Making Dopamine w/ 90s Playlists & Gummi Clusters

#5 Newsletter - Indie Artists, Audiobooks & moreee

Hi Friend!

This week was full of chronic illness flare-ups, dinner fails, and existential dread about our democracy, so I’m going to start this particular email with things that have been helping me make dopamine lately. Friend, I need it!

1. Andy and I started a shared playlist on iTunes of our favorite 90s tunes. The vibe was: Anything you got super stoked to hear on the radio in the 90s. He’s five years older than me and was more of an alternative fan, where as I was a full-on teeny bopper during that era, so it’s a varied playlist, lol! Every song makes us so happy and nostalgic and we listen to it at dinner, giving our kid an education in amazing music. HIGHLY recommend.

2. Participating in the 100 Days Project (created by

   Lindsay Jean Thomson
   ) and being ok doing the bare minimum. My project is writing a cozy fantasy book and I manage to average around 400 words a day, but I purposefully didn’t give myself a word count to aim for. Any writing is progress. And the last couple of days, 50-100 words is all I could manage. But I did it! And that gives me the warm fuzzies.

3. Another creative activity that’s giving me dopamine is quilting! I’ll talk more about it in the craft section further down, but making something with my hands is just so satisfying.

4. The Merlin app. The birds are starting to make their way back up to us in Michigan and I’m so excited! The Merlin App records what birds are chirping and identifies them for you, so you know who’s gossiping about you up in the trees. It brings me so much joy!! Andy and I went on a walk this morning and we heard an Eastern Bluebird, Red-winged Blackbird, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Cardinal and Crow!

5. I just realized that I talked about these before, so I clearly love them, Nerds Gummy Clusters. They’re just so good! I’m worried it’s getting close to the point where my hyper-fixation snack turns on me, but I’ll enjoy them till the bitter end lol.

Ok! Now the good stuff…

Podcast!

We’re Snartin’ it up again! This month’s Snart (Snack+Art) theme is Photography and I’ve got a list of amazing activities, projects and inspiration if you’d like to join us. I’m planning on digging out our cameras this weekend and I’ve already talked to a friend about a photowalk with our kids!

Check our the full episode below (or listen on Apple, Spotify or watch on YouTube).

Small Biz Wishlist!

• Part of One Paper - I am obsessed with everything in this shop (especially this notepad)! I found her in The Fox & The Feather shop in Dexter, MI and my life has been better ever since.

• Meghan MacWhirter - She’s got a shop update coming on March 14th, but look at the cute stuff she’s got now! These ceramic pretzel earrings are too cute.

• Drawings by Nicole - One of my favorite shirts (exhibit a, b and c) is from Nicole and this one is definitely on my wishlist.

• Courtney Ahn Design - Love this shop and their message! Also, as a water sign (both sun and moon are in Scorpio 🫠), this sticker speaks to my soul.

• Sugarbones - There’s always something cute going on at Sugarbones HQ, but this takes the cake for me! How perfect!

• Radhia Rahman - I just discovered this artist and I can’t get enough! Please scroll through the whole shop, you’ll want one of everything omg! but especially this batcat.

Crafts!

I did it! I made some really good progress on my Christmas quilt top!

To be honest, I only did it to show it to you here in the newsletter, so thank you for the personal kick in the seat to finally get this done. I’ll be spending the rest of the day on this and laundry. Hopefully the whole top will be assembled over the weekend.

Also, I really enjoy arranging my clips in rainbow order when I use them 😬

Current Reads

• All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot is just going to continue to be on this list because each chapter is a little slice of life and it’s the perfect slow read. I’ll finish it eventually lol.

• I finished listening to Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao via audiobook and it was everything I hoped for and more as a sequel to Iron Widow. We support women’s wrongs in this home. THAT ENDING!!! I’m still processing haha!

• I started The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks in earnest this week and omg how did she have me sobbing by page 73?! I’m fully invested and can’t wait to devour the whole series.

• I also just started Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood on audiobook via Libby. I didn’t realize it was set in Austin and I’ve been getting a kick out of all the places she mentions. Their office is basically down the road from where we used to live!

Thanks for taking the time to read through this newsletter that took me waaaay to long to put together this week! As a reward, here’s a picture of ALL MY CATS TOUCHING!!! Well, three of them were touching and Sprinkles was just touching Mooch, but still! Were all connected!

Also, yes, Chairy is a black cat and perpetually messy. You can’t sticky roll your cat.

K, love you, byeeee!

♡ Becky