He had the rare vision to see a thing,
any thing, not just at the moment of acquisition
but through its whole passage from mineral extraction, 
the mess of manufacture + transport to the consumer + beyond,
to the desecration we call "landfill".
He nudged us to do the same,
and to have the courage to ask,
"Is my need important enough to inflict this injury on the world?"
He didn't say do, or don't.
He just said to look.
Widen your gaze, and look again.
~Barbara Kingsolver on Wendell Berry

The sculptural shapes + soft glow that comes from paper lamp shades is truly beautiful. I've long been attracted to the craftsmanship of Noguchi's gorgeous lamps, but the price combined with their delicate nature makes them an investment worth mulling. We have a few (much) less expensive versions + over time, their paper has a tendency to get brittle + thin or tear. 

These repairs are one of my favorites to make. A bit of left over tissue paper + glue are all it takes to achieve a satisfying wabi-sabi mend. I tend to think that visual mends make things better, so I don't mind that my mends aren't completely invisible. 

In case a little more detail is helpful, here is my method for paper lamp shade repair:

• Use white glue. Dilute with a touch of water, if the glue is too thick.
• Rip (or cut) a piece of tissue paper to fit over the rip or hole. Use smaller pieces to cover larger tears since they will cover rounded surfaces with less wrinkling.
• Paint glue onto the lamp shade around the tear in the shape of the patch + big enough for the entire patch to stick down. Place the patch over the glue + brush it onto the glue.
• Paint glue over the patch.
• Let dry.
• Add a second layer, if necessary for sturdiness.
• Enjoy the glow!

​
Love,
Jane

I'm going through my toiletries today + like being reminded (by my own little collection) that skin + body care can be simple. I've been using most of the same things for years, because they work. They clean, moisturize, detangle + give my eyes a little definition. I occasionally try something new, but not often. 

I've shared lots of zero-waste bathroom swaps over the years, but the best tool in my less-waste toolkit is keeping it simple. Needing less, wanting less + buying less are the things that reliably lead to less waste. Having a few less bottles to recycle is better than any recyclable material out there. It just makes sense to me.

Most of the skincare content I see online is trying to sell us something new. I understand that lots of people like having lots of products + experimenting with new products, and I'm all for doing what feels like self-care. My heart's desire is for it to truly + enduringly feel like self-care though, rather than feeling like an endless, expensive pursuit that perpetuates feelings of falling short.

I have daughters, so beauty marketing can feel thorny on multiple levels. I don't want my daughters being told they need monthly treatments for countless things they didn't recognize as issues five years ago. I don't want any of us to feel like we need to be chasing something that will likely always feel just out of reach.

A few loving + caring reminders to self:

• fine lines + wrinkles are the signs of a life well-lived - I've laughed, sung, kissed, smiled, cried + listened with my whole face - lovely
• marketing can't decide whether I need to reduce puffiness or add filler
• the one telling me there is a problem to correct is usually the same one trying to sell me the solution
• older people are happy, fun, adventurous, in love, vibrant + beautiful too 

Off to deepen my fine lines with some laughter + living!

Love,
Jane

When we removed the upper cabinets in our kitchen a few years ago, I could envision a little shelf like this being helpful. I wanted to wait + see how things felt first, but thought an old crate with a couple of added shelves could make a charming shelf. An already built shelf could be convenient. A handmade shelf could be doable, if a bit intimidating. 

The things living on the counter were asking for a decision to be made, and when repeated inquiries about adding a second shelf over the stove went unanswered...I decided to try making a little shelf to put here instead.

This is the simplest little woodworking project, but I did have some learning opportunities along the way. As a result, the end product feels like an accomplishment. I'm just gonna put a few notes here for myself or anyone else who might find them useful:

• choose pine rather than maple when doing first projects, because it is a softer wood (no nail gun required)
• make pilot holes even for nails in order to avoid bending long nails or splitting wood
• repeat the mantra: I am a wabi-sabi gal (+ mean it)  :)

It's always nice to have a place for things that makes sense + works. I think this little coffee/tea spot will serve us nicely.

Love,
​Jane

I'm noticing that my attention is looking autumn-ward at the moment. Seemingly perpetual 90 degree temperatures can have that effect. A few of the things that have been catching my eye lately:

• an autumn-leaf hued potholder for a little seasonal color in the kitchen
• these little stools for extra guests at the table or as a table next to the couch
• comfy shoes are the only ones that get me through the day, so I'm thinking of revisiting Danskos (though I prefer the No 6 version)
• darker jeans always appeal to me in the autumn
• a secondhand babaa cardigan in a cozy, cocoa color
• a little chest of drawers that appeals to my sense of humble simplicity 
• a fun scrunchie to add to my top knot 

A few things making me happy lately:

• painting (an activity that never ceases to clear my mind toward a little more positivity) in a tiny, watercolor paper sketchbook - reminding me of taking time to paint under tall trees on vacation in Michigan

• not returning Eating at Home by Trinity Mouzon Wofford to the library just yet, because it's reminding me that an egg on rice can be a lovely, nourishing meal 
• a home tour I woke up thinking about this morning
• + oh, have I shared this one here yet? so, so good

Wishing you a weekend that involves summer fruit (tart, sweet, juicy cherries here), a leisurely read (about to start The Summer Book by Tove Jansson) + some good company (a couple good outings with my girls this week!).

Much love,
Jane

Behind the front seats:

• shoes, rain coats, umbrella, book, notebook, tiny watercolor kit
• clothing + toiletries
• small towels (which dried hanging over our headrests)
• fanny packs hanging behind our headrests to hold our phones + keys at night
• extra water

Our set up each night is quick + easy. We move our seats forward, put the screens on the windows, move our clothing + toiletries to the front seats, put the jackary on the armrest, set out our stools, assemble the back portion of the platform, fold the mattress down, move our pillows + put the sunshield in the windshield. It takes less than five minutes.

In the future, we may decide to get a one burner stove, but for now we are happy to eat things like yogurt + bananas, deli potato salad, chicken or sushi. We had a stash of bobo bites (our go-to hunger buster) + never stressed about food. Grocery stores were always close by and a good breakfast burrito, wood fired pizza + goat's milk ice cream are part of the adventure too.

Regarding cost: we bought these things little by little over time. We first camped like this overnight with a pair of window screens + the mattress. Once we knew we liked that (we were so stoked!), we invested in the platform. A year later, we discovered that fans + another pair of screens would keep us more comfortable. We took advantage of sales + spread out the cost. The cost of Airbnb's would probably pay for this in a couple trips. It's also a lot cheaper than a mobile home or van. 

One of my favorite things is realizing how little I need. That is adventure to me, and it is incredibly freeing!  :)

Love,
Jane

The shapes + colors of J. Marin clothing reminds me of living in Los Angeles in the 90s. We loved driving to Manhattan Beach for the sand + up the coast to Santa Monica for an always inspiring walk through Shabby Chic's flagship on Montana Avenue. Across the street was another favorite shop of mine, Subtle Tones, filled with the softest cotton + lightweight linen clothing in soft pastels. 

J. Marin takes me right back. These sweet pieces are made with carefully sourced fabrics like 100% organic cotton fleece milled in the USA. Each piece is designed, sewn + dyed in Los Angeles. I'd very happily wear any + every piece from this collection with thoughts of golden sunshine + warm sand.