Magnolia Aesthetics
HerKentucky Partner Magnolia Aesthetics provides beautiful results!
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer | Sandals: Jack Rogers (old)
I’m so excited to share a new collaboration with y’all today! I’ve partnered with Magnolia Aesthetics to provide HerKentucky readers with honest reviews and let you know about the latest services and promotions. Magnolia Aesthetics is located at 149 Chenoweth Lane in Louisville’s St Matthews neighborhood. You can keep up with all my Magnolia reviews on their HerKentucky Partner page!
I don’t know about y’all, but I find all the information that’s out there about beauty treatments to be more than a little overwhelming. I mean, I love a good facial, have always been curious about Botox, and have never loved the chemical peel process. But, there are so many spas out there, so many treatments I don’t really understand, and a lot of folks whom I’ve seen use the wrong treatments. I’ve found myself really shying away from preventative treatments because I was a little intimidated by the whole thing. Recently, however, I started to notice some lines that I didn’t want to get any deeper and a few other issues that really needed professional help. I sat down with the team at Magnolia Aesthetics to put together a plan that would help me look like myself, only better.
There are so many things that I love about Magnolia. First of all, it’s in my neighborhood and located in the shortlist for the best selfie spot in Louisville.
I also love that I don’t feel pressured to buy products or treatments that I don’t want or need. I’ve worked closely with my aesthetician and my injection specialist to determine the level of treatment that would help me feel more confident without an overdone or “fake” appearance. It’s really important to me that I age gracefully, with just a little help. Kimberlie Mobley, the co-owner and injection specialist, has been fantastic in working with me to find exactly the treatments that work for me!
I’m excited to share these treatments with you, and I hope you’ll visit Magnolia Aesthetics for your skincare needs. It’s wonderful to know that they’re a team I can really trust, and I look forward to sharing my experiences with y’all. Look for Magnolia Monday posts in the upcoming weeks!
The Best Summer Read of 2020
In a summer when most of us won’t visit the beach, author Jennifer Weiner brings a dreamy Cape Cod beach wedding to readers.
(This book review contains commissionable affiliate links to Bookshop.org, an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. Bookshop.org allows you the convenience of direct online ordering while providing financial support to America’s local bookstores. HerKentucky, LLC will receive a nominal profit from every purchase you make through these affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Visit the HerKentucky Bookshop.org shop for my latest book suggestions.)
About this book:
Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Pub: Atria Books, May 5, 2020
HerKentucky Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
It’s really crazy to think that 2020 is the summer that we’ll be reading beach books without actually visiting the beach! Even with the weird state of travel (or lack thereof) in the world right now, Jennifer Weiner’s Big Summer is the summer beach read you won’t be able to put down this summer!
Big Summer is the story of Phoebe Berg and Drue Cavanaugh. middle school frenemies who attempt to patch up their relationship in the weeks leading up to Drue’s dream wedding on Cape Cod. Daphne, a plus-sized Instagram influencer, works to forgive heiress Drue’s mean girl antics, while they both make sure to take plenty selfies for their social media accounts. A murder, a reality show bachelor, and a handsome stranger who might be covering up his past make the beach wedding unforgettable.
In the hands of a lesser author, this story could, of course, be tedious or vacuous. The brilliance of Ms. Weiner — a Princeton alumna who’s been publishing chick-lit-with-a-twist novels for nearly twenty years now — is that every character has a memorable spin, and every pop culture reference comes with wry social commentary. More importantly, it’s always wildly entertaining. Ms. Weiner addresses the current phenomena of social media influencer culture, reality dating shows, and “true crime” obsession, while making the characters complex and sympathetic. The book is poignant, romantic and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny. It’s quite a feat, really.
Another sizable feat is to publish a blockbuster beach read type of book during the summer when very few Americans are actually visiting a beach. In a fantastic podcast interview with my friend (and fellow Louisvillian!) Anne Bogel, Ms. Weiner notes that she and her publishing company made the decision to move the book’s publication date up a couple of weeks due to COVID-19 projections, after having dismissed a later date. Ms. Weiner says the conversation took the turn that “We could try to move it to the fall, although selling a book called Big Summer in September maybe not the easiest thing.” Even listening to the audiobook on my porch was an escape — I could at least imagine Drue’s champagne-and-oysters wedding! Ms. Weiner’s attention to detail — no matter how minute or outlandish — provided the perfect distraction.
Big Summer is a must-read if you loved Ms. Weiner’s previous works, are pining for the beach, or if you’re fascinated by the Spon-Con world of Instagram Influencers. Check out my constantly-growing list of Summer Book suggestions on the Bookshop.org HerKentucky Shop. Happy Reading, y’all!
How HerKentucky Partners Are Reopening
Joseph-Beth
After two crazy months of business closures, Kentucky stores and salons are starting to slowly and cautiously open their doors to customers. I thought I’d share with y’all how the HerKentucky Partners — the businesses I work with to promote some of the very finest products and services in the Bluegrass State — are adapting to safely serve their customers.
Stoneware & Co
Spas & Salons
Open now! Staff will be wearing masks and gloves; all areas will be sanitized before and after each guest. Guests are asked to sanitize hands before service and maintain six feet distance. Please reschedule appointment if exhibiting any cold or flu symptoms.
Phone lines open now! Salon opens May 27th for limited hair and nail services. A second-phase opening is forthcoming for additional hair and nail services, along with spa, massage and wax services. Blow-dry services will not be offered. Salon employees and guests are asked to wear masks, and guests are asked to limit items brought into the salon and practice six feet distancing. Guests exhibiting a fever will not be permitted to enter.
Logan’s of Lexington
Retail
Now open! Staff members will be wearing masks, cleaning all surfaces hourly, and sanitizing all shoes and garments after every try-on. Guests are required to use hand sanitizers; masks are highly recommended. Contactless checkout service, curbside delivery and in-Lexington home delivery are available.
Campus Quilt Company
Campus Quilt
Factory now open. Accepting and producing quilts. If you have any questions, please call 502-968-2850 or email at sales@campusquilt.com. Don’t forget to use code herkyquilt10 for 10% off your order!
Lexington store now open. Masks required of employees and requested for guests. Limited store capacity is being exercised, along with stringent sanitation guidelines. Employee health is being monitored Curbside delivery available.
Open now for shopping and curbside delivery according to CDC guidelines. 30-50% discount storewide to celebrate reopening!
The Peppermint Palm and Stoneware & Co
The Peppermint Palm (Lexington and Louisville)
Open now! Six customers allowed inside at a time. Hand sanitization required. All employees and customers required to use masks. Store cleaned regularly throughout the day; fitting rooms sanitized after every use.
Reopening Tuesday, May 26th, details coming soon. Curbside pickup will be available, as well as in-store shopping. Follow Stoneware’s social media for additional details. Online shop always open.
Stay safe and happy shopping, y’all!
My Favorites from the Draper James Anniversary Sale
Draper James just dropped a fabulous Anniversary Sale, y’all. Through tomorrow (Saturday 5/16), they’ll automatically take $15 off a $75+ purchase, $50 off a $150+ purchase, and $100 off a $250+ purchase. That adds up to great sales in a hurry. The best part is that wear-now spring dresses that are already on sale apply to these discounts!
Draper James is one of my very favorite brands for several reasons. I love their commitment to a classic, Southern aesthetic, and I love that, in the brand’s five year history, they’ve listened closely to shoppers’ concerns about price points and sizing. I also absolutely love that founder Reese Witherspoon has worked hard to diversify her career into new interests like the DJ label.
I thought I’d show y’all a few things I own and love from the current spring and summer collections, as well as a few new picks. First off, there’s what I call my “Jordan Baker” dress; it’s a little bit flapper and a little bit sporty, just like the golfer character in The Great Gatsby. Technically, it’s the DJ Sailor Stripe Flounce Dress. Whatever you call it, it’s so fun and will be a staple in your spring and summer wardrobe.
I’m also all about this navy ponte dress. It’s so versatile and can be dressed up or down. I LOVE pairing it with my Tretorns for an effortless everyday outfit.
Now, I’m not going to show y’all photos of myself in my unmentionables, but I did I put together a couple of cute flat lays of my favorite DJ x Lands End swimsuits. Harry insisted on helping with a few of those shots!
I am so excited about the Draper swim line this year. Swimsuits are such a personal decision, and I love any line that’s inclusive in sizing and coverage. I absolutely adore the retro bikini bottoms — they’re so stylish and provide such great coverage! I went with those in both the magnolia and gingham prints!
I will say that it took me a minute to find the right pieces in the swim collection. The one-piece swimsuits didn’t fit me on top at all, but the two-piece sets were. perfect. I plan to pair the magnolia bikini set with the coordinating rash guard as soon as we can venture out to beaches again!
There are a few pieces I’m considering picking up on this weekend’s sale. I’ve deliberated this embroidered chambray shift since I first tried it on back when we could go to stores.
I’m also in love with the gingham Keds sneakers and this linen wrap dress. OK, I pretty much love their entire spring and summer collection.
Stay Cozy with Campus Quilt
A Kentucky-based company makes THE BEST t-shirt memory quilts!
Hey y’all. We’re all spending a lot of time at home right now, and if you’re like me, you’re looking for creative ways to make your home as cozy as possible. I’ve found myself reaching for my Campus Quilts time and again!
Now, if you’ve been reading HerKentucky for a while, then you know I absolutely love Campus Quilt Company. I love that it’s a Kentucky-based, woman-owned business (the owner is actually a college classmate of mine!) and I am so impressed by the quality of their quilts. Now, y’all know I grew up in a quilting family, and I have pretty high standards for quilt quality. Campus Quilt absolutely does not disappoint.
A t-shirt quilt is such a special way to commemorate your favorite things. I’ve worked with Campus Quilt to make a quilt from my favorite Kentucky-themed shirts and one from special Kentucky Wildcats shirts. The UK one is so special because I included so many fabulous memories from Bowl Games and Basketball Championships. It’s the absolute BEST for cuddling up and watching a game!
I had to share these photos because they’re so cute, and because it’s CRAZY how much Harry has grown in six months. They also give you a great sense of the amazing attention to detail on every Campus Quilt. I highly recommend getting the flannel backing; it adds to the warmth and coziness of the quilt!
I’m already thinking of some other ways to clean out my t-shirt drawers and design a great new Campus Quilt. Some ideas I’ve had include The Black Dog Tavern shirts (Bob and I love these shirts because they look like our Labs!), Bourbon shirts (what a cool gift for any Kentuckian!) or Vineyard Vines shirts (I have so many that are Kentucky and Derby-themed!) I’ve also seen great ones with a college or sorority theme or high school sports theme as well as concert tees, race tees, or travel tees. If you loved it enough to buy a t-shirt, then you can make a cool quilt!
Campus Quilt has graciously extended a promotional code to HerKentucky readers. You can use code herkyquilt10 for 10% off your own Campus Quilt. This blog post goes through the entire process of how to get started in designing and ordering a Campus Quilt of your own! Let me know what kind of quilt you’d design in the comments!
Doggy Daycare at PetSuites Fern Creek
Stay & Play at PetSuites!
{This post was sponsored by PetSuites Fern Creek. Thanks so much to PetSuites and all the business that support HerKentucky LLC!}
Last October, we brought home the absolute cutest puppy. He’s adorable, and oh-so-sweet, but kind of a wildcard. Harry is a Labrador retriever - Great Pyrenees mix, and we aren't quite sure how big he’ll get. At nearly 6 months old, he’s already the size of a standard black Lab, which means that normal puppy behavior can easily become A LOT. We’re experienced dog owners who know how to train large dogs, but we definitely needed some help. That’s why we were so excited when PetSuites Fern Creek reached out to work with us!
Bob and I are pretty picky about our dogs and their care, and we loved that PetSuites offered us a tour of their facility. They are so committed to keeping the facility clean and to keeping the dogs safe and happy. Those are, obviously, the same goals we have for keeping our dogs in our own home, so we immediately felt at ease. We loved seeing the dogs at playtime; they were clearly having a great time! It was also nice to see that the boarding areas — with names like “luxury suites” and “condos” — looked so comfortable and inviting. Some even have TVs with animal-themed programming!
Once we were comfortable with the facility, we were really able to focus on the attention that our buddy would receive at PetSuites. Because he’s under 6 months old, Harry was placed in puppy preschool. It quickly became his favorite thing ever!
At PetSuites, Harry gets to play with other puppies his age, and there are often other large breed puppies — he’s made friends like a Cane Corso, a husky, and a Great Dane! — in his group. He’s also learning to be gentle with smaller and younger puppies. They have several controlled playtimes during the day, which ensure that he’s good and tired when I pick him up. The PetSuites staff often texts me pictures of Harry and his friends at playtime, and they post often to their Instagram and Facebook. I love getting these reminders that our little guy is happy, and I love that the PetSuites staff is so committed to his happiness! The socialization skills he’s learning will set him up for a lifetime of good behavior!
I also love that Harry gets one-one one behavioral training. He’s so much happier, more confident, and more controlled in his behavior. After the first week at PetSuites, we noticed that he immediately put himself in a sit position while trying to let us know what he needed. He’s flourishing after only a couple of weeks! The best part is that he is so excited to go to PetSuites! When I say “let’s go to school”, he’s so excited to get in the car! I know that he loves his friends — both canine and human — at PetSuites and that he loves the experience. I can go about my work day knowing that Harry is happy and stimulated. It’s a great setup for us all!
PetSuites Fern Creek has graciously offered a promo code to extend Harry’s great experience to y’all and your furry friends. Use code SOCIAL35 when booking online, and you’ll receive $35 off your first service at PetSuites Fern Creek (boarding, grooming, or daycare). I hope your pets love the PetSuites philosophy of “Stay & Play” as much as Harry does!
Needlepoint Instagram
Using social media to revive interest in a longtime hobby
I’ve been needlepointing for a long time, y’all. If you can believe it, my first needlepoint project was way back in 1994; a belt to coordinate with my sorority jersey. Needlepoint belts were huge at my college; it felt like every girl at Transylvania worked on a belt for herself, her boyfriend, or her dad.
Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of crafty hobbies. I’ve learned to knit and cross-stitch; while I enjoy both of these, I always come back to needlepoint. It’s one of my very favorite stress-relievers, and I love the creative forms that so many needlepoint projects take. I started needlepointing seriously again a couple of years ago. I started back into it by making a few belts for Bob, including this University of Kentucky campus belt and this black Lab Christmas ornament.
Around the time I started to get interested in needlepoint again, I started to notice that a lot of folks were spending their free time stitching as well. I ran across an article that coined the utterly wonderful term “grandmillenial”, and I soon found a social media community of other folks who enjoy needlepoint as much as I do. I created a HerKentucky Stitches Instagram account a few months ago just for needlework projects; I didn’t want to bore my Instagram followers with a ton of needlepoint-related content. In addition to my ongoing needlepoint and cross-stitch projects, I decided this would be a fun place to post photos of the gorgeous quilts my grandmother has made for me over the years.
Y’all, I’ve had so much fun with needlepoint Instagram. I’ve discovered so many fun new techniques and ideas that have improved the quality of my needlepoint projects. There are so many needlepoint stitches that I didn’t know about, and a whole world of needlepoint designers and shops that have passionate followings. It’s so nice to take a hobby I’ve had for years and learn ways that I can improve!
I’ve also found myself learning to use Instagram in a totally new way. I’m less concerned with being a “content creator” for this small, niche account, and more interested in learning from others’ ideas. Did you know that you can save others’ Instagram posts and sort them into collections? Even better, these saved posts are completely private — nobody sees your saved posts! It’s like your own private Pinterest! I save stitch ideas, ornament ideas, etc., on my needlepoint account for future reference. It’s a great time-saver!
It’s so fun to use social media to renew my interest in a longtime favorite hobby and to learn new tips! If needlepoint is your thing, join me at HerKentucky Stitches!