summer projects

I LOVE LOVE LOVE decorating. If you know me well then you know how I plan and organize everything far in advance. I have been thinking about how to decorate my new room this year for the past few months; probably before I had even moved out of my old apartment. It didn’t really take long to decide on a theme. I have gone over a few ideas in my head, but I feel as if I can picture my room exactly as I want it. I have bought a few things at thrift stores and garage sales. I need to sand and re-paint a few items, which I should probably get on pretty soon. 

These pictures are a few of the things I’ve bought at thrift stores and garage sales to decorate my room. I decided to go with a tree theme and accent the theme with owls. I am currently working with a company called, Cottleville Crafts to get a wall size tree stencil created. I looked at many stores, but the sizes of the trees are too small.

•  The owl, mini books, and vase will be placed randomly around the room, but the window pane is going to be sanded and re-painted. I'm not sure what color I will re-paint it yet.

• I'm planning on sanding and re-painting this white shelf. It will probably end up a bright yellow color. I have quite a few of the old, classic books (these two are Huckleberry Finn and Robin Hood) which I plan on making into mini wall shelves and putting picture frames or random knickknacks on.

•  I'm going to leave this wall hanger red and use it for purses or scarves or umbrellas. I'm not totally sure yet.

•  These items will all just be used to hang around the walls and to place on top of shelves! I love the owl mirror. I got it on sale for $15.00 at Earthbound.

Although, I have things planned out in my head I’m not sure what the final product will look like. My room has 4 walls, but one is a huge closest, one is empty, and two have a total of four windows. I’m sad that I don’t have much wall space, but I will make it work! 

Lastly, I’m super excited about my closet because I want to make a crafting/couponing section inside the closet. It’s big enough to fit a card table in and then I can grab my desk chair and have all of my supplies right there. I don’t have anything purchased yet to make this station, but I can’t wait until it’s ready. I plan on taking before and after pictures of my room, as well as, before and after pictures of my shelf and window pane. I can’t wait to share the pictures of my completed room, even though I feel as if a room is never complete.

my treasure

Some things never change.
I spent time with my grandparents tonight and it was if I was 10 years old again. I got a kiss at the door, a home cooked meal, homemade dessert, a chance to beat them at Mexican Train (a type of Dominos), new things for my apartment, and the best of all, their love. I treasure very few things in this world, but my grandparents are definitely one of my greatest treasures.

Although some things never change, our perspective does.
When I was young I went to my grandparents because my parents were going. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved spending time with my grandparents, but I never really put much thought into being there. Now that I am older and can drive myself places, it is important to me to spend time with my grandparents. I know that I am blessed to have such a close relationship with them. On my drive home I thought about how great my grandparents really are.

For starters, they have been married for over 50 years. Today, divorce is a common as sneezing, it's sickening. My grandparents are a great example of true commitment and love. While we were playing dominos they always would help the other out and call each other "honey". I could be grossed out by this because they are 80 years old, but then I think about it and I think the exact opposite. I hope and pray that when I'm 80 years old I still call my husband honey and babe. It only makes sense that you would grow closer to your spouse with time. I believe that anniversaries are something to celebrate. My grandparents have been a great example of a healthy, loving relationship.

My grandpa is one of the sweetest men that I know. His heart is enormous and his love for people is shown by the way he lives. I don't think I have ever met a more humble man. He sees the good in everyone and only talks highly of people. In my 20 years of life, I don't believe I've ever heard him say anything negative. He is filled with stories and knowledge. My grandpa is a honorable man.

My grandma is probably the loudest, funniest, smartest woman I know. There is never a time I am with her that I don't have a smile on my face. Her family means the world to her and she does everything she can to help others. She is the best cook that I know and I am lucky enough to know her secret recipes. Recently, she is learning how to use the Internet and she was super excited to learn how to add contacts to her email address.

My grandparents are very near and dear to my heart. I hope that I have many more moments and many more memories with them. They have been great role models in my life and I couldn't ask for greater grandparents.

a joy that could never be replaced.

If I got to choose how to spend my days it would consist of something like this -- being outside and taking photographs of the beautiful landscape that the Lord has made, spending time with the people who mean the world to me, coming up with creative Do It Yourself projects and then creating them, serving those in my community, cooking a meal from scratch and then finishing it off with a homemade dessert, going shopping with my coupons and getting great sales, having a dance party with some awesome moves, and spending time with the One who made me. 

In this world there are many things that we can find happiness in. Obviously, I have found the ones that fill me. But there is a difference between finding happiness in this world and finding pure joy. I find all of my joy in the One who loves me and died for me. My life is not about myself, but about something much bigger. I hope that through this blog I can share all of the things that bring me happiness - hoping that you too can find happiness in those things, but more importantly that you can find the same joy that I am lucky enough to experience each and every day. A joy that could never be replaced.

       "Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God."
                                                                    --Robert Schuller