Thursday, September 17, 2015

It's All about the Mirrors

Hi everybody, I hope all of you are doing fine.  Here is a little update on how the colonoscopy and endoscopy went:  First, I want to say that anyone who has ever had a colonoscopy...I tip my hat to you my friend!  The prep blew me away!  I drink a lot of water in a days time, but I have never drank as much as I did when prepping.  I never want to see or drink lemonade again in my life.  My eyes were floating from the 64 ounces of lemonade, the chicken broth and the water I drank.  But I was clean as a whistle, lol!  
The test itself was a breeze.  I woke up and it was all over and let me say, I was a talkative gal.  They found a very sizable polyp, removed it and sent it off for more testing.  I am praying it comes back fine.  The DR said it was a good thing I had bleeding to make me get this done, because it definitely would have turned into cancer.  He also found a lump in my stomach that requires more testing in 3 months.  He's a little stumped by it.  I also have a hiatal hernia.  And a few other things I will keep to myself....I had quite a bit going on and now have some answers to the pain I've had under my rib cage.  So please keep me in your prayers.  Knowing what I know now, I will make sure my family and I do not get swept under the rug for such testing anymore because of our age.  No age is too young too take a risk like this!

Now on to more fun things.
Hannah has been wanting her room rearranged and wanted a desk instead of the old dresser she had.  The mirror really limited where we could put it and wasn't tall enough on it's own without something above it.  


This is the before.  I had added the top desk piece years ago for our oldest daughter.  Hannah got this piece when Sara got a new and bigger desk.
So, this is what I did.


Hannah had wanted a desk to sit in front of her window.  See how pretty it turned out?



It really opened up the room.  Taking the mirror off, proved to be a task, but we got it off and didn't damage it at all so that if we ever want to add it back, we can.


The middle mirror worked perfectly on this big wall over her night stand.


I am still figuring out where to put the two side mirrors....but I will!


We found two canvas prints of jelly fish at Home Goods soon after our beach trip.  We visited an aquarium while on vacation and we were all smitten with the jelly fish, so these were a treat to find!


Their colors were the right match with everything she already had.  She still loves the beachy feel but with a cottage twist...that's my girl!


She took down all of her posters and put away her keyboard.  Now I can show behind the door....she is loving the clean, open look and so am I!


The book case allows her to show off her love for blue and all of her shells.  
We found the mermaid and sign at Home Goods too.  Hannah loves to go with me, maybe because we always find such neat things for her room.  It's like a treasure hunt every time we go.


The other Mirror I made, looks great by her bed.  They all reflect the light perfectly!


A sea horse she found paired with a photo of her first beach trip, some shells and flowers adorn the top of her armoire.  This sucker hides all of the yucky looking stuff like tv's, game consoles, and all of the stuff a girl needs to stay pretty with.  I hate to see clutter!


She had me take off her louvered closet doors and add curtains.  I thought, in our fist home after Mike and I were married, we didn't have closet doors so I made curtains.  Funny how we have closet doors and now want curtains, lol!  I hadn't finished with them when I took this photo because I had ran out of white thread.  But you get the idea.  They don't puddle on the floor anymore and have a large ruffle on the bottom like her other curtains.


The cornices were taken all the way to the ceiling. I love how it shows how tall our ceilings really are!  And being able to use extension rods is even better!

So that's what I did last night.  Now I need to finish Sara's room.  If she will help me paint, then I can do everything else on my own....wink wink.  I'm getting too old.....

Have a blessed week friends!




Sunday, September 13, 2015

Tinkering

It's a cool and cozy Sunday.... I have been tinkering inside.  

I have been fighting a nap all day though, lol.  I guess my body is ready for hibernation now that the leaves are falling.


I'll start with the hall chest I added a few months back.  I originally had the #1 knobs on the top middle drawer, but it looked like eyes with that little scrolly piece under it that looks like a smile.  So, I took them off.  (too creepy) The chest barely fit....I actually had to cut into the molding with a hack saw.  I know.....you all are probably cringing.  But it worked!


I found a pair of wall sconces online and had to have them.   They look so much better painted white.


I love these so much better because I didn't have to have a cord cozy covering the cord.  I hid them well...can you see them?  They can be turned off easily as we lay in bed...ahhh...


I added the other 2 that were originally over the bed, here to the window wall.  I can't wait until Christmas to decorate this space!  The lights will give a nice warm glow along with the tree.


And I thought I'd share our new computer chair I found at Office Max.  It had me at hello!  Just look at that color...it's WHITE!  Yippee!!!


You know how we bought another computer so we wouldn't have to share?  Well, now we are fighting over that chair!   It's so comfy!

So that's what I've been up to today.  Trying to catch up on the little things.  
I am having that dreaded test this week, so prayers for me please.  Our little family sure has been through the ringer with our health.  My sweet Hannah is having some issues again, please pray for her too please.  Heck, just pray for all of us....we all need it, wink wink.
I pray for all of you to have a blessed week and that all of you stay safe and well. 
 God is so very good!


Saturday, September 5, 2015

We're Movin' On Up

The hubby and I have taken our last turn with the computer.  We finally decided to go for 2 desk tops instead of just the one.  We all have our phones and laptops, but there is just something about a desk top that he and I like the best.  As we were putting the desk together, I said I never thought we'd ever have 2 computers.  He said, "did you ever think we'd be a 3 car family?"  I can say God has truly blessed us when we have most needed it.  We now have a 3rd vehicle to act as back up if we have anymore car trouble.  Now if we can work out all of the other kinks in life so easily...


Sorry, I got side tracked...now back to the show...

So I set out to find a good one (we love our HP) and I found a great deal with a bundle package.  Another HP with lots of memory for his music and my photos.  Now we won't have to wait our turn anymore!  

YIPPEEE


We moved the china cabinet here and put the gun cabinet where it originally was.  I found the perfect little desk, the right size, price and it matched the other style of desk we have, perfectly.


Remember how I had the china cabinet here?  I am liking this for a change.


I know Mike was so relieved that he didn't have to build anything (that was my original plan) but with all of the health issues and such, neither of us wanted to do it, lol.


All we had to do was cut out the top shelf to allow room for the CPU unit and all of the other junk that needed to be hid.  The cabinet wasn't deep enough, so this is where I got creative...wink wink.  I wasn't about to let all of my hard work of planning and calculating go to waste and have to chuck all of that out of the window.  Now, all I have to do is figure out where the printer will go.  At least it's white, lol!


I had another magazine offer, but am not holding my breath.  I went and bought some fresh roses to add in this planter on our coffee table.  I usually keep silk flowers in them.  I thought they'd add a nice touch for the photos I submitted.


I love the pink with the pale green and the blue floral pillows in the background together.  I love adding soft touches of pastels with all of my white.


My last few hydrangeas from my garden and some left over roses....I have had so much fun filling this little jar carrier with fresh clippings all summer long.


I have still been fooling with the new camera and thought that this photo really showed how beautiful this light is.  Just look at how the crystals pop and the background is faded just a bit.  I am loving this camera!


Here's some more detail that really has never shown up well in my old photos.  I made this table runner with some left over Bella Rose Blue fabric, some shabby chic sheets and lace.  


 And lastly, this lovely bird stand I have in one of the guest rooms.  The details have never looked so pretty to me!

Well, that's it for now.  I hope all of you are having a very blessed holiday weekend.  Summer is over I guess....now bring on the SNOW!


Tuesday, September 1, 2015

More Photos and a Thank You

First, I want to thank each of you for your kind and thoughtful words concerning my health.  You don't know how they all made me feel when I read them.  I even cried...thank you so much!  I am a "hugger" so I wish I could give each of you a 
(((BIG HUG))) 
in person.  But the cyber hugs will have to do.
I do know one thing though, God has definitely blessed me with all of you!

Now on to more photos that I've taken with the new camera.  I still haven't fooled with the other lenses, just still shooting with the one.  I didn't feel too hot today, so I kept them all inside.



I took them all in natural lighting (no lights) and I am quite pleased with how they turned out.  There are settings that allow me to adjust the brightness, but I am still just using the "auto" setting for now.  Not bad being in a basement, huh?


I did add some softness to this photo...it makes me sleepy looking at it, lol.  


I'm like that kid who got their first pair of glasses and seeing things in detail for the first time with this camera!  It's how the lighting looks, no editing other than lightening the photo up a bit.  I mean, the colors are dead on!


If anyone who's edited a dark photo, they'll know that the colors get distorted and whacky.  Not with this!  The green stays green, and the details stay crisp!


I am so very pleased and my mind is going 90 miles a minute with all of the possibilities!  I have always been fascinated with photography, but have never been able to afford a really good camera.  Watch out world, Melanie is on the loose and I am going to capture God's beauty in everything!


Can you tell I'm excited?


I love how it captures the room like I see it.  Now that really makes a statement when taking a photo.  You see it with your eyes, but some cameras just don't pick that up and it's disheartening.


I moved some chairs around today.  I'm liking the layout  a bit better.


I can't wait until Christmas...to capture the twinkling lights and all!


Louis helped me with being my subject...he's so cute!  He's spotted a bird, can ya tell?


He loves coming to this room and lounging by the window.  I've taken him outside, but he's definitely an inside cat, lol.  He claws me to death trying to get back in.


I think he's quite happy just being a spectator.


He didn't have a clue I was behind him...see how his hair is standing up?  lol


I love this cat, he's my little buddy that follows me everywhere.


And last but not least...my sweetheart posing for one last photo for the day.  Wonder what he's thinking?  

Well, that's all for now.  Thanks for stopping by.  I pray you all have a blessed week full of good health, peace and lot's of love!