Welcome to this week’s Happy List!
This week on the blog was all about the upcoming 4th of July in the U.S. I shared a cellophane faux sparkler craft, which I think would also work smashingly well for New Year’s Eve decor. I also shared our patriotic front porch.
If you’d like to see what we are up to this weekend, please follow along on Instagram or Facebook stories. I don’t actually know what we are doing, so I will be just as surprised as you.
If you have a project you’d like to share with me, please tag me on social media too. I’d love to see what you are creating. Ideas and inspiration make the world go round!
Here’s the Happy List!
FLOWERS
Please go visit Grif Studio and check out the animated flower gifs.
You’ll see things like a basketball court turn into a court of flowers. It is beautiful, mesmerizing, and kind of what I’d like the world to really look like!
(image: Grif Studios)
EMBRACE THE OLD
I’m inspired by how Kate Arends embraced the yellow tile in her bathroom and somehow made it all look intentional and modern with the addition of the right wallpaper and accessories.
This bathroom is a great example of the creative exercise of updating without gutting a space.
More pictures of this room can be seen at Wit and Delight. Be sure and check out the before picture so you really get the impact of this change.
(image: Wit and Delight)
GLASSES
These printable 4th of July glasses from The House That Lars Built would be a fun photo prop if you are having a 4th of July party this weekend.
As long as you have a steady hand with the craft knife to cut these out, you should be fine.
(image: The House That Lars Built)
TIME LOOP
This wooden art installation in Hong Kong built by Paul Cocksedge Studio is so satisfying to look at!
Also, look at the triangle tile (is it tile? concrete?) underneath the time loop. WOW!
(image: via My Modern Met)
PERIOD SWIMWEAR
In case someone you know might benefit from this knowledge, there are companies that make period swimwear. No tampons needed. I don’t know how the fabric technology works, but it does.
This is not an affiliate linked product, just a PSA because we have purchased from Ruby Love. Swim suits come in all different styles and colors.
(image: Ruby Love)
ACROSTIC POEMS
Joanna Goddard from A Cup of Jo, a website I read religiously, shared the acrostic poem she received at a dinner party. In fact, the host had written personalized acrostic poems for each guest and used the poems as place cards around the dinner table.
Isn’t this a great idea for your next friends’ gathering or book club or game night? It is a small, thoughtful way to make your friends feel loved and valued.
(image: Joanna Goddard)
THE HAPPIEST
Isn’t this the happiest-looking little cottage? It made me smile.
(image: Photos by Mark Lohman, Styling by Fifi O’Neill via Town & Country Living)
See more pictures of this cottage here.
JICAMA SALAD
I haven’t eaten jicama in forever!
This Jicama Salad recipe from Jessica Gavin reminds me that I should have my kids try this veggie.
(image: Jessica Gavin)
SOMETHING TO PONDER
If you grew up in the U.S., you can probably recite the Pledge of Allegiance by heart.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
I’ve been ruminating on the last two words of that pledge lately: FOR ALL.
We’ve been saying a flag pledge since 1892 when it was penned by Francis Bellamy. Bellamy was a Baptist minister and a Christian Socialist. His original pledge read, “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The pledge has changed little since then. Since America is a nation of immigrants, the “United States of America” part was added in 1923 to make sure everyone was on the same page. The “under God” part was the last change instigated by President Eisenhower and it was added in 1954.
The “for all” part has been there since the beginning though and as far as I can tell has never been challenged. Have we taken it seriously? Are we finally taking it seriously? Just something to think about.
P.S. There have been plenty of legal challenges to the pledge over the years. You can read a synopsis of them here.
Thank you for reading today’s Happy List! It makes me happy to share ideas with you every week.
To everyone in the USA, happy 4th of July weekend.
Be good to yourself and others this weekend.
I’ll see you back here on Monday.