November Favourites
A roundup of things that brought me joy in November.
Peter Pan unabridged - On a recent trip to York, I was in one of my favourite cafes when I discovered they were playing the Harry Potter audiobook instead of music. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this, as some of my favourite restaurants around London do the same thing, like Sketch and Frenchie. Ambience and Environment is so incredibly important to me, as it reflects my mood - be it good or bad. I usually play music, but there are times when music is too emotional for me to listen to. Inspired by this cafe, I implemented the same idea and started listening to classic tales, such as Peter Pan, because it only reminds me of wonderful childhood memories.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - This wonderful book will spark your creativity and help you find inspiration all around you and within yourself. It reads much like a meditation, where you release your inner artist from premature criticism and any other mindsets that are hindering your creative flow.
The Artist’s Way Workbook
The Whistle Press - My friend Suzanne is a talented letterpress artist. She uses only vintage letterpress equipment and creates textured and 3-dimensional creations from all sorts of paper. I had a very important project that I needed to be done in a short amount of time. She didn’t just come through for me, she also eased my anxiety about it whilst lending her professional stamp on my artwork. We met on Instagram, as you do these days, and she kindly hired me to photograph her work and her studio, which was in Bath at the time. In fact, many of the photographs you see on her website were taken by me. Ever since that visit to Bath, we’ve been great friends. Lucky for me, she moved and now only lives 50 minutes away from me!
Fierce Fairytales & Other Stories to Stir Your Soul by Nikita Gill - This wonderful book was given to me as a birthday gift from one of my closest high school friends from Japan. It’s filled with classic fairytales with a modern twist about empowerment. With every story, gender stereotypes are challenged and hero/villain lines are blurred.
Joyful: The surprising power of ordinary things to create extraordinary happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee - Since I started renovating, I’ve been doing a lot of learning and researching about interior design. I listened to an episode of the Style Matters podcast by Little Yellow Couch that featured author Ingrid Fetell Lee. You can listen to that episode here. I discovered about this not-so literal way to design your home: based on your feeling! She helps you create your own style over copying others.
Diary of Your Home: Ideas, Stories, Tips, Charts, Diagrams, and Prompts to Help You Record and Organize Everything About your Home by Joanna and Peter Ahlberg - I also found this gem by listening to the Style Matters podcast. This diary does what it is what it says on the tin: it helps you to organise your home. If you’re the type of home owner (or tenant) that has post-its with important phone numbers fluttering around, and can never remember that exact shade of paint or the date of the last battery replacement… you’re not the only one. This diary makes taking care of your home and organising all the different aspects of running a household fun and efficient.
Magic Lessons Podcast by Elizabeth Gilbert - Elizabeth is so wise! She has helped me through a lot of my creative blocks and struggles. She’s honest, candid and vulnerable, and I love the structure of her podcast. In one episode she will have a member of the public share their struggle or question, after which Liz will give her thoughts on what can help them through it. In the next episode, she brings in a famous person or professional that is equipped to answer the question from personal experience and wisdom.
Related: October Favourites , May Favourites
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