My Favourite Articles and Links This Week
Trying to problem solve? Go for a walk with the intention to think about the problem.
2016 is widely acknowledged to have been a lousy year, but there have also been awesome things that happened in 2016 – here’s 99 great things that happened in 2016.
I love the very sarcastic (and profanity-laden) review of the annual Williams Sonoma Christmas Catalogue. If you also think that their stuff is really expensive and catering to a very specific demographic, and enjoy your sarcasm served up with a steaming side dish of swearing, then you will laugh your ass off.
Want to write a letter to your future self? One this site, you can write your self an email and schedule it to send to your inbox years in the future.
My Favourite Pins This Week
If there’s a lot of holiday baking in your future but you are wondering where you’ll find the time, I recommend this recipe. You make a big batch of shortbread, and then you can freeze some of it, and portion it out to bake and decorate however you want for each occasion. Sounds simple, right? Heck yes! Pinterest link is here, and the original recipe post is here.
A great weeknight meal that is baked in the oven all on one pan, what more can you ask for? The breaded lemon chicken is a real kid-pleaser, too. Pinterest link is here, and the original recipe is here. Tip: turn your sound off before opening that main link, there is an automatic video ad that plays. Why are so many recipe sites a complete garage sale of ads and pops everywhere?!
Would you like to have a completely awesome day? Of course, that’s what we all want! This ten step list is a great reminder of how the little things can combine to create one really great day. All are totally doable, too. Pinterest link is here, and the original post can be found here.
These adorable paper fir trees are perfect for creating easy holiday decor on a budget, and just right for parties! Hop on over to the original site for the free download. Pinterest link is here, and the original post is here.
Move over baa-ble hat, there’s a new fun chart in town. I love these moose on the sunset background, it looks so fantastic! This sock pattern is in Finnish, but don’t panic- you can right click and translate it into your language of choice (in Google Chrome, for sure). Let the modifications begin! Pinterest link is here, and the original post is here.
I’m having some trouble with comments on the blog lately- they aren’t going to my inbox anymore, so responding is a bit of a problem! I will fix that this weekend. Guy is planning to have a boys weekend, so I’ll be solo parenting- send cookies and wine!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Wow-the future me site made my year! I am going to list my goals 6 months and a year from now and see how I match up. Thanks for all your research and sharing them!
Thanks for the reminder that some really great things have happened this past year in the world, and hopefully will continue to happen despite our new US leadership. And that Williams-Sonoma article was exactly what I needed! I have given up the whole aspirational lifestyle pursuit and am just really enjoying living my real life, warts and all. Have a great weekend, Julie! You’ll have fun with kids!
The moose socks are the bomb! It wouldn’t be the kids that would get me it would be the blog fixing. Have a great weekend!
Thank you for sharing the Williams & Sonoma thing. I’m crying! LOL
I would love to knit up the entwine scarf it looks so warm and cozy.
OMG the Williams Sonoma catalog made me laugh so hard I have tears rolling down my cheeks. You made my day. Thank you!
Such great finds! Love the idea of writing a letter to my future self! I’m also going to put in that chicken recipe which looks perfect this time of year and hit who can’t use a list of things to do to help make the perfect day? I’ve been missing lately, things of been so busy but I’m back and look forward to reading more! Happy Holidays!
Thank you for that list of things that didn’t actually suck this year. Much needed.
And ads — especially obnoxious videos and popups? Arg. Every so often I try to visit a site that won’t let me because I’m using an ad blocker, and they’re very nice about it and everything, all “We promise *we* don’t use any really annoying stuff,” but I’m just not prepared to turn the thing off. I do feel a little bad, because I know that a lot of sites do depend on ad revenue, and I do have mine set pretty low, so it mostly only screens the really obnoxious stuff. But seriously, it’s gotten ridiculous. If those companies are really serious about not wanting to annoy me with ads, they should be loudly demanding that others stop using the really annoying ones. Then I’d be more than happy to “manually ignore,” so to speak, their unobtrusive ads. Until then, the ad blocker stays on.
Yikes. Sorry for the rant. But that chicken looks delicious and is totally going on the meal plan for sometime soon.
Hi Brenda,
I so hear you- autoplaying videos are the absolute worst. I can stand ads, I get it, but I find the majority of food blogs out there are riddled with all sorts of pop ups and ads everywhere (on top of having 20 photos of the food before the tiny postage stamp recipe at the very bottom), that it’s a pain to visit most of them. If I’m making the recipe, I cut and past the text from the site into a word doc just so I can have a clean view of it!
I want. those. cookies. But I must behave. Such a lovely post and I cant wait to go to the snarky William s Sonoma site! The socks are to die for
Hi KAthy,
I hope the Williams Sonoma spoof didn’t disappoint The write up on it is actually done every year, and I always laugh so hard that I can’t breathe. I like a lot of the things in WS, but find the prices staggering. $24 for a silicon spatula? really? And those socks! That sunset background for them is particularly inspired.
Ok, this WS review is hysterical, it made me laugh out loud, thanks for sharing.
But one thing troubles me about your first link : have we reached the stage where people need to be told how to think ? I mean, thinking is the essence of humanity, you know, this little thing that Descartes said, je pense donc je suis, I think therefore I am. I find the title of this post alone quite terrifying. Am I the only one ?
Hi Agnes,
I think people do need the reminder, even though it sounds a bit sad. it’s much easier for people to just sit and scroll through their phones or watch tv and not get outside and let fresh air and exercise clear the mind. Even I forget sometimes how mentally invigorating it is.
The 99 good things are great, but I can see a lot of the environmental ones being reversed if Trump, a climate change denier and petrol-head, goes ahead and reverses some of Obama’s agreements!
The chicken recipe looks delicious. I may try it.
The Morning Organiser? It’s called Being Prepared. I was a Girl Guide many, many years ago. Since then I’ve been Mum to two children. You need your Preparation more than ever then – as you know!
The tree decorations are pretty too. I once made an Advent Calendar along these principles – from corrugated card and six points to each tree ‘section’. I stuck the match from lighting the gas under the kettle each morning in a point as each day passed!
And those socks are gorgeous. What’s the Finnish for ‘translate into English’? Not having Google Chrome & all that.
I think we are all very nervous about what things will be like under the Trump administration, it’s worrying. Hopefully Americans will be pushing their MPs to minimize the damage. I’ve even donated to some American charities, even though I’m not an American. People need to fight for progress again.
Great links! Those socks are stunning.
Love the notion of making a big batch of shortbread and freezing it.
And those tress? What a great idea. I certainly had a “why didn’t I think of that” moment upon seeing them!
Hope the solo parenting weekend went alright. xo
Hi Loulou,
my temptation would be knowing I had cookies in my freezer- I’b be wanting to bust out the dough all the time but very practical for this time of year. And I love those paper trees! Very ‘you’. xo
I love the idea of writing a letter to myself!!! Thank you so much for always amazing links!
Hi Alina,
It’s such a cool idea to have this letter from your past! I’ve been trying to figure out what I want to say, what sort of thing I’d like to send myself. I might do it on new years!
Oh, I love the “10 step to best day ever”… Although my steps will have to be different (totally not a morning person. Once I tried going for a run in the morning and ended up sick the whole day..) but I love the idea of planning ahead to make everyday an awesome day. Talk about taking charge of life! Thanks again for another post of awesome links! To be honest, your blog is pretty much the only one I read these days. I love all these relevant, sensible and fun things you share here. So a big thank you again!