February Newsletter

NOTE FROM KI

HOPE. I began drafting this February newsletter a few weeks ago, excited to reflect on the magic of color and the way it lights up our lives. But this morning as I sat down to edit, I realized current events  — and my heart — were pulling me in a different direction. It didn’t feel like the right time to send. So I paused and took a walk with my daughter, Taylor, and her dog.

As we walked, we talked about the heartbreaking and tragic events unfolding in our home state of Minnesota — events that have touched so many lives and stirred deep emotions across the community and beyond. It has been difficult to watch the news, hear personal accounts from friends and to witness the toll these experiences are taking on families and neighborhoods. The pain and anger are real, and they deserve to be named. 

But on that walk, Taylor reminded me of something important: Even in the darkest moments, there is still hope, and it often shines brightest when we choose to see it.

She pointed out how neighbors have been stepping up — offering meals, opening their homes, organizing vigils, peacefully protesting and simply checking in on one another. We talked about how, in the midst of heartbreak, people are choosing compassion over fear, connection over division and solidarity over silence. Across the state and the nation, ordinary people have shown extraordinary courage — standing together against hate and violence and affirming the dignity of every human life. 

Hope doesn’t ignore pain — it embraces it, learns from it and calls us to act with love. 

As we move into February, I’m holding onto the reminder that even in moments of grief and uncertainty, goodness still rises. It shows up in small acts of kindness, honest conversations and the resolve of people who refuse to give up on one another. Pain may shape this moment, but hope is what carries us forward.

Cheers to hope and to all things vintage. 

Ki

Want to help? Visit Stand With Minnesota to learn how.

HEART TO HEART. Those cute candy conversation hearts got their start in the mid-1800s, when a Boston pharmacist realized his lozenge-cutting invention could cut candy, too.  Short messages were soon added to America’s first machine-made sweets. By 1902, NECCO introduced the now-familiar heart shape specifically for Valentine’s Day. They disappeared in 2019 but were revived a year later by new owner Spangler Candy Co. Today, several brands dominate the conversation heart market! Peek here to see some of Spangler’s best slogans and what romantic messages Brach’s is cooking up for FEB. 14!

FINDER, KEEPER. When an interiors maven found a charming cottage to renovate and flip, she couldn’t have predicted she’d fall in love with the space and make it her own. Read On.

SWEET THINGS. Decorating Valentine’s Day sugar cookies doesn’t have to feel intimidating or overly precise. Jenny Keller @jennycookies reveals how to have genuine fun creating festive homemade cookies using a simple method, basic tools and a dash of patience. Get Recipe!

ABOUT THAT BASE. Give your sugar bowl lids second lives as charming holders for vintage love notes and more. Make Now.

NIFTY GIFTING. My book, Lived-In Style, makes the perfect gift for your vintage-loving friends and family. Pick up a copy at your local bookseller or order online! And if you haven't gotten yours yet, what are you waiting for?

Thank you to collectors, antiquers, lovers of vintage design and followers for supporting my work! Ki