What I’m Lovin’ in July

July’s saving grace (because #WayTooHot) is that it’s my sister’s birthday month – in fact, TODAY is my sister’s birthday!! Happy Birthday to my very best friend and favorite person in the whole world.

This year we took a trip to Washington, DC together! It wasn’t specifically for her birthday, but it was close enough that it was the perfect excuse 🙂

1. These 10 Asheville Airbnbs worthy of a getaway from Cola Today

Asheville is one of my favorite places to visit! It’s not too far of a drive and the weather is always a little cooler which is a nice escape from the relentlessness heat of Columbia. It’s also a vegetarian foodie’s dream destination 😉

The Hubs is going to Asheville this month for a lacrosse tournament, but unfortunately I didn’t see this list until after we’d already booked his Airbnb. Hopefully next year Andy & I can tag along (or else we’ll have to make an excuse to visit soon!).

2. This Weekender bag pattern

I’ve been following Trish Stitched for a long time now and absolutely love her blog! I really like her style and rely a lot on her garment sewing posts to see what kind of alterations she made to the patterns she shares (she’s also petite!). She’s really talented and I was excited to see her Weekender Bag Tutorial on fabric.com! I wish I had found time to make one of these bags before my trip to DC this month – it would’ve been perfect!

I’m definitely adding it to my queue – I’m trying to work on traveling light & this bag would be the perfect motivation 😉

3. This Peach Pie Scone recipe

Earlier this month, a friend brought me a bag of beautiful, fresh peaches!

I wanted to do more than just cut-and-freeze (my usual go-to for fresh fruit so I can toss it into smoothies). I jumped on Pinterest and searched for peach recipes and ran across this recipe for Peach Pie Scones with Vanilla Glaze. It sounded easy enough so I gave it a shot!

They were delicious! I will definitely whip up a batch of these again.

4. Sewing Baby Bows

I’m on a baby-bow-sewing kick lately. They are super easy to whip up with scrap fabric and of course Andy always needs more bows. This quick fabric bow tutorial is our favorite lately. It’s the perfect scrap buster.

She seems fascinated with the sewing machine lately so she helped me sew a few bows for one of her friends!

5. Our Local Library

I renewed my library card earlier this month and Andy and I have been loving visiting our local library!

They recently renovated and the interior is so great. There is a lovely play area for kids and a Parent Lounge with a big, comfy chair for feeding, a changing table and a sink. I love that addition – it makes it so easy for parents to come and explore with little ones without the worry of where to feed or change them. Being that Andy is not a huge fan of the heat & humidity (who is?!), we may be spending many summer days at the library.

6. Ideas sparked from #plasticfreejuly

I recently discovered #plasticfreejuly and enjoyed browsing the hashtag for inspiration. I really love the plastic storage alternatives @ecowithem_ shared in this graphic!

Other awesome #plasticfreejuly posts:

• How to go plastic free at the supermarket.
• This stand that can help you never forget a reusable ever again 😉
• This idea about how to use coconut oil to preserve half an avocado.
• Silly me didn’t realize you could just toss your banana in the freezer with the peel intact rather than slicing & freezing. This post caused an epiphany.
• Infographics: 9 tips for living with less plastic & 10 easy ways to use less plastic & a tiny guide to create less waste
• This pantry has me convinced that buying in bulk can be so pretty!
• Have you ever considered lining your trash can with anything other than plastic? Me neither, but these ideas are interesting.

7. Plants

I went to a Plant Swap last month {read my friend Shanika’s recap of the event here}. Andy & I were way late so we missed some of the fun, but it worked out so Andy could get lots of cuddles from one of our favorite friends (you can see pictures here).

I took some leaves from our office succulents and propagated them a few weeks before the event. I planted them in teacups from the thrift store and gave them names and backstories (yes, I’m THAT nerdy).

If you’re a plant lover, check out these neat DIY planters from upcycled items!

8. The idea of Zero Waste Grocery Shopping

Ok, so this is not something that I am actually doing, but I am really intrigued by the idea! These Practical Tips and Ideas for Zero Waste Grocery Shopping from Green Indy are really great.

In addition to the obvious (bringing reusable bags to the grocery store which I already do because they hold so much!), I plan to start attempting to shop in bulk. There are a few stores nearby that have bulk sections. I’m planning to take my own jars too! Wish me luck.

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What have you been lovin’ this month? Let me know in the comments so I can jump on your bandwagon!

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{Catch up on all of my monthly What I’m Lovin’ posts here.}