Category Archives: Just For Fun

Cut It Out

September 30, 2014Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

You may have noticed that I’m not big on sharing a ton of personal things on this blog. Sure, I’ll often share about what Charles and I are up to or about my family, but when it comes to me, I pretty much leave that topic alone. Unless of course I have a really bad day and decide to share an embarrassing amount with you.

That happened back in November and I shared the story of my chronic transformational migraine. I am now pushing 11 years in my search for a cure for my constant daily headache, and since nothing up to this point has given me any significant relief, I’ve decided to take a leap.

So tomorrow morning I’ll be going in for an “experimental” surgery to see if we can knock some of these headaches out. I’ll spare you the gory details, but basically they will be alleviating the pressure being put on two of the main nerves in my head by cutting away muscle (hence the laughable title of this post). One nerve is in the back of my head and one is in between my eyes. Yay for black, swollen eyes for the next 2 weeks!

It’s pretty terrifying, and very expensive since insurance won’t cover it, but I’ve got to try before I go 100% insane. So you can pretty much expect this to be me tomorrow night…

But then the drugs will kick in.

I won’t be leaving you completely in the dark, though. I’m super excited about the amazing ladies I have lined up to help me out while I’m gone. I know you’ll enjoy their posts.

Here’s hoping it works. Wish me luck!! :)

———-

If you have chronic migraines and are interested in learning more about the surgery, here are some sites I have found helpful. Keep in mind that it’s still experimental, even though it’s been tested for over 10 years now, and results vary from site to site.

CNN Health: Facial Surgery May Offer Migraine Cure

Kirby Plastic Surgery: Nerve Decompression Surgery

University of Wisconsin: Surgical Treatment of Migraine Headaches

Migraine Surgery Centre: The Discovery of the Migraine Procedure

Easy To Follow

September 27, 2014Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

Did you know that you could get each post from 702 Park Project sent directly to your email? It’s easy! Just click the Subscribe link under “Let’s Be Friends” in the sidebar. You’ll be directed to a reader site called Feedburner, where you can sign up and set your preferences.

See, wasn’t that easy?!

Our Fall Bucket List For The Home

September 25, 2014Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

When it officially turned to fall on Tuesday, it was like a mental switch went off within me. Immediately, my mood changed and I had a brighter outlook on just about everything. Fall has always had the ability to do that to me…just one of the many reasons it’s my favorite season.

Just like I did at the beginning of the summer, I thought I’d create a fall bucket list for our house. But first, let me catch you up on what’s happened with our summer list since the last update.

~~Paint the front porch~~
Paint the back porches and stairs
~~Paint the master bathroom~~
~~Paint the master vanity and add hardware and a mirror~~
~~Install glass in the master shower~~
Install new overhead lights in the master bathroom and closet
~~Paint the dining room~~
~~Rearrange the formal living room furniture~~
Paint the side door and back door red to match the front door
~~Switch out the lights in the office bathroom to match the den bathroom~~
Install blinds (at least in our ~~master bathroom~~ and in the front rooms)
~~Unpack~~, unpack, unpack so we can have the bear room back (we’ve made a little dent in unpacking)
~~Hang art, pictures, etc. on the walls~~
Install cabinets and/or shelves in the laundry room
Set up the newly-stabilized garage to be a work space/studio
~~Do some landscaping~~
~~Repair/replace the back yard fence where necessary~~

So, we didn’t get through all of it, but I think we had a pretty good run. The fall list is much shorter, as we have decided to chill out for a while and save up a little more before tackling anything really big.

Paint the back porches and stairs.
Paint the side and back doors to match the front door.
Unpack, unpack, unpack so we can have the bear room back.
Install cabinets and/or shelves in the laundry room.
Set up the newly-stabilized garage to be a work space/studio.
Do more landscaping.

What’s on your bucket list this fall?

Blog Hop: Next Stop On The Tour

September 15, 2014Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

Happy Monday, my loves! I hope your weekend was filled with happiness!

Have you heard of this Tour Through Blogland that’s been going around? I’ve been loosely following and it’s so fun to get a glimpse inside the minds of a variety of bloggers. I’ve enjoyed learning about the processes and motives behind each blog.

I was tagged by two sweethearts that I now consider dear “bloggy” friends: Elizabeth at Little Black Door and Griffin at The Design Itch (see their blog hop here and here). Thanks for including me in this fun tour, friends!

Here goes!

Why do I write?

Blogging, and writing in general, is something I sort of stumbled into by happenstance. When we decided that we were going to build our lives around this “new” old house, I knew that I wanted to share that experience. I began blogging as a way to kind of virtually scrapbook the process and the experience. A way to share our story with those closest to us, and a way to remember. But blogging ended up giving me something I never knew I had…a creative voice.

I’ve always leaned heavily towards math and science, and I’m an accountant by day, so discovering that I had a creative side was both surprising and exhilarating. I truly find so much joy in writing this blog and sharing our home with you.

What are you working on?

I’m ashamed to say that I’ve let my Etsy shop fall by the wayside in the last few months. I’ve been shipping a bunch, but haven’t done too much otherwise. Summers are just so crazy, and with an overflowing plate, that part of the business got pushed aside. But that’s changing now! I’m working on getting photos of the new inventory and hope to be posting those soon.

I’ll also be hosting a baby shower and the 100^th anniversary party for the Daughters of the American Revolution in the coming weeks, which is keeping me busy with cleaning and decorating the house!

Lastly, there’s a little tiny business venture in the works, but you’ll just have to wait for more details on that! Sorry, I’m a tease. ;)

How does your blog differ from others in your genre?

Pretty much every DIY and home blogger has a passion for his or her home, and I’m really no different. I love sharing my home with you, as well as my projects. I guess my blog takes a slightly different path because my husband and I have such a strong familial bond with our home. Be sure to read about here…seriously, goosebumps every time.

What is your writing process?

I’m a Type A planner through and through. Those that know me well know that I generally have a color-coordinated spreadsheet for every event, and I love love love lists! So I usually have my posts scheduled at least a couple days in advance, and I try to post 5-6 days per week. If I know I’m going to be away, I plan ahead. I generally have my “This Week’s Links” and “Quotable Friday” posts scheduled quite early.

As far as content, that’s easy: I keep a secret Pinterest board! I can’t be the only one that does that, right?! Obviously, a lot of my content comes from what’s going on in my home, but I also have a gazillion other ideas floating around and I either pin them or jot them down in my planner. I’m a stickler for spelling and grammar, but don’t tend to edit too much other than that. I’ve found, in almost all areas of my life, I am much more likely to make mistakes when I second guess myself. My first pass is usually my best.

Hopefully you enjoyed that, and learned a little more about me and what I do. Now I’m passing this torch on to Alison at Heart of Gold. It’s your turn, lady! Have fun! :)

PS- follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+ to keep up!

Sharing a Favorite – Teal & Lime

September 9, 2014Categories: Decor, Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

Do you follow Teal & Lime? If you have a home and you aren’t following, you should be! This site has become my go-to for budget decorating how-to’s and homeowner tips.

Jackie is such a valuable resource, and so many of her tips and tricks are absolutely free! Below are my top 10 favorite recent articles on decorating and loving your home.

Really, I could list 75 posts here! They’re just all so good!

What are some of your favorite home decorating resources?

PS- this is not a sponsored or affiliate post…I just really like this site!! :)

Laboring Away – DIY Blog Hop

September 1, 2014Categories: Furniture, Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

Happy Labor Day, friends!! Like most everyone else I know, I’m enjoying a much-needed day off, but wondering where in the hell this summer went! Wasn’t it just May?!

Anyway, I’m so thrilled to be a part of the Laboring Away DIY Blog Hop! These ladies are so incredibly talented and I’m honored to be in a group with them.

I’ve found that a lot of furniture in our home is dark…whether wood or fabric. Most of the time it’s nice to have these hearty pieces, but sometimes it can darken the mood a bit. So to keep things fresh and summery year round, I decided to make over this sad little dresser I picked up at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Because the front of the drawers were a really cheap material with a thin wood veneer, I didn’t feel bad about covering those guys up. All I needed for this quick and easy makeover was a roll of wallpaper, spray on adhesive, and scissors.

I chose a plain white wallpaper to give the piece a sleek and sophisticated look, but any wallpaper would do. I found an old roll that had been opened at the local hardware store and ended up getting the whole roll for $5.

The step are pretty easy. First, you measure out the correct size for the piece of wallpaper you need. We did this by laying the wallpaper on top of the face of the drawer and creasing it around the edges.

With a steady hand, cut the wallpaper, then spray the adhesive onto the drawer front and stick on the wallpaper. Easy, right?

The last step is rubbing a dark furniture polish into the top and sides of the dresser to give the entire piece a uniform look.

This entire project, including the dresser, cost less than $50 and took about an hour.

Be sure to check out these lovely ladies and see what projects they have in store for Labor Day!

Lemon Grove Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Eat.Sleep.Decorate • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Brittany French • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram