9 Things for Your Domestic Wish List

Hello Wednesday, it’s lovely to see you! Once I get over this mid-week milestone, it’s all down hill from here. The rest of the week seems like nothing! Though my days aren’t excessively long, I always enjoy coming home and cooking dinner while watching Friends reruns. I need that time to unwind and chill out. My kitchen is either my happy place or a disaster zone, depending on the level of cleanliness. Since I just moved in to the place, it’s somewhere in between!

Domestic Chic!

Putting unique, cute touches all over the place is what I love to do and the kitchen is no exception. Browsing Target and Sur la Table always leaves me with tons of ideas. You might say this post is my personal domestic wish list that I’m sharing with you! What I like to do is set my sights on one particular item per pay day and purchase it based on how much I need versus want it. For example, if I need more silverware but I want a cute cookie jar, I’ll be buying the silverware first and the jar later. Like I said, this is a wish list not a “must-have” list. There’s a big difference!

• Utensil Pot– $21
• Pineapple Jars– $60
• Cake Stand– $30
• Wine Bottle Carrier– $20
• Insulated Tumbler– $18
• Mini Tray– $21
• Cable Knit Hot Water Bottle Cover– $34
• Cocktail Recipe Cards– $12
• Kate Spade Candle– $60

Stores are so good at marketing things to girls like me. If you package something pretty, I will be tempted to buy it. My kitchen and home wish list is nothing short of a collection of pretty things that no one actually needs. Something else that I love but didn’t include on this list is a Kitchen Aid mixer in light pink! I might actually get some use of it assuming I can learn to bake without forgetting that my cookies are in the oven. First world problems.

Gift Guide for Her First Apartment

One of my favorite things to do during this time of the year is go Christmas shopping for friends and family. I always have quite a few people on my list and it seems to grow every December. Last year, I gave several of my friends cookie mix in mason jars with baking instructions. This time, I’m going to make it a little more personal.

Similar to a post I did earlier, I’m focusing on a specific kind of person to shop for. Today, we’re talking about a friend who just moved into her first apartment. Other than a few things left over from college, you have nothing for a new place. The apartment might seem like the most expensive thing you’ll be paying for, but nothing compares to the over all expense of furnishing it! Here are a few things in a variety of price ranges to get for the first-time renter.

1. Serving tray- In college you served appetizers on Dixie plates not serving trays. It’s time to upgrade!
2. Cookie Jar- Not only is it functional but it serves as an adorable decorative piece to your kitchen counter top.
3. Kitchen Aid mixer- For the extreme baker that lives to try out Pinterest recipes.
4. Decorative porch lights- Many apartments have balconies or porches that are left completely barren of decoration. Porch lights are the perfect way to add a little personality to these forgotten spaces.
5. Marquis sign- A favorite decorative piece of mine! You can find them in small and large sizes with a variety of words to choose from.
6. Area rug- Even when I have carpet I like to add an area rug for color. Most of the time apartments have beige walls and carpet, which serves as a great blank canvas to make your own!
7. Steak knives- We all need them for the kitchen but we won’t shell out the money for a good set. The recipient of this Christmas gift will appreciate the practicality of it.
8. Matching set of plates- Again, practical but you’d be amazed at how many people I know who’ve had their own places for years and don’t have matching dinnerware. You can find an inexpensive set at Target and it’ll make a great gift.
9. Soap dispenser- I’m putting my foot down to the plastic Dial soap dispensers. Invest in a decorative one for your friend’s new place, they’ll thank you for it.
10. End table- A necessary piece of furniture that costs a relatively small amount. My favorite place to find these at is Home Goods. They have a great variety for good prices.
11. Throw pillows- This is a luxury that I rarely indulge in but makes a great gift for someone else! Marshall’s usually has an aisle devoted to pillows that will surely have something that suits your friend’s taste.

Leave a comment if you’ve recently moved with items you’d appreciate being given for Christmas! I love hearing from you!

 

Target Fall Collection Picks

Happy Saturday pretties! I hope you get to enjoy lovely weather today because I can’t. The rain hasn’t stopped and the wind is just getting stronger and stronger! I love a blustery day but only with the sun shining, a cup of cider in hand, and the cutest scarf I can find. Today is not that day. However, for many of us, Saturdays are made for shopping! I actually went last night when people were running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to find milk and bread (see previous post). Be glad I did though because I’m going to tell you where all the good sales are and share a few of my favorite Target fall and Adam Lippe pieces!

First of all, I bit the bullet and bought the burgundy felt floppy hat from Old Navy I’ve been eyeing. I really didn’t want to pay $20 for a hat from here given the quality but I got it on sale for about $15 instead. The whole store is 30% off until Tuesday!

JoAnn Fabrics has 50% off really pretty pumpkins! I went in last night and the selection was great. I didn’t buy any because, well, I really don’t need any! I was tempted though believe me! Michaels is also running a similar deal on their pumpkins and general fall decor. Last but not least, Pier 1 Imports is having 25% off their pumpkin decor as well. Couldn’t you just shop all day? Happy picking!

Ok, now for the good stuff! I always go into Target and come out with way more than what I intended to and this fall will be no exception. I love the plaid they have this season! Adam Lippe designed some pieces for Target (similar to Lilly Pulitzer but without the inventory disaster).

Ta-da! The Target Fall Collection! Isn’t it the prettiest? I love the colors they chose for this year. They’re warm and inviting, like a fall home should be! Let’s talk about the plaid- it’s wonderful. It gives off that log cabin, rustic vibe that we all eat up this time of year. Most of us haven’t spent time in a log cabin because if we had, we’d know that the average person’s cabin is full of grandma’s quilts and dead animals hanging from the walls.

Anyway, the collection is great and I want to buy it all up, including that rolling pin I have featured. Why am I in love with a rolling pin? Honestly, I have no idea. It just goes with everything else. It’s not like I’ll ever use it, I burn place-and-bake cookies for Pete’s sake! Most of this stuff I don’t have a need for but I sure have a love for instead.

Enjoy shopping the collection this weekend! Let me know if you get anything!

7 Things to Find Cheap at TJ Maxx

In my never ending conquest to find good deals on things I love, places like TJ Maxx have caught my attention and of course, my wallet. I’ve found a ridiculous amount of good stuff at these stores that I would have otherwise bought at Target for twice the price. While I am a Target snob, there are some things I just refuse to pay so much money for. I guess you could say I’m a Target snob on a Walmart budget. Believe me, I hate it too. So here’s 7 things that you can find at TJ Maxx for a portion of the regular price.

• Makeup remover– I don’t put a lot of soaps and cleansers on my face because it breaks me out. Instead, I use makeup remover towelettes. I used to buy them at Target for around $5 for 40 of them. I recently found that I can buy a supply of 90 for between $4 and $5.
• Nail polish– I love nail polish a little too much. Every time my mom turns around I have a new color on and I’m trying to convince her to let me do her nails. I was waiting in the checkout line one day and noticed a bunch of Essie and OPI polishes sitting on a little rack. It just so happened that instead of paying retail prices of $8.99 these were $3.99!
• Snack foods– Last week I found a bag of Boom Chicka Pop for $2.99. At Target they retail for around $5. You can also find things like organic potato chips, granola, dried fruit, coffee, biscotti, and even spices for low prices.
• Coffee mugs– Anyone who knows me realizes that I have a slight obsession with cute coffee mugs. I live for them. Most of my coffee mugs have come from TJ Maxx and were under $4. I’ve also found great travel mugs and these amazing food containers called Sistema for half the retail price.
• Kitchen gadgets– Have you ever found an avocado container? I did and it was really cool! I browse the kitchen aisle like there’s no tomorrow. I never buy anything because this girl can’t cook. However, if you’re looking to stock your new kitchen you’ll more than likely find everything you could want here.
• Gift bags– I refuse to pay $3.99 for a stupid gift bag. That could have been a Starbucks coffee for me. TJ Maxx usually has a lot of gift bags to choose from for almost every occasion at a much lower price. There are some days that I’m tempted to buy a bag just because it’s cute to look at.
• Notecards– Stationary has always been something I liked to stockpile. Not only does it make for adorable letters to send, it also looks great for Instagram photos. Don’t I just think ahead?

Tell me what your best TJ Maxx find was in a comment! I’m excited to hear!

Trending: Marble Accessories

Happy Tuesday loves. Yesterday was hectic, which is why you didn’t hear much from me. I’m going away for a few weeks so I’m trying to get everything done and be on top of my game for when I’m out of town. Who knew it would be so difficult? You don’t realize how complicated your life is until you try to take some time away from it. Come to think of it, can you really ever take time away from life? I’m busy holding down a full time job while I search for another one because my contract ends in November. Job hunting is a full time job in and of itself! Enough about my little life, let’s talk about my latest love: marble.

 Not only are our homes being decked out in marble accents, so is the jewelry we wear. I’m seeing it more and more than I expected. I knew marble counter tops were trending, but I never guessed jewelry would try to get in on the trend. Not sure if I’ll be getting in on this trend or not. I’m certainly on board when it comes to counter tops though. Call me crazy, but there’s nothing I dislike more than the granite counter top trend that’s been going on for the last 8 years or so. What started out as a luxury has become generic. Marble is timeless and something we should embrace more of in the design of our homes.

Since we all don’t have the money to go out and replace our counters on a whim, there are a few things that we can add to our kitchens that are much cheaper and still achieve the marble look. The first thing on my shopping list is a marble cutting board. I’ve seen these at TJ Maxx many times for about $30 and they look really nice! Cake stands are another pretty thing to have sitting in your kitchen. I’m dying to get my hands on a marble vase to put peonies in too!

Another really beautiful thing that goes well with marble is accents of gold! Even if it’s just a faux gold finish, the look of it is so elegant. There’s honestly nothing I love more when it comes to kitchen design. It’s also a classic and can’t be dated to one specific time period. Anyone who’s ever walked into a kitchen that hasn’t been redesigned since the 1970s knows how tacky it looks now. Classics are classics for a reason. Embrace marble and gold!