May Favorites: Making, Reading, & More
May was a *special* month for creativity.
To put things lightly, my life behind the scenes has recently skewed toward the stressful. The uncontrollable “one-thing-after-another” stuff that adults warn you about when you’re a child. Not to mention my passport expired, which does happen on a schedule, but also how dare they?
Slowing down in no way comes naturally to me, yet I find myself in a season where doing so is necessary. I’m doing a little less socializing, and accepting a little more help.
But the one thing I speed up when I’m going through a rough patch is creativity. The more I make or appreciate artsy stuff, the happier I feel. And May, though fraught, was also peppered by moments that were pretty damn fun.
So here’s everything that rekindled my whimpering spirit this month!
Writing
Project Butterfly:
I know, I know. I’m plugging my own nonexistent future book right off the bat. But writing has been my salvation and joy since 2020, and this book is no exception. Nearing the end of the first draft is just so cool because the characters finally start feeling like people and the lore begins to take shape. Also, I’ve loved true love since I first saw the Swan Princess in the literal 90’s, so making new fictional people fall in love is kinda my jam.
Monthly Word Count Goals:
For more than a year, I told myself I had to write 2000 words a day because that’s what “real” writers do. The problem is that I’m abysmal at daily check-ins. I swear, if you ask me to write 10,000 words by the end of the workweek, I’ll do it easy peasy. But 2000 words every day? Forget about it. Shifting the importance away from daily progress to monthly progress has been a revolution.
Making
Sewing:
I, dear reader, have procured a near-mythological and apartment-unfriendly inkjet printer—which obviously means I had to start printing sewing patterns. I bought this one from Faye Studios, and I’ve made three tote bags (with slight adjustments) already! In love.
Scrapbooking:
Also courtesy of the printer. I’ve always kept a journal, but it’s been a long time since I’ve added any visual elements. This has turned out to be the most relaxing of activities, and I can spend hours looking for cute pictures to chop up. Plus, I’ve started collecting stickers because I FINALLY HAVE SOMEWHERE TO STICK THEM. Game changer.
Reading
The Twelve O’Clock Bookshop by Morgan Fischer:
This book officially has exclusive rights to the word “lovely.” We’re talking magical meddling bookshop that sends our protagonists into twelve wonderfully tropey romance novels. Basically, it’s perfect. Go read it.
Elle Kennedy:
Am I a hockey fan? Super duper no. Am I obsessed with her college hockey books? Fuck yes. I binged the Off-campus series, and I’m just finishing up Briar U. Summer and Fitzy are my new OTP.
Whimsies
Mossy Green:
The color—or should I say the best color? Honorable mention to the butter yellow trend, though.
Local Flowers:
My city nailed the Spring flowers this year. Every ditch and concrete divider has been blooming with tulips, poppies, lavender, irises, daffodils, lupines, etcetera. My life is prettier now.
Striped Clothes:
Yes, I’m a sucker for trends, but listen. I don’t live in a fashion city. And that’s perfectly acceptable in the moral sense, but it means most people wear black and gray, which is visually sad. Our buildings are gray, the ocean is gray, and half the time our sky is gray. So all this stripy color stuff going on? You better believe I’m gonna cling to with my fingertips.
That’s all for May, folks!
— Annika
