Staying Home and Staying Cozy
How are you spending your Coronavirus confinement? I have a few ideas in case you are starting to lose your mind.
My dear friends, it has been a minute! Actually, more than a few minutes. I took some time away from writing to work on other projects, and then COVID-19 happened. One month ago today, in fact, we started to shelter in place. Aside from daily social-distancing walks with the dog and the child, we really haven’t left the house. And like so many of you, I’m juggling school lessons with a spouse working from home and my own work projects, too.
It is a lot.
And let me tell you: if you aren’t ok, that is totally ok. This is a remarkable, historic time. It is scary and insane and strange and monumental all at once. And it is ok not to be ok.
But now that we are a month into this with no real end in sight, I have gathered a few ideas and resources which might help you make your own confinement a little easier.
DIY Face Masks
First, I have put together tutorials for making face masks in three different styles. I have made more than 30 masks, and I tried several different ways to make them. Finally I decided on three different masks that seemed to work best — and are easy to make. If you need to make masks for your family, I hope you’ll try these out. Let me know how it goes!
Hygge Makes Everything Better
Early on I chose a word for this period knowing that a focus would make everything a little easier. My word is: hygge. What’s hygge? It is the Danish concept of coziness, happiness, and goodness — all rolled up together.
Focusing on hygge has allowed us to jump into our confinement with joy and love. My husband travels a lot for work, so having him home for an entire month has been amazing! We are cooking a lot, snuggling on the couch, reading even more, and I’ve taken up needlepoint which is a wonderful distraction.
I have updated my What I’m Reading Now list — lots of good book suggestions!
I am also journaling — sometimes angrily, sometimes creatively, sometimes with great sadness. And we have become Zoom experts — along with the rest of the world — from class meetings to get-togethers with friends.
But I’m also doing a lot of sleeping — or at least reading in bed. And I have some tips for sleeping Scandinavian-style which is all about bringing the hygge into your bedroom. We love it!
Small Home Projects
We aren’t tackling anything big right now. The Spring One Room Challenge was supposed to start on April 1, but it has been postponed to May at the earliest. But we have been doing small projects around the house. Our kitchen, for example: we were supposed to remodel it this spring, but those plans have been put on hold. So we have taken on a few small projects — temporary fixes for a truly dysfunctional kitchen. Small projects like this can ease the daily stress of living in a house that doesn’t work well — even if they are temporary fixes.
Celebrating
I’ll be honest: I didn’t feel much like celebrating Easter. But as the day approached, I realized just how much we needed a celebration in the middle of it all. We have also celebrated two big birthdays for family — one with a Zoom-call party and another with a silly drive-by parade. Life goes on, and we can still celebrate milestones, even if we can’t do it in person as we would like.
And when I did hang the Easter eggs from our branch chandelier and put out the Easter decorations, the change was welcome, and we had a wonderful family celebration.
In the next few weeks I will share some of our favorite recipes and projects. It is almost time to get out into the garden again — despite the fresh snow today! And one day soon we will be back to something that approximates “normal” again.
But until then, stay safe! Wash your hands. Wear a mask. And stay home as much as is humanly possible.
XOXO
Angela
The Thoughtful Giving Guide is Here!
The list of the most thoughtful and useful Christmsa gifts for everyone on your list is now available!
I have been searching all year for unique, useful, and thoughtful gifts, and they are now collected together into one place. The 2019 Thoughtful Giving Guide is here! Enjoy!
Budget-friendly gift suggestions for everyone on your list! Lists include:
My Favorite Gifts | Gifts Under $15 | Gifts for Mid Modern Lovers | Gifts for Children | Books to Give Gifts to Make | Wines to Give | Bubbles for the New Year
Fall 2019 ORC: My Favorite Rooms
My favorite rooms from the Fall 2019 One Room Challenge participants
Almost 300 people participated in the Fall 2019 One Room Challenge, and I have read alllllll of the posts. That’s 220 bloggers, 58 Instagrammers, and the 20 Featured Designers. And if you think about it, that’s 298 rooms around the world that have been completely transformed. Astonishing, frankly. As I was reading all of the posts, I posted the following appreciation for all of my fellow ORC’ers:
No matter how big or small the project is — or how big or small your budget may be — doing one room in six weeks is a feat of strength! Most of these people have jobs and families and other obligations. For most of us this is a hobby — and a crazy one at that! But we love our homes, and we want to make our homes more beautiful. This is one great way to do just that!
This little community represents an extraordinary amount of work and ideas and creativity, and I wanted to share some of my favorite projects with you. You’ll note that none of these projects are from Featured Designers. I hoped to shower sunshine on some of the smaller but no less worthy participants in the Fall ORC. I hope this whets your appetite! There are some amazing rooms here!
Bathrooms and Powder Rooms: DIY and Inspiration
Maybe it’s because I have three bathrooms all in need of renovation, but I thought the bathroom category for this ORC was particularly strong. Here are a few of my favorites.
This bathroom has it all including wit and whimsey. But my favorite part: this framed life jacket! Victoria’s bathroom is fabulous and is worthy of a closer look!
Jessica and Chris transformed their powder room into a darling, vintage-inspired room with all kinds of pretty. They cleverly made use of the entire space tiny though it is, and I love all of their thoughtful details!
I love so many details about this bathroom including this gorgeous hammered copper sink and the light fixture, too! Tanya did a beautiful job in a tiny powder room that is now fresh and full of character.
Wallpaper is Back!
I love wallpaper, and I’m so glad to see it making a strong comeback in home decor. There are soooo many options now — self-adhesive, removable, wild patterns, murals, and everything in between. Of course, I used wallpaper in my Workroom Makeover, and I’m glad to see so much variety in the others who used it, too.
If you’d described this wallpaper to me, I would not have believed that I would like it, but OMG… I do! This is such a lovely entryway. Not stuffy or expected in a Craftsman house, but I do love it! Angela isn’t afraid of risks, and they pay off here.
The wallpaper choice in this bedroom is cool and coordinates with the light fixture in all the right ways, but what I really love is that by not wallpapering the slant, Valerie emphasized what could be an awkward space in all the right ways.
Fellow Coloradan, Meg, transformed her guest room for this ORC, and it is all gorgeous, but that floor just makes me swoon! It is plywood, people! Plywood and a lot of geometry! Oh, and the wallpaper is two discount shower curtains. You need to check her out!
So it isn’t actually wallpaper — it is a stencil. But I love Brianna’s bedroom wall! It looks like Sashiko, Japanese embroidery, and it is such an elegant addition to this room.
ORC Budget Makeovers
Even an unlimited budget doesn’t guarantee great design, but it’s the truly creative projects on tiny budgets that make my heart sing. I’m always working on a small budget, and I get inspiration from clever people who make the most of every penny spent.
Rhiannon proved that a little money and a lot of work can turn even the most humble and forgotten parts of a house into special places. She completely transformed this strip on the side of her home in Australia into a gardener’s paradise.
Jen and her family tackled their bathroom and proved that you can stretch a small budget — $1000 — really far! You have to see the before photos to believe the transformation!
Carrie took on a budget kitchen makeover done with sensitivity to the home’s MCM origin. I love the wallpaper — you will see that is a theme here!
Laundry Rooms
I have a laundry room makeover in my future as well, and several people tackled their laundry areas with great results!
Heather-Scherie took on her hallway laundry space which is a major thoroughfare to their family room. I love this green and the wallpaper is fantastic! I would be happy for anyone to walk past this in my home!
This mudroom/laundry room combination is absolutely dreamy! Look at all of those windows — and plants! Grace gave this room a makeover playing up all of this room’s assets.
Offices and Workspaces
I was watching the office and workspace transformations very closely, and there were several fantastic transformations. Some rooms like mine are workhorses, others are more showcases. But I thought these were particularly lovely.
Sadye proved that you don’t need a whole room to have a fabulous creative space. Her work corner is cheerful, well-organized, and colorful.
I loved Alisa’s goal for her office at the outset: to furnish her room almost completely from the Facebook Marketplace. You know how I feel about the Marketplace — save money and save the Earth, too! Well, she succeeded, and her room is so elegant!
Kitchens and Dining Rooms
Having gutted two kitchens, I think the people who tackle kitchens for the ORC are more than a little nuts. There is just sooooo much that can go wrong! And there are several kitchens that didn’t make it across the finish line. However, there are a few that did — and they are truly a testament to the power of paint. If your kitchen just needs a facelift — not new cabinets and wiring and plumbing — but paint and hardware and countertops, then it can be done. And here are some fab examples.
Leslie’s kitchen had great bones, but she took it from basic to beautiful with brick and other classic touches. It is gorgeous!
Linda took on a great room — kitchen, dining, and sitting area. She didn’t do any major construction, but her work shows the power of fabric and tile and color. I love her tile, and this chandelier!
Lindsey of Building Bluebird took her dining room from ho-hum to beautiful with some gorgeous MCM influences. I love the picture ledge on the far wall, too.
You must see the befores of this kitchen. The transformation is remarkable! I love the after, and it shows what some paint and hard work will accomplish!
Living Spaces
Technically Cyd redid two rooms: a den and adjoining powder room. And both are stunning! I love every choice she made — and am coveting the wall-mounted lamp in this photo. For those of you in homes with paneling, I love the choice she made — accenting it but not covering it up. Beautiful!
Clark + Aldine is the work of husband and wife, Danielle and Michael. Their home is gorgeous, and this room was awesome before, but they added both a fireplace and a really unique window surround which elevated this room further. I love it!
Moody and boho and colorful all at once, this living room with a full library is gorgeous. Kate is a pro at creating one-of-a-kind rooms with that prefect balance between old and new, color and neutral, light and dark. This room does not disappoint!
She isn’t finished yet, but this fireplace transformation is breathtaking! That tile is original, and she spent hours stripping paint and painstakingly restoring this gorgeous hearth. I can’t wait to see the rest of the room when she finishes!
To check out all of the ORC rooms for Fall 2019, click the links: Featured Designers and Guest Participants.
Thanks to Linda of The One Room Challenge for organizing the One Room Challenge! Thanks also to Better Homes and Gardens, the ORC media sponsor. On Instagram, check out #oneroomchallenge and #bhgorc to see all of the amazing room reveals, or visit the One Room Challenge Blog where you’ll find the link-up to all of the participating blogs. There are rooms of every kind, aesthetic, and design. It is an amazing thing to explore and get inspiration!
And just in case you missed it, be sure to check out my Workroom Makeover. I am in love with this room! I hope you love it, too!
Pin it!
Ciao!
Angela
PS: obviously, copyright for the images from other sites belongs to their respective owners. Not me.
ORC Week 6: A Place for Everything
The Big Reveal for the Fall 2019 One Room Challenge: the Workroom Makeover
It’s done! Pop on over to see!
Workroom Makeover
One Room Challenge Fall 2019
ORC Week 4: Lighting -- and Problems
Happy Wednesday, Friends! Let me tell you… on Monday I wasn’t sure I’d be able to send you an ORC update of any kind this week. First of all, I spent much of last week getting The Nice List orders shipped out which was fun, but it absorbed a good deal of my week. And this week was to be all about how to light a room like the Workroom. But I am having all kinds of trouble — lights have arrived missing pieces, lampshades have proven to be a bigger challenge… it has just been all kinds of frustrations this week. So I am writing to you in the semi-dark.
More on all of that — and how to properly light a room like this here:
ORC Week 4
Lighting
I am shipping off orders for The Nice List each day, and it’s not too late to order your copy! Make your purchase in the shop!
Free Printable Pages!
I am also thrilled to announce the addition of this year’s Christmas printable pages which are free! You’ll find a Menu Planner, a Grocery List, and a planner for Seasonal Favorites — all adorned with Jone Hallmark’s gorgeous illustrations.
These and so many other items are available for your use in the Library. It’s a little bit like Christmas — and it’s not even Halloween, yet! Enjoy!
Have a great week! Please check out the One Room Challenge post! And for daily updates, watch Instagram. Lots more going on there!
Ciao!
Angela
ORC Week 3: Furniture for a Room with Many Faces
An update from Week 3 of the One Room Challenge as well as the arrival of The Nice List 2019!
I now have a 14 foot long desk. Yep. It spans the entire length of my Workroom with places for writing, projects, sewing, gift wrapping, and all kinds of projects. That’s just one of the pieces of furniture I’m discussing this week in my One Room Challenge update! My Workroom has to be a multifunctional room, and as such, it needs furniture that is flexible and functional. I am hoping my crazy-long desk and all of the other choices I am sharing this week fit the bill. Check them out!
Two New Tutorials
I also have two tutorials this week. One will show you how you, too, could have a 14’ long desk. Or perhaps something a little more… reasonable.
The other is a newly acquired skill for me this week: replacing trim on a Mid Century steel desk. Very fun — and very sticky!
The Nice List has Arrived!
It seems impossible, but those aren’t even the biggest bits of news this week! The Nice List arrived, and it is gorgeous!! Thanks to Jone Hallmark for her gorgeous illustrations and to Holly Kennedy for her design work. I am so excited to start shipping these out — and getting them into stores — this week! If you ordered one, it will be headed your way soon. If you haven’t ordered yet, there are still copies available in the store. Grab one before it is too late!
Have a great day!
Ciao!
Angela
ORC Week 2: I Have this Thing with Green
An update on Week 2 of the Fall 2019 One Room Challenge: the Workroom Makeover
Green has been my favorite color for almost as long as I can remember. As a little girl I briefly flirted with pink, but green took over early. Green — the color of Ireland, my eyes, the grass in my grandmother’s back yard, my favorite sweatshirt in college. So I suppose it is natural that my Workroom is green. But it isn’t just the paint on the walls. I am working to make this makeover a green one in every way I can. And the Week 2 One Room Challenge update includes a list of the easy ways I’m working to make this room green in the eco-friendly sense, too.
Not only that, but I have TWO tutorials this week both of which will help you make your Billy bookcases (or other stock bookshelves) look cleaner, more like custom shelves, and just absolutely amazing!
Oh, and did I mention the wallpaper? Yeah, click the link and see all the fun this week…
That’s not the only news this week! Orders of The Nice List will begin shipping early next week! If you haven’t ordered yet, or want to order another copy, you can still place an order, but supplies are limited, so don’t dally!
The wind is howling here, and the temperature is plummeting. It was 77 at about 5 pm. But look what’s coming overnight…
I hope you all are having a great week!
Ciao!
Angela
Prime Day Deals I Love!
A few of my favorites are on sale for Amazon Prime Day. Check them out!
It’s Amazon Prime Day, and I spotted a few bargains that I wanted to share with you. These are all products I love personally and can recommend highly or that are on my wish list right now. If you aren’t a member, there’s a link above for a free 30-day trial which will allow you to take advantage of all of the Prime Day bargains.
Happy Shopping!
Working
Having a good printer is a must, and I really love my Epson EcoTank printer. I have an older version of this one. Here’s what I love: the ink lasts forever. It is more expensive to buy it, but Epson has changed the printer/ink model. They charge more for the printer, and you don’t have to buy ink nearly as often. The ink also doesn’t come in cartridges. It comes in bottles which you use to fill the tanks — less plastic waste! If you are in the market for a new printer, this is a good one!
When I was traveling more than I do now, I always carried my LaCie Rugged Mini External Hard Drive. It is a great device for offloading photographs while on a long trip — or even for hauling around lots of photos or documents when going to client meetings. Now that it comes in a 4TB size, too, it is even more valuable.
Tired of your office or home never being the right temperature? We recommend a Nest. We have one, and we love it! We easily manage the temperature settings for our house, and save money and energy when we aren’t home without even thinking about it.
Making
I have the Cricut Maker, but this is a great price on the Explore Air 2! And it includes lots of goodies to get you started!
I snagged a set of these. I find I need multiple mats to be more efficient when I am doing complicated projects.
Watercolors just work best on watercolor paper. It’s hard to find it on sale, too!
Reading
As an author, I always try to buy the book instead of checking it out of the library. We have to stick together, you know! But I don’t have room in my house for all of those books! My Kindle makes me so very happy for that very reason. It helps keep our home tidy! Though I do still read A LOT on paper, too!
I can’t stop raving about Madeline Miller’s two novels, The Song of Achilles and Circe. I loved them both, and they are amongst a very few books available for Prime Day. I highly recommend them!
Mothering
There aren’t many books on the Prime Day sale list, but these caught my eye. We love all of them! I Want My Hat Back is especially funny when read almost as a play at bedtime. And the Elephant and Piggie books are fabulous for early readers. The Tale of Despereaux is a sweet chapter book that is wonderful read aloud!
Building
My sister won Aunt-of-the-Year when she gave Bambino the Star Wars Darth Vader’s Castle for his birthday. I am not sure who enjoyed putting it together more — Bambino or my husband.
Bambino also loves this tree house set, and has had hours of imaginative play with all kinds of animals and characters hanging out in the tree house.
This is a great, basic Lego set with some simple instructions for making a frog, a helicopter, and anything else you can imagine. A really good starter or add-on set!
Organizing
I know Marie Kondo says not to buy anything for drawer organizing, but I did buy a set like this which keeps ties, underwear, and tights well-organized in our drawers. You could absolutely do it with a shoe box as she recommends, but I think the dividers in these boxes are just a bit tidier.
I always have a stack of plain paper bags on hand for quick gift wrapping or dropping something off at someone’s house.
My office would be a mess without boxes like these. I keep the clothes that I am selling, unfinished projects, supplies, and those awkward things that don’t seem to fit anywhere else — all in boxes like these. Mine came from Ikea, but I know these are essentially the same. Neat and tidy!
Drinking
Ditch the plastic straws! I like paper straws and try to keep a bunch in my purse, so I can refuse plastic straws when needed. I also like these other reusable options, and just might be ordering some to try them out, too.
Homemaking
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my Roomba? Nope? Well, it was one of the best Christmas gifts EVER! I absolutely love it, and this is a newer, fancier version which I am eyeing when mine needs to be replaced — but I’ve had it for more than 4 years, and it is still going strong. Dogs? Cats? Kids? Get a Roomba!
My last vacuum cleaner lasted for more than 20 years. I know. It was a workhorse, but when it came time to replace it, I chose one like this Dyson which I truly love. We have had it for more than 3 years, and I am happy with it every time I pull it out to vacuum.
We don’t have one yet, but we just got back from Hawaii where our hotel had Toto Washlets in the bathrooms. It was Bambino’s first bidet experience, and he is on a mission to convert the world now. So this will be on the wish list for our new bathrooms when we renovate them for sure!
Journaling
I am also stocking up on both of these. We go through a lot of glue in our house. I use Super77 when I am art journaling, and both Bambino and I use glue sticks almost daily!
Ok. I don’t have this one yet, but it is on my journaling wish list!
Traveling
Bambino has the best suitcase in the family: a hardside suitcase with spinner wheels. As we replace our luggage, we will all get hardside suitcases like this one.
I’ve written about how Marie Kondo has changed my life, but I’ve never told you about how the KonMari Method has changed my packing practices. Well, it has. And I’ll tell you more about that soon, but these packing cubes are an important part of that practice. They make packing and unpacking a suitcase so much better!
I have a box almost identical to this with which I travel, and it is one of the best little things I’ve ever purchased. I just love it!
If you found any Prime Day deals that I need to know about, leave them in the comments! Ciao!
