1.31.2012

MOSAIC - January 2012

Monthly Mosaic Jan2012

My Life Recap / January 2012
*Muffins had her 12th Birthday!
*I hung a photo collage inspired by California in my hallway
*I blogged about my first month working with animals
*Gave my blog a makeover
*Flat Stanley visited us in Wyoming
*Started a new whole food diet
*Finally got my hexagon table painted

1.30.2012

Chloe Loves Sunshine

The sun was out on Sunday afternoon and Chloe decided to sun herself in the living room. It was a great time to snap some cute pictures...
Chloe Loves Sunshine - Jan 2012Chloe sitting sun logo jan2012"Oh, the sun feels so good!"Chloe eyes closedlogo Jan2012Chloe elmo logo jan2012What a cutie! Can't wait till spring so we can get the dogs out to some parks!

1.29.2012

Decor Love - PB TEEN

Look at these lovely goodies I found from PB Teen! Great colors and patterns for all ages!

Decor Love - PB TEEN
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1.28.2012

LOVE THIS ROOM

I think this room is interesting. The color scheme is not my favorite, but the daybed and canopy are beautiful...
Decor PadBed Canopy


Have a Great Weekend! I am off to my last day of work for the week! Looking forward to my day off tomorrow!!

1.25.2012

Inspiration: Beautiful Painted Credenza

Lately I have been wanting to spray paint everything! Why does it have to be winter right now? It seems like on my days off it's always windy and snowing. So even painting in the garage is out of the question since it's not heated. I am dying to find a dresser or buffet to paint yellow for my dining room. Every trip to the thrift stores lately have left me empty handed. I originally planned on painting my buffet (that I don't have yet) with a roller and a can of paint, but I may just go with spray paint instead! Look at this BEAUTIFUL spray painted buffet by Jenny from Little Green Notebook....
Credenza by Jenny
My jaw dropped when I saw this thing!!!!Credenza by Jenny
This was all the inspiration I needed to decide to use spray paint instead! The only thing that will keep me from not using spray paint, is if I don't like the color of yellow offered in the spray paint selection. I would really just like to get a paint sprayer, but I just don't feel like spending the money on one right now! Jenny has step by step directions on her blog on how she painted her buffet. She also did some other awesome stuff in her home office makeover!
Credenza by Jenny
I am super jealous of her office, but I will use that jealously to motivate me to go shopping this weekend for my own awesome buffet! lol Thanks Jenny for the great inspiration!

1.24.2012

Dose of Jonathan Adler

I didn't get a job so that I could spend $175 on a decorative pillow, but dam it's tempting! I am so in love with the new pillows from Jonathan Adler...
JA Pillows Bargello jan2012
The colors and patterns are amazing. Even Cody loves them,....just not the price. This is probably my current favorite color scheme: Pink, Blue and Orange! YUMMY!
The Sugar MonsterBlue & PinkProject NurseryBlue, Pink & Orange
This may be my new inspiration for my living room.....

1.23.2012

Flat Stanley visits us in Wyoming

Have you heard of Flat Stanley? He is a little boy who becomes flatten when a bulletin board falls on top of him. Now he travels the world by mail! A family friend asked me if I would let Stanley visit with us in Wyoming for her daughters school project. She just finished reading Flat Stanley in her 3rd grade class, so now Stanley is here with us visiting. Here are some of Stanley's photos that he will be taking back with him to Ohio...
Stan with Wyoming State Sign
Here we are with Stanley...
Stanley & CodyStanley & MeStan with Cowboy Sign1
I made Stanley a Cowboy Hat!
Stanley in his hat
We made sure Stanley got to see some mountains...Stan with Mountains and Railroad TracksStan with Rocks HWY25
Of course the dogs had to meet Stanley...
Stanley & MuffinsStanley & Chloe

This was fun to do. I know it will be exciting for the third grade class to get the Flat Stanley back and see the pictures. I wrote a cute little letter talking about our jobs and life in Wyoming.

1.20.2012

Working with Animals {month 1}

It's officially been 1 month since I started my new job as an Animal Care Specialist. When I took the job I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I thought a year ago I would be going to school to get a degree in Web Design. Now I am working with animals. I have always loved animals and when I was a kid I wanted to be a veterinarian. Sadly, I was not blessed with a strong stomach. Blood bothers me, so being a Vet is not an option. I have gotten better, but I don't think I could do it.

This first month has been an emotional roller coaster for me. The first week was easy because it was just watching videos and reading paperwork. Once I started training though and actually seeing all the animals it started to stir up my emotions. You can't save them all. It's just simply heartbreaking.

Detroit for Blog

My job is to feed the animals and clean up after them. I also spend time socializing them and helping people adopt animals. I have just now really started doing adoptions. Last Saturday I adopted out my first dog all by myself. Sadly, he was returned about 3 days later. A lot of these dogs in the shelter really have high energy levels and separation anxiety issues. Which to me, is very understandable considering what they have been through. Animals need more then 3 days to adjust to a new home outside of a shelter. A cat got adopted out yesterday and was returned 2 hours later because it hissed at the other pets in the home.. Well, DUH! How stressed out and scared do you think that cat probably was?! It just lived in a cage by itself for a month!

One of the first days I worked, I had "kennel time" with a dog. Kennel time is 10-15 minutes that we spend with an animal in there cage to comfort them. Each day each employee is assigned an animal. When I was petting this dog, my eyes just filled with tears and it took everything I had to keep myself together. The same day I had to watch a sick cat be put to sleep. Of course I cried during that.

It's all part of the job and as of last week I didn't know if I could find the strength inside me to NOT GIVE UP. Sometimes I just want to go back to sitting in front of my computer daily and not work. Quitting is the easy way out. This time of year is considered "slow". Animals aren't breeding as much so we have less of them. The spring is going to REALLY test me. I am doing better already then I thought I would, so I feel very hopefully.

I feel there is no other job for me in this city I live in. This job is totally different then working at IKEA. Taking this job is eye opening for me. I will grow as a person working here. The experience is worth while that's for sure. I was so depressed last week, coming home crying to Cody. I just can't quit though. I am going to take it day by day and see what happens. Everything to life is a test to me. You become stronger and just keep developing as a person. You just keep getting better and learn from everything you do.

I don't know if I mentioned this or not, but Cody volunteers on Saturday morning at the shelter. He goes in for 2 hours early in the morning just to walk dogs. It really makes him happy and it really helps out the shelter. Something so simple, but yet so rewarding.

1.18.2012

My California Photo Collage Wall

Over the weekend I finally had some nice enough weather to bust out my spray paint. I couldn't wait to start working on my photo collage wall. When I started this project I didn't know what colors I wanted the frames to be or even what pictures were going to go in the frames! It all started when I designed a cute California print...
California Print
Then I decided I wanted to just frame pictures that I took in California....
California Wall Collage
I decided to just stick with white and silver frames. Most of the frames were black and I spray painted them glossy white. I used Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Primer, I highly recommend it! I decided to put scrapbook paper in the 12"x12" frames and just tape a photo printed out as a 8"x 8" on top of the paper.
California Collage Detail 1California Collage Detail 3
I am pretty happy with how it looks. Cody even loves it! We really love California, so the pictures really trigger some happy memories! My other project over the weekend was my $4 Kmart Frame. It got a pretty in pink makeover!
Pink Collage Frame and Vinylmations
I decided to put some photos from our last Disney Vacation in the frame. We really had some funny pictures taken. I used my TJUSIG rack from IKEA to set my Vinylmations on. I just took the hooks off of it and it became the perfect shelf for my figurines. It is nice finally seeing some things on my blank walls...
Staircase2Staircase1

This was a fun project! I may do another frame collage on the wall you can't see in the photos! We'll see....

1.17.2012

Design Board - Loren's Office / Guest Bedroom

Decorating one room to use for guests and as a home office is tricky! Loren needed some help with this dilemma! She lacked storage and organization. She already owned a futon and an office chair from IKEA.
IKEA Chair2

I love the patterns and colors on the chair so I decided it would be a great inspiration piece for my design. Here is what I came up with....
Lorens Office Guest Bedroom
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I added a dresser to the room so that guests have a place to put their clothes while visiting. Plus, it can just be used for extra storage when Loren doesn't have guests. I chose a computer armoire to hid clutter and provide better storage. A pretty bookcase to store baskets for the "not so pretty" stuff, but plenty of room for pretty picture frames and vases. When storage is an issue, I always suggest baskets or boxes on top of the furniture also! Sometimes you need to go all the way up to the ceiling! I also love LACK wall shelves from IKEA. An important thing about decorating to me is, hiding clutter and only displaying pretty things.
Happy Decorating Loren!

1.16.2012

LOVE THIS ROOM

I love all these rooms. They aren't my usual style, but they are beautiful to me...
Decor PadLiving Room / Decor Pad
Decor PadLiving Room / Decor Pad
Decor PadLiving Room / Decor Pad

1.13.2012

Muffins Birthday

Okay, maybe it seems weird to post about my dogs birthday on my blog. Muffins is now 12 years old. It is hitting me like a ton of bricks that my baby is getting older. With my new job, my eyes are being opened to all the pets that are neglected and homeless. When I come home everyday Muffins is right there wondering where I have been. Her eyes fill up with joy and happiness to see that I am home again. Muffins is the sweetest little thing and she has so much love for me...
Muffins Birthday 2012
I know she doesn't know that it's her birthday. Sadly, just I do. Last year I watched her health decline rapidly. She still gets around somewhat well, but she has a limp caused by back or hip pain. I need to take her to the vet and get some blood work done and maybe put her on some pain meds. My heart already aches thinking about having to let her go someday. This may all sound morbid, but I am just preparing myself for the future. A lot of this is just all triggered by my new job. My job is not for everyone and I am already being tested. I hope that I can find the strength to not give up. Seeing the sad animals in cages everyday, the animals that no one wanted, and animals that can't find homes is heart wrenching. All I can hope is that I can make a difference!!
Muffins Birthday2 2012
I hope that if you aren't a pet owner that you may be willing to open your life up to an animal someday. They will bring you so much love and warmth, especially when you need it the most. With all the said, Happy Birthday Muffins! Thanks for being the best little Yorkie I could ever want!

Fashion Friday: Cute Purses

I love purses! I am just luck that I have amazing self-control when I go shopping! They are so tempting....
fashion inspiration jan2012 cutepurses
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Go over to Kori's blog, Blonde Episodes to be part of Fashion Fridays!
You can view all my Fashion posts by clicking {HERE}. Have a great weekend!