It’s Friday, so y’all know what that means! It’s time to link up with Erika and Andrea to let everybody know what some of my favorite things are right now.
********************
BACK TO SCHOOL
Well, we’ve got an 8th grader over here! He started school on Wednesday, and we are super excited for this year.
His “look” hasn’t changed much since last year, but he’s grown over 4 inches. Look at the position of his shoulders on the door! You can also look where his watch is in comparison to the door. The boy is growing like a weed.
That’s the beginning of 7th grade on the left and the beginning of 8th grade on the right.
For comparison, this is the first day picture last year…so that’s the first day of 6th on the left and the first day of 7th on the right.
You can see what I mean here that his overall “look” changed way more from 6th-7th grade. He went from baby face to young man!
And listen, as we’re talking about “looks”, let’s go ahead and talk about how he’s apparently dedicated to a blue Under Armour shirt and black Under Armour shorts on the first day. We didn’t realize this until I went to make the collages. 🙂
Last week we went to Bob’s Steak and Chophouse for a fancy back-to-school dinner. Carter’s love language is steak, so we felt a filet was in order. The steak was amazing, and Carter couldn’t get over how delicious the carrot was! Haha!
*****************
SHOPPING WITH SHEAFFER HAUL
I have clothes to show you today from Nordstrom, Loft, and Target!
The first couple of outfits are perfect for those of you that work in an office environment. But even though I don’t work in an office, these are outfits I would definitely wear to church.
I’ve shown you this elbow sleeve blouse before in the blush colorway, but this black multi is perfect for styling with black pants. It’s a very pretty blouse with lots of feminine detailing. For size reference, I’m wearing a medium.
And the black slacks are the ones I’ve been screaming about for a bit now. They are from Wit and Wisdom and they are MUST HAVE. They are super stretchy, super comfy, and incredibly flattering. I would recommend sizing down in these because they are so stretchy.
elbow sleeve blouse / black slacks / similar black pumps
Do you like wearing color to the office? If so, this floral puff sleeve top will be right up your alley! It’s got a bit of a poplin feel, and the puff sleeves have just the right amount of puff to them. 🙂 I like it worn out (on the left) and with a half tuck (on the right). For size reference, I’m wearing a medium.
floral puff sleeve top / black slacks / similar black pumps
This puff sleeve top has a boho flair for sure, with a subtle graphic pattern, and I think it is adorable. The material is pretty crisp and can definitely be dressed up or down. As you’ll see in a second, it even looks great styled several different ways, including dressed way down with distressed denim shorts.
I think these wide leg colored denim jeans are going to be PERFECT for teachers that can’t wear jeans every day. Listen, I totally get that they are actually jeans, but I also believe that they don’t present as jeans, and you will be able to get away with wearing them on non-jean days. They have great stretch AND the Ab-Solution technology will all demand now. Ha! At almost 5’4″, I do think these would be a bit better on me if I were just a bit taller. They are meant to be more cropped. I’m wearing my regular size 4, but they are pretty snug.
puff sleeve top / Wit and Wisdom wide leg colored denim / TB soft Miller sandals (size up a 1/2)
I flipping LOVE this top with my favorite black jeans. And I think it looks awesome styled with the cognac tote and neutral booties.
puff sleeve top / leather tote / black jeans / neutral mule option HERE from Amazon!
And here’s the same top with my must have shorts…
puff sleeve top / must have shorts / TB soft Miller sandals (size up a 1/2)
I know we’re wrapping up summer, but this striped tee is on SUPER SALE right now.
Y’all. It’s $6.80 right now. SIX DOLLARS AND 80 CENTS.
striped tee / must have shorts / TB soft Miller sandals (size up a 1/2)
We’ve got another super summery top that just happens to be on super sale right now! I love the color, I love the stripes, I love the square neck, and I love the flutter sleeves. For size reference, I’m wearing a medium.
striped square neck top / must have shorts / TB soft Miller sandals (size up a 1/2)
Y’all probably know by now that I have a thing with lightweight sweaters like this. This roll tab henley sweater is a show-stopper with the coral and pink stripes, and the v neck and button detailing is so cute. AND GET THIS. If the sale is still going on, it’s ONLY $17! For size reference, I’m wearing a medium.
roll tab henley sweater / must have shorts / TB soft Miller sandals (size up a 1/2)
How cute is this little lounge set?!? I’ve already worn it countless times, and with the sale code, both pieces are under $20.
sweatshirt top / sweatshirt shorts
Did you see my Target haul on Wednesday? Click HERE for the entire haul.
I LOVE this blouse. This is the “white star”, and it’s got a pretty little pattern on it. The other colors don’t have the star pattern, but the solid colors are pretty too. It’s 100% cotton with a loose fit, and I think it’s great worn out. This blouse is perfect for those who don’t like to do a 1/2 tuck, because it looks awesome worn out. If you (like me) like a relaxed and somewhat boxy fit, GET THIS SHIRT. For size reference, I’m wearing a small. I do want to warn you, the band at the sleeve could be tight on more athletic arms, so keep that in mind.
The boot cut jeans are from Target too! Now, I personally prefer my Wit and Wisdom boot cut jeans, but these are a great option for ONLY $35! These have great stretch and even have a similar elastic waistband to my beloved Wit and Wisdom. The waistband is similar to the Absolution technology, but not quite as magical (but still good though)! For size reference, I’m wearing a 6. Also, I’m wearing a 3.25″ block heel with them here.
blouse / earrings / cross necklace / boot cut jeans / block heel sandals
***************
THE DOGS ARE DISPLEASED
After years and years of not making any real changes to the family room, we finally gave it a much needed facelift with new furniture and accessories! We got a new sofa, new throw pillows, a new rug, a new lamp, and some new accessories.
I’ll do a bigger reveal next week, so get ready for that.
WE LOVE IT.
The dogs however are displeased.
Charlie is confused.
And Buddy is straight up ticked.
I laughed out loud when I saw his face in this picture.
*****************
SUCCULENT ARRANGEMENTS
As often happens, the new family room has inspired me to start making other changes in other areas of the house.
I wanted to change up the kitchen table a bit, and I had an idea to use some tins I’d found at an antique store several years ago to make succulent arrangements to place on the wooden tray.
succulents / artificial moss / exact round wood tray from Target (options HERE for those that prefer to order from Amazon) / blue and ivory table runner options HERE
I already had the tins, but I grabbed all of the other items I needed from Amazon. The floral foam is easy to cut with a knife, so I cut it to fit the tins, placed the artificial moss on top, and then played around with the succulents.
succulent variety pack / artificial moss / green floral foam
The arrangements were super easy to make, and the whole process took under 10 minutes!
In addition to the two tins I made, I grabbed the live succulent arrangement from Trader Joe’s and placed it on the tray with the others. I wanted 3 containers on the tray, and I loved the idea of adding the live succulents to the grouping to hopefully make the faux arrangements look even more real!
succulents / artificial moss / exact round wood tray from Target (options HERE for those that prefer to order from Amazon) / blue and ivory table runner options HERE
*****************
MY NEW ORCHID
I also re-styled the entry way chest. #becauseifyougiveamouseacookie
It used to have a very large dried flower arrangement on it with two gold 5×7 picture frames with pics of Carter as a baby. It was a very formal and heavy look, so I decided to freshen things up! I got rid of the dried floral and pictures, and I brought in a tray I used to have on top of my coffee table. I kept the styling very simple by just adding a live orchid and a candle.
I got the orchid from Trader Joe’s last weekend, and I love it so much.
If I have any orchid experts on here, please leave all of your best tips in the comments! The little card it came with said it needed good sunlight and only 4 oz of water a week. I reallllllly love this orchid and I realllllllllllly don’t want to kill it like I’ve killed the others I’ve had over the years! So please help!
If you aren’t near a Trader Joe’s, you can order a real orchid from Amazon HERE. And there are tons of faux orchids to choose from HERE.
Also, I’m straight up obsessed with my Life in Lilac candles. I have and love both the candles and diffusers for Heart Throb and Wonderful and Worthy, and both are incredible. This one is “Take Me Away“, and it is definitely Chris’s favorite. The fragrance profile is citrus and cedar, and the house just smells so fresh and clean when we burn it.
*****************
AMAZON HOME FINDS
Okay, so both my sister and I have been shopping up a storm on Amazon for home items. And we’ve both had phenomenal luck!
First Conner will share some things, and then I will!
Take it away Conner!
I’m happy to be back and excited to share some recent updates to our half bath, guest and primary bedrooms! I’ll start with our itty-bitty half bath. This bathroom off our kitchen is super tiny, but I wanted to add a rug for color and something on the walls. I started with this gorgeous rug from Pottery Barn. I love the greens and blues and it’s the perfect size (2×3). The space is so small, and I didn’t want something on the walls that would be obtrusive, so I purchased these tobacco baskets from Amazon and decided to hang them on the wall. I love the way it turned out! They are very dark brown (almost black), very well made, but also lightweight and easy to hang.
tobacco baskets / 3 pack of mini potted plants / white rectangular tray / pottery barn rug
There are tons of different shapes and colors of wall baskets found HERE if you want to see options!
tobacco baskets / 3 pack of mini potted plants / white rectangular tray /
Next, I added drapes to our guest bedroom and primary bedroom. I ordered the same drapes for both rooms and I’m so glad I did – they’re gorgeous! They’re 100% linen and I ordered the “crisp white”. The drapes are lined to help with light control and are backed by an off-white fabric. They have excellent reviews, and they are ON SALE right now!
I chose to hang with rings, but they can be hung on a rod using the pocket or with back tabs. The quality of the Amazon drapes is SO much better than my drapes from Ballard Designs that cost twice as much! I have always struggled with curtain hardware (mainly because I am not a fan of finials) and recently discovered French return rods. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I love the fact that it allows the curtains to return to the wall which limits light. I ordered black hardware for the master bedroom and brass hardware for the guest bedroom.
drapes / black curtain rod / black curtain rings
art / euro shams / antelope pillow covers (similar with better stock HERE)/ taupe pom pom quilt / taupe pom pom sham / duvet cover
drapes / black curtain rod / black curtain rings
drapes / black curtain rod / black curtain rings
I also hung these floating wood gallery frames in our master bedroom. I love the simplicity of the frames and the fact that you can choose the photo size. These frames are the 21×25 in black. They’re super lightweight and our handyman said they were extremely easy to hang. I loved them so much that I ordered six in white (18×18) to use for vintage sports prints in Bennett’s bedroom.
If you don’t want to splurge at Pottery Barn, you can find SUPER similar frames from Amazon in 11 x 14 HERE and 16 x 20 HERE
And the guest bedroom!
gold curtain rod / gold curtain rings
colorful art / Conner’s bedding / pom pom pillow covers / pillow inserts / lamp / bamboo nightstand / fringe throw
I was nervous to order brass because you never know if it’s going to be too bright, but this hardware is absolutely perfect!
drapes / gold curtain rod / gold curtain rings
And she’s still loving these towels for her master bedroom. They have excellent reviews too.
And because we’re talking about Amazon home items, I want to highlight this down comforter. Last year I got rid of our 5 year old comforter and duvet because I was sick of messing with the insert and the duvet. I got a really soft comforter from Home Goods, and we loved it at first, but it’s not working out either. We like the way it looks, but it’s much easier to wash a duvet than it is to wash an entire comforter.
So, I’m back to looking at a comforter and a duvet. This down comforter has over 8,000 reviews, and the majority are 5 STAR! My last comforter didn’t have the individual squares, so the down was never evenly distributed. I’m going to order this one and the little squares will hopefully correct that problem!
I’m definitely leaning towards this set. It looks very similar to the Pottery Barn duvet I had several years ago, but it’s from Amazon and super affordable. And if you’re new to the blog, these are the sheets we swear by (and they are ON SALE)!
And to continue with the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie theme, here’s a little corner I fixed up in the family room.
I grabbed this lamp from Amazon and we love it! It’s a perfect neutral, and the texture on the jug base is awesome. The pictures and frames used to be on the table behind the sofa, but I like them here better. (I attached that tray to the wall with command strips.)
There are only 14 lamps left in stock, so grab it if you want it.
Here are another couple new accessories I found on Amazon!
This wood bowl is so pretty and unique. It comes in 3 sizes, but mine is the small which is 8″-10″. Each bowl is hand-carved by skilled artisans, so no two are exactly alike as in nature, color, or shape and the measurements may vary a bit. I think this is such a great find!
These rustic rope balls come in a set of 8, and all 8 fit nicely in the bowl. I like the different patterns and textures and really love the addition of both the bowl and the balls to the room.
And although I don’t have a place for them, I’m reallllllllllly loving these baskets. These could work well in a kitchen or a family room.
*****************
MAXI SKIRT OUTFIT
You saw these pictures in Wednesday’s post where I was highlighting my new sneakers, but I didn’t link the outfit since it was all about the sneakers. The outfit is now linked if you are interested!
similar tee / denim jacket (A Azure Mood) / beaded necklace /maxi skirt / bracelet stack / bandana / tote bag / sneakers
similar tee / denim jacket (A Azure Mood) / beaded necklace / maxi skirt / bracelet stack / bandana / tote bag / sneakers
maxi skirt / bracelet stack / bandana / tote bag / sneakers
*****************
WEEK IN REVIEW
Monday’s post was a Target Haul! There are lots of greats early fall pieces in the haul.
Wednesday’s post was all about my new sneaks. Head to the post for all my thoughts, sizing info, and a $20 OFF code if you’re a new HSN shopper.
And I had a bonus post yesterday with a 50% OFF code for the Victoria Emerson site! Code: 50STMT
YOU CAN GET THIS BOX FILLED WITH FIVE FANTASTIC BRACELETS FOR ONLY $55!!!
*****************
That’s it for today, y’all! Have a wonderful weekend with your people!
And remember, if you have orchid tips, please sound off in the comments!
Erika Slaughter says
Yay!! Spying Carter in a post is always a favorite!
Shay Shull says
How big did Carter get?! I still cannot believe they’re in 8th grade!
Carly says
Need to ask a question on color of crisp white drapes. Just so happens I almost ordered theses a few weeks ago but stopped because of color. Is the crisp white as you said an off white and NOT crisp white? I need off white, not the yellow ivory(other choice)and not a crisp white. I was afraid to try as I thought the color maybe to bright of white. LOVE THEM! Also really, really love the blue/grey comforter set. FYI your dust ruffles on twin beds can be ordered in a flat panel skirt, some with trim that would give you a cleaner look on the beds, if you want a change in style. Like your drapery rods, an alternative rod without a finial is a flat end finial, basically a flat cap. It doesn’t have much on the end and eliminates the curve to the other style rod, super popular right now because it is a clean look. I have them and really like the look as well.
Sheaffer says
Hi, Carly! All of the drape questions are for my sister! I’ll text her and ask her to come over here and answer today between client calls. 🙂
April says
Loving all the home decor. Can you come help me decorate? It all looks great!
Sheaffer says
Thanks, April!!! xoxo
Kelsey says
Hi Sheaffer, my best plant tip is the Planta app! Free to download and you can add each plant you have to your “house”, choosing based on species. Then, the app will give you info about the plant (type of light, amount of water, etc), and (this is the genius part!) send you a reminder when it’s time to water!!! I know my biggest struggle is like hmm did I water that this week already?? So this way it keeps you on track! It was life-changing for my plant game for sure!
Sheaffer says
I’ve heard of this! Thanks for the tip, Kelsey! xoxo
Margaret says
Love all your tole trays! I collect them as well and love to decorate with them. The succulent arrangement is darling. You have a lovely home.
Sheaffer says
Thank you so much, Margaret!!! I love that you love tole trays too! xoxo
Lisa says
What color is your bathroom? Ours is due for a makeover & I love that shade of cream.
Sheaffer says
It’s my sister’s bathroom. I’ll ask if she knows!
Mel H says
Orchids like indirect light. Direct sun will dry it right up. They need watered once a week… no more. Don’t soak the roots. I prefer the type that use ice cubes myself, as that’s easy to do. Pinterest has lots of good advice regarding orchid care.
Sheaffer says
Thank you for the tips, Mel!!!