The Best Bits: My February 2025 Favorites
The Best Bits is a monthly series where I tell you what I’ve been up to this month! Things I’m doing, media I’m loving, and products I recommend! Here’s a fresh batch of favorites for your reading pleasure!
DISCOVERING | Pure Barre
I took my first ever barre classes this month, and I’m kinda hooked! Barre is unlike any other workout class I’ve taken, it’s like a ballet-inspired infusion of pilates and yoga. Based on the emphasis on tiny movements, you’d think it would be easy, but it’s much harder than it looks! I like that it’s good for muscle definition and improving posture. I’ve been working out muscles I didn’t even know I had!
READING | Library Books
I checked out a whole armful of books on gardening, cooking, home organization, and crafting this month and have been enjoying leafing through each and every one of them! My favorite at the moment is The Layered Garden by David L. Culp, it’s been giving me a ton of inspiration for my gardening projects this spring!
WATCHING | Hell’s Kitchen
We started watching Hell’s Kitchen on Peacock for a little something different. The first season aired in 2005, and it’s been fun to see what has changed and how much actually hasn’t when it comes to the restaurant world! Gordon Ramsay is such a character, I’ve always been familliar with him but this is the first of his shows I’ve ever sat down to watch!
LISTENING | The Goal Digger Podcast
I stumbled across this podcast when I was curious about the concept of batch working. Batch working by definition is simple – doing similar tasks for multiple different projects at once to be more focused and effective in each step of the process. It doesn’t apply 100% to every job or project all the time, but I listened to the episode the host put together about it, and I found I could apply it to my life in many ways. I’ve since dabbled in a few more of her episodes and I’ve really been enjoying the show. Usually I listen to pop culture podcasts, so having one about business and productivity in my subscription feed is a nice change of pace!
PLANNING | New Knitting Projects
Oh, my favorite topic! Since I’m so close to finishing my Stripe Hype Sweater, I’ve been thinking all about what my next cast ons will be! I’m thinking possibly the Sophie Shawl, a Twist It beanie, a pair of Vanilla Socks, or a Winter Clutch!
CRAFTING | Frida Headband
I knitted a set of mini Frida Headbands for a family friend’s little girl and a stuffed bear we got her as a gift. They turned out SO cute, and I can’t wait to see her wear them!
GROWING | A Garden Facelift
We have a few unruly garden beds in our yard, and this year I’d like to attempt to tame them a bit! We have one in particular that was super gnarly when we moved into our house, complete with burrs and sticker bushes. My plan is to turn it into a low-maintenance perennial bed, maybe add in some roses and lilacs, a few bulbs here and there, perhaps a sprinkling of wildflowers, and some cold hardy herbs.
APPLYING | Covergirl Outlast Lip Stain
I’ve been searching for a lip stain, like an actual lip stain. You know, one that stains your lips! Believe it or not, a lot of products being marketed as lip stains these days are just rebranded lip balms, matte lipsticks, or lip oils! I rediscovered the Covergirl Outlast lip stain a few weeks ago, and lo and behold, it actually does what it says it would! I got the color Jazzberry, which is a pretty raspberry pink! It’s fun that they look like markers, they’re a good price point, and they have a lovely color selection!
WEARING | Layers
We had so many cold days this month that I basically threw any semblance of fashion out the window! I’ve been bundling up in all the sweatshirts, flannel pajamas, and cozy pairs of socks I can find! Spring can’t get here fast enough!
EATING | Soy Ginger Pot Roast
This is a recipe I’ll be sharing shortly. It was SO good, David and I were sad when it was gone!
SIPPING | True Lime Watermelon Limeade
I love drinking water (can’t get enough of the stuff!) but every once in a while I want just a little something extra in my water. I like to use about half a packet of the True Citrus lemon/limeades in my 40oz cup with ice, and that punches the water up a notch. So far every flavor we’ve tried of the True Citrus drink mixes have been great, I highly recommend them!
INDULGING | Lash Lift
Earlier this month, in preparation for wedding dress shopping, I got a facial and a lash lift at a spa near my house. Both services were great, but I kind of doubted how much of an impact the lash lift was making… until I put on mascara! My lashes really do feel that much more volumized without any effort! I probably won’t get lash lifts regularly, but with a lot of “bridal” things coming up, I may just have to book a few more appointments!
ADMIRING | Cohana Seki Mini Snips
These tiny little scissors from Japan are just the cutest thing! They’d be so handy stashed in the pocket of a crafting bag! Not sure if they’re TSA friendly, but if they are, they’d be perfect for travel!
OBSESSING | Project Pan
If you’ve never heard of Project Pan, it’s an online movement where beauty lovers are looking over their stashes of makeup and deciding to finally use it up (aka “hit pan”) before buying more. I usually keep my makeup stockpile fairly minimal, keeping only one or two of each type of product in my collection at a time. At least for everything except lipstick, lip balm, and lotion. I’ve got probably about 25 lipsticks, 10 lip balms, and 4 or 5 hand lotions kicking around. Those are fairly modest numbers by some standards, but I still love the idea of using everything up! It may sound silly, but you just can’t beat the feeling of using up a whole lip balm, and it’s probably even more satisfying to hit pan on a whole eyeshadow palette!
CELEBRATING | Finding my Wedding Dress!
This month I said yes to the dress! I found my gown. Two of my bridesmaids, myself, and mothers of the bride and groom headed to Philadelpia to try on dresses. We visited two bridal boutiques, I tried on about 20 dresses (during which my Oura ring thought I was hiking!) and we finally found “the one!” I’m really happy with my dress, and I’m very excited to wear it! Now to find accessories!
What are your favorite things this month?
