Happy List: #83 – A Pretty Happy Home

I don’t want to jinx it, but I have to say it feels glorious to go an entire seven days with no website glitches! Living the dream over here, folks. Living the dream.

I really hope I didn’t just jinx it.

This week I wrote about my chair makeover with fabric tape and a few books my kids and I read this summer. Even if you aren’t into reading children’s books, I pulled out some inspirational quotes from a few of the books that are sure to give your soul a boost.

You know what else might give your soul a boost? The Happy List.

(Did I oversell it? Just a bit? I’m feeling optimistic today.)

GOTHIC MIRROR

Do you see that gorgeous gothic mirror? According to Country Living, the homeowner found it at the Brimfield Antique Market in Massachusetts.

This market only happens three times a year and the next one is in September. It’s 3 hours from my house. Think I could make it there and back before the school day ends?

Just lie to me so I can hold out hope, okay?

(image: Country Living)

LOLLIPOP CAKE

I think I could do this! Probably.

I could definitely stick a pretzel in a cake. I know that much. The other part…not sure.

(image: BHG.com)

This cake from Better Homes and Gardens is decorated with twisted fondant.

It almost looks too happy to eat though!

FLOWER CARPET

See that colorful design? It’s made out of dahlias and begonias.

The talent, patience and creativity to make this display blows me away.

VEGAN CURRIED TOMATO SOUP

Is it too soon to mention soup?

This curried tomato soup by This Mess Is Ours looks delicious and delicious. Yes, I said that twice.

(image: This Mess Is Ours)

If vegan isn’t your thing, just substitute regular chicken broth for vegan chicken broth.

I know that last sentence sounded fancy, but I don’t even know what vegan chicken broth means. Seems like an oxymoron to me.

GOOD BONES

Now for the cultural part of today’s post.

I found the poem Good Bones by Maggie Smith to be an interesting combination of pessimism and hopefulness.

Her reason for writing the poem as quoted from a PRI.org interview was not political. She said…

“It was a poem written from the point of one mother feeling anxious about how to raise kids, and explain a world to them that is as wonderful as it is terrible,” says Smith. “How to keep the worst parts from them while they’re young, while not lying to them.’’

(Warning: s-word at the end of the poem.)

Good Bones by Maggie Smith
Life is short, though I keep this from my children.
Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine
in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways,
a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways
I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least
fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative
estimate, though I keep this from my children.
For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.
For every loved child, a child broken, bagged,
sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world
is at least half terrible, and for every kind
stranger, there is one who would break you,
though I keep this from my children. I am trying
to sell them the world. Any decent realtor,
walking you through a real shithole, chirps on
about good bones: This place could be beautiful,
right? You could make this place beautiful.

I often struggle with how much to tell my children about our world. While I tend to think (or maybe hope) there are more good people in the world than bad, I get the poet’s point.

And I do believe our kids can change the world.

If you want to read more poems by Maggie Smith, she has a few books out including Good Bones.

TABLE MAKEOVER

I’m obsessed with brass accents on furniture lately.

Look at this amazing $15 thrift store find! Susan at Saw Nail and Paint painted the table a gorgeous navy color.

The table has a secret feature, but you’ll have to go see for yourself what it is. No, it’s not a hidden drawer. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

(image: Saw Nail and Paint)

STRETCHY TENNIS SHOE LACES

I recently rounded up a list of not-your-usual teacher gift ideas.

Elastic shoelaces did not make the list, but should have. It’s my gift to the teachers. It’s also a gift to myself.

If I had a nickel for every time I said to one of my kids, “Your shoe is untied,” I would be rich. I’m trying to save all of us the heartache of dealing with untied shoes this year. I’m a giver!

I just ordered two new sets of these elastic laces to go with my children’s new school shoes. These laces work for all shoe sizes, including adults.