Sundaze 190

It’s a funny thing to live through history. This week I caught myself wondering what I’d tell my children or grandkids if they asked where I was during the COVID-19 pandemic. Would I tell them about the endless memes that were hilarious until they were too real? Or perhaps about how it was a time where I was even more grateful to spend time with our family? Would I be proud to tell them about what I did? Or ashamed that I’d lost sight of the realities? In the end, I supposed it was a heady mix of them all.

I’d tell them that it was a force for good, despite the odds. There was a mass anti-racism movement, a reckoning on human impacts on the environment. I’d tell them to hug loved ones close, to cherish every moment and remember that almost everything is classed as a luxury. I’d tell them to work smart, not hard, to retain that spirited sense of truly living, and to value the world around them.

Wow. That ended up being a big introduction to this week’s Sundaze.

29 Days of & Chai

Our little Etsy store, & Chai, has been out in the world for 29 wonderful days now! Every day, it continues to blow my mind that our candles have new homes in your houses. Months of testing and planning really did a thing. We ran our first ever sale for Black Friday this weekend, and it was a roaring success. Somehow, we’ve surpassed 200 sales and I couldn’t be more grateful. I can’t quite put into words how special it is not only to see how much our customers love them, but also how magical it feels to cosy up every night for my usual book-or-game and candle session – and the candle is one we made. We. Made!!

With Black Friday done and dusted, and our inventory depleted, we’re now focusing on restocking a final Christmas push, and then working on our own website. It was something that was on the distant horizon for ‘when we hit 100 sales’, but somehow this all took off faster than I could imagine.

The Shoots That Sprouted

Whilst dropping off some parcels at the contact-free drop box on Friday, I noticed some tiny seeds sprouting from the ground, amidst mud and dirt and fallen leaves. Luscious green lil things, shooting right up despite it being the end of autumn. Despite everything around ’em. I’m not sure where this little anecdote is going, but they sure put a smile on my face.

On Not Knowing What Our ‘Thing’ Is

I was really heart-warmed by the responses to my post on Monday. Of course it’s completely normal to not know what our ‘thing’ or purpose is, and even to never find that out. What struck me most about this week’s conversations is that I felt incredibly seen and reassured that my – or, our – feelings are valid. I think the pressure to work that out probably stems from those pesky appraisals we’ve all experienced, be that at school or work. Where do you see yourself in five years? It’s a question I’ve never been able to honestly answer to somebody that is, for all intents and purposes, a stranger. I’d like to be happy. To be doing something for the good of the world around me. How could I ever share that on an employee appraisal or report at school?! If you reached out to me after reading the post, thank you thank you thank you.

Links I’ve Loved

After being completely smitten by my first pairs of Craftology by Bolly earrings, I picked up another pair for a Christmas gift. Bolly offers clip-ons, pierced and pierced hypoallergenic earrings, alongside a range of gorgeous handmade goodies.
My sister’s best friend launched a podcast!! The pod tells real stories from real people, and the host – Kelly – interviews them about their lived experiences. Episode 1 is with a testicular cancer survivor, and it’s a really important, impactful listen.
Sarah looks back on her ’30 at 30’ list, and I loved reading about all that she’s achieved this year.
I can’t wait to make these Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts by Healthy Nibbles.
Dr. Camilla Pang, author of one of my favourite books this year, ‘Explaining Humans’, won an award!!
7 Ethical Alternatives to Amazon via What’s Hot?