The moral of this year is that I have the very best friends. It's been a doozy (for everyone, right?) and I am constantly reminded that I have somehow managed to assemble the finest women known to man on my side.

Given the doozy of a year for the entire nation, this year I am trying to use my dollars to support my community of small makers, and women owned and run businesses, and in general, put my money where my big fat mouth has been shouting all year. I'm trying to minimize the number of Amazon and Target boxes that I order this season and up the number of Etsy boxes, trips to my local bookstore and homemade and baked things I give my lovely friends. Here are some of the things I'm considering, clockwise from top:

Custom Address Stamp, for a good friend’s move.

The Witch Elm by Tana French, for my sister who loves a good mystery

These Truths by Jill Lepore, for the friend who is concerned about the country and cannot get enough of Lepore (everything Lepore writes is perfection)

Dogs on Jumpers by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne for my friend of 23 years who loves knitting and dogs as much as me

I’ve recently fallen in love with Moorea Seal’s Seattle shop and website and a few stockings will be stuffed with her Twisted Suns Earrings, Tortoise Hoops, and my favourite Spark Earrings.

Boho Turkish Blanket, for my friend’s new apartment.

Girl III Totebag, for my funky baby sister who is living on her own in the city now.

Three blocks from our house in Capitol Hill is Hunny Bunny Boutique, an awesome natural bath and body shop and this year, with new babies, big moves, break ups and new jobs, I can think of lots of friends who could use a sugar scrub, luxurious soap and a lavender lotion bar (the lotion bars are a dream).

A Bear Card, to tell them I love them.

I am also going to step up the knitting and baking game this year. I’m planning on baking my favourite holiday cookies and finding some festive tins as well as bringing back my grandmother’s unstoppable mitten pattern and this gorgeous hat pattern for a couple good friends, along with a donation in their name. This year, I’ve been incredibly privileged to have amazing prenatal care in a city that is the most dangerous place in America for African American women to give birth. This year I’ll be making a donation to Communities of Hope, an organization that helps families in Washington, DC and specifically provides health care and midwifery services to low income women in my city.

After DC's snowzilla winter and a cool March and April, we're finally getting some warm weather and it's feeling amazing. Here are a few of the things I've been drooling over this spring, clockwise from top:

This Must Be The Place Glitter Banner The Talking Heads song was the first song played at our wedding reception so even though I danced to it with my sisters and our flower girl rather than with my husband it always makes me so happy and wouldn't this be stellar hanging over my desk?

Tiny Cat Ring In the summer I always want to wear ALL the tiny little jewelry bits. This ring would be perfect.

Tripod Fox Planter Our apartment is overflowing with Ikea Kardemumma planters in various sizes and this little foxy dude would break up the white without looking out of place and also he's got a little foxy face and is therefore the cutest.

Wooden Dolly Parton Magnet Saint Dolly needs no explanation. My best friend from high school is going to see her this summer and I am so jealous. I keep threatening to name my first child Dolly Parton Burke and MAYBE it's a joke.

All Bodies Are Good Bodies Wreath Because they are, because Grace Chin's paper flowers are gorgeous and because it's good to be reminded to fight the patriarchy on the regular.

Temporary Tattoos Fox and Rabbit My little sister is getting married this summer and she and her twin both have rabbit tattoos since my siblings and I are, collectively, The Bunnies. I don't have a tattoo and neither does our youngest sister or our foreign-exchange-sister-by-default so I'm going to get the three of us temporary rabbit tattoos so all The Bunnies will be tattooed with bunnies for the middle bunny's wedding.

Hey Gorgeous Peacock Cards Do these need any commentary? No they do not. All my friends are gorgeous land mermaids and whenever I send a card I want it to convey that.