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Local Milk | The Art of Slow Living

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Meet Beth

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local milk is a journal devoted to home cookery, travel, family, and slow living—to being present & finding sustenance of every kind. It’s about nesting abroad & finding the exotic in the everyday. Most of all it’s about the perfection of imperfections and seeing the beauty of everyday, mundane life.

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  1. Cook
  2. Wander
  3. Dwell
  4. Slow-Living
  5. Motherhood
  6. Sustainability
  7. Wardrobe
  8. Health and Beauty

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  4. Gathering from Scratch | A Workshop Retreat in the Shenandoah Valley Part 2
  5. Cardamom + Rose Iced Latte / Japanese Ice Coffee

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A long time ago in a different life (or at least i A long time ago in a different life (or at least it feels that way) I was riding in a car at night with @whereissionnie to meet up with @ruthielindsey and @1924us for bonfires and general cabin shenanigans outside of Nashville. 

I remember the drive so well. It’s a conversation that always stuck with me. We talked about trauma and crisis. And I don’t know much, but I shared the only thing I know, a thing that has served me well through the natural undulations life is bound to bring.

And that is simply sometimes you have to cling to the mast. You aren’t doing anything but surviving but that’s the most important work of all. Because the storm WILL pass. And you‘ll be left standing.

And when it does you can mend the sails. Untangle the ropes. And get on with the business of sailing.

I’ve learned to give myself permission to do nothing but make it through. To sleep a little too late. To dance in front of the mirror and feel myself even when I look ridiculous. To load and unload the dishwasher and allow that to be a great victory. To dress like a cartoon character in nothing but white t-shirts and denim shorts.  To eat mac & cheese from a box and frozen chicken nuggets sometimes. To not respond to text messages. To flail and get back up over and over. To ask for help. A lot.

And also permission to feel it all. Rage. Grief. Joy. Hope and hopelessness. And sometimes all within the span of a few minutes. 

And most of all, whether navigating calm waters or stormy ones, what matters more than anything is the crew you’re doing it with. Surround yourself with solid people.

People that challenge you with compassion. And humor. People whose strengths buttress your weakness. People that don’t judge you. That believe in you even when you think they’re maniacs for doing so.

I know a disproportionate amount of us have had rough seas this year. Cling to the mast in the storm. Choose your crew wisely. No storm ever lasted forever. But there never was a last storm in the world. Accept that they will come and be prepared.

Sweet Gum Co. | Southern Made & Found Provisions

Dwell

12.07.2013

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

A labor of love & collaboration with friends has finally come to life: I’m so happy to announce that my little pop up shoppe Sweet Gum Co. is now open for holiday shopping! It’s a carefully curated collection of vintage & handmade provisions for the home and kitchen from Tennessee and the Southeast. Everything you’ll find there is either handmade or found in the South, and the artifacts are by and large one of a kind, completely unique works of art unto themselves. The pieces are designed to be more than just tools. They’re items that tell a story and are more than just a means to an end. When we’re mindful of the objects we use day to day, we enrich our lives at every turn. From a napkin to a tea cup, a cutting board to a skillet, these objects are the fabric of the everyday.

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

Just as I try to buy as much food as I can locally, I also try to support  local makers & artists. I don’t just eat locally, I do my best to live locally. Each of us, as denizens of our cities, are responsible for doing our part to make it the place we dream of it being. That part can be as small as buying a tea cup or radish from a neighbor. While I love supporting the creative efforts of people all over the world, I’m ever mindful to always remember to spend a portion of what I make at home because it makes a difference in the quality of life here. Conscious consumerism needn’t be a chore or a religion, just a small effort to seek out the people doing brilliant things in your own backyard. The grass is not, in fact, always greener; it’s quite lush right here on this side. Which is why I’m featuring woodwork from a long time friend, Joseph Huebscher, who rescues trees destined for the fire and repurposes the wood into functional works of art; hand sewn & dyed linens from Camellia Fiber Co. by Rebekka Seale; Home & Hill Magazine, a new Tennessee quarterly with rich photography & lyric writing, a real celebration of this state I love so well; handmade copper & antler serving ware from Ben & Lael out of Nashville, TN; and gorgeous, organic handmade stoneware by local potter Trish Riley. I’ve also put my habit of combing flea markets, estate sales, and all manner of little junk shops to good use to provide you with a selection of high quality antique and vintage kitchen & dining stuffs from vintage scales to crochet table cloths.

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

The simple artifacts in the shop are equally befitting coffee on a Tuesday morning as they are your most festive gathering. They’re made to do good work, to be displayed, and most especially they’re made to travel with you through the narrative you weave in your kitchen over the course of your life. These are items designed to last for multiple generations as family heirlooms. This shoppe is a celebration of the people who care enough to work with their hands to build objects of beauty & function that make the mundane realities of scooping, cutting, sipping, and all the other choreography of home life handsome & holy. And that is Sweet Gum Co.

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

As objects come and go, the shop will be updated from time to time. To never miss out on one of our one of a kind items, you can sign up for the Sweet Gum Co. mailing list in the sidebar. You won’t receive emails other than the ones telling you there’s new treasures in the shop! For those of you not in the states, don’t despair at the lack of international shipping. All you need do is drop me a line using the store’s contact form with the item & location, and I will do international shipping on a per request basis! Happy holiday shopping, and I hope you love all the finds as much as I do! Also, for the seamstresses among you, if you’re eyeing those gorgeous Fiskar Gingher shears in these photos they can be found at another lovely shop, RH Signature Co.

Sweet Gum. Co: southern made & found provisions

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tags: beth kirby, makers, provisions, shop, shoppe, southern, store, sweet gum, sweet gum co, vintage

15 thoughts on “Sweet Gum Co. | Southern Made & Found Provisions”

  1. thecitygourmand says:
    December 7, 2013 at 4:03 am

    How lovely is this, I think you’ve found your niche!

    Reply
  2. fernandetfirmin says:
    December 7, 2013 at 6:45 am

    What a fantastic project. Doing something with friends + Supporting local businesses + Just in time for the holidays + Taking gorgeous photography to support the brand = I’m predicting a huge success and a lot of fun for you and your colleagues/friends .

    Reply
  3. Skye says:
    December 7, 2013 at 9:48 am

    Oh goodness – everything is so beautiful! The grass looks a hell of a lot greener from where I’m sitting in London. I love all those beautiful things – especially those bowls – and feel myself overcome by overwhelming consumerism. I have signed up for your mailing list so will definitely be bothering you to post things across the pond…

    Reply
  4. Pingback: Places to go, people to see: December 7 2013 « Esmé Weijun Wang
  5. Yelle says:
    December 7, 2013 at 10:20 am

    this is wonderful! i am definitely looking forward to the shop filling up with items!

    Reply
  6. Noelle says:
    December 7, 2013 at 10:50 am

    I recently discovered your blog, and it is quite beautiful! Very inspiring as well 🙂

    Reply
  7. Christina | Sweet Lavender Bake Shoppe says:
    December 7, 2013 at 11:59 am

    Gosh everything is SO beautiful.

    Reply
  8. Sherri B. says:
    December 7, 2013 at 12:52 pm

    Congratulations, Beth, on a dream realized. I wish you all of the best on this honorable venture. xo

    Reply
  9. Gabrielle says:
    December 7, 2013 at 2:20 pm

    Sweet Gun Co is a lovely idea and beautifully executed. You can see how much work and passion you have poured into the project and I find it really admirable. Can’t wait to get shopping.

    Reply
  10. Marie Angelique says:
    December 7, 2013 at 5:10 pm

    The shop is darling. so many beautiful things. I have some foodie friends that I will share this with because they will love it!

    Reply
  11. Gillian (Cotton & Rust) says:
    December 8, 2013 at 4:59 pm

    your pop up shop is really quite adorable, some beautiful ceramics! congratulations!

    Reply
  12. Joy says:
    December 8, 2013 at 7:32 pm

    this sounds like a really great project to do. it’s also such a logical extension of what you are already effectively doing on the blog, sharing your local produces and products anyway. just visited the site and i love the look of it. best of luck to you beth!

    Reply
  13. christelle is flabbergasting says:
    December 9, 2013 at 1:33 pm

    Congrats for Sweet gum Co. and your workshop-to-come Beth! Such nice products that really fits your aesthetics! I am really happy for you 🙂

    Reply
  14. Sini | my blue&white kitchen says:
    December 10, 2013 at 11:51 am

    I know I’m a bit late on this but “Whoa!”. Congrats! Your shop looks absolutely amazing with so many carefully picked items. It’s great to hear you’re also doing international shipping.

    Reply
  15. Barbara says:
    October 20, 2015 at 8:36 am

    wow wow wow…. your beautiful pics and amazing products about sweet gum

    Reply

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Popular Posts

travel with baby
35 Baby Travel Tips | Infant to 1-Year-Old + Minimalist Baby Packing List
Chocolate-Dipped Pistachio Shortbread + A Giveaway by Beth Kirby
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The Ultimate Paris, France Travel Guide: All the Must See Instagram, Travel Photography, Food, Cafes, Things to do, and Shopping Spot plus Travel Tips for the First Time Visitor! #travel #paris #france
Wander Guide | The Essential Paris Travel Guide & Map
Gathering from Scratch | A Workshop Retreat in the Shenandoah Valley Part 2
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