What cleaning the house feels like
Also in here: cute flats and a personal question
congrats, it’s august
We’re still alive! Since our last Handpicked my kids and I have summered extensively. A few trips to the beach, the butterfly exhibit at the Natural History museum, playdates with the neighbors, a lemonade stand. We’re nearly finished with our Harry Potter book. All that’s left for Fun Mom Summer are a couple pool days, a visit to The Getty, and making ice cream. If we survive. 🫠
In our sisters text thread last night, Sarah asked if Emily and I wanted to meet up at LACMA for some quality time – no kids – and I admitted I am entirely too tired for something so glamorous/ would prefer to sit in an empty Denny’s with a cheap ice cream sundae please. They both immediately agreed. Having two of my sisters in their thirties with me = a blessing.
featured film photo: coral charms
Here’s Coral Charms hanging up in my workspace. (Also pictured: vintage postage stamp, “don’t give up” on handmade paper, our marriage license.)
Back story:
I shot Coral Charms on Kodak Portra 800 film at my kitchen table. Coral charm peonies start off a super bright pinky coral color and fade dramatically as they age, often shifting color visibly throughout the day. These ones lost their petals the next morning! Peonies usually only bloom in May and June and always bring me back to my wedding weekend (many Mays ago!), picking up bucketsful of flowers from the wholesaler and assembling all our wedding florals with my sisters in the garage.
You can get the Frame TV download or printable file here! 🌸
today’s bouquet
I once read a joke in the Reader’s Digest that said something like, “Cleaning the house while your kids are home is like trying to brush your teeth while eating an Oreo.” Is anything truer?! Especially during summer time. [Actual footage of me tidying my home.]
A wacky, whale-ish house in Santa Barbara full of curves and secret pockets.
Got my eye out for: unique flats. I own and love these orange + turquoise mary janes, handmade by a Taiwanese shoe maker. This pink ballerina pair is super classic and pretty dang near perfect. Sleek silver strapless ones = unexpected twist. These raffia slides seem like vacation’s official shoe. These would be pretty for a wedding (and only $100!). Vans gives us a substantial yet packable mary jane that’s begging to join us on our European vacations.
Do you listen to This American Life? It's the first podcast I ever got into back when it was only on the radio. The latest episode includes two stories about quitting that I just can't stop thinking about.
Borrowing a 19th-century French royal tutor’s alphabet album for my own workspace inspiration.
Just added I’ll Love You Til The Cows Come Home and Invisible Things to my cart, c/o terrific newsletter Booksnacks.
Math though. New newsletter alert: Handpicked reader Brandilyn just started a terrific weekly roundup called Bran Storm. The section on latest Etsy finds is my favorite!
Raise your hand if a man you love is smack in the middle of his Sandlot era. (Alternative caption: these photos ARE summer.)
Feta will never be the same!
My childhood best friend Tate gave Mick these beautiful Danish stacking cups when he was born. I handed them to him for the first time the other day. If trying to swallow one whole indicates that he loves them, he loves them.
Learning about identical twins when you’re little is hard!
12 more links, including the best thing I read this week, as well two terrific quotes, a personal question, and more…
