new.

new friends:
at least 10 new lds couples moved here for Logan this trimester.  i've already become fast friends with those i've met.  there's some new couples who don't have kids yet and it makes me feel more normal.  it feels like rexburg here sometimes.  constant turn over.  sad in that we lose people every tri, happy that we get to meet new ones every tri.

new hobby:
in the last month or so grady and i have house sat/dog sat/cat sat/mail pickup/etc.  for 4 families. so far we have lived in two people's homes, watched a total of 4 dogs and two cats.  i don't know how i became, as grady has so lovingly named me, "the pet whisperer"?  it's been really fun though.  and educational.  i'm not ready for a pet.  (((grady cheers on the inside)))

new knowledge:
grady has been really motivated this trimester to further his education.  grady's been attending some really incredible seminars.  i've been the recipient of the new adjustments he is learning.  it's. been. awesome.  more on this later.

new furniture:
seriously.  seriously... so emotional.  i have been looking for a dresser for exactly 9 months and 22 days.  there's been more than one temper tantrum, thrown by yours truly.  i've looked at probably over 30 dressers via craigslist.  i've folded and re-stacked our piles of clothing on the floor close to twice a week.  i've found exactly 2 larger than a quarter size spiders in those neatly piled piles on our floor where a dresser should sit.  grady's probably cursed me in his mind 10,000 times just hoping i'd pick a stupid dresser.   all of it was worth it.  i found a gem.  for $50.  bah!!!!!

 shut the heck up right?!  the girl i bought it from paid over $350 for it.  steal!  and the yellow top!  ahhhhhh!  btw, those are the original glass knobs... kills me. 

this other super sweet find i got at an antiques mall.  $25.  i'm going to paint it to match my mini armoir.  remember?  (((btw, i'm working on sanding that one down as we speak!)))

very retro.  i'm painting both the mini armoir and the little blue cabinet gray.  (no i'm not stupid enough to paint that beautiful dresser.)   i put the blue cabinet in my dining room as it and the blue was TOOOOOOO much.  keeping it subtle and classy with the neutral.  i do think i'm going to put something on the front.  design, pattern, something.  any suggestions?

new perspective:
i'm back to the "more on this later part".  so grady has been doing these seminars and he's been learning specifically adjustments on extremities.  selfishly this is a beautiful thing in my eyes.  i click every step i take.  i have had issues with both knees, hips, ankles, elbows, shoulders my whole life.  i'm a mess.  well tonight i had a pretty big break through.  grady learned a new adjustment on knees.  it's intense.  he said to me, if it's the last thing i do i'm going to get your knees to get better.  as i laid on his table and watched him stretch and manipulate my knees, hips and ankles, tears poured down my face.  my whole life i've spent living in frustration with a body that aches, wears out quickly and makes a gross/obnoxious sound with every step i take.  tonight i gained a little perspective on that matter.  maybe i was given this body so grady could learn and practice on someone everyday.  give him a challenge, a goal.  tonight was the first night i was grateful for my clicking knees and hips that give out.  i've never been more proud of grady than i was tonight.  i know he loves what he is doing.  i'm grateful he is putting time into educating himself past the bare minimum requirements.  i'm grateful he doesn't let others get him down about the path he's taking.  i know he's inspired and following the spirit.  life is good.  really good.

"she's crafty" take 2

updates on my craft projects:

 2 ceramic candlesticks

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all black, i put one up on the hutch above grady's (((super messy due to finals...))) desk.

 
don't you love the exposed brick?!  ahhh!
there's that HUGE "S"! 

the green yarn balls are from this tutorial i found on pinterest.  i found the elmer's glue on super sale because it's back to school time.

the big star is from this tutorial i also found on pinterest.  i personally used poster board as opposed to cereal boxes...seeing as we don't eat cereal.  the poster board was also on super sale for back to school.  i made 3 smaller stars too and attached them with hot clue to some skewers.  i put those in a hobnail milk glass vase on the shelf i repainted.  pictures below.

the small frame i found at one of my thrift shops for $0.50.  it was not the right color, but has a bomb double matting on the inside, so i just pray painted that one too.  i'm going to print a free printable and throw it inside the frame.  

 the big frame i bought in a 2 pack at Costco.  it's an 11x16 frame with an 8x10 mat.  i bought 2 packages because i needed 3 frames from the project below.  so this was the leftover one.            (((btw, 11x16 frames are pricey.  before you have a grand idea of a cheap print blown up to 11x16, price out the frames.  yikes!)))

the pleated looking vase i found at home goods (love...) for like $5 on clearance.

here's that print project i was talking about:

 i bought the rights to these prints from this shop on etsy.  i think all 3 were $22.00, i think it was worth it.

 

 the whole wall.  i'm working on putting something on the right side of that cabinet.

 those hideous cherub oval picture frame things

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AFTER: (still needs our silhouettes)

 
spray painted all black.  i found some scrapbook paper super cheap.  using the cardboard backing inside the frame, i cut out the ovals on the paper and used spray adhesive to attach them to the cardboard backing.

 

 found this mirror at an antiques mall i just discovered.  it was $2.50.  crazy right?!  it's incredibly heavy and incredibly nasty gold.

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 so here's the reason it was $2.50.  it has a 2 chips in the corner.  did you even notice in the finished project??

 


super cheap hobby lobby shelf

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 All black...  i'm going to paint the "s" lime green to match my couch pillows.  did you recognize the mirror?!


ok i'm saving the pictures of my finished dining room chairs for last.  because i think they turned out the best!  BUT, here's a few more purchases i've made recently that i think i got a good deal on!

boat propeller.  it was $2.50 at this antiques mall i just found.  it's about 20" tall.  i'm going to either set it up on a shelf, or hang it up on a wall.  to be determined.

 isn't that color bomb?  (((side note:  yes i'm completely OCD, but i'm not going to clean it.  i love the dust and dirt on it.  it'll be like therapy, right?)))

 tall spaghetti jar.  $1.50.  ok, so i know a spaghetti jar seems like NBD, but my mom found a jar like this at a antiques mall filled with old bobbins, cut up fabrics, buttons, thread and spools.  it is SOOO cute.  so i'm copy-catting it.

my newest obsession is milk glass.  specifically hob-nail milk glass.  my entire dining room table is filled with the stuff. 
i found this gem at that same antiques mall for $6.  it's the cutest candy jar.

 

this is a candle holder.  it holds a large center candle and 5 smaller ones on the outside.  isn't it cool?  i paid $5 at my fav thrift store here.  

this is a cologne bottle.  i found it at a "rummage sale" for a church here.  i think i paid between $3 and $5.  

this is my favorite of all of them!!!  a freaking pitcher!!  ahhhh!  found it at that same sweet thrift store for $4.  i almost wet my pants.

two cute vases.  the skinny one i found at a Goodwill outlet in the most sketchy part of st. louis i've encountered yet.  i would estimate 93% of the people in the outlet are homeless and ready to shank anyone who comes between them and their awesome finds.   ANYWAY... they sell glass by the pound.  it's like $0.30 per pound or something ridiculous.  so i bought that skinny one and like 4 others for maybe $1.50 total.  kills me.  the wider one was given to me for my birthday by my co-worker friend pam.  she knows my super obsession with hobnail milk glass.



my whole collection.  smiles!!!

lastly, my dinning room chairs.

 drum roll:

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 (i like that you can see some of the grain through the white paint on this one.  another one turned out like this too and i think it gives the chair a little character.)

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 (this is the other one with wood grain coming through.  i've considered sewing a little cushion for the butt part.  thoughts?)

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ok so this one i need some help with.  it was the ugliest to start with by far.  i felt like it was weird all the blank space on the chair back.  i made up my own "template" and upholstered it.  i attatched one to the back and it looks like this:

  
don't look too closely to the taks, one of them is majorly out of place.
so my question is this: do i add the other one to the front?  i've been so nervous to mess it up.  here's an idea of what it would look like:

so here's the finished project (kinda.. i need to buy 1 more chair):

  

cute right?  i'm really proud!  i still need to stain that dang table!  maybe while grady is at one of the 50 chiropractic conferences between now and christmas i'll eventually get it done.  i think i'm going to go buy paint for that cute little chest thing i bought (in my last post) tonight.  wish me luck.  this is what my living room looks like amidst paint choices.  ahhhhhh!