2023 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

My goodness, it's been SO long since I wrote a blog post. It feels great to be back at it! If you've been here awhile, you know I love Nordstrom. It's truly my go-to because of the quality of their products, price match, free shipping and free, timeless returns. The Anniversary Sale has changed significantly over the years, and not necessarily for the better, in my opinion. With each passing season, I find myself purchasing less and less, which is fine, especially when most of my days are spent chasing a toddler; however, there are tried and true staples that I always advise shoppers to purchase. This year, I wanted to do something a little bit different. I broke down my recommendations into budgetary categories. This way, you can consider your overall investment and how you'd like to allocate it. 

Let's get into it! 

$100 Budget

All items are under $100 each, starting at $11

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I own most of the recommendations I've made, and have for years, so I can truly attest to their quality. 

If you're looking for a A+ yet affordable gift, THIS BLANKET is the one to buy!

THESE LUG BOOTS were a staple for me last fall. They are ideal for a mom on-the-go because they're flats, stylish, comfortable and weather-resistant. I have them in taupe and black leather. They fit true to size. 

The holy grail beauty product under $100 is the Charlotte Tilbury lip kit. I buy one annually, and it NEVER disappoints. The shade "Pillow Talk" looks incredible on all skin tones. It also makes a great gift. 

Over $100 Budget

All items are $100-$199

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Buys for Babies & Toddlers

Primarily great deals on gear!!

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Refinishing a Console Table with Beyond Paint

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

PIN ME
{top (on sale for $24 + an additional 25% off!) // jeans // hoops}
The year was 2013 and cherry wood was all the rage...but here we are, many years later, and the orangey undertones once loved are dated, especially in comparison to our new espresso oak floors. My "problem child" was an accent piece from Bob's Discount Furniture that I purchased when I first moved to PA for law school. Not only was it sentimental for many reasons, but I actually loved the design and functionality. It also fit the space under our family room windows perfectly! Hence, my conundrum. The other challenge - I'm not exactly Martha Stewart when it comes to home projects. I prefer to leave things to the professionals when we can afford to do so; however, that proved fleeting in this situation.

After getting multiple estimates, it would cost more to professionally paint my "problem child" than it would to simply buy a brand new table that matched our decor.

Enter Instagram and the never-ending home pages I follow. I heard a variety of bloggers/influencers sign the praises of Beyond Paint, but to be honest, I was hesitant. Could I tackle this myself? Would this miracle/no-prep-needed product actually work? Did I honestly have the time to deal with it? Although we were in quarantine, I was still working from home and it felt like the days were longer than ever before. With that, the more I was home, the more irritated I was by this non-cohesive piece. My hubby and I discussed it and came to this conclusion: worst case scenario, I messed the thing up completely and it had to be tossed; best case scenario, it looks great and we'd get a few more years out of it. I picked my intended "start" date and purchased my supplies accordingly.

I ordered Beyond Paint's Refinishing Kit from HSN, since it was one of the only sites that had white in stock. I highly recommend ordering the kit because everything I needed came in one box. You're also going to want to order the sealer to ensure your piece(s) holds up to every day wear and tear. So, here's the final verdict: We're thrilled with the results and the process relatively simple! It look me 2 entire weekends to complete the project. My only real issue was the dust accumulation (discussed below) and the trickiness of the glass doors.

Tips & Recommendations:

  • For dark furniture pieces, like ours, I would recommend a separate primer. It took me 4-5 coats of white to cover the piece completely. If you're using a dark color, this shouldn't be a problem. 
  • Vacuum the piece before the sealer is applied. Do not use a duster! I ended up with all sorts of dust particles in my finished product. It's not noticeable to the naked eye, but I know they're there and it hurts my heart. 
  • Take off all doors and drawers where possible. This will help avoid drip marks and offer an even, easy canvas to paint on. 
  • Don't be alarmed when you see that the paint dries with a bit of texture. Apparently, that was done on purpose. The directions indicated that it helps hide imperfections and adds to the wearability. 
  • Storage your paint tray, brush and roller in an extra large ziplock. It can last up to a week. 
  • Add new knobs and/or hardware. It really completes and refreshes the piece!

January 2020: Month-in-Review

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

What I'm Loving: January always feels like a time of renewal, so I've been primarily dabbling in new skin care and beauty products. My highlight this month is definitely the GloPro by BeautyBio. This amazing little device has completely altered my skin's texture and tone. I ordered it when we were stuck at the airport in August 2019, as we waited to board the last flight out of Florida with Hurricane Dorian looming. QVC, one of my favorite places to snag great beauty-buys, was having a Today's Special Value ("TSV") and I was able to purchase it on 6 easy-pays. After the second use, I was completely hooked. Now, the GloPro does contain microneedles to facilitate this incredible skin transformation. If you know me at all, personally or virtually, you're well aware that I HATE needles. I literally pass out in the waiting room of LabCorp, before I even walk into the room. My mom was shocked to hear I'd even entertain this product, but low and behold, here we are. You don't really feel the needles. It's much more of a tickle, and I've actually have come to look forward to my weekly treatments (GASP!). The science behind the GloPro is as follows: The microneedles create microscopic, surface-level wounds to the face. In turn, those wounds require the body to heal them, which results in new cell production and a renewed, glowly appearance from increased collagen. After months of use, I've seen a significant difference in those baby fine lines starting to form around my mouth and brows, as well as the texture. Just this week, I had a little pimple on my chin, and after a treatment on Monday, it's almost non-existent.

I had two other beauty favorites this month - Beekman 1802 Cleansing Wipes and Native "Grapefruit + Bergamot" Deodorant. First off, the Beekman wipes are life-changing. Never again will I reach for a Neutrogena or drugstore brand wipe. These wipes are full of moisturizing goat milk and good-for-you ingredients, in addition to being cruelty free and clean beauty certified. I use them in the am to hydrate and cleanse my face from any residue that accumulated on my skin overnight, as well as in the evening, when I need to take makeup off. I will say, however, that these wipes are not the best at removing mascara. I'll still use my holy grail Purity for that.

Secondly, I've been a user of Native deodorants for several months now. I made the switch to natural deodorant long before it was trendy, so I've experienced quite a few duds over the years. Native consistently delivers protection, but I do think you may have varying levels of protection depending on scent. In addition to the "Grapefruit + Bergamot", I adore the "Coconut Vanilla", so if you're looking for a place to start, go with that one. Regardless, I recommend applying it morning and night to ensure happy armpits all day long.






What We Did: This month swooped in with a vengeance because both my hubby and I came down with a stomach bug. His was much worse than mine, but we spent a large portion of our weekends disinfecting the house. Speaking of our house, if you've been following for the last few months, you'd know that we are still living with the kitchen reno from hell. The cabinet company ultimately shut its doors last week, filing bankruptcy, so now we are left to (literally) pick up all the pieces. I am personally trying to look at this as an opportunity to make the kitchen remodel better than it would've been originally. We're working with a new cabinet retailer to match pieces and are interviewing alternate contractors to get fresh ideas on how to rectify, complete and better the project. I try to keep you all update to date on my Instastories, so be sure to follow along here (IG: @thesassysuburbs).

Looking Forward: Happily, we'll be fitting in some travel in February...plus, it's my birthday month! I'll be 29 this year, and boy, do I have a lot to reflect on as I enter the last year of my twenties.

6 Months of Homeownership: Decor, Paint, Furniture + More

Wednesday, March 27, 2019


In my last blog post I shared all about our wedding day, but 2018 wasn't done with us yet...We closed on our first home in October, and it's been a wonderful whirlwind ever since. You can read all about our powder room remodel here, but today I wanted to give you some insight into the details we've worked on thus far, including some great decor items and what colors we used in each room.

decor + furniture

I got a ton from Kirkland also, but couldn't link it in the widget: Artwork in Family Room; Mirror in Formal Living Room; Runner in Foyer; Lamps (sold as 2pk) in Master Bedroom and Family Room. 

paint
Main Floor/Foyer = "Pale Oak" by Benjamin Moore
Powder Room = "Modern Gray" by Sherwin Williams
Laundry Room = "Emmie's Room" by Magnolia Home (Kilz Brand, Only Available at Ace Hardware Stores // This paint is phenomenal. Blows BM and SW out of the water. We just couldn't find a whole-house color we were happy with. Literally every other room in our house is by Magnolia.) 
Master Bedroom = "Yarn" by Magnolia Home 
Master Bath = "Homebody" by Magnolia Home
Master Closet = "Anatolian" by Magnolia Home
Man Cave = "Loft" by Magnolia Home
Office = "Antique Rose" by Magnolia Home 
Main Bath = "Cinnamon Sugar" by Magnolia Home
Guest Bedroom = "Wedding Band" by Magnolia Home
Trim = White Trim + Cabinet by Magnolia Home

Email me or connect with me on Instagram, if you have any questions. 

Lauren xo

Powder Room Refresh

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

BEFORE

AFTER




It all started out with a simple vanity swap - we were just going to switch a pedestal sink for a cabinet option! To us, it would offer more storage and flexibility; however, that "simple" swap turned into a several week project. It was all well worth it in the end, but boy, were we agitated in the interim. Thankfully, we got some extra help from family and our new bestie, the plumber! The highlight of this project was truly seeing the transformation. Hope you enjoy the first official post on The Sassy Suburbs. 

Wall Color // "Modern Gray" by Sherwin Williams 
Vanity // Glacier Bay "Shaila" from Home Depot {FYI quality leaves something to be desired, but we needed a very specific depth size, and there were not many options}
Faucet // Bathfinesse Waterfall from Amazon
Decor // Ironwork Sconce, Boxwood Topiary, Soap {in store only, The Christmas Tree Store}
Wall Art  & Baskets // Home Goods
"Powder Room" Sign // Etsy

Lauren xo 
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