Newsletter #018 - Crying & Cooking

The secret ingredient of cute cakes may just be nostalgia. Plus, a reflection on a home rearrange, matcha tin designs, and funky puzzles.

⁕ Color Theory Tea’s matcha tins got a label redesign (from me!) and it’s pink and green just in time for spring

⁕ Manufacturers have created an incredible collection of colorful design material to make life (or at least more commercial buildings) look like a kaleidoscope

⁕ Paige Spearin creates wonderfully delightful spring-inspiring artwork that caught my eye and made me want to attend a garden soiree

⁕ Tour an immersive green and red forest home with windows that I can’t even comprehend

⁕ A case for watching foreign films, and a list of amazing movies to get you started

⁕ This is my new laptop case, in you like stripes and you want to match

⁕ My current favorite coffee table book, but it’s not just pretty. It’s full of great stories and has been incredibly informative of design principles and magic.

⁕ A comprehensive guide for arranging flowers like a florist

⁕ Suddenly, I deeply believe that all dogs should have a ball pit at home

⁕ This funky puzzle brand released candles to go with their spring collection for the ultimate puzzle experience

“Can we talk about Beverly? Who is she?” I asked.

I sat across the counter from sisters, Kaylee and Kasey. In between us is a pastel yellow Kitchen Aid mixer running at full speed, and a bowl of sprinkles that look like pearls. They began a small business in 2020 called From Beverly Bakery.

“Beverly is the greatest woman I know…and we are both going to cry now.” Both girls laughed while wiping a tear away. Beverly was the grandmother who embodied warmth and safety throughout both Kaylee and Kasey’s lives. She was a meal every night. She was the car waiting in carline to pick them up from school. She was pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. She is now a sweet memory suddenly in the middle of the day. And a handwritten carrot cake recipe tucked somewhere safe.

Like many matriarchs, she balanced a strong-willed workmanship with a soft and steady presence. And her favorite place to be present was her kitchen — the kitchen both girls now run their bakery inside.

While they had always baked together (and with Beverly), the sisters began baking for others during the COVID lockdown. Inspired by bakers online, Kasey decided she could make a small cake just as cute for a friends’ birthday. The process of baking this cake not only sparked joy, but also a call for a new dream and a bold step forward. She LOVED making it. Kasey eagerly talked to Kaylee about her new business idea, and within less than a week, they were both all in. After a decorating cakes for a few parties, word-of-mouth took off — and they were booked solid!

Beverly’s heirloom recipes guided the girls into making a cohesive line of delicious baked goods, but they added their own decorative flare. Inspired by retro cakes and whimsical designs, the cakes have become incredibly high in demand. Adding gluten free and dairy free options seemed to have made them even more popular.

Kaylee is the primary baker, and Kasey ices the cakes. The sisters laughed as they told me they primarily work together in complete silence. They keep headphones on, stay in their own lanes, and bake for hours on end in the kitchen that most reminds them of their favorite person.

We reflected together on the magic of cakes - they are often in the room for life’s most treasured moments. And Kasey and Kaylee play an intricate role in incredibly significant moments for so many people. The legacy they carry is not lost on them.

Grief can bring us to incredibly creative places. And what an honor it was to watch this bakery carry on their namesake with beauty and dedication.

To follow along their incredible journey or order a cake…click here.

A reflection from Feeling! writer (and husband), Connor O’Brien

I took a look at my environment and asked myself “Is this environment serving me best?” “Is it working for us?”

After a long talk with my wife, we finally decided to change things up in our house and because of that, yes, I’ll be sleeping in the guest room from now on. 

You see, I took a good look around and realized that although our house was nicely decorated, something just wasn't quite right. We had shuffled furniture a few times, but mostly everything was still in the same place as when we moved in two years ago.

It turns out that our current setup wasn't exactly working for us. I had the urge to switch things up, even if what I wanted seemed a bit silly. My plan was to move our bedroom to the smallest room in our home … the guest room!

Once I asked myself these questions and examined my daily routines at home, I realized that our original setup wasn't optimal and saw what changes would best suit our needs. I took a look at my environment and asked myself “Is this environment serving me best? Is it working for us?”

So, over our Christmas break we took several days to completely rework our home. And so far, it has made things feel much more at peace since we designed our space with more intention to serve our needs.

Oh, yes, I should add that my wife will also be sleeping in the guest room tonight, at least I hope so. 

(I will be! XO Jenna)

Next week sneak peek: The Anxiety of Entrepreneurship - a very honest reflection on my journey and advice for anyone who needs it.