Happy Hour No. 20


To us, Happy Hour is a time to sit back, relax, and catch up with friends. Itโ€™s a time to chat about everything and anything, and thatโ€™s exactly what we bring to DIY Playbookโ€™s monthly Happy Hour.

These monthly posts are a chance to catch up with friends and bring just a little extra happy to your day. So grab your coffee (or champagne) and letโ€™s catch up!

Casey

  • Do you guys follow Orlando Soria on Instagram? If not, go follow this guy! He is absolutely hilarious and his style is on point. Orlando used to work for Emily Henderson and heย recently wrote a design book called…”Get it Together!” I pre-ordered the book and it recently came. Can’t wait to dive in to what I’m sure will be a hilarious & entertaining home decor book.
  • White Jeans // Purse // Navy Top // Necklace // Sandals

  • My wallet got stolen on a video shoot earlier this month (boooooo!), which meant I had to purchase a new wallet. I always buy my wallets from Nordstrom Rack because they have a huge selection and good prices. I considered this Michael Kors wallet and this Marc Jacobsย one, but ultimately ended up going with this one. It’s the perfect size to hold all of my cash, cards, and receipts!
  • I recently added this mascara to my makeup bag and I’m loving it so far! Volumizing without getting too clumpy, plus you can’t beat that price!
  • I’m just about out of my favorite perfume…Marcย Jacobs, Daisy. I’ve worn this scent for the past 2 years or so, but I’m thinking about trying something new. I love the perfume sampler at Sephora where you can try out a bunch of their most popular scents, and then once you find the perfect one you return a voucher to get a full bottle. Such a good deal.

Bridget

  • Since my skin hasn’t seen the sun in way too long and I’m starting to look transparent, I bought this tanning lotion. I’ve been using it in the shower and love that it gives me just a hint of color without looking like I’m wearing self-tanner. But note that the “light” is very, very light. I would probably opt to buy the “medium” next time around.
  • The felt pads on my island stools kept falling off and they were driving me crazy. I bought these chair leg covers to replace the old felt and I can’t believe it took me this long to switch over. These chair covers are like little shoes for our chairs and I love them.ย 

Jeans // Wedges // Blouse // Glasses

  • I bought these jeans recently because they are high-waisted and have the perfect amount of stretch. And I’m hoping these new wedges get a lot of use throughout the Spring and Summer. They’re versatile and pretty comfy too!

From Left to Right — First Blouse || Second Blouse || Third Blouse || Fourth Tank ($15!)

  • I did a couple of try-on sessions on Insta-stories and these few pieces were some of my favorites. Since I have a few places I’d rather not draw attention to on my post-baby body, I’m on the hunt for items that are comfortable yet flattering in the midsection. All of these items fit that bill… and were affordable too!
  • Now that I’m 30, I’m trying to slowly establish a healthy skincare routine. Before now all I did to take care of my skin was wash it with dial soap. I’m absolutely CLUELESS about any and all skincare and need all the help I can get. I eventually plan on sharing my progress on the blog and even signed up for some local skincare classes to start learning a bit more about it. If you guys have any tried and true products (preferably more natural options), I’m all ears!!
  • And thanks to everyone who helped me find a gray bridesmaid dress for my BFF’s wedding in June!! I landed on this one for $29!!!!! I’ll be sure to share some pictures of the wedding in June’s happy hour. =) You guys are the best!

Link Love

Casey’s Updates

As you guys know (from this post), I turned 30 last Sunday. My family went above and beyond to make me feel special for my big day, and I feel so blessed and grateful to celebrate such a milestone.

Everyone knows I love me some champagne, so we did a family brunch with bottomless mimosas, which was absolutely amazing. No more birthday dinners for me, I’ll stick to birthday brunches! I had a great day with my mom, siblings, & Finn and we even did a little photo shoot in front of this cool mural in my neighborhood. How cute are they?!

But Finn really made this birthday a special one…

Finn took me on a “secret getaway”. He told me to block off my calendar for the weekend and told me we’d be heading on a 4-day trip where the weather would be 85 degrees and sunny (so I could pack accordingly). I had no clue where we were heading until we got to the airport! It was so fun to be surprised and just go along for the ride. Plus, he nailed this trip!

He took me to Scottsdale, Arizona for a spa weekend at The Scott Resort. This hotel is newly re-designed and the interior was stunning. I wanted to take pictures of all the things!

We had delicious dinners outside, laid by the pool during the day, and did multiple spa treatments over the course of our stay.

We also went to an event at this gorgeous resort on Camelback Mountain called, “Flutes & Coops.” It was a food & wine festival featuring champagne & fried chicken. Ummm…yes, please! All the champagne I can drink = my heaven!It was amazing to get away for a few days and have some relaxing time just us two. (To see more from our trip, you can check out our Insta Story Highlights under the “Finn Family” tab. We shared lots of fun peeks at our trip on there!)

Bridget’s Updates

When people told me to cherish every minute with your newborn, they weren’t kidding! How in the world is this little guy two months old already?! Ben started smiling this past month and I just can’t even. The kid is just too darn cute (although I may be a little biased). Watching him grow, slowly learning his personality, and waiting for those little smiles has been so much fun. He’s such an easygoing baby and has such an old soul. He’s like a little grandpa in a baby body… so much so that my mom calls him “Benjamin Buttons” and I laugh every time.

I’m also feeling physically more myself this month. I joined a gym (crazy, I KNOW!) and have been consistently working out before Matt leaves for work. Ben gets up for a feeding around 4:30 and usually I’ll leave to workout right after that. I’m definitely not doing anything very impressive at the gym, but just getting there and working up a sweat feels like a huge win… especially since I haven’t consistently worked out in YEARS.ย  Baby steps, right?! Plus, hitting the gym has motivated me to eat cleaner and makes me feel better all around. But don’t be too impressed with my 5:00am workout… most days I fit a nap in later in the day. ๐Ÿ˜‰ #maternityleaverocks

The rest of my month was spent with our families. We hosted a party for my extended family, had a few more visitors over to meet Ben, and got a few items off of our to-do list. We’re making a little progress behind-the-scenes for both our landscaping makeover (we’re ripping everything out and starting over!) and our kitchen remodel. Both still have a ways to go in the planning department but we have to start somewhere, right? Once we have more set details, of course, you guys will be the first to know!

April was fun and all, but man… we are ready for May. Chicago has been unseasonably cold this spring and we are ready for some warmer temps! Anyone else?!

Bridget&Casey

P.S. If you want to see a live home tour of B’s house, be sure to follow us on Instagram! She’ll be walking us around her house this weekend and dishing on the good, bad and ugly (aka the current state of her bedroom and her old, dark kitchen). Lots to check out and we hope to see you then!


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.