My new nose piercing. (Two, actually - septum and nostril, ouch.) I went to Creative Chaos on the suggestion of our booksellers and highly recommend it. I’ve been heartbroken about the recent disregard shown for a woman’s bodily autonomy, so I felt like making a choice about my own was fitting. We’re thinking of having a tattoo and piercing popup in the bookstore in the New Year, because why not? Books + body art, let’s make it a thing. 

It’s an election year, so it felt like a good time to talk about “craftivisim,” a term that was coined in 2014 but describes something that has existed for centuries. In 2014, Betsy Greer coined the term “Craftivism.” In her book, Greer gave a name to the intersection of craft and activism, looking at places where crafters and artists want their work to contribute to the greater good, spark conversation, and signal their activism to the wider world. 

We all live with little necessary home repairs. Whether it’s a leaky faucet, broken fence, missing trim, holes in drywall – well you get the picture. Most of the time we let these things go until we decide it’s time to sell our house. We get everything repaired, replaced, painted and then wonder why we didn’t do it sooner!

November is the perfect time to do two things when it comes to your finances, especially if you own a business – catch up on your bookkeeping and file your Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report! We are nearing the end of the year and many people find themselves lost in a whirlwind of backlogged bookkeeping. Now is a great time to either get it up to date yourself or hire a bookkeeper to get you caught up for the year so you aren’t stressed out come tax time.

I wandered into AIP when it first reopened. Alex greeted me and sold me one of the best swimsuits I’ve ever owned. I’d never seen anything like it and I’ve  never seen anyone with it. That’s the kind of boutique American in Paris is. She finds all sorts of cool unique pieces for the store while traveling the world. This women’s boutique is more than just a shop—it’s a vibe.

Think Rolyn’s crossbody bags and sling bags are a favorite – especially for travel. They are the perfect size, they are weather resistant and the zippers and pockets are in all the right places. I use the wingman all the time when I go to NYC for work or away for a weekend. You can throw so much stuff in it and after owning it for five years, it looks like new!

Watching Love is Blind DC as a family law attorney made me cringe over and over again. The thing that bothered me most in terms of legal misconceptions was everyone referring to a “sperm baby” as if it was someone’s legal child. I also personally found the term incredibly offensive. So, let’s go over some basics.

My Libby’s List this past week featured the Ann Mashburn Funnel Neck sweater. It’s a favorite of mine and my top pick for the trunk show. If I had to suggest a second item that is a must-buy buy, it would be a pull on pant. Pull-on pants are definitely having a moment right now, and Ann was in early on the trend. I asked Madeline to style each version to show their versatility.