Open-hearted joys 開開心心 № 19

Capturing the tiny details of my everyday mundane and the small moments that weave poetry to my days.

Sundaze Book Café is the home of everyday magic, joyful living and conversations likely to be had over a hot drink with a friend in your favourite café, capturing the syrup-slow feel and glow of a Sunday. I’m Michelle, and I’ll be your host today.

Happy Friday, friends!

It’s officially spring and I couldn’t be happier about it! Without realising it, I’m somebody that lives their life to the seasons. It’s nature’s way, really. Finally, I feel myself awakening and getting to grips with life again after a few months of rest and hibernation. Perhaps there’s also something to be said about the feeling of renewal after a giant spring clean at home too. We’ve made plenty of progress on the house and I feel so invigorated and excited for 2025, now.

There’s a lot to be said for appreciating the smaller, not necessarily finer, details of the everyday mundane. Here’s to another list of petite, open-hearted joys, the moments that’ve brought and woven poetry to my days, this week.

一. An evening building my desk with my boyfriend. I’m the DIY girlie in our relationship, yet it was a lot of fun to work on something together! (My sister and I have built all of our other pieces!) The desk looks so good too!

二. Building my wardrobe of dreams. I had a specific vision of the wardrobe I wanted, and it finally came together! I’m thrilled with the modern Shaker-style doors of the IKEA Bergsbo, it’s great quality and so affordable. The greige colour is perfect – hear me out first! – since we’re planning on this room being neutral so we can inject pops of fun seasonal colour and patterns. I even managed to DIY some affordable dupes of the Plank Hardware door handles I originally wanted! Snagged white bobbin handles from Dunelm (£12 for two, reduced to £3 for two at the till?!), then spray-painted them gold (£3.99 a can) and sealed them. £75 door handles for just £9.99! I’m absolutely thrilled.

三. On that note… being reunited with my own clothes! It’s been a joy to have access to my wardrobe again. I’ve spent nearly 10 years building an investment, forever wardrobe of pieces. Surprisingly happy about getting to wear jeans again. Who’d have thought?!

四. Surprising our family dog with a visit after work. My family and I have shared custody of Milo now that I’ve moved out, mainly because of work routines and how much we’d all miss him if he was solely at one house. I popped to my parents’ place to pick up some belongings and got to surprise him! The best feeling is opening a door to your dog’s wagging tail, honestly.

五. Monthly supper club night with the girls. I adore this tradition of ours! It was so soul-nourishing to have an evening of chattering away and eating good food together.

六. Fresh flowers (from the supermarket). The sweetest small joy.

七. Reading two really good books. Great books aren’t always promised, pals.

八. A pair of sunshine-filled days to lift the soul.

九. A restorative Reformer Pilates class to close my in-office days of the week.

十. Bonding with so many Substack-dwellers over books, secondhand bookshops and all things wordy. I’m so thankful I joined this community and started building ours! Now that my desk is set up, I’m going to spend a Sunday evening drafting up some plans for the upcoming year on Substack, whether you’re a paid or free reader ❤️

Share a joy from your week in the comments, and I’ll see you again next Friday.