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 that you could easily and pretty inexpensively replicate in your home.

Since these cutting boards are decorative only, you don’t have to worry about them being food safe.

Directions can be found at I Spy DIY.

(image: I Spy DIY)

GOODNIGHT MOON AND THE NYC LIBRARIAN

I listened to the most fascinating story on why Goodnight Moon is not on the list of the most checked out books of all time from the New York City Library. It’s because the librarian at the time the book was published deemed the book not worthy of being in the library and kept it off shelves for decades!

This librarian, Anne Carroll Moore, was a complete contradiction. She is basically the mother of the children’s section of libraries everywhere. Prior to her influence, people thought children who couldn’t read shouldn’t be in libraries. What was the point?

On one hand, Moore did so much for children and children’s literature. However, she had very specific viewpoints on what kids should be reading, mainly fairytales and not books about everyday life. She became so powerful in children’s literature that authors could not get books published if she didn’t approve them.

Listen to the full, complicated story as told by 99% Invisible here.

It might give you a whole new perspective on banning books from libraries.

COZIEST BLANKET

Earlier this month I ordered the softest, coziest blanket with pom-pom fringe on Amazon. It was $24.

We’re all fighting over it, so I’m thinking about ordering a blue one too. Or maybe I’ll put it on my Christmas list. Handy Husband always needs shopping ideas!

TOO PRETTY TO EAT

This is a pie crust! Can you even? 

Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin is a food artist who is now making fall and Halloween-inspired pie crusts. I am BLOWN AWAY.

You can follow her on Instagram here. 

See more pictures of her work in this My Modern Met article.

(image: via My Modern Met)

I LAUGHED 

There’s some truth in this.

(image: Sad and Useless) 

For more funny cross stitches, click here.

HOW TO PAINT A FABRIC LAMPSHADE

I haven’t given too much thought to painting a fabric lampshade, but I can see how it would be tricky. Any imperfection in the paint would show when you turned the light on.

Brooke from Farmhouse 1820 has the secret and I didn’t even know this type of paint was a thing! Clearly, I lead a sheltered life. 

I’m itching to try this idea now!

(image: Farmhouse 1820)

DIY HALLOWEEN FACE MASKS

If you want to be a pumpkin or a mummy for Halloween, The House That Lars Built has directions for making DIY face masks. 

Last year at this time we wouldn’t have believed this would be a thing.

(image: The House That Lars Built)

POBLANO WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Yummy, quick, and easy.

That’s how this Poblano White Chicken Chili recipe from Gimme Some Oven looks to me. 

(image: Gimme Some Oven)

SOMETHING TO PONDER

I’ve been thinking a bunch about 2020 lately and there’s a Friedrich Nietzsche quote that keeps coming to mind:

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”

Here are some other things Nietzsche said that resonate as well:

“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.”

“I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.”

“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.”

Thanks for taking the time today to read the Happy List. I have fun putting it together each week. 

I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend. Sometimes I look forward to having nothing to do! 

Take care and I’ll see you back here on Monday.

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