Pike Place is one of the most instagrammable places in the world, and a it’s great place to re-create your version of iconic shots. As a resident of the Pike Place neighborhood for four years, and weekly visitor to the Market (at least, in the less crowded off-season) I learned the in’s and out’s of…
How To Host a Bob Ross Paint-Along Theme Party
In my time as facilitator of the art group at The Seattle School, one of the most successful events that I ever hosted was a Paint-Along-with-Bob-Ross night. Although my events were gatherings for artists at the school, it was well attended by non-artists and one of the beauties of Bob Ross’s work is that the…
The 5 Best Study and Work Spots in Seattle, Washington
Sometimes I need to break up my routine and switch up my study or work spaces. A change of scenery and a little bit of background noise often helps me focus- and getting out of my tiny studio is never a bad idea. In this post I’ll be introducing you to some of my favorite…
How To Create a Rental Friendly Accent Wall: 8 Damage-Free Ideas
1. Get Permission to Paint an Accent Wall Some property managers will give a green-light to requests to repaint a room or a single wall, but in many cases- painting is not allowed. Despite this, painting an accent wall can often still be negotiated. Even if you can’t get “permission” to paint you can still paint- …
How to Fill and Patch a Vintage Cast Iron Sink or Tub
Living in Seattle on a grad school budget means having to sometimes settle for a lifestyle very different from the one I lived in Missouri only a few years ago. With Seattle’s booming tech industry, housing on a grad school budget usually implies lots of roommates or ultra-tiny studios (some of my fellow students even…
Adding Reach-Through Nesting Boxes to a Vintage Chicken Coop
Nesting boxes are a recent addition to my vintage 1920’s era chicken coop. Tired of retrieving eggs from plastic-totes-turned-nesting-boxes (that had a tendency to migrate across the floor of the coop!), I mounted permanent nesting boxes that could be accessed without climbing into the coop. Along the way, I used a few cheats to make installation and…
How to Create Geode-Like Resin Encased Gold Blooms
Resin pouring projects (such as my water-splash resin sculptures) often results in excess resin left over after my primary project is complete. I love experimenting with this leftover resin and one of these side-project-experiments recently resulted in a method for creating the geode-like metallic blooms, shown below. Developed to create a shiny and ultra durable…
How to Add Hidden Storage: Using Wall Hangings for Decor and Disguise
Bathrooms can be a cramped storage space- especially in older homes or apartments. In my tiny studio apartment in downtown Seattle, while the bathroom is relatively enormous it does not have even a single drawer, cabinet, or shelf! Using this space well, without cluttering the room with shelves, vanities, and drawer units has been a…
How to Winterize your Chicken Coop and Keep Hens Laying all Winter
Chickens are hardy birds that adapt well to a wide range of temperatures if given the resources needed to keep themselves warm. In this article we’ll talk about a few basic ways to winterize your chicken coop, a few unique ideas to help your birds stay toasty through the coldest months, and how to keep…
Create the Home Decor Equivalent of a “Capsule Wardrobe” to Simplify Holiday Decorating
Today, you can easily spend a huge amount of money on holiday decorations: Halloween decor that becomes an eyesore on November 1, Thanksgiving decorations that become unseasonal 3 weeks later, and Christmas decor which is appropriate for 5 weeks at best. Rejecting this holiday-specific marketing for outdoor decor, a few years ago I resolved…
Bringing Christmas Charm to your Chicken Coop
When we decorate for Christmas, we usually just decorate typical things: putting up a Christmas tree, placing a wreath on the door, and perhaps putting outdoor lights on our house. But the chicken house in your yard can be a fun spot to add cheer and decorate for the holidays too. As Americans rediscover backyard…
Baking for One Person – My Boxed Mix Hack
One frustrating thing about cooking for just one or two people is that most prepackaged food items come in 4 to 6 person serving packets. Although I try to minimize the amount of prepackaged or processed food that I eat, sometimes it’s just easier to cook from a mix- especially when it comes to baking.…
Easy Hack to Fix High Heels and Flats that Slip off your Heels
It’s always been a challenge to find shoes that comfortably fit my wide foot, but when it comes to finding heels, it’s nearly impossible. I’ve always resorted to ankle straps or various other designs to keep a shoe in place on my foot as I walk, but recently I came up with a new idea.…
How to Line a Drawer with Felt – The EASY Way
Today, I want to show you how to line a drawer with felt. This project can be a bit intimidating but it’s actually so easy to create a luxuriously lined drawers to upgrade your closet or furniture project! I’ll be demonstrating this method with a medium sized drawer that I picked up second-hand just for…
How to Deep Clean & Restore a Non-Stick Skillet
Cleaning a pan can be challenging, especially when the pan has burnt bits deeply embedded in the non-stick surface. In this tutorial, I will be showing you my method for cleaning my Scanpan Skillet. “Scanpan” is a high-end line of cooking cookware with a non-stick finish that has a lifetime guarantee. I realized after I downsized…
Fountain of Creation: Free Family Fun at the Space Needle
While tickets to go up in the recently renovated Space Needle continue to rise, this out-of-the-way art installment remains a cool reprieve with iconic views. This year a newly updated Space Needle was unveiled to visitors- visitors willing to pay $30 per person for access, at least. If you are planning a visit to Seattle, you…
8 Essentials for Solo Travel
After I sold my business in 2015, I had the opportunity to do some traveling. Even though I’d dreamed of travel… I didn’t go. I did not have a travel companion and was afraid to go by myself, so I did not go. Fast forward 2 years and a cross-country move, and in 2017 I…