Favorite Things of 2023

 Brown paper packages tied up with strings...

It's time to review 2023 and showcase a few of my favorite things.

For starters, here are a few of my favorite crafty things from this year:

How did I live so long without handy wire snips? This tool from Hero Arts works great when cutting apart dies!

Jewel pickers make sequin placement so easy.

I love these shimmer sprays! I found mine at Paper and I in Marshall. Silver, Gold, Frost and Sparkle . They do a great job of adding twinkle to projects.

Gingerbread was a great addition to the neutrals at Catherine Pooler!

This was the year when glue made a big comeback. I do love Nuvo's glue, and I like the Bearly Arts glue as well. But Mono Multi has been my standby for years, and I still love it.

I had some fun new-to-me purchases from the buy/sell forums, like:

Concord and 9ths O Holy Night and Peace on Earth stamps

 Stampin' Up sets like Potted Geraniums. Pansy Patch, Nature's Harvest, Hydrangea Haven, Lovely and Lasting and Cup of Tea

 Taylored Expressions Spring Chicken stencils

I have a big stack of new products waiting to be used in 2024, like new Hello Bluebird stamps and dies, Concord and 9th Tweet Life stencils, and the Psalm Reflections series from Papertrey Ink.

The new year will have a new motto. I am calling it The Year of Plenty. I will be reminding myself "You have plenty of that!" I hope to cut way back on spending and focus on using instead. You will see me doing a lot of "I can make that without having to buy that" posts in the future.

I had some other favorites last year, from beauty products to foods (Cosmic Apples! The mocha latte at Arise Bakery!) to household items (Alien Tape! Citrus zesters!).

Here are some non-crafty favorites from 2023:

I got this Laura Geller kit at the beginning of the year, and I love it! My skin has never looked better, and it is so fast and easy to use! Just watch the celebrities doing their own makeup with this on YouTube, and you will be sold. LG always has fabulous sales. If you order, make sure to get the Spackle primer (so lightweight, but perfect for prepping skin), and the Kabuki retractable brushes are a must.

This kit is also lovely. I used this all summer for that sun-kissed glow. I also love LG's tinted moisturizer. I apply it after Spackle primer, and then I use the Baked Balance and Brighten all over. The tinted moisturizer has an SPF 55.

I got a rose quartz roller and gua recently, and I really like it. It does a great job of removing puffiness, and helps with lymphatic drainage.

These Dove products have really helped me stop the hair loss. I also found that my hair improved when I stopped using dry shampoo.

I discovered a new tea company at the end of the year, and it is awesome! Chapters Tea and Coffee is a local company, and their book-themed loose leaf teas are delicious. The artwork on all of their products is so sweet, too. (I admit, they had me at Second Breakfast tea!)

And speaking of books, here are a few good ones I read this year:

This book should be required reading for every GYN. It has really helped me with menopausal issues. I now take supplements like probiotics, Vitamin D, Fish Oil, and Magnesium, along with collagen. I'm avoiding sugars and a lot of carbs and glutens and dairy. Adding healthy fats, lots of fiber and better protein to my diet. Feeling much better these days as a result. 

A good historical read.

M.C. Beaton may have died, but R.W. Green is doing a fine job of carrying on her legacy.

This was a great story to read over the holidays, as it highlights Christmas celebrations in 1800s England. I'm looking forward to reading book number four in this series.

Reading this one now, and really enjoying it. Much of it takes place at a cherry orchard in Michigan.

And when I finish this one, I still have to read :

Atomic Habits by James Clear

A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay

Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron

I got this one from my son, Luke, for Christmas. Making her Chicken Pot Pie Skillet dinner tonight!

Tell me, did you have a favorite thing in 2023? Tell me about it!