The Reason Why I Like Old Houses
I had an epiphany while painting the wall of our main stairs about the reason why I like old houses. I’m qualified to speak on this issue because it’s is my blog and these are my feelings, duh I have lived in new construction, 100+ year old homes, homes built between the 1960s and 1990s, an apartment, a condo, and even a duplex in Europe. I know how lovely it is to live in new construction with that fresh-everything smell and a fabulous home warranty where the builder comes out to fix every single nail pop. I know how satisfying it is to take a home that is a money…
Happy List: #176
Hello! Welcome to another edition of the Happy List! How is August treating you? As you know, we live on the East Coast. On Tuesday we were pounded by rain from Storm Isaias. We’ve been without power all week! Hopefully, by the time you are reading this, the power will be restored. This week on the blog I shared the new chandelier for our music room. I love it more than I love temperatures in the 70s. (But don’t ask me that question on a 90 degree day.) I also shared my Summer Bucket List: Covid-19 Edition. One of the items on that list is celebrating the little things. That’s…
Summer Bucket List: Covid-19 Edition
I’m no stranger to a summer bucket list, but I never thought I’d be writing a Summer Bucket List: Covid-19 Edition. Our quiet summer is proof that 2020 is not at all what I anticipated it being. I know I’m not alone in recognizing that 2020 has thrown us all for a loop. In fact, if ever there was an understatement, that would be it! I fully expected us to be traveling outside of our state this summer. As it turns out, it is hard to leave our state now without having to self-quarantine when we return. I fully expected us to be hosting visitors for at least a month…
Wood Chandelier in the Music Room
We have a new-to-us wood chandelier in the music room and I couldn’t be happier about this turn of events. Our music room was once used as a formal dining room. In fact, it got the 1990s/early 2000s royal treatment with a gigantic silver chandelier that was way too modern for the space. It was also a head knocker. No, it did not knock some sense into me. I know one of you just thought that. I usually have plenty, thank you very much. Here’s the music room on the day we moved into our Colonial Farmhouse in 2019. Here’s the music room after I took down the wallpaper and…
Happy List: #175
Happy Friday, folks! We have plans this weekend that will completely disrupt our routine. Can you believe it? Actually, I can hardly believe I said yes. I’m turning soft during this pandemic! We are hopefully getting not one, but two kittens from a neighbor. *Crossing fingers this all works out. Otherwise, my kids will be devastated.* The compromise we made is that the cats will be outdoor cats with the task of prowling the property for rodents. We need all the help we can get on this front. Let it be known that I said our last cat (when we lived in Georgia) would be an outdoor cat and the…
Bus Stop Gardening Station
Gardening stations or potting benches come in all shapes and sizes, but the bus stop gardening station I have to show you today is pretty darn clever. I’m throwing “bus stop” in quotation marks for the moment because this bus stop gardening station is not made from an actual bus stop, but it looks like it could have been. Behold! I take zero credit for this clever idea. It’s not even on my property. This is a Junk Whisperer project. If you’re an original reader around here, you’ll know I’ve featured several Junk Whisperer projects over the years. Who is this mysterious Junk Whisperer and how can we learn her…
8 Satisfying Things I’m Enjoying This Summer
I don’t know about you, but I’m spending an inordinate amount of time at home these days, so today I’m sharing eight satisfying things I’m enjoying this summer. I’ve always said it is the little things that make me happy and that’s even more true right now. Eight Satisfying Things #1: Bug Zapper I don’t know if there really are more bugs outside this summer or if we are just hyperaware of the number of bugs pestering us, particularly while we are swimming. Handy Husband ordered this ultraviolet bug zapper and thinks it is the best thing ever. I’m not joking. Find a person who looks at you the way…
Happy List: #174
Hello, friends! Is it sweltering where you live? New Jersey has been taking summer very seriously this past week. Can’t wait to get my electric bill. Not! This week I shared two new blog posts. The first one was a well researched (sarcasm alert) feature on why you should wear a vintage watch even if it doesn’t work. The second blog post was an update on the decorating in my son’s farmhouse-style bedroom. On Facebook and Instagram I like to keep things random. Actually, that’s just my life, so it is what is is, but I’d love to connect with you there too. This week I’ve shared some behind-the-scenes of how we actually…
Farmhouse Style Boy’s Room
I have a farmhouse style boy’s room to show you today! Woo to the hoo! I sure hope you enjoy seeing rooms in my house evolve over time because I don’t think I’m a “grand reveal, this room is finished” kind of gal. I mean, I still haven’t purchased any curtains for our Colonial Farmhouse. You can’t possibly finish a room without window treatments, right? Do you know what else would really finish a room off? Electrical outlets on each wall. Maybe a light switch? But, hey. Let’s not get bogged down in the practicalities. I’d much rather discuss decorating progress in my son’s room. As someone pointed out to…
Wear the Vintage Watch
I have some advice for all of you non-watch wearers. Wear the vintage watch – even if it doesn’t work. All of you watch wearers are probably gasping in horror right now. Wear a watch that doesn’t work? What kind of nonsensical advice is this? I actually tried to find statistics on how many people wear watches every day so that I would know how many of you were gasping in horror. I know you come here for fact-based, bias-free reporting, after all. Well, friends. The numbers were all across the board and then I got frustrated, so let me just sum up my observations on this very important topic.…
