Irish Blessing Celtic Knot Shamrock Print {May the Road Rise…}

This hand-painted watercolor printable – perfect for St Patrick’s Day – depicts a Celtic knot shamrock in shades of green and aubergine, encircled with the familiar, comforting words of the traditional Irish Blessing.

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POST UPDATE: Originally posted March 17, 2016.

When Mr B and I went to school together back at old Madison High, one of the best parts of our day was our concert choir class. (Mr B is a gifted baritone, and I a passable soprano.)

Our choir director, Fred Hammack, was a talented, warm, demanding, wonderful man who taught us far more than music, and wove his way into our hearts so deeply that even now – decades later – we remember him with abiding admiration, gratitude, and affection.

For a high-resolution, frame-worthy printable PDF of this Irish Blessing painting, please visit our Etsy store,
The Harmony Cat.

NOTE: This Etsy link is NOT AN AFFILIATE LINK: this is a link to my own Etsy store. If you go this route and pay for a hi-rez PDF, thank you in advance. You’re awesome!

(If your pennies are thin, no worries. Scroll to the bottom for a free PDF.)

Ultimately, it was because of Mr. Hammack that I painted this Irish Blessing piece. It was his practice to end every concert with a four-part choral arrangement called A Parting Blessing [J. Jerome Williams], the lyrics of which are taken from the traditional Irish Blessing.

It’s not surprising then, that after years of practice and performance, this beautiful, meaningful song found a permanent place entwined in our musical memory.

♫ ♪ May the road rise up to meet you… May the wind be always at your back
May the sun fall warm upon your face ~ The rain fall soft upon your fields
… And may God hold you in the palm of His hand. ♪♫

Whenever those lines roll their way through my mind, I remember our choir and the people with whom we sang with great fondness. Music saved Mr B and I in high school (along with so many others); so to us, this beautiful song symbolizes far more that a simply holiday in March.

UPDATE 2020: Our old high school in NE Portland is being completely razed and remodeled. (Believe me: it needed it!) As part of the ground breaking (May 2019), Mr B and I had the chance to sing A Parting Blessing with an alumni choir formed specifically for the event.

Being a part of the alumni choir was an amazing, heartwarming experience, and it was such a privilege to be able to sing with all those wonderful, talented people once again.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a video of the choir performance of the Irish Blessing song, but thanks to a generous classmate, I do have one of Mr B singin’ a solo at the Groundbreaking event (That’s me backing him up on my autoharp.) He’s reprising the song he sang at our Senior Assembly many years ago.

How to Get this Irish Blessing Print for FREE

If you would like a FREE printout of this Irish Blessing print, click the thumbnail on the left to download the PDF.

This Celtic Knot Shamrock Irish Blessing is available free to you in PDF form for a limited time.
This print is of slightly lower quality and resolution than the one on Etsy, but it’s still great for celebrating your inner Celt!
You a can get a high-resolution, frame-worthy Irish Blessing printable here.

NOTE: This probably could go without saying, but there’s always that one guy, so… © Harmony Cat 2020. You may print it for your own use, but you may not alter it in any way, repurpose it, or sell it in any form. You may use this image online; however, if you do so, you must use proper attribution and link directly back to this post.

If you feel inspired to do some drawing yourself, I used this tutorial from Dragon Art to sketch the Celtic-knot shamrock.

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of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Vintage Windows DIY • Epic Family Photo Display

March 18 By Renée 21 Comments

This Vintage Window DIY makes an awesome Family Photo Display that will finally bring the everyone together – from all your branches – in one wonderful place!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

“Are you a poet or a dancer, a devil or a clown –
Or a strange new combination of the things we’ve handed down?”

~ Marc Cohn, “The Things We’ve Handed Down”

Our family – like most families I know – doesn’t really fit on the archetypal “family tree,” with its perfectly spaced branches and carefully curated foliage. Our family tree has extra branches, and broken limbs, and grafted stock, and sprouts and sprigs that spring up from places we never expected.

A few years ago, I bought a couple of old window frames at a local salvage store, complete with the original sashing ropes. Reclaimed from some ancient Southeast Portland home, my plan was to refinished and use them to display family photos.

My vision a sort of “Windows to the Past,” a vintage window DIY that would display family photos from recent generations – parents, grandparents, and great grandparents – related to all our kids.

But how could everyone – all those unrelated relatives – fit into twelve little window panes and make sense?

Ours is a Fruit Salad Family Tree, created from grafted limbs, bright bursts of color, broken branches, and sprouts and sprigs that spring up from places we never expected.

~ Renée Butcher

Our Fruit Salad Tree

Years ago, when I raising my young family on five acres in Portland’s rural suburbia, we kept a small orchard of miniature fruit trees.

Among the trees we tended was a multi-grafted apple tree, created by grafting the fruiting wood from three different fruit trees onto one rootstock, thus allowing one tree to bear three distinctly different varieties of fruit. In the spring when the apple blossoms popped, our little “fruit salad tree” was the most vibrant and colorful in the orchard.

The family that Mr B and I have created is a lot like my little tri-colored apple tree. We are a spirited mix of siblings and steps and halfs, in-laws and out-laws, and grands of all kinds, all grafted together onto one beautiful fruit salad family tree.

It was important to me that this “Windows to the Past” family photo display be more than just a collection of old family pictures: I wanted it to tell Our Story.

Our Fruit Salad Family Tree

The first step in the process was to let the window frames sit neglected in our craft/art/sewing/kid/guest room for about two years. (You may think I’m kidding, but I’m not.)

You see, I’m one of those people spends days (OK… weeks, months, years, but who’s counting?) puzzling out every detail of a project in my head, building it nearly to completion in theory before ever picking it up in real life. (Some people call this “procrastination”: I prefer “creative processing.”)

Initially, I considered assigning each grandparent a windowpane and keeping them in their own little box, but that didn’t work for a multitude of reasons. I then considered placing the pictures chronologically, from top left window to bottom right, grouping folks in generations. Nope. That wasn’t right either.

Finally, I returned to my original premise: ours is a Fruit Salad Family Tree. So I decided to toss everyone in together and mix it all up.

Like fractals in chaos, it was perfect.

For example, in the pane below, you will find (among others) Mr B’s Nana, my [birth] Mom, my Mama, my Auntie, my little sister and brother, and my girls’ paternal grandpa.

At first, the lack of obvious organization was a concern, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea.

A family photo display like this opens to wonderful conversations: “See, there’s Grammi when she was little, and that’s Grandma Lila, and there’s Nana. She taught me to make noodles.”

Instead of a static exhibit of old, forgotten faces organized in time, it becomes a jumping-off point for family storytellers.

Once I had a clear vision, it was time to free our window frames from the “room of unfinished projects” and get this Vintage Window DIY started.

Vintage Windows DIY • Epic Family Photo Display

The actual process for this Vintage Window DIY – restoring the window frames and repurposing them into picture frames – is a bit time consuming, but relatively simple and easy.

To restore a vintage window frame, you will need:

At least one old window frame ?
- For reference, the panes in my windows were approximately 9″ square. Also, the two windows that I used for the project are similar in size, but not identical.
Safety mask
Palm sander (You can definitely sand this project by hand, but if you have a palm sander, it will make your life so much easier.)
Palm sander disks or plain sandpaper (I used 80 – 120 – 240 grits)
Masking paper to cover window panes (newspaper, mail flyers, etc)
Masking tape
Tack cloth
Spray-on matte finish
Cord and hardware for hanging frames

Step 1 – Prep & Seal Window Frames

IMPORTANT!

Wear a safety mask! (If lead paint may be issue, be sure to get a mask or ventilator designed for use with lead paint removal.)
Work outside or in a well-ventilated area.
Keep children out of the immediate area.

*** LEAD PAINT WARNING – PLEASE READ: If you are questioning whether or not the paint on your window frame contains lead, you can purchase a cheap-n-easy 3-M Lead Check Test Kit . To use, you simply rub the test swab on the paint in question: If the swab is yellow, you’re in the clear. If the swab turns red, you’ve got lead.

If you don’t test your paint and the window frames were removed from a home built before 1978, assume that the paint you are working with contains lead and take recommended precautions accordingly.

For more information related safety and procedures for working on items that may have been finished with lead-based paint, check out Everything You Need to Know about Vintage Decor & Lead Paint [The Sarah Joy Blog].

How to Sand & Seal • Vintage Window DIY

1. Remove sash cords and any extra pieces of frame that you will not be using for the final piece.

2. Cover the panes with newspaper or other masking paper and secure with masking tape.

3. Using a palm sander, sand the frame until smooth. (I did this is three phases, using increasingly fine grades of sandpaper for each phase. [80 – 120 – 240])

4. Carefully wipe the frame with tack cloth to remove dust. (Do not use a damp cloth: it will raise the woodgrain and cause the finish on your final project to be rough.)

5. Wipe frame again with tack cloth. (Yes, really – do it twice.)

6. Spray with one coat of spray-on matte finish. Allow to dry completely.

7. Resand surfaces with fine grit sandpaper.

8. Repeat Steps 4 – 7 at least two more times, for a total of at least three coats of finish.

Allow frames to dry completely, sand one more time, and remove masking paper and tape.

NOTE: After I finished sanding and sealing, I used the sashing holes to secure a new cord for hanging. If your window frame does not offer this option, you will need to figure out how you want to hang your frame at this time.

Step 2 – Add a Theme or Quote to Your Family Photo Frame (Optional)

You can use a favorite lyric or quote to establish the theme of your family photo display.

For this project, I chose a few lines from “The Things We’ve Handed Down” by Marc Cohn, one of the most beautiful songs about family history ever written. (If you aren’t familiar with the full lyrics to this song, I encourage you to check them out.)

“Are you a poet or a dancer, a devil or a clown –
Or a strange new combination of the things we’ve handed down?”

~ Marc Cohn, The Things We’ve Handed Down

I added these lines to my window frames by meticulously painting them across the top of each windowpane, which turned out alright, but was a super-tedious way to do it. In retrospect, it would have been much easier to have used my Rapidiograph pen, or a Sharpie, or asked one of my Cricutting friends to cut me some vinyl letters.

Step 3 – Add Pictures to the Window Panes

You will need:

Small, rough, b/w printout of each family photo you are considering for inclusion [Step 3]
High-quality images, printed to size for frames [Step 6]
Printer or other paper cut to the size of each window pane [Step 8]
Tiny glue dots (I used the 3/16″ size. Use the smallest ones you can find.) [Step 9]

This step should have been the easiest part of this Vintage Window DIY. It wasn’t.

Learn from my mistakes – and for Pete’s sake, DO NOT SKIP #3 below!

1. Decide the scope of your display. How many generations will you include? Will you include aunts and uncles, or just direct ancestors?

In keeping with the “Windows to the Past” theme, I decided to include only our own generation, our children’s grandparents, great-grandparents, and a few great-great-grands. We did not include any of our grandchildren in the display, and included pictures of our own children only as youngsters.

2. Find and scan every picture you think you might want to use before you start to make any decisions.

3. Print out a small, rough b/w copy of each picture that you are thinking of including, especially if you plan to use many images.

I started with almost a hundred pictures and ended up using about sixty-five in the finished frames.

(No. You do not have to print them out. I can only share my own experience: if I had done this to begin with, I would have saved myself a lot of time and struggle.)

4. Separate the pictures into window-pane groups (1 – 7 pictures per pane, depending on the window pane size and the aesthetic you’re going for).

5. Once you have the images grouped, arrange them in a way that makes you happy, and decide how big each one needs to be for the finished project.

6. Reprint the images to size.

For this step, I used PicMonkey to create multiple-image prints using their “Design” feature. (You can also do this in Photoshop or Canva, but for this kind of thing, I find PicMonkey to be faster.) Basically, I created a 4×6 design canvas [300 dpi = 1200×1800 px], and then added my images as graphic overlays, sizing them on the design canvas as needed. That way, I could get multiple images on a single print – in the exact sizes I wanted them.

Tip: If you choose to have your pictures professionally printed, opt for a non-glossy finish. [For example, if you use Costco photo developing, choose “Lustre” for your print finish. Lustre prints are slightly glossy, which helps enhance the image’s color and details, but also feature a very fine “texture” to help reduce problems associated with glare and fingerprints.]

7. Carefully clean each window pane so that it is free of dust and smudges.

8. Arrange images on a paper square cut to the same size as the destination window pane, paying attention to layout atheistic and image overlap. This will be your “image placement map” when you begin to adhere the pictures to the window frame panes.

9. For each image:

Adhere one tiny glue dot to each corner on the FRONT of the picture, for a total of four dots on each picture.
From the back of the window pane, place the image as desired. Use your image map as a guide. Make sure that the image is square to the frame and spaced the way you want in relationship to the rest of the images.
Once all of the pictures for that pane are placed, confirm that they are all in the right place.
Press the corners of each image in the pane from the back to make sure it is firmly adhered.

TIP: One of the great things about using tiny glue dots is that you can add or change a single picture any time without having to redo the entire display. This came in particularly handy when we couldn’t find Mr B’s baby pictures. I completed the project, hung it in the hall, and simply added his baby pics pictures when we found them.

Do you have a FRUIT SALAD FAMILY TREE? *Vintage Window DIY • Family Photo Display* will finally bring the everyone together in one place!

Step 4 – Add Backlighting (Totally Optional)

I tacked a short string of fairy lights to the back of the frames. (They run on two AA batteries: the battery pack just tucks behind a picture on the bottom of the window sill. I don’t turn the lights on all the time, but they look kind of cool for holidays and celebrations.

You will need:

Fairy lights
Tacks

Step 5 – Extend the Theme (Totally Optional Bonus Step)

As I mentioned earlier, I love the lyrics to “The Things We’ve Handed Down.” Sensitive, poignant, and honest; they reflect a parent’s thoughts for the next generations, and are perfectly suited for this project. I printed them out over an image of one of my girls, and hung it in a single-image frame alongside the larger window frames.

For more family fun, check out The Best Board Games for Family Game Night!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

21 Guiding New Years Quotes

January 2 By Renée 29 Comments

Have You Picked Your WORD for the New Year yet?

Yeah – me neither. I’m doing things a little differently this year.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

For the past few years, it’s been trendy to choose a single Word to express and inspire all your hopes, dreams, directions, and aspirations in the coming year. Good, solid, meaningful Words like Balance, or Enlighten, or Wonder, or Cultivate, or Renew.

The goal is to keep your attention fixed on your Word throughout the year, and let that focus help you become the person you hope to be. For many, this annual Word-choosing has become an intrinsic part of their personal New Years rite; so much so that I know one person who won’t even acknowledge that the New Year has arrived until her Word of the year has been chosen.

Unfortunately, the single Word exercise has never inspired me the way I thought it should. In years past when I’ve chosen a Word, I’ve never been successful adhering to its focus for more than a few weeks; so sometime between President’s Day and Valentine’s Day, I’m usually stumbling into another rabbit hole and forgetting my Word entirely.

Then, about a year ago, I started including the following quote on my email signature:

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

^{– Dalai Lama}

Will Choosing a “Guiding Quote” Make Any REAL Difference In My Life?

My initial intention in adding this quote to my emails was simply to telegraph a message about the core values of “The Good Hearted Woman.” However, I had an ulterior motive, too: it was a reminder – for me.

With that simple message added, every email I sent out throughout the year reminded me to be kind. It reminded me to consider the person on the other end. It reminded me – everyone has a story.

As the year progressed, I found myself spending time contemplating the deeper meanings and nature of kindness. In my journal, I revisited old discussions on altruism and agape and existence and our responsibilities to our fellow humans. (My old existentialism prof, Dr. Askay, would be proud.)

The Real Reason to Choose a New Years Quote

Here’s the coolest part: After a year of actively considering kindness and its place in my life every day, I believe that I am actually a little kinder today than I was this time last year. Measurably so.

Moreover, I believe that this change is the direct result of seeing that quote every day and focusing on making it part of who I am.

In addition to helping me grow as a person, this experience reminded me in a real way that the messages we give ourselves every day can have profound impact on our life, how we perceive ourselves, and how we interact with the rest of the world.

That quote reached and engaged me in a way a Word never has.

21 Inspiring Quotes for the New Year • (Because some of us need more than #OneWord to get thru the year!)

This year, instead of flailing around trying to find that one single, perfect WORD to encompass all of my hopes, dreams, aspirations, beliefs, philosophies, and so forth for the New Year (only to abandon it halfway through February because I’ve found a prettier, shinier word) I’ve decided to find a message – a quote – that I truly love and want to live by, and aim for that.

I suppose that choosing a quote to focus on for the year isn’t really much different from choosing a WORD (it’s just more words, right?), but a quote just seems to work better for me.

Here’s the quote I’m taping to my desk this year:

“She dances to the songs in her head,
speaks with the rhythm of her heart,
and loves from the depths of her soul.”
^{~ Dean Jackson}

I chose this quote for a number of reasons, some very personal; but at the heart of it, the choice was simple: whenever I read it, I feel encouraged and empowered and passionate about to following the inspirations of my heart. I want to live the kind of life that would inspire such a quote.

In my search for my guiding quote for the upcoming year, I gathered a collection of thoughtful, inspiring quotes to guide the New Year. Here are some of my very favorite:

21 Guiding New Years Quotes

Henry David Thoreau

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Whatever you do or dream you can do – begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.”

C.S. Lewis

“You are never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream.”

Louis L’Amour

“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.”

Marilyn Monroe

“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”

Oscar Wilde

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

Bernard M. Baruch

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

Neil Gaiman

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something.”

Mae West

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Helen Keller

“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”

Maya Angelou

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Rob Siltanen

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

H. Jackson Brown Jr. [P.S. I Love You]

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Marie Curie

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”

Neil Gaiman [Coraline]

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

Lao Tzu

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

Albert Einstein

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.

Dr. Seuss

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”

George Eliot

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

Looking for something fun and easy to do? Make a Fairy Garden Terrarium in an old Cookie Jar or Fish Bowl!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

The BEST Family Board Games for Family Game Night

November 13 By Renée 22 Comments

Our top picks for the Best Family Board Games for your next Family Game Night. {Plus gift-giving advice for everyone on your list!}

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Whenever we get together with Mr B’s side of the family, we inevitably end up playing games. We play marathon rounds of Mexican Train dominos and Farkle, and penny ante poker like there is no tomorrow; and of course, board games.

Lots and lots of board games.

The benefits of a long-standing Family Game Night tradition are manifold. When we sit down to play a game with the family, we set aside our phones and screens.

We talk with one another. We find common ground. We make memories.

Best Board Games for Family Game Night

If board games are something your family enjoys, check out our Best Board Games picks to learn what you might want to add to your games cabinet this year.

If family games is a tradition you’d like to kick-off, use our list to get you started on the right track.

Either way, here are our top picks for the best board games for family gatherings, along with a little gift giving advice for everyone on your list!

Ticket To Ride

Ticket to Ride is the newest addition our board game collection, and one of our very favorite for family gatherings. Not only is the play interesting and engaging, but the game often inspires intriguing conversations as well.

In the simplest terms, the goal in playing Ticket to Ride is to build your own rail network to connect cities listed on your Destination. The game is easy to learn and provides hours of fun for families and experienced gamers alike. There are versions or expansion packs that cover just about any inhabited place on the globe, so hop on board!

Number of Players: 2 – 6+ players; more with expansions or if played in teams.
Time to Play: 30 – 60 minutes (according to the box). However, in our experience, the time can vary wildly based number of players and how much they like to visit with one another.
Who Can Play: Everyone, although younger players may need to team up with an adult. (Be sure to check out Ticket to Ride: First Journey for ages 6+.)

Gift Giving: Ticket to Ride makes a PERFECT gift for families, history buffs, travel enthusiasts, genealogists and genetic testing recipients (i.e., 23andMe, AncestryDNA, etc), and anyone who loves beautiful, well-conceived, entertaining board games.

***

Ticket to Ride offers a number of game versions, as well as expansion packs to add to the original game.

Ticket to Ride: Stand-alone Games

Each of these versions is a complete game and does not require the original version to play.

Ticket to Ride: Days of Wonder [Original]
Ticket to Ride: First Journey [For ages 6+]
Ticket to Ride: Sails & Rails
Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries
Ticket to Ride: Europe
Ticket to Ride: Germany

Ticket to Ride: Expansion Packs

Expansion packs require the trains and train cards from an original copy of Ticket to Ride or Ticket to Ride Europe to play.

Africa

If you already have a boxed set of Ticket to Ride and you’re ready to take it to the next level, check out this cool Ticket to Ride “Accessory Kit,” complete with Vintage Style Suitcase Storage Containers!

Mad Gab

Technically, Mad Gab is a card game, not a board game, but I just had to include it here because when my kiddos were smaller, this was one of our favorite games to play at family gatherings. It’s super easy to learn, fast-paced, entertaining for all ages, and can be played in teams so an almost infinite number of people can play.

One of the reasons we enjoy Mad Gab so much is because very young children (i.e., non-readers) can have an discernible advantage. Why? Because in Mad Gab, it’s not what you READ or SAY, it’s what you HEAR!

Mad Gab is played by reading (or listening) to a string of unrelated words and trying to figure out what the secret phrase is. For example, your card might read, ‘Canoe Key Pace He Grit,” which when read quickly, sounds like ‘Can you keep secret?‘

***

Because non-readers are listening and not reading, they go into each round with no preconceived ideas about the outcome. Without “words” to confuse their brains, they can just listen to the other players reading the phrase, and often guess the target phrase before the readers on their team. Back before my youngest learned to read, she was always our most sought-after player when we chose up Mad Gab teams.

Number of Players: 2 – 12+ players/teams.
Time to Play: 45 minute [box]; in our experience, a game can last 10 minutes up to an hour.
Who Can Play: All ages. (Having a non-reader on your team is a plus.)

Gift Giving: Mad Gab makes a great gift for wordsmiths, lexicologists, etymologists, haiku writers, crossword puzzle doers, families with young children, and anyone who enjoys a little lively word play.

Spontuneous

Spontuneous is one of my personal all-time favorite best board games for parties and big gatherings. As in, if I could only play one game on this list for the rest of my life, this Spontuneous would be IT.

Spontuneous is a simple party game that can be played by virtually all ages and musical tastes. A word is given and it’s a race to blurt out any song containing that word. For example: Can you think of a song with the word “COWBOY” in it? How about “HEART”? Blurt it out! Don’t worry about your voice, let it rip!

Spontuneous is a GREAT GAME for big, cross-generational groups; the more diverse the better. I’ve played it with well over 20 people at a time on more than one occasion, and it is Hilarious!

If you need yet another reason to get Spontuneous, check out all the awards it’s garnered: Music Teacher Approved, Mom’s Choice Gold Award, Dr. Toy’s Best Vacation Product, Parent Tested Parent Approved Seal of Approval, The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, Mom’s Best Hot Product Award, Creative Child Magazine Game of the Year, and Play Advances Language Award.

Number of Players: 4 – 10+ players; I’ve played this with up to 30 people.
Time to Play: 15 minutes [box]; 15 – 30 [our experience].
Who Can Play: Ages 8 & Up, 4-10 players/teams [recommended]. Spontuneous is one of the best cross-generational games I’ve ever played.

Gift Giving: Spontuneous makes an excellent gift for anyone even remotely musical on your gift list: musicians, music lovers, car karaokeists, harmonizers, grandpas who play bass on the weekends, cowboys, campers, college students, Randy Rainbow fans, classic rockers, Broadway divas, and especially that person in your friend group thinks that it is perfectly acceptable to break out into song at any given moment. (↩︎ Me!)

IMPORTANT: No talent required!! You absolutely do not need to be able to sing to play Spontuneous!

Codenames

Codenames is easy to learn and play and can accommodate a wide variety of ages. Even people who don’t consider themselves “game players” will have a blast playing it.

Codenames is a social word game with a simple premise and challenging game play. Two rival spymasters know the secret identities of 25 agents. Their teammates know the agents only by their codenames. The teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their agents first. There is also a cooperative variant where a single team tries to achieve the highest score they can by playing against the game itself.

Number of Players: 2 – 8+ players; more if played in teams.
Time to Play: 15 minutes [box]; 15 – 30 [our experience].
Who Can Play: Ages 8+ [recommended]; however, we have played the Code Names: Disney in teams with great success with players as young four.

Gift Giving: We highly recommend Code Names for families with young children, Potterheads, college students, Maxwell Smart fans, Disneyphiles, and anyone who loves an easy, fast-paced game that doesn’t require them relearn the rules every time they open the box.

Codenames in available in these versions:

Codenames [Original]
Codenames: Duet [Cooperative Gameplay; for 2+ players]
Code Names: Disney
Codenames: Marvel
Codenames: Harry Potter
Codenames: Pictures

King of Tokyo

King of Tokyo is just good clean fun, as my Daddy used to say. I mean, who wouldn’t want to fight mutant monsters, gigantic robots, and other aliens to become the one and only King of Tokyo, right?!

The rules for King of Tokyo are simple and easy to learn, game play is quick, and even people that don’t think they like board games will jump right in. Roll the dice and choose your strategy: Will you attack your enemies? Heal your wounds? Improve your Monster? Stomp your path to victory!

Awards: Best Family Game, Best Children’s Game, and Best Party Game at the Golden Geeks 2012.

Number of Players: 4 – 10+ players; I’ve personally played this with up to 30 people.
Time to Play: 30 minutes [box]; 45 – 60 minutes [our experience].
Who Can Play: Ages 10+, 2 – 4 players/teams [recommended]

Gift Giving: King of Tokyo is great for families with kids, watchers of old Sunday afternoon movies, Robot Chicken fans, and anyone who is up for good game of robot wars with a space penguin.

Trivial Pursuit

OK, I just heard someone groan… I know, I know – Trivial Pursuit isn’t for Everyone. It’s just so… 80’s. But I have a head for trivia and a soft spot for this game, so it made the list.

Trivial Pursuit was extremely popular during my college years, and at that time, my circle was heavy with engineering students. The rules we played by reflected that imbalance to an unfair advantage. Our modified rules of play required non-engineering students [me] to answer all six questions on whatever card was drawn card in order to earn a pie piece. Conversely, they [engineering students] only had to answer the green “Science & Nature” questions to earn a pie slice, no matter what color square they actually landed on. Nevertheless, sometimes our games went on forever, because not one of us could ever answer the orange “Sports” questions. Luckily, nowadays I have Mr B on my team, and he is a Sports Trivia Master, so we have all our bases covered. ? Good times.

The Trivial Pursuit Classic Edition game features the classic gameplay that you know and love. Great for game night, this game contains 2,400 questions in six categories.

Number of Players: 2 – 6+ players; more with teams.
Time to Play: Game time can vary wildly, but a full game should take about an hour, give or take.
Who Can Play: 8+ or 16+, depending upon version.

Gift Giving: Trivial Pursuit is a solid choice for trivia lovers, Star Wars fans, movie buffs, Beatlemaniacs, Potterheads, Millennials, and people who fancy themselves to be Smarter Than a 5th Grader.

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In addition to the Classic Version Master Edition [ages 16+],there are plenty of Trivial Pursuit variations and subsidiary card sets for everyone on your list! Here are just a few that caught my eye:

Beatlemaniacs – The Beatles Trivial Pursuit [Full game; 2592 questions]
Families – Trivial Pursuit Family Edition [ages 8+; Full game, faster paced, 1200 questions]
Movie Buffs – Silver Screen Edition [Subsidiary Card Set, for use with Master Game]
Potterheads – World of Harry Potter Edition [Full game; 600 questions based on the Harry Potter movies]
Millennials – 2000s Edition [Full game; 1800 questions]
Star Wars Fans – Star Wars The Black Series Edition [Full game; 1800 questions]

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

How to Start Raising Mason Bees {& Why You Will Love Them}

March 23 By Renée 5 Comments

Exceptionally easy to raise, Mason Bees are ultra-gentle uber-pollinators that will improve the health and well-being of your flowers, fruit crops, and garden.

Mason Bee with Purple Flowers - Raising Mason Bees | The Good Hearted Woman

[Image Credit: Mark Jones {CC BY 2.0}]

^{We teamed up with BeSpoke Bee Supply to bring you this sponsored post. This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.}

Are You a Backyard Gardener? Have you heard about Mason Bees? These little non-stinging, super-pollinating bees are one of the best kept secrets of the gardening world, and Mr B and I are excited to be welcoming them into our garden this spring!

Admittedly, until recently I didn’t know much about Mason Bees. I knew that they used mud for something, and they are usually included as a footnote in articles about the global impact of our overstressed honey bee population, but that’s about it.

That all changed when BeSpoke Bee Supply reached out to ask if we’d be interested in raising Mason Bees and sharing our experience with you. However, I can’t very well share, much less endorse, something I don’t know about, so I set about educating myself. As in, somewhere in the process, the hyper-obsessive researcher in me grabbed the reins and made me spend hours and hours pouring over everything I could find on the subject; and just like that, I’ve got the equivalent of a minor in Mason Bee husbandry and we have a Mason Bee Cottage all set up and open for tenants in the backward.

I’m excited to share what I’ve learned so far with you. Read on for everything you need to know about why you should raise Mason Bees, and how to get started today!

What are Mason Bees?

Mason bees are solitary nesting bees that emerge in early spring and lay their eggs in long, skinny tubes. These super-pollinators are exceptionally gentle and will only sting if you trap or squeeze them. (Can we all just agree to not squeeze the bees, ok?) There are about 300 species of Mason Bees found across the Northern Hemisphere and in Australia, so chances are you can find them in your area. Moreover, they don’t make honey, so there’s very little upkeep involved in raising these fuzzy little garden friends.

7 Reasons Why Gardeners Love Raising Mason Bees

Mason Bees are far more efficient pollinators than their Honey Bee cousins. According to Bryan Danforth, Professor of Entomology at Cornell University, “[Mason Bees] are three times better pollinators than honeybees.“
Mason Bees tend to stick closer to home. Honey bees will range up to two miles from their hive, while Mason Bees usually stay within 300 feet of home.
Mason Bees are very gentle. The males do not have a stinger, and the females will only sting if trapped or squeezed. (Once again, just don’t squeeze them, ok?)
Raising Mason Bees takes almost no time. In exchange for an hour or two hour each year, your Mason Bees will improve the health of your fruit crops and garden and give you hours of relaxing entertainment in the process!
You don’t need any fancy protective “bee-gear” to raise Mason Bees. [See #3 ?]
Mason Bees are fascinating to watch, and can be as educational as they are eco-friendly. And finally…
Raising backyard Mason Bees is one more step toward being a good steward of the land. Aiding the increase of Mason Bees in your area can ease the burden of overstressed Honey Bee populations, therein protecting and sustaining our future food supply… and possibly contributing to the survival of every land-dwelling creature on the planet, or at least every almond. (Though I’m thinking that last point is probably a different post for another time on my other blog. {Sigh}?)

Why don’t Mason Bees Sting?

Mason Bees are categorized as “solitary bees.” This means that each female is a Queen Bee and – like most single mothers – must do all of the work herself; including gathering pollen/nectar, laying eggs, and doing upkeep on her little mud nursery. She simply doesn’t have the time or disposition to get all aggressive and defensive, so you can get very close without any fear.

Raising Mason Bees | The Good Hearted Woman

[Image Credit: Gail Hampshire {CC BY 2.0}]

Mason Bee Life Cycle

Mason Bees emerge from their nest as adults in early spring. Males usually emerge before the females, which are mated immediately after emergence from the nest. Female Mason Bees begin to lay eggs in the beginning of the season, usually mid to late March. When Mama Mason Bee has provided a supply of food for the larva, she lays an egg and then seals it in an individual cell enclosed with mud walls. (Hence the name “mason” bees.)

Mason Bee eggs hatch almost immediately after being laid, and the larvae eat, grow, and pupate inside their little mud cell. The larva relies on warm spring and summer temperatures to grow, and by the end of June, each larva has spun a waterproof cocoon. The bees overwinter as fully-formed adult bees in fuzzy, wrinkled cocoons that look like the raisins you clean out of the backseat of the car. A new season of spring Mason Bees will begin to emerge when the weather begins to warm, and the cycle begins again.

Mason Bees are the blue collar workers of the bee family.

How to Start Raising Mason Bees

Everything I read about attracting Mason Bees for your first season is all very Field of Dreams, in that if you build it, they will come. In other words, give them an attractive place to live, a ready supply of mud, and a nearby garden or fruit trees, and they will move right in. With that in mind, the first thing you need to do is decide where your Mason Bees will live and what they will live in. The latter part of this was a no-brainer for me because Bespoke sent me a beautiful Mason Bee Cottage (that sounds so rustic and cozy!) to help me get started.

If you order a Mason Bee Cottage or Apartment from Bespoke Bee Supply, it will arrive fully assembled and comes with 10 Mason Bee Tubes.

Hand-made in-house by actual Pacific Northwest craftspeople, all of Bespoke’s beehives are made with Forest Stewardship Council lumber, making them the most sustainably made hives on the market today. Bespoke’s Mason Bee Cottage and Apartment hives are created from cut-offs created during the construction of their bigger Honeybee Hives. (Admirably, Bespoke has set a goal to become a zero-waste facility, and sets aside scraps and even dust and shavings for repurposing into other products.)

Bespoke sands everything down for a nice, smooth surface, and suggests that you finish the exterior with a coat of high-quality tung oil. By finishing your Mason Bee Hive, you’ll increase the life of the hive and make a more beautiful home for your new little Bee Buddies.

Setting Up Your Mason Bee Digs is as Easy as 1-2-3!

1. Select a location and set up your Mason Bee home. It should face the morning sun and protect the bees from wind and rain. (Under an eave with southern exposure is perfect!) The Bespoke website also suggests that you place your bee-home at eye-level so that you can “see your new friends coming and going in their dapper new digs.”

2. Make sure there is a supply of moist, clay-rich mud nearby, or at least the “ingredients” to make mud. (If you live in the Pacific Northwest, this shouldn’t be a problem!) Mason Bee mamas need mud to seal their eggs into their little cells, so it’s important that they have open ground with moist clay mud for building their nesting chamber partitions. Of course, they can make their own mud with a ready supply of water, but if you have little kiddos around, I’m sure that they would love to help out by making a great big mud pie for your Mason Bees!

3. After you harvest your bee cocoons in the fall, give your Mason Bee Cottage or Apartment a good cleaning with a stiff brush, and store unused tubes in a dry place. A few minutes of maintenance each year will go a long way toward extending the life of your Mason Bee home and nesting materials.

**Wait, what?!? What’s that about “harvesting bees“?!?**

Don’t worry – “harvesting bees” sounds a lot scarier than it is! Really, it’s more like harvesting “bee seeds.” It’s all a very easy process that simply involves removing the Mason Bee cocoons (aka “fuzzy raisins”) from the tubes, sorting them, cleaning them in a bleach mixture, and popping them into the fridge in a breathable container for the winter. Bespoke has an excellent informational page on their website that explains each step in great detail.

PORTLAND AREA RESIDENTS: If you are lucky enough to live in the Portland area, a regular schedule of bee keeping classes is offered through Bespoke Bee Supply each month. Sign up for a Mason Bee class to learn everything there is to know about how to keep Mason Bees and how to harvest their cocoons, and hang out with some great people who know way too much about bees at the same time!

Mason Bees in Tubes - Raising Mason Bees {Photo Credit: BeSpoke Bee Supply} | The Good Hearted Woman

[Image Credit: Bespoke Bee Supply]

Mason Bee Keeping Basics:

Early Spring: Set out your Mason Bee home and make sure there is water and clayey mud nearby. Put out your cocoons if you have them from a previous year, and new Mason Bee tubes. [If you are concerned about attracting bees the first year, you can spray an attractant to entice free-roaming mason bees to your cottage or apartment (…which upon rereading sounds way racier than it is meant to).] Temperatures should be reliably above 55°F, and plants should be beginning to flower so that your bees have something to eat.
Late Spring (end of active period): Collect nesting tubes and store them in the garage or shed to protect them from harsh weather and parasites.
Fall: Store harvested bee cocoons in the fridge in a breathable box. Mason Bee cocoons like a little humidity, so be sure to include a very slightly moist paper towel alongside your cocoons and check it regularly to insure that it stays moist. Mason Bees and nesting materials also need to be cleaned each fall to protect them.
Winter (Optional): Share cocoons with family, friends, and neighbors. (Christmas presents, anyone?)

Visit Bespoke Bee Supply to order your Mason Bee Cottage or Apartment, and for more information about raising Mason Bees.

I'm not saying that raising Mason Bees will save the world, but I'm not saying it won't either.

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin this post!

^{Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

5 Fantastic Last Minute Gifts for Grown-ups

December 19 By Renée 4 Comments

Someone on your list got you stumped? No worries – we’ve got this! (No lines, no waiting, no wrapping required!)

Scott Parrish | Creative Commons

Whether you’re shopping for an artist, music maker, crafter, film buff, or favorite aunt, we’ve got your last minute gift needs covered! All of these gifts can be delivered electronically, so even if you are reading this at 9am on Christmas morning, you still have plenty of time!!

This post contains affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

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1. Last minute Christmas gift for crafters, bakers, painters, quilters, photographers, and other creative folks: Craftsy Class.

Is there an artist or cook or crafter on your list who wants to up their game or learn a new technique? Craftsy is a great place to shop for them! Just pick the class you think they’ll love and Craftsy will enroll them and deliver your note to their inbox. There are tons of classes in over a dozen categories, including quilting, sewing, knitting, cake creation, cooking, baking, painting, drawing, photography, paper arts, and many more. The gifting process is super easy: First: FIND IT. Once you’ve found the perfect class, hit the “Gift This” button (circled above) to get started. Enter the recipient’s name, email address and special note. You can even plan ahead and schedule the date you want your gifted class delivered!

- Click here to send an Craftsy Class gift.

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2. Last minute Christmas gift for Musicians and other Music Makers: OnSong

If you have someone musical in your life {e.g., campfire crooner, shower soloist, carpool karaoke-ist, or semi-pro stage musician} who is the slightest bit tech-savvy and owns an Apple device [iPad 2 or later/iOS 9 or later] and has not yet discovered the miraculous revelation that is OnSong, then this is definitely THE BEST gift you can possibly give them. (Or at least the best gift you can give them that costs less than $20 and takes less than 5 minutes to purchase.) I mean it. This little app, available only for iOS, is the sole reason that Mr B has an iPad instead of an Android tablet, and at $19.99, it is an absolute steal as far as I’m concerned.

Mr B and I have been using OnSong for about four years now for all of our music library – sheet music, tabs, lyrics, works in progress – everything! OnSong has taken us from carrying around stacks and stacks of bulky music binders to using one slick little tablet app that catalogs, organizes, and displays all of our music exactly as we choose (font size can be bumped way up for older eyes!), scrolls automatically, allows us to transpose on the fly, and does (almost!) a million other awesome things, all on a super-user-friendly, intuitive platform. OnSong’s tech support is amazing, and their creative team – Wow! Just when we think they have achieved music app nirvana, they come up with some new innovation that blows us away. I will be posting an in-depth review of OnSong in the coming year; but seriously, if you want to give a gift that will make your favorite music maker love you forever, OnSong is it.

Already have OnSong? I highly recommend getting an iPad holder that converts a standard mic-stand into an music stand. Don’t know what we ever did without it!

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3. Last minute gift for family history buffs: Ancestry.com Membership or AncestryDNA Kit.Would someone on your gift list enjoy learning more about their family story? The gift of Ancestry.com can opens up whole new worlds to them! They can discover distant relatives, uncover their unique ethnic mix, and find new details about their unique family history with a simple DNA test. With an Ancestry.com membership, they can discover more stories, details, and insights about the people and places in their unique family story. Having had extensive experience in the world of genealogy (in fact, I used to a be part-owner in a family history company), I can tell you that the possibilities that may come from a gift of Ancestry.com are profound, infinite, and potentially life changing. AncestryDNA test kits are also available on Amazon.com.

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4. Last minute Christmas gift for graphic artists of all mediums: Blick eGift Card.

An eGift card from Blick will make your favorite Creative happier than a camel on hump day!

Blick is my personal first choice for art supplies, and I know that I’m not alone. My favorite thing about Blick’s is, in addition to their extensive selection of high-quality products and competitive prices, the people who help you are often working artists themselves. (Think of it like being able to walk up to an orange-aproned home improvement store employee and having them actually be able to tell you what you need, where to find it, and the best approach for using it.) Dick Blick Art Supplies is one of the largest and oldest providers of art supplies in the United States, and the first choice of professional and amateur artists, art educators, architects, designers, students, hobbyists, or anyone requiring quality art materials for work or pleasure.

Click here to buy an eGift card from Blick.

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5. Last minute Christmas gift for movie buffs: Movie Night!

Naoya Fujii | Creative Commons

Give the gift of movies! A free movie night is always a welcome gift, especially during the holiday season when so many shows are being released. And don’t forget, if you’re shopping for someone who prefers watching their movies in the comfort of their own home, a Netflix gift certificate is a great option.

Click here to buy a Regal Cinamas eGift Card.
Click here to buy an AMC Theaters eGift Card.
Click here to buy a Fandango eGift Card.

Need more ideas? Browse through this list of eGift cards that can be sent instantly via email.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

The BEST “Handmade Holiday” Gift Guide

November 25 By Renée 138 Comments

Check out our “Handmade Holiday Gift Guide” for the best in handmade gifts from some of our favorite Etsy sellers.

This post contains affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I’m so excited to present our “Handmade Holiday Gift Guide”! For the past month or so, I’ve been scouring Etsy to find the best in handmade gifts, and I think we’ve rounded up an amazing group of shops. This gift guide is made up of long-time favorites and brand new finds – Check it out – Etsy has something for everyone on your list!

Individual shop descriptions provided by Etsy sellers.

The Best Holiday Gift Guide 2016 "Handmade Holiday" | The Good Hearted Woman

Star Lily Magic – Star Lily Magic offers needle-felted wool gifts for the inner child within – inspired by the Waldorf technique, the magic of childhood and the wonders of Mother Earth. Welcome to a world of angels, faeries, Mother Earth playscapes, mermaids, animal friends and more. Artist and owner, Asheya Ragna, felts each unique creation with great love and mindfulness. She believes that the wool has a special ability to invoke presence and personality within her creations, making each one very special. Asheya has found a great reservoir of healing from her connection with Mother Earth. animals, mermaids, angels & faeries. Her intention is to help people – adults and children alike – to connect with these powerful healing energies through the wool figures that come into being through her visions, her hands and her heart.!

GHW Notes: We have purchased a number of items from Star Lily Magic, and every one has been absolutely beautiful!

AMP It Up Designs – AMPitup Designs is owned by a food scientist turned graphic designer and features simple and classic designs for the everyday family. A wide variety of Amy’s award-winning holiday photo card designs are available this year, along with prints that make perfect gifts or home decor. Printable or printed options are available for every product to fit your budget or life demands.

GHW Notes: I’m proud to note that I’ve known this particular Etsy seller since she was three months old! Amy is as kind as she is talented, and she is coming up with new designs every day. You can find many of her card designs now featured at Target.

Milk & Honey Luxuries – Premium Hand Stamped Vintage Silverware and Unique Gifts. As seen in Nordstrom, People Magazine, The Today Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Martha Stewart American Made, Whole Food Market, The Knot, Anthropologie, FOOD52, and People Style Watch Magazine.

Prairie Hills Pottery – Custom Recipe Personalized Gifts, Wedding gift Ideas.

GHW Notes: How great would it be to have one of Grandma’s recipes printed on a platter?!?

Belleza Mia – Find personalized jewelry, mothers birthstone jewelry as well as everyday, minimalist pieces.

Beads & Knots by Nina – In my shop, Beads And Knots, you will find only handmade jewelry. Natural stone jewelry, semi-precious gemstones, pearl necklaces and crystal beaded jewelry. Everything is made by me and is mainly one of a kind. I love choosing my material by their fascinating colors and shapes. Especially gemstones, carrying a great mystery locked inside their crystal, can give impressive results. Agate, jade, amethyst, citrine, lapis lazuli, to name a few, are stones of protection, support and encouragement, elevating thoughts and promoting optimism among other things. I am sure that the energy transmitted by the stones, finally reaches you enriched with my energy and love when I make them.

Branded by Beazer – Branded by Beazer turns your best ideas into real, everyday things: a handstamped bracelet with your favorite quote, a custom dish towel, or even a witty mug. In this wild world, not one single person is the same; we all have unique traits that make us who we are. Branded by Beazer wants to help bring that individuality to life. Offering a wide range of customized decals, iron-on prints, décor, clothing and jewelry — each individually handmade with love — there is something to make YOU shine.

Crafty Staci – My shop focuses on handmade accessories for makers, artists, photographers, teachers and people on the go. I happily fulfill custom orders for every item I make. I enjoy mixing fabrics, and I love how excited my customers get that they can design an item that reflects their personality. After making thousands of vendor aprons, coffee sleeves, camera straps, lens cap holders, memory card wallets and other accessories, it still makes me happy to see the final finished item and hear my customer talk about how she’s using it.

Cut. Color. Create.– We specialize in handmade personalized gifts and custom stamped jewelry.

debandf – Guitar Pick Holders for the Perfect Guitar Player Gift, wonderful for any occasion. Plenty of time for your custom engraved Guitar pick box to be ready for the holidays.

Jahna Vashti – Fine art originals, canvas wraps, cards, prints, and calendars from Portland artist.

Julia Paris Jewelry – Julia Paris Jewelry was born as a creative outlet and an avenue to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning a small business. Every piece of our jewelry starts out as raw materials which are meticulously crafted in our home based studio. These materials form special and unique pieces that express my vision in the hope they remind the wearer that there is beauty in every little part of their lives. The items in our shop are intended to evoke happiness and joy when they are gifted to loved ones and we ensure they can be tailored to suit the needs of the most discerning gift receiver. We strive to use high quality materials and hone our skills to ensure every creation is of a high standard and will withstand the test of time.

Lettered & Lined – Lettered & Lined offers customized typography art prints for every room of your home. (As Seen in: Country Living, Design Sponge, Houzz, iHeartOrganizing, Wedding Chicks, Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn, and many more!)

Made by Anna Liisa – I create watercolor prints, cards, notepads, and calendars inspired by nature. I love to spend time outdoors and I hope to express that in my art. Currently I’m based out of San Antonio, Texas. Occasionally I try to add some Texas flare to my work. I also love to create custom pieces, such as wedding signs, invitations, birth announcements, anniversary gifts, and more. Art is my passion and it gives me joy to share with others.

Pronghorn Ironworks – Pronghorn Ironworks is owned and operated by Christopher Trautmann. Christopher is a Professional Engineer by trade but spends his free time in his garage creating all types of various metalwork. Whether it be trying his hand at a handcrafted piece of furniture, such as a bed frame, or simply making various shaped dinner bells.

Raziela Designs – An eclectic mix of old world charm and modern beats, we offer one of a kind jewelry for the modern woman.

Spice Expressions – Magnetic spice racks, bbq rub gift boxes, organic tea gifts, Indian spice kits, flavor infused sea salts, popcorn seasonings, DIY magnetic hex jars. {Great ideas here for the grill master or foodie in your life!}

Upcycled Library – Real-life librarian Kelly Liberona upcycles used books into jewelry, stationery, and home decor in the eco-friendly, library-themed shop, Upcycled Library. Find the perfect gift for the literature lover on your list!

Want more ideas? Check out the Etsy Editor’s Picks for tons of great Etsy finds!

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin this post!

How to Make a Fairy Garden Terrarium

October 6 By Renée 7 Comments

Invite a little Magic into your home! Easy instructions for how to make a whimsical Fairy Garden Terrarium, with ideas for the changing seasons.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

When I was a kid, I spent many summers at Camp NamanuCamp Namanu in Sandy, Oregon, and it is still one of my favorite places on Earth. It is a place where anyone, regardless of age, can hold out hope that Magic is still alive and well in this world.

For more than 90 years, one of the unbroken threads that has woven Namanu campers together is its rich tradition of forest folklore. From the moment each of us, as campers, clambered off that sweltering bus for the first time and skipped up onto the well-worn planks of Uncle Toby’s Storyhouse – whether that was ten years ago or sixty – one of the first things we learned about was the camp’s resident fairies, elves and other magical folk.

We learned about Mr. Skriggleboggle, the elf who lives in a little house at the top of Guardian Fir and answers campers’ questions all summer long. We were introduced to Gertrude, the wood fairy who has lived in a Worcestershire Sauce bottle hanging from the ceiling at Raker Lodge since World War II. There is a flashlight fairy, and a flagpole elf; in fact, there is an enchanting-someone keeping watch over practically every facet of camp life.

And just how has this forest Magic survived for nearly a century in a difficult, cynical world, you might ask? Because, though many of us are now ever so much older than twenty, the flame that was lit in our childhood hearts so long ago still flickers brightly – and in our mind’s eye, the fairies still dance – somewhere far across the Meadow.

Camp Fire kids are a crafty bunch, and every year at the Namanu Alumni Reunion, I’m always on the lookout for DIY inspiration to bring home and share. The inspiration for this DIY came from an item at our annual alumni auction. The moment I saw this glass-block fairy garden (created and offered for auction by Mary C.), I knew what I was going to do.

I loved Mary’s idea, but I wanted to create something living that could change with the seasons, so I created this whimsical fairy garden terrarium!

Invite a little Magic into your home! Make this super-easy *Fairy Garden Terrarium* #DIY today!

How to Make a Seasonal Fairy Garden Terrarium

Trimmed with an easy rotation of simple holiday decorations, a fairy garden terrarium offers an ultra-easy way to put a little extra color and life into the changing seasons.

Yield: 1 Terrarium

Seasonal Fairy Garden Terrarium

Trimmed with an easy rotation of simple holiday decorations, this fairy garden terrarium offers an easy way to put a little extra color and whimsy into the changing seasons.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Active Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Materials

Large glass planter, jar, or other vessel
Pebbles – enough to cover the bottom of the container 1″-2″
Potting Soil
Fairy Garden Miniatures (at least one fairy!)
Seasonal Miniatures
2-3 small, terrarium-friendly plants

Tools

Large Bowl
Spoon (for mixing soil)

Instructions

The first thing you need for any fairy garden is… a fairy! I found this inquisitive little charmer at Joann’s, and together we immediately set to thinking on where she should live. We agreed that a large, spacious jar would fit the bill nicely!
I chose a large jar with a lid, which will allow me to have greater control over the interior climate of the terrarium. (I got the one I used for this project at Joann’s, but any large-ish glass vessel will work fine.) I also picked up a few autumn decorations. I have to admit; I had a hard time not buying everything in the fairy garden aisle! But really, it's important not to overdo it, because it doesn't take much to fill the floor of a terrarium, and you don't want it to look cluttered. Also, you want to leave some room for things to grow.
The first thing you need to do is fill the bottom of your terrarium with 1"-2" of small pebbles. This will assist with drainage. (TIP: Reserve a small handful of pebbles for decorative landscaping as you finish your terrarium.) Mix some water with the potting soil in a large bowl first so that it is uniformly moist. I added a little sand to my potting soil to improve drainage too. On top of the pebbles, loosely pack 2-3 inched of potting soil in the terrarium.
Now is the time you want to consider how your terrarium will go together. My terrarium has only two live plants - one for ground cover, and one for height. I left room for a seasonal decoration in the back, as well as a few little touches in the front. Having ample space will make it easy to change out decorations as winter and the holiday season approaches.
Lastly, I added the decorative seasonal pieces. The berry stalk (from the floral department) was a great choice. It was very inexpensive, and with it, I created an autumn tree for the back of my terrarium, plus I used the small pieces that I trimmed off the top to make the little "flowers" in the front. This is also the time to place those pebbles that you held in reserve.
Oh - I almost forgot! If there is a seal on the lid or jar that you are using, remove it. This will reduce condensation and allow a little air to flow if you choose to keep the lid on your terrarium.
That's it. This is one of the easiest DIYs I've ever done. In fact, it probably took you longer to read this post than it will to create your own fairy garden terrarium. Just be sure to check the soil regularly and water as needed, and you will have a lovely little garden full of life for years to come!

Notes

UPDATE 2/27/2020 - I ended up taking the top off of my terrarium, and it is still growing strong after almost 5 years!

Aside from its obvious adorable charm, one of the best parts about this little fairy garden terrarium is that, with just a few simple changes each season, it can easily be decorated and adapted for year-round enjoyment (i.e., holly-berries and snowflakes in the winter, tiny tulips and bunnies in the spring, etc.).

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

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12 Unique, Handcrafted Gifts Your Grad Will Love {All Under $25}

June 1 By Renée 21 Comments

Graduation Gifts don’t need to be expensive or lavish to be treasured.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

It’s interesting to me, how we choose the things that stay with us. I find that it is rarely the most lavish or expensive gift that finds a permanent spot our lives, but rather it is some token that strikes a cord between giver and receiver that we end up holding on to, or an item that becomes a part of our daily routine.

Regarding the later, I’m not one for knickknacks generally, but when I graduated from kindergarten, my Aunt Gwen sent me a pretty little piece from Missouri – a fancy ceramic cup filled with plastic and silk violets, with a kitten curled up next to it. I remembered my mother fussing over it for days. She could not for the life of her understand why Gwen would send such a fragile piece to a five year old, so she eventually commandeered it, tossed the violets, and put it to use in our bathroom as a toothbrush holder. When I left for college, I took it with me, and Mr B and I still use it today for our toothbrushes. It’s not the sort of thing I would normally keep, but after all these years, I have grown very fond of it, and can’t imagine resting my toothbrush anywhere else.

Personally, I tend to give gifts of time (which doesn’t fit well in a box), or things I make myself, or some combination of both. However, during this time of year, with all its accompanying end-of-the school year preparations, both time and making can be overwhelming. With this in mind, I scoured Etsy to find a few standouts – unique, handcrafted, inexpensive graduation gifts with the potential to make a connection and stand the test of time.

Unique, Handcrafted Gifts for Grads

"Let the Adventure Begin" Hand Stamped Cuff Bracelet - $24

“Let the Adventure Begin” Hand Stamped Cuff Bracelet – This bracelet is the perfect gift for the new grad because it is both inspirational & sentimental. It is hand stamped with the quote “and so the adventure begins…” on the outside and “class of 2016” on the inside. Each letter is individually stamped, making every bracelet truly unique.

"Oh the Places You'll Go!" Mini 4" World Desk Globe - $18

“Oh the Places You’ll Go” Mini World Desk Globe – With a soft off white hue finish and light wooden circular base, this miniature customized décor piece is aged for a vintage look, and can be customized for any occasion. Available in Blue, Black, Yellow, Tan & Off White (as shown).

"Have Fun, Be Safe, Call Your Mom" Hand stamped Key-chain - $11

“Have Fun, Be Safe, Call Your Mom” Hand stamped Key-chain – This 1 x 2 inch aluminum rectangle stamped with a phrase we should all remember! Each keychain can be personalized, and is created by hand stamping each letter and character using steel stamps. Comes packaged in a decorative box, ready for gift giving.

"My Wish" (Lyrics by Rascal Flatts) Personalized Print - $15

“My Wish” (Lyrics by Rascal Flatts) Personalized Print – These beautiful lyrics are perfect gift for a child that is graduating or starting a new adventure.

"I haven't been everywhere, but..." Quote Watch - $16

“I haven’t been everywhere, but…” Quote Watch – As Mark Twain said, “Explore. Dream. Discover”, unleash the hidden YOU. This watch is a great inspiration for any grad who is passionate about travelling & adventure.

“Life is a Beautiful Ride” – Image is printed directly onto a vintage dictionary page that is 80+ years old, making each one unique.

Marimo Aquarium Kit – Marimo (Japanese moss balls) are said to bring a sense of tranquility and calmness. Kit comes with everything you need to create a lovely underwater living environment that will brighten any room.

Custom Folded Book Art Sculpture – These handmade sculptures are painstakingly constructed from upcycled discarded books by folding the pages into the desired letters. Great as gifts for any occasion, books are made to order, and can accommodate as many as 10 letters.

“Call Your Mom” Hand Stamped Spoon – Slip this vintage hand stamped, silver-plated teaspoon into your graduate’s care package with some coffee or cocoa they’ll be reminded to call home each morning when they stir their cup.

Personalized Graduation Mason Jar – What better way to celebrate! Designs are laser engraved directly into the glass, permanently etched into the drinking glass. It will not wash or rub off, fade or peel.

“This is Your Moment” Guitar Pick / Necklace – Inspiring quote is hand-stamped onto a beautiful brass guitar pick that can be worn or used for playing. Comes gift-wrapped, with your choice of chain length of your choice.

Personalized Brown Leather Bracelet - $13

Personalized Brown Leather Bracelet – Choose your inscription, up to 12 characters.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. (Rest assured though, we will NEVER recommend anything we don’t believe in just to make a buck. We like to sleep at night.) Anywho, while clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Naturally-Dyed Armenian Easter Eggs

March 31 By Renée 22 Comments

Beautiful, Naturally-dyed Easter Eggs are a traditional part of the holiday celebration in many countries across the globe, including Armenia, Russia, Serbia, and Greece. Now you can make them part of your spring traditions, too!

Many European, Mediterranean and West-Asian countries share this tradition of making naturally-dyed Easter eggs, including Russia, Serbia, and Greece. However, my closest ties (aka my three oldest grandkids) are half Armenian, so that’s who’s getting top billing today!

Three of the most adorable Armenian-Americans ever! (Says their Nana.)

In 301, Armenia became the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion, and since that time, Easter has been a beloved and much anticipated holiday for its people. Today it is celebrated with many traditional events, dishes, songs, greetings.

The custom of coloring eggs red for Easter has its roots in the biblical lore regarding red eggs and cheorek (sweet bread):

When Christ was crucified, his mother took some eggs and bread wrapped in the shawl. When the Mother saw her Son crucified and his arms bleeding, she knelt down and cried. The Mother’s tears and Son’s blood dropping on the shawl colored the eggs and bread. Then the Mother put the shawl on her head.

These beautiful Armenian Easter Eggs are very easy to make – the most difficult part of making them is collecting the onion skins.

If you plan ahead, you can just save your onion skins as you use them. However, the easiest way is to go to your local grocery store and clean out the bottoms of the onion bins. I filled a large sack in a matter of minutes, and they didn’t charge me a cent.

How to Make Naturally-dyed Easter Eggs

To make naturally dyed eggs with lovely, leafy designs, you will need:

Eggs
Cilantro, dill, or parsley (or anything else that you think would look pretty)
1 bag of onion skins (probably about 8-10 onions worth, or more)
1 pair of nylons (yes, they can be old or runny.)
Twist ties, yarn or twine
Olive oil for polishing eggs
1 large soup pot

Prepare the Dye Bath (You can do this step a day or two ahead of time if you want.)

Fill the soup pot with onion skins. Add enough water (about 2-3 quarts) to cover the skins and push them all down in the water.

Over medium heat, bring to a boil and then simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

How to Put Leaf Designs on Naturally-Dyed Easter Eggs (For eggs with leaf designs, begin here.)

Use scissors to cut the legs of the nylons into 4-5” tubes.
Tie a tight knot at the end of each tube.
Use a little water to adhere a small leaf or flower to an egg.
Carefully insert the egg into the nylon tube and draw the nylon tightly up and around it.
Secure the end of the tube with a twist tie, yarn, or twine.

How to Make Naturally-Dyed Easter Eggs (For solid eggs with no design, begin here.)

Put raw eggs into the cool dye. Make sure they are completely submerged. (I like to leave the onion skins in the dye and use them to separate and cushion the eggs.)
Bring dye to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Turn the heat off, and allow the eggs bathe in the dye for at least another 10-15 minutes, until they reach that lovely brick-red color.
Remove eggs from dye bath and allow to cool completely.

Finishing the Naturally-dyed Armenian Easter Eggs

Remove nylon tube from egg. (You can use these again.)
Carefully peel off leaves or flowers.
Polish eggs with a little olive oil and a paper towel.

More Easter Traditions on GHW:

Many thanks, Maria, for all your help and encouragement. (And thanks, Google Translate, for making it possible!)
Շնորհակալություն, Մարիա, բոլորի համար, ձեր օգնության եւ քաջալերանքի.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

This hand-painted watercolor printable – perfect for St Patrick’s Day – depicts a Celtic knot shamrock in shades of green and aubergine, encircled with the familiar, comforting words of the traditional Irish Blessing.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

For a high-resolution, frame-worthy printable PDF of this Irish Blessing painting, please visit our Etsy store, The Harmony Cat.

NOTE: This Etsy link is NOT AN AFFILIATE LINK: this is a link to my own Etsy store. If you go this route and pay for a hi-rez PDF, thank you in advance. You’re awesome!

(If your pennies are thin, no worries. Scroll to the bottom for a free PDF.)

♫ ♪ May the road rise up to meet you… May the wind be always at your back May the sun fall warm upon your face ~ The rain fall soft upon your fields … And may God hold you in the palm of His hand. ♪♫

How to Get this Irish Blessing Print for FREE

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This Vintage Window DIY makes an awesome Family Photo Display that will finally bring the everyone together – from all your branches – in one wonderful place!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

“Are you a poet or a dancer, a devil or a clown – Or a strange new combination of the things we’ve handed down?”

~ Marc Cohn, “The Things We’ve Handed Down”

Ours is a Fruit Salad Family Tree, created from grafted limbs, bright bursts of color, broken branches, and sprouts and sprigs that spring up from places we never expected.

~ Renée Butcher

Our Fruit Salad Tree

Our Fruit Salad Family Tree

Vintage Windows DIY • Epic Family Photo Display

To restore a vintage window frame, you will need:

Step 1 – Prep & Seal Window Frames

IMPORTANT!

How to Sand & Seal • Vintage Window DIY

Step 2 – Add a Theme or Quote to Your Family Photo Frame (Optional)

“Are you a poet or a dancer, a devil or a clown – Or a strange new combination of the things we’ve handed down?”

Step 3 – Add Pictures to the Window Panes

You will need:

Step 4 – Add Backlighting (Totally Optional)

You will need:

Step 5 – Extend the Theme (Totally Optional Bonus Step)

For more family fun, check out The Best Board Games for Family Game Night!

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Have You Picked Your WORD for the New Year yet?

Yeah – me neither. I’m doing things a little differently this year.

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Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

– Dalai Lama

Will Choosing a “Guiding Quote” Make Any REAL Difference In My Life?

The Real Reason to Choose a New Years Quote

“She dances to the songs in her head, speaks with the rhythm of her heart, and loves from the depths of her soul.” ~ Dean Jackson

Henry David Thoreau

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

C.S. Lewis

Louis L’Amour

Marilyn Monroe

Oscar Wilde

Bernard M. Baruch

Neil Gaiman

Mae West

Helen Keller

Maya Angelou

Mahatma Gandhi

Rob Siltanen

H. Jackson Brown Jr. [P.S. I Love You]

Marie Curie

Neil Gaiman [Coraline]

Lao Tzu

Albert Einstein

Dr. Seuss

George Eliot

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Our top picks for the Best Family Board Games for your next Family Game Night. {Plus gift-giving advice for everyone on your list!}

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

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Exceptionally easy to raise, Mason Bees are ultra-gentle uber-pollinators that will improve the health and well-being of your flowers, fruit crops, and garden.

What are Mason Bees?

7 Reasons Why Gardeners Love Raising Mason Bees

Why don’t Mason Bees Sting?

Mason Bee Life Cycle

How to Start Raising Mason Bees

Setting Up Your Mason Bee Digs is as Easy as 1-2-3!

Wait, what?!? What’s that about “harvesting bees“?!?

Mason Bee Keeping Basics:

Visit Bespoke Bee Supply to order your Mason Bee Cottage or Apartment, and for more information about raising Mason Bees.

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Someone on your list got you stumped? No worries – we’ve got this! (No lines, no waiting, no wrapping required!)

Need more ideas? Browse through this list of eGift cards that can be sent instantly via email.

Check out our “Handmade Holiday Gift Guide” for the best in handmade gifts from some of our favorite Etsy sellers.

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Invite a little Magic into your home! Easy instructions for how to make a whimsical Fairy Garden Terrarium, with ideas for the changing seasons.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

For a high-resolution, frame-worthy printable PDF of this Irish Blessing painting, please visit our Etsy store,
The Harmony Cat.

♫ ♪ May the road rise up to meet you… May the wind be always at your back
May the sun fall warm upon your face ~ The rain fall soft upon your fields
… And may God hold you in the palm of His hand. ♪♫

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

“Are you a poet or a dancer, a devil or a clown –
Or a strange new combination of the things we’ve handed down?”

**Ours is a Fruit Salad Family Tree, created from grafted limbs, bright bursts of color, broken branches, and sprouts and sprigs that spring up from places we never expected.**

“Are you a poet or a dancer, a devil or a clown –
Or a strange new combination of the things we’ve handed down?”

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

^{– Dalai Lama}

“She dances to the songs in her head,
speaks with the rhythm of her heart,
and loves from the depths of her soul.”
^{~ Dean Jackson}

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

**Wait, what?!? What’s that about “harvesting bees“?!?**

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!