Fall Favorites

Earlier this year, I posted my springtime mood board of little inspirations for the season. Now that it’s officially fall (my favorite season), I thought it’d be fun to share my fall-themed mood board (it’s green- and rust orange-colored, but I think it counts 👻). I’m not sure if I will continue making mood boards for every season, but so far they’ve been fun to create and they give me something fun to share with anyone who visits this blog.

None of these photos were taken by me.

Unlike other seasons, for me, fall seems to

come with a built-in soundtrack.

Certain records trigger memories from over a decade ago, memories of driving to college while listening to my favorite folk CDs. Now those albums always remind me of college and my commute, of being on campus in the fall, sipping a latte while reading issues of Nylon magazine and the college newspaper while waiting for my next class to start. Oh, to be a college freshman in a 3000-level creative writing course! *cries in 2012*

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the books on my fall reading list are very academia-oriented (the closest thing I can get to a time machine, LOL).

I’m currently reading “Heart the Lover,” a campus novel recommended by the book critic who writes a column in the magazine that I copy edit at work. (I recently finished reading another recommendation of hers, “Class Clown” by Dave Barry, which was very funny and resulted in many laugh-out-loud moments while reading it *in the wild* at my local Starbucks.)

Other books on my fall-specific reading list include “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt, which I started a while ago but never finished; “The Wilderness” by Angela Flournoy; “Mystery Lights” by Lena Valencia; “The Idiot” by Elif Batuman; maybe a vampire novel or two (such as my very worn copy of “Twilight”); and anything by Sally Rooney. If you have any recommendations, I’m all ears! 👂 Happy fall.

I like me,

Springtime Favorites

Walks in my favorite park.

Long time, no blog! It’s nearly summer now, but I wanted to share a mini-recap of some of the things I’ve enjoyed this spring. I even made aesthetic vision boards for this season:

None of these photos were taken by me.

I don’t own any of these photos.

These images sum up the kind of woman I want to be as I walk through spring and into summer: active in my community and nature; living a slow-paced life; reading lots; rejoicing in and being grateful for the simple joys; nurturing my plants; listening to tons of music; playing instruments; connecting to Christ; having a healthy lifestyle overall.

Current Favorite Songs

• “Doubt (Demo)” by Twenty One Pilots • “Alesis” by Mk.gee • “One More Day” by Sons of Sunday • “What Was That” by Lorde • “I Lied to You” by Miles Caton (and the rest of the “Sinners” soundtrack) • “Sunset Blvd” by Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco

• “Traitor” by Olivia Rodrigo • “Famous Last Words” by My Chemical Romance

I’m also super stoked for new records coming soon from Yungblud (June 20), Lorde (June 27), and both Twenty One Pilots and Tom Odell (Sept. 5, my birthday 🥺💜).

My Reading List

The amount of books I’m in the middle of reading right now is ungodly. I have had to fetch and/or make an insane amount of bookmarks because I’ve been reading so much. The above titles are some of the ones I’m working through. I’m also looking forward to reading the newest Hunger Games prequel, the latest book in the Court of Roses series and more. My full 2025 reading list can be found here.

Other Obsessions

• “Sinners” (which I’ve seen twice now) • “Schitt’s Creek” (which I finished for the first time recently, so good!) • Park walks • Running • Reading poetry to heal the soul • Taking care of plants • Video games • Choosing to be the healthiest version of myself • “Stranger Things” • Family • Green juice

What about you? What favorite things have you enjoyed this spring?

You wanna sink, so I’m gonna let you,

A Very Cozy 2024

P and I on the steps of Starland Strange in Savannah, GA.

Maybe it's winter, or maybe it's just me,

but I've been wanting to be as cozy as possible lately.

I've always had an affinity for cardigans, sweaters, knitwear and all things snuggly, but as of late, it has seemingly amplified. Whether it's a new Hearth & Hand blanket from Target or a perfectly rumpled cable knit sweater found during an afternoon of thrifting, cozy has got me in its clutches. Here are some of the (conventional or otherwise) things that have felt cozy to me this month.

Possibly the coziest sweater of all time.

A new favorite show. I'm usually not too big into television, but lately when I'm looking to relax, I've been seeking solace in an absolutely addictive show that P and I discovered called The Traitors. We've finished season one and are now watching the first season of the UK version of the show. Also cozy: P had never seen The Breakfast Club (for shame!), so I made sure we watched that together this month. Side note: They did Ally Sheedy's character so wrong with that makeover.

Plants. I was obsessed with plants in 2023, but the obsession is only growing (literally). There are some nice pothos plants and other varieties on sale for fairly cheap at my local Publix, so anytime P and I pick up groceries, I am very tempted to add a new plant to the family. (My newest addition is Phil, a philodendron plant.) What makes my day is when I see a new leaf coming in on any of my plant bbs. It gives me a little shot of glee and makes me want to jump for joy.

Playing video games. I go through phases with playing video games, and then losing interest. Right now, I am replaying the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane remastered trilogy on my Playstation and having a blast. It's fun and mindless at the end of a long workday.

Reading graphic novels. Growing up, I was never a graphic novel fan, even though I was obsessed with doodling cartoons of my own. On a fluke, I picked up a graphic novel from the library (also an obsession lately) and now I am HOOKED. Graphic novels are so quick to read and the art is so inspiring. It makes me want to start drawing or painting again.

Plus:

• Taste-testing my husband's yummy new recipes

• Sipping water or tea from a fun new tumbler

• Tom Odell's newly released piano ballads

• The color green

• Cold morning runs wearing my dad's old fleece jacket

• Using Notion to journal and stay inspired

• Dark academia everything

What does cozy look like to you? Let me know in the comments.

With many snuggly days ahead,

Snapshot of a Season | Act 1, Scene 1

We're entering a new season, can you feel it? My sister and I sit on the couch, laughing and crying as we watch an episode of Queer Eye. Happy tears, anxious tears. This week has been a study in emotion, both in expressing it and knowing when to hold it back. It has been the regrowth of sensitivity, of learning to keep my heart open, of tender-hearted prayer with palms up to the sky.

I know I won't always have this. And that's hard.

At the same time, "I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready to move on." Why is it that I must long for a new season, all the while mourning the present one? One day I will wake up in a different town and a different home and my sister won't be on the other side of the wall, playing J. Cole at full volume and strutting about the room in high-waisted denim and yellow espadrilles. One day this will all be different, and it will be good, but I will miss this. I know it, I do. But it doesn't stop me from longing for the future.

The other day, a wedding invitation came in the mail from my cousin.

And then another wedding invitation, from my other cousin. And somehow time is moving, and now it's us, my family, and my friends, who are putting on the rings and having the babies, and I don't know how this happened or who gave us permission to grow up. Change is good, change is good. Life is change, and we move forward. But wow, it's all going by faster than I expected.

A couple of weeks ago,
Daisy and Kaylie and I went to see the Lion King remake.

I sat in a darkened theater and silently wept as Mufasa died, once again. Why did I feel like somehow this time it was going to be different? I don't know why, but I did. Like maybe we could change things. Like maybe he could just hold on a little longer until help arrived. The music to that film just cuts me to the core. It was an odd feeling, connecting with a film that I adored as a child, seeing it again as an adult. In a way, that exactly describes how I've been feeling - as if two parts of me are meeting in the middle, and shaking hands with each other. One part past, one part future, both pulling me in different directions.

So, what even is this post?

This is me processing. It is a sigh of relief, a reclaiming of this space. A tree letting her roots exhale and grow. And you know, I have to say, I'm writing this for me (hence the rambles), but to the people who have stuck around this blog to read even one post or leave a kind word or two: you all are just the sweetest of souls. And I'm grateful that we get to share our thoughts with each other and that you, too, see value in creative spaces and the evolution of those spaces and their authors. I would rather see this space change over time than become sad and stagnant. 

Re: blogging: I think that somewhere along the way, I lost the poetry.

Not that this was ever really a poetry blog. But I miss the outlet these "pages" once were. And I miss having art in my life that is for me. I realized yesterday that I don't write anymore. It took a trip out into the country to realize how much I rely on the Internet and social media to keep myself entertained. I miss those days as a child when I would write by hand with clunky pencils and create stories from nothing. Before my brain was hardwired with this compulsion to constantly "keep up." So I come to this space seeking to reinvent it once more, and to celebrate the fact that it even exists at all.

In less than a month, I will turn 26.

I almost feel as if August is both a prelude of what's to come in my next year, and a season closing, fading out into something new. I don't have exact, concrete thoughts for what the future might hold, but I feel a general sense that inspiration is going to be at the heart of it. Exhibit 1: Last night I felt inspired and revived my old Tumblr. Maybe I'll drop it in a couple of days, or maybe it will become a new space to share my thoughts. Either way, I want expression to be at the heart of my 26th year. Is it weird that I feel like I'm claiming whatever "26" will be for me, now? And taking advantage of the freshness of a new year before it even arrives? Doing it anyway.

To do:

Read more C. S. Lewis. Revive the Twenty Five Project. Write full novels to the albums I've been obsessed with lately (read: music by Bastille, Imagine Dragons). Keep praying with open palms. Keep your door and heart open. Buy flowers. Sing songs.

Til next time, 

E

Living the Artistic Life Everyday of the Week

Hey there, friends!

Today I want to talk about living artistically. I know a lot of you are creatives, and often it can be hard to juggle school, work, family, relationships and all of the other things life throws at us. How do we make time for creative pursuits in the midst of daily life, not just on the weekends? Here are some of the ways I tackle this in my own life. ♥

Listen to music.

Yo, for real though. This might seem like a simple tip, but adding music to your day can make your life feel like a film that you are the star of. Walking to and from work, I always try and listen to music that inspires me or makes me happy, like the Beach Boys. Listening to good music can get you ready to tackle the day, calm you down and feed your creative side.

Unplug after a pre-determined hour.

This is so important, y'all. All day long we rush around, tapping away at our computers, completing assignment after assignment in the digital world. Devoting an hour or two before bed to completely unplug is magical. It helps your brain recharge. Take the time to write your thoughts in a journal, pick up your guitar, or paint. Often we feel like we have less time than we actually do because it's eaten up with so much technology. UNPLUG!

Keep a notebook.

Even if you're not a writer or "the notebook type," this tip can help you hold onto ideas you didn't know you were losing. I don't know how many times I've overheard some wonderful snatch of dialogue or gotten a great idea for a story/song on the fly. Having a notebook on you at all times ensures that you can be creative wherever, whenever. It's fun to write down your ideas on actual paper and not just on your phone because then you will have a full volume of all your cool ideas in one place!

Read.

One of the things that keeps me constantly inspired and growing is reading. Read everything - magazines, novels, the newspaper, websites, other people's blogs, your own blog, the back of soup cans...you get the point. You would not believe the inspiration that can come from reading other people's work and learning about the world. Especially if you're not taking classes! Reading is one of the biggest ways to learn on your own.

The windows are boarded up because of Hurricane Irma. I can't wait til FL is safe again!

Support your local creatives.

Get out in your community and meet the people who are pursuing their dreams and creating wonderful things in your town. Rubbing shoulders with those who do what they love can help you form meaningful connections and inspire you to move forward in your own creative pursuits.

Devote time daily to your passion projects.

This could be anything from baking cookies to learning photography to writing your novel. But the important thing is that you move ahead. Even thirty minutes a day towards a project is still PROGRESS. Take that time you would have spent checking and re-checking your social media and devote it to your craft. Creativity doesn't just have to be for the weekend. If you can't find the time, try going to bed at a decent hour and waking up one hour earlier than usual.

What about you?

How do you stay creative during weekdays? Are there any websites or makers who have been inspiring you lately? Is this a type of post you'd like to see more of?
Let me know in the comments! ♥