BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

The Coveted

January 30, 2018 by jessica 1 Comment

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Forty degrees felt downright tropical when I took these photos on Saturday. The warm(ish) weather was such a welcome break from the frigid temperatures we had been experiencing and a fantastic excuse to break out the LOFT bell sleeve t-shirt I picked up a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to wear it with my red DVF bag, but came across this one as I was rifling through my closet. I’m still as enamored with the design as I was when I first purchased it. However, it doesn’t fit the current iPhone rendering it virtually useless now. I bought it when I had an iPhone 5s (I think) and it was a tight fit then. Anything larger needs to find a home in a pocket (or, you know, Dave’s pocket). Despite this, I can’t bear to part with it. I love the design too much, but I won’t be adding too many more mini bags to my collection again!

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Weekend Links

January 28, 2018 by jessica 1 Comment

I didn’t expect to take almost a week-long hiatus from the blog, but the days got away from me! Like many of you, I lose a lot of ambition in the winter when it’s dreary outside, and then I’m too eager to relish the nicer days that I let the blog take a backseat. Sometimes those breaks are nice, though, and offer a chance to come back to things with a fresh perspective.

One thing I wanted to share before we get to the best finds around the ‘net is the Madison Reading Project’s READ(y) to Wear fundraiser that’s happening on Feb. 10. (Think of it as an evening devoted to a Project Runway-inspired unconventional challenge with fashion created from paper.) I was selected to be a judge this year, so if you’re in the Madison area, this is your opportunity to see me live out my fantasy of being Nina García. Proceeds from the evening go toward literacy programs and enable Madison Reading Project to purchase books for the children in their partnering programs.

Weekend Links:

Joy Cho’s luggage collaboration with Calpak is so bright and cheerful!
A look at some of the trends fashion editors are giving up in 2018.
I’m all about houseplants lately. Here’s a roundup of some of the year’s chicest plants.
This kitchen remodel is gorgeous.
The 50 best fashion tips of all time.
How to freestyle tomato sauce.
I wish I had a place for this lamp.
Highlights from the couture jewelry presentations.
Nine decor items that will elevate your home.

Finds Under $50:

Black pointy mules.
An airy blouse.
A cross-body bag with a trendy handle.
A simple black shift dress.
Eye-catching earrings.

Earlier This Week:

Images of our house’s exterior over the past 10 years as seen on Google Maps.
A peek into our living room progress. (I shared one image on Instagram yesterday, but you’ll find more pics here.)
Another roundup of neutrals for spring.

January No Shop Update: I shouldn’t have gone to Target last week when I was feeling dissatisfied with our living room because a walk through the Project 62 aisle had me tucking this vase between the La Croix and cat litter. The quality of the vase is great and looks like it was purchased from an artisan, but for an insanely affordable price of $13. So as far as unnecessary purchases go, I’ll be finishing up the month with the vase and this shirt for a total of $35. It could have been a lot worse and I’ll share some of my thoughts on the month later this week.

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The Coveted

January 23, 2018 by jessica 4 Comments

Between this week’s The Coveted and last week’s edition, two things are obvious: I’m craving neutrals for spring and Cult Gaia’s upcoming collection has captured my fancy. The bag I’m most interested in is this one. I love the petite size and the flat, footed bottom that will allow it to rest on surfaces easier than the ubiquitous half-moon bag we’ve all embraced.

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Weekend Links

January 20, 2018 by jessica 1 Comment

Man, January is kicking my butt. First I had car issues with the tires I recently had replaced (they wouldn’t hold air), I needed my brakes replaced, Dave’s grandfather passed away (at the very impressive age of 95!), and our furnace went out Tuesday night. We opted to wait until morning to have it fixed despite the overnight low of three degrees to save on after-hours fees. So, we bundled up, added more blankets to the bed, wished we had a space heater, and let water run overnight so our pipes didn’t freeze. (This is homeownership, folks!) The house was a brisk 50 degrees when we woke up (down from 65 when we turned in for the night), which isn’t terrible and probably speaks highly of the insulation in the place. It was still awfully cold, though, and a steamy shower was such a treat in the morning. I felt bad for Bacon who kept burrowing under piles of blankets to keep warm until the repair guy arrived in the afternoon. Anyway, that’s enough complaining! We had the funeral yesterday morning, a Destroyer concert last night (it’s Dave’s favorite band and I gave him tickets for Christmas), and absolutely no plans the rest of the weekend.

Weekend Links:

Victoria’s accidental experiment with minimalism is such a great reminder that we don’t actually need (or later want) many of the items we covet. I’ve been saving all of my possible purchases to a private Pinterest board, but I love the idea of keeping a list that doesn’t have photos included.
I’m obsessed with this cuff bracelet.
Who knew that Lowe’s could turn into a glamorous photo location?
A gorgeous photo essay offers a peek into one of America’s last pencil factories.
It probably comes as no surprise that Sketch is on my must-do list for London. I loved Nicole’s photos and tips for snagging that coveted reservation.
Instagram’s algorithm is such a mess. Here are the changes on the horizon.
Clare V. added her signature prints to wallpaper. I’ve tried to convince Dave we should put this one in the half bath off of our kitchen.
Creamy kimchi dip sounds amazing.
You don’t have to spend a fortune for large-scale artwork.
I came across a gorgeous matte black ceramic vase on Etsy. Isn’t it striking?

Style Steals Under $50:

If you’re heading someplace warm, consider this dress. The copper colorway would look gorgeous with a woven bag and nude sandals.
I, ahem, “love” this t-shirt.
Use code COZY to take 50% off this cute swing dress.
Add a burst of color to your winter wardrobe with this sweater. The green one is my favorite.
Slip’s eyemask gets a flirty update in time for Valentine’s Day.

Earlier This Week:

Debuting my Paravel backpack.
Coveting neutral colors.
Baubles on a budget.

January No Shop Update: The furnace was kind of the last straw and sent my stress levels through the roof, so perhaps it was no coincidence that this week I caved and made an unnecessary purchase. At 50% off and a rare free shipping offer from LOFT, this shirt was too tempting to pass up without trying it on. I can’t tell you how guilty I felt after I placed the order and I figured I could always return it and no harm done. And then it arrived. I’m so freaking in love with it. It’s cute tucked into an a-line skirt. I love it with jeans and my favorite red flats. And it’s adorable underneath a sleeveless crewneck dress. I guess as far as impulse purchases go, $22 isn’t terrible after months of spending 10 times that on unnecessary things. Plus, at least it wasn’t an expensive foray into the bell-sleeve trend if I don’t end up wearing it past spring. Anyway, I’m a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to hold out another 11 days until the end of the month, but I’m not going to beat myself up over it as long as it’s the only thing that makes its way into my closet this January!

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image via Unsplash

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