The storm kept rolling through this week, creative momentum felt really slow, and a lot of my goals got pivoted or missed entirely. In the moment, it felt tough, like I wasn't making progress. But now, as I write this newsletter, I can see all the things that were accomplished. So many small moves were made in the right direction. It didn't feel monumental at the time, but stepping back, I can see so many really good things happened. Sometimes the smallest steps forward, that go unnoticed in the moment, keep the whole project alive.

My commitment to upcycled materials is my big audacious goal this year. This week I prioritized it even when the weather made everything harder. The storm meant solar limitations, which meant timing everything carefully. I had some major oopsie moments that damaged textiles. But I'm learning that perseverance doesn't have to mean everything blooming perfectly. For me this week it meant making the smallest move in the right direction, getting back up when I fall and trusting that my continued effort really counts.

Photographing pieces and processing upcycled textiles were the two major accomplishments of the week. Even when creative momentum feels slow, and pivoting feels overly abundant, the infrastructure work matters just as much.

The weather really affected my creative flow this week. This piece is moving a lot slower than I anticipated, and frustration crept in. My studio time felt like it was at a standstill at times. But it's still happening, I’m still showing up, loop by loop.

Little by little, these loops come together to create a volcanic landscape. When I look really close, I can get lost and not see the image they create. Sometimes if I don't take a step back, I get lost in the details. But when I do step back and see the totality, I can appreciate both. The macro of the full picture and the micro of the process too. Each loop isn't just a loop on its own, it's one of many, its a tribe.

The weather has been stormy all week, and this was one of two moments I had without rain. Even though it was hard for me to not have the golden light I love so much. I moved forward even with everything feeling stormy and shaded with blue instead of my usual warm tones. I was really proud of myself for going out during the pause and taking the pictures. I felt really content with this small, subtle progress.

Food is a love language in our home, and we are thrilled that Bubba is getting into baking again. We call it our Bubba Bakery! His learning curve with sourdough and experimentation has been delicious. This sourdough loaf with sesame seeds was the star of the week, it felt nourishing not only as food, but as an act of service for our family.

Sweet Pea and I made this wreath for the house. This is one we made in the past, and we're actually adding different flowers and elements to it soon, but I wanted to capture it before we changed it up. I love the position of fresh florals alongside dried ones. Honoring the beauty of dualities at once. Holding space for two things at the same time is such a driving force in my work, and I love having visual reminders of that throughout our home life too.

I have so much appreciation for our family's ability to delight in the discomfort of growth. Having an outdoor kitchen, especially during a storm, has been challenging at the very least. But as I get older, I'm realizing I don't value comfort as much as I thought. What I really value is a life that feels authentic, and that we're brave enough to pursue this non-conventional path that really suits us.

The kitchen island with dishwasher installed! The after is, as always, not finished, but it's an update. Even though comfort isn't the priority, and convenience isn't what we're striving for in our life, it really is nice to have a creature comfort after so many years of roughing it. Washing dishes is my least favorite home care activity, and this dishwasher has brought me so so so much delight. I'm so thankful and proud of Bubba for figuring it all out for us. It's been a huge source of joy.

It's spring break, and we've had so much fun this week with indoor crafty activities even though it's been stormy and we haven't been out as much. We've found ways to have fun through creation during our home downtime, like this planter put Sweet Pea and I painted, and it's been a really nice contrast to our outings to the planetarium and rock climbing.

I hope you’ve had a lovely Spring break week. I hope this letter finds you well and can be a reminder that progress is not linear or monumental, most of the time it's just about showing up, making one small move, and trusting that it's enough. And if you are lucky, enjoying the process along the way!

Love,

Coco