Tag: blog

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020

Hello friends and family (and all random strangers reading this!) Happy New Year!! You may have noticed I took a 2-month long break from blog writing, and all for good reason! So much of my life has changed this last quarter of the year since we last spoke, from day to day activities to my love life to my career. I was giving so much to everything else happening in my world that I didn’t have the energy to sit down and blog about domestikated things.

When I started this blog just over one year ago, I was looking for an escape from my life and an outlet to express myself and creativity. My mom had passed away that summer, Nick was working long hours and I desperately missed writing. So Life Domestikated was born. It was so nice expressing myself through recipes I enjoy, sales and steals I found and how a young 20-something was figuring out this new domestikated life in the real world.

As you keep reading below you’ll learn all the things that have changed in my life the past three months and why I haven’t put much focus on this blog. With all that being said, I don’t want to give up on this space and outlet of creativity.

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20 Gingham Summer-to-Fall Transition Pieces

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Give me gingham or give me death! In recent years, gingham has taken storm in the fashion industry attracting a variety of styles including rustic country, rock grunge and my personal favorite – classic, preppy. Once appropriate for only milkmaids and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, I love that this iconic pattern lost its “folk country” stigma and re-emerged in present day fashion. 

Gingham, also called checkered, is one of those patterns I believe is appropriate and in style every season of the year. Originally influenced by tartan and plaid, brands have been printing this pattern in a variety of colors on dresses, tops, pants and accessories as well as home goods since the 17th century. While pastel pieces may go out of style after Easter and red and country blue may resemble that summer picnic tablecloth, there’s nothing more classic than the original black-and-white or navy-and-white checkered design. And thanks to Joanna Gaines and her modern farmhouse style, classic black and white gingham is becoming an even more popular design for not only clothing but also home decor and rustic winter holiday decorations. 

I’ve rounded up 20 of my favorite gingham pieces that you can easily transition from summer to fall (and maybe even winter for a few!)

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#AmazonPrime: Father’s Day Gift Guide

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Alert Alert. In case you didn’t remember – Father’s Day is this Sunday! Before you head to Kohl’s for the annual tie (that he might wear once), or grab a sporting goods or home improvement gift card, head to Amazon and 2-day Prime ship a gift that dad will actually love this year.

I’ve rounded up 10 gifts for the man of the hour, from tools and outdoor equipment to tech gear that will keep your dad in the 21st century. 

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Amazon vs. Target: 10 Last Minute Gifts for Mom

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PSA: Mother’s Day is right around the corner! For those who haven’t found that perfect gift yet, don’t panic. It may be crunch time, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the quality of your gift. While flowers and candles are sweet, give mom a gift that shows you truly appreciate her and all that she does for you.

The key to Mother’s Day shopping is buying mom the gifts she wouldn’t consider buying herself, since she’s always putting the needs and wants of her family first. Say no to “Mom” picture frames and heart shaped necklaces, unless you’re under the age of ten. Instead, treat mom to a sophisticated yet functional gift that matches her lifestyle.

Thanks to 2-day Amazon Prime and the magic shopping spell that Target (and Target online) can put on us, there are hundreds of gifts to chose from, just a click away! To make things even simpler, I’ve shared 10 thoughtful gifts that your mom will absolutely love this Mother’s Day.

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Tips for Decorating a Small Entryway

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From the moment we walked into our townhouse, I loved ALMOST everything about it. Nick will tell you that he was sold immediately. I remember he wanted to sign the lease the moment we got back in the car. I was hesitant on the size and space, and am now thankful that we pulled the trigger because we ended up getting an amazing deal for this area! All of that aside, there’s still a few things that I don’t love: the color of our cabinets, the folds in the upstairs carpet and our awkward little entryway.

In most townhomes, I don’t think there’s ever anything grand about an entryway. No flowing staircase or intricate light fixture. For us, it was narrow hallways and a small landing area right where you walk in. Not to mention an awkward ledge/bench area that really just takes away from open space. I wasn’t sure how I was going to decorate the space and make it feel welcoming, and it was the last room in our house that I put my “mark” on. But with a few small touches, I turned our entry way from blah and beige to welcoming with a classic Kate touch. Check out my tips for decorating your own small entryway and a few snapshots of our own entryway!

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Friday Favorites

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Happy Friday, digital friends! It’s been a crazy few weeks but it feels great writing again. From traveling to Charlotte and Florida back to back weekends, and work and personal functions almost every night, I needed to step away from the computer and focus on what’s important to me in life – spending quality time with those I love.

Although crazy, these last few weeks have definitely been relaxing and family oriented. From seeing my grandmother, aunt, and uncle for a few days to celebrating my birthday with family and friends, (with a surprise party nonetheless!!) it was nice to step away from the blog for a week to live in the moment.

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Friday Favorites

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Where did this week go? Does anyone else feel like the week just flew by!? With my travel plans last weekend plus a few after work events this week, I don’t think I had the chance to sit down and catch my breath. No Law & Order SVU was watched and grocery shopping was skipped. That’s how you know it was a busy week! I’m not complaining though because this weekend starts my birthday celebration in Florida with my grandma and family!

This is my favorite picture of grandma and I from one of our last Florida dance weekends at the Polish Club

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15 Recipes to Master by 25

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It’s no secret I love spending time in our kitchen. Ever since I was a little girl, I was always fascinated by cooking. Like many children, I started with my play kitchen complete with frying pan and stocked plastic fridge and eventually moved on to the real deal, experimenting with recipes in the microwave, stovetop, oven – you name it!

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Friday Favorites

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Today’s ‘Friday Favorites’ are coming at you live at the airport! While my trip was off to a rainy start, I’m beyond excited to head to Charlotte for the weekend to see my best friend, Sarah, after 2 LONG years of being apart! I don’t know about you, but a majority of my friends are scattered across the US, making it difficult to get together as often as we would like for vacations, girls nights and even just the casual wine, face mask and Say Yes To The Dress TV Show binge night. But I’m fortunate that my friends and I have this bond where we can go months or years not seeing each other and still pick up right where we left off.

I’m going to share a Charlotte weekend recap on the blog once I’m back, but as a teaser to our weekend, it will be filled with brunch, booze, and basketball. For anyone else sitting at the airport or looking for a few fun weekend reads, here are my favorites from this week!

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Friday Favorites

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Happy Friday! Has anyone else had a strange week? Half of this week I was playing catch up, feeling like my time was flying by yet the other half seemed to drag on FORever! Needless to say I am very excited for the weekend!

A lot has happened in the last week since I last jumped on the blog. With travel plans booked every single weekend in March and a very busy April already scheduled, I spent last weekend finally emptying my mom’s storage units, checking off one more thing related to her estate. 

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