Five Things on a Friday – 4/17/26

Happy Friday, friends! I hope your spring is well underway now, and you’re having some weather that allows you to get outside and enjoy a little fresh air again. We were supposed to have a busy weekend of soccer, but Jack went and broke his wrist last weekend in our last tournament, so I guess we’re off this week now. Not to worry, he’s doing just fine, and it was a pretty small fracture, so he’ll be back to playing before we know it. Here’s what we’ve been up to around here!

We had the craziest Easter weekend here at our house, unlike any Easter we’ve experienced in over 20 years. For the first time ever, we were home all weekend with no kids and I wasn’t 100% sure how I felt about it. Kennedy’s just finishing up her third year of university, so the timing didn’t work out for her to come home for Easter this year, and Jack was away on a special trip with his grandma. So here we were with no Easter festivities to coordinate or egg hunts to oversee. My plan was to take advantage of the situation and finally dive into some of those little paint projects I’ve been trying to get to for months, and maybe even tackle some garden clean-up. We ended up having absolutely beautiful weather on Good Friday, and I was able to start a tiny bit of cleanup in the yard, which felt like a step in the right direction. I’m happy to report that I also somehow managed to find lots of time to paint, clean the house, and we even made a little progress on the project in the front hall that has been left unfinished for the last couple of months. It felt good to use the extra time to be productive, and I definitely think it helped keep me from getting too wistful about the kids not being home for Easter. This is definitely not something that happens very often (or ever) so I tried my best to just appreciate and enjoy it. 🙂

I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about bloggers strategizing to take time off, step away, and downgrade their time commitment while still maintaining an income. It sounds like a smart thing to do, and it sounds like what success should look like: Working less and making more, or at least making the same. When I read this, I immediately felt like I was behind, like I’m supposed to be strategizing in that direction, and truthfully, I’m not even close to being there yet, mentally. And I really don’t want to be. After 15 years, I’m working more than ever, and trying to find time to squeeze in more. Maybe this sounds like I’m on the path to burnout, but honestly, I just feel like I still have so many ideas and projects to share. The idea of just doing one or two posts a month to “keep the blog alive” sounds so sad to me, and I’d be sharing new projects daily if I could. All this is to say: I’m not going anywhere, and I’m so glad you’re here with me to share in the adventure. Here’s to many more to come!

Pictured above: Pinch-pleat curtains (color is Travertine; use code CREEKLINEHOUSE for 25% off!) | Runner (under $50!)| Similar frames | Headboard | Linen quilt (color is Willowleaf) | Linen sheets (color is Sand)

I finally painted my brick wall! I had intended to do it back in January, but I just never really had a free day where I could just drop everything and paint. And then, of course, I had to overthink it and second-guess myself about a hundred times, but I finally pulled the trigger over the Easter long weekend and, of course, I was right all along. It needed to be painted, and I love it. Instead of continuing the White Dove paint color from the rest of the room, I decided to use Benjamin Moore “Grant Beige” for a slightly warmer, deeper color, and I love how it really brightens up the room without making things feel too stark. So glad I finally did it! I have to say, though, that now that I see it like this, I really would like to add some more trim work to this wall. We’ve been talking about it, and I wasn’t really sure it was necessary, but now I think it is. Is a project ever really done? 🙂

Our local thrift stores and antique markets have been especially good to me lately, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorite recent finds. I had been looking for a simple wood stool for a few months, and then one day, there it was waiting for me when we happened to pop into one of our local antique markets on the way by. And it was $12! I also found the most amazing collection of vintage frames, including this brass and wood piece that I don’t think I’ll ever top. And, of course, I can’t seem to walk out of a thrift store or antique mall without finding some little ceramic piece – either blue and white or stoneware – that I fall in love with and can’t leave behind.

Our weather has been slowly warming up here, and I’m starting to plan some outdoor projects that I’m really excited about. This winter was particularly brutal, and we have a ton of damage around the property that needs to be fixed and cleaned up, so that will take more time than usual this spring, but I’m also hoping to give our porches a little refresh by staining the deck boards, touching up the paint, and updating a few of the fixtures. I have to laugh because even though a lot of parts of our porches are a bit weathered now after being exposed to the harsh elements for a few years, our doormats still look like new. These LL Bean mats truly are indestructible, and it’s funny to see finishing that look like they should be much tougher fading and degrading in the sun, rain, and wind, but these cute little mats just take it all and keep going. So that’s one thing that I won’t be replacing this spring. 🙂

NEWS AND FINDS

-I’m so excited to announce that my collaboration with Pictured is now live! This is a curated collection of art prints, specifically chosen by me to help you create easy, historically inspired gallery walls in your home, or to find that one vintage-style piece you’ve been looking for but haven’t been able to find anywhere else. The collection combines heritage, tradition, and a sense of whimsy to bring instant character, charm, and personality to your space, and I hope you love all these prints as much as I do. Shop the collection now at Pictured with 20% off my curated gallery wall bundles, or use my code CH15 for 15% off anything else on the site or individual prints from my collection.

Read the full post about the collection here: Introducing The Creek Line House x Pictured Vintage Inspired Art Prints

-Did you see my new woven shades in the bedroom? I never thought I was a motorized window coverings girl, but I have to admit that these work like a dream, and they add so much texture to the space. The brand that makes these shades is called Bringnox, and these are the bamboo shades in the color Bamboo 343.

-The faux cosmos that I ordered from Amazon have arrived, and they’re so good. I was looking for something with the same vibe as the daisies in the Ralph Lauren Home spring collection, and I think these really hit the spot. They arrived all bunches up, but once I bent the stems out a little bit and steamed each bloom for a few seconds, they opened up beautifully, and I think I’ll definitely be using these all spring and summer long.

-I love the idea of an outdoor storage bench like this one that gives you both seating and somewhere to hide things like the chair cushions and outdoor toys. I never seem to find the perfect place to keep the chair cushions for our back deck, so this might be the right solution.

-I’m seriously considering getting faux cedar trees to anchor my porch plantings. I feel like they go against everything I stand for, but I also I know that real cedar trees would die on the porch in our harsh summer sun and I love the idea of having something green up there year-round. I would add other real seasonal plants in pots around the porch to finish it off. I’ve always been against faux plants outside, but they’ve been getting better and better, so now I think it might actually be a good solution to fill in the blanks. How do you feel about faux porch plants?

RECENT POSTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

• Top 10 Dollar Store Gardening Supplies
• 6 Unconventional Design Ideas From Our Mudroom That Just Work
• My Favorite Amazon Finds for April
• How to Hang Baskets From the Ceiling
• Gingham Home Decor Finds