Happy List: #188
Hello, hello! How is November treating you? It sure has been an interesting week. How’s that for nailing the understatement? It’s what I do. It’s what I do. This week on the blog I shared the new old closet door we installed in our bathroom. That door was a long time coming, but I’m so glad we finally finished that project! I also shared a post about the fall colors in New Jersey this year. The leaves were spectacular and I enjoyed the heck out of them. Now, here’s the Happy List!WHITE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PIE CANDY This pumpkin pie candy recipe from Paper & Stitch looks pretty darn easy. No baking necessary! I can see why the pumpkin…
Fall Colors in New Jersey 2020
The fall colors in New Jersey brightened my spirits in a plethora of ways this year. 2020 has been a heavy year on so many different fronts. Our new normal doesn’t feel normal. There’s excess noise coming at us from every direction. Even a simple outing requires a complex set of risk/reward calculations. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve got out of my car to walk into a store only to turn around because I forgot my mask. It’s exhausting. Oh, and it isn’t over yet. That’s why my daily walks, especially when I can soak in the fall colors in New Jersey, have been my sanity saver. There’s something restorative about being…
A New Old Closet Door for our Bathroom
We have a new old closet door for our bathroom. Did that sentence even make sense? Don’t worry. I’ll over explain what I meant in nauseating detail. Our main floor bathroom is a special place. It’s special because it even exists. This house was built before indoor plumbing was invented. It’s special because of its awkward location. Bathrooms were often tacked on to the end of an old house when indoor plumbing was eventually added. It’s special because holy moly it needed to be updated in the worst way. Here’s the bathroom on the day we took possession of the Colonial Farmhouse. Please note this was how we found the bathroom. None of the items you see…
Happy List: #187
Happy Halloween! Do you have big plans or no plans for Halloween? Somewhere in-between? I’m not sure what our plans are yet…still overthinking it! Ha! This week on the blog I shared the centerpiece I made for Halloween from a cast iron cauldron. It’s simple, fun and perfect for a not-so-spooky Halloween. I also wrote a blog post about the new chairs in our living room. Almost every night after dinner my 10-year-old son and I sit in these new chairs to read books. Hot chocolate may be involved too. The amusing part of this story is he always puts on “chill” music to listen to, which is basically elevator music. It’s such…
Vintage Ethan Allen Chairs for our Living Room
There has been a change in our living room! Vintage Ethan Allen chairs are now providing cush for our tushes! I’ve been idly on the hunt for high quality chairs for our living room. I wanted chairs that would stand the test of time from a style and quality perspective, but also be comfortable to sit in. Comfort is VERY important around here! I loved the look and function of the recliner chairs I bought for a quick fix in our living room, but I also regretted that purchase. The recliners just didn’t feel sturdy enough to stand the test of everyday, heavy use. That’s the difference between cheaply made and high quality furniture. One…
Halloween Cauldron Centerpiece
Last week I found a mini cast iron cauldron at the thrift store and knew I could turn into a Halloween Cauldron Centerpiece! I didn’t know how I would make this happen, but as it turns out, I predictably resorted to my default Halloween trick. Stick a bat on it. That’s about as Halloween as I get. A Halloween Cauldron Centerpiece is nothing without the cauldron and a mini cauldron works best. My mini cauldron is about 6 inches tall and has a 6-inch diameter. It looks like it is the perfect dimension to cook up a single-serving size of deliciousness over a campfire. Although, I’m just imagining this campfire cooking scenario because I don’t camp. I’m…
Happy List: #186
Hello again! Welcome back to another edition of the Happy List. Guaranteed to be the happiest list you’ll read in the next 2 minutes! Are you enjoying the fall colors in your part of the world? Ours in New Jersey are just about at peak, I’d say. Even the most mundane trip to the grocery store is pretty spectacular right now with the way the leaves are showing off. This week on the blog I shared the entire story of our new Carriage House roof. That’s one project down and a zillion more to go! We’re oddly invigorated to have checked this one off the list though. I also posted a bunch of ideas…
Black Metal Roof for our Carriage House
We recently installed a black metal roof on our Carriage House. Well, not us personally. We finally hired a home improvement job out! Man, that felt good. You know what also feels good? Not falling off a roof. We’re practical that way. We kept our feet firmly planted on the ground for this project that was 14 months in the making! No joke. Almost from the day we took possession of the Colonial Farmhouse we were crossing our fingers that the leaky Carriage House roof would hold out long enough for us to replace it. First, let’s get some terminology out of the way. Before the invention of cars, a Carriage House typically referred to a…
Three Ways to Decorate with an Antique Splitting Wedge
Today I’m going to show you three splitting wedge decor ideas. A splitting wedge for decorating? Seriously? Yes, seriously. You guys know I will decorate with most anything. If you’ve never chopped wood, it’s hard work let me get you up to speed. Splitting wedges come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are used to help split large logs into smaller chunks when an ax alone can’t get the job done. For the purposes of today’s post, I’m decorating with a rusty, weathered diamond splitting wedge. I should clarify that the diamond part of a diamond splitting wedge usually refers to the shape, as it can split wood in four directions. I found the…
Happy List: #185
Hey, hey! After a busy week, I’m sliding into another Friday with relief and gratitude. How about you? This week on the blog I shared two new posts. The first was a centerpiece idea using flowers and a soup tureen. I still have the centerpiece out on my dining table, but I really need to water the plants in it. Oops. The second post was about the makeover I gave to a metal awning. A little spray paint made a huge difference! I hope this week’s posts gave you an idea or two for your home. That’s my goal! Now, here’s the Happy List!DECORATIVE CUTTING BOARD WALL This is a great idea for a DIY project…
