Lifestyle – Page 44

May Highlights

June 9, 2015 by jessica 3 Comments

I haven’t done a monthly recap post in awhile and I miss it. It’s such a nice reminder of the mini moments that made the month more fun–especially when I’m in need of a dose of optimism! This broken foot is starting to wear on my spirits. May is actually my favorite month. The weather hints at warmer temperatures, sundresses are a reality, and it’s an excuse to travel somewhere to celebrate my birthday. Here are just a few of the things that made me happiest last month:

Blossoming trees.
A gold ceramic tortoise box. I love this thing and it was only $15 at Target. I use it to hide my inhaler on the coffee table.
An indulgent brunch in Cincinnati at Krueger’s Tavern. The cocktails were incredible.
Trying out Rocksbox for the first time. I’m not usually a fan of subscription boxes, but this jewelry rental service is pretty fun. It’s a nice way to try new styles or designers without the investment. You can try your first box for free with code bedknobsandbaublesxoxo.
Pausing for a selfie with Dave. There’s a series of 20 photos, all much more ridiculous than this one. (I’m thinking of getting this one framed. I had a great experience with Instantly Framed last year.)
Print mixing out of necessity. I try not to overpack when we go on vacation, so I was left with my Tory Burch tote for daytime to wear with this dress. I was hesitant at first, but I like how it turned out. I used my white Rebecca Minkoff “Mini Affair” bag at night.
Plenty of beer stops in Cincinnati. I know many of you aren’t beer drinkers, so I try not to babble about it too much here or Instagram. If you’re interested in what I’m drinking, you can find me on Untappd with username jmhamm.
Grocery store flowers tucked into canning jars. I’m an event manager and we had a farm-themed event in May. I bought dozens of assorted blooms and created seven centerpieces for $55. Who needs a florist when you can DIY to save money?
Wearing a few of my favorite pieces: a Gerard Yosca necklace, a spring dress purchased last year, and my goes-with-everything tote.

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Weekend Guide

June 6, 2015 by jessica 4 Comments

IDENTIFY
If there’s one thing women are good at, its keeping menstrual products hidden. Here are some insights into why we’re ashamed to be seen with a tampon.

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FOLLOW
Wally has received quite a bit of Internet attention lately and for good reason: he’s pretty much the cutest thing on Instagram. I’ve never wanted a pet rabbit as much as I do now. I just don’t think Bacon would play nice.

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SAVE
Tory Burch’s resort collection is so good. It has many of the same artisanal elements as her most recent work, but with a bit more southwest textures and design elements.

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LEARN
One of my majors was in English and I was always a bit surprised by our culture’s decision to sexualize the child in Nabokov’s Lolita. This essay explores the influence of Hollywood on our perception of the iconic novel.

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BUY
Bath & Body Works is bringing back six classic fragrances from the 1990s for a limited time. Now’s your opportunity to smell like Juniper Breeze again. (I was more of a Freesia girl, myself.)

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FIGHT
Sudara provides jobs for women in India to keep them out of slavery and sex trafficking. Pajama pants come in at $44, a small price to pay to be part of such a noble cause.

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// additional image via //

Summer Bucket List

May 19, 2015 by jessica 9 Comments

Summer always seems to fly by and come September, I’m left wondering how I managed to squander the nicest months of the year. No more! Here’s our 2015 list of summer must-dos:

Visit two new cities. (Cincinnati is already on the books for this weekend.)
Play hooky for an entire midweek day to lounge at the pool…
…and leave work a few hours early at least once a month in favor of pool time.
Spend a day at the waterpark.
Go to to a drive-in theater.
Bike to a brewery or bar. (This one is going to take some practice. I haven’t been on a bike more than once in the last two years! I’d actually like to get in the habit of going on weekly bike rides with Dave after work.)
Enjoy an evening at the Memorial Union Terrace.
Watch the fireworks.
Try five new-to-us restaurants and/or bars.
Plan (and hopefully book) another trip to Europe. (This isn’t summer-specific, but I’d like to reserve something since the exchange rate is so low.)
Head to a beer fest.
Play mini golf.
Spend a weekend in Milwaukee.
Go to a baseball game.
Plant an herb garden on our balcony (or, at the very least, something green).
Eat cotton candy.
Buy fresh produce at the farmers’ market at least once a month.
Ride on a Ferris wheel.
Visit my parents in northern Wisconsin.

Lately

January 21, 2015 by jessica 8 Comments

Squealed over cute bottles of rum our friends brought back from Puerto Rico
Purchased a new purse (and gave Bacon the box, of course)
Enjoyed evening drinks in downtown Madison
Edited our Brussels photos and plan to post them soon
Freshened up the house with a bouquet of tulips
Paired geometric flowers with black and white stripes
Taken an impromptu road trip to Decorah
Wore a couple of Christmas gifts on repeat: a stunning necklace from Gerard Yosca and a wallet from my parents in the prettiest shade of blue

Follow along @bedknobsandbaubles.

New Year’s Resolutions

January 6, 2015 by jessica 15 Comments

When I was little, my mom made a cross-stitch piece for my bedroom with the inscription “Each new year’s a chance to see your dreams become reality.” That piece is packed away with the rest of my childhood decor, but what a wonderful phrase to bring back at the dawn of a new year. Everyone seemed to be strong out of the gate with their 2015 resolutions, but I needed extra time to collect my thoughts about the new year.

TRAVEL SOMEWHERE NEW

This is a perennial goal of mine and one I think should grace everyone’s list. Last year, we were fortunate enough to travel to Belgium and visit Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges. We made a stop in Amsterdam (a repeat for me, but new to Dave) and took a Memorial Day roadtrip to Louisville, a city we visited a couple of years prior. I love the balance of revisiting favorites and mixing in new destinations during the year. So far, we’re talking about an April trip somewhere warm, like Puerto Rico, Mexico, or Florida, and a December trip to Europe. Visiting Christmas markets in Europe is a major bucket list item for me. It’d be incredible to check that off the to-do list this year! (However, I’m a little worried about how much holiday decor I’ll end up bringing home!)

LOSE WEIGHT

Ugh, I don’t know how the pounds crept up over the last year. When we got back from Belgium, I was 20 pounds lighter than I am now! All of the beer fests, eating out, and ordering pizza really did me in–and it’s not like my slowing metabolism is helping anything! I need to get back in shape. I’m armed with my FitBit, a Weight Watchers membership, and Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. (Any other FitBit users want to be friends on the app? My cousin joined and I’m surprised at how motivating it is to see her daily steps add up.)

FIND FASHION FUN AGAIN

The last few years have been about curating a wardrobe of quality basics. It was a fantastic learning experience that taught me to value quality clothing and forgo shopping at fast fashion stores. However, it put the emphasis so much on basics that I ignored the things about fashion that make me happiest: unexpected fabrics, big prints, and color. I want to have fun with clothes again, while still adhering to the principles I worked so hard to incorporate: quality over quantity and no impulse buys.

MIND MY MONEY

I say this every year, but adhering to a budget and saving money is becoming more and more important as I get older. I spent time last weekend working on a realistic budget that allows me to tuck away and invest a decent amount of money each month, while still allowing myself $250 per month for clothing. I’m going to scrap the six-month clothing budget that I was trying (it would have continued through February) and start fresh this year with a monthly budget. The six-month allowance was too tempting to go overboard at the beginning and I’d like to keep all budget-related items to a calendar year. I’ll allow any unused portion to roll over to the next month and, as always, a portion of blog revenue and eBay sales will be added to the budget. I’m also starting a 2015 Pinterest board of all new wardrobe additions, both gifted and purchased. I’ll share more about this in January’s budget recap in a few weeks.

WILDCARD RESOLUTIONS

Stop letting dishes pile up.