Studio and Strategy

I found it at a thrift store for five dollars. It was red, scuffed, covered in old stickers, and had that particular smell that vintage things get...

Some containers are too good to toss. The problem is making them look like they belong in your home instead of your recycling bin. This is the one supply that completely changed how I approach them.

I found an old video from 2020 where I made three different wood slice ornaments, back when my son was nine and wandering through every project I filmed. I’ve refreshed the instructions, updated the links, and pulled all three ornament ideas together — pinecones, JOY letters, and mandala dots — for a quick, meaningful holiday craft you can finish in one cozy afternoon.

A week of preparing for guests in a house that’s still mid-project and mid-life. A small reflection on hosting, raising a teenager, welcoming family, and learning to make a home that feels like us — imperfect, warm, and real.

Ever wonder how big IOD moulds really are? I measured them all—from ten-inch mermaids to five-inch sunflowers—so you can plan your next project before you pour. Plus, I’ve linked tutorials from the IOD Sisters and Debi Beard to show how size affects design.

There’s a quiet kind of joy that comes from finishing something you started—especially when it involves torn paper, sticky fingers, and a $7.99 lamp from Goodwill. Two neglected lamps, a little decoupage paper, and one glowing reminder that making something—anything—feeds your creative soul.