My Favourite Articles This Week
Why it’s so difficult getting rid of old books.
People actually like you more than you think.
Wait- butter candles?!?!
Why everything we buy is actually worse now.
My Favourite Links This Week
This beautiful recipe is a really ideal winter dinner, if you ask me! It does something that I really appreciate in a good recipe- you can make a lot of substitutions, and leave a couple things out, and it’s still delicious. And while this calls for pine nuts- which are delicious but expensive as heck- feel free to skip entirely or substitute walnut pieces, as an example! Find the delicious recipe here.
Speaking of delicous comforting winter food, may I recommend this chocolate chip loaf cake for some weekend baking? It checks all the right boxes and feels somehow deeply comforting as a dessert during the winter. And it’s easy, too! Check out the recipe over here.
I had a bunch of leftover cranberries from the previous post’s cocktail recipe, and started looking for a recipe to use up fresh cranberries- and this was the winner! While I hate anything that is described as ‘cleansing’ – this smoothie was really delicious and I absolutely loved it. Made me wish I had more cranberries! If you are lucky enough to have a little stockpile in your freezer, I recommend this smoothie. The recipe is right here.
This happy little felt garland would be a fun craft for Valentine & Galentine season! It’s also really easy, suitable for those who don’t really sew, and would be a fun crafting project with friends, even. Have some friends over to sew the little felt hearts while watching a movie! That would be a great galentine’s idea all by itself. Find the DIY for the garland here.
This is a great time of year to try making your own lip balm! Winter is DEFINITELY lip balm season. This is a great recipe that you can tweak to suit your needs, and add a bit of tint if you would like, too! Find the DIY here.
Whew! Hard to believe December was so long ago, it feels like it’s only been a week into January, but here we are already in the last third of the month! I hope that you are having a great start to the new year, and starting lots of fun new projects, and trying some new-to-you recipes. Stay cozy, friends!
xo Julie
Some great, thought-provoking reads, as always. Thanks for doing the research so that I could just sit and relax and read these interesting articles!
So glad you enjoyed it, my friend! xo
Great finds, Julie! It did amuse/sadden me that the phrase “around the office” in the People Like You article sounded so..quaint. In our house “around the office” would mean two needy dogs, grass that needs mowing and a similarly occupied working-at-home husband. No office water cooler (not that those even exist any more) or Mr. Coffee station (my generation) but a great new Nespresso machine (the personal approach in the Age of Covid.)….Will have to try that cranberry smoothie!
Funnily enough, I was just discussing books and attachment to them with my family. I think I’m something of an outlier, because I am a huge reader, I love books, and, with very few exceptions, I have zero attachment to them. I sometimes wonder if people have just forgotten that libraries exist? But again, so many book people (including most of my family) feel the need to own the books, and then hold onto them forever, so libraries just won’t do, I guess. I take a much more pragmatic view: Realistically, I am going to read a book once, and most likely never read it again (especially fiction). So why should I spend money to acquire it and then let it take up space in my home for the rest of my life? I honestly do not get it. I almost never buy books, I can be ruthless if it comes time to purge the shelves, and while I’d prefer they go somewhere where they can be reused (because ideally, as much as possible should get reused until it can’t be anymore), but if I really can’t find anyone to take them, I will throw them in the recycle bin, because they are paper and can be recycled. I know the very idea causes many people extreme stress, but I just… don’t get it.
Stuffed animals, on the other hand, I cannot bring myself to throw out, but finding anywhere to donate them has become impossible, so those I have a large bag of in my closet that has moved with me several times now.