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The Best Bits: My January 2025 Favorites

The Best Bits is a monthly series where I tell you what I’ve been up to! Things I’m doing, media I’m loving, and products I recommend! Here’s a fresh batch of favorites for your reading pleasure!

DISCOVERING | Making Cheese

This month I made cheese for the first time, and it was so satisfying! David and I saw a video about Belper Knolle, a firm Swiss cheese that is infused with garlic, rolled in black pepper and then aged. That checked off all of our flavor boxes, so we knew we’d have to make it! So far we’re about 3 weeks into the aging process and it smells SO good. I can’t wait to taste it!

READING | The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

I’ve always been fascinated by the Tudors, and I’ve had this book on my radar since the movie came out back in 2008! I’ve attempted to pick it up numerous times over the years but never fully committed for one reason or another. According to Goodreads I started reading it last July (with fits, starts, and other books in between) and I am STILL working on it! Those stats don’t make it sound like I’m enjoying it, but I promise I am! The book is quite a slow burn, and since I know the history I’m not in a rush to wolf it down. Now that I’m about 60% of the way finished, I think I’ll be wrapping it up shortly, but if another flashier book comes along, why hurry?

WATCHING | Squid Game

Season 2 of Squid Game came out a few weeks ago, and we gobbled it up very quickly! I loved the different perspectives they added to the story this time around. I won’t spoil anything but the ending definitely left us waiting with bated breath for season 3!

LISTENING | Hozier

Last year David and I attended our first concert together (it only took 6 years!) Boy was it worth the wait, since we managed to get tickets to see Hozier, who is one of our favorite artists! I’ve been to quite a few concerts in my day, but Hozier might just be the best performer I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing! He is just as good live as he is on his albums, if not better! He recently added a few new songs to his “Unending” EP, and they’ve all been on constant repeat for me this month! If by some fluke you’ve never listened to his music, stop what you’re doing and get on that now!

PLANNING | NYC Trip

This month my best friend Emily and I took a quick trip to New York to attend Vogue Knitting Live! We were able to shop from a ton of different yarn vendors, rub elbows with other knitters and crocheters, and we even got some pretty sweet swag bags! We also visited some of our favorite haunts in the city, Joe’s Home of Soup Dumplings and The Ripped Bodice bookstore most specifically!

CRAFTING | Stripe Hype Sweater

I put a little bit of a pause on my knitting after Christmas, as my wrists needed a nice long break after my gift knitting marathon! Once my wrists were back in fighting shape and I had some spare evenings, I picked my Stripe Hype Sweater back up again! I had been a little afraid to work on it with a yarn HUNTING (I kid you not) puppy around, but so far I’ve been able to get quite a bit done without too much trouble. I completed the upper front and back portions, constructed the neck, and now I’m working on knitting the body in the round. From here, I just need to finish the collar and the sleeves and I’ll have my first ever completed sweater on my hands! I can’t believe it!

GROWING | My Journal

I went light on resolutions this year and decided my main focus would be to keep up with a journal. I’ve always wanted to become a journal person, but I fall off the habit so easily. I’m always a sucker for a new notebook, so I had plenty of blank slates on my shelf to choose from. So far, I’ve written an entry just about every single weekday. Weekends are tougher because my schedule varies so much, but I have gotten a few weekend days done! I find that stream of consciousness journaling really does help me push through my random thought spirals. I doubt I’ll ever spend much time revisiting them, they’d be hard to follow and probably terribly boring, but you never know, maybe there are a few nuggets of greatness tucked in with all the babble!

APPLYING | Mac Devoted to Chili Lipstick

Another one of my focuses this month has been to use up some of the products in my makeup bag. I generally keep my makeup routine pretty simple and utilitarian – I only have one or two foundations or mascaras floating around at any given time, but BOY do I have a ton of lipstick! I think another resolution of mine will be to use up at least one lipstick IN FULL this year (something I’ve never actually accomplished unless you count lip balms!) and the one I choose may just have to be Mac’s Devoted to Chili. It’s the perfect muted brick red, has a soft powdery finish that makes it easy to wear, and it just looks good on me! Have you used up a full product before, or are you like me and lose them before you can finish? Let me know in the comments!

WEARING | Thrift Store Scores

Earlier this month I took a turn about the thrift store with the intent of finding some new tops. I must’ve hit on a good day, because I left with about 15 new shirts for less than $50! They’ve steadily creeped their way into my closet, and I’ll definitely be going back to hunt for some more good finds!

EATING | Chocolate Cake Trials

I’m getting a chocolate cake recipe ready for Valentine’s Day and it certainly took some trial and error to get right! My first round was much too dry, crumbly and had a weird acidity that was just plain off-putting. It was so bad my fiancé threw it off our back deck into the creek 😂 and he’ll tolerate just about ANY cake so I knew that meant this one was truly atrocious. My second attempt was WORLDS different and had just about anything you’d ever want in a chocolate cake. That’s the recipe I’ll be sharing, so keep your eyes peeled for that one in a few weeks!

SIPPING | Lychee Black Tea

As someone who holds the esteemed title of tea lover I’ve amassed quite a lot of tea in my day. I’m always looking to try new flavors, and quite a bit of my stash is the result of gifting from family and friends. On most mornings, however, I tend to reach for the same few teas. BORING, RIGHT?! I’ve been trying to knock myself out of that and have been reaching for some of my more interesting teas, and it’s been quite fun to mix it up! I love all things lychee, so this tea has been a delight to drink! I just used it up, so I’m excited to see what I pull from the tea drawer next!

INDULGING | Ravelry’s Yarn Stash Feature

Usually I put something shopping related in this category, but this month’s entry is a TIME indulgence. I took a few hours to catalog every bit of yarn I own on my Ravelry account. I entered details and photos for each skein, and now I have a digital yarn library that can follow me everywhere (especially to the local yarn store when I’m tempted to make an impulse purchase!) The best part is that I can designate a yarn to any project, so I know exactly what I have that is spoken for, being used, or needs to find a purpose! For any knitter or crocheter, this is well worth the effort!

ADMIRING | Friends and Creatives

This month has given me the opportunity to love on my friends (IRL and online) in many different and meaningful ways. Showing up can look like supporting a friend’s business, offering a shoulder, crying together, sending love from afar, sharing a meal and a b*tch sesh, or just checking in. Every little bit matters. Those friends helped keep me in the moment and gave me little reminders of what life is all about!

OBSESSING | Notion

Oh how I LOVE Notion! I find it hard to describe what Notion actually is, because the idea is that Notion is what you make it! Basically it’s an app that is everything Google Docs wishes it was! You can make charts and spreadsheets, workflows and databases, and pages within pages that can all link to each other. It’s available on desktop and on mobile, and I truly can’t get enough of it. It’s where I’ve organized my entire garden, keep my recipe and blog post plans, track my spending, and update a list of weekly dinner ideas! I’ve only scratched the surface with all the things Notion can do, but I’m so excited to dive in every time I use it!

CELEBRATING | Wedding Planning Progress

Now that it’s 2025 we can officially say we’re getting married this year! Wedding planning has been going well, we’ve nailed down the venue, a caterer, a coordinator, a photographer, and have some leads on bartenders and DJs! The centerpieces are mostly decided and some of the decor is too. Bridesmaids and groomsmen will be choosing their attire shortly and I try on dresses next month. It’s all coming together!

What are your favorite things this month?

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Hi! I'm Jess!

welcome to thyme + butter, a food and lifestyle blog dedicated to seasonal living and making everyday magic!

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Tags

christmas entertaining favorites knits & reads mindset outsider guide pets the edit

daffodils might just be my favorite part of spring daffodils might just be my favorite part of spring 🌼🧡
this (dare I say) perfect dark chocolate layer cak this (dare I say) perfect dark chocolate layer cake recipe is live on my substack! 🍫 you’ll want to be subscribed because I have a lot of delicious things to share this season! 🍰💕
winter reads + knits ❄️🧶 🌞 The Other Bo winter reads + knits ❄️🧶

🌞 The Other Boleyn Girl by @philippagregorybooks and Stripe Hype Sweater by @kutovakika in Knitting for Olive Merino in Mustard and Powder

🔮 A Fate Inked in Blood by @danielleljensen and #RebelSoulBeanie by Kutovakika in Sandnes Garn Double Sunday and Tynn Silk Mohair in Blackberry

🍯 Down The Drain by Julia Fox and another Rebel Soul Beanie by Kutovakika in #KnittingForOlive Merino and Soft Silk Mohair in Dusty Honey

#knitstagram #bookstagram #wips
wedding dress shopping should be considered an Oly wedding dress shopping should be considered an Olympic level sport 👰‍♀️🤸 but we found the dress! (Not pictured, obviously!) Swipe to slide 3 and tell me your favorite expression of the day 😂
merry christmas and happy new year from our frosty merry christmas and happy new year from our frosty little pup! 🎄🐾
it’s been real weird out here, but there are a f it’s been real weird out here, but there are a few little things bringing me joy recently:
🩵 true blue friends
🍒 cherry, our new little Portuguese Water Dog pup
🍰 celebrating our 6th (dating) and -1st wedding anniversaries (lmao)
🪡 crafting holiday gifts
🍊 making and baking
🎸 live music
💕 family and community

What #glimmers are you finding lately? ✨
your two favorite unlikely heroes (us) climbed cri your two favorite unlikely heroes (us) climbed cringe mountain (took practice engagement photos) and managed to survive unscathed (maybe actually pull it off?) 😂🩷
october reads + knits 🍂🧶 🍋‍🟩 People october reads + knits 🍂🧶

🍋‍🟩 People We Meet on Vacation by @emilyhenrywrites and the #milenabeanie by @karinatimeaknits in Sandnes Garn Sunday + Tynn Silk Mohair in Sunny Lime

💜 Margo’s Got Money Troubles by @rufithorpe and the #rebelsoulbeanie by @kutovakika in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK in Enchanted and KFO Soft Silk Mohair in Artichoke Purple

🌚 Slewfoot by @geraldbrom and another Rebel Soul Beanie in KFO Merino in Deep Petroleum Blue

#bookstagram #knitstagram
lessons from my garden this year🍐🥕🌷 1. Yo lessons from my garden this year🍐🥕🌷
1. You really can’t beat the satisfaction of building something from nothing.
2. When in doubt, choose the most colorful option.
3. A garden really doesn’t cost anything except time, money, blood, sweat, and tears.
4. It pays to plant your rows neatly, even if it takes twice the time.
5. Herbs and tomatoes are always a great start.
6. The juice will be worth the squeeze, especially if you like squeezing!
7. It’s true what they say... hoeing ain’t easy!
8. Pests come in all shapes and sizes. For us this year, it was wind and deer.
9. For a gardener, the saying should be “nothing is certain except death, taxes, ticks, and poison ivy”
10. When it comes to flowers and friends, the best ones are perennial 💐

What are you growing lately? 🩷
two days in Zermatt with lots of furry friends 🐑🐄🐕
🏔️💕 🏔️💕
started off Switzerland with Hospental and the Got started off Switzerland with Hospental and the Gotthard Pass 🫕✨🐄🇨🇭
three days in Venezia, Murano, and Burano 🇮🇹 three days in Venezia, Murano, and Burano 🇮🇹✨🍬
two days in Firenze 💕 museum hopping, bell towe two days in Firenze 💕 museum hopping, bell tower climbing, and fantastic food 🍨🇮🇹
bucket list item checked off in Florence 🐚✨ bucket list item checked off in Florence 🐚✨
two days in roma 🇮🇹 spritzes, strolling, and two days in roma 🇮🇹 spritzes, strolling, and a pasta making class! 🍝💕
summer highlight reel 🌞🎞️💕 summer highlight reel 🌞🎞️💕
teams meetings exist when nature is out there look teams meetings exist when nature is out there looking like this?? cruel and unusual!
july has been bringing major summer camp energy th july has been bringing major summer camp energy this year ✨🌺🌞💕🍭🌼
✨🪻✨ ✨🪻✨
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about the author

Jess Buckley is a Pennsylvania-based writer and home cook.

She loves the great outdoors, knitting, astrology, and all things vintage. You can usually find her in the kitchen, tending to her garden, browsing an antique mall, or relaxing with a cup of tea and a book about fairies.

Latest posts

  • The Best Bits: My March 2025 Favorites

  • Fresh Seasonal Ingredients and New Recipes for Spring

Latest recipes

  • The BEST Dark Chocolate Cake I've Ever Made

  • The Grand Roast Beef Sandwich with Onion Jam

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© 2025 | Jess Buckley