The West 5th Weekender No. 07
Emily Deisler
Happy Sunday, friend!
One thing this newsletter has reminded me is just how fast a week goes. My goal is to write every Sunday, but if life gets busy and I miss one, I'm not going to quit. Around here we're shooting for a passing grade in this season of life, not perfection. Which is hard for me if I’m being honest!
My hope for The West 5th Weekender is simple: to celebrate a beautiful, ordinary life. My husband is a teacher, I run a small business from my backyard studio, and most weeks are filled with coffee, painting, family, and little moments that make me smile. I hope this little corner of the internet inspires you to slow down and notice those things too.
Here are a few little joys from my week:
seeing Spiderman opening night. love all Spidey movies.
my cousin got married at a gorgeous venue in Petoskey, MI.
overheard my son chanting “U.S.A, U.S.A…” in his sleep.
went school shopping, introduced Adaline to the joy of color coordinated school supplies.
made this delicious pulled pork, and my kids mostly ate it!
WHAT I’M USING
Hair addition!
I love this bad boy.
While I'm pretty good at styling my hair, I have never mastered giving myself a salon-worthy blowout with a round brush. But I love that soft, bouncy, old Hollywood look.
I bought this heated round brush when my hair was long and was surprised by how much I liked it. It works amazing on bangs and fringe! Now that I have a bob, I reach for it even more.
It gives my hair a smooth, bouncy finish without having to juggle a hair dryer and a round brush at the same time. I simply section off my hair and slowly run it through one small section at a time. I've found it works best if you keep a little tension on the hair as you pull it through.
It's one of those products that actually is saving me time.
WHAT I’M LOVING
My Moccamaster Coffee Maker
I love this coffee maker. I wake up and think about this coffee maker. If I could save only one thing in my kitchen, it would be this coffee maker.
For over a year it sat in my Amazon cart, living as nothing more than a dream. I went back and forth over buying it.
"No, Emily. No sane person spends that much on a coffee maker."
"A French press works just fine!"
"Think about your counter space."
But the heart wants what the heart wants, and apparently mine wanted this retro-looking coffee machine that many bloggers claimed made the best coffee. Then last Black Friday it went on sale for over $100 off, and I thought, Merry Christmas, Emily and ordered it.
It makes a perfect cup of coffee: dark, strong, and smooth. It never tastes burnt, even after it's been sitting on the warming plate. And here's the part that surprised me—I use about half the amount of coffee grounds compared to my old coffee maker. Over time, that makes the price tag feel a lot easier to justify. It is excellent.
So really, this isn't just about a coffee maker. It's about giving yourself permission to invest in something you'll genuinely enjoy every single day. Sit on it for a while. See if it keeps calling your name. If it does, embrace the little ritual it creates. Maybe for you it's a morning workout class, a perfume you've been eyeing, or a coffee maker that makes you smile before you've even had your first cup. ALSO SHE COMES IN LIKE 20 COLORS!
WHAT I’M CREATING
Here's a peek at what has been on my studio table the past two weeks! I've been working on two large house portrait commissions. These homes are absolutely gorgeous—and a little intimidating—but they've been so much fun to paint. I love sitting down with a fresh sheet of paper and getting completely lost in the process. Sometimes I even have to piece together several reference photos to create the right composition before I ever pick up a paintbrush. So if your home is covered by a giant tree- we can make it work!
What surprised me most was how long the brick house took. About halfway through, I had to give myself a little pep talk. Watercolor is all about patience, building layer after layer. The first few washes can look almost childlike, and it takes trusting the process before everything starts to come together.
Once the underpainting was dry, painting the brick alone took an entire day. One brushstroke at a time, constantly mixing slightly different shades of red so it looked natural instead of flat. It's slow work, but that's part of what I love about watercolor. There isn't really a shortcut with human-made art. That’s why it’s special.
After spending a week painting every window, brick, and flower bed, I almost feel like I know these homes and families. That's one of my favorite parts of creating house portraits. By the time I finish, they don't just feel like paintings—they feel like stories.
FREE WALLPAPER
This week’s free phone wallpaper is inspired by summer! Next week school starts!
Thank you for being here and supporting this colorful little business of mine.
Until next Sunday,
Emily
in the shop
Maybe it’s the house you grew up in, or the first home you purchased. Wherever it is, it’s your home and holds a special place in your heart.
Based on a photo of your home, each portrait is drawn by West 5th owner, Emily Deisler. The houses are drawn in pencil, color is added through watercolor painting, and finished off with accent pen and ink. The final product is the original, hand painted watercolor.
THE PROCESS
- During checkout you will fill out the information you'd like to include at the bottom of the print. We can accommodate up to two lines of text.
- Once your order is complete, send an email or message that includes photos of the house. A front view of your house is required. (west5thcreative@gmail.com)
- After the painting is complete, we'll email you a PDF proof to make sure everything is accurate.
- Once approved, we ship the original watercolor to you!
Notecards and additional prints are available upon request.
* Please allow up to two weeks to receive your proof. Print will ship 1 to 3 days after proof is approved. (Contact us if you want to rush the print. We'll see what we can do.)
Heartfelt and handmade,
Emily
