Pedal Parlour: A Sweet New Adventure

Ahhhh… it’s been a long time coming! I’ve been working on launching Pedal Parlour for several months now. If you’re a business owner you already know they don’t make things easy. There’s hidden costs, research, renovation, you name it and at the end of the day so many people don’t start small businesses because of the hoops you have to jump through.

I have to say, I’m one of the lucky ones. I was smart when I chose my husband and friends. My sister is a fantastic photographer and did all of our photos, my husband has tons of food service knowledge, my bestie from college is a marketing/event guru in the big city, and my other BFF knows everything there is to know about what’s going on locally. They’ve all helped me and i’m extremely grateful.

So, you might be wondering what in the world made me want to start a bike cart that serves frozen and sweet treats… I’ve always had a hankering for creating some magic right here in the Ozarks. I’ve ran through multiple ideas that I often chose not to pursue do to over saturation in the area or just a lack of interest once I got started. The one thing that never changed was wanting to bring something to the area that made me think of some of my favorite vacation spots. Chances are you know we love a good Disney trip or if we’re not riding slinky dog we’re probably spending a couple weeks a year on 30a… Those trips heavily influenced my plans for Pedal Parlour. It’s the magic of grabbing a Mickey shaped ice cream bar on a sunny day on Mainstreet USA or the thrill of walking down food truck row in Seaside without a care in the world that gave me all of the inspiration I needed. I think you will all be surprised at some of the fun things we have coming up! Everything from grabbing a cookie kit with the one and only Mrs. Claus this winter to visiting us during one of our Magic on Mainstreet events we are going to be adding a little flare to what you typically see in the area! Beyond that, we’re excited to add a beautiful touch to your wedding, baby shower, birthday, graduation party, summer get together, or neighborhood pool party!

If you’ve read this far you’re a real one! I’m so grateful for all of the encouragement — Please follow on all social channels to see the ups and downs of starting this fun business! Go behind the scenes at events and learn how my small business is creating small town magic!

Thanks for following along!

XO,

Chasity

A Lovely Guide to: Saving Cash At the Grocery Store in 2022

As prices continue to rise at the pump and the grocery store many Americans are trying to find ways to save on groceries. If you’re like me, I was already spending a small fortune to feed my family of four long before the prices went up. Now, it seems like I’m just lighting money on fire with every grocery purchase. So, here’s the 411 on how you can save money on everyday purchases!

This pretty much sums up how I feel about inflation.

Use grocery pick up: It seems simple but I’ve tested this one out and I definitely spend more money in store than I do when I shop online. If you’re an impulse buyer like myself, planning out meals and utilizing grocery pick up will save you a few bucks simply from not being tempted to buy things you don’t need. It also keeps you out of the store with the kids in tow— Taking kids to the grocery store makes it much more difficult to say no to items you don’t have on your list.

Compare prices between stores: Sounds simple but it’s A LOT of work. I get it. Nothing annoys me more than having to shop at multiple grocery stores. I would love to be able to get everything I need at one location and go home knowing I saved the most money. From what I can tell that probably isn’t possible. For me, I alternate between Aldi ( which is typically cheapest particularly on produce), Walmart, Costco, Sams Club, and every couple of months —Trader Joes when I’m near one. While I really want to just buy everything at Aldi, they simply don’t offer everything I need on my list— regardless we ALWAYS save money if we shop there first so I highly suggest you do the same if you aren’t already.

Use an app that will pay you to shop: I have been doing this consistently. It’s so simple— you just scan your receipt into the app and earn points that can be converted to gift cards. I’ll link it here if you’re interested in my favorite one. CLICK HERE

Pay with a rewards card: 100 percent honesty- we have no credit card debt and it’s not something I would typically recommend, but with prices on the rise every little bit helps. I recently got a rewards credit card to use when I buy groceries because it gives me cash back. I pay the balance in full the same day I make my purchase and I earn cash. Find one that works for you and utilize it for the rewards.

Buy in bulk when an item you use regularly is a good price: This is pretty self explanatory but it does save money. Find a good deal- stock up!

Go meat free: Try meatless Monday! Meat prices are insane right now— As we go into spring choose one night to try making meals without meat. it has a serious impact on cost and allows you to try new things and get creative. Plus, with so many delicious summer veggies on the horizon it’s a great time to eat simple and fresh. (Don’t get me wrong, I love a good steak and a good farmer I’m just saying you can cut some cost this way)

Set a food budget: I have been terrible about this in the past. But beyond setting a budget- pull up the calculator on your phone and actually tally up your total before you pay.

Shop Midweek: Experts say that “deals” are most likely to happen on Wednesdays. So, if you’re like me and always run to the grocery store on Sunday this new practice might save you some cash!

Ask for a deal: Yes, even at the grocery store. Notice something you’re buying expires soon? Ask if it can be discounted. It happens- and yes, I’ve tried it.

Don’t shop eyelevel: Dave Ramsey suggests shopping for foods that are above or below eye level because they will cost less than what’s directly in front of your eyes.

Organize your pantry and fridge: This is something I love and it’s about more than how it looks. If your pantry and fridge are organized you’re more likely to know what you already have in stock rather than buying duplicates. It’s also easier to create meals with items you already have rather than wondering if you need to go spend more money at the store on dinner. The biggest money saver is to use what you have rather than spending more. Get creative- what can you make from your own pantry/fridge?

Grow your own or shop the farmers market at the end of the day: Raised garden beds in your backyard might save you a bundle this summer if you plant things you regularly buy. Hitting up the farmer’s market? Go at the end of the day and negotiate a deal!

Buy Rotisserie Chicken: Did you know Costco’s rotisserie chickens (located at the back of the store) are there simply to get you in the door and shopping around. As a matter of fact, it costs you more to purchase and make your own chicken at home. Costco doesn’t even make any profit on the chickens… and they’re delicious. Buy a couple and shred them up to use in school lunches, salads, soups etc.

Meal Plan and Eat Leftovers: Start simple. Meal planning completely overwhelms me but I know we like to have tacos once a week and typically grill out SO I always keep food items that allow me to make both meal options in one way or another. I also focus on making things I know we might actually consider heating and eating for lunch the next day. (Truth be told we are just now getting the hang of this but it does make a difference- baby steps, right?)

EAT WHAT YOU BUY: Do you always buy a bag of lettuce and let it rot in your fridge? I’m guilty of it too. Buy your fruits and veggies and prep them when you get home. Your kids and yourself will be way more likely to go through neatly washed and prepped fruits and veggies which means you eat healthier and save money buy not being wasteful.

Have any tips you think should be added? shoot me an email or message me on Instagram @oh_lovely_blog and I’ll reshare.

XO,

Chasity

A Lovely Guide to: New Baby Must Haves (Via my niece, Eleanor Daisy)

Literally a perfect baby.

Ahhhhhh that new baby smell— it doesn’t get much better. If you’re following along on Instagram you know that we have a brand spanking new baby niece! My sister’s sweet baby girl, Eleanor Daisy, was born close to a week ago and we’ve been in love ever since. It’s been a minute since I’ve had a newborn so I thought it might be helpful to link up some of baby Ellie’s fave new products!

So, if you’re expecting a new baby or need a gift I’ll link some of our favorites on Like to Know It …

CLICK HERE to see our faves

Like to Know It is SUPER easy to navigate. Just download the Like to Know It app and search for ohlovelyblog then click follow. You’ll be able to shop products fast and easy!

XO,

Chasity

Auntie ChaCha can’t get enough!

I wasn’t able to link this swaddle but they are by Matilda Jane Clothing and we love them

professional baby cuddler

Eleanor Daisy meeting Dorthene Daisy

Buying a Zoo Membership Can Save You BIG Money This Summer

If you were following along on Instagram stories last weekend you know we became “members” of our local zoo. We had done some research earlier that day and realized that for only 40.00 more our entire family could visit the zoo anytime we want for a year. I didn’t think much else of it until I did a little bit more research on the perks of an “AZA Reciprocal Membership” — that’s the kind our zoo offers.

Beyond a discount on food and merchandise I was shocked to find out that the membership gets you free admission or half off admission at all zoos that participate in the reciprocal membership program! The list is fairly extensive and it would be a fun way to base your travel this summer and get the most out of your membership! The Siron fam will be hitting up tons of zoos in 2021. We’re most excited about heading to the Omaha Zoo in a month or so!

You can click HERE to check out the list of AZA RECIPROCAL ZOOS

Questions?

Shoot me an email or private message me on insta!

XO,

Chasity

Riding the train at the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, MO

Adventures With Diventures

With Spring just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start focusing on water safety! While Beau loves the water, we wanted to focus on getting him familiar with the basics of being a safe swimmer. Diventures has swimming programs for every level and we’ve had a great experience so far.

Here are a few of my favorite features of Diventures swim programs:

Learning the basics at Diventures in Springfield, MO

1. You start by getting a trial lesson. The trial lesson gives your child a one on one session and assessment to see what class your child needs to be enrolled in. For us, it also allowed the instructor to understand our speech delay and see if we needed one on one instruction or if we could be in a class setting. We ended up in a class and our first session went well!

2. Class sizes are small. We ended up having one other child in Beau’s class, but they limit class sizes to 4. Classes are formed by age and ability.

3. You meet weekly on the same day for monthly sessions. I love that they have a huge variety of swim times from morning to evening classes.

4. Family swim is another favorite feature! Family swim allows families to get in the pool at designated times for swimming! If you’re signed up for classes with auto pay, family swim is completely free!

5. The 88 degree pool water and 90 degree deck air makes every swimming experience perfection!

6. You get a “passport” when you start swim lessons. Your instructor will mark off milestones as your child achieves them. It’s a fun keepsake

I will continue to keep you updated as we progress over the next two months at Diventures!

For more information on pricing or scheduling classes CLICK HERE.

XO,

Chasity

**Note: This is a collaboration with Diventures. I was given free classes in exchange for sharing my opinion. All opinions are my own.

Magnolia Table: JoJo’s Biscuits

I’ve always wanted to work my way through a cookbook. I was looking for a book that would stretch me in my cooking ability. After looking though all of the recipes in Magnolia Table I decided it would be my first go at cooking the entire book! The recipes inside aren’t typically something i would try and that’s exactly what made me decide to use it. I hope you guys get inspiration from these weekly posts! Feel free to grab your Magnolia Table cookbook or any cookbook and use it as a tool over the next few months to draw your family close, try new things, and create memories!

February 30, 2021 I made my first recipe from the book. I’m going in order from start to finish.

The first recipe was JoJo’s Biscuits. Overall the recipe wasn’t that hard to make and they turned out great for a first timer.

These posts will always go live on Sunday so you all can add items to your grocery list if you need to.

I’d give it an 8/10.

MY NOTES:

Jo suggests making sure each biscuit is touching before baking

Take the time to grate your butter.

Use biscuit Cutters.

Chill your dough before baking.

Let your kids help.

Make these on a special day and don’t count a single calorie.

CLICK HERE to purchase my must haves for making this recipe.

JOJO'S BISCUITS

PREP: 20 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes chilling COOK: 15 to 20 minutes COOL: 5 minutes

Makes about 20 biscuits

• 4 cups self-rising flour, plus more for the work surface

• 2 tablespoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ¾ pound (3 sticks) salted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch pieces or grated

• 2 large eggs, beaten, plus 1 large egg for brushing

• 1½ cups buttermilk, or as needed, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing

• Jam or gravy, for serving

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are even and about the size of peas.

Brushed with an egg and buttermilk ready for the oven.

2. Stir in the beaten eggs with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir in 1½ cups buttermilk until the dough comes together into a sticky mass. If it is too dry, add more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until it reaches the correct consistency. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

3. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Scrape the dough onto a floured work surface. Use your floured hands to press it into a round roughly 14 inches across and about ½ inch thick.

5. Use a floured 2¾- inch round cutter to cut out about 20 biscuits. If necessary, collect and pat out the scraps to cut more biscuits.

6. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet, arranging them so that they all are touching.

7. In a small dish, beat together the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Brush the mixture on the top of the biscuits.

8. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly in the pan on a rack.

This week we are making Pop’s Strawberry jam… But we often use Smucker’s Sugar Free

9. Biscuits are best the day they are made (and ideally fresh out of the oven!). Serve with strawberry jam or gravy, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

NOTE: For longer storage, arrange the biscuits about ½ inch apart on two parchment-paper-lined baking sheets and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a zip-top plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 weeks. There is no need to thaw them before baking.

From Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines. Copyright © 2018 by Joanna Gaines.

Thanks for following along.

XO,

Chasity

Jojo’s Biscuits from Magnolia Table By Joanna Gaines

Weight Watchers Charcuterie Board

Happy New Year’s Eve everyone! If you’re following along on Instagram you already know that I’ve been back on my beloved Weight Watchers for a few days …We are doing a HUGE charcuterie board tonight! If you’re needing something to throw together last minute that won’t completely derail your diet I’ve put together a list of fantastic low point foods that will work beautifully on a board!

Here’s some inspo for ya! This beautiful photo is from dwardcooks.com

Grocery List:

pickles

olives

berries

any variety of good thins crackers

apples

hummus

salsa

carrots

peppers

veggie straws

fat free turkey/ham

turkey bacon

asiago cheese

babybell cheese

laughing cow cheese

Throwing a few of these options on a pretty tray could be the perfect solution to over indulging this NYE! If you’re also making a board tonight please tag me on Insta! I’d love to see what you did and I’ll be sharing mine tonight as well.

I’m also going to throw together a fun board for the kids! Such a fun and easy way to make them feel special and included.

XO,

Chasity

A Very Covid Christmas Bucket List

I’m not going to lie, I can already feel myself getting a little down and out about this pandemic and the holiday season. It’s so easy to let it's emotional pull depress and suck the joy out of you. So, with that being said, I thought now would be a great time to share a Christmas bucket list that’s covid friendly. These are things we will be doing at home or close to home to beat the corona holiday blues. As a lover of all things Christmas, I refuse to make the 2020 holiday season any less magical. Honestly, the magic all starts at home anyway and that’s the one place we can always be. Make the effort and create your family’s own personal bubble of joy.

One of our favorite books to read. I love that they’re personalized to your state.

1. Decorate. I know, it sounds simple but I mean it. I don’t care if you have a budget for decorations or if you’re hanging paper snowflakes from your ceiling. Decorate. Looking for fun cheap options? Obviously the dollar tree is great for inexpensive decor. They even have mini trees that are perfect to stick in kids rooms if you don’t have full size! Make it special. Announce that you’re kicking off the holiday season and go full force. Don’t be a scrooge and yes, in this case, anything is better than nothing.

2. Holiday book reading list- make a stack of all of your holiday books or hit the library. Try to read one a day starting December 1st with the last book being the story of Jesus’ birth on Christmas eve! We are doing this this year and i’m super excited about it.

3. Take your own family Christmas photos and get your Christmas cards ready. Christmas cards are going to be particularly special this year since we are all continuing to social distance. Make sure you’re getting cards out to elderly friends and family as they really cherish them! Use an easy service like shutterfly and let your kiddos help you with the design process.

4. Pick a night to go look at Christmas lights. Drive around in your holiday pjs, get cups of hot cocoa, turn up that christmas playlist and go see all of the things.

5. Hot cocoa cook off- make a big pot of crock pot hot chocolate then let everyone create their own unique flavors. Taste test and declare a winner!

6. Family video greeting - Feeling like the traditional Christmas card isn’t enough this year? It’s 2020! throw on some santa hats and record your family wishing everyone well this holiday season. Chat about some of your favorite holiday traditions and maybe share what the kiddos are asking for from Santa this year. Wouldn’t it be fun if everyone shared these on social media?! I love watching stuff like this.

7. Random act of kindness weekend- challenge your family to see who can do the nicest thing for someone else… Maybe it’s for your neighbor… maybe it’s clearing snow off of someone’s car in the Walmart parking lot…. maybe it’s for someone in your own house! Share your challenge on social media to inspire others to do the same!

8. Elf your neighbors… “You’ve been Elfed” …. leave treats on their porch… you know the drill. This holiday season we are focusing on making others feel celebrated (in return it makes us feel awesome) Try it- you’ll be so glad you did. Obviously get the kids in on this one.

9. Do a winter photo challenge (there are tons on Pinterest)

10. Start a winter cleaning schedule - being home more often means more chaos at home. I’m following a schedule this winter to help me keep things clean and organized. Kids can even get in on this. Each day has a list of tasks that has to be accomplished. ( I know, this doesn’t sound fun, but I find it to work well and keep stress levels down)

11. Create holiday themed date nights with your spouse- think outside the box.

12. Learn something new- I mean it. Winter is a great time to take up a new hobby. Always wanted to take a cooking class? There are TONS of free ones online. Learn how to craft something new- teach the entire family something fun and different. Maybe it’s perfecting a pie crust or editing videos… whatever you choose, stick with it and feel good about finishing a new project!

13. Try three new recipes. Brand spanking new that you’ve never tried before.

14. Find local outdoor holiday activities (if you’re local to me I recommend Big Cedar, Shepherd of the Hills, Finley River Park drive through lights, and Silver Dollar City)

15. Make an elf breakfast (fun holiday themed breakfast made by your elf)- Snowman pancakes etc you know the drill…

16. Fondue and holiday movie night! Never had fondue? Perfect!! Do it anyway.

17. Purge toys! Donate and sell old toys to make room for new ones! (we always do this before the holidays) Use the money you’ve made for a special family outing (Ice cream, hot cocoa, or maybe even a road trip!)

18. Put out a special gift for your mailman/ woman.

19. Buy a puzzle and put it together. Seriously, when is the last time you did a puzzle?

20. Holiday movie marathon with fun food (aka dips, apps, desserts) YOLO!

21. Buy new holiday themed mugs and use them! (target, tj maxx, hobby lobby all have super cheap cute ones)

22. Yes you’re doing Elf on the Shelf this year. No, you’re not being a scrooge.

23. Virtual or in person caroling… I seriously want to do this.

24. Grinch pancakes ( you just use green food coloring). See how easy that was.

25. Bake a birthday cake for Jesus

Feeling overwhelmed? Never get in the spirit because you feel like there are to many things to keep up with? Write down all of your favorite bucket list options on strips of paper and stick them in a jar. Let the kiddos pull one out weekly to see what activity is next!

Remember- you’ll never look back and say I wish I would’ve celebrated less. Do the things. Even if they cost nothing- even if it seems small… take the time to intentionally celebrate with your family.

I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday season! Follow along on instagram and tag me if you do anything festive. I’d love to see!

xo,

Chasity

It's time for Christmas Music

November is in full swing and you know what that means… It’s time to forget 2020 ever existed and get in the holiday spirit! Is there any better way to kick off the holidays than with an amazing Christmas playlist? I think not, so I’ve taken the liberty of creating a fantastic holiday playlist filled with new songs and some of my absolute favorite classics. Don’t be a scrooge.. get those trees up and listen to some amazing music while you’re doing it!

CLICK HERE for a 2020 Christmas playlist that will knock your socks off!

XO,

Chasity

Fireplace Makeover For Renters or Homeowners

Before picture… we always have plenty of help around here….

We all love a good before and after, right? I’m always on the hunt for fun ways to do DIY projects cost effectively. This project happens to work well for renters or homeowners. I’m going to make it short and sweet- This fireplace is my arch nemesis. I hate it. it’s old. It’s outdated. It’s ugly. I didn’t want to put a ton of resources in it because I know we’re on the brink of moving to a bigger space after the holidays (shhhhhh. top secret stuff). But, I also knew I wanted to give it a facelift before the holidays.

Here’s What you’ll need:

CLICK HERE for adhesive wall paper

Immediately after we finished… still needed a few places trimmed up but overall we were happy with this fast, easy, and inexpensive fix!

CLICK HERE for adhesive wall paper

CLICK HERE for Smoothing tool

CLICK HERE for wood trim (ours is similar to this, but choose any style you like.. make sure you measure before going to the store so they can cut it down to size for you)

Once you’ve got the goods- just go for it! I love the addition of wood trim. It really pulls things together. For us, this project brightened up the room big time! I’m excited to see my Christmas decor pop off of all of the white!

Questions? Shoot me an email or head over to instagram and let’s chat!

XO,

Chasity

Decorated for the Halloween! Such a huge transformation.

My Favorite Hallmark Christmas Movies From Last Year

If you’re following along on Insta you know I’m Christmas OBSESSED. I’m literally sitting here right now thinking about how badly I want to put my trees up. Hallmark Christmas movies are a staple for me during the holidays. However, not all Hallmark movies are created equal. So, I’ve done some of the hard work for you and compiled a list of my absolute must watch Hallmark Christmas movies from last year (2019). This should tide you over until the new movies are released on October 24th.

Don’t have access to the Hallmark Channel? No problem- I watch all of my Hallmark movies on friendly tv! It’s so inexpensive, gives you live access, and DVR.

CLICK HERE to sign up for a free trial (not sponsored).

In no particular order— Here are my some of my faves!

Merry & Bright

Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses

A Christmas Duet

Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays

Christmas at the Plaza

Christmas Town

Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy

Christmas in Rome

I would start there! A great way to get in the holiday spirit before the new list of movies is released. I would like to note that the Hallmark Channel subscription service isn’t as good as FriendlyTV. I’ve tried both and there’s far more available on Friendly. Feel free to send me an email with questions or if you’d like to share some of your favorites!

XO,

Chasity

Could Sensory Tables Be the Hot Christmas Toy This Year?

With Covid continuing to consume our lives, I’ve been trying to come up with fun and interesting ways to play at home. My kids are pretty much over everything. They don’t even want to use electronics. They’re much more into things like kenetic sand and slime— So, with my youngest recently turning four I thought it might be fun to put together a sensory table! So far it’s been a huge hit. My favorite part is that I can switch them up depending on the season. Even older kiddos can get in on the action by using shaving cream, slimes, sands, you name it.

With cold weather approaching as quickly as flu season and COVID still keeping us inside— the real question is could something as simple as a sensory table be the hot new toy this season? For us, it’s certainly holding it’s own among a sea of other toy options! Enjoy our first themed sensory bins (fall/Halloween).

CLICK HERE for the table

CLICK HERE for the bins

CLICK HERE for the stool

XO,

Chasity

Styling Dresses For Fall With Nest Boutique

Fall clothes are my absolute fave! These new knit dresses from Nest Boutique absolutely blew me away! Check out some fun ways to style dresses for fall below!

CLICK HERE to visit the Nest’s webpage.

Note: These dresses were provided by the nest in exchange for sharing on social media. All opinions are my own.

xo,

Chasity

Not Your Average Fall Bucket List

1. Update your fire alarms (See I told you it wasn’t average)

2. Create a new smore (something really interesting- I’m going to try vanilla oreos with lemon cream filling, toasted mallows, and a white chocolate square this year)

3. Have a chili cook off with a few family members (Jon puts mushrooms in ours- it’s delicious)

4. Make homemade hot chocolate in your crock pot and watch a fall movie with the kiddos (add salted caramel sauce)

5. Go to hobby lobby even if you don’t buy anything (get in the mood)

6. Make homemade applesauce (it’s delicious)!

7. Have a family fall photo shoot and take all of the photos yourself- (great time to buy a tripod)

8. Do a fall family ticktock or Reel

9. Buy fall candles or wax melts and burn them on a cool Saturday while you’re on a fall cleaning binge!

10. Boo your neighbors! (leave some quirky gifts on their front step with a sign that says you’ve been boo’d)

11. Make a cute fall teacher’s gift and send it to school- teachers need the pick me up right now.

12. Learn how to recreate your favorite fall coffee drink at home (I love using skinny syrups and Califa farms dairy free pumpkin creamer)

13. Have a football party even if you’re not into football - make finger foods and wear team colors… your kids will be confused but they’ll love it.

14. Challenge yourself to decorate for fall exclusively from Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and the Target Dollar Spot

15. Carve pumpkins and let the kids make pumpkin slime (make your husband clean up)

16. Mask up and hit the thrift store for a few new fall pieces

17. Purge your house- have a garage sale.

18. Saturday morning donuts and garage sales

19. Search Pinterest for a fall recipe and actually make it

20. Spray your yard and house for spiders and winterize (I know it’s not fun but spiders spawn in October)

21. Buy the stuff to make a craft and make it. Like don’t just say you’re going to… actually do it.

22. Buy a Christmas tree (Yes, now is the time if you’re needing one)

23. Start listening to a new podcast (I like Mallory Ervin’s)

24. Start a Poshmark account- sell your clothes and use the money to buy new pieces!

25. Go to a pumpkin patch (We LOVE Sycamore Creek Ranch in Branson, MO)

XO,

Chasity

So you Want to Be a Blogger?

I’m a tiny little speck in the world of blogging and influencing. Itty bitty. Teeny Tiny. A micro “influencer” if you will. Many people, including my own family members, have no clue what this is about and how it’s considered a job. If i’m honest, I didn’t really plan for it to become a real job. I started the blog and my Instagram page to share about products and sales that I love. Now, some of my most asked questions are- can anyone be a blogger? How do I get started? Can I make money? Do you make money? How do you get so many free products? and so on…

So, here’s the truth. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’ll tell you what I do. I typically get asked the same few questions over and over. So, let’s answer a few!

What platform do you use for the blog?

I use Squarespace. It’s fairly simple to operate- I did not design my page myself. I’m very fortunate to have my tech savvy friend, Royal Yates for that. He helps me out with all things tech related. You can pay for the platform yearly or monthly.

Can anyone do this?

If I can do this- you can do this. Finding time is the hardest part. If you’re a stay at home parent this is tons of fun but still very time consuming. If you have a job outside of the home it will be even harder. I’m just now starting to get consistent with blog posts! I am the type of person who loves to work in the quiet (my kiddos are both at school right now). But, if you’re constantly waiting for the quiet I’ve learned you’ll never be consistent. Jump in. Learn as you go. Don’t wait for a perfect situation.

Do brands reach out to you?

The biggest question- everyone wants to know HOW DO YOU GET FREE STUFF. First, as exciting as it sounds, the free stuff comes with tons of work. I’m not just saying that. Sometimes the work sounds like a blast and other times you dread it like any job. If you’re thinking of being a blogger to get free stuff I’d say you might want to rethink it. The work is typically more than the stuff! It’s hard, and it takes time. Building your brand can be very defeating - you’ll watch your instagram numbers rise and fall ( I still do). It’s been almost two years. But, to answer your question- sometimes. Sometimes brands reach out first and other times you reach out to them. I’d say it’s about 50/50 for me. Don’t be afraid to ask for partnerships if you feel like you’re in a good place to do so. The worst they can say is no. I started out with 119 followers and I worked with brands at around 1k.

Do you get paid money to blog?

Obviously big name bloggers get paid to blog— for me, it depends on the deal. Sometimes I get paid cash with a free product, sometimes it’s just a free product in exchange for chatting about it. I have to decide if it’s worth the money or the product that’s being offered. At this point I’m definitely not talking about things I don’t love. It doesn’t make sense to do that.

So, long story short, YES you can do this. You can claim your page on the internet and talk about whatever in the heck you want! There will be tons of people who roll their eyes and think it’s over done… and it will be those same people who eventually cave and try it for themselves. Don’t be afraid to start a blog or an Instagram page just because someone you know is doing it. There’s a spot for everyone on the gram! The biggest advice I can give you is to get started. Start today.

xo,
Chasity

A lovely Guide to Getting the Best Deal

I started blogging because I love getting a good deal. I love sharing bargains and helping other people live a financially responsible life filled with beautiful things. So, with the holidays around the corner, COVID 19 continuing to ruin EVERYTHING, and everyone shopping for ways to improve their home I thought now would be a great time to share some of my biggest secrets. These aren’t revolutionary tips. If I’m honest, they take some backbone and it will depend a lot on how much you want the item. Is it worth the trouble? I guess you’ll find out! For me, it’s always worth the trouble. I’ve saved a ton of money and I hope you guys are able to do the same.

There are two main ways to negotiate prices in the store:

The Item is In the Wrong Spot Hack:

This doll wasn’t supposed to be on sale! It was the last one and was placed as a clearance item. I lucked out and got it for the sale price.

I find this trick the most useful at target. My target stock people (bless their hearts) seem to constantly be putting items in the wrong place. I mean that genuinely. They’re not good. If you’re like me, its extremely frustrating to take your kids shopping for a toy, find an item that’s within their budget, and then suddenly realize everything is stocked in the wrong spot. Instead of getting frustrated use this to your advantage! My target is pretty good about matching the price the item was wrongly stocked under. The first thing I do is take a photo on my phone of the item that’s in the wrong place— Then I have an associate come over and explain that the items are stocked incorrectly and that I would like to buy the item at the reduced cost. Typically, a supervisor will be radioed and ‘ok’ the purchase. This happened to me today actually. I purchased a doll for my daughter for 17.49 instead of 34.99 because it was in the wrong spot. I’ve had a family member purchase a Dyson vacuum for hundreds less because of a similar mistake. I keep my eyes open the entire time I’m shopping to snag the best deal! I also recommend going first thing in the morning when new items are being put on the shelves. Keep in mind, I’m not talking about one random item that a shopper has put in the wrong spot. I mean an entire display that’s by the wrong price tag. It happens very VERY often and I’ve never had them tell me no, but I have had to be somewhat firm about it at times. This will also work at Walmart and other large retailers.

Damaged Item Hack:

This hack is exclusively for home stores (Hobby Lobby, Homegoods, At Home, etc). Let’s take Hobby Lobby for example— a majority of the items in the store are already discounted. If you look around you’ll see that some of the items can get slightly damaged (a scuff here, dirt there, a chip of paint gone etc) Hobby Lobby will offer you a discounted rated on top of the sale to purchase these items! I actually look for items in the store that have a slight issue so I get a better deal. Once you find your item, head to the register and say “I’d like to purchase this item but I noticed it has a few flaws, are you able to discount it any lower?” At this point the cashier will get a managers approval and your typical 40 percent off turns into 60 percent! I do this darn near every time I’m in hobby lobby. A tiny scratch or paint chip doesn’t bother me, especially since we live in a “shabby chic” world right now.

ONLINE PURCHASES HACK:

This last one will apply to pretty much any slightly damaged item you get from an online retailer.

You’ve waited a week for a pair of shoes to come in the mail from Amazon… once they get to your house you realize the bottoms are a little bit dirty like they’ve possibly been tried on or returned… NEWSFLASH— your items should come to your house in brand new condition unless you’ve purchased a used item. In this case you have two options… You can return the item for a full refund, or you can call customer service and let them know about the issue and that you would like to keep the item but would like a discounted price since they didn’t arrive in perfect condition. Sometimes they might ask for you to email photos of the flaws which is no big deal, but most of the time they will apologize and you can negotiate the amount they need to refund to make it right. I’ve done this with multiple companies when I liked the item but wasn’t 100 percent pleased with the condition it was in.

So, that’s it. Seems simple? It is! It will take a little more time and effort, but you can do it! Keep your eyes open for great deals and let me know if you use any of my hacks! Questions? feel free to shoot me an email.

XO,

Chasity

Small Space, Big Statement

You guys! I’m thinking about moving into the laundry room. I’m excited to share some of the details about this project because it was SO simple, cost effective, and made a huge impact! The space is so much more functional for us now. Beyond function- it’s SO cute. I go in there often just to look around and experience the transformation. This is definitely a project that anyone can do and no space is to small.

I’ll link as many products as I can below.

NOTE: The 3 piece double woven basket set you see featured on my shelves was provided by Sorbus Home in collaboration with this project! The set of 3 is only 19.99. Sorbus offers a ton of great organizational products.

CLICK HERE to buy the basket set

CLICK HERE for shelving options

CLICK HERE for laundry co. sign

CLICK HERE for wash & dry wall sign

CLICK HERE for fold & repeat wall sign

CLICK HERE for removeable wallpaper

CLICK HERE for rolling cart

The rug and laundry basket are both from TJ MAXX and links aren’t available. The rest of the décor is primarily from Target dollar spot. Feel free to reach out if you have questions.

Thanks for following.

XO,

Chasity

Those signs are my favorite..

Before

My Favorite Thing to Make With a Cricut

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

I have a slight obsession with my Cricut machine. If you’ve followed along for awhile you can probably guess my favorite thing to make- that’s right, it’s coffee mugs. Cricut makes it so easy to whip up a custom coffee mug. They make perfect gifts and when I’m in the mood I like to make myself some, too.

Today I’m going to show you how simple the process is! You’ll be drinking from your new cup in no time.

STEP 1: I created this fun “homebody” design in design space using the Cricut font “Alexis Mattox”. If you want the letters to be connected you’ll do the following:

1. select all

2. ungroup

3. move the letters to the desired location

4. select all again

5. weld

6. make your design the size you need it

Step 2: Now that our design is ready we need to cut it out. Cut your vinyl to size, stick it to your mat, and press make it! How easy is that? (make sure the dial on your machine is turned to vinyl).

Step 3: It’s time to weed and place our design on our new mug! Weeding removes all of the excess vinyl leaving only the design that will be put on your project. Just cut a piece of the transfer tape to fit your decal and firmly rub all over to make sure it’s stuck to the design. Then gently peel off the tape- the design will be stuck to it and ready to be applied to your mug. Give it a good rub once it has been applied then peel it off leaving only the decal on your cup.

And that’s all there is to it!

Let me know if you have any questions!

XO,

Chasity

CLICK HERE to shop for the Cricut Explore Air 2

Weed out your design

Fully weeded

Apply your Cricut transfer tape

It will look like this…

Tada!

A Lovely Guide to: NASHVILLE

So many murals… So little time! Make sure you take pictures by a few!

We love to travel. There are a few places that are near and dear to our traveling hearts. Nashville is at the very tippy tip top of that list. As a matter of fact, the memories we have there are pretty darn special. While many dream of a tropical hot spot for their honeymoon, we hopped in a tiny blue VW Beetle and road tripped to music city. It’s about six hours away from our neck of the woods and I’ve never had regrets once I got there. Nashvegas has played host to our family around eight times! As a matter of fact, if I weren’t so close to my big Missouri family, there’s no doubt that we’d pack our bags and call Nashville home! Yes, we love it that much. So, at this point I feel pretty confident in sharing some of our must eats, sees, dos, and don’ts.

Let’s DO this!

Where should I stay?

Choosing a place to stay in Nashville is very much based on what location is important to you. It’s popular with SO many people to stay downtown with direct access to Broadway (tons of honkey tonks, bars, etc) We’ve stayed close to downtown before. It’s CHAOS and while Broadway is an iconic part of Nashville, I prefer to have a hotel in the Green Hills area. It’s around 15 minutes away from downtown and offers close access to many other fun and exciting parts of the city. You’ll also find a staying in Green Hills to be considerably less expensive than properties that are considered to be “downtown”. Most recently, we stayed at the Residence Inn in Green Hills ( We hated their pool) but if you weren’t interested in the pool or if you were traveling in colder temps it would be fine. There are plenty of other options in that area as well.

What should we do?

We love visiting the Opry! I’ve taken the backstage tour twice.

• See a Show at the Opry (book tickets last minute on stubhub for great prices)

• Backstage opry tour (if you’re a country music fan, don’t miss this! You can go after the show)

• See a show at the Bluebird (book tickets WAY in advance it’s a small space and fills up fast)

• Green Hills Mall has excellent shopping options

• Visit 12 South for shopping and dining (Whites Mercantile, Draper James, tons of murals, dining options)

• The GULCH- for dining, shopping, walking around, outdoor dining, more mural options

• Pinewood Social- this vintage bowling alley features a coffee shop, dining, a bar, and dining. It’s full of energy and has a little something for everyone. The vibe here is super fun!

• Visit the Parthenon

• Tour the Ryman

• Country Music Hall of Fame

• Nashville TV Show Tour ( we haven’t done this yet, but it has great reviews)

Where Should We EAT:

Naturally, if you’re foodies like us, this will be one of your favorite parts of Nashville. The following is a list of “must eats”…

Restoration Hardware: A beautiful place to eat- the food is ok, but the scenery is fantastic.

• Hattie B’s ( Nashville hot chicken- the location on Charlotte Pike has the shortest line) $

• Five Daughter’s Bakery (A must visit- best donut I’ve ever had!) $

• Bar Taco $$

• Loveless Cafe $

• Biscuit Love$

• Pinewood Social$$

• Henrietta Red (Brunch) $$$

• Franklin Juice $

• Restoration Hardware- (Honestly the food was just “ok”, but it’s so gorgeous you have to experience it at least once!)

That covers the basics! If you have more questions I’m happy to share what I know—

Thanks for following along!

XO,

Chasity