Tag Archives: shopping

Nov1

Accessory Story: Halloween Haul Edition

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Accessory Story: Halloween Haul Edition

Hi! Halloween is mine and Johnny’s favorite time of the year. We love the style, the decorations, and all of the other spooky treats that come with the season. Last week, we ventured out to three different stores to search for vampire costumes for Halloween weekend and while Johnny found a great costume, I had no such luck. I had to resort to purchasing a costume off of Amazon (Which you will all see soon!) but I didn’t walk away from our shopping empty handed. Check out my Halloween Accessory Haul:

While I normally prefer accessory shopping at TJMaxx, you can’t beat places like Spirit Halloween to find odds and ends that add a touch of the macabre to all of your OOTDS. I have always wanted finger rings despite my pointy acrylics and just couldn’t pass up on the ones that I bought. And, yes, I had to buy them both because I couldn’t decide between the Vampire and Skeleton pack! Can you imagine typing at the keyboard with those babies on? 😀

Several years ago, I bought a pair of my favorite bloody knife earrings from Spirit Halloween and was looking forward to scoping out their earring selection. It definitely didn’t disappoint and I love the Day Of The Dead inspired dangly pair that I picked out. The real piece de resistance, however, is the feather collar for all of the Black Swan vibes. I recently rewatched that movie for the millionth time and when I saw only one collar left on the shelf, it had to come home with me.

I seriously cannot wait to create a look with the collar as the centerpiece so keep your eyes peeled for that as well as my Halloween costume OOTD very soon. It may be November first but that’s no matter when every day is Halloween in my household! ❤

What did you dress up as for Halloween? How would you style my feather collar? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

Bath & Body Works Haul

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Bath & Body Works Haul

Hello! When it comes to my beauty hoard, I like to keep it very well stocked. This means having at least two backups of my most used products on hand at all times. Johnny and I are both extremely partial to the hand soaps from Bath & Body Works so when I saw that we only had one left, a restock was definitely in order! Check it out:

Would I Buy Again?

  • Island Papaya: YES
  • Ghoul Friend: YES
  • Afternoon Apple Picking: YES
  • Blueberry Maple Pancakes: NO
  • Peach Bellini: YES
  • Let’s Get Nuts: MAYBE
  • Spooky Hand Sanitizers: YES!

Despite a couple of misses during this B&BW haul, I am still pleased with it. The Island Papaya was a huge success with Johnny who loves all things tropical and I am always happy to get another Peach Bellini hand soap – it’s my favorite! Afternoon Apple Picking was also a scent that we both really liked because it smelled strictly like apples without a touch of cinnamon, which we both hate lol. Now, let’s move on to the not so liked buys:

When I saw the Blueberry Maple Pancakes soap, I thought that it would smell amazing and was looking forward to its arrival in the mail. Unfortunately, it missed the mark big time. Instead of a delicious blueberry bakery scent, it just smells like straight up syrup and is almost sickeningly sweet.

Let’s Get Nuts is another scent that I could probably do without. It is your basic vanilla and, don’t get me wrong, I am a huge vanilla fan. However, vanilla can be kind of boring when there are so many other fun hand soap scents to explore. I actually didn’t plan on buying the soap but almost all of the Halloween scents were sold out so I added it to the shopping cart to make the most of the six soaps for twenty-four dollars deal.

The biggest success of this haul was not the soaps but the hand sanitizers! Last month, I got a coupon for a free sani and I absolutely loved it. The scent was nice and light and it made my hands feel clean without drying them out. Since we couldn’t get many Halloween scented soaps, we settled for the five for eight dollars spooky sani pack which is a great deal. Johnny and I are both currently using Vampire Blood and the only thing that would make it perfect is if we had the hand soap too – it smells SO good!

Hit or miss, you can never go wrong with the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. I am already looking forward to the next restock! 😀

What is your favorite B&BW scent? What is in your beauty stock pile? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct23

Shake The Holiday Time Stress – Plan Ahead!

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Shake The Holiday Time Stress – Plan Ahead!

Hi! While the holiday season can be the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be the most stressful. All you have to do is visit a store in October to know that the countdown to the holidays are fast approaching because Christmas decorations have taken over. Some people may thrive on leaving holiday preparations to the last minute and that is okay! But it is so not me and if that doesn’t work for you, either, try the tips below to sail smoothly into the holiday season:

Start Shopping Now:

One of the best ways to shake the holiday stress is, of course, starting your shopping early. In fact, I know some people who start shopping for the next Christmas with the end of season sales in January! You don’t need to be this extreme but shopping a few months in advance is a must. This will eliminate any anxiety about if your packages will arrive before your celebrated holiday. It also provides for extra time to return damaged or not as good as you thought presents.

Shopping in advance doesn’t just ensure that all of your prezzies will get to their designated giftee in a timely manner – it is better on your wallet too. Breaking up your buying between several months will also get rid of the stress of a huge credit card bill come January first!

Sort Out The Spread:

Maybe your holiday stress stems from having to prepare a big meal for the family and your guests. Although you can’t buy your food way in advance, there are some things that you can do now. How about sending invites to your holiday dinner that people have to RSVP to? Don’t forget to ask about any allergies! This way, you will know who all will be in attendance so you don’t end up cooking way too much or too little.

Once you have a firm idea of who is joining your holiday dinner and their food preferences, you can plan out your spread accordingly. It might not hurt to have some back up recipes in place just in case you can’t get your hands on a ham or turkey at the grocery store.

Know When To Excuse Yourself:

If you have a strained relationship with a family member or guest at your Christmas gathering, this can be a HUGE stressor. Develop a plan now for what you can do to protect your mental health if this is the case for you and practice it. This could be sticking with the cool cousins for the gathering, arriving after a triggering person has left, or simply knowing when to step away to compose yourself. You have every right to an enjoyable time and having a plan thought out prior to the big day will add a sense of security since you won’t have to wing responses or reactions on the spot.

The holiday season is a joyous time but can it be stressful? Big time. Plan ahead now to eliminate the mad dash feel. Then, when everything is in place: Sit back and relax – you have earned it! ❤

What are your holiday season stressors? How do you prepare for a family gathering? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct15

Zempertoopa Skeleton Sweater

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Zempertoopa Skeleton Sweater

Hello! From band Ts to straight up silly ones, Johnny and I have a decent amount of matching T-shirts. I always joke that our matching tops will prevent us from getting lost when we are out and about! And, now, we can be twinsies in sweaters too during the cold weather because he bought a skeleton one off of Amazon that didn’t fit and had to order a size up. It was no harm no foul though because it’s mine now! Haha check it out:

For most people, the winter holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. For me and Johnny, however, it is the entire month of October – AKA spooky season! We live for Halloween and prefer to stay in the spooky spirit all year round. Our new sweaters will definitely help the cause of living every day like it’s Halloween. 😀

Johnny has wanted a skeleton style sweater for forever so he was very disappointed when this one didn’t fit. Myself, on the other hand, was more disappointed that he didn’t order me one too so I guess things all worked out in the end lol. This will be the perfect sweater for snuggling up and watching scary movies or going out and about to do fall activities with.

The next outing on our agenda is to hit the pumpkin patch but it won’t be to pick out the perfect Jack-o-lantern pumpkin. We have literally no room in our apartment to carve pumpkins so our plan is to purchase some anyways and go to a wooded area to break them open for all of our animal friends. Pumpkins are a delicious treat for woodland animals and I encourage all of you to do the same when you’re clearing out your Halloween decor. 🙂

Skeletons, pumpkins, and apple orchards – oh my! Your favorite resident emo couple is living their best life right now and I hope the same is true for you too. ❤

Do you like carving pumpkins? What are you going to dress up as for Halloween? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct13

Vacation Souvenirs

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Vacation Souvenirs

Hello!! My family vacation in the Poconos was the absolute best and I am definitely ready for another one lol. It is so hard to go back to work after all of the fun, family time, amazing food, and relaxation! No vacation is complete without plenty of souvenirs and Johnny and I got several to enjoy in our kitchen and on our knick knack shelf. Check it out:

The favorite vacation purchase for me and Johnny is, easily, our Frankenstein and Skeleton Man plushies from the small store at Heckman Orchards. They are SO cute and we love snuggling up with them while we watch ten episodes of Criminal Minds in a row. 😀

The earrings (Which I’m obsessed with!) and the Grow Your Own Bigfoot were bought at a couple of shops in Jim Thorpe. The rest of our souvenirs came from Country Junction, which is the world’s largest general store. And, let me tell you, if you are ever in the area you just have to check it out.

Country Junction was a mishmash of a billion different things and it was like being in a carnival fun house. The actual general store was HUGE and it was the size of at least three Walmarts all put together. There was a section for everything from children’s toys to grilling supplies, pet care, and old fashioned candy. In almost every corner, there were gigantic statues that could move and talk including scenes from the Wizard Of Oz and a Jurassic Park-esque velociraptor. Oh, and did I mention that there was a full arcade with bumper cars too?! 😮

The madness wasn’t limited to the inside, no siree bob. Outdoors, there was a petting zoo, hay rides, playgrounds, and a small carnival complete with old school rides, fun houses, and food vendors. It was absolutely nuts lol. I so wish that I took pictures of this madness but the weather was rainy and Johnny and I were carrying all of our shopping bags by the time we caught up with the rest of the family.

Our purchases were pretty heavy because we bought a ton! I did some early Christmas shopping, got prezzies for my niece, nephew, and sister, as well as lots of treats for me and Johnny. I am particularly fond of the items that I bought by Our Own Candle Company. The Hot Chocolate candle smells delicious and I can’t wait to use the bar soap – the Peach scent is to die for!

If you have the time, definitely check out Country Junction online because you will be just as blown away/dumbfounded as I think everyone is that steps foot on the property!

Do you have anything like Country Junction in your area? What is your favorite one stop shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct6

Halloween Haul

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Halloween Haul

Hello! This past week, I went on a dinner and shopping outing with my sister and niece and it was the best! For dinner, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Lemongrass Grill, for Thai food. We each got an order of their delicious curry and spring rolls and were completely stuffed after barely finishing half of it. That’s no matter, though, because it tasted even better the following day! 😀

After dinner, my sister said that she wanted to check out a few stores to look at Halloween decorations and I just had to tag along. Halloween is mine and Johnny’s favorite time of the year and we are always on the hunt for fun decor to keep it Halloween all year round in our apartment. These new goodies should definitely help the cause:

^^^ The cowboy skeleton is from Big Lots and everything else is from Michael’s.

We started our shopping at Big Lots and there wasn’t very much left in terms of Halloween decor as Christmas had already taken over. I found the cowboy skeleton which I knew that Johnny would love and my sister got this hilarious stuffed ghost that would repeat everything you said back in a funny voice. My niece had so much fun with it before we even left the store!

Since the selection at Big Lots was lackluster, I suggested that we try Michael’s and I’m glad that we did. All of their Halloween decorations were half off so I was able to get three pictures and my lil bunny for forty bucks. Not bad at all and I can’t wait to add my new additions to my art wall. While Michael’s still had a decent amount of Halloween decor left, I know that it will go quickly because Christmas came early there too and you can’t beat half off.

If you need Halloween decorations, I would hurry to the stores because it might be Easter time at your favorite places if you wait too much longer!

What is your favorite holiday to decorate for? Which store has the best holiday decor selection? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct5

Tree Of Life Serum Haul

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Tree Of Life Serum Haul

Hello! Amazon has stopped selling my beloved Eclat Vitamin C serum so I had to try something new. I knew I wasn’t going to find as good of a price as the Eclat at a mere seven dollars and didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg for a new serum. After looking through all of the different options on Amazon, I decided to go with the Tree Of Life Vitamin C serum as it was still fairly cheap at ten dollars and got good reviews.

I like the Tree Of Life serum well enough and needed to restock my supply. This is when I found an amazing deal on Amazon that I wanted to share with you. I got a set of three full sized serums for twenty dollars which made for a buy two get one free sale. It was such a great price that I had to get two sets! Check it out:

When I opened my boxes of serum, I was surprised to see a Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid serum as well as a Vitamin C one. I thought I was getting three Vitamin Cs in the set! This is okay, though, because I am always up for trying new products and a little Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid never hurt anyone. Besides, you just can’t beat the price.

As I mentioned in my September 2021 Finishes post, the Tree Of Life serum is good in its own way. It is thicker in texture but still absorbs quickly and my skin does look more radiant. My major qualm with the product isn’t the product itself but the dropper! It is so short that once you have used almost two thirds of the bottle, you have to start pouring it out into your hands. This is pretty inconvenient but what do you expect from a ten dollar serum?

I am looking forward to trying out my new serums by Tree Of Life and if I like both the Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid, I think I found my go to purchase on Amazon when I need more!

Where do you get the best deals on skin care? What is your favorite Vitamin C serum? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct4

New Skirt Alert

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New Skirt Alert

Hello! Although it’s always a good time to go shopping, my favorite time to go is during the change of the seasons. I love checking out what’s in for the season and upgrading my wardrobe with a few staple pieces to get my closet feeling brand new again.

Seasonal shopping is fun but it’s even better with a friend! This past weekend, I hit the mall with one of my best girls, Danielle, as per our new tradition of going shopping together for season changes. We both didn’t walk away with much but I did get this super cute skirt from Dry Goods:

During my summer shopping trip with Danielle, she introduced me to a store called Dry Goods and I had lots of success there. We definitely had to go back during our mall visit last weekend and I knew that this skirt was a must have as soon as I saw it. This summer, I got really into wearing skirts thanks to a matching skirt and top set that I purchased at Altar’d State. I am particularly partial to mini bodycon skirts and love how flirty and fun they are, which is why this skirt screamed “Buy me!” immediately.

Because of all of the beautiful colors in this Originality number, it will be very versatile when it comes to styling. Rust orange, dark teal, mustard yellow, and burgundy are ideal autumn colors and who knew that they could look so good all together? Not me!

I couldn’t find a top that I liked to go with my purchase at the mall and am still on the lookout for one. So, for the time being, I plan on wearing my skirt with cable knit tights, a black crop top, mustard yellow cardigan, and heeled ankle booties. The beauty of this skirt is that it will work with any sweater, cardigan or top that matches the colors on the bottom making for endless outfit possibilities.

Thanks to my Fall Haul at TJMaxx with Johnny and my mall outing with Danielle, I think that I am pretty well set for fall clothing. Now, the only shopping I plan on doing is Christmas related… Unless I hit the stores with my favorites before then, of course! ❤

What is your favorite fall color? How would you style this skirt? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep24

Clothing Staples For Your Wardrobe

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Clothing Staples For Your Wardrobe

Creating the perfect wardrobe for you is something that takes time. Unless you’re a celebrity, literally no one is buying an entire closet full of clothes in one shopping trip! Today, we are going to explore three different components of day to day life and the clothing you need to make it work:

Work:

Clothing that is appropriate for work is completely dependent on where you work, of course!

  • If you work at an animal shelter, clothing that moves well and is comfortable is the way to go like stretch jeans, leggings, and light long sleeved tops.
  • If you work at a restaurant or a grocery store and are in and out of the freezer constantly, a cozy cardigan should help the cause just fine. (And, if your freezer system at work is on the fritz, consider walk-in fridge repair for businesses to assist!)
  • In an office setting, you might want to opt for smart, professional clothing like blazers, slacks, blouses, or pencil skirts. Don’t forget a sharp pair of oxfords or kitten heels to complete the look!

Think about where you work and plan accordingly. Is the temperature comfortable or can it get a little warm or chilly? What are your coworkers wearing? Is there a dress code? This will all help you make the right decision on work appropriate attire.

Play:

You might not have much of a choice in what you can wear for work but play attire is a totally different story! Clothing for running errands, hanging out with friends, or a date should be all about what makes you feel confident. These are going to be key pieces in your play wardrobe’s arsenal:

  • A great pair of jeans is a definite must. A great pair of jeans with big pockets is even better! Skinny, boot cut, flare, or high waisted – a pair of jeans can be dressed up or down for whatever the occasion. Knowing your measurements can be a huge help when it comes to shopping for bottoms and can save you many a back and forth trip from the fitting rooms.
  • Statement jackets can turn an ordinary outfit into something special. Moto jackets with patches are always fun and edgy while a classic trench coat is a timeless piece. From sophisticated in a peacoat or sassy in a faux fur number, throwing on a jacket is an ideal option when you don’t feel like styling a look!
  • No matter if your style is simple or total fashionista, everyone should have at least one bold “look at me” top in their wardrobe. This is the perfect opportunity to play with patterns, bright colors, and unique shapes. If you are uncomfortable with something so loud on top, a patterned skirt is a great way to dip your toes in the water.

Leisure:

We can be so focused on work or play clothing that we tend to forget about pieces that are made purely for comfort like these cozy co-ord sets. I am definitely guilty of this and my life changed for the better when I allowed myself to purchase pajamas and sweatpants! 😀

  • Leggings and sweats are the best for lounging at home, working out, or even going out and about in a sporty chic look. Leggings will also come in handy when it’s cold because they can easily be worn under your jeans. If you like to work out outside, be sure to invest in some hi vis jackets for your safety.
  • Wrapping yourself up in a snuggly, chunky cardigan is so comforting on a brisk day or when you’re curled up on the couch. Accessorize with a cup of tea to complete the look!
  • Cute pajama sets feel so luxurious, especially if it is something that you normally wouldn’t buy. Treat yourself to some new PJs and a matching robe and hit the hay like royalty.

Complete every aspect of your day in style with the tips above!

Sep23

Fall Haul: Stella Luce Snake Print Trench Coat Edition

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Fall Haul: Stella Luce Snake Print Trench Coat Edition

Howdy and welcome to the final edition of my Fall Haul from TJMaxx! Today, we are going to be discussing an amazing snake print trench style coat by Stella Luce and I am obsessed. Johnny and I are both extremely partial to animal print clothing and he loves anything cheetah print while I am fond of all things snakeskin. I fell in love with this trench coat as soon as I saw it hanging on an end cap and I cannot wait for the weather to cool down so I can wear it all of the time! Check it out:

Between my husband and I, we have snake patterned clothing and shoes in a variety of colors including blue, grey, red, white, and brown. The majority of my snake print pieces in my wardrobe are shoes and purses so I was very excited to find a coat in my most beloved pattern. While cheetah print is fun, snakeskin is oh so sophisticated and sexy and I always find myself drawn to it time and time again.

Johnny and I have been looking forward to fall since it ended last year because it is our favorite season to dress for. We love sweaters, boots, and coats and if we could we would be dressing for fall all year round. This Stella Luce number is going to be a staple for my fall wardrobe and it will be perfect for work or play. I can picture myself throwing this on and heading to work in the morning or dressing it up for a date day with Johnny.

I live for styling unique outfits and because this coat is such a bold piece, it really doesn’t need much. Skinny jeans, a light long sleeved shirt, heeled boots, and a floppy hat paired with this coat will elevate simple pieces into an OOTD worth blogging about. And, as soon as the cold weather hits: Don’t mind if I do! 😀

What is your favorite animal print? What are you looking forward to this fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah