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Best Memorial Day Deals for Your Home, Garden and Wardrobe

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The extended holiday weekend is finally here, marking the unofficial start of summer! Across the nation, barbecues will be sizzling, umbrellas will be popping, and copious amounts of sunscreen and bug repellent will be applied. Observing Memorial Day in all its solemn meaning is also an opportunity to reflect and be grateful for the ultimate sacrifice that gave us this beautiful, imperfect, free world, but also to celebrate that freedom by seeking small moments of joy in the company of others. A trip to the beach, a nature walk, hanging out with friends – it’s always those random, ordinary moments in which life sneaks in to show us its true meaning – connection. Connection to the past, to nature, to one another. 

But, as we all know, there will be more than connecting and fun-having this weekend. There will be plenty of wallet-opening and card-tapping because turning the page between seasons also comes with some wonderful shopping deals that should not be missed. Below are only a few of my favorites! 

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Updates on the Home Front

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Happy May, dear friends! As we near the end of another school year, like clockwork, our activities calendar implodes and chaos takes over, every minute being stretched to the limit to yield more confusion than productivity. Despite the many meetings, projects  & school events that somehow cluster & overlap, contradicting our best efforts to stay organized, I try to savor this time of year as one of my favorites (with the exception of Christmas, of course) and not to wish the days away. 

My daughter will soon graduate sixth grade, and I am incredibly proud of the little woman she’s become, and grateful that I’ve been blessed to witness it. But with that pride comes a heaviness of heart each time I think of how quickly it all slipped away. How quickly kindergarten turned into sixth grade, and how quickly middle school will give way to young adulthood and beyond.  Being present while surrounded by so much noise and activity in our lives is difficult. In a world where everything and everyone commands our immediate attention, being in the moment is a challenge and something I’ve been working really hard on this year. To put my phone down, to let the emails (and the dishes) pile on, to just listen and play and be there for her, while she’ll still have me as her playmate. And if that means blogging a little bit less these days, I hope you won’t hold it against me. I know there will be a time when I’ll be able to go back to my regular three-posts-a-week schedule, but for now, I hope you’ll understand why sometimes it takes me so long between posts. 

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This Week’s Finds

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Happy weekend, dear friends! I hope you’re well! It’s been a beautiful week here in Western Massachusetts, with warm, sunny days that have melted away early spring and brought back some color and activity in my garden. While spare moments have been rare and far in between lately, the few I’ve had I’ve spent in joy, in the company of our latest borrowed pup, Sam, whose presence in our house has brought much happiness, and a worrisome decrease in my productivity.

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Home at Last, by Gil Schafer III – A Review

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Home at Last, architect Gil Schafer’s third book in a series of best-selling volumes documenting his firm’s remarkable portfolio, is one of this spring’s most highly anticipated book launches, and a delightful treat to lovers of classical architecture. If you had a chance to read any of his previous books, The Great American House or A Place to Call Home, then you probably know that he’s set the bar of expectations pretty high.

Home at Last, by Gil Schafer III
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The Advanced Guide to Interior Design – a Course by Rita Konig and Create Academy

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Like baking a good loaf of bread or a batch of fragrant chocolate chip cookies, learning with Create Academy can quickly become an addictive pastime. So far I have taken several of their courses, ranging in subject matter from interior design and gardening, to furniture painting, upholstery and curtain making, and I am always finding myself craving (and returning for) more. If you, too, enjoy homemaking and are passionate about improving your skills in that area and perhaps even learning new ones, you’ll be happy to know that Create Academy has recently introduced an annual membership option which allows anyone who’s a member unlimited access to all of their classes. The cost of a membership is less than the added cost of two distinct classes – a wonderful option for those of you who are interested in taking more than one class and exploring new creative outlets. 

Create Academy, Rita Konig design course
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