Bright Side

With the return of snow and cold I know I'm not the only one looking for a brighter and warmer future. Since I can't control the weather and I do live in SD, I figured what better way to bring some sunshine and fun than with a pallet wood project painted bright yellow! :)

So first I had my hubby cut a few pieces of pallet to similar lengths and used three of them and Liquid Nails to attach them. I spray painted it three coats with a bright yellow, let it dry, and sanded the edges. Next I cut a file from Studio Calico with my Silhouette and layer it on, taping it with washi, and got some turquoise acrylic paint ready to fill in the stencil.

Be careful to not get too much paint on your brush and paint away from the edge of stencil letters so it doesn't creep under. This is my third attemp with stencils on these boards and am calling this sign, which isn't perfect, my labor of love because I really wanted to get one done but this took time and a lot of patience!

Once the second coat of turquoise was dry I used gold and silver gelatos to add some highlights to the cracks and sanded distressed areas. Yes, this sign is crazily bright but I cannot wait to hang it in my freshly painted gray guest bedroom because these colors are in the chevron bedspread. Can't wait to get that, and my own bedroom, completed and share!!! 

Atorvastatin Ouch!

I recently started seeing a new endocrinologist and am excited that he is excited. He is engaged and digs in deep on little changes that make little differences that will add up to a big deal, big deal meaning my overall health! So after getting all of the numbers and algorithms figured out with my diabetes for now, I asked about my cardiovascular health. My blood pressure and cholesterol are in good range but I'm 38 and know that time and diabetes on board may impact my heart so risk reduction is what I'm interested in right now. He explained the same thing I've often heard, the jury is out, science isn't necessarily supporting any ACE inhibitors or statins for someone like me but we agreed together that if I have no side effects, why not try a low dose statin, so atorvastatin 10mg was waiting for me at my pharmacy. 

That was on a Friday, I had taken them daily and went to my gym on Monday morning, had an intense workout, and got on with my day. That afternoon I was walking down steps in a stairwell and was overwhelmed with sudden fear that I may fall face first because my thighs were burning! I took ibuprofen, which typically takes care of muscle aches from overindulging at the gym. No relief. Tuesday I could barely function. My daughters had teacher conferences and when we got home and they said I was walking like an 80 year old at their school and were a tad embarrassed, and it finally occurred to me Tuesday night, after taking another dose of my Lipitor that, holy crap, my risk reduction medication was causing me to be in severe pain! So much so that I'd aged 40 years in my daughters eyes in a matter of days!

I quickly did the math on the half life of the drug, and determined that it should be cleared from my system on Saturday. I skipped those doses through the week and, sure enough, my legs were gradually 38 again by Saturday! My heart is 38, too. It just sucks because I know how hard I work and try, over and over every day to maintain tight control with this disease, yet just the fact of having it puts me in the same category as someone who's already had one cardiovascular event. And trying to be proactive and taking something to help reduce my risk, make me feel like it's just a little bit more fair, is extremely painful! It's just not fair and makes my heart hurt a little. Emotionally, not physically, which I suppose, is the positive in this, huh?

Puppy Kisses

We surprised the girls with a trip to look at puppies and picking a new family member for Vanentines Day! They were beyond excited and surprised, we just couldn't get enough of these precious pups! Hope you are celebrating a sweet weekend with people or pets you love! 

Insta Invites

Quick birthday invites thanks to my mighty Silhouette! Graci is turning 11 in a few weeks and this tween age is a bit challenging for party ideas as she's no longer a little girl but not too old for a fun gathering. Instagram is her obsession and she is great at photography so we're in the process of creating a photo booth for her sleepover but needed to get the invites out so I searched insta in the Silhouette store and found the perfect idea for her invitations...

I whipped these up in no time and Graci was thrilled with the result. I found epoxy circles for the lens and that was it. Sweet and simple...

Time to get these in the mail and start working on the photo booth idea...

Chalkboard Valentine Decor

I created this for my mantle and wanted to share...

I overused the embossing buddy to get that chalkboard look on my smooth black card stock and heat embossed the alphabet in white, switching out the I, heart and U with red. I matted my piece on red and bought my frame at Michaels with a 40% off coupon so this project is easy to do without spending much. I don't have a whole lot of decorations for the season, unlike Christmas and fall, but still like to add a few home accents so something like this larger framed piece adds a big punch to my otherwise holiday less mantle!

Popping By with a Birthday Surprise...

Our neighbors' daughter is celebrating a birthday this week and she is a good friend of my daughters so we thought long and hard about a special gift for her big day. The girls were naming all of her favorite treats and I thought it would be fun to do a movie themed gift. Experiences are so special versus an item and I know I've really enjoyed the memories of gifted experiences I've received so thought a night out to the movies would be perfect!

Cue the popcorn...

I die cut the box with my Silhouette and had a few movie embellishments to add some pizazz. We loaded this up with Mike and Ike's, Hershey's, Jelly Belly beans, and, of course, her own personal popcorn seasoning!

I die cut a little pocket container and stamped it up. Inside is a movie ticket that states on the back, "You pick the movie and we'll pick you up!" That way she can decide on the flick and I can take her and my girls for a fun evening out or afternoon matinee. 

So fun! We can't wait to give it to her tonight! Lots of great movies out there right now and of course, it's her "pick" but I cannot deny I wouldn't be disappointed if she decides on the new Cinderella that comes out next month...just sayin'... 

Happy Friday!!!

Project Life January 2015

I can do this! Since discovering the simplicity of doing my project life by month instead of by week, it's becoming a whole new joy, a whole new experience, and for that I am thankful! Recording lots of moments in this month by month layout is something I will look forward to completing and sharing at the end or early beginning of each month as it passes in 2015.

For January, I used lots of leftover bits from the SC Walden kit and love the cool colors with the monthly spread and pictures...

Lots of die cutting this month and keeping it simple as lots of pictures to fill up my pages.

Left layout...

and the right side...

So glad I am still enjoying this process and even more, the end result!

Are you starting Project Life or rediscovering how to do it? A few tweaks and I sill am such a big fan! Hope you are, too! :)