In Praise of Wood Trinket Boxes
When I was a kid, a family friend gifted me a personalized wood trinket box. They built it themselves and it had my name on it! My uncommon name. As a kid whose name never appeared on any of the pins or magnets at the touristy gift shops, I relished the idea of having something with my name on it. I felt so special…and normal. This wood trinket box has been a secret keeper and a memory holder through all the phases of my life: teenage angst, falling in love, getting married, and so on. What sorts of things have this wood trinket box held over the years? When I…
The Silly Thing We Do That I Love So Much
On this Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d share the silly thing Handy Husband and I do that I love so much. Often, Handy Husband and I will both exercise during the lunch hour, but not together. He runs. I walk. We run/walk the same loop on our country road but in opposite directions. We usually pass each other in roughly the same spot. When I see him coming toward me, I automatically get this huge grin on my face. I can’t help it. I’m just excited about what comes next. As soon as he’s approximately 20 or 30-feet away from me, I fling out my arms wide and begin one…
Happy List: #245
Hello! Welcome to the Happy List! Do you have Valentine’s Day plans for this weekend? If you do, I hope you have the best time. I don’t know how to elegantly transition out of that to tell you I wrote about pests and pest control on the blog this week. I will definitely buzz with excitement if you read all about it. How else did I illuminate your life this week? Well, on Wednesday I wrote about the new light in our son’s room. If you like the farmhouse style, that post will surely shine bright as one of the best things you’ve read this week. When I’m not here…
Aren’t Bedside Wall Sconces the Best? And How We Make These Lights Work Without Electricity.
Aren’t bedside wall sconces the best? I’m not speaking from personal experience so much unless you count hotel stays. It’s probably why I like staying in hotels so much. Those rooms have something my bedroom does not have – bedside wall sconces. When I say bedside wall sconce, I don’t care much about the actual location of the wall sconce as long as I can reach it with my arm without moving any other part of my body. Yes, I’m that lazy. Above the bed or next to the bed is all fine for me when thinking about bedside wall sconces and their location. The beauty of bedside wall sconces…
DIY Pest Control Tips For An Old House
Let’s talk about things that make us shudder, cringe, and gag a little – household pests! Specifically, DIY pest control tips to keep those household pests at bay if you live in a creaky old house as we do. We live in a house that is over 200 years old. It’s built to last. But like many old houses, living in one is a bit like living in a colander. It’s sturdy, functional, and full of holes. Unfortunately, those holes are considered by pests to be a wide-open invitation to take up residence inside the house. Once they are there? They never want to leave. Why would they? It’s nice…
Happy List: #244
Welcome to the Happy List and the first Friday of February! Is anyone else glad the slog through the seemingly longest month of the year, January, is over? PHEW! I am. It was a love-themed week on the blog. Aww! I shared a tutorial for the wood and brass hearts that I had fun making. I also shared my reflections on a 23rd wedding anniversary. Let me remind you, when we’re not hanging out here, we are usually sharing something on Instagram or Facebook. Please join us over there too. Also, we love to see what you are making and creating. Please tag us or send us a message so we can…
Air is the 23rd Wedding Anniversary Gift Theme. What?!?
According to my research of several popular wedding sites, air is the 23rd wedding anniversary gift theme. Air. Yes, air. You know where my mind went, right? If you do, then you know I’ve been receiving that “gift” every day for more than two decades. That’s more than enough! I might be married for almost 23 years, but sometimes I have the sense of humor of a 10-year-old boy. So does Handy Husband. That might be why we are a good match. It took a while, but after I was done laughing to myself about this gift theme I moved on to the phase of wondering why? Why did the powers-that-be…
DIY Wood and Brass Hearts for Valentine’s Day
I have a lovely DIY to share with you today – wood and brass hearts! They are perfect when you’re looking for a subtle touch when it comes to Valentine’s Day decor. Although, when it comes to the actual Valentine’s Day and every day, really, don’t be subtle when telling your valentine they are loved. Life is too short! Here’s how to make these wood and brass hearts. Step 1: Unless you want to freehand it, print out a paper heart template. We used a 2-inch and a 3-inch heart. Step 2: Trace your heart shape on a piece of wood and carefully cut the heart out using a jigsaw.…
Happy List: #243
You made it through another week! Congrats and welcome to the Happy List! This week on the blog I shared how we are feeling after we removed the woodstove from our kitchen. I also shared an update on how we like having an electronic door lock on our Carriage House door. When we’re not hanging out here, we are usually sharing something on Instagram or Facebook. We invite you to join us over there too. Also, we love to see what you are making and creating. Please tag us or send us a message so we can celebrate your project wins with you! Here’s the Happy List! OVERSIZED BEADED ROPE Alright,…
One Year With An Electronic Door Lock. How Do We Really Like It?
It has been one year of living with an electronic door lock on our Carriage House. How do we really like it? Are you ready for me to dish the dirt? Eh. There’s not THAT much dirt. Unless you want to count the dirt that gets tracked in every time that electronic door lock grants access to someone with dirty shoes? *sigh* Modern technology only gets us so far. If I recall correctly, I approached the installation of this electronic door lock with great enthusiasm. I was ready to throw it a ticker-tape parade. Kidding! I actually approached the situation with great reluctance, which is my standard response to all…
