BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Loving Lately

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Lately, I’m loving: 

  • The fountain pen I received from Parker. It arrived just in time for my card-writing frenzy and made the endeavor much more elegant. (I’m usually reaching for a freebie pen emblazoned with a company logo. This pen makes me feel like an adult.) I’m crazy about the Art Deco design at the tip. They’re now available at Bloomingdales.
     
  • Hanging out with my brother who came home for Christmas. He’s in the Army (currently doing IED training in the State of Washington) so I don’t see him often. It was really nice to catch up and meet his dachshund puppy, Basil. 

  • The Tory Burch necklace that I almost missed out on from the Net-a-Porter sale. I was going to buy it after my morning shower last week and came back to find that it was sold out. I kept checking in on it obsessively over the past few days, hoping that there would be one more in stock, and actually woke up early today to find it available. It’s a Christmas Eve miracle.

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Loving Lately

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Lately, I’m loving:

  • The beautiful candles Archipelago sent to me last week in their new holiday scents: Hope and Winter Frost. I’ve been burning the Winter Frost one whenever I’m home. It’s a Christmasy combination of white birch and evergreen that reminds me of a candle my parents had tucked away in their boxes of Christmas decorations. To me, it’s the holiday scent. The Hope candle is a bit more masculine with a woodsy blend of pine, bayberry and clove. All of Archipelago’s holiday candles are on sale right now, so it’s a great opportunity to stock up for next year. (I’m such a fan of their candles. They burn cleanly, the wax melts evenly and none of the fragrances I’ve tried are overpowering.) 
  • Chex Mix. Why is it so good?! 

  • The ridiculous cat t-shirt my coworker gave me. He has a party hat for goodness sakes! I’m counting down the days until Bacon’s spring birthday so I can break it out for the festivities. 
  • The lamp I purchased after winning a $100 Lulu & Georgia gift card from In Honor of Design. It’s pretty and looks just like the photos. However, the quality isn’t great. I would have been irked if I bought it at full price. Wait for a sale. 

Inspire It | Wear It

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The first—and only—time I rode a horse was at a Girl Scout outing when I was 11 years old. I’ve never been the outdoorsy type and the very idea of horseback riding struck the fear of God in me. Nevertheless, I strapped on my riding helmet, sidestepped droppings to my horse, and set out on the trail with the rest of the troop.

The horse sensed my hesitation and took it as an opportunity to meander about the trail, falling further and further behind. He stopped to look at the clouds, smell the grass, eat a twig. Brilliant. My horse had the attention span of a toddler. I desperately pleaded with the him to giddyup and he simply didn’t give a damn. Tears pricked at my eyes. I’d surely be forgotten about in the woods. Forever. (Always so dramatic.)

After what seemed like hours (read: 15 minutes), the instructor circled back to find me. Through my blubbering tears, I told her how I didn’t want to ride an ADHD steed any longer and I preferred to walk back. I wasn’t allowed to. Instead, I was given a stick and instructed to swat the horse’s rump when he got distracted. Okay. Sounds like a great idea for an inexperienced rider, but I was on board. The next time his eyes fixated on a berry and he drifted off the trail, I wound up and snapped the horse in the rear. He didn’t quicken his stride to a leisurely walk.

He trotted. Trotted! My face paled and I held the reins for dear life, knuckles turning as white as my face. As you can imagine, getting off that saddle was the most relieved I have ever felt. When my troop wanted to go back the following year, I sat in the car reading back issues of American Girl magazine. 

Even though horseback riding obviously isn’t for me, I still admire blue-blood equestrian style. These Gabor boots from Charles Clinkard are especially beautiful with the quilted shaft. Tuck in a pair of skinny cords, pop a trophy stopper in your wine, and you’re good to go. No horse needed. 

1. Lulu & Georgia, $24.50 // 2. ASOS, $22 // 3. Gabor, £105 // 4. J.Crew, $298 // 5. Gorjana, $35 // 6. Fab, $22.50 // 7. J.Crew, $118 // 8. J.Crew, $98

This is a PR collaboration, but all opinions—and horrible childhood memories—are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Bedknobs & Baubles! Image via.