I’ve been sewing, stitching, embroidering, crocheting, and making things by hand since I was around seven years old. When I see something I like, my first thought is usually, “I can probably make that,” and I often do just that. Needlecrafts have always been my thing, but one stands out more than the rest because I find it the most calming. That’s probably a big reason why I still love cross stitching as an adult. As a kid, I had two career goals: cashier or fashion designer/costumer. Cash registers fascinated me because they were huge, full of buttons, and made all kinds of noise. On the completely opposite end of…
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Soup, Salads & a Simple Saturday
This was my Saturday. I woke up this morning craving soup because I am a full-blown soup fiend… especially chicken soup. So I made a quick chicken and lentil soup with fresh roasted chicken, red lentils, onions, celery, carrots, and even a tiny bit of corn. Honestly, a lot of my soups end up becoming a “what’s left in the refrigerator” situation anyway, and somehow that always makes the broth better. I had too much chicken, so I also made a quick little chicken salad. Then I decided I wanted salmon salad too, so I made a small batch of that as well. The good part is both salads use…
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My Mom and Her Network
Today is my first Mother’s Day without my mom. And listen… when I was a kid, I thought my mother was rough. Not mean. Just tough, sometimes strict, and always in your business. The kind of woman that could roll her eyes so hard it felt like a personal attack. Those eyes had power. But let me be clear… YOU were not allowed to roll your eyes back at her. If you valued your life, you kept that little attitude to yourself and mumbled under your breath where she couldn’t hear it. Like many moms, I think she also had bionic ears. That was a mommy super power. And my…
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Lessons in Living — Lesson #4: Finding Balance in Everyday Life
Welcome to Lesson #4 in my Lessons in Living series. This one is about finding balance in everyday life. Life is funny like that. I’d love to believe that focusing on balance in day-to-day life is simple, however it’s not always as simple as it sounds. What Finding Balance in Everyday Life Really Looks Like You need more sunshine — good for your mood, your energy, your bones. But not too much, because now we’re talking about skin damage. You need more fiber, more fruits, more vegetables… but go too far and suddenly your stomach is like, what are we doing? Carbs, they matter. Too many? That’s a problem too.…
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🌿 Tree Nut Allergies, Blossoms, and the Things We Don’t Always Think About
🌿 Tree nut allergies don’t take a season off…but blooming season has a way of bringing things to the surface. Not in a loud way.Just in that quiet, pay attention kind of way. A lot of the things we call “nuts”…don’t start that way at all. Almonds begin as soft pink and white blossoms that look a whole lot like cherry blossoms.Cashews grow from flowers into a fruit… with the nut hanging off the bottom like a little afterthought.Walnuts and pecans bloom too—their trees follow the same quiet process.They’re not always pretty or noticeable, but they’re still part of the story. It’s easy to forget that what we’re eating is…
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🧵 Achy Hands from Stitching (Because “One More Section” Never Means One)
There’s a certain kind of ache that comes from doing something you love a little too long. Achy hands from stitching aren’t always dramatic, they show up quietly. You’ve probably felt it— that deep, tired feeling in your fingers and palms after you’ve been sitting there… stitching… telling yourself,“just one more section.” (We all know how that goes.) If you crochet, knit, embroider, cross-stitch, or sew — you probably know exactly what I mean. Achy hands from stitching happen more often than we talk about. Your hands are doing small, repetitive work for long stretches of time, and eventually, they’re going to say something about it. The goal isn’t to…
