gifts to give your kindreds for Valentine's Day

If you're like me and sometimes feel a bit "meh" about Valentine's Day, turn the meaning of the holiday on its head and get something special for the kindred spirits in your life. Whether you have a Valentine, want a Valentine, or hope your Valentine does something other than spend $100 on flowers again, you can always celebrate your BFFs.

Here are some ideas for fun gifts you could give them (clockwise from top left):

The sugar lip treatment is the best. It comes in tinted and untinted. Such a sweet little gift. 

The Best Friend Ever necklace is adorable. And so are all the other necklaces by this brand at Nordstrom.

I know that chocolate is totally a Valentine's Day cliche, but if my kindred showed up with a box of these dark chocolate Frangos or one appeared in my mailbox, I would text her a photo of me smiling with tears in my eyes saying, "you get me, you really really get me."

Heart of Gold bangle from Kate Spade. Because for sure your BFF is golden. Yes.

Over the last year or so, when I've shared a room at a retreat or when friends have visited and they've seen how I organize my make-up and other things when I travel, they inevitably pull out a ziploc bag and say, "This is how I do it." Now a ziploc bag is totally okay honey. Always. Easy to see what's in there. But if you have a friend who is longing for a cute makeup bag but won't treat herself, this Orla Kiely train case at Target is awesome. It has a special zippered area on top for brushes or other things, which is unique for this style. Love. Might have found its way into my cart last week. Maybe.

The kindred necklace set from my shop. This is my take on the Best Friends necklaces from my middle school years. They're at a special price (more than 25% off) so you can get one for your friend and keep one for you (and if you want to get several or an odd number, just send me a note).

I couldn't stop there, so here are six more ideas (clockwise starting at top left):

Love love love this card from Emily McDowell. It says everything I wish someone would have said to me when I was about 21. Also love this one over on Moorea Seal.

chasers of the light: poems from the typewriter series by Tyler Knott Gregson looks so lovely. I see his poetry on Pinterest all the time and it is just gorgeous. And giving someone poetry on Valentine's Day is a very very very good thing.

You probably already know I love BlueQ pouches. They are so lightweight and easy to clean and come in great sizes. This one is a pencil case size and perfect for travel art supplies or receipts. I have the tin box in this same style and love it.

This print from Lori Portka really says it all. Beautiful.

A mug that greets you each morning and reminds you that you are enough is pretty much perfection.

I was going to save this notebook for a post I'm doing on about my current studio "stationery" tools, but then I thought that you might just need to give this to the list maker kindred in your life. It is lined and perfect for making list after list after list. Or writing poetry. The best size and so light. I love it. 

Other ideas: Vivienne's Be Your Own Beloved Class (take it together!), a massage at your favorite spa, my Water Your Mama Soul class, sending something simple that you love in the mail (a dear friend just sent me her favorite hot cocoa and it made me feel so loved), or even showing up with Starbucks would be the best. And don't forget, you could even make your own sweet Valentine's and send them off to your friends because real mail is always a good idea.

Please note: Some links in this post are affiliate, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase something through the link.

the file drawer {5}

As I continue to brainstorm and dream about future retreats and online offerings, I'm holding this quote close. Yes. I love Madeleine L'Engle.

When I was doing a little research about this self-care article, I found this Mayo Clinic piece about how laughing is good for your health. So bring on some more lip synch offs and clips from Graham Norton.

Hindsight. Are you watching it? Just watched the two episodes this week and I can't wait to see the others. I kept saying to Jon that this was such a well-played nostalgia move by VH1. (And that moment when she says, "oh my green razor!"....so I still have mine. Since high school. I love that thing.) 

So this is the part where I admit I finally watched Gone Girl. I've been meaning to read the book forever. But didn't. And then I somehow missed every possible spoiler that crossed my path. Thank goodness because OMG I really did not see that coming. I mean I saw somethin' but not like that. Oh and this is where I also tell you that one way to know the age difference between Bonnie and me is that when we were working in the studio and I told her I finally saw it, she said something about almost not watching it because Ben Affleck was in it. Sigh. She doesn't know Ben like we do. Next up on the studio must-watch list: Good Will Hunting.

This recipe was repinned more than 2000 times on my YES board in just a few hours, so I'm thinking you might want to pin it too. (Crazy. I mean it looks good, but I did not expect that response. So fun! Totally want to make it, which is why I pinned it of course, but now I know chocolate covered bananas + peanut butter are loved by all!)

This article completely captures why I'm a Swiftie too. Big. Time. (And I might have started following TS on Instagram. Yes, I am that mom.)

I read Ellie the The Velveteen Rabbit for the first time recently. Oh my gosh I love that story. And I love that we're able to read it from my copy from when I was a kid.

We also watched Swiss Family Robinson while Ellie was home sick this week and I remembered as a kid realizing, "Oh I'm supposed to have a crush on the older brother even though the younger one is cuter." Like a Disney version of the "ahhh Han Solo is the hot one...I get it now" moment. But now that I'm almost 40, I'll take the dad please. He adores the mom in the cutest most earnest yet wee bit sexy way.

And now for something really good: Ellie and I head to Disney World tomorrow. We're meeting up with my dad and stepmom. We're staying at the Wilderness Lodge. And Ellie is about to overflow with excitement. She's been wanting to go for so long and now that day is almost here. (And if you've been reading for a while, you might know that I'm kind of a really big fan too [yes i did just link to that incredibly cheesy early blog post]. I haven't been in seven years and I'm really excited too!)

I've scheduled some blog posts for next week while we're gone. For months, I've felt like I want to get more posts up on the site and it feels good to just get the ideas out of my "blog post idea" notebook and onto the blank white space here. Hope you enjoy them! And when I get back, I think there will be several posts about Disney World and traveling that far on a plane with a little one and so many other good things. Including how the heck my feet make it with my plantar fasciitis. And be sure to follow along on Instagram for some peeks of our trip!

crazy good nutella rolls

So this isn't going to be the prettiest post you've ever seen here, but it might be the tastiest. 

Earlier this month, my kid and I were in the mood to bake, and I realized I had two tubes of crescent rolls + a new jar of Nutella. I did a quick Pinterest search for monkey bread from crescent rolls. I've never made monkey bread but I've heard friends swoon about using crescent rolls to make it. So after reading a couple of recipes, I decided we would dive in and just do our own thing inspired by the recipes.

First, we rolled the dough into one big rectangle (I just pinched the perforations together). She LOVED this part, especially sprinkling the flour all over the place.

Second, we spread some Nutella. This was as difficult as it looks in this photo. Super sticky. Next time I would put the Nutella in the fridge overnight to keep it good and cold, which would have made it so much easier to spread. But this was also her first time having Nutella. Licking the spatula off did not disappoint. 

Third, I used a pizza cutter to slice thin strips of the dough. About one inch or so worked best (I'm not much of an even cutter or slicer so they widely varied, which didn't matter at all).

Fourth, we rolled them into little pinwheels. So cute! And put them close together in a round cake pan. (You could use any pan, but you really want one that isn't too big. We were using two cans of crescent rolls, so I used an 8" cake pan. If you were using one can, you'll probably want something smaller.)

Fifth, I brushed about two tablespoons of melted butter over the top because based on the the recipes I read, this would help them brown. And, well, BUTTER! And then because I'm a wee bit wacky, I also sprinkled on some cinnamon and sugar. 

It. did. not. look. pretty.

Sixth, we baked them at 350 for about 18-22 minutes. I started checking at 12 and used the toothpick test to determine doneness and stopped keeping track of the amount of time. About one episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

When they came out of the oven, they were all smooshed together and still not that pretty.

But the taste? Oh my goodness. The best. And a perfect way to use up those crescent rolls.

And to put it mildly, my kid is a bit delighted to have Nutella in the snack rotation.

(You might also like our yummy yum yum yums. Clearly I get a bit excited about baking in January.)

creative afternoon retreat for one

 

As part of my collaboration with eBay, I'm sharing some ideas about how to create a Creative Afternoon Retreat for yourself. The article gives you a template to help you begin planning one, and it gives you ideas to simply think about how you can give yourself a short retreat when you have a little bit of time.

You can read it right here. Hope you enjoy!

(And as I look to writing more of these kinds of articles here on my blog and for eBay and other sites, I'd love to know if there are topics you want to hear more about. Send over an email with questions or ideas and let me know!)

love this :: current favorite tops

Over here, I'm alternating between jeans, leggings, and Texture pants daily and thought I'd share my current favorite tops. What I love about all these is that they are pretty much year-round tops for the Pacific Northwest. Perfect for layering or wearing as a top layer.

1) The Centerline Slub Tee from Anthropolgie feels like a super soft t-shirt but can look dressy. It is very swingy, so you might want to size down. It would look great with skinny or boyfriend jeans. I bought the blue because I wanted to add that sea color to my wardrobe. I really loved the gold but the coloring wasn't quite right for me. And the grey is gorgeous, but they didn't have my size. Note that the back is silky and probably rayon, so you might need a tank as it is a bit sheer (I always wear one of these). 

2) While at Anthro, I also found this tee. It is a great neckline for layering under some of my flowy tanks/dresses that are sundresses in the summer but dresses over jeans for me in winter. So soft and lightweight. LOVE IT! And it is 100% cotton, which can be hard to find in stylish t-shirts these days. I'm thinking about getting a few more colors.

It makes me so happy that Anthro carries XL in some many of their styles now. I also tried on this tee and really liked it but decided to get the other two instead. I have it in my cart though to watch for it to go on sale.

When I was at Nordstrom before Christmas, I came across the Sejour brand. It's their inhouse "plus size" version of their Caslon or Halogen brands. I love the styles they have in those lines, especially the t-shirts, but I often find that they are simply too tight in the arms for me. Sometimes the plus size of brands is too large, I seem to fall in some ambiguous middle ground in some stores, but I really like the styling of Sejour.

3) I got the Sejour lace yoke tank, which I wear under a long cardigan or the Free People top below... I pair it with leggings or jeans. And it will be great in summer. It is very flowy, but because I'm wearing it with leggings, I love that. (And if you don't need a plus size, I found a somewhat similar look here and here.) I also have this tee, but I cut the neckline (using this tutorial). It has more of an aline shape on me than the photo shows and is quite flattering. 

4) So often I see clothes from Free People that I like, but they do not carry a size bigger than a large, and they indicate the large is a 12, so usually I just ignore their section in Nordstrom. But a few things caught my eye, so I wandered for a bit and then found the Free People Sunset Park Thermal top. I got it in black (each color available seems to have its own listing on Nordstrom). It is super cute on and big, so order down. The L fits me and is very swingy and the fabric is so soft. I wear it layered with a long tunic or dress underneath and leggings or jeans and it makes me so happy. Note: The way the seams are sewn, there are little threads that are fraying, and before you wash it, they will leave little bits of fluff around you. No big deal if you're wearing black and have darker furniture (and this pretty much stopped after about three wearings), but I was wearing it at my mom's and sitting on her cream sofa and left a little trail behind me. Would also be a cute cover up.

5) And lastly, here's the Scoop Neck Jersey Tunic from Eileen Fisher. It is another one I'm pairing with leggings - falls longer on me than the model and it looks good with jeans too. I've even paired it with a long black skirt. Eileen Fisher is one of my favorite brands. I try to buy pieces that I'll wear for years as they're pricey but the quality is wonderful.

I'm also still wearing everything I shared in this everyday outfits post from about a year ago. That vest is still available and I still highly highly recommend it.

Oh and did you notice I mentioned leggings about five times in this post because dudes, I'm wearing leggings and showing some knee. For reals. My current favorite leggings are from Old Navy. I've always loved the ones from JJill too.

Note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store. See other "Love This" posts here. And see more of the clothes and accessories I wear and recommend on my "In My Curvy Closet" pinboard.

the heart.full collection

whole heart talismans in the shop

She wasn’t one for a month all about love or stringing hearts up about the house. She rolled her eyes at the idea of one day when someone you call sweetheart is supposed to buy you roses. She had spent so many days alone that even when she found herself in love and loved in return, she still tried to ignore this need others had to make one day about something that never quite felt real. She was quiet about it but mostly tolerated seeing everyone in red, and then she bought the chocolates when they went on sale.

Years passed with this story on repeat.

Then a few years ago on a day in July, she found herself holding the pieces of her ownheart together as she watched a doctor try to heal the tiny heart of her five-week old daughter. That day gave her a new sense of what a heart could be, could do, could mean.

In the days that followed, even as life shifted and pushed her in ways she never expected, she found herself saying yes:

to hearts about the house
to seeing the light shine through the cracks
to wearing red
to letting herself be loved
to opening herself to healing

As the light returns a bit more each day and the calendar moves closer to that day of love, she stands in this moment and says yes to all that is to come.

I wrote a variation of these words back in 2011 and am revisiting them because I just really want to tell you this story. I want to share this glimpse into how you can hold something as simple (and huge) as "I just really don't like Valentine's Day" in one hand, and in the other, hold this belief that you can choose love today. And I guess I just want you to know why hearts so often appear in my jewelry, in my photos, in my world.

Hearts have become my way of holding the idea of "love always wins" close to me. 

And here's the thing about choosing to believe that "love always wins." It doesn't mean, "love always makes life easier" or "when someone loves you everything falls into place" or "you aren't winning if you aren't in love" or even "love will never hurt you." To me, it means a belief that keeping my heart open by choosing love (for those around me, for life, for the earth, for myself) will profoundly make the world a better place to live. 

Yes. Yes. Yes.

The Heart.Full Collection

And I'm also reintroducing the Heart.Full Collection in my Soul Mantras shop. My heart lockets have always been part of it since I introduced it back in 2011, but I'm excited to grow it a bit more and give it a special spot in my new shop.

I've gathered up the hearts alongside the phrases I hold close to me when love feels far away and put them inside this collection. I'll be donating 10% of the profits from these necklace to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital here in Tacoma where Ellie spent five days when she was just a few weeks old before she went on to have open-heart surgery in Seattle.

Thank you for supporting my shop and this collection and for reading these words today. I'm so grateful for you (yes, you).

And because the new "whole heart" talismans shown in the photo above have become my favorite thing in my shop (maybe ever), I'm also introducing a buy 4 get 1 free special. Several of my customers have told me that they loving giving them to their friends. And I began to imagine so many beautiful souls carrying words like "loved" and "brave" and "kindred" and "xoxo" and "whole" in their pockets reminding them that they aren't alone...so I want to help you make that happen in your corner with this special.

Sending love love love your way today.

creative adventures :: kiwi crate

Over here, we continue to be totally delighted by the kits from Kiwi Crate. We've been subscribing to their monthly crate for about two years now, and each month, Ellie's face lights up when she sees her name on the big green box. (Love that the kits are addressed right to the kids.)

Each month there's a new theme and this past month the theme was baking. We both said it might be our favorite box yet! Though we're also big fans of the Rainforest Kit, which includes this Rainforest Frog Game. The Pom Pom pets are maybe our ultimate favorite though. Ellie and Jon still make them from time to time. (I've started giving the Mini Kits for birthday gifts now that Ellie is in school and birthdays pop up every few weeks.)

If you follow me over on Instagram, you've probably seen peeks of the boxes each month, and I thought I'd share a bit more. What I like about Kiwi Crate is the kit includes everything you need to complete the two projects inside (there are also ideas for other projects to do around the theme too in the little "magazine" that's included). 

Ellie and I do craft together a lot and she plays with beads and other things in my studio while I work sometimes, but I'm not really one of those moms who can look at popsicle sticks, beads, and pipe cleaners and say, "You know what we should do today? We should use all of these things to BUILD A CASTLE!!!" Not so much. (Maybe there aren't a lot of moms like that, but doesn't Pinterest make you feel that way sometimes? A whole post about that coming soon.)

Which is why I love kits like this one. (And that's why I only pin crafts I feel like I can actually do to my "creative fun with EJ" Pinterest board.)

The kits are also perfect for Ellie and Jon to do together. Sometimes a kit has a science theme, which makes him super happy, and they often do one of the projects in the kits when I'm away at a retreat. (Though he's really the true crafty one. Did I tell you about the coat and hat he made for her stuffed turtle while I was away at my last retreat? Seriously!)

These kits give us a great weekend afternoon activity, and the completed projects are fun to get out, especially on rainy days. Over the last two years, it has been really fun to see Ellie grow as she's gone from being able to do some of the kit to doing almost all of it herself. The company that makes Kiwi Crate also now has kits for older kids too. Love that! I pretty much want to subscribe to the Tinker Crate for me (for reals).

Do you do any crafty kits like this with you kids? I'd love to add another subscription or other kits to the mix over here. Share in the comments so we can all learn from each other.

Note: This post is not sponsored by Kiwi Crate, but links throughout are affiliate.

playing with one-moment memoirs

When she's not around, it sometimes feels like she leaves rainbows for me to find.

My friend Jenna McGuiggan is hosting a month of prompts over on Instagram to inspire people to begin to write little snapshots of a process she calls the One-Moment Memoir. 

I've been having so much fun with these one-word prompts and exercising my writing muscle in a different way, thinking about capturing a moment with a photo and then telling a very small story about it in the description on Instagram. 

Here are a few of my favorites so far.

This simple ordinary act of reading at night ties her childhood to mine to his and to so many of you. One day maybe she will read to someone small and think about these ordinary moments with us and she will have this glimpse of knowing how much we love her.

Using my grandmother's bread cloth tonight. It's been in a drawer and then a box since she died almost ten years ago. My mom gave it to me when we visited her at Christmas. Tonight, I think about my grandmother's hands ironing this cloth and then baking, carefully wrapping, and serving rolls or bread, and I miss her so deeply. But the missing is softer and with a new sort of rhythm, a new sort of breathing that begins deep in my belly instead of catching around my heart.

The rhythm of stitch after stitch takes me from frazzled to centered, from there to here. It becomes the gift within the making, the giving.

One-Moment Memoir: The Virtual Workshop

I was lucky enough to dive deeper into Jenna's process and take a sneak peek class of the one she's offering this Saturday. As Jenna explains, "One-Moment Memoirs is a series of writing exercises designed to help you discover and write the stories of your life. This hands-on workshop will help you take a relaxed, yet focused, approach to telling life's big and small stories in bite-sized pieces."

The exercises she shared in the class helped me to come up with new angles on stories I've been wanting to tell but haven't quite known where to begin. I'm excited to share those stories here soon and maybe even in the second book I'm gently pushing myself to get back to writing.

I highly recommend her course. It's a virtual course, but it's going to run live this Saturday and it is going to be awesome! And if you can't attend live, you can still sign up and receive all the course goodies + recordings so you can work at your pace. Find out more here.