If it’s not happening, make it smaller. This is my paraphrase of one of the techniques in Jon Acuff’s book Finish, and of course it’s something we talk about constantly at Cultivate (little by little!). Sometimes there’s another reason, but more often than not, if a goal hasn’t happened for more than a month, it’s because it feels too big to get my arms around.
These unfinished goals still matter, though, so as I move into a new month, I’ve bringing them with me – but cutting them in half (or more). Maybe completing a bite-size chunk will motivate me to keep going, or maybe I’ll just complete the one bite. Either way, it’s better than nothing :)
On my calendar this month: — I am finally making good on June’s Christmas present of an American Girl doll! We’re heading to Charlotte overnight to pick her out and I can’t wait. (Sleeping in the hotel bed with mama and swimming in the hotel pool might end up overshadowing the doll, though, ha!) Which one will she choose?! — Picking all the strawberries. We’ve already been twice and made this famous strawberry cake last night. Delicious! — A Bulls game with John’s work!
What I’m loving right now: — As a lover of the “government action/thriller” genre of movies/television (Enemy of the State, Air Force One, Homeland, 24, you get the drill), season one of Reacher was sufficiently adjacent to be right up my alley. I really didn’t enjoy the Jack Ryan series, but I loved this one. — We put this coloring book in Shep’s Easter basket and I think it might be magic?! He basically colored it for six hours straight on the drive to Jekyll Island with nary a peep of complaint. (This is not normal.) Highly recommend for any 3-4 year olds in your company! — As a patriot who loves her country, it’s refreshing to see someone take a nuanced look at what patriotism can be and why it’s important, and that’s what this article (WSJ) did. Still turning it over in my mind several weeks later.
As a reminder, you can find alllll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!
What I read in April: — The Power of Fun | I was absolutely primed to love this book (recommended by someone I trust, just seems like my jam), but I found it a bit torturous to get through, and I’m not really sure why. I agree with her thesis, her writing is good, the research is interesting, and the suggestions are solid, but maybe it just felt exhausting to dissect fun in such detail? It felt like it could have been half as long… — The Midnight Line | After we finished the Reacher TV season, I was curious to read one of the plethora of Reacher books. It’s been a long time since I read something like this – mass market, thriller, not particularly geared toward women? – and it was fun! The writing took a beat to get into, but I read it on vacation and enjoyed it.
Revisiting my April goals: Cull and sort the first six months of 2021 photos Design and print camping tees for our tenth-anniversary trip Choose format for EFM book and complete years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 (Absolutely not, ha. I decided to use Blurb but haven’t gotten farther than that.) Write down 2-3 weeks of “brainless” meal plans Choose a way to serve at church on Sunday mornings Make a final kitchen contractor decision and get a start date on the books (Made decision and waiting to hear on start date! Thinking it is going to be July or August based on what they told me when we first met.) Clean out kitchen cabinets in advance of our kitchen project (Made progress! Still some to go.) Take our first bike ride as a family of five!
May goals: — Download Blurb software, get familiar with it, and complete 2008 in book — Start to memorize 1 Corinthians 13 with June — Edit Annie in April, Volume 1 — Go on a family bike ride once a week — Add bookshelves to our loft and Shep’s room — Add artwork bulletin boards to the loft — Write out one spring/summer “brainless” meal plan — Cull and sort January 2021 photos
As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2022 goals!
Favorite strawberry recipe? I would love to hear! So far this year we’ve scooped chopped berries on pancakes and brownies in addition to the cake, and next I want to try the shortcake recipe on the back of the Bisquick box :)
In honor of Earth Day (today!), I wanted to share about something fun we tacked on to Articles Club this week: a stuff swap!
Our beautiful table at Stephanie’s! She is good at what she does! :)
What’s a stuff swap, you ask? In our case, it was a chance to trade our gently-loved items for someone else’s: similar to a yard sale or thrift store adventure, but with only the creme de la creme of items – the treasures you’d be thrilled to bring home after a long day of hunting. Ours was very casual, quick, and simple, but still fun – and it made me want to host a more full-scale swap in the future! Here’s a little bit about how it worked.
Unlike a book swap or a clothing swap, this was a stuff swap, and anything was fair game. Gals did actually bring clothing and books, but there were also beauty items, home decor finds, kids’ stuff, paper products, and more. We limited everyone to bringing just ten items so it didn’t become overwhelming, but I think if the swap was the focus of your event, you could raise the limit!
Some of the goodies and the gals
Steph had set up a folding table in her living room, and as we arrived, we rather unceremoniously arranged our items wherever they fit. This was just fine, but again, if you were going all out, it could be fun to designate different areas for different categories or provide more surfaces/levels to “merchandise” the goods.
To decide who went home with what, we started with a snake draft. (A snake draft, if you’re not familiar, goes like this: person A picks, person B picks, then person C, C, B, A.) We did two snake draft rounds and then opened up the floor for everyone to choose any remaining items they’d like. No fist fights ensued, but there was plenty of QVC-esque marketing of items, ha!
Early picks included a countertop compost bin; a pair of Hunter boots; Anthro coffee mugs; pretty tea towels; the Floret, Elizabeth Holmes, and Annie F. Downs books; a cocktail shaker; heart-shaped cake pans; and a wooden charcuterie board. There were also cozy sweatshirts, a grab bag of greeting cards, candles, and even a few Drunk Elephant items.
For my part, I was pleased to snag a cozy cream sweater (above), jean shorts, a trio of glass candlesticks, and a leopard shift dress. Our youngest and most stylish member, Adelyn, brought the sweater, and even though it was an item she was getting rid of, I snagged it without a second thought, ha!
Any items that weren’t claimed went home with the original owner. It was a welcome opportunity to clear out a few things that felt too special to send to Goodwill but were no longer serving our closets or homes. And a lovely way to live out our article theme for the month: sustainability and green practices!
Have you ever been to a stuff swap? Or a swap of any kind? What kind of swap would you want to host? (I think a cookbook swap would be fun!)
You may recall last August, as I began to emerge from the newborn phase, I wrote about feeling ready to spice up my daily dressing: “After a year of just getting by in the fashion department – wearing what felt like the same four ill-fitting outfits on repeat – I’m eager for some variety and fun,” I wrote. “Even in between pregnancies, I’m guilty of switching out my top and wearing the same jeans, shoes, jewelry, and hairstyle five days a week. There’s nothing wrong with this … but at the moment, I’m feeling inspired to put a little more thought into what I wear each day.“
In that post, I shared inspiration from my dear friend Lisa’s outfit diary series – I adore her style and lean on her for all my burning fashion questions (and rightly so!). In the post, I semi-jokingly asked whether she should come over for a styling session. Well, reader, she jumped right on that suggestion and before I returned to work from maternity leave, graciously came over and pawed through my closet with me! It was a delight, shockingly helpful, and really jumpstarted my return to having fun with fashion.
Ever since, I have been far more likely to put together interesting combos from my closet and put into play the four takeaways from my inspiration pull. Just for fun, I snapped photos of a few recent outfits to share, if you’d like to see. I’ll sprinkle a few more takeaways from my time with Lisa throughout, too!
The morning Lisa was due at my house, I pulled all the clothes from my closet and draped them over the sofa and chairs in our family room. I loosely grouped them into bottoms and tops, and set aside the items that I thought might need to be retired. Friends, almost everything that went into the “possible retirement” pile was, indeed, retired. Ha!
That right there was probably the most productive part of this whole exercise. It was so helpful to have a trusted friend who I could hold up a shirt and raise an eyebrow at and have her kindly agree that, yes, that had been so cute a few years ago, but it was not exactly current anymore. And if it was outdated AND it didn’t fit quite right, I didn’t love wearing it, or it wasn’t in line with the aesthetic I was moving toward? On it went to a new home.
Older clothes were not unilaterally destined for the donate pile, though! This pink tunic from Boden, for example, has been in my closet for probably 8 years. It’s one of my very favorite tops – I wore it for many Southern Weddings photos – but it was feeling a little tired and I wasn’t reaching for it as often. Lisa suggested doing a full tuck with it, and that simple move really brought it back to life.
On this day, I paired it with the Cali Demi-Boot version (Lockwood wash) of my beloved Madewell jeans, which I took a huge gamble on and bought half off on final sale last year. I felt confident to place the order since I love Madewell jeans, knew my size, and had seen this exact pair on my chic friend in person, but still, it was a relief when they arrived and looked cute. On my feet I’m wearing tan suede pointy toe d’Orsay flats.
When Lisa came over, we talked a lot about how I wanted my outfits to feel like Outfits instead of just jeans + tees, day after day. She immediately understood what I meant, and her advice (based on her own fashion journey of the past several years) was to buy a few items that felt really special. Yes, they would likely be more expensive. Yes, they might be more “trendy.” But if I didn’t want to feel like I was wearing the exact same thing every day, then I… needed to not wear the same thing every day. Ha!
You could say I took her advice to heart: Lisa arrived at our session wearing the shirt I’m wearing above and I promptly fell in love and bought the exact same one. It was a splurge, but the floral detailing is so beautiful and I really love wearing it. Also great for nursing! (It doesn’t look like the blue version is in stock right now, but they have it in white, and this top is lovely, too!)
If you’re unfamiliar with & Other Stories, here’s a pro tip Lisa taught me: when you click to the “all clothing” tab, you can filter by “atelier:” Los Angeles, Stockholm, or Paris. I like the Paris atelier, which has a more feminine, romantic style, best.
Here I wore it with my favorite 10″ rise Roadtripper jeans (seriously, nothing feels better than these jeans – they are so stretchy but hold me in in all the right places) and rounded toe navy Rothy flats. A note on the Rothys: my Mom passed them along to me (I think they were too small for her and she missed the return window), and though I wear them often, they always feel a bit pinched in the toe. I’m not sure if it’s just the style or if I should really wear another half size up? They’re very comfortable otherwise!
This dress was a fun purchase this spring! For the price, I was very impressed with the quality and the fit specifically – it nips in at the waist, the top doesn’t gap, etc. Also nursing-friendly! I’m pairing it with my jean jacket and the ankle booties that I’ve worn since 2015.
One thing to note: these outfits are mostly just for the people I love and for me, showing up as my best self in the world and having fun. I’ve been guilty of saving dresses and special outfits for special occasions, but it’s true: every day of this life is a special occasion. So, even though I mostly sat on my sofa and tapped away at my computer in this lovely dress, I felt great while doing it. You don’t need a reason to wear fun clothes that make you feel good (whatever that means for you!)!
This is not the greatest picture (hello, laundry!), but I had to include it because I just adore this shirt. The material is so light and gauzy and really takes it to another level. I actually own this shirt in two colors and two sizes – the white in a size XS and the dusty mauve in a size S. I like both of them and will wear both with a half or full tuck. Wearing with my favorite jeans here as well as my family bracelet stack – one each with the initials of John and each of my littles.
At one of the final photo shoots for SW, I dripped floral glue on a black-and-white striped shirt that was a mainstay in my closet. Until my session with Lisa, I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it… but I also never wore it anymore because of the yellow blob on the front. Once Lisa gently pried it out of my hands, a classic striped tee was at the top of my replacement shopping list. After hearing good things, I ordered the Kule Classic tee in cream and navy stripes (size S). It was not inexpensive, but I’m at the point in my life where I’m willing to trade my money for my time and to pay for good quality (and sustainable practices!).
(If you are considering a Kule tee, I think this particular style runs a bit small. I’m happy with the fit, but it is a little slimmer than I was expecting. Also, it’s listed as navy stripes, but they read black to me.)
Here, I paired it with a pair of Clementine shorts. The color isn’t one I normally gravitate toward, but John actually purchased these for me and I’ve found it to be surprisingly versatile. My sneakers are gold and white New Balance from J.Crew, many years old.
This is not my most inspired outfit (nor the best photo), but I wanted to include it because of the pants! They’re a new purchase this spring and I really love them. The fabric feels like ponte, which means they are stretchy and comfy but also more formal in appearance due to the thickness and texture. I would recommend sizing down in these. I’m wearing them with a cream knit sweater, also from Old Navy many years ago, that I would never have considered tucking in until Lisa suggested it.
On my feet, I have leopard-print Birdies. I don’t find the slide style the easiest to walk in (I’m an energetic walker!), but love having a leopard print back in my shoe repertoire. These were a gift so I felt I could be a little riskier in the style!
Finally, here’s the same Kule tee with a full tuck. Paired with my favorite jeans and my go-to Allbirds, this outfit just feels classic and I love it. I heartily endorse this style of Allbirds (SO comfortable and versatile, plus made from sustainable eucalyptus fiber!) but would also heartily recommend wearing no-show socks, because I’ve found that the toes can wear out if you do not.
One thing I loved learning in my survey data is that many of you not only tolerate, but appreciate that EFM is a bit like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get :) I hope this post has been just another example of that. If it’s not your cup of tea, no worries – we’ll be on to another topic shortly. If you did enjoy it, though, it would be helpful to know!
I’m also curious: have you ever done something like this? Had a friend, or even a professional, sort through your closet with you? I highly recommend it! (And thank you again, Lisa!)
Is it too late to talk about Easter baskets? (Nah – you’ve still got a weekend and a week to prep, if you need it! :))
I know they’re not for everyone, but I’ve really grown to love the opportunity they give me to highlight an important holiday in our faith, support small businesses, replenish basics at the turn of the season, and create some magic for my little ones. And personally, as a creative person, they’re just really fun for me to collect, curate, arrange, and fluff! I might enjoy them even more than the kids.
(If you’re curious, I’ve written extensively on my feelings about Easter baskets in the past – this post captures why I love them and feel they’re an important part of our faith tradition! This post covers some of my tips for keeping baskets budget-friendly.)
Onto the stuffing! Before I get into the 2022 specifics, here are a few things I consider including each year:
— A Bible or faith-based book to add to our library. I’ve rounded up some of our favorites here. (I try to buy these from a local source when possible, like Quail Ridge Books or McIntyre’s Books!) Of course, Write the Word Kids is also a perfect pick for 5-12-year-olds.
— Pajamas. These usually come from Hanna Andersson, Old Navy, or my favorite consignment sale.
Now, here’s what’s going in our little ones’ baskets this year!
Both June and Shep will have a pair of hand-me-down pajamas I set aside from the last load my sister brought over, a few bath bombs, and a matching bathing suit (reader, I could not resist – this for June, this for Shep, and this for Annie). They’ll also have a new box of chalk I couldn’t fit in either of their baskets. In addition, they’ll have a few individual items:
Annie, age 9 months, will have her bathing suit. And actually, her basket is back-ordered until May, so she will have… nothing :) But I’m sure she will be thrilled, regardless!
If you’re celebrating with baskets, what’s your favorite find for this year? Happy fluffing! :)
