October Obsessions 2020
In this (semi) monthly series, I will share things that I can’t get enough of and I encourage you to do the same in the comments. Enjoy!
This post marks a year of obsessions posts! My original intention was to write these monthly for at least a year, but the pandemic kicked off and dashed a lot of my zeal for life. It was hard for me to really feel good about anything for much of the year, so I’m proud of what I was able to muster. I think, for now, I’ll continue for as long as I feel the need to record things that are bringing me joy.
Black Women in Cottagecore
A couple of weeks ago I watched the show The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix. The show centers around a grey-haired white woman telling a ghost story at the end of a wedding rehearsal dinner party. I kept thinking of this fact as the show played out over its 9 episodes. Can you imagine sitting down to listen to a nine-hour story after what was likely an already boring event? I die every time I consider it. Anyway, the show was enjoyable enough but dragged unnecessarily. The real gem of the show for me was Hannah Grose the sweet and perpetually spaced house manager, played by T'Nia Miller. I loved seeing Hannah in her vintage skirts and sweaters floating around the manor and grounds seeing to its care, strolling through gardens, and having tea in a huge country kitchen. An elegant black woman living in an English countryside fantasy. She reminded me a lot of the real-life Paula Sutton, an influencer, and the poster child of Black women in cottagecore (the name for the vintage farmhouse aesthetic). Her Instagram is full of picked flowers in beautiful vases, her vast manicured garden, and flowing dresses and skirts. While I prefer more modern clothing and home decor, I dream of a carefree garden lifestyle. It’s so rare that we get to see joyful images of Black women enjoying nature and when we do they’re often met with negativity. So I’ll be over here double-tapping the cottage core girls and saving my coins to buy a commune/manor with a never-ending field of flowers.
The Great Pottery Throw Down
The Great Pottery Throw Down is a BBC show that is much like The Great British Bake Off but with pottery. It’s hard to believe that there can be a show more wholesome than The Great British Bake Off, but the BBC continues to outdo themselves with super sweet contest shows. I’m low-key waiting to see if they do a show around Britain’s top weekend scrapbooker or amateur knitter. While Bake Off has a judge with strong scum bag vibes, Throw Down cranks up the nice with a judge that is a gentle giant that cries every time he sees a beautiful piece of pottery. It was incredibly soothing to watch the potters throwing and hand-building clay even when they were under ridiculous time constraints. It was inspiring to see some of the potters try new techniques, get outside of their comfort zone, and excel in the challenges. It definitely motived me to get more creative with my pottery.
