A bountiful bouquet of cozy favorites

In which our heroine shares what she loves

Jul 03, 2025

Hello, cozy loves!

We’re halfway through the year! The wheel continues to turn and the seasons shift around us. It’s been a wonderful year for me so far filled with adventures, hobbies, and little treats. I thought I’d share some of my favorites of the first half of the year with you, from beauty products to podcasts and everything in between.

It’s a bit of a long one. Settle in with your favorite bevvie and let’s get cozy!

activities, hobbies, and little treats I’ve loved this year

Practices and rituals

A tarot deck at my desk - I’ve taken work life balance to a bit of an extreme, so much so that when a friend told me she kept her tarot deck at her desk at work, I was absolutely taken aback. Why would she want vibes of labor seeping into her cards? I changed my tune recently. Since one of my goals this year is to improve my understanding of tarot, I wanted a deck that I could use to read for other people, including my coworkers! Having it at my desk, tucked in a little vintage duck, has had the opposite effect than what I feared. It brings magic and grounding into my days in the office. I often am rushing out the door and don’t get around to pulling my daily card before I leave. It’s nice to take a moment for reflection as I settle in at my desk.
Morning reading - Most days, if I don’t snooze my alarm too many times, I eat my breakfast on the couch in the sitting room with my book propped open in front of me. After years of rigid, multi-step morning routines, this simple practice gives me 10-15 minutes to myself. It’s my time to sit in stillness and silence before I head to work. On the weekends, Lucas and I take this practice on the go, hitting one of our favorite coffee shops in town. We pack up our books in a tote bag, settle in, and simply read side by side. It’s a low-stakes, low-cost way to start the weekend with some quality time together.
A book of poetry on the coffee table - Though I enjoy poetry, I don’t often read it. Earlier this year, I bought this collection and I’ve been keeping it on my coffee table. Usually, I’d breeze through it and add it to my book tracker as fast as possible. This year, I’m using it as an opportunity to slow down and absorb the poetry in a much more intentional and deep way. It feels like its own little treat.
Fridays with friends - Almost every Friday, we have a late dinner with our friends after Lucas’s shift ends. Sometimes we go out, sometimes we go to one of our houses for burgers, quesadillas, dumplings, etc. It marks the end of the work week and gives us a time to pause, let loose, and connect before heading into the weekend. You can read more about this here!

Hobbies

Walks and audiobooks - I’m officially in my audiobook era. As some of my podcasts have ended or found themselves out of my rotation, I’ve loved replacing that time with audiobooks. The 15 hours included in my Spotify membership (not sponsored) has been the perfect amount for me.
Puzzles - Lucas got me a puzzle table for Christmas, which has completely changed my puzzling game. It doesn’t get in the way of my tablescapes (lol, another of my passion hobbies) on the dining room table or get messed up by our cats. I can also set it up in our sitting room and work on them while watching a movie or show. I spent most of Memorial Day weekend working on this puzzle while watching Daisy Jones and the Six.
Embroidery - I’ve been working on the same needlepoint canvas since we moved into our house… three years ago. I love working on it, but it is a bit of a slog. I got a denim dress for free in a work clothing swap a few months ago and decided I’d turn it into a sort of wearable embroidered sketchbook. I’ve been stitching little scenes that pop into my head, from a maypole around Beltane to a barn in the rolling hills after our kayak trip through Wisconsin farm country. I like being able to fully finish a section within a day and look forward to seeing how my embroidery skills improve.

Little treats

Raspberry lattes - This obsession started with a Valentine’s Day special raspberry rose latte at one of my favorite little cafes. I always get excited when I see raspberry as a flavor option on a menu and I’ve even made my own syrup for lattes at home. Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water, heat to a boil while stirring (so the sugar doesn’t burn) until the sugar is dissolved. Add a handful of raspberries (fresh or frozen) in a saucepan and simmer until thickened. Let it cool, then strain the seeds and fruit bits out, then stick it in the fridge and you’re ready to go! If you want to add rose flavor, you can add a bag of rose tea to steep while it cools!
Butter stuffed dates - I was extremely skeptical when the people of the internet told me this would taste like cookie dough, but color me surprised. A cold piece of butter stuffed into a medjool date topped with flaky sea salt = the perfect little treat.
London fog cookies - I made these twice in the span of a couple weeks after being told by guests at my friend’s birthday party they were “the best cookies they’d ever had.” They’re easy, but pack a huge flavor punch. Plus, the lavender frosting is simply beautiful.
Bakery treats - One of the ways I make it through the days I go into the office is taking myself on little adventures to local coffee shops and bakeries. Nothing hits quite like a freshly baked scone between work tasks.
Tip Top canned cocktails - I’ve been trying to drink less alcohol at home and these are just the right size for when I want a little something but don’t want to open a bottle of anything. I also love to stick them in a welcome basket when we have overnight guests. The jungle bird is my favorite!

Potions and tinctures.

Dook face oil - I found this at a little shop in Scotland because I needed a moisturizer and, unfortunately for me, I loved it. It’s exactly the right level of moisturizing and it smells incredible. Sadly, it’s not sold in the US. I ordered a couple bottles to get sent over from Edinburgh and I have no regrets. I guess I’ll just need to book another trip.
Dip shampoo bar - I’ve been using shampoo bars for years and recently tried this new-to-me brand. I can solidly say it’s the best of all I’ve used. Smells great, lathers beautifully, and lasts longer.
Ouai leave in conditioner - This has completely changed the way my hair feels. It’s hydrating but not heavy. Plus, it smells like you’ve just stepped onto a tropical island with flowers in the breeze.
Summer Fridays skin tint - This feels light yet hydrating and gives me just the right amount of coverage. It’s buildable, but also perfect for every day.
Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey - After searching for years for a signature lip, I am about 24 years late on this discovery. It’s famously the lipstick that Arwen wears in Lord of the Rings. And it must have a bit of elven magic to it. I love this Almost Lipstick because it’s extremely hydrating and really gives a “my lips but better” feeling.
Boka toothpaste - Lucas and I accidentally both ordered subscriptions for this toothpaste and found our bathroom cabinet overrun with tubes. We both cancelled and tried a couple other toothpastes. MISTAKE. This is by far our favorite, plus our dentist was very pleased to hear we were using nano-hydroxyapatite. (This pod episode convinced us to make the switch!)

Albums on repeat

Cacophony by Paris Paloma - I wrote a whole piece about how much this feminist fairycore music means to me. You can read it here!
Mountain Music by Nina Nesbitt - Spotify suggested this album to me and it was exactly correct. I love the songs “Pages” and “Mansion” the best.
Glasgow Love Story by Tide Lines - It’s no secret that I love Scotland and anything that reminds me of our time there. This new album by our favorite Scottish trad band has been the soundtrack of most of our drives since it came out in April. Every single song is incredible!

Podcasts keeping me company

Books Unbound - Best friends Ariel and Raeleen chat each week about the books they’ve bought, books they're reading, and books they’ve finished.This podcast feels like a safe space to learn about books I’ve never heard of before. I love it!
Bad On Paper - A chatty friend podcast with a lot of talk about books. It’s a great place to hear about new releases and buzzy books. I love the “three things” episodes each month when Becca and Olivia bring three random things on their mind to discuss.
Tarot for the Wild Soul - I’ve been listening to this as part of my goal to learn more about tarot this year and become more confident in my reading. I love Lindsay’s approach to the cards and find myself frequently jotting thoughts down in my notes app as I listen.

Shows & movies

Abbott Elementary - This has been on our list for a long time and we finally started it this year. I love the characters and frequently find myself laughing out loud. It’s brimming with heart!
Freaky Friday (2003) - My best friend and I love a nostalgic movie night. This was our most recent watch. Let me tell you, it mostly holds up! Despite my eternal confusion over what Chad Michael Murray’s job actually is at the school, take out the daughter and the body swapping and I would absolutely read the romance novel about him and Jamie Lee Curtis falling in love. The chemistry was honestly wild.
Ghosts (UK) - I still think about this show all the time and we finished it early in the year. The series finale made me cry, it was so moving! It’s about a broke couple who inherits a manor house only to find it’s already occupied by some hilarious and chaotic ghosts. It’s a beautiful — and laugh out loud — story of found family.

Slow morning comfort creators

Caroline McQuistin - Caroline is a cozy gal living on the Isle of Skye sharing life in her cozy cottage, beautiful nature walks with her dog, Nuala, and all the cute hidden gems on the island. Thanks to her, I get to visit Scotland every week!
Darling Desi - The queen of cottagecore and romanticizing your life. Her production quality is unmatched and I’m always positively giddy when a new video pops up from her.
Lucy Moon - I’ve been living my cool girl London life through Lucy Moon, following her trips to sweet little cafes and adventures around the city. I love hearing her thoughts on mental health as well as watching her decorate her home and curate her closet.
Elena Téa - My gen z representation comes in the form of Elena Tea, an Italian Australian living in Adelaide. She has her own pottery and art studio and it’s fun to follow along as she goes on her matcha runs, makes her mugs, and hangs out with her two sweet kitties. She’s big into journaling, which I find inspiring as an aspiring journaler!
Furry Little Peach - Sha’an is an illustrator living in Sydney. I love when she talks about her creative process and her approach to her art. I always find myself inspired to work on my own projects.

A mid-year reading check in

Following my heart is going great. In January, I decided I would no longer make curated little seasonal TBR (to be read) stacks for myself. Instead, the world is my TBR. When I finish a book and need to choose a new one, I feel zero pressure, only possibility. It’s opened me up to reading books I maybe wouldn’t have chosen before, that are perhaps a little strange or outside of my normal fare. As a result, it’s been a wonderful reading year. I already have 10 five star reads out of 28 books read! (To me, five starts just means it’s a book that I really loved that made me feel something. It’s a purely vibe-based system and I only rate books if they’re five stars.)
I’ve had an accidental hyper fixation. I just finished my third book in a row that is somehow related to marine biology — completely unplanned. They were all extremely different, one a memoir, one speculative fiction, and one a family drama. I loved seeing the different ways the ocean showed up as its own character in each one.
I’ve just started my first reread of my favorite fantasy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses. As a teenager, I used to reread the Harry Potter1 books every summer. It was a treasured tradition to return to the places and characters I loved. Now, I’m excited to get that feeling again, of being sucked into a magical world of romance and adventure. My lack of TBR has really made this possible since I have zero commitments to read an arbitrary stack of summer beach reads.
Three books I’ve loved so far this year.
- Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson - I was only about halfway through this book when I knew it would be a favorite of the year! It’s about Byron and Benny, two siblings who have recently lost their mother. She leaves behind a voice recording revealing the secrets of her life before they were born, when she had to flee her home in the Caribbean under suspicion of murder. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
- The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin - This book is about Lenni and Margot, both of whom are in the hospital facing the end of their lives. Lenni is 17 and Margot is 83 — a combined 100 years. They embark on a project to document each year of their lives in a series of 100 paintings. It has such a heartwarming cast of characters and is ultimately brimming with hope.
- Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage - The final book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series did not disappoint. It’s a second chance romance between Cam and Dusty, high school sweethearts who find themselves living next door to each other fifteen years later. It’s full of heart and will have you dreaming of a trip to Wyoming. (My official Rebel Blue series ranking is: 3, 1, 4, 2!)