love the 'crazy book lady living in a rainbow house in a swamp with a flock of ducks' vibe. It's a character I've never seen but I already feel like I know.

i LOVE the green hallway but ngl I also think having every door a different colour is a super duper cool look. bc then if anyone's like "can i use your restroom?" you can be like "yes ofc it's the yellow door upstairs"

OHMYGOD, THE WINE ANALOGY. That was perfect and I will always use it. Thank you!

Agree about book buying. My library is a library! Libraries have books you’ve read and books you haven’t. That’s how I want my library. 🥰

Your house is so cute. The colors. The ducks! Are you kidding me. You’ve truly made this space a reflection of you!

I have a wall of yarn. I will not live long enough to use it all but if I want a certain color or texture of yarn for a project I need it to be there. Sometimes it's not and I must go shopping...and that's how I obtained a wall of yarn. As an aside I also have a wall of books and a wall of vintage Pyrex. All of my walls saved my life during Covid lock down and a cancer battle. Home bound for two years? No problem. My walls have me covered.

I would add: If you want an author to succeed, buy their book and suggest them to your library so they can buy it too, then MORE PEOPLE WILL KNOW ABOUT THEM

the duck flock at the end was simply enchanting thank you for sharing

You’ve got such an infections personality; I think it speaks volumes that we’re all here to watch you paint your door 😂

I’ve been here since the booktube era, when you were about 17. I’m now 28 myself so I feel like we’ve grown up together! So your content stayed relatable to me throughout 😄 I’ve recently bought a house too, waiting to get the keys and I can’t wait to get started on improvements 😊

The university question made me realize just how long I’ve been watching your videos! I still remember your study abroad videos - which really made me want to go to York (and I did end up going and had the chocolate shot 😁)!

Hi Ariel! I just wanted to say that your personality is amazing. You talk so casually and genuinely; it feels like we're friends having a real conversation. I love how you thoroughly express yourself and tell stories! Thanks for this video!

You get me through the longest days. You paint your door and I’ll file. Thank you

Yay, my question made it! It is a shame about the plants, but I'm just crossing my fingers you'll find some more draft-resistant house plants eventually 😬 So good to hear you took a well-deserved break. I love, love, love your house content, but it's even better knowing you're well-rested and not working yourself towards a burn-out.

Another gem! The railing looks great! Glad you took a break. I'm sure you've already realized with an older home you're NEVER really done unless you have deep pockets. It does seem to become an actual lifestyle. You're a creator, and it's another story to develop, plot, and unfold. Then there's those chapters that are soooo unexpected. Heating/cooling is a BIG one and good windows and entrance doors are not cheap but definitely worth buying the best you can afford. Makes a huge difference.

Fellow half Honduran here, I would love to here some more about the time you spent living there as it must have been a very different experience than living in Canada!

Oh gosh the ducks are so lovely. Glad you took a break and got some rest!

thank god someone asked about the ducks love this video~ love all your videos!!!

Loved hearing this Q&A as a newish viewer. I was curious whether you were half Hondureña! I've noticed y'all speak Spanish in some past videos and the wooden box in your bedroom video. My mom's from Nicaragua :) so I'm super jealous you had the opportunity to live in Honduras (and eat the food!!) for a year. I've only gotten to visit back home once.

My BFF has the Count Olaf eye tattooed on her ankle, and it IS super adorable!! Great minds!

Great Q&A Ariel, so happy you posted we missed you. 🥰 Also, the purple with the green is just darling! An explosion of colors!

You may have done this all ready, but get a case of caulk and a caulk gun and caulk EVERYWHERE!!! Around doors, windows and anywhere you find a sneaky draft. It’s the big first thing I do when I move to a new place. It really helps.

could you recommend your favourite documentaries please? either in a video or on the podcast

Please consider the flood risk implications downstream of removing the beaver dam if that's what you are planning on doing!! I work as a flood risk officer in the UK and we're actually reintroducing beavers over here as a flood risk management solution (and also biodiversity). It's definitely worth getting a flood risk assessment done because moving the dam could increase flood risk to your house or your neighbours/others downstream, it can get complicated because of syncing up peak flows at confluences and things so definitely worth an assessment

I've been lerking for a while now. But had to comment on your colors you love...those two colors of blue and purple are pretty close to my wedding colors back in the 80s! They are timeless. Love your videos, you are cute, quirky and fun, I love watching, so much so that I even joined BOFM thanks to you!! ;) Thanks for your fun and informative videos!

You are absolutely one of my comfort youtubers and I am always so happy when you upload! Can’t wait for future house projects and book uploads!

I was literally JUST thinking about you and wondering when you were going to post again

Love your videos! Let me share a painting tip. Instead of painting out of the quart can, I pour the paint into a large plastic drink cup with a HANDLE. It's so much easier! I clean and keep the cup with my painting supplies. You're welcome. 😉

pls pls pls film a duck update (duckdate) in spring, if there are ducklings!

I love the way that purple book on the lower shelf like exactly matches the purple paint!! It's so satisfying 😌😅💜

If the door colour continues to bother you, you could always match the white paint on the walls. That would make the door blend in whether it's open or closed Alternatively, and this is something we do bc our cats are fundamentally opposed to closed doors, you could just hang a curtain in the doorway. Tbh, curtains instead of a bedroom door was the smartest thing I've ever done. We doubled up the curtains so there's a pretty blue set facing the hall and a black set facing the room. They are thermal curtains, so they keep the room warm, and they actually dampen sound better than the door does. 10/10 would recommend. 10/10 cat approved.

You should take the doorknob and key holes off and strip them. I wonder if they’re brass! I bet they’d be beautiful!

ARIEL!!! A while back you mentioned God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut in one of your videos so I picked it up and as a result have been on a MASSIVE Vonnegut marathon since January. I had to tell you that because I'm truly having the time of my life 🥰 I believe I've already recommended Hocus Pocus to you under your Best Books of 2021 video, but now I'm CERTAIN you gotta check out Vonnegut's Bluebeard as well!! It's hideously underrated but so so good :))

Girl you have no idea how inspirational the work you've done to your house has been to me, I absolutely ADORE what you've done to the place

I love goodwill for thrifting. Amazing books. Occasionally great books shelves. And great clothing options (if you look close enough)

Wow, I loved how you talked about collecting books. Nobody really understands why I have so many books and for years that has led to guilt. So I feel instant guilt when I by a book and not read it right away. It was healing for me to hear you talk about it as a wine collection, thank you! ♥

My mom's house is of a similar age and insulation level. There definitely are plants that will take more of a beating than others. Pothos are pretty forgiving, and easy to propagate so you can have back up if you murder the first one. Spider plants also thrive on neglect and are hard to kill. Snake plants/mother in law's tongue, also hardy af. I don't know how, but we also have managed to keep a Boston fern alive, it's been in the family for.... over a hundred years now (it came from the original family farm when my family immigrated to Canada in the 1800's), though I suppose it makes sense that if you just bring a plant in from outside that it will have no problems dealing with the comparatively more comfortable environment indoors. My mom and I both are prolific murderers of plants, and all if those have managed to survive 30+ years in a household with varying degrees of ADHD and old house located in Canada's climate. Figured they are worth a try if you're interested

I think Ariel should write about her ducks sort of like The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating type of book😊

Hey Ariel loved the video! You may want to consider scattering your quack snacks over the water, they may find it easier to pick off your offering from the surface of the water than off the ground they can pretty easily get mud and sticks stuck inside their nose/billet.

If you did a closet tour and showed us all your favorite pieces 👀👀👀👀 that would be soo rad bc I always like your clothes

Do you have insulation at all? My house has seaweed insulation so they said it wouldn't be ideal for blown in insulation because it could get caught, but if your house has none then blown in might be an option that's a little more cost effective than regular insulation.

I have to pause the video to say I lOVE you. I didn’t know but I missed you 😂😘

The duck shot is so nicely lit and everything looks so satisfying. Amazing job!

I missed you! Thank you for your video. I am glad to hear you are feeling refreshed.

I love your ducks, the drakes are beautiful. I was surprised that they didn’t fly somewhere warmer for the winter.

ariel: and now I'm here painting a door me: it honestly sounds great! Btw I started watching when I was 16 (I'm 19 now, almost reaching identity crisis 20s)! You are like the older sister type who does cool things that you would like to copy one day! And let me say that after all that academia, you deserve to have fun painting doors.

So glad to see a new video from you, it seriously lights up my day ✨☺️

All the vibes I need

Your videos just make me so happy in my heart! 🥰 Thank you for sharing! 💜🌻✨

Always love listening to your thoughts! Thanks for sharing!

i cannot describe how excited i get when i see you've posted a video! love these!

So glad you're back and all rested! Can't wait to see the hall! ✌💜

I love your joy stood surrounded by quackers next to your vey own swamp. There be goals right there😂

I love you, Ariel! Thank you for bringing so much joy into our lives 🥰

Absolutely perfect video to revive too ❤ I like the colourful doors and I'm edging closer to getting my own home (sooooooonnnnn) so deffo taking notes from your videos ❤

BEEN CRAVING SOME BISSETT CONTENT!

You're laugh is amazing!! Love your content!

I haven’t even watched the video & am just so happy to see you’ve posted a new video!🥳

I was just thinking I haven't seen a video from you in a while and here you are! Love the purple door! I could watch a new video everyday of your house and book adventures :)

Ariel, you are just so much fun to watch and listen to! Love love love xxx

i LOVE this style of q&a!! something about watching you paint a door is weirdly calming HAHA

ARIEL YES! I’m same about coffee too! I love how quirky you are and your laugh is amazing! Love the dock flock

So happy to have this video pop up because I was literally just thinking about you. Thank you for the words to express how I feel about buying books!

thank you so much for this video! i've been following you for several years now and seeing all the progress you've made and all the achievements you had in the past couple years means a lot to me! i give me hope about the rest of my twenties :)

What a blessing to have your home be a sanctuary to so many ducks through the winter!

I was nervous thinking a fleck of paint could end up on that gorgeous couch!

This was such an upbeat casual video, felt like chatting with a friend. Thank you for sharing glimpses into your life, it's wonderful to see. Also, very jealous of the duck flock!

Oh the ducks are just so adorable!

I love your house, I love your channel, I love your personality, I love your words and the way you talk and gosh darn you are so pretty! I'm always so excited to get notifications that this aesthetic channel has posted!

I loved the wine analogy about books, I will definitely using that! Also, I live in an old house and I have the same plant problem!! I've managed to keep a pot of succulents I inherited from my grandmother and a christmas cactus that I got from a coworker. And thank you for making these videos!! They always inspire me to want to tackle my own projects.

Aah, you're a book mom! I too love books, my husband on the other hand groans every time we have to move.... it was a joy to see your videos again. can't wait for the next one. Loved the ducks, they are very cute!

you have such a bright personality

I would love to see some clothes content from you! Always love what you wear and how you style things!!

I used to do a lot of wildlife rehabilitation and the ducks were so cool 🦆💚

You most definitely deserve to take a break!! What you have done is incredible💕💕 love the duckies

It's always fun when I see a new vid from you!

Ohhhhh I needed this! Missed you 😉

you were one of the first youtubers i ever subscribed to and the only one i’m still following & so excited to click on a notification for :”) you feel like an older sister to me which is so nice bc i’m the oldest and don’t often get to feel like i have someone to look up to for life milestones. your videos are a huge comfort for me. all this to say i appreciate you & the stuff u put out in the world 🥰

you don’t understand how much excitement i get when your video notification pops up XD

Omggggg you answered my question 😍! So excited to see you do the upstairs hallway! I get overworking yourself, I did that too in 2020 early 2021. (Also bought an old house in November 2020) Omg the sneak peak already looks so good.

You with your ducks gives me so much joy

i am obsessed

The True Cost was the first documentary that I watched that really got me thinking as well 🤯 Loved the little bit chaotic vibes today 🥰

May I suggest the power of curtains for insulation? There are a lot of beautiful examples of portiere curtains between rooms and also basically curtain rods on doors just to create an extra barrier. I think some funky fabrics could really fit into your decor and be practical at the same time!

That is the best description of a book collection I have ever heard! Thank you for that! Now I know how to explain it to other people!

Came out adorable

Great correlation between book buying/collecting and wine collectors. 👍

Love the flock of Mallards! Keep your eye out for Wood Ducks! They are very intricate in feather design.

Love the duck invasion your so lucky having them on your doorstep love your videos you always make me smile, love and hugs from Bonnie Scotland xx

you could do a greenhouse cabinet! they are super diyable and would allow plants inside!

I just read The Verifiers and loved it. I hope it will be a series.

The book collector analogy has inspired me to continue collecting books. 😍🤩🤑 Love your progress with the house by the way. 💚💜 All the best Ariel. 💯💯💯

Oh the ducks! So pretty and precious 🥰

Living vicariously through you and your duck flock 🥺

My toddler & I are BIG fans of the ducks! I'm so glad to see you doing so well, and as a mom who is your age & has a house of my own I really am enjoying the house fix-up videos. It's been inspiring me to finally get to the projects around my house I've been dreaming up but ultimately putting on the back burning for years.. I've been following your channel for about 7 years and it's been fun to watch to evolution of Ariel.

Okay but obsessed with that colour

the fact that you have a duck squad that clearly supports you is the coolest most badass thing!!

I like the wine and stamp analogies for book collecting!

"I want it to be purple!!" Words to live your life by...I LOVE it!! Your content is always awesome. Thank you.

Painting that door was SO SATISFYING to watch and love the duckies! You're great