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What’s Your Whimsy? | Smart Bitches, Trashy Books


My friend Trisha (Hi, Trisha! Miss you!) shared this to her IG stories, of people talking about what silly, whimsical thing they’re doing to bring a small joy to their life. The original ask started on TikTok.

Here are some of the responses:

A screenshot that reads, "I wash dishes by candlelight, listening to Medieval tavern music, and pretend I'm a tavern wench.

A screenshot that reads, "I teach the dog how to do things either to make them more interesting for me like 'Let me show you how to start a load of laundry' or just to make him feel included like, 'Do you remember how to make coffee, or should I walk you through it again? I know it's hard to remember since you can't practice without thumbs.'

I’ve asked my fellow SBTB teammates to share their whimsies with the world.

Sarah: I keep a candle on the windowsill in my kitchen, and when I’m cooking dinner, I start with lighting the candle like I’m some kitchen witch about to start my magical spells by peeling carrots and whisking eggs.

That reminds me – I need to add “candles” to the shopping list because I need a new kitchen magic candle.

Also: a small bit of context for this one might be needed. We give one of our cats, Wilbur, a ground up pill in a Churus, and those are pretty much the only treats we use because the other cat, Katie, is prone to nasty, nasty (and expensive) bladder stones. We’ve even got the special diet made of endangered species (I presume it is, given the cost). Wilbur gets his pill treat up on the table so the dog won’t try to steal the medication, and Wilbur is arthritic so I have to lift him. Kate gets her treat on the other side of the stair gate so Wilbur won’t bother her when he’s done.

Therefore, every evening:

“Sir Wilbur, might I hoist thee onto the dining surface so thou might enjoy a tasty medicinal treat? Lady Katherine, please allow your humble servant to escort thee behind yon privacy screen so thou might dine in peace.” The cats look upset if I don’t narrate. Especially Wilbur.

Sneezy: Using insanely beautiful pottery when I’m painting, apparently.

Three white teacups and a pink handle-less teapot with no lid lined up in a row on a shelf in front of tightly packed books. One of the white teacup’s mouth is flared in a leaf-like shape, while the other two are perfect bowl shapes. The teapot is a blush pink gradient that becomes white at the top. All the ceramics have holographic like splotches, giving them a mother of pearl sort of look in places. To the left side of the shelf, next to the leaf shaped teacup, is a polymer clay figurine of Totoro with a red bow tie, a baby Totoro on their head, and a leaf umbrella they’re holding over both their heads. There is a tiny corked glass jar filled with very small pieces of rose quartz between Totoro and the teacup. To the right side of the shelf, next to the teapot, there is a figurine of a panda on their back. Their name is Pandan Rollsalot.

I got these at a stall in the Lantern Festival. It was being run by the potter couple who made them. Most of the ones being sold there were being sold at a discount for being ‘flawed’ somehow which… I KNOW, RIGHT??? FLAW WHERE??? It might be hard to tell from photos, but the round splotches catches light differently depending on the angle, and have a sort of holography effect when you move it under the light.

The husband is the one who uses this glazing and firing technique while the wife focuses on painting the ceramics and geeeeez louise her work so mind bogglingly detailed and skilled too. They explained to me this effect is created when ceramics are heated and cooled repeatedly at specific temperatures that crystallizes parts of the glaze. (Or at least I think that’s what they said… I really need to work on my Chinese…) It’s a very difficult technique to use, let alone learn, making it very cost prohibitive for most to learn. Apparently there are only three, maybe four people in Taiwan who still practice this technique.

There were lots of colours to choose from, but I ended up picking these ones because I know I can’t have things that are too ‘loud’ around me while making art. But man!!! They were all so PRETTY!!!!!

The ones that came home with me are joining Pretzel Heart:

A small, round sauce plate on a black desk. It has an adorable pretzel in the middle and the words, “Don’t overthink it” written in an arc and all caps under the pretzel. There is a bit of dried red ink on the sauce plate.

Besides being eminently sensible, Pretzel Heart is from a friend, making them exponentially motivating and calming. As you can see, Pretzel Heart is already battle tested.

I LOVE how they look, I LOVE the feel of them in my hands, and even something about the shape of them make the act of starting to make and practice art feel much more doable.

(Also very sincere reminder to everyone to NEVER eat out of a container you arted with. DO NOT RISK EATING PAINT OR PIGMENT OR WHATEVER ELSE. Get MORE pretty cups and bowls and whatever you want. NEVER mix tableware you eat out of with containers you paint or whatever with. Just because they LOOK clean, DOES NOT MEAN THERE AREN’T TOXIC PARTICLES LEFT ON THE SURFACE!!!!!! GET MORE PRETTY CUPS!!!!!! DO NOT NOT RISK YOUR HEALTH!!!!!!!)

Top view of the teapot and three teacups on a black desk, showing the mother of pear-like splotches on the inside.

Tara: I can’t think of anything by way of individual acts of whimsy, but I’ve been getting some through my tabletop gaming groups.

One group is about to wrap up a 2+ year Dungeons & Dragons campaign. We’ve been playing a bunch of loveable dirtbags and mine is a grung (think frog person) druid. I’m going miss that little chaotic dude, but I’m also excited for us to start a new story soon.

My other group recently started a campaign using the Kids with Brooms system. We collaboratively came up with the world and made it extremely cozy. Our game is set in a coastal town that’s inspired by Beach City in Steven Universe and it has merfolk, ghosts, and a mystery that we’re just beginning to pull apart. I’m playing Gemma, a half-merfolk girl who’s tired of being afraid of everything. Now that she’s starting high school, she knows this is going to be her year.

Kiki: I have a problem with putting things back where they “belong” and it’s meant I’ve lost a lot of jewelry over the years, so now I have little crystal bowls and tiny ceramic plates scattered all over my house so I can drop rings and earrings in them instead of just anywhere. I feel like a little magpie or a tiny dragon when I go digging through them to find a matching set.

Carrie: I named my electric wheelchair “The Blue Beetle” for many reasons – it’s tiny, blue, and fast, it kind of skitters, and the Blue Beetle comic book character has powers that can be summed up as “super magic awesome mobility aid”

When I learned that I will be reliant on grabbers permanently I bought decorative duct tape, current patterns include purple paisley, sunflowers, unicorns, and dragons, and tie-dye rainbow.

I carefully pick out one mug a day (usually, but not always, one of my octopus mugs) and savor my hot chocolate in the mornings.

Amanda: Maybe not whimsy, but I listen to ska or metal music in the morning to pump me up for work. Helps work out any residual Sunday Scaries!

Y’all, what’s your whimsy lately? Please share in the comments!





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