A Poem For Memorial Day
On this Memorial Day, I want to share a poem by Robert Frost that had me wiping my tears at my desk. Imagining myself as the woman in this poem was – phew – a lot to handle on a Tuesday afternoon. Here’s the poem. Get your tissue ready. Not to Keep by Robert Frost They sent him back to her. The letter came Saying… and she could have him. And before She could be sure there was no hidden ill Under the formal writing, he was in her sight— Living.— They gave him back to her alive— How else? They are not known to send the dead— And not…
May Day Basket Tradition – Did You Do This As A Kid?
Did you participate in the May Day Basket Tradition as a kid? I did! May Day is always May 1st. As a kid, I thought it was the best thing EVER to leave a small bouquet hanging on our neighbor’s door, knock, run away giggling, and try to hide before they answered the door. I can’t tell you what the flowers were but they could have been dandelions. I’m unsure if we always hung the bouquet on the door. My brother and I might have just left flowers on the front porch and then skedaddled out of there. It was the thrill of doing something nice but being sneaky that…
7 Ways To Decorate Wood Easter Eggs
Today I’m sharing 7 ways to decorate wood Easter eggs. If you haven’t had the pleasure of decorating wood Easter eggs yet, what are you waiting for? Carpe diem the wood egg! Decorating wood Easter eggs makes me egg-cited because I can keep them forever. Plus, there’s the uniqueness that comes from working with a natural substance like wood. Each egg ends up with its own quirks (relatable) and I’m here for that! If this post gives you additional ideas on how to decorate wood Easter eggs, please let me know. I have wood eggs I haven’t decorated yet and I gladly welcome new ideas. Now, let’s hop to it……
St. Patrick’s Day Flower Arrangement With Dried Lentils
Subtle is not an adjective usually paired with St. Patrick’s Day but this St. Patrick’s Day flower arrangement has a more subtle nod to a holiday I absolutely adore. No leprechauns or pots of gold in sight. That’s kind of a shame. I could really use a pot of gold. The star of this St. Patrick’s Day flower arrangement is not the flowers. Although, they are lovely. The star of the show is the vase! The vase finally gets its moment to shine. The vase is filled with dried lentils to mimic the design of the Irish flag. I used roughly equal amounts of green split peas, white rice, and…
Gold Leaf Wood Easter Eggs
If you enjoy a little bit of bling, you’ll love these DIY Gold Leaf Wood Easter Eggs. They are easier to make than they look and this idea is easily adaptable to plastic eggs if wood Easter eggs are not your thing. My wood eggs started as a $3 find in the Target Dollar Spot. Don’t worry if you don’t live near a Target. You can buy wood eggs online and I know because I’m no stranger to crafting with wood Easter eggs. I hatched up an idea to elevate these eggs to something you’d find in the designer section of Target and not in their dollar section. (Don’t even…
From the Archive: St. Valentine’s Remains Are In Dublin
Editor’s Note: I originally wrote this in 2018 but it is still relevant today because guess what? History is still in the past and not much has changed on this topic between 2018 and 2024. I think you’ll enjoy this wild romp through history. Hold onto your pink teddy bear and open up your box of mystery chocolates because I have an interesting Valentine’s Day story for you! The actual saint that kicked off this entire multi-billion dollar holiday is St. Valentine and his remains (or part of them) are indeed located in Dublin. Ireland is usually all about St. Patrick, so this St. Valentine connection surprised me. I read…
Valentine’s Day Terracotta Gnome
We are going to combine three favorite things, terracotta, Valentine’s Day, and gnomes to make something amazing – a Valentine’s Day Terracotta Gnome. What’s that? Gnomes aren’t one of your favorite things? Understandable. Oh, and you’re iffy on Valentine’s Day too? Give me a second. *deep breaths* Can we all agree terracotta is amazing? Even if we don’t know if it’s one word, two words, or a hyphenated word? Alright, here’s the deal to save this craft. We’re going to combine ONE favorite thing with two questionable things. You’re going to have to trust me that love will bloom when you feast your eyes on this Valentine’s Day Terracotta Gnome.…
Reflections This Christmas 2023
There are just a few more days until Christmas. Nobody panic! I suspect that if you’re not panicking it is either because you’re got everything under control or you don’t but you’re just too tired to panic at this point. My kids are still in school, so I think that makes it easier navigate this lead up to Christmas when we’re still operating with our normal school and work schedules. I have spent some time this month, while the energy of Christmas swirls around me, reflecting on our year. Our life this year has been, I’m sure, similar to other people’s lives. The horrors persist, but so do we. Hahaha!…
Christmas In Our Music Room
Music is an integral part of our lives. I, alone, listened to 47,000 minutes of music on Spotify last year. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that there’s a touch of Christmas in our music room this holiday season. And I don’t mean from the holiday carols being played at the piano. Although, you can bet your holly jolly that’s happening regularly too. When I say there’s a “touch” of Christmas in our music room, that’s code for “I got carried away folding origami trees and they needed a place to go.” Do you know how many origami trees you can fold while watching a movie? Since this is…
Pink and Navy Christmas Tree With Handmade Ornaments
Nothing says Christmas like pink and blue, right? Ha! It might not be traditional, but my pink and navy Christmas tree is certainly making our home feel festive this Christmas season. The best part, to me, is that other than the ribbon, every single ornament on the tree is handmade by yours truly. I’m the only elf in this workshop and I’ve been busy. I painted the mini wood trees. I cut the paper snowflakes. I folded the origami trees. Tis the season to be crafty! If it isn’t abundantly clear by now, let me lay it out very plainly. I really just like to make things – all different…
