Currently: November 22, 2016
Perhaps my fondest memories from my high school days come from briskly walking home with my sister so we could make it to the couch by 4:00. We had a daily date with the Gilmore Girls.
Not going to lie, I multitasked and binge watched all of the seasons in the last few months because I wanted to prepare for the four episode revival that's being released on Netflix on Friday (!!!). I'm devoting this week's blog to all thing Gilmore. Coffee. The iconic banter. Kirk.
PS :: If Luke and Lorelei don't end up married, I'm going to cocoon myself away for good. I'm entirely ready to to bawl into my coffee mug during the four 90 minute episodes.
Guilty pleasure :: Gilmore Girls quizzes.
- Click here to find out which character you are. Emmy (my lovely sister) and I both got Rory -- let me know in the comments who you are!
- This one is "The Hardest Gilmore Girls Quiz You'll Ever Take." Maybe it's not the hardest one (I got 12/12) but the questions will fill your heart a little bit.
Lessons learned from the Gilmores.
On choosing your family. On being yourself. On allowing loved ones to change and grow. On being uncool. On putting in the hard work. On not letting a difficult personality turn you away. On unapologetically eating. On hurting people who hurt you. On making your love loud and clear. On swallowing your pride. On insisting on something being what somebody else needs. On paying for mistakes. On keeping stories alive. On continuing to grow.
62 of Kirk's Jobs
Beauty shop clerk, shirt designer, security alarm installer, dog walker, Yummy Bartenders company founder, mailbox artist, filmmaker...
Please, Luke. Please, please, please.
If there's just one thing we can expect in the revival, there will be coffee. This article gives the tally of cups the Gilmores managed to get their hands on — even though Luke protested frequently! Hint :: the number is big.
JESS
There were a few things that bothered me about Jess (yeah, yeah, he was "too cool" for lots of things) but in the end, he's my favorite guy for Rory.
Currently: October 25, 2016
Coffee in the garden is one of my favorite pastimes during the crisp fall mornings. Intentionally breathing refocuses my attention for the day and I'm determined to cozy up while I can before the midwest winter hits. Today's "Currently" is all about getting warm.
H&M, $12.99
Plaid scarf
The scarf in my coffee-in-the-garden photo above is from H&M and it's perhaps the coziest scarf I've ever owned. It spans the size of a blanket so, of course, the logical thing to do is to use it as such. A blanket scarf is also a sneaky excuse to carry a "blanket" outside of my house this winter.
telegraph.co.uk
Get cosy: why we should all embrace the Danish art of 'hygge'
I'm so looking forward to my own apartment so I can transform it into the coziest sanctuary of warmth inspired by hygge... "the absence of anything annoying or emotionally overwhelming; taking pleasure from the presence of gentle, soothing things." Wooden furniture and decor, natural lighting, candles, the softest blankets and sweaters, homemade snacks and coffee... I want to get rid of everything that doesn't make me happy or have a purpose. Anyone else want to try this with me?
Weavings
Yarn is soft, therefore weavings are soft. I'm hoping to start making a bunch of weavings of neutral colored yarns to sell for the holiday season. Finished one late last night and then started another! Stay tuned for more info because supporting artists by gifting handmade items is the way to go.
Campfire mug from Art Bar
Art Bar was my favorite place for coffee dates with sweet friends when I lived in Hastings and I'm obsessed with their campfire mugs. I might have to buy one to have coffee in and keep a piece of Hastings with me.
Currently: October 18, 2016
I will always cheer for a lady who buys herself a bouquet spotted at the market if the buds catch her eye. I was called "queen of the weeds" while working on my thesis because I carried armfuls of foraged flowers back to the studio so I could tie them into floral strands. I'm tempted to stop and look at roadside sunflowers and it would make my heart burst if I could own a flower and art store someday. But my lack of a green thumb is apparent as I cannot keep plants or succulents alive.
That said, here are some things perfect for people like me who take on the title of "plant killer." Click the headings for more info!
Lily and Val
I learned this week that it is actually possible to win Instagram giveaways! Lily and Val is shipping me this sweet print, rose gold clipboard and (fake!!!) succulent and I'm so very excited because these won't need any maintenance — I can imagine the little succulent on top of a stack of books in my future apartment. Also, Lily and Val just released their fall and holiday collection and everything screams cozy.
House Plant Cupcakes
My heart! These are almost too cute to eat. The DIY doesn't look too tricky, just make sure you don't stick on pointy cactus spikes before serving to guests.
Modcloth, $39.99
Modcloth "Get Your Chlorophyll" Pillow
As much as I love this, I can't convince myself to spend $40 on a pillow — but I'm going to keep my eye out for cactus fabric because I just might make one.
Stay Home Club, $24
Stay Home Club, $15
Stay Home Club's "All My Plants Are Dead" Tote Bag and Print
For anyone who's a little disgruntled over their lack of ability to sustain plant life, I'd recommend these products designed by Kaye Blegvad. It's okay, maybe someday we'll learn. Also, if you're a little disgruntled about anything, Stay Home Club is perfect for you. This is where I bought my basset hound shirt and patch from, so I approve.
Fireflies.
Every so often, I reluctantly uncover memories of how it felt to be an introvert in high school. I remember breaking the rules to sneak my lunch into the journalism room so I could avoid walking into the cafeteria. I didn't believe there would be a welcoming seat waiting for me. I didn't talk to a lot of people in that season of my life. Because of that, I wove lies that I was unseen by high school humans into my brain.
But I also know how it feels to be filled with love and acceptance, sitting around a coffee shop table, warm mugs in hand, while speaking truths about God and life and listening intentionally on each others' stories. How different it is to be a part of an authentic community that breathes life into the soul.
Sweetest friend, if voices are whispering phrases like, "Nobody sees you. You're worth nothing. Nobody would notice if you disappeared into the dark, snowy night," I pray for a chance to proclaim from the mountaintops that those voices are laced with vicious lies with a plan intended for isolation.
God allowed me to lead a group of the bravest middle school girls for five days this summer. My sweet campers called themselves the Fireflies and they sat down at the table as they were, breaking into the nitty gritty of their hearts' burdens within mere hours of meeting each other. They formed a bare bones community, overflowing an abundance of love and acceptance. My girls were the community that I wished I had when I felt invisible, so I tried to remind them daily that they are seen, brave, worthy, valuable and so, so loved.
This is a love letter to all who crave community and to those who haven't found it quite yet:
Give the lonely season time, sweet friend. Give it a fight. Sometimes it's a matter of praying for a life-bringing community. God wired our souls with a desire to be in community — in fact, He said it's not good for humans to be alone.
We matter, our thoughts and works are precious so we are so much bigger than shallow conversation. Life is sweeter when we have intricately woven relationships rooted in God, and He calls us loved. This life is much too difficult to walk by ourselves.
Much love,
Kate
Currently: October 11, 2016
Feeling insanely inspired by the way Jedidiah Jenkins' words breathe his desire for wringing out every last beautiful second of adventure during his days on earth. I took time to handwrite the transcript of this four minutes and thirteen seconds video into my journal, allowing the letters to form thoughts that made my heart beat a little faster. How simple it is for us to get sucked into routine, to realize that all of a sudden it's October again and this life is going by faster than we'd like it to. And how many of our days are spent learning something new or finding beauty in a new place? It starts with a perspective change and then proceeds with the doing. You can choose to make your hundred years on earth seem like a thousand...
And a few more select words from Jedidiah because they're that good...
“I believe in the goodness of humanity, and I find human beings so beautiful. I think it’s our self-hatred that creates feverish little monsters that go around hurting people. If we understood that we are all lovely and lovable, we would hurt fewer people.”
"A tidal wave of fire. Only to please your eyes. I googled 'why do leaves change color' and I expected some important answer. Maybe animals need to see the color for some reason. Maybe the trees process the last bit of winter sun through yellow and red. No. It's because the green chlorophyll dies away and what is left are the other pigments. Meaning, the beauty serves no purpose. Somehow, that makes it all so much more beautiful to me. Like God of the Magnificent Process of All Things planned it, if only to give those creatures with eyes and a mysterious love of beauty one last show before the world falls asleep for winter."
“A dream is something in your spirit that you need to produce, say, or do. A goal is what you think the manifestation of that dream is. People feel like they fail when they don’t reach their goals, but sometimes your goals are only a rung on the ladder of figuring out your dreams.”