Good morning! I hope you all had a nice weekend! With our time-off last week for the 4th of July holiday, I still feel like I’m playing a bit of catch-up, but I’m feeling like it’s a good week to get a lot done!
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Home Projects & Updates
Our limelight hydrangeas in the front of our house are blooming a bit early this year!
They still have a ways to go, but the first sign of blooms always make me so happy! The two bushes on this side of the house are nearly seven or eight feet tall now.
Here’s what those same hydrangeas look like by mid-late August. And based upon their size already, I can tell they’re going to be even larger and more spectacular this year!
I’ve only fertilized my planters out front twice this year (I used this fertilizer). Given the size of my sweet potato vines (I only have two in each pot), I think I may need to lay off the fertilizer the rest of the year 😉
Here’s what they looked like on May 21st, the day I planted them!!
The blooms on my oleander are getting so big that they’re starting to tip over from being so top-heavy! I may need to look into another support system other than the small piece of bamboo that came with them.
Now, before you all think I always know what I’m doing in the yard, I present Exhibit A. The first photo was my hydrangea bush on Monday. The second is on Friday. Before I realized what was even going on, it was already dead. We had upped the number of days our sprinklers turn on because of the extreme heat we were getting, and apparently the plant drowned. This is a really old planter and I thought it had a hole in the bottom for drainage, but turns out it doesn’t. Thankfully I still have one more of this shrub variety in our backyard, but it makes me so sad! Note to self: do a daily checkup on your plants if you adjust your watering schedule in the future. Goodbye hibiscus. You were some of the best $7.50 I spent all year even though our time together was short-lived!
And for most random project of the week. We had basically been wanting to install a new toilet seat in our powder bath since we moved in. SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS AGO. It was chipped and only seemed to be getting worse. But, yesterday was the day Kurtis finally got sick of my nagging. It only required a quick trip to Lowe’s, $30 (upgraded to a soft-close lid!), and about 10 minutes of time. We’re still both wondering why we ever let it go this long! So, if you have a small project that’s been hanging over you for some time, try and tackle it this week. We’re so glad we did!
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.
My wrap dress arrived Saturday and I did a quick try-on for you (un-brushed hair, make-up free face and all!). I ordered up a size to XL based upon the reviews, and honestly it was still a bit tight. But I was really happy with the quality, color and pattern. Since I’m 5’8″ with a long torso, it fit me more like an empire-style (rather than the tie coming in at my waist). It is a true wrap chest, so if you’re bigger than a C-cup, you’d probably want to skip this one or plan to wear a tank or cami under it. But it’s super cute on!
Around Town & For Fun
Friday night we had a special ice cream delivery from our favorite goddaughter. Her hair is getting long enough that I made a cute little pony tail for her. It lasted about 5 seconds 😉
These three beg to go outside on a daily basis. Bailey is so well-behaved and just wants to hang out. It’s a full-time job making sure the other two don’t eat grass or try to chase animals or explore the yard. I caught them in the rare moment below when they were all just enjoying the fresh air.
Unfortunately, this deviant child has learned if she sprints fast enough, she can leave the patio and make it into the courtyard before we can catch her. She’s lucky she’s so dang cute 😉
Saturday was Kurtis’ parents’ 55th wedding anniversary! We drove the 2+ hours to their hometown to surprise them for an outdoor barbecue with the immediate family. I had to get a new car in January when my lease was up. Since then, I’ve driven 1400 miles. And I think about 250 of those were for this trip. So crazy! Side note: I wore this embroidered eyelet top. I also have the hot pink because I love it so much!
We had a really fun night celebrating these two lovebirds and 55 years together! Within about a month window, we’re celebrating our 15th, Kurtis’ oldest sister celebrated their 25th, and his middle sister celebrated their 28th! It was great to see everyone again since we weren’t able to get together since our Christmas celebration in January!
We didn’t make it home Saturday night until after 1 AM. So, we had a pretty lazy day at home Sunday and we loved it. I finally wrapped up this book that I had been reading (it was cute, but a little slow at times), and started this book. I haven’t read for a month or two, so it was nice to enjoy some downtime after another busy week!
Recent Buys & Sales
Following are some sales that have carried over from the weekend, as well a a few new additions. You can see some of my top picks here.
- ABERCROMBIE is offering 25% off $150+ or 10% off $100 + and free shipping on orders over $75. You can shop their sale here.
- AMERICAN EAGLE is offering up to 60% off everything sitewide, including jeans. Prices as marked. You can shop their sale here.
- ANN TAYLOR is hosting a heat wave flash sale with $8 accessories, handbags and jewelry; $12 tops; $18 sweaters, pants and skirts; and $22 dresses, shoes, and jackets. All other full price-items are 40% off with code COMEIN. You can shop their sale here.
- ANTHROPOLOGIE is offering an extra 25% off sale clothing, shoes and accessories. No code required – prices update at checkout. You can shop their site here.
- BALLARD DESIGNS is offering up to 25% off all indoor furniture, fabric and rugs, and up to 40% off all outdoor furniture. Prices as marked – no codes required. You can shop their sale here.
- BANANA REPUBLIC is offering up to 50% off must-have styles plus an extra 50% off sale styles. Plus get an extra 10% off sale items with the purchase of a mask with code EXTRA10. You can shop their sale here.
- EBAY has some really great prices on certified Dysons if you weren’t aware! We currently have the V8 Animal and are obsessed with it. The Dyson store ships directly from eBay orders, and are certified refurbished and come with a six month warranty in most cases, so this will definitely be the route we go when we get another! And the prices are up to 50% off! You can shop their other sales here.
- FRONTGATE is offering up to 40% off sitewide with free shipping. You can shop their sale here.
- GAP is offering up to 50% off items for fall, plus, take an extra 40% off sale styles with code MORESALE, and an extra 10% off men’s and women’s styles with code STYLE. You can shop their sale here.
- GIBSONLOOK has given me a reader discount code for 25% off the entire new Hi Sugarplum summer collection (use SARAH25). It’s all so cute! This ruffle collar top is one of my new favorites (I got it in stripes and the Noguchi print). I got a size Large and it’s a little roomy (super comfy) so if you’re between sizes, I’d order down. I’ve also had some of these ruffled racerback tanks for a few years now and they’re still one of my favorites in the summer months! You can shop the entire collection here.
- J CREW is hosting a 48-hour sale event, with items starting at $19.50. You can shop their sales here.
- J CREW FACTORY is offering 70% off 100+ styles, plus an extra 60% off clearance styles. You can shop their sale here.
- LOFT is offering 40% off full-priced styles and other flash sale items with code QUICK. You can shop their sale here.
- LULULEMON is hosting a rare online sale on tons of items (nearly 700)! You can shop their sale here.
- MADEWELL is offering an additional 30% off sale items with code GIANT. You can shop their sale here.
- MARK & GRAHAM is offering up to 40% off bags and accessories. I think this wicker bag is adorable and I love that you can have it personalized if you want! You can shop their sale here.
- MCGEE & CO. is offering 20% off select lighting with code SHINEBRIGHT. You can shop their sale here.
- NORDSTROM is hosting a clearance sale, with an extra 25% off clearance items, for savings up to 60% off! This super popular ruched dress is also included and is now under $30! You can shop their sale items here.
- NORDSTROM RACK is offering up to 60% off designer styles! They also have a lot of great designer sunglasses for more than 70% off! You can shop their sale here.
- OLD NAVY is hosting an epic clearance event with items marked up to 75% off. Plus get 25% off your order at checkout – no code required. My cute floral print blouse I shared earlier this spring is now back in stock and included in the sale! You can shop their sale here.
- ONE KINGS LANE is offering 20% off rugs. You can shop their sale here.
- OVERSTOCK is offering 1000s of items up to 70% off sitewide for the Mega Markdown Sale You can shop their sale here.
- POTTERY BARN is offering up to 70% off furniture, bedding decor and more. Plus get 20% off armchairs during their Armchair event. The living room spindle chairs we have (ours are from Wayfair but I’m pretty sure it’s the exact same chair) are included. I like that PB offers them with Performance fabric though, since ours haven’t held up great. Our hand-knotted rug we have in our guest bedroom (used to be in our dining room) is now 50% off in many of the sizes. My cute star pillows are now marked down more than 50% off too! And my favorite topiaries of all time are back and on clearance! You can shop their sale here.
- REJUVENATION is hosting a warehouse sale with items marked up to 70% 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 bought the unlimited to learn Italian during the quarantine. They also have a sale on their monthly plans. You can shop the sale here.
- RUGS USA is offering up to 60% off new arrivals. You can shop their sale here.
- SERENA & LILY is hosting a tent sale, with hundred of items on sale. You can see a few of my favorites pieces below. You can shop their site here.
SOURCES: Floor Mirror | Pendant Light | Teak Chair | Square Coffee Table | Bistro Arm Chair | Striped Linen Pillow Sham | Pineapple Pillow | Outdoor Raffia Pillow | Dip-Dyed Planters | Wood Side Table | Round Toile Tray | Striped Baskets | Wood Barstool
- TARGET is offering up to 25% off furniture, plus an extra 15% off furniture online only. You can shop their sale here.
- TORY BURCH is has added some new items to their sale section. You can shop all of their sale items here.
- TUCKERNUCK has also added some new sale pieces that are all darling! I’m loving these cute shell sandals! You can shop their site here.
- WEST ELM is offering up to 40% off furniture! Prices as marked. You can shop their sale here.
- WILLIAMS SONOMA HOME has added some great pieces to the clearance section. You also get an extra 25% off clearance pillows, bedding, bath, and rugs with code SAVEMORE. I’m loving this shutter dresser cabinet (could also be used in a home office). And this Sunbrella pillow cover is a steal with the additional discount! You can shop their sale here.
- WORLD MARKET is hosting buy more save more sale with 15% off $100+, 20% off $200+, and 25% off $300+ with code SUMMER2020. You can shop their sale here.
I hope you all have a great week!
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Karyn says
Thanks for the tip of the J Crew special sale. They have some block print dresses and tops you might like. PS Love your cats and their crazy antics!
Debbee D says
GM Sarah,
Congrats to all, so great to be able to visit family and friends again! My Mom would put me and my sisters hair up like that when we were young, I was stuck with it until I was 12 and said NO more-LOL!!! Your sweet lil fur balls always make my day, thanx for posting and have a great one 😉
~D