things i love // love yourself

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovelies. I hope you’re all feeling the love today, whether from your sweetheart, your kiddos, your neighbor or your favorite pet goldfish. And In case you didn’t get spoiled like you deserve to be by someone else, this week I’m gifting you ideas to spoil your OWN RAD SELF. Sometimes you just need to give yourself a little pat on the back, say “I love you” with meaning and hand over a little something special to celebrate how awesome you are. All of these things would also make amazing gifts for a friend of course, but it’s only fair that you test them out first to make sure they’re worthy, right? I’m all about the “one for you, one for me” method of gifting. So give yourselves a big ol’ bearhug from me and dive in, because you all deserve to be spoiled today and everyday. xo

I got my ears pierced when I was 9 and shortly after that I screwed something up and my cute little holes became more like grumpy ‘meh’ slits for the next 30+ years. It’s such a silly thing to feel self-conscious about, but I could never wear studs in my ears because they drooped down like a melting ice cream cone and just looked sad. So two years ago I went and had them sewn up. It felt very frivolous, but I have to say it made me really happy. Then on my birthday, my husband and I went to the local piercing studio and had my lobes re-pierced and now I can wear studs for the first time in my life. Which is super convenient, because there’s nothing worse than having your earrings snag on your mask while you’re trying to whip it off after escaping the grocery store.

Slantt is a small Austin studio where Jennifer Rodgers hand makes really pretty, very sculptural jewelry. Some is delicate, much is dramatic, but it’s all unique. It has movement and form that is usually reserved for other art forms and I think it’s stunning. Plus her studio is focused on sustainability and uses recycled metal whenever possible, which makes it even cooler. I love these hand-stamped APHERA studs that come in 3 different metals, but if you’re looking for something that makes a bit more of a statement, the SABIA are also gorgeous. I’m totally eyeing her LEGER Cuff, too. All of her designs are super interesting and beautiful. And, FYI, it’s totally ok to buy yourself jewelry. We all deserve a little bling in our lives and who better to spoil you rotten than your biggest fan.
// SLANTT APHERA STUDS $48 //

I was staring kind of wistfully at my closet the other night, lamenting the complete abandonment of my beautiful boots and flats. I’m only just a *wee* bit embarrassed to admit that I put on a pair of suede wedge booties with my dirty old yoga pants and wandered around the house for the better part of an hour, just to remember what it was like to have somewhere to go in clothes that weren’t made for doing squats. I got some looks from the peanut gallery for that one. But the truth is, aside from that little sentimental outburst, I’m really pretty happy in my favorite slippers most of the time. I mean, they’re obvs WAY more comfy than suede wedge booties.

So maybe what I actually need isn’t to mourn my Fryes, but to add a little variety to my comfy slipper wardrobe. Enter these amazing Topdrawer House Shoes. They look like heaven. They’re all hand sewn in Japan, are totally unisex and reversible. Plus you can throw them in the wash after you dribble maple syrup on them, which I totally can’t do with my suede booties. They come in 30 (yes, THIRTY) different color + print combos, so there’s def something for everyone. And they roll up into nothing, so you can bring them traveling. Some are all fuzz, some are just cotton. The only thing that’s kept me from pulling the trigger is choosing THE ones that I love most. Can you help?! Please? Otherwise, it might be back to yoga-pant + wedge-heel walks of shame.
// TOPDRAWER REVERSIBLE HOUSE SHOES $59 //

Ok gals, this is not the sexiest of gifts to express your self-love, but I will tell you that these babies are one of my most-used and prized kitchen tools. And, I’d argue, there’s no greater gift to yourself than the gift of not having to wipe splattered melted butter or marinara from every corner of your microwave. I know they look like cutie little sombreros for your cat, but they are actually Food52’s own line of Airtight Silicone Lids in 5 different sizes to cover just about any bowl you have.

I have an older version that I use for everything from keeping my tea steaming hot while I pack lunch to minimizing splatter to keeping finished food warm. You can also use them to cover prepped grains or veggies or leftovers in the fridge. They basically replace pot lids, plastic wrap and whatever weird old plate you’re using now to keep stuff warm. They can go in the dishwasher over and over again so you can pop that buttery mess onto the top rack and not deal with it again. The lids are also stain-resistant, antimicrobial, airtight, and have no grody chemicals. I honestly use mine just about everyday for something. So, maybe this time leave the sexy gifts to someone else and get yourself something that’s actually super useful and will make your life better.
// FIVE TWO AIRTIGHT SILICONE LIDS $40 //

Wanderlust Creamery is a California-based ice cream shop like none you’ve ever visited. There’s no bubblegum or mint chip to be found, all of Wanderlust’s super distinct flavors are inspired by destinations in the far flung corners of the world. Founders, Adreienne and Jon-Patrick, draw from their childhoods, the places they’ve traveled or places they’d like to visit one day to come up with flavors like Sticky Rice + Mango, Abuelita Malted Crunch (dying for this) and Kashmiri Pink Tea. The Oolong Pineapple Tart also sounds completely outrageous, packing oolong flavored ice cream with house-made pineapple jam and “pieces of buttery Taiwanese style pineapple pastry” into each pint. Um, that’s a big yes, please.

In an effort to keep their business afloat during strange times, they’ve started shipping their ice cream all over the lower 48. If you can’t actually go someplace exotic and far flung right now, you can at least get a sweet little taste of someplace you’ve never been (or maybe feel nostalgic for) and support a really special small business to boot. If you live near one of their 5 California brick + mortar stores, lucky you! Otherwise, you’ll have to order a minimum of 4 pints to qualify for shipping, so… lucky you! Pack some extra spoons and go on a little culinary getaway with friends or family or travel solo, I’ll never judge.
// WANDERLUST CREAMERY PINTS $12 //

Artist, Kerri Rosenthal, is all about the love, so today seems like the perfect day for you two to meet. She’s an artist, stylist and designer with a super distinct style that’s all about spreading happiness, kindness and sunshine in a big colorful joy explosion and it makes me smile. She is ALL about the hearts and her signature imperfect “drippy hearts” have become iconic (apparently we share a love of yellow ones), but she also does playful portraits and abstracts, and often gives meaningful words center stage. In addition to adorning walls, she has created a little empire, putting her original, happy artwork on everything from greeting cards to surfboards to wallpaper in an effort to spread the love as far and wide as possible. She also makes clothing and accessories if you prefer to wear your happy and radiate it wherever you go. If you’re local, you can find a few of her things at Eleanor and Hobbs in downtown Louisville, lucky gals.

If her over the top positive vibe doesn’t speak to you for your own walls (or heads), it’s still totally worth a pop over to her site for a minute to look at the actual artwork that inspires the brand and just take in the happy outpouring of love and color and inspiration. If you love someone who would *love* her kind of sunshiny bliss, there are some awesome gifts to be found for both your happy-loving adults and t(w)eens. And, lovelies, I really do hope we CAN hold hands soon.
// KERRI ROSENTHAL //