The 1 Item That Trendifies Your Living Space

This morning I snuck into our 9 year old’s room and popped the balloon she nicknamed George. Intentionally. With nail scissors. The 9 year old has been kicking, batting, spiking and punting George around the house. For a week. She loves George. I hate him and all balloons.

 

Balloons are nothing but trouble. From the very first one you give your toddler, on a string, outside, and she lets it go by mistake and watches it drift skyward, tears running down her cheeks. This should tell you something: balloons and children do not mix well. Like soda and pop rocks. It seems like it could be explosive fun, but it’s just a recipe for explosive crying.

 

At our house it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference. “Are you laughing or crying?” my fella and I have been known to ask our offspring. This is why you should take any of my parenting advice with a grain of salt, or maybe a bag of it. Or maybe just file it under the “parenting: what not to do” section of your brain.

 

But here’s the thing: we are responsible for our own happiness. That’s what all the self-help books say. So minimize the objects that instantly put you in a bad mood (see Exhibit A: guru girl, nail scissors and the balloon). Maximize objects that instantly put you in a good mood. Like fresh flowers.

 

I like the $5 or less variety. I like them all in one color, piled in a white vase. They just make me happy. And they don’t cost a lot of money or calories. How many happiness-inducing things can you say this about?

 

I also really like this vase that I put them in. It’s an owl vase, and I think it’s fantastic for many reasons.

 

1)    Owls are having a moment in decorating right now so it’s kind of trendy.

 

2)  The vase is quirky, which is a nice way to undercut the formality of a living room.

 

3)   When you pile a spiky sort of flower in the vase it looks like Don King… if Don King were an owl and had green hair. This fact makes me smile instantly.

 My owl vase vignette cost around $30 ($5 for the flowers, $25 for the vase), but the multiple smiles it brings to my face each day? Priceless.