book recommendations

i've been a little bad and haven't been reading as much as i usually do. i guess i've been a little busy but i've also been starting and not finishing a lot of books recently. so i thought i would make some recommends here of good books and hopefully you can return the favor ;)

1. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
ok, so it's young adult fiction and like everyone has read it but for good reason! these books are completely enthralling and fun and fast reads. i seriously ripped through the whole series in a few sittings (and one was on a megabus) and then passed them along to my family that did the same. pick these up before you head to the beach this summer ;)

2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
i've mentioned it on here before, but this book is good. it's about Jackson, Mississippi in the 1950s, it's about women, it's about civil rights. it surprises you and doesn't wrap up every storyline in a neat little bow.

3. Eating Animals by Johnathan Safran Foer
ok, ok. i know i'm a long time vegetarian so i'm totally biased. but i'm also a big fan of Foer's (go read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (so good! need tissues!) if you want to ignore this). it's his first (and reportedly last) foray into non-fiction but its really well done, not preachy, just a well written philosophical take on the issue.

4. Persuasion by Jane Austen
i'm totally obsessed with Ms. Austen, i'm not going to lie. but Persuasion has to be one of her best and slightly overlooked novels. it is such a fun read that really rings true so many many years and cultural shifts later (some things never change). this is another one i think i sat down and then realized i was almost done the whole thing.

ok, now it's your turn. recommend away ;)

i've been pinning

recent finds from my style board

1. color theory necklace @cursive design
2. top-drawer lace-ups @anthropologie
3. thunderbird maxi dress @needsupply
4. classic leather camera bag @photojojo

have you guys checked out Pinterest (probably, i'm always a little late to the party, haha)? it acts as a virtual bulletin board where you can collect all the lovely things you come across while browsing the internet. i'm just getting started over there, but i'm already loving it.

follow me! and let me know where i can find you in the comments ;)

Shop Update

Introducing the cotton jersey series. In order to shake things up and try out some new (warm weather appropriate) materials, I've started working with cotton jersey yarn to make new necklaces and bracelets for the shop.

To start each piece in this series, I first generate the cotton jersey yarn from a repurposed old t-shirt. The yarn is then knit or braided (still using my crochet hook in most cases ;) into a unique style and sometimes mixed with industrial nuts, spacers, or couplers (i've been raiding the local hardware stores). The end result is a completely novel and one of a kind piece. So if you like it, make sure you snap it up! Because once it's gone it's gone. Each piece will be numbered and listed shortly after it's made.

Last night I got 8 new items listed and there are more coming today and over the weeks to come. hope you guys enjoy ;)

friday!

thank goodness it is friday! cannot wait for the weekend :)

and i cannot wait to go see the new Jane Eyre adaptation on sunday with my sister. it's both of our favorite novel and i'm such a sucker for any costume drama with british accents.



look for a shop update sunday! can't wait to post all the new stuff i've been working on.

what are you up to this weekend?

i love this right now. (from bark decor)

little bit of this and that.

marielle crewneck // lulu pullover

1. so i pretty much need to own this entire line: Cardigan by Lynne Hiriak
(this model also really makes me want to keep growing my hair out)

2. these muffins might not turn out too pretty, but man they taste good (and they're vegan!). cranberry citrus burst muffins @vegetarian times

3. the fabulous beekman boys are back! and they are coming to terrain next month ;)

4. i watched Waiting for Superman this weekend and i'm still thinking about! highly recommend.

5. i'm sort of in love with these beaded beauties by a lovely, little shop. chelsea is both awesome and throwing a sale (enter FLORAL15 at checkout to save 15%)!

natural mystic // three little birds

recycled jersey necklaces

i got a little crafty today and decided to repurpose an old college t-shirt into yarn and make one of my laurel necklaces out of it. it was a lot of fun, even though bits of cotton jersey are all over my office now. i'm thinking this will be a nice way to slowly cut down on the boy's obscene t-shirt collection (seriously, why do boys have soo many t-shirts? and why won't they part with them?!).

undecided if i'm going to list this first charcoal grey creation in the shop yet. i'm sort of smitten ;)

(and yes i wear that ridiculous brightly printed sweatshirt all the time right now ;)

scenes from sunday.

enjoying a nice lazy sunday watching tv and petting the cat. the boy brought home some beautiful lilies the other day and they smell lovely today ;)

hope you all are enjoying the end of the weekend. i'll be making up some new stuff all day and hopefully post by tonight!

helping japan.

i've been hesitant to mention Japan here on the blog. it is such a devastating situation and my heart has been breaking for all affected all week (i've been listening to npr non-stop), i just really don't know what to say.

deciding to donate is a totally personal decision but i decided i would point out a few nice ways to get involved today ;)

>>> Forever21 is donating 100% of all online sales today (purchases made before 1159pm EST)

>>> you can purchase the above bracelet from Upper Metal Class on etsy and 100% will be donated to the Animal Refuge Kansai, a very worth cause

>>> donations can be made directly to the Red Cross by texting the word REDCROSS to 90999. a $10 donation will be made and will appear on your next phone bill.

all the best lovelies. have a wonderful weekend ;)

spring cleaning SALE!

there is just waaaay too much yarn crowding up my apartment these days! in honor of spring treat yourself to 15% OFF everything over at the oh.just.jess etsy store ;) just enter MARCH15 at the checkout.

i've also been really inspired lately so look out for new jewelry coming soon. i'm excited to work with yarn in new ways and i think you'll like what's on the way!

what i want right now...

1. isosceles necklace by stone&honey
2. geometric triangle necklace by a spoonful of mint
3. syno necklace by tree & kimball
4. silver flag necklace by edor
5. herringbone bracelet by bario-neal

some historical inspiration

absolutely love this daily schedule from Benjamin Franklin.
wouldn't be a bad way to refocus and prioritize during a stressful week ;)

printed in his Autobiography and Other Writings
via SwissMiss

happy π day!

Pi is Infinitely Tasty card by the frantic meerkat

1. how to turn π into music
2. nothing beats traditional apple pie
3. except for maybe irish car bomb whoopie pies

Portlandia & Happy Weekend

Happy weekend! Today has been glorious already with beautiful weather, an amazing brunch out with my cousins (and there adorable baby), and then discovering Portlandia on demand. This show is HiLARIOUS. It's sketch comedy from Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein that skewers the Portland hipster culture, see above for laughter.

yoga (for less)

i love yoga (specifically bikram yoga - the hot one) but i'm the first to admit it's not the cheapest workout (classes near where i work are $14 a piece!). and yet i still pay for 90 minutes of glorious beneficial torture multiple times a week. it really is the best thing i do for myself.

so i thought i would share my tips for being a stylish and frugal yogi:

1. did you know that Forever 21 sells active wear? i got both of these adorable sports bras recently for a steal! they are ideal for a low impact sport like yoga and are so cute i get excited to head over to the studio to show them off.

2. sure you could head to lululemon and spend a lot on a great yoga mat. or you could head over to TJ Maxx or Marshalls (US bargain stores) for a steal on the same quality mat. i recently scored a great new mat with a carrying strap for $10!

3. for hot/bikram yoga i find that a great pair of moisture wicking shorts are essential. for as much as you sweat you really want to avoid absorbent cotton at all costs. these styles are available from athleta (for $34!) and lululemon. i scored some great shorts at an Aerie outlet for $2.50 each (NO JOKE), but it appears they have recently discontinued their line of activewear :(

4. fabric headbands are a lifesaver! i usually wear one during class and then throw a nice dry one on for the walk home. these great bright colors are from scunci and can be picked up at your local drug store for $5 a set.

5. hydration is key before and during class. to add a little something extra to my ice water, i always mix in a splash of Ceres passion fruit juice. SO REFRESHING. this juice is from south africa and can be found at most grocery stores for around $4.

wedding planning.

customized wedding cake topper by lollipop workshop.

so i am to be wed this upcoming october and i have to admit that i am a bit of a reluctant bride. don't take this the wrong way, i am marrying the absolute dream man and my best friend and after 6+ years together it is about time ;) i suppose i just find the whole big wedding ordeal a little silly and a lot stressful (try telling your future mother in law to trim down her friends list by about 20 people, eek!) but i do really love the tiny fun details and so i'm going to start sharing some of my planning here on my blog.

the best place to start then is with one of the first purchases that i made after getting engaged: a personalized cake topper. now this might seem ridiculous, but i was so excited about it! and then it came and was beyond my expectations. i just love my boy's red beard and the little fall leaf accents ;) it will be even better a top our wedding cake that will be furnished by my cousin's wife, a very talented cake artist and baker ;)

the fashion tuban.

1. Babooska Boutique / 2. gotta ask ashley / 3. thefutureoffrances / 4. Urban Outfitters

Heavily debating this style. I like it but don't know if I could actually pull it off... any thoughts?

weekend casual.

i LOVE the weekend. there's nothing better than sleeping in, enjoying a leisurely brunch, and going food shopping (i LOVE food shopping) on a lazy saturday. these are my current picks for a steller saturday and sunday.

1. valiant tote bag by fabric & handle. this bold purple tote has such a cute adjustable strap and would be perfect for weekend errands.

2. urchin lace sweatshirt by sealmadien. this sweatshirt looks beyond comfy and the screenprinted drawing is perfectly suited to the shirt.

3. deco shell earrings by upper metal class. these earrings would add a little something to any casual outfit. i just love this seller and have been dying to order again from them ;)

4. toms in grey stone-washed twill. so i know these are not very elegant or fashionable shoes, but i don't care when they are as comfy as they are. they are the perfect shoes to slip on after yoga and would look great in this washed out grey.

the boy and i enjoyed the lovely weather this past saturday and went to the zoo! even though they are slightly sad, i really do love going and seeing all the animals (and learning all about them ;) it is slightly hilarious though to be the only people there without children, but i am probably just as amazed over a gorilla as a three year old.

oh and they had a BABY ORANGUTAN. cutest. animal. ever.

also there was this interesting piece on NPR yesterday about flamingos mysteriously falling from the sky in Siberia (seriously!). check it out! (i heart npr ;)

shake off the mondays.

just what i needed to get out of my monday funk. LOVE this. shake it yorke.

showing off my martenitsa

i shot some new pics of the Ellsworth cowl in citron yellow today since i have been wearing it non-stop in yellow and wanted to show off its versatility as a perfect accessory for the spring transition ;) and i also get to show off my martenitsa.

and what the heck is this you might ask. my lovely bulgarian co-worker shared her country's tradition of welcoming the spring and hoping for a fruitful harvest by wearing these lovely red and white bracelets. i'm supposed to now wear this bracelet until i see a stork (?) and then tie it to a blooming tree. not sure if there are storks in the tri-state area, but i figure that my friend is having a baby in 4 weeks, so that should count ;)

hooray for march!

SKY BLUE.

I recently completed a custom order for a mildred necklace in lovely sky blue. the color was so great and perfect for spring, so i had to add to the shop. sadly it was not so spring-like early this morning when i had a little freezing cold photo shoot.

in other news, i just enrolled in my first art class in years! i am really excited. so this spring every week i will be attending silkscreening classes at the art center around the corner from my apartment ;) maybe this will lead to new creations for my shop, who knows. it will just be fun to have time set aside to create and learn a new skill.

tweeting!

ok so i have no idea what this whole thing is about, but i am now on twitter! i'm currently following like 5 people, but one of these is charlie sheen, so it's awesome already.

follow me, i'll try and be clever ;)
ohjustjess@twitter

also i have like 10 amazing followers but i would love to do a giveaway!
any suggestions on what it should be for?

Tennis - the band, not the sport

i'm seriously in love with this song Marathon by Tennis

they are playing in philly on friday at a small venue and i'm pretty psyched :)

also i've been working on bracelets! they are 100% cotton and looking cute. more cottom items are in the works for spring/summer. i've also had some mildred necklace orders this week in custom colors. one in particular is in a sky blue i'm thinking of adding to the shop. photos soon!

march is here!

bright blue vintage romper at zwzzy
oh my, the sun is out and march is here. it's soo sunny here today and its so cruel being trapped inside. and while it isn't super warm out yet (its 45F here), it is getting warmer.

i'd still love a vacation to a beach somewhere. and that romper to wear ;)

a nerdy sidebar.

so during the day i work in a lab. yes, i am a huge scientist nerd. i thought i would share a lovely snapshot i took of a malaria parasite in a red blood cell. in blue you see its DNA and in green you see the lovely protein that i work on tagged with green fluorescent protein and glowing. and yes, i work with blood and parasites and no, i cannot get malaria at work.

experimental research is pretty frustrating at times (when nothing ever works) but i still genuinely love science and hope to one day teach at the college level (and of course continue to crochet and create ;) my new etsy shop has really given me a nice distraction from the long stressful haul of graduate school and served as a wonderful creative outlet.