Memorial Day Weekend 2025
Isn’t it amazing how life gives you MANY ‘second’ chances. I feel that way about summer – this summer in particular is a second chance for me. But before I can tell you about the next three months, I have to jump back five months to New Year's Day. I have gotten myself in a terrible mess, and this Memorial Day – Summer 2025 – is my chance to reset.
Let’s rewind to January 1st. I was in Mexico with our family of eight (five kids + a boyfriend who is now family 😊) and I spent the vacation thinking of the words that I wanted to guide me in 2025:
Strength
Beauty
Intention
Beauty
Intention
Strength: I chose Strength because I truly needed to be strong, both mentally and physically. I needed to improve my core. Both my core body, aka muscles – but also my emotional fortitude, my heart and spirit.
Beauty: I chose Beauty because I have realized that my physical surroundings really affect my mood and level of inspiration. I need to have things organized. I need to have a pretty interior/house. I need to dedicate time to my surroundings. Sunshine helps a lot.
Intention: I chose Intention because I wanted to be thoughtful about how I spend my every day. I didn’t want to be rushing – all the dang time. I didn't want to be mindlessly scrolling. I didn’t want to be traveling to trunk shows and then feeling behind on seeing the kids and missing lunch with my girlfriends. Intention meant slowing down and choosing my activities. Intention is where I fell off the rails FIRST….
I had put my words and goals into a Google Keep doc to keep it top of mind. Fast forward to this past Monday. We have a company meeting to review recent sales, product, marketing strategies and talk about the weeks ahead. I am not sure what spurred it but in the middle of the meeting I pulled up the note and read:
Strength, Beauty, Intention: In 2025, your days begin with calm mornings to set the mood for a positive day. You find balance in work/life activities, prioritizing your health with exercise and strength training. Evenings are spent cooking healthy meals, mastering new recipes, and winding down with a good book.
I read the words and honestly, I think the color drained from my face. I kind of laughed out loud but not in a good way…HOW had I gotten so far from this vision.
I can tell you exactly how. Work and life just took me. Like a tidal wave. The business is on ‘plan’ but the news and fear of the changes of a new administration sent me into a tailspin of worry – demolishing the strength around my mental health. I started strong with the working out, but then events and travel back-to-back made getting to classes harder. I was throwing dinners together instead of taking time to find healthy recipes. I was overscheduled. Cramming things into my days, meetings every second. I lost control.
Summer feels like the moment I take it back.
I have this vision for summer. I can honestly feel it in the air, I can feel it in my heart. There is a lightness that summer brings that I plan to enjoy very intentionally. I don’t have any travel until July. I am headed to New Hampshire, and you will see me post there all summer. I work in the morning but let myself take walks and have lunch on the dock! I have my sketchbooks waiting to be filled. Embroidery ready to stitch. I am planning to carve some linoleum blocks for block printing. I am going to gain Strength through sunshine, enjoy the beauty of the lake, and live with Intention. Please – as my friends here – hold me to it.
PS: Am I the only one that is feeling this way? Please tell me I am not alone.
Recently on Instagram this quote got more likes than anything we have ever posted – it went ‘viral’. Given my focus words and the need to live each day with joyful intention, should this be our theme for summer? Maybe our theme for LIFE. 😉
NOW some fun stuff. As I have just visited stores across the country, I have some incredible summer fashion. Mr. Jane Win has noticed an influx of packages on the front stoop (insert nervous laugh). You all comment on Instagram daily asking what top I am wearing, where the dress is from – so I broke it into simple categories you ask about most!
I have recently been obsessed with the brand Coniglio. Here is a fun set with a matching top & skirt paired with our newest Summer Protection - Evil Eyes:
Of course, you know I love a good summer dress. Here's my ideal outfit for a dinner with friends:
