Friends, your favorite post and mine is here! A few years ago I posted my reading recap at the end of the year rather on a whim, and ever since then I’ve been hearing from countless readers and followers about how much you love this post. I really enjoy connecting with all of you through a common love of books and reading, and truly appreciate when you send me messages to alert me to a book I might want to check out.

For me, this year was simply GREAT in regards to reading. I set my usual goal of 30 books a year and surprisingly smashed it, finishing a final total of 40 books. While the actual number of books I read is of no consequence, setting a goal helps to keep me reading consistently throughout the year. This year, I felt a voracious desire to consume so many intriguing books and before I knew it, I had reached 40 with relative ease.

My book selection continues to tilt more in favor of nonfiction, and this year I made a concerted effort to decolonize my bookshelf and read more books by people of color, women in particular. Every day I recognize more and more how my own white privilege has blinded me to the realities of life for people of color and black people in America in particular. Reading the perspectives and non-white washed histories of people who experience the world differently than me continues to expand my understanding, compassion, and ability to be a true ally to marginalized groups. Having set this intention is what I think is responsible for my increased appetite for books in general. I finish one book related to race or feminism and it sparks my interest in multiple other books like a chain reaction.

While I certainly understand the desire to use reading as an escape at times, and while I definitely chose a few books expressly for that purpose, I believe the ability to choose to filter our world in this way is a luxury that minorities often lack. Being intentional about my book selection over this past year has been a truly life changing experience and I am just so excited to keep reading and learning and growing in this new year.

(A quick note: a few of the reviews below are copied from my holiday gift guide, simply because writing 40 book reviews – even short ones – is quite an undertaking. Thanks for understanding!)

Let me introduce you to the best thing I have ever knitted: the cumulus blouse. This sheer, loose fitting fluffy cloud of a sweater is so gorgeous and comfortable I can hardly articulate it. Maybe the best way to convey it is to say that I rarely knit the same project twice and definitely not back to back, but after finishing my sweater I immediately ordered more yarn to make these for several of my friends and have already gotten started on one of them.

I have been quite obsessed with all of Petite Knit’s designs lately and for good reason – they are perfectly in line with my own personal style. Finding pieces like this which feel so very “me” that I can style in several ways and wear in so many different settings feels empowering, and even more so when the garment is handmade. This sweater can be styled more sweetly over a white bralette or tank with neutral makeup, or with more sex appeal over a black bra with bold lipstick (which some people find so scandalous, LOL.)

Read on below for all the project details and a gallery with a few more photos.

I would love to be able to say that gingerbread decorating was a decades-old family tradition of mine, but in reality I think the only gingerbread houses I ever decorated growing up were the cheater kind made from some slabs of graham cracker and canned icing. While that was still a total blast to me as a kid, I also dreamed of doing something more elaborate one day. Last year was the first year I tried making houses from scratch and while it ultimately worked out, the process was anything but smooth and carefree.

Thankfully I was able to learn from the bumps of last year and give it another go this year. I ended up deciding, probably against my better judgement, to not only do it all again but also to do it on a larger scale with several guests included. It ended up being an absolute blast and I think I’ve got the process all figured out now. Read on below for the details and a full photo gallery.

The Details:

• I used the King Arthur Flour recipe for construction gingerbread.
• I used the template included in their gingerbread guide. However, last year I found that when made as originally designed, one batch of dough was not quite enough for one whole house. STRESSFUL. This year, I made the a few modifications to the house to make it smaller and fit the amount of dough.
• To modify the size of the house, I reduced the height by removing an inch from the bottom of each of the gabled ends and sides of the house template pieces. I also reduced the width of the two long side template pieces by 0.75 inches on each side (so 1.5 inches total width removed).
• With these modifications, I ended up with a bit of leftover dough but this is a good thing because you will want insurance in case one of the pieces breaks.
• I added a cute little arch to the top of the windows by cutting out the arced shape with the wide part of a pastry tip that was the right diameter to fit the window.
• It’s not like we’re going for flavor here so I recommend letting the baked house pieces sit out on a wire rack overnight to get a bit stale.
• For assembly of six houses, I made a double batch of stiff royal icing and it was just the right amount.
• My preferred consistency for construction purposes is the recipe as written plus one more tablespoon of water and that’s it.
• I bought standard size foam boards (20×30 inches), cut them into quarters, and covered them in foil secured with clear packing tape on the bottom side. In the past I used candy striped duct tape to line the edges for a cute festive look but didn’t have any this year so just skipped that.
• If making more than one house at a time, match up the house pieces before you start building. Even if you make them all using the same template, there is bound to be some variation during baking, etc. Find two gabled ends that pair well together, two sides, two roof pieces, etc. Then match the gabled ends to side pieces with nearly the same exact height. Roof piece sizing mattered less.
• Build the four sides of the house and let dry well (at least a few hours) before adding the roof pieces on top. This helps maintain the structural integrity while you build.
• Don’t overthink the candy selection. Just go to your drugstore’s candy aisle and have a little shopping spree. Kids will find a way to be creative with pretty much anything you give them so there is no need to overcomplicate things or look for any fancy decorative items.
• I made another batch of royal icing for the kids to use and made it a bit thinner than the icing I used for building the houses. You want it thin enough to be easy to pipe, but not thin enough that it would drip.

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