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Create your own crowd Pleasing Chili Bar!

Create your crowd Pleasing Chili Bar!

Creating your Chili Bar

My family loves a good food Bar, and creating a theme is easier than you think. So today, I will show you how to create a chili bar that is perfect for entertaining, feeding a large crowd, and being great for football season.

The steps you need to take

The first thing you need to do is pick a theme…See My Build Your Pizza Bar.

Today’s is Chili…

Second, figure out your recipe and toppings. Toppings are a big part of creating a Build Your Own, as adding all the toppings is part of the fun.

Third, figure out where you’re setting up and how much space you’ll need. (I use our second Island for most of the Food Bars I set up.) It has enough room for the serving pieces, toppings, and main dishes.

Fourth is how many containers you’ll need for topping, main dish, etc. I like to use containers that match ( say all white or, in this case, A Fall theme)

Fifth, if you want a theme, gather all the decorating items you may wish to use: paper goods, props, and things you may own that you can incorporate.

What type of food Bar are you creating?

Chili Bar, Pizza Bar, Burger Bar, Stuffed baked Potatoes? The Ideas are endless.

Now for the main dish and toppings. Find your favorite recipe and think of all the toppings you would like in that recipe that people could use to create their delicious bowl/plate. Your guests will have fun making combinations.

Here, I created a Chili Bar for Football Sunday, which would be great for Halloween as well. I love that serving all day is easy as people come and go.

I make two kinds of Chili. An all-meat chili, no beans, and a Turkey veggie chili. ( Recipes Here)

Make in crockpots early in the morning and let it simmer all day, even until serving.

If you’re not a cook, purchase chili at your favorite restaurant or grocery store. These days, the markets often have a great selection of soups and chilies in their delis.

Tips for creating an excellent Food bar!

Tips on Displaying:

Create layers/ height by using risers (can be a cup or bowl turned upside down)
Look at items you may own that can add interest and levels. Vintage scales, candlesticks, books, etc. (here I use
Pull items from around your home that fit your theme and will add to the character of your display…

Shop for great serving pieces below:

Great Chili Toppings:

Mixed Cheese

Mexican cheese

Onions

Green onions

Tomatoes

Sour cream

Fritos

Crackers

Cornbread

Olives

Jalapeños

Corn

Salsa

Hot sauce

Think of anything else. Add it! I like to have snack/ finger foods, so I added a veggie plate and dip and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for a sweet treat.

More Tips to help you create a stunning Food bar

Above, you’ll see I placed all the toppings in white containers and some of the items in Fall baskets and containers, keeping the theme consistent and adding height with various trays, risers, log pieces as risers and trays, etc. For visual appeal, I added pumpkins, fall leaves, a pitcher of fresh flowers, etc., and paper goods or serving pieces that match.

Three More Helpful Tips :

Tip: keep your Paper goods or serving pieces at the end of the bar to control the flow in one direction. ( no line traffic jam)

Tip: Food Bars can be an easy way to entertain. If you are not a cook, you can purchase everything pre-made and still pull off a lovely meal without slaving in the kitchen, and your guests will never know.

If you enjoy cooking and creating as I do, you’ll have fun making items from scratch to feed your crew. Either way, your Food bar will be a hit.

Tip: Part of the fun is the display. Don’t leave store-bought items in containers (crackers inbox, Fritos in a bag, etc.) Instead, find cute containers to place them in.

I have shown the above crackers and Fritos in the basket. Baskets help give the appearance of homemade. ( You want the look of slaving in the kitchen all day)

Shop some of the Decor items in the photos below:

Another excellent shopping resource is my Custom made Amazon Shop storefront. I have created shopping boards with unique amazon finds in every category for your shopping needs.

Hoping I inspired you to create a fun food buffet/ bar, and if you make one and share on Instagram, tag me, and I’ll share. If you loved this post, I would love a comment below. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read.

4th Of July BBQ Side Dish Recipes

Bbq side dishes to celebrate the 4th Of July. Actually, you could use any of these sides for any Dinner side dish, and the Pasta could be a meal in itself. So whether you’re having a bbq or want yummy side dishes, I’ve got you covered, with 4 of my family’s favorites.

Dutch Potato Salad

5 lbs mixed sm potatoes

4 hard-boiled eggs chopped

1 onion white chopped

1 cup green onions chopped

15 oz Mayo

1/2 cup mustard

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

It feeds a large crowd

Boil potatoes. When done, drain and mash but chunky, and mix in all the ingredients. Refrigerate until serving.

Caprice Tortellini pasta salad

Caprice Tortellini pasta salad served as a side with grilled chicken.

Caprice Tortellini salad

12oz bag Barilla tortellini

10.5 oz mixed medley tomatoes (small) cut each tomato into fours

1/2 of one large onion chopped

2 -1/4oz package Organic fresh basil chopped

1/2 of 1 Costco fresh Mozzarella cubed

1 tablespoon garlic minced

1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional garlic salt

Top with balsamic glaze (I use Trader Joe’s)

Boil water, add pasta, cook as directed, Strain. Mix in all the ingredients above and serve warm or cold.

Baked Beans

6 16.5 oz baked beans ( I use Bush)

1/2 pound cooked bacon chopped

1 sm onion chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large tablespoon Mustard

1 tablespoon kitchen bouquet browning seasoning

2 tsp garlic salt

2 tablespoons chopped onion season

Use a large crockpot, add beans and stir in all the ingredients above. Let simmer, and stir occasionally. Serve when warm. ( I make it in the morning and keep the crockpot on low)

Best Corn Salad (Fresh and tastes like Summer) Photo of this Salad HERE

5 Ears of corn Shucked (or a bag of frozen sweet corn)

1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)

3 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Julienned basil leaves

Corn corn, let cool, Place corn in a bowl make sure it’s separated, then add in all of the above ingredients, mixing as you add. Refrigerate until serving. I could eat as a meal so yummy!

I thought you might like to see or shop some of my favorite decorating pieces and serving pieces for the 4th of July. So here is My Amazon July 4th Shopping Board HERE and a few of my favorite things. View below:

I hope you have an amazing 4th of July with family and friends. We, of course, are having a BBQ, and you better believe I am making the side dishes above as my family looks forward to a big celebration BBQ. Happy 4th of July!

How to Keep your Immunity Up This Season!

How to Keep your Immunity Up This Season, Supplements for immunity!

TALKING Immune System and staying Healthy in these times. Sharing these tips with you to HELP you and your family stay healthy this SEASON. I know many people are scared in these times, and I want to share HOW I keep my family healthy and keep their immune systems up, especially in these times. Using Supplements for immunity boosts.

Shop Supplements for immunity shown above HERE

How to Keep your Immunity Up This Season and what Supplements for immunity we use.

My family and I take vitamin D3 and C plus magnesium to absorb the D3 And immunity boosters like Elderberry. If I feel drained, I’ll take zinc (my family too) with Echinacea. I also love Oscillococcinum HERE (I have used this product for over 8 years & it stops a cold in its tracks!) I have shared this product over the years here and on Instagram.

Now, I have traveled every month since May. Taking travel precautions and following safety guidelines, of course, and keeping my immunities up. Keeping with this regimen, I haven’t gotten sick. I’ve Been to NYC, California, AZ, Nv, Tx, MT., and Id! I’ve been in planes, trains, subways, taxis, and even a boat. Having been able to live my life, support small businesses and stay healthy. I know taking these supplements and following these simple healthy tips are a BIG part of why my family and I have stayed healthy. Getting outside for 15 to 20 min a day to absorb sunlight and natural vitamin D. It is also essential to exercise, 20 to 30 minutes, even a quick walk will help, and remember to eat healthily. This may seem really basic but very important to overall health and keeps your immune system high.

My High schooler ( who has a low immune system) has been sent home for two weeks, twice, because he was exposed 😭 to Covid19 (never getting sick). Even his girlfriend was exposed, her whole family got Covid. Therefore she had to come to stay with us for two weeks…Our family remained healthy. (every time we were possible exposed, we did take the recommended precautions to keep others safe) We remained healthy through all of these cases; Now, we don’t believe this was just luck. Because we truly believe it is as simple as what you put into your body.

Tips🚨 I learned that are very important:

Magnesium is VERY, VERY important! I learned this years ago from my hormone Dr and thought it’s so important to share. Magnesium is needed to absorb the D3…we’re all very low on D3…and even more so if in Menopause and where you live is a factor! Did you know 80% of covid patients had a vitamin D deficiency? 🤷🏼‍♀️ Who knew… I’ve been taking the Magnesium and Vitamin D3 regimen for 4 years…Also, important to know when purchasing a Vit D, it needs to have the 3.

Hopefully, this will encourage you to try some of our regimens, and I hope sharing our regimen can help you & your family stay healthy. OX, D’Arcy

Make sure to follow me on the LIKEtoKNOW. On the Shopping app search, Darcy Vandenberg is also linked on the sidebar because I share great outfits and home inspiration with easy shopping.

Shop my post below:

Mary Ruth’sElderberry can be found HERE. This pure Elderberry & organic. The only Elderberry I stand by.

All opinions are my own; I am not a Doctor, so please seek advice from a physician. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in, and this may contain affiliate links. Thank you for taking the time to read and for your support.

Saying Goodbye to Summer…Fashion I am packing away!

Do you have those Summer pieces you wore over and over and are sad when it comes time to pack them away? These are pieces that don’t transition into Fall. Summer short, Summer Printed tops and dresses, Sandals you loved, and those perfect Straw hats and Fun Summer Bags. I sure do. These pieces I wore to death all summer long and genuinely hated having to pack them away, Partly because it means the end of summer and partly because these pieces brought me joy all summer long.

The linen shorts HERE from Old navy I purchase in the stripe and four solid colors. So affordable, comfortable, and easy to style. I wore with a tank or graphic tee and if not to hot-finished off with a denim jacket. Shop the whole look HERE. Picking up summer pieces on SALE for next year is always a great idea and like Christmas when you unpack your summer clothing!

My favorite sandal this year by far! I purchased my tan shoes from my girlfriends little boutique Rowan in California. Best purchase ever, I could have worn every day they worked with every outfit I put together. Forcing myself to grab other sandals (lord knows I own plenty!) These would be great for traveling just for that reason. Here, and Similar in tan HERE and HERE

Those fun straw bags and favorite espadrilles we all love and collect scream all things summer! I am a sucker for cute bags and shoes. They get me every season, but especially in the summer. These are very hard for me to say goodbye. The struggle is so real 🙂 but let’s face it transitioning these cuties into Fall is pushing it. It’s time to say goodbye for now and see you in a year. Bring out the booties and fantastic leather bags, and this Fall, you might even be seeing some fringe. Shop these shoes here.

I like to store all my summer bags in the totes below; Clear bins are perfect so you can see them. I store all my Summer sandals in the shoe storage, also shown below.

I loved the Blazer and Bermuda shorts trend this year, Yes Blazer’s transition great into every season, but as I stated above, shorts are hard, especially in Utah. All though you can wear with a sweater and sweatshirt on chillier evenings or a crisp day, those days are far too little living here in Utah or Mountain communities. Packing these guys away, Tip, I like to roll all my shorts and store in bins showed below. Shop this look HERE

More shorts and here I am showing one of my favorite Summer straw hats, Spf 50 sunscreen built-in! Straw hats unless its a cowboy hat is for Summer and time to pack away. Shop this look HERE Now. Thank goodness Kimonos transition well for Fall unless a bright Summer print, so keep those out for a little while longer.

Check out at the end of this post how I like to store my hats and other treasures.

Shop my Favorite Shorts on SALE from Nordstrom sale below

Although I love, I move all my Floral, summer printed tops, skirts, and dress in summer colors to the back of my closet. My Fall and Winter wardrobe is full of darker and more Fall & Winter seasonal colors. Black, gray, cream, wine, spiced, mustard, navy, etc. Shop this look HERE

Floral Prints and what to do?

Saying Goodbye to Summer…Fashion I am packing away! My love of floral prints always has me sad to see them go. Fall color florals transition into Fall, so you can keep those out for a little longer, but as I stated above, We should pack away summer florals. Note my favorite sandals here again:)

What do you do with those seasonal dresses?

Dresses can be so versatile and can be great wardrobe builders, but unfortunately, some dresses do scream their season, like above, it truly is a Summer/Spring dress. Find it HERE. Just like a sweater dress is a Fall/Winter dress. If you purchase a ton of this season’s tee shirt dress, You can keep those out and transition those into your Fall wardrobe by adding layers and wearing them with booties or tennis shoes. Suppose you have darker colored or dark or fall printed dresses that transition perfectly as well. I’ll share some Fall transition looks all upcoming week in my stories and my Instagram feed, so make sure you follow along.

Sharing with you what I am Saying Goodbye to Summer with and what Fashion I am packing away! I hope I inspired you to say goodbye to Summer in a pleasant way and maybe even get a little organized to make room for that Fun FALL fashion. ( Hope you checked out My Fall picks from the Nordstrom SALE HERE, HERE, HERE)

Do your Pack up our closet or shift you’re seasonal close to the back?

Speaking of packing, do you pack up your Summer clothing and accessories, or do you move them to the back of your closet? I do both, I pack up some items, and I shift other pieces to the back. I thought you might like some of my favorite closet organizing containers for packing up Seasonal pieces in your closet. These pieces can also help you organize your closet regularly. Shop organizing below

How do you feel about Saying Goodbye to Summer? Are you Packing away any Fashion? I’d love to know how you handle your closet for the seasons. Comment below!

I enjoyed collaborating with some of my blogger friends on How their “saying Goodbye to Summer!” and would love if you checked them out by clicking on their name.

If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy this post:

8 Amazon Fall picks

Fall fashion trends featuring Kut from the Kloth

My latest Fashion haul, 18 items I can’t live without

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for your support!

Build Your Own Pizza Bar for a Fun family Meal

Build Your Pizza Bar for a Fun Family Meal

Build Your Pizza Bar

On pizza night … we were using some leftovers and homemade ingredients.

Use up those leftovers and create a Pizza night your Family will love. They can make their own and get creative to try new things. So if you plan your meals for the week and have a pasta night a few nights before, it works out great. Because I like to space out Italian food a couple of days apart, this helps to use up those little bits of leftovers you may have had.

What you need to build a pizza bar:

Rhodes rolls

Homemade Alfredo sauce recipe here

Homemade marinara or your favorite Jar

Asparagus (leftovers)

Sautés Mushrooms (leftovers)

Ham ( leftover Easter) That I had thrown in the freezer

Fresh sliced tomatoes

Mozzarella, Asiago, Romano, Parmesan cheese (leftover from this week’s Fettuccine night)

Chopped Garlic

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Basil

Green onions

Olives

Italian seasonings

Garlic powder

Onion salt

Sea Salt

Balsamic glaze or vinegar

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 unless you have a pizza oven. We cook them for 10 or 12 minutes, depending on the range! It also depends on how crispy you like your pizza.

Tip using Rhodes Rolls to make the mini Pizzas.

These make individual mini pizzas. Ensure you do enough rolls per person; I did 2-3 per person. (for the rolls, follow the directions on the bag) Then after they’ve risen all day, each person flattens and pulls theirs out to shape and top with desired toppings. Some family members made little calzone instead of a mini pizza.

Building the Pizza Bar

Part of Building Your Own Pizza Bar’s fun is getting as creative as possible and trying different things on your pizza. My Family loves this interactive meal; it’s fun to hear them chat, joke, and talk their way through creating their pizzas.

For fun kitchen Gadgets, check out my Amazon Shop HERE.

Blogger Friends:

This week I joined some of my Blogger girlfriends in a recipe share because It’s always fun in the kitchen. So please check their blogs and see what was cooking or mixing up in their kitchens.

Rosemary = Distinctly Southern Style

Gwen= Gwen Live well

Kim= For a Good Life

Rebecca= R You Ready to Organize

LeNysha= Fifty Fab and Traveling

Sherri= A Woman Thing

Heidi = Simply Our Society

Here are a few more recipes I thought you would like:

Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine

Easiest Bruschetta & Toast Recipe

Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

Thank you for stopping by this week. I hope you enjoyed our recipe share!

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for your support!

Ways to Entertain and Dress Festive for 4th of July

Can you believe the 4th of July is a little over a week away! Seriously Summer just flies by, and I love to soak up every minute of it. This year the 4th is going to look a little different for all of us. Many of the activities we all love and enjoy May be canceled, For instance, parades, festivals, firework displays, and breakfast in the parks. however, this doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate American and this great Country in a little different way. (Did you know Utah is the number 1 most patriotic state?) Family BBQs, Backyard pool parties, or a lake day, little sidewalk fireworks, or even a small neighborhood firework display (if allowed in your city). Family and friends are what makes a Holiday special, So put on that American the great playlist, Plan the grocery shopping list and pull out all the stops on your Home decorating.

Our front porch welcomes & celebrates America, and I hope it gets you excited for what’s beyond the front door. I wanted to share with you a red, white, and blue nautical Bar cart perfect for serving drinks, a festive snack table to keep guests happy and tummies full before dinner, and our Stars and stripe dining table perfect for entertaining a small crowd. I hope they will inspire you to entertain this 4th of July and maybe make some new traditions.

Tip for creating an eclectic and festive tablescape for entertaining is to gather up all the items you have in the colors theme you are using, here, of course, is red, white, and blue. Don’t worry about the patterns. A mix is part of the fun. Place all our items in your workstation, take inventory and see what your missing (plates or glasses, etc.) This act will allow for easier shopping. Another tip would be to collect items that can quickly work for other occasions (think solid colors, patterns not necessarily the Holiday pattern.)

Try to think of other Holidays or events you could use items to decorate with. Say the Red polka dot bowl. The item could be used for Christmas, Valentine’s day, 4th of July, and even a Birthday. Layering is also another tip, layering tablecloths, placemats, ribbon, chargers, etc. Layering adds texture, for instance, if I removed the mesh ribbon from the center of the table below, The centerpiece of the table would look flat and not as interesting. Layering creates texture. Play with the items you’ve collected and remember to group in odd numbers, use dishes as risers to give your display height dimensions, and use some unexpected things. Using denim pockets from old jeans for the silverware holders is unexpected and useful.

My inspiration was all things red, white, and blue, days of Summer from the past. Coke and cherries remind me of hot summer days and add a little nostalgia to the tablescape. I created easy shopping for you below. Some of the items I have used are vintage and some I have been collecting for years. I did find a lot of similar items or pieces that could easily be substituted. Mixing things collected, vintage and new gives it that fun pop. For more Idea’s and products Shop my Amazon shops HERE

Now that we have the entertaining covered, let’s talk dressing festively. You could use the same concept I used for entertaining/ creating a tablescape, Collect all the Red white and blue clothing items and accessories, and create your outfits from the pieces you collected from your closet. You’d be surprised how many festive outfits you could put together from what you already own. Below you will find I created five 4th of July outfits from pieces I have owned for years. White Jeans HERE a Summer staple and my RED Tory Burch Miller sandals HERE are pieces I wear all supper long. Pair them with a Gingham top below and festive jewelry for that perfect Summer night outfit/BBQ. I added an easy shopping bar below to help you find a piece or two that works for all of the Summer season and perfect for the 4th of July. Shop the outfit HERE

4th of July perfection says the dress below, unfortunately, it sold out. Still, I listed some adorable alternatives below. The straw bag is perfect for the Summer season, and I added this cute designer dupe bow pin to make it perfect for the 4th of July. Shop the look HERE or shop the post below

Easy peezy outfit that says 4th of July without having a flag or saying 4th of July. Pulling red white and blue pieces out of your wardrobe that you wear all summer and pairing them together creates a Holiday look without actually purchasing a 4th of July item. Stripes are one of my favorite things, and I love you can mix a bold stripe and small stripe. Shop the look HERE or shop the page below

Chic and festive pulling basics out to create a Holiday look everyone can wear. Navy blazer, classic white button-up shirt, distressed jeans and could also be worn with Bermuda shorts add festive accessories, and you’re ready to celebrate. Show the look HERE or Shop the page below

The easiest dress to wear and style multiple ways for Summer. Here we’re shooting for 4th of July and celebrating America, so I paired this polka dot maxi dress with a denim jacket, a sun hat, and a patriotic star bandana. Easy and festive. You could also swap out the denim jacket and wear a striped sweater over your shoulders. Swap out the sun hat for a festive headband. Shop the look HERE or Shop the page below

Welcome to our Home. Remember, your entryway tells the story of what your guest should expect when they enter your home. Make it as festive as your tablescape. I’ve been collecting items since owning my Home decor store “Pages of tyme” back in California starting almost 24 years ago. Some of these pillows are a treasure from those days. The lady that hand made them from some of the prettiest fabrics. This flag and rose pillow are hand embroidered. Remember to collect things that bring you joy. They’ll always work in your home when you love them.

I hope your Holiday week brings you joy and your ability to make fun memories, although they may look different this year. Happy fourth of July! OX,D’Arcy

I have three blogger girlfriends that are sharing 4th of July inspiration over on their blogs! Please go check out their post:

Rosemary= Distinctly southern style

Gwen= Gwen Lives Well

Heidi=www.simplyoursociety.com

Michele = Sooo Boca

20 Favorite Things Right Now While Staying Home

Working from home…Pj’s sold out similar Here

20 Favorite Things Right NOW🖤

Hello Pretty Ladies,

I hope you are doing well and staying safe. It’s been hard to wrap my head around all that is going on and feeling all kinds of emotions that very day by day, as I am sure you are feeling the same way. I have been sharing daily on Instagram Stories tips that help us get through, ways to stay busy and productive, things that can bring joy or laughter and daily prayers. Local businesses as well as my favorite small business to help support who needs us in these times. I hope you have been watching and getting some relief or at least a good laugh once in a while.

Today I thought I’d share with you 20 of my favorite things RIGHT now…As you have loved this post in the past, I hope you enjoy this one today. (I have linked the items or similar items for easy shopping if shop-able)

20 Things I am loving RIGHT now🖤

#1. Book =Born to Shine

A beautiful book was written by Ashley Lemieux to help Women SHINE despite the darkness, to press forward one day at a time. Purchase HERE

#2. Netflix show= All American

Based on a true story… High School Football player from Crenshaw given the chance to be seen transfers to Beverly Hills High and his journey! The whole family will love this show!

#3. Cooking= I am loving the time to cook and creating dishes my family loves. Sharing our 3 favorite soup recipes with you on Wednesday.

#4. City Beauty Restoring Hand Treatment = With all this hand washing and Utah’s dry air, this is a skin saver! Restoring Hand treatment helps reveal younger-looking hands, targeting the tell-tale signs of aging- dryness, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles! City Beauty purchase HERE

#5. Candles = You know I adore candles and now more then ever I am burning them at home. Candles not only smell great but add a feeling of warmth and homeyness. My favorite HERE and HERE

#6. Ready Festive =Home decor subscription box. I received the Easter box full of fun goodies to help bring our home done cheer in these much needed times. They have a subscription for each Holiday and Seasons. Handpicked for your style and needs. It’s like having a personal shopper for your home♥️ darcyRF10 receive 10% off your subscription Purchase HERE

#7. Butcher Box = has been a lifesaver in these #stayhome conditions. I don’t have to worry about having enough Healthy meat on hand to cook for my family. My family says this is some of the BEST meat they have ever eaten. Each custom made box gets delivered to our door. Packed fresh frozen some of the BEST quality meat you can purchase at a very affordable fee. Purchase HERE

#8.Sunshine = Spring is hard in Utah. We have more grey days than sunshine and a lot of rainy or snowy days. When we have sunny days it’s so delightful and really important to go soak up some rays.

#9. Walks with my hubby= With all this gift of time, it’s been really nice to spend time with my hubby and enjoying long walks.

#10. Organizing = You pretty ladies know I love things organized and tidy. I have been using this time to organize some things I’ve wanted to do but really haven’t wanted to spend the little time I had to do it. Now I have the time…. I’ve gotten most of my projects done….I do have two more left. I’ve loved this book BEAUTIFULLY ORGANIZED order it here. It’s a beautiful book full of great ideas and easy to follow guides and fab tips. Purchase HERE

#11. Good Nights sleep =thanks to Olly SLEEP gummies shop HERE.

During these scary and uncertain times I know it’s hard for most of us to sleep. These have given me a great night’s sleep every night.

#12. Minky blankets♥️ You know I adore my Minky blankets but I am very grateful for them now. Cozy up and read a book or watch a movie.

#13. R.ddle roll-on perfume scent muse. It’s such a fresh scent and so nice to have something new to wear that makes me feel pretty. Sold at my girlfriends boutique Rowan Purchase HERE

#14. Amazon Prime Video =I adore Miss Fisher 1920’s fashionista that is a smart, stylish and determined detective. Plus the list movies are amazing!

#15. Healthy Family all at H🏡me = Feeling so blessed to be at home with my family. We’re all healthy and not alone in these times.

#16. A full pantry= Thankful that my mom taught us to keep a full pantry and to be prepared.

#17. Yoga stretches =I have really enjoyed the extra time to be able to fit in doing some yoga stretching. Here are some FREE ones.

#18. Boars Head Everything Bagel Hummus= It’s my FAVORITE snack serve with carrots and cucumbers and even a cracker. So good. I’ve made my own with plain or garlic hummus and added The everything seasoning from Trader Joe’s

#19. Co2 Lift face masks = my skin seriously looks so fabulous after for about 4 days it just glows. It’s better than a spa facial. Medical spas use these! Purchase HERE use code DARCY for 10% off

#20. Dollar Store package of self-sticking hooks= Such a great buy 6 Med hooks or 12 mini hooks for $1 a pack. It’s helped me organize my jewelry, organize cabinets and lets you hang seasonal items without nail holes.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I hope you enjoyed it and if you happen to use some of my shopping links I thank you for helping my little business. Please be safe and Stay Home. OX, D’Arcy

You might like this EASTER BASKET blog post HERE

Some of my favorite things, Bubble baths, candles, facemasks, and a good book

Co2 Lift a Mask for your Face & V use code DARCYV for 10% off

40 Ways to take a break in the New Year!

Fur jacket, Cup of coffee, Blond hair, winter outfit

Shop my looks HERE Taking in the beauty of The Compass Rose Hotel.

Relaxing by the fire with a cup off coffee at First Lift Coffee at The Compass Rose Hotel in Huntsville, Utah.

40 Ways to take a break in the New Year!

Unplug for a day
Take a bath….. Make sure to use some of my Favorite Things Here
Go on a walk
Do some stretches
Go for a drive
Be a tourist in your Town or State (check out some things I love in this State here)
Have lunch or coffee with a friend
Call a loved one
Cuddle up with a good book and a Minky (some of my favorite books Here and Blankets Here Here Here)
Spend a Sunday Morning in bed
Binge watch a series
Get a Pedicure or Manicure
Have a glass of Wine
Journal
Take a creative class
Go sledding
Write your goals down
Make a snack (Honey crisp Apples and cashew butter is one of my favorites)
Go shopping
Take a nap
Go to the Movies
Have a day date with your spouse
Just be and breath
Have a self-care hour (my favorite face mask & Beauty products Here)
Turn up the Music and Dance
Enjoy the outside (I love watching the sunset on the porch with a blanket and a warm drink)
Volunteer (library, kids school, homeless shelter, and museums always need help)
Play a game with the Family or Friends
Organize something a drawer or a closet. (this relaxes me)
Go Ice skating
Bake or Cook something
Browse a bookstore
Watch a Youtube HOW-TO VIDEO
Write a note to an old friend
Do a craft
Write down five Dreams, Goals or Feelings
Move your furniture around (yes, this relaxes me)
Treat yourself to a great meal out
Go to the park
Talk with your Friends Happy New Year’s Beautiful! It’s a New Year and a New Decade! A perfect time to set goals make plans, follow dreams and remember to take a break! I hope you enjoy my 40 ways to take a break. Some are little breaks and others are longer. It’s ok to take a break, it helps you recharge and refocus. I hope you use a few of my favorite breaks and let me know below which one you plan on doing….or maybe all of them! You do have a year! OX, D’Arcy

Christmas Tablescape & Holiday Tips w/ a Few Favorite Recipes!

9 Dry Shampoos Tried and Tested!

I have spent a lot of time trying & testing out a huge variety of dry shampoos to give you my honest opinion.

1. {Pantene} 2. {Batiste Wild} 3. {Batiste Tropical} 4. {Detox} 5. {Oribe} 6. {Oscar Blandi} 7. {Amika} 8. {La Soie} 9. {Living Proof}

Double knot bun with a hair scarf. Tip for creating fun buns is to have dirty hair. It gives you the texture you need to make a messy bun. To do this look simple divide hair into two sections, place in pony tails and pull almost through and pin ends, pull out some pieces to give it that messy look and tie with a scarf.

Hello Beautifuls,

I couldn’t live without dry shampoo it’s a MUST have beauty staple. I have oily hair, not to mention silky and straight! I would have to wash my hair daily if it wasn’t for DRY SHAMPOO. As a teenager I used baby powder to skip a wash day ( I could do this as my hair has always been light). So you could see how excited I was to learn about this crazy good invention! I have been using for years now. I have also learned that the right dry shampoo give silky hair like mine texture which helps with styling and holding a curl. So if you only thought dry shampoo was to help skip a wash day, I am happy to share it’s good for more than that. I’ve tried almost every brand over the years and I have narrowed it down to these 9 dry shampoos that I have tried and test out for you.

Dry shampoos are the perfect quick fix for great looking hair between washes. No water needed. It’s a great way to extend your blowout, free up time getting ready and add body & texture.

1. Pantene: Doesn’t disappoint, it’s affordable has a nice smell and instantly refreshes hair. They use tapioca starch to help absorb oils. This product is better for blondes as it does have a little powder residue. Comes in a 4.9oz can.

2. Batiste Wild: This instant hair refresh comes in a variety of scents, Wild has a musky scent. Batiste makes a dry shampoo for Brunettes which I would recommend if you are as if not stated so then it will leave a light powder residue. I love this brand because it does the trick at a super affordable price, one of the most affordable on the market. You can use this dry shampoo multiple days in a row without build up. I also like it’s one of the biggest dry shampoos you can buy. Comes in a 13.46 fl.oz can for around $7-9.

3. Batiste Tropical: This is the same as above but with a tropical scent that smells just like Summer. It has a powder residue but works great on blond hair. I love the scent and it’s become one of my go to Dry shampoos and also comes in a small travel size can.

4. Detox: By Drybar is my all time favorite! I love the smell, it gives the best texturing and helps my silky hair hold a curl. You should really have blond hair for this product as it does have a white powder residue but it rubs away. This only comes in a 3.5oz bottle and is a little pricey at $23 bottle.

5. Oribe: Gold Lust dry shampoo comes in a 6oz can and is one of the most expensive dry shampoos I used at $46 a can, ouch! While this product is a translucent dry shampoo that also absorbs product buildup and oil, plus ever hair color can use I didn’t think it did much more for the money. It had a plain scent and does not add texture, grip, or weight if that is something you need like I do. It does claim it nourishes and fortifies dry, damaged hair & maintains hair health and color vibrancy by extending a blowout.

6. Oscar Blandi: Revive and refreshes hair of all hair colors with this invisible dry shampoo spray. It removes product build-up, absorbs oil and boosts volume it has a nice perfume scent and is an overall great product if you want to spend $25 on 5oz

7. Amika:Perk Up dry shampoo is a talc-free, true dry cleanser that absorbs oil buildup and odor without talc or aluminum, adds volume and cools the scalp (none of the others cool the scalp) refreshes hair with natural rice starch. Leaves no white residue and has fresh perky scent. I didn’t like it as much as others simply because it’s more like a moose and goes on wet/foam. 5.3 oz $25.

8. La Soie: Dry shampoo helps perk up 2nd day hair and adds volume but I didn’t feel it helped absorbed oil. It can be used on all hair colors and didn’t have an overpowering scent but this is not one I’d purchase again.

9. Living Proof: Perfect hair day absorbs and removes oil, sweat and odor. Works on all hair colors because it leaves virtually no visible residue or powdery build-up behind. Gives you body and has a nice scent. I love when you purchase on amazon you get a bundle for $29.99 a regular size and travel! I seem to go through this brand fast.

I hope this helps you ladies out for purchasing your next dry shampoo. OX, D’Arcy

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in! Thank you for the support!