From The Archive: Halcyon
The word halcyon has been on my mind again, probably because it is summer and summer feels less frenetic than the rest of the year. I’m not sure why this is but it probably has to do with the fact that we take more vacation time, we sit out on the deck longer at night doing nothing in particular, and we don’t have school obligations to contend with. Since I’m easing back into regular life after some vacation time with family, I thought it was a good time to reshare this blog post from the archives. I hope you enjoy it. Halcyon, when used as an adjective, denotes a period…
Hide A Router and Modem In An Antique Radio Cabinet
What can you do with an unsightly router and modem? Hide them in an antique radio cabinet. Long before we got our entertainment via apps on our phones, radios broadcasting news, music, and entertainment were housed in ornate wood cabinets. Some sat on the floor. Others sat on tabletops. These radios became obsolete ages ago. Even I’m not old enough to have grown up with an antique radio. I had a boombox with two tape decks AND a CD player. I thought I was so cool. And modern. I see antique radios at thrift shops somewhat regularly for not a lot of money because no one really wants them. Even…
4 Things To Read While I’m Taking A Vacation Week
Hi! There will be no new blog posts this week as we are taking a vacation week to enjoy the summer with our family. In the meantime, here are 4 things to read until next week when new blog posts will return. The Great Barn Loft Clean Out Believe it or not, the squirrels and other rodents had not entirely destroyed something of interest in this barn…something that helped us date its age. 10 Must-See Places In Ireland If You Like Castles And Nature There are many reasons to visit Ireland beyond having a pint of Guinness and most of them have to do with castles and nature. DIY Wood…
Happy List: #308
Hi! Welcome to this week’s Happy List. I’m glad you’re here because I have some fun things to share with you this week. But first! In case you missed it, this week on the blog I relayed an update on how our pool coping is doing. As a side note, it’s been raining so much in New Jersey that I feel like we haven’t had a ton of pool days yet this summer. I also shared an update on how the art in the Carriage House has changed recently. I say it every week but I mean it all the same, thank you for reading this blog and sharing it…
Art Updates In The Carriage House
At first, I was going to call this post “New Art In The Carriage House” but then I realized that none of the art is actually new. Most of it is new to me though. Semantics aside, I have some art updates in the Carriage House to share today. As a refresher, our Carriage House is a building on our property, separate from the main house, that has storage space on the bottom floor and a studio apartment on the top floor. That apartment is also where Handy Husband works and guests stay when they visit. At roughly 200 sq. ft., it’s a small but mighty space that performs multiple…
How Our Painted Metal Pool Coping Is Holding Up
Two years ago I painted our metal pool coping with marine-grade paint. It’s time for an update on how this painted metal pool coping is holding up to weather and regular pool use. First, if you want to know exactly how I painted the metal pool coping, read this blog post. It’s not hard. It’s not that expensive. It just takes some time. Overall, how is the painted metal pool coping holding up? The paint is holding up so well and far better than I expected. Wet feet, splashing, and goggles being thrown on the pool coping have not seemed to bother the paint job at all. We’ve even lightly pressure-washed…
Happy List: #307
Hi! Welcome and thank you for joining me for today’s Happy List. This week on the blog I shared how I transformed a broken clock into the prettiest picture frame for a wedding photo. I also wrote about a current obsession of mine, hammered copper paint. I like what I like! I also like, no, LOVE it when this blog is a conversation, not a monologue. To that end, thank you for all of your comments, support, likes, shares, etc. here and on social media. If you want to connect with us, you can always comment on this blog post or send an email here. You can also reach out…
4 Places To Use Brush-On Hammered Copper Paint
You’ve probably seen hammered paint of all colors in a spray can but have you seen brush-on hammered copper paint made by Rust-Oleum? It’s the paint you didn’t know you needed until now. Prepare for your mind to be blown intrigued. The hammered paint does come in a spray can version, but I prefer the brush-on version. Here are 4 places where I’ve used brush-on hammered copper paint. On drip edge metal flashing: You might have a small shed like ours that has drip edge flashing right below the roof. Our flashing was looking a little worse for wear and I painted it with the hammered copper paint. The paint…
How To Turn A Clock Into A Picture Frame
What can you do with a clock that isn’t working? You can fix it, you can get rid of it, or you can turn it into a picture frame. Yes, it’s possible, under many circumstances, to turn a clock into a picture frame. Here’s how: First, start with any clock that has the potential to be a picture frame. This will most likely be a tabletop clock or mantel clock. I found this brass clock at the thrift store. Now, take apart the clock so that you can access the clock face. You might need a screwdriver for this part. Pay attention as you go or take a picture of…
Happy 4th of July 2023
Hi! Happy 4th of July to my fellow Americans! The older I get, the more interested in history I have become. Learning seems to be a lot more enjoyable when you’re not being tested on it. Have you found this to be true as well? I feel very fortunate that so far in my life I’ve spent quite a bit of time perusing museums in the U.S. and Europe. I’ve visited many historical sites. I love history podcasts and, believe it or not, I read history books from time to time…for fun. 15-year-old me would be shocked! Perhaps like some of you, I grew up with a romanticized version in…
