Life This Week & Style Scouting

I have a little bit of everything for you this Friday, the last day of July. Yes… tomorrow is August!!!! Doesn’t seem possible, but here we are.

Along the eastern seaboard of the country, August starts the ramp-up of hurricane season and it looks like we are getting ready for our first tropical storm – Isaias over the weekend. I don’t live on the coast, but in the middle of the state where we usually get impacted with winds, rain and power outages. Hoping it stays a tropical storm and doesn’t develop into anything worse.

Here are a few things from my week, along with Style Scouting links that I found inspiring this week.

For Sale sign in yard and an Estate Tag Sale sign. Side photo shows winding drive down to house.

Ed and I walk in and around our neighborhood most weeknights after dinner. I got all excited on Tuesday night when we passed a house on our route and saw this sign for a TAG SALE that started the next morning.

Since the pandemic began I haven’t been out thrifting as most of the stores I go to on a weekly basis are closed. Yard sales are non-existent, so I told Ed that I was going to check the sale out on Wednesday morning.

I went to the sale…. it was a major disappointment. :-( Most of the good stuff must have gone to auction. What was in the house was just bits and pieces of household goods, clothes and a few pieces of furniture. Not worthy of holding a 3-day long sale.

Goodwill Store

Since it was early in the day, I decided I needed to fill my thrifting fix and ventured 45 minutes away to Lexington, SC that has not one, but two Goodwill stores. Both were open.

I didn’t have anything in particular in mind to buy, but have just been missing the thrill of the hunt for treasure.

The only thing I did find was a brand new set of 3 lb. hand weights for $2. I already have medium and heavy weights. When the pandemic hit and my gym went to Zoom workouts, I looked in Walmart, Target and online for light – 3 lb. weights but they were sold out everywhere as everyone was beginning online workouts and needed hand weights.

So now I have light, medium and heavy weights for the Barre class I have been attending online. I don’t have to use soup cans anymore.

Since it wasn’t even lunchtime yet, I decided to stay in Lexington to do my weekly supermarket shopping at a new to me grocery store called, Lowes Foods.

It is always inspiring to find different items that the supermarket that I routinely go to doesn’t carry.

Snipping herb garden at Lowes supermarket.

One thing in the store that I loved was this snipping herb garden. You could snip the herbs and fill up a bag for 99 cents. I filled a bag with dill as that is the only herb that I can’t seem to grow. All the other herbs I have planted in pots at my house thrive; dill always dies. It was a treat to get it “just snipped” fresh.

4 different colored ice cube trays with lids.

After food shopping, I headed to TJ Maxx for some retail therapy, but sadly the store’s shelves were very empty. Lots of clothes, but not a lot of decor items. I did find ice cube trays with covers and bought 6. Right now I have herbs in ice cube trays with foil over the top and placed in freezer bags, these trays will be so much better for my fresh herb saving needs.

On the topic of shopping, I read yesterday that researchers are looking at how the holiday shopping season may be impacted from the pandemic. One thing that was noted was that with online shopping and shipping being so slow since all this began, they predicted that items, come the fall, will sell out fast or not become available at all.

Makes me think that this year may be the year to make the gifts I will be giving family and friends. Time to get started.

Style Scouting Links:

What do you see out of the windows at your house? If you like a view, check out Window Swap to see what people all around the world see out their windows.

I love a good idea and think I like this fix better than the original container.

I want this dining table… the chairs make it one fun way to dine!

Wallpaper can be used in decor for items other than walls.

Dislike a dated vinyl floor? How to really paint vinyl or linoleum. Not good with a paint brush? Here is another budget friendly way to update a floor in an afternoon.

These rooms make me feel…. serene.

She has great taste and vision… love her latest furniture makeover.

I have been using this free printable meal planning sheet the last few weeks. It has been a big help in keeping me focused and organized when it comes to “what’s for dinner” and shopping for food. This one takes it a step further.

When picking paint colors, don’t do these things.

Do you do “the pillow flip” . It’s #4. I like #1. It is something I did when I worked in retail display.

That’s it for this week. Enjoy your weekend.

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7 Comments

  1. I had pretty much the same experience at a moving sale I wanted to check out yesterday. My opinion….they should have thrown away or donated all the stuff and saved themselves the work. Oh well, win some, lose some.
    I’d appreciate any diy gift ideas you would post. Stay safe and hopefully the storm stays mellow.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi PJ – I will get a post together of DIY gift ideas and get it posted in the next two weeks.

  2. Marilyn Holeman says:

    Here’s to no hurricanes in 2020! It’s a bummer when a sale is a dud, but that’s part of the thrill of the hunt, I suppose. Thanks for all of the fun links. I’m seriously considering wallpapering my filing cabinet, but I don’t have a bunch of wallpaper in storage like she did. Have a great week!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Marilyn – YES to no hurricanes in 2020. We have enough on our plate already. :-)

  3. Cate Cooper says:

    Diane, I love the window swap suggestion! What a unique view of the world. Thanks for sharing!

  4. I so look forward to your Friday posts! Love all of the info you shared — great variety. I got on the WindowSwap and that is so fun!! Thank you for all of the research you do. Hope the weather is uneventful by you this weekend. Be well!

  5. I love these informative posts Diane, and appreciate that you have taken the time to search them out for all to enjoy and be inspired. The clip your own herbs is so cool and the desk that was given new life with peel & stick wallpaper turned out gorgeous. Have a great weekend!