All Posts By

Jess

WEST ELM | SHOP LOCAL

When West Elm asked if I wanted to curate a local pop up at the Atlantic Station location I lit up! After all, it is West Elm we’re talking about here and they are my favorite home decor brand but also because I personally know lots of awesome local artists and makers I immediately thought of to include.  Hard to pick favorites, but these six are up there on the list!

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Neva Opet

Rachel and I met at a pop up shop a few years ago and hit it off immediately-actually went out for drinks that very night! She’s a self taught designer and leather worker who makes some seriously rad bags and accessories. I bought a fun limited edition necklace from her recently but after browsing her site, MUST OWN THIS BACKPACK!

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Charlotte Smith Studios

Just take a second to look at those minimal beauties….ya. She really nails ceramic chic-which I may or may not have just made up.  She mostly makes cups but every time I’ve visited her booth at Root City Market she’s explaining that they can double even triple in use: cup/bowl/catch-all/planter!

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Cameoko

Is a resin jewelry line featuring materials like gold flake and gemstones to create one-of-a-kind pieces that are unlike the average resin jewelry you’ve seen. Camille’s pieces have a vintage vibe but with modern boho designs. I’m most fond of the crescent moons and triangles.

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A Sensible Habit

Is the brain child of Brandy, who’s got her hands in lots of various medias from ceramics, textiles, paint and probably something new tomorrow! When I met her in real life (first was through IG) I snagged the littlest, most adorable plate, just look!

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KMM & CO

Had to throw a guy in the mix!  Kyle is another very talented leather maker. His styles offer both feminine and masculine touches. I have the above bag and matching wallet. They are sure to last a very very long time with how durable the leather is and how they’ve gotten even better with age!

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Melting Sun Apparel

Lauren, another gal that does it all, has been creating everything from jewelry, tapestries, to recently branching out to clothes and believe it or not TATTOOS! She does the stick and poke method and I can personally tell ya, they’re good ;)

Hope you all can swing by tomorrow from 1-6!

Additional deets:

Free event
Free 2 hour parking
Free Locally made WHOOPIE PIES!

Kindly RSVP here https://westelmlocalatlanta.splashthat.com/

WEEKEND RECAP | BIRTHDAY EDITION

Turned 30 on Good Friday.  Not only was it on a Friday but we also had the day off from work! Coincidence or fate?

Like I mentioned in my little “letter to my 20s” in the previous post, we had a big house party at our place. Low country boil potluck complete with cornhole, beer pong, dance party and all my favorite people! Could not have gone better!

Here’s a recap of the whole weekend –

Thursday at work my lady coworkers surprised me with Sublime Donuts. That heart you see there was filled with raspberry jelly! Twas heavenly.  For lunch, we went to JCT Kitchen and had mussels, fancy cheese and salad-because ya know, balance.  Kept the party going that night and went out to Midway Pub in East Atlanta. Love my work fam!

Friday was clean clean clean. Love throwing house parties because it makes ya whip the house in tiptop shape! Though I was struggling from all the fun the previous day with the Indigo girls, haha!

Too pretty not to include in my recap, the birthday brunch we made in between cleaning up. What makes this avocado toast even yummier? Using this Ezekiel bread.  It also fills you up more, but without bloating, and holds you over for longer. Just started using this over regular organic wheat bread and I’m HOOKED! Another plus is that it’s kept in the freezer (because it’s made from live grains).  Since my work provides lunch and Dustin usually takes leftovers, regular bread usually goes untouched for a bit and molds too quickly-this is a great fix to that problem!

Now onto the PAR-TAY-

I know, porch needs a face lift but we don’t own the house sooooooo LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL BOIL! Dustin really knocked it out of the park with his first try. Everything was flavorful and boiled to just the right softness-way to go babe!

Dips on point.

We provided the boil stuff and everyone else brought goodies like this hummus spread brought by a coworker and yummy homemade black bean dip brought by Sara (Psst! She has a great blog and IG, follow her along as well!)

Dustin asked what I really wanted to have at my party and I quickly responded “a 3 and 0 balloons!” Wish, granted!

Gal pal Cline and I went to walk around the neighborhood to find a good photo spot and stumbled upon this stone amphitheater just around the block from my house! Going to totally enlist a musician friend to play some tunes here one night!

Wore a dress I got while selling clothes at Buffalo Exchange (originally from UO) my trusty Sam Edelman boots (till I changed into Chucks) and my Salt shades.

Another guest, Kyle the pie guy, brought a vegan brandy blackberry pie and carried it over in his very own pie box! The lemon zest was a really nice touch, A+

It’s a good dang day when chocolate covered strawberries arrive in the mail! Sent to me from my bro and sister in law from Shari’s Berries. Great gift idea and really yummy!

I was told on your 30th, dessert calories don’t count! These beautiful cakes Dustin got from the same baker that did our wedding cakes. We just can’t get enough of them! Left is the strawberry cream and right is cuatro leches. Check’em out here.

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My “Woes” put together this hangover gift basket for the following day, I certainly do get by with a little help from my friends! They are truly the best.

Spoiled rotten. Just look at all that fun stuff! One thing’s for sure, the Lisa Frank activity book that came with the hangover basket DEFINITELY cured all the next day blues!

Not covered in this recap are all the blurry photos of my ladies and I breaking it down on the dance floor-that’s for Facebook, ha!

Saturday was basically a wash (minus stepping out to get Pho at Soba in EAV) so next is Easter –

Easter morning was church with the in-laws and then lunch. Afterwards we came home to chill and I made some decorative eggs.  I was inspired by Homey Oh My’s pumpkins and recreated it on eggs which proved to be a little difficult but I’m very happy with the turnout! First thing, eggs sweat, which I discovered as the paint started to bleed. Annoying thing number 2, hand-painting! I should have followed her lead with paint pens. Not going to lie..painting on a small, rounded object was a pain! But if you want something unique and not super messy, these mud cloth eggs are it!

Since we had off Friday we had to work Monday but hey, I’ll take it!

Hope everyone enjoyed their time spent with family, chocolate covered eggs and/or Netflix!

BIG 3-0

Goodbye 20’s!
Hello 30’s!

Today I begin a new chapter of life. My 30’s. I’m not scared or upset, I’m more amazed, hahah.  How did thirty whole years of ME go by so fast?! It’s nuts to think about all that’s happened in life and what’s still ahead. In the spirit of a birthday, a new year, I’d like to reflect on my twenties.

Dear 20s,

First of all, thank you.

Thanks for the dang good time! And for the relationships (especially meeting and marrying my sweet Dustin!) and friendships (new and OG’s!), ALL the parties and festivals (I could go on forever about all the good times had at various houses, clubs, open fields, backyards!), the fashion “trends” (shout out to all those horrific outfits! some of which landed here…) the pets (especially Tater who experienced 6 years of my 20s) 8 of 9 of my tattoos, the rentals I made my home and making A T L my hometown and on a serious note strengthening my relationship with my mom and learning to be a survivor.

It wasn’t all parties and young freedom bliss.  There were the real life lows. The very start as a twenty year old was rough. Lying in a hospital bed in Birmingham, Alabama with a newly put back together ankle and a torn ACL the ER failed to notice after a very bad car accident on highway 459. Not how anyone should spend a birthday (or regular day for that matter..)

But it was then I learned the real meaning of being tough. Leaving the hospital a survivor, returning to school in a wheelchair and beginning a long road to recovery was a hard lesson to handle. And I didn’t handle it well.  Took some time being too wild, too selfish and not the best student but after a while, turned myself around. For all the lessons learned, I am grateful.  All in all, twenties, you shaped me into the lady I am today and will be into my thirties.

Tonight we are having a big ole house party with a low country boil, friends and I hear fireworks may be in the mix – 30, LETS DO THIS!

Cirque du Soleil: KURIOS

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Dustin and I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s KURIOS: Cabinet of Curiosities. This makes my third time attending and while it’s tough to pick a favorite, this may be it!  It felt like a circus from the early 1900’s mixed with Cirque’s colorful performances.  Less gymnastics which I really like but lots of trapeze type acts and balancing, crazy balancing!

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There was always something going on, background or foreground, your eyes were never bored!

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I couldn’t stop looking at this tiny women. At first I thought she was fake but she’s real!  So fancy and so small.

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This man was literally the women’s swinging mechanism! The crowd was gasping with each toss and cheering with each catch!

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HOW?!!?

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Seriously, that just doesn’t seem possible with a human body!

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The two above balancing acts got so crazy!

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Photo credits: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca
Costumes: Philippe Guillotel

What really stood out with this performance was the humor. We never stopped laughing! The best laugh was from the crowd interaction skit when a gal was pulled on stage and had an awkward date with the ringleader who at one point was acting like a cat-dinosaur creature and coughing up a hairball on the girl!  I can’t put it into words how ridiculously funny it was but there were TEARS from laughing so hard!

Highly recommend seeing this show whether it’s with the family or a date night-it’s a goodie!

 

 

WEEKEND RECAP

Our weekend was packed with so much fun stuff, just the way we like it!  Started off with meeting friends at The High Museum on Friday evening.  No jazz this time but there was live performance art going around the exhibits which was pretty eclectic.  We only got in about an hour before the museum was pushing us out the door.  It’s funny that it was yet another night we didn’t see that much art because we have a track record of showing up and not getting in but around an hour and this night we tried really hard!  Need to dedicate a whole day and break the curse!

Above outfit- BB Dakota jacket, Madewell jeans and bag, Sam Edelman boots

Puts all my weavings to shame!

Dustin look a little different? I wanted to see his face again and requested the beard be gone but he was digging the stash when he was shaving, so, for now we have this version! His coworker said he looks like he belongs in a barber shop quartet, ha!

Followed by The High we all walked down to the World of Beers for brews and huge pretzels with beer cheese. They serve so many beers they give you an iPad to browse selection!  I liked it because I could narrow down my search with the filters and not get overwhelmed and order something I don’t like. Usually pay the most attention to style but also ABV.  I gravitate towards Pilsners, IPAs and now sours.

Saturday after we made a huge breakfast scramble we went to Warby Parker for glasses. YEP, that’s new. About to turn thirty and I find out I need specs. Astigmatism in both eyes. Felt like it happened over night like I went from an HD tv world to old 80s monitor.

Dustin’s always worn contacts and due to a resent eye infection has been wearing his old college glasses that we both don’t care for so he needed an upgrade.  I went with two because a girl needs options!  Above are the Haskell in burnt lemon tortoise and the Percey in crystal. Not so secretly – I can’t wait! Mostly to see better but also to accessorize with these babies! At two stages of life I got personality glasses to “spice” up my look, haha!

Mustache!

That right there on the upper right is the best fried chicken sandwich I’ve had to date!  I didn’t expect it to wow me as much as it did but holy moly it melted in my mouth. If you had no teeth you could still eat that sandwich! Shake Shack you thoroughly impressed me! I’d say us both but Dustin got the hamburger and was a little jealous of my sandwich after I shared a bite!  Also that beer is wonderful. Must track down.

After shopping and eating we headed North to RInggold, GA to help Dustin’s long time friend surprise his girl friend with a proposal!  I took some stealthy photos while another friend recorded on a hidden camera.  All the while family and friends were waiting nearby to give hugs and share the happiness!

Wearing my other pair of SALT sunglasses. These are the Lionel frames. Light weight while still being durable. So impressed with this brand!

Following the surprise we all feasted on barbecue from Saucy Bones.  Dustin and I explored the grounds and met the above donkeys! It’s mother and daughter! I wish I could remember their names, something old Southern women sounding. Darn. Nonetheless they were adorable and friendly! JUST LOOK AT THOSE EARS / EYES / MOHAWKS!!

Sunday after we ate the rest of that scrumptious scramble from the previous day we got ready and set out for the 28th annual Steamhouse Lounge Oysterfest! First item on the to-do list: shuck some oysters! And find beer better than Bud Light (they were a sponsor)  We opted for roasted over raw and found some Goose Island IPAs.

I mentioned in an earlier post that oysters are a new thing Dustin and I have gotten into. Together this was the first time we had to actually shuck them which I left up to him while I made the little saltine stacks. HE WAS A SHUCKING MACHINE!  Some of the smaller ones were fully cooked while a bunch of the large ones were dang near raw. All in all great time getting dirty and baking in the pre-Spring sun!

Besides the bucket of oysters we had some lobster bisque, a pretzel with beer cheese (yes, again!) and these glorious old bay steamed shrimp. Little squeeze of lemon, dip in the seasoning and dunk in the sauce and all was right with the world!

Slimy and looks like a small human organ but has a beauty to it don’t you think??

So glad for this new found food addiction!

After indulging in underwater sea life we went home to get glam for our friends Oscars party.

Our talented friend Sarah made these bingo boards for funnsies! Wish I took a photo before I started killing it because under all those x’s are funny things like “presenter is white” (if you watched you’d understand the humor!)

Who wore it best?

I’m wearing a vintage dress I’ve had forever and Cristi is rocking a bridesmaid number. Elizabeth did some braids to take my outfit up a notch. So fun getting fancy and rooting on my boy Leo! Yay Leo!

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