Friday Favorites (52)

Can you believe this is the first Friday Favorites of 2025!?! I know this such a favorite post of yours and mine too. Over the break I was able to read a bunch of books and I can’t wait to share them all with you. We also went on some little adventures and it was incredible to just have extra time at home. I have a lot to share with you this month!

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Favorite Books

Okay, I read four books over the break. Some non-fiction and some fiction.

• The Slow Down by Leanne Ford. This book is beautiful, both the styling of Leanne’s interiors of her home in Pennsylvania but also the sentiment of just slowing down, taking your time to enjoy your home, and really a way to enjoy life more fully. I read this book in a single sitting by the fire and LOVED it!
• We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman. This book was sad but I knew it was going to be. It’s about two best friends and one who goes into hospice for cancer. I cried A LOT. This book is heavy but touches on really interesting subjects – death, friendship, the unknown. It is very well written. I really really enjoyed Sandwich also by Catherine, which I shared over the summer.
• Beach Life by Lauren Liess. This is another home decor book which is a nostaligic look at coastal living and features many properties on the Outer Banks including some of Lauren’s own places. Really lovely photography and home decor ideas.
• Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll. Teresa is Luke’s cousin and I interviewed her for Creativity Over Coffee a few years ago. You can read the interview here. This is Teresa’s newest thriller and it just came out. It’s very suspenseful and a super quick read. I read it in three days.

I’m currently reading Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard. This book is a memoir of Elizabeth meeting her husband and starting a life together in Paris. So far I’m loving it and also enjoying the recipes in it. We just tried her poached cod and fennel salad this week.

Favorite Day

Over the break, Luke and I went into Boston on the boat and had a “date day”. I think I’m going to write a whole post about our day (coming soon), but we had the most delicious lunch at Beacon Hill Books Cafe. I couldn’t believe our luck getting a reservation. Look how sweet it is inside:

Favorite TV & Films

Films

• Carry-On – this is a thriller set on Christmas Eve at the airport which stars Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman. I was on the edge of my seat the entire film. It’s very suspenseful and lots of twists and turns. Very much in the same vein as Die Hard. We watched it on Netflix.
• High Strung – this is a light film starring Nicholas Galitzine and has a similar feel to Fame. I watched this while Luke was out with the guys. I don’t think he’d enjoy it. It’s available on Prime.

TV

• The Night Agent – This is a suspenseful series which centers around an FBI agent who answers an emergency line to someone who’s life is in danger. This show kept us guessing and we didn’t know who was good and who was bad. Who to trust and who not to. We can’t wait for the second season to come out on 1/23/25. Available on Netflix.

Favorite Apparel

After Christmas I did a little shopping at J. Crew Factory. I’m currently obsessed with the following:

• Long Sleeve Crewneck Girlfriend Tee – I love these for layering
• Essential Straight Jean in All Day Stretch in Dark Blue Wash
• Herringbone Mockneck Sweatshirt – you know how I love my sweatshirts! (this one is cozy and perfect for winter. I got the winter white)

A peek in the dressing room:

Favorite Brushes & Brush Conditioner

I’m back to painting every day and I’ve been using my Finding Silver Pennies brushes. I really love them. They work well for illustrations and landscapes / seascapes. In addition, I love this brush conditioner too. You can find all the supplies here.

I also just ordered these goat hair brushes and love them for wetting my entire paper to create wet on wet landscapes.

Check out my watercolor page for more posts on watercolor supplies and tutorials.

Favorite Plant

Finally, I always crave adding more green to our home in January. I miss the Christmas tree and am pretty obsessed with plants anyway. I couldn’t resist this Monstera from Trader Joe’s. Can you believe it was only $14.99?!? The woven plant stand is from Marshall’s (I got it a few years ago).

Let’s Stay In Touch

Well, I think that covers all my favorites! Hope you enjoyed this installment of Friday Favorites! You can see all of them here. Now, it’s your turn! What are the things you’re loving right now?

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