Hello! Welcome to the Happy List. I’m glad you’re here!
This week on the blog I shared an indoor project and an outdoor project. First, I discovered the key to decorating with kid art…unless it is glitter art. If it’s glitter art I can’t help you. You can’t even look at glitter without it multiplying.
I also shared what’s going on with our two driveways. I’ll do the hard eye roll for you at how “extra” that two driveways sentence sounded. It’s not as extra in person as it sounds. I’d describe it as quirky.
Thank you in advance for reading today’s blog post, sharing things you like, sending good vibes our way, and even engaging with us on Instagram or Facebook. This is my happy place and your support helps keep this blog running. We appreciate you.
Now here’s the main event – the Happy List!
WISTERIA WOW
Isn’t wisteria the prettiest? The Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi, Japan, really has their wisteria game down pat. It must be an amazing place to visit in the spring.
See more wisteria pictures by Ryo Tajima over at This is Colossal or on Tajima’s Instagram.
(image: Ryo Tajima via This is Colossal)
TO SHUTTER OR NOT
I loved reading Maria Killam’s recent blog post titled “Shutters or Not: 10 Ways to Decide.” She did some photoshop work to look at real people’s homes with and without shutters.
I’ve been debating taking the shutters off our home because they are an addition from the last 30 years or so. Also, some of them are installed wonky. I think I won’t know for sure what to do until I see them off.
SWIM TIME
Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of summer in the U.S., so that means I need to remind you of my favorite swim skirt. I own two of them!
The best part of this Baleaf swim skirt from Amazon is that it’s a tad bit longer than the swim skirts you’re going to find at Target. It’s more tennis skirt length, so you could wear it out in public if you choose. Oh, and it has a pocket and it’s under $25. Thank me later!
FAUX REAL
I love the idea from Anderson + Grant of combining a faux potted shrub with real summer flowers.
(image: Anderson + Grant)
CHAIRLESS CHAIRS
Did you know there is a company making chairless chairs? A German manufacturer called Noonee makes an exoskeleton that allows the wearer to approximate sitting. Apparently, it’s used in factories and by farriers.
I’d really, really like to try one.
If you want to see how much it costs, go check out this article in Core 77.
BAKED HAM AND CHEESE SQUARES
I’m really a fan of anything in a puff pastry and these Ham and Cheese Squares by The Country Cook look delicious.
Get the recipe here.
(image: The Country Cook)
INN CROWD
Ever wanted to run an inn AND be on TV? Now’s your chance!
I checked out the initial application for this casting call and it’s pretty simple. Find it here.
P.S. This sounds like a nightmare to me. I won’t be applying. Hahahaha!
(image: JS Casting)
HAT WALL
Would it be weird to create a hat wall if one does not wear hats? I’ve just never met a hat wall I didn’t love and I have the perfect spot for one.
This hat wall and sleeping area at designer and stylist Elin Lannsjö’s home is dreamy.
See more photos of this home here.
(image: Fanny Rådvik via The Nordroom)
AS MEMORIAL DAY APPROACHES…
“We don’t think government can solve all our problems. But we don’t think that government is the source of all our problems – any more than are welfare recipients, or corporations, or unions, or immigrants, or gays, or any other group we’re told to blame for our troubles.
Because we understand that this democracy is ours.
We, the People, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks what’s in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.
As citizens, we understand that America is not about what can be done for us. It’s about what can be done by us, together, through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government.”
– Barack Obama, September 6, 2012 (full transcript here)
Thank you for reading today’s Happy List.
Be good to yourself and others.
I’ll see you back here on Monday.
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