Cabin in the City

Books, cats and midwestern charm.

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Milestones // 6 Months as a Mary Berry Wannabe

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The anniversary passed me right by, but I realized the other day via LinkedIn that I’ve been at my new full-time gig for six months already. That time just flew by! I guess that’s what happens you’re in neck deep with recipes, snacks, sweets and everything good in this world.

Anyways, I thought I’d mark this occasion by sharing a few fun things that I’ve been up to at Taste of Home.

Taste Tests

Really and truly, conducting taste tests at work is one of my favorite things ever. Every week we round up a handful of products and compare them side-by-side in a blind tasting. It’s incredibly fun and also incredibly surprising to see what brands really rank as number one!

By and large my favorite test was boxed wine, but here are a few other faves too!

We Tried 5 Brands and Found the Best Boxed Red Wine

We Tried Popular Valentine’s Day Chocolates. Find Out Which Brand We’re Sweet On.

The Very Best Butter Brands According to Our Test Kitchen Experts

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/best-cinnamon-rolls/

Passion Projects

But working isn’t all just testing snacks of course. I also get to write up some really fun pieces that just speak to me. Obviously one of my favorite pieces that I pitched, was this amazing GBBO copycat slideshow. But there are a few others, too!

Great British Baking Show Copycat Recipes

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/cheese-wheel-wedding-cakes/

We Tried Internet Famous Pan-Bang Chocolate Chip Cookies (and Loved Them!)

Near & Dear

I’ve also got to work on some really fun projects and a few that are super close to my heart. It’s really such a pleasure to share recipes and foods that are special to me with the whole internet (not just this itty bitty, irregularly updated blog). One of my favorite pieces that I’ve got to share was my mom’s recipe for potica. But I also liked sharing my take on pierogi (which 99% of Facebook commenters hated, but I still manage to sleep at night).

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-make-potica/

How to Make Homemade Pierogi the Right Way

And there you have it! A really brief summary of my time at Taste of Home so far. Hoping the next six months are even sweeter!

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Small Goals // March 2018

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I wish I could say that February just flew by, but man oh man did it just go on forever! Let’s see how I did.

  1. Plan some sort of getaway. Michael and I talked about this in theory, but we didn’t get much further. I’ll make this happen, but I’m going to skip it for now.
  2. Declutter our bedroom and/or den. The den is pretty much uncluttered at the moment, which is good news! The closet isn’t at peak organization yet, but it’s a work in progress.
  3. Sign up for another fix from Stitch Fix. Done! Read all about it here.
  4. Make a mood board for a bathroom revamp. I did not do this. I did, however, go to the Milwaukee NARI show and a few tile shops to get some ideas.
  5. Get into a cooking routine that works. Done.

3/5. It’s not my best month, but that’s OK. February is always rough. So is March, but I’ll set some ambitious goals anyways!

  1. Actually make that bathroom mood board. I did a little research, so I should be more capable this month.
  2. Hit the gym 10 times. For me, this is getting serious about working out. And this is an easy way to quantify my “success” since I refuse to measure, weigh myself or take before and after photos.
  3. Sew something, anything. I love to sew, but since upping my embroidery game I haven’t really fired up the machine much. Sure, I made some table runners and did some alterations, but I haven’t made a garment in too long. Plus, I’ve got a bit of a fabric glut at the moment and I’d rather see it in my closet than folded away.
  4. Reorganize the den to make it a real work space. For all intents and purposes, our den is my workspace. I’m thinking that I need to streamline the space so I can have my computer (which currently sits on an end table), light table and all the accouterments in a single location instead of running from one room to the next just to do basic tasks.
  5. One more serious declutter session. I’ve been slowly purging unwanted and unnecessary items from our home for the past four months. It feels really really good to have a little extra wiggle room in our tiny house, but there are still a few corners, closets and drawers that need some attention.
  6. Bonus goal! Scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon the @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker challenge. In 31 days, it helps you tell your maker story. You can follow along at @kaminskihandicraft!

I feel like these are some pretty serious goals! But I feel OK about that since March is one long and relatively uneventful month. May as well pack it full of to-do lists! If you’ve got any goals this month, I want to hear about them! Your lists definitely have inspired me to up my game!

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Get a Hobby, 70s Style

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I am the woman of a million hobbies. Cross stitch? Yeah, I do that. Baking? Duh. Sewing? You wanna see my fabric stash? Paper floristry? I’ve dabbled.

For all those reasons (plus plenty more), I do not need another hobby. But lately have I ever been tempted. Mind you these aren’t just standard crafting temptations, these are some real retro hobbies calling to me. So let’s flashback to the 70s and I’ll tell you all about my crafting dreams.

Latch Hook

Back when I was about nine, my mom bought me a white tiger latch hook kit from our local Ben Franklin. I worked away on that thing what felt like forever and I never ever finished it. But I recently searched for vintage latch hook kits online, and let me tell you, there are so many good ones. Yes, better than a white tiger.

So I ordered this amazingly ’70s mushroom kit off of Ebay and have been working on it tirelessly. I know exactly what wood paneled wall it belongs on when I finish.

Macrame

Looking at my house, it just screams 1960s (also 1970s). The wood paneled walls are just dying for a really kitschy piece of art (I mean, other than the taxidermied fish and Green Lady painting). That’s where I think a really great piece of macrame would come in handy.

I already nabbed an old book from my mother-in-law. All I need is yards and yards of rope!

Weaving

In the same vein as macrame, I decided that I need to take up weaving. Who would have thought that a time consuming craft like this would be up my alley? But I think it is, which is why I was so glad to get this weaving kit for Christmas. As soon as I’m done with this small scale design, I’ve got some major weaving plans (in theory).

Crewel

And to top it all off – one more good fiber art. Growing up, I have such distinct memories of a few crewel pieces my mom had hung up in our home, especially one that had little cows with strands of floss for tails. I swear if I can get my hands on that kit, I’d stitch that up so fast (and hang it in my kitchen where it belongs). Maybe I’ll scope that one out online and add it to my ever-growing craft queue.

• • •

Now with one of these old school crafties underway, I’m hoping to build up a little momentum! If you’ve given any of these a try, let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear how you started out!

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Fix Me Up // Trying Stitch Fix a Third Time

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Back in September, I ordered my first Stitch Fix box. It was incredible. I got five amazing mix-and-match pieces perfect for my new job needs (and all for a pretty good price).

A few months later, I placed another order looking for jeans and cold weather clothes. That box missed the mark for me, but through no fault of Stitch Fix (though I did keep a dress). Just to give you an idea, they sent me a pretty grey and ivory blouse that fit great. But it had an elephant pattern and I just don’t like elephants. So the items in that box were off, but not in any way that a stylist could predict.

Flash forward a few months, and I had the urge to try Stitch Fix one more time to fill in my winter wardrobe a bit. After all, you can’t wear the same three sweaters forever (except I have). On top of that, I had a little Stitch Fix credit to burn. Twist my arm already.

Lucky for me, post- holidays Stitch Fix’s delivery schedule opened up quite a bit. In less than four days, I had a box of new clothes waiting for me on my doorstep.

Here’s what was inside:

Looking in the box, I was thrilled. Stitch Fix got me. They got me this time (as compared to almost exactly getting me previously). And as I read the note from the stylist, I knew why: she’d looked at my Pinterest board. Over the past week or two, I spent some time really picking out aspirational images that resonate with me. She did good!

Looking at everything outright, I was so happy. My Pinterest board was full of polished and embellished outfits. All these pieces seemed to fit that bill.

The green smocked shirt was just really pretty and flowy, and while I’m not always a fan of high-necked shirts, this one looked pretty nice on! I also realize that a dressy shirt or two might up my game.

Next was a really great polka dotted sweater. The price was a little steeper than I’d typically pay, but when I showed my mom, she said, “You’ve been looking for decent sweaters all year and you’ve bought none.” So this one turned into a keeper.

Then there was this beautiful star dress. I’ve said it before: I’m not big on bell sleeves. I just think that’s a recipe for disaster as far as them getting dirty or ripping them, but for this dress I made an exception. It is witchy and magical feeling.

The last two pieces I tried on together: a ribbed turtleneck and a plaid pencil skirt. I mean that’s just your standard polish and panache outfit. Shopping on my own, I’d never purchase either of these styles, though I’d eye them up curiously. But that’s what Stitch Fix is about sometimes: pushing your own boundaries. These items were beautiful in theory (and in the box), but unfortunately did not work on me.

In the end, I purchased three of the items in my box. I consider that a pretty good success rate! And, like last time, yes, these items cost a bit more than I’d spend if I saw them at the store. The thing is though, I didn’t see them at the store. And that’s the luxury of this whole service: You get to bypass grueling shopping trips and also get access to items that aren’t always available elsewhere. If that means I pay 15% more for a top than normal, that’s just a surcharge for convenience and uniqueness as far as I’m concerned.

Also, since last time I took zero photos of me in my Stitch Fix garb, I thought I’d throw one in for fun! I’ve worn this dress twice already and I love it. I feel very Stevie Nicks (even if I don’t look it).

As always, if you’re interested in trying Stitch Fix for yourself, tell ’em Lisa sent you.

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Paper Flower Mania

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Periodically, I get myself in way over my head with a project. Some readers here might remember how I managed to plan a full-blown wedding in just five months. Or that time when I worked my fingers literally raw making this tarot card for an art show. Or, most recently, when I spent every spare minute for six weeks making hoops for a craft show.

I know how to do it, folks. Step one: Take on giant projects, no questions asked. Step two: Work yourself into a frenzy and don’t stop ’til it’s done. Step three: Spend an excessive amount of time recouping from that mania. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Which brings me to my latest giant project! Last month I helped a good family friend decorate for her daughter’s baby shower. She’s so generous and thoughtful, so it goes without saying that she wanted this shower to be incredibly special.

That’s where I come in (not to toot my own horn). To take this pineapple-themed shower from 10/10 to 11/10, I was recruited to make a few tropical centerpieces to decorate the tables. Since I’m an OK flower arranger, I suggested that I fix up some centerpieces for the party. Unfortunately, the mom-to-be is allergic to flowers. Fortunately, I spent a lot of time last year learning how to make paper flowers. It was the perfect opportunity to get me back into my paper flower groove while also being useful. Win-win!

With some templates from Lia Griffith (and only a week to work once my supplies arrived!), I went to town making paper ginger flowers, heliconia, birds of paradise, pincushion proteas, Cala lilies and a whole mess of greens. I put my Cricut to work cutting out dozens of leaves, but when it came to the flowers, well, let’s just say it was all hands on deck!

In the midst of my paper flower frenzy.

In the end, I made nine centerpieces. There were a few late nights putting all these together, but that’s what reruns of Unsolved Mysteries are for!

After I finished up with this, my first big project of 2018, I basked in the glory of a job well done and binge watched plenty of 30 Rock. Now, after resting, it’s time for another big project. Like I said, lather, rinse, repeat.

 

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Small Goals // February 2018

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Let me say this: January was hard! I mostly felt like wearing my warmest socks, grabbing a good book and curling up in bed. It’s just that cold outside and I’m that far into Wisconsin’s favorite mood: seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal depression aside, let’s count up January’s goals.

  1. Help with a super fun baby shower. Done! A tropical themed shower was a real bright spot in the middle of gloomy January.
  2. Work on some non-embroidery crafts. Done. I made a mess of paper flowers for that shower!
  3. Get odds and ends listed on Etsy. Nope. And I have no good reason!
  4. Make a few soups. Like I said in my original goals post, I’m not a huge soup person. So after my first batch of chicken wild rice soup, I was souped out (although this recipe was really really good). I’ll give myself a half point here.
  5. Get back into good routines. I’m going to give myself half a point on this one, because I only stuck with it for a few weeks. Having the flu throws a wrench in most plans, but especially those that require food and being in public (the gym).

3/5. I’m not too miffed by this. I’m starting to think about January as more of an incubation period than a fresh start. Since it’s so cold, there’s nothing better to do than think about the future and make a few plans.

Which is what I aim to do in February. I had all of January to sit and think, so now it’s time to start planning things and even taking a little action. So here are my goals for this month:

  1. Plan some sort of getaway. Michael and I had originally planned on visiting some friends out west this spring, but unfortunately the stars (and schedules) didn’t align. Making our way out to SLC is postponed, and I’m super disappointed. I’m thinking if I can plan a small, affordable trip (even just day trips) for the near future, that might help me feel a bit better about this indefinite delay.
  2. Declutter our bedroom and/or den. These two spaces in our home are the most clutter-prone by far. The den is where I prep all my embroidery projects, so 90% of the time the ironing board is out and fabric is spilling onto the floor. Our bedroom is also chronically cluttered with clothes. I’m hoping to get one of these spaces cleaned up so our home can feel a bit more zen.
  3. Sign up for another fix from Stitch Fix. My first box was amazing, the second was not. But I’ve got $25 in credit that I may as well use to get me through these winter doldrums.
  4. Make a mood board for a bathroom revamp. Our bathroom needs repairs and updating pretty badly. It’s still 1962 in there (but not in the fun way). Last year at this time I bought a ton of pretty bathroom stuff plus a new vanity to get going on the project. Unfortunately, it was a bigger undertaking that I initially thought so it got put on the back burner while we got our basement in order. I think after a year, this project needs to get some liftoff.
  5. Get into a cooking routine that works. I cook most evenings when Michael is home. This semester, though, he’s got evening classes four nights a week, meaning that regular routine is about to be obsolete. I need to start thinking of ways I can prep easy-to-reheat meals so we can eat on our different schedules.

Well, that’s it for me in February! I’ve got some serious goals, but I’ve got a few fun things peppered in my calendar to break it all up (brunches, book clubs and everything #basic). What do you have going this month?

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The Mini Crafty Fair

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I planned on writing this post immediately following the Mini Crafty Fair (that was all the way back on December 16!). But I’m glad I waited a bit to give myself a little perspective on the whole business of things. Also this is my third recap in a week. You sick of them yet?

But let’s start at the beginning! Back in December, I set up my first-ever booth at the Goodman Community Center in Madison for the Mini Crafty Fair. I’d been applying to fairs for a few months (after deciding to act on a longtime goal) and I was thrilled to set up shop with the Crafty Fair. It was a pretty chaotic ride, but I’m thrilled I did it. Here’s how the whole journey went:

The Days Before

Leading up to the big day, I was an absolute wreck. And by “leading up” I mean at least the three weeks prior. I was stressed to the max about hitting an arbitrary goal I set for myself. You see, I wanted to create at least 50 hoops to take with me and I was going to get to that number or die trying. While I sacrificed a lot of time and shed quite a few tears, I made it!

The Setup

During my extended panic period, I didn’t have much time to worry about my display. I had been looking for ideas online and was coming up empty. Instead of panicking about not having the most creative setup, I trusted my gut and drew up a pretty simple plan.

My dad, God bless him, made me two easels for displaying hoops. With those, I had a pretty good scaffolding for my setup. I just filled it in with a simple runner that I sewed, a felt letter board (#basiccraftingbitch) and some twinkle lights that I impulse bought at Target.

For how little time I put into planning the table (though, don’t get me wrong, I still put in some time). I was thrilled with how it turned out! It was pretty minimal, but it was easy to set up, easy to shop (hopefully) and a total breeze to disassemble.

The Fair Itself

The day-of, I was lucky enough to have the help of my mom. She picked me up at the crack of dawn (OK, just 7:45am) and drove me all they way out to Madison and helped me set up my table.

Since my booth wasn’t that elaborate, it took only a few minutes to set up and we had plenty of time to see what a lot of the other crafters were up to (and even buy a few things ourselves, like this adorable Old Fashioned ornament!).

The fair opened at 10:00 and I was lucky enough to get a sale in the first ten minutes! A sweet girl picked up a little blerg hoop and I was officially in business! Throughout the morning, I sold a few of my favorite pieces off to really great ladies and that really put me in a good mood. Well, that and being visited by my sisters, aunts, husband, mother-in-law and my oldest friend. Special guests are always welcome!

Admittedly, I kind of got down on myself for the last hour of the fair. I had made a handful of sales, but didn’t really make the splash I was hoping. Maybe my references were a little too specific (that’s what my mom said, but I stand by all my You go, Glen Coco! hoops); more likely, my expectations were way too high. Mostly I came to the uncomfortable conclusion that I spent so much of my free time making an absurd amount of hoops, and in the end, a lot of that work wasn’t necessary.

But I’m not going to get down on myself about that now, because at the end of the day, I set a goal for myself and I achieved it! Plus, if I decide to do another fair in the future, I’ve got a little experience under my belt!

The Cherry On Top

After a long day of hoop hawking, my family was sweet enough to indulge me at the Old Fashioned on the Capitol square. This place is one of my favorite restaurants, and they’re the only bar I know of (south of Wausau, at least) that sells brandy slushes. So I got to sip on one of those and enjoyed some beer cheese soup, onion rings and a prime rib sandwich. It was a good way to wrap up the day and it felt like a great kick-off to the holidays.

At the end of the day, this was a HUGE learning experience for me. And I sort of have the itch to do another!

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From Fool to Problem Solver // Reflecting on 2017

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I already kicked off 2018 with my new Small Goals post, but I realized I put the cart before the horse a little bit – 2017 is over but it deserves a recap. So here’s my obligatory blogger recap of 2017. Cheers!

• • •

OK, let’s start at the start. When 2017 started, collectively we weren’t in a good place. Donald Trump somehow became president. Every one I knew was in a constant state of stress and panic. The whole situation had me feeling tense and garbage-y every day. Of course Donald Trump is still president, but I’m coping slightly better with this.

But on a personal level, 2017 didn’t start off so hot either. I was working at a job that was, well, not a great fit for me. I’d go to bed thinking I don’t want to go to work tomorrow and I’d wake up thinking OMG I definitely do not want to go to work today. And I realized after working a lot of jobs that once that feeling sets in, it’s really hard to shake it.

There were other things, of course. My family had gone though a major upheaval in 2016 (and those effects were still lingering at the beginning of 2017). I realized that never working out was a bad idea. I knew that my house had some serious foundation issues. I was feeling creatively restless. Overall, I was really frustrated with my situation.

Bearing all this in mind, I realized that I had to rely on myself to make some changes. This is a really difficult thing to do – to just generally change up miserable situations – but my parents (especially my mom) raised me to be a problem solver. I saw some major problems in my life and I had to find a way to fix them. Cue this gif:

via GIPHY

But you know the saying, Rome wasn’t built in a day. I wasn’t suddenly going to find a new job, become creatively fulfilled, have a structurally sound home, a perfect family and a buff bod overnight.

But I could work on making myself happier. So I started small by treating myself to something I knew would give me some satisfaction: I took a tarot class. I wrote about it here, and it really shaped my entire year. Truly. The card I drew that night, the Fool, symbolizes new starts though sometimes in unknown directions. I placed a lot of faith in that card – that my new direction (hopefully a creative one!) would become apparent – and I tried to remain patient as that path became more obvious.

Days later, the Universe served up something amazing: a call for artists for a tarot-themed art show in Madison. Like I said in the post at the time, holy shit. Except now I mean it ten times more because that show gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get serious about embroidery.

I spent 40 hours making my card for the show. And hot off that finger-numbing exercise, I opened up Kaminski Handicraft. This is a jewel in the crown for 2017 because it is a dream long postponed, and finally come to life. By the end of the year, I beat my personal sales goal for the year! I made 22 online sales and almost as many IRL.

For most of the spring and summer, Kaminski Handicraft pulled me through. Embroidery gave me something to think about while I was at work (and something to do over lunch hour), it was something to tide me over when I was really disappointed with where I was at. However, even with embroidery to occupy my mind, I was in a bad space. I desperately started searching. I felt like Charlie Kelly.

via GIPHY

One evening while at dinner with a friend, I was discussing job prospects. I had zero at the time, but mentioned a position I applied for months prior that still looked to be unfilled. As fate would have it, one of her good friends worked for the company. She said that she’d get in contact with her and give her my name. By the next day, Taste of Home contacted me for an interview. A few weeks after that, I got offered the job. I cried.

Besides these two major accomplishments/problem solves for the year, I accomplished a lot of other tasks. I participated in the Women’s March with my friend Kellie, I signed up with a gym and started weight lifting classes (I know!), I got married to Michael again, we got our basement fixed, I tried some adventurous bakes at home (and for Taste of Home), I participated in my first-ever craft fair and I blogged here more than ever (35 times to be exact!).

• • •

I don’t write this to brag or to be overly proud. I write this because 12 months ago, I was the Fool. I had no idea where I was going, no idea what to do, but with a little problem solving, hard work and help from the Universe, I managed to reset my course.

I sincerely wish you all a healthy, happy and satisfying 2018. Hoping it’s even better than 2017!

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The Hermit // A Holiday 2017 Recap

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This past year, I made it a goal of mine to learn more about tarot. While I didn’t practice with my deck as much as I planned, I definitely made some headway in immersing myself a little more fully in the cards’ meanings and just general metaphysical culture.

One of my greatest (and most helpful finds) of the year was the podcast Tarot for the Wild Soul. I tap into this podcast at the beginning of each month to help me meditate on a few themes for the coming weeks. In December the host, Lindsay Mack, made mention of the Hermit card and how it would come into play throughout the month.

When I first gave this a listen, I was wary of that card. Not because the Hermit is bad in anyway, but it represents solitude or a need to turn inward. And at that time, I was envisioning a fun and boisterous holiday with lots of parties and craft nights, not some quiet, introverted season.

But I found out really quickly in December that pushing myself too hard and forcing myself to do too much was putting me in a really bad space mentally. So from that point forward, I gave myself permission to take the space I needed.

Of course there were still busy days, like working my first craft fair(!) and hosting our annual Christmas party (where most of these great snaps are from!), but days without events were quiet and relaxing. I spent my days at work, pushing through end-of-year projects, and at night I watched Christmas movies and did a little crafting.

But the embodiment of this Hermit holiday really came once Christmas Day came to a close. Every Christmas evening, we head back to our house early and open gifts together under the tree. Some years, ducking out of the party is hard to do, but this year it wasn’t so difficult to tear ourselves away. We got home around 8:30, changed into pajamas and gave one another (and the cats) gifts. It gave us a chance to enjoy each other’s company and all the really magical Christmas feelings.

I carried this Hermit vibe into the rest of the week as well. For the first time since college, I got a winter break! My employer shuts up its offices between Christmas and New Year and being home those extra days was a huge huge treat. Typically I’d be tempted to fill those bonus days with lots of activities and long to-do lists, but instead Michael and I settled into a nice routine of naps, Netflix and snacks. And by not switching into work or do mode right away, we helped stretch the holiday spirit out a little longer (but maybe it was all the Christmas Bob’s Burgers episodes we watched).

Now, work is back in session and I have to emerge from my Hermit hideout, but season filled with solitude, quiet and relaxation did me a world of good, and I’m ready to take on 2018!

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Small Goals // January 2018

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This post really crept on me! I had been enjoying a little Christmas break free from responsibilities and blogging (it was heaven!). But before we get into 2018, let’s see how I did the last month of 2017.

  1. Make it through my first craft fair.  Done! I have a recap of this planned for any interested parties.
  2. Make time for Christmas crafts I love. Not so much. After doing the whole craft fair thing, I was mostly just in the mood to chill out. And I’m OK with that!
  3. Get baking. Done. While I didn’t bake as much as I planned, I still knocked out a few cookies, a pie and a few apps.
  4. Watch 3+ Christmas movies. Done. Home Alone, White Christmas, Christmas in Connecticut and How the Grinch Stole Christmas all helped me feel that holiday spirit.
  5. Get rid of a bag of clothes/books/miscellany every week. Check! Instead of purging a bag per week, I did one large drop-off at my local Goodwill, which definitely equated to about four bags worth. Plus, I passed my large light table onto a friend.

4/5. December was super stressful, so I’m happy with four goals down.

Now onto 2018. I’m not a huge New Year’s resolution person. And honestly, after pushing so hard to get through the holidays, I feel like I need a little break (even though I have a few projects planned). Here’s what I’m thinking for January.

  1. Help with a super fun baby shower. A family friend is having a little girl this year! I’m helping her mom with some of the decorations for this tropical-themed shower and I’m excited to work on these party projects!
  2. Work on some non-embroidery crafts. During my holiday break, I pretty much just binged a bunch of British TV on Netflix. But I found myself wanting to be a little productive too. On my last day of vacation I picked up an old cross stitch and had a lot of fun. So more of that!
  3. Get odds and ends listed on Etsy. I made a lot of inventory for the Crafty Fair, and a lot of that inventory included new designs. It’s time to get those on Etsy!
  4. Make a few soups. It’s been super cold in Milwaukee lately (like 0ºF cold!). While I’m not typically a soup gal, I’ve had a craving for some good warming dishes.
  5. Get back into good routines. When it comes to routines, I give myself a pass during the holidays – it’s just too hectic. But now with an open schedule, it’s time for regular grocery shopping, weekly dinners with my mom and more classes at the gym.

Well, that’s it for me! What are you planning for 2018?