Home Decor and Fun Craft Creations

New Blog design and name! I figured that a blog style and name that fitted what we are trying to find is better. So, Persons' Paradise sounded like a great idea. I feel that even though things are not always easy or enjoyable that I should find the paradise in the disaster.

We have been in our new rental house for a few months now, and still getting things situated. Stephen last night put up the living room curtains, he even made the curtain rod himself! I made some poms for just fun decoration and to bring in some color, plus it is my birthday coming up next month. I can't believe that I will be turning 24. I still have to think whether I am 18 or 20 still.

 The Poms I made, they are addicting to make! I got the idea from above.
The painting of the mountains and river, I made last year.
I still need to work on it a bit, seeing as the river looks more like Grand Rapids. Pretty choppy looking.

Photograph of temple statue that I took last semester in Photography class.

We are still working on the kitchen island that my parents gave to us for Christmas...still in progress mode, but I will post some pictures of that here later. We cut the back board for it and are positioning the tile on it to see how it looks. I have been busy in school this semester. I made the Dean's List for the Herberger Art School in ASU! Stephen is in his last semester of rotations for Pharmacy, he will be graduating in June, which we are very excited for! Other than that we are just running along the normal route of life, school, work, cleaning and decorating a house.

From Diagnoses to Decor

With the beginning of a new semester and now in the middle of the muck, I find myself reflecting on what has happened over these past few months. We moved into a new house (new to us and rented) but still awesome! However, unpacking, decorating, and arranging furniture can be quite the task. I have made a few accomplishments in that area and can't wait to brag about it when I can get the chance to post some pics up of them!

We are going through my health battle, my body likes to get pushed out of shape and send me obnoxious warnings that something is wrong. Between  the vertigo, dizziness, extreme fatigue (like I sleep for 14hrs. at a time), and an overwhelming absence of a dear Aunt Flo that I have come to miss lately...it is scary to say the least that there is an answer for all this; there has to be. Now, thanks to ASU Student Healthcare, we can figure out what is wrong with me! I should be jumping up and down for this, right? Well, with answers come the responsibility of doing somethin' about it. Tests came back and my glucose is high for fasting, my good cholesterol is low, and triglycerides are high. All this basically boils down to that my insulin that my body produces isn't being used like it should be...thus high glucose levels in the blood. The words "PRE-DIABETIC" came from my doctor's mouth on Monday, and I didn't expect to hear it. So, now onto the OB/GYN for further testing as to that certain Aunt that is missing :) All this spells a condition (PCOS) that I was told a few years ago that I may have, we will see what it really is come Friday.

Well, that was a downer, moving on to the fun stuff...I gathered pine cones and painted them, then arranged them in glass vases and inserted tall candles in them, and presto --Decor!

Pine Cone Candle Decor (I think I might tie a ribbon around the middle of the vase? hmmm?)

Mirror turned Chalkboard, I painted the frame white (used to be gold)...got this idea from Pinterest "The best things in life are meant to be shared"

 Plates painted with chalkboard spray paint. I am going to hang this on our entry gallery wall.

All in all I am happy to be in a house instead of an apartment (we can run around like crazy obnoxious people now!). Hopefully, I will get healthier and can manage this hiccup in my health. Stephen is already in his rotations and has exactly 8 months left until he graduates Midwestern University with a PharmD. I am so excited for him!  He has been working so hard, yesterday he pulled an 11 hour day - poor guy.  My education is gonna take a few more semesters, about 2 or 3. Then I will graduate with a Bachelors in Art Studies. Well that is about it, don't forget to check out my photographs for sale added to my Etsy here:                                                                                                                                http://www.etsy.com/shop/simsa13
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

High Hopes for New Home

We are planning to move in September, hopefully if all goes well into a house. It is very hard to find a house for rent and in our price range in Glendale, so we are branching out our places of interest to Peoria, Phoenix, Surprise, and where-ever. I think Stephen (hubby) is getting scared that we only have a month left until we move out of our apartment and that we are still looking. We have a few ones that we are interested in, however, the bad part is we don't have our loan money yet to pay for it, major bummer!

Tell me what your favorite do-it-yourself project was below in the comments.

I love hearing your ideas!

Here are some of my ideas for our next place raging rapidly through my
 mind:

1. Make a sailor-knotted rug like the one to the side. You can find the link on how to at grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com

2. Make a headboard, fabric or wood. But one that coordinates with bedroom colors like the turquoise one above.

3. Repaint our nightstands, maybe a bold color like the picture below.

4. Make more art, similar to a repeated pattern with bright colors (aqua,  yellow, red, green).

There are about a ton of more things that I would like to do. I think that this is a good start and I will let you know how things are going with them. With starting a new semester at ASU, you never know how it is going to go. And if you don't know yet I am pursuing a Bachelor's in Art Studies and starting my first studio class this semester. I am so super excited for it. Hopefully, we will find a place that we like and can make it more of our own. You can check out more of my future home ideas and DIY projects at  http://pinterest.com/apersons/. If you would like an invite to Pinterest I would love to give you one!

Valentine's Day

In an effort to decorate my small abode for Valentine's Day, I have come up with these easy ideas.
Look for frames in your house that seem like they have not been used for a while, print of pictures of some fabric designs that you like and pop them into word and add a little LOVE!!! Then print of photos of those you love in your home and outside of your home, whatever pleases ya! And then put it all together on a shelf and wall.
Oh, and who says the border to a picture has to be inside the frame...it can be on the outside (this is where I used those fabric printouts and used paint to paste them to the frame, the paint that shows through a little bit gives at a colorful attitude).

And it seems this is what you get:
This is in my entryway as you first come through the door off to the right...