A Few of our Favorite Things


Casey’s mom, Jan, hosts a “Favorite Things” party each year where she invites family and friends to come together to eat, drink, and share their ‘favorite thing’ from the year. The party is not only designed to bring family and friends together to enjoy the holidays, but it is also an opportunity to hear from 30+ women about their favorite things this year (and hopefully get some gift ideas for the special people in your life!). Here’s how the party works:

  • Every party attendee figures out what their favorite thing is from the year (we try to stay around the $30-$40 range)
  • You then buy 3 of that item
  • You bring all of those items to the party and “pitch” the group as to why it’s the absolute best item that you cannot live without!
  • Then we draw numbers and everyone slowly goes up and chooses 3 new items to bring home with them

This year’s party did NOT disappoint… we had a BLAST celebrating last weekend (thanks Jan!!). Here are our favorite things that we brought to the party and the three items we each took home!

Casey:

11-nightstand-books-photo-booth-picturesIt’s always so hard for me to come up with my favorite thing, but this year wasn’t very difficult. I went with the phone case collection by our good friend (& blogger) Laura Trevey! Laura is a watercolor artist and her artwork now appears on a line of amazing iPhone cases. I get so many compliments on my phone (in the above picture), so I figured it was only fitting to showcase my item to the group.

Here’s what I got from the party…

Dior Blush // Kiehl’s Lotion Kit // Body Scrub

Bridget:

J. Crew Necklace Christmas My favorite thing from 2015 is this J. Crew necklaceย (on sale)ย that I wear with literally EVERYTHING! And after hearing all of the ladies gush about their favorite things, I went home with these three new items. I can’t wait to give them all a try and hope they quickly join my collection of favorites!

Plaid scarf ย // Naked Makeup Palette ย // A FRESH and festive pine that I added to my Christmas decor.ย 

Choosing our ONE favorite thing for this annual tradition is actually a little harder than it sounds! To try and think of one item that is not only our favorite, but would also be enjoyed by a large group of women of all ages/sizes/styles/etc is tough! So as we brainstormed over the past month of our favorite thing, we noted other items we still LOVE but didn’t make the party cut. Here are the items that we are currently loving and would definitely be a part of our collection of “Favorite Things” in 2015.

Bridget:Bridget Favorite Things Mood Board

    • Bad hair day? This is my go-to hat these days.
    • I wear this necklace all the time (work, weekends, our Christmas card… literally all the time!) It beat out the others as my favorite thing!
    • I have a collection of these (super comfortable) flannels on repeat. << love the fit but they seem to run big so make sure you check out the size chart.
    • I get so many compliments on this vest and I love it because it matches with everything! (I got mine online for 50% off so keep those eyes peeled for a good deal)
    • This sweatshirt is so darn comfortable and I love the stripes + collar.
    • These sunglasses are a holiday splurge
    • I bought these super comfortable TOMS gymshoes for both of my sisters’ birthday recently and they love them!
    • This scarf is a repeat favorite thing from last season…. which shows how much I really love, love, LOVE it. It seems to magically match with everything, it’s warm AND it’s super affordable. #winwinwin
    • I’ve come to love (& learn!)ย my camera even more this year and am looking to add some photography accessories to my wishlist this year. Maybe this camera strap, maybe a new lens… any suggestions from our photographers tuning in? <– I need some advice!!
    • Loving pretty much all the home decor accessories at Target lately (like these gray + gold accent pieces). Can Target ever do wrong?! #notreally
    • Scored 6 of these mid-century inspired dining chairs in our dining room and I am officially OBSESSED with them. They definitely make my favorite things list this year. Now if only I can find counter stools I love this much…
    • As you can tell from my xmas home tour, I’m totally crushing on fresh wreaths this year! We added one to our family room and it looks great, but more importantly, it smells AH-MAZING all the time.

Casey:Casey Favorite Thing Mood Board

    • I get so many compliments on this phone case. That’s why it was my favorite thing for the party!
    • I’m pretty much obsessed with the scent of every single Anthropologie candle.
    • Read this book cover to cover in one night. She is my spirit animal.
    • I have these Sperry boots on my Christmas wishlist. Bridget makes them look so good, so I added them to my Christmas list.
    • My obsession with marble continues. I think this laptop case would keep me extra motivated in 2016.
    • Speaking of being organized in the new year, I hope to find this daily planner under the Christmas tree!
    • My love for Toms shoes runs deep. Gotta add another pair to my closet.
    • Many people on my holiday list will receive this gorgeous throw this year. I love how you can personalize it with a monogram for a few extra bucks!
    • Our vintage bar cart is on its last leg…so I’m thinking this one would be a nice replacement.
    • This undereye concealer is a lifesaver when I don’t get 8-9 hours of zzzzz’s.

So if you were coming to our Favorite Things Party…what would you bring? We always love learning about new-to-us products, so spill!

Bridget and Casey Signature


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.