Happy List: #350 – A Pretty Happy Home

Hello! Welcome to this week’s Happy List. I’m happier than a chef in a well-stocked kitchen that you are here!

This week on the blog I shared the 4th of July wreath I made with Handy Husband’s jeans. His old jeans, in case he asks.

I also shared the picture frame I made out of an old post office box door. It turned out so well.

This is the 350th Happy List that I’ve written. I can hardly believe it! Thank you for being here if this is your first Happy List or your 350th. It makes my day to share things with you that interested me, made me smile, or made me think. There’s joy in connection! If you want to connect, and I hope you do, you can always comment on this blog post or email me here. You can also reach out on Instagram or Facebook.

Here’s the Happy List!

MOON GATE

Why, hello, new favorite idea! I think I need a moon gate in my life. How about you?

I wonder if the circle on that gate is cut from one piece of wood or if more than one piece is joined together.

For more garden ideas, check out this BHG article.

(image: Robert Cardillo via BHG)

STONE WEAVING

Guess what I want to try next? Stone weaving.

Do I have the patience for this? I do not know.

I should probably read more than one tutorial before I dive right in though. I did start with this tutorial from SeaSalt Cornwall.

(image: Seasalt Cornwall)

Coincidentally, I did make something similar in 2018. While it is woven, I secured it with glue. It would be interesting to learn how to do this properly.

You can read about my leather-wrapped rock paperweight here. I still use it from time to time.

JEOPARDY STAMP

USPS is honoring Jeopardy host Alex Trebek with a postage stamp! I wonder what he would have thought of this?

You should note that these stamps are priced at 73 cents each and are on preorder right now because there’s a 5-cent price increase happening on July 14 (from 68 to 73 cents).

If you want 68-cent forever stamps, get them now before the prices go up.

(image: USPS)

HEADBOARD IDEA

The headboard in this lake home caught my eye. Isn’t it gorgeous? The entire room is gorgeous.

The Domino article did not mention where the headboard was from but it looks like something you could DIY.

(image: Photography by Nicole Franzen; Styling by Brittany Albert; Design by Of Place Studio via Domino)

MICRO CROCHETED BERRY BOOKMARKS

I just discovered that micro-crocheting is a thing. The world is full of clever, creative people. It’s a great time to be alive.

Look at these bookmarks crocheted to look like berries! I had to stop and look because they appeared so realistic at first glance. I found these on Etsy and thought they’d make for a great gift for the reader in your life.

(image: MaPetiteFeeGift via Etsy)

THE FALKIRK WHEEL

Who wants to go to Scotland? I’ve been once but it was a long time ago and I did not get to go on the Falkirk Wheel.

It is the world’s only rotating boat lift. Instead of traversing a series of locks, the Falkirk Wheel rotates two boats at the same time – one up and one down. It takes the energy of equivalent of boiling eight kettles of water to rotate the lift.

You can take a 60-minute boat ride and experience the lift. I would totally do this! Here’s a 2-minute video explaining how it works.

(image: Scottish Canals)

CASHEW CHICKEN

I made this Cashew Chicken recipe from RecipeTin Eats last night. Everyone liked the sauce! That never happens around here.

It’s been a while since I’ve ordered Cashew Chicken in a restaurant, but this tasted legit to me.

(image: RecipeTin Eats)

In a separate article, she also explains why chicken from a Chinese restaurant is so tender. I always wondered! The process is called velveting and it’s super easy. I tried it last too.

Look at me trying new things!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I’m sharing an excerpt from the transcript of Roger Federer’s 2024 commencement address at Dartmouth. It’s one of THE BEST I’ve ever heard.

Here’s what he had to say about talent. Please, please go read the rest.

Yes, talent matters. I’m not going to stand here and tell you it doesn’t.

But talent has a broad definition.

Most of the time, it’s not about having a gift. It’s about having grit.

In tennis, a great forehand with sick racquet head speed can be called a talent.

But in tennis… like in life… discipline is also a talent. And so is patience.

Trusting yourself is a talent. Embracing the process, loving the process, is a talent.

Managing your life, managing yourself… these can be talents, too.

Some people are born with them. Everybody has to work at them.