Small Updates in the Kids’ Bedrooms
I thought I’d razzle dazzle you with some small updates in the kids’ bedrooms today. Way to over sell it, huh? While the big stuff for home renovation is fun to watch and blog about, I think it is the small, meaningful updates that really make a house feel like a home. Yes, I really do believe this stuff I spout. Ha! We’ve lived so many places where we couldn’t renovate or even paint. Home is definitely what we made of it in that moment – from the memories that we made there to the small touches that made that house feel like us. The kids’ bedrooms have always received priority when we move because…
Gratitude
Hi, friends! I’m taking time off the blog this week for Thanksgiving Break. Before I do, I want to thank each of you for all the kindness you’ve shown our family this year. Even though what I share here is but a small snippet of our lives, it is a little scary to release those words into the wild three times a week. So, thank you for all your kind thoughts. Thank you for those times when you bit your tongue. Thank you for your ideas. But most of all, thank you for the time you share with me each week. Before I go, here is a poem by Lucy…
Happy List: #190
Hello, friends! I’m glad you are here for another edition of the Happy List! This week on the blog I shared some easy Christmas decor ideas from Christmases past! Has anyone started decorating for the holidays yet? I haven’t really, but I have started working on some Christmas-related projects, so there is a bit of Christmas haphazardly scattered here and there. I also shared how the amazing Handy Husband removed a dog door from one of our doors and made that door look brand new. I’m pretty lucky to be the recipient of his woodworking skills. Once again, here’s your weekly reminder and invitation to join me over on Facebook or Instagram. That’s where…
How to Remove a Dog Door From a Wood Door and Repair the Damage
Do you want to know how to remove a dog door from a wood door and then repair the damage to that door? Oh, good! You’re in the right spot. I need to caution you. This is not a beginner woodworking project, but it is totally doable with patience and the right tools. We had a solid wood door that we deemed was worth the effort to remove the dog door and repair the hole that had been cut into the door to make way for the dog door. Here are the steps we took to return this door to its (almost) original glory.Step #1: Unscrew the dog door and remove all the door components. The…
8 Easy DIY Christmas Decor Ideas
I’m normally a one holiday at a time type of gal, but this is not a normal year! I’ve been thinking about how I want to decorate this year’s Christmas tree since before Halloween! It’s true. I haven’t fully decided on a plan, but it’s fun to think about. If you’re like me and are taking a little extra comfort in the holidays this year, here are eight easy DIY Christmas decor ideas you could use to make your home extra festive this year.Easy DIY Christmas Decor Idea: Leather Christmas Tree Leather and Christmas? Yes. Don’t write this idea off just because leather isn’t your thing. You could use any fabric for this…
Happy List: #189
Hello, hello! Welcome back to the Happy List. November is flying by and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I suppose I’ll just roll with it, since that’s how I approach most everything in life. This week on the blog I shared the art we made from what I think is a Victorian era heating grate. There are some odd cutouts in our floors, which make me think we did have some sort of heating system for the main floor back in the day. I also shared that I am on the hunt for rocking chairs for our sunporch. It’s not a very aggressive hunt. Honestly, I’m hoping some chairs just…
On the Hunt for Rocking Chairs
I’m on the hunt for rocking chairs! How’s that for a random tidbit? I have more random tidbits if you want some. My mind is a veritable playground of randomness. I have been thinking for months about how we should or could use our sunporch. It’s a long, narrow space broken up by five doors (two sets of french doors and one exterior door). The french doors aren’t centered on the sunporch, so that complicates the spacing a bit as well. The sunporch is so narrow I can sit with my back on one wall and my feet can touch the other wall. Yes, I’m tall, but my height is all in my torso. Oops. There’s…
Antique Grate Wall Art
We had an antique grate sitting in our basement collecting cobwebs and a family member pointed out that it had decorating potential. Actually, I think she said, “I wish I could fit that grate in my suitcase because I would take it home and do something with it.” I’m almost certain it wouldn’t have been the weirdest thing TSA saw in someone’s suitcase. However, her passing comment did make me think I should do something with that antique grate besides let it be a home for all the basement spiders. Did you like that ‘before’ picture? I could have brushed the grime off before I snapped that picture, but nope. I decided to keep it real…
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…
