Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Calming the Crazy
Ever have those times when life just seems to
go crazy?
We're having one of those times.
In short, I've had my gallbladder removed,
Mackenzie diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes,
Cole has a bully at school, Billy stretched/tore
the meniscus in his knee,
Billy had a car accident (no injuries)
and yesteday he spent the
day reparing the door at our rental property
after someone broke in Saturday night.
Thank goodness no one was home
and nothing of real value was taken,
well, except for their security!
All of this in the span of about
6 weeks.
If you take my gallbladder out of the
running then all of this in the last
2 weeks.
It's been a tad crazy
to say the least!
So, I've been doing my run down of
all the things I do to keep myself
feeling positive. A little cleaning and
organizing are happening. Not sure why I do
that. I think it's just a way to control my
own environment. Listening to great
music like the videos I posted a
couple of days ago.
music like the videos I posted a
couple of days ago.
Lots of Bible reading and studying.
There's lots of positive things in there!!
Imagine that! :)
Today I'm rushing out a few custom
jobs. I am still not up to speed with work.
Mackenzie is home today after a long night
of drinking juice to keep her blood sugar up
high enough. Yeah. I said things were a bit
crazy around here.
Really, this is all just a challange.
I'm not worried.
Don't get me wrong,
it's not like we haven't had tears
and emotion over Mackenzie's
diagnosis or frustration
over the other things that have happend
but they are just temporary things.
Times like this are when we need to
remember what our main goal is in life.
Where are we going? Where are we in
the journey to reaching the next
level of achievement?
I think, just when we're reaching the threshold
of getting to that next level of merging our dreams
with our reality, we're challenged. Like, a last
push to make sure we really want it
and can handle it, once we do
cross the threshold. As a parent would make
sure they aren't giving their children too much
to handle with more freedoms in life.
With more freedom comes more responsibility,
just like living more of your dreams brings
more responsibility. I think the more success
we have in living our imagined life the
more caring, compassionate,
humble, helpful and loving
we need to be.
That is real success in life.
So we are challenged to create in ourselves
these kinds of characteristics before we
get the honor of living our dreams.
I hope I am allowing enough of myself
to be changed to cross over the
threshold before me.
As much as I am not inviting
more challenging situations to come
I would never trade being challenged.
Challenges make us better. Stronger.
Smarter. And ultimately
lead us to our
dreams.
Here's to crossing the threshold!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Cool Music
You guys know by now I get hooked on certain songs/artists.
Here's my latest.
Need To Breathe
They're awesome. I hear
Something Beautiful
on the radio daily.
Lay 'em down is great too.
I always seem to go back to
Washed by the Water.
Something Beautiful
on the radio daily.
Lay 'em down is great too.
I always seem to go back to
Washed by the Water.
But I'll let you decide for yourself
which one you like best.
Decorating on the Fly 2 (close ups)
Today,
I thought I'd share a few close ups of the
art I put in Macknezie's room.
These are the things that not only
make the room complete,
but make it personal.
There are a couple of really
special pieces in here.
Pieces that were made with love
and are just now telling us why
they captured our hearts
while being created.
Maybe I should back up just a little.
I put some of my art in this room.
There is also art from a very
strong-in-faith artist, Jen Swift.
She is not only an artist but my friend.
Knowing the kind of faith she has
and incorporating her work in Mackenzie's
room, especially at a time such a this,
well, it's very special. And encouraging.
Mackenzie actually told me her favorite piece
was Jen's Audacious Angel. Very fitting.
And didn't surprise me.
I knew when I put that
angel on the shelf, she was home.
The text on the angel reads:
Dream of Audaciously Impossible Things!
Mackenzie and all of us as a family
fully believe in her complete healing.
There is no cure, at this time, for type 1 diabetes.
There is good management, but no cure.
But with God there is always a cure.
No matter what the sickness,
mind, body or spirit,
there is a cure.
Mackenzie's newly decorated room is
all about faith, hope and believing
in her audaciously impossible dreams!
I am just the kind of mom to believe with her.
And Billy is that kind of dad.
I know it sounds bold, and you may think us to be
delusional, but we look forward to telling you
all one day soon that she is not taking insulin
by injection but that her body is healed
and making insulin just as it intended to do.
Our family is honored to be an example of
God's word even when it means we have to
go through the darkness to get to the light.
As Winston Churchill said:
When you're going through hell, keep going!
We've never stopped before and have
no intention
of stopping now!
Here are the close-ups of the rooom...
This is above her bed. You can see Jen's
Audaucious Angel on the right.
In the center is a piece I made with my
Pieced Together People poem.
Also above the bed is a canvas I made
with some of Jen's fab wire art.
It's been hanging in my studio for months.
My #1 Theory in life -
The text by the flower reads:
Destination certain
map hidden
revealed with
each new morning
and drawn with each
new dream
Next is her dressing area.
I used Jen's Wall Flowers above the
3 little vases and her wire word art
above the 3 hooks I put in the wall
for Mackenzie's necklaces.
The frames were found a while back
in Michaels' dollar spot. I just took off
the backs and hung them with Command Strips.
This is the nightstand and photo frames on the wall above it.
Don't laugh - we haven't added the photos yet.
Gotta get some printed ;)
And this is the desk area:
The green canvas was found at Target
earlier this week. They have quite a few of them
but I liked this one. Just the right colors and text.
And the poster above the desk.
I hope you like the tour of her room.
It's the most complete room in the house.
Next up - Cole's room.
Don't hold me to a deadline
but I'm hoping to complete his
in the next couple of weeks.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Decorating on the Fly
So, Tuesady afternoon I'm roaming through store after store without a clue as to what I should get Mackenzie for her birthday which was Wednesday. After an hour or so of store hopping and wandering I finally got the idea to freshen up her room. And by freshen I mean decorate for the first time since being in this house (almost 2 yrs here). We had painted the walls aqua with 1 dark chocolate accent wall about a year ago. We had bedding to match but the whole color scheme was really drab. For a while I had been wondering how I could add lots of color since Mackenzie is a fan of bright bold color. I don't know who she gets that from ;)
I happened to be in Target when the whole decorating idea struck so I wet to the bedding first and found the perfect comforter and shams right away! Ok, I knew it was the perfect colors for Mackenzie but I wasn't sure I could make it work with the aqua and brown paint. There was no time to repaint and the paint was only a yr old - not a job I wanted to redo. After finding the bedding I found a quilt the same color as her walls so I picked it up to toss over the end of the bed to bring the softer color in with the brights.
Other than paint the walls had absolutely nothing on them! Obviously that had to change. So I picked up a poster, a small cork board, small printed canvas art piece and some shelves. The rest of what you see in the photos are all things we already had. Oh, I did pick up a small white side table for her bed at TJ Maxx. A couple of photo frames came from there as well.
I'm still working on a few ideas for making a headboard for her. We turned her bed around so it works as a day bed to open up some floor space. The room is 10x11.
Here are a few after photos - I never even thought to take before photos. Just think blank walls, chocolate bedding and white and aqua tab tops - I must use the word drab again.
So here is my quick thinking, on the fly decorating project.
I happened to be in Target when the whole decorating idea struck so I wet to the bedding first and found the perfect comforter and shams right away! Ok, I knew it was the perfect colors for Mackenzie but I wasn't sure I could make it work with the aqua and brown paint. There was no time to repaint and the paint was only a yr old - not a job I wanted to redo. After finding the bedding I found a quilt the same color as her walls so I picked it up to toss over the end of the bed to bring the softer color in with the brights.
Other than paint the walls had absolutely nothing on them! Obviously that had to change. So I picked up a poster, a small cork board, small printed canvas art piece and some shelves. The rest of what you see in the photos are all things we already had. Oh, I did pick up a small white side table for her bed at TJ Maxx. A couple of photo frames came from there as well.
I'm still working on a few ideas for making a headboard for her. We turned her bed around so it works as a day bed to open up some floor space. The room is 10x11.
Here are a few after photos - I never even thought to take before photos. Just think blank walls, chocolate bedding and white and aqua tab tops - I must use the word drab again.
So here is my quick thinking, on the fly decorating project.
She may have sat on the bed before I took the pic.
I didn't realize it was all frumpied up till just now.
At least it's made ;)
This wall used to have her desk on it.
We put the armoire there instead and it
totally changed the feel of the room.
To the left is a full length mirror,
hamper and hooks on the wall for
her necklaces, and on the small
square shelf she keeps her cell, chapstick etc.
A small area to get dressed in.
I love the unexpected placement of the
Find Your Wings and Fly decal.
This is the desk area.
The wall the armoire was on before.
So much less crowded now!
And you can see my Mackenzie :)
The bed corner. Love the orange lamp.
A great find at TJ Maxx!
Those 3 little vases gave me some problems.
I wanted to use them but by themselves
they just didn't work.
Well, of course I had my stash of
Jen Swift's wire out and my mom found these
3 little wall flowers and promptly
placed them above the vases.
Now we have blooms!
Happy 14th to my girl!!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Industrial Inspiration
I really love to see old industrial pieces
used in modern spaces. I think it's one
of the things I like so much about lofts.
I love the chunky metals in chipped paint
or even stripped down to the bare metal.
Here are a few finds from Etsy to interject
a bit of an indstrial feel to your space.
From large scale pieces to small accents
like the old Swingline stapler. You can
make it subtle or the main attraction.
It's totally up to you!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Glass Life
One of my very favorite artists is Dale Chihuly. I've been a fan for years and think his work is absolutely exquisite. Inspiring in a way I've never felt by seeing someone else's art. When I found out a few years ago the Children's Museum in Indianpolis had a sculpture of his I had to go see it. I'll never forget the moment I walked in the door and saw the 4 story tall, red, blue and yellow glass sculpture. I literally choked back tears. It was such an inspiration to me to go big with my art, with my life. A fragile, 43 foot tall glass sculpture seemed to echo the fragility of life yet at the same time standing strong and exhibiting it's glory.
Today while on etsy I found this video of a creative outreach organizination teaching kids with serious life challenges how to blow glass. Maybe one day I'll get the chance to blow some glass myself. But even if I don't it's an art form that has been one of my greatest inspirations. To me, no one seems to do it quite like Chihuly.
This is just the kind of inspiration I need right now. I'm not feeling particularly artful. I can't explain what I am feeling after the events the this week. I think I've yet to breathe. But as I sit here with lots of new knowledge on things I never thought I'd need, a supply closet of insulin and syringes for injections I never thought I could give, seeing this video is like God reminding me to go big. Glass can stand 43 feet tall. Impossible things do happen. I believe in healing for my daughter.
Today while on etsy I found this video of a creative outreach organizination teaching kids with serious life challenges how to blow glass. Maybe one day I'll get the chance to blow some glass myself. But even if I don't it's an art form that has been one of my greatest inspirations. To me, no one seems to do it quite like Chihuly.
This is just the kind of inspiration I need right now. I'm not feeling particularly artful. I can't explain what I am feeling after the events the this week. I think I've yet to breathe. But as I sit here with lots of new knowledge on things I never thought I'd need, a supply closet of insulin and syringes for injections I never thought I could give, seeing this video is like God reminding me to go big. Glass can stand 43 feet tall. Impossible things do happen. I believe in healing for my daughter.
Friday, April 16, 2010
An interuption in our regularly scheduled life.
Hello bloggers. Just a quick note to let you know I'll be MIA till Monday. I've been at Children's Hospital all week with my daughter. She is now home but has just been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. My focus needs to be on her right now as we put our med school crash course into action at home.
...this is where 2010 starts to move in a new direction. One that consists of less doctors ;)
...this is where 2010 starts to move in a new direction. One that consists of less doctors ;)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Outdoor Living
Well, it's officially spring.
Birds are chirping,
the sun is warm,
the breeze is cool,
the iced tea is brewed.
I just need a fab space to
relax in and drink it!
Billy and I are having a deck built
and I can't wait to get out and decorate it.
A space for the grill,
eating, relaxing, firepit,
flowers in beautiful pots,
herb garden. I'm getting excited!
Of course I need some inspiration for my new project
so here are a few outdoor spaces I found
this morning. Some have great color,
some are very charming,
some quite large,
some small.
But they all have ideas I can pull from
to decorate my own new space.
Monday, April 12, 2010
More Mid-Century Modern
So that ikea dresser makeover
made me look for some more
mid-century modern inspiration.
I love the colors and clean lines of
these pieces. I'm not a mid-century
purist by any means. I'm not really a
decoarintg purist with any style.
I'm a little loosey goosey with the rules.
When I use a period piece like an
Eames chair, just as an example,
I like to make that piece a bit of an odd ball
in the room so it gets noticed but still coordinates.
Here are a few pieces that would stand
out in a room and be fabulous.
Fun desk space! It's for writing letters not email.
At least this is the story I make up in my mind.
The shape and color of these candlsticks is
absolute perfection.
I love open stairs like this. In my dream home
they are metal, possibly painted and
have a rather industrial feel.
Love this front door.
My dogs would love the bottom window
so they can spy on our guests
as they approach the house.
Love these chairs. Love. Love. Love.
Let's get a closer look.
*drool-worthy*
This is my favorite style of architecture
unless it's an old building of some sort
converted into a home.
Love all the clean lines.
And one more photo for good measure.
I would add a nice bright pop of color
with a seat cushion. Orange, perhaps?!
**I love the contrast of the white chairs on the dark floor**
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