Newly diagnosed & overwhelmed!

Hi friends:
I absolutely love reading everyone's blogs. I love the decorating ideas, I love the projects, and paint projects. I love not only reading these blogs but I love finding that inspiration and doing my own projects. Sadly, my projects have been slow going...I'm okay with that though! We've had a rough year in our household! And my energy has shifted to caregiver, fighter, fundraiser!
In August, my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It's not curable (right now), but it's treatable and do-able! BUT, for the newly diagnosed family...it's exhausting! Blood tests, calculations, meal planning and more calculations, dr. appts, blood testing, field trips, middle of the night blood testing, writing everything you put in your mouth down, faxing meals and numbers weekly. Exhausting is an understatement! (and the year leading up to this worse...a lot of dr. appts and misdiagnosis that I won't go into). But we are so very grateful that we have answers now to what was a very long a confusing year leading up to this.
So, as you can, there's just not much time/energy to focus on the house like I'd like. I have found the time to read the blogs and do some changes and projects to our home. I just haven't found the time to edit pictures and write a blog about it! Someday soon! I love working on my home!
I haven't exactly been sitting around since August though. On top of her diagnosis:  I've managed a 'new' part time job, held the volunteer 'fundraiser' position for my daughters synchronized skating team (raising close to $20,000 pre-expenses);  painted a few rooms and pieces of furniture, trying to start a business, was Cara's Team captain for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk. In which we raised close to $2000 ...and the list goes on.
In February, in the midst of skating season, I thought I was having a nervous breakdown.  A lot of traveling and skating and blood sugar lows and highs. But, now I'm rested and am adding to my above list: Board Member of my daughters skating club!
I really thought I was failing on so many levels, but now that I see it in writing...wow!! Thank you Lord for giving me strength!!
And thank you to my 39 readers for being patient with me. Sometimes I wonder when I haven't seen a blogger in a while, what's going on in their lives and pray that all is well!
Thank you for taking the time to read this...I really hope to be posting more often.
Love, Candace

Here's a few pictures I managed to upload.

JDRF Walk Team TShirt!!

Me, Cara and my mom

Some of our amazing friends who joined in the walk!!

KICKS Synchronized Skating Team-1st Place!! (Cara 2nd row, left leaning over)

Sparkly Sequened Headband (knock off/copy cat)

 I'm sure you've seen them all over the place!  

All of the teenage girls are wearing them (and my daughter is no different.)  

I'm talking about those sparkly sequened headbands. 

My daughter bought her first two at Claires for $7.50 each

and they only had 3 colors to choose from!  

Well, when I saw these, my first thought was...I can make these!

Heck, SHE could make these. 

I told her that the fabric store has a huge selection of this sequened ribbon

in every size and color and it cost a fraction of the price.

I took her to the fabric store, she made her selection and off we paid.

They are simply hot glued!! Super simple!! 

Honestly, it took longer for the glue gun to get hot than it did to make these!

Our version cost $1.75 each!! (no coupon even)

Can you tell which one is $7.50 from Claire's?

Didn't think so...

but, it's the gray/navy one!

She's planning to make and sell!

XOXO

linking to:

Coffee Table to Bench...another GoodWill makeover

Ok. So I was wanting to hold on to this project until it's completion. But, I can't.

I'm SO excited about how this project is turning out!!!

The story goes like this:  On a trip to Goodwill...sadly, or goodly (?), one of my favorite stores...I found this coffee table.



Now, if you've read my blog before, you know that I am a sucker for details, well minus the dust...but you see the potential, right? Good, I'm glad YOU can....my husband's eyes rolled when he saw this thing.

The thing about this table....it was $7.00!!! Cigarette burns and all baby. HaHa...kinda gross actually! (insert smoked filled basement scene of  That 70's show.) 

 And, although I NEEDED a coffee table, I didn't SEE it as a coffee table.

My vision: Painted cream and aged with glaze, topped with a cushion in a beautiful fabric. 

 I see it as a bench, extra seating if you will. 

Here it is painted:  



Here it is painted and glazed, and the fabric draped across the top:



It will be on it's way to the upholstery shop soon. I really don't want to ruin the fabric. (The fabric was EXPENSIVE.)

I can't wait to get it back!!

I just LOVE how it turned out!!

XOXO

Linking to:

Wow us Wednesdays

So Long Faux, Hello Greek Villa!

Here's a sneek peek of my kitchen paint re-do. 

You can see my previous house tour post here. I liked our house before, but it was just WAY too many faux finishes!

Our house was a 'show home' and my husband hated to paint over these faux finsihes:

"people pay BIG money for faux finishes." Well, I agree! But, there is a thing as TOO much. 

It doesn't make it 'special' when there's TOO much of it. 

(The ceiling over the chandelier is fauxed, the tiles floors 'look' fauxed. The walls just competed.)

I felt like the walls were just 'dirty'. I like a clean crisp look.

Well,, here's a sneek peek at our kitchen...it's still a work in progress!

But, I am SO happy with the paint change! It's Sherwin Williams Greek Villa. 

BEFORES: 

AFTERS:

 

 

(The chalkboard I talked about here .Will go over the bombay chest.)

 

Did you notice my new chandelier?! LOVE IT!!!!

XOXO

 

Follow me to watch the progress

Linking to:

Monday:

It's So Very Cheri

Cottage Instincts



Tuesday:

Reinvented

Today's Creative Blog

New Nostalgia

Lucky Star Lane





Wednesday:

My Backyard Eden

Blue Cricket Design

Trendy Treehouse

The Thrifty Home

Sew Much Ado

Saturday Mornings

Life In My Pj's



Thursday:

Life as Lori

Somewhat Simple

The Shabby Chic Cottage

Beyond The Picket Fence

Cheap Thrills Thursday



Friday:

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Frugal and Fabulous

The Shabby Nest

Furniture Feature Friday

Flaunt it Friday

Remodelaholic

Simply Designing

Frugalicious Friday

Room Re-mix Paint Party


Saturday:

Perfectly Imperfect

Big 'ol confession!

I have a confession....It's not like an Oprah confession or anything, but i'm still not proud of it.  I just needed to do it! I need someone else!! I needed validated! So, I consulted....an interior decorator! And it felt GREAT!!

If you look through my House Tour Post, you'll see I've been contemplating this not so new anymore house.

I've got SO many ideas circling through my brain 24/7! But, I always hesitate...doubt myself. I let fear hold me back! What if I spend this money or time on something and it's all wrong!

Well, I was validated! And the best part...in front of the hubby! Every piece of 'junk' I brought home and had envisioned a certain way or in a certain place was validated!! YEAH!!!

So, I've been in the process over the last 6 months or so of implementing my visions!

I've got a lot of Before's (my to-do list grows everyday) and not so many After's. But I've been trying to get a project done a week and still manage to blog about it, keep up with my part-time turned full-time job, take care of my newly diagnosed diabetic daughter, and manage 2 kids and their never ending activities!

I will do my very best to show you the AFTER's, But I'll also show you some BEFORE's (those are the one's w/out the AFTER's waiting to be done, I've got a ton).

Let's start with one now, shall we: 

The "decorator" suggested I place a chalkboard over this Bombay chest in our kitchen.

Well, I said "Great...I've got a ton of frames in the basement. I'll paint and make one."  So, off we went to the basement to pick out the perfect frame. Now, I love over sized furnishings and yet none of my frames seem to be large enough...according to the 'decorator'. So, it's been on my mind/list to have my eyes open for an extremely large frame...like gi-normous!!

Well...here it is! (the Bombay chest is behind it, for now)

As you can see by the picture...it's almost as large as my 11 year old! Seriously!
( I LOVE HER-the 11 year old!!)

I think it was a mirror that broke and it was super cheap at Hobby Lobby as is. But, I've been searching high and low for good details and something the decorator thought would work!

The bad thing is....this is a BEFORE photo and the AFTER goes on my to-do list! Another project for when the snow melts and the sun shines! But I do LOVE it!!

We've changed furniture, we've painted, we've switched out lighting, we have done a ton,
so stay tuned to other 'decorator' suggestions that are slowly being implemented...

Monday:

 

It's So Very Cheri

Cottage Instincts



Tuesday:

Reinvented

Today's Creative Blog

New Nostalgia

Lucky Star Lane





Wednesday:

My Backyard Eden

Blue Cricket Design

Trendy Treehouse

The Thrifty Home

Sew Much Ado

Saturday Mornings

Life In My Pj's



Thursday:

Life as Lori

Somewhat Simple

The Shabby Chic Cottage

Beyond The Picket Fence

Cheap Thrills Thursday

Friday:

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Frugal and Fabulous

The Shabby Nest

Furniture Feature Friday

Flaunt it Friday

Remodelaholic

Simply Designing

Frugalicious Friday

Saturday:

Perfectly Imperfect

Valentine Scarf Wreath

I always find it hard to decorate for Valentine's Day.

The decorations usually come in bright reds and pinks mixed with roses and carnations, And although I like those things...it just doesn't seem to fit in to the 'season'.

 Its cold, snowy and gloomy here in northern Wisconsin....So, I'm thinking cozy, warm, fuzzy still!

Well, on a recent trip to Goodwill I found myself drawn to these scarves in various colors of pink.  

I was thinking that the warm and cozy scarves would still be 'wintery' and yet the pink would be bright and cheerful and that these would fit into the Valentine's Day theme. For $1.99 each I decided I'd make a Valentine's wreath fit for winter!

For one wreath, I took a coat hanger and shaped it into a heart. For the other wreath I used picture wire.

I simply 'threaded' the wire through the fabric. (We can actually use these as scarves some day!)

and duct taped the ends of the wire together.

 

 And now I have a warm and fuzzy wintery Valentine's Day wreath!

XOXO

Linking to:

A BUCK

Guess how much I paid for this.....

Yep...a buck! :)

Cute, right?

Perfect color for my house...and I can set it out in the fall and pack it away in the spring!

Thank you Goodwill.

 

linking to:

'Roadkill' turned bedside table

My husband hates it when I pick up 'roadkill'! When I 'dumpster' dive! But, I LOVE it!!!  Nothing beats the feel of 'saving' a furniture life! Getting something for FREE....especially furniture!!! I love fancy furniture. Pieces with scrolls and good lines...It can be expensive!

I don't mind if it's dirty...

 If' it's dark and worn...

Nothing a little elbow grease and paint can't clean up....

So, my husband should feel good when I pick up 'roadkill', right?

Link'n up: (i'm learning how to do this...)

Monday:
It's So Very Cheri
Cottage Instincts


Tuesday:
Reinvented
Today's Creative Blog
New Nostalgia
Lucky Star Lane


Wednesday:
My Backyard Eden
Blue Cricket Design
Trendy Treehouse
The Thrifty Home
Sew Much Ado
Saturday Mornings
Life In My Pj's

Thursday:
Life as Lori
Somewhat Simple
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Beyond The Picket Fence
Cheap Thrills Thursday



Friday:
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Frugal and Fabulous
The Shabby Nest
Furniture Feature Friday
Flaunt it Friday
Remodelaholic
Simply Designing
Frugalicious Friday

Saturday:
Perfectly Imperfect

January is for Snowmen

I've been wanting to frame a picture my son drew when he was 5 or so. He's 14 now. Where does time go?

I bought the frame for a few dollars (I've had it for a while along with others) and more than likely it was a 50% off tag!

I spray painted it Heirloom White and glazed it with Burnt Umber.

I stuck double sided tape on the backside of the cardboard picture using it as my mat.

Isn't it a great way to hang on to childhood?

I think I'll link to a few parties: