Stuff We Love: 2018

This is actually one of my favorite kinds of posts to write–and read–because we get to share things that are absolutely essential to getting us through our day.  I won’t lie, sometimes my hairspray is the only thing keeping me from total emotional collapse, especially during the holidays, so don’t be surprised when you see that it made my list!

First of all, many thanks to our friend Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for organizing this hop.  Since we’ve got several bloggers sharing today, Tuesday, and Wednesday, be sure to check the list at the end of this post so you can see everyone’s favorites.  I won’t lie, I get so many great gift ideas (for others and maybe even for myself!) from these posts, which of course is why we love them so much!

If you’re new here, then welcome.  My name is Christy and I blog with my good friend, and former college roommate, Amy.  {You can read more about us here}.  Since our taste is so very similar, we collaborated on this list and many of these things are ones that we both love and use daily.

| Me (left) & Amy |

I wasn’t lying about hairspray getting me through the day–and this is the perfect one.  It holds hard-to-curl hair in place and smells amazing.  They thoughtfully sell 1.5 ounce sizes for travel, too, so you never have to go without.

| The PERFECT Hairspray! |

I am still loving all things velvet and these pumps top the list; they are cute, inexpensive (only $18.50 today!) and super comfortable.  My teenage daughter is the same size as I am and she loves them, too.  They also come in a oyster gray that is absolutely gorgeous and they’re a great way to even dress up jeans during the holiday season.

| Velvet pumps (pink or gray) |

These dark chocolate sea salt caramels from ALDI are so delicious that you probably won’t thank me for sharing them because they are that good!  At only $3.99 a container, I bought TEN the last time I was there and put them in the freezer.  While my intent was to have them on hand to give as small neighbor/hostess gifts, I’m afraid we’re blowing through them at a rapid rate.  Elastic-waist pants might be next on my list!

| Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels -find them at your local ALDI |

Next up is this perfect multi-strand pearl twist necklace.  Amy and I both own this one and it’s a staple in our wardrobes.  You can grab one today for under $20.

| Pearl Twist Necklace |

I think one of the reasons we love it is because it’s so versatile.  You can dress it up like in this outfit…

| Wrap sweater | Pearl twist necklace | Dark wash dressy jeans | Silky Cami | Leopard pumps |

…or down for a great holiday errand-running ensemble:

| Red plaid vest – 40% with code JOLLY | Gingham shirt | Sweater | Pearl twist necklace | Hunter boots | Boot socks |

(PS That plaid vest is also one of my favorites; it’s so warm and cheerful!)

Amy and I both swear by our YETI tumblers, although both of us were late to the game because we were convinced that no one needs a $30 cup.  While that is absolutely true, they are a wonderful splurge purchase and a great gift idea.  I love ice water and it’s worth every penny to wake up at 3am with the ice still frozen in my cup.  The same is true for hot coffee in the winter–I am notorious for nursing my second cup for hours and this keeps it hot the entire time.  I love the Seafoam color below but also recently purchased a white one so I could have one upstairs and one downstairs. The pink color is really pretty, too.

| YETI 20 oz. Rambler tumbler |

Speaking of coffee, a great cup of coffee sets the tone for the entire day.  We’re pretty serious about it at our house, with a Keurig, French press, and a Nespresso Inissia with milk frother (you get the idea), but the product that tops my coffee list is Nutpods.  If you’re a coconut or almond milk drinker, then you’ll want to check these out.  I started using them back in January when I was doing the Whole30 and never stopped because I love them so much.  They froth perfectly and while they come in flavors, there’s no added sugar or artificial sweeteners.  Their holiday flavors are really good, too–the pumpkin spice is my favorite so far.

| Nutpods | Holiday flavors! |

In the same way that a good hairspray keeps me on track, so does a good lipstick.  I wear Too Faced’s Melted Matte every day (I rotate among three colors) because it stays put for hours and never gets “gloppy,” which is my chief complaint with most lipsticks and glosses. (Cool Girl, Queen B, and Sell Out are my three colors, by the way, and I’m a blonde with medium skin tone)

| Too Faced Melted Matte Lipstick  |

Amy absolutely swears by this super-soft Barefoot Dreams cardigan and it’s her #1 go-to gift for family members. She said that last year her mother-in-law thanked again, months after Christmas, for gifting her with this sweater.

| Barefoot Dreams cardigan (10 colors) | Similar style (same brand) on sale  |

OK, this next one will seem strange to you if this is your first time here, but if you’re a regular reader then you are well aware of the deep love I have for this laundry detergent, of all things.  Nothing smells better on your linens and towels than Tyler Candle Company’s Glamorous Wash–nothing!  I wash my daughter’s and my clothes with it, too, although the guys would rather I use plain old whatever for them.  The Diva scent is my favorite, followed by High Maintenance, but they also have several others.  It’s pricey but you can make it last for months if you just add a capful to your regular unscented detergent.  I also made a spritz bottle of it (just a capful in water in a glass bottle) that I use as an ironing and fabric refresher spray.

Our guests have commented that the guest room linens smell amazing, and Amy has even given the small size as a gift at a Favorite Things party.

| Glamorous Wash |

I am still a paper-planner person and probably always will be, and a colorful set of LePens is right next to it so I can color code our schedule.  My daughter tells me that all teenage girls love colored pens, too, so they also make a great stocking stuffer or “friend gift.”

| Le Pen set of 10 |

Last, but definitely not least, I am a huge fan of Longchamp’s LePliage weekender tote bag, so much so that I have two of them. They’re the perfect size for a weekend trip–obviously, given the name–but they also fold up to a teeny-tiny size so you can throw them in your suitcase if you think you’ll need an extra bag on a longer trip.  I love people watching at airports and I always notice women who are carrying LePliage bags because they look so pulled-together and chic (#goals).  I have pale pink, actually paler than the one pictured below, and red, but if I had to choose just one color I’d probably go for black, khaki, navy, or red.

| Folded small |

| Le Pliage Weekender Tote |

So that’s the current list of stuff I love and can’t live without.  I hope you found a few ideas that will help you navigate this busy season (or your shopping list) more easily.  And as our special gift to you, you can download our free 2018 Holiday Planner here–it’s 22 pages of holiday organization! Just put in your name and email address below and we’ll send it to you right away:

Now, best sure to visit everyone else who’s sharing today, and see all the stuff they love!

And here are all the Stuff We Love guests this week:

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