Intentions for the new year

The majority of my 2023 was spent in a phase of rest. At the beginning of 2023 I chose the word “ease” as the focus of my year, while in the midst of a very non-easeful season. January of 2023 was quite possibly one of my least easeful months of my life, spent hustling to put together the final details of the DIY Awards Bash event. By the end of January, with the dust settling from a successful event, I was 100% burnt out. I hibernated for about a month, then tried to kickstart myself back into a phase of productivity, but ultimately ended up taking a sabbatical in the summer which I planned to be two months long, but ended up… well, if I’m honest, I’m still in it.

Those months of rest I spent recalibrating my priorities and deconstructing the hustle life I’d created for myself in exchange for one that allowed me to show up in a way that created room for so much creativity to blossom. Within that season of rest I found myself returning to creativity modes that I’d abandoned in the singleminded pursuit of the “DIY influencer” track. I found myself writing fiction and poetry again, illustration, and painting. I realized, to some dismay, that I needed to dismantle (or perhaps rather pivot?) my DIYer mantle for something more holistic and embodied. To create a space that allows me to fully explore all the avenues of my own creativity, including DIY and home renovation. I’ve been quietly and slowly working on a rebrand of sorts, while also figuring out what the end result of that branding overhaul will look like. And likely it will be an evolving overhaul, but for now the focus of that overhaul, and the focus of 2024 for me, is creating space for creativity to blossom, and finding joy through creativity in every day life.

In the past I’ve niched myself into specific creative spaces, but if you know me at all, you know pretty much my entire life is one creative project. If it can be done, I’m gonna do it in a creative way. Part of why I’ve loved the DIY niche is because working on a home and infusing creativity into our living spaces is one of the main ways I think we can invite more creativity and joy into our lives. By making our homes a creative playground, we can let our brains explore even more creativity, or even unlock creative ways of being we’ve maybe buried over the years of adulthood responsibilities. When we say, “it’s just paint!” and paint a wall in our homes, we give ourselves freedom to be creative and less inhibited in other ways too.

So, what should you expect here? Probably less DIY-home-reno-specific-content, but only because there will be more on other creative subjects. I’m working on launching a new podcast focused on infusing life with more joy through a practice of creativity— interviewing creative humans in a broad variety of artistic and creative industries about their own practices and disciplines that have added joy and fulfillment to their lives. I also want to focus on creating more resources that support you in creating a more creative and joyful life— maybe art journals, books, downloadable worksheets, etc. And in the midst of it all, also creating an environment for myself to practice what I preach and invest in my own creative practice. Submitting my artwork to galleries and my writing to journals, applying for artist grants, and being more active in my local art and writing community.

So that’s the download! Nearly 9 months in the making, it’s taken about that long to distill my thoughts on all of this and come to a place that feels in alignment for me in terms of my online “platform” if you will. I know some folks were just here for the DIY stuff, and if that’s you and none of this sounds interesting, no hard feelings if you choose to peace out. A large majority of my audience discovered me during my DIY years. But in 15 years of blogging and social media presence I’ve pivoted a few times, so people coming and going as my content serves them or not feels very much an expected part of the territory. You do you, boo!

But if you’ve been feeling that pull towards creativity as a practice seeking joy, you might want to stick around!

Favorite Books of 2023

I’ve already done a couple posts throughout the year doing a roundup of my reads but now that 2023 is a wrap, I wanted to share my overall favorite books from the past year. I spent quite a bit of the summer re-reading one of my all time favorite scifi/fantasy series’ but for this list I’m going to focus on more current release books, and a couple new-to-me but older releases.

Fiction

Divine Rivals

This was a really fun read that is set in a fantasy world with some element of magic but ultimately the vibe of the setting is more early 1900’s, which I think is a cool time period to do fantasy within. Tons of fantasy novels tend to exist in the medieval-ish realm, which is enjoyable, but the change in venue and the way the magic elements were incorporated felt new and interesting. The love story is really sweet and it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger (not too painful), but no worries because the second book just came out last month! Ruthless Vows is the second book and I’ve downloaded it but haven’t started it quite yet!

Seven Days in June

This book wasn’t on any TBR list of mine, but it breezed into the free little library we have at our house mid-summer and I had just finished a book and it looked like an fun read so I snagged it. I don’t tend to read a lot of fiction set in contemporary times with the exception of my favorite crime novel series, and I definitely haven’t read any romance type books set in a current urban setting, so it was a departure from my normal reads, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I loved the characters, the love story was interesting and sweet, with plenty of interest and a little bit of spice, and it had a very satisfying ending.

Destroyer (and Sanctifier)

This one is special to me because it’s by my friend Meg! Destroyer is her debut novel and it’s a duology, so the second book is coming out this spring! I, however, got to read an ARC of book two, Sanctifier, and it was just as wonderful as Destroyer, and tied up the story wonderfully. This is another fantasy novel, with a sort of 1800’s vibe, and while it included magical elements, the main character is an archeologist, so it has a cool mixture of science, magical skepticism, and lots of intrigue. Meg also has another fantasy novel coming out early 2024, a standalone novel titled The Frost Queen

Fourth Wing + Iron Flame

Probably unsurprising that these books are on the list since they’ve topped charts all year long, but after blazing through the Sarah J Maas universe (ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, and Crescent City), it felt somewhat difficult to dive into a new fantasy series that I fell in love with as much as I’d loved those books. I read Fourth Wing shortly after it came out and started getting glowing reviews, and fell for it just as much as the rest of the world (it seemed). Sweeping fantasy world, epic storyline, compelling characters, and some steamy spice made these two books potentially my favorites from this past year. I’m only halfway through Iron Flame thus far so no spoilers please! But even having not finished it yet, I feel confident in putting it on this list as well. If you loved the Sarah J Mass books, this series is a no brainer.

After That Night

The long awaited next book in the Will Trent series! I was introduced to Karin Slaughter many years ago with one of her standalone novels, but quickly fell into her Grant County/Will Trent series. Karin’s mystery/detective writing is absolutely brilliant and her attention to detail is so incredibly thorough, it really makes her books feel immersive and compelling. The pacing of her novels always feels quick and snappy, but in a way that allows you to fully absorb the story. I’m always impressed with how she brings a new and intriguing mystery to each of the installments in this series. The books never feel repetitive, despite the characters remaining largely the same. If you’re looking for a crime series with lots of books to devour, the Grant County/Will Trent Series’ are great.

Non Fiction

What Kind of Woman

I suppose poetry falls under the Non-Fiction umbrella? Either way, I’ve been following Kate J Baer on instagram for many years, and have even bought this book of poems as a gift for a friend, but never had my own copy. Well, I decided to treat myself to it while I was picking up Christmas presents at the local bookshop last month and it’s just such a wonderful collection of poem that speak to life experience as a women. Obviously they’re poems from her life perspective, and include details about her own life, but her writing feels so deeply universal. Her poetry feels relatable, conversational, raw, and approachable. It’s not pretentious in the slightest, or something you feel like you need a degree in english literature to comprehend. Just lovely, real life poetry.

The Confidence Code

I grabbed this book to read on the plane as it headed to a content creator retreat earlier in the year, and it was a surprisingly eye opening book that dug into the science of confidence, how women experience it differently (often less) than men, and how women can tap into confidence in a way that feels authentic to their lived experiences rather than as a replication of how toxic masculinity presents it. I deeply appreciated the science and studies behind the stories and recommendations the authors shared, which I think made the book feel less fluffy-self-help-y, and more prescriptive. It definitely helped me reframe some things surrounding my own experience with confidence

The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine

As the events of October 7th sparked debate globally surrounding Palestine, I wanted to fill in some gaps in my regional history, and this book in particular is recommended universally, so I immediately picked it up. It’s a mixture of history dating back to the late 1800’s, and the author’s own experience as a Palestinian with the impacts of the Israeli occupation on his own family. I highly recommend if you’re interested in learning more about the history surrounding the current occupation and Palestinian resistance effort.

Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics

This is another book that’s on most lists for folks looking to gain more context on the current occupation of Palestine. This one offers some interesting insight into why liberals and progressives often will leave Palestine out of their efforts towards equality and liberation. It unpacks a lot of the zionist arguments surrounding Palestine, and I think it’s a really solid book for anyone with lingering questions about Palestinian resistance and liberation efforts or anti-semitism as it relates to the arguments against zionism.

best podcasts of 2023

I wouldn’t call myself a podcast aficionado by any stretch of the imagination, but I do have a few podcasts that I listen to consistently and enjoy, so I thought I’d share a short list of my favorites that I’ve voraciously devoured over the course of the past year. Based on my TV interests, I’d think that I’d gravitate towards the true crime serial type shows, but I actually don’t listen to any true crime podcasts, oddly enough. I think I’ve found that my sweet spot is learning/unlearning things paired with snarky shit talking.

5-4 was a new podcast for me in 2023, and it became one of my absolute favorites. It’s one of the only podcasts that I actually pay for the subscription to access bonus episodes and since I’m fully caught up, I’ve been delving into the archives to get even more 5-4. Oddly enough (for me, I suppose) 5-4 is a podcast about the Supreme Court. More specifically it’s a podcast about how much the supreme court sucks. Having grown up in a conservative household and worldview, I never thought much about the supreme court or the decisions of the supreme court being positive or negative. I think I probably had the opinion that it was a protective body upholding the constitution. But I’ll admit outside of landmark cases like the recent Dobb’s decision, the Supreme Court wasn’t something I thought about much, especially in the context of my current leftist perspective. Learning from Michael, Rhiannon, and Peter — all left leaning lawyers— about notable supreme court decisions that have helped (negatively) shape legal precedent and US society has been really illuminating. And their hilarious commentary and snarky take downs make the podcast something I’ve laughed out loud to on many occasions, not something I would have thought I’d do listening to a podcast about the supreme court.

Maintenance Phase has been a staple in my podcast lineup since 2022. It’s essentially a podcast about debunking junk science and cultural ideas about health and weight. The hosts, Michael and Aubrey, take turns each podcast teaching the other about a topic, book, or public figure that has made an impact on the cultural discourse or widely accepted “science” surrounding weight, nutrition, and health. And while the hosts themselves are absolutely hilarious to listen to (again, a podcast I regularly laugh out loud to) they actually do a remarkably thorough amount of research for each episode. In a way I feel like it’s sneaky the way they spoon feed me so much incredible information and research because the podcast is a brilliantly enjoyable listen. Michael and Aubrey have the wittiest rapport with one another and, like 5-4, their humor is snarky and biting— right up my alley. These two are doing some serious heavy lifting in dissecting and debunking so much in the realm of fatphobia, and have been instrumental in a lot of my own personal unlearning in that area.

You might recognize the names of the hosts of If Books Could Kill— Michael is a host on Maintenance Phase and Peter is a host on 5-4. My podcast taste is a little incestuous it seems. What really happened is that I listened to Maintenance Phase and then Michael announced his new podcast If Books Could Kill and I knew that I’d enjoy it because I love Maintenance Phase so much. Then I listened to If Books Could Kill and enjoyed Peter so much, when I discovered he was on 5-4, I started listening to that. So there you go.

If Books Could Kill is essentially a podcast debunking and, you got it, talking shit about the runaway bestselling books that America has fallen in love with and potentially fallen for some bullshit ideas wrapped in the shiny cover of a seemingly life-changing book. So think… your Atomic Habits, The World is Flat, The Five Love Languages, The Coddling of the American Mind, The Secret, etc. This podcast has a similar format to Maintenance phase where each episode one of the hosts basically teaches the other one about a book or topic that they’ve read and deeply researched (though Peter will admit, Michael does the lion’s share when it comes to research). It’s wildly entertaining and oddly educational.

We Can Do Hard Things is a podcast that I don’t find myself listening to each and every episode of, but I do enjoy quite a few of their guests, so I’ll cherry pick here and there when they’ve got a guest who I’m interested in hearing. Most recently I listened to the newest Liz Gilbert episode, and the Dr. Becky Kennedy episodes are some of the most impactful parenting information/perspective I’ve gotten from a podcast. The format is typically the three hosts conversing with a guest, but they do have quite a few episodes where it’s just the hosts— Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle. Glennon and Abby are married, and Glennon and Amanda are sisters, so they all have a fun dynamic. It’s a super heartfelt podcast that often has a deep spiritual and life-lesson-y focus, but they’re more irreverent and funny than, say, your Oprah SuperSoul podcast. They have lots of big-name guests on the show, including Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama, Brene Brown, etc. If you’re doing some deep shadow work and emotional healing in 2024, this might be a podcast you find helpful!

Best DIY Projects of 2023

2023 was a bit of a slower year project-wise but I love what I got to create this past year. These are in no particular order but I think my top three are the library, the fireplace, and the disco mirrors. I’m counting The DIY Awards as a DIY project because, well, it was quite possibly the most intense, stressful, and time consuming DIY project I did all year. Tap on each link to go to the tutorial for that project (and if you click the DIY Awards one it’ll take you to the Awards round up with photos from the event, as well as all the winners!).

I don’t have anything solid planned for 2024 projects, but I’ve had some things that have been needing to be done for many years and I’m hoping to get those projects ticked off this year (there’s a half finished bathroom staring at me right now).

All in all, I’m proud of what I did in 2023, most of all the rest I allowed myself to take. I’m feeling like I’m going into the new year recharged and re-inspired, whereas I basically dragged myself through January last year trying to finish up and put on the DIY Awards event, and then subsequently was burnt out for a good portion of the year.

So here’s to 2023 and her accomplishments, and a fresh new year ahead full of possibility.

01/ The Ikea-hack built-in library

02/ The DIY Modern Garden Trellis

03/ The DIY faux concrete electric fireplace

04/ The Disco Mirror projects

Disco Mirror Jr.

big disco mirror

DIY Disco mirror booties

05/ The DIY Awards

A DIY Minecraft Birthday Party

The two weeks before Christmas are always a little bit of a mad dash since Jack’s birthday is in that time period. Every year I try my best to create a really fun party for him to help ensure his birthday doesn’t get rolled into the busy-ness of the holiday season. This past year he’s gotten super into Minecraft (and TBH our whole family has, which has been a blast), so we obviously had to do a Minecraft themed birthday party.

All three of us were Minecraft characters for Halloween, so I saved those costumes to use as decor for the party (the Ghast below was Dan’s costume). Some of the decor was just Minecraft party decor from Target, like the table cloth, but most of it was DIY! I grabbed some of the printable decor from the Jennifer Maker blog, and then I tweaked some of her downloads in photoshop to add more things.

One of the fun ideas I got from her blog was to incorporate the in-game food as the party food. So we had melon (watermelon), apples, carrots, sticks (chocolate pocky), chicken (chicken nuggets), rotten flesh (beef jerky), and potions (apple juice and koolaid). I usually do a pretty fancy cake and this year’s was one of the harder ones I’ve done, simply because fondant is way harder to apply to a square cake, but we made it work. I did a grass block for the base layer and did green fondant with green food coloring painted squares for the grass, and then brown sprinkles stuck to chocolate frosting for the dirt part. Then the top layer was all fondant frosting and I printed the TNT on paper, cut the letters out, and stuck them on with water.

We made Minecraft themed perler bead patterns as a craft, which is definitely a 7/8 year old and older activity, but it was super fun.

I have a feeling this obsession might continue far into the future so this might not be my last Minecraft birthday party, but it was for sure a fun one!