The one pandemic hobby that stuck around: veggie gardening. And this year I’m going big(ger). It started in the panic of 2020 with one little 6’x3′ raised bed (similar here) and some crappy curbside pickup soil. It was enjoyable enough that I kept at it and even added a second garden bed in 2022. After … More Tiny Garden Expansion
When we were replacing the underground gutter drainage pipes in our backyard, we swapped out an old rain gutter for a rain chain. We rigged it up ourselves and weren’t sure how much water a chain could direct vs an enclosed gutter pipe. Turns out, they can handle A LOT of water, even doing the … More Rain Chain
A note from January 2023: I found this post from a year ago in my drafts. In the mess of last year I forgot to ever hit publish on this one so I’m doing it today. Better late than never when it comes to Sea Ranch! Time traveling all the way back to January 2022… … More Sea Ranch
I know Christmas is over but last week I cheated a lazy little mid century gingerbread house out of a preassembled kit and it turned out pretty cute for minimal effort so I’m sharing for future Christmases! The kit from World Market is adorable as is. But with a few tweaks you can get a … More Mid Century Gingerbread House
Our front yard Christmas light pole tree got a big upgrade this year with LED C9 bulbs that look just like old school incandescents from Tru-Tone. Last year I waited too long to purchase and they sold out so I made sure to order in October this go round. I knew I would like them, … More Christmas Light Tree
I didn’t intend to take a nearly year long break from this blog, but here we are. Hi! It’s Christmas again! Gonna try to squeeze a few posts in before the year is over and pretend like I never left. First up: Christmas cheer/crap around the house! Look at THIS BIG BOY. Last year Rusty … More CHRISTMAS AGAIN
I’m finally finding time to share the bathroom renovation that we finished last November! Buckle up, it’s gonna be long one as I try to condense an 8 month long project into one rambling post. All sources are compiled at the end so head on down if you’re looking for a link and not details. … More Main Bathroom Renovation
I’m strategically cropping out dog crates, dog gates, dog toys, and ripped up rugs to say happy December! I hope this holiday season is whatever you need it to be this year. I’m struggling to keep up with everything, including posting projects here right now (the bathroom is way done!). Finding time and mental motivation … More December 2021
Some October pics from around the house… Spiders and webs are from Target (webs are tinsel plastic FYI and I’ve already had to make some repairs). I thrifted a lot of the jack-o-lanterns and the rest are from Target. No candy chute this year (the pipe is now in-ground rain gutter drainage), but we went … More October
Sharing a look at our semi-done family room today! This room has stumped me for a long time but it’s the room we use the most at the center of our house, so during the last few years we made a dedicated effort to get it under control. We ordered a couch that fit properly, … More Family Room Oranged Out
We are in the middle of a bathroom remodel and I have, along with a hundred other details, overly researched shower trim kits so I’m sharing some of my favorite modern leaning shower fixtures here today! The most important thing to keep in mind is that your shower (or tub) needs a rough in valve … More Modern Shower Trim Kits
I’m ordering materials for a bathroom update (see our finished, terrazzo-ed bathroom here) and, while I’m cheaping out on some parts, terrazzo flooring is a non-negotiable. Terrazzo, a traditional Italian flooring originally created to utilize remnant marble and glass chips, consists of a concrete base mixed with various aggregates all polished down to reveal cut … More Where to Buy Terrazzo Tile
My search for pantry wallpaper a few weeks ago went way too deep (maybe insurrection escapism???) and turned up too many amazing options not to share. If you are looking for mid century friendly, retro inspired wallpaper patterns, here you go! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 … More Mid Century Wallpaper Roundup
Our neglected pantry, which has been working overtime during this pandemic, recently got some love with new shelves and wild wallpaper – applied with only tape to make it removable (I’ll share all the details below)!The pantry is in our laundry room, right off the kitchen, and though its size is generous, it had been … More Pantry Redo + Making Wallpaper Removable
Time for another installment of the 10 year slow kitchen update! Haha but also, seriously that’s what we are doing. The footprint of our kitchen is great and we don’t plan on changing it but we have been updating appliances and finishes as needed/we have the motivation. Most recently it was…fitting a new fridge into … More New Fridge in a 60’s Kitchen
Like many of you, I was ready to Christmas up my house very early this year and got going in mid November. And I might leave it up well into January because: anything to help get through a raging pandemic + incompetent government response is ok. (And if decorating or celebrating is too much this … More Pandemic Christmas
This has been the #1 project I’ve wanted to do since the day we moved in years ago and IT FINALLY HAPPENED: a walnut room divider between our family and dining room!!!!Where we began: Normally I’m all for preserving original details, but I didn’t love the ornate 60’s iron rail that divided these two rooms. … More DIY Mid Century Walnut Room Divider
Quick post about our impromptu and super simple Halloween candy chute for weird 2020 Halloween! First off, this is not an original idea, but 100% inspired by a google image search. Second, this is only super simple if you already have a stair rail leading to your front door. Third, our neighborhood is never packed … More Halloween Candy Chute
I really wanted to go overboard on Halloween decorations this year to offset 2020 horrors, but I didn’t have the energy or creativity or time so these cardboard bats are as elaborate as I got. Made from trash boxes and leftover exterior paint, one continually ends up in the rain gutter and one has since … More Bats!
Cheesy craft time! I’m working hard for random moments of happiness this year, wherever they come from…enter a birdhouse Halloween village I forced my kids to make with me in August haha. It was 100% inspired by this mommy and me Halloween village on A Beautiful Mess, done with children younger than my reluctant tweens. … More Halloween Birdhouse Village
SUBURBAN * POP 