A green glass jar, a white vase with faux white flowers, and a small white apple sit on a black tray atop a round wooden table. Documents and a magnifying glass lie on the table in sunlight.

Weekender Newsletter 3-14-26

Text logo reading "South House Weekender" on a soft, watercolor-style blue background. "South House" is in uppercase serif font; "Weekender" is in a larger, cursive script.

3 | 14 | 26

Wow! Schizophrenic March is Certainly Here!

Have you ever seen anything much more than pea-sized hail?

I was definitely a doubter, too. Until Tuesday evening that is . . . .

A person holding a large, irregularly shaped piece of hail in their palm, standing on a wooden deck with a brick wall and railing in the background.

And check out what 3-inch hail looks like on a lake.

Large hailstones fall heavily on a lakeside neighborhood, bouncing off the grass and dock, with string lights hanging in the foreground and houses and trees visible across the water under a cloudy sky.

The splashes were so violent and much taller than the docks!

Two large, irregularly shaped hailstones rest on a black surface next to a yellow measuring tape. The hailstones are each about 3 inches wide.

What I didn’t realize was that larger hail looks to really be hundreds of normal size hail that just globbed onto each other. And you bet those are sharp points when they first hit.
So grateful this storm’s wrath was hail, not tornadoes.

Let’s Get Our Pretty Spring On!

A white cushion with blue leaf motifs sits on a beige chair. The cushion has a blue and white striped edge, and a furry cream throw is draped behind it. A decorative blue and white plate is visible in the background.

The Easiest Way to Block Print

And it’s super budget-friendly too!!!

On fabric, on paper, on wood, on just about anything

Not a sewer? Block print a plain pillow cover.

You won’t believe what I used to make this — not special skills, no special tools required.

I even share how to do a two-tone version!

Easy Block Print

Spring Pet Food Mat

I’ve made and shared several of my dog food mats. But this is my favorite!

There is no easier (or cheaper) solution to protecting your floor from pet spills.

Would you believe the base costs just $1?

And then this just took a paper napkin and some Mod Podge. So, so easy!

Pet spring Placemat
dog bowl placemat on a brick floor with a bowl of water and a bowl of food on top

closeup of a pillar candle with a charming bunny rabbit in a field of wildflowers on it.

Recognize that Bunny?

Yes, the very one that I used for the pet placemat, also made a great pillar candle.

Isn’t that adorable?!?!

Again, so quick and easy to do.

decorated candles

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So last week, mentioned how Spring is my favorite time to take up a new craft.

The days are growing longer, but it’s not quite nice enough to spend all our days outdoors. If you’re like me, and are thinking about a new craft, or maybe just a new craft project, who better to learn from than the makers of Etsy.

Obviously, a lot of you agree!!!

If you missed last week, try this fun game:
Jump back to last week’s newsletter, look through all the kits I curated and shared.
Guess which kits were the most popular.

No peeking down below yet!!!

After you guess, hop back here and see if you were right.

Five embroidery hoops with delicate floral designs stitched on sheer fabric are arranged on a grey surface. Nearby are a pair of scissors, two yellow billy balls, and some dried berries.

Embroidery

Whether your first project or your re-entry into the amazing world of embroidery, the options are inspiring!

I love the fresh, modern take of these spring blooms in hoops. They are so light and airy with the see-thru backgrounds.

These beginner hoops have captured my heart.

Visible Mending and Pretty Repairs

Have you noticed this growing trend, (it’s all over IG and Pinterest)?

Here’s a wonderful kit to explore, experiment and learn.

PS: Mending and repairs are optional. You may decide to just add a row of blooms to a ball hat, jacket cuffs or the hem of your jeans.

A patchwork textile art piece featuring hand-stitched lavender, daisies, and leaves in purple, yellow, and green fabrics, with lace and embroidered details on a white textured background.

So, were you surprised? Were these the ones you guessed?
Were the ones you bought, or would buy?

Looking forward to cheering on spring together.

round image of Diane smiling next to a Signature that reads: With Joy, Diane

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2 Comments

  1. Ouch! Would not want to be caught in that. I thought our Mississippi ice storms were bad. And you’re right thankfully it wasn’t a tornado.
    Enjoy your post, thanks

    Reply

    1. Ouch is right, Heather!

      Reply