• Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
  • Shop
    • Apparel and Shoes
    • Books
    • Crafts and Sewing
    • Decor
    • Furniture
    • Home Improvement
    • Kid Favorites
    • Kitchen
  • Projects
    • Cleaning
    • Clothing
    • Colonial Farmhouse
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY Projects
    • Holidays
  • Adventure
    • Moving to Ireland
    • Living in Ireland
    • Visiting Ireland
    • Travel
    • Family and Parenting
    • Humor
    • Learning
  • Privacy Policy
A Pretty Happy Home

Life, DIY and Random Things That Make Me Smile

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
  • Shop
    • Apparel and Shoes
    • Books
    • Crafts and Sewing
    • Decor
    • Furniture
    • Home Improvement
    • Kid Favorites
    • Kitchen
  • Projects
    • Cleaning
    • Clothing
    • Colonial Farmhouse
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY Projects
    • Holidays
  • Adventure
    • Moving to Ireland
    • Living in Ireland
    • Visiting Ireland
    • Travel
    • Family and Parenting
    • Humor
    • Learning
  • Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
  • Shop
    • Apparel and Shoes
    • Books
    • Crafts and Sewing
    • Decor
    • Furniture
    • Home Improvement
    • Kid Favorites
    • Kitchen
  • Projects
    • Cleaning
    • Clothing
    • Colonial Farmhouse
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY Projects
    • Holidays
  • Adventure
    • Moving to Ireland
    • Living in Ireland
    • Visiting Ireland
    • Travel
    • Family and Parenting
    • Humor
    • Learning
  • Privacy Policy

No Widgets found in the Sidebar Alt!

  • white painted picket gate
    colonial farmhouse

    6 Month Progress on the Colonial Farmhouse

    March 2, 2020 /

    It’s time for a 6 month progress report on the Colonial Farmhouse. Sure, we’ve lived here longer than six months. 8 1/2 months, actually, but who’s counting? Let’s not get bogged down in the timing. The truth of the matter is I didn’t think about writing a 6 month progress report until now. While this progress report is almost three months late, I’m only sharing progress that was finished within our first six months of living here because that makes it better. Buckle up blog friends because it turns out we’ve made more progress on this Colonial Farmhouse than I thought! KITCHEN: June 2019 Ah, ambience. Just makes you want…

    read more
    annisa 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    farmhouse black kitchen mini makeover

    Colonial Farmhouse Kitchen Mini Makeover One Year Later

    March 29, 2021
    colonial farmhouse with hardie fiber cement siding in arctic white how installing fiber cement siding changed our insurance premiums

    How Much Our Insurance Changed With Hardie Fiber Cement Siding

    July 10, 2024
    shellac on pumpkin pine wood floors gaps in original pumpkin pine floors from 1780s

    All About Our 240-Year-Old Pumpkin Pine Wood Floors

    March 30, 2020
  • music room with piano and piano harp art
    decorating

    Ceiling Fan for the Music Room

    February 12, 2020 /

    As much as it pains me to get rid of gargantuan chandelier from the 1990s (sarcasm alert), it seems to be the most practical choice for our music room. What in the the world would I replace it with? I thought you’d never ask. We would replace the gargantuan chandelier (see below photo) with a ceiling fan. That felt anti-climactic, didn’t it? Wait until you find out I haven’t purchased one yet. Oops. Forget I typed that. A ceiling fan for the music room is not my first choice. It’s probably not my second choice either. But remember, it’s the practical choice. B.O.R.I.N.G. But practical. We have a little problem…

    read more
    annisa 8 Comments

    You May Also Like

    The Doors of Our Colonial Farmhouse

    The Doors of Our Colonial Farmhouse

    July 8, 2019
    needlepoint framed to match wall color navy blue sunporch with matching picture frame when to match picture frame to wall color

    When To Match Picture Frames To Wall Color

    August 30, 2023
    use a cake stand to corral bathroom counter clutter

    Use a Cake Stand to Corral Bathroom Counter Clutter

    March 23, 2022
  • piano pedal tree topper
    holidays

    Piano Pedal Tree Topper

    December 9, 2019 /

    When I set out to decorate a music-themed Christmas tree this year, I didn’t plan on creating a piano pedal tree topper. It just sort of happened on a whim. Was it a good whim? It’s hard to tell, but you know me, I’m running with it! If you’re new here, we took apart an old upright piano that was left in our Colonial Farmhouse when we purchased it. We’ve been repurposing the piano parts for other projects (like this piano harp art). That’s how today’s piano pedal tree topper came to be. Piano pedals are made of metal and these have a lovely patina from decades of use. They…

    read more
    annisa 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    flags on memorial day

    Happy Memorial Day 2021

    May 31, 2021

    Festive 4th of July Ideas

    July 3, 2019
    red poppy illustration symbol of remembrance

    How a Weed Became A Symbol of Remembrance

    May 30, 2022
  • use invisible picture wire to hang a mirror
    decorating

    Invisible Picture Wire Saves the Day

    November 11, 2019 /

    Do you ever have one of those “anything is better than nothing” moments? Any seasoning at all would be better than having to eat one more bite of this bland food. A few lunges while I brush my teeth is better than no exercise today! This mint stuck to the bottom of my purse is better than having no mint and bad breath!  Using my husband’s deodorant is better than not using any deodorant at all! Added perk – I can enjoy the manly smell of ‘arctic ice’ coming from my armpits all day long.  I had one of those “anything is better than nothing” moments as it relates to…

    read more
    annisa 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Christmas Tree 2016

    December 21, 2016
    christmas tree 2017

    Christmas Tree 2017

    December 18, 2017

    Halloween Bat Mantel

    October 12, 2016
  • james peter cost art thrifted for five dollars
    decorating,  thrifting

    My Thrifted James Peter Cost Art Is Worth How Much?

    November 4, 2019 /

    A few weekends ago I was browsing the art section at my local Habitat Restore. By art section I mean stacks of framed art haphazardly leaning against a wall. All art in this particular Restore is $2 unless otherwise marked. I found a large painting of a barn for $5 by an artist named James Peter Cost. I don’t know how long the painting had been there, but it was quite dusty. I stood there staring at it for several minutes trying to decide if I’d regret not buying it. I know $5 isn’t a lot, but I’m still intentional with how I spend my five bucks. It is less…

    read more
    annisa 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    What Should I Do With This Junky Treasure?

    January 10, 2018

    Scalloped and Basket Weave Felt Pillow – No Sew

    April 11, 2016
    christmas tree 2017

    Christmas Tree 2017

    December 18, 2017
  • in praise of the ceramic colander
    Food

    In Praise of the Ceramic Colander

    October 30, 2019 /

    Ceramic colanders might seem like a funny blog topic. Are you wondering if I’ve run out of things to write about? Is this my ‘jump the shark’ moment? No, I have not and I certainly hope not. I just really, really like my ceramic colander. And I almost threw it away. The ceramic colander was in a box of jumbled junk in our garage. (In case you are new, we bought a house and the seller left a ton of belongings behind.)  I remember picking through the box and finding a bunch of planters for houseplants and then the ceramic colander. I didn’t know what the “bowl with the holes”…

    read more
    annisa 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Would I Make It Again: Maple Glazed Apple Pull-Apart Bread

    September 17, 2018

    I’m Food Trendy and I Didn’t Know It

    April 17, 2015
    savory s'mores summer activity savory s'mores made with melted cheese, bacon, and onion jam

    Summer Must Do: Savory S’mores

    June 23, 2025
  • ruby glass chandelier
    decorating

    I’m Keeping the Ruby Glass Chandelier

    October 16, 2019 /

    I had zero pleasant feelings about the ruby glass chandelier in our living room when we moved in. In fact, I loathed it. Have you ever heard of the red light district? Don’t worry! This isn’t a story about that. Unless you drove by our house at night when the ruby glass chandelier was turned on and saw the red glow emanating from our home. Then you might think it was about THAT. Our living room quite literally glowed red. It was almost comical. It wasn’t even helpful in terms of illuminating the space. The seller had tried to sell the ruby glass chandelier at an estate sale before closing.…

    read more
    annisa 1 Comment

    You May Also Like

    Kid Craft: Tree Artwork

    December 18, 2015
    Dry Sink Printer Stand leaded glass window decorating

    Dry Sink Printer Stand

    April 15, 2020

    Christmas Mantel – Peace

    December 12, 2016
  • music room before and after
    colonial farmhouse,  decorating

    Music Room Before and After

    October 7, 2019 /

    I’m not sure if I’ve ever done a proper ‘before and after’ room post because that’s just not how I roll, but there’s a first time for everything! Today I’m going to show you pictures of our music room before and after because I’m at a stopping point in this space. Basically, I’ve called it ‘good enough’ for now. Or maybe ‘much better than before’ and I’ve moved on to other projects. Yes, there are still things to do in the music room. Will they get done? Definitely. Probably. Let’s not hold our breath. Last week I showed you my piano harp art. The piano harp art may be the…

    read more
    annisa 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    back porch shelves for drink storage

    Back Porch Shelves for Drink Storage

    August 31, 2020
    colonial farmhouse exterior september 2023

    Colonial Farmhouse 5 Year Anniversary

    June 12, 2024
    navy blue sunporch

    Navy Blue Sunporch Reveal

    November 6, 2019
  • Five Old Books I Found in Our New Home
    colonial farmhouse,  decorating

    5 Old Books I Found in Our New Home

    July 31, 2019 /

    Old houses are full of surprises. (I’m a master of the understatement.) Our colonial farmhouse has already given us plenty of surprises – most of them electrical related. I also found some old books and magazines in our new home. That’s a WAY better surprise than realizing you only have one inconveniently located outlet in your master bedroom! Since I previously told you the seller left tons of unwanted items in the house when he moved out, you might think that I found these old books in one of the four gazillion dozen boxes of junk on the premises. Nope. I found the old books and magazines in two places.…

    read more
    annisa 3 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Colonial Farmhouse Kitchen Before

    Colonial Farmhouse Kitchen Before

    February 3, 2020
    old house construction techniques timber framed home from 1800s mortise and tenon carpenter's marks

    4 Old House Construction Techniques We Found When We Replaced Siding

    July 8, 2024
    reproduction hardware

    Updating Our Home With Antique Hardware

    June 7, 2021
  • navy blue Fisher 4pk patio outdoor dining chair Target
    decorating

    Navy Blue Outdoor Dining Chairs

    May 15, 2019 /

    I mentioned a few weeks ago in this Happy List post that I was anxiously awaiting the delivery of my new navy blue outdoor dining chairs. They arrived and I can finally uncross all my fingers and toes because the chairs are even better than I hoped. And thank goodness because returning the outdoor dining chairs would have been a giant pain. Oy! Also, where I live on the East Coast seems to have a glorious, but short weather sweet spot. Not too hot. Not too cold. And not too many bugs! That weather sweet spot is now and I fully intend to take advantage of it this year since…

    read more
    annisa 2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Vintage Game Gallery Wall

    Vintage Game Gallery Wall

    May 20, 2020

    Outdoor Decorating with Farm Junk

    August 3, 2015
    upcycled lego display shelf using a wine rack on the happy list

    Wine Rack Upcycled Into a Display Shelf

    May 29, 2017
 Older Posts
Newer Posts 
Hi! I'm Annisa.

Recent Posts

  • 4th of July 2025 Break
  • Happy List: #395
  • Stone Carriage House: Part 8, Time Capsule
  • Summer Must Do: Savory S’mores
  • Happy List: #394

Categories

Subscribe to blog
Loading

$2018 © A Pretty Happy Home
Ashe Theme by WP Royal.