularly of the recipe variety. I’ve long been awaiting the release of two titles, one from my favorite food follow on social media Dan Pelosi (a.k.a. @grossypelosi), and the other from a kind-of-friend-turned-pasta-superstar Meryl Feinstein. Dan’s Let’s Eat is the kind of book you just want to hug every few pages while going through it. Plus, his Italian-American recipes (many of which come from his own family) are legit delicious and perfect for cozy season. And I guess because I can’t get enough pasta, I’m also recommending Meryl’s Pasta Every Day. I’ve never made a recipe of hers that didn’t immediately make me moan out loud upon taking a bite (plus her pasta dough recipe is my go-to after trying many, many others). If not for yourself, grab a few copies of each for any of your foodie friends for the upcoming holidays. They will LOVE these, I promise. 🙂 

From Jess: I am on the hunt for a curling iron because I found out I will be doing my own hair for my brother’s wedding…While this may be no big deal to most people, I am NOT a natural at doing my hair for events. So I need to get a curling iron and practice ASAP since I only have a month. When I asked Emily’s hair and makeup stylist, Alyssa Fitchie, what she recommends, she said for a more professional option that BaBylissPRO was great (she likes this one). Then for an awesome even more affordable option, this Hot Tools one does a great job. She says she uses a 1-inch barrel for most styles in case you don’t know where to start! Wish me luck:)

From Caitlin: I have a new favorite podcast!!! (And that’s huge news, coming from the type of person who struggles to muster up enthusiasm for some of the series that my friends love. It’s just rare to find a podcast that can really hold my attention for the long term, you know?) It’s called Search Engine, it’s hosted by PJ Vogt (of Reply All fame – notably my former favorite podcast!), and OMG I LOVE IT. Remember how exciting the early days of blogs were, when you’d log on and excitedly scroll through updates from people who felt like real-life friends? THAT’S HOW THIS FEELS, IN AUDIO FORM. Every week(ish), PJ answers a question – is airplane coffee safe to drink? (This one surprised me.) Why can’t we just turn office buildings into housing? (So much good info!) How did fentanyl end up in, well, everything? (Fascinating reporting, conveyed with lots of humanity.) – but I haven’t stopped thinking about the “does anybody really like their job?” episode since it dropped early this month. As a person who does love (not even like! Love!) their gig, I really enjoyed the exploration of how your ambition affects your happiness (or does it?!), and tapping an Amex employee-turned-rockstar as the central storyline was a pretty brilliant narrative move. If you’ve never really been able to get into podcasts, PLEASE give this one a try. It’s really great, I swear!!!

Also from Caitlin: How am I just now finding out that Draper James carries the world’s cutest affordable shoe selection? I stumbled upon these bow-front denim mules while compiling yesterday’s fall dress roundup and I could not be more impressed! Love the leg-elongating shape, the comfortable block heel (it’s padded and SUPER low, but it adds just the right amount of polish!), and the attention to detail (did you clock the cute scallops on the heel of the footbed?). The price is more than fair for the quality and they’ll be so easy to style all fall alongside my black jeans or colored corduroys! (Next up: eyeing these plum velvet mary janes with a brass heel for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hoping they don’t sell out before I save up!)

From Gretchen: A few weeks ago I was grocery shopping in Whole Foods and decided to mosey on down the beauty aisle. I love to peek at their natural skin care and was glad to see a bunch of items marked down. These Glow Pads were among those on sale, which is mostly why I bought them, but also because they promised to brighten up my skin. And brighten they did! This is totally TMI, but for the longest time, I have been bothered by my darker underarms and have tried just about everything to lighten them. While these little pads have worked well on my face, they’ve done wonders for my pits! Now, I’m no doctor, so tread lightly if you try this yourself, but so far I’ve had zero irritation and a noticeable lightening going on under there. Plus, they just smell divine and make me feel fresher with every swipe.

We have been heartbroken over the news of last week’s earthquake in Morocco. Here is a really helpful article of where we can all donate to help if you have the means to. Sending all of our love and hopefully we can all send resources.

Also, our comment section was broken this week and if you tried to leave a question about Em’s floors, please try again now that everything is working again! See you all for our VERY SPECIAL farmhouse reveal and be sure to watch Em’s really exciting YouTube video<3>

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD | Art directed by Emily Henderson | Styling/Design led by Velinda Hellen and Emily Bowser | From: In Defense of the Comfy Sectional—A Friend’s Almost-Finished Family Room

THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE.