Happy Monday! I hope you all had a nice Easter weekend! It was a weird one for sure, and one I’m not sure any of us will forget for a long time. I’m hoping the days and weeks ahead get brighter for all of us!
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Home Projects & Updates
Tuesday hit 88 degrees outside and it was glorious! It was just the push I needed to get out and do a little yard work I had been avoiding! I had to dig up a few ornamental grasses that I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to, and figured now was the time while they’re just barely popping out of the ground and much more manageable. It was so nice to get outside and get some fresh air!
And remember those affordable solar landscape lights I got last year at Lowe’s? I think they’ve come out with a newer model now, but ours were Portfolio brand and were landscape Spot Lights. I never took them out of the yard for winter. I finally readjusted all of them (they weren’t lighting up anymore). I didn’t know if they were broken or if the snow had just moved the solar panels out of direct light. After a day, it was pretty clear they were all still going strong! I was so excited to have light back in our backyard again!
And this picture is horribly blurry, but you can see the lights in action. The two in the far background are our next door neighbors hard-wired lights for comparison. I think our cheapies stack up pretty well.
Wednesday I wrapped up some sewing for my spring home tour! All went well until I snapped my needle in half (which has never happened to me before) and I had to fake a fully sewn pillow in the tour 😉 You can see my throw pillow tutorial if you’re interested in making your own! I’ve loved getting so many messages these past few weeks with people that have tried it out!
It may have taken until Easter Day, but we finally moved the Christmas tree in the den down to the basement! I bagged it up on Wednesday and finally got Kurtis to help me on Sunday. Why did we wait so long again?? It literally took five minutes.
On Saturday, I got a bit more white paint up in the office. It’s pretty clear where I’ve only one coat of paint versus two coats 😉 You can see my full plans for the space here. Is this feeling like the longest project in history to anyone else? lol. It will feel good to have it all one color again, but I think I’m stalling because I know it’s not the final step. Until I can get back to a paint store to finalize the new color, I’m lacking motivation! But, now that patchwork of sample colors is mostly covered, it has me motivated to get the white done so it can feel semi-finished until quarantine time is over!
Sunday we worked on Kurtis’ temporary home office. I basically had to close my eyes every time I’d run up to talk to him. His set-up was obviously not my choice 😉 But I had to let it fly. I finally convinced him to order a wall-mount for the TV, so we got that up on the wall, and the card table out. It already feels so much better!
And in big news, our pool is opening later this week despite the snow we got yesterday 😉 It’s supposed to be in the 40’s all week and we don’t anticipate getting into it for at least a month, but it will be nice to at least look at while we’re inside! Always one of my favorite events of the year!
Top Sellers Of The Week
Following are the top sellers of the week across all of my channels. Links to each item are below the graphic.
Around Town & For Fun
We took another lunchtime drive last week. Kurtis had to put my phone in pano mode to capture this house! I loved the windows but their backyard space is the spectacular part. They have a pool that the house basically wraps around with garage doors opening to the space. It was a fun one to see!
On Friday, the girls had a vet appointment. They needed their vaccines that were already about a month behind because of Coronavirus. Henley literally screams at us the entire drive and Bailey pants so hard it stresses us all out. One of our least favorite (but necessary) days of the year. Our vet is still doing curbside drop-off and pick-up, so the girls are done for another year! Thankfully 😉 Hawkeye gets to skip for awhile because of his kidney issues he’s had recently, so he missed out on the action.
Saturday was probably my favorite day of our nearly five week quarantine. My sister-in-law planned to still make her famous deviled eggs and cream puffs because she buys the eggs so far in advance and already had them. But, since we had to cancel our family Easter meal, she said she’s pack some and drop them off to us. The weather was beautiful, so she actually packed two Easter picnics – one for us and one for them – so we didn’t have to touch any of the same items. We sat outside (at a safe distance) and enjoyed all the food she made with a drink and conversation. I can’t tell you how good it was to actually feel human again! It was the first time I also used my curling iron in five weeks and only the second time I’ve put makeup (and jeans) on. It was the perfect spring afternoon!
We started Easter morning with coffee and watching our church’s Easter service on YouTube. We were both talking and think this may be the first Sunday morning in either of our lives we weren’t at church. Which is crazy to think! But we made the most of it and it was a great way to start the day.
After that we made breakfast and then worked on a puzzle. A few weeks ago, I realized that puzzles on Amazon had spiked to $45-60 a piece which was insanity. So I ordered a few on Shutterfly. I made one for us and sent one to each set of parents. I decided to customize theirs with a few family photo collages, and ours I did a picture I took in Positano for Kurtis’ 40th birthday. They each ended up being about half of what I would have paid for one on Amazon! The only thing I don’t love is they come in a small box, so the image of what you’re working on is tiny. It’s also clear I’m not a puzzle designer, so a pure blue sky was not the best idea. But it’s been fun to work on an image from a trip we took together! I talked to my parents last night and they’re already about 3/4 of the way done with theirs and they said the collage format definitely makes it a bit easier (I did the 1014 piece for all of us). Long story short-ish, it’s a fun gift idea or surprise item for family members or friends you know may be bored inside! You can see all of their puzzle options here.
At one point Saturday when I was working on it, I realized all three cats were “helping me” too 😉
Later Sunday afternoon, we made some frozen pizza (so Easter-ish!) and then FaceTimed our BFFs to wish Zoe a happy birthday! She turned two yesterday so we look forward to celebrating with her when it’s a clear! We got this picture from them of her Easter message.
Recent Buys & Sales
A few pieces I ordered from the Studio McGee x Target collection arrived last week. This little fern is one of my favorites! The ceramic pot is really pretty too. This is the small size and you can see it here next to a standard size candle.
I also got the block print doormat and plaid outdoor rug and think I’ll probably layer them on our front porch!
Following are some of the sales that have carried over from the weekend. You can see my top picks here.
- ABERCROMBIE is offering 50% off their entire site and free shipping on all orders – no code required. Plus get an extra 15% off select styles. You can shop their sale here.
- ALICE LANE HOME COLLECTION is offering 20% off everything. These circle dot planters come in four sizes and styles and such a cute find for spring! You can shop their sale here.
- AMERICAN EAGLE is offering 60% off the AE collection and 40% off all AE jeans and shorts! You can shop their sale here.
- AMETHYST HOME, one of my favorite local stores (that ships nationally), is offering 15% off all gift cards as a thank you for supporting them during their closure. You can shop their site here.
- ANN TAYLOR is offering 50% off your purchase plus an extra 10% off at checkout with code TAKECARE. Plus, get an extra 50% off one sale item, 60% off 2 sale items, or an extra 70% off 3+ sale items! You can shop their sale here.
- ANTHROPOLOGIE is offering an additional 50% off sale items. No code required – prices update at checkout. You can shop their site here.
- BALLARD DESIGNS is offering 30% off sitewide! I’m loving this small sofa (I think the Vintage Ticking Stripe in Navy with the Latte colored wood is my favorite combo). You can shop their sale here.
- BANANA REPUBLIC is offering 50% off everything sitewide plus an extra 10% off at checkout – no code required. Plus, if you’re a cardholder, you get an extra 10% off at checkout with code BRCARD. You can shop their sale here.
- BLOOMIST is offering free shipping on orders of $50+. Another great way to shop small this weekend! It’s a great time to try one of the wood chains that looks like the one in our living room! There’s also several other options available as well (including marble and black) – just search chain! It won’t let me link directly to that page for some reason. You can shop their site here.
- DAPPER DWELLING here in Omaha is the cutest apothecary-type shop that also had to close recently their physical store temporarily. But they are currently offering free shipping on all orders! I’ve bought everything from local honey to organic dry shampoo to natural laundry detergent from them. They’re currently offering free shipping or free contactless delivery if you’re local! You can shop their site here.
- EVERYTHING BUT WATER is offering an additional 50% off sale items (prices as marked). You can shop their site here.
- GAP is offering 40% off sitewide with code APRIL, plus an extra 10% off with code FORYOU. You can shop their sale here.
- J CREW is offering 40% off your purchase plus an extra 10% off with code SUNNY. You can shop their sales here.
- J CREW FACTORY is offering 60% off everything plus an extra 70% off clearance items with code HUGESALE. How cute is this new eyelet puff sleeve top?! And I’m loving these bow-waist shorts (there is a chambray version too)! And if you’re needing denim shorts, this pair is a really great price right now! They have white denim shorts too for the same price. You can shop their sale here.
- KIRKLAND’S is offering 20% off one regular-priced item with code SPECIAL20. You can shop their sale here.
- KOPARI is donating $1 from every sale to COVID-19 relief funds. Plus, if you spend $40+ get a free charcoal toothpaste. If you’ve never tired their amazing coconut-based products, this favorites kit is half off with code HALFSIES. You can shop their site here.
- LINDSAY LETTERS just launched her spring collection so she is offering 15% off your purchase with code SPRING15. You can shop the sale here.
- LOFT is offering 40% off full-priced styles. You can shop their sale here.
- MADEWELL is offering 40% off tops, an extra 30% off sale items, and $35 boardwalk sandals with code GOODVIBES. You can shop their sale here.
- MCGEE & CO is offering 20% off pillows and decor with code THEGREATINDOORS as well as 20% off select lighting. You can shop their sale here.
- NORDSTROM is hosting their Spring Sale with items now marked up to 60% off! They also have up to Halogen, Tucker + Tate, and other Nordstrom exclusive brands. They have a bunch of Tory Burch sandal styles marked up to 40% off. I ended up buying this wine bottle chiller that was such a huge Christmas gift hit last year is now 40% off! Perfect for warm days outside! You can shop their sale items here.
- PIER 1 is offering $15 off of every $50 you spend with code GOLDENEGG. You can shop their sale here.
- POTTERY BARN is offering up to 40% off everything sitewide and free shipping with code REFRESH! These Organic Cotton Throw Pillows are a great basic at a really good price! My palm leaf art arrived this week and it is stunning in person! You can shop their sale here.
- REJUVENATION is hosting their Friends & Family sale, with 20% off sitewide, as well as some surprise sales up to 50% off. You can shop their sale here.
- ROSETTA STONE is offering $100 off their unlimited language lifetime plan, making it only $199! I bought it because we’ve worked on Spanish in the past, but I’m hoping to pick up some Italian during the quarantine. They also have a sale on their monthly plans. You can shop the sale here.
- RUGS USA is hosting a spring into savings sale with up to 60% off items sitewide. You can shop their sale here.
- SERENA & LILY is offering 20% off everything to refresh your home with code ATHOME. Plus, they have tons of items in their sale section. This Buffalo Check Runner Rug is too cute! My favorite laminated trays are also on sale. We use one at our kitchen sink to hold our hand soap/candles/etc. You can shop their site here.
- TALBOTS is offering 40% off your entire purchase. PLUS get an extra $50 off every $200 you spend! You can shop their sale here.
- TARGET is offering BOGO 50% off sandals for the family. Plus tons of patio and outdoor furniture sales sitewide. They are also offering up to 25% off home decor. You can shop their sale here.
- WEST ELM is offering 20% off your entire purchase. You can shop their sale here.
- WILLIAMS SONOMA HOME is offering 25% off your order (no minimum!!) and 20% off outdoor with code HOME. You can shop their sale here.
- WISTERIA is hosting their Friends & Family sale, with 25% off their entire site! You can shop their sale here.
- WORLD MARKET is offering 30% off all dining room furniture, 25% off home office, and 40% off tons of outdoor items. You can shop their sale here.
I hope you all have a happy and safe week!
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Sharon says
I think the white looks very elegant in your office. Maybe if it was just a touch more cream than white but it looks chic.
Sarah says
Thank you! We’re liking it in here a lot more than we thought we would!
Nancy says
88 degress?! 🙀
Happy Easter! Happy Spring!
Sarah says
I hope you had a great Easter! Bring on the sunshine!
Debbee D. says
Glad to see the kitties are doing great! Ours would behave the same way going to see the vet, never could say which of us was more stressed over the situation😌 I live in Denver and we had a beautiful week to play in the yard but now it’s cold and snowing again☃️Always love seeing what you’re up to and your beautiful home!
Thank you for the Happy Monday post-keep them coming~D
Sarah says
Haha! That’s us for sure – it’s never a fun drive for ANY of us! We’re supposed to get snow today but I hope that’s the end of it for the season!