Author: thedailydanielleblog

Antique Window

DIYs

Kicking off the DIYs pretty simple with this antique window that I turned into a wall piece & photo spot. We have quite a bit of decor/furniture in our home that is DIY-ed, but this easy piece is one of my favorites.

I spend a lot of time on Facebook Market Place because I always come across items that are perfect for our home, or items that are decent that we work on and make perfect for our home. You know how some people have a “green thumb” for plants, I have a “green thumb” for Facebook Market Place – if that makes sense.

Anyways, one day I was looking online and saw this post in the ATX Sell Anything Group.

I immediately messaged the girl, told her I was interested, and 20 minutes later I got Richy on the road to pick out our window. The seller’s grandfather owned the Keystone Hotel which is a Texas Historical Landmark. These are the windows from the guest rooms that her grandfather installed over 50 years ago. We pick one out, covered in cobwebs, dirt, and leaves, and loaded it in the car. Richy had no idea what I was trying to do with this, and neither did I at the moment, but we took it to our balcony and started to clean it.

After about 3 days of Clorox wipes, water, and Windex, we got the frame cleaned up. There was a lot of paint chips that were barely attached so we went through and removed enough to keep the white/wood ratio in the rustic antique range.

I ended up printing 4 8×10 black and white pictures of us and placed them in alternating spots in the frame. I still wanted to be able to see through the glass above and below the picture so that is why I stuck with the 8×10 photo size.

Then Richy got D-Rings from Home Depot and we hung this beautiful antique piece in our bedroom. Best $25 ever spent.

I love this piece and it did not take much effort. There are still marks on the glass from age and paint, but it gives the window character and tells its Texas Landmark’s story. It is pretty cool what you can do with some cleaning supplies and a drill.

-oxox Danielle

At Home Spa Evening

Routines

Baths are my favorite self care routine, especially after a long day, because they give you a chance to unwind and tend to yourself. I take 2 different kinds of baths – simple ones with minimal products, or my full out spa treatment baths. This post is going to lay out the products I use, the order I use them in, and how I go into full relaxation mode.

I think the key to an at home spa evening is time so you do not feel rushed and can enjoy every minute. The setting is important as well, I always light candles to set the ambiance and make sure my bathroom is clean so I can focus on relaxing. I also pull out my silk pajama set to change into, play some John Mayer, and use my bath pillow so that I can sink into the tub without a strain on my neck. Since I typically get overheated I make sure I keep a bottle of water on the counter & brew chai tea to help wind down before bed.

I try to keep the bathroom lighting dim because I personally relax better in the dark. I typically light a couple Lavender Vanilla candles, I use lavender a lot because it is a soothing essential oil, and have one on the bathroom candle warmer.

These are the items I use in my bath water. This Minera Dead Sea Salt is from Amazon and was recommended to my by my massage therapist. The salt coming from the Dead Sea is the best way to pull toxins out of your body and get your body to release tension. It also has 21 beneficial minerals including: Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, Bromide and Sulfur.

I put these on as I am running the bath water and getting everything ready. The Watermelon polishing mask is great at exfoliating dead skin and only needs to be on for about 5 minutes. I have been using the Biore charcoal strips for years and love them. By the time I get in the bath both of these have set and are ready to be washed off.

These are the items I use on my body & face while in the bath. I love scrubbing my body with coffee grounds as it increases circulation, exfoliates, and reduces the appearance of cellulite. The other two items are from a Fab Fit Fun box and both smell amazing.

I use these 2 Mario Badescu products first thing out of the shower. The collagen mask is thin and firms the skin and then I use the glycolic toner to remove the mask.

Since this is my extended bath routine I go the extra mile with a sheet mask and an under eye mask.

Next I use my roller and hyaluronic acid – I only do this about once a month and make sure that I am going in the correct directions. You have to do a little bit of research before getting into these because they may not work for everyone.

Next I use my Mario Badescu moisturizer, but I mix in these vitamin C crystals before putting it all over my face.

This is one of my favorite self care products – probably because it makes me feel like I am playing esthetician for the day. I use this light treatment all over my face and leave it on each spot for 3 minutes. It is a process but is 100% worth it.

Next I move on to eyes. I use the Dermelect lash growth serum and the Mario Badescu glycolic eye cream. This eye cream is a little oily so a little goes a long way.

I found this 2 step lip care kit from Trader Joe’s and love it. After exfoliating and putting on the lip balm I add on some topical collagen from Algenist.

I love hair products. I try to always use a serum, a repair cream, bio-silk, and some kind of detangle spray. These are what I am currently using but they always change as I find new items. I typically squeeze all of them into my hand, mix them, and the gently spread throughout the ends up upward.

Now that my face has been pampered I move on to the rest of my skin. I use this natural salve and cream from an olive orchard in Texas, it is perfect for the elbows, knees, and any cuts or scars. I live for this skin firming lotion by Jergens and mix it in with some Vitamin E oil. If I am going to sleep, which I typically am after a relaxing bath, I will add in the deep sleep lotion which smells like heaven.

I know this is a long process – I told you this was the full out spa version of my baths – so stay with me we are almost done lol.

Next I focus on my hands and feet with these products. I have to wear fuzzy socks after to get the full pampered affect and so the product can really soak in.

If I am going to sleep I will put on this aromatherapy roll on my neck, under my nose, wrists, and chest. The little jar is an essential oils mixture I got from my hairdresser years ago that you can put on your temples to prevent any migraines and relax the body. These two are a perfect mixture for deep sleep.

Lastly I spray this on my face and neck.

And that is a wrap on the at home spa evening routine! It is a lengthy process but at the end you will feel like an entirely new woman!

Let me know your favorite bath routines or products – I am always willing to try something new!

-oxox Danielle

Easter Decor

Holiday Decor

This is our most recent decor and it is still up, shoutout to quarantine.

These burlap carrots are the cutest thing. For both of our Jesus focused holidays I try to put something religious in the spot next to the metal lamp and this “He is Risen” window was perfect.

Our little Easter kitchen pieces!

This is our little living room set up – the wood/metal bunny centerpiece, pom pom tail throw pillow, and my Harry Potter bunny guy (my favorite piece by far). Shoutout to Richy for getting me this pillow that I talked about for 2 weeks and was 100% over priced.

These are the most on brand planter inserts for our home – cotton, eucalyptus, and burlap.

Bailey May here to show her off her bandana change with the holiday and the sound bar garland.

Hope y’all had a great Easter! At this rate it will probably remain Easter in our home until 4th of July decorating becomes appropriate.

-oxox Danielle

St. Patrick’s Day Decor

Holiday Decor

This is another light decor holiday for our home, but I am Irish and we both love beer so this holiday is always fun to play with.

I found these green shamrock lights at Dollar Tree & found this rustic shamrock to hang on the key rack at Hobby Lobby.

I am sure you can see a pattern in the kitchen – a spot on the cutting slab & a kitchen towel. Keeping it simple with these green pieces!

These were fun pieces for the planters – when Bailey May’s tail was not knocking them out of the pot lol.

Round 2 of the wood/metal garland pieces, this one was my favorite decor pieces for this holiday!

I did all this decorating and forgot to make sure I was wearing green – go figure.

-oxox Danielle

Valentine’s Day Decor

Holiday Decor

This one was a light decor holiday, but was still fun to play with the rustic red aspect of Valentine’s Day! It also made a perfect setting for at home Valentine’s dinner date.

I love these little heart lights that I actually found at the dollar store. They give a warm red glow on the entry way and were perfect for the picture of us two.

This was my kitchen decor and I actually found the wooden tags at HEB. Finding a not horribly cheesy kitchen towel was a bit of a challenge and I ended up with this succulent one.

This is the piece that triggered my Valentine’s decor. I loved the rustic look of this truck and had to have it.

This wooden/metal garland was the perfect length and style for our sound bar/TV stand. Hobby Lobby is now making it for every holiday so you will be seeing this piece in its designated theme more often.

Can’t wait to add to this small collection next Valentine’s Day!

-oxox Danielle

100 Days

Planning a Healthy Lifestyle

Post college life is a big change – you move, you get a new schedule with a new job, and your eating habits change a whole lot. I found myself in this rut of eating out, trying to adjust to this new lifestyle, and not looking how I wanted to. After a couple months of being stagnant about it I decided to create a plan that was going to cultivate a change. I committed myself to 100 days of being intentionally active in any shape for any amount of time.

This was a way of having no excuses. I can’t say I did not have enough time because anyone can do a 5 minute ab circuit or 20 squats and I can’t say I did not “do enough” because my goal was simply to intentionally active at some point. When I was on my health grind in the past, I struggled with thinking I had to do it all or nothing. I could run 5 miles, do 20 different leg and arm workouts, and still not consider it as a full workout if I did not do that last ab workout. This is a horrible habit and I encourage you to break it just as I did. It is great to push yourself to the furthest of your ability, but there is a point when you need to recognize that whatever work you completed is just as good.

I created a note in my phone and listed out the following about my 100 day journey.

  1. Intentionally be active for around 20 min – 1 hour for 100 days
  2. Committing = Consistency
  3. Take a comparison photo & measurements every Monday to show progress
  4. Track actions in planner
  5. Track days in 100 day countdown
  6. Track weight & BMI goals

I then created a grid where I tracked the date, my weight, and my waist/belly button/arm/thigh measurement. In addition to taking pictures each Monday. I found this countdown, printed it, and put it on the back of my closet door to check off each day after I did my intentional activity. From there I made an “ideal” schedule where I listed our my yoga class days, cycling class days, and regular gym days. I picked certain days to be morning workouts and certain days for evening workouts. Unfortunately COVID-19 swooped in causing most of those classes to be canceled about 2 weeks into my 100 day journey, but in spirit of this entire 100 days idea I chose to not let is discourage me and keep on going with what I could do in my own home!

I am now on day 49 and I feel better than I have in months. It was a slow start but consistency is key and I am proud of how far I have come & excited to see what is to come.

I hope this has left you motivated and ready to hop on your own 100 day journey! Don’t be hard on yourself, do what you can, and commit to do good for your body!

-oxox Danielle

Charcuterie Boards

Home Cooking

A wild Saturday night to me is going to Trader Joe’s, splurging on charcuterie items, and designing a aesthetically pleasing board. Absolutely wild – I know.

Anyone can do this at home and from any grocery store. I think the number one tip for this is to buy a variety of items in the 4 categories of meat, cheese, bread/crackers, fruits. You can add on a lot more from there with vegetables, oils, dips, nuts, etc. but I would say those 4 are the essential items. I don’t think anyone can screw up the look of a board – it is really just squeezing different items between each other until it looks full & colorful.

I took this picture of all my items after my Trader Joe’s haul and then this picture after it has all been plated.

Boards are super simple, but people love them, so it makes for the best hosting dish or appetizer with a bottle of wine. Here are some other boards I have done in the past.

Some of my favorite items are the central market assorted cracker variety, Trader Joe’s unexpected cheddar, blackberry vanilla goat cheese, manchego cheese, and HEB’s assorted salmon cuts.

Hope this inspired you to grab a bottle of wine, a baguette, brie, and some prosciutto tonight!

-oxox Danielle

Planning Your Day

Therapeutic Self Care

This is something that is really true to who I am & how I function. If you know me you know my daily/hourly planner is always at my side, color coded, and detailed to a T. This is a mixture of organization and self care in a sense because I think you do a lot for yourself & your mental health when you know what is going on and when. Laying out your day in an organized fashion sets you up for success so that you can take care of what needs to get done. This in turn leads to a lack of stress, productivity, and achieving goals, which turns into a form of self care all together.

This idea is actually something I learned from the Skinny Confidential, an amazing blogger that I have followed for a while now, and I wanted to share with y’all! I try to do this every day in addition to laying out my hourly planner.

She lays out her day in a pretty specific pattern that pulls in every aspect of achieving a great day while making yourself feel good. On a note page/blank planner spot list out the following each day:

  1. Date
  2. Podcast, book, or music you want to listen to
  3. 3 specific things you are grateful for
  4. 3 specific things you have to get done today – top priority
  5. 3 ways you want to feel during your day
  6. 3 people you are sending happiness to – for me this is typically my prayer list so I will write down anyone I am praying for or it can be someone you just want to surprise with a sweet text or call
  7. A to do list that with around 7-10 items – you want to be realistic about how much you can get done of 24 hours and not overwhelm yourself

I love how this daily layout leaves you positive, engaged, and thinking about others. Let me know if you take on this practice and love it as well!

-oxox Danielle