Author

Shalice Noel

My Speed Queen Review

by Shalice Noel March 17, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

Ok, I really love my washer.

Let me explain. I’ve had every brand, many front loaders (that smell after many uses and not remembering to leave the doors open) 2 years ago when we bought our first Georgia house, I was in the market for a washer and dryer. I was told to forget all the brands and just purchase a Speed Queen. I tried many distributors and they were sold out and on a major waiting list. As a mom of 5, how can I wait 6 months for a washer and dryer? Since that was out of the question, I went with an LG front loader. The latter of which I never felt cleaned the clothes very well and I was happy to part with it.

Enter the TC5 top loader from Speed Queen, it has a 30min wash option, is heavy duty, no smells, and even Levi realized, “wow mom, you got all the stains out!” I’m a fan.

I did have one hang up the week we moved in, I overloaded the washer with my duvet cover, water spilled all over the floor, and I tripped the line. We had to go down to the basement to reboot the wires. After Reid fixed that, my Speed Queen was back to purring.

Founded in 1908 in Ripon, WI, Speed Queen owned by Alliance Laundry Systems LLC, I was sold on the fact that their washers last 25 years. They’re known for their durability which the brand credits to “ergonomic motors, suspension systems, and only the best materials designed to handle wear, tear, and abuse.”

Which one did you get?

Speed Queen TC5 Classic top load

Model:TC5003WN

SKU:6505836

Does the lid lock?

No, the lid doesn’t lock.

Pros

One of the big pros is that you get clean clothes in about 30 min! Many of my readers raved about the quality of this commercial washing and dryer, and mentioned how they work for warranty companies and never get calls for Speed Queens.

Cons

It can be loud when in use, so I close the door.

What do you think, have you tried a Speed Queen?

March 17, 2023

Sale

Where I’m shopping best of the web

by Shalice Noel March 8, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

Happy Wednesday! The trees are starting to bud, and it’s starting to feel like spring! I rounded up some sales around the web. Go check them out!

Read more about our move here and our tile picks linked here.

Stanley

Up to 40% off, only in the LTK app.
Valid 3/9-3/12

Pink Lily

25% off sitewide, only in the LTK app.
Valid 3/9-3/12

APL

Use code IWD at checkout for 25% off your order

AERIE

25% off sitewide, only in the LTK app.
Valid 3/9-3/12

MADEWELL
20% off sitewide, only in the LTK app.
Valid 3/9-3/12

Anthropologie
20% off regular price apparel, accessories, beauty, gifts, and entertaining purchases of $150+. Only in the LTK app,
Valid 3/9-3/12

Abercrombie & Fitch

25% off sitewide, only in the LTK app.
Valid 3/9-3/12

March 8, 2023

Beauty

My girls favorite deodorant

by Shalice Noel February 28, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

Strawberry Sparkle deodorant (no aluminum) // Blue raspberry deodorant // Melon punch deodorant

Reid and I have been looking at old pictures going down memory lane. We are shocked how fast our kids have grown! Where does time go? As I write, we have two teens in our house who happen to be obsessed with skincare. We’ve had some hilarious conversations about body odor, awkward situations and the best deodorants. It should be noted that my girls are super picky about their deodorant, both for its smell and appearance. This one in strawberry sparkle is their favorite hands down and available at target. Let me know what you think!

More teen related articles on the blog: Me and Atalie trying Dove deodorant for the first time HERE

My Honest Review of the Billie razor

Heart sweater // Pink Heart sweatshirt // Led Zeppelin sweatshirt

Sponsored by Target, all opinions my own.

February 28, 2023

Home

Tile 101: why we chose what we did

by Shalice Noel February 20, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

With all the variety of tile choices nowadays, there is no surprise that picking one is overwhelming. I mean, where do you start? First, make a list of what you want. For example, I knew that I wanted black and white checkerboard in a diamond pattern, herringbone, and a master bath inspired by Alys Beach. Keeping these images in mind, we scoured the internet for tile. Read on for our tips and tricks to make it easier for you!

What’s the style you are looking for? How much do you spend?

Black and white tile is no easy find.

Like I mentioned, I’ve been envious of all black and white checkerboard spaces for some time now. It’s a classic look when done right, but finding the right tile is harder than it looks. Be cautious. Some blogs make it look simple, but they end up laboriously custom cutting each tile or using fake peal and stick (that looks great in photos but awful in real life). Our limitation was our tile had to be a certain thickness to avoid a silly floor transition. This voided the options for marble and other natural stone tile. We finally found this black and white tile from Floor and Décor. Boom! The triangle cut tile wasn’t my first choice, but using grey grout tied it all together and I absolutely love it, and it wasn’t a budget killer. It reminds me of The Great Gatsby!

For the master bathroom, we loved the interior design of homes in Alys Beach, Florida. We wanted neutral and natural looking tile. The tile we found has specks of white fossils embedded in the surface much like the Alys Beach homes showcase. The tiles come in large sizes and this makes for easier installation. We liked the design potential to offset the large-scale tile with an accent wall of mosaic tile. As for budget, the mosaic white marble tile was a budget buster, so we limited it and paired it with the large scale on budget tile to balance out the cost. I joke that I like to “rob Peter to pay Paul.” This is Reid and my favorite room in the house.

The powder room is tiny so I splurged on a wall mounted custom marble sink, I found on Etsy. The sink came and we were inspired by the multi tones of the natural marble. We happened upon a tile called Country Beige Tumbled Travertine Tile and it was on clearance at Floor and Décor. I was hesitant because the name “country” threw me off, but we bought a sample to bring home anyway. The beige tone matched the sink perfectly. The tile edges are tumbled so we juxtaposed the irregular edge with a modern vertical stack pattern on the shower walls and an old-world herringbone pattern on the floor. I love it!

The kid’s bathrooms were a simple strategy. Go way under budget yet timeless style. Subway tile is the way to go. We splurged with marble hexagon on the shower floor, but did a basic white hexagon on the bathroom floor. It was all fun and fresh!

The boy’s bathroom is small so we used black hexagon flooring and white subway tile shower walls. We used remnant vanity counters in both bathrooms to reduce cost.

The laundry room, aka the hardest working room in the house, has the tile same checkerboard pattern as the foyer for a lux look. Lots of modern splash for what could’ve been a very utilitarian space. We ended up using the same countertop as the girl’s bathroom. I love that it has a window to the street and lots of natural light. This is a major upgrade from my last house which had a tiny dark room to do 7 people’s laundry.

Here are some tips below that we learned in the process of picking tile.

#1 Tip: Do play with tile patterns in unexpected ways.

#2 Tip: We played it safe with grout choices and went with what the retailer recommended. Also, when mixing different tiles in a room, use the same grout color throughout.

#3 Tip: Budget buy doesn’t mean short on style. Use subway tile in a vertical pattern, or better yet, use a pearl liner trim! (images via Pinterest)

#4 Tip: Don’t overspend on tile. You can get very stylish tiles between $5-$10 SF.

Tile we chose

White hexagon tile

Foyer Black and white tile

Boys bathroom hexagon floor tile

Boys subway tile for the wall

Girls bathroom shower floor marble hexagon

Girls bathroom white hexagon floor

Master bathroom floor tile in running board

Master bathroom shower floor

Laundry room tile

February 20, 2023

Valentines Day

New outfit: Love is in the air

by Shalice Noel February 9, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

Green cargo jacket (wearing a small) // Khakis (wearing a size 4) // Flats tts // LOVE sweatshirt in size small //

DeMellier Midi bag

What’s better than love month in the middle of the winter? I love the heart shaped pancakes, Sugarfina treats and yes, a cozy “love” sweatshirt. While I’m the first to admit that I haven’t mastered the art of heart shaped pancakes, I am very good at styling the best pieces from Talbots (which are 25% off today!) like this green army jacket and Chanel like flats. How cute right?

February 9, 2023

Q & A

Friday Q and A!

by Shalice Noel February 3, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

How old are you?

I just turned 4-0! Can you believe?

Date night post 2020! I want comfort yet lots of style because I’ve been in sweats for what seems like 2 years.

Try a jumpsuit! It s the modern women’s savior for her closet. Granted, it is an extra step before you use the toilet, but to me its worth it. It’s the classic one and done.

What have you found is the biggest parenting challenge?

So many! Staying consistent and managing various needs with different personalities. God has blessed us with have 5 completely different children and that in itself is a blessing and challenge but mostly a blessing.

What are you most excited about the house?

Hmm, my top 3 are …… the beams in the kitchen, my new tub, and a bigger closet!

How was it buying the marble sink off of Etsy? I’m afraid of buying something from Turkey.

It was great! 1. Communicate with the sellers. Some sellers are GREAT at communicating. I had a faucet, pot filler and sink coming from Morocco and Turkey, respectfully, and it came in a timely manner, and communication was great. 2. Be aware of random bill from the UPS. When my sink arrived, the UPS guy asked for a check for $57 for international duties. I wasn’t prepared for that, but just know it may happen to you if you chose to order from Etsy. Here’s the exact sink I bought.

Any other questions? Type them into the comments section. Thanks for reading!

x Shalice

February 3, 2023

Fashion Valentines Day

Two Valentines Day outfits

by Shalice Noel January 26, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

For Valentines this year, I got Reid a house, how about you?

In all seriousness, We’re spending Valentines Day doing the walk through for our house. I can’t wait! I love both of these tops from Revolve both for their shape and flattering fit. See more of my picks from Revolve that I love below:

Pants similar // Top in small // Mules // Florals

Pants similar // Red top in small // Mules // Bag

Which is your favorite?

January 26, 2023

Fashion

The Softest Denim Jacket

by Shalice Noel January 19, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

Denim jacket in small // H&M pants (old) here are similar // Tee shopshalicenoel in small // Sneakers tts

Love this super soft denim jacket from the Splendid x MLL collab. It’s a beautifully broken in jacket I picked up in small. It fits perfectly and goes with everything. It costs more than the average denim jacket, but I have a feeling that I’ll be wearing it a lot. What do you think?

January 19, 2023

Home

Advice on paint colors

by Shalice Noel January 18, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

When building a new house, it is exciting to be able to pick the exterior colors. But the pressure is on. We will guide you through our exterior paint and finish selections.

First things first, drive around your area. Take note of what appeals to you. Snap a picture of inspirational homes you see while driving or walking the neighborhoods. We recommend seeing these paint colors in person verses online images. Daylight and shadows can make a huge difference in paint colors only visible in person. Also, if the house is north or south facing can affect the color. When investigating paint colors, make a spreadsheet of everything that would need a color. See below for a template.

Home Color Inspiration
		Window Trim	Window Sash	Doors	Siding	Garage	Gutters / Downspouts
House Address	Color

House Address	Color
House Address	Color
House Address	Color

As you record what you see in detail, keep in mind the rule of three. Aesthetically, the exterior should only have 2 – 3 colors. The white farmhouse has dominated Georgia neighborhoods, so we decided to veer towards a creamier pallet. We were also inspired on a modern take on the white and black look. You’ll see what I mean by the photos.

With the rule of 3 colors or less, decide which are your favorite combinations. Also consider the undertones of each color. We also chose antique copper, exterior light fixtures, and the Dover White and Iron Ore is the perfect colors to compliment. Here is a list of our paint selections:

Our Home Selections
		Window Trim	Window Sash	Doors	Siding	Garage	Gutters / Downspouts
House Address	Color	Dover White	Dover White	Iron Ore	Dover White	Dover White	Dover White

As for interiors, we went with Snowbound for the trim and Pure White for the walls. More on the interior later!

Why we chose a Semi-Custom build

by Shalice Noel January 10, 2023

written by Shalice Noel

Looking for a new home is a stressful ordeal, but also can be fun and opportunity to express your creativity. We have bought and sold many homes in the last 10 years. This will be the first time we’ve done a semi-custom new build.

Tips on finding a new build?

We looked daily for on-line listings. The most important factor is always location. We wanted a couple acres, no HOA and low property taxes. We then filtered our home searches to these categories. You will need to research property taxes in your state to know best rates. As artists, we didn’t want an HOA as well as the extra cost that come with it.

When looking for new-builds, you can use the search engine filter to show you all new-builds on the market. In my opinion, these homes are often over-looked by the public. Therefore, a benefit to new builds will be less competition and rarely paying over asking.

Look for homes that show pictures of the home fully framed or recently sheet rocked. Most likely, the builder will have the home finished in a few months. Here is why the timing is super important. You want in before the builder chooses finishes. We went under contract with our home right before the builder was about to select finish and finalize the cabinetry. We were ecstatic to be able to provide our personal design touches to the home.

We customized the kitchen with a range cubby, tile selections, counters, laundry room layout, school room loft details and were able to choose all lighting. We wanted all the design creativity without the long wait.

Since you chose the home based only on framing and drawings, it is a bit risky not knowing what it will look like when finished. You must be able to take that risk and trust your vision. You are also picking the house you like without knowing much about the builder. It’s kind of like a blind date. Before you fall in love with the home, research who the builder is. Look for references and reviews. Our builder lived nearby the new home, so we trusted him and his craftsmanship.

You are now having to learn to work with the builder as a team.

Here are some tips that we learned. Ask the builder what they had in mind first. Then go from there if you want to upgrade or adjust. You don’t want to change anything drastic and the builder most likely won’t agree to it. Some changes we made were adding arches to doorways in the main living space, adding a built-in school desk for the kids and having hanging gas lanterns instead of wall sconces. NOTE: any big changes you must make to the house (within reason) should be added to the contract before you finalize the offer. Ours was the range cubby, but I wish I asked for a stairway off the back patio. This is key. Communication with the builder is very important and keep a record of all decisions and receipts. Any upgrades we had like lighting, we paid for and kept receipts of.

As we write, we have 1 month left of our semi-custom build. Some of the pro’s of this experience have been just that, a good experience! We love seeing a quick turnaround, like the arches we asked for, put in that same week. Some con’s have been the fact that we feel like we’re flying blind, not knowing what to expect and when. Like I said earlier, it’s a risk, but if you don’t jump, you can’t fly. We’re super excited to share more blog posts of REAL experiences that social media glosses over or fails to divulge the details. Want a paint color, we will share it, want a tile source, we will share it. What else would you like to see? Please share your thoughts and comments below. Thanks for sharing this journey with us.

Here’s a sneak peek of our faucet, lighting and tile we chose: