Happy Monday! It might be 80 degrees outside today, but the forecast for the rest of the week is looking delightfully fall-y. Now that September has almost come to a close and it’s actually starting to feel like fall, I thought it would be a great time to share some of my favorite products that I purchased over the summer. This spring was spent pinching pennies after we bought our first home, but now that we’re feeling more financially stable I’ve been allowing myself to have a bit more spending money. I had so much fun starting to decorate our new house this summer, so a lot of the items on this list are home decor pieces, but I tried to include items from a few other categories as well. Keep reading to see my favorite purchases of summer 2020!
1. Limestone Knot Figurine – Words cannot express how excited I am that this limestone knot is part of this list. When Studio McGee released their collection with Target in April, it was at the height of quarantine. The collection sold out online immediately and I didn’t feel comfortable going to the store at the time, so I kind of just accepted that I wouldn’t be able to get my hands on any of my favorite items. I basically spent the next several months checking several times a week to see if the collection had been restocked and I audibly squealed when I saw that this limestone knot – my favorite piece in the collection – was available in-store at a Target about 35 minutes away from me. I picked it up the next day and it is SO. GOOD. It has a nice texture and a perfect neutral color, and the unique shape makes it the perfect styling element. I honestly want to buy several more because it looks so good literally everywhere.
2. Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm – For as long as I can remember, I’ve always dealt with chapped lips year-round, so a good lip balm is pretty much my best friend. I honestly only purchased this tinted lip balm because I needed something small to hit my order minimum on my last Grove Collaborative order, but now I’m addicted. It leaves the perfect subtle color on my lips (not that anyone can see them right now, thanks COVID) and smells amazing.
3. Women’s Lois Crossband Sandals – I am decidedly not a shoe person. I have weird feet that are both tiny and wide and make it extremely difficult to find shoes that fit well, and I never seem to be able to find the shoes I love in a size that fits me. Because of this, I typically rotate between 1-3 pairs of shoes during any given season. Of course this means that my shoes get worn out pretty quickly, and then begins the daunting task of finding a replacement. I spent all summer searching for a new pair of sandals and I was about ready to give up when I found these beauties for less than $30 at Target. The color is beautiful and they fit like a glove (although they were a huge pain to break in). These are definitely a new summer staple for me!
4. Live Beautiful by Athena Calderone – I’ve written about my love for coffee table books before, and this one is easily my new favorite. First of all, the cover is absolutely stunning and makes it a versatile styling piece. But honestly the inside is even better. The pages are filled with images of beautiful rooms and every time I flip through them it brings me new inspiration.
5. Stars Above Floral Print Pajama Set – It only took 27 years, but I’ve officially become a matching pajama set gal. After years of exclusively wearing athleticwear to bed, I fully credit this change to my friend Alicia’s obsession with matching pajama sets. I came across these pajamas when I was at Target last month and I knew I had to have them. I love the pattern and they’re so cozy yet lightweight, which makes them perfect for summer. Target sells these in several different colors and patterns and I love these so much that I’m fully planning on buying several more sets.
6. Modern Spice Labels – If you’ve read any of my other posts, you already know that I’m obsessed with organizing. There’s honestly nothing that brings me greater joy than keeping things neat and tidy in pretty baskets and containers (except maybe dogs). I saw these spice labels when The Everygirl posted about them and I knew I had to have them. I already kept my spices in uniform jars and organized them alphabetically because of who I am as a person, but this really took my spice organization to the next level and now my spice drawer is my happy place.
7. Woven Textured Stripe Pillow | Lumbar Yarn Stripe Pillow – When I first pored over the Threshold by Studio McGee collection for Target at the start of spring, I didn’t see many pillows that caught my eye. But on one of my many Target trips this summer (because what else did I have going on), I spotted these two pillows and had to have them. I’m telling you, the online photos of these just don’t do them justice at all. The square one looks grey in photos, but it’s actually a gorgeous sage green color that pairs perfectly with the accents in the white tassel lumbar pillow. These pillows were just the extra pop our guest room bed needed and I love how they’ve pulled the room together!
8. Lilou Matte White Utensil Holder – I’ve been looking for a new utensil crock for my favorite kitchen utensils for well over a year. My previous one was a very basic white one that I got because it was the largest one I could find. After paring down and reorganizing my kitchen tools last year, though, I started looking for one that could add a little extra oomph to our kitchen space. I scoured the internet, multiple Homegoods locations, and even antique stores and couldn’t find anything that worked until I was browsing the Crate & Barrel website a few weeks ago. I saw this crock and instantly fell in love. I was nervous to order it online since I don’t live near a Crate & Barrel anymore, but I couldn’t be happier with it. It’s substantial and has a gorgeous texture and it fits so well with the tones and finishes in our kitchen. Highly recommend!
9. Green Olive Stem – I go through phases with greenery and I’m currently in a major olive stem phase. I’ve been seeing more and more olive trees popping up on my Instagram feed and I’m loving it! I love the muted greens in olive branches and I think they bring a relaxed feel to any room. Someone shared these stems on Instagram when stores were still closed at the start of summer and I decided to give them a try since I was already placing a big frame order with Michaels. I was shocked at the quality for the low price and I wish I would have ordered more since they’ve been going in and out of stock! These currently live on the console table in our living room and I think they add the perfect element of life and color to the room.
10. Safavieh Brentwood Clara Rug – Anyone who knows me well will tell you that when it comes to big decisions, my decision-making method involves endless over-analyzation over the course of several weeks (or sometimes months). Finding a rug for our bedroom in the new house was no exception. I spent a solid two months comparing rugs and then mildly panicking when I realized we needed a 9×12 rug for our large bedroom, which meant much higher prices. I was shocked when I found this beautiful rug on sale for under $200! It’s perfect for our bedroom because I tend to want to switch up the decor in there on occasion so it provides a great neutral base that will go with almost any color. Our bedroom still has a long way to go, but this rug makes it feel so much cozier and more complete.
