BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Best Budget Baubles

December 5, 2014 by jessica 7 Comments

Over the next few months, I’ll be partnering with Shopbop to share some of the retailer’s most outstanding investment pieces and budget buys with you. I’m particularly jazzed about this collaboration because the brand’s only brick and mortar store, Bop, is right here in Madison! Over the course of the collaboration, I’ll be given the opportunity to add a few items to my closet and, while I feel like I should pick something classic (like a good leather satchel or a pair of black Ferragamo Varina flats), I really want to branch out and pick a few unexpected statement pieces like the “Jessica” canteen crossbody from Tory Burch.

Or, you know, jewelry.

A quick sort by lowest price shows that Shopbop has plenty of gorgeous gems for those on a budget. I put together a quick round up of my favorites, but I encourage you to peruse the baubles to find little treats for yourself or others this holiday season. After all, the holidays just aren’t the same without a bit of sparkle.

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UNDER $50
earrings by Rebecca Minkoff
necklace by Monserat De Lucca
ring by Gorjana
bracelet by Monserat De Lucca

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$50 – $100
earrings by Amber Sceats
necklace by Serefina
ring by Pamela Love
bracelet by Tai

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$100 – $150
earrings by Tory Burch
necklace by Lulu Frost
ring by Elizabeth and James
bracelet by Nocturne

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$150 – $200
earrings by Elizabeth Cole
necklace by House of Harlow
ring by Malene Birger
bracelet by Malene Birger

Perfect Present: Tory Burch Soap Set

December 4, 2014 by jessica 9 Comments

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]T[/dropcap]he best gifts are the ones she would never get for herself, like this luxurious Tory Burch soap set ($48). It’s ideal for the hostess or the hard-to-buy for aunt who seems to have everything. But don’t be surprised if they end up in an apothecary jar to be admired. The packaging makes them almost too pretty to use.

Review: Instantly Framed

December 4, 2014 by jessica 1 Comment

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]I[/dropcap] have tons of digital images that I’d love to get printed and framed, but the fact of the matter is I’m too lazy to put in the effort. This is precisely why I’m a huge fan of Instantly Framed, a new app that allows you to upload a digital photo and have it printed and framed within a week. Best of all? It’s only $65 and that includes three-day shipping. (There’s even a $10 discount at the end of this post for you.) I was given the opportunity to try out the service a couple of weeks ago and it’s just as seamless as I had hoped and the final product is outstanding.

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After installing the app, the first step of the process is really the most difficult: choosing a photo. You have the opportunity to select an image from your photo album, Instagram, or Facebook. You can also take a photo on the fly if you’re confident enough with your photo skills. I knew right away that I wanted to frame an Instagram from our trip to Belgium and I debated between this one, this one, and this one.

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Of those three, I went with the third option: a snapshot from a morning at Moeder Lambic. We spent almost every morning at the restaurant, getting a leisurely start to the day with beer and quiche. This little snapshot brings back those happy memories each time I look at it. While I could have uploaded the image right from Instagram, I opted to tweak the colors just a bit in VSCOcam first.

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After the hard part is done, all you need to do is import the photo and select your image size. I liked the artsy 4″ x 4″ version, but I thought it might be too small for all the detail in my image and opted for the 6″ x 6″. All frames are 12″ x 12″ and come from wood forested on an FSC-certified tree farm in Ashland, Wis. (my hometown!). Each walnut frame is hand crafted with a black finish that emphasizes the wood grain. There is a thick cardboard backing on the frame that is made out of recycled materials. You have the option of either hanging your new image or using the easel backing.

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And with that, you’re ready to check out. The photo takes a couple of days to print then it’s sent to you with free three-day shipping. The entire process takes about a week, so you still have plenty of time to consider an Instantly Framed photo for holiday giving. (You could earn major Brownie points with mom by scanning an old photo of you and your siblings and having that framed.) Order by Monday, Dec. 15 to save $10 on each order.

DISCOUNT CODE:
CIBEDKNOBS10

I know the photo in the first image isn’t the best (daylight savings time is still screwing my photo schedule, leading to some overexposed shots to compensate for the darkness), but it’s quite pretty in person. I’m considering having a few more snapshots framed to create a gallery wall of our special mini moments on vacation.

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Disclosure: I received a framed photo from Instantly Framed for the purposes of this post. This does not influence my opinions of the company or the product. As always, thank you for supporting the brands that support Bedknobs & Baubles.

Giveaway: Gerard Yosca Jewelry

December 3, 2014 by jessica 36 Comments

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]A[/dropcap]fter all this talk about how much I love Gerard Yosca’s recent collections, it’s time I let you in on the fun with a special holiday giveaway! The two pieces I’ve been wearing on repeat–the Mina earrings and the Tokyo pendant–are now up for grabs and we’re selecting two winners. Each lucky lady will take home one of these gorgeous gems. (To keep things fair, the first person selected will have her choice of the two and the other will go to the second person selected.)

It’s incredibly easy to enter. All you need to do is leave a comment letting me know which is your favorite piece and how you would style it for the holidays. As always, there are bonus entries for supporting our sponsor and Bedknobs & Baubles. For an additional ten entries, share a collage featuring your preferred item and how you would style it. You can share your image with me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Just be sure to tag me and mention #GerardYosca and #GerardYoscaGiveaway in the post so we can find it!

This giveaway is open to those with a U.S. mailing address. Please let me know if any questions come up! Good luck! xoxo

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday Finery

December 2, 2014 by jessica 15 Comments

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]T[/dropcap]here’s so much pressure to buy a new holiday dress each year and I certainly succumbed, convincing myself that the holidays just wouldn’t be complete without a new satin or sequin frock. After hours of online searching (and a handful of returned rejects), I turned to my own closet and chose this simple black dress. I bought it last summer at Kohl’s and was grateful for the breezy style on those sweltering days. I even brought it to Belgium with me, wore it in Amsterdam, and donned it on the plane home. I never expected that it would be such a pretty canvas for Gerard Yosca’s holiday jewelry (check back tomorrow for a special holiday giveaway!). I added my favorite pumps and a matching mani for a bit of playfulness and made sure to adhere to each of Gerard’s tips for refined holiday dressing.