wallpaper emo

Tar-jay has done it again. Well, technically I have done it again. I should know better than to look through the home section at Target and expect to leave empty-handed. I can always find a little something. It's actually kind of ridiculous how much we have in our home that is from Target. Many of my absolute favorite things are from there.

I definitely didn't expect to find 2 (well technically 3) things that have been on my wish list for a very long time.
Do you guys do that? Make tons of lists? I do. I kind of have a list-making obsession. One list I have for home stuff. Sort of like a more long-term list of things that I want to keep my eyes open for. If you've been reading my recent posts, you may have seen me mention our foyer rug quite a bit. Or I should say rugs. I swear, it's different in every post. I've switched the rugs around in there more times than I can count. Mostly because it's a super high-traffic area (right at the bottom of our stairs) so it takes a very specific type of rug to actually work there. Waylon is the main issue. It either gets bunched and curled up (because he crashes into it and pushes off of it at the bottom of the stairs) non-slip rug pad and all, or matted looking because of the constant vacuuming (he sheds like crazy). So it takes a particular type of rug to work there. Check out my most recent rug post  here.

So I needed something large (but not too large), something that wouldn't slide around, something that would hold up well, and something that actually looked nice.
Kind of a tall order. Oh and let's not forget how tough it is to actually find affordable larger rugs in the first place.  I wasn't actively searching for one. Mostly because I've had zero luck. So I figured I'd just make do with what I had (which wasn't working very well) for a while until I eventually came across something that would work.

So Brad and I were at Target (I think shopping for pretty boring things like toilet paper and lightbulbs), and we passed through the rug aisle on the way to the home accessories (because I've always got to check it out to make sure I don't miss anything fab), and this baby was there...


It's called the Nate Berkus Arrowhead rug (5'x7') and was $149.99 (although it's on sale now, so I think I'm going to see if I can get a price adjustment in the next few days).

The size is perfect.


It's a wool/jute rug and feels like it will hold up really well in the space. You can even flip it over for a different look (it's the opposite colors on the back). The look is right, the material is right, and best of all, it's Waylon-friendly.

Because of the rougher texture, I think it's going to hold up really well. Because it is wool/jute, it's a little scratchy. So I definitely wouldn't recommend this in a living area or an area where kids would be playing on the floor or where you'd want a softer feel. However, in an entryway, it's pretty perfect.

As I mentioned before, Waylon's shedding forces us to vacuum daily. No joke. Black rugs are usually not conducive to light-colored pet hair, but I love how this one disguises it well.
This pic below is the rug right after being vacuumed. It has a natural, wooly texture with different lighter-colored fibers sort of woven throughout.
So even if there was some stray pet hair (or hundred), you wouldn't notice it.


I just can't get over how great it works here and for the size, I think I got a super great deal.
K, one more shot then we'll get on with the rest of my finds.


This one shows another point I forgot to mention... It ties in really well with the rug in the adjacent living room/my office. That was another difficulty in finding a rug. I didn't want one that was too plain, but I knew that it needed to sort of complement the neighboring rug that was so close by. This one doesn't compete at all. I just can't get over what a lucky find this was. The other rug is from Rugs USA.

So the next few things have been on my long-term list for, well, a long time. A few years ago, I was on the hunt for black lamp shades with gold lining on the inside to go with the lamps in the family room. Well I ended up finding a medium sized one from Target with silver lining, but no luck with the gold. Unless I wanted to pay an arm and a leg and order them from some specialty website.

So I think I audibly squealed or made some sort of embarrassing sound when I saw these right after finding the rug on the same Target trip. Best. day. ever.



Yep. Waylon hair. He's totally worth it though.

Since our family room is very light and bright, they added the perfect amount of contrast.


Hey, a Pretty Little Liars marathon was on all day. Don't judge.

So what do you guys think? Any amazing Target finds lately??







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Hello and Happy Monday to you all! I hope you guys had a fabulous weekend! We sure did. My weekend was made especially sweet with the addition of a few new (and very affordable) jackets and sweaters to my wardrobe, thanks to Target.

I've also been dying to tell you all about my newest handbag obsession as of late... The Michael Kors Studded Selmas. Oh my goodness. I'm in love with them. I started with the messenger, then the satchel. It's a sickness.
So this is definitely a major combo post. Since I combined this latest Target fashion haul with my new MK Selma bags in my newest video (you can check out that goodness at the bottom of this post), I figured I'd combine the blog post too. Sound good?
K, lets go.

So this weekend, as most Saturday mornings go, I headed to run some errands and pick up a few groceries, which brought me Target.

Before I go any further, I've got to go ahead and just admit it.  I've totally slacked on my "Target Finds" blog posts lately. I started that little series over a year ago on here and have really not been great about sharing my new finds when I, well, find them.
But my point is that I haven't forgotten about them and I'll definitely continue to update you all when I find some great things at Target.

So let's start with these fab jackets and sweaters from Target...


First we have this beautiful navy "asymmetrical" blazer...


SO easy-to-wear and versatile. You'll pick up on a little pattern throughout the rest of the post, but I came home and literally threw these jackets on with my simple white t-shirt and jeans. They all worked so well with even the simplest outfit and made it more special.
This jacket has really gorgeous faux leather detailing and the navy is so rich and beautiful. This is going to be a Fall staple of mine for sure.

Next is this SERIOUSLY fun plaid blazer...

I mean.
Crazy gorgeous and unique. This one is my favorite. Again, with the pretty faux leather detail. I love the pop of red with the stitching.
Here's another shot that shows the pretty buttons on the back of the sleeves a bit better.



Next is this really cozy, super chunky sweater...


I cant even with my cheesy side stare. I'm thinking, "Dang, I love this sweater..."

And you may notice in the little widget above I included a sweatshirt as well. Didn't get a photo in that one, but I show it in much more detail in the video below.


So let's move on to the handbags.
I know, I've gone handbag-crazy. I'm seriously on a purse ban, ya'll. I'm not even kidding. Hold me to that.
So I've always loved the pretty silhouette of the Michael Kors Selmas.  I fell in love hard with the little messenger in "dark dune", which is a really super versatile warm taupe color. LOVE that bag. Love it so much that I caved and bought the big satchel in black.
These are the ones I have...

**After posting pics of these on my Instagram, many of you had trouble finding the messenger in the "dark dune" shade. I ordered mine from Nordstrom (currently sold out), and the only place online I've currently found it is from Dillards, so I linked that up for you below. That color is apparently pretty hard to find in the studded version.








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Hello and Happy Friday, Loves! I thought I'd squeeze in one more little post before the weekend.

So I usually keep my "haul" posts video-exclusive, but I figured I'd share with you all my little shoe haul from Target real quick. No fancy photos... Just snapped a few with my iPhone to share with you guys!


So I'm doing this mainly for two reasons- First, because if you've gathered anything about me at all so far, it's that I LOVE Target, and second, well ,because they are SO affordable! All $29.99.  Plus, I've kind of slacked on my "Target Finds" posts lately. I promise I'm going to get back into those!

Back to the shoes... I love that they have a lot more selection online as well that differ from styles you can pick up in-store. You can seriously find any type of shoe you'd ever need there.  I grabbed some amazing finds... Let's check 'em out.




So this first pair is called the "Susy Strappy Heel".
I love these so much... I was really wanting a nude version of my Steve Madden "Realov" sandals that I have in black and gold (Target has a "Susy" version similar to those too, fyi).  These are a dead-ringer for that style. They're actually really comfortable too. This style is available only online.




This next pair is called the "Pearlynn Chunky Peep Toe Heel". I had been eyeing these at the store for a while, and finally decided to get them during my little online spree. I love the chunky heel and the ivory faux snake print material. You guys know I also love a good pop of gold.




These may be my favorite. I'm obsessed with this color. These are the "Tammy Plank Wedge" in Nectar.  These are online-exclusive too. I've never been a huge fan of the plank wedge. To me, they always sort of look like they can't decide whether they're a wedge or a heel. But these are actually really flattering on. These are just the sweetest little pair of shoes ever.

So which ones are your favorites?? Any amazing Target finds lately?

*MEET-UP INFO!! Come hang out with me on Saturday, January 5th from 1-3pm at the Sigma Beauty store at the Mall of America! They'll be handing out gift bags and doing a giveaway, I'll be doing makeup demos, and we'll be hanging out! Also, they will be offering 10% off everything in the store and offering food and beverages during the event. ***If you plan to attend, RSVP to marketing@sigmabeauty.com . Can't wait to see you guys there! 

Well, I survived my December no-buy. It was actually pretty refreshing! If you have no clue what the heck I'm talking about, I basically decided that I would forgo buying things for myself during the entire month of December. Well, not really the entire month, because I kicked off my whole "no-buy" situation on December 1st with a trip to Target to check out the release of the Target/Neiman's collaboration collection (check out that post here).  But from there, it was smooth sailing. Of course, I bought a few Christmas presents, groceries... You know, the essentials.  I did find it refreshing not to buy a lot of little frivolous things for myself here and there. It was actually pretty nice!

Well, since I haven't done a "Target Finds" post recently, and since you guys seem to really love them, I thought I'd share some of the interesting goodies I spotted or purchased there the last time I was there.

First of all, holy Valentine's Day, Target. They're really gearing up for that holiday up in there. Not gonna lie though, I always look forward to the Target V-day collection each year. They always have a ton of V-day cuteness scattered throughout the store. Ever since several years ago when they had the whole cupcake collection with the elusive cupcake cookie jar I scoured every Target within a 30 mile radius for... Only to have Brad surprise me with it a few months later (scored from a lucky ebay find).  I can't help it. It excites me.

So this year I was so happy to see that the collection is Paris themed! Not so happy to see that most of the stuff looks like it's geared toward toddlers. :/  Sippy cups, large plastic silverware, and baby plates, oh my. I didn't get a photo of the sippy cups and kid plates and spoons section though. This little section above was hanging out near the home decor. Cute stuff, but seems more geared for kids. :/
Moving on....

So I went back by the V-day section near the kitchen stuff where all the plates and such were and saw these really cute finds...


 These could be used anywhere. I love the little chalkboard detail. I think they'd be cute on a desk with art supplies or something cute like that.

Now for my favorite find of the trip...



Is this bag cute or what? I love the contrast of the black and white.  Not sure if you can tell from the photo, but the black on the front and back of the bag is textured almost like a snake pattern.  I thought it looked really nice for the price.  I'm still kind of regretting not picking it up, but since I got a new handbag for Christmas and really don't change handbags very often, I decided to pass it up.

 Speaking of bags, I saw these several weeks ago...



Now, they're on clearance for super cheap! I really like this blue one. I think it would be great for traveling or fun for the summer. Any time really.

Same with these satchels. SO CUTE!

These are so versatile and the colors they're available in are really cute. I love the little gray snake pattern one on the right or the classic black.

Which leads me to my last item... These fabulous leather gloves.



Classic. Black. Quilted. Soft. Lovely.  Best of all, they're very affordable for leather gloves at $21.99. I thought these were such a great find.

Let me just say before sharing what all I purchased from this collection that I bought NOTHING I expected to buy. Yes, I had looked at all the items on the preview page on the Target website weeks before the collection launched (and once again yesterday just to make sure of my choices).  I knew EXACTLY what I wanted and was getting.

And then I went inside and apparently became a different person.

At my Target location, it wasn't "madness" by any means. Well, there was one intense woman that literally stood outside the doors for 20 minutes prior to the store opening (I guess we weren't any better because we were eating our breakfast watching her dedication from the car...) who promptly went into the store when the doors opened, grabbed a shopping cart, and starting JOGGING toward the section of goods. She was also at least 10 months pregnant, which made her that much more intense.  On another note, I applaud you, pregnant power-walkers.

Anyway...

So my friend and I followed the woman (but at a much slower pace) to the back of our store to the larger than expected section of goodies.
For a moment it was just us three and then others started pouring in. 

These were my original "needs" from this collection...



Yes, that is a lunchbox and thermos. It's by Tory Burch. I'm not ashamed to say that's the only reason I wanted it. Because who doesn't need a lunchbox and thermos?? I had convinced myself it was a practical purchase, but then I saw them in person and the love just wasn't there, ya know?  I didn't want to force it. So I walked away from those little guys.
Then I checked out the Lela Rose top I had my eye on.  I tried it on and wasn't in love with it either. I wish it looked more lacy and less floral. At $69.99 I just couldn't justify it unless I was super into it. And I wasn't.









So I moved on to the children's collection. O. M. G.  Cutest little girls' dresses EVER.  I picked this one up by Marchesa and decided to put it in my cart.


Then I saw the $99 price tag and decided my invisible, imaginary 1 year old daughter of the future just wasn't that fancy.

So what items DID I buy, you wonder??  Some unexpected home stuff...

This set of 4 sweet little dessert plates with 18k gold rim by Tracy Reese. ($39.99)


I also purchased what was my "splurge of the day"... or week. Or basically month, since this was my last "hoorah" before going on my December "no buy". See how I did that? Yeah, I mean, since this was the 1st, it basically didn't count. Plus I had been planning it that way. So, bam. Justified.

 HUGE tray by Altuzarra.  $79.99. Yeah, it was expensive, but it's HUGE. ...and very heavy.  And again, totally justified because since our coffee table top is tufted, it requires a tray for knick-knacks and assorted tchotchkies. Both of which are actual words, btw.

 But I'm super happy with it. I love the gold detailing and the faux-croc textured inside (with tempered glass over it). It feels really nice and sturdy.  Yes, trays can be sturdy... right?
I love that it's big enough to style one side with some stacked books and still have room on the other for something else. Like knick-knacks and tchotchkies.

As for the clothing (which I expected to spend the most on), I was impressed, but not impressed. The items were nice, but either fit terribly or were way too expensive for what they were. So that was a little disappointing. Other than that, it was actually a fun collection to shop! Very random and different items. Really pretty pieces.

So tell me... What did YOU guys pick up? Anything you have your eye on??

I'm SO glad you guys are enjoying this new little "series" for my blog!
I certainly am. ;)

My last "Target Finds" post got a crazy awesome response from you all (and I really enjoyed doing it), so I'm back with another installment. A quick little post all about mirrors.

I was so impressed a few days ago with Target's mirror selection. I found myself aimlessly wandering through the home decor aisles, as I usually do, and did a MAJOR double take when I saw these beauties.

This is the one that won my heart.

Threshold Arched Windowpane Mirror

It's called the Threshold Arched Windowpane mirror and it's $59.99.  I have seen similar ones go for three times or more. It's made to be more of a "leaner" style mirror. I could see using two of them over a pair of nightstands on each side of the bed, or over a buffet or console table in a foyer. It took everything I had inside me not to buy this beauty, but I really believe our house has reached its decorative mirror quota.
So I will hang it here on my blog instead.

The next mirror is really unique. I've seen these "captain's" style mirrors all over the place over the past few years. I remember Pottery Barn had a similar one for $299, which is no longer available anymore. Yeah, this one is $29.99

Threshold Round Captains Mirror

This one was just beautiful. Looks so much more expensive than it is (well, that's to say with all of these).  I love the gold finish and at $39.99, it's an unbelievable price for the size. 

Threshold Starburst Mirror

...and so starts a new little "series" for my blog.
Since I LOVE Target so much I wanted to start a new little series of posts that I'll do here and there all about great Target finds. It may be once a month, maybe twice. Who knows... I might just go crazy.
Target really has it all. I'm pretty much convinced I could survive the rest of my life by only shopping at Target. Home stuff, clothing for the whole fam, accessories, shoes, groceries, drugstore items, electronics... everything.
Here are my finds as of late...

So my mom spotted this AMAZING little dress during one of our recent Target excursions. It's part of the Kirna Zabete for Target line and it. is. fabulous.
This was me typically instagram-ing from the fitting room.

Isn't it precious?? I'm wearing it on the left with a little jacket I tried on from Target as well, but didn't buy. It's actually pretty cute and now I'm regretting my self-control that day. I mean I figured I was about to drop $45 on a dress from Target. Might as well put back the $24 jacket... :/
The necklace I was wearing that day is from Club Monaco and probably what I will pair with it. Oh, and it's really not as short as it looks in the photo.

Oh haaa-aay, SJP!
I mean, she obviously loves her some Target too.  I won't even comment on how she's wearing hers. There's no time. Also, we don't speak ill about SJP around here, guys.

Anyway, the quality is so great. Feels really nicely made and the material is really thick.  So many pretty details. You guys know I'm a total sucker lately for ANYTHING with black leather trim. Which is everywhere now, by the way.  It's SO perfect for Fall weather. I think I'm going to wear it with a jacket now (70s, high 60s) with heels or flats for a more casual look. When it gets cooler, I'll pair it with a jacket, black tights, and boots. It's a perfect transitional piece.
Check the details...


I'm reeeeeally loving it with my new Club Monaco jacket I finally caved and bought.
Oh and speaking of... Target,  can you team up with Club Monaco, please? I'd be camping-on-the-sidewalk, door-bustin' excited about that.


I also purchased these earrings that day.  Or I should say, my mom did. They got mixed in with her things when we were checking out, so I got a "surprise" gift from her that day. I love them. Very "deco".  I'm pretty sure they were $7.99.




They have SO many cutesy Halloween things right now as well. I couldn't resist these sweet little kitchen hand/dish towels...

...or these little skeeery skeleton hand servers.  They feel really solid and heavy. Pottery Barn had similar ones last year (and probably this year too) for twice the price. These were $12.99
Although when I showed my mom my amazing new purchase she made a good point. Upon showing her, she said something along the lines of, "...for all the extra salad you're serving around Halloween..."

....... :/

Oh well. They're fun to randomly touch people with and then watch freak them out. They also make excellent back-scratchers.
Is it bad that I kind of want to have a Halloween party just to use these? Although now I'm not sure many people would want to come now that they know what we've really been using these for...




NOT a sponsored post. I just love Target.