Hi! Hello! Welcome to this week’s Happy List. I’m delighted to see you here.
This week on the blog, I shared a roundup of the pretty wall pockets I found online. The joke is on me because I thought I’d only find them on Etsy and eBay. Incorrect.
I also shared an update on the stone wall I’m slowly building. I was hoping to finish it this month, but that’s not going to happen. I will finish it, though. Eventually.
I say it every week because I mean it. Thank you for being here. You have an unlimited number of ways you could spend your time. The fact that you spend a few minutes with me is a privilege. I aim for the Happy List to be a bright spot in your day, and I enjoy connecting with you. If you want to reach out, please comment on this blog post or email me here. It truly makes my day. You can also direct message me on Instagram or Facebook.
Here’s the Happy List!
STONE AND BRICK WALLS
I spent more time than I’ll admit perusing the portfolio of Period Architecture Ltd. They do new builds and renovations.
This is a new build, but look at the curved stone wall. It’s topped with brick. That’s a lovely touch. It would also be infinitely easier than what I’m doing, and I wish I had thought of it six weeks ago. Ha!
(image: Period Architecture Ltd)
P.S. If I ever find buried treasure around here, I’ll spend it on copper gutters and downspouts. And, fine. I’ll save some of it for retirement, too, because I have to be responsible.
DIY CERAMIC DELFT-STYLE TILES
Erin Zubot made her own Delft-style tiles. The scalloped edge charmed the heck out of me. I don’t have any ceramics experience, unless you count the dish I made for my mom in 2nd grade. It was a creation only a mother could love. However, some of you amateur ceramic artists might enjoy her tutorial.
Check it out here. I appreciated her candor about the process.
(image: Erin Zubot Design)
TICKET RAILS
We’ve all been at a restaurant and watched a waiter or waitress shove a handwritten order ticket into a rail in the kitchen for the cooks to know what to make next. These are called ticket rails.
Do you know how those work? They can hold paper tightly because there are marbles inside. Seriously! The marbles roll toward the front of the ticket rail, and hold the paper tight. How cool is that? Human ingenuity is so impressive.
A Canadian company, Biglow, makes the prettiest wood ticket rails. They call them gravity bars. I want one so bad for our office. They would have been great for holding our kids’ art when they were little.
(image: Biglow)
P.S. If you want to see how Biglow makes them, watch this video. Fascinating and a little funny.
P.P.S. If you need more information about how ticket rails work, read this explainer at Core77.
LEARNING IS FUN
Dataguessr is a free data game, but a fun and interesting one! If you like any of those New York Times games, you’ll like this one. Your job is to rank countries where they fall on a list of a variety of topics: number of immigrants, electric vehicles on the road, patent applications per capita, percent who smoke, where women are most empowered, etc. They cite their data sources.
I’ve loved this because it’s so eye-opening. I haven’t got 100% on a quiz yet, but I have learned a few things.
Play it here.
(screenshot: Dataguessr)
TREAT YOURSELF
I wouldn’t have purchased this candle if it didn’t smell amazing. It’s apple cider scented. YUM! However, it’s the gold dish that put it over the top for me.
(image: Target)
SAVING BRITAIN’S WILD BEES
Bee conservationist Matt Somerville has made and installed 800 bee hives in Britain. He makes them out of hollowed-out logs and thatched roofs.
We watched this video about his one-man crusade. It was fascinating to see how he made these hives and the contraption he rigged up to install them by himself.
If you want to read the story and see the pictures of his hives, you can find them at This is Colossal.
(image: This is Colossal)
STARING AT EGGSHELLS
Artist Larisa Safaryan creates the most amazing paintings with eggshells. I still don’t understand how she does it, but I could stare at this forever. It’s joyful and ethereal. Fragile and strong.
If you look closely, some of the eggshells have small holes in them to make a delicate pattern. More photos of her work can be found at My Modern Met.
(image: via My Modern Met)
EASY CHARRED CHERRY TOMATO SALSA
I have made salsa with a can of fire-roasted tomatoes when I’m out of fresh tomatoes. I haven’t tried charring tomatoes myself to make salsa. This salsa recipe from Alexandra Cooks is on my list to try this week.
(image: Alexandra Cooks)
P.S. I also made this Chipotle chicken copycat recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking on Tuesday. My son, who loves this U.S. restaurant chain and is the pickiest eater, said it was very close to the original. I usually order the carnitas there, so I don’t have a recent experience to compare it to. It was tasty though! I marinated the meat overnight.
LAUGHED OUT LOUD
“We have always called our party goodbyes in the Midwest ‘the Lutheran Goodbye,’ aka, we need to start leaving at least 30 mins before we really need to for all the complimenting, oh my goshing, yes let’s get togethering, send me that hot dish recipe-ing. By contrast, I love a German Goodbye, which is always executed flawlessly by our German friends and goes something like this: ‘Thank you for having us. We had an okay time, but now we would prefer to be at our own house. Goodbye.’ AND THEN THEY JUST WALK OUT THE DOOR. Truly, I aspire.” – Cup of Jo reader Hilary
Can anyone confirm this German goodbye?
Thank you for reading this week’s Happy List.
Be good to yourself and others this weekend.
I’ll see you back here on Monday.
*affiliate links in this blog*