Stepping into love, one cannot help but notice the two portraits of our founder ancestor’s hung behind the register. They gaze stoically, keeping a watchful eye on the store and display cases – some of which happen to be family heirlooms.
These little familial touches are, in my opinion, what make love, such a cozy space. So, in honor of family, chosen or otherwise, here are some ways to bring some more familial love into your life.
Ways to we express Familial Love
Through Music
“I grew up with my dad playing his do-wop 45s, music always acting as another family member growing up. I absolutely love the music my dad collects. These days I get together with my husband, Don, my brother, Greg, and sometimes my cousin, Danny, to play music for each other. We each pick a secret theme, grab 5 albums, and see who can guess the theme of our chosen music. It is a blast!” -Kelly Sanders
Through Crafts
“When I was growing up I used to love going to Michaels craft store with my mom. We would shop for little craft projects together and then go home and make them. One of my favorites was snowmen made from painted wooden candle sticks.
My parents were always supportive of my creativity, most notably when they allowed me to paint and draw directly onto the walls of my room. I even had friends using spray paint to tag my walls. I loved customizing every aspect of my room and living in a piece of art.” - Monica Grunick
Gardening
“I picked up my love of gardening through my mom. She enjoys having small gardens around her home and caring for unique and difficult houseplants like bonsais and orchids. She gave me an African violet as my first houseplant when I lived in a dorm at Pitt in Lothrop Hall.” - Amber Hartung
Ways To Express Familial Love From a Distance
The little things
I hate to brag but this has become my bread and butter, as someone who lives both away from home and has chosen family all over the world! Sometime around last year I was doing tech for a dance show and I was in love with the costumes. I immediately thought of my Step Mom, someone who loves pretty things and has a great eye. We ended up having a really great conversation from the photos, from there I decided anytime I see something pretty I will send it to my Stepmom to bring a little more beauty into her day! I cannot recommend this enough. It is a great way to practice gratitude with someone you love.
Games
This is a cute idea a friend of mine came up with a few years ago. Long Distance Where’s Waldo is the only way I can think of describing it. The rules are simple: Anytime you see a yellow Kia Soul you say when and where you saw it. I think this is a super cute idea and opens the door to a check in opportunity.
Playlists
I am a sucker for a good mixtape. I cannot tell you how many hours I have spent curating songs on Spotify for my silly little playlists. Just before the pandemic I was driving in the car with a friend when the song, ‘You’re So Vain’ by Carly Simmon came on. That song is a certified bop and we began talking about how therapeutic it is to sing that song at the top of your lungs.
From there the community playlist, “Songs To Sing At The Top Of Your Lungs” was born. Anytime one of us has a song, we send it to the other person, deliberate (we take this playlist very seriously) and then choose whether or not to add it to the list. I have found this to be one of my favorite ways to keep in touch. It’s silly, fun and I love hearing how our music taste has expanded!
Product Infused with Familial Love
The Lace Heart Incense Dish handcrafted by Emmanuelle Ceramics. Lovingly she textures the clay with lace that belonged to her mother. This piece is a ‘fossil’ connecting the creative to their lineage.
