BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Linen Lady

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J.Crew Factory Striped Linen-Cotton Shirt

I picked up this shirt at J.Crew Factory over the weekend. It’s a linen-cotton blend, making it a comfortable, no-fuss option for breezy summer days. Better yet, it shields my already-burnt skin from the sun! (It runs true to size.)

In other news, we put in an offer on a 1930 colonial-style house filled with charm and creaky wood floorboards the very day it went on the market. Even though we went $5,000 over asking, the seller decided to wait another day before reviewing offers and we were outbid. I’m devastated and have been crying on and off all weekend because of it. We’re now faced with a difficult decision today: renew our lease and stay in our apartment for another year or roll the dice and see if we can find a house in the next three weeks. If the latter doesn’t pan out, we’ll likely have to rent a different apartment and move at the end of July. (I have no doubt that our current place will be swept off the market soon. It’s in a good location and has low rent.) We’ve thought about renewing and subletting, but that seems like such a risky endeavor if the sublessee damages the place or skips town. Ugh. I have no idea what to do and we have 24 hours to decide. Any ideas? Should we just consult the Magic 8 Ball and be done with it?

J.Crew Factory Striped Linen-Cotton Shirt J.Crew Factory Striped Linen-Cotton Shirt

Shirt: J.Crew Factory
Shorts: J.Crew (old, also love these)
Sandals: Ann Taylor
Necklace: Lee Renee
Bracelet: c/o Julie Vos (old, also love this)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff c/o Shopbop (on sale for $98 here)
Sunglasses: Dolce & Gabbana c/o SmartBuyGlasses (also available here)
Lips: Stila “Betsey”

Introducing Larimar Jewelry

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BB-Dakota-Dress--7

If there’s one stone that can capture the ease of summer, it’s larimar with its variations of white, light blue, and blue-green hues that are reminiscent of the ocean. It’s a silicate mineral that can found only in the Dominican Republic and is typically used to create jewelry in the Caribbean. Fortunately, you don’t need to travel that far to add a piece to your own jewelry collection! Larimar Fine Jewelry (http://larimar.com/), a company specializing in the stone, offers a wide variety of pieces handcrafted by artisans in the “cradle of Larimar” in the Dominican Republic. The organization boasts ethical work standards and a fair-wage-policy to ensure the craftsmen are able to provide for their families.

Larimar offered me a first-hand look at one of their pieces: the Gridden Stone Cuff (http://larimar.com/collections/larimar-bracelets/products/larimar-cuff-gridden-stone). The item was posted in Germany and arrived within a week of being shipped. It came in high-quality gift packaging, nestled into a box with a padded pillow. While I’m a sucker for good packaging, the bracelet is the real star of the show. The larimar stone is just as beautiful as it appears online with natural variations in the stone, and the sterling silver cuff is thick. The bracelet was able to bend just enough for me to adjust it to my wrist. The quality of workmanship is impeccable, and it’s clear the artisans Larimar Fine Jewelry parts with are passionate about their work.

BB-Dakota-Dress--8
BB-Dakota-Dress--16
BB-Dakota-Dress--12
BB-Dakota-Dress--13
BB-Dakota-Dress--10
BB-Dakota-Dress--15
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Dress: BB Dakota (it might pop back here)
Sandals: Ann Taylor
Clutch: Kayu
Bracelet: c/o Larimar (http://larimar.com/collections/larimar-bracelets/products/larimar-cuff-gridden-stone)
Rings: c/o Vrai & Oro; Lulu Frost; c/o Anjolee
Sunglasses: Karen Walker c/o Shopbop (sale styles here)

The Coveted

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The Coveted 05.31.16

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE

Plus, Net-a-Porter’s summer sale has started! I’m loving this dress for work.

There’s more to love:

33 in 33

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Birthday-33v2

My 30s have been my favorite decade thus far and today I kick off year 33! I’ve had a stellar birthday weekend already with a walk through Olbrich Gardens, lunch at a new restaurant, mini golf, a Memorial Day cookout with friends, and dinner with my parents last night. I’m feeling incredibly content and excited for the next year.

I don’t want the year to slip by without fanfare, though, so I put together a list of 33 must-dos for year 33. Think of this as an alternative to a New Year’s resolution list without the pressure of losing weight and saving money!

  1. Close on our first home! We just need to find it first. (We have about three weeks left to shop until we need to figure out housing for the next 12 months. Our lease ends Aug. 1.)
  2. Visit a new state.
  3. Plan a trip to Iceland. We’re hopeful we can make this happen next summer. It’ll be after I turn 34, so we’ll aim to have the trip booked this year! (Really, though, any overseas destination will do!)
  4. Head up to Duluth, Minn. for the Tall Ships.
  5. Spend a long summer weekend in Chicago.
  6. And a weekend in Milwaukee.
  7. And head back to the Windy City this December for the Christkindlmarket. It’s becoming our traditional way to kickoff the holiday season.
  8. Buy a new mattress …
  9. … and a new couch. I love this one, but we might go with a modern sectional if it’s a better fit for the floor plan of our eventual house.
  10. Oh, and a dining set while we’re at it. I want a table like this one with these chairs. I’m using this image for inspiration.
  11. Go through our possessions and donate anything we won’t use again. I don’t want to move items that aren’t loved.
  12. Finally buy a bar cart.
  13. Take a fitness class, possibly hot yoga or barre.
  14. Keep champagne chilled for impromptu celebrations.
  15. Play hooky from work to head to a water park.
  16. Go to the zoo.
  17. Spend a day at the ballpark.
  18. Watch the fireworks.
  19. Go to a beer festival.
  20. Read a book each month.
  21. Take a jewelry-making class.
  22. Try two new recipes each month.
  23. Master the quiche.
  24. Find a great red-orange lipstick.
  25. Actually learn the ins and outs of my camera. I can’t justify purchasing a new one until I have this one down pat.
  26. Visit a beach … or a desert. Basically anything with a lot of sand.
  27. Relearn how to ride a bicycle and go biking with Dave.
  28. Enjoy a summer afternoon at the Memorial Union Terrace on the UW-Madison campus.
  29. Mini golf!
  30. Go to an art fair.
  31. Buy produce at the farmers’ market.
  32. Write useful travel guides for our vacations, and finally edit and share trip photos on Facebook. (I’m so bad at taking the time to actually do this.)
  33. Embrace another year older!

My necklace is from Lele Sadoughi.  You can save 20% on everything — including sale items — with code BEDKNOBSANDBAUBLES.

The Weekend Guide

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The Weekend Guide 05.27.16

DRINK
Stop popping those bottles and start drinking champagne the right way.

START
Antiquing can be both thrilling and intimidating. Here’s a guide to help you start a collection.

FREEZE
I can’t wait for an abundance of summer fruit to use in these parfait popsicles.

SERVE
Looking for an easy appetizer to serve guests? This will be a hit.

ESCAPE
I can’t believe it’s Memorial Day weekend already! If there’s one thing that epitomizes an American summer, it’s an iconic road trip. Here are nine quick getaways from some of the U.S.’ largest cities.

STOP
I think we all can identify with Lena Dunham’s essay on her apology addiction.

EARLIER THIS WEEK
Explored Brussels in a LBD.
Coveted a selection of items in yellow and robin’s egg blue. (I want those shoes.)
Scoured the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for the best items.
Confessed my shopping sins.
Took a walk to the lake and ate ah-mazing pizza.