Orchid Grey Has Moved!

Orchid Grey has moved! Please visit By Julie Sharp for the latest and greatest and follow me on Instagram here.

Thank you so much to everyone who has followed and supported this space over the years - I'm working on moving everything over to the new site, so old content will continue to be available for the foreseeable future. If you'd like to learn more about WHY I chose to make this move, you can check out this post and this post.

Love, 

Julie

Weekend Reading 5.24.2020

Well hi! I think this has officially been the longest I've gone without updating this blog in the ten years I've been running it – wedding week included. I've been working on something new behind the scenes, which I'm hoping to launch this week, and I've been enjoying the start of nice weather in Maine and trying to motivate myself into job hunting more seriously. With the return of the sun to our state, I've felt as though I've fallen into a semblance of a rhythm, enjoying the outdoors and focusing on my health again, and feeling, dare I say, a little normal? I've even been getting dressed, and not just in loungewear! Sure, on most days it's a tee and leggings, dressed up with simple jewelry, like a pretty, understated ear cuff or gold necklace – I'm all about dressing up a basic outfit with more refined jewelry. But as the weather warms I've been breaking out my dresses and other summer staples – and I can't wait until it's dress weather every day. I'm still loving the dainty jewelry of last summer, but have been adding big hoops and other statement pieces, too.

Not every day is perfect, but I've found that it helps to pencil in some days when I'm not focused on computer work, especially on Wednesdays, which everyone seems to agree is the new Monday. I've also finally started some projects UNRELATED to work of any kind. This is news. BIG news. Because my work and my life are constantly flowing into one another and it has to stop. For my own sanity. How good did it feel to just make something for myself? So good, let me tell you. 10/10 recommend. Five stars.

OK, on to the links. Stay tuned for the aforementioned NEW PROJECT. Because I need to get this done goddammit.

United By Blue is having a major warehouse sale! Reminder that you can save 15% off your order with the code 'orchidgrey15'

The styling in this music video is truly excellent. Let it inspire you. Soak it up. Order a pair of super bright sunglasses.

This tinted serum has been my go-to "no-makeup" look while staying at home. it's light and beneficial for skin, while making me feel a little more put together for those moments I catch myself in the mirror

The joy of... (currently enjoying the Joy Of The Two Mile Run (achievable!))

OGEE just launched a CBD lip oil and it's amazing, I can tell you from experience. Save 15% off your order w/code 'Julie4' (I also swear by this cleansing oil. It removes makeup like nothing else)

A podcast episode on quarantining with your ghost

Just a reminder you can save $10 off your first Thinx order by shopping through my profile! This includes saver sets so you can save even more. They've been a godsend during this whole thing

One of my absolute favorite Etsy shops for beading/DIY supplies – I just placed a huge order (my team at Etsy HQ used to order from her all the time!) This necklace DIY is next on my list of things to make

Dermstore is having a huge summer beauty sale - 20% off with code 'SUMMER'! I'm grabbing this excellent dry shampoo, and restocking this vitamin C serum and

Save 15% off from Brooklinen! We have this linen duvet cover and love it.

These spicy peanut noodles sound so good – and easy enough to make with spaghetti squash if that's your jam (it's mine)

Weekend Reading 4.18

Suddenly it's Saturday. I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling this, but the days of the week are starting to lose meaning. Like everyone else, I'm missing a lot right now, but also so thankful that Chris and I have been healthy and safe. I wish I had something more exciting to report from the past few days, but our activities have likely been much the same as everyone else's: watching a lot of Netflix, Hulu & Prime (I watched both season's of Fleabag this week, and also Blow the Man Down, which is set in Maine and fairly dark, but good. Also Hunters), cooking, baking, working on small projects here and there, and doing lots of reading (about halfway through this book and really enjoying it). Hope you're hanging in there too. xoxo

Shared some thoughts on Thinx this week on IG – remember you can save $10 off your first order if you shop through my profile!

Sephora's Beauty Insider sale is on! Here's what's in my cart: this clean beauty AHA serum (so good), this glowy serum/spf combo foundation (my absolute favorite), this luminizing sunscreen (I've head amazing things), and this body serum (sounds so nice for summer)

As we move into week... week whatever of social distancing, this is important to keep in mind: social distancing is a recipe for depression

I'm so excited for warm weather, if only to wear something other than leggings & sweatshirts right now (jeans are out of the question). A few affordable favorites: this striped mini shift dress, this romantic white midi dress, this pretty gingham dress (40% off with code APRIL)

The most anticipated books of summer 2020

If you're missing a good cappuccino or latte: this top-rated coffee machine is 50% off!

Eyeing up sneakers per usual and I'm very tempted by these classics to wear with voluminous dresses (size down). Also these are giving me major nostalgia

How to check out e-books from the library

How cute are these handmade beaded fruit earrings? Love these double cherries and these tangerines, too

If you're missing brunch: 4 decadent brunch recipes to make at home

Weekend Reading 4.10.20

How was your week? Mine was… long, a little fraught, with some nice sunny weather in between. True to Maine springtime weather, we got a snowstorm on Thursday night, nearly to the day that we got a storm this time last year. I’m just thankful the snow didn’t stick in Portland, we don’t need to add more of a mess on top of the mess we’re already in. I’ve been struggling to focus this week, but have been trying to remind myself that when it becomes difficult to pay attention to one thing, i can just switch to another, or you know, rest. I spent much of this week trying to finish up this blog transition, editing old photos, and figuring out next steps for putting together some kind of online portfolio for my job search. That makes me sound more productive than I’ve actually been, trust me when I tell you this: every day has been a struggle. A struggle to wake up before 8:30am, a struggle to put on pants, a struggle to figure out when I can reasonably switch from coffee to wine. I feel like I’ve been doing ok, but also, I really, really miss life “before”.

Hope you’re hanging in there. Here’s a few things for your weekend. XOXO

Relatable: Stop trying to be productive (NYT)

My Thinx saved me this week. Seriously with having to use plastic bags again at the grocery store and so many of the planet-friendly swaps we’d made out the window, I love that I can still use Thinx and save money and reduce waste. Shop through my profile to save $10!

If no more movies came out this year, who would win the Oscars?

I’ve been stocking up on loungewear and love this pretty washed sweatshirt. 50% off w/ code ‘REFRESH’

Amazing news: Ogee now offers bundles! Love these sets for trying new products and saving some serious money. Plus, save 15% off with my code ‘Julie2’

How to help frontline workers during the coronavirus crisis

I baked the gluten free chocolate chip cookies from this cookbook last night and they’re SO GOOD. They remind me of the ones my mom used to make!

A DIY I want to make: DIY patchwork jeans

The back of this dress is so stunning - and I love the sleeves. So perfect for spring – and comfy!

Just bought these cute pajamas and they’re so soft! Eyeing this cozy robe to match.

Weekend Reading 4.3.20

Hello Friday and hello friends. How was your week? Mine was... weird, as I'm sure yours was too. I woke up this morning thinking about how I used to feel on Fridays, the wave of relief that in just a few hours, I'd be released for the weekend, a long and oftentimes overwhelming list of to-dos in front of me. Now that I'm living the exact opposite of that, I'm not sure which is the more compelling option (I hesitate to say "worse" option or "better" option because I'm very grateful to be healthy and sheltered right now – but I'd prefer the outlook to be a sunnier one). I struggled a bit this week, with loneliness, frustration, with having a difficult time controlling things and myself in the midst of all this. While my mind logically understands that what we're experiencing as a world is traumatic and there's no playbook, I'm really mourning where I was personally before everything really hit. This weekend I'm going to try to find something to work on that's more tactile. We brought our sewing machine home last weekend, so I might sew, or I might dig my watercolors out of the closet. Chris and I have both been baking a lot, too. Trying to stay busy and fill some hours not in front of Netflix or Hulu (but let me be clear, we've been watching a lot of TV, too). Hope you're doing ok and staying healthy, xoxo.

ICYMI: Cozy loungewear I'm loving (just ordered this sweatshirt, these leggings and these pants... wishing I had ordered this top too)

If you're looking for some fun DIY projects, this site has always been my go-to (we're not big on celebrating Easter, but these naturally-dyed robin's eggs might be on my list)

I finished this book last week (it was fine, readable, a little too heavy on describing every little thing) and started this book (so far I really like it, though it's a little hard to keep track of the years when everything takes place)

Now is the perfect time to try out Thinx if you've been thinking about it! Remember you can save 10% off your first order if you shop through my profile

Speaking of baking things - these homemade Samoa cookies look like a must-make

One of my favorite dresses from last summer is back in a bold new print. Very tempted. I'm all about shapeless things right now. Also please get here soon, spring.

Have you been seeing fluffy coffee everywhere? Me too. And I want to make it! (this is my favorite healthy instant coffee)

How pretty is voluminous puffy sleeve top? Love this navy dress too - both so perfect for summer (I'm dreaming of warmer days)

Are your dreams super weird and vivid right now? Mine are. Here's a theory why.

If you've been thinking of going more sustainable, maybe check out United By Blue's sustainability shop. Save 15% with the code 'orchidgrey15'

Cozy Loungewear I'm Loving – Joggers, Bralettes & More

So I live in soft clothes now. There's something truly miserable about wearing jeans and other rigid fabrics at home and with our new stay-at-home orders, I'm home all the time – like hopefully everyone else – so it's been nothing but sweatshirts, leggings, pretty bralettes, and slippers. At least until it warms up. It may be spring everywhere else, but it's mud season in Maine, which means the temperature is still hovering in the 30's (oh what I wouldn't give to wear a breezy dress on my patio right now!). And I'm beginning to crave a few new items to add to my very limited rotation because the same black leggings are beginning to feel a little worn out. So I'm looking for a couple of oversized sweatshirts, maybe some slim joggers or sweatpants, and some yoga pieces to maybe motivate myself into moving from my couch (baby steps). Staying inside and within our own homes is more important than ever right now – we might as well be cozy, right?

What are you wearing these days? Are you getting dressed every morning or spending most days in your pajamas?

Weekend Reading 3.28.2020

And all of a sudden it's the weekend. How are you holding up? We're on stay-at-home orders here, something I welcomed after seeing so many people out and about last weekend and in the weeks between (honestly I'd like to see the state take more concrete actions) – Chris and I are hanging in there, trying to limit the amount of news we're taking in to only the essentials, watching a lot of Netflix, and worrying about leaving our house. We're anxious. Like most people. It's strange to not really have the ability to think ahead right now – there are so many variables. Plans that seemed so set in stone a month ago – a trip to New York, a friend's wedding – have vaporized, replaced with a day-by-day, hour-by-hour schedule that involves a lot of cookies, wine, sleep and, again, Netflix. I've been journaling a lot, that helps. Trying to exercise (though not being super successful with it). And obsessively cleaning and organizing. I've been thinking a lot about what the after of all this will look like. What will we have learned? What will we do differently? How many people will I hug? I'll run out and get a haircut, that's for sure. And gleefully go for a run without worry or fear of breathing in someone else's air. What strange times these are – did we ever imagine ourselves here? Woof. Anyway. On the docket for this weekend? Probably a lot of the same – we've been doing a lot of organizing lately and I'd like to start putting aside things to sell once the post office is deemed a safe place to go. Tomorrow will look a lot like today, a fact I need to come to grips with. Hope you're doing ok, xoxo.

Two posts from this week: Books to read while social distancing, and how to cope with job loss

If you're looking for a more sustainable alternative to tampons and pads now that grocery trips are few and far between, check out Thinx! New customers can save $10 off their order by shopping through my page – and you can learn why I like them here

My favorite cleansing oil is back in stock! Save 15% with the code 'Julie2'

I'll limit the amount of Covid info I share because I think we've all had to take in a lot, but found these two pieces interesting and poignant: That discomfort you're feeling is grief & how the coronavirus will change us

One of my favorite Reformation dresses is on sale right now (can't wait until date nights outside the house are a thing again)

Have you heard of the National Emergency Library? Fascinating and very cool (NYT)

Like most people, I've been living in my softest clothes recently – and looking to add a few pieces to my repertoire. Take 25% off at Lou & Grey – love the colors of this supersoft tee and these wide leg pants as an alternative to leggings (also eyeing this pretty sweater and these adorable shorts)

I've been focusing on getting my skin balanced during this time of less makeup and just bought this enzyme mask after testing it out earlier in the year, I've heard nothing but good things about it. I also picked up this simple face oil and love it so far

Because I think we all need this: the 100 best movies on Netflix right now

Sorry, one more: How to stay married during a pandemic