A tranquil sunset over a lakeside neighborhood with bare trees and houses along the shore. The sky is painted in shades of pink and orange. Text reads "South House House Mates" in the foreground.

2-1-25

What I Can’t Let Go Of:

It no secret that winter its NOT my favorite season!

True, I really don’t like being cold, but it’s more the darkness that gets me down.

The current extra smidgeon of daylight building every day gets me through it.

Well, that, and quality shows!

We don’t have the TV on during the day, except for games we may want to watch, and only when it’s too dark and cold to be outside enjoying the lake and friends and neighbors.

So we make winter count with great shows to discover and catch up on — don’t you love streaming!!!

  • The Pitt — Peacock (new and awesome version of ER, but set in Pittsburgh)
  • Great Pottery Throw Down — Max (think Great British Baking Show, but for pottery)
  • Prime Target — AppleTV+ (suspense thriller)
  • Matlock w/ Kathy Bates — Paramount+ (Easy, clever law drama. I enjoy more than The Hubs)
  • Nobody Wants This — Netflix (fresh, hysterical Rom-Com)
  • The Bear — FX, Hulu (powerful drama, study of relationships set in a rundown family restaurant
  • Hacks — Max (funny but deep show about a stand-up comic reviving her career)
  • Shrinking — AppleTV+ (comedy about therapists and their own angsts and relationships)
  • Bad Sisters — AppleTV+ (great show about five Irish sisters and their misdeeds trying to do good)
  • Slow Horses — AppleTV+ (gritty thriller spy drama about a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents)

SIDENOTE: Some of these might take watching as many as 3 or 4 episodes before you’re sucked in. But then I was so grateful I hung in there and didn’t toss them to the side.

And for all of these, you really should start at the beginning of Season1.

I hope this list helps to fill your long, cold evenings with smart, witty, thought-provoking entertainment. With some good belly laughs for the sprinkles on top.

I’m composing a list of favorite shows from our friends that we haven’t watched yet. So, friend, reply back to this email with suggestions I need to add to it.

On the Blog This Week


Hands holding a wooden heart-shaped object with a smooth finish and a partially carved texture. The person is wearing a gold wristwatch. The background is slightly blurred, showing hints of a tiled surface.

Hearts From Old Frames

SOOO amazing and customizable for any style and occasion!

Now that I have the process figured out, you’ll be able to make many for yourself and friends — as long as you’re comfortable with a jigsaw.

Hop over and see!


Patterned Lamp Shades Are all the Rage

I shared how to make one yourself and add designer details that take it to the next level.

A table lamp with a light blue shade featuring a pattern of overlapping circles in white, pink, and beige. The base of the lamp is white and cylindrical. The background includes a vintage mirror with a distressed surface.

Five women's headshots with their signatures under the title: Shopping With Friends -- so much better than alone

Today, I am all in on Galantine’s Day — a fun take on Valentine’s Day celebrating the love and support of my special band of gal pals. I am a firm believer in a treat bag or box filled with one item or several smaller items and it’s all the sweeter if one is handmade!

If you don’t make it yourself, there are plenty of small business artisans at Etsy happy to make these little treasures for you.

Doodled Trinket Dishes

So my Galentine treats would start with a darling doodled trinket dish I’ve made from shells out of our lake.

But you can order these shells and have handmade goodies in no time flat.

Or you can buy these on Etsy, rather than diy.

Three decorative seashells painted with black designs rest on a wooden surface. The designs include hearts and floral motifs. The shells have a golden edge and are arranged beside a white fabric and a glass object.
A collage with two sections. The top shows a collection of oyster shells. The bottom shows a single oyster shell, lined with gold, holding a ring. The text in the middle reads "DIY OR BUY.

A set of beautifully decorated glass nail files with various floral and insect designs, including lavender, daisies, and bees. One file is shown close-up with a lavender design, and another file is packaged in a box.

For the Gals Self-Care

I love these beautiful hand-painted glass nail files (you’ll never go back to an emery board) from an Etsy shop. They come in two sizes.

The small one is perfect for tucking in a small handbag. It’s a little taste of luxury they probably wouldn’t buy themselves, but would love having.

And so reasonably priced at $13 and comes in a protective sheath.


A Simple Indulgence

And this simple spa set would be appreciated by all. It comes with a shower steamer (choice of 25 scents) and a sweet silicone shower steamer tray (elevates the steamer so it lasts longer and you’re not kicking the steamer around).

From a small shop in KS

Five silicone flower-shaped steamer trays, each in different pastel colors: light blue, mint green, pink, purple, and white, with a shower steamer sitting in the center of one.They have textured centers and delicate petal designs.

An arrangement of various bookmarks, including leather ones with floral designs, and card ones with motivational messages. An open book with a paper bookmark is also visible, alongside two closed books. The word "Bookmarks" is styled at the top.

Kind of Essential, But Also a Treat

Bookmarks are always appreciated (and we can never have enough). Like these or these personalized ones, or this funny set.


A Personalized Pick For Each

A fun pair of earrings individually selected for each gal is sure to delight. Like this one for the book lovers, for the cat ladies among us, for the arts and crafts lover, and so many more options.

Hand holding teardrop earrings with a bookshelf design. Below are hoop earrings with green crochet and a set of earrings shaped like cats, featuring various colorful patterns.

Cindy – Reinvented Delaware

Sadly, Cindy is out with the flu this week. It certainly everywhere!!! I hope you are able to avoid it.

Lora – Lora Bloomquist

  • We are diving deep into whole grains as our health reboot for the new year. Over the holidays we were listening to Sue Becker from Breadbeckers explain how nutritious freshly milled grains are for our bodies. And how the flour here in the U.S. has been stripped of all the healthy. After 2 1/2 years of avoiding baked carbs, I’ve been baking up a storm with all kinds of unique grains; it’s so fun and so delicious! You can get her book HERE; half of it explains everything, the other half is delicious recipes using freshly milled grains. THIS is the mill we chose ( I did get it in a darker stain, though). It’s an investment to start, but is a great way to get nutrition back into your food. And fresh baked is soooo good:)
  • This time of year I love to add the texture of woven baskets all around the house. They’re a great item to thrift, or find a great selection HERE. Hang a grouping of them, tuck them into shelves for texture, corral clutter with them. You can never have too many baskets.
  • Everything is coming up roses for Valentine’s on this pretty table I styled on IG this week. (see it HERE and follow me while you’re there😉 Each year I love bringing out a collection of red and pink flowered vintage postcards. I stand them in flower frogs by each place setting, or on the windowsill. I’ve been thinking of bringing them to a printshop to enlarge for wall art, too. Find a wide variety of vintage postcards HERE.
  • My kitchen seating area is so full of green right now. The paperwhites and amaryllis are blooming along with a green fern on the coffee table. It’s got a botanical vibe that is so fresh this time of year. THESE rechargeable lamps are a little mod for my house, but I love how they look at night in this grouping. And I love the extra light for reading, too. (plus…they’re on sale right now;)

Lynn – Living Large in a Small House

Valentine’s Day Shopping

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I don’t do much for Valentine’s Day. When my kids were young, I used to always give them a new bathing suit on Valentine’s as we typically had a ski vacation planned for a long weekend around a late February school break. I plan to continue the bathing suit idea with my grand baby. Since he lives in Texas, he will be swimming in no time.

I also wanted to share some fun Valentine’s finds from Etsy since I’m becoming more and more about shopping small.

Anna – Sky Lark House

With Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day just around the corner, I am sharing some fun and affordable finds.

I hope you’ve been enjoying the weekend!!! Thanks for hanging out with me a bit,

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

1 Comment

  1. Kim Waldorf

    So much goodness in this post. Those glass nail files are amazing!! Have a great week!

    Reply

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Diane Sudhoff
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