» Casual Celebrations

A thousand words couldn’t properly articulate how much we love living here. We celebrated our 5th “homeiversary” in June, and just wrapped our 6th summer in this lovely place. This year, I ...

https://merrypad.com/2018/09/18/rochester-ny-midcentury-home-5-year-progress/

Our newest BFF, companion girl, partner-in-crime, littlest sister arrived home earlier this month. Martha–named as a nod to our family’s infatuation with The Beatles and my insistence on us...

https://merrypad.com/2018/07/27/martha-bernedoodle/

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t waiting for my luck to run out every single day, but here I am, exactly 5 years after I left my job at an advertising agency to go rogue. 5 years, you guys! ...

https://merrypad.com/2016/05/20/5-years-of-freelancing/

This post was originally published on DIY Network’s blog Made + Remade in September 2014. Party time! I’m always coming across photos of clever photo backdrops that people use as a substitut...

https://merrypad.com/2016/04/24/diy-freestanding-photo-backdrop/

It was about two years ago that I began campaigning hard for a table and set of chairs from a local library. It was at that time that the library, after a long, political budget planning process...

https://merrypad.com/2015/11/20/midcentury-oak-library-furniture/

How many of you still make homemade birthday cakes? Whenever it comes up in conversation, it seems like we’re the only ones, or one of the few families who doesn’t resort to store bought or c...

https://merrypad.com/2015/08/20/diy-frog-cake-fondant-homemade-rice-krispies/

“Why is his dessert sitting so close to the human dessert?” “Don’t worry about it. The kibbles are organic.” We celebrated Codeman’s 7th birthday on Monday a.k.a. completely reverse...

https://merrypad.com/2015/08/19/dogface-is-7/

I can’t say it enough, it has been a total pleasure collaborating with the team at Scripps Networks for DIYNetwork.com and its blog Made + Remade over the last 3.5 years – I know, it’s ...

https://merrypad.com/2015/04/10/new-diynetwork-website/

Hey! Big happies. In May, I spent a week traveling with DIY Network to film a bunch of video tutorials. Being an on-camera talent is entirely new to me, and not only that, but up until this tri...

https://merrypad.com/2014/07/14/diy-network-folding-videos/

The month of May flew through without thought to two “celebrations” I’ve grown fond of appreciating: Buying my first house (this year was the 5 anniversary of closing! Read up on year ...

https://merrypad.com/2014/06/08/maydays-anniversaries/

This blogging thing, even after all these years, still strikes a quite personal chord. My favorite part of all of this is how I’ve been able to create a little archive of this period in my life...

https://merrypad.com/2014/04/10/last-year-home-find/

Last year, on the day of my second blogiversary, we entertained a team of photographers (at the old house) for a photo shoot. It wasn’t clear where the images would land because the photographe...

https://merrypad.com/2013/11/15/third-blogiversary/

We’ve greeted our sweet daughter into the world. She has her father’s hairline and my nose. It wasn’t my intention to go dark for all of last week–beautiful things have been happening wit...

https://merrypad.com/2013/11/10/henrietta/

I moved into my first apartment in Rochester 7 years ago today. It was a hot day then, like it is now, but the heat wasn’t enough of a deterrent to stop me from moving five times since that day...

https://merrypad.com/2013/07/16/seven-years-in-rochester-memorial-jade/

We’re officially calling the house ours today. Later today that is, after closing, if for god’s sake it actually happens. IT’S OUR BEST DAY EVER. Thanks SpongeBob. If you’ve been followi...

https://merrypad.com/2013/06/12/new-home-floorplan-1950s-modern-ranch/

Come November, I’m pretty sure it’ll look like that watermelon is tucked beneath my shirt. Side note: Fruit salad being is served with every meal this weekend. Now that I’m in my second tri...

https://merrypad.com/2013/05/30/more-good-news/

Two years ago today, I left my job for a run at self-employment. Two years, and ran it has, I still feel like it’s a life change that I just made. I always try and set aside some time to The p...

https://merrypad.com/2013/05/21/taking-a-breather-eating-pancakes/

I’m usually pretty amped for anything spring-cleaning related by the time my home-a-versary rolls around in mid-May, and this year was no exception; today marks the day four years ago that I ca...

https://merrypad.com/2013/05/15/backyard-cleanup-spring-home-anniversary/

Good morning blogisphere, and an enthusiastic high-five to you all. Today is my two year blogiversary, and that, friends, feels awesome. I’m celebrating with an iced coffee and a photo shoot. A...

https://merrypad.com/2012/11/16/second-blogiversary/