What if I told you for six or seven dollars, you could change the way you feel in your kitchen? i’m talking about one of the first improvements we made many years ago to our teeny townhouse kitchen which happens to be one of the smallest items we have in our home…an ice scoop!
each time we open the freezer to grab some ice, the scoop makes life a little more punchy + fun! it reminds me of those lazy second sundays spent on king street with ryan + our sweet baby in the early years of life together in charleston. we strolled into a popular kitchen store which, at the time was still new to the city’s downtown shopping district + to us. after taking a cooking class together, ryan + I both had begun to grow an interest in kitchen gadgets that could make food preparation easier + dare i say more fun? he gifted me a strawberry huller one christmas + it is still one of my favorite gifts because I’d never buy it for myself, it was designed well, it’s wonderfully useful + it didn’t break the bank. we saw so many beautiful appliances + cookware throughout the store that we had no perceived need for at the time until, we happened upon this tiny scoop + said, “hey, why not?”
we could have never known then how often that shiny ice scoop waiting at the ready in the freezer bin would continue to lift the mood in our kitchen. it’s one way we infused some panache into our everyday life. scooping ice elevates the experience of making a cold drink, think: water + coffee, cocktails. it brings a pinch of unexpected style, while making our ordinary ice bin feel like a fancy ice maker. it makes getting ice easier, prevents our hands from getting cold–which was my main draw to the tool, also keeps the process a bit more sanitary + bonus: it sounds like a party with every chhhh!
over the years, it’s inspired us to savor the time we spend in the kitchen more. this small, random purchase has lead to our love of cooking. even now, when i find myself in a rut for making magic happen for breakfast, lunch or dinner, i use the scoop + smile thinking about where this whole thing got started. just like that i’ve freshened my ice water + my mindset!
it’s something small life has shown us about how a little intentionality can go a long way.
sometimes i daydream about giving everyone we know an ice scoop with some version of this story attached. sure, it may not resonate with everyone, but if it keeps us pleasantly surprised by its aesthetic usefulness, it’s worth the effort to pass that feeling on to share with others!
if you’re interested in other ways to insert a little more style into your everyday life, visit pencilandinkcreative.com to see our full range of creative solutions for intentional living
porches + pillowfights 