10 Must See Places in Ireland if You Like Castles and Nature
I routinely receive emails from people asking what they should do when visiting Ireland. It’s an impossible question! Especially if you are only visiting for a week. For a small country, Ireland has a lot to see, experience and savor. I should know – I lived there for two years and didn’t see or do everything on my list. Oh, the regrets! With St. Patrick’s Day only a few days away, I thought it would be fitting to round up my favorite, must-see places in the Republic of Ireland especially if you like castles and nature. I’m leaving Northern Ireland off the list (this time!) only because I’m trying to help you…
Travel: Washington’s Headquarters and Ford Mansion
When I used to think of New Jersey, I thought of Jersey Shore (the reality tv show, not the actual shore). As it turns out, an over-the-top reality show does not do New Jersey any justice – at least not in the historical sense. New Jersey actually played a very important role in the founding of the United States during the Revolutionary War. Think about where New Jersey is located between New York and Pennsylvania and you’ll have an ‘ah-ha!’ moment like I did. New Jersey was centrally located among the American colonies. It had a decent transportation and provisioning system. It had also developed defense systems that would play an…
Happy List: #110
Hello! I love it when we meet here like this! As an update to last week’s Happy List, I didn’t get to read to my son’s class last Friday because we had a snow day delay. Trying again today! Speaking of my son, he’s been learning to play the recorder at school and on Monday I shared how wrong I was about that whole experience. Then on Wednesday I discussed a quick, easy DIY for my daughter’s souvenir pin collection. Here’s the List O’ Happy! TOOTSIE EGGS I need you guys to do me a favor. It involves candy, so don’t argue! The next time you are at the store,…
Display a Souvenir Pin Collection in a Shadowbox Frame
Did you catch last week’s furniture makeover? It was a fun one! We turned a hutch into a freestanding bookcase for my tween daughter’s room. Now there is plenty of room for her books, sketch pads and ceramic animals. There’s also a spot for her souvenir pin collection. Do you see the collection on the shelf below? You’re dying to learn more about it, aren’t you? I figured. We do a fair amount of traveling and at some point (thank goodness) my daughter outgrew the souvenir stuffed animal. Instead, she recently started collecting souvenir pins. They are small, inexpensive and relatively easy to find at souvenir shops. She also has…
Maybe I Was Wrong About My Child Playing the Recorder
My son is in 3rd grade. If it’s been awhile since you’ve been in 3rd grade, let me refresh your memory. Being in 3rd grade means he’s learning multiplication and division. He’s spending time writing long stories. He’s no longer learning to read. He’s reading to learn. He’s also learning to play the recorder. If this blog had music that last sentence would be followed by a ‘dun, dun, duuuun!!’ sound. Handy Husband and I both recall learning to play the recorder in school at about that same age, so it has been part of school curriculum in many U.S. schools for a good long while. If you want to…
Happy List: #109
Hello everyone! Today we are celebrating Read Across America Day! I have a 9 a.m. appointment at my son’s school to read to his class. I *think* I am going to read Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem. This is going to be a last minute decision. Read Across America is an event established in honor of Dr. Seuss (his birthday is March 2). Many Barnes & Noble and Target stores will be having events tomorrow. For a full list of Read Across America events and activities, click here. This week on the blog as been fun! I’m biased, but that’s the kind of editorial license you get to…
Turn a Hutch Into a Freestanding Bookcase
Who loves a good furniture makeover? *raises both my hands…and feet* You’ve come to the right place because I have a fun makeover to show you today! We were able to turn a hutch into a freestanding bookcase and it’s been a game-changer in my tween daughter’s room. If you’ve been a long-time follower, you might remember that when I bought this dresser with brass details at the Habitat Restore it came with a hutch. I never could figure out the hutch part of the dresser. Not only was it not quite the right size, I couldn’t tell where it had ever attached to the dresser. It was a mystery. I…
Happy Thrifting: America Designs
I have quite the virtual shopping treat for you today! We recently visited the town of Lambertville, New Jersey. Never heard of it? That’s okay. It is a small town (population approx 4,000) located along the Delaware River and right on the border of Pennsylvania. The Travel Channel recently named Lambertville the “Most Charming Small Town” in New Jersey on it’s list of “America’s 50 Most Charming Small Towns.” That’s quite the endorsement, isn’t it? With a recommendation from The Travel Channel and the town’s self-described label as the “Antiques Capital of New Jersey,” we HAD to check it out. The very first store in Lambertville that we ventured into…
Happy List: #108
Hello! It has come to my attention that a large number of people in New England and along the East Coast spend part of February in Florida, Mexico or The Caribbean. I need to remember how smart these people are for next year because we just had ANOTHER snow day and a 2-hour delay this week. At this rate, my kids will be going to school until July. On Monday I shared an update on a very important situation: the type of bath towels we use. I’m not sure how you went so long without me updating you on the towel situation in our lives. On Wednesday I shared another…
Framing Art With Scrap Leather Instead of Using a Mat
Why, yes! I did use leather in another crafty home decor project. Give me some scrap leather and I will come up with a host of ways to use it. And in case you are wondering (you’re not, but let’s pretend), someone DID give me a stack of leather and said, “Maybe you can use this for a project or two.” Challenge accepted! This time I used a piece of leather instead of a picture frame mat for framing a piece of art. Let’s not discuss the fact that I have scrap leather, but I don’t have an appropriately sized picture frame mat. Nor am I willing to buy one,…
