Coffee Break #014: Em dashes, glitter nails, AI's humanity, and Pride & Prejudice (again).
Your weekly roundup of inspiration and ideas to build your dream life.
Dear Friend,
A couple weeks back, I created a poll asking if you all would be interested in reading content about creative career & business advice, personal branding, etc. The response was pretty evenly split, with about 60% of you saying yes, which honestly felt like a good enough sign to move forward.
For those of you who are here purely for the books and lifestyle content (hi, I love you, please stay) – nothing is changing or going away. That's still the heart of this newsletter, and the creative business content will always be easy to skip (did you know you can visit your account settings to adjust which newsletter sections you get notified about?!). You won't have to wade through brand strategy talk to get to your reading recs, I promise.
But for those of you who ARE interested in this type of content, I’m excited to share that I’ll begin writing about that on a semi-weekly basis. And I’ve also created a Resource Library for paid subscribers, chock full of resources, tools, and templates that are pulled directly from my 10+ years as a designer, strategist, and creative. This is the kind of stuff I wish someone had handed me when I was just starting out. A few highlights that are available right now:
Instagram Strategy Deck Template (Canva & InDesign)
Monthly Social Media Content Prompts (you’ll get a new one each month!)
Brand Strategy Template (Canva & InDesign)
Project Proposal & Pricing Guide Template (Canva & InDesign)
And some things that will be added soon:
Workshop: Personal Branding for Creatives
Carousel Post Templates (Canva)
Life & Business Dashboard (Notion Template)
Okay that’s it! Now onto the fun links and such!
Love always,
In Brief
📚 Reading
I’ll be honest, I’ve been collecting books like crazy but in a total reading slump because my attention has been all-consumed by a new project. That said, I got Ready or Not by Cara Bastone as an add-on in my last Book of the Month box and I’m excited to dig in, it seems so sweet.
🍔 Eating
I am currently chowing down on a delicious caprese sandwich with pesto and it just tastes like spring, idk.
📺 Watching
We made it to season 7 of Mad Men! It’s officially the 70s! I’ve loved the show, LOVED the fashion and interiors. It is definitely one of those shows where pretty much every character is a terrible person, so if that’s not your thing, I’d say avoid it. But it’s kinda worth it purely for the visual inspo.
🧣 Wearing
I used some birthday money (love that I can still say that phrase as a 32-year-old) to finally get the grown-up version of my favorite lug sole Chelsea boots from Target. I wore those suckers all over London and let me tell you – they’re not waterproof! I finally upgraded to the LL Bean version that still look stylish but feel wayyyyy more heavy duty.
🎨 Creativity & Curiosity
Weekly Task
Read the first chapter of three different books and see which one pulls you in.
Roundup
I have zero thoughts or interest in the Love Story show, but this is very funny to me.
In case you were wondering, one of my favorite font foundries, Pangram Pangram, has published a primer on how and when to use the various types of dashes.
I initially was on the “we don’t need another Pride and Prejudice adaptation boat” but I adore Dolly Alderton and I remembered that Olivia Coleman is playing Mrs. Bennet so I’m back on board. See the trailer here!
This post about finding design inspiration in physical objects and not relying so heavily on Pinterest for inspiration really hit home. I made it a goal this year to find more varied sources of inspiration when I’m working on design projects, so this is a great resource.
🧥 Personal Style
Weekly Task
Try on everything you own in one category (sweaters, jeans, dresses) and notice which pieces make you feel like yourself and which aren’t fitting right in one way or another.
Roundup
My all-time favorite noise cancelling Bose headphones are 35% off this week! I have the plum colored ones and they were one of my favorite purchases of 2025.
A quick glance at Target’s new spring arrivals tells me that the Western-wear trend isn’t going anywhere this year. Though I do really want this cute little neck scarf/bolo tie combo thing.
Madewell just released a woven version of my go-to bucket bag and I might need it… I’m such a sucker for woven leather, I don’t know why, but it tickles my brain just right.
🏡 Home & Environment
Weekly Task
Create a little morning ritual space (coffee station, reading nook, whatever feels good). It doesn’t have to be large, just a corner of a room that’s designed to help you wake up slowly and happily.
Roundup
How adorable is this bookshop-shaped doormat from Anthro? I was in need of a spring doormat and couldn’t resist ordering this one.
Obsessed with these photos of Elton John’s home in the 70s. A maximalist fever dream.
I love this cozy and curated Brooklyn brownstone. That wallpaper is a dream!
In keeping with the bookshop theme, how cute is this box of matches shaped like a bookstore?!
This piece on Architectural Digest about Gen Z’s Y2K decor obsession was super fun and a total throwback. I spotted soooo many things I had in the 2000s in these photos.
💸 Career & Business
Weekly Task
Audit your brand touchpoints (website, bio, email signature) – do they still reflect who you are now? If not, it might be time to consider a rebrand.
Roundup
Loved reading this post by Anna Vatuone on which type of Instagram content you should be posting more of this year – reels or carousels.
Anna Mackenzie wrote a super insightful piece on how to start a side hustle without pissing off your full-time employer. At my previous, super toxic job, my boss was really jealous and weird about the fact that I had so many Instagram followers and she didn’t (despite constantly undermining my authority, dismissing my expertise, and ignoring my strategy suggestions…). It eventually culminated in her essentially issuing an ultimatum between continuing my side businesses or continue to work there. I gave my two-week notice the next day.
This comprehensive trend report from On Brand is worth a read if you’re trying to build or grow anything online in 2026 (even if you don’t think of it as a business!)
💌 Connection
Weekly Task
Text a friend you haven’t heard from in a while, just to say hi.
Roundup
The Good Trade on why we all need platonic soulmates. Hard agree!!!
Loved this piece on why AI is not human. This quote really sums it up:
”Imagine you have two machines. One you can open up and examine all of its workings, and if you give it every picture of a cat on the whole internet, it can reliably distinguish cats from non-cats. The other is a black box and it can also reliably distinguish cats from non-cats if you give it half a dozen pictures of cats, some apple sauce, and a hug. These machines sort of do the same thing, but even without knowing how the second one works I am extremely confident in saying it doesn’t work the same way as the first one.”
✨ Joy & Whimsy
Weekly Task
Take a different route home and notice what you discover.
Roundup
Loved this article on finding magic in the ordinary.
I always look forward to reading hannah bay’s pocket guides to romanticizing each month. March’s issue is no exception!
This sweet ode to grocery store daffodils really charmed me. I love supermarket flowers so much.
How cute is this Romance Reader Sticker Book? It was designed by one of my fave designers & internet friends Shelby Warwood and it looks so fun!
I’m in love with these simple but so whimsical nails.
Always love these roundups, and excited for all the creative business content to come!
Lizzie thank you so much for shouting on my piece on supermarket flowers 🤍 it means so much 🌼🤍