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Updated: May 16, 2022 by Kris Jarrett

Meet “Cricket” + The Power of a Light Bulb Swap, & Early Black Friday Deals!

Hi all! I had an entirely different post planned for today but… an unexpected pint-sized gift landed in our laps last week and turned all of my plans upside down in all the best ways. Say hi to our new cutie, “Cricket”:

The new addition to our family - meet Cricket!

Best early Christmas present ever! She is simply too sweet not to share so I wanted to tell you a little bit about our cute new family member and the story of how she came to be ours.

 

Many of you have been following along on the blog for years now and know that we had the sweetest Boston terrier “Hope” who we lost in April of this year. We had adopted her at 5 months of ago from a wonderful rescue organization in Indiana and I would swear that she was forever grateful to us – she was truly a once in a lifetime dog and we all still miss her dearly.

After Hope was gone, our house felt so lonely without a dog but I just wasn’t ready to jump right back into having one when our hearts were still healing from losing her. Fast forward a few months and I found myself starting to peek at Petfinder and AdoptAPet, you know… just to look – ha!  I eventually found several rescue dogs that I thought could be good matches and each time I would apply and get excited about having possibly found our new addition only to get let down when another family was chosen.

Then about a month ago a cute little 6-year-old Boston terrier named Cricket popped up. There was very little information about her and I was debating whether to put in an application without knowing more when her profile was removed from the site. Covid has resulted in a crazy increase in dog ownership so these Bostons were getting adopted fast! I didn’t think much more about her until three weeks later when up popped Cricket on AdoptAPet again! I immediately sent an email to Cricket’s foster mom with some questions and she responded right away, leading to a phone call and then an application to adopt her.

Cricket's adoption listing

Cricket was being fostered in New York but had been transported all the way up from Mississippi with FOHARI (Friends of Homeless Animals – Rhode Island). Transporting rescue dogs from the south (where there are a lot more homeless pets) to the northeast where they have a better chance of adoption is actually pretty common. Cricket was previously owned by a woman in her 90’s who had to go into a nursing home and the woman’s family couldn’t keep her so they advertised her for free to whoever wanted her. Luckily someone from the rescue organization saw the listing and snagged her (some of the things that can happen to “free” pets are nightmarish).

Cricket was adopted out quickly after she was listed on FOHARI’s site the first time but the family who adopted her apparently had another dog who was not fond of this new little addition and they ended up turning Cricket back over to the rescue. That’s when she was re-listed and I happened to see her profile. Fast forward five days during which they checked our references, did a virtual home visit, etc. and Cricket was ours!

Cricket, our new Boston terrier!

We met up with her foster mom (who was so wonderful through the whole process) on Wednesday to pick up our new little family member and our first reaction was that we couldn’t believe how little she is! Cricket is under 11 pounds which is really tiny for a Boston terrier. She’s a total love bug and is happiest when you’re holding her or she’s cuddled up in your lap.

Cricket cuddled up

Cricket was piddle pad trained in her previous home so we’re having to potty train her to go outside just like you would a new puppy but she seems to be catching on pretty quickly. We are totally smitten and loving having the tiny sound of feet trailing after us around the house again. It took about five months for us to be matched with her but Cricket was definitely worth the wait! I’m sure you’ll be seeing her pop up a lot on the blog because just like our sweet Hope, Cricket already doesn’t stray far from her new momma 🙂

Cricket, our Boston terrier

We are forever grateful to FOHARI and Cricket’s foster mom – all of the volunteers who donate their time and love to helping so many rescue dogs have a very special place in my heart.

Now switching gears with a quick tip…

 

This tip couldn’t be more quick & easy but you might be surprised by what an impact a simple change-up of light bulbs can have! I actually get asked about my light bulbs in our kitchen pendants all the time so I thought I’d share what I use and show you how it changes up their look.  Instead of using traditional candelabra bulbs in our kitchen pendants, I use {these clear globe bulbs} which add a stylish twist:

Love the idea of changing out the light bulbs for these stylish globe bulbs!Sources: Kitchen pendants (12.5″)  |  Gray & white counter stools  | All other sources are linked {here}

They might not be for everyone (when renovating our kitchen I surveyed your opinions on these two bulb types and answers were split pretty much 50/50), but I love that they’re a bit unexpected. I use the same bulbs in a lower wattage in our sputnik light fixture upstairs:

Gorgeous brass sputnik flush mount ceiling light fixture! Perfect for this kid friendly space!Sources: Sputnik light fixture  |  Herringbone wallpaper  |  Daybed  |  Window shades  |  Floor lamp

and also in the pendants in my girls’ bedrooms.

Globe bulbs in the next size up are also my go-to’s for bathroom vanity lighting. You can find them in both clear and frosted options:

Love the look of these globe bulbs in bathroom vanity lights!

Sources: Vanity light fixtures  |  Vanity  |  Vanity knobs  |  Mirrors  |  Faucets  |  Woven tray  |  Soap & lotion sink set  |  Striped towels  |  Other sources are linked {here}

I typically use {these clear globes} with light fixtures that have clear shades like in our master bathroom and {these frosted globes} with light fixtures that have frosted shades like in our girls’ bathroom. I also use the same clear globes in {this woven pendant} above the tub in our bathroom:

Gorgeous woven pendant with clear globe light bulb

and in the woven pendant over our kitchen table in NC.

One thing that drives me a little crazy about globe bulbs is that some brands put writing on them that you obviously wouldn’t want to see if you have an open weave or glass fixture where the bulb shows. Often you can turn the bulb so that the lettering faces the back of the fixture where you won’t see it but if not, I’ve found that an easy fix is to take a scraper like {this one} (it’s made for ceramic cooktops but I use it for tons of other things) and simply scrape the lettering off (when it’s not plugged in of course 🙂 ):

A simple tip for removing lettering from light bulbs!

And one last related quick but impactful idea for an easy makeover is to change out shades for bathroom vanity lights! I swapped out the old glass shades for {these new shades} in my girls’ bathroom and it made a world of difference:

It's amazing how much of an update a simple swap of shades can make!!

 

 

It’s crazy how many pre-Black Friday sales are already out! I guess it makes sense this year since stock is low on so many items and shipping is taking forever. The good news is that you can knock out a lot of shopping early so I thought I’d share my favorite early deals for you and your friends & family on your holiday gift list! First off, Rifle Paper Company currently has 25% off plus free shipping on $50+ {here} . They have the cutest colorful patterns – I own the doggie waste bag holder that clips to our leash, the AirPod case, and the wireless charger – they would all make great gifts!

 

Sources: Scrunchie  |  Pet waste bag holder  |  AirPod case  |  Catchall tray  |  Wireless charger

If you’re looking to dress up your home for the holidays, Wayfair is having a Black Friday Sneak Preview Sale with a bunch of first-chance deals plus free shipping over $35. My favorite deal is on our bedroom nightstands that are not only on big sale but they’re also an additional 20% off when you buy two! You can find them {here} in several different color options.

 

These are my other favorite Wayfair pre-Black Friday sale finds:

 

Sources: Blue & white table lamps  |  White nightstand  |  Neutral patterned area rug  |  Round mirror  |  Desk lamp  |  Writing desk (multiple color options)  |  Geometric throw pillows

If you’ve been waiting for a good deal on a Dyson cordless vacuum, Target has the Dyson v10 Animal (which is the one that I have) on sale for 30% off {here}. They also have the v8 on sale but I don’t recommend it – the v10 is a big step up from that previous model.

In case you missed it in my Instagram Stories, my Ninja Foodi that I LOVE and gets amazing reviews is on sale for the best price I’ve seen it {here}. Plus, if you’ve never bought from HSN before, get another $20 off with code HSN2020. If you’re not familiar with it, it works as an indoor grill with NO smoke (perfect for this winter when there’s too much snow to grill & we’re staying out of indoor restaurants) plus it air crisps, bakes, and roasts. And clean up is crazy easy. We just got ours last month and have already used it a ton!

 

J. Crew has early access to Cyber Monday deals {here}– {these plaid & tartan socks} are darling and would make great stocking stuffers and {this crystal cluster earring set} is an awesome deal and would make a great gift too!

And TJMaxx has {this set of two white dining chairs} that we have in our NC dining room for the best price I’ve ever seen them – only $50 each! Not a Black Friday sale but I didn’t want to miss telling you about it because it’s hard to find decent chairs for that price!

How was that for a completely random post? 😂 Hopefully I’ll get a little more done this week as Cricket and I get into a new routine, including finally getting our family room Christmas tree flocked! I’ve wanted a flocked tree for that room for a few years now but didn’t want to buy a new tree so I’m going to try flocking the one we already have. Stay tuned… I’ll let you know how it goes!

XO,

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Comments

  1. Shawne says

    November 09, 2020 at 5:31 pm

    SO happy for your family and CRICKET!! Love, Love, LOVE to hear positive doggie placement stories! She is absolutely adorable and sounds like, so meant to be with you!

    Please post LOTS of pictures of Cricket in posts to come!

    Reply
  2. Dena says

    November 09, 2020 at 5:42 pm

    Aw, Cricket is a doll! It’s hard to lose a dog for sure, but it’s hard having a home without a dog. Good luck with the potty training.

    Reply
  3. Susan says

    November 09, 2020 at 5:54 pm

    Such a beautiful, uplifting story of little Cricket and how she cane to be in your family! Stories like these reaffirms my belief in a higher power, that Cricket was truly meant to be with you! All the best!

    Reply
  4. Susan says

    November 09, 2020 at 5:57 pm

    Congratulations on your sweet little Cricket, she looks like a real lovebug!

    Reply
  5. Elizabeth says

    November 09, 2020 at 6:27 pm

    I love this tips! I am not sure the bulbs would work in my lights but they look fabulous in yours. I am off to check out the sales

    Reply
  6. Gail says

    November 09, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    Hi Kris,

    Cricket is so adorable and she is such a lucky dog to have you and your family as her forever humans, she will be loved and pampered for many years to come. I really related to your story because I lost my 15 year old cat Riley in September and feel the same way you did that I’m just not ready to bring another kitty into our lives. But I had to laugh when you talked about how you started looking at Adopt A Pet and Petfinder because I’ve been doing that exact same thing. So congratulation on the addition to your home of sweet Cricket.

    Reply
  7. Linda says

    November 09, 2020 at 7:22 pm

    Oh my! I’m so happy for you and your family on welcoming Cricket into your home! Bless her little heart-she needed your family! Lucky her …. lucky you! What a sweet story. She is adorable. Thanks for sharing her with us. I loved seeing glimpses of Hope when she was still with you.

    Reply
  8. Julie says

    November 09, 2020 at 7:38 pm

    Kris, I grew up with Boston Terriers and they are my FAVORITE dog! Enjoy your new baby even more with the holidays coming!!

    Reply
  9. Jeaneen says

    November 09, 2020 at 7:56 pm

    Congratulations on adopting your new doggie, Cricket. And also good for you and your family for adopting a rescue. We have a now 14 year old dog, Millie, who was sponsored by Pet Smart and brought to Michigan from Tennessee. She has brought my husband and me so much joy.

    Reply
  10. Annie says

    November 09, 2020 at 10:26 pm

    Thanks for including the Rifle Gift Guide. I love their colorful selection of items that make the greatest and most unique gifts.
    I clicked on the woven pendant light you have hanging over your bathtub and found the perfect pendant light (same brand) to hang above the bistro table in our breakfast room! Thank you!!
    Cricket is as cute as she can be; know she’ll give you twice the love you give to her! I have always had a special place in my heart for Boston Terriers. When I was a little girl, my Grandma and Grandpa had a cute little Boston named Cindy. I played with her like she was my doll, dressing her up, pushing her in my doll carriage, reading stories to her… fond memories.

    Reply
  11. Patty says

    November 09, 2020 at 10:58 pm

    Kris, I’m so excited for your family – Cricket is cute as a button! I know her previous owner would be thrilled to know that your family has her little Cricket to protect and love. I can only imagine how she must have grieved to have to give her up! What a blessing you’ve been given! (I’ve missed seeing sweet little Hope and have thought of you all so often. I know the heartbreak of losing a loved pet and that empty house feeling when they are gone.)
    Thanks for all the wonderful info that you give us. I’ve learned so much from you. I also hate the writing on some of the bulbs – we found it on some LED candelabra bulbs. I used a little nail polish remover on a cotton ball – the writing came right off. I didn’t think of scraping it off. Whose idea was it to put writing on the bulbs anyway!!
    Wishing your family and sweet little Cricket a blessed Thanksgiving.

    Reply
  12. Natalie FitzPatrick says

    November 09, 2020 at 11:04 pm

    I am sooooo happy you have adopted Cricket! Seeing Hope in your pictures was heart-breaking. I am thrilled you support rescues and look forward to many beautiful photos including the adorable Cricket. On another note- I am very interested in flocking one of my trees, I’d love your input and any tips you might have!

    Reply
  13. JudyG says

    November 10, 2020 at 8:22 am

    We, too, have a rescue. His name is Ollie and he came all the way to Cape Cod via an Uber Puppy Bus. He has filled the house with his 20 lbs of fun and laughter. My friend once said that when you have a pet you are never alone.

    “Bow Wow, y’all” to Cricket!

    Reply
  14. Toni says

    November 10, 2020 at 8:57 am

    So happy for you and Cricket! All of our pups have come from rescues and have been the best family members. Thanks for sharing your story.

    Reply
  15. Michelle says

    November 10, 2020 at 10:30 am

    Congratulations on the new family member! So happy for you and Cricket to have found each other!! She is just adorable and can’t wait to see more of her in your blog posts. Thank you for sharing the happy news!

    Reply
    • Jodena R Beale says

      November 10, 2020 at 12:33 pm

      I have two dogs right now and I keep saying at 63 I wont get anymore dogs but just the thought of rescuing one that needs love makes my heart ache. Thank you for sharing and congrats on crickett.

      Reply
  16. Donna says

    November 10, 2020 at 12:24 pm

    OMG!!! Such cuteness! Welcome Cricket!!

    Reply
  17. Lisa DiLibero says

    November 10, 2020 at 1:28 pm

    I am from Rhode Island and have two rescues myself. Lots of love to Cricket!!! I am new to your site and absolutely love it and look forward to
    Your posts!!! I am obsessed! Any suggestions for great sheets …? That are affordable ? Best 🙂

    Reply
  18. Robin | find me on The Porch says

    November 10, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    We recently lost our 15 year old Yorkie and were absolutely heart broken! We have another dog, a sort-of rescue, Shih Tzu mix named Joe Joe. Joe Joe, formerly Joey, was my Aunt’s comfort dog. We lost her last year to a brain tumor. Joe Joe is the absolute sweetest love bug and we are his 4th home (long story). Anyways, I am so glad that you found Cricket and that she found you. Love and hugs, Robin

    Reply
  19. Anonymous says

    November 10, 2020 at 7:45 pm

    People that adopt rescue dogs have such good hearts !

    Reply
  20. Carla says

    November 11, 2020 at 9:10 am

    Congratulations on the new addition to you family! Cricket looks very happy, and it is so wonderful that your family chose a rescue pup again. Poor girl must be a bit discombobulated, but she landed with an amazing family! We rescued our pandemic puppy in April, a few months after our 15 year old dog passed away, and it really does fill that dog sized hole in our hearts.

    Reply
  21. Anonymous says

    November 11, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    No. Seriously. That dog! She’s gorgeous! We lost our Boston this past March. Today, coincidentally, would have been her 13th birthday. I’m so happy for you that little Cricket has come into your lives. Blessings.

    Reply
  22. cassie says

    November 12, 2020 at 9:44 am

    Great post and I’m just going to say it- fun to pop in your brain for the day! I would enjoy these more often : ) And Cricket looks like an adorable mix of old soul/new friend

    Reply

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