Tacky Glam

I went to my favorite thrift store today (like there was a doubt?) and as I walked down the lighting aisle my eyes were accosted by these lamps. I don't even know what to say about them other than; where on this planet did they come from? Have you ever seen something so tacky it's Glam? I think I did today. If lady GaGa was a lamp she would be one of these with a sweet spikey shade :)

And it begins...

Last week was supposed to be "Project Week" but that didn't actually happen because recovering from surgery took a little more effort than I thought it was going to. Anywho, this week has now been dubbed "Project Week Redo". I'm starting off strong! My side table/night stand is almost done, I just have to polish the hardware and put it back together.

Here is the "before". See the top? I need a replacement!

Then I need to figure out a top for it... When we bought it, it had a black slate top. But when we brought it home and took it out of the car... The top feel off and broke in the drive way. Hmm, solutions?

My "before". I love this thing! The red parts are just paper! Endless possibilities!

Next up is my sweet dresser I got at a thrift store. I started painting the drawers at the end of last week, and it is proving to be a difficult task. Each drawer front takes at least 4 coats of paint; 2 with a regular paint brush and 2 with a very small paint brush. If anyone ever denies my dedication to detail I will think of this dresser and laugh. Anyway, I have 2 drawers done, 3 very close to done, and one to start, then it's the frame which (fingers crossed) will be easy. Pictures to come, promise.

Love these!

Dining room chairs! I'm so excited to start on these! The chairs themselves are beautiful and with a fresh coat of gray paint, I think I will love them even more. I'm still waiting for my sweet indoor/outdoor navy blue fabric to come in from Calico Corners so I can reupholster the seats. But as soon as that happens, these chairs are getting tackled!

Soho Outdoor, but in navy instead of orange.

 Other projects include:
My framed painted wall... Something like this:

littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com

But different. Our house has a very open concept but I wanted a pop of color in the dining room, so this is where I got my inspiration... I actually went to hobby lobby and bought a HUGE (3ft x 4ft) damaged frame for $45 (originally $255). There truly was nothing wrong with it just a small scrap that is easy to hide. So the plan is to hang the frame then paint the wall inside of the frame a pretty navy then hang photos on top of that.
I have a few things on my list to buy still but I have found a super awesome thrift store that is helping me do this on the cheap. I actually found a mirror like this one:

For $20 at this place! I'm thinking about buying it tomorrow, I won't lie. There is also a ginger jar lamp there for $8 that might be coming home tomorrow too.
I think I have a problem... But it feels so good!


 

Sink or Swim

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming"

I have recently decided that I am among the a group of people that I refer to as the "unhirables". We are the people that went to college (like all good middle class kids are supposed to), did our "time", graduated with a super interesting degree, then realized "interesting" means nothing in the real world. We are hopeless wondering the world of job boards, classified sections, and resume writing seminars. I picture all of us in a boat going out to sea with no real direction and littering the ocean with resumes and cover letters.
I feel like this has been a discovery process for me.. Kind of like how people go to AA groups and say "Hi, I'm Stacie and I have a problem". Well I am Stacie, and I do have a problem, I need to take some actions to make myself more marketable in this crazy ocean of resumes and cover letters. But first I have to figure out what I want to do! In 9th grade I was sat down by my guidance councilor and told to pick a "career path". Really?! How foreign a concept to a 14 year old and now still incredible foreign and daunting to a 24 year old. Way back then I thought, hands down, I will be a teacher. I had wanted to teach from the time I was 5 and up until I actually worked with children and their parents, which happened my senior year of high school. At that point I realized how much I hated working with kids and that parents are, sometimes, completely awful. I quickly decided "to hell with people, I will be an engineer". We all know how well that turned out (boo, physics!). And ever since I can't stay firm with a career path. At one moment I think, "well that's cool, I could do that", then the next I think I should do something else. It feels like an endless cycle. So in the end graduating with a degree in psychology with no real job prospects really is a horrible idea, just in case anyone out there wants to try it out for themselves.
Now I'm about to turn 24 and I've been out of work for almost 2 years (go me). So I've been brainstorming jobs that sound interesting to me. I love the idea of working with a nonprofit or an organization that helps people. Here is my list so far...
Higher Education in Student Life/Affairs
Volunteer Coordination (which I think a degree in public policy would help out with)
Adoption Agent (Degree in Social Work or Public Policy)
Woman's Health Advocate
Event Planning
Interior Decorating
Fundraising Coordination
Teaching
And finally, beach bum.
Hi, I'm Stacie, and I need help. So please from the bottom of my heart, help me.

Why can't I just find an opportunity like this?

Let the projects begin!

Some how I have wore Andy down enough to the point that he has begged me to start the projects that are killing me around the house (!). So what do we have on tap? New night stand for the guest room down stairs, and new dining room chairs! So ridiculously excited! Tomorrow is prime and paint.
Pictures will be posted of my progress as it happens. Stay tuned.

What a day...

Do you ever have a day when life just seems a bit overwhelming? Well that was today. And in the end I have figured out my automatic response to such a day, I want to go home. Not the home that is new and "ours", don't get me wrong, I love it but it's not "mine" yet. I want to go to the place where every street means something to me, where there is a memory of my life on every corner, and where I have a true feeling of unconditional belonging. To the place that the chicken noodle soup tastes better and the sheets are always warm. Which really got me thinking... When does this new home become "mine"? Or does it ever? Does the feeling of loss ever go away or do I get used to the empty feeling? Maybe it will go away with time...
I don't really think there are any answers to these questions but I wanted to throw them out in the universe to see if someone, somewhere had some insight. I think it's human nature to search for comfort and the most comfortable place I know is home. So when home is so very far away, how do I recreate that feeling? Can I?

2010, One bad mamma jamma

I started to write a long a drawn out "year in review" post but I just deleted it. I think this year I have witnessed some miraculous things and some awful things as well. Here is my shortened year in review...
In the calendar year that I've lived in Utah (July 09-July 10) I have been witness to two adoptions, the birth of a new niece, a divorce of close friends, we got married (for the first time), a few unfortunate deaths, buying a house, and a lot of little milestones a long the way. One milestone was trying fry sauce for the first time, I won't lie, it's some weird stuff. Also I found some french fries that I can, not only, stomach but actually enjoy! This is a huge feat for me. We also hosted our very first Thanksgiving in our new house and I cooked my very first turkey. I made some super awesome friends, which are all leaving me now (boo).
Moving on to the rest of 2010, I had the pleasure of witnessing the marriage of a bunch of awesome people and Andy and I got married for the second time :). Our year of weddings went something like this...
Mitchell Diebold wed Amanda Meyer on July 17, I had the honor of being a bridesmaid. 
Tyler Smedley wed Candice Draper on August 27, Andy had the pleasure of being the surprise best man.
Jason Christensen wed Megan Shields on September 2, I had the pleasure of being a bridesmaid.
Andy and I were married again in front of all of our family and friends October 2.
Alec Bass wed Elizabeth Baxter on November 20, so sad we couldn't attended but we were there in spirit.
We are so happy to have all of these people as part of our lives and it is a beautiful thing to be a witness to the happiest days of their lives.
Now 2011 is shaping up to be a big year for us too. We have a super cool trip planned with some friends to a cabin over looking Bear Lake in northern Utah (Andy even said he would drive me to Idaho so I could mark another state off of my list!). Our honeymoon is booked for March! But sadly because of bad scheduling on my part we won't be able to attend my cousin's wedding in March (we will be at sea.. poop). We have another wedding that we are planning on attending in May in St. Louis! So all you Missouri people, mark your calendars! Oh, I almost forgot.. I will be turning the big 2-4 and Andy is just getting old. lol Just kidding he will be the big 2-7. I try to make them cooler by calling them "big" but nothing cool happens at 24 and 27. Lame ages. Anywho, maybe 2011 will mark the beginning of an awesome career for me, keep those fingers crossed. In the mean time I think I need to get out of this house! Since my parents left in early January I've been here searching for jobs and you know those little things that kind of annoy you about your house but you can put in the back of your mind? Well they are frustrating the crap out of me! I'm so close to repainting my house, ripping my fireplace off of the wall and replacing it, glazing my cabinets, etc, etc, etc.

Anyway, have a fabulous day!

Good intentions...

Well I had every intention of posting everyday during November.. Then I got a job and things got hectic. That's right folks, I got a job. Me! The unemployable, haha. I was hired as a temp in the accounting office of the Non profit in charge of Head Start and some other community action programs. It started out just filing and mindless work, which was awful. But now they are trying to hire someone to be a file clerk so I can focus on the actual accounting. I am going to be in charge of doing all of the credit card balances and paying them.
Anywho, I thought I would catch everyone up a little on my life. Hopefully I will be able to post more soon.