Friday Faves

Helloooo 2022!! I intended to start the year with a bang and write a big 2021 recap post with a bunch of my favorite things, makes, and our best-selling patterns from 2021, but then my kids’ school district went virtual instead of going back in person after the break, so instead of writing blog posts and making 2022 goals, I was doing half-assed zoom surveillance on my kids. FUN. It really could be so much worse — we haven't gotten COVID (yet) — but I’ve decided I missed the deadline for a recap post. You know, since we’re now half-way through January. Maybe next year?

Instead, here’s a quick “lately” post (if you subscribe to my newsletter, these lists are also included in my “Studio Notes” emails); these are favorite things I’ve been reading, watching, making, or listening to, or other recommendations; you get the picture. This year, I want to try to constrain the lists to just 4 or 5 things, and post a bit more frequently, so we’ll see how that goes? As mentioned previously, not much has gone to plan yet so… *lifts hands in air and shrugs.*

Some recent faves:

a book series: Clementine and I are both devouring the Shadow and Bone series, which is a 3-part YA dark fantasy. I finished Siege and Storm on New Year’s Eve (bringing my book count for the year to exactly 20 books, woot woot), and we both got Ruin and Rising - the final book - from separate libraries so that we don’t have to fight over the same copy.

knitting socks (again yes): I’m enjoying the “Pretty Song” pattern from the In Bloom Sock Set from Summer Lee Designs, and Soft Sock in Rust from Big Little Yarn Co (purchased at Shop La Mercerie) is delightful as well.

chex mix: Nom nom nom. I’m afraid I’m going to get a bit dogmatic about the recipe here, because - shocker - the “Original Chex Mix” recipe that the Chex Corp. floats around on their boxes and the internet is NOT, in fact, the “original” recipe. The deception of Big Cereal truly knows no bounds. The recipe I use — for the REAL Chex mix - was printed on the inside of a metal Chex tin that my mom ordered back in the 80’s with box tops, which I transcribed onto a now well-worn recipe card that looks like it went through a war or at very least a food fight. It was called “Traditional Chex Mix” and I can assure you that it does not feature such nonsense as bagel chips, garlic salt, or onion powder. The three ingredients besides the cereals, pretzels, and peanuts are butter (a whole stick, please, what the hell is up with only 6T of butter what a waste you might as well not even try), seasoned salt, and Worchestershire sauce (this recipe from the Kitchn is pretty close to mine, if you omit the garlic salt, and onion powder and substitute pretzels and cheerios for bagel chips). I made it last week and it was gone in days.

a planner: Trying out a pretty new planner this year from Rifle Paper Company, which is a departure for me from the Get To Work Book which I’ve been using since 2015. I love the pretty flowers, but so far I like GTWB better.

a newsletter: Do you subscribe to Meg Conley’s Homeculture newsletter? Ugh it is so good. This week she wrote about her family getting COVID and I can’t stop thinking about it. Also please set aside a quiet 10 minutes to read “Tree of Life” which is just really incredible and beautifully written.

Wishing you all the loveliest of weekends.

xo,
Rae