January Updates on Mackinaw Road

Hi and Happy New Year! I hope that your January went well. We traveled to Southern California mid-January and were happy to note that their “partly cloudy” is our “soak up all that Vitamin D.” A post is coming soon with why we are convinced that Dana Point might just be the perfect spot to stay in SoCal. In other news, I have art, game, book, styling, and wardrobe updates.

**This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you click and purchase, I may receive some compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

January Updates: Art

This is the update I am probably most excited about! I have been slowly building our art collection. It’s normal to have stacks of prints/artwork to change with the seasons, right? Fun fact: I have an Art History minor and, for a New York minute, thought it would be amazing to be an art curator. (I kind of still do!)

R and I had the opportunity to purchase an art piece locally this month. We had a wonderful Sunday (sans kids- thanks, Mom & Dad!) browsing James Brandess’ studio in Saugautuck, Michigan. We already have a framed print by him at the beach cabin. This time, we were looking for a print for our colonial home kitchen. We were able to meet and consult in person with James Brandess and get his input on the artwork, size, and framing. I was glad that I had taken a photo to show him the kitchen and space in general. His studio was able to photo shop our choice into the picture so that we could choose between a frame/no frame and the color of the frame. We ended up going with a giclee print in a wooden frame. I am so excited to pick it up in a couple of weeks and show you!

January Updates: Game

We have been loving Chameleon. We’ve played it with family and friends. I love that it is easy to learn and really only takes about 15 minutes to play. You use dice and hidden codes to find the chosen word, everyone except the player with the chameleon card, who needs to deduce the correct word to blend in or risk being found out.

January Updates: Book

My Book of the Month Club book choice was Independence. It is a story of three sisters at the turn of India’s independence from British rule and also as the partition was decided. The sisters all take such interesting and varied paths that are at once separate but always intertwined. I did not expect the book to be a page-turner but it definitely was for me!

January Updates: Styling

I received Winter Homes: Cozy Living in Style for Christmas. I knew that it would be a beautiful coffee table book. But, when I started reading it, I was pleasantly surprised that I also enjoyed reading the synopsis and learning about the different winter homes’ styling and how they fit within their environments. I would highly recommend it.

January Updates: A Sweater and Sunglasses

As you do when you live in Michigan in January, our daughter and I went shopping at the mall a few weekends ago. We ended up in stores that I rarely frequent but was happy to find some treasures. Our daughter chose this sweater and I could not be happier with her choice. Luckily, it comes in alternate colors because I may just need my own. We also did a 2 for $20 on some sunglasses. I love a good  pair of cat eye sunglasses. Besides, it’s always nice to have an extra pair waiting in the wings just in case.

Thanks for Reading & Have a Wonderful Day!