Last year I converted a long and narrow sunroom to a bright and sunny studio for art, journaling, reading, and other creative pursuits. I loved the new look, but found myself at a loss for how to use the long open wall space above the sofa. After completing a set of foam drawer dividers I…
Even if you’ve checked out my articles on repairing broken horse halters, sometimes a halter is just beyond repair. Whether it’s terminally broken or just too worn to be safely used, below I’ve collected a few great ideas on how to reuse, repurpose, and recycle horse halters. These re-purposing projects are a great excuse to…
Joplin isn’t a popular travel destination, but plenty of people, both travelers and locals, look for fun ways to spend a day in the area. Typical stops are the museums in Joplin, the civil war sites in Carthage, or the casinos a few miles across the border in Oklahoma, but after living in Joplin for…
I think the most exciting thing about graduate school has been the experience of being a “fish out of water”. Moving from a rural midwest life as a business owner to being a 30-something grad student downtown in a major city has made me feel often out of place, and often challenged. In the challenge,…
Last Updated: When my second-favorite century oak fell at Hawk Hill this spring I was devastated. I’m not exaggerating to say that I grieved it as I would the loss of a pet- that tree was special and so characteristic of Hawk Hill. While I am slowly adjusting to sunshine in a space that was…
In many ways, packing for a day at Pike Place is just like packing for a day at most tourist spots, with a few pretty important exceptions that I’ve explained below. I call the neighborhood around Pike Place market home. Despite being in the top 30 tourist spots in the world, Pike Place is actually…
Instructions for creating antiqued finishes abound on the internet- and in my quest for a really authentic antiqued/patinaed finish, I tried a bunch of them. Through trial and error using other tutorials, plus some old secrets from the copper-smith shop where I grew up, I developed this method for antiquing that creates a metallic…
The flower market at Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA is a treat. Flower vendors stand behind countless buckets of blossoms, creating bouquets with art and whimsy. Since my current lodging is close to the market, I get to enjoy the flower market as a part of my weekly routine. Quickly, I noticed how uniquely…
One of my favorite free things to do at Pike Place Market is missed by 99% of market visitors- it’s the rooftop urban garden, hidden around a few corners, just a few steps from Pike’s iconic entrance sign. It made the list of my Local’s Guide to Pike Place Market, but directions to find it…
