The Happy Door

Host a Saturday Swap!

My Instagram feed has been full of cute swap parties. Saturday or Sunday Swaps! I’ve loved the idea and decided to host my own. I’ll share some of my ideas and decor.

First up I made an invite on Canva. I also wanted to attach some ideas. So, the idea of the party is to bring enough handmade items to swap with your friends. That way everyone goes home with a mix of items to try, eat and enjoy!

Once I confirmed who could attend I let everyone know how many items to bring! Then I got brainstorming for decor and a menu.

I wanted to make a cute sign. So, I used some craft paper and got to work. I first chalked out what I wanted it to say and then painted it. I had bought a little fabric bundle and used it for a few different things. I cut out letters of say “Farmers Market” and Mod Podged them on the paper. I also used the fabric for my fig jam, washi tape I made for the cups for beverages and the tote bags I made.

Keeping with a theme I used the same fabric for a few projects!

I had bought the cute awnings for my she shed at the Dollar Tree so I used one on top of the sign. I thrifted the tomato embroidered sign and added some flowers and a tote bag to the table.

For the main table I made an arrangement with a ceramic fruit basket I had and some zinnias from my garden.

I decided to make sandwiches and wrapped them in cute napkins and tied them with yarn. I also made a banana bread iced latte and cucumber lemonade. (I forgot to grab a pic of that!)

Now the fun begins! Everyone arrives! I was so impressed with my friend’s creativity. Everything looked so professional. And I love how unique everything was!

Here is what we swapped: a tote bag, fig jam, a candle, body oil, banana pudding, salsa verde, a hot honey and biscuit kit, manhattan cupcakes, fresh flowers in a coffee cup, homemade pasta and a terracotta pot with seeds!

So, if you’ve been thinking about hosting one of these I highly recommend it. It was so much fun!

Easy Fig Jam

I am planning a “Saturday Swap” with some friends and was trying to think of something fun to make. Well, I have some craft ideas but I really wanted to make something homemade and delicious for them, too. We have a HUGE fig tree in our neighborhood. It is growing in a common area, so lots of neighbors grab figs from it. So, I decided to grab some and try making a fig jam!

This is the tree! Literally hundreds of figs are on it.

Off I went and filled up a big basket. I washed them up and looked up a few recipes. I knew I wanted to keep it simple and didn’t want to have to do the entire canning process. So, I chose to make a recipe where the jam can be refrigerated for up to three months.

The interesting thing about figs is that they naturally have pectin, so you don’t need to add pectin to the jam!

I will include the recipe below. I basically cut them, added sugar and let them sit a bit in a large pot. Then I added some vanilla, lemon juice and water and brought it to a boil while continually mixing and breaking up the figs.

Once it boils reduce it to medium heat and make sure to continually mix it so it doesn’t burn at the bottom. This part is tedious. I cooked my figs for about 45 minutes. I wish I had an immersion blender, but I didn’t, so I scooped out portions and blended them and added it back to the pot.

All of the fig is good to use, even the skin! So it was all blended in. Once cooked I added them to jars, let them cool and then refrigerated them.

The jam is a light consistency. I was hoping it would be a bit thicker, but it is perfect for toast or to add a spread on a charcuterie board!

FIG JAM RECIPE

• 6 lbs fresh figs

• 3 cups sugar

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 cup water

• 3 tablespoons vanilla

Wash and cut figs. Add to a large pot with the sugar, mix and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil while mixing. Reduce heat to medium and continue to mix and cook. As the figs break down mash or use an immersion blender to combine. Cook for about 45 minutes and continue to mix until the mixture thickens. Place in canning jars, cool and place lids. Jam will be good for three months in the refrigerator.

I’m so excited to gift these to friends at our Saturday Swap. I will share all the cute and fun ideas as the party gets closer!

DIY Fresh Flower Book Vase

My garden is full of zinnias and I have arrangements everywhere in my home. I thought today I would share a unique way to display your flowers. If you’re a book lover or friends with someone who loves to read this an easy DIY! I will share a tutorial below on how I made this fun book vase!

But, first, here are a few pictures of my cut flower garden.

So, I used zinnias from my garden for this vase. You can run to the grocery store and grab your favorite or even use faux flowers if you want. If you don’t use fresh flowers you can skip using the floral water tubes. When buying fresh flowers just be aware the tubes only hold one or two stems, and you don’t want flowers that are too big or top heavy. So, let’s get started!

Your supplies needed:

• A hardcover book (I thrifted mine!)

• Scissors

•Double sided tape

• Floral water tubes (buy here : Floral water tubes )

• Your favorite flowers (I used 10 stems)

First up open your book in the middle. Flatten it down for a few minutes.

Next, I lined a water tube up to my book to gauge where I will cut my pages. You want to go a bit above the tube so you won’t see it. You will be placing the tube inside of the book flap.

Then I took about five pages and cut a straight line across to the center of the book. Repeat that step. I had a total of five flaps, so 25 pages.

Now you will tear the pages you have cut out from the top. Try to tear them as close to the inside binding as possible.

Next, we will start making the book page flaps to hold the flowers. Take five pages and roll them towards the center of the book. Take a piece of double sided tape and put it on the inside of the last page to stick it to the book.

Continue rolling the other four sections and taping each on the inside..

Place your book upright. Fill your floral water tubes with water and place your flowers inside. Once all your flowers are in the tubes you place the tube inside each roll of paper.

And that’s it! You can embellish with ribbon or even little notes in the book if you are gifting it. Make it your own! Change out the blooms for the season and enjoy your book vase!

Thrifted and Styled!

It’s the first week of 2026 and that meant one thing, I had to go thrifting! The beginning of the year means lots of people are cleaning out their homes and purging. Which means, if you’re a thrifter, it’s time to make someone else’s trash your treasure! Now, as much as I love to thrift I also love to purge. So, I dropped off a truck full to Goodwill and then went in to shop!

What a great decision it was! The shelves were full and I found some awesome things.

I felt like all of these items were made for me! I had recently re-done our bonus room and needed a few more accessories. The pillows were thrown in the wash and I cleaned everything else up and got ready to decorate!

First up was this straw wreath (which was $1.99!). I added some ribbon and pom Pom trim and hung it on the entry door. Remember, a wreath isn’t just for a front door!

Next was this adorable breakfast tray! Since the room is where we watch tv and hang out it will be perfect for snacks or drinks. I added a couple of books and a candle for now. I also put the candle on the vintage plate I found.

Next…pillows! You can never have enough pillows, and for $1.99 each these were immediately in my cart!

I found these mini gold frames in a box, unlabeled. I think they may be ornaments but I decided to use them in a different way. I hung a piece of art that was a great aunt’s and then cut some paper from an art exhibition I had went to and put it in the frames. I love how mini and cute they are!

I had thrifted a lamp a few weeks ago and spray painted it rose gold. I added it to my tv stand with some other thrifted pieces. It adds the perfect ambient lighting.

I am thinking of painting the tv stand to add a fun pop of color!

This cute leaf print frame looks perfect on my side table!

When I started redesigning this room I was determined to do it on a budget. I sold our old couches and found this sectional on Amazon! I then spray painted old frames and added art I found on SHEIN. I moved things around from other parts of my house, too. I had a friend give me a desk she didn’t want and my mom thrifted the clear acrylic desk chair! I am proud of getting the look I wanted on a budget!

So, here’s your reminder to check out the thrift store when redecorating!

You’ve Got Mail Fall Party

If you know me, you know I love a theme party. And I love Fall. So, what better way to combine one of the best Fall movies and some girlfriends then to host a You’ve Got Mail Fall Party?!??

I absolutely love You’ve Got Mail. It’s such a feel good movie and I could watch it over and over. So, I decided to host a girls night, have some Fall food and watch the movie together! And obviously, I had to make some crafts to pull it all together. I’ll share what I made!

First up I made an invitation on Pinterest Collages.

Next up I painted a little ceramic house that I had from Target years ago. I wanted it to look like The Shop Around the Corner so I painted it green, added the shop name and took some mini books to put outside of it with a pumpkin. So cute, right?

While I was painting the house I was thinking of cute quotes from the movie, too. So, I added a “bouquet of sharpened pencils” to the little vignette but got thinking about making a piece of art, too. So, I grabbed some more pencils, a frame at Walmart and a washcloth. I put the washcloth in the frame, cut out the quote from the movie on my Cricut in vinyl and added a bouquet of pencils! I had to cut the pencils in half, glue them to a piece of cardboard and tie the ribbon around them. I then used a command hook to hang them on the outside of the frame! Now it’s a piece of art I am keeping up all year.

Here are the supplies I grabbed at Walmart.

I had a clear frame that I wanted to add some images to for the food table. So, once again I made a Pinterest collage and had it printed at Staples. I also created a menu on Canva and framed that. I like the custom touches that make the party feel a bit more “fancy.” A friend came over and also helped me make pumpkin favors for the guests. We just tied some yarn to mini pumpkins for a sweet gift.

I did one more craft. I grabbed a huge tree branch from my yard and cut out leaf shapes on my Cricut machine and attached them with twine. This is such a cheap and easy idea but adds so much impact!

The Fall menu was fun to prepare. But my favorite things were the Fall Dessert board and the wine in a pumpkin! For the desserts I had a pumpkin roll, macarons, ginger snaps, pumpkin spice pretzels and the cutest acorn donut holes!

And for the wine I grabbed a box of wine and took the bag out. I cut the top of the pumpkin and cut a hole for the spout. I put the wine in the pumpkin and then painted “cheers” on the outside! It was such a fun touch.

Since I was having 12 of us over I needed more seating. I had bought some inflatable chairs and added blankets. Honestly they weren’t that great and deflated quickly so I would not recommend them. We squeezed in on my couches and I brought some chairs from my dining room in and it all worked out.

We had such a fun evening. Eating, catching up, making new friends and watching the cutest movie! I highly recommend planning a special night with some friends and making sweet memories.

Fun Fall Pumpkins

I thought I would share some of my favorite Fall pumpkin crafts over the years! I think Fall is the prettiest for decorating and I have so many fun ideas you could try yourself or for a craft night!

First up is the pastel pumpkin. I simply took a faux pumpkin from Michael’s, painted it in two colors and used some Mod Podge to glue on different florals from a roll of gift wrapping. You could also use napkins for this project. Apply a layer of Mod Podge to the bottom and then another layer on top.

Next is a great project for your porch or front door. I call them pumpkin houses. You simply buy a few pumpkins in different sizes and create a little fairy house.

With these different versions I simply cut out windows, a door and used my imagination. I added florals in between and added twigs to the windows and doors. Then add a votive candle inside and enjoy the glow!

Another fun option is to simply paint your pumpkin. Add acorn tops with glue to add texture. You can also Mod Podge pretty leaves onto a pumpkin!

One of my favorite fall decorations is to use a pumpkin as a vase for florals. I cut the top off a faux pumpkin, put a glass inside for water and add my favorite flowers!

I hope these ideas have inspired you for Fall! Which is your favorite?

Upcycled Vintage Racquets

I have loved the looks of vintage tennis and badminton racquets used for decor. So, a couple of years ago I found one thrifting and my obsession with up cycling them began!

My first racquet was found at Goodwill for $2.99! I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to to do with it, but had some pink ornaments that I thought would be cute to attach to it in a heart shape. I popped them in and even made badminton birdies (because I’m extra)! I added a little felt ribbon and stamped “Let’s Play” on it and I wrapped the handle in pink washi tape. So cute, right?

Every time I go thrifting I look for a racquet. It took me a couple of years, but I stumbled across another one! It was so unique!

I knew I wanted to paint the square surrounding it and decided to try to weave my initial in it with ribbon. I used washi tape and ribbon again, too!

When I shared this on my Instagram page a friend mentioned to me she had a racquet she would like to give me. It was fifty years old! I am so honored she was willing to gift it to me.

So, as always, I never have a set design in mind. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to add Pom poms or maybe make it a picture holder. As I pulled out yarn I thought I would try to weave a flower in it. My flower is far from perfect, but I think it is cute. I then decided to add a piece of fabric in the back. I just traced the fabric, cut it and Mod Podged it to the back.

I think it’s adorable!

My collection keeps growing and getting cuter! I think it is so whimsical for my she shed!

So, what do you think? Should I keep hunting for more?

I love a cute collection and I think this is one of my favorites!

Thrifted Dollhouse Makeover

If it’s wrong to be 48 years old and want a dollhouse then I don’t want to be right. I have been dreaming of one for a while now but just couldn’t justify spending the money. But my mom called me from the thrift store and found one for $3.00! How could I say no?

Here was what my mom found thrifting. It is an IKEA dollhouse.

It was in great shape. I just had to scrape off the moss and clean it up. I knew I wanted to shingle the roof so I headed to the craft store. Hobby Lobby has a great dollhouse section. I found a bag of shingles for $10.00. I also found a pack of wallpaper for $4.99 and some molding.

Shingling the roof was pretty easy. I laid a row and glued it with wood glue. I then placed a layer on top and continued to the top.

Then I moved on to the wallpaper. I measured, cut and used Mod Podge to apply it to the walls.

I found a couch and the mini mirrors at Hobby Lobby. I used a photo holder as a coffee table and added mini books and a rug from Hobby Lobby. I recovered the two pillows with a scarf I had. I had a yellow bow barrette from when I was little, so I broke off the back and glued it to the wall.

The other shelves were filled with books I had and a wicker chair I had as a little girl. I found the battery powered light at Five Below. I wanted to elevate it so I just used a plastic stand I had in my cabinet! I made add legs in the future but for now I love it!

What do you think? Would you add a dollhouse to your home?

Starting a Cut Flower Garden

I adore flowers. I usually buy flowers each week to add to my home. I also love visiting flower fields and in the last few years I would take a drive with a friend so we could cut flowers to enjoy. So, I decided I wanted to grow my own! Last year I tried zinnias and had so much fun growing them! This year I asked my husband to build me two raised beds so I could create a cut flower garden. I’ll share a bit of what I am growing and it’s blooming!

I put the two raised beds on the side of my she shed where I get lots of sun. I filled them with soil and got planting.

I planted zinnias, dahlias, cosmos, gladioli’s, daisies, poppies, snapdragons, lupine and African lilies. I had no real plan, I just spaced seeds and bulbs and topped with soil. I then watered and stalked my garden looking for seedlings.

The dahlias were the first to bloom and I was so excited! I also have a gorgeous hydrangea bush that is great to add to cut flower bouquets!

I added some stones in front of the beds to help with some water drainage.

Now the fun begins! I can cut flowers and add them to my home and gift to friends. One thing I will change next year is I will move the gladiolus. They get too long and stalky and take up too much space. Zinnias and dahlias are blooming like crazy now ( it’s June in NC) and my cosmos have some buds. I will see how everything else grows and then have a better idea for the future. I also am thinking I will ask my husband to build another bed and add that for more flowers!

Let me know if you have any suggestions or pointers for flowers I should plant! Happy gardening!

Pink Garden Bench

Last week I had an idea that I wanted a garden bench in my backyard. I’m officially in my gardening era! I seem to be in and out of the garage grabbing things I need to clean, dig or prune. So, I thought a bench would be perfect to keep everything organized. Plus, I have new raised beds by the side of my she shed so I plan on spending lots of time back there.

Here is a glimpse of my cut flower garden! My first bloom is a beautiful dahlia.

So, I started pricing garden benches. And, I had my heart set on a pink one (obviously!). I found some cute ones but just wasn’t ready to spend the money. As I was cleaning up our bonus room it hit me! My mom gave me a bookshelf last year that has been collecting my boys junk. Why not paint that and use it? I know it’s nice wood, but aren’t most garden benches? Then my mom gave me good advice….use it and if it only gets used for a year I can purchase one next year! Moms always have the best advice!

So, here is the shelf before. I ran to Walmart and got some pink spray paint, a garden trellis and a pink pot.

I used two cans of spray paint to spray the shelf and the trellis. I didn’t care if it was smooth or perfect since it will be for plants and will get wet. I lightly distressed it with sandpaper. Once I put in the spot I wanted I realized I had a problem. This is the back of the garage and I wanted to cover the unsightly meters. The trellis wasn’t giving enough coverage. So, I grabbed three pallet craft signs I had in the garage and nailed them together. I then nailed a spot on the top pallet to hang it on the trellis. It’s not perfect. But I think it’s pretty good for using what I had!