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Things I Bought & Loved: February 2021

February 28, 2021 by jessica Leave a Comment

I started giving our at-home office a facelift this month since there doesn’t seem to be an end to working from home in the immediate future. The space is already so much more comfortable and inspiring to be in, and the new desk has a lot to do with it. Our previous desk with a simple one from IKEA that Dave had before we met (so, over a decade ago). It’s been serviceable, but it was dinged up and felt cluttered due to a relatively small surface area. Having a desk with drawers and a place to stow the keyboard has been such a luxury!

As always, below you’ll find short reviews of each of the items I bought and loved this month!

IN THE WARDROBE
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

  • J.Crew ‘Sophie’ open-front sweater blazer in heather khaki – If I’m not wearing yoga pants while I work from home, you’ll likely find me wearing an Old Navy jersey swing dress. I decided to purchase the sweater blazer as a light layer to look more pulled together for Zoom calls on days I don’t want to put something nicer on. It runs about a size large.
  • Clare V. coin clutch in coral with lip print – Assuming we can travel again, I had been wanting a new coin purse for international adventures. The one I usually use in Europe is small and I’ve always been annoyed rooting around in it to dig out the right coins. So, while I didn’t exactly need a coin purse now, hopefully it’ll get plenty of love in the future! Plus, the lip print sold me.

AROUND THE HOUSE

  • CB2 ‘Dolce’ low bowl – I love the shape of this bowl! I’m using it as decor rather than eating from, since it looks like something you’d snag from an independent ceramicist. There’s exposed terracotta on the bottom which adds such an artisanal quality.
  • HAY brass scissors – I mean, why wouldn’t I want a pair of brass scissors to compliment my new office decor? They’re so chic! And, if you order directly from HAY, there’s free shipping!
  • Umbra ‘Woodrow’ waste basket in black (also available on Amazon) – I don’t think I ever would have expected to be smitten with a waste basket, but here we are. It’s curved plywood that has the perfect amount of Scandinavian minimalism.
  • Article ‘Culla’ walnut desk – Our dining room table is also from Article and it’s beautiful. The deep walnut color and wood grain are gorgeous, so we looked to Article first when looking for a new desk and opted for the “Culla” style. I love the minimal design and the drawers for office necessities, which our previous desk did not have. Article has reasonable flat-rate shipping as the pieces come flat-packed and it’s easy to assemble. One thing to note that we noticed with our dining table is that the wood is easily scratched — not so much with regular use, but definitely with cat claws, and it’s susceptible to dings. You’ll want to add the touch-up kit to any of your Article orders. Don’t let that dissuade you though. The pieces are great quality for the price point and well designed.
  • Target 72″ ‘Loring’ book shelf – I didn’t want to spend a lot on a bookshelf and purchased this one from Target in dark walnut to match the desk. It’s a beast to put together on your own, though, and I might have opted for something else if I had known what a headache it’d be. The quality is as you’d expect for a cheaper piece of furniture. It’s not something we’ll have forever, but it works for our needs right now and does look nice!
  • Target black metal tumbler – This is part of Target’s bathroom collection, but it makes a great pen cup! It’s sturdy and has a soft bottom so it won’t scratch the desk surface.
  • Breville Bambino Plus – Clearly this is a splurge, but we’re missing coffee shops during the pandemic and decided to treat ourselves to at-home espresso. We’re still learning how to perfect our beverages, but this was a clear winner for us based on countless reviews. We wanted something suitable for beginners that we’d be satisfied with for years, but wasn’t outrageously expensive.

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Filed Under: Recent Purchases Tagged With: Bought and Loved

Things I Bought & Loved Recently

January 27, 2021 by jessica Leave a Comment

Bought & Loved: January 2021 Edition

I haven’t shopped very much recently after being terribly spoiled at Christmas with a few pieces that will be well-loved and often-worn this year: a classic cashmere crewneck in the perfect camel hue, another of my favorite turtleneck sweater (this time in olive), an eye-catching mother-of-pearl pendant necklace, and a roomy everyday bag in saddle-brown. I mean, really, what more could I possibly need? Housewares, it turns out, given the collage above! Part of that is also because I’ve been working on losing weight. I’m already eight pounds down since the beginning of the year, so clothing itself isn’t at the top of my list — especially when we’re still deep into quarantine and I’m not seeing anyone. That said, I couldn’t resist a pretty blouse on sale. Read on to see what I bought and loved recently!

IN THE WARDROBE
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

  • Tory Burch printed silk twill blouse – Unfortunately the blouse is no longer available, but I’m keeping the link just in case it comes back. I had been wearing the same things on repeat over the past several months and wanted to spruce up my Zoom meetings with a pretty new blouse. I opted for this one when it was on steep discount earlier this month.
  • Vince ‘Preston’ sneakers in blue suede – These will forever be my favorite slip-on sneakers. I purchased these to replace my blue tweed pair that had a irreparable cracked sole. (I tried gluing it to no avail!) They held up well, though, through two full years of wear, and thousands of steps through numerous cities and two countries. I always keep an eye on Nordstrom Rack, which usually carries them on sale. They run true to size for me.

AROUND THE HOUSE

  • Solino Home linen table runner in forest green – I was on the hunt for a table runner I could use at Christmas and didn’t want to spend a lot on it. I found this linen one on Amazon and it turned out to be even prettier in person.
  • West Elm ‘Kaloh’ stoneware pasta bowls in fog – I fell in love with these at the beginning of 2020 when we saw them at the Milwaukee store. We don’t have a lot of available storage in our kitchen, so I tried to stop obsessing over them — unsuccessfully as I ordered them in September. They were backordered until late December, but well worth the wait! They’re generously sized, substantial, and they come in five colors.
  • West Elm ‘Hudson’ drink table in dark walnut – Continuing the backorder trend was this drink table that we ordered in May! It was first scheduled to be delivered in October, then November, and then finally shortly after Christmas. I didn’t expect to wait seven months for it, but I’m glad we stuck it out. It’s beautiful and the smaller scale means it can easily be moved to wherever it’s needed.
  • Shoen Ceramics dip bowl in satin smoke – I discovered Shoen Ceramics on Instagram at the tail end of 2020 and was struck by how simple and refined Liza’s work is. I ordered this small bowl to keep on the coffee table and corral our Instax prints. Her shop is now closed until spring/summer, but you can sign up for shop updates on her site.
  • CB2 ‘Asha’ taper holder – To say I love the aesthetics of this candle holder is an understatement. It’s a gorgeous piece! However, it’s fragile. The first one I received crumbled around the candle opening when I put a candle it with minimal force. CB2 promptly sent a replacement and I carefully whittled down the end of my candle to slide it in with zero resistance. It’s beautiful, but be aware that it’s not the sturdiest thing.
  • CB2 matte white serving bowl – The holiday season always leaves me keenly aware of how little I have in terms of serving pieces. We only hosted Dave’s immediate family after doing a strict 14-day quarantine ahead of time (rest assured no one got sick after either), so I didn’t need much in terms of serveware. However, I thought I’d scoop up a bowl this month so I have it on hand if we’re ever able to host folks again!

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Filed Under: Recent Purchases Tagged With: Bought and Loved

Things I Bought & Loved in December

December 16, 2020 by jessica Leave a Comment

With the holidays fast approaching and shipping deadlines coming up this week, I realized that I’m done making personal purchases for 2020 and wanted to share this month’s favorites with you on the earlier side!

IN THE WARDROBE
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

  • H&M long v-neck dress in blue/swan – Truth be told, I had forgotten I ordered this a few weeks ago since it took nearly four weeks to arrive after placing my order! I wanted something that was a bit dressier for WFH days, but was still comfortable and this dress hit the mark. I also love it with slip-on sneakers and chunky jewelry, which is how I intend to wear it come spring. You’ll want to go down a size. I’d normally take a medium in a dress like this, but opted for a small based on the reviews. The material is a bit stretchy and forgiving, and it’s a heavier-weight fabric that seems like it’ll hold up well.
  • Cole Haan ZERØGRAND Explore Hiker Boot – I needed a pair of boots that were more practical than my wedge Ugg boots that I wore en route to work with tights and dresses when offices were a thing. (This is the closest I found; mine don’t have hardware.) I snagged these Cole Haan boots during their Black Friday weekend sale. They’re very comfortable and seem well made. I bought my regular size 7, which is good with a pair of thin socks, but might be too tight with anything thicker for an extended period of time. It’ll be alright, though, since the boot itself is thick and well-insulated.
  • J.Crew ‘Chateau’ puffer jacket with PrimaLoft in black – I never really loved my old black puffer coat and thought I’d upgrade it this year, knowing that our gatherings with friends will be outside on snowy patios this winter! This one is true to size and I love that it has adjustable, waist-cinching cords to give it some shape. It also has snaps on the side hem if you need a little bit more room in the hips (a plus, since the coat doesn’t have a two-way zipper).
  • Tory Burch face masks – I have a set of Tory Burch masks from earlier in the pandemic and they’re my favorite. The size is good, they’re adjustable, and they have a metal insert to fit the mask over your nose. I figured I’d get ready for another pandemic spring and summer with florals.
  • Madewell crepe square-neck, puff-sleeve top – This is such a sweet, romantic top! It fits true-to-size and it’s a chic update to your Zoom-call wardrobe.

AROUND THE HOUSE

  • Brightech ‘Luna’ floor lamp – Now that it’s winter, our at-home office feels too dim in the late afternoon. The room only has a ceiling light so I had been looking for a floor lamp to supplement it. I had my eye on this lamp from Article, but kept going back and forth because I didn’t want to pay for shipping, and eventually came across this dupe. It took about two weeks to arrive and I absolutely adore it! It’s probably not as well made as the Article one since the stem does come in separate pieces that get screwed together, but it’s beautiful and sturdy. The shade is a frosted glass and while I’d prefer an opal glass, the price point makes up for it!

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Filed Under: Recent Purchases Tagged With: Bought and Loved, New Purchases

Things I Bought & Loved in November (Plus, the Item I Hated)

November 27, 2020 by jessica Leave a Comment

Latest Purchases

Happy day-after-Thanksgiving to those of you in the United States! I’m not going to subject you to a list of Black Friday sales today because I suspect that you’re capable of navigating those on your own. Instead, I’m giving you a rundown of the items I bought and loved this month — and one I really hated.

Normally I just ignore the less-than-great items because it’s all personal preference or fit issues, but I can’t give this sweater the benefit of the doubt. It looks cute online; perfectly oversized to wear with #PandemicPants and has a flattering v-neckline. The downsides? It’s so staticky (which is probably to be expected with nylon and acrylic in the mix) and the knit has black flecks throughout that look like pills in the fabric from a distance. It’s the worst. Don’t buy it.

Now, the good stuff…

IN THE WARDROBE
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

  • Chimi 008 sunglasses in coco (on sale today here) – I feel like most brown sunglasses are tortoiseshell and not solid, so I was drawn to the pretty warm brown hue of these. It’s unique, but still undeniably classic.
  • J.Crew tipped turtleneck sweater in heather dusk/black – My favorite sweater came in stripes this year! Naturally I couldn’t resist adding the grey-and-black version to my collection, upping my total to four of these. They’re perfectly relaxed and look great with jeans or cigarette pants. I wore them on repeat last winter and I doubt this year will be different. I opt for a medium, but could make the small work for a more fitted silhouette. Solid colors are available here.
  • J.Crew ribbed beanie in heather French purple – I actually don’t love the color purple, but I do think lilac is pretty on brunettes. So, I bought this and I think it’s pretty cute with the olive green jacket I snagged last month.
  • Tory Burch ‘Georgia’ snakeskin ballet flat – All things considered, I was being modest with my purchases this month, in part because a couple of large expenses came my way: I had a hefty auto repair bill after having work done I put off since February (I haven’t been driving much) and I ordered my annual supply of daily contact lenses. But then I saw these shoes. And my credit card had a promotion for 10% cash back at Tory Burch and, well, it didn’t take much to talk myself into them. I’m obsessed and it’s the first item since pandemic that has made me want to start wearing pretty clothing instead of athleisure and caftans. The squared toe is elegant and the snakeskin upper has the prettiest shine. Assuming we have widespread immunization next year, I’m leaning hard into my beloved mini-dress-meets-flats combo when I start going back to the office and these are definitely going to be my go-tos. They run true to size for me.

AROUND THE HOUSE

  • Inkbird WiFi sous vide – We’ve been talking about getting a sous vide for months now, so Dave didn’t hesitate to snag this one when it was on sale at Amazon a couple of weeks ago. (And it’s on sale again today for the price we paid!) So far, we’ve only done one steak night with it, but it really is a miracle worker in terms of getting the perfect doneness throughout!
  • Target light-up Christmas tree in medium and large – We didn’t have anything that lit up to add to our dining room for some holiday ambiance so I purchased a couple of these light-up mercury glass trees. They have a really pretty warm glow.
  • Target striped stockings – I definitely didn’t need stockings because I still adore the red herringbone ones we bought at Target a few years ago. However, I wasn’t feeling the red when I hung them on our railing. I’m probably just being particular this year. ::shrug::
  • Target faux mistletoe – Most faux mistletoe looks cheap, but this is a pretty good option. It also looks cute tucked in a vase.

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Filed Under: Recent Purchases, Style Tagged With: Bought and Loved, New Purchases

Things I Bought and Loved in October

October 30, 2020 by jessica Leave a Comment

Sara Tramp Ceramics
bowl from Tramp Ceramics

IN THE WARDROBE
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

  • J.Crew perfect rain jacket in dark moss – This is a great basic to have on hand for fall and eventually spring. The cinched waist gives it shape and there’s enough room around the hips for curvier girls. I went with a medium and there’s plenty of room for a sweater underneath.
  • J.Crew camp socks – I love these cozy socks for chilly days at home. They now have striped ones, too!
  • Gap cozy scarf in black check – This is such a pretty, soft scarf and I love the classic print.
  • Old Navy flannel pajama shorts in buffalo check – These fit as you’d expect and run true to size. For actual pajamas, I prefer short and tank sets from Soma’s “Cool Nights” collection, but I’m all about cheap pajama shorts for lounging on the couch.
  • Old Navy loose sweater-knit crop hoodie in gray heather – This was a surprise hit! I added this sweater-sweatshirt hybrid to my order to reach the free shipping threshold with the other items in the order. I figured it’d be a decent enough loungewear piece, but didn’t think it’d be as great as it is. I love the cropped, boxy shape with “pandemic pants” and it’s so darn soft. I bought a medium, but you could easily go down a size for a more fitted look.
  • LOFT floral shirred yoke blouse – There’s a shocking amount of hate for this blouse in the review section! It’s a gauzy fabric, which wasn’t what I expected, but I do like it. I went with a medium. It’s oversized, but drapes well without being bulky. I think it’s the perfect Thanksgiving blouse that gives you plenty of room without being clingy.
  • The Drop x Grace Atwood loose-fit dress – In full disclosure, I’m on the fence about keeping this. It was a bit expensive for quality that’s akin to a Target dress and I don’t love it with fall accessories or sneakers. However, I do love it with my Birks (in cognac) and summery jewelry. I might keep it for those reasons alone and hope that COVID-19 eases up enough in 2021 where we can go on a warm-weather trip earlier in the year.

AROUND THE HOUSE

  • Norwell Lighting schoolhouse semi-flushmount in polished nickel with the stepped opal shade – We replaced the old fluorescent light in our bathroom with this schoolhouse-inspired option. The stepped shade makes it a bit more unique than the standard shades that come with schoolhouse fixtures. It’s a good quality at that price point.
  • Hearth & Hand bathroom hook in black – After we did our bathroom refresh and replaced the cabinet knobs on the linen closet near the shower, our towels no longer stayed put when draped on the new knobs. So, a hook was in order. I found this one at Target and it’s so good! It’s sturdy and has a nice weight to it.
  • House of Antique Hardware mushroom glass cabinet knob in black – House of Antique Hardware always comes through when I’m looking for a vintage-inspired or replica replacement. These knobs are adorable for our bathroom linen closet. I actually ordered a pair in white, too, but loved the black ones more in our bathroom.
  • Threshold soap dispenser – I don’t have much to say about this, but it’s pretty and classic, and I thought I’d draw your attention to it if you’re looking for a new soap dispenser.
  • Tramp Ceramics almond bowl – Sara Tramp, former member of the Emily Henderson blog team, launched her online ceramic shop recently. She has such pretty pieces at an affordable price point! Follow the shop’s Instagram for updates.

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This post contains affiliate links.

Filed Under: Recent Purchases, Style Tagged With: Bought and Loved, New Purchases

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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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A small moment of peace from the past weekend. I A small moment of peace from the past weekend.

I feel like I’ve been doomscrolling since the news broke of SCOTUS’ decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. My emotions run the gamut from sadness to frustration to unadulterated rage. I’m deeply disgusted by conservatives and evangelicals, but especially by liberals who supported Bernie Sanders and refused to vote for Hillary Clinton at such a crucial moment in our history. Did you know that 12% of Sanders’ primary election supporters voted for Trump in the general election? In Wisconsin alone, 51,000 of them voted for Trump — a state Trump would win by just 22,000 votes. 

Your vote matters. It matters in national elections, statewide elections, and local elections. It’s crucial that Democrats organize as strategically as conservatives did and restore reproductive rights. 

In the meantime, donate your time, talent, or treasure to help those facing an unwanted pregnancy. @thecut has a great list on their site with organizations to support in states likely to prohibit abortion. I’ve donated to @plannedparenthoodwi.
Reveal day is finally here! It’s been a long pro Reveal day is finally here! It’s been a long process that started back in April 2020 with a kitchen ceiling leak that was attributed to water leaking from our tub faucet and working its way through the floor and into the kitchen. Our bathroom was never anything to look at (before photos on the feed), but the leak really accelerated our plans for a full bathroom renovation when timelines — and budgets — allowed. It feels a bit surreal to have it done and I don’t think I’ll ever stop admiring it whenever I walk past!

#bathroomremodel #1920shouse #1920shouserenovation #bathroomdesign #bathroomrenovation #kohler #schoolhouseliving #thetileshop
This renovation sure had its moments of frustratio This renovation sure had its moments of frustration, but I’m blissfully heading toward “renovation amnesia” as @em_henderson calls it in her new book. Head to the blog today to read about two headaches that came at the tail end of our main bathroom remodel. 

#bathroomremodel #bathroomdesign #bathroom #bathroomrenovation #thisoldhouse #1920shouse #subwaytile #classicbathroom #deltafaucet
A peek into the garden kaleidoscope at @olbrichgar A peek into the garden kaleidoscope at @olbrichgardens by @rcandersonsculpture.
I am just the happiest! I keep looking at this bat I am just the happiest! I keep looking at this bathroom and thinking how lucky we are that we were able to do this! It wasn’t always easy to navigate the stressful moments, but the end result is worth it. I feel like I’m at a luxury hotel every time I shower! (And it sure beats showering with the spiders in our [basically unfinished] basement bathroom. It was like camping in our own home for the past six weeks — and I very much hate camping!)

More photos to come!

#bathroomremodel #bathroomdesign #bathroom #bathroomrenovation #thisoldhouse #1920shouse #subwaytile #showertile #marbletile #marblefloor
For as stressful as this project has been, it’s For as stressful as this project has been, it’s amazing to see it come together. (Swipe for a before!) 

The rest of the shower tile will be installed on Monday and then they’ll starting laying the floor tile. I can’t wait!

#bathroom #bathroomremodel #bathroomrenovation #thisoldhouse #1920shouse #home #oldhouselove #oldhouse #centuryhome #tile #tiling #floortile #progressphotos
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