Let There Be Light...Maybe

As I have previously mentioned, I played Design Star this past weekend, but I was not finished.  Part of the plan for redecorating my room was to upgrade my lighting.  I had a mis-match assortment of lamps and had decided to at least find some lampshades that I liked that went together.  I had an idea in mind of what I wanted, but so far the price to upgrade was, well, let's just say "unpleasant".

I have my eye on a footstool at Bed, Bath, and Beyond that I really want.  I took my sister to show her and get her valuable input a few days ago.  On display next to my footstool was the absolute most beautiful lamp.  A nice, bronze color with marble accents that reminded me of swirling coffee.  It made my hearth sing.  That is what I wanted!!!  My mouth started to drool as I realized the exquisite lamp was part of a set:  one floor lamp, two table lamps, and a smaller lamp.  Amazing!  Imagine my joy when I then looked to the price tag and discovered the lamps were on half-price clearance!!!!!  Needless to say, they came home with me.

I could not wait to get home.  I opened the box and began to assemble my precious lamps.  After a few moments, though, I realized something was terribly wrong.  I only had three lamps in my possession.  Three lamps, not four.  No smaller lamp at all.  I dug back through the box, frantically searching for the lamp I must have overlooked.  I called in my youngest sister, desperately hoping I had just missed it in all the excitement.  My heart dropped to the floor as the sad realization that it was absent set in.  I had managed to receive the shade, but not the lamp.

What was I to do?  I pulled out my receipt and called the store.  How was I going to explain this bizarre event?  Would they even believe my story?  Or would they assume I was another thief trying to rob them of a small lamp?

As you can see from the picture at the beginning, my melodrama has a happy ending.  The manager asked me to bring in my receipt and they gave me the small lamp from the display.  My joy was restored, and my room is now beautifully well-lit!

Do not despair, my footstool!  I will return for you soon.  And do not feel unloved because the lamps came home first; They were much less expensive than you are, and there was only one set left.  My sincere desire is that you join me next week...

HGTV Inspired!

So, as ya'll all know, I am a huge HGTV fan.  I drive my family crazy by leaving it on all day long.  Even when I am not in the room watching, I love just listening to the shows.  And no, there is nothing wrong with that!  All this obsessing over paint techniques, furniture arraignments, proper displaying of accessories, and wall demolition has payed off this past weekend.  Well, all but wall demo-we rent; but one day.... 

For eight years I have lived in my converted garage "apartment".  No kitchen or private plumbing, but a nice sized open space that was just big enough for one car and maybe a lawn mower; the downside was that it was crowded with furniture.  For a while I just tried to ignore it; the only time I spent in there was when I was sleeping.  Then I got rid of a lot of unnecessary things, which made it better but still crowded.  By now the claustrophobia was really starting to get to me.

Two weeks ago I had an idea:  move some of the larger pieces of furniture around.  So I started studying my living quarters.  I decided to leave the bedroom side alone.  There isn't anything I can do about that area.  I turned my attention to the other side of my space.  Years of planning, collecting, and dreaming had given me an assortment of furniture; you don't even want to know what is in the attic!

I measured my room and mapped it out on a grid.  Then I did the same to my furniture.  A very smart woman once told me to move furniture on paper instead of in the area.  Paper furniture is so much lighter.  I came up with a design that looked good, and then spent a few hours putting my plan into action.  It is amazing how much of a difference taking a small couch and switching its home with an armchair.  Pull the rocker next to that armchair for a nice, intimate conversation area, and perfection!  The room feels so much more open and spacious, the claustrophobia is gone!  Thank you HGTV!!!!!!!

I am in college for accounting, but after surveying the results of a few hours' work the thought of changing over to interior design did cross my mind.  But hey, I've only got six more classes to go.  I'm too far in to start over now...

This is the Stuff...

"I lost my keys in the great unknown.  Call me please, cause I can't find my phone.  This is the stuff that drives me crazy; this is the stuff that's getting to me lately.  In the middle of my little mess, I forget how big I'm blessed."  Francesca Battistelli-This is the Stuff

So often we focus all our attention to the things that are causing us stress:  family, job, school, ...  The list could go on and on, but that would be defeating the purpose of this particular blog post.  I don't want to call attention to the stresses in life; I want to call attention to the blessings!

Just like the line from this adorable song, we so often forget about the many blessings in life when surrounded by all our mess.  Our focus is in the wrong place. 

What are my blessings?  Well, for starters, the same people I listed for causing some stress:  my family.  Don't get me wrong, I love my family!  They are the best!  And I am not just saying that because they will be the first ones to read this.  They are super supportive and much wiser than I.

What else?  My room.  I live in the converted garage, and I just redecorated it a few days ago.  Now it looks like one of those "luxury" one room apartments I see on HGTV, and I mean that in a good way!  All I need is a tiny kitchen and bath in there and it would be perfect.

Next would have to be Zaboo.  My spoiled-rotten kitty brings a smile to my face when she runs to the front door to great me as I return from the great beyond.  And while she abhors any public displays of affection, when it is just the two of us she showers me with love and purrs.  She is also a decent help with Accounting homework...

Don't forget about the little things, either:  hot water for inside showers, indoor plumbing, air conditioning (it is a MUST in the hot and humid South!), a fridge full of food, a car that has been payed for and still drives like new,...  These things truly are blessings!

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  Phillipians 4:8 NLT  Look around.  What are your blessings?

Pretty, Pretty!!!

So it's Easter time again, and it is tradition for the ladies to arrive at Easter Sunday services with brand new dresses.  Thankfully, I am not a member of the churches that go for the matching hats and gloves (I do NOT look good in any kind of hat!).  Not that there is anything wrong with the hats and gloves, mind you.  I am just not a big fan.

For the last three years I have been without a brand new Easter dress.  Not for lack of looking, but the selection of pretty, comfortable dresses in the fat ladies department has been sadly lacking.  Seriously designers, not all of us are professional supermodels!  Some of us have desk jobs.  And there is no way I will ever be caught wearing a Mu-Mu in public.  Although lately one of my problems has been the length:  yes long dresses are nice, but I am just over 5 feet tall and the dresses are dragging the ground by a foot and a half on me!  I did find one I liked this year, but of course, my size could not be found.  Bummer....

As I said before, I have been sadly deprived of a new dress.  It really is no big deal, and I have never lost sleep over it.  But this year will be different, for this year I have a new dress!!!!!!  And not just any new dress:   a beautiful, bright and colorful green dress that looks amazing on me!  The color is perfect for my skin tone and dyed reddish-brown hair( I was a natural gray at 14).  The length is absolutely stunning for my short self, and the cute little jacket is just adorable!  And I look absolutely adorable, if I do say so myself!!!

It is an amazing feeling of prettiness that came over me as I critically studied my reflection in the mirror.  A pretty, well-fitting dress is magical.  It can transform an ordinary woman into a beautiful princess.  Yes, I am 30 years old, but I still want to feel like a princess.

The search for the perfect Easter dress is over.  Now I just need to find some matching shoes.......

Simple Things

My windshield wipers have been on my car for over two years.  This past winter, however, they decided to disintegrate.  For a few months I was driving around with strips of rubber wipers flapping on my windshield.  It was no big issue, though;  the weather had been nice and clear.

With the arrival of spring comes the coating of yellow pollen all over my red car, especially on my windshield.  So I go to pull the lever to wash off the windshield, and then I remembered my destroyed wipers.  Needless to say they didn't do to good a cleaning job.  But hey, I'll deal with it...

It has been raining steadily for the past two weeks, and here I am trying to drive down the road at 60mph, in the pouring rain, with practically no wipers.  I finally broke down and asked my dad for the money to replace them (I am, unfortunately, still unemployed), to which he gladly gave me $20 and sent me down to Advanced Auto parts.  Thanks Dad!!!!!!

In five minutes, I had payed for the wipers with frappuccino money to spare (Dad said I could have one), and they were installed on my car by someone who could reach over and take care of it.  I have never been so glad to see raindrops on my windshield before!  Gone were the flapping, scraping and screeching noises; gone were the gaps where the wiper was not present to take the water away.  In their places were silent, efficient, perfectly choreographed movements of the new blades.  Like two fluid ballerinas they flew perfectly over my windshield.  I was thrilled!!!

I know wiper blades are not hugely important.  They were a simple thing that I usually took for granted, until they fell apart.  But, I think the simple things can bring us the greatest joy:  new, functioning wiper blades; a tall enough person to install them; a dark chocolate Snickers bar; a Java Chip Frappuccino; my favorite song playing on my radio; and Zaboo keeping my feet warm at night.

Celebrate the simple things, and don't take them for granted.  The simple things make me smile!