A recurring fantasy of mine: absconding to a gorgeous cottage over a lake to write for a full, interrupted weekend. This has and probably will never come to fruition for reasons both practical and absurd, including the fact that I’d be terrified staying by myself in a remote cabin. For as much as I love the trees and animals, they tend to shapeshift into villains and vandals come nightfall. I’ve thought about bringing Landon with me, but then I know I’d want to socialize, and be clipped back into the need to coordinate plans, have agreed-upon meeting times and “are you hungry?” conversations, which would sort of obviate the purpose. I did check into a hotel for a 24-hour writing stint once last year and found it gorgeousy liberating for my pen, but that’s not exactly the same thing as going for a morning pine-needle walk or writing a round sentence looking out over water.
I have a thought, though: when we have our dog…? Would she be enough of a watchlady to calm my excitable imagination?
In any case, I’ll persist in my fantasy with this starter pack for the writer in the woods alt ego inside me:
MUGS // BINOCULARS // BIRDING CHRONICLES // TEA KETTLE // SWEATPANT JEANS // HENLEY // NOTEBOOK // PENCILS // HEADPHONES // ROTHYS CLOGS
01. French terry henley. I just love the lived-in, borrowed-from-my-older-brother vibe of htis.
02. My favorite sweatpant jeans. Writing in comfort!
03. This Frank & Eileen button-up. Very painterly.
04. My all-time favorite socks.
05. I wear these clogs every single day.
09. The early morning tee for the dawn dog-walk.
10. This water bottle charms me.
11. I got my hands on these barrel leg sweatpants and am obsessed. Run big, FYI. Cool to style with a button-down.
12. Casual denim overalls — on sale!
13. The cutest jacket from The Great.
14. BonBon candy tin. Sometimes you need a little hit of sugar in the midst of a good writing flow.
15. Field notes!
16. Blackwing pencils. (They have a cult following. Can anyone explain?)
17. Portable speaker. I like to write with piano music!
19. Set of 4 mugs for all the coffee and tea to be drunk.
20. Wireless noise cancelling headphones.
22. Pendleton blanket. (Iconic cabin fare.)
23. Bunk beds!
24. The Backyard Bird Chronicles.
26. Buck Mason weekender pants.
Styling the Writer’s Retreat Starter Pack.
POINTELLE TOP // FLEECE JACKET // SWEATPANT JEANS // WATER BOTTLE // SNEAKERS // BIRDING CHRONICLES // QUILT
SWEATPANTS // HENLEY // ROTHYS CLOGS // BOMBAS // BLANKET // PENCILS // NOTEBOOK // CLEMENCE NECKLACE // HEADPHONES
CLOGS // WEEKENDER PANTS // BUTTON-UP // SWEATER // POUR OVER KIT // PORTABLE SPEAKER // MUG // BINOCULARS // EARRINGS
P.S. What a writer keeps at her desk.
P.P.S. A place for all your organizational strategies.
P.P.P.S. What would my 70-year-old self say?
Magpie promo codes here + my recommended products here. You can preorder my book, Small Wonders, here!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.
I love this so much and I continue to daydream + visualise about our Magpie PEI writers retreat (see what I did there?! ). I’m going on my first solo creative retreat to Grasse and Provence next month and I’m beyond excited. Navigating the tiny Wizz Air luggage allowance will be a challenge so I’m going to focus on that balance of stylish accents, favourite pieces, and workhorse items. Here’s to 2026 being a year of creativity for all xx
I join in that dream – – maybe one day, Aoife. Your creative retreat sounds absolutely gorgeous and I’m sending you the best creative vibes! xx