In My Haven: May 2022
This May in my haven I'm thinking about growth. The spring flowers blooming and summer on the horizon have my thoughts turning to how to grow my business, how my daughter is growing up, growing our vegetable garden, and nurturing important relationships so that they grow deeper. Does spring make you think about growth too? If so, read further for news about how Haven Handmade is growing, as well as products, projects, recipes, and reading recommendations to help you celebrate spring growth.
My Thoughts: Growing a business
In the Haven Handmade Shop: Blooming
Make it Yourself: Flowers that don't wilt
In the Kitchen: Picnic picks
To Read: Growing up
All the links from this month's journal can also be found on the In My Haven: May 2022 Pinterest Board.
Growing a Business
Starting and growing a business is a process that is full of conflicting emotions for me: hope, worry, excitement, discouragement, pride, and impatience (to name a few). The cycle goes something like this for me. I have an idea for a new design or get accepted to a new market and feel hopeful that it will be successful. Then I worry that it will be a complete flop. Then I get excited when something sells, or, conversely, I'm discouraged by slow sales. I'm proud when I look at how far Haven Handmade has come since I opened up shop in September 2020 and with how much I've learned in the process. In the next moment though, I am just as likely to feel impatient to see Haven Handmade reach the next step. I'm learning to accept (and expect) this cycle of emotions because I know growth is never easy or predictable. What emotions do you feel in response to growing in a certain area of your life?
In Bloom
April showers have brought May flowers to the Haven Handmade shop. Here are a few floral designs that are perfect for the month of May!
Wildflowers
My newest appliqué design features white wildflowers with yellow centers arranged in a border with green stems and buds. It looks marvelous on a set of placemats, but I also think it would work equally well on a tote bag, basket, or pillow.
Simple Initial Wreath
A few blossoms and leaves wrap around a single letter to form a simple, elegant monogram appliqué. This design is on the cover of my personal travel drawing set, but I can imagine it on a pillow or tote bag too.
Strawberry Patch
What says "May” better than petite blossoms turning into sweet, red strawberries? This appliqué design looks beautiful on a fabric basket, and I'm sure it would be just as perfect on a placemat.
Flowers that Don't Wilt
April showers bring May flowers. Wouldn't it be better if those flowers didn't wilt so fast? With these DIYs your flowers can last much longer!
This free pattern and tutorial for making felt flowers looks fun and easy! Make them into a garland, wreath, hair accessories and more.
Would you believe me if I told you that you could make gorgeous flowers from something as mundane as a paper plate? With these instructions, you can!
If you're like me, you'll want to sew some flowers. Making free motion appliquéd flowers is one of the easiest things to try. Cut a flower and leaf shape from fabric. Position it on the background and then stitch. No pattern needed! But, if you did want to start with a simple pattern, this might be just the thing.
Picnic Picks
As soon as the weather warms up, I start wanting to eat al fresco. With these recipes, you can easily move your meal from your dining room table to your patio table or local park.
Wild Rice Arugula Salad: A grain or pasta salad that can be a main dish or a side dish makes a perfect picnic dish, I think. This one is a family favorite. It has wild rice and arugula, mixed with dried cranberries, almonds and feta cheese.
Noodle Salad with Chicken: This noodle salad is also a family favorite that travels well. It's crunchy, refreshing, and a bit spicy. Although, if you prefer it less spicy you can skip the chili-scallion oil and it will still taste great.
Chickpea Pan Bagnat: You can't go wrong with sandwiches for a picnic, of course. This chickpea-based sandwich is one I'm hoping to try this summer.
Growing Up
There are all sorts of books about growth and growing up out there. It's actually quite a challenge to narrow it down, but here are three options.
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey (Erin Entrada Kelly): This is Joanna's pick for a book about growing up. It's a short chapter book about a young girl facing challenges (one of which is learning to climb a tree) and finding courage. It's a very endearing read.
Unsheltered (Barbara Kingsolver): In this novel Willa is coming to grips with the fact that her adult life did not take the path she expected. I found the relationships between Willa and her various family members, and the way those relationships grew, to be the most interesting aspect of the story. I also enjoyed the parallel story about science teacher Thatcher Greenwood, who Willa is researching.
Becoming (Michelle Obama): Memoirs and biographies are great places to find stories of growth. Michelle Obama's is one of the most compelling that I've read. She tells stories of growing up in Chicago and striving to balance family life with her professional and political life through the years, which I found to be honest and relatable.
I wish you a month full of growth!
From my haven to yours,
Beth
P.S. Have you seen my newly updated and redesigned home page and about page?
Disclosure: The links in this post are not affiliate links. I do not receive any compensation for the recommendations I make in my journal. It's just a place where I can write about what I like and think you might too.
