Fanciful Friday: New Furniture

With this little new little thing called Pinterest, I have craft project ideas coming out my ears!!  I have been trying to do something creative every week or so just because it is fun.  My main project for December 2012 was furniture.  Yes, you read correctly, furniture.

I wanted to have matching furniture in my new apartment but I was not ready to pay a fortune for it.  Thankfully my mom passed her creativity on to me.  I did a little searching on craigslist and in thrift stores.  And to my delight I found what I needed and wanted.  A headboard, a long dresser, and a small dresser, all in desperate need of repair and refinishing. 

Luckily my dad sanded everything down for me before I moved it to southern California.  All that was left was to prime and paint.  I thought I could do it all in one day, but it took about 2.5.  All in all though, not a bad project.  Check out the pictures below to see the transformation!

HEADBOARD

 

 This is the only "before picture I have, but imagine it 

with no primer and a hideous metal piece on top ...

that came off first!

 All primed and ready to go!

 The finished project, minus the mattress.

 SMALL DRESSER

 Before sanding, this dresser was a puce color.  

Apparently it once had been blue too.

 The drawers

 Prepped and primed!

 The finished product with eclectic knobs (my favorite part!)

Say yes to refinishing your own furniture!

Motivation Monday: Words from POTUS

In honor of President's Day, here are a few of my favorite inspirational Presidential Quotes for your Monday (and hopefully holiday!)

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. – John Quincy Adams

Accomplishment will prove to be a journey, not a destination. – Dwight D. Eisenhower

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. – Thomas Jefferson 

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing. – Abraham Lincoln

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. – Abraham Lincoln

Things do not happen. Things are made to happen. – John F. Kennedy

Believe you can and you’re halfway there. – Theodore Roosevelt

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. "
--Franklin D. Roosevelt  


 

Fanciful Friday: Bee Mine

Valentines Day has never really been my favorite holiday, but it probably should be since it typically involves lots of things I enjoy - crafts, candy, flowers, and most of all, telling the people you love that you love them!  I have seen many cute valentines over the years and have made some of my own, but the one I found to make this year was truly unique.  I found it on Pinterest and knew immediately that I had to make it!  So, here it is:

Say yes to making valentines! 

Braving Baldy

On my last trip down to Orange County before moving back here, my friend and I decided to climb Mt. Baldy on the Saturday I was down.  We thought after Half Dome, this would be a piece of cake ... we were wrong.

My friend picked me up at the airport at about 7:30 Saturday morning and we were to the mountain and climbing by about 9:30.  We had rough directions on what to do.  Let me emphasize rough.


We went looking for a small path that lead to the "road" up the hill.  No luck.  So, we decided to climb under the ski lift.  This seemed like a brilliant idea, but I assure you, it was not.  It was super steep and gravelly (is that even a word?).  But, after some serious leg work and a couple breaks, we climb far enough that we ran into the road we had been looking for.  We took it to the clearing where there is a restaurant and the ski lift loads.  But that was maybe 1/3 of the way up ... maybe.

 We took the road less traveled you could say.

We climbed the rest of the way in short segments.  The altitude was definitely a factor in our speed as we had to stop several times to catch our breath.  But finally, we made it to the top and it was FREEZING ... beautiful, but freezing.

In case you can't read it, is says "Devil's Backbone" Trail.

That says it all!

 Way up, way way up.

We took a couple of pictures (that's the point right?  the pictures?), ate our sandwiches, and about 20 minutes later started the trek back down.  The way back down was much less crowded as most people had already been up and back, or had turned around when we decided to push on for the top.  It was quiet and peaceful.

 At the top.  

We love our Giants!

 

 This photo sums up the trek down ... so nice!

But, by the time we hit the clearing again, we were absolutely exhausted.  We decided it is only cheating if you take the ski lift up; it's ok to take it back down.  And with that we decided to make a pitstop at the restaurant and take the ski lift down instead of climbing down. 

At the end of our long, exhausting day we were rewarded with a stunning sunset (the picture does not even do it justice, but we know how beautiful it was!)

A great reward!

Say yes to climbing mountains ... with assistance! :)

Motivation Monday: Talk About Joy

In November I participated in "30 days of Thanks" on Facebook where everyday I posted something I was grateful for.  It was such a great activity that really made me think about all the blessings I have in my life.  Life is so much better when we focus on the good things as opposed to the bad.  We all have a tendency to complain, but we need to break that habit.

Say yes to talking about your joys!

I'm Sorry!!

Ok, first off, let me apologize for my absence!  I can't believe it has been nearly 3 months since I updated this blog ... ugh, but it has been a crazy 3 months. 

If you read the last post, you know I moved back to southern California, which in and of itself was more difficult than I imagined.  I was traveling back and forth from orange county to the bay area every other weekend.  However, I was fortunate to have AMAZING friends who helped me move, on both ends of the move!

Add  jumping straight into a new job onto the move ...

Then the real kicker ... add a throat infection that will not go away!!!

I have been "under the weather" since the last week in November ... for all you mathematicians, that is 11 weeks!  I have been to the doctor 8 times and the emergency room once and if you know me at all, you know how much I HATE going to the doctor.  I have been put on almost every antibiotic imaginable - Zpak, Cipro, Erythromycin, Ceclor, Omnicef, and now Avelox.  It has been pretty much a nightmare.

I was so sick that I was out of the gym for 8 weeks.  This drove me insane.  Not only is the gym one of my outlets, but I also felt like every day out of the gym I was losing ground ... a lot of ground.

So finally, a few weeks ago, I just decided, screw being sick, I'm going back to the gym.  So I have resumed training with my new trainer, though we are taking it a little slower than usual.  I have also resumed cardio, but at a lighter pace, for less time.  It feels so good to be back in the gym.

I am STILL on antibiotics, but I am hopeful that I am finally on the mend and life can go back to "normal" for awhile.  So again, I apologize for my absence, but I am pretty sure you all understand.

Thanks for bearing with me, and continuing to read!  Look forward to more posts.  :)