Dirt Road Adventures: On The Road, Magazine Features, and DIY

Happy Sunday, and welcome to Dirt Road Adventures! This is where we review all the exciting events behind the scenes, on the website, and the sources of inspiration I discovered online during the past week. This weekly recap ensures you don’t miss any of our adventures.

Hey friends,

I’m still on the road. Brad picked me up from our girlfriend’s weekend at N. Myrtle Beach last Sunday! We traveled from there to our beach cottage, where we enjoyed daily walks, lots of porch-sitting, and dining at our favorite restaurants. I finished reading Counting Miracles, the latest novel by Nicholas Sparks based in my hometown of Asheboro, NC. Then, we traveled to our daughter’s house to babysit their two fur babies. Can you tell who the professional model is? Rudy loves to sit for a photo shoot. However, Millie and Jackson could not care less. LOL. Millie and Rudy love playing together but move so fast that it’s hard to capture them. See more below.

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While we were at our daughter’s house, Brad took this opportunity to add a tile backsplash behind her new stove. He set all the tiles on Saturday and will add the grout before we leave. I’ll share a photo of the finished project next week. I did a little thrifting and had some luck at Freedom House Thrift Store on N. Battleground Road, Greensboro. See more details below.

It was an exciting week because of two Real Simple magazine features. Having your ideas and content recognized by a national magazine is always an honor. Here are the two features.

Book Review: Counting Miracles

I was excited to read Nicholas Sparks’ latest book because it’s set in our small town. For the most part, the representation of our cozy downtown was very complimentary. The story was a little predictable, and in the beginning, I was unsure about the sometimes sappy romance part of the book. However, as I continued to read, the story became more involved, with a tear-jerking backstory. I even gasped at one point with tears in my eyes as the story drew to an end. So, if you are looking for an easy read with a sweet and emotional ending, this book is for you. It’s available here on Amazon.

We are looking forward to getting back home this week. Although we love traveling, I look forward to a few days at the farmhouse. Are you a homebody, or can you stay on the road for extended lengths of time?

In Case You Missed It

Although I wasn’t home, I worked hard before we left to have a few new projects to share with you last week. Let me know what you think.

Adventures Off The Dirt Road

Why Didn’t I Think of That?

There are so many wonderful blog posts each week, and I’m sharing some of my favorites with you today.

There are so many creative ideas, and I’m always asking myself, “Why didn’t I think of that”? LOL

• Wendy’s Succulent Pumpkin Centerpiece is so lovely and easy to make.
• And Stephanie’s Floral Pumpkin Centerpiece is equally impressive.
• I want to save Michelle’s cute idea for making Easy Yarn Ghosts. They are adorable.
• And CoCo’s cute little Jute Witches Brooms are also on my list for next year.
• Stacy’s helpful tips for How to Overwinter Caladium Plants are so informative.

Thrift Store Finds

I took advantage of our time in Greensboro to go thrifting. This week’s haul includes three vintage books by Louisa May Alcott, a snowy framed print, clear craft Christmas ornaments, brass leaf napkin rings, two silver trays, a small glass Christmas Tree platter, and a Johnson Brothers snowy Christmas plate. They all came from Freedom House Thrift Store and were great deals. They even gave me this great bag to carry my treasures in. I felt like Santa Claus.

What’s In My Cart

I’m still adding to my holiday craft supplies and Christmas decorations, which I know will sell out fast. Here are some of my favorites for this year and some from previous years. I’ll update this list over the next few weeks so you can check back often. Click the image for all my favorites.

Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you.