It’s that time where we all say “WOW WHAT A YEAR!” But really, wow, what a year. Instead of a longwinded blabber from me on that front (cuz this email does enough of that), I’ll sum it up in emojis: 🧵 💪 🐕🦺 🌴 💎 ⛴️ ✨ 🍫 ☕️ 🪡 🎮 🚙
Read ‘til the end (or skip to it if you’re a rebel) because there's a question I really want you to answer!
In the beginning of 2024, I declared that I would learn how to sew because I was so tired of getting botched alterations. I then rabbit holed into restoring vintage machines, which in turn, accidentally taught me everything about my sewing machine before I even sewed a single line.
Fast forward to today, and I can hem my pants (my single goal, achieved 🌟), I’ve made weird little dolls, stockings, an entire quilt 🤯 (thanks to Laura Veenema’s book), and even fun bags of all sizes. AND I AM HAVING SO MUCH FUN.
In January 2024, I would have NEVER thought this is what I would have achieved a year later. Goes to show when you try, it pays off 💪
I love it when I find a good ware. From essentials to splurges, these are my picks for wares this month…
- I know I shared what I find to be the most satisfying (and cutest) "stress ball" in the last issue, and while I stand by it, I was gifted this heavy blob and it's now tied for first. It's impossible to decide because they both have a totally different hand feel! One is light and has that airy marshmallow feel to it, and the other is a heavy, dense blob that fits the palm perfectly. So you be the judge 👀
- Not a new find to me ofc, but a new find to so many in our community so I’ll shout it from the rooftops: The Pigeon Letters Studio Paintbrushes are THE premium paintbrushes you never knew you needed! Trust the reviews 🤩
The terms "uppercase" and "lowercase" come from the days of manual typesetting. Printers kept capital letters in the upper tray of a type case and small letters in the lower trays for easier access while composing text.
OK WHO DID THIS 👇
So I was joking about seeing a gold bow at Target last month that I “NEEDED” and I shared it with you all because I refused to buy it because I knew I didn’t need it, but then I go to my mailbox and find, not one, but FIVE of these gold bows. WHO SENT THESE?!?! WHOOO?!
This is hilarious and whoever you are, I laughed SO much when I opened this. And while I said I didn’t need one, now that I have five, I can confirm that I do, in fact, need them 🤣
- This month on my news segment, I took a risk and we crafted yarn pompoms. Because we should ALL have a wreath made of pompoms, wouldn’t you say?! Turns out it was a hit.
- I used to read about 1.5 books a year (yes, one point five, not fifteen with an accidental period), but when Laura set a reading goal for herself, I decided to have a go at it myself, and I surprised myself. While I hit 21 books in 2024, I have to be realistic because my genre isn’t exactly sophisticated (where are my guilty pleasure bad thriller friends?!). Ok ok, some thrillers are written very well, and my favorites that I read this year:
• First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
• Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
• Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
- It hasn't been an easy ride the last few years, and the holidays have been very difficult for me since my mom passed away. It's wild to think that it's been five whole years now. She passed at the very moment of winter solstice, just a few days before Christmas, so I'm usu eager to press fast forward during these months. But I smiled bigger than usual this year, despite the layers of blech 🥰 and this picture makes me happy.
Now, I'm so serious when I say I want your response: What is your word of the year for 2025 and what made you choose that word?!
