Take it from a gal who spent good babysitting money on many French manicures: this nail glow will give But it will give your nails a flattering, healthy radiance that looks great for any occasion. glass olive oil cruet, $16 : When tools are prett y, they elevate and dignify the ordinary work of our lives

It also rescued me when I lost the cap on a giant, newly-opened bottle of my favorite Castile soap .

Locking silicone jar lids (4), $15 : We use glass jars to pack soups, pasta, leftovers, and even jar salads. But over time, the metal lids inevitably rust. Swap in these replacements to get the same airtight seal and reusability without the rust.  Adhesive hooks (4), $10 : I recently organized some things and needed somewhere to store my pajamas (I’m a huge fan of these ). I dislike over-the-door hooks and racks because they don’t work well in our old house with nary a plumb doorframe. These handsome hooks have been an ideal solution applied to the back of the bathroom closet door. I’m planning to add a set to the back of every door in the house! Green Clean cleansing balm, $35 : On a friend’s recommendation, I tried this clean, non-toxic cleansing balm that melts off makeup and grime. I love it! It feels scrumptious and cleans deeply without making my face dry or tight. It won’t replace my trusty cleansing oil , but I have enjoyed rotating them to get the benefits of both.  Paper sandwich bags (50), $5:  I am constantly amazed at the sheer quantity of small bags needed in family life. We avoid plastic when possible, especially for food, so these paper sandwich and snack bags are our new best friends. They keep everything contained and come with fun stickers. I also use them for stashing non-food items, too.  Ribbed tee, $8 : We stumbled upon these tees when we needed a red tee for a last-minute event (cheers to middle school!) but turns out they’re great quality with a super flattering yet modest cut. My brand-conscious daughter says they’re a great dupe for Lululemon and run about $65 less (!!!). Nine versatile colors.  __________ Subscribe to get the weekly newsletter  with exclusive essays and other content. Contact me.  I am a Catholic author, artist, speaker, and pilgrimage leader. I'd love to collaborate with you on your next retreat, day of reflection, pilgrimage, trip, or event.

French hair pins (3) : I cannot get over how much I love these French hair pins. They’re sturdy, wildly affordable, and truly hold a twist in place. So much more refined than messy scrunchies (or the sharpened pencil that I used in high school to hold up my hair). #TheFrench always win form + function. Dish brush stand : Full disclosure, I have yet to test out this little gadget, but I have high hopes that it may solve our chronic gnarly dish brush mold. I love a dish brush for many reasons ( including my theory of pretty tools) , but in 150% humidity, our brushes inevitably mold. This stand holds the brush aloft from its dish so it can dry more rapidly. Fingers crossed! Tub shroom : Have I mentioned this guy before? If so, he deserves another mention. This tool quite simply works. If you’ve fought a losing battle against your own drains, try this—there’s also a version for your sink (we have them in every drain in our house and apartment ).  Canvas frame : Would you like to hear my presentation on the importance of framing art? It’s only 47 minutes long. If you have other plans, you can skip to the end: as an artist who frames many canvases of all sizes, I love these for their quality and affordability. Plus, you don’t have to build them yourself (if you know, you know). P.S. I most often use the vintage gold color. Tower fan : Our beloved historic home  just can’t compete with August heat. It’s simply non-negotiable to supplement our AC with both  ceiling fans and  tower fans that we can cart around and blast against our bodies. We’ve had these tower fans stationed in bedrooms and corners for a few years now, and they’re still going strong. I appreciate that they do the job while being aesthetically minimalist (and come with remotes!). __________ Subscribe to get the weekly newsletter  with exclusive essays and other content. Contact me.  I am a Catholic author, artist, speaker, and pilgrimage leader. I'd love to collaborate with you on your next retreat, day of reflection, pilgrimage, trip, or event.

Here are five lesser-known but powerful sacred places to add to your itinerary. It was Mozart's favorite church for Mass and prayer whenever he visited Paris, and is also connected St John Henry Newman attributed his conversion to prayer in the church, and later returned to give thanks Louis brought his daughter Thérèse here to give thanks for her recovery from a serious illness attributed The Eglise de Saint Gervais is special because of the monastic community that lives and works here.

and evenly without aerosols, parabens, etc, etc, genuinely protects from burning, and smells like you live Shortie summer pajamas : Pajamas are my favorite article of clothing and I strongly prefer a matched Skincare patches : Living with an adolescent girl is like living inside a ‘90s Clinique counter at the

Tinted lip tallow balm , $14: My all-time fave organic lip balm with the ideal wash of color for warm Mineral makeup , $50 (10 g): I use and love my all-time favorite organic makeup all year long, but it

Saucony sneakers : After I needed a major ankle surgery a few years ago, I decided to permanently give eliminate plastic; now we use these jars for leftovers, homemade granola, and work lunches, including my favorite P ortable charger : I have lived in coffeehouses this August, working on a host of projects from my trusty Filed under "why didn't they think of that sooner?" P ajamas : I love a good pajama set. This month I've used Canva to make my own posters when I couldn't find what I wanted on the market; fine

Like all the best Louisiana recipes, it’s an intuitive recipe: give or take a smidge of this or that

Here are five things I loved in Orléans: 1. It merged my two favorite places on earth. It houses one of Jeanne's favorite devotional chapels. It's so cool to realize that before they were saints, the saints did exactly what we do: pray at favorite

You can also fold or roll it up to create a comfortable kingdom on the beach, then give it a firm shake Glass "forever" nail file : I cannot endorse the glass nail file enough. They file your nails easily and precisely, and with a little rinse, last forever. Never hack away at your nails with a janky file again. This is my favorite of the four scent options.

You are sobbing, too, for your whole life is lived before my eyes here on this dusty road.  I give my face to them and they pluck my beard.  She continues to live her words spoken to the angel: “Be it done unto me according to your will.”