Hey y’all-hope you’re having a good weekend! As I mentioned in my previous post, January 2021 was a bit of a rough month, with post-holiday blues stronger than usual. However, there were still some bright spots in the month. So before we get too far into February, I want to share my January 2021 Favorites here on the blog.
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Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale Haul
As I mentioned in my last post, one of my goals for 2021 is to spend less and save more. Thus, I was super intentional about not going overboard during the January 2021 Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale. However, I did get another Luxletic skort for a great price, as well as two scrunchies. And I’m glad that I can wear the scrunchies right now, without having to wait for it to get warmer. The skort I got is the same style as this one currently available from Lilly Pulitzer. Also, Lilly currently has scrunchies available, and they are under $10 even at full price!
McDonalds Hasbro Gaming Happy Meal Toys
If you’ve been reading my blog or following me for at least couple months, then you know I got really into collecting the Mickey’s Runaway Railway McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys in November/December of last year. In January 2021, McDonalds introduced the Hasbro Gaming Happy Meal Toys. These are adorable, plus really fun, so I’ve been collecting them as well. Each toy consists of a miniature version of popular Hasbro games. I’ve been able to get Monopoly, Connect 4, Life, and Twister. There are eight toys altogether in the collection. Since the promotion ends this week, I probably won’t get many more. I’m glad I got half of the toys though. The owner/operator at the McDonald’s closest to me was kind enough to help me out with my collection, since I got multiple duplicates during my visits to that McDonald’s. However, the mini Hungry Hungry Hippos Game is so cute that I might end up buying it for a reasonable price from eBay. Having fun with Happy Meal toys is one way I’m embracing life’s simple joys during these crazy times.
Chick-fil-a Brownie
Chick-fil-a added a brownie to their menu last fall, and I finally tried it for the first time in January 2021. It was absolutely delicious. Thanks to a reward on my Chick-fil-a app, my brownie was free. If you don’t have the Chick-fil-a app already, download it ASAP! They will randomly add free rewards to your account. Sometimes they are based on your specific region, other times they are nationwide.
Chick-fil-a’s new brownie is a classic brownie with chocolate chunks inside. I think it’s a lot better than the triangular brownies with chocolate frosting and nuts on top that Chick-fil-a had awhile back. Even though I like nuts, I prefer my desserts without nuts if I have the choice. In addition, I think I like the new Chick-fil-a brownie even more than their chocolate chunk cookie. Hopefully Chick-fil-a will offer a free brownie as one of their birthday reward options this year.
New Blog Design
During the third week of January, I updated my blog design. I had used my previous blog theme for over two years, and after some research decided it was time for an upgrade. My new theme is from Empress Themes. Victoria McGinley, one of the co-founders of Empress designed custom websites for Lonestar Southern and Caitlin Covington, two big-name Southern lifestyle bloggers. Since I’m nowhere close to being a full-time blogger, I definitely can’t justify the expense of a custom website. So, it’s really nice to have some pre-made WordPress themes that incorporate some of the elements most frequently requested by custom design clients at a price point that is accessible for a much smaller blogger like me!
I’m really pleased with how my site turned out. Be sure and head to the homepage, where you can access my most recent blog posts, plus some additional featured posts I’ve bookmarked on the homepage. I’ve also updated the main menu to make it easier for you to browse by category, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for. In addition, this special “Shop My Faves” page features quick links to my favorite retailers, clothing items, shoes, accessories, beauty products, and home items.
Social Media Break
I also took a social break the entire second half of January. It may sound counterintuitive for a blogger to take time away from social media, but it was much needed and very refreshing. I don’t think I had ever taken over two weeks off social media even before starting my blog. Now that I’m back on social media, I’m trying to be more intentional about doing less mindless scrolling. I also plan to take more mini social media breaks in the future.
Watermelon La Croix
After seeing someone share the new watermelon La Croix flavor on Instagram, I had to give it a try. It’s so good, and it’s my new favorite sparkling water flavor. If you like seltzer, you definitely need to try it. I’ve already bought another 8-pack of it!
New TV Stand
After using the same wooden microwave cart as a TV stand since college, my parents bought me a new tv stand as a belated Christmas present. I picked out this one from Wayfair. I especially love all the additional storage space this TV stands gives me, which is a huge perk in an apartment. In addition to the two shelves that hold my Blu-Ray player and my router, there are two open shelves and two cabinets. Inside each cabinet door are two shelves. My old TV stand didn’t have any additional storage space other than a spot for router and Blu-Ray player.
Lucky Charms Hot Chocolate
I couldn’t resist ordering some Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with Lucky Charms marshmallows when placing my Target grocery order on the Shipt app. I tried it for the first time in January, and really liked it. The Lucky Charms marshmallows come in a completely separate packet from the hot chocolate mix. In addition, I feel like the Lucky Charms marshmallows didn’t melt as quickly as traditional jet-puffed marshmallows.
Bed, Bath, & Beyond Under-Sink Shelf
I ordered two of these clear under-sink shelves from Bed, Bath, & Beyond, and my storage area under the sink looks so much better! It’s now easier to stack items for much-needed maximization of my storage space. I highly recommend grabbing a couple of these. And of course, Bed, Bath, & Beyond almost always has coupons! I didn’t take a good before photo, but you can see that these shelves help me stack things that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to stack easily.
Hope you enjoyed my January 2021 Favorites-thanks for reading! What’s something you’ve been loving lately?
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-xoxo Liz
