That nice offline feeling
On fancy notebooks, Lego kits and reading.
Welcome to Small Joys, a bi-monthly(ish) newsletter about all the little things that bring great joy. Here are a few things that have done that for me recently.
Pen to paper
You know how a great outfit can inspire/trick you into working out? I feel that way about notebooks. The more appealing they are, the more I’m likely to write in them. Despite having lots of nice-looking notebooks, I dump every single thought that crosses my mind in my Notes App, which is like the bottomless pit of a bag where things go to disappear forever (I also always worry that I’ll accidentally hit the delete button). Last year, as I began to crave more time away from screens, I treated myself to a fancy monogrammed notebook from Papier made from upcycled leather. I missed how analog makes me feel so much more present and connected to what I’m writing. My writing tool of choice: my trusty gel ink pen from Muji (FYI, Muji finally started offering online shopping last year).
Find your flowers
Lego looked at puzzles and said, have you seen our botanical build kit? The company recently released two kits in its Botanical Collection: a 756-piece flower bouquet set (pictured above) and an 878-piece bonsai tree set. They’re currently sold out, but I’m hoping they restock so I can get my hands on one.
Bread winner
Like a lot of people, I’m treading a fine line between cooking fatigue and wanting more cozy home-cooked meals. I want to bake my own bread, but I also want to cry in a corner because the news cycle feels like a lot. I recently had a breakthrough courtesy of Half Baked Harvest’s Easy Pull Apart Garlic Parmesan Bread. You buy a fresh, crusty baguette so you don’t have to put in actual work, but then you put together an easy-ish garlicky, herby and cheesy spread, slather it on each slice and bake it so it feels like you made this beautiful thing on your own. It tastes delicious, is mostly unfussy and feels like bread you’d order at a restaurant that comes fresh out of the oven.
The best Chris
My favourite pastime is talking about my favourite Hollywood Chris. I’m even in a group chat with my friends called Chris Marvel Rankings. Nothing brings me more joy than other people also talking about their favourite Chris (and the Chrises acknowledging this phenomenon). I basically want a dissertation telling me why you like the Chris that you like. Recently, Regina King revealed her favourite in InStyle’s Badass Questionnaire (4:45 min in but the whole video is great). Hers is Chris Evans and she diplomatically explains why. If we’re friends, please tell me about your favourite Hollywood Chris—long, convoluted answers only.
2021 reading challenge
Last year, I read 40 books, which is a higher amount for me than usual. Everyone has had different coping mechanisms and books were my joy and solace. I lean towards romances, but also dipped into other genres via my book club. This year, I’m taking the Indigo 2021 Reading Challenge, which is all about exploring new genres and authors and discovering new favourites. There are 21 categories to choose from, whether it’s a book by an Indigenous author, a non-fiction book by a Canadian author or the first book in a series. If you’d like to join, I’ve chosen some of my favourite books from a few of the categories to help you get started:
- You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson (a YA fave)
- The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (the book that inspired the Netflix adaptation)
- Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (love the Brown sister series!)
- Ties that Tether by Janet Igharo (debut romance from a Canadian author)
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (a critically acclaimed novel)
I’m also giving away a $100 electronic Indigo gift card to help kick-start your reading adventures. To enter, head over to my Instagram!
From my bookmarks:
I Get All My Winter Lifestyle Advice From Animal Influencers
5 Smart Ways to Upcycle Old Magazines—and Declutter Your Space at the Same Time
A few housekeeping things:
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Have a great weekend!
- Mishal