My latest obsession (of many!) is gauze. It's lightweight, breathable, comfortable, doesn't wrinkle like linen, and has a beautiful texture. In my opinion, it's the perfect fabric for the warm weather, as well as for travel! 

I recently scored at the Gap and found so many gorgeous gauze pieces at amazing prices.  Everything can easily be dressed up or down with jewelry, shoes, and accessories,  so you'll get your money's worth! Plus gauze clothing also transitions beautifully to the pool or beach. Many of these pieces can double duty as a cover-up! 

Here are my picks for gauze pieces to add to your wardrobe this season. Ready, set gauze!

Flowy gauze pants

I purchased these in blue and black because they're THAT fabulous! I love the wide leg, they're not too long (so heels not required for someone 5"6'' like me), you can't see through, and the fabric is soft and comfy. They come in other colors too.

I also bought these in blue. I love the color because it resembles denim.

Gauze top

I suggest getting a matching top for the pants to make a set that resembles a jumpsuit, but you can also break up the pieces to wear them separately.  I love a gauze top with jeans too! 

Here are some styles that I like.  Here, Here, and Here (love the feminine details on this one).

Gauze dress

You need this dress! It's so comfortable and you can wear it with sneakers or sandals. Try switching up the belt for different looks too. I bought it in black and green because I couldn't choose!  Shop here. 

Gap makes shopping easy because shipping is free over $50 and returns are free as well.  It's no risk plus their sales are amazing! Take a peek!

Thanks for stopping by!

xx Susan

Some of the links in this post may generate a small commission. 

Please know that I only post what I love.

I can't complain. Winter wasn't too bad this year. We only had a few snowstorms and the temperatures were tolerable. But still, I am sick of boots and winter coats! Bring on the sunshine and sandals please!

If you follow me on social media, you'll know that I was supposed to take a trip to Charleston, SC last week with another couple. But life being life, it didn't end up well. We drove and got as far as Richmond, VA when our friend started with a 103.7 fever (yikes!). Because we were all highly exposed, we decided to turn around and come home the next day. The good news is that we took out trip insurance (highly recommend!), but the bad news is that we didn't get the vacation that we had planned and looked forward to for months. Plus, this would have been my first big trip in four years. I was planning on celebrating the end of chemo in a BIG way. 

In preparation for the trip, of course I did some spring clothes shopping. Although I won't be wearing these pieces in Charleston, I now have some fabulous outfits for the warmer weather that will also work well for future trips.

I tried to choose pieces that were lightweight, would mix and match, go from day to night, and didn't wrinkle. I'm typically an over-packer, so my goal was to ONLY take what I needed. Needless to say, it was an epic fail because at the last minute I started throwing more clothes and shoes in my suitcase. Next time I'll do better....maybe. 😉

And these two amazing Clara Sunwoo pieces. The jumpsuit above is SOOOO comfy as is the cocoon dress below. As with all Clara Sunwoo pieces, do not size up as they're roomy!

Code fashionista for 10% off site-wide at Clara Sunwoo.

I hope that we can reschedule our Charleston trip soon. After all, I have the outfits all set!

Are you traveling anytime soon?

Hope you'll follow me on Instagram and Facebook and sign up to receive my newsletter and blog (don't worry, I won't bombard you!).

Thanks for stopping by.

xx Susan

Almost six years ago we moved into our new home after numerous construction issues. I had recently been diagnosed with leukemia, Uncommon Threads was a baby, and then the pandemic hit. Yep, it was a lot.  I had every intention of decorating the house and although I made some progress, most of the rooms are still unfinished. 

Now that my cancer treatment has ended and I have more energy, I decided to tackle decorating, starting with the master bedroom. 

When we moved in, my brother and his wife passed their gorgeous bed to us. I love the neutral silk headboard that makes a subtle statement. Our bureau and nightstands were a Crate and Barrel purchase and although we planned on buying a rug, bedding, and accent pieces, we've been at a standstill for years.

However, this past fall I decided that it was time to take action and pick up where I left off so I enlisted the help of Space Joy, an online interior design business, to give me some ideas and inspiration.  I worked with Heather, one of their designers, and went through several renditions until we got closer to what grabbed me. I'm still not done with the room (although my Space Joy sessions have ended), but I'm making progress for sure.  I loved that Space Joy provided me with visuals to work off of and links to items to purchase directly.  The price for their services is very reasonable and I loved being able to see the room with different furnishings and configurations.  I got lots of ideas from Heather and her team, which allowed me to finish up on my own (although it's still a work in progress).

Here are photo of my bedroom "before". Yep it's boring.

Here are the Quince rugs I purchased and LOVE! They're incredibly soft, easy to care for, and don't show stains like the white. Stepping on them first thing in the morning is the best!

Heather and I chose a gorgeous blue velvet bench from Mitchel Gold for the long wall to the right of the bed. But just my luck, as soon as I was ready to purchase it they went out of business! So I found this similar bench at Interior Define for HALF the price of Mitchel Gold! The fabric is cobalt velvet and I paired with with silver legs. Find the bench here.  It took several months for this piece to come in, but it was worth it. The quality is fabulous and it looks gorgeous in the room.  Now I need a large piece of colorful artwork to put above it!

My super soft oversized throw blank is from Elizabeth Cotton. I love this woman-owned line. She makes the best luxury pjs too! Find the blanket here. 

My last purchase (I'm SLOW!) was this artificial tree (just $150 including the pot!).  Shop it here. 

As you can see, I still have lots more decorating to do. My goal is to finish the wall opposite of the blue bench as it's pretty bare. I'm thinking of getting a large leaning mirror and perhaps a chair.  And of course artwork is a must! 

Getting Organized is Life Changing!

My kitchen and bathroom were a mess.  A serious mess.  As a style and beauty influencer, I receive boxes of products and clothes every day. It may sound like a good problem to have, but these items pile up quickly and create clutter.  On the other hand, I have no excuse for the kitchen. I mean, who needs 5 ladles and 22 mugs?

Our kitchen pantry closet is small. And for a good-sized home, we lack cabinet space.  I thought I had a decent system going on, but it never lasted more than five seconds. With deep closet shelves, food was hard to access so I ended up buying the same items over and over again because I couldn't see what was in the back of the closet. This resulted in a ton of expired food constantly being tossed in the trash. What a waste of money!

I can't believe that I'm showing you this. Please don't judge!

I have to admit that I was kind of embarrassed at how out of control my closets and cabinets were. I had way too much of everything, including clutter! Why did I let this happen? What was I thinking?  But Shannon and the team were so kind and gentle, reassuring me the proper storage solutions would solve the problems. And they were right.

But there are only two of us in the household!

They arrived right on time as promised, and got to work immediately.  Shannon tackled the pantry closet, while her helper (and sister!) Jaime sorted food.  They brought all types of storage containers and labeled everything (including expiration dates)! While this was going on, another "Nester" was in the bathroom creating a system for my 5 million bottles of shampoo and skincare products.  

They even masked up for me since I'm going through chemo!

I felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, it was kind of weird having strangers handle all of our "stuff". But on the other hand, I felt a sense of relief that I was finally doing something about the clutter. Taking action feels GREAT!

After two days or working their tails off, the cabinets and closets (kitchen and bathroom) were done. Richard and I were blown away at what this dynamic team had accomplished.  Gone was my anxiety, and it was replaced by a euphoric state of happiness and order.  Everything had a place and was clearly labeled.  We now had a coffee station (something I didn't think we had room for) and my cabinets and drawers looked SO good and made SO much sense!  Plus I no longer have to worry that when I open the pantry closet, 10 boxes of pasta will hit me on the head (not kidding...our closet was dangerous!).  

I can find EVERYTHING in my bathroom closet now!

My kitchen pantry closet looks AMAZING. Everything has a home and I can easily access what I need!

We have a coffee station!

I love the clearly labeled bins and lazy Susans!

I had forgotten about some of these beautiful glasses, but now I can see them!

Funny (not so funny) story.  Two weeks after the job was finished, my guest-room closet rack came crashing down. Yes, I probably had a few too many clothes hung on the rod, BUT our builder never used the right screws or put them into studs.  SHANNON, HELP! Yep, I called her back and she's now working on a better design. Plus, while she's at it, I'm having her redo my office and coat closet too.  

My dream is to have Shannon organize my entire house. Having a place for everything within reach at our fingertips is the BEST.  Why didn't I do this sooner?

Nested Organization and Design also provides interior design and concierge services too.  Shannon and her team work mainly in the New England area, but they're SO good that people from all over the country hire them (they travel).  

 How does Shannon do it all and so well? She's the organizing goddess! 

Tips from Shannon:

1. Start an organizing project by sorting all the items in that space. Separating what you're keeping from what you're donating/selling/tossing is always the messiest step, but a necessary one.
2. A closet should be no more than 80-85% full to leave room for items you've overlooked elsewhere in the house and for new purchases.
3. You don't need three garlic presses, four potato mashers and/or five juicers!
4. If you have cooking utensils/gadgets that you don't use often, don't keep them in a drawer with those that you do use often, as they are cluttering up prime space.
5. We all hate it, but the truth is, kids grow so quickly. It's best to go through kids' clothes, toys and accessories every 1-1.5 months to remove what is no longer in use.
6. Keep formal, special and infrequently worn shoes in containers to prevent them from getting dusty, fading, drying out (leather) or ruined (by pets & kids!). These should be kept on high shelves or in auxiliary storage space - NOT in a prime spot.
7. When packing for a trip, use packing cubes, as they make a world of difference! Packing cubes keep like items together making it much easier to find what you need. (They are a must when packing kids for camp!)
8. Keep ALL holiday stuff - including linens, platters and decor - grouped together and stowed away for that specific holiday. Don't let it take up prime space for everyday items.
9. Unless photo albums and keepsakes are looked at frequently, they should be stored in a dry space in a specialized tote with a seal to prevent air, water, insects and critters from getting in.
10. Aside from formalwear, if you haven't worn something in 10+ months, it shouldn't take up prime space.
11. Complete one area at a time. Often, organizing one space leads into the next and so on. If you tackle many areas at once, it quickly becomes overwhelming and the urge to walk away becomes irresistible.
12. Call Shannon @ Nested Organization & Design today! 978.239.6800

P.S. One of the funniest sayings that I repeatedly laugh at is "we keep a potato masher in a shallow drawer because sometimes it's fun to struggle opening the drawer".

Yep, Shannon has a wonderful sense of humor, but this is "kind of" true!

Find out more about Nested Organization and Design here.

Contact Shannon at info@nestedod.com 978.239.6800

Dull lifeless hair? 

Did you know that as we get older, our scalp's natural oil production can drop in half ? Both time and damage can cause frizz, flyaways, broken ends, and thinning hair.

The highlights even "pop" more! 

So what's my verdict? Hair Biology's Full & Vibrant Collection is a winner.

My hair looks and feels amazing...I'm a fan!

Find Hair Biology at Target locations in-store or online at Target.com!

Thanks for stopping by.

xx Susan