Friday, December 29, 2017

2017 Music Favorites

To say that music plays a big part in my life would be an understatement. Even glossing over my younger years as an aspiring singer and my time spent in the local festival circuit (which, believe me, I'm as eager to forget as anyone), music has been central since I was a kid. When I was in school, my mom was a teacher in a school 45 minutes from our house, so our daily commute was filled with sing-a-longs. The soundtrack to every family reunion was relatives playing instruments and singing gospel songs. Some of my fondest memories of my grandmother involved me lying on the kitchen floor, face pressed to the cold linoleum, listening to her sing old songs while making dinner.  I even befriended my favorite band in high school, and spent many evenings helping them load out after shows. Our wedding favors? CDs with a playlist of songs from our wedding and dating period.

 Even now, my brother and I can't seem to be in the same room for more than 15 minutes without picking up some guitars for an impromptu duet. I drive a lot between schools for work and spend some time in my office as well--there's always music in the background of my workday. The first thing I do most days when I get home is to put on a record and unwind. I get a ridiculous amount of joy out of making playlists for different seasons of my life and revisiting them months or years later, and for that reason, this post is always my favorite every single year: my favorite songs released in the past 12 months.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Plantation Crunch Recipe

You know those foods from your childhood that are irrevocably attached to Christmas? Especially those recipes that your grandmother always made? I don't know about you, but I kinda always assumed that they were way above my culinary skill. I mean, if a grandma is making it, it must have at least 3/4 cup of magic in it, right? One of those recipes from my own childhood is a Christmas candy called Plantation Crunch; my grandma still makes it every single year and boxes us up a good portion to take home with us. It's my very favorite--so much so, that I actually asked her to make it for my wedding! She gave me the recipe recently, and I was a little bit shocked at how simple it seemed. So I thought, what the heck, I'll give it a try and it really was that simple. If you're looking for something easy for a last-minute office potluck or Christmas party, look no further. 


Monday, December 18, 2017

Chicago at Christmas

If the past six months had a theme, it would definitely be travel--I feel like I've almost turned this space into a travel blog unintentionally. Judging by my schedule, the next six months aren't going to be much different, and honestly that's heaven to me. I love traveling, although I often find myself pulled between exploring new places and going back to the cities I love the most. A little over a week ago, my good friend and coworker Leeann and I hopped on a train to Chicago, one of my favorite cities. I had never done a train trip, apart from once in England (which was much shorter!), and I'm honestly kind of a huge fan. It's like Amtrak looked at everything people hate about flying--TSA, zero leg room, tiny windows, minimal or non-existence power outlets, strict baggage allowances, long lines--and said, "nah." (Seriously, I know I'm kinda short, but my feet didn't even reach the footrests!) I'm already dreaming about a train trip out west....but back to our actual trip:

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Fleeting Fall

Autumn is typically my favorite time of year, but this year it was almost non-existent. We had weeks of 70+ degree weather, followed by a pretty drastic plunge into straight cold. It sure doesn't feel like fall when there's frost on your car nearly every morning. Kinda like the weather, everything has felt a little off for me lately. Do you ever feel like you're on the verge of something, but you don't know what? Like things are about to change, but you don't know when or in what way--or like they have changed, but you missed it somehow?  It all sounds rather nonsensical when it's all typed out like that, I suppose, but it really just all comes down to something bubbling beneath the surface that I can't quite pinpoint. 

I tend to be a pretty introverted, emotionally cognizant human, so it's kind of a weird place to find myself in, but it's also really causing me to grow, too. One of the hardest things for me is the waiting--being okay with not having all the answers right away. There's something really freeing about that, too, though--if you don't know what's coming next, you have no other choice but to focus on the here and now. So that's what I find myself doing a lot lately. Hoping a lot of things for the future, but really just living and loving in the moments I'm in. No matter the weather, that's a pretty great place to be. 


Monday, November 13, 2017

A Day in Weston

After our quick stop at Weston Bend a couple weekends ago, we drove into the town. It seems like there are always events happening in Weston--from car shows to Irish festivals and everything in between. While I never snub my nose at a good festival, I really wanted to see what the town was like on a typical weekend (and without the crowds to contend with), and we lucked out. 

Friday, November 10, 2017

Weston Bend

Shortly after we moved to Kansas City a couple years ago, Tyler and I started hearing about Weston, a small town just a half hour or so from the city. Last weekend, we finally made the trip up. Our first stop was Weston Bend State Park. One of the things I've missed about living in the Ozarks is the autumn leaves, but Weston Bend helped to fill that void this year. It was just a bit too chilly to stay too long the day we went, but I'd love to come back and spend some time hiking the trails. I don't know that anything will compete with the view from the scenic overlook, but there's only one way to find out!

Thursday, November 2, 2017

A Night at the Kauffman Center: Rupi Kaur

If you've been reading for awhile, you know that one of my longest-standing loves is poetry. I'm much better at reading it than writing it, but it's been a big part of my life since I was a child. It's no surprise, then, that when I found out Rupi Kaur was coming to Kansas City to do a reading, I snapped up tickets right after they went on sale. Then I dragged my friend (and fellow Brunch Club member) Leeann along with me. 

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Halloween at Disney

Earlier this  month, my friend Haley and I went to Walt Disney World--my first trip there! (Side note: I highly recommend going on a trip to Disney with your Disney vacation planner, and I also highly recommend that your Disney vacation planner is Haley.) Our trip coincided with my birthday, Epcot's 35th anniversary, the Epcot Food & Wine Festival, and all of the Halloween festivities. I have some other posts planned about our trip, but since today is Halloween and all, I thought I would talk a little bit about Halloween at Disney. 

I'm one of those people who's always been sort of torn on Halloween; there are things I love about it (like ghosts, witches, dressing up in costumes, and general Victorian-style haunted creepiness) and things I hate about it (like clowns, being truly afraid, and slasher-style gore). Basically I'm more of a Hocus Pocus kinda gal than a Friday the 13th kinda gal, is what I'm saying....which means Disney Halloween is right up my alley.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Brunch Club

One of my favorite things I've done since moving to Kansas City is starting a brunch club with some gal friends from work. There are so many incredible restaurants in the city and surrounding suburbs; when we moved here three years ago, I immediately started making a list of all the recommendations I would get and places I would see online. Tyler isn't much of a "brunch person," as he says, though, and honestly our tastes in restaurants in general differs pretty drastically. Me, on the other hand--I will judge an entire restaurant on its brunch (and whether or not they have bottomless mimosas....). Thankfully, I quickly formed some really solid friendships, and my gals are more than happy to join me on my quest to try every brunch in the city.  We generally get together at least once a month, and even have a spreadsheet of all the places we have tried and want to try--in case you thought this was some casual get-together or something. :) We even have matching Brunch Club shirts, so you know it's official. Here are some photos from our favorite meals: 

Monday, October 16, 2017

Seattle

Over the past couple years, and thanks to the gal in that first picture, Seattle has really become one of my very favorite cities. It's big enough to have lots to do and progressive enough that I don't feel crazy, with lots of small local spots in individual neighborhoods. Layne was such a great tour guide for me last summer that I was able to do the same for Tyler on our trip, even though we only had about a day total in the city. We arrived on a Monday afternoon, and killed some time downtown at Pike Place Market until our Air BnB was ready. Once we found our accommodations and settled in (our hostess was the absolute sweetest!) we met up with Layne at Tacos Chukis for a quick dinner and then grabbed some drinks on the deck at Captain Blacks. We ended up spending the rest of the evening with her and her husband, Brandon, who met up with us for a trip to the University of Washington (for a gorgeous view of Mt. Rainier, below) and drinks & appetizers at Capitol Cider. Capitol Cider is probably one of my favorite spots in the city. I'm not a beer drinker, but I do love a good hard cider, and the black currant lavender cider I had that night will forever be at the top of my list. Mmmm.  

Monday, September 18, 2017

Oregon Coast

If you asked Tyler what his favorite thing about our vacation was, he would tell you about Cannon Beach. We woke up before sunrise and drove from our hotel in Seaside and were rewarded with a pink and blue sky and a nearly-deserted beach. As we made our way to the water, we passed a man meditating, a woman running, and a photographer taking advantage of the morning light. After an hour or so of wading through the waves, we headed back to our SUV and made the short drive to Ecola State Park. The view from Ecola Point is truly incredible--I think I could have stayed there the entire day. There is nowhere on earth like the Oregon Coast, and we'll definitely be back every chance we get.

Monday, September 4, 2017

Columbia River Gorge 2017

One of my favorite things in the world is introducing people to the Columbia River Gorge; seeing their expressions while taking in the sweeping views or towering waterfalls is so rewarding. I truly believe it's one of the most beautiful places on earth. Tyler is the third person I've brought to the Gorge (and he certainly won't be the last, as I'm already trying to rope another friend into exploring with me....).

 I have a standard Gorge introduction tour that I take everyone on, and then add in extras depending on time (click here if you're interested in some of my must-sees, and check back as the series isn't complete quite yet). Some day I'll find a really adventurous friend and take a multi-day hike (and finally do the Oneonta Gorge hike!) but until then I'll stick to my trusty, awe-inspiring stand-bys. I'm not a bad travel guide if I do say so myself--even if I made Tyler wake up at 4:30 so we could beat all the tourists to Multnomah Falls. :) Tyler bought me a GoPro for Christmas, and I finally got the chance to try it out, too--there are definitely things I need to work on as far as videography skills, but I'm happy to have some footage of one of my favorite days anyway.  Here are some snaps and a video of our wanderings.


Thursday, August 17, 2017

PDX


Even though we've been married for five years, Tyler and I had never taken a vacation together until this year. Crazy right? We didn't even go on a honeymoon because I had just moved back to Springfield and started a new job when we got married. So this year, we decided to extend a trip we had planned with my family and spend some time to ourselves.

We flew into Portland around 10am and hit the ground running (side note: if you've never flown out of the Kansas City airport early in the morning on a Saturday, just know that the recommended two-hour advance arrival for domestic flights is a woeful underestimation--we got to the airport at 4:30 for a 7:50 flight and barely got to our gate before our flight started boarding!). Since Tyler had never been to Portland, I wanted to make sure he got to experience some of my favorite spots--like Powell's! The Portland Saturday Market was up and running, too, which I think is one of the best ways to get a feel for the city. I mean, a guy was standing on the corner playing a didgeridoo; how much more PDX does it get?

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Whirlwind Summer


As crazy as it seems, I'm back to work already; summer flew by so quickly! I worked during summer school for the month of June, so that took up a good chunk of my time, but I still managed to fit in some really good stuff. Some of my favorite parts were: 

1) Spending a few slow days at home, listening to records and catching up on some reading and binging shows (side note: I am knee-deep in The Handmaid's Tale right now, and holy smokes is it good! Definitely can't binge that one, though--talk about emotional.). 

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

2017 Summer Reading List

As I mentioned previously, one of my goals for this summer is to read through a stack of books that I have checked out from the library (and a few of my own). It's incredibly easy for me to fall into a Netflix (or lately, Britbox) marathon and waste hours upon hours in front of the tv. Even though there's nothing wrong with that every once in awhile, I want to balance out my downtime with something maybe a bit more productive. Here are the ones in my lineup:

1) BurnTown by Jennifer McMahon: Jennifer McMahon really sucked me back into the world of mystery novels and fiction in general a couple years ago, and I quickly read through all of her books.  When I saw that she had a new book coming out, I pre-ordered it immediately, and I'm really excited to dig into it.

2) Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan: I snagged this one through Blogging for Books a couple weeks ago; it's really hit or miss for me in terms of finding books that sound interesting to me on there, but this one definitely fits the bill. Deep dark, potentially life-ruining secrets? I'm in.

3) The Good Girl by Mary Kubica:  I've actually started reading this one already, and it completely sucked me in. It's told in a before/after of the kidnapping of a woman in Chicago, through her perspective and that of her kidnapper, mother, and a detective assigned to her case. It's a bit weird knowing part of the ending (due to the "after" chapters), but it's managing to keep me captivated regardless.

4) The Plantagenets by Dan Jones: I'm actually about halfway through this one already. I've been taking my time working through it, and really soaking up the information, rather than just powering though; retention is the goal here. I've loved all of Dan Jones' documentaries (I actually have two of those checked out from the library right now too), and so far this book hasn't disappointed either.

5) The Passenger by Lisa Lutz: This was a book I saw on the shelf at Target and decided I needed to read. It's another mystery/thriller (which is apparently my genre lately) about a woman who finds her husband dead at the bottom of the stairs one morning and goes on the run, assuming new identities along the way. Who she really is and what really happened to make her leave are big questions that I'm excited to find the answers to.

6) The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell: This was recommended to me by a friend, and I don't think I have ever heard a plot synopsis so relevant to me and my interests--mystery, heirs, British setting, and the Bronte sisters? Sold. Now to schedule some pool time.

7) You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott: The library just came through for me on this one, so I need to go pick it up and bump it up the list. It's another mystery (surprise surprise) about an elite gymnast and the depths that she and her family will go to get her to the Olympics. I did gymnastics competitively for several years when I was younger, so this is definitely a must-read for me.

8) The Widow by Fiona Barton: It's not often that I read a mystery that doesn't directly involve the main character (and maybe it does and I just haven't gotten that far yet). This one, though, seems to be more a question of what the protagonist's husband may or may not have done (and whether or not she knows about it). It's definitely a different spin on a typical mystery, and I'm ready to see where it ends up.

9) The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris: Earlier this year, I listened to a lecture on 1066, and I've been trying to read as much as I can about the Norman Conquest ever since. When I was trying to find some more British historians to read through, Marc Morris' name came up, and I was excited to see this book in his collection.

10) The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell Not going to lie, I initially picked this one up because the cover was gorgeous. Judge me. Turns out, though, when I read the synopsis, it sounded perfect. A mystery novel set in London? I'm not sure it gets better than that for me.

11) Those Girls by Chevy Stevens. I haven't ready any of Chevy Stevens books before, but I'm always looking for new mystery/thriller authors. I've discovered that I tend to prefer female writers in this genre, and I'm not sure why, but I'm happy to read as many books as I can to see if my preference holds. :)

12) The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware: Confession--I haven't gotten around to reading In a Dark, Dark Wood yet, but it's also on my list. The Woman in Cabin 10 might have to come first, though, because it just sounds soooooo good. I've had a couple people recommend this one, so it's definitely a priority for this summer.

Are you reading anything good this summer? Any more recommendations for me? I keep a constant list of upcoming reads and I'm always looking for more suggestions!

Friday, May 19, 2017

School's Out


Today's the last day of school, and I couldn't be happier. Not that I don't love my job--I definitely do--but part of the reason I love it so much is that the schedule allows me to have a break before I hit burnout, and I've been so close to burnout the past few weeks. I do have an extended contract and I'm working summer school, but it feels good to have the year wrapped up and to move on to the next challenge. Summer school is also only half days, so I'll have lots of time to work on non-work related things in the afternoons--which is good, because my to-do list keeps growing: finalizing and booking my trip to England for next summer (I've already started on this one!), reorganizing my library of books, cataloging my records, scanning and organizing old family photos, sorting through my closet and taking donations to Goodwill are all toward the top, not to mention reading the pile of books that I checked out from the library this week.  Throw in a trip to the PNW, Alaska, and British Columbia, and I think my summer is pretty well packed. You know I'll find some time to wander our local art museums and camp out at some coffee shops, too, though.  What about you--any fun things planned for summer? You might have an idea that I need to add to my list. :)

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Learning To Grieve Again




She died a month ago today. It seems like an eternity, but it's only been 30 days. I didn't know if I'd ever be ready to write about it, but here I am.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

7 Tips for Keeping it Together When Life is Hectic (+ a Giveaway with JORD Watches!)

The following post is sponsored by JORD Watches. All opinions, tips, and thoughts are my own. 



Doesn't it seem like, just when you think life is about to slow down a bit, it always gets busier? Typically the last few weeks before summer vacation is when things slow down a lot for me at work, but that hasn't really been the case this year; if anything, I've been feeling more and more overwhelmed. Thankfully, I have a few tried and true tricks to keep myself on track and sane--and you too, if you're in the same boat.


1.Write it all down. I am a big believer in the to-do list. If it's not on paper (or at least in my phone), it won't get done. I tend to get tunnel vision when I'm working on a project, so seeing everything that I need to accomplish really helps me allocate my time and energy appropriately. Bonus points if you write down "due dates" next to your projects.

2. Prioritize. I like to break my to-do list into three categories: must-dos, should-dos, and could-dos. Must-dos are pretty self-explanatory--your life is going to be pretty rough if you don't get these done. That thing that your boss will fire you if you don't get it done? Must do. Getting groceries? Must do--starving yourself isn't an option. Should-dos are those things that aren't going away any time soon, but they aren't vital to your immediate functioning; things like laundry, cleaning your kitchen, or getting your oil changed might fall into this category (unless you've put them off and you're down to your last pair of clean underwear). Could-dos are those projects that you'd like to get around to, like alphabetizing your books, cataloging your vinyl, or scanning boxes of family photos. You "could do" them if you had extra time, but they're okay on the back burner for now. Once you have everything divided into these categories, it makes it a lot easier to figure out what to tackle first (especially if you included those due dates I mentioned in #1).


3. Say no. I'm a people pleaser, so I find it hard to say no sometimes. During really busy periods, though, it becomes a necessity. If someone is trying to add something else to your plate, it's okay to say "I really can't" or "not right now." Having boundaries is healthy! Saying no goes for yourself, too--it's easy to get overwhelmed and decide to just watch TV instead, or go out for a coffee break, but you'll end up even more behind and overwhelmed in the end. But that said, you also need to......

4. Schedule time for self-care.  Yep, I went there. I know when you're feeling overwhelmed, the last thing on your mind is making time for baths, or reading a new novel, or watching this week's SVU. I get it. This is the hardest thing for me too. When I'm stressed, self-care is usually the first thing to go out the window, but it's also when I need it the most. The thing about self-care is that it doesn't have to be huge or time-consuming; it just needs to be effective. During peak busy times, I still allocate 30 minutes before bed to read something non-work-related. The thing is, 30 minutes is not going to make-or-break my to-do list, but it might make-or-break my mental health that day.  




5. Be flexible in how you accomplish tasks.  My grandma used to say, "There's more than one way to skin a cat" and while--as a cat mama--I'm entirely put off by that saying, the sentiment rings true. For some people, this may look like working from home one day so you can do your laundry on your lunch break; for others it may look like delegating (I'm the worst at delegating!), or accepting less-than-perfect in some of your "should-dos"--but do you REALLY need to scrub your baseboards to consider your kitchen clean enough? So be creative--maybe you'll find a great life hack!

6. Keep yourself on schedule. Hourly planners, alarms, and watches are a godsend for me, because it's easy for me to get wrapped up in a project and lose track of time. I put everything (literally) into my paper and phone planner, and select that I want a 15-minute warning. That gives me enough time to get to a good stopping place with a project, and move on to what's next. You'll notice, too, that when I'm busy, I'm almost always wearing a watch (lately a gorgeous wood one from JORD); if I'm working at home, or moving from place to place in a single building, I have a tendency to set my phone down and forget where I put it, leave it at my desk, or plug it in to charge, so having a watch is a necessary backup for me. When time's up, it's up, and I move on to the next thing in my planner; if I need to re-evaluate based on how much progress I've made with a project, I can do that, but I have to reference my prioritized to-do list and determined where I can make adjustments (and not, ahem, from the self-care section).

7. Reward yourself.  Tackled your to-do list? TREAT YO SELF. Listen, I'm a behavior analyst by trade, so if there's one thing I know, it's the power of reinforcement. If your to-do list is super long (or if you keep adding to it like I do), maybe that reward comes mid-way, or after three projects......or hell, after one, if it's a doozy. We all need respite and something to encourage us to keep going, and much like self-care, it looks different for everyone. A new book, a massage, a new watch to keep you on schedule? After I survive the summer school madness, I'm planning to pierce my nose like I've wanted to for the past 5+ years. This, like all things, requires a bit of self-control, though--because honestly, I'm a grown-ass adult and I could get my nose pierced this afternoon if I wanted to. So I've been holding out for the end of the year, so that I have a light at the end of this very busy tunnel to work toward. Find your light.





To help you power through your week when life gets busy, I've teamed up with JORD watches to offer these tips and a contest to win $100 toward the watch of your choice--because like I said, you need to reward yourself for your hard work! There's only one grand prize winner, but everyone who enters will receive a code for $25 off once the contest ends, so it's really a win either way!


Monday, May 8, 2017

8 Gift Ideas for Mother's Day


1. Fictions Eau de Parfum. Book-themed perfume? What could be more heavenly? (And yes, my mom has almost as many books as I do!) I might have to pick up two!

2. Sole Society Joliie Travel Tote I think it's a magic mom skill to be able to pack for an entire vacation in just a carry-on, so why not make it a stylish skill too? No more tiny black wheely suitcases.

3. The Women in the Castle My mom is a huge reader, and I've heard great things about this novel--maybe I'm biased, but I think books in general are always a great gift. :)

4. Cedarwood & Lavender Candle I LOVE the candles from Noon--the Christmas one is the best smelling candle I have ever owned. Lavender is really relaxing, though, and doesn't mom deserve a bit of relaxation on Mother's Day? I thought so.

5. Nashelle Initial Necklace I love the simplicity of this necklace. It would also be great for layering, which would be perfect if you have siblings--you could snag one with each of your initials!

6. JORD Frankie Watch I just got a JORD watch last week, and I'm obsessed with it. My mom wears a watch every single day, and who wouldn't love the gorgeous colors on this one?

7. Thou Mayest Equinox Spring Seasonal Coffee If your mom is a coffee drinker, you cannot go wrong with this roast from Thou Mayest. Every single thing I've had from TM has been amazing (it's my favorite coffee shop!), and the packaging is perfect for Mother's Day.

8. French Girl Organics Rose/Verviene Sea Polish I have heard SUCH amazing things about French Girl Organics, and what gal doesn't love a good scrub? I might need to order one for myself too--you know, just to test it first. ;)

















This post contains some affiliate links.

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

KC Spring

Spring has finally, truly arrived in Kansas City! There's something about spring every year that's just so motivating--except those rainy days when my idea of productivity is reading through a couple novels before dinner time. We've definitely had a few of those days recently, but it's honestly been really nice. This time of year is so crazy hectic at work that being forced to slow down in the evenings and on weekends is a nice balance. And the Libra in me is all about balance, you know. :)

Somewhere in the craziness of the past couple weeks, when the weather was especially gorgeous,  I managed to drag my mister out into the sunshine for some park adventures and a few photos.  I chopped my hair off over spring break, and finally figured out what to do with it, so naturally I had to document the occasion, right? It was a great idea in theory, but didn't exactly account for the crazy wind that day. Hey, that's life, I guess. :) Hopefully there will be many more sunny days in the near future.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Spring Playlist



Spring is here! It's crazy to think that I only have a little over 5 weeks left before summer break, but my schedule can definitely tell--it's one of the busiest times of year at work by far. I've been spending a lot more time out in buildings, and less time at my desk, but I've still managed to find time to pick out some favorite new songs for this season. Here are a few of my favorites:

Thursday, March 23, 2017

5 Faves: Commodity Goods Recipes

I've never been super into beauty products; I don't tend to wear a ton of makeup, and my routine is pretty basic and inexpensive. Even though I think it's fun to branch out and try something new every once in a while, for the most part I stick with my tried-and-true favorites. (I'll also never be able to master winged eyeliner, but that's another issue entirely.) The one exception to that, however, is scents. I may look like I rolled out of bed 30 seconds ago, but at the very least, I will smell good. Lotions, body sprays, and perfumes take up more space than all of my other beauty products combined, and they really always have. So late last year, when I won a giveaway from Commodity Goods, I was f.r.e.a.k.i.n.g. o.u.t. I have been obsessed with CG since my very first cocktail kit, and had prioritized which scents I was going to buy first, when I got an email from them telling me I would be receiving one of everything they make--just for filling out a survey (!). 

What I love most about CG is that, not only are literally all of their perfumes amazing, but they also are formulated to compliment each other, and you can create combinations to make your own scent. I thought it would be fun to post about some of my favorite perfume "recipes" that I wear regularly,  now that I've had time to try them all out. I tend to combine one of their black collection (which are a bit heavier) with a scent from their white collection (which are lighter), but the possibilities are endless. The cocktail kit is a good place to start if you want to experiment and find which combo is your favorite. Here are mine: 

The Brit (Wool + Rain):  Warm and cozy, yet fresh and even a little bit sweet, this is one of the coziest combos, and maybe even my very favorite of all. 

Monday, March 20, 2017

Book Review: Roanoke Girls

Note: post may contain spoilers

I'll say this for The Roanoke Girls: it had me hooked. The day it arrived in the mail, I sat down to read it and didn't put it down again until I turned the last page a few hours later. That was a few days ago, and I'm still trying to sort out exactly how I felt about it.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The Importance of Taking Time

It's been quiet around here for the past few weeks. I've been really struggling with finding balance lately--particularly the balance between being informed about the things happening in our country and letting it consume my every waking moment. I was having a hard time turning off the television and putting my phone down--it felt almost irresponsible, and everything seemed so important. It was hard to look away from, as St. Vincent put it, the "daily litany of horrifying things." You know when something crazy happens and it just throws you completely off kilter for a few days? It was like that every single day. And this space--everything that I could write seemed so pointless. Who cares about British television and my favorite LUSH bath bombs when the world is going to hell around us?

Monday, January 16, 2017

2017 Word of the Year: Focus


I've always been a New Year's Resolution kinda gal. I know that's not really cool anymore, but old habits die hard, I guess. I will admit that a lot of my past goals have fallen into the stereotypical lose weight/get healthy/save money/generic personal growth category, and so last year I set out to change that with A Year of Creative Habits. Essentially I tried a new creative hobby every month and then (most months) interviewed someone I knew who was particularly talented at that type of creative expression. (You can look back through the interview archives here.)

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