All January, I’ve been reminded to “do small things with great love” by the calendar hanging on the wall behind my computer. I picked this up from the dollar store and really like it. The images inside were done by an artist named Katie Doucette, whose work is charming and whimsical. I also like that there is an accompanying quote to inspire you, which seems to be hand lettered by her too.
With the month almost over, I’ve already found it easy to get sidetracked on my goals because of the general day-to-day living. And all too often, I want to rush through all those obligatory daily tasks – like doing dishes and the laundry, cooking a meal, or brushing my teeth – because they seem unimportant. But when I’m reminded of the quote above, those same tasks become a little less boring and easier to accomplish.
Now I’m not going to necessarily treat something like taking out the garbage with great love, but the more positive I can be, the better. Making a meal together with Matt or our kids usually results in more delicious food, because it has been made with love.
The other day, Matt made up some pizza dough and crafted an artisanal pan pizza for us to share. I had been craving artichoke on pizza – not easy to find in Saskatoon restaurants – so we threw this together for dinner and were more than satisfied. Other toppings we included were chicken, salami, bacon, spinach, fresh oregano and olive oil.
Much healthier than Pizza Hut pies!
Also, how fitting is it that I have been working on small things for the past week or so? Perhaps I was influenced by the message on my calendar.
I will be listing this small painting in my shop shortly.
This weekend we’ll be celebrating Chinese New Year’s at my parents by having a hot pot dinner. I volunteered to make dessert and am excited to bake this cake, although I won’t be decorating it like a cat. Black sesame desserts are so scrumptious… I miss the black sesame balls that we used to get at Rol San in Toronto!
They are actually not too complicated to make, but having an air fryer definitely helps.
What are your weekend plans? It’s another movie night for us, and I think we may try watching this one as a family, at the recommendation of my mother-in-law. Matt and I started it one night but weren’t as enthused. We’ll see what the kids think.
Have a lovely weekend!
