holidays
New Way to Trick or Treat – Dock or Treating
I know it is November and we’ve moved on to other holidays, but I have to tell you about the neatest Halloween experience. We were introduced to a new way to trick or treat this year – dock or treating! I’m still giddy about it. We are fortunate to be spending time living in a lake community. These type of neighborhoods are fairly common where we live in the Northeast. Our neighbors organized a trick or treat event called ‘Dock or Treat.’ Homeowners living directly on the lake volunteered to be available to hand out candy from their docks. Some of them got really into it and even decorated their…
Halloween in a Small Rural Area
Happy Halloween! Ready for all those trick-or-treaters? Did you eat your stash of Halloween candy and have to run buy more? Twice. No? Yeah…that didn’t happen to me either. How would you like me to treat you to some pictures of autumn and Halloween in a small, rural area to get you in the mood for tonight’s festivities? “YES!” Oh good. There really was only one correct answer. I’m glad you said that! These are some pictures I took about ten days ago in a small town called Hope, New Jersey. Before you mention it, let me tell you it was still QUITE green then. We had a seemingly endless…
Black Card Stock Halloween Decor
I’ve decided black card stock is the unsung hero of Halloween decor. Especially for those of us who would rather decorate with pumpkins than all the scary things. I cut out bat and mice shapes from a few pieces of black card stock and then randomly added them around my home in places that gave me amusement. Sounds like solid decorating advice, right? Do you remember my junky dumpster find that I turned into a 4th of July wreath and a rope mirror? Well, now that junky treasure is a fall wreath with a little black card stock bat attached. As soon as Halloween is over, the bat will be hibernating…
Happy 4th of July
One of the things I enjoy most about moving is the opportunity to explore a new area. It’s the unexpected details of an area that delight and inspire me the most. For instance, we hiked a new-to-us trail last week at Tourne County Park, a 565-acre park with an extensive trail system. I expected to feel the burn up that long hill. I expected to see wildlife and get bitten by mosquitoes. I expected to have a discussion about which plants were poison ivy – seemingly all of them. I expected my kids to ask for a snack before we’d even left the trailhead. I expected someone to parkour their way…
Burlap American Flag Centerpiece
Let me tell you a little something. There’s only so much “settling in” a person can do in a new home before a break is needed. I’d normally take a break on a comfy couch with a cold drink in hand. Maybe kick my feet up on a cute ottoman. Alas, I don’t have a couch yet. Or a cute ottoman. I do have a cold drink though. Priorities! In lieu of time on the couch, I decided I’d recharge with a cold drink and a crafting session. I might not have a place to sit, but I do have paintbrushes. Go figure. I also have a random burlap bag…
Memorial Day
Is it correct to say “happy” Memorial Day? After all, it is a day to remember those who died serving in the United States armed forces. Perhaps it is just one of those things we say because the holiday has also morphed into the unofficial start of summer and a long weekend to spend with friends and family. Happy might not be the right word, but I am extraordinarily grateful for the men and women who have served our nation. There was a period in our country’s history when military service was required. Having never lived through an era when I was really ‘forced’ to do anything, not to mention…
Sheet Music Easter Eggs
Confession time. Things don’t feel very Easter-y around here. It’s not a holiday I typically decorate for and with our recent snowstorms, it hasn’t quite felt like spring around these parts. So I decided I would craft myself into a spring mood. Nothing says spring rebirth like styrofoam eggs, so that’s what I started with. My first attempt at decorating my fake eggs was a major flop. It’s also a reminder of why I try to avoid Pinterest. My second attempt was much more successful. I made Sheet Music Easter Eggs, which I’m not sure are actually spring-looking, but they are more my style. Making Sheet Music Easter Eggs is…
St. Patrick’s Day Ideas
I’ve been so wrapped up in snowstorms that I forgot spring is on its way. Or, rather, spring is SUPPOSED to be on its way. She sure is taking her sweet time! I’m ready for warmer temperatures and pretty flowers, but as it turns out, Mother Nature cares nothing about my opinion. How rude! Father Time, on the other hand, keeps marching forward so in 10 days it will be St. Patrick’s Day! There is no better place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than in Ireland, but if you can’t be here with me, perhaps these St. Patrick’s Day ideas will get you in a festive mood. St. Patrick’s Day Ideas:…
St. Valentine’s Remains Are In Dublin
Hold onto your pink teddy bear and open up your box of mystery chocolates because I have an interesting Valentine’s Day story for you! The actual saint that kicked off this entire multi-billion dollar holiday is St. Valentine and his remains are indeed located in Dublin. I read about this link between Valentine’s Day and Ireland on a site called Irish Customs and Culture. You’ll have to read the full account yourself because it is quite detailed. And we all know digging into the minutiae, as important as it may be, is not my love language. That’s why there are experts. Now, as I understand the story… The remains were…
Living in Ireland: Festival of Trees
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Before we say goodbye to 2017, I thought I’d share one last holiday-themed post. One of the things I’ve enjoyed or found the most interesting about living in Ireland is seeing how the locals celebrate the various holidays. Ireland doesn’t have the Christmas markets that other European countries are famous for, but it does have plenty of other events for locals (and visitors!) to enjoy. This year a friend invited us to see the Festival of Trees at Christ Church in Bray. Bray is a cute seaside town south of Dublin. It’s one of the farthest points south that you can live from…
