Happy List #15
Hello, hello! How are you? This week I shared what’s happening in my daughter’s colorful room. Emphasis on colorful. I also kicked off March with a burlap pot o’ gold craft. It’s fun, happy and perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s what’s making me all happy and inspired this week. Kitchen Makeover Adrienne and her husband started flipping homes in Arizona awhile ago. The before and after pictures of the homes they’ve remodeled are pretty incredible. This is the kitchen in their latest completed project. I’m loving those dark cabinets with that waterfall counter. I’m also a sucker for ceiling beams. See more pictures at Dream Book Design. (image) Bathroom Vanity…
St Patrick’s Day Craft: Burlap Pot of Gold
Happy first day of March! Who’s excited? March is a big month on the little island I currently call home. Ireland. I don’t say that every time to rub it in. I only mention it, again, on the off chance someone is joining the blog today for the first time. It could happen! Anyway, there’s this little holiday on the 17th with leprechauns and drinking. Lots of drinking. You might have heard of it. Well, have you heard of island time? Ireland operates on its own sort of island time. I just started to see advertisements go up for St. Patrick’s Day events. The local newspaper is still asking for entries…
Colorful Wall in a Girl’s Room
It was inevitable. Every parent faces it. That moment when your child develops an…it’s hard for me to say…here goes… An OPINION about what his or her room should look like. Cue the dramatic music. A little bit louder, please. Now, cue the wailing and gnashing of teeth. Mine. Yes, it happened. Opinions, opinions galore. Conflicting opinions that changed without rhyme or reason. It was exhausting to keep up with it all. I’d add a “woe is me,” but I don’t want to sound melodramatic. After much discussion, brainstorming and compromise my daughter and I ended up agreeing to a basic framework for a design plan for her bedroom. The design plan was very specific. It…
School Break – I’m Totally Sleeping IN
Happy Monday! I slept in today because my kids have a midterm break from school. By slept in, I mean 7 a.m. My dumb internal alarm clock cannot pretend it is a teenager. Oh, and by internal alarm clock, I mean bladder. I really think I’ve got this “aging gracefully” thing down. I think I enjoy a week without homework and packing lunches as much, maybe even more, than my kids do! Not even exaggerating. All that to say, I’m taking the week off from blogging to spend time with the kiddos. We’re going to hang out with friends and explore more of Ireland. Follow me on Instagram to see where…
Happy List #14
Hello, hello! This week felt a little long to me, so I’m all about the TGIF today. Earlier this week I took you on a tour of my local grocery store in Ireland and showcased some of my favorite food items for your viewing pleasure. In honor of Valentine’s Day and all of you who make my world a happier place, I also shared two free love printables. Here’s what’s on my Happy List this week. Girl Scout Gum? Someone makes Girl Scouts Gum now. I read somewhere that the gum holds its flavor for an hour. An hour? Really? What can’t those Girl Scouts do? I haven’t tried it though. If you’ve…
Living in Ireland: Grocery Shopping
I don’t want to brag (or do I?), but I feel like quite the pro when it comes to procuring groceries for our family sans automobile. (If you’re new here: We moved to Ireland from the USA. We haven’t tried driving here – yet. Public transportation and walking for the win!) Grocery shopping in Ireland without a vehicle requires a bit of planning. For instance, I don’t want to purchase all the heavy stuff in one trip because I have to carry it home in a backpack or reusable shopping bag. More or less, I’m purchasing what we will consume that day or the next. No bulk shopping here. A jumbo pack…
Free Printable: Love is All You Need
Have you ever noticed Valentine’s Day is quite polarizing? Depending on life situations, people either love the holiday or want to kick it to the curb. Since the 14th century Valentine’s Day has been associated with romantic love and romantic love is fabulous. Handy Husband and I celebrated 18 years of marriage a few days ago, so I have a deep appreciation for all things romance. I also have an even deeper appreciation for all things beginning and ending with “Honey, I’ll do the dishes.” But let’s not talk about me. What I want to say on this Valentine’s Day Eve in the mushiest way I know how is THANK YOU. Thank you to each…
Happy List #13
It’s your lucky day, folks. I’ve got some doozies on the Happy List to share. But first, earlier this week I shared how I got distracted and learned that 1960s wood paneling can actually look pretty decent. Continuing with my “living in Ireland” series, I also shared pictures of my hot press. It was so not hot. Here we go… Copper Roof on a Farmhouse I have followed Joan’s blog for quite awhile. She’s living my dream of renovating an old farmhouse and converting a barn into part of her home. You should really dive into her story. I am loving the new addition to her farmhouse, a copper roof over the…
1960s Wood Paneling That Looks Good
There’s a bookcase in my house that bugs the crud out of me. Really bugs me. I have to make it look good without changing the root of the problem. I’m still not sure how to do that, so I decided to dive into the black hole of inspiration commonly known as the Internet. While there, I got a little distracted… But those boots I’ve been eyeing were finally on sale! Then I stumbled on a new-to-me blog, Bigger Than The Three Of Us, and ran across a picture of blogger Ashley’s playroom/office. Two things made me pause in my scroll. 1) She has a wood bookcase similar to the one that bugs me to pieces.…
Living in Ireland: Want to See My Hot Press?
Moving to a foreign country – even one where you speak the language – is a humbling experience. My advice? Settle into the feeling that you are going to be the biggest idiot in the room. A little humor and humility go a long way toward settling in. When we were looking for house in Ireland we toured an owner-occupied home they were putting on the rental market. During the tour the owner made a passing reference to the hot press. “I’m sorry. A hot what?” In hindsight, my question probably did not inspire confidence with the homeowner. Needless to say, we did not get that house. The house we ended up moving…
