Hello darlings! Before you read any further, I just want to point out that these purchases have been over a month and have just started piling up. I figured I would share some of my lovely purchases with you guys because they make me warm and fuzzy inside. Plus, I love reading all your hauls so maybe someone gets that oogy-gooey feeling like I do.
It seems like this time last year I blogged about Bath and Body Works. It might just be that they always have a fantastic sale going on around this time. No worries I have some new goodies to show. Oddly enough, that post gets revisited time after time. Someone must just love looking at their colorful products… I know I do! I feel like every time I go into Bath and Body Works I get sucked into this other world. Luckily enough, there is a sale going on this week. If you haven’t checked it out already… go, go, go! Right now the original $22 candles are half off. You guys know my obsession with candles (my roommate, Courtney, admits that she is ready for all of the scented candles next year). I ended up purchasing 3.
The Autumn Mums smells like florals with a hint of the generic Flesh Linen candle. The underneath of the candle says that the candle smells like “a floral blend of soft mum petals, amber and a hint of sandalwood.” I think that nailed it.
The next candle is the Baja Cactus Blossom. This one really caught my eye because I didn’t really know that cacti had a scent. I really wish this candle had a lotion because it has the softest note of coconut that makes the candle so alluring. The back of the candle says that the scent is from the “alluring beauty of a cactus flower captured in a blend of fresh white flowers, green cactus stems and sun kissed coconut.” Not captured in my photos, the lid of this particular candle has palm leaves which makes a great addition to my candle collection.
The last candle is the sweet Paris Lavender Macaron. This candle says that it smells like “lavender blossoms with a delicate patisserie cookie,” but I smell something completely different. When I smell this candle, I smell a sweet vanilla, cinnamon, and cream cheese frosting. This particular candle I think should be burned for a little because it is stronger than the others.
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I also ended up getting something that I’ve never purchased before. I ended up getting this adorable car freshener and 4 different scents. I admit, it took me a little while to actually figure out how to insert the scent. Once I figured it out the first time, it’s easy to change. I have a soft spot for candles and cacti so I guess Bath and Body Works knows the way to my heart. The scents right now are 4 for $10. Which isn’t too bad considering they’re normally $3.50. They also have more adorable holders than this cactus. For example, they have a margarita glass, anchors, turtles, and flowers.
Going along with the car theme, I’ve been looking for a keychain for my car keys. It’s just been a little hard finding them in my purse so I just wanted a little tassel. I found this one at DSW and thought it was adorable.
When it comes to shoes, I have trust problems. It’s very, very rare that I will fall in love with any shoes that aren’t Steve Madden. My boots are always Steve Madden. I don’t know what it is but he just seems to know what I like. So, naturally, going into DSW my eyes somehow always dart towards Steve Madden shoes. It’s almost pathetic. I was wandering the store looking for shoes for an upcoming wedding, and I had three different boxes… All Steve Madden. I ended up getting two lace up pairs of Steve Madden. Do any of you have a brand of shoes that you just can’t seem to escape?
The pair on the left is actually a little bit of a darker brown than the pair on the left but the picture disordered it a little. With that in mind I really like both of these shoes because they make your legs look longer. When you have shoes that are a similar tone as your skin, it plays a trick on the eyes by making your legs look longer. These sandals are incredibly comfy because they don’t have that thong in-between the big toe and other toes. I also love the lace up aspect of them. It’s a unique flare.
The pair on the right is such a show stopper. I’ve fallen in love with the lace up shoes ever since I bought my first pair in Ireland. You can see them here. Plot twist: they’re from Top Shop. The heel on these shoes are about 2 1/3 to 3 inches. I love that you can tie a bow either in front or back of your leg. Okay, that may seem really minor but it really makes a difference depending on what you’re wearing. For example, the dress I’m wearing to an upcoming wedding is very elegant and says enough without needing shoes to say more. Therefore, by putting the bow in the back of the leg plays down the shoe. If I was wearing a simple dress I would want the bow in the front. Regardless these shoes are a great addition to my shoe collection. P.S. the red on the shoes is from a clearance sticker… It is NOT blood! I don’t want anyone to be worried/alarmed!
I ended up going into Madewell. Madewell is actually a really new store to me. They are partnered up with the lovely J.Crew but have a more youthful vibe. Many of their items are very clean cut and simple but have a little bit of a unique cut or style to them. For example, their plain shirts might drape a certain way. All of their jewelry is this funky gold color. I have a hard time describing it so if any of you know the proper term let me know in the comments. It’s a really unique quality their jewelry possesses. I ended up spending a lot of time looking at their jewelry and ended up with this ring that looks between a sun and a bullet wound (might look like a bullet wound to me because I’ve been spending a lot of time watching Lost). If you’ve never been to a Madewell shop it’s definitely a place you should check out. I forgot to mention, their bags are phenomenal as well. They have leather bags that you can initial or make them say whatever you want. I’m thinking about purchasing a simple leather bag for all my papers in the future.
Earlier this summer, I went to Maryland with my boyfriend’s family and met more of his family. I ended up purchasing this 100% vegan, cruelty-free roll on perfume. I love roll on perfumes because they’re so easy to throw in your bag and apply them on the go. They make a few different smells. If I see this brand again I think I’m going to purchase the grapefruit one next!
Whenever you go into a place like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or Nordstrom Rack you never really know what you’re going to come out with. Recently, I wandered around Normstrom Rack with my mom desperately looking for a dress for a wedding (I founded it but that is for another post… The anticipation I know)! I didn’t know where to begin looking for just normal shirts. I just looked at random racks here and there. I still don’t think I looked at everything. I ended up falling for this beautiful blue top. The way the top sits on your shoulders is incredibly flattering. I can’t wait to show you guys how I pattern this top a few different ways.
There are three dresses you will ended up seeing in future posts. I’m incredibly excited to show you the dresses and the experiences associated with them.
Like the Nordstrom Rack… Marshalls is just as good. I found these spring pattern shorts on one of the racks. I love this deep, rich green color and the funky blue pattern.
Along with the shorts this breezy top was hiding in one of the racks. It has cutouts on the shoulders and flows everywhere else. This is a perfect shirt for a colder day because it would look phenomenal with white skinny jeans.
It is so hard going into American Eagle and not buying something. I plan on showing these three items in an outfit post so I had to just show them in a little sneak peak…
I love Francesca’s… what is not to love about their delicate jewelry pieces and feminine clothing. Also, they have the best accessory section compared to Urban Outfitters. I ended up getting this adorable flower case and matching mug. I’ve been looking at this mug since the winter and have finally shelled out the money to purchase it. I’m really indecisive if I should keep it as a mug or if I should transform it into a succulent platter. If you have any opinions let me know in the comments!
I love these sparkly earrings I picked up as well. I’ve gotten so many compliments on them that I knew I had to blog about them. The outside rim is a faux looking wooden branch and the inside are filled with different sized gems. What isn’t to love?
Obviously I needed help talking pictures so Butch graciously volunteered. He helped me pick out which item to photograph until he got distracted by this enormous frog that lives in our little coy pond.
As you read this post, I am moving to Troy. I’ve been offered a great position at the Children’s Museum of Science and Technology. I’m extremely excited to start teaching! I hope to update you more on Troy in a later post.
As always,
