This episode is brought to you by Flyboy Donuts! Flyboy Donuts is a Sioux Falls-based family-owned donut shop with 4 locations in Sioux Falls featuring a variety of fresh donuts and rolls daily.  Use code Lovely20 now through February 6, 2024 when you order online at flyboydonuts.com to get 20% off all orders over $20.

TW: This episode contains a reference to miscarriage.


How sweet it is for Tracy and Rachel to be joined by bestselling cookbook author and creator of the wildly popular blog How Sweet Eats, Jessica Merchant! In this vibrant conversation, Jessica explores the ways she has maintained a consistent, authentic voice in her work, as well as the keys to honoring and protecting her creativity and passion through a framework of boundaries and structured routine. Jessica and Tracy consider the evolution of a brand and the creation and marketing of content through an ever-expanding number of platforms; Rachel and Jessica discuss the finer points of connecting with readers and followers - and the surprising ways Jessica has provided comfort and nurturing outside of her delicious recipes. Rachel and Tracy convince Jessica to add South Dakota as a stop on her next book tour before the conversation unapologetically transforms into an impromptu book club meeting. 

Episode Mentions:

Jessica Merchant’s Website: https://www.howsweeteats.com/

Jessica Merchant’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howsweeteats/

Jessica Merchant’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howsweeteats

Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food by Jessica Merchant
https://amzn.to/3OqItjo

The Pretty Dish: More than 150 Everyday Recipes and 50 Beauty DIYs to Nourish Your Body Inside and Out: A Cookbook by Jessica Merchant
https://amzn.to/4biW9a2

Everyday Dinners: Real-Life Recipes to Set Your Family Up for a Week of Success: A Cookbook by Jessica Merchant
https://amzn.to/4blayTm

Block scheduling 

Here’s to Us by Elin Hilderbrand:
https://amzn.to/47ZwwIs


How Sweet Eats & Eli Hilderbrand Collaboration:
https://www.howsweeteats.com/2016/06/exciting-news-a-collaboration-with-elin-hilderbrand/

Winter Street series by Elin Hilderbrand:
https://amzn.to/4bdZ2ch

The Pioneer Woman
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/

The Secret
https://amzn.to/3vVwjZI


What Are You Loving:

Jessica: Page the Shop Kindle covers
https://www.instagram.com/page.theshop/

Kindle Oasis
https://amzn.to/3SiIIhJ

Rachel: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich; 
https://amzn.to/3SlEJkE
Birchbark Books
https://birchbarkbooks.com/; 
Arizona Goat Yoga
https://goatyoga.com/

Tracy: The Skinny Confidential Him + Her Show Episode 648: Dr. Michael Gervais
https://tscpodcast.com/episodes/dr-michael-gervais/
The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying about What People Think of You by Dr. Michael Gervais
https://amzn.to/3OlZ8Vs

S10: E2 Isn't it Lovely to Live a Sweet Life? with Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats

Join "Isn't it Lovely?" hosts Rachel and Tracy as they welcome special guests for uplifting conversations, inspiring listeners to look for the lovely in all things!

S10: E2 Isn't it Lovely to Live a Sweet Life? with Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats

Isn't It Lovely? Podcast