Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Custom Dog Gift Ideas That Need To Be Ordered ASAP for holiday arrival

I am sharing a gift guide of sorts earlier than my usual guides because this one contains all custom gifts, which will take longer for the items to be made and delivered. I know we are not even halfway through October yet, I get it. I am not ready for holiday stuff either, but some of these more custom gifts require planning ahead! 

Anything on this list is something I either own myself or have given as a gift. I highly recommend them, and they are fully worth the wait, especially if the recipient is as crazy about their pet as we are about ours! Many of these gifts can be customized for kids or other family members, too! 

Henry-themed gifts are my go-to whenever I am stumped on what to get my husband. He doesn't love things, but he always loves anything related to Henry. I've had to get creative over the years, really searching for unique things, and he has amassed quite a collection of Henry accessories.

I think this is going to be the next gift I order for my husband! I also love love love this entire custom pet line and this pup token for myself, ha! This is a custom pet candle that might work for someone hard to shop for! This jewelry is really cool


Starting off with one of the simpler items on the list, and one that doesn't take a crazy long time. This golf towel is affordable and adorable for anyone who loves golf and pets! 


This is such a fabulous woman-owned small business that creates the most beautiful things. These pouches come in a few different patterns/customization options, and you can put your pet's face right on the front. The amount of joy I get from pulling the pouch out of my tote is unmatched. I typically keep my daily essentials in the pouch, like a lip gloss, hair tie, hand sanitizer, comb, etc., and then move the pouch from bag to bag. I have the small size, which is just right to fit in most of my handbags but still large enough to hold the essentials. It's truly one of those gifts that are so meaningful and high-quality. 

This one is a real gem. It's a simple rocks glass that is engraved with your pet. It's not printed on; it's truly engraved, so it will stand the test of time. 



This one is EPIC and truly a work of art. They are custom-made cufflinks. They're under $200 and one of the best gifts I've ever given my husband. They're so special and a conversation starter. They give black tie a little personality. They are handmade, so they take a while. You should probably order today... the sooner the better on these. I think these would also make an incredible wedding gift from a bride to a groom. If you have multiple pets, you can get cufflinks for each one. 


Use code Summerwind15 for 15% off

My husband surprised me with Cowtown Clay pieces a few months ago. It's a small business out of Texas. They send you a clay kit to get impressions of your dog's paws and have an assortment of pottery gifts utilizing the paw print. They do handprints for children and babies, too! It was the sweetest gift as I had been wanting these for years! You can write an inscription on the back, which makes it even more special. I will cherish these for a lifetime. 

This is a cute little stocking stuffer idea. These are small plastic ball markers for golf, and you can put any photo on them! They are inexpensive and a fun little golf gift. 

My neighbor gifted me this last year for Christmas, which was the sweetest and most thoughtful thing. Anywhere my wallet goes, Henry goes! I LOVE it! This is a pin version, which would be so fun to put on a bag like the mini L.L. Bean boat tote!

Are you following me on the LikeToKnowIt app?! You can shop all of my outfits, favorite finds, and more in the app. I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also access all of my posts, here, if you don't use LTK! You can also find me on ShopMy, another shopping platform! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you). 

Monday, October 13, 2025

Travel Essential: Barrington Yacht Tote Review

Travel Essential: Barrington Yacht Tote Review

Travel Essential: Barrington Yacht Tote Review
Customizations: leather patch, Genevieve fabric, with trolley sleeve

I just returned from 10 days in Portugal and then 4 nights in Boston and Maine, and it reminded me of how much I love my Yacht Tote. It is truly one of the best large tote bags out ther,e and I simply do not travel anywhere without it. I have mentioned it and linked to it often over the years. I got my first Yacht Tote back in 2016, which is kind of crazy, that was nearly 10 years ago, and I have used it non-stop ever since. Whenever I share it, I'm always asked questions. I did a review post a few years ago, so I decided to do an updated one.

My Most Used Travel Bag
I mostly use this tote for travel. It doesn't matter if it is far away or 30 minutes down the road, or whether we are road tripping or flying, the yacht tote is likely coming. 

Travel Essential: Barrington Yacht Tote Review
I use the this roller bag as my carry-on.

Travel Essential: Barrington Yacht Tote Review
Does it fit under an economy airline seat?
This is the most-asked question I get about this bag. If I am flying, I use it as a carry-on or as my personal item (the zippered, trolley one). It has always fit under an economy seat, and no one has ever asked to measure it or given me a hard time about it. I just recently flew to Boston via JetBlue, and it was the fullest I have ever filled the tote. Even when packed full, it still fit! 

Speaking of fitting, this is the perfect tote for those who live in small spaces because it fully collapses and lies flat, taking up very little storage space. 

Travel Essential: Barrington Yacht Tote Review
What does the interior look like?
Six open interior pockets make organizing such a large tote a breeze. On a quick weekend trip, I use the pockets for storing things like socks, underwear, etc. If I'm using it as a carry-on, I use the open pockets to hold my computer charger, sleep mask, and other essentials. There is also one zippered interior pocket, which is nice for storing things like my wallet, earbuds, jewelry, etc. On the exterior trolley sleeve, there is also one zipped pocket. I usually put my phone in there when I have the tote fully zipped, but it's also a nice spot for anything you want quick access to. 

I really like that the leather on the bottom of the bag makes it sit flat and upright on the floor, even if there is nothing inside. It makes packing a breeze. It easily sits on top of my carry-on roller bag at the airport, so I don't have to carry it on my shoulder. If you fill it to the brim, it gets heavy, making it tiring to carry on my shoulder, which is why the trolley sleeve is so helpful. 

Car Travel
If I am driving on a road trip, this is typically where I pack all of my clothes. I usually do one bag with shoes/handbags/makeup/jewelry/etc. And then one bag with clothes. For a weekend getaway, I can usually fit everything into one tote. I use packing cubes inside the tote to stay organized. 

This is really random and specific, but my husband wears size 13 shoes. I don't know if you have ever seen a size 13 pair, but they are like boats. HUGE. They take up so much room in the closet!! Most totes literally do not fit his shoes end-to-end, but with the yacht tote, I can easily fit a pair down into the bottom! So it's really great for both of us when it comes to traveling. 

What is it made out of?
The pattern is printed on a durable, water-resistant nylon canvas. It feels tough and can be wiped down with a damp cloth if needed. There are leather accents on the bottom and handles, and it can also be gently wiped down.  The inside is fully lined in a lightweight twill fabric. There is a nice heavy gold zipper to close the top and the trolley sleeve. 

Travel Essential: Barrington Yacht Tote Review

Personalization
You can completely personalize the tote. Zip or no zip, trolley sleeve or no sleeve, patterns, colors, monograms, and sometimes even the leather color. The one you see here is one my husband and I designed together so that either of use could use it when traveling. We just got an 'S' on the leather patch instead of full initials. 

I recommend splurging on the zip top and trolley sleeve because this bag is too large for daily use. It's more of a travel bag where you really want a zipper. 


Travel Essential: Barrington Yacht Tote Review
Would you carry this as a work tote?
No. It's 26.5″L X 15.5″H X 11″D, so unless you work in an industry where you need to carry a lot of stuff, I'd go with something smaller. This bag is BIG.

Who is the ideal audience for this bag?
I think this would make a really great gift for a high school graduate who will be going back and forth from college, a mom who will need to carry around a lot of stuff for her kids, someone who travels with only a carry-on for work/pleasure, a newlywed going on their honeymoon, someone with a second home that needs to schlep lots of stuff back and forth, etc. It's incredibly versatile- anyone and everyone could make good use of this Yacht Tote!

Why is it better than a canvas tote, like L.L.Bean, for example?
This is subjective, and merely my opinion, but the difference between this and the large or XL bean bag is that the arm straps are the perfect length to go over the shoulder- they are not short and they are not long, they're just 'perfect'. The exterior nylon and leather can be quickly wiped down with a sanitizing wipe so you can clean it each time after travel. Those are the two most significant differences.  

barrington garment bag

barrington clear katie pouch

barrington hanging toiletry bag

Do you recommend any other travel items from Barrington?
YES! I always travel with the hanging toiletry bag and sometimes use the garment bag (if I'm not flying, as I don't like to fly with a separate garment bag). I use the clear Pouch in my everyday bag (typically my Goyard tote) to hold all of my essentials like a hairbrush, mini deodorant, etc. I really love the look of the captain's bag, but have held off on that because I am not sure how useful it would be for me since I always use the yacht tote! 

Does Barrington ever go on sale?
YES! Historically, around holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Cyber Week, Christmas, etc., it's usually anywhere from 10-15% off.

All in all, I am fanatical about this bag and will always sing its praises. It's a bit steep, but the quality is representative of its price tag and usefulness! 

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you).

Friday, October 10, 2025

Weekend Wish List

Some items of note... 

- There is nothing I love more than some really good olive oil and this Garlic Olive Oillooks and sounds fabulous. If you don't want to give a bottle of wine this holiday season, give a bottle of nice olive oil. I'd honestly love that just as much as wine!

- I got a deluxe sample of this Hydra Collagen Serum and I love it. It's so lightweight and hydrating. You can use my code SUMMERWIND. 

- The shape and texture of this Blue Coat is perfection. 

- No notes on this Chartreuse Top + Skirt.

- I feel like everyone talks about how good these Pants are so consider me intrigued! I love the orange color- how fun. 
Some items of note... 
- One thing about me is that I loathe wearing belts but I love how they look. This Dark Green Leather Belt is pretty enough to get me to wear it! 

- This Porcelain Platter is perfetion. Imagine putting your tukey on that! There are also dinner plates and salad plates with this pattern. My code SYDC20 should work on this! 

- This Beaded Jacket is very splurgy, but you have to click on the product and get an up close look. It's incredible! 

- This is Plaid Weekender utterly timeless. I feel like my grammie has something just like this probably from 50 years ago. 

- This Cocoa Wool Coat is giving MaxMara for wayyy less! 


For your weekend reading, here are blog posts you may have missed from this week:





You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you).

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Lately

I stuffed this travel tote as full as it has ever been and it still fit under an economy seat! I've been traveling with this tote style for nearly 10 years and I cannot imagine travel without it. 

Cute personalized pouch that both my husband and I use for travel. 

Hope you all are having a wonderful week! We have enjoyed a little taste of fall weather as of yesterday and I'm here for it! I love putting on a jacket or sweatshirt in the mornings and evenings! It's about time! 

We returned from our trip on Monday evening and I've just been working ahead on holiday season stuff (crazy!!!) and catching up. This job gets wildddd during this time of year. Truly, though, I am so grateful I love my job!

This weekend we have an event and then my MIL is coming to town just for one night, so we are booked up!!! October, November, and December are always SO busy. I love it but I also need to remind myself to schedule in some down time! I am looking forward to my sister visiting later this month for my cousin's 30th birhday party. It's going to be FUN!

I need to get back to my regular workout schedule. It's been all over the place since I got back from Portugal!

Wearing: I haven't really worn anything that thrilling since I've been home- just mostly lounge/athletic clothing since I've been doing a lot of computer work! But these are two things worth noting! 

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

Eating: My husband made us a spaghetti squash and chicken sausage meal this week that was out of this world good. He mostly used homemade tomato sauce and a drizzle of pesto but this recipe is somewhat similar to what he did! We are def adding it to our weeknight rotation! 

Drinking: Lots of wines on sale on wine.com. I always keep a favorites list so I can see when they go on sale. I placed a big order so I will be stocked through the holidays and these are some I would recommend if you like a bold California cabernet: this, this, this, this, this, this, and this. They're all on sale and can be stacked with the code TREAT25. If you are in PA and beholden to the state store, wine.com usually has much better prices and more frequent/better sales- plus it gets delivered right to my doorstep. I think if you are looking for giftable reds, this is a good option because it's a recognizable label and it's not overly complex so it's likely to appeal to most red wine fans. 

Watching:
 I haven't watched a single thing lately! Our friends that we were just this weekend with said Task is really good. That's the show I told you all I wanted to watch on HBO and many of you also messaged me saying that it is good! Now I just need to find the time to watch some TV! 

Loving: I love when holiday new arrivals start to pop up! I am not ready for that Christmas-feeling yet. We *just* got our first cool day, but I do like to browse the holiday stuff online... while burning my fall candles! Lake launched their holiday collection. These are going to be our Christmas morning pajamas. My mom, sister, and I do matching pajamas and I realky like these because they don't scream holiday so they can be worn year round! My tip for this style is to skip machine drying. Machine drying shrinks the pants' length! 

Wanting:
Wow, this belt is so unique. I love the print on this topThese pants are absolute perfection. This plaid weekender in the 'green blue' colorway is DIVINE! I'm not normally one to go for collars like this, but I love love love this jacket! The cardigan of my dreams. I love this nut bowl and platter setA 100% cotton fisherman crew at a great price point under $100! I have this dress in faux suede from quite a few years ago, and this new merlot corduroy is stunning. This dress is perfection and looks like someting Ralph would have designed for his wife, Ricky! This is a fun and unique twist on the classic barn jacket. I love taffeta and this red dress is lovely! I have boots similar to these and love them and wear them often in the winter. This is a darling argyle dress. So into this jacquard leopardprint! This cardigan is giving Sezane but for much less! So glad these shoes are back in stock in most sizes! This is a striking coat. I love the color and texture of the fabric. This is such a cute and different little bag! This looks like such an incredible jewelry box

Pittsburgh: I kind of forgot about Aladdins. We got back from Boston late on Monday evening and hadn't eaten dinner. We landed on Aladdins and it is sooooo good. I always get the chicken salad salad with balsamic and both cheddar and feta. Their feta is next-level! And obviously, we get the hummus!! 

Amazon Rec: No Amazon picks today.... I am all prime'd out!!! 

You can find more of my Amazon favorites, here on my Amazon page where I am constantly updating it with all of my finds and top picks from home, beauty, fashion, and more!

Quoting: 'Don't suffer imagined troubles.' - Seneca // See more of my favorites, here.

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you). 
 

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