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On the Right Foot: Introducing Our New Kitty, a Colorful Home Tour, Kohler is Reintroducing Vintage Hues & More!

January 23, 2023 by jessica Leave a Comment

Recent Snapshots (clockwise starting from upper left): Meet Lily and follow her on Instagram; I bought the dress featured in this post and wore it at an event last week; Lily was fascinated by the recent snow fall; we finally bought a new bed (details soon!) and now I’m selecting a color for the accent wall.

Kohler is bringing back a couple of its vintage hues. Vote for your favorites here.

I adore this colorful home.

Goals for 2023.

You don’t need to have a birthday on the horizon to make this easy vanilla cake.

This resonates with all pet owners.

If you’re on the lookout for a show-stopping centerpiece bowl, get on the wait list for this one.

See 25 images from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest, run by the Natural History Museum in London. Fair warning, some of these images are haunting.

Beach bound? Add these sculptural earrings to your suitcase.

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Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: On the Right Foot

Goals for 2023

January 13, 2023 by jessica Leave a Comment

We’re a couple of weeks into the new year, but it hasn’t exactly been a slow start. Last weekend, we drove to Michigan and welcomed this darling little cat to the family. I saw her Petfinder listing on New Year’s Eve and immediately sent the link to Dave, intending to submit an application the next morning. By then her listing was already removed due to too much interest and my heart just sank, but I sent an inquiry regardless and received a response within a few minutes. The agency was sifting through applications, hoping to find someone with prior Bengal experience, and it so happens that we were the perfect fit for the little lady! She’s such a sweetheart and was a champ during the six-hour drive home. It’s been so wonderful to have a cat around again, not to mention incredibly fun to discover her little quirks. (The little chirp she makes is the cutest!) Naming her was my first priority for 2023 and we chose Lily. You can follow her Instagram here. Here’s what else is on deck for the year:

TRAVEL SOMEWHERE NEW

It’s my perennial resolution, but it’s one that brings me so much joy! We don’t have anything booked for the year yet, but that’ll change soon. We had purchased the United Economy Plus annual subscription before our trip to Europe last year, so we need to get more use out of that investment before it expires in July. A ten-day stint abroad in June sounds pretty enticing!

PRIORITIZE TIME FOR HOBBIES

Last year, I began taking pottery lessons and absolutely fell in love with it. It’s so satisfying to take a lump of clay and transform it into something useful — even if it’s just a slightly wonky bowl. I’d like to continue taking classes and sign up for a studio membership this year when an opening comes available. I’m excited to see how my work will progress with more practice on the potter’s wheel.

Additionally, I’m growing fond of gardening. Last year, I was successful with tomatoes and habaneros. This year, I’m going to expand my little urban garden and install a raised bed. Vegetables aside, I planted a lot of perennial plants last fall and I’m eager to see what comes up in the spring. I’d like to start defining some areas of our yard with plants. I’d say “landscaping,” but I don’t want to give you the wrong impression and suggest that my skills are anything other than beginner!

SPEND LESS, SAVE MORE — AND PARE DOWN IN THE PROCESS

This is a holdover from last year, but one worth repeating. We have boxes in the basement that we haven’t opened since moving in five years ago. We desperately need to go through everything, donate what no longer suits us, and get organized. And with that, be thoughtful about what comes into the house. Not only is it a more sustainable way of living, everything needs to go somewhere and anything we purchase needs to be amazing enough to justify the space to house it. Spending less will also help me with my goal of putting 20% of my take-home pay into savings this year. (I had been saving 10% of my monthly income and I can finally bump it up now that my student loans are paid off.)

TACKLE A FEW HOME PROJECTS

As I shared here, our next project is to revamp our bedroom. It’s fine as it is, but it’s just that. Fine. I want our bedroom to be a space we look forward to spending time in; and it wouldn’t hurt if it looks like it belongs in a Schoolhouse ad. I’d like to replace the bed (we actually had it delivered this week!), repaint the accent wall, install curtains, swap out the lamps, and add more art. We’d also like to find a vintage dresser, but that’s less of a priority as it’ll be more difficult than sourcing the other items. Then, we’ll start working on the guest room. Right now, it’s painted, a new light fixture is installed, and we have a dresser. However, it’s not much of a guest room without a bed! On the first floor, I’d like to purchase a cabinet for our dining room to store our serving pieces and glassware. Preferably one with glass doors, so we can get a glimpse of what’s inside.

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Image credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: new year's goals

Looking Back at 2022

December 30, 2022 by jessica Leave a Comment

It’s hard to look back at the year with rose-colored glasses when 2022 was marked with two significant losses in our lives. My grandma passed away early in the year. She was my last remaining grandparent and while her passing wasn’t exactly a surprise, I really felt it over the holiday season. I’ve gone to her house to celebrate with extended family nearly every year for the past 39 and not having that tradition this year made it feel like something was missing. Then, in October, we said goodbye to our cat, Oliver. We adopted him from Great Lakes Bengal Rescue on February 13, 2020 — just weeks before the world shut down. Unbeknownst to us, he had FIV and his little life was going to be cut far too short. I still fight to hold back tears when I think of him and that horrible night when he essentially had a stroke that he wasn’t going to recover from. He started out as a challenging cat with anxiety issues and aggression, but we worked with him to earn his trust and give him a happy home — and judging by the hours he spent lazily sprawled out in the sunspot on the bed, he enjoyed living with us! He blossomed into such a sweetheart and I wish that we had more time with him.

Of course, there were also a lot of wonderful moments to reflect back on: I took up pottery, we renovated both bathrooms in the house, and we finally traveled internationally again. In no particular order, here are are a few snapshots of happy memories from my camera roll:

I hope your new year is filled with happy moments to cherish!

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Thanks for visiting! As a reminder, I may earn an affiliate commission if you buy an item through my links. This is at no cost to you. I appreciate your continued support!

Filed Under: Lifestyle

On the Right Foot: French Onion Pasta, Reinventing Color, Art Deco Earrings & More!

December 26, 2022 by jessica Leave a Comment

One of my favorite ornaments on our Christmas tree. I’m a sucker for vintage acorn ornaments!

If you ever wondered what would happen if French onion soup met pasta, this is for you. I made it last week and it was ridiculously good!

The psychology of online shopping.

I hope this Frank Lloyd Wright project comes to fruition in Madison!

Design Files: The Robey, which just might be my new favorite hotel in Chicago.

This is fascinating: a British zoologist wants to reinvent color.

Keep your eyes peeled at Target for when this decorative box comes out. Our Target already had it out and it’s even better in person. I bought one to store miscellaneous things on our desk.

A roundup of covetable finds!

Mirrored walls are making a comeback.

Five mistakes people make when talking to executives at work.

Can tourists help bring back Venice from the brink of death?

Art Deco-inspired earrings that are casual enough for everyday wear.

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Let’s keep in touch!
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Thanks for visiting! As a reminder, I may earn an affiliate commission if you buy an item through my links. This is at no cost to you. I appreciate your continued support!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: On the Right Foot

On the Right Foot: A Jaw-Dropping Christmas Tree, A Crowd-Pleasing Cheeseball, A Budget-Friendly Dress, & More!

December 19, 2022 by jessica Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Gift ideas for the traveler and stocking stuffers under $25.

I’m in the middle of this book and I’m loving it.

Absolutely adored this home tour!

Did you know that LEGO has a program that will wash, sort, and donate old blocks? If they don’t meet quality standards for donation, they’ll be grinded down and used to make new bricks.

The latest list of covetable finds.

Talk about an aspirational Christmas tree!

If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you know that I made these cookies over the weekend. If I were to do it again, I’d hold off on adding the jam dollop until just before serving. It added a lot of moisture to the cookie and made the texture of the already-soft cookies even softer.

What a clever IKEA hack to transform a cabinet into a greenhouse.

I made this cheeseball for a holiday party last weekend. It was a hit!

Loving this budget-friendly pleated dress!

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Let’s keep in touch!
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Thanks for visiting! As a reminder, I may earn an affiliate commission if you buy an item through my links. This is at no cost to you. I appreciate your continued support!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: On the Right Foot

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Hello!


Jessica Hamm
Hello there! I'm a first-time homeowner updating a 1920s house in Madison, Wisconsin. I have a penchant for travel and a love of costume jewelry. Follow along for personal style, travel, and lifestyle content.

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Visit Me on Instagram!

Over the weekend, we drove to Michigan and welcome Over the weekend, we drove to Michigan and welcomed this little lady to the family! She’s a two-year old snow Bengal that was surrendered after being bullied by the other cats in her home. We’re pretty sure she’s a seal lynx point Bengal, which has Siamese in the lineage, based on her vibrant, slightly crossed blue eyes. She is the sweetest, softest, most playful, and unbelievably talkative little girl. We’re crazy about her! 

We haven’t picked a name just yet, though. We have some ideas, but we’re waiting to get to know her personality more. 😊

#bengalcat #snowbengal #snowbengalsofinstagram #schoolhouse #schoolhouseelectric #schoolhouseliving
Looking back at the changes we made to our home in Looking back at the changes we made to our home in 2022. 

#homerenovation #homedecor #home #ckstyleaccordingly #showemyourstyled #homeremodel #thisoldhouse #1920sHouse #dominomag
Merry Christmas! My own Christmas tree isn’t a Merry Christmas! 

My own Christmas tree isn’t as tinsel’d as this one from the Christmas museum in Salzburg nor does it rotate. Consider these goals for next year. 

@salzburgerweihnachtsmuseum @visitsalzburg #visitsalzburg #salzburgaustria #austria #salzburg #christmastree #vintagechristmas #tinsel #vintagechristmasdecor
I made @csaffitz’s raspberry almond thumbprint c I made @csaffitz’s raspberry almond thumbprint cookies and they’re delicious, but a lot of work and they don’t hold up well. If you’re planning on them this year, don’t add the jam dollop until just before you’re ready to serve them. The moisture gets sucked in overnight. Still good, of course, just softer than the first day. 

#whatsfordessert #dessertperson #clairesaffitz #clairesaffitzrecipes #christmascookies #holidaycookies #baking #cookies #bonappetit
I absolutely fell in love with the charming Austri I absolutely fell in love with the charming Austrian city of Salzburg. Head to the blog for a photo diary, sightseeing recommendations, a list of restaurants and bars we enjoyed, and where to stay if you’re planning your own getaway. 

#visitaustria #visitsalzburg #salzburg #salzburgaustria #travel #travelphotography #condenasttraveller #travelandleisure #feelaustria
The first snowfall of the year isn’t so bad when The first snowfall of the year isn’t so bad when it’s this pretty … and when the sidewalks and roads are still too warm for it to stick there. All of the aesthetics without having to shovel! ❄️
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