May 2025
Hello, friends!
May has arrived, and with it, a fresh wave of change. This month is a big one—Adam and I are officially moving to Orlando! We purchased a house, and with it comes all the excitement, chaos, and cardboard boxes that accompany such a transition. It's a season of change, growth, and hopeful expectation.
Embracing Change: Our Move to Orlando
Relocating to Orlando marks a significant chapter in our lives. Moving is not a foreign concept to me—I've moved 14 times in my life, mainly around Florida, and attended nine different schools growing up. Each move brings with it a whirlwind of feelings: the bittersweetness of saying goodbye, the nervousness of starting fresh, and the excitement of the unknown.
I’ve learned that no matter how many times I do it, moving always comes with growing pains. But it also gives me the rare chance to pause and reevaluate. What’s working? What have I outgrown? What am I dragging with me that no longer serves me—whether it’s a chipped mug or a belief about how life is “supposed” to be? Every time I pack my things, it's also an opportunity to mentally declutter my life. I get to reevaluate what I carry with me, both literally and emotionally. It's oddly therapeutic to throw away all the old crap I no longer need.
I realized—I’ve moved every five years of my life. Fourteen moves, nine schools, countless zip codes... and I couldn’t help but wonder: is this the one that finally sticks?? *(Que Carrie Bradshaw voice).*
Now let’s talk about the home buying process. Because WOW. No one prepares you for how invasive it is. Everyone wants a piece—agents, appraisers, inspectors, underwriters, title companies, lenders—and then suddenly you're signing a million documents in a daze, they hand you the keys like, “Congrats!” and vanish into the mist. And you’re just standing there like… “Wait, does anyone want to help pull the weeds?” Because turns out, those don’t take care of themselves.
The Fantasy vs. Reality of Moving
Here’s a short (and hopefully humorous) list of things people typically expect to happen when they move, versus what actually happens:
Expectation: You’ll label every box with perfect clarity.
Reality: Half of them say “misc” or have a small panic scribble like “IMPORTANT???”Expectation: You’ll declutter like Marie Kondo.
Reality: You emotionally bond with a single sock and keep it.Expectation: You’ll unpack in one magical weekend.
Reality: You’ll live out of boxes for three months and call it “intentional minimalism.”Expectation: Your new home will immediately feel like home.
Reality: You spend two weeks trying to remember where the forks are.Expectation: You and your partner will grow closer during the move.
Reality: You nearly divorce over the IKEA instructions.Expectation: Everything will go according to the color-coded plan.
Reality: The plan is gone. The tape is gone. Your will to organize? Also gone. You told yourself you were going to buy NICE things this time—grown-up furniture, coordinated lamps, no more IKEA—but suddenly you're bleeding cash and that $20 used bookshelf from Facebook Marketplace starts to look like mid-century modern magic.
Past Moves and Present Growth
There’s a rhythm to moving that’s oddly familiar to me. I remember the chaos of leaving for college, the fear of moving into my first apartment alone, the excitement of starting a new chapter in a city where no one knew me. And with each move, there’s always that moment—the one where the last box is taped shut, and you sit down on a bare floor with a slice of pizza and the echo of possibility.
Some of the places I’ve lived were tiny and temporary, others held real weight in my life. But every home taught me something—how to adapt, how to be still, how to hang art without using ten nail holes.
This move feels like another invitation. To slow down. To plant roots. To say: okay, let’s stay a while.
Creative Anchors in Times of Transition
It might seem counterintuitive to keep painting during a move, but for me, it’s non-negotiable. Art has always been the thread that keeps me grounded. Even when the walls are bare and the boxes are stacked high, I need a little corner of color—a desk with brushes, a palette, and something I can lose myself in.
Painting the May mini was a reminder that beauty doesn’t wait for the perfect moment. Sometimes you find it in the in-between, in the mess, in the moments where everything feels upside down.
I also recently had a pop-up market at House on Lang, which was a beautiful reminder that even amidst the chaos of moving, creativity finds a way to show up. It was the first time I introduced made-to-order embroidery as part of my product line, and the response truly lit me up. That being said, finding the time to create has definitely been harder lately—but I’m constantly daydreaming about all the new projects I’ll be tackling once the dust settles (literally and figuratively).
Which brings us to….
This Month's Mini
For May’s mini, I painted a watercolor of a bushel of blueberries—fresh, vibrant, and full of life. Blueberries are in season here in Florida this time of year, but more than that, they felt symbolic. There’s something about the humble blueberry that feels like a quiet nod to beginnings. Not flashy, but reliable. Sweet, a little messy, and best when shared. This painting came to life during a week of heavy packing, sorting, and reflecting. It felt grounding to paint something so small and seasonal while everything else felt in flux.
A Season of Growth
Just like any good growing season, this one comes with dirt under the nails and aching arms. But it also comes with promise. We're planting ourselves—literally and figuratively—into a new space, and I’m choosing to believe good things will grow from it.
We don’t know exactly what life in Orlando will look like, but we’re excited to explore local markets, find our new routines, and create a home that feels lived-in and loved.
As we settle into our new space, I’ll keep painting, writing, and sharing pieces of this journey with you. And if you’re in your own season of transition right now, I hope this month’s note reminds you that growth is often messy, but always meaningful.
Below are some pictures from subscribers of last months mini - April (spring bunnies). Send me your pictures so I can share them with others!
xx,
Jessie