Happy List: #380

Hello, hello! Welcome to this week’s Happy List. I’m just tickled that you are here.

This week on the blog, I shared the evolution of the gallery wall in our living room. It’s comprised of nature art and makes me feel like I’ve brought the outdoors in…minus the maintenance.

I also wrote about wood knobs and pulls. You wouldn’t think anyone has much to say about this subject, but then there’s me. I love them in all their shapes and forms.

The Happy List is one of the ways I try to focus on the beautiful and inspirational things in the world. It’s better for my mental health than doom-scrolling. Funny how that works! I enjoy sharing what creatively inspires me and/or what made me smile this week. I also appreciate the opportunity to connect with you and hear what you’re doing and how you’re feeling. If you want to reach out, you can always comment on this blog post or email me here. You can also reach out on Instagram or Facebook.

Here’s what you came for: The Happy List!

WOW

How gorgeous is this floral installation by Botanical Tales in the UK? Can you imagine getting married in front of something like this? There’d be some symbolism with the circle and your wedding rings.

If you want more inspiration (you know you do), visit their site.

(image: Botanical Tales)

CORKBOARD

I love the theory of this giant corkboard over a built-in breakfast nook, and since it isn’t my house, I don’t have to get bogged down in practicalities. I’m also smitten with the fabric on that built-in bench and the fun pendant.

See more photos of this home designed by Studio Munroe at House Beautiful.

(image: photo by Thomas Kuoh | design by Studio Munroe | via House Beautiful)

FOG HARVESTING

Have you heard of fog harvesting? It’s a way to collect water from fog, which are just clouds that touch the ground. Mesh nets collect water from the fog and channel it into storage tanks.

This technique has been around for decades and used on a small scale in South and Central America and Morocco. The economics are tricky, but in increasingly arid areas and when you get desperate, it might be the best option for water.

Learn more about it at Grist or BBC News.

(image: Maria Virginia Carter Gamberini via BBC)

BENCHED

I love it when you can do a bench around the edge of a deck instead of a railing. None of our decks qualify for that since they are so far off the ground, but I still dream about it.

The setting of this home is magical, don’t you think? You can see the inside of this tiny home over at Town and Country Living.

(image: Lands End Development via Town and Country Living)

SEUSS PLEDGE

Dr. Seuss Enterprises is pledging to give everyone in the U.S. who is born on March 2 a free, personalized copy of The Cat in the Hat if they register at Seuss Pledge. Dr. Seuss was born on March 2.

(image: Dr. Seuss Enterprises)

LUCKY NAILS

How fun is this St. Patrick’s Day manicure? I could probably manage the French tips, but not the designs. At least, not on my own fingers.

For more St. Patrick’s Day manicure ideas, click here.

(image: @polished_yogi via Green Wedding Shoes)

PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGE ARCHIVE

Just a reminder that you can download FREE art from the Public Domain Image Archive. They have a searchable database by topic, artist, style, etc. It’s very cool. You can also order prints directly from their site if you don’t want to deal with printing yourself. Print purchases help keep the archive up and running.

Here’s a pretty image I found this week.

(image: artist unknown, 1890-1915, via Public Domain Image Archive)

GLASS JARS

If you like decanting dried goods as I do and need a set of clear jars for pantry storage, I’ve had the three rectangular jars below (with the bamboo lids) plus four others in a different size for 15 months now. They have passed my ‘Popcorn Kernel Test.’ It’s an unofficial, not-very-scientific, but critical test. Don’t mess with my Saturday night popcorn!

The lids close with a silicone seal. I was skeptical if that seal was going to keep things airtight. The true test has been popcorn kernels. If you pop popcorn at home, you know those things don’t pop if they absorb too much moisture, but I’m happy to report we have not had any popcorn crises.

Just keep in mind the jars are glass, not plastic, so I’m sure they will shatter if you drop one. That would throw a wrench in popcorn night.

ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD

I have to say, I’m mighty curious about this English Muffin Bread recipe from The Kitchn.

It makes the best toast according to the recipe. I do like toast.

(image: Photo: Alex Lepe | Food Styling: Janette Zepeda | via The Kitchn)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

(Editor’s note: Bold emphasis is mine. I have been using this tiny mission mindset this week. It really does help.)

“No matter what your day looks like, life is ultimately made up of a zillion tiny actions: small movements of the hand, foot, eyes, or mind. Whether these actions feel like round pegs slotting into perfect holes, or bushes that scrape you as you push past them, depends less on what the actions are than on how you perform them. If the mind is looking past the current action, to when you’re through the turnstile, or when the printer light is green again, then the action is basically a little pain in the ass. If the mind habitually regards small, necessary actions that way, then life is mostly made of tiny pains in the ass.

Those little actions feel better and more rewarding when the mind stays with the action itself, rather than fixate on what’s just beyond it. If you’re scrambling around in the junk drawer to find the scissors, life feels mildly annoying until you find them, because you just want to get the scissors in your hand and go off to the next thing. If instead you open the drawer, and treat the hunt for scissors as a tiny mission that currently sits at the center of your life, it feels just fine to look for the scissors, and pretty great when you find them. It takes only a very slight effort to do it this way instead – aim your attention at the act itself, instead of beyond — but there’s much less friction and annoyance involved, and something quite satisfying (rather than merely relieving) about completing it.”

-Excerpt from The Raptitude. Read the full article here.

Thank you for reading today’s Happy List.

Be good to yourself and others this weekend.

I’ll see you back here on Monday.

*affiliate links in this blog post*