Things Worth Sharing

Welcome to this little corner of the internet.

This week feels particularly dark. I started to write all my thoughts and feelings and opinions about all the terrible things happening in the world, but then I thought maybe the internet is overflowing with enough thoughts and opinions and feelings and maybe I don’t need to overwhelm you with mine. Just know that I have them. That I’m overwhelmed and mourning and brokenhearted too.

Austin Kleon has described offerings like this as the band playing as the Titanic sinks. I hope it’s not that bleak, but Lord sometimes it can feel that way. Here’s what I have for you today, some goofy links in this broken and beautiful world.

• We made some snowmen this week. I did not want to go outside and build these snowmen, but I am so happy I did it. This little snow family brought me a lot of joy.

  

  

• In this gift giving season there’s a lot of thought that goes into finding the perfect present. Has anyone ever nailed the perfect gift for you? It doesn’t have to feel extravagant or expensive, but it just makes you feel known. I felt like I witnessed the perfect gift exchange on the internet when I was enjoying Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang where Amy interviewed Ina Garten. Ina got Amy a fake roast chicken and the way she lit up was just so fun to witness. Ina totally nailed it.

  @goodhangwithamy

  

  Good Hang With Amy Poehler on Instagram: "Podcasts are great, g…

• I made these t-shirts years ago and still have a few because I love Ina.

• Our whole family has been enjoying the TV show Blown Away. It’s a glass blowing competition show. It’s always funny to me what grabs Elliott’s attention and what he is just not into. He’s not typically into competition shows, but something about this show has him begging me to let him take glass blowing classes. Unfortunately for him they do not let children handle molten glass.

• Has anyone tried this Trader Joe’s Microwavable Fondue? Bread dipped in gooey cheese that you don’t have to clean up sounds made for this moment.

• I keep getting advertised the $200 Made In Griddle, which does not interest me. BUT it made me think of one of my favorite purchases this year which was this lodge cast iron griddle. I use it weekly. It does all the same things but it’s $40 and made in Tennessee. I’m really into broiling meats and veggies, it’s my favorite oven function, which is why I bought it. I have also used it on the stovetop and it’s great for burgers or pancakes. If you’re worried about caring for cast iron, just know that it’s a less is more situation. I scrub mine with water and this weird thing. That’s it. No soap required.

• I made these sheet pan kebabs on that griddle and they were delicious.

• We’re reading Lemony Snickets together and I can’t wait to grab book 3 from the library.

• I’ve been cleaning up my studio which is just a corner of our basement. Most of the piles consist of every single piece of paper that Elliott has ever touched. I was going through them and there were so many gems in there. I kept sending Jason texts of funny things I came across. Things like this:

• The most amazing thing I did this week was take a zoom class with my favorite illustrator Carson Ellis. I know, I buried the lead. Carson is probably best known for her book Home and all of her great Decemberists album covers. I found out about the class through her newsletter Slowpoke, and I have never signed up for anything faster. It was great, she gave us some Transmundane Tuesday prompts and let us go to town. It was very chill. I was even brave enough to show her my very weird illustration! It was a dream come true.

Okay! That’s it friends. I hope this newsletter was a bit of a respite. I’m so thankful you’re here!

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