Earlier this year I wrote a post about my plans to be more mindfully positive for 2020, to enjoy more thoughtful activities and focus on doing more of what I enjoy. Here we are in March (already, how?!) and I’ve really been sticking to it so far this year. Lots more reading, trying to get out more to walk, expanding my little house plant family, more cooking.
It feels like a completely crazy coincidence somehow that two lovely subscription companies have recently got in touch to see if I’d be interested in trying out their subscription ideas and I thought it would make a good blog post. I think it’s a really lovely idea to gift them for birthdays or Christmas but so often they can be a bit samey – magazines, booze, food. All three of these however are for more mindful activities (I’ve added a third one just to round up the numbers, but it’s not something I’ve been trialling).
For Plant Lovers – Lazy Flora (and discount)
We all know I bloomin’ LOVE a plant. But it wasn’t always that way and only once I’ve started treating them like living creatures have they started returning my love. Lots of people say they kill plants and it’s easy to do, but it’s JUST as easy not to kill them if you’re willing to take a little bit of time and patience to get to know them and what makes them tick. The happiness a new leaf gives me each time is such a great feeling.
Founded by Claire from her balcony in 2017, Lazy Flora is a true passion project. Starting from £15 a month, you can order either indoor or outdoor plants depending on your preference. For indoor plants, you’ll be sent one houseplant a month, either with or without a pot, and can be entirely pet friendly if that’s a concern. For outdoor plants, it’s a delivery of a minimum of 8 seasonal plants every 3 months, perfect to keep your garden looking fresh all year round!
Since I knew it would be way too cold for me to even consider potting/planting up outdoor plants, I opted for the February indoor option and received the Japanese Stonecrop with a gorgeous speckled blue ceramic pot. All deliveries include a leaflet to give you information about your plant and full care guide so even the most ardent of plant killers would struggle not to succeed. I also love the idea that your plant may be something a little more unusual – there are so many ‘on trend’ houseplants that sometimes we need to be forced into a different choice. I love my Japanese Stonecrop and look forward to watching it grow – as a succulent it really does need minimal care.
If you want to try Lazy Flora, please use code LINSDRABWELL for 50% off your first month’s subscription.
For Book Worms – Rare Birds Book Club
Is there anything more joyous than receiving books through the post? I used to love reading when I was younger and read anything and everything, ever since before I could walk (physically I was a slow starter according to Mum and spent a very long time sitting on my bum but the plus side is I was reading long before I started school, horses for courses and all that!)
But after English Lit A-Level and then an American Lit based degree, I found reading had become a chore and I forgot how to just read for pleasure without over-analysing everything. Then social media and Netflix replaced spare reading time and it fell by the wayside. A few months ago though I joined the local library and started reading again and I’ve fallen back in love with it.
Rare Birds Book Club source the best of new fiction from exclusively female writers and each month you get to pick from a choice of two, based on the synopsis you can find online. The book is then delivered wrapped BEAUTIFULLY in recycled paper, with a little card to tell you about the book and a book mark featuring interesting female characters from literary history plus some of their famous words.
I was kindly gifted a three month subscription and have received two of my books now and honestly it’s brought me the most amazing joy. I haven’t started reading either of them, but both have been on my to-read list after seeing them spoken so highly of online – Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. Prices start from £12 a month which reduces in cost the more you sign up for.
Best of all though, on the 20th of each month, an online book club opens to discuss that month’s book – it’s by no means obligatory but such an enjoyable way to come together as a little community of reading lovers. This is definitely one that I would consider keeping up with when I go back to work full time and have more disposable income, love it!
For Crafty Fingers – MakeBox+Co
Now I can’t speak either of being particularly crafty or having any experience of this particular box but whilst I’ve always assumed I don’t have a crafty bone in my body, I’d dearly love to actually see if that’s true or not. I could be a secret wizard at embroidery for all I know or be able to build an entire city of origami.
MakeBox+Co is the craft subscription box that I’ve definitely seen talked about the most online and seems to have the best reputation. Starting from £24.99 a month, I love that each month’s box provides a completely different activity – for example, the current one is tassel weaving, with previous ones being an English Meadow Embroidered Clock and a Love Paper Box.
Again you can dip in and dip out, or have bi-monthly boxes and even buy previous boxes if you haven’t yet started a subscription. This is the kind of box that my best friend would love, she was definitely the creative/craft-minded one at school and it’s something she could enjoy doing with her little girl.
I hope this has been a quick and helpful post if you’re looking for a different gift or something for you – I can’t honestly say I’m going to watch less Netflix any time soon but I’ve junked some very toxic habits (reading celebrity gossip for one!) in favour of doing things better for my mind and there’s no going back now.
Disclaimer: Lazy Flora and Rare Birds Book Club both gifted me trials of their experience, in return for sharing only if I liked the product. All words, opinions and images are my own unless otherwise stated.
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